Thinking person’s stand-up Stewart Lee has been in the wilderness for years in terms of his TV career and it seems he is as surprised as anyone at the BBC that he has suddenly been restored to the box in his own series.
After trying out material for a projected series last year while performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, then having the planned pilot inexplicably cancelled, Stewart turned his dry wit on the prospects of finally getting the stand-up and sketch series on after the pilot was recommissioned and filmed in front of a club audience in London in January.
He said: “Thanks to everyone who came to the recording. Everything went really well on the following two days’ filming too. Now the series will be officially turned down around mid-Feb, we expect.”
But he was wrong about that, which is good news for fans starved of Stewart’s wit on prime-time TV since his Fist of Fun series with comedy parter Lee Herring in the mid-90s.
While he’s been away, Lee has become one of the finest stand-ups on the circuit and created a major box office hit (which also came to TV) by co-writing and directing stage show Jerry Springer The Opera – which was as controversial as it was hilarious.
The new series kicks off with a great theme tune – African instrumental Tom Hark – and takes a different theme each week, starting with Books, or rather Toilet Books.
On bad boy Russell Brand’s autobiography, Stewart thinks you should flush it away rather than read it. He says: “You can read it and dismiss it as rubbish or dismiss it as rubbish without even reading it – well that would save you a bit of time…”
Chris Moyles, Dan Brown and JK Rowling also get the treatment.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter