Gavin & Stacey favourite stars in first look at BBC's new "big, character-driven comedy"
Bill's Included will be coming to screens soon.
Gavin & Stacey favourite Rob Brydon stars in a first look at the BBC's new comedy Bill's Included. The sitcom follows Bill Beam, played by Brydon, a well-meaning but over-enthusiastic divorcee who rents his spare rooms to students to stay afloat. As Bill tries, and often fails, to be both a responsible landlord and honorary housemate, he and his mismatched lodgers muddle through chaos, growing pains and unexpected friendships. Joining Brydon in the cast are Samantha Spiro (Waiting for the Out) and Nigel Lindsay (MobLand) as Bill’s neighbours, Siobhan and Martin, while Kevin Eldon (Trigger Point) is record store owner Drew. Dylan Brady (Mary & George), Ada Player (The Power of Parker), Harry Baxendale (The Radleys) and Yasmin Al-Khudhairi (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder) also join the cast as students Christian, Hettie, James and Zahra, who can been seen in the below image. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/bills-included-bbc-cast-c2034e6.jpg" width="4582" height="3055" alt="Harry Baxendale as James, Yasmin Al-Khudhairi as Zahra, Rob Brydon as Bill, Ada Player as Hettie and Dylan Brady as Christian in Bill's Included, with bags, suitcases and pillows, standing outside a house." title="Harry Baxendale as James, Yasmin Al-Khudhairi as Zahra, Rob Brydon as Bill, Ada Player as Hettie and Dylan Brady as Christian in Bill's Included" /> Filming is already under way for the new BBC show, which will comprise six 30-minute episodes. On his new role, Brydon said: "I feel very lucky to be part of Bill's Included. Alex Owen and Ben Ashenden have written some truly wonderful scripts and I can’t wait to help bring them to life." Rupert Majendie, executive producer at Baby Cow Productions, added: "Bill’s Included is exactly the kind of show we love making at Baby Cow. "Big, character driven comedy with real emotional truth at its core. It’s full of brilliantly funny performances, led by the incomparable Rob Brydon. We are so excited for everyone to meet Bill." Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from Radio Times – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google. The new comedy is directed by Dave Lambert and was written and produced by Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen, known as comedy duo The Pin. They co-wrote the 2025 Amazon MGM action comedy film Deep Cover, which starred Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed. Bill’s Included's release date is yet to be announced. Add Bill’s Included to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Slow Horses and Last Tango in Halifax stars confirmed for all-new drama from Sharon Horgan
Stars of both Slow Horses and Last Tango in Halifax have been confirmed for an all-new drama from comedy writer Sharon Horgan. The new HBO Original Comedy Series YOUTH will see Harriet Walter, Anne Reid, and Freddie Fox star as its main cast. As well as writing and executive producing, Sharon Horgan will also star in the upcoming series. She has previously written and acted in the 2015 Channel 4 series Catastrophe alongside Rob Delaney, and is also the comedic mastermind behind BBC's Motherland. YOUTH follows a 50-year-old divorcee’s search for sex and love whilst juggling caring for her ailing parents and parenting her should-be grown up son. Anne Reid is best known for playing Valerie Barlow in Coronation Street from 1961 to 1971, and later Celia Dawson in Last Tango in Halifax between 2012 and 2020, for which she was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for best actress. Dame Harriet Walter has had a career spanning over 50 years and is no stranger to comedy acting, starring in the Apple TV sports comedy-drama series Ted Lasso. She is also known for her roles in Succession and Silo. Whilst Freddie Fox is most recognised from House of the Dragon and Slow Horses, he has also had previous comedy roles in Apple TV's The Great and the Victorian police comedy on Channel 4 Year of the Rabbit. YOUTH is produced by Merman, which also produced the likes of Amandaland, Bad Sisters and Vladimir, Horgan's own production company which she co-founded in 2014 alongside Clelia Mountford. Additional executive producers are Faye Dorn for Merman, Jim Kleverweis, and Dawn Shadforth, who will also direct. For her comedy work Sharon Horgan has won numerous accolades including seven BAFTA nominations and two wins - best drama series in 2023 for Bad Sisters and best writer: comedy for Catastrophe in 2016. Add YOUTH to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BAFTA TV Awards 2026 nominations revealed: Full list of nominees including Celebrity Traitors, Doctor Who legend and EastEnders
Adolescence, A Thousand Blows, Andor, and Trespasses lead the way.
We finally have the BAFTA TV Awards 2026 nominations in, and it's a big night ahead for Stephen Graham. Multiple nominations are in for the beloved Liverpuddlian actor, including 11 nominations for Adolescence and a further seven for A Thousand Blows. Elsewhere, the acclaimed Star Wars series Andor and Channel 4 historical drama Trespasses each have six nominations, while The Celebrity Traitors has five. Meanwhile, Doctor Who legend Matt Smith is nominated for his turn in The Death of Bunny Munro, while EastEnders and Coronation Street go head to head with Casualty for the Soap award. Read below for the full list of nominees at the BAFTA TV Awards 2026. BAFTA TV Awards 2026 nominations revealed: Full list of nominees including Doctor Who legend and Netflix smash hit Actor in a Comedy Jim Howick, Here We Go Jon Pointing, Big Boys Lenny Rush, Am I Being Unreasonable? Mawaan Rizwan Juice Oliver Savell, Changing Ends Steve Coogan, How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) Actress in a Comedy Diane Morgan, Mandy Jennifer Saunders, Amandaland Katherine Parkinson, Here We Go Lucy Punch, Amandaland Philippa Dunne, Amandaland Rosie Jones, Pushers Children’s: Non-Scripted A Real Bugs Life Boosnoo! Production Team Deadly 60 Saving Sharks World.war.me (Sky Kids Investigates) Children’s: Scripted Crongton Horrible Science Shaun the Sheep The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Current Affairs Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War (Exposure) The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money Gaza: Doctors Under Attack Undercover in the Police (Panorama) Daytime The Chase Lorraine Richard Osman’s House of Games Scam Interceptors Drama Series A Thousand Blows Blue Lights Code of Silence This City Is Ours Entertainment The Graham Norton Show Last One Laughing Michael McIntyre’s Big Show Would I Lie to You Entertainment Performance Amanda Holden and Alan Carr, Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job Bob Mortimer, Last One Laughing Claudia Winkleman, The Celebrity Traitors Lee Mack, The 1% Club Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, Rob & Romesh Vs… Romesh Ranganathan, Romesh: Can’t Knock the Hustle Factual Entertainment The Assembly Go Back to Where You Came Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars Race Across the World Factual Series Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park Educating Yorkshire See No Evil The Undercover Police Scandal: Love and Lies Exposed International The Bear The Diplomat Pluribus Severance The Studio The White Lotus Leading Actor Colin Firth, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth Ellis Howard, What It Feels Like for a Girl James Nelson-Joyce, This City Is Ours Matt Smith, The Death of Bunny Munro Stephen Graham, Adolescence Taron Egerton, Smoke Leading Actress Aimee Lou Wood, Film Club Erin Doherty, A Thousand Blows Jodie Whittaker, Toxic Town Narges Rashidi, Prisoner 951 Sheridan Smith, I Fought the Law Siân Brooke, Blue Lights Limited Drama Adolescence I Fought the Law Trespasses What It Feels Like for a Girl Live Event Coverage Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 Last Night of the Proms: Finale Ve Day 80: a Celebration to Remember News Coverage BBC Newsnight: Grooming Survivors Speak Channel 4 News: Israel-Iran: The Twelve-Day War Sky News: Gaza: Fight for Survival Reality The Celebrity Traitors The Jury: Murder Trial Squid Game: The Challenge Production Team Virgin Island Scripted Comedy Amandaland Big Boys How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) Things You Should Have Done Short Form Donkey Hustle and Run Rocket Fuel Zoners Single Documentary Grenfell: Uncovered Louis Theroux: The Settlers One Day in Southport Unforgotten: the Bradford City Fire Soap Casualty production team Coronation Street production team EastEnders production team Specialist Factual Belsen: What They Found Simon Schama: The Road to Auschwitz Surviving Black Hawk Down Vietnam: the War That Changed America Sports Coverage The 2025 Ryder Cup Production Team The FA Cup Final - Richard Hughes, Sarah Williams, Nicola Kirk, Stephen Lyle, Andrew Clement, Andy Underhill UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Production Team Wimbledon 2025 Production Team Supporting Actor Ashley Walters, Adolescence Fehinti Balogun, Down Cemetery Road Joshua McGuire, The Gold Owen Cooper, Adolescence Paddy Considine, Mobland Rafael Mathé, The Death of Bunny Munro Supporting Actress Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus Christine Tremarco, Adolescence - Chyna McQueen, Get Millie Black Emilia Jones, Task Erin Doherty, Adolescence - Rose Ayling-Ellis, Reunion P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award (Voted for by the Public) Adolescence - Jamie snaps at the Psychologist Big Boys - I Didn’t Make It, Did I? Blue Lights - The Police are warned of an ambush to silence a key witness The Celebrity Traitors - Alan Carr wins the Celebrity Traitors Last One Laughing - Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade’s speed date What It Feels Like for a Girl - Byron leaves for Brighton to start uni, where she uintroduces herself as Paris
Malcolm in the Middle reboot release date: When is it on?
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair will bring the beloved family back to screens for the first time in nearly two decades.
Release date status: Confirmed First episode release date: Friday 10 April 2026 Release pattern: Full box set (all episodes released at once) Total episodes: Four Channel/Streaming service: Disney+ and Hulu Last updated: Monday 23 March 2026 Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair will premiere on Friday 10 April 2026 on Disney+ and Hulu, picking up the story of Malcolm and his family almost 20 years after the original series ended. The limited series reunites the core cast and introduces a new generation to the chaos and comedy of the central clan. This new chapter finds Malcolm, now a father himself, reluctantly returning to his family’s orbit for his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. The revival will continue to explore the enduring dysfunction and hilarity of the family, with returning cast members including Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek and more. Read on for all you need to know about the Malcolm in the Middle reboot series. Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair release date – when is it on? The first episode of Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair will be available from Friday 10 April 2026 on Disney+ and Hulu. All four episodes will be released simultaneously, allowing fans to binge the entire miniseries in one go. Is there a trailer for Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair? Yes – an official trailer for Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair has been released, offering a first look at the returning cast and the signature family mayhem. The trailer teases Malcolm’s attempts to keep his new life separate from his old one, only for chaos to ensue when he’s summoned home for his parents’ anniversary. Watch it below: View oEmbed on the source website Who is in the Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair cast? Main cast expected to appear includes: Frankie Muniz as Malcolm Bryan Cranston as Hal Jane Kaczmarek as Lois Christopher Masterson as Francis Justin Berfield as Reese Emy Coligado as Piama Caleb Ellsworth-Clark as Dewey Anthony Timpano as Jamie Vaughan Murrae as Kelly Keeley Karsten as Leah Kiana Madeira as Tristan What will happen in Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair? Life’s Still Unfair finds Malcolm living with his daughter Leah and girlfriend Tristan, having distanced himself from the family that traumatised him through seven seasons and 151 episodes. When Hal and Lois insist he attends their 40th wedding anniversary, Malcolm is forced to introduce his new family to his old one, reigniting the chaos and dysfunction that defined his childhood. The miniseries explores how the Wilkersons have changed – or not – in adulthood, with new dynamics and plenty of the wild humour fans remember. Where can I watch Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair? Streaming: Disney+ and Hulu Catch-up: Previous seasons are available on Disney+. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Magic Faraway Tree film writer: “The problem for kids now is that they don’t know how to be bored”
"We were just not finished with Ghosts. We thought about a stage show for a bit and then eventually had a great idea for a movie. It’s the right sort of different flavour to the TV show."
