The best of the week's comedy on TV and radio

The week's best comedy on TV and radio.

Sunday May 24

BRITAIN’S GREATEST COMEDY CHARACTER: A pane; comprising Sally Phillips, Shappi Khorsandi, Nina Wadia, John Thomson, Peter Egan, Lucy Beaumont, Marcus Brigstocke, Emily Atack, writer David Quantick and critic Grace Dent put a list of 30 comic creations into order… which will be No1? What’s for sure is that the winner will be white as there’s not a single BAME face in the top 30 (listed here. A UKTV spokeswoman said the lack of diversity is ‘raised at the very start of the show and a lively and passionate discussion takes place’. 

Wednesday May 27

WHAT’S FUNNY ABOUT… ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS:  in this week’s TV veterans Peter Fincham and Jon Plowman speak to Jennifer Saunders about Edina Monsoon, why recordings of the show were always finished by 9.30pm, and her 'last minute' approach to script delivery. Radio 4 Extra, 10.30pm

Thursday May 28

THE FIRST TEAM: This new comedy  from The Inbetweeners creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley revolves around three young footballers Mattie, Jack and Benji, and their adventures with terrifying team hard-man, the mercurial Italian manager and eccentric chairman, played by Will Arnett. The central trio are played by Shaquille Ali-Yebuah, Jack McMullen and Jake Shot, while the cast also features comedians Phil Wang and Neil Fitzmaurice.  The creators talk about the show here. BBC Two, 9.30pm

ANKLE TAG:The sitcom about a fraudster dad on parole returns, with Steve Speirs, Elis James, Katy Wix and Owen Money all performing Benjamin Partridge and Gareth Gwynn’s script.  It was recorded remotely, with all the actors confined to their own houses. Radio 4, 6.30pm

Friday May 29

SMACK THE PONY: Channel 4’s Friday-night comedy box set this week is the entire first series of the 1990s sketch show, starring Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips. Channel 4, 11.05pm

Saturday May 30

ALAN CARR’S EPIC GAMESHOW: Who needs new ideas when you can revisit old ones? The upbeat comedian is the host for a new series of revived classic gameshows, starting off by filling Brucie’s size 9s with Play Your Cards Right. Playing for charity are Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, comedian Chris and Rosie Ramsey, presenter Ore Oduba and his wife Portia, and  Martine McCutcheon and her husband Jack McManus. Future shows recreate the likes of the Price Is Right, Strike It Lucky and Bullseye. ITV, 8.15pm

Published: 24 May 2020