Award-winning comedian Angela Barnes has today been announced as the host of the next series of Radio 4 Extra’s satirical sketch show Newsjack, airing next year.

Angela brings with her a wealth of experience in radio comedy including writing for Newsjack. Since winning the BBC Radio New Comedy Award in 2011 she has appeared on the likes of Radio 4’s The News Quiz, The Now Show, and Life, An Idiot’s Guide; Radio 1’s Laughs In The Park; and Radio 2’s Russell Kane’s Whistlestop Tour. Her critically acclaimed Edinburgh show You Can’t Take It With You was adapted for Radio 4 earlier this year.

The former nurse has also appeared frequently on TV, including on BBC Two’s Mock The Week and Russell Howard’s Good News and Channel 4’s Stand Up For The Week.

Barnes says: "I'm beyond chuffed to be the next host of Newsjack. As a self-confessed lifelong radio comedy nerd, I don't think "dream job" is too strong a phrase. Hopefully there'll be some interesting stories to really get stuck into in the New Year, heaven knows 2016 has been a bit of a slow burner on the news front…"

She follows in the footsteps of former presenters Miles Jupp, Justin Edwards, Romesh Ranganathan and, most recently, Nish Kumar. After hosting three series since 2015, Nish Kumar announced his departure from the programme in October and, following a successful pilot earlier this year, will return to Radio 4 in 2017 with his series Spotlight Tonight With Nish Kumar.