Deepfakes of Nicki Minaj and Tom Holland in Deep Fake Neighbour Wars.
Tiger Aspect Productions
Deepfakes have found their perfect vehicle in comedy – which allows them to be enjoyed without fear of deception.
In the spotlight: Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel in the hit series The Marvellous Mrs Maisel.
Amazon Prime via IMDB
The Arts Council has included comedy clubs in its recent emergency rescue package but has said stand-up is not an art form.
Never get’s old: dad’s Army.
BBC Pictures
In times like these, sometimes having a good laugh is the only thing to do.
Comedian, writer, historian: Terry Jones was a man of many parts and well loved in all his fields.
Sean Dempsey/PA Wire/PA Images
The Monty Python star was also a highly respected author on Chaucer and the writer of a series of children’s history books.
Rowan Atkinson’s character is as original as ever.
ITV
Mr Bean made its television debut on January 1 1990. Thirty years on, the pilot episode still captures all that is great about Rowan Atkinson’s character.
Jonathan Miller, still from The Body in Question (1978).
BBC Pictures
Miler halted the terms ‘Renaissance Man’ and ‘polymath’ but was one of the most wide-ranging intellects of his era.
Naughty but nice? Barbara Windsor in 2008 at the launch of a new set of stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Carry On films.
Geoff Caddick/PA Archive/PA Images
Carry On films have been compared to a Leave voter’s wet dream. But they were more thoughtful and honest than that.
BBC WorldWide 2018/Andy Seymour
Gauche and awkward, a media star for the 21st century.
Publicity still for Only Fools and Horses.
www.onlyfoolsmusical.com
John Sullivan, who created Del Boy and Rodney, has been called a modern Dickens – now both their most famous works have been made into musicals.
Rubberly jubbly: Roger Law with Margaret Thatcher.
Joe Giddens/PA Wire/PA Images
Royals, politicians and pop stars were all fair game for this smash hit show of the 1980s and 1990s.
Denis Norden, left, with his longtime writing partner Frank Muir, receiving their CBEs in 1998.
PA/PA Wire/PA Images
Best known these days as the presenter of It’ll Be Alright on the Night, Norden was one of a generation of entertainers who got their start in uniform.
David A Ellis
The Liverpool comic scored with the third-highest selling single of the 1960s.
Alexis Dubus
What does it mean for free speech if a comedian is successfully sued by her ex-husband over the material in her act?
marycat879
A philosopher’s take on what makes jokes funny.
BBC 3
Guz Khan manages to set up his gags so that we laugh with him, not at him.
Rachel Brosnahan in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
Amazon
It can be a tough gig as a female comedian.
Blackadder Goes Forth: better than your average sitcom.
Martin Keene/PA Archive/PA Images
In his recent Ronnie Barker Memorial Lecture, the comedian and writer said social media and technology are killing traditional TV comedy. Not so.
George Vasey, The Philosophy of Laughter and Smiling (1875).
Have you heard the one about the Victorian sense of humour?
Dumped after three series: Count Arthur Strong.
BBC PIctures
Traditional humour is being pushed off UK screens in favour of ‘edgy’ comedy.