From Luisa Omielan, Andrew O’Neill, Joz Norris, Eleanor Morton and Kat Sadler

Radio 4 has commissioned a batch of new comedy shows for next year.

Stand-ups Luisa Omielan, Andrew O’Neill, Joz Norris, Eleanor Morton and Kat Sadler are among those who were told yesterday that their shows have been picked up for broadcast.

And they took to social media to celebrate their success in the latest round of Radio 4 commissioning.

Omielan will make a radio version of her live show God Is A Woman, about how religions have airbrushed female figures from their history.  Read our review of the version she performed at Latitude here.

She tweeted: ‘Yay! Ive been commissioned by @BBCRadio4! God is a Woman, women written out of history. Gaslight, groomed & ghosted. Oldest tricks in the book! So happy!’

Yay! Ive been commissioned by @BBCRadio4! God is a Woman, women written out of history. Gaslight, grommed & ghosted. Oldest tricks in the book! So happy! Now if anyone wants to book me for fun tv & radio shows, (looking at u "we want women on panels" channels, Im soo game! Yay! pic.twitter.com/AuaCv1VzTD

— Luisa (@luisaomielan) August 3, 2021

O’Neill revealed that his ‘occult sitcom’ Damned Andrew had been commissioned for a four-part series to air in the traditional 6.30pm weekday comedy slot to air sometime next spring or summer.

He is making it with writer/director Tom De Ville, whose TV credits include scripts for Hannibal and Urban Gothic.

Meanwhile, Norris’s sitcom will be called Dream Factory and air next summer.

Yesterday he tweeted: ‘I just had maybe the best news I've ever had in my career and somewhere out there in the universe a 12-year-old me, who had a very specific dream in his head, sat up and took notice and felt hopeful. Sometimes things take 20 years. Keep doing the things you care about, everyone

‘These sorts of cryptic-good-news tweets are annoying and obnoxious, I know, but I've spent most of this year feeling really creatively blocked and anxious because I was waiting to hear on some stuff, and I'm just really happy and proud today, so hey, whatever.’

Sadler, who was awarded a BBC writing bursary in 2019 after twice making the broadcast rounds of the New Comedy Awards, has also been commissioned to make a series. BBC Studios  producer Gwyn Davies tweeted: ‘Get ready for some spicy opinions.’

Scottish stand-up Eleanor Morton said she, too, has been commissioned for a new show, but was coy about the details.

She tweeted:  ‘Very excited to say an idea I've been working on has been commissioned for Radio 4 next year! Still sorting out the final details, but hopefully can say more soon.'

Published: 4 Aug 2021