Just two pilots in Radio 2 run

Radio 2 has launched this year’s Comedy Showcase pilots – comprising just Dave Gorman’s Pub Olympics and a panel show about soap operas.

Its’s a far cry from the 2010 season, when a run of eight one-off comedies featuring the likes of Tim Minchin, Kevin Eldon, Alistair McGowan and Two Episodes Of MASH were made.

This year’s pair are Pub Olympics, which Chortle revealed two weeks ago, and the panel show Suds Law, to be hosted by former EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman.

Radio 2 has revealed more details of Pub Olympics, which will go out on February 18 at 10pm and feature panelists Chris Addison, Seymour Mace, Roisin Conaty and Geoff Lloyd.

Rounds will include 100m Something, in which the panel try to achieve something in the 9.58seconds it takes Usain Bolt to spring tat distance, Olympic Rings where contestants have to identify ringtones of some famous Greeks, and Vanilla Ice Hockey in which the team members must come up with puns which mix music and sport.

The following week the pilot of Suds Law will go out, featuring panelists Mark Little, Shaun Williamson, Susan Calman and Daily Mail soap columnist Jaci Stephen.

Tracy-Ann Oberman, who also devised the show, said: ‘The world of soaps is the nation’s guilty secret and, as the one-time murderer of Dirty Den, I am uniquely placed to preside over the mayhem that will see the panellists fight it out to see who truly understands Suds Law.’

Radio 2 also confirmed today that Jason Byrne’s sitcom Father Figure has been picked up for four episodes, as Chortle reported back in October. The show was originally one of the 2010 Comedy Showcases.

Lewis Carnie, head of programmes for Radio 2, said: ‘Radio 2 has a great track record for nurturing comedic talent and I’m really excited to announce these new showcases, which affirm our commitment to comedy programming.’

However BBC executives last year said there would be less comedy on Radio 2 following the ‘Delivering Quality First’ measures aimed at slashing £670million from the BBC’s annual budget.

Published: 12 Jan 2012