Shameless

Frank Gallagher is feeling philosophical at the start of a new series of the grubby comedy drama as he quotes "snail-chewer" René Descartes: "I think, therefore I am." But by the end of the episode, the first of five running nightly, we're asking who and, more importantly, where is Frank? It appears he might have been abducted by aliens (there's a cute Close Encounters spoof as he gazes in rapture at his brightly lit mothership, The Jockey pub). As we flash back, Frank (David Threlfall) is preparing to marry nice librarian Libby (Pauline McLynn), a bright, presentable woman who is, for reasons that simply cannot be explained, prepared to hitch her wagon to this singularly revolting specimen of manhood. But the wedding preparations are thrown into disarray when the Gallagher household receives terrible news.

Shameless: Why Frank Gallagher must die

It's time to drop the axe on the dumb, selfish Frank - a walking punchline that stopped being funny long ago.

A rollicking start to season eight: Mimi goes knocking on doors to figure out who the father of her child is; a blast from the past comes back to shake up Libby's impending nuptials with Frank; while Frank himself receives some devastating news.

We still love Frank Gallagher

David Threlfall plays alcoholic Frank as well as being an executive producer and directing a number of episodes. Sipping chicken soup in his lunch break on set, he agrees that Shameless is very much a series for our recession-hit times.

Tina Malone on wanting to become a mum again aged 47

Shameless star Tina Malone returns to TV screens tomorrow night as brash battleaxe Mimi Maguire, who has suddenly become a new mum in middle-age.

Frank Gallagher (David Threlfall) and the rest of the crew from his working-class Manchester estate return for an eighth series of Channel 4's increasingly tired-looking drama Shameless tonight, with an opening plotline in which a raucous stag do somehow leads to a psychedelic alien abduction (don't ask). Four episodes follow on consecutive nights this week, before the series settles back into its regular Tuesday night slot next week.

Shameless remake set for US TV debut

Remarkably faithful US version of Shameless transplants action to downtrodden Chicago suburb, but changes little else.

Shameless star abused by Muslim hardliners

Muslim Shameless star Qasim Akhtar has revealed he has suffered abuse from Islamic hardliners over his character's on-screen antics.

William H Macy: 'Shameless is groundbreaking'

William H. Macy has claimed that the forthcoming Showtime remake of Shameless is "groundbreaking material".

Shameless to screen lesbian sex scenes

First it was Brookside, followed by EastEnders, Emmerdale and most recently Coronation Street - now Shameless is the latest long-running UK TV show to feature a lesbian sex scene.