A tight 5: September 17

RICKY GERVAIS has confirmed that he’s going to perform live as David Brent. The comic revealed on Twitter that his alter-ego was to play gigs with the hitherto fictional band mentioned in The Office, Foregone Conclusion. He tweeted yesterday: ‘David Brent is going to do a couple of very cheap, very low key warm up gigs with Forgone Conclusion in London this October. Stay tuned.’ The news follows the release of his YouTube videos, Play Guitar With David Brent.

HARRY ENFIELD is to make a guest appearance on the sitcom Bad Education – playing Jack Whitehall’s dad. Enfield’s character, Martin, makes his debut on the episode which airs next Tuesday, but whcih will be available on iPlayer from tonight, thanks to BBC Three’s new policy of debuting all comedy online. Samantha Spiro, from Grandma’s House and Psychobitches also makes a guest appearance as Martin’s love interest, Professor Green.

SIMON PEGG has arrived in Western Australia to shoot his new film Kill Me Three Times. He will go against type and play a murderer in the crime thriller, which is set in an Australian surfing town.

PUNT & DENNIS have announced a new tour for 2014. Their 33-night Ploughing On Regardless show – their first since They Should Get Out More three years ago – starts in Canterbury on January 10. Dates.

EDINBURGH best newcomer John Kearns has joined the panel of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for children’s books. The rest of the panel are children’s authors Michael Rosen, Jamie Thompson and Sarah McIntyre plus Guardian columnist Marina Hyde. Kearns follows Bill Bailey, Shappi Khorsandi and Dara O Briain, who have all previously judged the award.

Published: 17 Sep 2013