British Comedy Guide or BCG (formerly the British Sitcom Guide or BSG) is a British website covering British comedies.[1][2] BCG publishes guides to TV and radio situation comedy, sketch shows, comedy dramas, satire, variety and panel games. The website also runs The Comedy.co.uk Awards and hosts multiple podcast series.
 | |
 Screenshot of the British Comedy Guide homepage on 15 January 2016. | |
Type of site | TV, radio, and film guide of British comedy |
|---|---|
| Owner | Mark Boosey and Aaron Brown |
| URL | comedy.co.uk |
| Registration | Required to post (free) |
| Launched | August 2003 |
| Current status | Active |
Reportedly, British Comedy Guide attracts over 500,000 unique visitors a month, making it Britain's most-visited comedy-related reference website.[3]
Background
edit
.jpg)
The website was founded in August 2003 initially as the British Sitcom Guide (BSG), a website focused on British sitcom TV programmes. The website was created by Mark Boosey, a freelance web developer, originally as a hobby.[1] However, in 2008, the remit of the website was relaunched as British Comedy Guide. Other features added since the site's re-launch in 2008 include a series of podcasts, a section featuring interviews with people working in the British comedy industry, and a Twitter-based news service.
The website went through another relaunch in 2016, where it underwent a redesign of the layout and a new logo which depicts a yellow crown on the word 'Guide'.
In 2015, BCG's data specialist Ian Wolf was awarded the inaugural "Unsung Hero" at the first FringePig Ham Fist awards for his work collating reviews during that year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[4]
Key people
edit| Ref | Joined | Person | Job Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| [5] | 2003 | Mark Boosey | Site Editor |
| [6] | 2005 | Aaron Brown | Noise |
| [7] | 2006 | Ian Dunn (aka Ian Wolf) | Data Specialist |
| [8] | 2009 | Si Hawkins | Regular Columnist |
Podcasts
editBCG hosts multiple podcasts, some of which have gone on to win awards. As It Occurs To Me was nominated for a Sony Radio Academy Award in 2010,[9] Do The Right Thing won the Bronze Sony Award for "Best Internet Programme" in 2012,[10] Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown won the 2012 Loaded Lafta award for "Best Podcast",[11] and Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast won the Bronze Sony Radio Award for comedy in 2013.[12]
In June 2013, an episode of Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast saw host Richard Herring interviewing Stephen Fry, in which Fry revealed that he had attempted to commit suicide. The story has been reported in the BBC and Sky News.[13][14]
The podcasts hosted by BCG are:[15]
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| The Collings and Herrin Podcast | 2008–2011 |
| Richard Herring: As It Occurs To Me | 2009–2011 |
| What Are You Laughing At? | 2011–2014 |
| Richard Herring's Edinburgh Fringe Podcast | 2011–present |
| Me1 vs Me2 Snooker with Richard Herring | 2011–present |
| Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown | 2011–present |
| Do The Right Thing | 2011–2019 |
| Talking Cock With Richard Herring | 2012–2013 |
| Live From Kirrin Island | 2012–2015 |
| Mat Ricardo's London Varieties | 2012–2013 |
| No Pressure To Be Funny | 2011–2015 |
| Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast | 2012–present |
| The John Dredge Nothing To Do With Anything Show | 2013–2020 |
| The Comedian's Comedian with Stuart Goldsmith | 2013–present |
| Richard Herring: We're All Going To Die | 2013 |
| Margaret Thatcher Queen of Podcasts | 2015 |
| Sitcom Geeks | 2015–2023 |
| My Dad Wrote a Porno | 2015–2022 |
| ManBuyCow | 2015–present |
| Richard Herring: Happy Now? | 2016 |
| Isy Suttie's The Things We Do For Love | 2016–present |
| The Adventures of Grett Binchleaf | 2016–present |
| Hayley & Ruth: Two Stars | 2016–present |
The Comedy.co.uk Awards
editIn January 2007, the website launched The British Sitcom Guide Awards, which were later renamed The British Comedy Guide Awards and are now known as The Comedy.co.uk Awards.[16] The Comedy.co.uk Awards name the "best" and "worst" programme in each category.[17] The 2016 awards changed the format, removing the "worst" categories.
