Across:
8 Renoirs missing surprised none (‘Renoirs’ missing ‘surprised none’ = supdne = SEND-UP) – is that a skit? (SEND-UP),
9 Built (= anagram indicator) airport (airport = PR-TORIA) lounge in the end (‘lounge’ in the end = -E-) (PRETORIA) with African capital (PRETORIA),
10 James leaves Jerusalem (‘James’ leaves ‘Jerusalem’ = erul = RULE) convention (RULE),
11 Is she responsible for 8 across (COMEDIENNE responsible for ‘send up’) fooling around perhaps? (COMEDIENNE),
12 Gather (GARNER) food from roof garden (‘food’ from ‘roof garden’ = rgaren = GARNER),
14 Persuade (CONVINCE) Claire (-CE) to finish (= positional indicator) deception (CON-) with French wine (French “wine” = -VIN-) (CONVINCE),
15 None of them are fully committed (BACHELORS) to a certain extent (to a certain DEGREE) (BACHELOR’S DEGREE) – that’s some measure of how clever they are (BACHELOR’S DEGREE),
18 They stop traffic (BOLLARDS) for those buried by the quayside (BOLLARDS),
20 Tar (able-bodied seaman = AB-) sticks on avenue (-ROAD) (ABROAD) in France, for instance (ABROAD),
22 Megabits of (megabits of = BAGS OF TIME) code (= anagram indicator) for those in no hurry (BAGS OF TIME),
24 Diplomacy (TACT) of characters involved in direct action (characters involved in “direct action” = TACT),
25 Very large number (B-ILLION) going around old capital (old capital/money = sou) that needs no introduction (s) (‘sou’ without ‘s’ = -OU-) (BOUILLON) to what’s a stock item (stock = BOUILLON),
26 Don’t protect (EXPOSE) former (EX-) model (-POSE) (EXPOSE).
Down:
1 Double agents don’t get stoned (‘double agents’ don’t get/without ‘stoned’ = ubleag = BELUGA) in the expensive fish restaurant (BELUGA caviar),
2 Some characters frustrated general (some characters “frustrated general” = EDGE) having the upper hand (having the EDGE),
3 Carl’s pet (carls pet = SPECTRAL) cuckoo (= anagram indicator) is out of this world (supernatural = SPECTRAL),
4 Unwanted messages (SPAM) not from the postman (‘not’ from the ‘ postman’ = psma = SPAM),
5 Burn (REDDEN) where the revolutionaries hang out? (RED DEN),
6 Is on hand (FOREFINGER) to forge finer (forge finer = FOREFINGER) play (= anagram indicator),
7 Nip (nip = PIN-) back (= reversal indicator) half on (half ‘on’ = -N-) account (-AC-) of the foreign (the = -LE) (PINNACLE) summit (PINNACLE),
13 Rejects all moral and religious principles (NIHILISTIC) in (IN = NI-) reviewing (= reversal indicator) his brief (‘his’ brief = -HI-) record (-LIST-) in charge (-IC) (NIHILISTIC),
14 Public relations officer (public relations officer = PRO = -ORP-) takes a turn (= reversal indicator) in civil service (C-S) (CORPS) unit (CORPS),
16 Heads off (h) disaster (‘havoc’ without ‘h’ = AVOC-) for a (-A-) number of parties (-DOS) (AVOCADOS) and The Greens (AVOCADOS),
17 Dear me – it (dear me it = DIAMETER) disturbed (= anagram indicator) part of the circle (DIAMETER),
19 General staff releasing agents (‘general staff’ releasing ‘agents’ = eralff = RAFFLE) is a gamble that inevitably throws up winners and losers (RAFFLE),
21 Blame (ACCUSE) for taking mind off dance music (taking ‘mind’ off ‘dance music’ = aceusc = ACCUSE),
23 Bars (INNS) both sides in industrial relations (both sides in ‘industrial relations’ = INNS),
24 Hypnotist dismisses hints (‘hypnotist’ dismisses ‘hints’ = ypot = TYPO) as a mistake in The Paper (TYPO).