A tight 5: September 25

Sarah Millican sold out a work-in-progress show at Birmingham's Glee Club in just three minutes this week. All 150 seats in the studio venue were snapped up immediately at £8 a head. Club owner Mark Tughan said it was a new record, after John Bishop sold out the 420-seat main room in ten minutes.

AMERICAN comedy-illusionist The Amazing Johnathan has revealed he may only have months to live after being diagnosed with the heart muscle disease cardiomyopathy. The 56-year-old also revealed the reasons for his manic performance. 'My whole show was written entirely on coke,' he told Australia's Nine MSN. 'I’d pretend to snort ‘fake’ coke on stage – but it was real. I actually even freebased backstage.' He said he didn't know if his heart problems were related to his former drug use.

JOE LYCETT is piloting a new panel show called Hall of Shame – in which comedians and celebrities share their embarrassing anecdotes. A trial episode is to be recorded in London next Tuesday – see our Free Tickets page to be in the studio audience.

BILLY CONNOLLY is recovering from surgery to remove gallstones. He told the Daily Mirror: 'It is still very sore. It was hellish before the operation. I had this pain in my ribs the whole night.' It is the latest health scare for the 71-year-old comedian following his diagnosis with prostate cancer, from which he is now recovering, deafness and Parkinson's disease.

RICH HALL has announced a 15-date UK tour of his country music and comedy show Hoedown this autumn, kicking off at the Brighton Comedy Festival on October 23. Dates

Published: 25 Sep 2014