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Simon Farnaby has a story about the time his work on the Paddington films led to him sharing a scene with the Queen. “I told her, ‘You’re a good actress, ma’am,’” recalls Farnaby, who played a palace footman in the Paddington-themed sketch to celebrate the 2022 Platinum Jubilee. “And she said, ‘I do it all the time, you see.’” Farnaby, assuming that she was being metaphorical, replied, “‘Oh, you mean playing the part of the Queen?’ She went, ‘No, I am the Queen’. Then she looked at me like I was an idiot and pointed at where Paddington was supposed to be sitting and said, ‘He’s not real, but I am. I’m the Queen!’” There is a chance that you may not recognise Simon Farnaby with his trousers on. The writer and actor is best known for his role in the BBC sitcom Ghosts, in which he played the spirit of a Conservative MP doomed to haunt the afterlife in his pants. The comedy ended in 2023 after five series, but it was recently announced that it is being revived as a movie. “We knocked it on the head at its height,” says Farnaby. “But I think we were just not finished with Ghosts. We thought about a stage show for a bit and then eventually had a great idea for a movie. It’s the right sort of different flavour to the TV show.” Crowd-pleasing family films are familiar territory for Farnaby. Over the past decade he has carved out a niche for the silly cinema that delights kids and entertains adults. There was his work co-writing Paddington 2, which briefly toppled Citizen Kane as the best reviewed movie of all time. But there’s also Roald Dahl prequel Wonka, the sugary box-office smash starring Timothée Chalamet (Farnaby co-wrote with Paddington director Paul King). Now Farnaby is climbing The Magic Faraway Tree, another charming screen adaptation of a cherished childhood classic. Published in 1939, Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree books are short, whimsical tales about three children whose discovery of an enchanted tree leads to them travelling to magical lands. Farnaby didn’t read the books as a child but he was reading them to his three-year-old daughter Eve, now 12, when he was offered the script. “I loved the fulfilment of finding a tree with all these crazy characters who lived there,” he says. “My daughter really laughed at Saucepan Man. He’s just a man who mishears everything because he is covered in saucepans. There’s so much silliness there!” <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/the-magic-faraway-tree-11b77e6.jpg" width="1610" height="1073" alt="Nicola Coughlan, Billie Gadsdon, Nonso Anozie, Phoenix Laroche and Dustin Demri-Burns in The Magic Faraway Tree, in a pink room looking wonderstruck." title="Nicola Coughlan, Billie Gadsdon, Nonso Anozie, Phoenix Laroche and Dustin Demri-Burns in The Magic Faraway Tree" /> Still, Farnaby struggled to find a “hook” for the adaptation. “I knew I wanted to do something with a modern family because the mum and dad aren’t really in the books. There’s a mention of a dad who’s been to the pub and had too many drinks. So I had to invent a dad character that wasn’t an alcoholic.” His eureka moment came during lockdown which Farnaby and his wife, actor Claire Keelan, spent watching “endless repeats” of the 1970s sitcom The Good Life. “I thought, ‘What if they were a family who lived in the city but they had lost everything and had to move to the countryside?’ What if they had to live The Good Life?” That playful fish-out-of-water clash between big-city convenience and rural rustic living also allowed Farnaby to poke fun at how addicted children are to screens. In the film, Claire Foy’s upbeat mother Polly and Andrew Garfield’s hippy dad Tim hope that their move to a country cottage will lead to their perpetually online kids discovering the joys of books and nature. The kids are appalled. “I am going to bed and I hope I never wake up,” screams teenager Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), whose request for wi-fi results in an unintelligible farmer, played by Farnaby, presenting his wife (Keelan). The nearby Faraway Tree, populated by colourful characters like Nicola Coughlan’s earnest fairy Silky and Jessica Gunning’s booming Dame Washalot, represents a return to a more playful, imaginative childhood. “The problem for kids now is that they don’t know how to be bored,” says Farnaby. He fondly recalls a childhood where he and friends would ride their bikes through the woods and imagine they were travelling to distant countries. “Having nothing to do is valuable,” he says, “because you find things to do with your brain. You can’t do that if you’re constantly stimulated.” Does he restrict his daughter’s screen time? “Yeah. My wife has a time limit on her devices. It’s 45 minutes maximum and then the screaming starts!” The tastes of children have also changed. Brain-rotting short-form video content from platforms like YouTube and TikTok are increasingly supplanting books, TV shows and film, but Farnaby isn’t concerned about the future of children’s cinema. “I’m more worried about indie film. But it feels like going to the cinema is one of the things that families still do together.” By his own admission, though, this optimism could be coloured by the fact that he has co-written Wonka and Paddington 2. “It did feel like every family in the UK went to see them.” Such success often leads people to ask Farnaby what the secret is to writing a hit children’s movie. But there is no secret, he says. Making people of all ages laugh is merely an “instinct, a mad alchemy” that he has honed from his years working on family comedies like CBBC sketch show Horrible Histories and the Sky sitcom Yonderland. “The best kind of laughs are universal,” he says, “because it’s hard to make everyone laugh.” He does however credit the birth of his daughter in 2014 for broadening his approach to comedy and “changing who I wanted to entertain”. “It’s like what I was saying with Saucepan Man,” he explains. “It helped me see that there’s a simplicity to comedy, that sometimes you can overcomplicate things. Something as daft as a man made of saucepans mishearing things can make kids laugh like a drain.” Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Comeback's final season proves Lisa Kudrow's best role isn't Phoebe in Friends
Valerie Cherish is back one last time – and if you haven't met her yet, you're in for a treat.
Lisa Kudrow stars in one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, and I'm not talking about Friends. That's not to say the '90s hit show wasn't special or that Kudrow didn't impress as Phoebe Buffay. There's a reason her breakout role was nominated six times at the Emmys, after all. Plus, it's fair to say that 'Smelly Cat' still remains a banger, three decades on. But if there's any justice in this world, Kudrow's legacy would be defined by another Emmy-nominated role of hers instead. Following Friends, Kudrow teamed up with Sex and the City creator Michael Patrick King to develop a new sitcom based on a character named Valerie Cherish, who she developed while performing improv comedy in LA. The result was The Comeback, which starred Kudrow as a tightly wound actress who would do whatever it takes to revive her career. No sacrifice was too big in the pursuit of fame, and more importantly, validation. Season 1 went under the radar at first, as is often the case with shows ahead of their time. Despite Kudrow's considerable fame and status in the world of comedy, Valerie Cherish became an underdog both on and off screen when the show was abruptly cancelled after just one season in 2005. Mixed reviews and poor ratings didn't matter though when word-of-mouth and a new life on DVD gave the show a comeback of its own nine years on. After season 1 pre-empted the humiliations of reality TV, following Cherish as she desperately clawed her way back to prominence, season 2 saw Cherish play a fictionalised version of herself on an HBO show based on real-life problems she faced in season 1. Meta in both narrative and theme, The Comeback has always had an eye on what's coming, tackling insecurities in Hollywood via the world's most insecure actress. Twelve years on, the third and (supposedly) final season confronts what might be Hollywood's biggest threat yet — AI. Doing all she can to stay relevant using social media and a podcast named Cherish the Time, Valerie gets swept up when execs ask her to front a new sitcom written by AI. The scourge of artificial intelligence, which first helps then hinders Valerie, proves to be just as unfunny as you'd expect, producing subpar scripts that recycle jokes from decades prior. Thankfully though, the presence of AI doesn't hold back laughs when it comes to comedy in The Comeback itself. The first episode alone will have you screaming "Emmy" at the screen between chuckles and belly laughs alike until you lose your voice. What other reaction makes sense when you're watching Kudrow pose for cameras with her picket sign while everyone else protests the death of their industry? Episode two ups the ante even further with a new contender for the show's best meme-worthy moment. That's saying something in a world where Valerie's "Well, I got it" GIF went triple platinum in my house. And the ending? Without spoiling too much, I have never laughed so hard watching someone drive their car as I did here. I'm as obsessed with The Comeback as Valerie is with her last failed show, Mrs Hatt, which nobody watched because it was on Epix. How Kudrow and King manage to make a show this funny and this relevant in 10 year intervals needs to be studied. Much of its success just comes from how sharp the writing is. Centring AI provides as much opportunity for satire as it does for comedy, reminding us that "broken, beautiful souls" are what make art special, be it a fictional sitcom or a sitcom about that fictional sitcom. But there's something extra special about the broken, beautiful soul at the centre of it all. Valerie Cherish is a comic creation like no other, an oddball funny girl who's addicted to the camera almost as much as she's addicted to herself. Yet even in Valerie's most selfish or manic moments, Kudrow imbues her with an endearing pathos that helps our favourite narcissist transcend caricature. Through every high and low, we're there with Valerie, rooting for her despite ourselves. And that's particularly true this time around following a tragic loss that impacts the show both on and offscreen. Robert Michael Morris played Mickey Deane, Valerie's best friend and stylist, in the first two seasons of The Comeback before he sadly passed away in 2017. Season 3 honours his legacy throughout, but in episode three especially when Valerie tries to figure out where to spread his ashes. Hyper-fixated on the cameras around her and the image she must maintain at all times, Valerie guards herself best she can, but there are slips when it comes to Mickey, cracks that give us a glimpse of the pain she's masking. And that is infinitely more heartbreaking to watch than an actual breakdown. It's nothing short of award-worthy, especially one tiny grief-induced yelp that conveys more than actual winners do in an entire season of their respective shows. Kudrow is masterful at navigating that vulnerability and how it juxtaposes with the front that Valerie puts on each day, from the moment she wakes up to the moment she falls asleep. The camera knows this too, often lingering for uncomfortable lengths of time as shades of every emotion flicker across Valerie's face. But with such vulnerability also comes strength, a newfound confidence in herself that's starting to sync up with the fake confidence Valerie endlessly puts out into the world. What was once desperation has become something bordering on self-respect. For all the humiliation she has endured — and continues to endure as "a woman of a certain age" in this industry — Valerie's fighting spirit has served her well, proving she does have talent and therefore should demand respect. A clash with Benito Skinner's costume designer, on the set of her own show no less, pushes Valerie to hold her ground when he patronises her and refuses to listen. When he says "I won't listen to an actor tell me what another actor should wear," Cherish replies, "That’s not what this is. It’s an executive producer telling a costumer". That grit embodies Valerie's hustle, that dogged determination to be seen. And after decades in the biz, it's finally paying off. Andrew Scott's character notes early on that Cherish knows more about sitcoms than anyone else around, and he's right to say it. She's put in the time, working tirelessly while other trends and talents have fallen by the wayside. And the same is true of Kudrow herself. Just like Cherish could have been defined by her star-making turn in the '80s sitcom I'm It!, Kudrow could just as easily have skated by on the success of Friends and Friends alone. That mega-hit did make her a household name, after all. Instead, Kudrow outdoes herself time and time again on this lesser-known, but vastly superior show. It's no exaggeration to say that Phoebe Buffay walked so Valerie Cherish could run. That's how special The Comeback is. It's all the more fitting then that Valerie's new sitcom in the show is filmed on the same stage that Friends once was. The third and final season of The Comeback is a victory lap for Kudrow, one that might win her the lead Emmy at last and will cement Valerie as one of the greatest comedic characters ever conceived. But even if Kudrow doesn't win all the awards, even if the viewing figures don't soar as high as they should, I for one will cherish this show always. The Comeback is available on Sky Comedy and streaming service NOW. Shop Sky Stream deals for new customers. Add The Comeback to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Ben Keaton, Father Ted and Emmerdale actor, dies aged 69
Tributes have poured in for the beloved Irish actor.
Ben Keaton, famous for his role in the comedy series Father Ted and appearances in Emmerdale, has died aged 69. The Irish actor was best known as Father Austin Purcell in the beloved Channel 4 series Father Ted before going on to star in multiple soaps and sitcoms including Emmerdale and Casualty. He passed away "very suddenly" at Lincoln County Hospital on Friday last week, leaving his family and friends in shock. His death notice reads: "Ben will be forever greatly missed, loved and fondly remembered by his ex-wife Polly, son Waldo and daughter Daisy, brothers Des and Thom, sister Jeanette. "Best known for his roles in TV shows including Father Ted, Emmerdale, Casualty, The Bill, films including East is East etc. and Theatre performances in Animal Crackers, Harvey, Cyrano de Bergerac, Hay Fever, etc, a founder member of the improv group South Of The River, and a director of the Creative Academy, and more. Funeral arrangements to be announced later." Posting to Facebook, his ex-wife Polly said: "So incredibly sorry to say Ben Keaton died last night. It was very sudden and we are all in shock. "We had separated several years ago but we had half a lifetime together and infuriated and made each other cry with laughter in equal measure. He was a great dad to Waldo and Daisy and the finest Groucho and Cyrano I have ever seen." View oEmbed on the source website The Dublin-born actor had an acting career spanning decades, first starting out in theatre before moving into comedy, television and film. His first screen role was in the ITV police drama The Bill in 1989, but it was his 1995 role of Father Austin Purcell in Father Ted that launched his career. In 2019, Radio Times named Father Ted as the second-greatest British sitcom of all time, beaten only by Fawlty Towers. During his career, Keaton received a number of awards including the 1986 Perrier Comedy Award and two Best Actor accolades from the Manchester Evening News. He also received a nomination for the prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards for his solo theatre show Intimate Memoirs of an Irish Taxidermist.
The co-host of LOL: Last One Laughing UK reveals her favourite film and TV comedies.
It was the TV hit no one saw coming. When Last One Laughing landed on Prime Video last year, it became the fastest word-of-mouth sensation we’ve seen at Radio Times. A brilliantly simple idea, it locked 10 of Britain’s sharpest comics in a room and challenged them to do the unthinkable: not laugh. So, to celebrate its return, we asked comedian and co-host Roisin Conaty to talk us through her top 10 comedy picks from TV and film. From a 1970s stand-up special to the sitcom that Roisin says inspired Gogglebox, it's a list that with humour in all shapes and sizes. So which titles will you add to your watchlist? 1. Withnail & I This is my all-time favourite comedy film. I use it as a tool to work out if I'm going to get on with other people — by seeing whether they like it or not. I used to know every single word and we would say it out loud as we watched it. I first saw it when I was 18 at my friend Ollie's house, and then we got very stoned and watched it again, and again, and again. It gets better every time you watch it because as you get older you see the themes more: 'They’re selling hippie wigs in Woolworths, man." Great movie! Also I think Richard E Grant should’ve won an Oscar – I don’t think there is a better performance than Richard E Grant in Withnail & I. Sorry! 2. Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry David is my all-time hero. This show is so, so funny: it's cringe comedy, but really it feels like he says the things that we all want to say in those situations. I love it. I think it's also very original, considering that he'd already written Seinfeld. It's amazing to have this hit after that. 3. Keeping Up Appearances This was a sitcom that really inspired me. There’s no better TV comedy performance than Patricia Routledge’s physical performance in this. Even though you’ll find that sometimes she does the same thing in different episodes — like when she falls up the path going to visit her brother-in-law's house — each time it makes me laugh. Her whole character and the way she performs is so funny. 4. Major Payne I watched this when I was about 14. It’s not that well-known in this country. Damon Wayans is the lead. He’s an army vet who is struggling with PTSD and has to go train up a kid's cadet and he's very ill equipped for that. It's brilliantly offensive! I have really fond memories of one summer in Ireland when we just watched it again and again. 5. Only Fools and Horses <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/OnlyFoolsAndHorses201111086MfnTboNv-f953c25.jpg" width="1200" height="800" alt="Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert, David Jason as Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses. They are stood together with a large boat in the background." title="Only_Fools_And_Horses20111108_6_MfnTboNv" /> An incredible sitcom, which is even more incredible when I think that I loved it when I was 11 and it's about three middle-aged men ostensibly living in a flat and doing crime… albeit soft crime! It's so clever and it can be on at any time and we'll always watch it. Also without blowing smoke up my own trumpet — can you blow smoke up your own trumpet? — it’s like Last One Laughing, in that it’s a good show to have on when you’re feeling low. 6. Seinfeld Now, I was late to Seinfeld. When it first came on, I didn’t get it. Then in my early-to-mid-20s, I watched it again. The writing is just unbelievable – and there's just so much of it. You think you've seen it all but there's so much to watch and it’s all so, so, funny. I love it. 7. Blossom I watched this when I was a kid. It’s about a girl living with her dad and her brothers — one is played by Joey Lawrence and was very similar to Joey in Friends, and the other is an alcoholic. Her mum doesn’t like her very much too… but she’s only about 11! It’s absolutely brilliant. In the first episode she's doing a monologue to a video camera, like she's on a Saturday night show, and I think it really inspired me to do stand-up. It’s one of the all-time great shows, but it’s doesn’t get brought up. It was written by Saturday Night Live writers. 8. Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' This is Richard Pryor's first stand-up special – it's on YouTube. He’s on stage and the audience is still taking their seats. That would be unheard of now because specials cost so much to make! This is my all-time great stand-up special and anyone wanting to do stand-up should watch it. He gives all his body parts personas. It's under-produced, it's under-edited. It's really clever but really joyful. 9. Blades of Glory View Green Video on the source website This is one of my favourite comedy films. It’s really silly, Will Ferrell is amazing, Amy Poehler is divine: there’s a great scene where she and Will Arnett are trying to walk up an escalator in ice-skating boots that is perfect physical comedy. And I would also add another Will Ferrell film in here: The Other Guys. The scene in the office when they try to do good-cop-bad-cop is one of the great comedy scenes. Mark Wahlberg is extraordinary in it: I don't think anyone quite has the same comic timing as him. 10. The Royle Family Caroline Aherne was a genius and this is just a perfect show. I think it really inspired Gogglebox… they should definitely be getting some beans off that production company! It's so beautifully done and the hard work that goes into making something look that simple and effortless must be immense. It's so warm but it's not saccharine. We'll always watch it at Christmas; we'll always watch the specials. Last One Laughing UK season 2 continues on Thursday 26 March on Prime Video. Season 1 is available to stream now. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that. Add Last One Laughing UK to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Scrubs season 10 release schedule – when will episode 6 be released?
