Comedy of the Week

In this episode we meet a bipedal hominin with a gambling problem, argue with a conspiracy-theorist ostracod and discover the best use for our surprising grip strength.

Randy Feltface’s Human Handbook is a groundbreaking four-part stand-up series where Randy fixes his ping-pong ball gaze upon the evolutionary journey of Earth’s most baffling beings

Randy Feltface has been seen on Netflix, ABC, NBC, and has a huge and devoted following across the globe (1m+ social media followers, 1.6m TikTok followers, 833k subscribers, 79m YouTube views). His hour-long specials are YouTube cult classics, his world tours are sold out sensations, and he's the only Radio 4 presenter to be entirely made of felt.

With Alex Papps and Chiara Goldsmith

Produced and directed by David Tyler

A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4

Join Russell Kane as he rummages through nature’s police files, potentially exposing that glossy sinister feathered felon: the Crow. Let’s face it, Gwyneth Pal-crows have one of the worst reps of all birds. Think about it: Penguins? Lovely. Puffins? Legends! Crows? DEATH.

Helping Russell sort the caw-caws from the jackdaws, are comedian Desiree Burch and the Natural History Museum’s Principal Curator of Birds, Dr. Alex Bond.

Are Crows ‘Bad News with Wings’ or ‘Feathered Fantastics’? Listen with your ears to find out.

Written by: Eve Delaney, Ruth Huskisson and Christina Riggs.

Additional material: Angela Channell and Catherine Beazley.

Researcher: Catherine Beazley

Sound Recordist: Gareth Wood

Digital Editor: Jerry Peal

Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy

Executive Producer: Paul Smith

Producer: Simon Nicholls

Evil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds.

In this episode, the 2005 General Election inspires Glenn to stand in his school’s own mock election, as the candidate with the most unlikely set of policies ever.

Perhaps best-known for his outrageously brilliant one-liners on Mock The Week, Glenn delivers a tale of comic mishaps and extraordinary scenes interwoven with a big event in history – and looks back through his almanac to find out other strange connections to the day as well.

Written by Glenn with additional material by Katie Storey (Have I Got News For You, Mock The Week, The Last Leg) and produced and directed by David Tyler (Cabin Pressure, Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive, and many more).

A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4

Paul Merton interviews a variety of guests from the world of comedy and entertainment to find out what they would send to Room 101.

Kicking off the series, Miles Jupp attempts to banish touchscreens, people who take the aisle seat on a train when the window seat is available, and people who do not park well.

To hear more episodes from this series, search "Room 101" on BBC Sounds.

Additional material by John Irwin and Suki Webster Producer: Claire Broughton A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4

Geoff Norcott examines modern masculinity in this stand-up series for Radio 4, by creating the safe space of a working men’s club so he can speak freely about the problems men are facing and how we might go about fixing them in a way that benefits everyone.

This week, Geoff looks at men’s reluctance to put on sunscreen. Why not take a simple, basic precaution against the hottest and largest thing in the entire solar system? Vanity? Bravado? Or something else? With the help of his studio audience, Geoff looks at whether this is connected to men’s reluctance to seek medical advice and their habit of dying early.

Written and presented by Geoff Norcott

Recorded by Richard Biddulph

Production manager: Sarah Wright Executive producer: Caroline Raphael Producer: Ed Morrish

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

Laura Smyth speaks to celebrity guests to find out about the mothers who made them.

This week Laura is joined by comedians Sara Barron and Nish Kumar and boy is it the battle of the big personality mums! We hear all about Sara’s mum’s main character energy and her mantra ‘we’re not like other girls’. We learn about Nish’s mum leading her entire family to England aged just 15, and the mic drop way in which she introduces herself to strangers. And we conclude that maybe it makes total sense for all mothers to be a little bit mad?

Producer: Sasha Bobak Assistant Producer: Eve Delaney Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Production Co-ordinator: Asha Osborne-Grinter

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

Omid Djalili explores a world that's louder, angrier, and stranger than ever.

Who gets to decide who we are before we've even opened our mouths? Omid Djalili examines the stereotypes that shape our lives - from growing up as the son of Iranian immigrants to the labels, assumptions and snap judgements we all make about each other. Through stand-up, audience contributions and personal stories, he asks whether comedy can break through prejudice and remind us that people are always more complicated than the boxes we put them in.

This is the first episode of the Stand-Up Specials series Omid Djalili: Namaste. To hear more episodes, search "Stand-Up Specials" on BBC Sounds.

