This week's line-up on Richard Osman's House of Games is Laura Smyth, Johnny Cochrane, Shobna Gulati and Dermot Murnaghan. 

I first saw comedian Laura Smyth when she won the Funny Women final in 2019. She made an immediate impact on me and the rest of the audience with a punchy short set which quickly and effectively set out her stall as an honest, entertaining entertainer.

Since then Smyth has moved quickly through the comedy ranks and has been regularly appearing on television shows including Outsiders, Franke Boyle's New World Order and Live at the Apollo where she was a huge success.

Smyth has also garnered a lot of praise for her recent BBC Radio 4 programme I Don't Know What to Say, in which she explored the subject of dealing with grief and discussed her own experience of cancer. You can listen to the programme here. And if you enjoy Laura Smyth's comedy, which you very much should, she is also going on tour. Her Living My Best Life tour starts in April and you can read more about it and see if and when she is coming to your town here.

In House of Games Smyth is up against fellow comedian Johnny Cochrane, who TV viewers will know from shows including Safe Word (ITV2), The Funny Thing About (C5), The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC), Sunday Brunch (C4), All Over The Work Place (CBBC) and Match Of The Day Kickabout (CBBC). His CBBC show alongside Inel Tomlinson. The Johnny & Inel Show, was nominated for two Royal Television Society Awards including Best Comedy Programme and Best Performance in a Comedy.

I once won a quiz myself by correctly guessing the age of Dermot Murnaghan – i had a pretty good idea of the answer because I happened to remember that he went to university with a friend. I don't think that question will come up on House of Games this week. 

Richard Osman's House of Games, Monday, January 8 - Friday, January 12, 6pm, BBC Two.