...plus a 'surreal' series from Matt Berry

Radio 4 has annouced a batch of new comedy shows, including four pilots commissioned from Edinburgh Fringe shows.

Stand-ups Chris Ramsey, Thom Tuck and Isy Suttie as well as poet John Osborne are all marking half-hour shows based on their Edinburgh shows from this summer.

Meanwhile, IT Crowd star Matt Berry will star as a regression therapist who take his patients on surreal journeys into their sub-conscious in I, Regress. The cast includes Katherine Parkinson, Morgana Robinson, Simon Greenall, Jack Klaff, Tara Flynn, Alex Lowe and Playschool's Derek Griffiths.

Also in the pipeline for January is a three-part series from sketch duo Will Andrews and Greg McHugh, of Gary Tank Commander and Fresh Meat fame, called Meanwhile, It's Will & Greg. And Chris Green’s spoof country singer Tina C is back for another series, called Global Depression Tour.

Of the Edinburgh shows, Radio 4 comedy commissioner Caroline Raphael said: ‘We scour Edinburgh each year for new voices but are also always on the lookout for beautifully written and constructed shows that we think can work in their own right on the radio.’

While head of radio comedy Jane Berthoud added: ‘We are delighted to be working with all these extremely talented acts. Edinburgh is a vitally important showcase for performers and can provide the start of a very fruitful relationship between them, our producers and Radio 4.’

These pilots are:

John Peel's Shed (to air on Wednesday December 21 at 11.30am): In 2002, John Osborne won a competition on John Peel's Radio 1 show. His prize was a box of records that took eight years to listen to. This is an ode to radio, those records and anyone who's ever sought solace in wireless. Osborne says: ‘To be able to talk about the records and about music, radio and John Peel to an enthusiastic Radio 4 audience is such a pleasure.’

Isy Suttie: Pearl And Dave (Wednesday January 11, 6.30pm): Using a fair amount of song, Suttie recounts a love story involving a socially awkward childhood neighbour (her first pen pal) and a 'well-bred' girl from Surrey. She said: ‘Having spent a month playing to audiences who'd been rained on all day, some of them dashing in late, I advise listeners to wrap up warm, eat a hearty meal and leave enough time for the journey from the sofa to the radio.’

Thom Tuck Goes Straight To DVD (Tuesday February 14, 11pm): Tuck watched every straight-to-DVD Disney movie, then recounts the experience along with tales of heartbreak from his own childhood and beyond. He said: ‘I am honoured, after two series and two plays on the radio with The Penny Dreadfuls, to be stepping out in radio comedy on my own. It's been a lovely process: despair at losing visual jokes giving way to joy at how beautiful the band sounds Perhaps the most thrilling thing is that this, a show about heartbreak, is to be broadcast on Valentine's Day.’

Chris Ramsey: Offermation (Thursday March 22, 6.30pm): A stand-up show about the the surplus personal information that we are bombarded with. Ramsey said: ‘I’m very chuffed to have been added to a great list of comics who’ve had their Edinburgh shows adapted for Radio 4. I’ve really enjoyed listening to them all so I’m looking forward to recording my own.’

Published: 30 Nov 2011