Our comedy book fest, and the rest of the week's highlights

The comedy week ahead...

Today

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: Award-winning comedian – and bibliophile – Lucy Porter talks about the joy of books at 9pm. Tickets. Or see this in a double bill with literary sketch show The Canon at 7.30pm. Tickets.

LIVE IN LONDON: The Phoenix bar in central London hosts seven-hour 'all-day Edinburgh' extravaganza in aid of the PBH Free Fringe from 2pm. This year's excellent line-up includes Bridget Christie, John Kearns, Funz and Gamez, Nick Helm, Lou Sanders, David Trent and many, many more….

Monday November 10

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: We're going old school today - with a Monty Python double bill of Terry Jones speaking about his influences, and Carol Cleveland on what it was like to be the only female performer within the troupe. Both will be speaking to Python expert Robert Ross. Tickets . Or we have some previously unheard Hitchhikers' Guide To The Galaxy material in a session with Douglas Adams biographer Jem Roberts. Tickets It's also possible to go to Hitchhikers and then Terry Jones (Standalone Terry Jones ticket)

Tuesday November 11

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: Tonight there's a must-see event for anyone interested in the process of writing comedy, as John O'Farrell talks about a career spanning TV, film and books Tickets . Then there's Gallic sneering from Marcel Lucont Tickets or click here to save money on an O'Farrell-Lucont double bill. And at the Colonel Fawcett pub there's a double-bill from Miranda co-writer Paul Kerensa and fellow Christian comic Andy Kind. Tickets

LIVE IN LONDON: Stewart Lee starts a near two-week run at Leicester Square Theatre to promote the DVD release of the third series of his Comedy Vehicle BBC Two series.

LIVE IN LONDON: Meanwhile, at the Soho Theatre, 'cheerfully miserable' Alun Cochrane begins a four-night run of his latest show, wittily entitled Alun Cochrane (Me Neither).

TV: E4 offers a new take on the hidden camera show with Bad Robots, in which the victims are pranked by irritating machinery. It starts at 10pm:

Wednesday November 12

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: Two words: Omid Djalili Tickets

Thursday November 13

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: QI's No Such Thing As A Podcast has sold out, but Tara Flynn will be giving a comic take on how the modest wisdom of the Irishwoman can benefit everyone.Tickets .

TV Puppy Love, the new comedy series about a dog trainer from Getting On duo Joanna Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine, starts its six-part run on BBC Four.

Friday November 14

CHORTLE COMEDY BOOK FESTIVAL: And we close with Francesca Martinez talking about her inspiring, campaigning memoirs to Jeremy Hardy Tickets

Saturday November 15

LIVE IN BLACKPOOL: Peter Kay will be appearing at the Opera House for a Q&A show raising funds for domestic violence victims. But the £38.50 tickets for the event have long since sold out.

LIVE IN LIVERPOOL: One of the circuit's great storytellers, Glenn Wool, headlines the Liverpool Slaughterhouse tonight, alongside local character act Nige and the manic energy of Phil Nichol.

Published: 9 Nov 2014