Highly articulate Laurie

REMIND me, what’s the word to describe people who are awfully good at loads of different things? Ah yes, it’s come back to me now.The word is “annoying”. Hugh Laurie, this week’s virtual guest on LATER… WITH JOOLS HOLLAND

is very much one of those people.

Don’t get me wrong, I really like the guy.

But when you bear in mind what he’s widely known for being good at – comedy, straight acting, writing – it’s beyond annoying to be reminded he also has a fine bluesy singing voice, as can be heard on his critically acclaimed albums Let Them Talk and Didn’t It Rain.

Not only that, but he can also play piano, guitar, saxophone, drums and harmonica.

Mind you, he can only play them one at a time so he’s clearly not that talented.

Sadly, previews of Jools’ show aren’t available, so this is pure speculation on my part, but

I’d imagine Hugh Laurie will be the most entertaining guest so far on this somewhat unusual lockdown series.

Interviewing has never really been Jools’ greatest strength.

His chats with musicians can get a bit stodgy, and this new format is really quite interview-heavy – but here at last is someone who, besides celebrating his own musical influences, might also add a lighter touch.

Then again, he might not. I’m only guessing.

Oh, and I’ve just remembered, Hugh Laurie also competed in the 1980 Boat Race. Check if you don’t believe me.

Elsewhere, the splendid JOE LYCETT’S GOT YOUR BACK

– another episode which Joe presents from his home – asks how much we can trust what we read on Trustpilot, the online review site.

Joe wants to see how easy it is to set up an entirely bogus company with an entirely bogus product and get it into Trustpilot’s top rankings.

Helping him out with this undercover investigation is Randy Tarragon, an LA-based inventor.

Randy looks so uncannily like Joe Lycett with a funny beard and an iffy accent that anyone would think it was Joe Lycett with a funny beard and an iffy accent. Odd that.

The product which Joe – sorry, “Randy” – has invented is the i-Con (get it?), a “hi-tech, world-class water purification system” that looks so uncannily like a bog-standard colander that anyone would think it was really just a bog-standard colander. Even odder.

Also on the show, Mark Silcox splashes out on no fewer than four high-street bags for life – from Tesco (10p), Sainsbury (20p),Asda (15p) and Morrisons (30p) – so he can subject them to his “rigorous scientific tests”.