In order to be considered for a Comedy.co.uk Award, a programme must be a British comedy which has had at least one new episode broadcast on British TV or radio between 1 January and 31 December of the previous year. The only exception is shows which span across the new year, in which case it is nominated only in the first of the years.[16]
The British Comedy Guide Editors' Award is an award voted for just by the controllers of the guide, and is given "to the show, person, channel, or indeed anything else comedy related that deserves some recognition."[18]
2006
editThe first awards were presented in January 2007 and were known at the time as The British Sitcom Guide Awards 2006 but have since been renamed. Below are the awards.[18]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | The IT Crowd | Bo! in the USA |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Green Wing (Series 2) | My Hero (Series 6) |
| British TV Sitcom Special | The Vicar of Dibley | The Green Green Grass |
| British TV Sketch Show | That Mitchell and Webb Look | Tittybangbang |
| British TV Panel Show / Satire | QI | Best of the Worst |
| Best and Worst of David Mitchell | That Mitchell and Webb Look | Blunder |
| Comedy Of The Year | Green Wing | — |
| Editors' Award | The Complete Guide to Parenting | — |
2007
editThe second awards were presented in January 2008, originally under the title The British Sitcom Guide Awards 2007. Below are the awards.[19]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Gavin & Stacey | The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Peep Show (Series 4) | Hyperdrive (Series 2) |
| British TV Sitcom Special | Extras | To the Manor Born |
| British TV Sketch Show | The Armstrong and Miller Show | The Catherine Tate Show |
| British TV Panel Show / Satire | QI | And Then You Die |
| Comedy Of The Year | The IT Crowd | Tittybangbang |
| Editors' Award | Outnumbered | — |
2008
editThe third awards were presented in January 2009 and were the first to include radio shows. The 2008 awards were known as the British Comedy Guide Awards 2008, but were renamed in 2009 to reflect the website's new URL. Below are the awards.[20]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | The Inbetweeners | Lab Rats |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Outnumbered (Series 2) | Coming of Age (Series 2) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency | The Lost Weblog of Scrooby Trevithick[fn 1] |
| British TV Sketch Show | Harry and Paul | Little Miss Jocelyn |
| British Radio Sketch Show | Laura Solon: Talking and Not Talking | Tilt[fn 2] |
| British TV Panel Show / Satire | Harry Hill's TV Burp | The Wall |
| British Radio Panel Show / Satire | The Now Show | Act Your Age |
| Comedy Of The Year | Peep Show | Coming of Age |
| Editors' Award | Bleak Expectations | — |
2009
editThe fourth awards were presented in January 2010. Below are the awards.[17][21]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Psychoville | Big Top |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Peep Show (Series 6) | Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (Series 8) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Bleak Expectations | Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! |
| British TV Sketch Show | That Mitchell and Webb Look | Horne & Corden |
| British Radio Sketch Show | That Mitchell and Webb Sound | Ayres on the Air |
| British TV Panel Show / Satire | QI | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show / Satire | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | The Christian O'Connell Solution |
| Comedy Of The Year | The Thick of It | Horne & Corden |
| Editors' Award | Horrible Histories / Sorry I've Got No Head | — |
2010
editThe fifth awards were presented in January 2011. Below are the awards.[22]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | The Trip | Trinny & Susannah: From Boom To Bust |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Peep Show (Series 7) | Coming of Age (Series 2) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Another Case of Milton Jones | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | That Mitchell and Webb Look | Frankie Boyle's Tramadol Nights |
| British Radio Sketch Show | Sarah Millican's Support Group | — |
| British TV Panel Show | QI | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | Newswipe with Charle Brooker | James Corden's World Cup Live |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | French and Saunders | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Misfits | Shameless |
| Comedy of The Year | Miranda | Mrs Brown's Boys |
| Editors' Award | Roy Clarke | — |
2011
editThe sixth awards were presented on 23 January 2012.[23] Below are the awards.[24]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Spy | Mrs. Brown's Boys |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Absolutely Fabulous (2011 Special) | Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (Series 9) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Cabin Pressure | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | Horrible Histories | Lee Nelson's Well Good Show |
| British Radio Sketch Show | John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme | — |
