BBC Radio 2 has announced that it will be broadcasting a week of late night comedy showcases between June 9-13. The network, which now reaches a record audience of 15.6 million listeners a week, will feature a number of one-off comedy commissions from established artists, as well as up-coming and emerging new talent.
On Monday, June 9 (10pm-10.30pm), Tommy Tiernan’s Open Mouth will see a night of exclusively recorded live stand-up from award-winning comedian Tommy Tiernan. Listeners can expect to hear stories and folklore, and tales of magic, myth, and drunken idiocy.
On Tuesday June 10 (10pm-10.30pm) Luisa Omielan will tackle the heady world of dating and heartbreak and share the highs and lows of her journey into - and out of love - in her first radio show, Louisa Omielan’s Party
To Hull and Back (Wednesday June 11, 10pm-10.30pm) is a sitcom pilot from BBC New Comedy Award 2012 winner Lucy Beaumont. Sophie (Lucy Beaumont) still lives at home with her mum in Hull. They make a living doing car boot sales at the weekend - except they don't really make a living because her mum can't bear to get rid of any of their junk. As their house gets more cluttered, Lucy feels more trapped and dreams of moving to London to meet her dad and become a famous actress. But will this dream come true?
In Paper Cuts (Tuesday June 10 and Wednesday, June 11, 10.30pm-11pm), comedian and writer Jennifer Saunders talks about her extensive career and extraordinary life. Presented by Kate Thornton, Paper Cuts sees famous faces reflect on their lives as described in the headlines. Following the previous series which have featured luminaries including Sheila Hancock, Pete Waterman and Patsy Kensit, Jennifer discusses her childhood and meeting her future husband and comedy partner on the early comedy circuit. She talks about her comedy partnership with Dawn French and the amazing success they had, and also talks candidly about her marriage to Ade Edmondson and her battle with cancer.
Also featuring in Radio 2's Comedy Week is the brand new panel show, Listomania (Thursday, June 12). Hosted by News Quiz and BBC Radio 4 favourite Susan Calman, the show will explore the world of the list from the humble to do list to the bucket list. Listeners can expect a show that lists everything from the magnificent to the mundane.
Previous comedy highlights on Radio 2 have included Miranda Hart’s Joke Shop in which the award-winning comedian worked in a joke shop with her friend Stevie, Matt Lucas’s And The Winner Is where three guests joined the actor in studio each week to offer their nominations for the coveted awards and The Flight of the Concords that was originally broadcast in 2005 – all of which have gone on to prove big hits on TV.
Now in its fourth year, the BBC Radio New Comedy Award will also return for 2014. The BBC Radio New Comedy Award exists to find the best up-and-coming stand-up talent throughout the land. The competition provides a platform for aspiring comics to showcase their talent and previous finalists include comedy royalty Alan Carr, Peter Kay, Sarah Millican and Russell Howard. And again this year, the Radio New Comedy Award will see BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4 Extra team up for the competition.
Lewis Carnie, Head of Programmes for BBC Radio 2, said: “Radio 2 has a great history of bringing original and distinctive content to its listeners. We are proud to be able to provide a platform for these wonderfully talented performers for a week of programming that I’m sure the audience at home will find extremely entertaining.”
Jane Berthoud, Head of BBC Radio Comedy said: “It’s brilliant that we are able to make the programmes for Radio 2 - a network with such a history of comedy greats. And the line-up in the Comedy Week promises to showcase a new generation of comedy greats.”
