A tight 5: October 30

THE RETURN of Mackenzie Crook's Detectorists attracted just under 500,000 viewers last night, or three per cent of the viewing audience, a strong performance for the niche BBC Four. Our review.

DEBRA STEPHENSON, star of Dead Ringers, The Impressions Show and Coronation Street, is to embark on her first national tour, mixing comedy, music and impressions. She has announced ten dates, starting in Salford on February 21.Dates.

THE comedians behind the original US TV series Practical Jokers are coming to Britain to play two dates. The Tenderloins comedy troupe will be playing the Shepherd's Bush Empire on February 27 (Tickets) and the Manchester Academy the following night (Tickets). The gigs are part of their Where's Larry tour, and follow the success of their show on Comedy Central UK.

UNDERBELLY has been named festival of the year at the 2015 London Lifestyle Awards, voted for by readers of the Evening Standard.

STAND-UP John Ryan has won an award handed out by the Royal Society For Public Health. He won the arts and health accolade with Surrey County Council's Maya Twardzicki for their research into whether stand-up comedy was an effective way of spreading a mental health message to military personnel. The research was positive in the short term, but inconclusive beyond that.

Published: 30 Oct 2015