new season

begins July 28th and is 10 shows long.

I thought it might come back earlier because of no ISIHAC season - but instead they are repeating old ISIHACs which seems a tad odd but there you are.

Incidentally tomorrow (Sunday) is Humph Day on Radio Four with a series of special programmes and tributes.

JAM Manchester

featured Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi and Ian McMillan.

The first show with two debutants since 2004.

Shappi is an Iranian comedian. A biography is here.

Ian is a comedy poet. His website is here.

Welcome both to the JAM family.

Just A Classic Minute 5

is due for release on 10 July. As I've mentioned previously the introes to each of the classic eppies are being shared this time between Nicholas and Paul Merton. I can't wait to hear Paul's views on the four originals - he is a very interesting analyst of comedy as well as being a great practitioner. Hearing his assessment of the comedy of Kenneth Williams will be worth the price of the CD alone for me.

The four classic eppies are

* a 1970s show with the gang of four - Sir Clement Freud, Kenneth Williams, Peter Jones and Derek Nimmo

* a 1982 show featuring Clement, Kenneth, Barry Cryer and Libby Purves

* a 1983 show featuring Clement, Kenneth, Peter and Miles Kington

* a 1998 show featuring Clement, Peter, Paul Merton and Maureen Lipman

Again an interesting selection, especially if you're a fan of Clement or Kenneth or Peter ... I can't wait!

Paul's new job

This from the Sun

IT’LL Be Alright On The Night is returning to our screens – with Paul Merton stepping into Denis Norden’s shoes as host.

ITV bosses called time on the legendary bloopers show two years ago after almost three decades on air.

They pulled the plug when Denis – who wrote his cringeworthy gags himself – decided to retire at the grand old age of 84.

But now an insider says: “While it often only aired once a year, Alright On The Night was one of ITV’s highest rating shows.

“We want to bring it back and Paul has agreed to do it.”

The programme, the first to show backstage blunders, ran from 1977 until 2006 and inspired a spin-off, Denis Norden’s Laughter File.

Have I Got News For You panellist Paul, 50, may well be hoping his new role will help wipe out memories of his last ITV show – the total turkey Thank God You're Here.