Another week, another episode of Scrubs to bring some much-needed cheer, with the hospital sitcom enjoying rude health in the second half of its revival season. Indeed, the sheer quality of the Scrubs reboot is higher than many fans dared hope, capturing the spirit of the original without feeling tired or out-of-date. That's partly thanks to the bold status quo changes in this new era, including a shock divorce between JD (Zach Braff) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke), whose romance was such a key focus of the original series. Although it could have caused uproar, fans have instead been pleasantly surprised by the Scrubs writers' delicate handling of this subplot, which continues this week as JD attempts to throw himself back into the dating scene. If you can't get enough of this nostalgic revival, read on for everything you need to know about the Scrubs season 10 release schedule – including when to expect episode 6. When will episode 6 of Scrubs season 10 be released? Scrubs season 10 is working to a weekly release schedule, which means that episode 6 will be released on Wednesday 25 March on ABC/Hulu in the US and Thursday 26 March on Disney+ in the UK. The high-profile revival launched worldwide with a double-bill in late February. Check out our Scrubs season 10 review for a detailed verdict on whether it's worth watching. How many episodes are there in Scrubs season 10? There are a total of nine episodes in Scrubs season 10. That's quite a bit shorter than the show's earliest seasons – so here's hoping more seasons are on their way. Scrubs season 10 release schedule Episodes of Scrubs season 10 will be released weekly. With the season having started on Wednesday 25 February in the US, this means the finale will be released on ABC on Wednesday 15 April. In the UK, fans can watch the finale on Disney+ on Thursday 16 April. Here's a full breakdown of the release schedule for Scrubs season 10 on ABC in the US and Disney+ in the UK: Scrubs season 10 episode 1 – My Return – Wednesday 25/26 February 2026 (out now) Scrubs season 10 episode 2 – My 2nd First Day – Wednesday 25/26 February 2026 (out now) Scrubs season 10 episode 3 – My Rom-Com – Wednesday 4/5 March 2026 (out now) Scrubs season 10 episode 4 – My Poker Face - Wednesday 11/12 March 2026 (out now) Scrubs season 10 episode 5 – My Angel - Wednesday 18/19 March 2026 (out now) Scrubs season 10 episode 6 – My VIP - Wednesday 25/26 March 2026 Scrubs season 10 episode 7 – My Best Friend's Barbecue - Wednesday 1/2 April 2026 Scrubs season 10 episode 8 – Wednesday 8/9 April 2026 Scrubs season 10 episode 9 – Wednesday 15/16 April 2026 View Green Video on the source website Scrubs season 10 launched on Disney+ UK on Thursday 26 February 2026. Sign-up to Disney Plus from £5.99 a month. Add Scrubs to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BBC confirms Small Prophets has achieved major TV milestone for 2026 so far
More than three years on from the Detectorists Christmas special, Mackenzie Crook returned to screens with his third project, Small Prophets, which was met with widespread acclaim from critics and viewers alike. The six-part series, as funny as it is sad, follows Michael Sleep, who miraculously grows creatures with the ability to predict the future in his garden shed, hoping to learn what became of his girlfriend Clea. She walked out on him nearly seven years ago – but he's never stopped hoping that one day she'll return. Yet his attempt to bring the small prophets to life becomes the very adventure he needs to pull himself out of his funk – and sparks an unexpected friendship with his colleague Kacey, which is one of the true joys of the series alongside a delightful turn from Sir Michael Palin as Michael's dad Brian. It's a moving tale of love, friendship, hope and a touch of magic, which has clearly resonated with audiences. Small Prophets is the BBC's biggest new scripted launch of the year to date, attracting 7.7 million viewers (28-day figure) for episode 1. That also makes it the biggest comedy launch episode across the market (excluding specials) since Ludwig in 2024 (9.5 million viewers, 28 days). For BBC Two, it's the biggest comedy episode of the last 10 years, well ahead of the Detectorists 2022 Christmas special (4.5 million). And it's also the biggest comedy launch on iPlayer since at least 2022 (ahead of Ludwig episode 1 at 5.5 million), bringing in 5.9 million for its first episode, while 4 million viewers have already watched the entire series on iPlayer. "I couldn’t be happier with the response to Small Prophets. The feedback from the audience, the reviews and figures have been better than I dared to hope," said Mackenzie Crook. “I gradually crafted this idea over about 10 years and I think it has benefited from that slow percolation. The BBC comedy department has long given me the space, support and trust to make my shows and there is nowhere else I would rather go. "The BBC feels like home. I ended Small Prophets with ‘to be continued’ and I hope that is a promise I can keep in the not-too-distant future." Read more: Small Prophets' Pearce Quigley on Mackenzie Crook comedy: 'It's the perfect TV show' Small Prophets and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have one lovely thing in common Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, added: "Small Prophets has been a brilliant success story. Loved by critics and viewers alike, it's exactly the sort of show the BBC does best. "We knew it was a bit of a risk... but we felt there was something incredibly special in it. "Alongside the beautifully drawn comedic characters, there is so much heart, and an almost fairytale quality that feels deeply embedded in our psyches from childhood. It’s also arrived at a moment when a bit of hope and humanity probably isn’t the worst thing in the world. "Mackenzie Crook is a genius... it has surpassed all our expectations, and the ratings speak for themselves." The BBC has yet to announce whether the show will return for season 2, but Crook has vocalised his desire to continue – and with numbers like that, it surely won't be long before a renewal is confirmed. Prophets is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Add Small Prophets to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Coronation Street and more stars confirmed for special Amandaland sketch in Comic Relief
Amanda is rubbing shoulders with celebrities in the new sketch – but will it end in another humbling embarrassment?
Amandaland's place in the pantheon of modern sitcoms is to be cemented with an exciting sketch for Comic Relief 2026, which brings together some of TV's most notable Amandas. Series regulars Lucy Punch and Philippa Dunne will reprise the roles of snobby suburbanite Amanda and her mistreated 'best friend' Anne, in a short story that sees the duo invited to BBC Broadcasting House for an interview with Sara Cox. Alas, things don't go quite according to plan as "mix-ups, misunderstandings, and classic slapstick humour" ensue, involving other famous Amandas from across the length and breadth of British telly. Confirmed names to feature include Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, property expert Amanda Lamb, Coronation Street legend Amanda Barrie, TV presenter Amanda Byram and recent The Traitors contestant Amanda Collier. The sketch will premiere as part of the Comic Relief telethon, which commences on Friday 20th March at 7pm on BBC One, iPlayer and YouTube, with a behind-the-scenes teaser to be unveiled on Thursday night's edition of The One Show. "Doing a sketch for Comic Relief is pretty iconic, so that's a big deal," said co-star Dunne. "I'm looking forward to working with Lucy again, meeting all the Amandas, being inside the BBC building and having a nose around – not that I'll be doing that!" She continued: "Any chance to do a bit of Amanda and Anne stuff is always fun as far as I'm concerned... We just have the utmost fun when we're doing those two characters because we get to be silly, so it's really nice." Holden commented: "I am a massive, massive fan of Amandaland. We watch it religiously in our house, so it's a little bit of an out of body experience for me, especially because my name gets mentioned in the sitcom quite a bit!" Also taking part in the fun is Cox, who plays herself as one of the BBC's most trusted radio presenters, plus It's A Sin and Big Mood star Lydia West as her "overwhelmed" producer and Lucia Keskin (Things You Should Have Done) as a production runner. "The money raised this Red Nose Day could help people access food, shelter and safety – the vital essentials everyone needs to survive," explained the BBC in today's announcement. Cox added: "Whether it is donating or fundraising, [Red Nose Day] is an opportunity for the nation to come together and show that simple acts of silliness can make a serious difference." Details on how to get involved can be found on the Comic Relief website. Amandaland is certainly a strong partner for Comic Relief, given it was comfortably the BBC's top comedy of 2025, which included a well-received Christmas special. Season 2 is also on the way. The series follows Punch's eponymous character, who debuted in Motherland, at a later point in life, raising her now-teenage son and exploring new relationships post-divorce. Amandaland is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add Amandaland to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Boarders creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor: "TV has taken a step back, but a lot of us have pushed through and shown that we can tell our stories well"
Boarders creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor chats to Pass the Mic about the end of his hit comedy series and whether the TV industry is taking diversity seriously.
