British Comedy Guide
The Last Leg. Image shows from L to R: Josh Widdicombe, Adam Hills, Alex Brooker
The Last Leg

The Last Leg

  • TV chat show
  • Channel 4
  • 2012 - 2025
  • 350 episodes (32 series)

Weekly live topical comedy chat with Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker - three guys with four legs between them.

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Press clippings Page 16

A new series of The Last Leg with genial hosts Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker. As per the show's remit, they will be discussing and trading witticisms over the past seven days' news. There will also be the usual studio challenges, along with the latest details of Brooker's quest to get himself into the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. This is followed by My Perfect Body, in which Brooker aims to lose 2st and gain a six-pack, while looking at the thorny issue of body image among men.

Ben Arnold, The Guardian, 31st July 2013

This news-comedy show was the unexpected star of the 2012 Paralympic Games: led by comedian Adam Hills, its irreverent round-up of the day's events won a following all of its own. So much so that it came back earlier this year, not to comment on sport but simply on the week's news. That's a crowded marketplace, in which The Last Leg has found a niche.

Along with the wry, sideways, irreverent looks at some of the quirkier stories you might have missed, there's a convivial and inclusive atmosphere that softens the sharpness of the gags - the first 2013 series was best known for a piece to camera in which Adam Hills eviscerated US comedian Joan Rivers, but he was doing it because Rivers had made fat gags about Adele. That's The Last Leg all over: right-on, usually spot-on and brightly funny.

Hills is flanked by co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker. Tonight's guest: Russell Brand.

Jack Seale, Radio Times, 31st July 2013

Adam Hills: It's time to embrace daggy selfies

Enough of the try-hard 'casual' pictures - it's time we reclaimed our own image. Show us your real self: on the sofa, in your tracksuit.

Adam Hills, The Guardian, 17th July 2013

Josh Widdicombe interview

One of those most surprised by The Last Leg's recent return and continued success of the series is Josh Widdicombe, the fast-rising comedian who has previously dabbled in sports writing for a broadsheet.

David Owens, Wales Online, 5th April 2013

Last Leg gets third series commission

Topical chat show The Last Leg is to return to Channel 4 for a third series.

British Comedy Guide, 13th March 2013

Adam Hills: this much I know

The comedian, 42, on sandals, politeness and being disabled.

Tim Lewis, The Observer, 23rd February 2013

This news-comedy show was the unexpected star of the 2012 Paralympic Games: led by comedian Adam Hills, its irreverent round-up of the day's events won a following all of its own. So much so that it's now back, not to comment on sport but simply on the week's news. That's a crowded marketplace in which The Last Leg has found a niche: along with the wry, sideways look at some of the quirkier stories you might have missed, there' a convivial, inclusive atmosphere that softens the sharpness of the gags.

Radio Times, 16th February 2013

What do you call a comic with a positive slant? Adam Hills

Adam Hills is the comedian with one foot whom David Cameron and Samantha Cameron like to watch while in bed.

Bryony Gordon, The Telegraph, 13th February 2013

Another entertaining alternative review of the week with the team behind the popular Paralympics comedy round-up. Comedians Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe are joined by guests who have been in the news this week, plus there are live studio challenges and sports reporter Alex Brooker gives us another update on his continuing quest to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

Gerard O'Donovan, The Telegraph, 31st January 2013

Having become something of a success during the Paralympics last year, Channel 4 has brought back this live chat show looking at the week's events - and trying to ask questions no-one else would.

Hosted by Adam Hills (disabled - one foot), and featuring contributions from Josh Widdicombe (not disabled) and sports journalist Alex Brooker (disabled - one leg, hand deformities), The Last Leg features interviews with guests (this week it's actor Idris Elba - not disabled), as well as topical discussion.

However, the main feature is the contributions from online, especially under the Twitter hashtag #IsItOk, where people are encouraged to ask more uncomfortable and difficult questions, without fear of judgement. In this case I would like to ask my own question: #IsItOk that the mentally disabled get so much less TV coverage than the physically disabled?

I ask this because I'm disabled myself, but my disability is Asperger's syndrome. It's something I have written about before but I'm willing to bring it up again; the only disabled people you ever see on TV are those who look different, whether it's in terms of their appearance (e.g. missing limbs) or whether have to use some form of equipment (e.g. artificial feet). If you're disabled but look perfectly normal - because the part of you that's been affected is your brain, like mine is - then you might as well forget getting any coverage.

Over the next few days the Winter Special Olympics, which are the games for the mentally disabled, will be held in South Korea. The amount of coverage being given to it is minimal. The British have got seven alpine skiers going to the games, but will we see their efforts on national television? I somehow doubt we will. I fear that the names Wayne McCarthy, Jane Andrews, Mikael Undrom, Elizabeth Allen, Luke Purdie, Clare Lines and Robert Holden will not be remembered, or even acknowledged by most people.

However, for what it does, The Last Leg seems to cover most things rather well. My main problem, other than what I have already mentioned, is that half-an-hour seems too short. A live show like this needs more airtime to get comfortable.

Ian Wolf, Giggle Beats, 28th January 2013

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