Radio 4 is home to some truly original shows right now

From Sophie Willan's Guide to Normality to Bridget Christie's Utopia and Sarah Kendall's Australian Trilogy, Robin Ince picks a quartet of Radio 4 favourites.

The Big Issue, 7th April 2018

Chortle Awards 2018 results

The results of the Chortle Awards 2018 have been revealed.

British Comedy Guide, 19th March 2018

Chortle Awards 2018 nominees

The nominees for the Chortle Awards 2018 have been announced. Mat Ewins, Hannah Gadsby, John Kearns and Joseph Morpurgo are up for Best Show.

British Comedy Guide, 7th February 2018

Comedy.co.uk Awards 2017 shortlist

The shortlisted TV and radio shows for the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2017 have been announced. 60 programmes are in the running for the Comedy Of The Year title.

British Comedy Guide, 15th January 2018

Chortle Awards 2017 nominees announced

The nominees for the Chortle Awards 2017 have been announced. David Baddiel, Bridget Christie, Richard Gadd, Kieran Hodgson and Stewart Lee are shortlisted for best live show.

British Comedy Guide, 16th February 2017

Comedy.co.uk Awards 2016 shortlists announced

The shortlists for the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2016 have been revealed. 60 shows are in the running for the Comedy Of The Year title. Voting is now open.

British Comedy Guide, 16th January 2017

14 comedy shows up for BBC Audio Awards 2017

The shortlists for the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2017 has been revealed, with 14 comedies in the running across the Best Scripted Comedy and Best Comedy with a Live Audience categories.

British Comedy Guide, 22nd November 2016

Mark Steel's In Town ... & he's looking for local laughs

In front of an audience of audibly refreshed locals, Steel sees how far he can push the famed British ability to laugh at ourselves. The answer is quite a long way.

David Hepworth, The Guardian, 6th June 2015

Clearly, 4 Extra isn't simply about exhuming long-forgotten shows as, for much of the time, it acts as a catch-up service. This week I heard Mark Steel's in Town, the series in which Steel, The Independent columnist, gets to know a town before affectionately taking the piss out of it in 30 minutes of stand-up.

In a programme first broadcast just a week previously on Radio 4, he was in Fleetwood in Lancashire, and among the delicious tidbits that he unearthed was that its greatest export, Fisherman's Friend lozenges, are beloved by Stevie Wonder; that it is the first town in the UK to publicly declare itself a "breastfeeding-welcome town"; and that its weekly institution "Tram Sunday" appears to be the only day that the trams don't run.

Fiona Sturges, The Independent, 28th May 2015

Radio Times review

Oh what a pity! After my absolute joy in the return of this series last week, there was no preview copy available to listen to. Fellow Mark Steel fans may like to check out the Radio Times website where we have an interview with the man himself.

He was originally due to be interviewed on Friday 8 May but when our journalist rang, after the general election results, Mr Steel, understandably came back with "Not today mate". I have been informed, however, that his mood is grand in this performance from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

Jane Anderson, Radio Times, 26th May 2015