The Rob Brydon Show

When Rob Brydon says: "Time now for some music," you may be forgiven for thinking, as opposed to what, exactly?

It's only week two of his new chat show series and he's ­shamelessly grabbed every chance he can get to grab the mic and show off his crooning.

That No 1 Comic Relief single must have gone to his head.

But seriously, Rob, why not just apply to go on The X Factor? We won't think any less of you.

This week, his talking guest is Bill Bailey, who made a career out of combining music and comedy. One duet (yes, there's more than one) involves cowbells and Elvis. Bell-vis, anyone?

There's yet another duet with his other guest, British soul diva Beverley Knight (who's got stories about meeting the Queen and Prince) while Australian comic Celia Pacquola gets to have the stage all to herself.

Two very funny female comics in two weeks? That's one trend we do approve of.

Rob Brydon's cheerful dismantling of the chat-show format continues. After a chinwag with the audience, culminating in a couple being presented with a tin of biscuits for their anniversary, Brydon welcomes Bill Bailey. He's not plugging anything, and Brydon barely interviews him at all before moving on to musical japes: a punked-up show tune, a fantastic Elvis cover with Bailey on Swiss cowbells and, later, a massive horn. In between all that are light but likeable stand-up comic Celia Pacquola, and the persistent Beverley Knight, who has a new covers album to promote, and somehow looks just as good as she did when her first LP came out 16 years ago. Her duet with Brydon at first seems to be one of the most embarrassing TV moments of the decade, but don't worry, there's a gag coming. Finally, Knight blasts out Cuddly Toy by Roachford. Tune!

'Rob Brydon Show' pips Alan Carr's 'Chatty Man'

Rob Brydon's talkshow was more popular than Alan Carr's on Friday night, but could not match its first series opener, according to the latest overnight data.

The Rob Brydon Show is in the chat show B-team

The Rob Brydon Show was a beige piece of television that this week featured Matt Lucas, a ventriloquist and indie-borers The Script.

A few surprises: the petite lady with a tattoo in the audience front row is not, as host Rob Brydon guesses, a beautician. Meanwhile, according to occasional Hollywood-botherer Matt Lucas, Tom Cruise is even shorter than we think. But how short? "One foot." U2 suppport act the Script and ventriloquist/monkey-wrangler Nina Conti complete the guestlist for this welcome second series. It doesn't get any cuddlier.

When a young woman comes out on to Brydon's stage tonight to perform a ventriloquist's act with a monkey puppet, your heart might cringe just like it does during the really eggy bits of Britain's Got Talent.

But don't, whatever you do, choose this particular moment to go and put the kettle on.

Nina Conti provides the biggest laughs and the best surprise in the return of Brydon's chummy chat show. Considering that his other guest is Matt Lucas, that's an achievement Nina should be very proud of.

And yes, since you're wondering, she is Tom Conti's daughter.

Elsewhere, there's music from Irish rockers The Script and even more music from Matt and Brydon himself.

The line between who are the guests and who is the host on this show is nicely blurred and if it weren't for the studio audience you could imagine this working just as well in Brydon's living room.

The best interview questions come from the audience, and there's some lively banter at the top of the show as we meet The Most Easily Shocked Woman in Britain.

Brydon's personalised chat show returns for a second run. It was entertaining last year in part because virtually all the guests were his friends, a shortcut he presumably can't use for ever. He does tonight though, chatting easily with Matt Lucas (Brydon worked on and appeared in Little Britain) about comedy, musical theatre and exactly how tall Tom Cruise is. They take the mickey and riff off each other in a way that most host/guest combinations never could. Brydon's opening banter with the studio audience is an offhand hoot as well. Brydon likes to jam with his musical guests, which has previously provided some unexpected spine-tinglers, but tonight's band is insipid talk-show scourge the Script. Brydon attempts an odd mime routine as they plod through a David Bowie cover, then lets them play their own song later on. The stand-up guest is Nina Conti, who's been doing her lo-fi ventriloquist routine for years, and should have it honed by now.

Video: Rob Brydon returns to our screens

Rob Brydon appears on BBC Breakfast...

Rob Brydon interview

An interview with Rob Brydon, whose chat show returns for a second series...

Tricky guests? I'll drug 'em, says Rob Brydon

Having your own chat show isn't as easy as it looks, as actor and comedian Rob Brydon explains in his irreverent guide to becoming the perfect host...