Do you remember that story of James Acaster, Ed Gamble, Lloyd Langford and John Robins being stranded in America because of bad weather? Well something good came out of it. New panel show The Island, starting on Dave this week.

Tom Allen, the host, explains: "James Acaster, Ed Gamble, Lloyd Langford and John Robins were all stuck in New York City because of a snowstorm and they tried to entertain themselves in a tiki bar while they were waiting to find a plane home. So they started asking themselves questions about what they would do if they ran their own island, questions like: “What would you have as your mode of transport?”, “Who would you have as your head of state?”, and “What would be your favourite toast?” It’s a very playable game."

The quartet devised and executive produced the new comedy format, The Island, athough they aren't in it. Across eight episodes, Allen takes on the role of Captain of the SS Unsinkable which has run aground. Thankfully there are four undiscovered islands ahead that the passengers can go and live on, and Captain Tom is trusting his comic friends – Sara Pascoe, Johnny Vegas, Ninia Benjamin and Ahir Shah – as leaders of the islands.

They must make their own personal dream desert island the best and attract the most passengers to win the series. Each week, Allen will put these four islands, and their leaders to the test - who's got the best house band? How do you even judge that? And you may think you want your island's only drink to be Fanta Limon, but what happens when it attracts that swarm of angry bees you chose last week?

Comedians Kemah Bob and Jason Forbes will be on hand as they bring 'live' reports from the islands, to make sure nothing is missed. In the first episode the leaders must name their islands, decide who their Chief of Police will be, what their national drink should be – and must make a bust of themselves out of clay so their inhabitants know what they look like...

Robins, who does not appear in the show,. says: “I think I’d fair quite well on a desert island, I’ve lived alone for the past five years so life isn’t really that different now to be honest. Quite depressing when you think about it. I’d like to think I’d follow all the advice I’ve picked up from Ray Mears over the decades – Shelter, fire, water, food – in that order. However I suspect I’d be trying to ferment fruit pretty early doors.”

The Island, Wednesdays from 23rd March, 10pm on Dave and UKTV Play