Highlights of the comedy week ahead...

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Sunday February 15

LIVE IN LEICESTER: The city's comedy festival continues this week. Tonight's pick has to be Craig Campbell at the Firebug. For full festival details, see the website

LIVE IN SOUTH SHIELDS: Sarah Millican headlines a charity gig at the Customs House that also includes local lads Chris Ramsey and  Jason Cook. Both the 7.30pm show and 3pm matinee are long sold out, but maybe there will be returns. Maybe.

Monday February 16

TV: Rejoice as the splendid silliness of House Of Fools returns to BBC Two. Vic and Bob are again joined by Matt Berry, Morgana Robinson, Dan Skinner and Daniel Simonsen… plus new cast member Ellie White playing a romantic interest for Simonsen's Erik. 10pm

LIVE IN LONDON: There may be a chorus of complaints that there's not enough comedians talking politics these days - but one of those still fighting the fight is the impeccibly-informed Matt Forde, on at the Soho Theatre all week with his 24 Hour Political Party People. He says  the countdown to Election 2015 starts here.

LIVE IN SWANSEA: Rhod Gilbert's currently on something of a hiatus from live comedy, but he's on the bill at the Grand Theatre tonight for a benefit in aid of  Cyrenians Cymru, a homelessness and health charity that was forced into insolvency after becoming a victim of a suspected fraud. The rest of the line-up's pretty impressive, too, with  Jon Richardson, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, Lloyd Langford and Elis James.

Tuesday February 17:

TV: Stephen Merchant's American comedy, Hello Ladies - following the hopeless romantic endeavours of an awkward Englishman in LA - signs off with a feature-length special. Sky Atlantic, 9pm

LIVE IN LONDON: A great idea is matched with a great line-up as Putney Arts Centre in South-West London hosts an under-18s night, produced by the Always Be Comedy team, featuring  Phil Wang, Romesh Ranganathan and Sara Pascoe.

LIVE IN ABERDEEN: Top notch club comic Gary Little - who Chortle ast year praised for his 'vibrant stories of the everyday' - plays the Blue Lamps tonight… and again on March 3 if you can't make this one.

Wednesday February 18

LIVE IN SOUTHEND: Gravel-voiced American grouch Rich Hall kicks off his new tour, 3:10 To Humour, at the Palace Theatre tonight. Here is the ful schedule.

LIVE IN LONDON: Super-middle-class Hal Cruttenden headlines a Labour party fundraiser at the Ministry of Sound that also features ever-affable Patrick Monahan, dependable gag merchant Tiff Stevenson and compere Paul Ricketts.

Thursday February 19

LIVE IN COVENTRY: This year's Chortle Comedy Awards heats kick off in Warwick Uni - the very same place where they started 11 years ago. Who will we discover this year? Ray Peacock comperes.

LIVE IN MANCHESTER: A bit of a treat as the excellent Tom Stade, who's more usually seen touring his own show, spends a weekend in the Frog and Bucket – from tonight to Saturday.

Friday February 20

EXHIBITION: Idil Sukan - the photographer behind loads of Edinburgh and tour posters - exhibits 200 of her portraits of comedians and comedy actors – including an acclaimed series of shots of The Muppet - at the Embassy Tea Gallery in Southwark, South London, from now until to March 9. It's free and open daily from 12pm to 7pm.

RADIO: Radio 4 Extra is re-running the 2006 drama Stan, about the last days of comedy's greatest double act. It’s et in  August, 1957 when Oliver Hardy is not at all well, and his comedy partner Stan Laurel tries to cheer him up. Tom Courtenay takes the lead role as Stan and joining him as Ollie is Ewan Bailey. Radio 4 Extra, 11.15am RADIO: The News Quiz returns, again chaired by Sandi Toksvig, with panellists Susan Calman, Samira Ahmed, Andy Hamilton and Jeremy Hardy. Radio 4, 6.30pm

LIVE IN LONDON: The Phoenix Fringe - or Phringe if you will - is a weekend of (mostly) warm-up gigs in an intimate central London pub basement. Russell Howard, Rich Hall and Katherine Ryan are among those popping by. Listings

Published: 15 Feb 2015