Paul Merton profiles some of the great stars of silent comedy, examining their lives and works, and uncovering seldom-seen material

British comedian Paul Merton keeps his comically-critical attitude while tasting some popular holiday types that never appealed to him, unlike millions of Britons. They range from cruises and 'extreme' holidays overseas (Ibiza, Florida) to English coastal resorts and adventurous Scotland.

More than 150 of Britain’s railway stations are request stops. You have to put out your arm to get the train to stop at the platform. In this series, Paul Merton will travel around the country by train, only getting off at request stops. He’ll explore the history of the stations, and meet the people who live and work around them to learn more about at these unusual and often-overlooked stations.

Paul Merton stars in various remakes of scripts written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson that were originally performed by such greats as Tony Hancock and Les Dawson.

An American Jewish man visiting Jerusalem for the funeral of his father gets sucked into a world of violent intrigue after meeting a mysterious, beautiful Palestinian woman.

Paul Merton in Europe is a six-part television series airing on Channel 5 from 11 January 2010 onwards. The series is a follow-up to Paul Merton in India. It follows presenter Paul Merton as he travels around several countries in Europe including Germany, Ireland, Italy, France and Spain. The series was released on DVD on 8 March 2010.

Fresh from his appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway?, Paul starred in his own comedy series on Channel 4, featuring a mix of surreal sketches, links and stand-up routines

Paul’s fascination with trains stems from his childhood. His father was a driver on the London Underground and when, as a young boy, Paul witnessed his dad driving a train across Putney Bridge, it sparked a lifelong fascination of railways. Now, he is following in his father’s footsteps by joining the drivers upfront and in control of some of the world’s most amazing trains and experiencing the best views as he travels through breathtaking landscapes in the UK and Europe. From steep gradients and tight curves to pinpoint platform stops, Paul will learn what it takes to keep these mighty machines on track. Visiting Germany, France, Switzerland, Wales, Northern England and Isle of Wight, he’ll meet the people who keep the railways running - from engineers and conductors to passengers with fascinating stories of their own.

The show with the sardonic wit for which Merton is famous. Plus his hilarious salute to the ice skaters Torvill and Dean, and a comic version of the pantomime Aladdin, as never seen before. Featuring Lee Simpson and Richard Vranch.

Nick, an actor, is a clown in traffic, hoping for better times. Charlie, Robin’s mother, is in a police car, about to go to jail, desperate to escape with her son. Joe, a madman, robs banks, hoping for media attention. Robin, still a child, needs his mother. Nick’s clown costume causes confusion when two police officers mistake him for the robber. Charlie escapes, leaving Nick behind. Charlie wants to escape quickly, but Nick doesn’t want to leave. Joe escapes from a mental institution and is angry that someone else is getting credit. Charlie arrives at the children’s home, but the police are already there. Inspector Fuchs believes Nick and Charlie are accomplices and has Robin watched to catch the mother. Nick saves Charlie and hides with her in the broom closet. They begin to understand each other, but a crazy day ends, and a long year lies ahead.