This year has been very Monty Python-centric. No complaints from me. This morning I did an enjoyable pre-record for John Fardy at Newstalk Radio in Ireland. It’s due to air next Thursday, which marks 40 years since the last television episode was broadcast on the BBC. Tempus fugit. As do circuses!

A splendid week of West End theatre kicked off on Friday evening with ‘Shakespeare in Love’ at the Noel Coward. A stunning realization of the film by director Declan Donnellan, Tom Bateman’s energetic and winning Will Shakespeare leads an excellent cast. The following day it was the annual embrace of the murder pantomime that is ‘The Mousetrap’! This year’s experience had a poignant edge since the death of Richard Attenborough the original Sergeant Trotter, but all the familiar elements warmed the cockles. There’s even added Max Miller as an illustration of the filth playing on the radio. Fantastic! Finally, it was the Wednesday matinee of Mike Bartlett’s outstanding history play pastiche ‘King Charles III’. Delicious iambic pentameter, portentous direction by Rupert Goold and a uniformly perfect cast headed by Miles Richardson, it’s booking at the Wyndham’s until January. I urge you to see it.

To the London Irish Centre at Camden Town this evening for the Chortle Comedy Book Festival. I was hosting a double bill of Monty Python, with Carol Cleveland promoting her memoirs ‘PomPoms Up!’, followed by Terry Jones in conversation about the ‘Forgotten Heroes of Comedy’. A shed-load of fun clips included Arthur Haynes, Jake Thackray and Olsen & Johnson. I even sneaked in a little Marty Feldman. Well, any excuse to promote my biography of the great man. Terry also had some copies of his short story anthology ‘Evil Machines’ on hand. If you want to buy Terry’s book or pledge for our ‘Forgotten Heroes of Comedy’, head on over to the Unbound website.

Today’s most thrilling news is that that splendid fellow Dick Fiddy, of the British Film Institute, has announced the discovery of two ‘At Last the 1948 Shows’ in the private archive of its executive producer, the late Sir David Frost. A monumental find, this 1967/68 sketch show written by and starring Marty Feldman, Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor paved the way for ‘It’s Marty’, ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ and ‘The Goodies’. With beautiful symmetry the recovered material is the very first and the very last editions of the show, and will be screened for the first time since their first transmission at the eagerly-awaited annual ‘Missing Believed Wiped’ event at the National Film Theatre on December 7th. See you there!

A top evening of chat and clips with ‘Avengers’ girl and so much more Linda Thorson, at one of my favourite places to be: the Cinema Museum. Lovely to see Linda’s fan and friend, Paul O’Grady lapping up the gossip. A splendid time was had by all.

I was delighted to introduce The Wednesday Play: ‘Double Bill’ at the National Film Theatre. It was screened alongside the equally weird and wonderful ‘The Portsmouth Defence’ by Nemone Lethbridge as a final part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the series. The opening treat was written by Johnny Speight and starred Marty Feldman in arguably his most captivating and impressive performance. The presentation consists, ostensibly of two two-handers: ‘The Compartment’ and ‘Playmates’. Train passenger Joby Blanshard and disturbed loner Eileen Atkins face a Marty onslaught of black humour, guarded threats and nervous energy. Truly wonderful television.

My dear chums, John and Rachael Hewer of Hambledon Productions, have taken up residency in the Cooper Room at the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury. ‘Just Like That! The Tommy Cooper Show’, stars John Hewer as the beloved comedy genius, and is an officially approved showcase of some of his finest and most obscure routines. Essential fun. I’ll be at the press night on Friday the 3rd.

That delightful and vivacious actor Maggie Stables died today. Full of infectious joy, dazzling wit and a gleeful air of mischief, her career had been long and varied. Notably, she displayed a love and skill for music hall in the television series ‘The Good Old Days’. However, it was late in life that cult stardom came her way. Long admired by Gary Russell and Nicholas Briggs of audio drama production company Big Finish, she was cast as “game old girl” Evelyn Smythe in a string of popular ‘Doctor Who’ adventures, including all three of the ones I wrote. Teamed up with Colin Baker’s Doctor, Maggie matched his caustic charm, sharp intelligence and pedantic manners tit for tat, both in the studio and out of it. Colin himself described her as the definitive champion for Old Sixie. She was great fun and a supreme professional. Rest well.

This coming Friday, the 19th of September, sees the annual Best of British Comedy lunch at BAFTA. I’ve been a committee member of this worthy bash since its inception and behind the laughter and the food fights and the gallons of Pinot Grigio, there is a very good cause. It’s all in aid of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, who help industry folk who have fallen on hard times. This year’s proceedings are in the more than capable hands of Mr. Barry Cryer, with games, an auction and live comedy from stars of the Comedy Store. Please e-mail events@ctbf.co.uk to find out how you can attend. See you there!

Very sad to wake up to the news of the death of Sir Donald Sinden, at the age of 90. He was part of the foundation of the British film industry, with outstanding performances in ‘The Cruel Sea’, ‘Above Us the Waves’ and ‘Eyewitness’, and a theatrical behemoth with notable roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company including the Duke of York in ‘The Wars of the Roses’, Lord Foppington in ‘The Relapse’ and Malvolio in ‘Twelfth Night’. He was also an excellent droll in hit television sit-coms ‘Our Man at St. Mark’s’, ‘Two’s Company’ with Elaine Stritch and ‘Never the Twain’ with Windsor Davies. He had already proved himself adapt at comedy in the films ‘You Know What Sailors Are’, ‘Twice Round the Daffodils’ and two in the ‘Doctor’ series. Recording the commentaries for both ‘Doctor in the House’ and ‘Doctor at Large’ was one of the happiest of many happy encounters I had with Sir Donald over the years. Always with a twinkle in the eye and poised with a lit cigarette and an amusing anecdote, he’ll be greatly missed in the material Green Room.