The Stephen K Amos Show

Stephen K Amos comedy show is axed by BBC

The BBC has axed comic Stephen K Amos's show after plummeting ratings and damning reviews.

The first series of Stephen K Amos's stand up/sketch comedy/chat show comes to an end. It's been something of a hit and miss first outing, with the humour erring on the side of juvenile a lot of the time. Tonight, Amos welcomes fellow comedians Isy Suttie (who plays Dobby in Peep Show, also on this evening, see below) and Marlon Davis in to do a bit of stand-up. Meanwhile he does his weekly "phone call" to his mother (played by Amos in drag), and meets stuntman Paul Hammer (again, Amos in costume) who reveals he stood in for both Muhammad Ali and Rod Hull's Emu on Michael Parkinson's chat show.

Just over halfway through the run and Stephen K Amos's mix of stand-up, sketches and original guest acts is proving to be one of Friday evening's more reliably entertaining destinations. Tonight Amos invites Robbie Williams to sing the praises of video stuntman (and Amos alter ego) Paul "the Hammer" Preston.

Stephen K Amos gets out and about

Big love to the Stephen K Amos massive! I'm feeling on top form after an amazing summer.

Stephen K Amos almost has a rest

The Stephen K Amos Show started last Friday on BBC Two. We've been chatting to Stephen all year, and we wanted to share with you how he felt after finishing recording the show this summer - it's quite an undertaking, a six part comedy series!

The new, non-threatening weekly mixture of stand-up, sketches and guest performers continues. Some of it is good, but Amos seems so anxious not to offend that he sometimes spikes his own guns, pulling back from the funniest parts. For instance, his spoof BBC News human-interest interview is well-judged, but he ends it by thanking the mocked member of the public for being "such a good sport".

A dreadful debut comedy vehicle for the seasoned stand-up comic. Although there is nothing wrong with its traditional format of a few studio-bound routines intercut with sketches - it's worked for everyone from Dave Allen to Stewart Lee - here it feels painfully strained and old-fashioned.

Amos is likeable enough, but his material is woefully pedestrian I curdled with embarrassment when he dragged up as his mother, a presumably recurring character that should never have been allowed.

Comedy doesn't always have to be cutting-edge or biting, but it should never resemble a forgotten mainstream comedy flop from 1983.

Amos: I don't want to be labelled "the black gay comic"

The standup talks about coming out, the shortage of black performers on TV and why he's playing his mum.

Having built his profile on Radio 4 and TV panel shows, Stephen K Amos gets his own show. Considering that Amos is essentially from leftfield, this should be a good thing. Unfortunately, the edgier side of Amos's work seems largely absent here. Instead, we're offered a mix of standup and sketches that occasionally takes flight - notably when Frank the fashion-conscious security guard vets the audience - but too often seems safe and warm. Guest turns come from the laconic Tom Allen and Lucy Montgomery's Liza-Minnelli-gone-to-seed persona, cabaret singer Candy Karmel.

Today's the day for Stephen K Amos

Today is the day. My show is on air - ahhhhhhhhhh!