Rowland Rivron

Described by Bono as 'the Noel Coward of our generation’, the singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl would have turned 65 this year had her life not been tragically cut short in December 2000. Signed at the age of just 19 after being the backing singer for a failed punk band, Kirsty went on to write and record songs that spanned genres, including rockabilly, pop and South American. She had hits like A New England and Days and sang a key part in one of the nation’s favourite Christmas songs, Fairytale of New York. Respected by those who worked alongside her, including Billy Bragg, Johnny Marr, Jools Holland and many others, she has left a legacy that is still valued today. This programme brings together performances that highlight the wit and intelligence of this unique performer

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Documentary about the beginnings and the Channel 4 years of the Comic Strip.

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After accidentally killing a mutual friend, a hitman is taken into the forest to make amends

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This documentary explores the legacy of one of the most notorious British sitcoms of all time. Launching alternative comedy onto our screens, the show made household names of its performers and writers and proved to be a huge influence, despite the BBC reportedly being baffled by what they'd commissioned back in 1982. Never before had a flagship comedy show contained so much violence, depravity and anarchy - it was a shot across the bow to mainstream comedians that things would never be the same again.

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Comedian Rik Mayall died suddenly on 9 June 2014. Mayall's blend of rocket-fuelled physical comedy, surrealism, subversive satire and pompous punk wit left a body of work that spanned four decades. Mayall's characters include the Black Country's investigative nerd Kevin Turvey, Felicity Kendal-adoring student and 'People's Poet' Rik in The Young Ones, ruthless MP Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman, seedy loser Richie in Bottom and larger-than-life characters Robin Hood and flying ace Lord Flashheart from Blackadder. Narrated by Simon Callow, this programme salutes Rik Mayall and celebrates his part in the UK's comedy history using rare and unseen archive footage. It also features contributions from people who knew or admired him, including Michael Palin, Simon Pegg, Lenny Henry, Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Christopher Ryan, Tim McInnerny, Jools Holland, Ruby Wax and Greg Davies.

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Celebrities perform famous dance routines in front of a panel of judges to raise money for the Sport Relief appeal, with viewers voting for their favourites.

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If you don’t know about The Ruts, you should. A pivotal UK punk band, Henry Rollins frequently refers to their album The Crack as the “best album ever made” and the band make frequent appearances on his radio show, Harmony In My Head. Guitarist Paul Fox of the legendary punk band The Ruts was diagnosed with cancer, and members of the music community rallied to London to perform a one-night only benefit concert to raise funds to help with Paul’s medical bills. The show, held on July 16, 2007 featured the remaining members of the band (lead singer Malcolm Owen died in 1980) regrouped with Henry Rollins taking over the lead. Additional performances by Tom Robinson, The Damned, Misty in Roots, UK Subs, Splodge, John Otway and the Peafish House Band which featured Lee Harris, (The Blockheads), Tony Barber of The Buzzcocks and Rowland Rivron , who backed Edward Tudor-Pole and TV Smith (Wikipedia.com).

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Eight celebrities with a passion for darts step up to the oche to see if they have what it takes to become the first Showbiz Darts Champion.

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Britain's top chefs compete for the chance to cook a four-course banquet for a high-profile figure.

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Britain's Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2004 by the BBC, to identify the United Kingdom's best sitcom. Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite by phone, text message and on the web. The top ten went forward to a final round of voting. Ten, one hour long programmes were made before the final round, each about one of the Top 10, the programmes consisting of a celebrity speaking on behalf of their chosen sitcom as well as interviews with the stars and people that made it. Each of these programmes consisted of the celebrity advocating the sitcom giving a list of reasons as to why viewers should vote for the sitcom being advocated, as well as featuring plugs from other famous fans of each sitcom. Jonathan Ross hosted the countdown show.

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TV-based spin-off of A Question of Sport.

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Bernard Chumley and Anthony Rogers investigate a number of country estates while searching for the Golden Potato, an advertising stunt which would win them a year's supply of Allen's Crisps.

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A comedy-based quiz show with questions based on sex and sexuality.

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Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme. The show is infamous for its dry, sarcastic humour and scathing, provocative attacks on the pop industry.

