BBC Radio 4 has announced a major line-up of new comedy programmes, featuring Omid Djalili, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Slim, Alistair Green, Pierre Novellie and Ayoade Bamgboye.
Omid Djalili will front Noise Pollution, a mix of stand-up and conversations with fellow comedians on global issues. Slim, known as the “Godfather” of Black British comedy, presents Slim’s Guide to Life, drawing on experiences from childhood to grandparenthood.
Kiri Pritchard-McLean will lead Kiri’s Farm, set on her family’s 51 acres in Ynys Môn, while Alistair Green hosts a spoof podcast featuring misguided guests from the worlds of wellness, business and influencing. Pierre Novellie debuts Why In the Name of Pierre Novellie, tackling subjects from rude medieval poetry to pasta.
Ayoade Bamgboye, fresh from her Edinburgh Comedy Award win, pilots Matters of No Matter, exploring eccentric questions with pseudo-science and satire.
Alongside these, a series of one-off stand-up specials will include Emer Maguire, Amy Annette, Finlay Christie, Matt Hutchinson, Maria Shehata, Ray Bradshaw and Nina Gilligan. Topics range from navigating the Noughties to growing up with deaf parents, medical life during the pandemic and middle-aged memory lapses.
Radio 4 is also piloting new formats, including Sikisa’s Border Control, Colin Hoult’s The Making of Colin Hoult, Zoe Lyons’ Now What?, and Eleanor Morton’s Eleanor & Pals. A sitcom pilot, Crossing The Floor, written by Rosie Holt and David Quantick, follows the fictional journey of Rosie Holt MP defecting to Labour.
Popular series returning for a second run include sketch show P.O.V., Ian Smith is Stressed, *The Many Wrongs of Lord Christian Brighty and Laura Smyth’s Your Mum.