Armstrong & Miller 'stand in solidarity' with Rowling

Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller, previously a comedy double-act, were among more than 50 public figures and anti-trans campaigners who signed the letter published in The Sunday Times, which condemns the "insidious, authoritarian and misogynistic" opposition to JK Rowling on social media. Other people in the world of comedy who signed the letter include Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews, Griff Rhys Jones, Craig Brown, Francis Wheen, Jimmy Mulville, Frances Barber and James Dreyfus.

Sandi Toksvig bid The News Quiz (Radio 4, Friday) farewell this week. She had been with the show for nine years, 28 seasons and 222 episodes, which is a good innings by anyone's account. Dressed in tuxedos, her panel - Jeremy Hardy, Francis Wheen, Andy Hamilton, Phill Jupitus - looked like something from the early days of BBC Radio, and put in a relatively subdued performance. Like them, I'll miss her laugh, her ability to poke fun at herself, her infectious good nature. But I'm also intrigued to see whether Miles Jupp, named as her successor in this week's announcement, can breathe new life into a series that has become rather cosy and unsurprising of late.

Britain's Next Top News Quiz

Tonight's News Quiz on Radio 4 sees the esteemed panel of Francis Wheen and Jeremy Hardy slogging it out against Sue Perkins and Andy Hamilton to win points from Sandi Toksvig by answering questions about topical events. Who will win? We literally don't know*. (*We literally do. The show was recorded on Thursday night. We're just not telling.)

The News Quiz returned for a 66th series, with subjects ranging wildly from the recession-driven return of the turnip to the reproductive organs of the bed bug. The best gag of the first edition was Francis Wheen's description of gun-toting vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin as the love child of Sylvester Stallone and Ann Widdecombe.