What started off as a series that Daniel Lawrence Taylor wrote very much for himself has turned into Boarders continuing to grow in success, attract big stars in its guest cast and now, making quite the emotional final farewell. That's right, Boarders has come to the end of its line and at three seasons long, in a TV landscape that often can't guarantee whether a popular series will even get a renewal these days, Boarders has continued to be a jewel in the BBC's comedy crown. While the news of the show ending is a bittersweet moment for fans of the series, those final episodes of Boarders map out an all too relatable time in all of our lives as we kiss goodbye to uniforms and seeing your classmates everyday, ready for the excitement that adult life – and for many, university – will bring. It's a full-circle moment for our five boarders in question; Femi (Aruna Jalloh), Leah (Jodie Campbell), Jaheim (Josh Tedeku), Omar (Myles Kamwendo) and Toby (Sekou Diaby). Where season 1 saw them as first entering the prestigious halls of St Gilbert's, now we're seeing them trying to contend with the scary prospect of the future, relationships, exams and more. Essentially, it's a fitting place to leave Boarders seeing as they'll not actually be in boarding school anymore. But was this three-season arc and leaving them as they go their separate ways always the plan for the comedy-drama? "If truth be told, I kind of live series to series. When I started series one, I think it was so odd in some ways, I was kind of just writing it for me. It was good that I drowned out the outside noise and I was just writing something very much for me. Then subconsciously and consciously, obviously, I was writing it for people like me as well," Taylor tells me. After seeing how much the series resonated with the audience, it was only then that Taylor recognised he was onto a winner. Riding that wave of praise took him into season 2 where he continued to think about how he'd continue to build this series that he started. "Then when we got to series three, it was like: 'I think this is actually a good time to wrap this all up now'. In that moment, I was just like, 'I have to make sure that I give these characters a really wonderful send off.' As you watch the series, they may not necessarily get to where you think, the characters may not get to necessarily where they think they'll get to, but I think there's a real light at the end of the tunnel for all of them." One of the major changes this season is the fact that Jaheim – who for many viewers is seen as the group's leader and centre of the series – isn't actually in it all that much. After the season 2 cliffhanger of being offered a study abroad place in the US, there's some back and forth at the start of season 3 as Jaheim keeps his true decision a secret from his friends. While it's a decision that'll likely garner plenty of reaction from fans initially, it's one that I personally loved. Don't get me wrong; Jaheim's arcs throughout the first two seasons formed much of the tension. But removing a show's central focus is not only a bold move, but is one that allows for the other leads to really shine – and that they do. The lack of Tedeku this season did "really help" the amount of room there was to play with the other lead character's stories, Taylor tells me. "It definitely gave a bit more breathing space to develop their stories. I think in terms of jumping into each individual character, I think we had a really strong foundation of the first two series. So when we were stepping into that third, it was really about seeing them in spaces that we've not necessarily seen them before." The "pressure cooker of that final term of A-levels" is a period of time that many of us often forget but was, rather hilariously, a defining era of stress for many. It was that environment that "helped ramp up the drama" for Boarders's final hurrah. "Putting Femi in a love story because we've not seen any of that before and doing that within the pressures that he's under from his family. Meanwhile, Leah was always about 'fight the power', whereas now it's like, 'I've actually got to put that on hold, because I've got to fight this bigger beast', which is my career and where I'm heading to," Taylor explains. For many adult Londoners who have watched the show, the resonance with Boarders comes when compared with our higher education experiences, where many of us left the cocoon of the capital for smaller towns and cities where we were often in the minority. So, has Taylor never thought to continue on the story into university? Taylor laughs to himself when I pose the question, saying: "Wow, you know what? I haven't. But now that you say that, maybe I should!" Although Boarders is a show that is targeted at a younger demographic, it's one that has clearly struck a chord with the grown folks among us. It's that focus on institutions that Taylor believes has resonated with many, also speaking of the health care and police systems. "It's a reoccurring theme. Even if I don't necessarily run with Boarders again, I think that kind of institutional racism, that aspect, will always be current in my work because I think people have responded to it really well. As an audience – and this is not just for Black audiences, but for all audiences – is that when it comes to your type of racism that's just thrown at you, at the street, it's very black and white. But institutional racism, it's so complex. "A lot of the struggles that the characters go through are caused by characters like Bernard [Derek Riddell]. Meanwhile, Bernard has a Black child. When you play with those aspects, it really makes people lean forward – I think that's why it's it's had such a big audience from all ages and all races. It's because we're able to actually see on screen the levers and pulleys that we don't tend to normally see." Taylor says racism is such a hilarious topic to him because "it's so stupid", making it quite the comedic playground to work with in a way. "Even though it's so entrenched within society, it's not really based on anything solid," he tells me. "And I think being able to look at that, poke fun at that, it's so much fun and it's great to watch. When I'm making Boarders, my intention is never to teach anyone anything. It's just about me, just showing life on screen and then it's up to an audience to take what they want from that." In preparation for our chat, I tell Taylor that his 2018 BAFTA Breakthrough statements are something that his past self would surely be proud of. At the time, Taylor said he's “particularly proud to be writing the kind of Black characters rarely seen on television and you hope to inspire and provide opportunities for Black actors”. Also best known for his creation and starring role in Timewasters, I ask Taylor whether he thinks the TV landscape has changed at all in the time since his 2018 comments. "It's funny, I feel like we were moving forward. But there does seem to be a sense that we've taken a step back. When the Black Lives Matter movement kicked off and people became aware of the struggles that Black people have in Britain or just around the world, institutions and stuff, I think there was a sense of excitement but also embarrassment and lots of elements that made a lot of – not just the television industry, but all industries look at themselves, like, 'What are we doing for diversity? How can we improve it?'. "I think there was a really big push. I get the sense people are a bit like, 'Oh, we've done that now' or there's not that much importance put on it. Or if they've not done something, no one's going to necessarily call them out on it. I think that has allowed people to take their foot off the gas a bit." Taylor describes the shift in the push for diversity as "tricky and a bit worrying", saying that from looking at the past, it's clear to see that it's hard to get people to listen. "It was sad that it took someone dying at the hands of police for people to suddenly become aware of the issues that Black people face," Taylor says, referencing the murder of George Floyd in 2020 that reignited global conversations about racism. "I hope that it won't need something that extreme to happen again, for us to take notice." It marked the biggest push for diversity in plenty of industries, especially for TV and the kinds of stories that commissioners realised weren't being platformed. It was the biggest push Taylor had witnessed in his time in the industry but even as he approaches this post-Boarders era of his career, he admits that "nothing has changed". "There's quite a sadness to that," he says but also remains hopeful at what series creators like himself have managed to achieve. He mentions Adjani Salmon and Michaela Coel as just two examples of Black writers who are "creating platforms for other young Black creators, writers and performers". "I think, even though the door is slowly shutting, enough of us have stepped through to keep pushing at it. So in that sense, even though I talk about in a sad way, I think there's hope within that. Because I think a lot of us have pushed through and shown that we can tell our stories – and we can tell them well," Taylor explains. Next up for Taylor is embarking on a major new deal with Studio Lambert, with Boarders having marked the first drama from the production company to go beyond one season. While they may be best known for shows like The Traitors or Gogglebox, Taylor will once again be working with Studio Lambert for a first-look deal. Taylor may have to remain tight-lipped for now, but the series creator does underline Studio Lambert as a company that he already trusts, after they gave him the freedom to do what he liked with Boarders. The goal for the next project? Well, it's simple. "Still Black stories at the forefront but I think, if anything, bigger scale and just exciting, different," he smiles. It's a bittersweet goodbye to Boarders, I offer to Taylor, as the series clearly resonated with many and almost seems to bowing out on a high. Over the course of three seasons, Boarders has had genuine fans of the show join the cast, including Alan Cumming, Rufus Jones and Wunmi Mosaku, who Taylor initially pitched to his casting director as a bit of a pipe dream, thinking that there'd be "no way we're going to get her". The final season 2 result was several poignant scenes with Mosaku's Grace and Jaheim, as the pair navigated a rocky mother-son relationship. At the time of being on set, she was talking about Sinners, but little did they all know that she would go on to be Oscar nominated for her resulting performance. As is the process of completing any series with filming and post-production, it's been a whirlwind for Taylor, with little chance to stop and take stock of the fact that this is the end of Boarders. The final scenes of this third season encapsulate the sadness and hope that we can all attest to feeling on our last day of school, beautifully captured in an extended scene as the five leads and Taylor (in his role as mentor Gus) all drive back to London in a minibus together. Taylor explains that the final note he wanted to leave Boarders on was one underlining friendship and how the course of life can change. "When I watch back the series, I smile a lot. I think it's because I've shown a journey of characters that were very alien to a world and in some way, shape or form, have made it their space, even though they're still challenging a lot of things," Taylor says, when I ask him what he wanted viewers to be left with. "I can pinpoint all the moments of my life where I've gone against troubles, where it was to do with race or class or these other -isms that I've experienced. But at the same time, it is home. It's where I want my family to be, it's where my friends are and as complex as it is, it's home sweet home. "I want an audience to go, 'You can go through so much, but you can find your people and you can find that sense of home'. That home doesn't need to look perfect for you to love it, though." Boarders season 3 is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer along with seasons 1-2. Add Boarders to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bluey stage show and 10 new episodes confirmed to be heading to streaming as release dates revealed
Bluey's Big Play – The Stage Show is currently touring across the UK.
Bluey's Big Play – The Stage Show and 10 new minisodes of the show are heading to Disney Plus. The televised version of the popular live theatre show, which is currently touring across the UK and Ireland, will hit the streamer on 16 March 2026. Bluey's Big Play – The Stage Show, which is an adaptation of the multi Emmy-winning animated series, features fan-favourite Bluey characters brought to life by puppeteers, an original story by series creator Joe Brumm and music composed by Joff Bush. You can watch the trailer for the stage show below: View oEmbed on the source website The minisodes, which were previously only available online and in Australia, will hit Disney Plus on 2o May. The instalments, which range from one to three minutes, are produced by Ludo Studio, and further explore the characters and world of Bluey. The collection includes: Humpty Dumpty, Green Bottles, Flying Saucer, Tea Party, Pea Pod Sausages, Old Macdonald, Honk, Lollipop Song, Cinderella, and Make Mum Laugh. As was previously announced, Bluey is also getting a feature film, although fans will have to wait until 2027 for that to hit our screens. The film was announced back in 2024, with writer and director and series creator Brumm saying at the time: "I really enjoyed the experience of working with a longer format on The Sign in Series 3, so going even further with a feature film feels like a natural extension of that." He continued: "I’ve always thought Bluey deserved a theatrical movie. I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together. "I’m excited to continue to partner with Cecilia Persson, Tom Fussell and the team at BBC Studios, and Dana Walden, Alan Bergman and Disney to bring this new Bluey story to the big screen." Bluey is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus from £4.99 per month. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Ted Lasso fan favourite addresses potential season 4 return amid absence from cast
Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster has addressed a potential for season 4 of the hit Apple TV+ series. While the actor, who plays Jamie Tartt on the show, wasn’t included in the official season 4 cast list when it was announced last July, he hasn’t explicitly denied a comeback and was spotted on the show’s Richmond set in September 2025, fuelling rumours that he could be returning. Speaking to The Telegraph in a new interview, Dunster was asked whether he could make an appearance in season 4, to which he responded: “Never say never, and fingers crossed.” Meanwhile, speaking recently to PEOPLE, Dunster was asked whether he’s been speaking to Hannah Waddingham and Jason Sudeikis about filming, and if he has a sense of what fans can expect. "Yes. Maybe. Maybe," he responded, before going on to note that it feels "amazing" to hear from the cast. "I'm so happy that it's still in the world, and I love that show so much," he added. "I can't wait to watch it." After the rumour mill first started churning following Dunster’s absence from the official season 4 cast list, Deadline reported that the actor would not be returning due to scheduling conflicts. Dunster then told the Always Be Comedy podcast that that wasn't the case and that he “didn’t know” if he would appear in the fourth season. He said: "It’s been greenlit to write another series. It’s been announced that series 4 is going to be a thing. There’s been a commission to write the fourth series, whether that ends up being a show, I don't know. I don't know any of that stuff. I don't know if I'll be in it. There are certain members of the cast who have been re-upped, as it were." He continued: "But yeah, I mean it's pretty good news I think in that it looks like it will happen. Season 4 is going be a thing. They start writing next year, I think. But yeah, other than that I don't really know anything." Ted Lasso fans will know that Tartt got a fairly conclusive ending to his arc in the season 3 finale, having transformed from an egotistical player to a mature and team-driven leader, and having reconnected with his father. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The X-Files legend to write and star in new satirical comedy opposite OITNB and Dirty Dancing favourites
David Duchovny will be joined by daughter West on the new series.
David Duchovny will write and star in the new satirical comedy Soapbox, with production currently under way. The X-Files legend will act opposite a star-studded cast including Orange Is the New Black's Laverne Cox and Jennifer Grey of Dirty Dancing fame. Per Deadline, Soapbox is a satirical comedy about an ageing soap opera star who unexpectedly finds himself entangled in the absurdities of modern culture wars. Duchovny wrote the new series alongside Max Barbakow, who previously directed the 2020 Prime Video romantic comedy film Palm Springs starring Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg. It will be directed by Andrew J Cohen, best known for his work on Zac Efron comedies Bad Neighbours and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Joining David, Cox and Grey in the cast is David's 26-year-old daughter West Duchovny from the Netflix series Painkiller, Fresh Off the Boat's Randall Park, and Jimmi Simpson of Westworld fame. This is not the first time that David will be acting alongside his daughter West, as in 2018 she starred in an episode of The X-Files in the show's 11th season as the character Maddy. Further details about the new comedy are currently being kept under wraps but it is known that production kicked off in Los Angeles earlier this month. David Duchovny first began his screen acting career in 1988 when he was 28 years old. He is best known for playing FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder in the cult classic TV show The X-Files alongside Gillian Anderson from 1993 to 2002 and again from 2016 to 2018, and in the two spin-off films. View Green Video on the source website The role earned him a Golden Globe, five Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as two Emmy nominations. Over the show's run he starred in 191 episodes and also wrote and directed a few. He also provided the voice for a parody of his Mulder character in the Springfield Files episode of The Simpsons. It was recently revealed that The X-Files could be returning to screens, with Sinners director Ryan Coogler overseeing a reboot starring Till's Danielle Deadwyler, which has been greenlit for a pilot by Hulu. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office legend confirmed to be joining award-winning BBC comedy
Monica Dolan is joining the cast of Smoggie Queens for season 2.
