Mock the Week's back. And mock it did

Kerry Katona's determination to populate the planet, Robert Mugabe's "Brazilian moustache" and how seeing a moonwalking duck would improve Russell Howard's mood. On only one TV show can just a single question lead to discussions about all of the above.

Yes, Mock the Week is back. And, now in series six, it is so good that I'm currently watching it again. Frankie Boyle at his best from the off, kindly pointing out that "John Prescott needs to know there is a difference between bulimia and eating until you puke."

Russell Howard, pointing out the absurd at every opportunity, saying: "On one hand, we're throwing away millions of pounds of food a year, yet a quarter of the nation is obese. This means one thing: fat people are raiding our bins at night. Now that's a reality TV show I'd watch - fat people dressing up as foxes and going through our trash."

Andy Parsons, shouting as usual, yet solving the problems of the olympics: "We don't need to spend billions on new arenas. We only win at pub sports, all we need is the world's biggest Wetherspoons. A giant pub quiz. We'd all watch that."

And then there were a couple of new faces. The hopelessly happy Lucy Porter, cheerfully pointing out how sweet it is that Osama Bin Laden still keeps in touch. "Many men don't, I find. And he still uses audio casettes. He's the only man in the world who uses them. Find the man still buying the c-90s and you've caught the bugger."

But perhaps the most surprise package of the show was Mchael McIntyre. He tried very well on NewsKnight over on ITV but perhaps even he couldn't save that show. Yet on Mock the Week he was superb, cheerfully pointing out: "I don't eat whole asparagus. I'm not a monster."

And then onto how the Archbishop of Canterbury solves every argument by playing the "Jesus card." "No, we're not watching that, Jesus says it's the Whole Nine Yards tonight."

So good was Michael that as I wait for this blog to write itself, I'm buying tickets for his next live gig.

And finally, Dara O'Briain. A host to put any other panel show to shame. No autocue needed. And the banter was second to none all the way through. It's strange, isn't it, how the Beeb keeps quiet about its best shows - yet plugs nonsense like Bonekickers all day long.

Yes, it's a very welcome return to Mock The Week (episode 2, Thursday at 9pm). Shame they've kept Hugh Dennis though - Still can't have everything

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