Idle and Brand close the Olympics and Manchester's Comedy Festival closes down: last 72 hours in comedy

The world of comedy provided the biggest three WTF moments of the Olympic closing ceremony (Boris Johnson notwithstanding). An Only Fools' Robin Reliant blew up on stage to the confusion of anyone not British; Russell Brand unexpectedly nailed I Am The Walrus; and Eric Idle led the stadium in Always Look On The Bright Side of Life, before acting the goat in front of some Indian dancers. SSP

 

The Manchester Comedy Festival has been axed, as a victim of government spending cuts. The Guardian

 

David Earl and Brett Goldstein have co-written the latest Channel 4 Comedy Blaps to be commissioned. Channel 4

 

Channel 4 have a new pilot to throw at Micky Flanagan. British Comedy Guide

 

Julia Davis had a chat about her new show on Sky Atlantic, Hunderby. We're rewatching Nighty Night at the moment and it remains the nuts. Guardian

 

Gareth Morinan writes in the Indy that there is a 'squeezed middle in comedy', before writing an anecdote involving Stewart Lee that ends in him referring to him as 'Stew'. The Independent

 

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