News Archive

Below are links to all the news stories we have published...

May 2008

• Peep Show gets a 6th series
• BBC Three commissions record label sitcom
• Have I Got News for You accused of sexism
• U.S. Spaced now unlikely to go ahead
• Down the Line and Russell Brand win Sony Awards
• Radio 4 comedy commissioning attacked
• Stephen Fry gives speech about the BBC
• The IT Crowd wins prestigious Rose d'Or award
• The Royle Family may return

April 2008

• Kris Marshall in intensive care
• Genius given a full TV series
• Dodd to be immortalised in bronze
• RIP Humphrey Lyttelton
• No plans to end Peep Show
• Two Pints series eight confirmed
• Monday news round-up: seven stories
• BAFTAs for Harry Hill, Gavin & Stacey, Fonejacker
• Mitchell and Webb to make BBC Two sitcom
• Over 11 million watch Friday sitcoms
• Charlie Brooker moves into horror
• Jack Dee to write his memoirs
• 2008 Sony Award nominees announced
• Never Better and Roman's Empire to head Stateside

March 2008

• Benidorm makes strong return, Teenage Kicks slower
• BBC commissions nine new comedies
• Comic play experiences power cut on opening night
• Croft and Perry to claim special BAFTA Craft award
• Peep Show 5 tops C4's spring schedule
• It Ain't Half Hot Mum features on Mastermind
• Curse of Comedy lifts BBC4 to record high
• Summer Wine and Porridge actor Brian Wilde dies
• On The Buses event announced
• RTS awards for Boosh, QI, Fonejacker and others
• Bafta shortlist revealed
• Gavin and Stacey 2 launches to great ratings
• Carry On London may be in cinemas by end of 2008
• Steve Coogan returns to stand-up
• BBC launches College Of Comedy
• 'Allo 'Allo! invades Germany
• Gavin and Stacey go abroad
• Mumbai Calling gets prime-time ITV1 series
• Royal Television Society (RTS) nominations
• Peter Fincham set to expand ITV's comedy output?

February 2008

• BBC's comedian notes uncovered - in depth
• Outnumbered to be remade in USA
• British Press Guild Award nominees announced
• BBC radio announces more new comedies
• Vic and Bob working on new sitcom
• Basil Fawlty tops best put-downs list
• Moving Wallpaper gets a second series
• Tommy Cooper statue set to be unveiled
• BBC Three orders three more comedy pilots
• BBC Two commissions full series of The Cup
• New newspaper satire in the works
• Mighty Boosh film on the cards
• Honour for Jon Plowman
• The death of Derek Trotter
• Caroline Aherne working on new comedy film
• Lenny Henry attacks lack of ethnic diversity on TV
• BBC announces new comedy writing scheme
• C4 to show 'new hero' comedian documentaries
• Collins and Herring launch new podcast series

January 2008

• Russell Brand in new radio controversy
• South Bank Show rewards Gavin and Stacey
• Radio sitcom Hut 33 gets a second series
• TV Burp gets record ratings
• TV satirists escape Madeleine McCann censure
• Broadcast Awards winners 2008
• Guardian Readers vote for favourite shows
• New sitcom role for Gavin and Stacey star
• New BBC Three season - full details
• Thank God You're Here still struggling for ratings
• Writers' Guild announces sitcom discussion
• The British Sitcom Guide 2007 Awards announced
• BBC give After You've Gone a 2009 series too
• UKTV Gold to search for funniest comedy decade
• Armando Iannucci to make political satire film
• RDF changes the focus of its new comedy website
• Viewers back Chris Langham interview
• Latest audience ratings
• Extras wins Golden Globe award
• Chris Morris reveals terrorism film plan
• Public want Only Fools and Horses to return
• Chris Langham attempts TV comeback
• Free Agents looks set for a full series
• Flanimals to be made into a film

December 2007

• News roundup
• Catherine Tate accused of racism
• To The Manor Born a Christmas Day ratings triumph
• £48,500 for four candles (or is it fork handles?)
• 4oD comedy goes permanently free
• Gervais and Merchant to write 1970s comedy film
• Jennifer Saunders to be first female Dr Who?
• Channel Dave the surprise TV hit of the year
• Filthy Formby
• Dibley biggest comedy in 2007
• Rachel Stevens gets animated for Scottish comedy
• Viewers want Del Boy back for Christmas
• Museum of Curiosity to open
• Broadcast Awards 2008 shortlist revealed
• South Bank nominations announced
• Stella Street to return via new website
• British Comedy Awards - full results
• Guests quit Have I Got News For You

