Mock The Week

Is 'Mock the Week' really sexist?

MP Nadine Dorries last night complained about Mock the Week being part of a 'sexist' BBC agenda. Could she be right?

Chris Addison: 'Mock The Week isn't a bearpit now'

Chris Addison has suggested that Mock The Week is no longer a "bearpit".

Andy Parsons: 'Some comedians don't like MTW edit'

Andy Parsons has admitted that some comedians are unhappy with the editing on Mock The Week.

Andy Parsons interview

Frankie Boyle may have shuffled off to more controversial waters on Channel 4, but the Mock the Week ship sails on. Helmed by Dara O'Briain, it still features Spitting Image veteran Andy Parsons as a key member of the crew.

This topical panel show can always be guaranteed to provide a few belly laughs.

And unlike Have I Got News for You, it doesn't matter if you've been hiding under a rock for the past week and haven't got a clue what's been going on in the world.

The topical bit is used loosely. Instead it's more an excuse for stand-up comedians to show their wares, with Dara O Briain at the helm.

Joining show regulars Hugh Dennis, Andy Parsons and Chris Addison is my own personal favourite stand-up, Micky Flanagan, up-and-coming comic Nathan Caton and Canada's king of the one-liners Stewart Francis (if you love your comedy, you'll recognise him from an episode of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow - he was the guy who opened with: "Don't worry, I haven't heard of you either").

Considering the show's format, which is just made for killer one-liners, tonight's episode promises to be even funnier than normal.

The contracts are coming at Chris Addison thick and fast these days: Skins; those ubiquitous Direct Line ads; then later this month he's presenting Show & Tell, a new E4 stand-up show in which up-and-coming comics do a short routine on a random object. In addition, to all that comes this six-week stint on Mock The Week - a show he is no stranger to, and which has badly needed a new permanent member since Frankie Boyle and Russell Howard left for pastures new.

Mock The Week: Coping with nerves

I think it's fair to say that the first time I appeared on Mock The Week, I really did get the classic pre-show nerves.

Rebecca Adlington: I'm over Frankie Boyle spoon jibe

Rebecca Adlington has admitted she was "hypocritical" to complain about a BBC comedian who mocked her appearance.

This week saw Mock the Week enter into double-figures as the show entered its 10th series. Judging by the latest episode, it's set to continue for some time to come.

Without Russell Howard, the show guest starred Chris Addison, Greg Davies, Milton Jones and Seann Walsh. Out of the guests, it was Jones, with his surreal and clever one-liners, and Walsh, who came up with the best Michael McIntyre impression I've ever come across, who stole the show. The other comics had moments too, with Davies coming up with a Blackadderesque extended simile about his grandmother's use of facial products.

There was some interesting stuff from the regulars as well, such as Dara O'Briain introducing a round called: "There's No Super-injunction on our Ryan Gags", and Hugh Dennis's running joke about Sepp Blatter's name sounding like the German for "step ladder".

Annoyingly, like in so many satirical comedies, many of the jokes were lazy. Addison did one about Eric Pickles and his weight, while Walsh made one about Wayne Rooney's stupidity. Walsh also got a rather cheap laugh from making up a taunted schoolboy called Richard Poowillie.