John ‘Willie’ Hopkins
This Thursday sees Film 4 give movie lovers another chance to see not one, not two, but three recent TVO related smashes in a row. Alice Lowe‘s Prevenge – in which a pregnant mother-to-be begins revenge-killing those responsible for the death of her partner, seemingly at the behest
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December 13, 2017 // 0 Comments
Simon Farnaby is working on another golf-based project – this one is a film about a golfer who blags his way into the British Open. Going by the name of The Phantom Of The Open, the film is an adaptation of a book of the same name, which Simon wrote in 2010 in partnership with Scott Murray.
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March 18, 2017 // 1 Comment
A couple of weeks ago we spoke to John Hopkins about his forthcoming new online comedy series, Intergalactic Sausage. Now the first episode is out! Created with, and co-starring Joey Page, Intergalactic Sausage is a short form online comedy set in a burger van in the future. It features John and
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September 1, 2016 // 0 Comments
The trailer for a new web series created by and starring John Hopkins and Joey Page has just hit the digital airwaves. Intergalactic Sausage is a sci-fi sitcom set in a burger van in a Lichfield bus station in the not too distant future, after an apocalypse that no-one has really noticed. Humans
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August 14, 2016 // 0 Comments
Forget comedy TV shows for grown ups – because kids’ TV is where it’s at now. Hot on the heels of the multi-award winning Horrible Histories and the awesome Pythonesque Yonderland, comes CBBC’s The Muckers. The show, about a family of teenagers who live on a farm in
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December 8, 2014 // 0 Comments
Welcome to The Velvet Onion – the central hub for an interconnected range of alternative comedy and more. Click through for the LATEST NEWS, and see what’s so hot right now below. PADDINGTON ARRIVES The British media has gone absolutely potty for the new Paddington movie, which is released
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November 24, 2014 // 0 Comments
Anthology comedy Crackanory has been recommissioned for a second series, it has been revealed. The show, which was made for and broadcast by UK freeview channel Dave, featured the cream of British comedy both involved with the short stories told across live action sequences or animation, and sat
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March 3, 2014 // 3 Comments
This week sees the long awaited launch of Crackanory on UKTV channel Dave, and there are many TVO connections involved. Described as ‘storytime for adults’ the series consists of six half-hour episodes split into two 15 minute tales, told by a guest story-teller sitting in a big comfy
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November 11, 2013 // 1 Comment
In 2012 we were lucky enough to get the chance to chat to a few of the artists that we write about on these pages. So here’s a look back at some of the year’s interviews – and the fascinating, colourful and revealing comments that were shared. A big thank you to everyone who
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December 31, 2012 // 0 Comments
BBC Comedy have uploaded a scary Halloween treat in the form of comedy short Hunted House. In reality, this clip was one of a number of sketches recorded by John Willie Hopkins for inclusion in an aborted Charlie Baker led comedy show, Funny Plus One, which taped a non-broadcast pilot at
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October 30, 2012 // 0 Comments
The world of comedy is an ever-changing, shape-shifting beastie. New talent pops up, develops, and is clasped to our Velvet Onion bosom – if it’s any good. But we get just as excited about discovering existing hidden talent in the nooks and crannies of The Velvet Onion. We’ve
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September 9, 2012 // 3 Comments
A wee while ago a very funny and fabulously silly pilot called For The Win graced BBC Three’s website. Now we’re delighted to be able to reveal that it’s going to be on the tellybox! For The Win features several TVO favourites amongst its cast, including Rich Fulcher, Richard
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August 30, 2012 // 2 Comments
This weekend sees Channel 4 approach the conclusion of its Funny Fortnight with a countdown of its greatest ever comedy shows. One show sure to feature is Graham Linehan’s hugely popular sitcom The IT Crowd. Our American correspondent, and self confessed Anglophile, Trixie, takes a look
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August 24, 2012 // 4 Comments
On Monday, BBC Three is to launch seven new comedies on its website, and one of them is featuring Rich Fulcher loud and centre stage. For the Win is described as a surreal sketch show which features a human python, the resurgence of bum bags and a talking third nipple called Reg. If you’re
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June 29, 2012 // 1 Comment
Earlier this week, as part of our IT Crowd 4.0 celebrations, we started a helpful rundown of familiar faces who have cropped up in previous episodes, in aid of those viewers who just can’t quite put a name to a face. The series has had its fair share of cameos, especially during its first
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June 23, 2010 // 5 Comments
A few weeks ago, we told you about The Mighty Boosh coming to dvd in Japan, with the announcement of series 1 across two volumes on April 21st, with series 2 to follow on May 26th. Amazon Japan has now uploaded images of the series 2 covers, and we can confirm that the series is indeed split across
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March 9, 2010 // 3 Comments
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