November 2007

• UK writers show support for US strike
• ITV doesn't budge - no Comedy Awards broadcast
• BBC4 to screen Hancock, Steptoe and Howerd dramas
• Not Going Out gets third series
• Catherine Tate stops sketch show
• Channel 4 to boost comedy output in 2008
• Karen Taylor gets a second series
• Details on the new BBC2 sitcoms for 2008
• UK shows win International Emmys
• USA version of Little Britain delayed
• Still Game wins Scottish Bafta
• 'How Not to Live Your Life' gets greenlight
• Anthony Head to star in Devon based comedy drama
• ITV reveals 2008 comedy line-up
• Langham wins appeal
• UK comedy writers asked not to break US strike
• Gavin and Stacey leads Comedy Award nominations
• News Roundup
• Spaced director Edgar Wright angry at US remake
• C4 boosts comedy budget and greenlights new shows
• Graham Linehan to nurture new comedy writers

October 2007

• Catherine Tate wins National TV Award for comedy
• Spaced goes to America
• Friday night TV comedy preview
• More on BBC3's Friday Night Live plans
• News Knight seeking new host
• Lee Evans announces record-breaking tour
• Absolute Power writer Mark Tavener has died
• To the Manor Reborn starts filming
• Kryten launches Red Dwarf competition on YouTube
• Producer urges ITV to broadcast Comedy Awards
• News roundup
• Friday night TV preview
• New movie Stardust in cinemas this week
• Channel Dave to broadcast puppet comedy
• Russell Brand Ponderland preview
• Bremner's McCann sketch draws complaints
• Tamsin Greig in Anne Frank drama
• Oliver and Zaltzman in Times podcast
• National Television Awards voting now online
• Comedy Awards will not be televised
• Friday night preview
• ITV2 commission rejected BBC3 sketch show
• News roundup
• C4 offering a day on the Shameless set
• Mixed reception for new BBC2 line-up
• Extras Christmas special trailer released
• Wallace and Gromit to return to TV
• Composer Ronnie Hazlehurst dies aged 79
• Boosh star appears in Vic and Bob show
• Racial and Religious Hatred Act now in force

September 2007

• New BBC Radio 4 podcast feed available
• Over 150 hours of comedy goes free on 4oD
• More details on BBC2's Thursdays are Funny
• 14 new comedies for Channel 4
• To the Manor Reborn?
• Patrick Kielty in trouble for McCann jokes
• Comedybox website goes live
• ITV drops British Comedy Awards
• Preview of the comedy on TV tonight
• UKTV Gold 2 to be launched on Freeview
• C4 offering the chance of 15 minutes of shame
• Merton to present more travel shows for Five TV
• A Genius TV programme
• BBC4 to celebrate The Frost Report
• Ricky Gervais wins Best Comedy Actor Emmy
• Tony Hancock subject of BBC Four show
• Jimmy Carr hosts BBC Burp pilot
• IN DETAIL: Chris Langham jailed for 10 months
• Alan Carr signs C4 golden handcuffs deal
• Live At The Apollo recommissioned
• Ricky Gervais to direct his first film
• Steve Coogan contemplating stand-up return
• Jim Davidson in Hell's Kitchen hot water
• Ricky Tomlinson requires quadruple heart bypass
• Tate, Lucas and Walliams .v. Christian posters
• Trevor McDonald cleared over Manning joke
• Rugby eats into BBC's Friday night comedy audience
• BBC Radio 7 developing new comedy panel game
• Ricky Gervais vs. his local paper
• Suburban Shootout 2 starts badly
• Preview of Friday night's TV
• David Schneider directing ITV2 sitcom
• David Tennant added to Extras guest list
• My Family wins TV Quick and TV Choice award
• Mangan: I've obviously got a face for comedy
• Dara O'Briain the new Michael Parkinson?
• IT Crowd gains more viewers

August 2007

• ITV1 commissions festive hotel comedy drama film
• Vernon Kay in Extras final
• Stephen Fry and Matt Lucas making Radio 4 tribute
• Dawn French dumped by Terrys
• Coogan blamed for Owen Wilson's drug spiral
• Outnumbered starts with great ratings
• Chris Morris and Peep Show writers team up
• Channel 4's November pilots confirmed
• Shameless graffiti competition launched
• Wallace and Gromit clips go online for free
• Lucy Davis strips for PETA
• The Abbey gets full series
• John Deals TV blog opens
• VH1 orders Star Stories pilot
• Monty Python tops most influential comedy poll
• Harry Hill to host hidden camera show
• ITV give superhero sitcom the greenlight
• Worst Week of My Life USA?
• 'Allo 'Allo star Vicki Michelle in Emmerdale role
• TVComedyClassics.com launches
• 10 new characters for Little Britain USA
• Chris Langham guilty of downloading child porn
• Ricky Gervais to star in new Hollywood film

