Toast of Tinseltown got off to a strong start on BBC Two tonight, packing a shock cameo from one of the biggest names in American comedy.
The show is a follow-up to Channel 4 sitcom Toast of London (now streaming on BBC iPlayer), which introduced Matt Berry in the title role of struggling actor Steven Toast and wrapped up after three series in 2015.
This all-new incarnation moves the story to Hollywood, where Toast is attempting to propel his career to new heights, crossing paths with a number of famous faces along the way.
If you haven’t yet seen tonight’s huge cameo, beware of spoilers to follow.
Fittingly, the opening scene in Toast of Tinseltown takes Steven back to his old haunt of Scramble Soho, a recording studio where he frequently does voiceover work under the watchful eye of Clem Fandango (Shazad Latif).
This time, he’s tackling the audio version of a new conspiracy theory book delicately titled ‘JFK and The Bastards That Killed Him’, which a line on the front cover describes as “the most controversial book of the decade”.
The eccentric author Sola Mirrornek is dialling in virtually to supervise the recording session from his home in Dallas, Texas, with none other than Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld creator Larry David playing the part.
David features in a hilarious three-minute opener, which sees him utter one of the most famous catchphrases from the original series: “I can hear you, Clem Fandango.”
Mirrornek has some harsh criticism for Toast, interrupting him several times after just a few words and ultimately questioning whether he is actually a professional actor.
Toast of Tinseltown episode one also includes appearances from Berry’s What We Do in the Shadows co-star Kayvan Novak, who plays a mindfulness coach, as well as Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen – and this is just the beginning.
Toast of Tinseltown continues at 10pm on Tuesday 11th January 2022. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.