Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This

There has been an increasing preponderance in recent years of gloomy biographical dramas about great British comedians, playing down celebrations of their craft in favour of miserable, booze-soaked backstories. Certainly this feature-length effort, with Shameless star David Threlfall playing the eponymous comedian, had its share of bleakness - infidelity, alcoholism and, ultimately, Cooper's sudden, onstage death. However, it also made pains to show the comic at his best, delivering one-liners on and offstage with the unfussy brilliance of a man who, rather than being tortured by his art, found comedy laughably easy. Threlfall puts in a stunningly precise performance as Cooper, in a role that will surely go some way to helping him shed the career shadow of Frank Gallagher.

The Tommy Cooper thing, Not Like That, Like This, winningly scripted by Simon Nye, told the tale of guess who? A grand piece of ever-rewatchable television, for whom most plaudits will so rightly go to David Threlfall, who simply channelled Cooper: he made you practically smell Chiswick in the 60s, and the BBC lino, and twitch along with every bursting blood-vessel in first his nose and later heart. But very honourable mentions go to Amanda Redman and the ever-splendid Gregor Fisher, playing so against type as to surely require near-physical contortions. And to Paul Ritter, who played Eric Sykes, and got the wisest line of the night, after Cooper drunkenly explained the difference between his two loves, comedy and magic. Sykes saw a different version of two loves, Cooper being at that stage torn between wife Dove and mistress Mary. "So Dove is your comedy, and Mary is your magic." A difficult, heartbreaking man, and ditto piece of television.

Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This review

David Threlfall should walk off with this year's best actor Bafta after a pitch-perfect portrayal of the much-loved comedian, supported by a phalanx of perfectly turned supporting roles.

Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This, ITV - TV review

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Review - Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This, ITV

Entertaining if unilluminating biopic about the comedian.

Tommy Cooper: the best quotes

Last night David Threlfall turned in an award-worthy performance as Tommy Cooper in the ITV biopic Not Like That, Like This. Here, we celebrate the fez-wearing comic conjuror's finest lines...

"I backed a horse at 20 to one. It came in at half-past four." Even if you don't care for the joke, it's irresistible as told by Tommy Cooper, perhaps the most intrinsically funny man who ever lived. David Threlfall is great as the comedian in this biodrama, with support from Amanda Redman as long-suffering wife Gwen and Helen McCrory as his mistress, Mary. A rather sad account of a man in declining health who spent a lifetime avoiding getting his round in, relieved by rib-tickling recreations of his stage act.

If all footage of Tommy Cooper's performances was destroyed and future generations were left with just this drama to try to work out the reason for his popularity, they would be completely stumped.

A heavy drinker, tight-fisted, physically abusive and (on the evidence here at least) not even especially funny, Cooper is an unlikely candidate for national treasure status.

Shameless star David Threlfall delivers an extraordinary performance as the comedian, recreating his act and his patter to an uncanny extent.

But Simon Nye's script, based on John Fisher's 2006 biography, zeroes in on the scandal in his personal life, and his 17-year affair with assistant Mary Kay (Helen McCrory).

Kay first joined Cooper on tour in the 1960s when his wife Gwen, ­nicknamed Dove (Amanda Redman), opted to stay at home with their children.

Cooper never told Dove he'd hired a replacement, and it would take a much more naïve person than me to think a middle-aged male comedian could travel the country with just his attractive female assistant for company and NOT end up having an affair with them.

By the time of Cooper's death on stage on 1984, you've gone right off him. Threlfall, on the other hand, is absolutely tremendous.

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Amanda Redman on playing Tommy Cooper's wife

"It's about his double life - the stress, boozing and the hard work - all of which ultimately killed him"