Comedy of the Week

Sue Perkins challenges Paul Merton, Desiree Burch, Tony Hawks and Jan Ravens to speak for 60 seconds without repetition, deviation or hesitation. The long-running Radio 4 national treasure of a parlour game is back for a new series with subjects this week ranging from Alan Shearer to Westminster Abbey. Production co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow Sound editor: Marc Willcox Producer: Rajiv Karia A BBC Studios Production

The comic and intrusive chat show, in which Stephen Mangan interrogates celebrity penitents about their stories of shame, guilt and embarrassment. Each week, Stephen entices a different eminent guest into his virtual confessional box to make three confessions of sins, peccadilloes, misdeeds and idiocies - anything really that will make us laugh, shudder, blush or cringe at their expense. In this episode, Stephen's guest is reluctant national treasure Dame Sheila Hancock - actor, singer, director, novelist and writer. Together they discuss inappropriate behaviour, snobbery and flagrant rule-breaking. Other guests in this series are Jessie Cave, Neil Dudgeon, Maisie Adam, Lady Antonia Fraser and Ben Bailey Smith aka Doc Brown. Presented by Stephen Mangan Additional material by Nick Doody Produced by Frank Stirling A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Emily Bell and Mike Wozniak to find out what Christmas was like with Charles Dickens. We take a walk through the many Christmases of the renowned Victorian author. You can listen to the extended version in the 'You're Dead To Me' feed on BBC Sounds. From elephants walking on ice to the family Christmas punch recipe, we take a closer look at the factors that may have influenced some of his most famous works and try to unpick what the phrase Dickensian has come to mean over the years. Written by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner Produced by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow Researcher: Jessica White Project Management: Isla Matthews Audio Producer: Steve Hankey The Athletic production for BBC Radio 4

Granny Kumar is back. After a very successful first series Meera Syal’s glorious comedy creation returns, with her great granddaughter Maya (Ambreen Razia) and arch nemesis “frenemy” Geeta (Harvey Virdi), to chat with the sisters. "This entertaining anecdote-packed show... creating a party vibe that brings out the best in her female guests." The Observer "It treads a fine line between the earnest and the rip-roaringly funny... It's the intimacy that makes it" Radio Times Ummi Kumar gathers together her favourite extraordinary women at Wembley Community Centre, aided by her millennial great granddaughter Maya and her arch nemesis “frenemy” Geeta, leader of the local Asian Ladies Silver Bats community group. The show is a women only party, where they share stories, laugh loads and chew the fat/dish the dirt/eat the laddoos… A blend of sitcom, silliness and improvised chat, led by the best kind of interviewers who know how to make anyone talk - two really nosey old Indian women. This series, we’ll be inspired and entertained by Episode 1: Casualty and Ackley Brisge star Sunetra Sarker, and BBC Breakfast presenter and journalist Naga Munchetty Episode 2: Multi Olivier award winning actress Sharon D Clark, and stand-up comedian Shazia Mirza Episode 3: Playwright and novelist Bonnie Greer, and We Are Lady Parts breakout star Anjana Vasan Episode 4: Vigil and Sarah Jane Adventures star Anjli Mohindra, and musician and presenter Myleene Klass Cast: Ummi Kumar – Meera Syal Geeta Bhandari – Harvey Virdi Maya Kumar – Ambreen Razia Written by Meera Syal Music by Sanjeev Bhaskar Producer: Liz Anstee A CPL production, licensed by Hat Trick Productions, for BBC Radio 4

Bill Bailey stars as Guy Starling, a middle aged man who, after 45 years, and for reasons quite unknown to him, is suddenly revisited by his imaginary childhood friend, Hennikay. After closing the biggest deal in the history of Maidstone, Guy’s boss decides to reward him with an adventure-based, corporate team-building day out, which has him running around the woods shooting paint pellets at middle managers. Not only does Guy have to deal with his scheming, back-stabbing co-workers, desperate to ruin his career and steal his glory, he also has to cope with Hennikay, his imaginary childhood friend who has turned back up in his life and is stubbornly refusing to leave, running riot in the woods with a paint gun. But as the paint splatters and the deals sour, Guy soon discovers that in the cut-throat world of grown-up business, the only person who he can trust is the 11-year-old boy he invented back in 1976. Acclaimed comedian (and Strictly Come Dancing champion) Bill Bailey leads a cast which includes Dave Lamb and Elizabeth Carling in this warm, funny look at childhood, adulthood and some of the follies of modern life - where a man with a confused child in his head might just be the sanest person in the room. Written by David Spicer Guy ..... Bill Bailey Tony ..... Dave Lamb Marika ..... Elizabeth Carling Kallie ..... Hollie Edwin Simon ..... Alistair McGowan Hennikay ..... Max Pattison Producer: Liz Anstee A CPL production for BBC Radio 4

