Television series
The Last Leg
- Satire
- Light-hearted
- Dip in and out
The Last Leg is a weekly topical comedy show where Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker riff on the week's news with sharp wit and genuine warmth. It's informal, clever without being smug, and built on the chemistry of three people who actually like each other. Perfect for anyone who wants their current affairs with laughs.
If you liked this
Have I Got News for You1990
The godparent of British topical comedy. Two teams of comedians and guests spar over the week's headlines with rapid-fire jokes and real political bite. If you love The Last Leg's energy, this is where it learned to move.
But Can feel a bit smug in its London media bubble. The panel format means some guests have more charisma than wit, and that shows.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah2015
American topical comedy with personality. Jon Stewart (or his successors) doesn't just make fun of the news—they deconstruct it. Sharper than you'd expect, funnier than it has to be, and it takes genuine positions on things that matter.
But US politics might not land the same way if you're not embedded in them. The show's sometimes lecturing alongside the laughs.
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown2012
Combines game-show chaos with comedy. The Countdown format is just a framework for comedians to riff, improvise, and wind each other up. Pure fun that celebrates the pleasure of clever people in a room.
But Relies heavily on whichever guests are sitting on the panel that week. A weak lineup sinks the whole thing.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Last Leg
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Taskmaster2015
Both shows trust that chemistry between funny people is the actual entertainment. Neither needs a gimmick beyond smart people riffing.
Five comedians compete on absurd tasks with zero instructions. It's the same chemistry-driven, intelligence-meets-chaos energy as Last Leg, but filtered through physical comedy and genuine problem-solving. Greg Davies and Alex Horne create the space for people to be brilliant.
But The show works best if you care about the specific comedians on that series. Weak lineup kills it.
More like this (5)
Mock the Week2005
Six comedians improvise sketches and jokes around the week's news. Looser and more energetic than Have I Got News for You, with real moments of brilliance buried in the takes that land and ones that don't.
But The hit-to-miss ratio is real. Improv format means you're sitting through dead jokes to find the gold, and that gets wearying.
QI2003
Stephen Fry presiding over four comedians discovering weird, true facts about the world. It's topical in a different sense—obsessed with ideas and tangents rather than news cycles. Endlessly surprising and genuinely funny.
But Fry's sometimes the whole show, and he can talk over everyone. Feels like a TED talk if you're not in the mood for it.
Gogglebox2013
People watching TV and commenting on it. Sounds simple, but it's oddly hypnotic—you get the same pleasure of smart people reacting to things together that Last Leg provides, minus the topical news structure.
But It's very British, very domestic, and very dependent on your tolerance for watching people's living rooms. Not comedic in the way you might expect.
Slings & Arrows2003
Both shows understand that intelligence and genuine affection between people is comedic gold. No one's performing; they're all real.
Canadian drama about a theatre festival in crisis. Genuinely funny, genuinely moving, with characters who are sharp and self-aware without being exhausting. If you've ever loved smart people talking about art and life, this will wreck you in the best way.
But It's primarily drama, not comedy. If you're after laughs-per-minute, the pacing will feel slow.
Veep2012
Both use topical comedy to explore how power works. Last Leg comments on the week; Veep imagines what actually drives political behavior.
American political satire that's vicious, inventive, and genuinely committed to its world-building. The jokes come from character and situation, not zingers. It's topical without being about actual news, which gives it freedom Last Leg doesn't have.
But It's relentlessly bleak and cynical. There's no warmth here—everyone's awful in different ways. Exhausting if you're not in the mood for contempt.
People
Cast
Adam HillsHost