Press clippings

Greg Hemphill on new comedy Dinosaur, "empty nest syndrome" and his take on Pittenweem witches row

The former Still Game star says he's been training for new sitcom's "embarrassing dad" role for 20 years - but with his real-life kids now gone, he's also embracing life in Fife!

Michael Alexander, The Dundee Courier, 20th April 2024

Brigstocke and Parris: the comics who turned their marriage into a middle-class joke

"We want to take people into the heart of darkness that is the modern relationship," say comedy power couple Marcus Brigstocke and Rachel Parris. Which means nothing's off limits, be it age gaps, stepchildren, class differences or loss.

Michael Odell, The Times, 19th April 2024

Dinosaur review

BBC sitcom about autism takes a while to find its stride.

Katie Rosseinsky, The Independent, 19th April 2024

Bill Bailey's "scary" health condition that has seen him hospitalised and heartbreaking loss

While performing a gig in Australia, Bill experienced a frightening health "wake-up call" after feeling a full-blown asthma attack coming on, resulting in him running off stage.

Julia Banim, The Mirror, 19th April 2024

Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer review

The comedian is desperate to make out his jokes about rape and domestic abuse will get him cancelled. In reality, this Netflix special is about as edgy as a Jim Davidson set.

Ralph Jones, The Guardian, 19th April 2024

Jo Brand on how not to get cancelled: My TikTok star daughter tells me what to do

Comedian gets advice on the young from her social media influencer daughter, but is joining Boom Radio to give a voice to the old.

Adam Sherwin, i Newspaper, 19th April 2024
John Cleese Live At The Acropolis. John Cleese

John Cleese's Channel 4 cancel culture show has been all but cancelled... by John Cleese's diary

John Cleese: Cancel Me was slated to be produced by Clarkson's Farm outfit Expectation, but nearly three years after being announced, filming has not taken place.

Jake Kanter, Deadline, 19th April 2024
Swede Caroline

Swede Caroline debuts with 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating

After Life star Jo Hartley's new comedy movie Swede Caroline has debuted with a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sam Warner, Digital Spy, 19th April 2024
8 Out Of 10 Cats. Jimmy Carr. Copyright: Zeppotron

Jimmy Carr says being cancelled made him "a better person" but predicts it "won't be the last time"

Jimmy Carr has opened up about being cancelled and revealed he thinks it will happen again, but insisted he won't start apologizing for jokes because it leads to "a world of pain."

Milly Veitch, Daily Mail, 19th April 2024
Swede Caroline

Swede Caroline review

This mockumentary about the heated world of veg growers should be awful - but it's laugh-out-loud funny.

Francesca Steele, i Newspaper, 19th April 2024
Bottom: Exposed. Adrian Edmondson

Adrian Edmondson praised for honest Rik Mayall admission in one-off Bottom special

Adrian Edmondson is being praised for his tearful recollections of comedian and actor Rik Mayall.

Jacob Stolworthy, The Independent, 19th April 2024
Russell Brand

Russell Brand plan to transform village pub refused

Russell Brand has been dealt a blow as his plan to convert a village pub into a recording studio and offices has been refused.

James Aldridge, Bucks Free Press, 18th April 2024
Jethro

Life-sized statue of Jethro to be unveiled at Trago Mills

A life-sized statue to remember a much-loved Cornish comedian is set to be unveiled in Cornwall next month.

Kate Lockett, Falmouth Packet, 18th April 2024
Swede Caroline

Swede Caroline review

Although the conspiracy at the heart of this vegetable-based caper isn't as enthralling as it could have been, the joy of this feature comes from watching this ludicrous tale play out.

Andrew Murray, The Upcoming, 18th April 2024
G'wed. Image shows left to right: Christopher (Jake Kenny-Byrne), Reece (Dylan Thomas-Smith)

Liverpool-set comedy G'wed enjoys success across ITVX, ITV1 and ITV2

Brand new Liverpool-set comedy G'wed, which launched back in February, has since seen 1.7m viewers for Episode 1 across ITVX, ITV1 and ITV2 and the series has been streamed 4.9 million times, becoming ITVX's biggest comedy since Changing Ends.

ITV, 18th April 2024
Sara Pascoe

Women get better at comedy when they become mums says Sara Pascoe

The mother of two says every female stand-up she knows got better after becoming a parent because it made them re-evaluate their priorities.

