A tight 5: November 28

JOE PASQUALE will reportedly play Frank Spencer in a stage version Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em. The Sunday People said the 55-year-old comic won the part following a read-through. However, any stage show is not likely to hit the road until at least 2018.

ROMESH RANGANATHAN is to host next year’s Teenage Cancer Trust fundraiser at the Royal Albert Hall. Jo Brand and Kevin Bridges are also on the March 29 bill. The week of gigs also includes Olly Murs, two performances of The Who’s rock opera Tommy, Paul Weller and the Pet Shop Boys. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday.

MICHAEL MCINTYRE’s Big Show has beaten X Factor in the ratings for a second week. The BBC One show won an average of 5.8million viewers from 8.15pm to 9.15pm on Saturday, down from last week’s 6.2million, but 100,000 up on X Factor. And on Friday, Walliams and Friends was seen by 2.8million viewers, notably lower than the 3.9million who tune in to BBC One from 10pm to 10.30pm on average on a Friday night. 

JOBY MAGEEAN was crowned Leicester Square Theatre’s New Comedian Of The Year last night. Runners-up were Lewis Dunn performing as Stanley Brooks and Micky Overman.

STEPHEN MERCHANT is said to have ruled himself out of hosting a full series of The Crystal Maze. The comedian hosted a celebrity special for Stand-Up For Cancer last month, which was such a success Channel 4 are planning a permanent revival. But The Sun reports that Merchant is too busy with other projects – including roles in the X-Men film Logan and Anna Kendrick romcom Table 19 – to commit to a full run.

Published: 28 Nov 2016