Opinion: 'Comedians need to stop taking jobs as TV presenters'

'Few people would argue that we’re currently living through a golden age of British terrestrial television. Copper, maybe. Nickel, at a push.

'Britain still produces brilliant comedians. Stand-up comedy is as popular as ever and social media is full of great young sketch comics. So where are all the TV vehicles built around funny people simply being, y’know, funny?

'SNL UK and its viral clips has proven there’s the room, appetite and the talent. Albeit, it’s done so rather quietly over on Sky One, so without most of us seeing any of it on an actual television set.

'Somewhere along the line, the telly industry seems to have forgotten what comedians are actually for. They’re not there to point at cathedrals, tell us how nice Harry Ramsden’s chips are or explain the fascinating history of Victorian pumping stations. Yet TV commissioners seem to look at a successful stand-up and think: ‘Excellent. Let’s get them comparing caravan parks in Shropshire.’

'It’s become television’s default setting. Find someone funny, remove the funny bit and hope nobody notices.'

You can read Steve Charnock's opinion in full here: https://metro.co.uk/2026/07/13/comedians-need-stop-trying-tv-presenters-29124715/