July 2007

• Mike Reid Dies aged 67
• Paul Merton plans ITV improv show
• Radio 2 comedy prepares for 40th Anniversary
• Langham: Not guilty
• British Comedy Awards join phone-in scandal list
• Bill Bailey to enter Eurovision
• Gervais and Merchant up for more Emmys
• ITV to make Jilly Cooper comedies
• Comic Relief phone-in scandal
• Catherine Tate to kill off Lauren
• Red Dwarf most popular sci-fi show of all time
• Fawlty Towers characters resurrected
• BBC1 unveils its autumn comedy series
• Thick of It star Chris Langham goes on trial today
• Sitcom stars to appear in Xmas Dr Who
• Posh and Becks to appear in Extras finale
• Vote for the National Television Awards
• Comic Industry in Top 100 Media List
• BBC2 to get Freezing
• A B'Stard of an Illness
• Catherine Tate to be new Doctor Who companion
• Russell Brand offends Cardiff district
• BBC Increase Comedy Funding

June 2007

• Ratings update - ITV ditches Tough Gig
• McDonald versus Manning
• News Snippets
• Dibley producer hits back at impartiality report
• Two new online comedies launched
• Little Britain make Neighbours cameo
• RDF Media to launch comedy download site
• Free tickets available for comedy recordings
• Bernard Manning to deliver his own obituary
• Stealing jokes? Homophobe!
• Kris Marshall to star in estate agent comedy
• 'The Thick of It' may still run in the USA
• Simon Amstell writing a sitcom for BBC2
• Academics claim British comedy "is bigoted"

May 2007

• News snippets
• Tate says BAFTAs are unfair
• Royle Family wins BAFTA award
• ITV to make CGI version of Spitting Image
• C4 to run free comedy seminar
• British Sitcom Guide reveals expansion plans
• News Snippets
• Eranu or Uvavu? Shooting Stars may return
• Not Going Out wins Golden Rose award
• Vatican: Terrorist comedian
• DVD RSS Feeds
• Peep Show to be re-made in America
• Roman's Empire crashes in the ratings
• Baron Cohen in Time 100 list

April 2007

• News snippets
• Mumbai Calling pilot to be shown on ITV
• Edinburgh Festival on 'Ultimate Experiences' list
• Friday night's ratings a mixed story
• Peter Kay's latest comedy is rubbish - literally
• ITV wants female-led sitcom from Peep Show writers
• BBC to open up its archive
• E4 commissions its first sitcom - Baggy Trousers
• Don't Panic! - Dad's Army comes to the Stage
• BBC Commission Semi-Improvised Sitcom
• Friday Night TV Preview
• ITV commission 'Bike Cops' sitcom
• Have I Got News For You: more series and a podcast
• BAFTA nominations announced
• After You've Gone gets a second series
• News digest
• BBC America dropping classic comedies

March 2007

• BBC3 under fire for repeating Two Pints too often
• Merchant wants popstar Prince to appear in Extras
• Brooke-Taylor says TV bosses not taking risks
• BBC says sorry for After You've Gone swearing
• Stephen Merchant slates Channel 4
• Mr Bean... and gone?
• British Press Guild 2007 Awards
• ITV ditches Love Island in favour of more comedy
• Little Miss Jocelyn gets a second season
• Channel 4 to broadcast phone-in satire
• Peep Show gets a 5th series
• Golden Rose Award Nominations
• No third series of Extras
• Channel Five commissions greasy spoon sitcom
• Comic Relief 2007 Preview - The Big One
• BBC looks to past for new comedy idea
• Royle Family wins Royal Television Society Awards
• Comedy actor John Inman has died
• Channel 4 launches new comedy writing contest
• Channel 4 announces its spring comedy offerings
• Trailer for Magicians released
• Double Science to be filmed shortly
• Nominees for Bafta audience award announced
• Six more pilots coming up on BBC3
• BBC launches YouTube channel with exclusive clips
• Benidorm gets a second series

February 2007

• Del Boy's Reliant sells for £44,000
• Not Going Out will be back for another series
• Royal Television Society Awards announced
• TedFest 07 a success
• Average ratings for Thursday night's comedy
• Football match to decide where Craggy Island is
• ITV in comedy ratings woe
• Brookside's Dean Sullivan in sitcom pilot
• Another sitcom from the Two Pints team
• BBC Scotland commissions Legit
• Benidorm loses viewers
• Teenage Kicks to switch to BBC2?
• Preview: 'Welcome To Strathmuir' on BBC Scotland
• Cheers' Kirstie Alley to be U.S. Vicar of Dibley
• Balls of Steel 2 Preview and DVD clip
• Benidorm gets off to a great start

