Funny Fortnight

8 August 2012

Verry Terry

 

 

To celebrate a future of even more top notch comedy and trumpet a long commitment to championing and breaking new comedy, August will see comedy take over C4. Pack the gold medals away as giggles rein with 45 hours of comedy programming.

Channel 4's Funny Fortnight will be a two week long extravaganza of brand new shows, best episodes ever as chosen by the writers, excellent stand-up, Comedy Labs (C4's breeding ground for new talent) and archive treats featuring many a familiar face.

When publicising any of the shows please include the credit "Part of C4's Funny Fortnight".

 

 

NEW STAND-UP: PETER KAY LIVE: THE TOUR THAT DIDN'T TOUR - TOUR

Peter Kay opens Channel 4's Funny Fortnight, a two week extravaganza of top notch comedy telly including brand new shows, excellent stand-up and some archive treats. Featuring 45 hours of programming Funny Fortnight is an extravaganza of brand new shows, excellent stand up and some familiar faces returning to the Channel with shows viewers will have never seen before.

Officially the world's most successful live stand-up comedy show, Peter Kay brings his spectacular Tour That Didn't Tour - Tour live, to TV for the very first time. After a seven year break from live stand-up comedy Peter Kay announced his Tour That Didn't Tour, Tour which sold over 1.2 million tickets over eighteen months, including an astonishing 40 nights at the Manchester Arena - a first for any artist in the world.

Producer: Ted Irons, Exec Producer: Margaret Mubarek, Writer & Director: Peter Kay

 

 

BRAND NEW VERRY TERRY

 

"This show is going to be the bee's balls," says Kayvan Novak

Kayvan Novak stars as Terry Tibbs, car salesman turned international television star of E4's Fonejacker and Channel 4's Facejacker.  He has finally hit the big time by securing his own prime time chat show, Verry Terry. 

In his own unique way Terry will be talking to a variety of celebrity guests and members of the studio audience. The very first guests to join him in his studio are Hollywood legend and all round tough guy Mickey Rourke - actor (The Wrestler, Sin City, 9½ Weeks), screenwriter and retired boxer - and housewives' favourite, TV presenter Anthea Turner.

It is produced by Christopher Barbour and Tom Thostrup (Facejacker) and directed by Barbara Wiltshire (Would I Lie To You?, The IT Crowd).  The Executive Producer is Helen Williams.  It is a Hat Trick production for Channel 4.

 

 

 

BEST EPISODE: BRASS EYE ANIMALS

Back when television scandals didn't get very big, brass Eye appeared and ensured they did becoming a phenomenon which sparked national uproar - "The sickest TV show ever" (Daily Mail); "a definite triumph" (Daily Telegraph); "a taboo too far" (Daily Express). A chance to see just why award-winning Chris Morris is a C4 comedy legend as he takes on another issue of the day and gives it a good spanking!

Why do the authorities still tolerate prize-fights between grown men and packs of weasels in London's East End? Picking up from where The Day Today left off Chris Morris takes guerilla media to a level never seen on British TV before.

Dir: Michael Cumming; Prods: Chris Morris/Caroline Leddy, Prod Co; Talk.Back.

 

 

ARCHIVE TREAT: THE WEEKENDERS

Vic & Bob introduce their first narrative sitcom after the success of Vic Reeves Big Night out on C4.

Back in 1992, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer star as two chums in search of a quality sausage. After many false starts their journey takes them to an open-air fete where indeed they find the ideal length of meat. The only snag is that invading aliens need the sausage for their own devious purposes.

 

 

 

COMEDY LAB: FONEJACKER

Channel 4's Funny Fortnight continues with Comedy Lab:Fonejacker - a man who takes on various guises to satisfy his need to scam and confuse anyone at the end of a phone line. Characters include George the African Scamster, an amiable chap who rings to let you know that you have won a cash prize, funded by the 1ps and 2ps that people have collected in jars and forgotten about. In order to obtain your cash prize all you have to do is give George your sort code, bank account number and your mother's maiden name and he can wire the money to you direct.  Using animation, stills and recorded footage of the prank victims, Fonejacker also takes transcripts of calls, treats them as film scripts and gives them the Hollywood treatment. 

