Milton Jones: I've paid my kids to come up with jokes

His mum wasn't keen on gigs at the back room of pubs but Milton Jones won his parents over with comedy sets on Radio 4.

Milton Jones returns to Radio 4

Milton Jones is returning to Radio 4 - less than two years after the channel axed his last show - as a Good Samaritan-style problem solver.

Jack Dee heads another strong line-up in the stand-up showcase, his deadpan patter more than holding its own against the binge-drinking riffing of observational comedian Seann Walsh and a barrage of witty snippets from Milton Jones, acknowledged master of the one-liner. The only problem is, the 30-minute running time feels a bit rushed - this is one show that deserves some extra time to play with.

Radio Times review

As Jack Dee reminds us, he hosted the first two series of this show introducing all sorts of comedians who have now become household names. "I can't tell you how much I regret that... seeing people overtake you," he adds, shaking his head bitterly. He shouldn't worry. His patter is as sharp, self-deprecating and drily funny as ever.

Valiantly attempting to follow Dee's set is Seann Walsh, who riffs on the perils of binge-drinking, and Milton Jones, who wears such a loud shirt he actually doesn't need to say a word to get the audience falling about laughing. However, every single one of his jokes is terrific: his definition of Caucasian and his messy afternoons with ducks, pigs and other animals will make you guffaw - but never again will you end a phone call with "I'll let you go".

Milton Jones interview

Milton Jones on working on a sitcom, appearing in Downton Abbey and how high his hair needs to be for a thick audience

While one doesn't like to laugh at other people's misfortunes, that was pretty much encouraged during I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down, in which comedian and musician Rich Morton chatted to a variety of stand-ups about those nightmares gigs that remain impossible to forget.

While this was a thoroughly entertaining half-hour, Morton rarely gave any of his interviewees a namecheck, which became frustrating for the listener. At the top of the show, we were told he was going to be talking to Jo Brand, Tim Clark, Jack Dee, Milton Jones, Lucy Porter and Ian Stone. True, it was easy to know when Dee, Brand and Porter were contributing, but the rest of the time it was a bit of a guessing game.

However, aside from this hiccup was a stream of amusing anecdotes about disastrous corporate gigs - prompting one comedian to try to escape by hiding in a dumb waiter - horrible hecklers and that one person in the audience who doesn't laugh.

Dee was in particularly good form, describing how if a Comedy Store gig went wrong in the early days of his career, he would tackle the challenge of walking through the audience in order to leave the venue by wearing his motorcycle helmet, as if he had just delivered a pizza.

Video - Milton Jones: is Christianity weird?

Standup comic Milton Jones asks whether Christianity is too weird. Its chief 'representatives' live in huge palaces and wear big pointy hats. And apart from being involved at the beginning of science, systems of government, philosophy, art, schools, hospitals, the emancipation of women, the abolition of slavery, social welfare, helping form the basis of the moral code most people live by, and introducing popular notions of justice, mercy, decency and compassion - what has Christianity ever really done for the world?

Bestival 2013: Milton Jones, Marcus Brigstocke and more

The comedy lineup for this year's Bestival has been announced. Milton Jones and Marcus Brigstocke are among the top comic acts for the annual event's 10th anniversary this weekend.

Milton Jones: Comedy is like panning for gold

Mock the Week star Milton Jones on being a one-line genius and how to switch from being weird to being likable.

At last fans of the topical comedy meltdown can turn aside from repeats on Dave and enjoy fresh comic meat in this new series. The rounds will be familiar - spinning the news, "Scenes we'd like to see" and so on - but the real laughs come from what are basically stand-up routines broken down into bite-sized chunks and delivered by masters of the art. Jostling for prominence with the regulars this week are Milton Jones, Josh Widdicombe and Katherine Ryan.