January 2007

• Green Wing writers create US pilot comedy
• Mitchell and Webb star in Apple adverts
• Private wedding for Extras star
• Big Brother winner Shilpa offered sitcom role
• Stewart Lee writing sitcom about thunder god
• BBC to put comedy on Google Video?
• Father Ted festival row - where is Craggy Island?
• A second series of Nathan Barley?
• Basil Fawlty statue for Torquay
• Another 'Thick of It' special on the way
• Richard Ayoade to star in U.S. IT Crowd too
• Corrie puts dent in After You've Gone's debut
• BBC3 comedy Pulling gets a second series
• IT Crowd and I'm With Stupid get USA go ahead
• Shameless Series 4 Preview
• Not the end of Dibley after all
• The Thick of It struggles on return to BBC Four
• Vicar of Dibley ends on high note

December 2006

• Film 2006 viewers vote for Borat
• Dibley tops Christmas TV
• 2006 Christmas Specials - Preview
• UKTV Gold reveals Top 10 Only Fools moments
• Al Murray fronts food safety ads
• Bad ratings for Worst Christmas
• Shane gets an American re-make
• Extras up for best comedy at Broadcast awards
• US Writers Guild Awards shortlist announced
• Pegg to star in London Marathon comedy
• Golden Globe nominations for Borat
• BBC3 announces winter comedy
• New C4 sitcom by Father Ted writer Arthur Mathews
• British Comedy Awards 2006 - Winners
• British Comedy Awards 2006 - Live Results
• BBC America buys new Jennifer Saunders comedies
• Possible return for Extras
• Few Laughs in BBC2 Spring Schedule
• Yes Minister tops political comedy poll
• "Worst Week of My Life" back for new Xmas Series
• Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse reunited
• Ricky Tomlinson to release Christmas single
• Jam and Jerusalem fails to amuse WI group

November 2006

• Stephen Merchant to present BBC 6 Music show
• League Of Gentlemen set for comeback
• Jam and Jerusalem a hit, Blunder flops
• Online video boom grows, suggests BBC News survey
• Green Wing Special and DVD Scheduled
• Channel 4 announces Christmas line up
• Hot Fuzz poster now online
• "Blunder" Preview
• Sensitive Skin snags second series
• E4 reveals plans for 2007
• BBC unveils ones to watch this Christmas
• New Sitcom Broadcasting Online For Free
• Mark Gatiss signs up for Jekyll
• New Standup Comedy DVDs
• New Sitcom Pilot: Great News
• Drop Dead Gorgeous and Ideal return to BBC Three
• Channel 4 to offer TV download service
• Five to trial improvised sitcom idea
• New Rehab Sitcom
• New "New Statesman" play
• Extras/Peep Show up for British Comedy Awards
• Still Game wins Scottish Baftas
• Not Going Out records ratings rise
• Impressive sales for Green Wing and Darkplace DVDs
• Peep Show and IT Crowd to stop C4 disaster?
• Great success for Borat in US and A
• Catherine Tate loses viewers
• Little Britain wins National Television Award
• The Thick of It news
• Tittybangbang returns to BBC Three

October 2006

• UKTV Gold orders Only Fools and Horses specials
• Return of The Royle Family
• I'm With Stupid Remake
• De Niro fails to boost Extras
• Lead Balloon sees viewing figures slump
• Dad's Army star slams TV comedy
• Hot Fuzz clips now online
• Search is on for missing TV shows
• Lead Balloon set for BBC2 debut
• Ladettes continue to outpace Extras
• Fox Network to remake Beast
• Channel 4 orders more Fonejacker
• Little Britain nominated for an Emmy
• Man to Man with Dean Learner: more details
• Darkplace DVD signing
• De Niro to appear in final Extras episode
• Ladettes beat Extras
• BBC4 scores ratings success with Lead Balloon
• Green Wing duo to front Barclaycard ads
• Fear, Stress and Anger - preview
• Feminist charity fails to stop Respectable
• Secret Policeman's Ball: line-up confirmed
• "Man to Man with Dean Learner" details
• Kazakhstan plays down Borat row

September 2006

• USA to re-make Suburban Shootout
• Not Going Out set for 6th October debut
• Vegas to star in new ITV1 sitcom
• Live! Girls! Present Dogtown - preview
• Little Britain star pays tribute to 007
• ITV4 to show Saturday Night Live
• New Sitcom Pilots
• Vicar of Dibley to be remade for USA
• Green Green Grass limps back on to Beeb
• The Smoking Room Cancelled
• I'm With Stupid delivers strong ratings performance
• So-so return for Extras
• TV licence payers support fee rise but expect value for money
• New Sitcom: The Calais Rules
• Chris Langham charged with indecent assault
• Flush - New Sitcom
• Lead Balloon episodes to be made available online
• BBC Four in a tight spot
• ITV acquires The Office USA
• "I'm With Stupid" off to good start
• Saxondale and Hyperdrive to be broadcast on BBC America
• Possible return for Rab C. Nesbitt
• Legit to air on 15th September
• New Karen Dunbar sitcom pilot to debut on Friday
• New series of Extras launched to media
• Women's charity blasts Respectable