It was announced today (Tuesday 27th October 2015) that RUSSELL HOWARD has broken his previous online records with a hugely popular clip where he passionately backs junior doctors and the NHS. The segment, from the first episode of the current series of the BBC’s hit comedy Russell Howard Good News, has been going viral since Friday and has amassed 6.3 million views on Facebook alone and been shared by over 100,000 users on the social network. A huge presence online, RUSSELL’S online clout has seen him become the most popular comedian on Facebook with over 3 million fans and amass a Twitter following of over 1 million.
As well as regularly being the most watched show on iPlayer across all BBC channels, online RUSSELL and the show have become a global phenomenon with a YouTube channel launched in 2014 – allowing fans around the world to watch full episodes of the show (without piracy) in countries where the show wasn’t already being broadcast – it has seen over 11 million views and been watched in 180 countries (even finding viewers in North Korea and Vatican City). Episodes of Russell Howard’s Good News have even been subtitled and uploaded to Chinese video site AcFun, where the show has also been watched over 4 million times. The global success of Good News has seen RUSSELL go on to sell out a world stand-up tour playing to over 285,000 fans and then return to the USA for a major second sell-out tour earlier this year. Russell Howard’s Good News regularly trends globally on Twitter during each episode.
The previously most successful viral segment from Good News, from the first series on BBC2 last year (after moving from BBC Three), was RUSSELL comparing Ebola coverage in the UK and US, and was viewed more than 3.5 million times on YouTube alone. Last series the show reached 3 million viewers a week in the UK.
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What the press has said about this series of Russell Howard’s Good News:
“A second series on BBC2 for the long-running topical comedy that was previously among the shiniest of BBC3’s jewels. Howard makes jokes about the week’s news, like countless others, but has a knack of both finding stories that have been overlooked, and finding a fresh angle on more heavily trodden debates. As the title implies, his secret is a lack of cynicism, although that doesn’t mean his comedy lacks bite.”
Jack Seale, Radio Times
“BBC3 surrenders another of its best shows as the laid-back Howard makes the jump to BBC2 with his topical comedy show. Don’t be deceived by the title, Howard is sharp and has a knack for finding fresh stories”
Sarah Hughes, The Observer
For more information please contact: Dan Lloyd or Lucy Plosker at Avalon on 0207 598 7222 danl@avalonuk.co.uk / lucyp@avalonuk.com
Notes to editors
About Russell Howard’s Good News:
In this latest series, RUSSELL will once again offer his unique and quirky take on the week’s global headlines and bizarre news stories. Sifting through over 60 international news channels, 140 newspapers from around the world and over a thousand news clips, no stone is left unturned in his pursuit of the weird and wonderful stories that have been dominating the press and TV news.
As well as his trademark mix of topical stand-up and sketches, not to mention the inspirational and thought-provoking story to close the show on a feel-good note, RUSSELL will also chat to a high-profile person involved in the news that week. In the last series we saw him meet and get the measure of: legendary war correspondent JOHN SIMPSON; popular MP ALAN JOHNSON; DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’s cameraman DOUG ALLAN; charismatic social commentator and poet BENJAMIN ZEPHENIAH; former premiership footballer and cancer survivor, STILIYAN PETROV; and leading palaeobiologist TORI HERRIDGE, who performed an autopsy on a perfectly preserved mammoth. RUSSELL will have written and starred in 96 episodes of Russell Howard’s Good News by the end of Series 10 in 2015. Recorded in front of a live studio audience, viewers at home can also help shape the show’s agenda by submitting news stories online via Twitter @bbcgoodnews.
About Russell Howard:
A packed year of TV saw RUSSELL host his first ever live stand-up TV show, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central which premiered on Comedy Central to critical acclaim in April and achieved viewing figures of 159% above the slot average, while this Christmas will see his first foray into films with the premiere of, A Gert Lush Christmas (BBC Two). As well as co-writing the feature length special, RUSSELL will star along-side his sister KERRY HOWARD (Him & Her, BBC Three), GREG DAVIES (The Inbetweeners, Man Down, Channel 4), NEIL MORRISEY (Men Behaving Badly, Waterloo Road, BBC1), and SOPHIE THOMPSON (EastEnders, BBC1). RUSSELL HOWARD has four bestselling stand-up DVDs, 2014’s Wonderbox Live, 2011’s Right Here, Right Now, 2008’s Russell Howard Live and 2009’s Russell Howard Live – Dingledodies, have sold over 619,000 DVDs and all been in the top 5 DVD comedy chart.
