Frank Skinner's Opinionated

Frank Skinner's heyday might have been during the lad-mag Nineties, but as the first series of this topical comedy show reminded us, he is a more interesting and in some ways more old-fashioned entertainer than that. He has matured into a witty and surprisingly wry host, and the BBC has signed Opinionated up for two more series, the first of which begins tonight. His guests, Lee Mack and Miranda Hart, are likely to be gently amusing but solidly uncontroversial.

A quick chat with Frank Skinner

One of the few good things to come out of the recession was the fact that it brought the quick-witted Frank Skinner back to our TV screens after he lost most of his life savings in the banking crisis...

Frank Skinner interview

Frank Skinner is back with more forthright and funny opinions on the week's news...

The second coming of Frank Skinner

Once he was the face of the ladmag generation, now Frank Skinner is coming over all perceptive and vulnerable.

I lost millions in credit crunch, reveals Frank Skinner

Comedian Frank Skinner has said how he lost millions of pounds as a "victim of the credit crunch".

Frank Skinner's reinvention as a semi-serious political commentator (he has presented Panorama specials and items on Newsnight) has been quite a success. Tonight his new humorous political debate show - essentially Question Time with jokes - makes its final stop, in Glasgow. Guests on the panel include stand-up comedian Sarah Millican, although, as usual, much of Skinner's sarcastic humour and flashes of insight will emerge from his banter with a lively studio audience. It will be intriguing to hear what all of the above have to say about the early days of the Cameron/Clegg alliance.

Once he was earning millions as a top chat-show host; now Frank Skinner has made a low-key return, joining the "wry, sideways look at the news" bandwagon. Except this is nothing like, say, BBC2's awkwardly contrived The Bubble. Skinner and two guests commenting on current affairs is the quickly forgotten starting point of a meandering, not particularly opinionated chat in which the studio audience are encouraged to participate. It's relaxed, refreshing and, because it's Frank Skinner, when it's funny it's very funny.

TV Matters: Frank Skinner's Opinionated

Mark Lawson explains why Frank Skinner's loss is our gain.

Frank Skinner's TV appearances have been sporadic since he gave up his ITV1 chat show in 2005. This is the first full TV series of his comeback, a kind of comedy Question Time, with Skinner and two guest comedians discussing a topical issue before a "highly opinionated" studio audience. Something along the lines of Fantasy Football League, then, but reflecting Skinner's growing interest in politics. Each show will be recorded only shortly before transmission, but we can reveal that this first edition will feature comics Miranda Hart and Al Murray.