Nationwide laughter

Little Britain BBC 2, 10pm

RADIO comedy has a decent track record in transferring its ownhits to the small screen. The latest to make the trip arrivestonight. It's called Little Britain and has already had a run out onthe digital channel, BBC3.

It's a mix of character-based funny sketches written and performedby Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

The show has been described as: "All that is mad, bad, quirky andbonkers about the people and places . . . of Little Britain."

Little Britain, filmed on location and in front of a studioaudience, also features special guest stars including Buffy TheVampire Slayerstar Anthony Head and Tom Baker as narrator.

Its characters are many and varied, though all have one thing incommon: They're quirky. Very quirky.

Here's how some of them line-up:

Vicky Pollard: A resident of the West Country town of DarklyNoone, where a flock of girls roam the streets terrorisinginhabitants. Vicky is the worst of them all.

She is described as: "An incomprehensible borstal girl - the baneof the lives of many a teacher and social worker." Emily Howard:She's a man thing. This fellow who calls himself Emily Howard likesto dress up badly as a lady and lives in the seaside town of OldHaven where he/she runs a guesthouse.

"Emily welcomes all to his guesthouse but remember to treat Emilylike a lady or he'll get very upset." Jason and Nan: A couple ofinner-city dwellers, living on a council estate.

"Nice enough young teenagers but Jason hides a terrible secret -his love for Gary's nan - an extraordinary beauty of an ethereal kind- at least to Jason and his teenage hormones." Lou and Andy: Theylive in "Herby City", a Midlands community full of grotty pubs,equally grotty swimming pools and food outlets.

Lou is a "helper" and spends endless, selfless days helping hiswheelchair-user friend Andy whose grumpy, monosyllabic nature andinability to make up his mind are what fill Lou's every wakingmoment.

Dafydd : A dweller in the Welsh valleys, living in a town calledLlandewi Breffi, where he's proud to be known as "the only gay".Except, he isn't. Only Dafydd will not come to terms with the factthat there may be others of a similar sexual disposition on hisdoorstep.

"Catch him swilling Bacardi and Cokes in The Scarecrow and MrsKing pub or popping down to the newsagents to find (to his horror)that the only copy of Attitudemagazine has been bought." MarjorieDawes and the Fat Fighters: Madge is the "terrifying" leader of theFat Fighters group.

A rotund woman, she insists she is her "target weight" andproceeds to lead her group of weight-conscious ladies through thedieting process. She's full of handy hints such as: "Dust . . . it'sactually very low in fat so you can eat as much dust as you like."Dame Sally Markham: A lady of gentility and also author ofextraordinary love stories. Visit her vast abode and stare in awe asshe sits creating yet another "masterpiece d'amour" with herdedicated - and rather peeved - assistant Miss Grace.

Bernard Chumley (and Kitty) : He lives in a grim high-rise calledSandi Toksvig House where children spray graffiti and adults dulyencourage it. Bernard Chumley was an acting legend and dwells herewith his sister, Kitty. Forced to retire from theatrical societyafter an horrific accident, Kitty's star faded and, unfortunately, sodid Ber nard's.

Des Kaye: "In the northern town of Little Tokyo, you may hear thecry of 'Wicky Woo' coming from DIY Universe as former entertainer andchildren's presenter Des Kaye tries to add some colour to his dull,embittered life now that he has fallen from the TV pedestal. Stilldesperately trying to reclaim his TV crown and flog his videos -others can only stare and shake their heads with pity as they minglebetween paints and bathroom fittings.

Other Little Britaincharacters include the pupils of KelseyGrammar School, first aid stalwarts April and Neville, patient andphysician Doctor Lawrence and Ann, and Sebastian the Prime Minister,along with his aide, Michael.