Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle is a comedy series created by Stewart Lee. The BBC Two series debuted on 16 March 2009, and featured stand-up routines filmed at The Mildmay Club in Newington Green, and sketches based on a weekly theme, featuring amongst others Simon Munnery, Kevin Eldon and Paul Putner with voice-over parts recorded by Peter Serafinowicz. The series is produced by Richard Webb and directed by Tim Kirkby. The programme is executive-produced by Armando Iannucci and script-edited by Chris Morris, marking a rare reformation of their creative double-act.

Comedy

Seasons

1. Toilet Books

Air Date: 2009-03-16

In the first episode of this new series, Stewart looks at the phenomenon of toilet books. Where did they come from? And why? For some reason, someone, somewhere, thought history, fiction, poetry and the like weren’t enough any more, and so they invented celebrity hardbacks, tragic lives and Dan Brown. Stewart takes a look at some of this new lavatory literature, including works by Asher D and Paddy McGinty’s Goat, and finds out what would happen if Dan Brown got a job where he had to break bad news.

2. Television

Air Date: 2009-03-23

In the second episode, Stewart casts his eye over the state of British television today, and tries to find out whose fault it is. Along the way, via a sketch, he meets the villagers who, every year, host a bizarre celebration of The Funniest Moment Ever On Television; explains his idea for a sequel to March Of The Penguins; and finds out why Ant and Dec never seem to grow older.

3. Political Correctness

Air Date: 2009-03-30

Stewart Lee asks whether political correctness really has gone mad, or whether it is just something people say because they don't really understand what it means. Stewart thinks he knows what it means - though the tale of how his attempts to lose weight were ruined by the PC minefield makes him not so sure... not to mention the story of how a lost ballet shoe caused a national scandal.

4. Financial Crisis

Air Date: 2009-04-06

In the fourth episode of this new series, Stewart comments that it’s not easy making a comedy show about a global financial crisis. But he’s going to give it a go, trying to find out how the financial markets got themselves into this mess and who’s going to get them out of it. He also discovers that destroying your own home just might pay off; that those who put money under the bed and not in the bank were right all along; and – most horrifying of all – in London, one is never more than 10 ft from an estate agent. At least he’s got fond memories of Woolworths, MFI and Zavvi…

5. Comedy

Air Date: 2009-04-13

Stewart talks about comedy - how it works, how to do it, and how, having turned forty, he is worried that things might be going downhill.

6. Religion

Air Date: 2009-04-20

Stewart explores the difficulties of making jokes about religion, and how it turns out that most jokes about religion aren't actually about religion at all.

1. Charity

Air Date: 2011-05-04

In the first of six themed shows, Stewart sets out to explore some ideas about charity, but instead gets sidetracked and ends up talking mostly about crisps.

2. London

Air Date: 2011-05-11

Stewart Lee looks at why more and more people are thinking about moving out of London for a taste of life in the countryside and why, upon reflection, that might not be as idyllic as they thought.

3. Charity

Air Date: 2011-05-18

Charity is the topic for Stewart Lee's unique brand of stand-up this week, during which he gives Adrian "Toby Jug" Chiles and Russell "Ninjas" Howard a thorough drubbing. Charity was also the topic of the first show in the series, but he was waylaid by different varieties of crisps so they've made him do it again.

4. Stand-Up

Air Date: 2011-05-25

Stewart talks about stand-up comedy, adding variety by choosing to sit down and throwing in some guitar-driven songs as a result of his exposure to fellow comedian Tim Minchin, who in a surprising turn of events he actually likes.