Hardeep Singh Kohli: Chat Masala

Hosted by a more capable comedian there would be some potential in Chat Masala's chat-show format. Under the stewardship of Hardeep Singh Kohli—who spends most of the time berating his audience when his feeble jokes fall flat—it provides an often awkward and boring hour. It is testament to the quality of his humour that he is funniest when taking the piss out of himself for not being funny, and one can't help thinking that his brother, Sanjeev Kohli (Navid in Still Game), to whom he makes a passing, patronising reference, could do a better job.

Unfortunately, the cookery element of Kohli's show also fails to impress, save for a bizarre routine at the end in which audience members are asked to pick the ingredients of a 'mystery chutney' at random.

Chat Masala would be horrendous if it wasn't for the witty and engaging guests, by whom Kohli is continuously upstaged. Mark Nelson blends a moving description of his depression with some solid jokes but every time the show threatens to get into its stride, Kohli drops the ball because he is so engrossed in his curry construction he fails to notice what is being said.

The star of the show is his last guest, cabaret act Sarah-Lousie Young. Coming on stage as a sort of evil alter-ego of Edith Piaf, she belts out an intelligent, hilarious song about the debasing of the French language by English words, lighting up the last five minutes of an otherwise dull hour.