R4 comedy up for best radio show

Radio 4 sitcom Cabin Pressure has been nominated for best radio programme in the prestigious Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.

The series about a small airline company, written by John Finnemore, will be up against the Radio 4 adaptation of James Joyce's Ulysses and Soul Music, a series about music with a strong emotional impact.

Cabin Pressure stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Roger Allam have also both been nominated for best actor at the awards; Allam for his role in The Thick Of It and Cumberbatch for BBC Two period drama Parade’s End

They are up against Peter Capaldi, also for The Thick Of It, and Ben Whishaw for The Hollow Crown: Richard II and axed newsroom drama The Hour.

Comedians have a good chance in the breakthrough award. Both Adam Hills and Jack Whitehall have been nominated; Hills for the Paralympics show Last Leg and Whitehall for Fresh Meat and Bad Education. They are up against the star of the BBC’s Olympic coverage, Clare Balding.

The multichannel award also has a strong comedy element, with Dynamo: Magician Impossible, Hunderby, Moone Boy and Stella all nominated.

In the best comedy/entertainment category, Fresh Meat is up against Twenty Twelve and The Thick of It.

Anna Chancellor – also from The Hour as well as BBC Three comedy Pramface – is up for best actress alongside Twenty Twelve star Olivia Colman, Sienna Miller for The Girl and Maxine Peake for Silk and Room At The Top.

The winners will be announced in London on March 14.

Published: 14 Feb 2013