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

In this episode we hear Jessie Cave’s word for letting your kids explore their canine side, Armando Iannucci's description for excessive false modesty, and Chloe Petts’s coinage for when you need something but you don't want to be a bother.

Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words.

Hosts: Phil Wang and Susie Dent Guests: Jessie Cave, Armando Iannucci and Chloe Petts Created by Joe Varley Writers: Matt Crosby and Katie Storey Recorded by Jerry Peal Producer: Jon Harvey Executive Producers: Joe Varley and Akash Lockmun

A Brown Bred production for BBC Radio 4

The multi-award-winning satire returns, as Jon Holmes mashes up news with pop-culture into a current affairs comedy concept album. This week - Andy Burnham embarks on his Odyssey, and Harry and Meghan's dog barks at The Gentlemen on Netflix.

To hear more episode from this series, search "The Skewer" on BBC Sounds.

Producer: Jon Holmes An unusual production for BBC Radio 4

The prestigious Awards turns 46 this year and as always is recognising a Best Newcomer and a Best Comedy Show. In this gala, hosted by 2024 Best Show nominee Catherine Bohart, we hear from the nominees and winners to give listeners around the UK the chance to hear what's hot at the Fringe this year. The Gala was recorded at The Grand in the Pleasance Courtyard, one of the Edinburgh Fringe’s iconic comedy venues.

Audible Best Comedy Show winner is Chris Cantrill Taffner Family's Best Newcomer winner is Marty Gleeson

Also nominated for Best Comedy Show are: Harriet Dyer, Li Jin Hao, Dan Tiernan, Lara Ricote

Also nominated for Best Newcomer are: Fatiha El-Ghorri, Dom McGovern, Freddie Meredith, Tom Towelling, Underground Monk Show

Host: Catherine Bohart Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Production Co-ordinator: Jodie Charman Edited by Chris Maclean Recorded by Sean Kerwin

Recorded at The Pleasance Grand in Edinburgh. A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

It's time for the people to speak. Taking on the headlines, Ian Smith is joined by Harriet Kemsley and Ashley Storrie to work out what is going on, and together with an Edinburgh Fringe audience, solve the biggest problem facing the world right now.

Which family member would you send to negotiate with Hamas? How should we help Trump meet his self-imposed deadlines? And how to we protect Andy Burnham from scam phone calls?

Written by Ian Smith, Angela Channell, Cameron Loxdale and Katie Storey Production Coordinator: Asha Osborne-Grinter Sound Editing: David Thomas Executive Producer: James Robinson Recorded the Edinburgh Fesitval Fringe

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Production

Kicking off a fifth series, Paul takes his audience in Boston, Lincolnshire, through an ideal range of questions for a perfect pub quiz.

He also has rounds inspired by the area, on subjects like suspension bridges, the tallest buildings in the world, and the way in which Boston avenged Lincoln. And he gets asked - again - about the Lincolnshire football club that's had three England captains, Jack Daniels, and the Lincolnshire town that used to be the capital of England.

This Comedy of the Week episode features the first episode of the fifth series of Paul Sinha's Perfect Pub Quiz. All series are available to listen on BBC Sounds.

Written and performed by Paul Sinha Additional material: Oliver Levy

Additional questions: The Audience

Recorded at the Blackfriars Theatre, Boston, by Jerry Peal at Peal Sound Mixed by Rich Evans at Syncbox Post

Producer: Ed Morrish Executive producer: Lyndsay Fenner

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4

We're back with a bang this week with some of our toughest subjects to date. They include my advice for a blind date, I refuse to go back to..., and the last time I made a citizen's arrest. Plus who makes the classic repetition mistake of saying BBC?

This Comedy of the Week features the first episode of series 97 of Just a Minute.

Host: Sue Perkins Players: Paul Merton, Lucy Porter, Rachel Parris, Gyles Brandreth Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: James Robinson Production Coordinator: Jodie Charman Production Manager: Katie Baum Sound Editor: Marc Willcox Additional material by Angela Channell

An EcoAudio certified production. A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

Joining Kiri Pritchard-McLean this week is comedian Michelle Wolf who reflects on home births, Professor Stephen Wallace explains how old plastic bottles can be transformed into a form of Dopamine that can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease, and Dr Matt Clarke demonstrates the power of medical collaboration in helping to identify and treat brain tumours.

Best Medicine is your weekly dose of laughter, hope and incredible medicine. Award-winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean is joined by a funny and fascinating panel of comedians, doctors, scientists, experts and historians to celebrate medicine's inspiring past, present and future.

