The pick of the comedy week ahead

The best of the comedy week ahead…

Sunday January 31

TV: Here's a chance to reappraise the underrated The Armando Iannucci Shows, now the titular creator has returned to Blighty after show running Veep for HBO. The Gold channel is re-running his sketch series from 2001, starting with this episode in which Iannucci worries about looking like a twat in front of other people. 11.40pm

LIVE IN LONDON: If you hurry you might make it to the final of the Naty new act competition, which always throws up an eclectic selection of comedy rookies. Hosted by Arthur Smith, this afternoon's showcase at the Leicester Square Theatre (which starts at 2.30pm) features Bilal Zafar, Dave Green,Jimmy Bird, Luca Cupani, Svetlana The Oligarch's Wife, Revan & Fennel, Josh Pugh, Thomas Rackham, Emma Sidl, President Obonjo, James (Mr Spooky) Murphy, Patrick Brusnahan and Bucket.

LIVE IN BANCHORY: Rich Hall chooses the Aberdeenshire burgh to launch his latest batch of dates in his 3:10 To Humour tour, which is in Scotland until February 10 before heading South Of The Border. Schedule.

Monday February 1

LIVE IN LONDON: Simon Day's Gabrielesque music icon, Brian Pern, self-proclaimed inventor of world music, celebrates his long artistic career at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue tonight with the help of Rhys Thomas, Lucy Montgomery and others.

LIVE IN LONDON: Adam Hills, Harry Hill and Tim Vine would always be worth £20 of your money. And when you consider that their show at the Comedy Store is a benefit for the Children's Trust, it surely becomes a no-brainer…

LIVE IN LONDON: Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee and acclaimed multimedia comic Joseph Morpurgo's ambitious character show Soothing Sounds For Baby, based around a fictional appearance on Desert Island Discs, transfers to Soho Theatre for two weeks from tonight. Click here for our review.

LIVE IN LONDON: Yes, you are spoiled for choice in the capital tonight! Nick Thune, the American comedian and actor you might know from the movie Knocked Up begins a six-night run of his absurdist stand-up at the Soho Theatre.

Wednesday February 3

LIVE IN LEICESTER: The Leicester Comedy Festival - sorry Dave's Leicester Comedy festival – kicks off with 780 shows across 18 days. That's a show for every 500 people who live in the city, making it the biggest comedy festival in England. Full show details are available by searching here.

LIVE IN LONDON: There's a strong bill at the 99 Club in Leicester Square tonight with the very funny threesome of Ed Gamble, Iain Stirling and James Acaster, all being introduced by top compere Toby Hadoke.

TV: Drunk History returns for a second series of comedians getting pissed as they tell a true historical story. Episode one includes Jack Whitehall in The Rise and Fall of Sir Walter Raleigh and Emma Bunton and Matthew Baynton in the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marion, with Jimmy Carr again providing the commentary. 10pm

Thursday February 4

LIVE IN LEICESTER: There are a couple of bigger names at the festival tonight - Reeves and Mortimer and Richard Herring - but why not try the high-impact showmanship of Joel Dommett, from Sky 1's shiny-floor music panel show Bring the Noise, with his stand-up show Conquer. Review.

LIVE IN YORK: Self-deprecation from Jonny Pelham and self-analysis from Sean McLoughlin combine with the brash multimedia spectacle of David Trent and the everyman charm of Jim Smallman to make for a stonking gig at the Sitting Room comedy club at the Best Western Monkbar Hotel.

Friday February 5

LIVE IN POOLE: Eccentric adventure-seeker Tim FitzHigham kicks off a 15-date tour of his show The Gambler, in which he takes on some of the strangest wagers in history. It's the show that inspired his Radio 4 series of the same name. Click here for dates.

LIVE IN LEICESTER: Tonight's comedy festival pick is great Dane Sofie Hagen, pictured, performing her Edinburgh best-newcomer-winning show Bubblewrap, It's all about her sense of identity, and is on at The Criterion. Review.

LIVE IN NOTTINGHAM: Leicester doesn't have the monopoly on great East Midlands comedy this week, as the Nottingham Glee has the superlative James Acaster and former BBC New Comedy Award winner Angela Barnes on its bill both tonight and tomorrow.

ON DEMAND: Hannibal Buress's latest special, Comedy Camisaro, debuts on Netflix tonight. Read our review of the live show as it passed through London here.

Saturday February 6

LIVE IN LEICESTER: Tonight's comedy festival pick is a double bill of full-length shows from Pappy's funsters Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry, both offering silly fun at Hanson Hall.