Kat Sadler’s Screen Time is a fun guide/cautionary tale of how young people today live their lives through their phones and social media. Kat (daily screen time 8hrs 49 mins) meets Abbie (daily screen time 1 hr 26 mins) and starts a relationship, but will their obsession with how the relationship comes across online lead to its downfall? Ensuring no listener is left behind by the indecipherable terminology and online etiquette of the under 30s, Kat is joined by extremely offline Alex MacQueen who will stop Kat and make her explain things like the ‘For You Page’ and ‘Soft Launching’. Cast Kat Sadler - Kat Alex MacQueen - Alex Abbie Weinstock - Abbie Emily Lloyd Saini - Various Jason Forbes - Various Written by Kat Sadler and Cameron Loxdale Script edited by Jon Hunter Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Production

Nathan Blakely was a popstar. But he was useless, died, and was reincarnated. The comedy about Nathan’s adventures in the afterlife returns for a third series, starring Daniel Rigby, Ashley McGuire and guest-starring Mike Wozniak. In the first episode of the new series, Nathan is brought back to life as the leader of a wolf pack. But there’s a catch - his pack are rubbish and aren’t brave enough to kill anything. Can Nathan transform them into ruthless hunters? And will he ever it make it back to human again? Cast: Ashley McGuire - Carol Daniel Rigby – Nathan Hammed Animashaun – Bull Elk Tom Craine – Sniffly Ian Henry Paker – Lupo Freya Parker – Wolverina Mike Wozniak – Wolmenides Writers: Tom Craine and Henry Paker Producer: Harriet Jaine Sound: Jerry Peal Music Composed by: Phil Lepherd A Talkback production for BBC Radio 4

Alexei considers the role of the police force, discusses his own involvement in the ‘spy cops’ scandal, draws comparisons between President Assad and a beloved British comedian and details his seven stages of grief post the 2019 general election. A mixture of stand-up, memoir, and philosophy from behind the counter of an imaginary sandwich bar. Written and performed by Alexei Sayle. With original music and lyrics from Tim Sutton. Produced by Joe Nunnery A BBC Studios Production

Thongs, personal grooming, rights of way across fields and 'going non-contact' get the Now You're Asking treatment in the first episode of this new series with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn addressing real life problems sent in by their listeners. The first series was welcomed by listeners and critics. "Both are warm and kind enough to not only be funny but also offer genuinely thoughtful, if left-field, advice." (Miranda Sawyer, The Observer) "Keyes and Flynn are my new favourite double-act." (Jane Anderson - Radio Times) "I found their compassion endlessly soothing." (Rachel Cunliffe - The New Statesman) Marian Keyes is a multi award-winning writer, with a total of over 30 million books sold to date in 33 languages. Her close friend Tara Flynn is an actress, comedian and writer. Together, these two friends have been through a lot, and now want to use their considerable life experience to help solve the biggest - and smallest - of their listeners' problems. From dilemmas about life, love and grief, to the perils of laundry or knowing what to say at a boring dinner, we’ll find out what Marian and Tara would recommend - which might not solve the problem exactly, but will make us all feel a bit better. Recorded in Dublin with emails received from listeners around the world, the hosts invite you to pull up a chair at their virtual kitchen table as they read and digest their inbox. Got a problem you want Marian and Tara to solve? Email: [email protected]. Producer: Steve Doherty. A Giddy Goat production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

In a hilarious blend of stand-up and sketches, multi-award-winning comedian Rob Newman addresses the challenges of an international marriage, describes his disastrous attempt to replace conversation with indexed cue-cards, and depicts an epic clash between The Frowning Man and the Cosmic Smile. Co-star: Claire Price. Written by and starring Rob Newman With Claire Price Original music by Boo Hewerdine and Chris Pepper Recorded by David Thomas Produced by Jon Harvey and Eloise Whitmore Exec Producer: Polly Thomas A Naked Production for BBC Radio 4