Each week Kiri challenges a panel of experts and a comedian to make a case for what they think is 'the best medicine'. Each guest champions anything from world-changing science or an obscure invention to an everyday treatment, an uplifting worldview, an unsung hero or a futuristic cure.

Whether it’s groundbreaking surgery, seaweed underwear, AI glasses to help people with dementia, horse therapy, sports, revolutionary gene therapy for Huntington’s disease or yesterday’s rubbish becoming tomorrow’s medicines - it’s always something worth celebrating.

Hosted by Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Featuring: Dr Matt Clarke, Professor Stephen Wallace and Michelle Wolf

Written by Edward Easton, Jordan Gray, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Ben Rowse

Producer: Tashi Radha

Executive Producer: Ben Worsfield

Theme tune composed by Andrew Jones

A Large Time production for BBC Radio 4

Lucy Porter is joined by John Tothill, Kyrah Gray and Amy Annette to talk all things current-ish events. Should politicians wear ties? Should children learn to read? And should we all now identify as Spanish?

Hosted by Lucy Porter

Written by Lucy Porter, Ruth Husko and Katie Sayer, with additional material by Mike Shephard

Producer - Katie Sayer Assistant producer - Lorna Reader Executive producer - Victoria Lloyd A Mighty Bunny production for BBC Radio 4

Comedian Sunil Patel is trying to make a documentary that young people will like. It’s sexy, it’s vice, it’s Hunter S. Thompson, but he’s already completely blowing it. Listen to Sunil embarrass himself on national radio and be forced to change tack immediately.

This is the first episode of this series. To hear more episodes, search "Sunil Patel: An Idiot's Guide To Living Forever" on BBC Sounds.

Starring Sunil Patel

Featuring Helen Bauer

Written by Sunil Patel, Charlie Dinkin, Em Humble and Benjamin Sutton

Produced by Benjamin Sutton and Laura Shaw

A Daddy’s SuperYacht Production for BBC Radio 4

The Dead Ringers team train their vocal firepower on the week’s news. This week: Trump turns tricks, Tuchel talks tactics, and Count Binface is unmasked.

Starring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Duncan Wisbey and Kieran Hodgson.

To hear more episodes of Dead Ringers, search "Friday Night Comedy" on BBC Sounds.

Produced by: Jon Holmes Executive Producer:James Robinson Production Co-ordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

Tabitha Beckworth is the founder and CEO of globally successful wellness brand, The Whisper. But, like any super driven hyper successful business person she does many different things, all of them to great success - over 3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel is a testament to this. But for this interview, Tabitha found time in her packed schedule to sit down with Alistair to explain more about what The Whisper is and the global community it has created.

This episode featured on Comedy of the Week is titled Wellness guru Tabitha Beckworth. To hear more from the series, search "The Big Idea with Alistair Green" on BBC Sounds.

Alistair would like to take this moment to put it in writing that he doesn’t necessarily endorse the views of the guests.

The Big Idea with Alistair Green is brought to you by Are You Okay? Mental Health. It’s a lot isn’t it?

Written and performed by Alistair Green.

Produced by Alex Burnard.

A Cup & Nuzzle production for BBC Radio 4.

P.O.V. returns for a second series of sketches from the internet's best comedians. This week we hear a sports commentary for the green-fingered, a policeman who is very determined to tell you something, and a trailer for every true crime podcast ever.

Written and performed by Davina Bentley, Jake Bhardwaj, Kylie Brakeman, Stephen Buchanan, Nathan Caton, The Exploding Heads, Rachel Fairburn, Daniel Foxx, Matt Green, Kelechi Okafor, Elaine Owusu and Ed Night and Paddy Young.

Recorded at The Soundhouse Studios and Guilt Free Post, London; Maximum Fun, Los Angeles; and Sonido Studios, Clydebank.

Sound design ... Rich Evans at Synbox Post.

Producer ... Ed Morrish Executive producer ... Lyndsay Fenner

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4

In a world of crossfit and kink-shaming, budgeting and meal prep, John Tothill presents the antidote to self-improvement.

In this episode John tackles the workplace - rejecting the nauseating barrage of self-betterment and productivity, in favour of your worst impulses and transgressions.

Listen, we all have regrets that make us wince to remember and consider booking a one-way ticket to Nepal. But do you know what the biggest killer in the UK is? That's right: shame. So come on in, darlings. Curl up with a lovely big pint of Negroni and share your naughtiest stories. John is here to celebrate your vices and absolve you of your sins. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Producer: Sasha Bobak Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Co-Writer: Eve Delaney Production Coordintor: Asha Osborne-Grinter

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.