Radio 4 reveals new comedy shows for 2019

Tuesday 13th November 2018, 12:36pm

We Are Most Amused. Rowan Atkinson. Copyright: Granada Productions

Radio 4 has announced an extensive line-up of new comedy commissions for 2019.

The new orders include a 'Comedy Playhouse' season of 12 sitcom pilots from a mix of "established and new writers". As part of the season Zoe Lyons has written a sitcom about a gay criminal defence lawyer; and Bridget Christie will play an enthusiastic but incompetent do-gooder in Support.

The Mayoress, a comedy from Brenda Gilhooly which stars Harry Hill, Jack Dee and Michelle Collins, which was first piloted as an online show, will also come to Radio 4 as part of the Playhouse season.

Mark Steel, his son Elliot and Ivo Graham have written Unite, a sitcom about a working class South Londoner who falls in love with an upper class property developer.

Meanwhile Rosie Jones, Twayna Mayne, Ellie Taylor and Darren Harriott have been given their own stand-up series.

Louise Ford and Yasmine Akram will write #GODSWORK for the station, a new comedy focusing on three different vicars whose churches are based in the North East of England. The vicars will all be played by Rowan Atkinson. The Mr Bean star has previously played various members of the clergy in stage and TV sketches, and in the film Four Weddings And A Funeral.

The station has also announced today that its Stand Up Sunday strand will return for a second series, following a successful first run in 2018. Those recording their stand-up sets this time will include Heidi Regan, Phil Wang, Suzi Ruffell, Sofie Hagen and Jacob Hawley.

Sioned Wiliam, Radio 4's Commissioning Editor for Comedy, says: "Radio 4 is the home of comedy and once again we've got some of the biggest comedy names and writers as well as up and coming comedians from across the UK who are the stars of tomorrow. Our range of Radio 4 comedy attracts over five million listeners each week, and is hugely popular with a younger audience both on-air and in our podcasts which are regularly near the top of the charts."

New Series

Ellie Taylor's Safe Space

Darren Harriott: Black Label

Liam Williams' Self Care

The RIP List

Twayna Mayne's Black Women

Rosie Jones: Far From An Angel

Between Ourselves With Marian Keyes

The Joanna Lumley Playhouse

Teatime

Maureen & Friends

Hugo Rifkind's Search For Power

Suggs

Susan Calman Makes Me Happy

#GODSWORK

Paul Sinha's General Knowledge

Quiz Nite

The Clemmie Hart Years

Comedy Playhouse

Hazel Tours

The Specials

No Gods, No Golf

Hypertension

British Troll Farm

Napoleon Moon

Support

Unite

The Mayoress

City Of Tomorrow

Beta Female

Returning Shows

The following formats have been giving another series:

Conversations From A Long Marriage

Tom Allen Is Actually Not Very Nice

Daliso Chaponda: Citizen Of Nowhere

Mark Watson Talks A Bit About Life

Welcome To Wherever You Are

Phil Ellis Is Trying

Sophie Willan's Guide To Normality

Geoff Norcott: Right Leaning But Well Meaning

Meet David Sedaris

Mark Steel's In Town

Henry Normal

Joe Lycett's Obsessions

Sindhustan

Rhys James Is

The Museum Of Curiosity

The Tim Vine Chat Show

Ability

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