The best of the week's comedy on TV and radio

The best of the week's comedy on TV and radio.

Sunday June 18

AUSTENTATIOUS: The hit improv format comes to Radio 4, as the talented team come up with a half-hour story in the style of Jane Austen, based only on a title suggested by the studio audience. The cast are Amy Cooke-Hodgson, Graham Dickson, Charlotte Gittins, Cariad Lloyd, Joseph Morpurgo, Andrew Hunter Murray Rachel Parris, Daniel Nils Roberts, with violin by Oliver Izod. Radio 4, 7.15pm

Thursday June 22

HOST THE WEEK: I’m A Celebrity winner Scarlett Moffatt is the first guest host for this new topical comedy entertainment show with a twist. She won't have a rehearsal, won't have a script and won't have any idea of what's coming next. But a regular cast of improvisers and character comedians will help (or hinder) her. Channel 4, 9pm

Friday June 23

TRACEY BREAKS THE NEWS: Following her successful sketch show return to the BBC, Tracey Ullman presents this one-off that’s more political and topical than usual. It also features Ullman’s first impression of Theresa May - which will be topical if May is somehow still Prime Minister by Friday - as well as favourites Angela Merkel and Nicola Sturgeon.BBC One, 9.30pm

THE CRYSTAL MAZE: Not strictly comedy, but the newly revived series is hosted by Richard Ayoade, while this celebrity special features The Last Leg’s Alex Brooker among its contestants. The others are Ore Oduba, Vicky Pattison, Lydia Bright and Louie Spence. Channel 4, 9pm

Saturday June 24

METAMORPHOSIS: Comics including Tom Basden, Tim Key and Emma Sidi star in this new Radio 4 version of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Basden plays the lead role of Gregor Samsa, who awakes one morning transformed into a giant insect. Sidi plays his younger sister, Grete, and Felicity Montagu and Cuckoo actor Kenneth Collard play his parents. Key plays a pest controller and fellow comic Mike Bubbins plays a character called Mr Lazarus. Radio 4, 2.30pm

Published: 18 Jun 2017