Chortle Digest: Comedy roasts, Jack Whitehall plays Marc Bolan and Joe Lycett tours

No 793
September 8, 2017

Jimmy Carr, Russell Brand and Katherine Ryan are to take part in a brutal ‘roast battle’ for Comedy Central

Jack Whitehall is to play glam rocker Marc Bolan in a new film.

James Acaster is shooting four stand-up specials for Netflix.

Hannah Gadsby has topped a second list of the best-reviewed comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.

... as one observer says she's found evidence that some critics are sexist.

Jennifer Saunders is to return to the West End for the first time in more than 20 years

Doctor-turned comedian Adam Kay’s memoirs of his time in the NHS have been optioned for TV.

Alice Lowe has started work on her new film, a ‘metaphysical rom-com’ called Timestalker.

Some Mothers Do 'Ave ‘Em is to be turned into a stage show – with Joe Pasquale playing Frank Spencer.

Alex Horne is developing a new TV series based on his 2014 Edinburgh Fringe show The Percentage Game.

Veep is to come to an end next year, broadcaster HBO has announced.

Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll is piloting a new game show for BBC One.

Julia Davis is to appear in Channel 4’s new sci-fi anthology series Electric Dreams.

ITV panel show Play To The Whistle is to end after three series.

The latest on the new music festival movie from Inbetweeners co-creator Ian Morris

And who's on the next series of Live At The Apollo?

Win Julian Barratt comedy Mindhorn on DVD.

Welcome to your weekly round-up of comedy news. As always check chortle.co.uk for listings of more than 4,500 live comedy gigs as well as all the breaking news, reviews and features

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An interview with Joe Lycett as he announces his new tour

Ahead of the new hospital comedy Porters arriving on Dave, we have interviews with writer Dan Sefton and star Rutger Hauer

Books:

This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

James Acaster's Classic Scrapes

TV:

Back with David Mitchell and Robert Webb

Live:

English Comedian Of The Year 2017

The Awkward Silence: The Bastard King

Benjamin Bello – the man behind comedy character President Obonjo – on his enduring Edinburgh memory

We welcome your contributions! Email feedback@chortle.co.uk

First look at ITV2's Time Travelling sitcom Timewasters, stand-up clips from the Edinburgh Fringe, a pisstake of Tory grassroots activists, Activate, among many more.

Click here for all the videos we've featured this week.

Meanwhile, Comedy Central UK has launched a new short-form online series inspired by the world of simulator gaming and featuring half a dozen comedians. Watch them here