Dir: Ed Tracy; Prods: Ed Tracy, Kayvan Novak; Exec Prod: Mario Stylianides; Prod Co: Hat Trick Productions

 

 

 

ARCHIVE TREAT: COMEDY LIVE PRESENTS RUSSELL BRAND & FRIENDS

Russell Brand hosts this one-off comedy variety extravaganza.  As well as stand-up from award-wining Russell, Comedy Live Presents features topical (well for 2008) and celebrity based characters and sketches performed by  some of the stars from the Star Stories team, as well as new comedy performers.  Russell also introduces a raft of top-name stand-up comedians and the brightest new talents from the comedy circuit.  Joining Russell on tonight's show are US comedienne Roseanne Barr, Bo Selecta's Leigh Francis, and stand up Lee Mack.  Also featured are Michael McIntyre, Kayvan Novak (a.k.a. Fonejacker), David O'Doherty, and Star Stories duo Henry Peacock and Steve Edge. 

Exec Prod: Phil Clarke; Series Prod: Lee Hupfield; Prods: Nana Hughes, Jack Bayles, Gareth Roy; Prod Co: Objective, Vanity Productions

 

 

 

BRAND NEW ALAN CARR'S SUMMERTIME SPECSTACULAR 2

Funnyman Alan Carr has been left in charge of Channel 4 HQ and is set to throw another raucous summer party to remember!

Alan Carr's Second Summertime Specstacular sees Alan's unique warm hospitality and infectious personality shine through in this amazing year for Britain and off the back of the London 2012 Olympics. Viewers can expect his special guests appearing throughout the programme in various guises including VT sketches, entertaining games for top prizes and top musical performances along with his boisterous studio audience participating in the sporty fun.

Alan is joined by a host of stars live in the studio who will be joining in all the fun and games including: Jonathan Ross, Tulisa, Keith Lemon, Melanie Sykes, Paloma Faith and Labrinth. Joining Alan to challenge his party guests with unique sporting challenges is Fatima Whitbread OBE. There'll also be a fair few surprise guests popping up across the show.

Production Company - Open Mike Productions, Series Producer - Iain Wimbush, Executive Producers - Addison Cresswell & Andrew Beint

 

 

ARCHIVE TREAT: CLIVE ANDERSON TALKS BACK: PETER COOK SPECIAL

Clive Anderson introduces seminal episode of his chat show where Peter Cook joins him as four different guests.

In a fascinating line-up Clive Anderson talks to Norman House - a man snatched by aliens; football manager Alan Latchlcy: Judge Sir James Bauchamp and rock God Eric Daley - all of whom bear an uncanny (but obviously coincidental) resemblance to the comedy legend Peter Cook.

Prod: Lissa Evans; Dir. Patimarr; Prod Co: Hattrick

 

 

 

BEST EPISODE: GREEN WING (HOUSEWARMING)

As part of Channel 4's Funny Fortnight, a trip back into the 2006 archive for some quick-fire (and occasionally slow motion) genre-defying comedy from the multi award-winning team that produced Smack the Pony.Part surreal soap, part innovative comedy drama - which is largely set, despite a bizarre lack of medical content, in a hospital. Martin (Karl Theobald) doesn't have anything to wear to Caroline's (Tamsin Greig) housewarming party.  He needs a calming influence, a voice of reason, someone with a keen eye for fashion.  But Sue White (Michelle Gomez) offers to take him clothes shopping.  Will people do things at the party that they'll regret?  Almost certainly, and especially Caroline.  And that goes for those not at the party, too.  Joanna (Pippa Haywood) has rashly demanded more mystery from her allegedly secret lover, so Statham (Mark Heap) overcomes a mild wool allergy to don a balaclava and kidnap Joanna, forcing her at finger-point to drive to a secret destination in the wilderness.  Or is it a nearby park? 

Prod: Victoria Pile; Dirs: Dominic Brigstocke, Tristram Shapeero; Exec Prod: Peter Fincham; Prod Co: Talkback Productions

 

 

FIRST BROADCAST: COMEDY BLAPS: THE RUBBERBANDITS

Blindboy and Mr Chrome are the Irish music sensation, The Rubberbandits. Join them on their magical journey of musical discovery. (x3eps)

Exec Producers: Billy McGrath, Gerry Kelly, Producer: Dee Ellis, Director: Declan Lowney, Production Company is Sideline

 

 

 

FIRST BROADCAST: COMEDY BLAPS: BUSINESS MOUSE

Fresh from the makers of Modern Toss comes a new cartoon idiot in the form of a little mouse built for big business. Watch as he blunders his way through deal after deal at rapid pace. (x3eps)

Producer: Jane Harrison, Written & Directed by: Jon Link, Mick Bunnage, Modern Toss Productions