Sunday Night Stand-Up: 11 comedy specials from BBC Radio 4

A sparkling selection of one-off comedy shows from Radio 4's Sunday night Stand Up Specials season

Since 2018, BBC Radio 4 has been making the nation laugh with its Stand Up Specials strand, featuring fantastic half-hour sets from a host of celebrated comedians. This wide-ranging collection brings together eleven of the very best acts, from established stars to new and emerging talent, as they 'zoom through angst from all angles' (The Guardian).

Among the hot comic takes, Tom Allen's Not Very Nice explores what happens when the hilarious host of The Apprentice: You're Fired turns from sweet to naughty; Pippa Evans Grows Up finds the Now Show star asking what it means to be a grown-up; Postcards to Portsmouth sees Suzi Ruffell returning to her home town (well, just down the road) to share tales of her family; and Kiri Pritchard-McLean spotlights the life choices of millennials in Egg-sistential Crisis, asking 'why have they stopped having babies?'

From Asda to Diva introduces us to Jayde Adams, who combines wit and show-stopping music to demonstrate how she went from working in a supermarket to fully-fledged prima donna; Emergency Broadcast sees Gemma Arrowsmith trapped in Broadcasting House and presenting a lockdown sketch show with Tom Crowley, Adam Courting, Hugh Dennis and Susan Harrison; Talking Shop outlines BBC New Comedy Award winner Stephen Buchanan's chequered work history and friendship with a Vietnamese refugee; and in Centrist Dad?, Alun Cochrane defends the much-maligned middle ground as he tries to find his place on the shifting political spectrum.

Also included is Black Country Gentlemon, in which George Fouracres tells his story of growing up in Wolverhampton; Magnifying Class, Athena Kugblenu's examination of class identity and what it means to be upwardly mobile; and One of Many, where Stephen Bailey contemplates his numerous namesakes - all of whom are more newsworthy than him - and wonders whether you can change your life just by changing your name.

Production credits

Tom Allen Is Actually Not Very Nice Written and performed by Tom Allen and featuring Gabby Best Produced by Richard Morris First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 April 2018

Pippa Evans Grows Up Written and performed by Pippa Evans Produced by Alison Vernon-Smith First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 May 2018

Suzi Ruffell: Postcards to Portsmouth Written and performed by Suzi Ruffell, with additions from Ann Ruffell Produced by Suzy Grant First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 May 2019

Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Egg-sistential Crisis Written and performed by Kiri Prichard-McLean Produced by Suzy Grant First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10 January 2021

Jayde Adams: From ASDA to Diva Written and performed by Jayde Adams, with music by Richard Thomas Produced by Hayley Sterling Production co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 January 2021

Gemma Arrowsmith: Emergency Broadcast Written by and starring Gemma Arrowsmith, with Tom Crowley, Adam Courting, Hugh Dennis and Susan Harrison Produced by Victoria Lloyd First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 February 2021

Stephen Buchanan: Talking Shop Written and performed by Stephen Buchanan Produced by Adnan Ahmed First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 March 2021

Alun Cochrane: Centrist Dad? Written and performed by Alun Cochrane Produced by Richard Morris Production co-ordinator: Mabel Wright Sound engineer: Michael Smith First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 July 2021

George Fouracres: Black Country Gentlemon Written and performed by George Fouracres Produced by Richard Morris Production co-ordinator: Beverly Tagg First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 March 2022

Athena Kugblenu: Magnifying Class Written and performed by Athena Kugblenu Produced by Leila Navabi Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 April 2022

Stephen Bailey: One of Many Written and performed by Stephen Bailey Produced by Georgia Keating and Hayley Sterling Production Coordinator: Katie Baum First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 May 2022

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

© 2023 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529905571

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Lydbog: 19. januar 2023