After its first run back in 2024 won two RTS North East and the Borders Awards, BBC comedy series Smoggie Queens is almost back for season 2 – and there are some big stars joining the cast. A set of first-look images have been released for the Middlesbrough-based show's second season, which will be released on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer this spring, showing off both the new and returning characters. New stars joining for season 2 include Mr Bates vs The Post Office actor Monica Dolan, along with Amalia Vitale and Freya Parker. Meanwhile, sports broadcasters Jeff Stelling and Chris Kamara will both also be making an appearance, and are seen in one of the images alongside returning star Steph McGovern. Returning cast members for season 2 include the show's creator Phil Dunning, as well as Mark Benton, Alexandra Mardell, Patsy Lowe, Elijah Young, Neil Grainger, Charlotte Riley, Peter McPherson, Lauryn Redding, Michael Mather, Bill Fellows, Michael Hodgson and Michelle Visage. The series follows the lives of a group of LGBTQ+ friends, including the volatile Dickie, drag queen Mam, self-styled hun Lucinda, awkward Sal and newly out Stewart. The official synopsis for the six-part season 2 says: "Picking up where we left off in Middlesbrough, the gang are navigating love, friendship and plenty of drama. "Dickie is single and on the hunt for romance while Mam is facing ghosts from her past who are back in the Boro. Sal finds herself torn between Danni and Mel and our Lucinda hits a road bump with Neil while Stewart is embracing his new fresh chapter in life. "Along the way there are date nights, coming-out parties, a male beauty pageant and even a football match. Yes, really. Because if there’s one thing you can expect from Smoggie Queens, it’s that much like drag itself, every episode is serving something fresh!" Smoggie Queens season 2 will air on BBC Three and iPlayer this Spring. Add Smoggie Queens to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Boarders creator Daniel Lawrence Taylor talks ending his beloved comedy show: "I want to keep making work about the Black experience"
As his culture-clash school comedy Boarders returns for a final term, Daniel Lawrence Taylor reveals why humour is more effective than anger.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. There was an awkward moment during Sir Lenny Henry’s address to the Royal Television Society in 2019 when, having lavished praise on Daniel Lawrence Taylor’s BAFTA-nominated comedy Timewasters, he asked the ITV execs in the audience if the show would be returning for a third series. Met with embarrassed clearing of throats, Henry went on to speak of the “two-season jinx” that seemed to bedevil projects with Black leads and writers. But here’s the good news: seven years on, Taylor’s follow-up show, Boarders, has made it to series three on the BBC. The curse, it seems, has lifted. “Yeah, that feels so good,” grins the writer and performer, at home in south London. “You wouldn’t believe the number of Black creators who’ve mentioned that to me. Just the other day I was speaking to Adjani Salmon [writer-star of BBC Three’s Dreaming Whilst Black] and he said, ‘I can’t believe you’ve done it!’” Launched on BBC Three in 2024, Boarders is a culture-clash comedy-drama about five underprivileged Black sixth-formers on a scholarship to a very posh, very white, private boarding school. It’s a show with a big heart – and a message that’s no less powerful for being delivered with a lightness of touch. View oEmbed on the source website “First and foremost, it’s a piece of entertainment,” explains Taylor, who also takes a role in the series as the students’ mentor. “When I sold the show, the first thing I spoke about was friendships and relationships… That’s front and centre. It’s just that the backdrop is a bit different for these particular kids than it is in Harry Potter. “I knew I could say something with this piece, about how a part of society experiences the world. But I also wanted to show the joy in things. Growing up where I did, I faced some difficult times, but I always tried to push through it with a smile on my face. I believe humour can be a more effective weapon than anger. That’s how I’ve always seen the world.” The show was inspired by a newspaper article about five Black boys who had earned a scholarship to Rugby School. “It just resonated with me,” recalls Taylor, who has two young daughters with his wife Tess. “I didn’t go to boarding school, but growing up in south London and then going to a predominantly white, middle-class university [he has a drama and theatre degree from Royal Holloway, which is based in Surrey], it was a completely alien world. When I came back to London, people said that my accent had changed. I’d started morphing into the people at university, to try to fit in. It was a survival thing.” Taylor – who formed comedy duo Ginger and Black with his uni friend Eri Jackson, and later appeared in sitcoms such as Uncle and The Inbetweeners – lays much of his success at the door of his mum, who came to England from Jamaica as a child, and went on to raise five children as a single parent, while working multiple jobs. She also helped forge his love of comedy. “We used to all sleep in my mum’s room. I’d be on the floor, my sister and brothers would be in the bed, and we’d watch reruns of Desmond’s, The Real McCoy and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In Fresh Prince, Uncle Phil was a Black activist lawyer, and Aunt Viv taught African-American studies. It was a comedy, but it was saying something of the time. And that’s just embedded itself into my work, I think. “Representation is such a big thing. The response to Boarders from young Black boys, in particular, has been amazing. But it’s still a bit of a battle,” he admits, of being one of the UK’s very few Black showrunners. “We need to make sure we keep the momentum going, because Black creators have got a lot of amazing stories to tell.” Series three sees Femi (Aruna Jalloh), Leah (Jodie Campbell), Jaheim (Josh Tedeku), Omar (Myles Kamwendo) and Toby (Sekou Diaby) embarking on their final term at St Gilbert’s. Though this is the last series of Boarders, it’s a creative choice, not a commissioning one. “With so many TV shows nowadays, you never get to finish the story,” says Taylor. “So the fact I’m able to tie things up and send everyone out into the world is lovely. Though I do feel a bit sad to be saying goodbye.” As he waves off the class of ’26, Taylor is looking ahead, too, having signed a first-look deal with Boarders’ production company, Studio Lambert, which is also behind The Traitors. “Yeah, they did say I can come and visit the castle, which I think was a nice way of saying they don’t want me in the show,” he laughs. “I want to keep making work about the Black experience,” he continues, when asked what’s next. “I want to keep pushing boundaries. My next project will definitely be on a much bigger scale. I’m excited for whatever comes my way.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Boarders season 3 is available on Sunday 15 March from 6am on BBC iPlayer and begins at 10pm on BBC Three. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Scrubs creator is "really hopeful" that revival series will return for season 2
The revival launched to impressive ratings.
Comedy series Scrubs has only been back on our screens for just over a week, with the revival launching 16 years after the original series ended, but already thoughts are turning to whether it will get a season 2. The revival, which has been praised by critics and fans alike, has been executive produced by creator and original showrunner Bill Lawrence, while Aseem Batra has stepped in as the new showrunner. The series launch received strong ratings, with 11.36 million viewers turning in across ABC, Hulu, Disney+ and digital platforms. Now, Lawrence has said that he and the team are "hopeful" that the show will continue beyond its first new season. Lawrence told Deadline: "We’re all crossing our fingers that they let us do a whole bunch more, but we’re really hopeful." This isn't the first time Lawrence has spoke about a potential second season. He previously also told Deadline that original series star Ken Jenkins would return as his character Dr Kelso, were a second season to be greenlit. "Dr Kelso will be back next year. It just didn’t work out this year but it will next year," he said. Regardless of Scrubs's continuation, Lawrence is certainly busy. His Apple TV shows Ted Lasso, Shrinking and Bad Monkey are all set to return for new seasons, while his new series Rooster is about to start airing on HBO in the US and Sky in the UK. That series is set on a college campus, and stars Steve Carrell as an author who tries to bond with his adult daughter as she goes through a crisis. Scrubs season 10 launched on Disney+ UK on Thursday 26 February 2026. Sign-up to Disney Plus from £5.99 a month. Add Scrubs to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Yes, I'm still watching reruns of The Office while the world is on fire - and this is why
When the headlines feel unbearable, is turning on a sitcom a cop-out or a way of keeping sane?
After spending a soul-rending hour the other evening watching the planet lurch towards catastrophe on BBC News, I did the only thing that seemed remotely survivable: I watched Michael Scott burn his foot on a George Foreman grill in The Office. Classic coping strategy. When the world darkens, reach for comedy. Except when I mentioned this in my own office the next day, a colleague pushed back. Wasn’t that the problem? Hadn’t we all spent too long hooked up to a drip feed of television? Wasn’t I just dosing myself with distraction while the house burned down? The instinct, he suggested, shouldn’t be to laugh at Steve Carell. It should be to go outside, hold a placard, and join a march. A sitcom might feel like a salve, but what if it’s also the reason we feel so politically sapped? He had a point. I was thinking I’d been sensibly managing my mood, when perhaps I’d simply been feeding a culture of diversion that leaves us passive. It reminded me of a book I read years ago by Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death, in which he argued that television turns the world into razzmatazz. When everything becomes entertainment, nothing carries any weight. Suddenly, my 25-minute visit to the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company felt less like harmless relief and more like complicity. I’d only wanted a break from a news cycle that amplifies dread with every airstrike. Instead, apparently, I was another strand in the web. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/GettyImages-138361947-7eca5e3.jpg" width="3000" height="2001" alt="Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer, B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard, Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson, Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone and Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly in The Office, stood together outside." title="The Office" /> But then – one mug of tea and a few deep breaths later – perspective returned. When I switched away from the invective of Donald Trump and the bellicose rhetoric of Pete Hegseth, I hadn’t felt mobilised so much as overwhelmed. I wasn’t being called to action; I was being buried under it. And so, turning to a beloved American sitcom wasn’t an escape from reality so much as an attempt to stay capable of facing it. Which raises an uncomfortable question: what does it mean to stay informed? The modern answer seems simple. Keep the news on. Witness events in Iran as they unfold. Stay alert. But when the same burning buildings and breaking banners loop every 15 minutes, there comes a point when updates stop informing and start agitating. It’s like standing under a fire alarm and insisting that you’re learning something new from every blare. TV news, of course, wasn’t originally built like this. For most of its history, it arrived in rationed bulletins: the Six O’Clock News, the 10 O’Clock News, Newsnight for the insomniacs. Editors had time to take stock and decide what had actually happened and what merely sounded dramatic. Then the programme ended, and the evening resumed. Now, with images of destruction in the Middle East so constant, the effect is different. We feel survivor’s guilt from a distance. And watching comedy can start to feel shameful, as if a sitcom were a trivial response to real-life trauma. But in feeling this moral dissonance, we may be misunderstanding television’s role. Entertainment has always existed alongside tragedy. In the Second World War, ITMA thrived on the radio. During Covid, Strictly Come Dancing still filled Saturday nights. These shows weren’t acts of denial. They were psychological lifelines. Audiences weren’t indifferent to the crises around them; they simply needed somewhere to set their anxiety down for an hour or two. And this is where fiction does something the news rarely can. News stories break and spiral without ending. Sitcoms console. In The Office, problems arise, teeter towards disaster and tidy themselves before the end theme. The show also holds on to an unfashionable idea: that daftness and decency can live in the same person. Michael Scott may be misguided and petty, but he’s still worthy of compassion. In a public sphere that’s permanently raging, that small faith in human dignity is refreshing. So, watching an episode needn’t be seen as abandoning the world, more a reminder of what’s worth protecting. Even so, taking refuge in stories doesn’t make me immune to my colleague’s critique. He’s right: comfort can slide very easily into distraction. We live in a culture engineered to keep us seated. Streaming platforms are so determined to prevent contact with the standby button that whole days can vanish courtesy of autoplay. Still, television doesn’t have to anaesthetise you. Deciding what to watch – and, crucially, when to stop – can transform zombie viewing into something closer to a deliberate choice. Ignoring the “Continue Watching” prompt may be a modest act of defiance, but it is a conscious one. Not quite storming the streets with a placard, perhaps. But civic virtue comes in many flavours. Nor does life require a stark choice between rising up and checking out. Yes, demonstrating matters. But participation doesn’t only happen in the streets. It also lives in the charities you support, the journalism you fund, the communities you show up for, the children you raise, and even the words you put into the world. And if all that is to be sustained, it requires something less dramatic but just as vital: rest. Outrage can be energising, but sustained indefinitely, it risks becoming knackering. And no one can live entirely at top volume. Which raises a quieter possibility: that an evening spent watching a situation comedy is not civic failure, but an emotional MOT. Rest is, after all, being increasingly framed as a small act of resistance – a way of giving the knockback to a culture of ceaseless urgency. So perhaps the real worry isn’t that we might reach for The Office in times of strife. It’s that we might do nothing else. Watching Michael Scott and his toasted toes isn’t the problem. The problem would be letting it be the only response. In the meantime, though, something is life-affirming about watching a world in which the worst disaster is an inept middle-manager grilling his foot for breakfast instead of bacon. Spending 25 minutes in Scranton won’t fix the planet, but it may just leave us fortified enough to confront it again after the credits roll. The Office US is available to stream on Sky and NOW. Find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
People Just Do Nothing creators tease potential return for Kurupt FM characters
People Just Do Nothing is currently competing in Radio Times' greatest modern comedy poll – but could a new chapter be on the cards for Kurupt FM?
The creators of People Just Do Nothing have addressed the possibility of their Kurupt FM characters returning in a "new format". The hit BBC series, which originally ran from 2014 to 2018, follows a group of amateur garage artists – led by the comically self-aggrandising MC Grindah (Allan 'Seapa' Mustafa) – running a pirate radio station out of west London. Co-creators Steve Stamp and Asim Chaudhry, who devised the show alongside Mustafa and Hugo Chegwin, spoke to Radio Times as People Just Do Nothing was shortlisted in our greatest modern British comedy poll (voting is open now, until 24 March). Chaudhry attributed the show's resonance to its "conventional sitcom characters," who were instantly recognisable to all viewers regardless of their familiarity with garage music – and teased that they could live on in future projects. "The show has finished," said Chaudhry. "But I think, if the idea is strong enough, then the characters can return." Stamp echoed that opinion, revealing that the creators have "talked about a few different ideas" for reusing their Kurupt FM personas, but they want to avoid anything that could be perceived as "lazy". "It feels like there's a standard that we have to uphold for our fans," he explained. "We've done the big goodbye [in season 5], and then we've done the film [2021's Big in Japan]. "There was a sort of emotional ending to that, so we didn't want to immediately come back and start doing more stuff, because that feels like we're not staying true to the story." What is the greatest modern British TV comedy? Vote in Radio Times' poll Of course, the team has previously experimented with bringing their Kurupt FM characters into other mediums, such as 2022's live tour and a three-season Audible podcast – and it seems likely that won't be the end of it. "There's definitely life in all of the characters," concluded Stamp. "It's just choosing the right way to continue the legacy or to expand the world." One thing is for sure, Chaudhry won't be disowning his People Just Do Nothing character Chabuddy G – a Del Boy-esque "deluded" entrepreneur – whose body of work includes a self-help book and a stint on Love Island (via Red Nose Day). View Green Video on the source website "If you get one character in your whole life as an actor that sticks and people call you that on the street – even though it might get annoying – at the same time, it's a great honour," added Chaudhry. "You've created a character that's memorable to a point where a lot of people can't see you as anything else... I'd rather have that than struggle my whole life, because I think the hardest things to create in comedy are memorable characters." You can get more advice from Chaudhry and other British comedy stars in our brand new feature on how to write a hit sitcom. People Just Do Nothing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Add People Just Do Nothing to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
I interviewed TV comedy's biggest stars – and here's how to write a hit sitcom
The ingredients of a potential classic, outlined by Lisa McGee, Asim Chaudhry, Martha Howe-Douglas, Mackenzie Crook, Rob Delaney – and more!
