Off to the very near-by Limelight theatre in Aylesbury for Robin Ince’s hilarious Bad Book Club. One of the circuits most inspired and likeable stand-ups, Robin’s nerdish devotion to the worse in literature is affectionate, funny and stimulating. Robert is now even more delighted to own a signed copy of Don Estelle’s autobiography and is on the look-out for any killer crab literature.

It was 40 years ago today that Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie presented ‘The Goodies’ for the first time. The super super chaps three helped out beef-less beef-eaters and British comedy was never quite the same again. As well as giving that first classic episode a spin on DVD, Robert also started working on his new comedy biography… nearly 2,000 words before lunch. That was a relief!

So many places Robert had to be today: at ‘The Goodies’ 40th anniversary reunion at the Watershed theatre, Bristol. The annual Missing Belived Wiped trawl at the National Film Theatre and Valerie Leon’s resurrected performance of her one-woman show.

A hilarious North London dinner with Terry Jones and a chance meeting with Robert Wynne-Simmons – the scriptwriter for the seminal ‘Blood on Satan’s Claw’.

The first meeting for next year’s Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund comedy lunch to be held on 3rd March. The usual fun, laughter and wine flowed as regular committee members Don Ward and Gareth Owen joined Robert and the CTBF gang. Later that day Robert popped over to the Bloomsbury theatre to see Mitch Benn and the Distractions for the second time this tour. ‘I’m Proud of the BBC’ has now been available as a download for two days and the T-Shirts are selling like the proverbial hot cakes. The concert was as hilarious, thought-provoking and musically inspired as always, while the BBC song got a huge reaction and a standing ovation. Buy it immediately!

The Goodies mark their 40th anniversary this month with a swathe of events and public appearances. They enjoyed some comic banter with Alice Cooper, of all people, on Richard Bacon’s Radio 5 Live show. Network DVD are issuing a further eight-episode collection of the very best of their BBC work. Andrew Pixley’s book ‘Super Chaps Three’ is published by Kaleidoscope. On 6th November Tim Brooke-Taylor will be the guest of honour at this event in Manchester http://goodiesparty.wordpress.com/ and on Sunday 7th Tim, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie will reunite to talk to Sir Christopher Frayling at the Bristol Watershed theatre. This event has now sold out but you can join the waiting list for tickets here: http://www.watershed.co.uk/exhibits/2541/

The month of October has been owned by the multi-talented Mark Gatiss. With his wonderfully evocative ‘History of Horror’ on BBC4: being repeated over the next three evenings on BBC2, starring in his own adaptation of H.G. Wells’s ‘The First Men in the Moon’, scripting the new ‘Poriot’ for David Suchet: ‘Hallowe’en Party’ and re-joining his fellow members of the League of Gentlemen for a Radio 4 ghost-chase. However, Hallowe’en evening was enriched by those other Gents Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. The Hallowe’en special of ‘Psychoville’ was a masterpiece of black humour, shocks, outrageous behavior and film-heavy references. Mr Jelly stands tall as one of the best television creations of the last decade. Looking forward to series two in the Spring.

More Hammer Films antics as Robert makes his way to Cine Lumiere in South Kensington for Donald Fearney’s celebration day. Wayne Kinsey launched his new Hammer book: ‘The Unsung Heroes’ with a foreword and signing by Barbara Shelley and Don previewed his new anthology horror film ‘Grave Tales’. Brian Murphy, as a reflective grave-digger, links the stories. The majority are written by film historian John Hamilton and the very best features Hammer alumni Damien Thomas and Edward de Souza. Worth the price of admission alone. Robert started the proceedings with a hilarious interview with Hammer babe Vera Day and enjoyed hanging out with Caroline Munro, horror director Norman J. Warren and historian par excellence Jonathan Rigby.

To the Frame Store, Wells Street for a preview screening of the eagerly-awaited Hammer Films production of ‘Let Me In’. Many thanks to the sainted Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund for the invite. The film, a faithful yet staggeringly refreshed take on ‘Let the Right One In’ is highly recommended: haunting, beautiful, poignant and emotive. Wonderful performances from the two junior leads: Chloe G Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee, lyrical direction from Matt Reeves and a brand new Hammer logo that will have admirers of their classic film output swelling with pride! The film goes on general release on Friday the 5th November.

Fun and games in Brighton culminate with a slap-up fish supper in Bardsleys: now delighting in a huge collection of Max Miller material including an original stage suit from the 1940s. Well worth the long jaunt up from the station. Lovely grub in the Cheeky Chippie!