© BBC The Not Now Show
Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt's Radio 4 show ends after 25 years
The Now Show is to end after 25 years, Radio 4 has announced.
Hosts Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt have made 466 episodes of the topical comedy show over 64 series since 1998 – but the next season, which starts next Friday, will be its last.
The pair will stay with the network, hosting a new comedy podcast, RouteMasters, which takes listeners on an entertaining route between seemingly unconnected topics.
Radio 4’s commissioning editor for comedy, Julia McKenzie, said:
‘As we reach this milestone, now feels like the right time for Hugh and Steve to turn their legendary comic talents to a new Radio 4 show.
‘We are so proud of everything that The Now Show has achieved – it's been entertaining listeners with its distinctive blend of stand-up, sketches and songs for 25 years.
‘As a former producer of the show as well as the current commissioner, I’d like to thank Hugh and Steve for their passion and commitment to audio comedy and the audience, as well as the production team at BBC Studios, and all the guest comedians, actors and writers involved in the show.’
In a statement, Dennis and Punt said: ’For the last 25 years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to follow world changing news events and laugh at them. Now though we are very much looking forward to our new place in the Radio 4 line-up, with a new show, where we turn our sights on pretty much anything other than the topical.’
Last summer, Radio 4 aired pilot episodes of a number of new topical comedy formats, with Catherine Bohart-fronted TL;DR commissioned for a full series to run in the 6.30pm Friday Night Comedy slot where The Now Show also airs.
RouteMasters has been commissioned for an initial run of ten episodes to be released on BBC Sounds, which will then air on Radio 4 in October.
The pair will also be returning to Radio 4 in July with the second season of The Train At Platform 4, their sitcom set on a cross-country rail service; while Punt will be hosting another series of quiz show The 3rd Degree in July.
Punt and Dennis last month announced their first tour in a decade, with 36 dates of the show We Are Not A Robot running from April to June.
Published: 6 Mar 2024
