The Last Leg

The Australian standup comedian Adam Hills is back for a new series of his topical-and-comical review show. He's joined once more by his co-hosts, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker as they take on the news agenda of the last seven days, and apply some levity and jokes to the mix. Offering their insight on the significant news moments of the week alongside them will be celebrity guests (mostly other comics and TV presenters). As usual, they also answer the most pressing question of all: "Is it OK?"

Adam Hills on the surprise success of The Last Leg: "In 2012 I was meant to be in England for six or seven weeks, doing The Fringe, and then I was going to hang around and do a few more gigs and then come home. And then I was offered ten nights of doing The Last Leg during the Paralympics, and I thought "Okay, we'll give that a crack and then we'll go back to Australia." And then before we'd even finished the Paralympics, Channel 4 were talking to me, saying "How long can you stay around for, what would you like to do?"

We never thought The Last Leg would become a series. It just felt so intrinsically tied to the Paralympics that there's no way it would survive on its own. When Channel 4 said they wanted to keep it going, but for it to be a topical show, we were really hesitant. We just thought we'd give it a crack and see what happened. And now, I don't know how many series we've done, but we've got another one in August, and probably another couple next year. It's become a regular thing. And it's also broadcast in Australia, which is something I love."

News: C4's Last Leg to tour?

The team behind hit Channel 4 chat show The Last Leg may play some live dates later this year.

This is the show that started out as a late-night sidebar to the 2012 Paralympics and proved so popular it took on a life of its own.

This is also the show that says it's OK laugh at disability provided, that is, those jokes are made within the parameters of a fiendishly sensitive, unwritten set of rules with question one being: "Are you Frankie Boyle?" And question two being: "Is your name Jim Davidson?"

As a rule of thumb, if you can count up to 20 using your fingers and toes, don't even think about trying to join in yourself.

With regular panellist Alex Brooker out in Austria presenting The Jump, comedian Micky Flanagan joins host Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe for the start of the new series.

Last year, Adam ­memorably remarked: "Getting angry at Jim Davidson because he doesn't know how to talk about disability is like getting angry at a dog for not knowing how to use the internet." There's a good chance the show might work up a nice head of steam about Davidson winning Celebrity Big Brother.

Adam Hills, Josh Widdecombe and Alex Brooker return for a new series of the enjoyable if slightly vague weekly round-up show. It all went a bit good-natured Top Gear when London 2012 finished. Finally, they have the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics to look forward to, giving proceedings a renewed sports focus. Hills and co should also include a weekly "gay propaganda" item to make up for the shortfall created by Russia's legislation. It's only fair. Elsewhere, Brooker continues on his quest to compete in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

Adam Hills interview

Adam Hills talks 'taches, TV stars and why he's joining the hairy masses in the month of Movember.

Audio: Alex Brooker interview

Alex Brooker, one of the three presenters of Channel 4's The Last Leg, speaks to Ouch.

Last Leg inspires Richard Whitehead charity task

British Paralympic gold medallist and double leg amputee, Richard Whitehead MBE played the first ever game of moving movie charades with The Last Leg presenters re-enacting famous film scenes.

Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe interview each other

The comedian co-presenters of The Last Leg chat to one another about shifting from Paralympics highlights show to primetime weekly news round-up.

'Save the Badger' song climbs iTunes charts

'Save the Badger Badger Badger' has reached as high as number 39 at the time of writing (August 30).