Chortle, 18th April 2024
Inside No. 9. Image shows from L to R: Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith

Inside No. 9 creators tease the final episodes

Reece Shearsmith, laughing, says: "They're all quite horrible. We've got a few lighter ones, but it was like, 'Oh, that's quite relentless'. So, maybe that tells you something about the tone of the last series".

Megan Garside and Darren Scott, Games Radar, 18th April 2024
Bottom. Image shows from L to R: Richie Richard (Rik Mayall), Eddie Hitler (Adrian Edmondson). Copyright: BBC

Bottom director Ed Bye: "It couldn't be done today"

Ed Bye chats with Paul Tanter ahead of Bottom: Exposed, a new documentary which delves into the history and popularity of the anarchic '90s sitcom.

Paul Tanter, Radio Times, 18th April 2024
Rufus Hound

Rufus Hound: For three decades, I hid my feelings with booze

This country has drilled into me one simple principle: life is hard - now shut up and drink your way through it.

Rufus Hound, i Newspaper, 17th April 2024
Adam Kay

Adam Kay: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)

The This Is Going To Hurt creator is very online - so he has some gems to share, including 7,000 fireworks going off at once and a parody of every comedy heist film ever made.

The Guardian, 17th April 2024
Mammoth. Tony Mammoth (Mike Bubbins)

Mammoth review

This bold sitcom about a man frozen since the 70s is dad jokes galore.

Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian, 17th April 2024
Mammoth. Tony Mammoth (Mike Bubbins)

Mammoth review

Gloriously old-fashioned sitcom favours gags over personal demons.

Anita Singh, The Telegraph, 17th April 2024
Mammoth. Tony Mammoth (Mike Bubbins)

Mammoth review

Pitching Mammoth must have been a breeze: "A 1970s PE teacher is transported to 2024 - hilarity ensues."

Rhys John Edwards, Chortle, 17th April 2024
Mammoth. Tony Mammoth (Mike Bubbins)

TV review: Mammoth, BBC Two & iPlayer

Yes, there is a heavy reliance on time-warp gags, often involving Bille Jean King references. I do wonder what audience it's aimed at - not just people who were around then, surely? But if you get the name checks they do work, exposing how ridiculous the 1970s were while also slyly hinting that maybe some aittudes now are not necessarily as progressive as they might seem. It's also a sneaky way of getting unreconstructed gags back onto television. If it gets both demographics it could be massive. If not it could soon be extinct.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 17th April 2024
Dinosaur. Image shows left to right: Nina (Ashley Storrie), Evie (Kat Ronney)

TV review: Dinosaur, BBC One & iPlayer

The scene is set for a comedy that's funny, touching and sympathetic.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 17th April 2024
Swede Caroline

Swede Caroline review

Marrow mockumentary is gourd for a laugh.

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 17th April 2024
Tom Allen. Copyright: Andy Hollingworth

Leigh Francis and Tom Allen becoming Virgin Radio hosts

Leigh Francis will host from 10am until 1pm on Saturdays, while Tom Allen will cover the same slot on Sundays.

Codie Bullen, Daily Mail, 17th April 2024
The Fast Show. Image shows from L to R: Paul Whitehouse, Simon Day, Arabella Weir, John Thomson, Caroline Aherne, Charlie Higson, Mark Williams. Copyright: BBC

Charlie Higson reveals how little he earns from iPlayer streaming

The Fast Show is already on the BBC streaming platform, and he yesterday revealed just how much it is earning him: less than £2 a month.

Chortle, 17th April 2024
Helen Lederer. Copyright: Steve Ullathorne

Helen Lederer calls out "perplexed" Ed Balls as he "keeps finishing her sentences" in "awkward" GMB chat

During the latest episode, hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls spoke to Absolutely Fabulous icon Helen, 69, about her recent stint in Coronation Street as Ken Barlow's love interest Elspeth and also about her new memoir Not That I'm Bitter. However, as chat got underway, Helen appeared to spot a show trend as she called out host Ed, 57. Answering a question from Ed, who kept firing questions at her, Helen said: "You keep finishing my sentences, which is good, because I'm probably being quite slow!"

Olivia Wheeler, The Mirror, 17th April 2024

Jimmy Carr's changing face as he jokes 'little original remains'

He's famously joked about being unable to be cremated due to having had "too much plastic surgery" and that standing next to a naked flame would be "very dangerous".

Josh Saunders & Hayley Richardson, The Sun, 16th April 2024

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