When Alexei Sayle decided to return to the stand-up fray last year his wife was worried that he might "dilute the legacy." Sayle had been one of the original angry young alternative comedians and by withdrawing from live performance his reputation had grown. When he was invited to co-compere an Alternative Comedy celebration on the South Bank a few years ago he was the hit of the night and I think that played its part in nudging him back into stand-up.