Stewart Lee on surrealists, Dara O Brian on the Moon and Jeremy Front on Beyond The Fringe
Our pick of the comedy on TV, radio and on demand this week:
Sunday July 30
TELL ME ANOTHER: Hosted by Dick Hills, this 1970s talk show featured top stars of the time, such as Barbara Windsor, Diana Dors, Bernard Cribbins, Arthur Askey recounting personal ancedotes from their lives and careers. It starts on Talking PicturesTV today with Michael Bentine, Bernard Cribbinsand Jim Dale as the guests. Talking Pictures TV , 6pm
Monday July 31
I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T A CLUE: With Vicki Pepperdine, Omid Djalili, Andy Hamilton and Henning Wehn. Radio 4, 6.30pm
Tuesday August 1
WONDERS OF THE MOON WITH DARA Ó BRIAIN: In this two-part series, comedian and amateur astronomer Dara Ó Briain explores the ways in which the Moon shapes so much around us and how we are now looking to shape the moon in the future. Tonight also happens to be a supermoon, the first of two in August: The Sturgeon Moon tonight and The Blue Sturgeon Moon on August 30 - both full Moons when the satellite is closes to the Earth Channel 5, 9pm, and same time tomorrow
THE BALSALL HEATH BOHEMIANS: Stewart Lee celebrates the work of the Birmingham Surrealists of his home town, a subversive group of artists makings waves in the new style before the capital caught on with Salvador Dali's visit in 1934. Their work includes leaving a giant elephant skull in Broad Street, 'crucifying' one of their pivotal members, Conroy Maddox' and throwing parties where communists, Caribbean immigrants and naked women in high heels smashed pottery underfoot. Radio 4. 11.30am
ULTIMATE CHOICE: Amy Gledhill and Andrew Maxwell discuss dilemmas such as which doctor would you rather have treat you: Barry White or Hannibal Lecter? Radio 4, 6.30pm
Wednesday August 2
PHYSICAL: Rose Byrne returns in the third series of this 1980s-set comedy about a sidelined wife who finds purpose in her aerobics classes. Apple TV+.
ROB AND ROM VS CRUFTS: During the last year, Mssrs Beckett and Ranganathan have become dog owners. And with both pets in need of training, they are entering this year’s Crufts to see if their new best friends can learn a thing or two… Sky Max, 9pm
CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF: Stand-up Marcus Brigstocke, who's a keen amateur chef, and Inbetweeners star James Buckley, who isn't, are among the contestants on the first episode of the new series. They talk about the show here.BBC One, 9pm
Friday August 4
FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY SPECIAL: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Hosted by Rhys James, the second of Radio 4's topical comedy pilots investigates the major issues of the week before solving them perfectly forever. Rhys will be joined by a gaggle of comics including Alasdair Beckett-King and Celya AB, to look at the news and ask ‘Why?’, ‘How come?’ And ‘Why though?’ Radio 4, 6.30pm
ASHLEY BLAKER: 6.5 CHILDREN: The comedian returns for a second series mixing stand-up with fly-on-the-wall footage as he offers his personal perspective on the subject of parenting children with a range of specialist needs. Radio 4. 11.30am
THE LAST LEG: This week's guest include comedians Seann Walsh and Chris McCausland. Channel 4. 10pm
MAGGIE MOORE(S): Available as a paid-for stream and download from today is this comedy mystery movie starring John Hamm, Tina Fey and Nick Mohammed. When two women with the same name are murdered days apart, small-town police chief Jordan Sanders (John Hamm) finds himself wading through an unlikely collection of cheating husbands, lonely hearts, contract killers and a nosy neighbour (Tina Fey) in an effort to put the pieces of the case, and his life, together.
Saturday August 5
TURNING POINT: BEHIND BEYOND THE FRINGE: Launched at the 1960 Edinburgh International Festival, as a response to the upstart Fringe, Beyond the Fringe transformed of British comedy, lighting the fuse of the satire boom and sent a blast of fresh air through the fusty corridors of power and signalling the death of deference which still clung to paternalistic, post-colonial Britain. In this dramatisation by comedy writer Jeremy Front, Radio 4 tell the story of comedy's own Fab Four, Dudley Moore (played by Ian Dunnett Jnr), Alan Bennett (Matthew Durkan), Jonathan Miller (Tom Durant-Pritchard) and Peter Cook (David Reed). Radio 4, 3pm
Published: 30 Jul 2023