The Curse of Comedy series on BBC Four ended last week with David Walliams as Frankie Howerd in Rather You Than Me, and it was a bleak portrait of a very funny man, plagued by self doubt, self loathing and nerves, stemming it seemed from a period of abuse from his father during childhood.

The series has been about the dark side of some of the most popular stars in comedy and entertainment, and despite the success with which The Curse of Steptoe and Son replicated the bitter-sweet undercurrent of the actual series I do feel that Rather You Than Me presented us with a telling portrait of stardom, homosexuality and devotion.

Walliams was justifiably lauded as Frankie Howerd, while Rafe Spall was excellent as his partner Dennis Heymer.

I’m sure that Frankie could not have been so terribly unhappy for his whole life - there’s no way he could have managed to work - however in the context of the film it is reassuring to know that Dennis and he remained together until the end, despite one another.

A bleak portrait, superbly played.  I hope the BBC treat us to a further series.

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