Verdict: Russell Howard's Good News Series 8

Back on the air in Britain for its eighth series, BBC 3 satirical news show Russell Howard's Good News, is an undiscovered gem for many of us here in Australia. Brilliantly witty, silly and at times heart-warming, any fan of shows like Mock the Week, Good News Week and E!'s The Soup.
Premièring on BBC 3 back in 2009, it's hard to believe that Mr. Howard is already up to his eighth series of Good News. With the content as witty and fresh as ever, Good News is one of those shows that never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Mr. Howard in full flow

Ranging from the stupid, the serious and the downright weird, the topical stories that the show covers are eclectic to say the least. The first episode of this new series saw Russell inject his cheeky charm onto some serious news stories like the threat of war with North Korea, the recent death of Baroness Thatcher and Liverpool football player Luis Suarez being banned for biting before veering into the wonderfully kooky and crazy side of current affairs.

A man in a relationship with his car? Check. A primary school that banned triangular flapjacks? Check-a-rooney. The comedy is found in not just the ridiculous stories, but the ridiculous ways in which they are reported. Howard has now developed into a confident and collected presenter too, always dealing with the shifts in tone well.

It is however, the final segment of every show, "It's not all doom and gloom", that sets this show apart from others on the box that have a similar pitch. At the end of every show, Howard shows off a heart-warming and genuinely touching story that has made the news. It leaves the audience with a smile on their face and a tear in their eye; what a brilliant way to end a show that is, at the end of the day, all about the 'Good News'.

So if your on the prowl for a bit of a giggle at the lighter side of the news, give Good News a whirl either on YouTube (the 8th Series is uploaded direct from the UK) or on the Foxtel and the ABC.