Sarah Millican is funny on panel shows like QI, but can be a little tiring when watching a full set.

I actually quite like her South Shields accent

"They do television where their best material has to be delivered in a few minutes and then their full live shows get an audience that expects the same rate of laughs for a couple of hours."

That's part of the problem. It's made worse by the fact that a joke told on TV probably can't be used again for live audiences - most of them will have heard it. It means that there's a constant need for fresh stuff, and a lot of it will be mediocre at best. It's the reason that a lot of today's comedians appear to concentrate on playing the fool, rather than on good material. They seem to think that behaving outrageously and swearing on stage is enough - and for a lot of audiences it seems to be just that. They sit there, rolling with laughter at almost every inane remark they hear.

I have been a great fan of QI, but there are certain participants who set my teeth on edge - shouting and cavorting as if that's what comedy is about. The northener with long black hair is a case in point.

Yesterday evenings program appeared to be based on a Mrs Merton (Caroline Aherne)chat and scripted style venture?.

The other week there was a television show that went on for well over an hour, which appeared to be 'straight-off the cuff' and she was brilliant.

A bit like Mrs Brown's Boys (Brendan O'Carroll), you either hate it or like it?.