I've spent the last few months trying to convince the country that British comedy isn't dead. To say it's been an uphill struggle would be underselling it, but to be fair, my competition is a tad more prolific. My journey began shortly after John Cleese declared, in an interview with Radio Times, that the once-great genre had popped its clogs – and the BBC was standing over its body holding a bloody knife. "The people in charge now have no idea at all," he concluded, in an indictment of our public broadcaster. "The writers deserve better than this. The British people deserve better than this." In his view, the BBC had not produced a decent comedy since The Office (which ended in 2003). Now, far be it from me to correct the creator of Fawlty Towers, but this struck me as a patently ridiculous claim. Six months on, a cursory glance at the shortlisted contenders in Radio Times' greatest modern comedy poll should decisively prove otherwise (and yes, voting is still open, by the way). It is true, however, that the comedy genre faces serious challenges: audiences are more fragmented than ever, personal tastes are thoroughly polarised and funding seems to evaporate into thin air. Earlier this week, I explained why a renewed focus on quality long-running sitcoms could help reverse those money woes. Now, it's time to think about how to make one – and for that, I've gathered some advice from those who've done it before. 1. Be specific – it won't scare people off When crafting a sitcom intended to have mass appeal, your inclination might be to think of a setting as generic as possible to avoid alienating viewers with something that they don't instantly recognise. It's an understandable, but misguided notion. On the contrary, the premise is where you can be as granularly specific as you like, so long as there is an access point for the uninitiated. Friday Night Dinner creator Robert Popper describes it as having a clear idea of what your show is "really" about, under the surface, throughout the development and writing process. His own hit comedy revolves around the Jewish tradition of Shabbat dinner, held on Fridays, inspired to a large extent by his own family and life experience. In that respect, it's quite personal, but there's a universal element at its core. "It's the feeling you have when you go home to your parents as an adult, and as soon as you walk in, you're 13 again," explained Popper to Radio Times. "Everyone has that, so it doesn't matter if your family's not the same, you will know that feeling." He continued: "If I wrote just a general family that I thought were kind of funny, I don't think it would have resonated. I think the more specific it is, the more relatable it becomes, because it feels so real." Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee took a similar approach to her own celebrated series, following a group of Catholic schoolgirls growing up in Northern Ireland during the fraught and deadly Troubles. Upon first glance, it might read like an incredibly particular scenario. But again, McGee drew out what all viewers would identify with, while not compromising on the (at times, moving) truth of her premise. "Even though the situation they were in was very different from most teenagers' experience, I always had in my head this idea that the Troubles were going on, but the real troubles were your teenage years," she told Radio Times. "Everyone's had those real troubles of fancying the person that doesn't fancy them, their mum not letting them do something, their teacher being a nightmare – and I think people responded to that." John Morton employed this method too while giving the workplace comedy a refresh with W1A, which is set within the walls of the BBC, but sought to be more than a self-indulgent in-joke for the corporation's employees. "I hope that people who have watched it recognise the situation, even if they have no interest in or knowledge of media," he said, in an interview with Radio Times. "It's about some people trying to organise something important under pressure from day to day, and stubbing their toe on details and on human nature. Really, they could be organising anything – it could be the village fete." In summary, far from being a liability that limits your audience, specificity can actually help rejuvenate well-trodden ground. Just ask Gavin and Stacey, whose rollercoaster romance was only made richer by its embrace of the distinctly regional, while amassing viewers in huge numbers with the relatable pitfalls of young love, clashing in-laws and domestic quirks. 2. Your premise is only as good as its characters What does every legendary sitcom have in common? The style of comedy may vary, but everything from Only Fools and Horses to Friends to Peep Show to Ghosts shares one unifying feature: iconic characters. In each case, their personalities are so intricately fine-tuned that they really take on a life of their own, which continues in the collective imagination long after the credits roll. Brassic co-creator Danny Brocklehurst knows "for a fact" that the camaraderie between his show's smalltime crooks was the driving factor that kept viewers coming back year in, year out – as was the finding of annual research by Sky. "They got up to silly things and they swore a lot, but they were really good-hearted criminals who all look after each other and tried to do the right thing for each other," he told Radio Times. "And I think that's quite endearing to an audience." Alas, devising your lead role(s) is the "hardest" part of comedy writing, according to People Just Do Nothing co-creator and star Asim Chaudhry, who played wannabe Lothario and businessman Chabuddy G. "We can all write jokes and we can all write funny situations, but to come up with a truly memorable character that stands the test of time... there's only a handful of them in British comedy," he explained, in a chat with Radio Times. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2018/11/16695342-high_res-people-just-do-nothing-c107f44.jpg" width="4270" height="2846" alt="(L-R) Steve Stamp, Daniel Sylvester Woolford, Asim Chaudhry, Marvin Jay Alvarez, Allan 'Seapa' Mustafa and Hugo Chegwin star in People Just Do Nothing; in this photo, the Kurupt FM crew are stood in a row on a concrete bridge with blocks of flats in the distance behind them" title="Generic" /> The work might be tough, but it's necessary to ensure your sitcom has a healthy engine that can keep it on the road for years, as Martha Howe-Douglas and her Ghosts co-writers found while working on the BBC One mega-hit. "We tackle sexuality, homelessness, grief, all things that are not funny in themselves, but the way that the characters deal with those subjects is where the jokes come from," she explained to Radio Times. "We don't make fun of the situations that the characters are in... it's about how they learn lessons," continued Howe-Douglas. "By series 2, you knew how the characters would react to certain situations – that was the fun in the show." Chaudhry added that a well-developed comedy character can be funny "anywhere", citing Chabuddy G's short-lived stint on Love Island (for 2023's Red Nose Day) and an earlier appearance by the Kurupt FM crew on Dragons' Den. Arguably, the epitome of this coveted achievement is Steve Coogan's beloved broadcaster Alan Partridge, whose masterfully observed personality has generated belly laughs across a wide variety of formats and mediums. It just goes to show how a fully fleshed out protagonist can be the key that unlocks a dazzling array of possibilities. 3. Embrace your "undiluted" voice In the world of TV development and production, there can often be a lot of cooks in the kitchen – and some of them, like it or not, do need to be there. So, by no means am I suggesting you should turn your nose up in disgust at the audacity of a constructive note, but there is clearly merit in sticking to your most firmly held beliefs about what a given project should be. As Big Boys creator Jack Rooke told Radio Times: "For a long time, the producers wanted it to be more like an E4/Inbetweeners-style 'laddy' comedy, but I just can't write that. We did try! "The early iterations of Big Boys were a bit more like that, but I just really didn't like it. I like 'lad humour' – there are episodes of The Inbetweeners that make me howl with laughter – but it's just not the story I wanted to tell." Would Big Boys have carried the same poignancy with its exploration of grief and youth mental health had it taken the more lowbrow route suggested? It seems unlikely. Similarly, Rob Delaney credits Catastrophe's success to the strong "authorial imprint" made by himself and co-creator Sharon Horgan, which produced a hilarious romcom that was also able to touch on weightier themes. "We talked about what we wanted to talk about. We did it in a way that we wanted to do it," he reflected, in a conversation with Radio Times. "I think you can tell if shows are made out of compounds and stuff. Catastrophe is pretty elemental. "It's undiluted: What two people, who were united in their creative goals, really wanted to do," he added. "And if it hadn't been that, I don't think it would have been successful." Matt Berry used that same word ("undiluted") to describe his own Channel 4 series Toast of London, which couldn't be further from Catastrophe in terms of tone, style and subject matter – and yet, the hands-off approach still mined comedy gold. "This was a show that contained material that myself and Arthur [Mathews, co-creator] found funny, and we just hoped that Channel 4 would think it was OK. To be fair, they didn't mess with it, they just let us get on with it," he said. "I don't know whether that goes towards it lasting or not... All I would say is that it was a fairly pure voice due to the amount of people that were involved in the creative side – largely, just two." As Berry proceeded to make clear, that amount of creative freedom is very unusual, but a powerful or distinctive voice is clearly something that shouldn't be suffocated or shied away from – by commissioners, producers or the writer(s) themselves. Just think: would a more reserved approach have helped or hindered other genre delights, such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, Michaela Coel's Chewing Gum or Kat Sadler's Such Brave Girls? That isn't to say this mantra is only good for stories of a ruder disposition; it was daring, in its own way, to commission something as earnest and understated as Detectorists in the face of more trendy competition. "I wanted to see if people would still go for something that had some warmth and some heart to it, and wasn't cynical," recalled Mackenzie Crook, who defied the typical style of the 2010s with a series evoking The Good Life and Ever Decreasing Circles. 4. The cheaper, the better (sorry) Two things can be true at one time: no, comedy shouldn't be viewed as a strictly low budget endeavour, but yes, in the eyes of UK commissioners, it currently is. If you're looking to get a sitcom made, and especially if you want the most creative freedom possible, it would be advisable to come up with a premise that can be realised without breaking the bank. Mackenzie Crook credits affordability for why Detectorists was such an easy sell to BBC Four. Despite being a "strange idea on paper," he told Radio Times, "they commissioned it almost immediately because there was no risk – it was cheap to make". Rob Delaney also cites low costs when decoding why he and Sharon Horgan were granted such a long leash on Catastrophe, although filming in east London in 2026 might not be the steal it was a decade earlier. Fortunately, recent years have seen a concerted effort to spread production more widely across the country, including G'wed in Liverpool, The Outlaws in Bristol and Alma's Not Normal in Bolton. In any case, consider how many locations, cast and crew members your story really needs in order to be told effectively – and if that sounds almightily depressing, try to reframe it as a creative exercise of its own. For example, breakout hits of recent years like Peter Kay's Car Share and Ghosts were able to keep costs down through the resourceful use of a single location: a red Fiat 500L and Surrey's West Horsley Place (aka Button House), respectively. Ghosts producer Matthew Mulot clarified that it was "not cheap" to hire out the show's manor house for months at a time, but the team squeezed every penny out of it by dressing up the many rooms and corners as external environments. This meant that they very rarely needed to devote time and resource to moving the cast and crew across town, which in turn allowed production to advance at a rapid pace. Mulot added that there's "no way" Ghosts could have conjured the same "authenticity" for its historic haunted house on a studio set, but it's an option to mull over for sitcoms with a more mundane primary setting. Changing Ends creator Alan Carr shared that, even after falling out of fashion, the classic and relatively inexpensive studio-based sitcom (à la Miranda, Not Going Out or Mrs Brown's Boys) remains an oft-elusive "holy grail" to broadcasters. "I just wanted that 'meat and two veg sitcom'," he explained. "There's nothing wrong with being traditional – it's nice to think that people are passing the baton along. It's a wonderful thing, and it's very British as well." It's certainly not an option to be dismissed out of hand, no matter how slick and modern you may wish to be perceived. After all, in the words of Matt Berry, "everything ends up on GOLD". "Even these things that you think are the most cutting-edge, with the most cutting-edge people in, that's going to eventually end up on GOLD," he mused. "As long as you were true to yourself when you put it together, I think that's it, really." Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add shows to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Has Small Prophets been renewed for season 2? Latest news
Is Michael Sleep really heading to Canada? And will he finally come face to afce with Clea?
If you had access to magical spirits that could predict the future, what would you want to know? That's the irresistible premise behind Mackenzie Crook's BBC Two comedy Small Prophets. The six-part series follows Michael Sleep's quest to learn what happened to his girlfriend Clea, who disappeared nearly seven years ago on Christmas Eve – and whether he'll ever see her again. So, with some encouragement from his dad, he sets about growing the homunculi – or small prophets – in big glass jars in his shed and, lo and behold, they appear before him. And with some slightly more forceful encouragement from his mate Kacey, he finally asks the questions he has so desperately wanted the answers to for so long. But now that he's armed with that information, what's next? Read on for everything we know so far about a potential Small Prophets season 2. Has Small Prophets been renewed for season 2? The BBC has yet to announce if more Small Prophets is on the cards, but the finale ends with the words 'To be continued', so we have high hopes, much like Michael and Kacey when we leave them. Watch this space for updates. When could a potential Small Prophets season 2 be released? With no prior release schedule to go on, this is a tricky one to answer. We'd hope early 2027, but that's just a guess. Which cast could return for a potential Small Prophets season 2? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/546988-830faa8.jpg" width="4285" height="2851" alt="Two people walk side by side along a residential street. They are both wearing navy blue work uniforms with matching blue cargo trousers; the uniforms have a visible “TOOL” logo on the chest. The person on the left is a young woman with dark hair tied back, wearing a dark plaid jacket over her uniform and looking slightly concerned or thoughtful. The person on the right is an older man with long grey hair and a full grey beard, wearing a tan jacket over his blue coveralls. They appear to be in conversation or walking with purpose. In the background, there is a low brick wall, green grass, and trees, suggesting a suburban or industrial area." title="Small Prophets" /> It's a given that Pearce Quigley would return as Michael Sleep if the show is recommissioned. But who else could join him? Read more: Small Prophets' Pearce Quigley on Mackenzie Crook comedy: 'It's the perfect TV show' Small Prophets and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have one lovely thing in common Kacey and Michael's relationship was a key component of the first season, so we'd be surprised if Lauren Patel didn’t reprise her role — or if we’d seen the last of Sir Michael Palin as Michael’s dad Brian. As for the rest of the season 1 cast, we’ll have to wait and see: Jon Pointing as Clive Sophie Willan as Bev Mackenzie Crook as Gordon Ed Kear as Brigham Charlotte Mills as Hilary Adam Wright as Elliot Paul Kaye as Roy Shola Adewusi as Olive There's also space for some new additions too, one of whom could be Clea. What could happen in a potential Small Prophets season 2? "I think I have to go to Canada," says Michael in the finale. After discovering that his dad's old mate Vic Wiffen – who had been sending him letters in which he "always" asked about Michael – had actually been dead for years, Michael makes the connection that it's actually Clea who is behind them. And after being told by the prophets that she would never come home, but that she would always love him, that leaves him with very little choice but to go to Canada. He's certainly got the money to do so after Kacey split her lottery winnings with him, but it remains to be seen if the BBC Two budget can stretch to that — and whether he will finally be reunited with Clea after all these years. Elsewhere, the prophets confirm that Kacey is going to be in Neighbours, even though it was cancelled for a second time last year. But our crystal ball is confident that her path will cross with Michael's again — although knowing how or where is something Crook himself is probably still working out. Small Prophets is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Add Small Prophets to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Why Scrubs revival's relationship development is such an unexpected yet inspired move
A JD–Elliot divorce wasn’t on our Scrubs reboot bingo card, but despite initial doubts, it’s proving to be a genius move for the show.
