A tight 5: May 12

HUNDREDS of Edinburgh Fringe shows went on sale yesterday, in the second stage of the programme release. There are now a total of 806 comedy shows, all of which made the deadline for publication in the printed programme, compared to 522 theatre shows. Click here to browse Chortle's listings of the comedy section, which can also be searched by day and hour, to help plan your schedule. The printed programme is out on June 3.

CHRIS ROCK is to guest star in the second series of hip-hop drama Empire, broadcaster Fox has announced.

KATHERINE RYAN donated proceeds from her gig in Liverpool's Epstein Theatre on Friday night to the Central Liverpool Foodbank 'in deference to the general election results'.

AMERICA's ABC network has commissioned a sitcom based on the John Candy movie Uncle Buck. Comedian Mike Epps will star as the irresponsible Buck in the second TV adaptation of the film, following a single-season show on CBS in 1990/91 starring Kevin Meaney.

MEANWHILE the CBS network has ordered a second series of its version of The Odd Couple, starring Thomas Lennon as uptight Felix Unger and Friends star Matthew Perry, despite almost halving its audience over the current season, from 13.6million at launch in February to 7million last week.

Published: 12 May 2015