We Want Our Jackanory Back!

Bernard Cribbins would like to see Jackanory return to its original format, and who can blame him?  The popular, although admittedly less than it had been, show which featured a guest storyteller relate a classic or contemporary tale to camera in short chunks over five episodes was finally removed from Children's BBC schedules in 1996 after thirty one years on air.

Ok, we're probably all a bit old to be watching children's programming now - and, in some cases, so are our kids - but didn't we have it a bit better in our day?  Kids could get a pang of excitement at the notion that the wonderfully expressive and captivating Kenneth Williams may soon be nasally narrating one of their favourite books and, for many, it was an introduction to such wonderful talents as Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Cribbins himself.  For me it was Rik Mayall and his legendarily frantic re-telling of Roald Dahl's 'George's Marvellous Medicine'.  I doubt I have ever looked forward to a serialised show as much as I did that week and remember audibly cheering when I found out it was to be repeated.

It's such a shame that technology so frequently has to get in the way.  Disney movies now come exclusively in CGI and, while they're almost universally entertaining, some of the old 2D line-drawing magic is sorely missing.  Sadly, children's programming has also been forced to "move with the times" with show formats changed to involve heavily-edited reality sections, classic swashbuckling animation replaced with gross-out lewdness and even the good lady Blue Peter looking less shipshape and in danger of retirement with every year.

I'm not asking for a second appearance from Prince Charles, presumably to read the compelling sequel to "The Old Man of Lochnagar" - the most famous, yet most boring passages to make it to the show.  I simply think there is still a place for tradition on television - parents still read to children in bed so why should their day be full of bangs, zaps, farts and sob stories?

Has It Been A Good Year For British Comedy Then?

The British Comedy Awards really are unique in that their televisation represents the only time anything funny is ever actually shown on ITV - even if they are second hand clips from superior stations.  The nominations for this year's ceremony, to take place on December 12th with Jonathan 'Don't mention the granddaughter' Ross back in charge after a self-imposed suspension, were announced this morning with some interesting choices surrounding the reassurance that ITV1's only foray into chuckledom is a dumbed-down Harry Hill show where he mimics soap operas in front of an audience that have clearly been locked up since Game For A Laugh last hit our screens.

Topping the list of nominations is BBC1's Outnumbered written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin of Drop the Dead Donkey fame and starring Claire Skinner, Hugh Dennis and their three children who give the series its title.  It's perhaps the largely improvised performance from the chilldren - Ramona Marquez, Daniel Roche and Tyger Drew-Honey - that has seen all three of them receive newcomer nominations.  In fact, we should spare a thought for Dennis as the only main cast member without a solo nomination.

Whether the intention was to irk Charlie Brooker by sticking the rubber-faced 38 year old, a television veteran of nearly a decade, into a category with a nine and a thirteen year old, I'm sure it has worked.  'Comedy Newcomer' refers more to that performers arrival in the nation's consciousness and Brooker's work on Channel 4's You Have Been Watching, a rare terrestrial outing for Screenwipe, the brilliant Newswipe and various republications of his popular musings from The Guardian sees him deservedly nominated.

Elsewhere, Michael McIntyre's amiability and Alan Carr's...errr...teeth get them three nominations each, both vying with Harry Hill in the "entertainment" categories which, largely, have as much to do with comedy as World Wrestling Entertainment has to do with wrestling.

Looking elsewhere on the list, there are deserved nods for Psychoville and Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (sadly the latter is, for the second year in a row, a nominated BBC show that has failed to be recommissioned - following last year's excellent The Peter Serafinowicz Show) and a must-win in a weak film category for the hilarious In The Loop.  Despite strong competition from Have I Got News For You and QI, the massively popular Mock the Week is a shoo-in for best panel show while the beleagured sketch show category edges closer to retirement with the patchy Mitchell and Webb Look heading a truly terrible set including the deeply unfunny Kevin Bishop and the long gone to seed Harry and Paul.

