Live At The Apollo

Radio Times review

Dara O Briain is a very safe pair of hands for hosting Live at the Apollo, which continues its newly-demoted run on BBC Two this week. Whether it's the sexiness of men's elbows, the tragedy that built the Channel Tunnel or a very clever (if rude) way to get men to be completely honest, the Irish comedian holds court with a casual confidence and panache that most of his peers could only dream of.

That said, his guests on tonight's show more than hold their own, whether it's the wry deconstructions of Zoe Lyons or the dark and controversial gags of Paul Chowdhry. Forget which channel it's on - when this series works, it really works.

Radio Times review

It's Sharon (Sharon Horgan) and Rob's (Rob Delaney's) third anniversary, but this episode of this gloriously honest, filthy and funny comedy focuses a lot more on their circle of friends - most of whom are dipping their toes into the singleton market and finding how tough it is. Chris (Mark Bonnar) cavorts with a prostitute while his estranged wife Fran (Ashley Jensen) is finding her clingy new boyfriend a bit much.

Rob's fabulously obnoxious American friend Dave (Daniel Lapaine) is also finding things tricky with pretentious new squeeze Catherine (which may make you warm to him a bit more). It's lonely and tough out there and it's comforting when we're back in the tender bosom of the main couple.

Radio Times review

The show moves to BBC Two, where Alan Carr kicks off about "people who've got too much to say for themselves... always got an opinion". So I'll say nothing about his warm-up routine on Trip Advisor, skin disorders, school photos and Jack the Ripper walks. But if the comedy doesn't work out, Alan, you'd make a great tourist guide.

First on is Francesca Martinez who uses her cerebral palsy (or wobbliness as she calls it) for both laughs and political point scoring. Finally Nish Kumar does a scorching riff on the lack of right-wing comedians and left-wing action movies, before ripping into the political incorrectness of board games.

Radio Times review

Hal Cruttenden is one of those nicely dressed middle-class comedians that you assume will skip through a cosy routine about school runs in the 4x4 and posh supermarkets. Instead he starts off with some alarming gags about why Santa Claus and the tooth fairy are scary. "I want to be a political comic but I can't be bothered to do the reading," he adds before launching into a distinctly political tirade that touches on the NHS, pensions and Iraq.

Also on the bill are Mancunian Justin Moorhouse, who gets some laughs out of his northern origins and Canadian Tom Stade, who says some pretty harsh things about getting old.

Radio Times review

"I'm quite surprised they've let me on as well," Frankie Boyle tells his audience before he insults the celebrity guests and makes tasteless jokes about Glasgow's view of Hepatitis B and Oscar Pistorius's future girlfriends. He counters this with "If you are offended by any jokes tonight, feel free to tweet your outrage on a mobile phone made by a 10-year-old in China." Boyle isn't to everyone's taste, but this crowd isn't affronted by anything.

Also on the bill are Aisling Bea (riffing on the joys of sitting down and doing nothing) and growly-voiced Simon Evans, whose witty Jack Dee-style take on life is delivered with the occasional smile. Or maybe grimace.

TV Review: Live at the Apollo, Episode 2, BBC1

The second edition of the tenth, yes, tenth, series of Live At The Apollo was hosted by Jason Manford, who is about as safe a pair of hands as you can get on TV. And I mean that in a good way. Some comedians are good live but don't seem able to make the smoothest of trnaditions to the small screen. Manford makes comedy on TV look like a doddle.

Radio Times review

Do the names Chris Ramsey and Doc Brown ring only the faintest of bells? Then allow me to place tonight's stand-ups for you (alongside compere Jason Manford). Ramsey you'll recognise from his role in BBC Two sitcom Hebburn, where he played aspiring journalist Jack. Doc Brown is an actor, too, and played Bradley Walsh's oppo in Law and Order: UK. (He's also the brother of novelist Zadie Smith.) That's a lot of background info because, to be honest, there are no terribly quotable gags in their routines, but Brown's comedy rap to finish the show is worth seeing.

TV Review: Live at the Apollo, BBC1

All delivered the goods. I thought this was a particularly good showcase for Joe Lycett, who is pretty much a mainstream game show host-in-waiting.

Review: Live at the Apollo

With Sarah Millican, Russell Kane and Joe Lycett. Confined to a half-hour slot, the trio left us wanting more, which is the way it should be.