Dylan Moran is a stealth superstar. At a time when comedians depend on TV to shift tickets this scruffy Irishman avoids panel games and has not done anything of enduring note since his sitcom Black Books, which finished in 2004.
These are busy times for television-friendly comedians. Even though Live at the Apollo is taking a break there seem to be more mainstream openings than ever for those that fancy a bit of exposure. ITV1 has Sunday Night at the Palladium and now BBC1 has jumped in a day earlier with The John Bishop Show.
OK, I confess. I wasn’t convinced by the first series of Man Down. It had its moments, but given that they were mostly in the violent interplay between Greg Davies and his TV dad Rik Mayall I had a bad feeling about the second series which – for sad but obvious reasons – doesn’t feature Mayall. Yet would you believe it, it looks like they’ve turned it round.
Sean Kelly, the ever-smiling star of cult TV shows Storage Hunters and Storage Hunters UK returns to the stand-up comedy side of his career and has announced a UK tour starting in Bradford on September 23 and finishing in Salford on October 29.
Mancunian comedian Justin Moorhouse has announced live dates for his latest stand-up show Destiny Calling. The tour runs from 8th September – 11th December, starting in Lancaster and ending in Bury.
In the last year Justin has killed three animals unintentionally, had part of his body removed and started to dress like a toddler - mid life crisis? Maybe. Funny? Definitely.
In a unique mash-up of improvisation and interview, comedy legend Richard Curtis will be making a rare live appearance onstage on June 14 at the Proud Archivist in north London.
The man behind Blackadder, Comic Relief, The Vicar of Dibley, Mr Bean, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually and Notting Hill will be interviewed about his life and career and then incidents that he has talked about will be acted out by improvising ensembles The Petting Zoo and Bleak Mouse.
The UK's highest ever comedy gig has taken place. The show, entitled Summit Funny, was at 3196ft on the summit of of Ben Lomond. Over 100 hillwalkers attended the event.
Frank Skinner is to present a second series of The Rest is History, the comedy discussion show he created for BBC Radio 4. Recordings will take place at London’s Drill Hall and audience tickets are available here.
Free Fringe Founder Peter Buckley Hill has now posted the following on the Facebook Comedy Forum and the Chortle Forum. He is still maintaining that he and not Freestival has the rights to programme Cowgatehead this August and is offering those who are booked with Freestival the chance to apply for slots with Free Fringe by this Friday.
The BBC has decided not to recommission Never Mind The Buzzcocks. One of its longest-running panel shows, the irreverent quiz first started in 1996.
There have been a number of cast changes over the years. Mark Lamarr was the original quizmaster, followed by Smon Amstell, a variety of guest hosts and, more recently, Rhod Gilbert.
Team captains Sean Hughes and Bill Bailey also departed, but Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding were enduring regulars.
Pages
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
