• New ITV2 comedy, Plebs, brings reminders of Up Pompeii

    New ITV2 comedy, Plebs, brings reminders of Up Pompeii

    The recent announcement that ITV2 was developing what, they hope, would be a ‘channel-defining sitcom’ was not only another example of broadcasters (e.g. Sky, Channel 4, ITV) commitment to increase comedy output but reminded me of a classic 70’s BBC sitcom during the golden age of comedy when it was essentially the BeeB or nothing […]

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  • New comedy from BBC Three and Sky 1 HD to keep an eye on…

    New comedy from BBC Three and Sky 1 HD to keep an eye on…

    UK comedy output has taken a beating in recent years taking a back seat to quality drama output while viewers on both sides of the pond could do nothing but fondly remember the golden years of British comedy. With some pretty major commitments from the likes of Sky1 HD, ITV and the Beeb, things are […]

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  • A look back at a bit of BBC Sport Relief 2012 comedy greatness

    A look back at a bit of BBC Sport Relief 2012 comedy greatness

    Aside from the fact that the BBC Sport Relief efforts happen to be one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK, it’s a country-wide effort to ‘get active, raise cash and change lives according to event organizers. If you are either outside of the UK or the one person within the UK that aren’t […]

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  • A Silver Jubilee Performance of The Good Life

    A Silver Jubilee Performance of The Good Life

    At the conclusion of the myriad of events surrounding the recent Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, I started thinking back to the Silver Jubilee in 1977 when Her Majesty and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended a taping of an episode of The Good Life (Good Neighbors in the States), starring Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, […]

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  • 'Allo, 'Allo's Vicki Michelle's role of a lifetime

    'Allo, 'Allo's Vicki Michelle's role of a lifetime

    Vicki Michelle has experienced the highs and the lows of the acting world her entire career. As the story goes, Michelle, who struggled in the business for several years, gave it up to launch her own employment agency. She then got a call asking her to audition for one last role, a role for which […]

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  • A London West End return for Rowan Atkinson

    A London West End return for Rowan Atkinson

    Unfortunately, it’s not Blackadder V or Mr. Bean III but the good news is that Rowan Atkinson will perform the title role in Simon Gray’s ‘Quartermaine’s Terms‘ running 23 January through 13 April 2013. The play, which is set in Cambridge in the 1960s English language school for foreigners and centers around the friendly but […]

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  • Greece vs. Germany: Better match-up in EURO 2012 or EURO 425 B.C.?

    Greece vs. Germany: Better match-up in EURO 2012 or EURO 425 B.C.?

    Looking at the groupings for the EURO 2012, the European Championships that begin today, one can probably guess that Greece will not be playing Germany in the knockout stages. You never know, however, as it’s quite possible the 2004 Euro champion will make it out of Group A and advance. Even though Germany is in […]

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  • Plowman to commissioners: Show TV comedy writers the money

    Plowman to commissioners: Show TV comedy writers the money

    You might not know the name, but you can’t help but know the comedy output that Jon Plowman has been involved with and responsible for over the years. As the former head of BBC Comedy involved in the commissioning of comedy output and now working freelance for the BBC producing comedy, Jon Plowman has been […]

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  • Talkin' Downton Abbey 3, Doc Martin 6 and RDX

    Talkin' Downton Abbey 3, Doc Martin 6 and RDX

    Lots of behind the scenes news flying around the Internets the past several days involving some of our favorite stars talking about some of our favorite British telly. Craig Charles on RDX: “It’s like Grumpy Old Men in Space” Set to premiere on Dave, the self-described UK Home for Witty Banter, Red Dwarf X from […]

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  • Wallace & Gromit: Behind-the-scenes

    Wallace & Gromit: Behind-the-scenes

    Full disclosure, I have been a huge Wallace & Gromit fan from the beginning. A product of the British animation studio, Aardman Studios, and the brilliant mind of Nick Park, the characters are made from moulded plasticine modeling clay on metal armatures and filmed with stop motion clay animation. I hate to reduce it to […]

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