Throng

8:30pm - Friday, August 21 on TV 3

TV3's all-new Friday night comedy line-up kicks off at 8.30pm this Friday, August 21st, with the launch of the 10th anniversary series of Rove. The top rating variety-chat show is followed by the return of Bill and Ben in the seventh series of Pulp Sport (at 9.30pm), and new show 7 Days (at 10pm), a satirical look at the news of the week with New Zealand's best stand-up comedians.

Rove McManus and his team are celebrating a decade on air with regular flashbacks throughout the season, and a special 10th anniversary episode will screen later in the year. Rove had an inauspicious start in 1999, being canned by the Nine Network after a year in its 11pm Tuesday timeslot. Network Ten picked up the show in 2000, and Rove became one of the station's biggest ratings winners, and now plays in its key Sunday night timeslot.

Rove's regular team of Peter Helliar, Ryan Shelton, and Hamish and Andy will be joined by comedian Judith Lucy and radio newsreader Kristy Warner. The two newcomers replace Dave Hughes and Carrie Bickmore, who are working on a new project. This week's episode features US singer Katy Perry, comedian Carl Barron and Hollywood writer/director Judd Apatow.

Pulp Sport sees TV3 favorites Bill and Ben return to their television roots; after losing both the General Election and the Mt Albert by-election, they have temporarily shelved their hopes of living the 'sweet life' of a politician. Parliament's loss is entertainment's gain - while Bill and Ben wait for 2010's Auckland Super Mayorality race, they're knocking out the seventh series of what TV Guide readers believe is New Zealand's funniest TV show. Expect crazy journeys, weird adventures and the Pulp Sport treatment of movies, TV shows and other features of our cultural landscape.

TV3's hilarious new local series 7 Days has Jeremy Corbett and two teams of New Zealand's finest comic talents blast the last seven days of news out of the water - taking aim at a week of stupid news, big news, unbelievable news and news about us right here in New Zealand. The ever changing line-up includes Dai Henwood, Brendhan Lovegrove, Ben Hurley, Paul Ego, Michele A'Court, Jeremy Elwood, Penny Ashton, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Irene Pink, and 2009 Billy T winner Chris Brain - and watch out for some very special international guests.