Fonejacker

Prank-call show Fonejacker has to be the funniest thing on the telly right now. I like the Iraqi man wanting to join the British Army. The recruitment officer is very helpful: he even thinks that Iraq may well be a Commonwealth country.

What, because you occupy it now? says the Iraqi. Erm, we don't occupy it now ... Well, I suppose ... can't really get into all that with you, sir.

It makes you squirm like an eel. But cringing is the new laughing - no, not new, it has been since Ali G, and Ricky Gervais. And this is so beautifully performed - by one man: Kayvan Novak.

There are some who find Fonejacker juvenile and offensive, claiming that it legitimises nuisance phone calls.

But for my money, the first episode of the new series still took pretty uncanny potshots at the way we've allowed technology to insidiously creep into every corner of our lives, to the point where identity can be stolen at the push of a button. And it still made me laugh.

The first series of the prank phone-call show divided audiences. Many found the humour crass and the calls lacking in originality. But this second series has some stronger, character-based material mixed in. It's no better than patchy, but that's still a step in the right direction.

A lot funnier than its juvenile concept would suggest, Kayvan Novak's prank phone-call show returns for a second series. Building on the stronger characters from the first series - including dodgy salesman Terry Tibbs, African scamster George and salesman Irish Mike, this outing sees an extended cast and much keener ear for the punch line.