There is a strong comedy contingent in this week's Richard Osman's House of Games, with Irish comedian Joanne McNally and Reginald D Hunter joining actor Michelle Collins and reporter/Classic FM radio presenter Bill Turnbull in the competition to be crowned House of Games champion.
These episodes were recorded before Bill Turnbull, who revealed he had advanced prostate cancer in March 2018. announced that he was not going to be presenting his Classic FM radio show for a while. On October 21 Turnbull tweeted: "With great regret I am taking a leave of absence from my show @classicfm, for health reasons. The road has been a bit bumpy recently, and I need to take some time to focus on getting better.
I’m sorry to do this, as I absolutely love doing the programme, and have hugely enjoyed the past five years. I am very grateful to friends and colleagues @global for the love and support they have shown me. And I will be back, just as soon as I can be."
Joanne McNally may not be that well known to some viewers but she is already a big star in Ireland and is about to break big here. She is set to tour with her acclaimed Prosecco Expresso show and has already announced dates at the London Palladium in 2022 so there must be a buzz about her. McNally is a veritable force of nature onstage so it will be interesting to see how her powerhouse personality translates to the relatively sedate confines of the House of Games studio.
Reginald D Hunter is from Atlanta Georgia, but has been UK-based for many years now. The last I heard he was living in the somewhat less sexy-sounding Croydon, but that was a couple of years ago. Hunter is an articulate, charismatic performer. His views are sometimes controversial but he always argues his case well and is never less than interesting.
Hunter is also going on tour in 2022 with his latest show. Climate change. Mass unemployment. Economic pandemics. The rise of global fascism. So, what the f*** could this man POSSIBLY say to upset you? Welcome to the world of the Bombe Shuffleur, courtesy of Mr Stand-Up Charisma, Reginald D Hunter. Buy tickets for the Reginald D Hunter Bombe Shuffleur tour here.
Comedians have a terrific record on this how so it will be fun to see if either McNally or Hunter can keep up the record or whether Turnbull or Collins can be victorious over the five nights.
Buy Joanne McNally tickets here.
Richard Osman's House of Games, Monday, October 18 - Friday, October 22, 6pm, BBC Two.
Pictured above: Irish comedian Joanne McNally.
Main picture: BBC
(Story updated on 21/10 to include Bill Turnbull's tweets)