Happy endings can be hard to come by, especially in a hospital setting. But JD managed to get his at the end of Scrubs when a final scene revealed visions of the life he'll share with Elliot and their future family. Or at least, that's what happened the first time the show ended. A much-maligned surprise ninth season brought our faves back a year later, confirming that their wedding did indeed become a reality off-screen. This wasn't exactly a happy ending though, because JD and Elliot barely appeared at all this time around. And now, 16 years later, a new Scrubs series has undone that perfect ending entirely by revealing that their marriage has ended completely. Yep, that future vision of happiness that JD saw at the end of season 8 wasn't real, just like so many other fantasy sequences he's envisioned throughout the show's run. But actually, it turns out Scrubs is all the better for it in this case. Season 10 begins with Elliot sniping at JD upon his return to Sacred Heart Hospital. It's clear that their marriage didn't end on good terms, even if we don't know the specifics of why they broke up at this stage. While that might come as a blow to fans who have been rooting for them since day one, it's not entirely out of character to see the pair face off like this. In fact, you could argue JD and Elliot have never been a good fit, constantly at odds despite the obvious chemistry they share. View Green Video on the source website Scrubs has spent the vast majority of its run convincing us that this 'will they/won't they' couple doesn't make sense long-term (a far cry from their contemporaries in other sitcoms like Friends, Frasier or The Office). The revival presents a perfect opportunity to explore that in depth, exploring a very different kind of tension beyond simplistic notions of "Will they make it?" Now that we know they don't make it, Scrubs instead offers us a glimpse of married life at a very different stage, one where JD and Elliot work towards an understanding that continues to fit them both now that their marriage has ended (not to mention the two children they continue to co-raise outside of work). Rather than rely on the easy jokes that can come from bickering, these new episodes smartly delve deeper beyond the arguments to face what the emotional realities of working with your ex might look like. It's hard at points, as we see when Elliot struggles to navigate her friendship with Turk upon JD's return. But there's an emotional nuance to the end of a marriage that Scrubs works hard to unpick as this season progresses. This shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise. At its best, Scrubs has always grounded the show's often absurd flights of fancy with a very real emotional core. That's true whether it was telling a story of friendship or loss, or in this case, a combination of the two. Read more: Scrubs season 10 release schedule – when will the episode air? Scrubs season 10 review: New reboot is much better than it has any right to be In episode 3 of the Scrubs revival, Elliot and JD initially butt heads again until they suddenly reconnect and come to an understanding. "I care about you, JD," says Elliot. "I will always care about you. You’re my family. I just don’t know how we will figure this out." How often do we get to see a fan-favourite couple explore the "honeymoon phase" of their failed marriage, as JD jokingly describes it? In doing so, the writers continue to foreground a key dynamic from the show without betraying the strength of their connection. They might not work long-term as a couple, but that doesn't mean that there isn't any love between them. Just because you divorce doesn't mean you have to stop caring about the other person, especially when kids are involved. In some cases, this love just evolves into something different, something akin to family, and that's just as beautiful in its own way. Series creator Bill Lawrence told Deadline that he was resistant to separating Elliot and JD at first. It wasn't until showrunner Aseem Batra explained her own journey co-raising her child as a single parent that he realised the potential of this new development for the revival. "It doesn’t mean that their story is over," says Lawrence, "but it certainly is something that adults have to navigate all the time." Scrubs star Zach Braff echoed this in the same interview, explaining that dreams, like those JD fantasised about at the end of season 8, don't "necessarily come true, especially when you’re 50 years old". "Things that you didn’t want to happen, happen," he continued. "Some marriages fail, some don’t. You have the contrast with Turk and Carla, where they’re as happily married as ever compared to us, who are learning now to co-parent and eventually work together. So I think it was a good way of also showing a wide array of how marriages can turn out in midlife." With the revival just beginning, it's impossible to know where this journey will take JD and Elliot long-term. There's probably a temptation to bring them back together at some point, given their on-and-off-again past. But the happiest ending I can envision for this pair is one rooted in a familial kind of love where 'will they/won't they' becomes 'they shouldn't' and 'they won't'. Scrubs season 10 is streaming now on Disney+ in the UK. Sign-up to Disney+ from £5.99 a month. Add Scrubs to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
British TV desperately needs something it has rarely achieved for the comedy genre to thrive
It's time to end the stigma around long-running sitcoms.
There are plenty of words that you could use to describe British sitcoms: silly, sarcastic, sympathetic, or even sad. But arguably the most consequential of modern times is 'short'. The limited runs exemplified by Fawlty Towers and The Office, both of which bowed out after a dozen or so episodes, has seemingly become the favoured model by today's writers and commissioners. Take a look at the shortlist in Radio Times' greatest modern British sitcom poll and you'll find many more recent examples, including Big Boys, Derry Girls, Fleabag, Car Share, W1A and After Life. The average number of lifetime episodes per show in the entire line-up is... a rather modest 21. For context, that's one shy of a single traditional season of US network telly (admittedly, those have shrunk lately due to the shift towards streaming). On the other hand, only five adult-oriented British sitcoms have ever topped 100 episodes: The Army Game (1957-61), Last of the Summer Wine (1973-2010), Birds of a Feather (1989-2020), My Family (2000-11) and Not Going Out (2006-present). That milestone has been far more frequently surpassed in the US, across both comedy and drama, in large part due to lucrative syndication deals that kick in from around that point. You need only look at the eye-watering sums paid out for the likes of Seinfeld, Friends and The Office (US) – hint: hundreds of millions of dollars each(!) – to see the benefit that this approach can have in its most extreme cases. Now, I'd be the last person to suggest that we follow the Americans down every path they tread. But in this case, the British industry's reluctance (or inability) to produce long-running, bankable comedies is a factor challenging the genre at large. The point was brought to my attention in a recent Radio Times interview with Big Boys creator Jack Rooke, who argued that the brevity of a typical Britcom is both a blessing and a curse for our country's cultural footprint. View Green Video on the source website "Yes, there's artistic integrity in starting something and ending it exactly how you intended. I do think it's great that British comedy has enabled that," he prefaced. "I also think it speaks to a slight problem, which is that there's a huge disparity in the finances of making a comedy versus making a drama." "I think that's why Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Michaela Coel, and Jesse Armstrong and all of our finest writing talent leave comedy to make dramas. You just get way more budget to spend. It would be nice if we could bring some of those writers back." Rooke concluded: "If we could start having comedies that run for longer than two or three seasons, there would be a better financial payback to those creators and larger budgets to tell more ambitious comedic stories." Vote in Radio Times' poll: What is the greatest modern British TV comedy? His use of the word "ambitious" is key. Often, when sitcoms do manage to persist in the UK, it is viewed (rightly or wrongly) as the flogging of a dead horse, but it doesn't need to be this way. There's no law of nature dictating that any sitcom to reach a certain number of episodes must enter into terminal decline, although it certainly has occurred in numerous instances. The question is, how can that risk be lowered? Obviously, the writers must take some accountability for the length of a sitcom's golden (or watchable) years, but the tools they have to work with are also hugely influential – principally, the situation at play, and the characters inhabiting it. For instance, some sitcoms come with a built-in limit for how long they can run, such as Rooke's own Big Boys, which was inspired by his real-life experiences at university and, naturally, ends after graduation. Others could go on in perpetuity, but lack a compelling reason to do so; take ITV's Piglets, which has a broad premise that could easily be refreshed, but gags and characters that make you reach for the remote within five minutes of turning it on. The takeaway is that dynamic protagonists in a malleable setting are the base ingredients for any long-running TV comedy (not to be read as: 'crude clowns somewhere boring'). I'm not suggesting that it's easy to concoct this magic combination, but it would be nice to see more efforts operating above the low bar set by Piglets, Queen of Oz or Mrs Brown's Boys (distinct in that it is popular, but polarises opinion massively). Is there a flawed, dated image in the minds of writers or commissioners for what a mainstream British sitcom needs to be in order to thrive on a leading broadcaster? It certainly seems that way to this frustrated viewer. Imports like Friends and Seinfeld as well as longer homegrown hits like Only Fools and Horses, Peep Show and Friday Night Dinner prove that comedies don't need to be creatively bankrupt after a decade on screen – and nor should they start out that way. As Rooke observes, there's a genuinely strong argument that commissioners should be exploring comedy pitches with, at least, the potential to stretch over many years, without stripping away at quality or coherence. I'm not proposing that prestige and finite British comedies, such as Fleabag, This Country or Chewing Gum, which have deservingly earned high praise, should now be consigned to the dustbin of history. But, amid a genre brain drain and doomsday warnings over funding for British stories, there needs to be a considered balance for British comedy to once again thrive – and cease being regarded as just "the cheaper scripted genre" (in Rooke's words). Of course, producing more long-running hits with international appeal (à la Ghosts) will involve rolling up sleeves and putting some actual thought in, rather than resting on the same tired archetypes and crass humour that are usually deemed safely palatable. In other words, give those 'mainstream' pitches as much care as the more BAFTA-friendly ones, and who knows what you might end up with? Netflix paid $500 million for Seinfeld, two decades after it ended. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add shows to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Alan Carr reveals whether we can expect acting career pivot after Changing Ends and Celebrity Traitors success
The comic also revealed key influences on his sitcom – and why writing it was a "challenge".
Alan Carr has firmly ruled out a pivot into acting, despite his recent success on both ITV1 sitcom Changing Ends and BBC One's deception-based game show The Celebrity Traitors. In both cases, the comic has convincingly played versions of himself, acting as an on-screen commentator of events from his childhood in the former, while accentuating his public persona to evade suspicion in the latter. Despite these runaway successes, Carr told Radio Times that he has no ambition to pursue an acting career, after Changing Ends was shortlisted in our greatest modern comedy poll (voting is open now, until Tuesday 24th March). "I don't know how actors do it: You sit in, basically, a portaloo with a mirror in it, and then you're called to set, you do your lines, and then you go back," he shared. "I have no desire to be in a sitcom. My thing is stand-up comedy," continued Carr, addressing options beyond Changing Ends. "I love it – wham, bam, thank you, ma'am, tell your jokes and go home!" Reflecting on the success of Changing Ends, which recently aired its third season and has a fourth on the way, Carr explained that he sought to make a "traditional" sitcom with a more family-friendly approach than his stand-up sets. "When I wrote it, I deliberately didn't put any swearing in or anything uncomfortable or rude," he explained. "I wanted a bona fide sitcom like I used to enjoy when I was growing up, that I would sit down with my family [to watch]. What is the greatest modern British TV comedy? Vote in Radio Times' poll "I wanted to push myself and not have a swear word as a punch line. I wanted it to be good, old fashioned jokes that resonate with people. It was a challenge to myself, because if you've seen my stand up, you'll know I can be a little bit potty-mouthed!" Carr added that he wanted his own working-class upbringing to be represented in Changing Ends, citing Only Fools and Horses and Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights as influential earlier shows with a similar kind of authenticity. "When you look at Changing Ends, it's all caravan parks, it's division four football. It was always these places that are a little bit run down, but that's where you saw life! That's where you saw the characters," he recalled. Carr may not have plans to star in another sitcom after the semi-autobiographical Changing Ends winds down, but he has a palpable enthusiasm for the genre, citing Golden Girls as a personal favourite. So much so that Amanda Holden, his close friend and co-host on a popular BBC renovation series, gifted him a set of Golden Girls coasters for Christmas. You can see more from the duo in their episode of Radio Times interview series Two's Company: View Green Video on the source website Changing Ends is available to stream on ITVX. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add Changing Ends to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Ghosts feature film The Possession of Button House reveals new competition with "truly extraordinary" prize for fans
Button House is opening its doors for a limited number of lucky fans – here's what you need to know.
Ghosts fans have the chance to visit the set of upcoming film The Possession of Button House, courtesy of West Horsley Place. The Surrey-based estate has played host to the BBC's hit comedy since it began back in 2019, with its large manor house doubling for the decaying home of Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe). The cast and crew are currently back together for Ghosts feature film The Possession of Button House, which was recently announced to the delight of fans around the world. A limited number of those fans can now enter for the chance to visit the set during a break in filming on either Saturday 21 or Sunday 22 March 2026 (no other dates will be available, so make sure you're free before entering!). West Horsley Place have allotted time for 100 winners to enjoy the "truly extraordinary" visit across those two days, with each ticket permitting entry for the holder and up to three guests. Things to be aware of are that the Ghosts cast will not be present due to a break in filming, and photography won't be allowed during the tour due to a risk of spoilers for the hotly anticipated new story. Entries to the competition can be purchased for £25 via West Horsley Place's website until midnight on Sunday 15 March, or alternatively, a free postal entry can be sent. Winners will be notified within 48 hours of the closing date. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, but the guests of each adult winner can be of any age, meaning any junior Ghosts enthusiasts would be able to tag along with a lucky adult guardian. The tours are estimated to last for between 90 minutes and two hours, with staggered slots to be assigned between 9:30am and 4:15pm. View Green Video on the source website "Every paid entry will help support West Horsley Place's charitable work, contributing directly to the care, conservation, and protection of this remarkable historic building," the organisers said in the announcement. "This is a rare opportunity to glimpse something truly special. West Horsley Place looks forward to sharing this magical moment with the fans who have helped keep its story alive." Full terms and conditions for the prize draw can be found on the West Horsley Place website. Ghosts announced "one more adventure" late last week after many months of speculation, with a brand new script penned by series creators Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond. Their co-stars, Lolly Adefope, Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe are also reprising their roles, while "brilliant new faces" are also promised in a film billed as a "soul-stirring tale of life and death". Ghosts is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The Possession of Button House is coming soon. Add Ghosts to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Succession and Pride & Prejudice legend stars in first-look trailer for quirky new comedy drama featuring "technological accident"
The comedy-drama is coming to Sky next month.
