Shooting Stars

The show's heyday has long passed but it still retains a comic spark. Look out here for Reeves showcasing some of his inimitable dance moves.

TV is full of comedy quiz shows, but the sheer silliness of Shooting Stars separates it from the bullying boys' clubs its peers regularly descend into. The lack of ego is refreshing, Vic and Bob are always only too willing to shame themselves to service a gag - as seen in Vic's wardrobe malfunction tonight when he dances. Angelos Epithemiou's hard work as the replacement for George Dawes pays off with some great moments, including a killer off-the-cuff insult at the expense of David Gest.

"Another crazy half-hour with..." "And now, it's time to put on your wacky hats and..." The word "zany" once made an appearance. It had the same effect as hearing a staid man announce he was suddenly going to be "spontaneous" to impress his wife by serenading her at work or some such, i.e. had the effect of making you very much not want to be there when it happened.

Actually, it's fab, this new series. I am an utter instant convert, and Tuesday evenings are going to be pointless fun for a while. Vic fine; Bob terrific; new scorer odd and intriguing, Ulrika fabulously knowing. The one shock was seeing guest Si King, the bigger, more Geordie, even hairier one of the Hairy Bikers, on his own. I adore Simon and Dave, not least because they once cooked me a fabulous meal. But it's the first time I've ever seen one of them on their own, uncoupled, and it's just wrong, as if Ant without Dec had gone solo but far worse; like rock without roll, mince without tatties, assault without battery.

When Shooting Stars returned last year after a lengthy hiatus, it felt tired and superfluous. Surprisingly, however, it appears to have recovered its mojo, seemingly because Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are obviously enjoying themselves a lot more. And when Vic and Bob enjoy themselves, all right thinking people follow suit.

The latest episode featured all the inspired lunacy, knowingly terrible gags and questions such as "true or false: the Dutch language started as a joke that got out of hand" that you'd want from an above-par edition of this anarchic quiz show. The sketch in which Vic appeared as a sinister hunchback with a tiny plastic horse affixed to his philtrum was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages, proving that the duo are still capable of creating unique comedy from the most inexplicable sources.

2010 Series of Shooting Stars review

Vic and Bob continue the art of flogging a dead horse by returning for another series of nonsense panel show Shooting Stars. Please, stop now.

Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer are back with their rather tired celebrity gameshow. Still, there are some enjoyably silly "true or false?" questions and the score-keeper, Angelos Epithemiou's dishevelled dimwit, is a funny replacement for Matt Lucas's "George Dawes". Guests tonight are pop star Example, Hairy Biker Si King, former Strictly dancer Camilla Dallerup and EastEnders actress Linda Henry.

Anyone who remembers the joyously strange experience of watching Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's quiz show when it first appeared in the early 1990s can forgive it almost anything. And they've needed to: it grew tired and staggered on past its natural life span. Then BBC2 revived it for a Christmas special in 2008 and what should have been a museum piece worked better than expected. Now George Dawes, the "big baby" drummer/scorer created by Matt Lucas has gone, to be replaced by shambling burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou (the excellent Renton Skinner). But the blend of surreal sight gags - at one stage a pair of disembodied legs walks across the set unremarked - and daft questions remains the same. Highlights tonight include panellist Jack Dee (with "a face like a scalded sea cadet", according to Vic) having to play a toy drum every time he wants to speak and a brilliant parody of Kerry Katona's TV ads for Iceland. Look out for the sticky potato pistols.

Viewing Vic and Bob's surreal celebrity quiz show was a wonderfully strange experience when it was released back in the early 90s. It was revived for a Christmas special in 2008 and probably should have been left alone on the basis of this new series which feels tired in places but still offers up enough off-the-wall gags to justify 30 minutes of your evening.

Vic Reeves broke foot dropping EastEnders actress

Shooting Stars host Vic Reeves broke his foot - after dropping tubby EastEnders actress Cheryl Fergison on it during the show.

Vic & Bob Shooting Stars interview

George Dawes may no longer be in charge of the scores, Mark Lamarr and Will Self have departed and the Dove From Above may be going a bit grey around the edges, but there's still something very exciting about a new series of Shooting Stars...