US comic tradition comes to Britain

Jimmy Carr is poised to bring the American tradition of the ‘comedy roast’ to Britain.

The comic is to front three programmes for Channel 4 paying barbed tribute to Sharon Osbourne, Chris Tarrant and Bruce Forsyth.

The tradition started in the New York Friars’ Club in the Twenties, with stars at a black-tie event being subjected to a mix of insults, tall tales and genuine tributes from their friends, which they must take in good spirits. Roasts have since become popular on America’s Comedy Central channel, where ‘victims’ have included Hugh Hefner, Pamela Anderson and William Shatner.

The Channel 4 version hosted by Carr promises ‘some of the country’s finest comedic talents, as well as a selection of showbiz pals and acquaintances who will in turn deliver a humorous, irreverent, possibly rude, but always affectionate comedy tribute’.

Shows are being recorded in London from next week, to be broadcast around Easter.

• In an unrelated live show, comic Richard Blackwood was ‘roasted’ by some of his comedy peers, including Slim, Donna Spence and Miss London at the Shepherds Bush Empire last night.

Published: 15 Feb 2010