BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show to come to an end after 25 years

Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt are to launch a new comedy podcast for BBC Radio 4 as The Now Show is to end after 25 years.

The Now Show’s spring 2024 series will be last for the comedy programme which has been on air for 64 series.

The RouteMasters podcast will see Punt and Dennis and their guest take a journey through new knowledge, as in turn, they attempt to find the most entertaining route between random topics, people, places or things which at first glance appear to be entirely unconnected.

It has been commissioned for an initial run of ten episodes to be released on BBC Sounds and will also air on Radio 4 in October.

Radio 4 Commissioning Editor for Comedy, Julia McKenzie, commented: “As we reach this milestone, now feels like the right time for Hugh and Steve to turn their legendary comic talents to a new Radio 4 show.

“We are so proud of everything that The Now Show has achieved – it’s been entertaining listeners with its distinctive blend of stand-up, sketches and songs for 25 years.

“As a former producer of the show as well as the current commissioner, I’d like to thank Hugh and Steve for their passion and commitment to audio comedy and the audience, as well as the production team at BBC Studios, and all the guest comedians, actors and writers involved in the show.”

Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt said: “For the last 25 years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to follow world changing news events and laugh at them. Now though we are very much looking forward to our new place in the Radio 4 line-up, with a new show, where we turn our sights on pretty much anything other than the topical!”