Four decades after we wrote Yes Minister, politics is still reduced to the pleasure of power | Jonathan Lynn

Our sitcom character Jim Hacker continues to cling on – as he takes to the West End stage, nothing has really changedWhen people praised Tony Jay and me for Yes Minister’s prescience, we accepted the compliments graciously. But the reason the TV series…

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‘Shakespeare? I’d have a go!’ Paul Chuckle on his 50-year comedy career and his new gangster film

As he dons sunglasses to play a tough guy on screen, the actor, AKA Paul Elliott, answers your questions about moustaches, Gogglebox, Bond, Judge Jules, Liam Gallagher and missing his brother, BarryPaul, you must rank as one of the most committed moust…

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Rab C Nesbitt actor Gregor Fisher: ‘People say: I didn’t realise you could speak properly!’

He’s been in everything from Love Actually to Shakespeare with Al Pacino – but will he always be thought of as the string-vest-wearing boozy Glaswegian? Ahead of a tour as himself, the actor and Instagram cookery guru looks backFew actors are more inde…

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‘Everyone’s gonna hate me!’ Nick Mohammed need not fear – Celebrity Traitors fans will love his fabulous comedy

A fringe favourite for his Houdini and Dracula spoofs, ‘comedy’s best kept secret’ has finally had his breakout moment – in the least likely fashionWhen Nick Mohammed first toured his latest live offering, Show Pony, in spring this year, he’d already f…

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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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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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‘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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