Writer Andy Thomas and actor Rob Maloney's new sketch show Wide Open could easily have come from a kinder and more innocent age.

For over an hour these two kept the laughter bubbling along in a series of sketches, focusing on quirks and eccentricities of character and communication that raised laughs of recognition rather than cruelly mocking the people portrayed.

They ranged from the running gag of the TV schools lecturer with a popstar foisted on him as a means to making history more accessible, to Hitler being investigated by Columbo for about 50 million murders.

There were no changes of scenery but a variety of settings were established by the actors, using just a desk and a couple of chairs. A well-planned sound track also helped the sketches flow smoothly from one to the next, with a minimum of costume changes.