Comedians you like a lot but for some reason are never on the telly...

[SerafinaPekkola]

Do you think they’re just unlucky, don’t know the right people or are a nightmare to work with?
The first three that spring to mind are Alex Edelman, Sophie Hagan and John Robins.

Well Alex Edelman is based in NY...he's American. He's probably working on his career there.

Sofie Hagen is part Danish and also listed as "Sofie Hagen is a London-based Danish comedian and fat acceptance campaigner."

The masses won't be interested in that.

John Robins apparently has a new radio show coming up.

Comedy is highly competitive and very much an old boy's club.

Raymond Mearns Scottish comedian I see him every year at the fringe in Edinburgh he is so funny

Tv uses up a year's touring material in half an hour. It's not all about telly.

It’s the same old people on all the panel shows though. And on You’re Fired and An Extra Slice and so on.

Well, there's only 3 channels, so ... oh hang on ...

Ultimately it's about what sells, and what channels think will sell. After all, no use putting on someone who's not going to sell the adverts.

Check out Netflix - quite a few comedy specials there that you won't see on "regular" TV. Daniel Sloss for a start. James Acaster did a 4-part special too. And there are non-UK comedians like Vir Das who are funny and educational about cultures in other countries.

To be fair, Stewart Lee railroaded Comedy Central into 2-series of a lot of under-the-radar comedians a while back. Some real gems in there. But not really "Live at the Apollo" fare.

John Robins was the first name that sprung to mind.

other people write the jokes for comedians on the endless panel shows, so I imagine a lot of comedians just dont want to do it.

Maybe they're on other media. After all, it seems like Sofie Hagan is never off Radio 4 these days.

And there's youtube, podcasts, Netflix etc etc.

Maybe comedians don't need mainstream TV these days?

“ Maybe comedians don't need mainstream TV these days?”

Maybe not- but that’s where the money is, isn’t it?
I’m particularly pissed off by the pool of women used on panel shows. I mean, I like Sarah Pascoe and Angela Barnes, but.....

Bill Bailey isn't on very much any more - funniest comedian I've ever seen with the exception of Billy Connolly.

Don't see much of Tim Vine. I bloody love Tim Vine

Josie Essien (sp?)

I’m particularly pissed off by the pool of women used on panel shows. I mean, I like Sarah Pascoe and Angela Barnes, but.....

Hopefully slowly changing ... saw Ellie Taylor last week, supported by Olga Koch. London Hughes was good too (should do well in the US, which is where she's at). Rachel Parris, Cariad Lloyd ("Austentatious" is brilliant).

That said, I know quite a few deliberately swerve panel shows - especially "Mock The Week" types as it's apparently quite a macho environment.

especially "Mock The Week" types as it's apparently quite a macho environment.

I think it is. I sometimes watch clips of Scenes We'd Like To See from MTW and normally it's either all-male comedians or one out of 6 female. The description box normally only lists the male comedians too, and the comments are filled with how the woman's jokes are never as good as the men's etc etc. Don't know how they get away with it.

About game shows. I think that the men should refuse to appear on any panel that isn’t 50:50. I remember hearing Richard Herring saying they don’t watch “Would I Lie To You” in his house because his wife has a “rule”!

About game shows. I think that the men should refuse to appear on any panel that isn’t 50:50

Not sure that having a crap comedian to fill a quota is going to sell a show though ?

I wonder if female comedians get paid the same ? Bet they don't.

Occasionally, you hear stories which stick and shift or cement your opinion of "celebs". I was impressed by Larry Hagmans refusal to continue working on "Dallas" when he learned that Linda Gray was getting a lot less.

That said, "QI" seems to be able to cope with a nice admixture of genders ... been quite a few now with only Alan as the token bloke . And HIGNFY has proved the "guest presenter" format cuts across genders, although it's not always occupied by "comedians" ... although I have a massive crush on Steph McGovern and Victoria C-M (looks over shoulder to make sure DW is elsewhere ).

Vikki Stone, Frisky and Mannish, Simon Munnery, Bridget Christie, Mawaan Rizwan are a few that come to mind. Don't think any (apart from Rizwan) would do particularly well on panel shows. But then, I don't really like panel shows apart from hignfy.

Bridget Christie in on Radio 4 a fair bit. Love her Ant bit.

Jerry Sadowitz. Man is a magical and comedy genius.

Gina yashere

• Man she's hilarious!! Where's she at?

Gina yashere - Man she's hilarious!! Where's she at?

Big in America, I believe ...

Micky Flanagan

Phil Ellis