News: New Comedy Shows For Radio 2 With Johnny Vegas, Josh Widdicombe And Jeremy Vine (Sort Of...)

BBC Radio 2 has announced a range of new one-off comedy commissions featuring a mix of celebrity panel shows, quizzes and situation comedies.

A raft of famous names run through the these unique shows including Johnny Vegas, Joe Thomas and Sara Cox, as well as up-coming and emerging new talent including writers from Two Doors Down, Peter Kay’s Car Share. An array of award-winning writers introduce new characters in these half hour shows from dog walkers to ‘Agony Uncle’ Jeremy Vine.

Lewis Carnie, Head of Radio 2 says: “Comedy is an incredibly important part of Radio 2 and it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to bring new Comedy talent and ideas to Britain’s most popular radio network.”

Jeremy Vine: Agony Uncle

Jeremy Vine is the UK’s lunchtime radio legend. But when he’s not interviewing politicians and personalities, unearthing local stories of national importance, or talking to someone from an owl sanctuary in Stevenage, he has another vital role to perform.

Whenever he pauses to play a record, he knows he has three minutes to offer off-air advice to the world’s great and good - all of whom have asked him for help in their moment of need. God knows Donald Trump has problems.

Which is why they turn, in private, to Jeremy (as played by Lewis MacLeod - Postman Pat, Star Wars: Episode I - Phantom Menace). Featuring Jess Robinson and Terry Mynott, this is a part-scripted, part-improvised spoof phone-in, where most of the celebrities in distress are played by impersonators, but a couple of whom may yet be real.

Jeremy Vine: Agony Uncle is written by comedian Jon Holmes and Cornelius Mendez with additional material by Alex Sievewright. It is produced by Nick Minter at Unusual Productions.

Dog Days

Set around the lives of a group of dog walkers whose lives are controlled and led by their four-legged friends. Jean (Gwyneth Powell - Mrs McCluskey in Grange Hill) is retired and tolerates her daily interaction with Alan (John Henshaw - Early Doors, Father Brown), who’s struggling with retirement. Tatts (Joel Fry - W1A, Plebs, Trollied) hands out orders at his military fitness class, Gary (Johnny Vegas - Home From Home, Still Open All Hours) feels life keeps dealing him a bad hand and Lisa (Tanya Franks - EastEnders, Broadchurch, Chewing Gum) will do anything to make a quick buck. In this pilot episode, Gary's dog is missing.

Written by Paul Coleman (Peter Kay’s Car Share) and produced by Polly Thomas, Dog Days is an Avalon production.

The Taylors

A fun-loving nouveau riche couple and their noisy family have moved to a middle class neighbourhood in Slough. In this episode Gary (Shane Richie - EastEnders) and Melissa (Hannah Waddingham - Game of Thrones) host a house warming party for their new neighbours but things don’t go to plan. The Taylors also stars Jack Bence (Bad Education, Sherlock, Peep Show), Nicholas Burns (Nathan Barley, Uncle, The Crown), Ella Kenion (Episodes, The Catherine Tate Show, The Green Green Grass) and Kirsty J Curtis (Rellik, People Just Do Nothing, The Halcyon).

It is written by Simon Carlyle (Benidorm, Two Doors Down) and produced by Tom Jordan at Hat Trick.

Proposal

Proposal is a sitcom starring Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) and Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who), written by Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen, stars of Radio 4’s acclaimed sketch show The Pin.

It follows couple Jamie (Thomas) and Lucy (Mackie), as Jamie builds up the nerve to pop the question - and the series of disasters that follow as he attempts to negotiate the unwritten rules of marriage proposals. First he has to ask permission - but not just from Lucy’s dad, Mike (Nigel Lindsay - Four Lions). As Jamie’s enthusiastic but deeply unhelpful friends Chris (Ben Ashenden - Bridget Jones’s Baby, Tracey Ullman’s Show) and Tom (Alex Owen - Crackanory, Wannabe) are quick to point out, he needs to check in with her mum too. After all, it is 2018. For her part, ambitious career woman Lucy is not sure about the institution of marriage. And as his behaviour gets increasingly suspicious, she’s becoming less sure about Jamie.

Proposal is a comedy about how a heartfelt longing to ‘do the right thing’ for the one you love can go seriously wrong. Also starring, Adjoa Andoh, Brett Goldstein, Alice Orr-Ewing Colin Salmon, and Sophie Wu. Produced by Sam Ward for BBC Studios.

The World According To Harry Priest

There's nothing Harry Priest likes better than rules. Rules help keep life bearable, especially if life has dealt you a bad hand, like it has to Harry.