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Clive (Kevin McNally) and Carol Smith (Rebecca Lacey) are a Merseyside couple who are struggling to raise their two teenage children, Wayne (Scott Neal) and Debbie (Heather Jones)

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Talented chefs battle it out against the clock, creating delicious dishes in 20 minutes

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There's No Business... is a 1994 British partially improvised comedy film directed by Kevin Molony and produced by Claudia Lloyd for Prospect Pictures. It stars Raw Sex (Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron) as Ken Bishop and his stepson Duane, and Lee Cornes as their musical agent Dickie Valentino, in their attempt to remake a track by Ken's old band, 'The Nice Twelve' for a TV advert for 'Pinkies', a brand of kitchen gloves made by Mort Clayton (Mac McDonald). Alexander Armstrong (Tim) and Sam Graham (Fergus) work for the fictional advertising agency Sprote and Sprote. The film takes its name from the 1954 film There's No Business Like Show Business which itself borrowed the 1946 song of the same name by Irving Berlin, written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

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The likes of Antoine de Caunes, Jean Paul Gaultier, Davina McCall, and Lolo Ferrari are your guides to the weird and wonderful in Europe and beyond. How else would you learn about pubic hairdressers, the Penis Olympics, or the latest Japanese sex toys?

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In the tradition of the acclaimed series of British concerts known as The Secret Policemen's Ball, Amnesty International celebrates its 50th Anniversary live at Radio City Music Hall.

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The Word was a 1990s Channel 4 television programme in the United Kingdom. The show pushed forward the boundaries of youth TV, always coming close to going too far.

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Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders perform a live comedy show in London's West End at the world famous Shaftesbury Theatre, in front of a hugely appreciative sell-out audience. Over an hour of hilarious sketches and gags, with support provided by Raw Sex (Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron as Ken and Duane Bishop).

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An eccentric documentarian encounters a naked Martian and decides to show him around London.

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After the criticisms of the 1987 show’s disproportionate focus on music - and the financial disaster of its music-only Festival Of Youth weekend concert in 1988, Amnesty returned to the original formula that had been so successful in the 1976-1981 era with a primary focus on comedy. Pat Duffy was dropped from organising any further benefit events for Amnesty and for the 1989 show, Amnesty hired producer Judith Holder.

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Alex is a disgruntled waiter at a snobby exclusive restaurant who falls on hard times. Forced to deal with the contempt and disgust of the upper class, Alex & cohorts attempt to go on a rampage. Meanwhile, General Karprov and Spider plot to involve the inept anarchists into their plans to derail the prime-minister-to-be's campaign.

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French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comic duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. It is also the name by which the performers are known on the occasions when they appear elsewhere as a double act.

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Whilst delivering toilet rolls to a recording studio, small-time crook Keith pockets a demo tape by the newly disbanded group Toy Department, which he takes to a promoter, Brian. Together they have a chart hit with the 'mystery' group but complications arise when Brian wants a live tour.

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The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, who do parodies of films, literature and sometimes major events.

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A week in the life of Redditch investigative reporter Kevin Turvey. As you would expect, not a lot happens!

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There's No Business... is a 1994 British partially improvised comedy film directed by Kevin Molony and produced by Claudia Lloyd for Prospect Pictures. It stars Raw Sex (Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron) as Ken Bishop and his stepson Duane, and Lee Cornes as their musical agent Dickie Valentino, in their attempt to remake a track by Ken's old band, 'The Nice Twelve' for a TV advert for 'Pinkies', a brand of kitchen gloves made by Mort Clayton (Mac McDonald). Alexander Armstrong (Tim) and Sam Graham (Fergus) work for the fictional advertising agency Sprote and Sprote. The film takes its name from the 1954 film There's No Business Like Show Business which itself borrowed the 1946 song of the same name by Irving Berlin, written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

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Two alcoholic escorts suddenly find themselves involved with a hit gang and an ax murderer.

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Alex is a disgruntled waiter at a snobby exclusive restaurant who falls on hard times. Forced to deal with the contempt and disgust of the upper class, Alex & cohorts attempt to go on a rampage. Meanwhile, General Karprov and Spider plot to involve the inept anarchists into their plans to derail the prime-minister-to-be's campaign.

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A successful television presenter decides to quit at the height of his stardom. Abducted from his apartment, he is brought to the village...

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