British Comedy Guide
Upstart Crow. Will Shakespeare (David Mitchell). Copyright: BBC
Upstart Crow

Upstart Crow

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two
  • 2016 - 2020
  • 21 episodes (3 series)

Sitcom about the life of jobbing playwright William Shakespeare, struggling to find inspiration in Tudor London. Also features David Mitchell, Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan, Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield and more.

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 1,091

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Press clippings

Upstart Crow axed by the BBC, David Mitchell reveals

Upstart Crow will not be returning to the BBC, David Mitchell has revealed. Ben Elton's Shakespeare sitcom ran for three series on BBC Two, with three Christmas specials and a spin-off stage play. Mitchell has said that he would love to reprise his role as the Bard and appealed to other broadcasters to rescue the period sitcom.

British Comedy Guide, 2nd October 2023

Upstart Crow stage show review

Laugh-til-it-hurts panto pleasure.

Marianka Swain, The Telegraph, 3rd October 2022

Full cast announced for The Upstart Crow

The Upstart Crow returns to London's West End later this month for a strictly limited 10-week season at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 8th September 2022

The Upstart Crow stage show to return

David Mitchell and Gemma Whelan will return to The Upstart Crow, the stage show spin-off from Ben Elton's TV sitcom.

British Comedy Guide, 16th May 2022

Seven great British comedy TV shows for any taste

There's nothing better after a busy day than sitting down and enjoying a comedy on the television. A good comedy has the ability to make us smile, pulls at the heartstrings of the audience and sucks us into an alternate reality. So for anyone looking to watch tv shows that are guaranteed to bring on a chuckle, here are seven broad-ranging British comedies. While we all have a favourite go-to show or series, discovering new ones could be as simple as checking out this list.

The Upcoming, 23rd November 2021

Mrs. Brown's Boys suffers in cross-channel ratings drop

Mrs. Brown's Boys has suffered its lowest-ever Christmas Day ratings this year, but amidst a much-criticised poor festive TV schedule, remains the second most-watched comedy special of the season to date.

British Comedy Guide, 27th December 2020

Upstart Crow review

Review of the Christmas special set during a plague lockdown.

Carol Midgley, The Times, 22nd December 2020

Upstart Crow: Lockdown Christmas 1603, BBC Two review

A certain flatness goes with the territory here.

David Nice, The Arts Desk, 22nd December 2020

Upstart Crow, review: Is Covid comedy a plagued format?

Despite some good topical gags, the smug tone made this Ben Elton farce a tiresome turkey.

Anita Singh, The Telegraph, 21st December 2020

Upstart Crow, Lockdown Christmas 1603, BBC2, review

The two-hander lacked the usual rollicking ensemble and was based on a single joke.

Barbara Speed, i Newspaper, 21st December 2020

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