When faced with the Alaskan wilderness, proper survival skills are needed. Plus: who knew a toy could swear so much? Here’s what to watch this evening
August 2023
Simon Amstell: ‘I used to think I couldn’t talk about enjoying sex’
After routines about orgies from the perspective of an ‘awkward English twit’, the comedian returns with an unironic and open account of carnal pleasure
March 2022
Lunch with...
Simon Amstell: ‘It’s difficult to retain depression if you’re jumping around every morning’
The comedian on shamanic ceremonies, vegan diets and the catharsis of performance
September 2021
Simon Amstell review – shame, self-analysis and great gags
The comedian flops in a New York hotel room, sheds his inhibitions at an ayahuasca ceremony and visits a Berlin sex club as he explores his midlife crisis
August 2021
Autumn arts preview 2021
Hamlet, Cabaret and a fistful of Romeos: the best theatre, comedy and dance of autumn 2021
Cush Jumbo tackles the troubled prince, Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne head for 30s Berlin, while standup favourites and dance spectaculars burst back on the stage
May 2021
‘God, I never thought we’d be this old!’: Miquita Oliver and Simon Amstell on Popworld turning 20
Celebrating the seminal ego-pricking teen TV show, its original hosts talk friendship, grilling musicians and why the show wouldn’t work in 2021
January 2021
It gets … worse: what can we learn from movies set in 2021?
A look ahead, courtesy of movies set in the next 12 months, suggests we should expect natural disasters, all-consuming tech and a super swine flu
September 2019
Best culture of the 21st century
The 50 best comedians of the 21st century
From apocalyptic standup Frankie Boyle to the many hilarious faces of Tina Fey, Steve Coogan, Sharon Horgan and Kristen Wiig, we present the funniest people of the era
August 2019
Sound and vision
This week’s best home entertainment: from Brassic to Stath Lets Flats
This Is England’s Joe Gilgun presents a cheeky comedy-drama, and the feckless lettings agent is back
March 2019
The best original photographs from the Observer
Original Observer photography
Simon Amstell: ‘I have ridiculous thoughts’
Benjamin review – Simon Amstell’s barbed wit shines
Benjamin review – Simon Amstell's hilariously bittersweet romance
September 2017
Simon Amstell review – perky, pained, anxious, ironic, wise – and funny
From his long process, after coming out, of self-acceptance to his newfound romantic happiness, this is classic, neurotic, angst-ridden Amstell
Help by Simon Amstell; Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions by Russell Brand – review
Two driven comedians attempt to put their demons to the sword in this pair of entertaining confessional memoirs
Simon Amstell: 'Dad says our relationship has been good material, which is hard to argue with'
The ten best things to do this week
The 10 best things to do this week: Basquiat and AND festival
Autumn arts preview 2017
Angels and demons: the unmissable theatre, comedy and dance of autumn 2017
March 2017
Simon Amstell: 'I thought: ‘I’ll never be happy'
A decade on from Popworld, the comic has faced his demons, found love and made a mock doc about veganism. He explains why fame couldn’t fix him
February 2017
Jump the shark
When good TV goes bad: how Popworld's bubble burst
In a new column pinpointing the moments great TV shows jumped the shark, we remember Simon Amstell and Miquita Oliver’s irrepressible double act – and the ship that sank without them
