Can comedy lightning strike twice? It would appear that in the case of Last One Laughing UK it really can. After the runaway success of the show last year the second season has just dropped and judging by the first two episodes that were screened at a spectacular launch inside Battersea Power Station earlier this week, it certainly can.
But then with a line-up of David Mitchell, Diane Morgan, Romesh Ranganathan, Amy Gledhill, Maisie Adam, Mel Giedroyc, Alan Carr, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Sam Campbell and inaugural series one winner Bob Mortimer one has to ask how could it possibly go wrong? If I had one niggle it's that some of the moments in the non-laughter house feel a little contrived but hey, that's such a small niggle you'd need the Hubble telescope to spot it.
Oh, there's another little niggle actually. The use of the yellow card before a red card means that it's a long time before anyone is booted off. Maybe this was part of the deal. why sign up for such a flagship show only to disappear before the first ad break?
Funnily it looked briefly like Bob Mortimer would be first out, a bit like a Wimbledon champ going out to unseeded opponents in the first round. But he had his own joker to play, a "safety face" which he uses to stop a smile turning into something more. He claimed it was original, though to me he seemed to be basing it on Ted, the dentally challenged dog in Gone Fishing.
Anyway, there are plenty of highlights here. David Mitchell has the first set-piece, playing very much against type with a vaudevillian song and dance routine. Diane Morgan also holds court with a flatulence-enhanced poetry reading. Host Jimmy Carr and his wingperson Roisin Conaty had to keep a very close eye out for anyone stifling chuckles as she intermittently raised a buttock..
Mel Giedroyc probably had the best solo turn though, a quick change routine that concluded in a truly comic leotard. Giedroyc is one of a number of contestants who could either be first out or win it. She tried so hard not to corpse she revealed at the launch that she had injured her jaw. She is also clearly one oif the most competitive comedians in the running.
Other contenders must surely include Romesh, who seems able to hold his laughs in even when he is clearly finding things hilarious. And who could count out Alan Carr? He was an outside bet in Celebrity Traitors and he ended up winning that show. Maisie Adam is also a cool customer, whereas I can't believe the brilliantly giggly Amy Gledhill and Black Ops star Gbemisola Ikumelo lasted the first two episofes - if they can survive those maybe they can go all the way.
But my smart money is going all in on Sam Campbell, a real left-field loose cannon wildcard who has the ability to make others crack up and also remain inscrutable himself. But then what do I know, I was too busy laughing while i watched to make any informed judgements.
Last One Laughing parts one and two are streaming on Prime now with more episodes next week.