Sky has released the first trailer for Succession and Pride & Prejudice star Matthew Macfadyen's new comedy-drama The Miniature Wife. Based on the short story written by Manuel Gonzales, the series follows a married couple who’re left with quite a big (little) problem when Les (Macfadyen) accidentally shrinks his wife in a technological mishap. The show, which stars The Hunger Games's Elizabeth Banks as Les's wife Lindy, examines the “power (im)balances between spouses after a technological accident induces the ultimate relationship crisis,” according to the official synopsis. The new trailer gives fans a first look at how this accident occurs, as Les (MacFadyen) is shown developing a new technology that he hopes will line him up for a Nobel. “I am creating the bio-agritech that will change the world. I call it the miracle of miniaturisation," he says in the footage. But what he doesn't expect it to do is shrink his wife, who gets in the way of an experiment and suffers the effects herself. “So this is my tiny little life now”, she says as she struggles to navigate her massive house, and is forced to fight a housefly with a bow and arrow. Watch the trailer for yourself below: View oEmbed on the source website The cast of the comedy-drama is rounded out by Zoe Lister-Jones (Beau is Afraid), O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale), Sian Clifford (Doctor Who), and Sofia Rosinsky (Paper Girls). Also starring are Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians), Aasif Mandvi (Evil), Rong Fu (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) and Tricia Black (Small Achievable Goals). Behind the camera, the series has been created by Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner, while Greg Mottola (Superbad) serves as a director on episodes 1, 2, 7 and 8. Macfayden most recently appeared Charles Guiteau in Netflix's historical series Death by Lightning. He's also set to appear in a John le Carré adaptation for the BBC, titled Legacy of Spies, while he recently joined Rachel Weisz in a new adaptation of Seance on a Wet Afternoon penned by Jack Thorne. The Miniature Wife will air on Sky and NOW from Thursday 9 April. Find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. Add The Miniature Wife to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Toast of London's Matt Berry reveals why he fears another revival for the wacky sitcom
Toast has been notably absent since his 2022 trip to Tinseltown.
Matt Berry has cast doubt on the possibility of another revival for his cult favourite sitcom Toast of London. The series followed aloof actor Steven Toast (Berry) as he navigated an often surreal distortion of London's showbiz scene, including tedious voiceover gigs and frequent bust-ups with his bitter rival, Ray Purchase (Harry Peacock). Toast of London premiered on Channel 4 in October 2013, only a month after The IT Crowd's final episode, which also starred Berry, making it a natural follow-up watch for fans of oddball humour. Ultimately, the show bowed out after three seasons, but received a surprise second life during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it returned with a series of lockdown-era audio skits, which paved the way for a full revival as Toast of Tinseltown. The Hollywood-set sequel drew on Berry's connections from high-profile US work – most notably, What We Do in the Shadows – boasting roles or cameos for the likes of Rashida Jones, Larry David, Paul Rudd and Homer Simpson, among others. Berry gave Radio Times his thoughts on resurrecting the dormant character once again, after Toast of London was shortlisted in our greatest modern British comedy poll (voting is open until Tuesday 24th March). "The main positive of it would be that I'm about the age that Steven Toast always was, and kind of should have been," he explained. "Right from the get go, he was in his late 40s and I was in, I think, my 30s when I first started to play him. "But there's just been crazy work things that have happened since that I didn't expect – and I'm incredibly thankful for. There just hasn't really been any time to think about that character again." View Green Video on the source website In addition to vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, which ran for six acclaimed seasons, Berry has also bagged roles in Netflix's Disenchantment, Disney's The Book of Boba Fett, Dreamworks' The Wild Robot and Prime Video's Fallout. On Toast of London, Berry wondered aloud whether "these things should just stay in 2010 or whenever it was, because they're right for the time". "I think it's too much of a risk," he elaborated. "If it doesn't go well, then you start to sort of ruin the work that's happened before. The last thing will be the last failure of that thing." What is the greatest modern British TV comedy? Vote in Radio Times' poll Berry stopped short of definitively ruling out more Toast, but claimed to be "90 per cent" convinced that it's had its day. He concluded: "I'm not ever nostalgic about my own work, so I wouldn't ever go back to it for those reasons. I'm only ever interested in the new thing and I think Arthur [Mathews] is the same. He would only do it with me if we had a really strong idea." Coming up, Berry has detective comedy Force & Majeure, co-starring Poker Face's Natasha Lyonne, plus more voice roles in animated Dr Seuss adaptation The Cat in the Hat and 2000AD comic book movie Rogue Trooper. Toast of London is available to stream on NOW. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add Toast of London to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Doctor Who legend Steven Moffat teases new TV show: "It’s the closest thing I’ve done to Press Gang"
Moffat reflects on his 1989 series Press Gang, while also teasing his upcoming Channel 4 show, Number 10.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Press Gang, the ITV comedy drama that ran from 1989 to 1993 and followed the production of a newspaper for and by young people, was a touchstone piece of children’s television. Quick-witted, gritty when it needed to be, rarely preachy and thoroughly unsentimental, it made an established writer — and Bafta winner — out of Steven Moffat, who wrote all of its 43 episodes, a star out of its lead Julia Sawalha (who would go on to Absolutely Fabulous and Jonathan Creek) and actual journalists out of many of its devoted fans — including myself and Radio Times’s deputy editor. “The show was a self-portrait of the people making it — we were just running around being adults for the first time,” says Moffat today. “What’s fun about bumping into the cast now is that they’re starting to realise I was only slightly older than them. Julia thought I was about 50 or something. I was 26.” For inspiration, Moffat cites Cheers, Moonlighting and The Kids from Fame: “I was just channelling those shows’ wit, speed and exuberance and doing my version.” While he pooh-poohs the idea of an authorial voice — “I’ve never even thought about it. That’s just how I write” — you can hear it in Press Gang’s crackling dialogue, its inventiveness with story, and through characters like Sawalha’s ambitious, courageous but flawed editor Lynda Day. He remembers: “I was always being told, ‘We’ve got to see Lynda’s inner vulnerability,’ and I’d always say, ‘Why?’ I’ve met strong people in my life, and you know what? They’re not particularly vulnerable. When you get Doctor Who right, the Doctor is not looking for your approval and doesn’t particularly think he’s the hero.” He adds: “I’m constantly apologising my way through life. But I’m fascinated by the unrepentant and I’ve written several versions [of them] over the years.” Madeline (played by Karen Gillan) in his 2024 comedy drama, Douglas is Cancelled, is one of those versions. “Madeline’s very much the case of ‘Just because something bad happened to me doesn’t make me a hero. I’m just dealing with that as best I can, not asking for anybody’s applause, and certainly not anybody’s pity.’” So Moffat’s not a fan of today’s fashion for weaponising one’s victimhood? “If I was an evil right-winger, I’d be encouraging people to do so, because it doesn’t work — even if it might seem to in the moment,” he says. “It’s so bad now. Everybody needs to have a diagnosis of some [kind of] mental illness. I’m absolutely certain I could have loads of acronyms — I’m every kind of compulsive. But so what?” Having “not been out of work in 39 years, so I’m not doing badly”, the Sherlock writer is currently busy with Number 10, his drama set behind the scenes of government, the party of which is never specified, for Channel 4. It stars Rafe Spall as the Prime Minister and Katherine Kelly as his chief of staff. “It’s the closest thing I’ve done to Press Gang,” he says. “Essentially, it’s a workplace comedy, although I don’t really think it’s a comedy any more than Press Gang was a comedy. It’s just quite funny a lot of the time.” So, will Moffat be tuning in for Press Gang now it’s showing again on Rewind TV? Awkwardly, he will not. “I like the current stuff, but I always find my old stuff difficult to watch.” He is, however, open to a Press Gang reunion. “Well, I would. But I can’t imagine anyone would be banging on my door to do it. We’re all quite long in the tooth to be a voice for today’s youth. I was at Dexter Fletcher’s 60th birthday party recently!” Press Gang is on Rewind TV weekdays at 6:30pm from Monday 2 March. Number 10 will air on Channel 4. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
DTF St Louis is a super weird crime show with a soft underbelly
Jason Bateman, David Harbour and Linda Cardellini are embroiled in a love triangle that turns deadly in Steve Conrad’s deliciously dark comedy, where people let their freak flags fly.
**Contains spoilers from episode 1 of DTF St Louis.** More often than not, new shows have a habit of feeling like a version of something you've seen before. Even if it's not a prequel or a sequel, a reboot or a reimagining, there's a flavour, so to speak, that evokes something else. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the crime genre, where it's increasingly rare to find originality – although tried and tested formulas can still deliver satisfying results if executed well. Case in point: Mare of Easttown. But DTF St Louis, a darkly comic murder-mystery airing on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic in the UK, feels fresh and uninhibited by what has come before. Created, written and directed by Steve Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Pursuit of Happyness), the limited series stars Ozark's Jason Bateman ("I appreciate Jason’s commitment to showing the rest of the world how strange the state of Missouri truly is at its core," reads one YouTube comment) and David Harbour as colleagues Clark Forrest, a local weatherman, and Floyd Smernitch, a sign language interpreter. It's not your average crime series dynamic, that's for sure. The pair strike up a friendship after Floyd narrowly stops Clark from being decapitated by a stop sign while reporting on an incoming tornado and they grow close – so close, in fact, that Clark, who's married and has two kids, feels comfortable enough to share a dark secret with Floyd. He's downloaded a hook-up app: DTF St Louis (that's 'down to f**k', for the uninitiated. Fans of Jersey Shore, of which this writer was regrettably one, will already be well acquainted with the term). And he gently encourages Floyd, who's also married (Linda Cardellini plays his wife Carol) to do the same. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/0104DTF-StLouisS01-770c68f.jpg" width="6000" height="4000" alt="Two men wearing matching green waterproof jackets with the hoods up and protective goggles stand out in heavy wind and rain during what appears to be a live weather report. One holds a microphone branded “News 10,” speaking into it while bracing against the storm, as the other gestures emphatically toward something off-camera. Sheets of rain slash across the frame, and a third person in a dark rain poncho stands with their back to the camera in the foreground, adding to the sense of chaotic, on-the-ground reporting in extreme conditions." title="DTF St Louis" /> After some hesitation, Floyd follows Clark's lead (a Duane Reade bag has yet to make an appearance) – and then he winds up dead, his body uncovered in a pool house propped up next to a Bloody Mary in a can and, interestingly, some gay porn. Curiouser and curiouser. DTF St Louis constantly finds ways to surprise you. While it doesn't come as a shock that Clark and Carol were having an affair (it was right there in the way they greeted each other at his cornhole party), you certainly don't anticipate that Floyd knows. He's an easy man to underestimate, and the show also enjoys playing with timeline and perspective, which makes the moment he drops that bomb – delivered so calmly, and in sign language of all things – truly delicious television. Deploying needle drops is an art form and Ozzy Osbourne's spiky rendition of Sunshine of Your Love works exquisitely here, capturing both the sexual charge between Clark and Carol and the huge "Oh, f**k" rattling around Clark's head after he's been arrested for murder live on air. And people say the weather is boring. But is he really capable of murdering his friend? Even if all signs points to Clark being guilty – his recumbent bike captured on CCTV, the affair – DTF St Louis has set out its stall as a show that doesn't play by the rules, so perhaps not. And that doesn't just extend to the central mystery. Eyebrow-raising moments and absurd dialogue are par for the course across the four episodes made available for review. Unusual professions are standard practice – Floyd used to be married to a fortune teller; in one scene, he encounters a roller dancer and hypnotist. It's certainly not every day you meet a porn positive detective, and Floyd's passion for hip-hop dance is an inspired turn. Plus, who knew Harbour could pop it and lock it quite so gracefully? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/02/0103DTF-StLouisS01-53820ad.jpg" width="5616" height="3744" alt="A man with a thick moustache and short, slightly tousled hair stands inside what appears to be a convenience store or supermarket. He wears a green jacket and looks off to the side with a small, knowing smile. In the blurred foreground, colourful packaged goods line a shelf, while behind him are glass-fronted refrigerators stocked with drinks. The wall above the fridges features a blue mural-style graphic of a city skyline." title="DTF St Louis" /> Then there's Clark and Carol, who refer to their hook-ups at the Quality Garden Suites as "dream meetings", granting each other's niche sexual desires, such as Clark being unpacked from a cardboard box as he pretends to be a sex robot, or Carol sitting on his face while she "goes about her tasks", like ringing FedEx. Two birds, one stone. When she first tells him, "You can do anything with me. You never have to have any fears about sharing anything with me," it reads like a cheap male fantasy. Having sex with your friend's hot wife – and she's game for anything? Yup, we've seen this film before. Except we haven't. DTF St Louis makes no bones about its weirdness, or how disappointing or cruel life can be, but it has a soft underbelly. As per Conrad's earlier work, he is clearly drawn to stories about people who have done an inventory of their lives and decided they want more – or just different. That often surfaces in the quieter moments: Floyd's clothes don't fit properly, so he's trying to "lose a few"; he attempts to connect with his socially reclusive, rock-throwing stepson by going to therapy with him. That desire for more might also manifest as an affair with someone who understands you more than your partner, and who doesn't judge your kinks — there's a distinct lack of judgement in this series — or embracing hip-hop dance as an out of shape, middle-aged white man. Putting aside the salacious, scandalous aspects of DTF St Louis, the series threads grounded, human concerns through the eccentricity, like, what comes first: midlife malaise or a marriage in decline? Or does the decline of a marriage facilitate midlife malaise? The show's preoccupation with connection, meaning, reinvention and self-growth is deceptively confronting, and never once dulled by the many off-kilter things people say and do in this glum-looking Midwestern suburb that appears entirely normal from the outside. But as one gentleman puts it: "Nobody's normal, they just look that way from across the street." DTF St Louis will debut in the US on March 1 on HBO Max and in UK on Sky and NOW from 2 March. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.