Bob Mortimer returns to defend his crown, as comedians make screamingly funny TV in an attempt to make each other laugh for a prize
I
was once shouted at for smiling during a breakup. I had to switch careers when I realised my favourite thing about being an actor was making other actors corpse on stage. Situations in which humour is forbidden are hilarious to me. It’s the pressure-cooker analogy, I suppose. “I’m the kinda guy who laughs at a funeral,’” sang Barenaked Ladies, and I’ve never related more to a lyric. Which makes the return of Last One Laughing UK (Thursday, Prime Video) very relevant to my interests.
The show is an elimination competition in which 10 comedians are locked in a softly furnished room for six hours, trying to make each other laugh while keeping a straight face themselves. Laughter and smiling are punishable by yellow cards, then red cards, leading to dismissal. It’s hosted by Jimmy Carr – who has such an odd laugh, it’s possible the entire format was crowdfunded by offended gulls who didn’t want to hear it any more.
It is a clever initialism, and a better title than the Japanese show that originated the format, called Documental. I assume something was lost in translation. This series, younger jokers such as Maisie Adam, Gbemisola Ikumelo and Sam Campbell join veterans such as Mel Giedroyc, Romesh Ranganathan, David Mitchell and Diane Morgan. There’s the returning Bob Mortimer, who has quietly ascended to national treasure status. And Alan Carr, who has ascended to televisual ubiquity. I think I can still see him when I turn it off.
