I had no idea that the penis-shaped goods industry was so expansive. You can get penis straws, penis piñatas, penis bunting, penis noses. You can even get penis spears, which work particularly well when waved at a sinister gang of marauding pilates teachers. And that’s only the start of the chaos in Henpocalypse! (Tuesday 15 August, 10pm, BBC Two), where it’s Zara’s hen do and, unfortunately, also the end of the world.
I’m sure there is a joke in here, about Henpocalypse! being a tautology or something like that – who among us hasn’t wondered if the sudden end of civilisation might be preferable to another drunken game involving penis-shaped penne – but this lively new comedy takes it to its logical conclusion and drops its bridal party right into the middle of a deadly viral outbreak. Written by Caroline Moran (Raised By Wolves/Hullraisers), it follows a group of women from Birmingham into the Welsh countryside, where they’ve rented a cottage and a pink 4x4 for a weekend of “penis coladas”, stripping policemen and dancing to Tom Jones. I always wondered if the end of days would unravel to a soundtrack of Sex Bomb.