| British TV Panel Show | Would I Lie To You? | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show | The Unbelievable Truth | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | The Graham Norton Show | The Ricky Gervais Show (animated series) |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | French and Saunders | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Fresh Meat | Shameless |
| Comedy of The Year | Horrible Histories | Mrs. Brown's Boys |
| Editors' Award | Sky Television | — |
2012
editThe seventh awards were presented on 21 January 2013.[25] Below are the awards.[26]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Hebburn | Lemon La Vida Loca |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Miranda (Series 3) | Mrs. Brown's Boys (Series 3) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Bleak Expectations | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | Horrible Histories | Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy |
| British Radio Sketch Show | John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme | — |
| British TV Panel Show | QI | Chris Moyles' Quiz Night |
| British Radio Panel Show | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | The Graham Norton Show | — |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | Mark Steel's in Town | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Fresh Meat | Shameless |
| Comedy of The Year | Miranda | — |
| Editors' Award | Threesome | — |
2013
editThe eighth awards were presented on 20 January 2014.[27] Below are the awards.[28]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | The Wrong Mans | The Wright Way |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | The IT Crowd (Final special) | Mrs. Brown's Boys (Series 4) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Cabin Pressure | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | Horrible Histories | Lee Nelson's Well Funny People |
| British Radio Sketch Show | That Mitchell and Webb Sound | — |
| British TV Panel Show | Would I Lie to You? | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | The Graham Norton Show | That Puppet Game Show |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | Susan Calman is Convicted | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Fresh Meat | Shameless |
| Comedy of The Year | Would I Lie to You? | The Wright Way |
| Editors' Award | ITV | — |
2014
editThe ninth awards were presented on 26 January 2015.[29] Below are the awards.[30]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Detectorists | Catherine Tate's Nan |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Miranda (Final specials) | Mrs. Brown's Boys (2014-15 specials) |
| British Radio Sitcom | Cabin Pressure | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | Horrible Histories | Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy |
| British Radio Sketch Show | John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme | — |
| British TV Panel Show | Would I Lie to You? | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | The Graham Norton Show | Dapper Laughs: On the Pull |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | Susan Calman is Convicted | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Inside No. 9 | Jonathan Creek |
| Comedy of The Year | Cabin Pressure | Dapper Laughs: On The Pull |
| Editors' Award | Blandings | — |
2015
editThe tenth awards were presented on 1 February 2016. Below are the awards.[31]
| Award | Best | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| New British TV Sitcom | Peter Kay's Car Share | Hoff the Record |
| Returning British TV Sitcom | Peep Show (Series 9) | Mrs. Brown's Boys (2015-16 specials) |
| British Radio Sitcom | John Finnemore's Double Acts | — |
| British TV Sketch Show | Horrible Histories | The Keith Lemon Sketch Show |
| British Radio Sketch Show | Dead Ringers | — |
| British TV Panel Show | Would I Lie to You? | Celebrity Juice |
| British Radio Panel Show | I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue | — |
| British TV Entertainment Show | The Graham Norton Show | Keith Lemon's Back T'Future Tribute |
| British Radio Entertainment Show | Mark Steel's in Town | — |
| British TV Comedy Drama | Inside No. 9 | A Gert Lush Christmas |
| Comedy of The Year | Peter Kay's Car Share | Mrs. Brown's Boys |
| Editors' Award | Ballot Monkeys | — |
2016
editThe 11th awards were presented on 23 January 2016. Below are the nominations and winners.[32]
| Best New TV Sitcom | Best Returning TV Sitcom |
|---|---|
|
|
| Best Radio Sitcom | Best TV Sketch Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Sketch Show | Best TV Panel Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Panel Show | Best TV Entertainment Show |
| Best Radio Entertainment Show | Best TV Comedy Drama |
| Comedy of the Year | N/A |
| Red Dwarf | — |
2017
editThe 12th awards were presented on 29 January 2017. Below are the nominations and winners.[33]
| Best New TV Sitcom | Best Returning TV Sitcom |
|---|---|
|
|
| Best Radio Sitcom | Best TV Sketch Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Sketch Show | Best TV Panel Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Panel Show | Best TV Entertainment Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Entertainment Show | Best TV Comedy Drama |
|
|
| Comedy of the Year | N/A |
| Inside No. 9 | — |
2018
editThe 13th awards were presented on 4 February 2019. Below are the nominations and winners.[34]
| Best New TV Sitcom | Best Returning TV Sitcom |
|---|---|
| |