After losing his job and his wife, Harry Priest has managed to get himself signed off as long-term sick. He’s not a scrounger, mind - he just believes he spent his life contributing to the state so he’s due some compensation, and anyway he’s not about to retrain as a DIY store ‘helper’.

Luckily Harry has enough to keep him occupied: living with him are his mother-in-law Genie (permanently drunk whilst claiming to be six years sober), eldest daughter Nicola and her fiancée Gaz (trying for a baby) and youngest daughter Julia and her new boyfriend Jamie, just returned from university.

They can all stay there as long as they abide by Harry’s “rules” - tricky as Harry keeps making up new ones.

The World According To Harry Priest stars Bradley Walsh (Law & Order: UK), Sherrie Hewson (Benidorm) Kerry Howard (Him & Her), Rebecca Humphries (Morgana Robinson’s The Agency) and Tom Stourton (Horrible Histories). It is written by Neil Webster and produced by Sam Michell for BBC Studios.

Le Maire

Le Maire follows Harriet (Rosie Cavaliero - Jane Eyre), a potential candidate for the role of Mayor of Rachelais; the small French village that she and her husband Roy (Tim Key - Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa) have settled in. Their perfect little French life, away from the issues occurring in the UK, seems full of peace and ‘tranquillité’. However, on the eve of the vote, her irresponsible and unpredictable brother Ed (Jonny Sweet) comes crashing into their continental lives (as well as the local vineyard), putting all of her plans into question.

Written by Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner Jonny Sweet and produced by Katie Churchill, Le Maire is a Tiger Aspect production.

What If…?

A new panel show, hosted by Sara Cox. Three celebrities ponder definitive moments in pop culture history. What if events as we know them had taken a different turn? What if famous individuals had made completely different choices? What if we had journeyed down paths not taken?

Guests include stand-up comedian Grainne Maguire, Science writer and broadcaster, Dr Adam Rutherford and Rylan Clarke-Neal from The X Factor.

What If…? Is produced by Kerfuffle TV and the Executive producer is Steven D Wright.

One Night Only

One Night Only is an all-singing extravaganza based around famous musicals, in which celebrities and comedians compete to be the star of a spectacular finale.

Mentored by Pippa Evans (Showstoppers), with much loved numbers from hit musicals alongside some fabulous new compositions from Richie Webb (Horrible Histories), One Night Only shows what it takes to see your name in lights.

One Night Only is a BBC Studios production and the producer is Victoria Lloyd.

Celebrity Lip Service

A gang of Britain's most talented up–and-coming impressionists use their catalogue of voices to explore the wonderful world of fame and celebrity.

Through a series of prank calls and hilarious set ups they'll find out just how far people will go to a satisfy a star. For example, would Pizza Express in Watford clear its premises so a certain Scientologist can dine with his cats? Will Exeter City Council agree to turn off all their street lights so Katie Hopkins can finally sleep at night?

Celebrity Lip Service is produced by Tuesday’s Child. The producer is Richard Grocock and the Executive Producer is Jamie Ormerod.

Am I Weird?

We are are often a bit weird, but just how weird are we? From eating cold baked beans to showering after each toilet visit, what’s odd and what’s normal? Our hosts and audience will be the judge and jury of “weird” and rule on the oddest celebrity guest.

Am I Weird? is produced by Phil McIntyre Television and the Executive Producers are Geoff Lloyd and Lindsay Jex.

Censored

Julian Clary hosts the game that takes the sense out of censorship, bleeping everything from celebrity soundbites to TV clips and interviews with members of the public. It’s down to his panel of guests - Dane Baptiste, Rachel Parris and Arlene Phillips - to work out what the bleep is going on.

Censored is produced by Youngest Media, the producer is Matt Nida and the Executive Producers are David Flynn and Michelle Woods. Head of Development for Youngest is Aaron Rosenthal.

Josh Widdicombe Will Make Your Life Better

The new comedy show where Britain’s best comedians and celebrities examine frustrations with their own inadequate lives to come up with life hacks, innovations, inventions and all manner of hair brained ideas all with the purpose of helping YOU.

Every hack will be rigorously tested, demonstrated and ruthlessly critiqued as Josh works out whether his guests’ ideas represent true eureka moments that will change the world for the better, or are laughably poor suggestions with a good idea lurking within, or simply utter guff.

Panellists will include Harry Hill and Fay Ripley. The show is produced by Expectation Entertainment, Executive Producer is Ben Wicks. The Producer is Dominic Wells-Martin.

 

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