Linda Herrick: Larger than life little gem

If you blinked and missed Little Britain when it screened on Prime last year, the good news is that C4 is now home to the sublime British comedy series on Tuesdays at 9.30pm.

To call it a comedy is an understatement; it is a completely mad celebration of the people of Britain and has made a fortune for its creators David Walliams and Matt Lucas, who play many of the characters.

The trick is that Walliams and Lucas have homed in on stereotypes that have made the Brits the butt of affectionate international mockery, then given them a twist of surrealism.

Podgy Dafydd, of the Welsh village of Llandewi Breffi, is its only gay, and fiercely jealous of his isolated position, although one suspects his experience is virginal and based entirely on his costume of unflattering red vinyl decorated with the Welsh flag.

Vanity plays no part in Little Britain. Walliams is most unattractive as transvestite Emily Howard, wearing a dress and a six o'clock shadow, who enters a bar for a ladylike drink shouted by a young yob who fancies her - until he goes off for a slash and finds Emily doing the same in the men's loo.

I'm torn between poofy prime minister's adviser Sebastian, also played by Walliams, a hissingly unctuous aide who fancies his boss, and school girl Vicky Howard (Lucas). Sprawled on a chair in the classroom, legs akimbo, Vicky's response to the teacher's demand for her essay on Lord Kitchener is incomprehensible, as are all her utterances.

Worryingly, her catchcry, "Yeah, but no, but yeah!" has caught on in British schools.

Denis Waterman is not spared either, portrayed as a very small man in his agent's office, unable to find work because of his insistence on writing, and singing, theme songs. The real Waterman must hate Little Britain.

This is exactly the sort of comedy that deserves a wider audience than it is likely to get on C4, which to many viewers' mindsets means music channel.

And that is a shame because it is edgy and clever as opposed to comedy on mainstream channels - Joey, Everyone Hates Chris, Two and a Half Men. Although A Place in France is hilarious and deserves a primetime slot.

Speaking of which, I was looking forward to Making Italy Home on Fridays at 7.30pm TV One.

The first episode saw the Waters family of Hastings, who have never been out of the country, make ready to live in Italy for six months. Lucky devils.

They chose the little town of Reggio nell'Emilia as their new home. Why was never explained.

There didn't seem to be much preparation as they set off, with the mother apparently the only person trying to learn the lingo.

They didn't seem to be ready for the food either, except to say there'd be pasta.

When the family arrived in Rome, "Ooh its dirty", muttered Dad. Well, Rome is kind of old.

Something else didn't ring right. Despite the fact that these days you can go on the net and find accommodation in advance, this had not been done, so the first days in Reggio nell'Emilia were spent searching for a home.

The family would have been stuffed if it hadn't been for the help of some kind locals.

The promo for tomorrow night's next show promises tears and drama. The penny - or the euro - dropped by the end of the first episode. This is not a good-life show about a family spending six months in one of the most wonderful countries in the world.

Mamma mia. It's a reality show, narrated by Jason Gunn.