| Best Radio Sitcom | Best TV Sketch Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Sketch Show | Best TV Panel Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Panel Show | Best TV Entertainment Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Entertainment Show | Best TV Comedy Drama |
|
|
| Comedy of the Year | N/A |
| Inside No. 9 | — |
2019
editThe 14th awards were presented on 27 January 2020. Below are the nominations and winners.[35]
| Best New TV Sitcom | Best Returning TV Sitcom |
|---|---|
| |
| Best Radio Sitcom | Best TV Sketch Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Sketch Show | Best TV Panel Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Panel Show | Best TV Entertainment Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Entertainment Show | Best TV Comedy Drama |
|
|
| Comedy of the Year | N/A |
| Good Omens | — |
2020
editThe 15th awards were presented on 8 February 2021. Below are the nominations and winners.[36]
| Best New TV Sitcom | Best Returning TV Sitcom |
|---|---|
| |
| Best Radio Sitcom | Best TV Sketch Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Sketch Show | Best TV Panel Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Panel Show | Best TV Entertainment Show |
|
|
| Best Radio Entertainment Show | Best TV Comedy Drama |
|
|
| Comedy of the Year | N/A |
| After Life | — |
Footnotes
edit- ^ This show did collect the most votes, but too few were cast overall in order to provide a definitive "winner".[20]
- ^ This show did collect the most votes, but too few were cast overall in order to provide a definitive "winner". Suspicion was also raised that a significant number of the negative votes may have been cast by users who had unsuccessfully submitted material for the series, and were voting against it as an act of revenge rather than as a fair reflection of its quality.[20]
References
edit- ^ a b "About the British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
- ^ "British Comedy Guide on Listorious". Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ "Mark Boosey". Such Small Portions. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016.
- ^ "Inaugural FringePig Ham Fist Prize Winners Announced". British Comedy Guide. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
- ^ "Mark". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Brown, Aaron. "Aaron Brown". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ Wolf, Ian. "Ian Wolf". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Hawkins, Si. "Circuit Training". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ "Sony Radio Award nominees announced". British Comedy Guide. 6 April 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ "Sony Radio Academy Award 2012: Best Internet Programme". Sony Radio Academy Awards. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ Mann, Andrea (9 February 2012). "The Laftas 2012: Who Won What At Loaded Magazine's Comedy Awards". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ "Sony Radio Academy Award 2013: Best Comedy". Sony Radio Academy Awards. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Stephen Fry reveals he attempted suicide in 2012". BBC News. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Stephen Fry Reveals 2012 Suicide Attempt". Sky News. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Podcasts". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ a b "The Comedy.co.uk Awards". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ a b "Horne & Corden win awards : News 2010 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide".
- ^ a b "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2006". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2007". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ a b c "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2008". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2009". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2010". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ "Winners of The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2011 announced". British Comedy Guide. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2011". British Comedy Guide. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Brown, Aaron (23 January 2013). "Miranda picks up top Comedy.co.uk Awards titles". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2012". British Comedy Guide. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ "Comedy fans name 'Would I Lie To You?' best show of 2013". British Comedy Guide. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2013". British Comedy Guide. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ "Comedy.co.uk Awards 2014 results announced". British Comedy Guide. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2014". British Comedy Guide. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2015". British Comedy Guide. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2016". British Comedy Guide. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2017". British Comedy Guide. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- ^ "The Comedy.co.uk Awards 2018". British Comedy Guide. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Comedy.co.uk Awards 2019 winners revealed". British Comedy Guide. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020 winners revealed". British Comedy Guide. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.