FULL NOMINATIONS LIST:
Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Alan Carr, Alan Carr: Chatty Man (Open Mike Productions for Channel 4); Harry Hill, Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Avalon for ITV1); Michael McIntyre, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (Open Mike Productions Manchester for BBC1)

Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (Open Mike Productions Manchester for BBC1); The Sunday Night Project (Princess Productions for Channel 4); Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Avalon for ITV1)

Best Television Comedy Actor: Rob Brydon, Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special (Baby Cow for BBC1); Simon Bird, The Inbetweeners (Bwark for E4); Robert Webb, Peep Show (Objective Productions for Channel 4)

Best Television Comedy Actress: Ruth Jones, Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special (Baby Cow for BBC1); Claire Skinner, Outnumbered: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1); Katherine Parkinson, The IT Crowd (talkbackTHAMES for Channel 4)

Best New British Television Comedy: Alan Carr: Chatty Man (Open Mike Productions for Channel 4); Ladies of Letters (Tiger Aspect for ITV3); Psychoville (BBC Productions fo/r BBC2)

Best Television Comedy Drama: Dead Set (Zeppotron for E4); Psychoville (BBC Productions for BBC2); Pulling: Special (Silver River for BBC3)

Best Live Stand-Up Performer: Michael McIntyre, Live at the Apollo; Frankie Boyle, Live at the Hackney Empire; Stewart Lee, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
 
Best Male Comedy Newcomer: Daniel Roche, Outnumbered: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1); Tyger Drew-Honey, Outnumbered: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1); Charlie Brooker, You Have Been Watching (Zeppotron for E4)

Best Female Comedy Newcomer: Rebekah Staton, Pulling: Special (Silver River for BBC3); Ramona Marquez, Outnumbered: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1); Tanya Franks, Pulling: Special (Silver River for BBC3)

Best Comedy Panel Show: Have I Got News for You (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1); Mock the Week (Angst Productions for BBC2); QI (talkbackTHAMES for BBC1)

Best Sitcom: Peep Show (Objective Productions for Channel 4); The IT Crowd (talkbackTHAMES for Channel 4); Outnumbered: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions for BBC1)

Best Sketch Show: The Kevin Bishop Show (Objective Productions for Channel 4); That Mitchell and Webb Look (BBC Productions for BBC2); Harry & Paul: Series 2 (Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC1)

Best Comedy Film: Bruno (Universal Pictures); In the Loop (Optimum Releasing: Peter Capaldi/ Tom Hollander/ Gina McKee/ James Gandolfini); The Hangover (Warner Bros: Bradley Cooper/ Ed Helms/ Zac Galifianakas)

Edward Woodward 1930 - 2009

The well-loved actor Edward Woodward has died in hospital today aged 79.  He had been suffering from various illnesses including pneumonia.

Woodward cut his acting teeth with appearances in such shows as Dixon of Dock Green,  The Saint and Armchair Theatre before the latter secured him the title role of Callan in the late 60's spy drama.  However, it was his career-defining role as the idealistic, clean-living Sergeant Howie in 1973's The Wicker Man and that of Robert McCall in 80's drama The Equalizer that he will be best remembered.

He continued working regularly until his untimely death with a recent memorable performance as CCTV obsessive Tom Weaver in Edgar Wright's Hot Fuzz and a short run in Eastenders this Spring.

He is suvived by his wife Michele Dotrice and four children Tim, Peter, Sarah and Emily all of whom are actors.

Be Seeing You? Will The Prisoner Remake Be Any Good?

Thanks to Mr Akira the Don for reminding me today on his blog that the fantasic 1960's series The Prisoner has been remade.  The show, starring Jim Catweasel as Patrick McGoohan and Sir Ian McKellan as a sadly permanent and non-interchangeable Number 2 premieres tonight in the USA and the trailer for this may be seen below.  Unfortunately it doesn't look as though the 00's version will come close to the joyful quirkiness and sheer madness of the 1967 original.