The Big Issue...

...why isn't Little Britain as funny as it used to be?

Have the characters just become too familiar? Is it the show's growing dependence on typical BBC1 viewers finding all references to anything gay slightly risque and thus not bothering with a punchline when there's any implied homosexuality? Is it that there are now fewer, but longer, sketches each edition? Have Walliams and Lucas just given up on trying to put anything amusing into Tom Baker's commentary?

I just don't know, but watching an edition from series one on BBC3 before last night's Little Britain Abroad just made the drop in quality distressingly apparent. There are still touches of genius, and the throwaway references to popular culture (Lou and Andy getting Jeremy Kyle and Trisha mixed up, Vicky Pollard reading tacky Reveal magazine) do set Little Britain apart from the myriad new sketch shows clogging up BBC3/E4 schedules.

Last night's highlights were Steve Coogan joining Lou and Andy in a Lost spoof, Bubbles taking on Ronnie Corbett, mad Ann at the Louvre and Carol Beer becoming a holiday rep. But it's time to wield the axe to other characters, especially one-joke Daffydd, the WI pukers and the interminable Sebastian. Quite a few series one characters have never been seen again, and thus the likes of Little Dennis Waterman, crazy Scottish hotelier Ray McCooney and Molly Sugden's bridesmaid haven't been ruined by lack of new material and overkilled catchphrases.

I hope there is a fourth series of Little Britain, but with a host of new characters and new ideas for old favourites.