Highlights | August 2011
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August 2011 Highlights
Britain’s Funniest Comedian
BBC Entertainment presents a month of top comedy with four of Britain’s funniest comedians. John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Fry are featured in their finest shows, and viewers are invited to vote for their favourite on the BBC Entertainment website.
John Cleese From Sunday 7 August from 18:00
Kicking off the proceedings, the legendary John Cleese stars in classic 70s sitcom Fawlty Towers. Cleese gives an iconically hysterical performance as Basil Fawlty, the much put-upon hotel manager whose life is plagued by dead guests, hotel inspectors and riff-raff, not to mention hapless waiter Manuel’s peculiar attachment to a certain rodent.
Rowan Atkinson From Sunday 14 August at 18:00
The Blackadder series sees the inimitable Rowan Atkinson starring as four different incarnations of Edmund Blackadder. In The Black Adder he is Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh, haunted by his uncle Richard III who he accidentally killed. In Blackadder II, Lord Edmund swaggers back with a big head and a small beard in search of grace and favour from stark raving mad Queen Elizabeth I. In Blackadder the Third, Edmund has been reduced in status and is serving as butler to the Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie), and in Blackadder Goes Forth we find him doing everything he can to avoid a futile death in the trenches of the First World War.
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August 2011 Highlights
Britain’s Funniest Comedian
Ricky Gervais From Sunday 21 August at 18:00
One of the most successful comic figures of recent years, Ricky Gervais first revolutionised British comedy with two series of The Office, and consolidated his reputation with his next show, Extras. In The Office, Gervais plays David Brent, regional manager of stationery company Wernham Hogg. He fancies himself as a great team leader using humour to win the loyalty of his staff, but in reality he is unthinkingly offensive. Filmed as a fly-on-the-wall documentary, The Office is working life at its hilarious worst. Extras sees Gervais as Andy Millman, who gave up his day job in the hope of achieving fame and fortune as an actor. From Andy’s humble beginnings as a background artist to his sudden rise to prominence in his own show, his natural tendency to say the wrong thing remains painfully to the fore.
Stephen Fry From Sunday 28 August at 18:00
British national treasure Stephen Fry’s latest comic incarnation is as master of ceremonies of the “Quite Interesting” comedy panel show QI. In each themed edition of the programme, Fry steers a motley crew of fellow comedians as he tackles a whole host of random subjects. Asking impossibly difficult questions of a four- strong panel of guests from the cream of current comic talent, Fry is harried and hampered at every turn by regular panellist Alan Davies.
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August 2011 Highlights
Derren Brown: Something Wicked This Way Comes Sunday 21 August at 22:00
Master of deception Derren Brown presents an award-winning live show which fuses magic, suggestion and psychology. Filmed in front of a packed audience at the Old Vic, London, this show is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Featuring plenty of audience participation, shocking stunts and subliminal mind-games, Derren demonstrates why he is one of the country's most exciting live performers, exhilarating audiences with his unique brand of intelligent and theatrical entertainment.
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August 2011 Highlights
Live At The Apollo Series 5 – From Monday 15 August at 22:00 Series continues every Monday at 22:00
The popular stand-up show returns for some more cutting edge comedy from the hottest names on the comedy circuit.
Live from the world famous Hammersmith Apollo in London, Live At The Apollo showcases a variety of comedic talents, with a host of different styles. This time around, taking their turn as the evenings’ hosts are Rob Brydon of Gavin & Stacey fame, Irishman Ed Byrne and impressionist Alistair McGowan.
Each perform a special set before introducing some of today’s finest talent, including British Comedy Award winner, Michael McIntyre, Jason Byrne, Sarah Millican, Adam Hills and pun- meister Tim Vine.
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