Prunella Scales was a queen of comedy with a passion for classical theatre

The actor best known as TV’s Sybil Fawlty dazzled over five decades on stage, in roles from from Shakespeare to Alan Bennett • Fawlty Towers actor Prunella Scales dies at the age of 93Prunella Scales will always be remembered for her TV performances in…

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Ardal O’Hanlon: ‘I fell asleep on stage once – I could hear someone doing my material, got annoyed and woke up’

In the lead-up to the new series of Return to Paradise, the actor and comedian talks Father Dougal’s knitwear, Van Morrison and his disappointing sauerkrautGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWhat’s the longest word you can make out of the lette…

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BBC sitcom Two Doors Down to be adapted for the stage with full TV cast

The hit Scottish comedy about suburban neighbours will move from screen to stage next year at Glasgow’s HydroTwo Doors Down, the BBC comedy series about a suburban Scottish couple with constantly knocking neighbours, is to be brought to the stage.Unusu…

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Tom Rosenthal: ‘I quickly forget nice gigs and will take bad ones to the grave’

The Friday Night Dinner star on returning to standup, being inspired by Arctic Monkeys and his bugbears with the comedy industryHow did you get into comedy?I was in a public speaking club at school and competed internationally. I am greatly indebted to…

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Tom Rosenthal: ‘I quickly forget nice gigs and will take bad ones to the grave’

The Friday Night Dinner star on returning to standup, being inspired by Arctic Monkeys and his bugbears with the comedy industryHow did you get into comedy?I was in a public speaking club at school and competed internationally. I am greatly indebted to…

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Rosie O’Donnell: ‘Meat Loaf’s mother wrote me and said, “You can’t be mean to my son”’

The beloved host and comedian on blubbering fans, scary kangaroos, her favourite Irish person and the strangest job she has ever hadGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailYour show is called Common Knowledge. What do you think should be common know…

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What Have I Done? by Ben Elton review – a curious mixture of insight and rampaging ego

The Young Ones and Blackadder creator is sharp on the workings of the comedy industry – and not shy about listing his celebrity admirersBen Elton admits he has a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way. In 1975, three weeks after his arrival at the St…

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What Have I Done? by Ben Elton review – a curious mixture of insight and rampaging ego

The Young Ones and Blackadder creator is sharp on the workings of the comedy industry – and not shy about listing his celebrity admirersBen Elton admits he has a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way. In 1975, three weeks after his arrival at the St…

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‘My past was chaos’: Iain Lee on abuse, cocaine, comedy, his on-air breakdown and his ‘sex addict’ father

The broadcaster and comedian has been delighting and outraging audiences for almost 30 years. Off-air, his life has lurched from crisis to crisis. Has he finally found peace?It’s nearly three decades since Iain Lee roamed the streets for Channel 4’s 11…

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Ania Magliano: ‘My favourite gig? I did some material about vibrators and a 92-year-old gave me tips on different settings’

The standup on Taskmaster, her time in the Cambridge Footlights and the geniuses behind Colin the CaterpillarWhat made you get into comedy?
In primary school I wasn’t very cool. I never got Hula Hoops in my packed lunches because my Polish mum would g…

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