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

Our pick of the comedy on TV, radio and streaming this week…:

Sunday October 27

GENERATION X: Savvy teenagers take on flesh-eating baby-boomers in Ben Wheatley's darkly comic zombie-horror satire, just in time for Halloween. The oldies include Sue Johnston, Anita Dobson, Johnny Vegas and Robert Lindsay, alongside a cast of relative newcomers. Click here for an interview with Wheatley and some quotes from the cast about making such a gory show. Episode 2 is at the same time tomorrow. Channel 4, 9pm

Monday October 28

RICHARD OSMAN'S HOUSE OF GAMES: Comic Ellie White puts her general knowledge skills to the test against Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo, former weather presenter Sian Lloyd and Hollyoaks actor Nick Pickard across this week's shows. BBC Two, 6pm

RHOD GILBERT’S GROWING PAINS: The talk show about guests' embarrassing teenage years returns for a sixth series. In this first episode, Susie Dent recalls a telepathic connection with a sporting icon, Layton Williams's friend dishes the dirt on his worst ever job interview and Dara O'Briain nerds out over 80s computer games. Comedy Central UK, 9pm

Tuesday October 29

TOM PAPA: HOME FREE: In his third Netflix special, out today, the 56-year-old stand-up talks about being an empty nester as his kids are finally out of the house and it's just him, his wife and a bunch of animals…

Thursday October 31

UNSPEAKABLE: Following a pilot earlier this year, Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent return for a full series in this panel show in which guests are challenged to dream up new words for universal, shared concepts and experiences which have always lacked names. In this first episode they are joined by Jack Dee, Ria Lina and Miles Jupp. BBC Radio 4, 6.30pm

MURDER MINDFULLY: This offbeat German comedy-thriller, out out Netflix today, revolves around a lawyer who attends a mindfulness Retreat to restore work-life balance where he unexpectedly becomes a murderer and mastermind for the mob.

Friday November 1

DEAD RINGERS: The impressions-based satire show returns.BBC Radio 4, 6.30pm

HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU: Jo Brand hots – her 35th appearance on the programme – with comedian Nabil Abdulrashid and Times sketch writer Tom Peck joining Paul Merton and Ian Hislop. BBC One, 9pm

THE CLEARNER: In this week's episode, Greg Davies' crime scene cleaner Wicky is heading to a stately home to clean up after the death an estate agen expecting to get a taste of how the other half live. But what he finds is a crumbling old pile ruled by the despotic housekeeper Mrs Barton, as played by Sharon Rooney. BBC One, 9.30pm

THE LAST LEG: Carol Vorderman and Armando Iannucci are this week's guests. Channel 4, 10pm

Saturday November 2

ALEX EDELMAN: JUST FOR US: Six years after being nominated for the Edinburgh comedy award, and after its hit Broadway run, the comic's acclaimed special comes to TV. In it, Edelman talks about how he covertly attended a meeting of white supremacists after receiving a torrent of anti-Semitic threats online, and what happened when he came face-to-face with the people behind the keyboards. This performance of the Tony and Emmy-wining show was filmed at New York's Hudson Theatre. Sky Comedy, 9pm

Published: 27 Oct 2024