
The Now Show: Series 59-61
The BBC Radio 4 Topical Comedy
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $20.33
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Hugh Dennis
-
Steve Punt
-
Various
-
By:
-
BBC Radio Comedy
About this listen
Three sparkling series of the award-winning comedy show.
The Now Show is back with a bang, bringing you a bumper helping of topical skits, sketches, stand-up and songs. In these 18 episodes, Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Gareth Gwynn. Joining them to take a satirical sideswipe at the news are comedians including Felicity Ward, Glenn Moore, Michael Spicer, Ria Lina, Josh Pugh, Athena Kugblenu, Geoff Norcott, Stevie Martin and Sarah Keyworth.
Aurie Styla riffs about the smug benefits of owning an electric car; Daliso Chaponda muses on the future of the Metaverse; Priya Hall wonders why we're experiencing shortages of pretty much everything; and Jess Fostekew talks us through all the things she's doing to distract herself from the news.
Supplying the music are Jess Robinson, who gives us a sneak preview of Adele's 23rd album, '95'; Ignacio Lopez, with a Bowie-inspired song about billionaires in space; Beardyman, with a jazzy ode to staying calm; and Stiff & Kitsch, with a tuneful list of all the things we can worry about again now the pandemic is over (kind of).
Plus, we hear the funniest answers to Audience Questions including 'Have you ever been given a nickname you didn't want?', 'What strange things are on your bucket list?', 'What's the most humiliating thing that has ever happened to you?' and 'Have you ever hidden something? Who from, and why?'
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive
Cast and credits
Presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis (Series 59, Episode 3 presented by Steve Punt and Gareth Gwynn)
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast
Additional material by Simon Alcock, Becca Bain, Davina Bentley, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Steve Blair, Catherine Brinkworth, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Natasha Dhanraj, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Alex Garrick-Wright, Jade Gebbie, Gareth Gwynn, Jack Harris, Rajiv Karia, Harry Kampf, Jenny Laville, Cameron Loxdale, Laura Major, Eleri Morgan, Robin Morgan, Hannah Platt, Rhiannon Shaw, Mike Shepherd, Katie Storey
Produced by Pete Strauss and Rajiv Karia
Production Co-ordinators: Sarah Sharpe
Music composed by Alex Silverman (Series 59, Episode 1 and Series 60, Episode 6)
A BBC Studios Production
Series 59 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Karen Bartke, Beardyman, Daliso Chaponda, Huge Davies, Gareth Gwynn, Jason Forbes, Priya Hall, Janine Harouni, Kieran Hodgson, Natasha Hodgson, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Ignacio Lopez, Jamie MacDonald, Glen Moore, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Nimisha Odedra, Josh Pugh, Jess Robinson, Emma Sidi, Michael Spicer, Stiff & Kitsch, Aurie Styla, Tim Sutton, Felicity Ward
Series 60 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Angela Barnes, Ken Cheng, Huge Davies, David Eagle, Jazz Emu, Jason Forbes, Jess Fostekew, Chiara Goldsmith, Archie Henderson, Kieran Hodgson, Matty Hutson, Sharlin Jahan, Rhys James, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Sarah Keyworth, Ola Labib, Stevie Martin, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Freya Parker, Chloe Petts, Jess Robinson, Ian Smith, Laura Smyth, Stiff & Kitsch, Tim Sutton, Chris Thorburn, Inel Tomlinson
Series 61 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Daniel Barker, Alfie Brown, Cally Beaton, Catherine Bohart, Christy Coysh, Jazz Emu, Jason Forbes, George Fouracres, Jordan Gray, Colin Hoult, Alex Kealy, Luke Kempner, Athena Kugblenu, Ed Jones, Laura Lexx, Ignacio Lopez, Stevie Martin, Ed MacArthur, Jamie MacDonald, Lola Rose Maxwell, Katie Norris, Roisin O'Mahony, Lauren Pattison, Lucy Porter, Jess Robinson, Emmanuel Sonubi, Fin Taylor
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 29 October-3 December 2021 (Series 59), 11 March-15 April 2022 (Series 60), 28 October-2 December 2022 (Series 61)
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The News Quiz: Through the Years
- Vintage Highlights from the Topical Radio 4 Comedy Panel Show
- By: BBC Radio Comedy
- Narrated by: Miles Jupp, Sandi Toksvig, Barry Norman, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A finely matured selection of episodes from the long-running topical Radio 4 panel show, chaired by Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig and Miles Jupp. These 14 archive editions, all published for the first time, span the decades from 1978 to 2017 and recall the headline-grabbing issues, incidents and individuals of yesteryear.
By: BBC Radio Comedy
-
4 at the Store
- Nineties and Noughties Stand-Up Comedy from BBC Radio 4
- By: BBC Radio Comedy
- Narrated by: Ross Noble, Adam Hills, Simon Bligh, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stand-up fans rejoice—this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy more than 11 hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny compères: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills.
By: BBC Radio Comedy
-
That Mitchell and Webb Sound: The Complete Series 1-5
- The BBC Radio 4 Comedy Show
- By: David Mitchell, Robert Webb
- Narrated by: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Olivia Colman, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to the inside-out world of Mitchell and Webb, a strange and surreal place populated by misfits, eccentrics, talking animals and a few stray Radio 4 arts programme presenters. Included here are all five series of their fantastically skewed comedy show, packed with offbeat sketches and peculiar characters. Meet seedy snooker commentators Ted and Peter; poorly matched crime-fighting duo Angel Summoner and BMX Bandit; a cop who doesn't get results but, by God, he does things by the book; and some nervous Nazis who've just noticed their caps have skulls on them.
-
-
Better Than Fry and Laurie?
- By John on 10-29-24
By: David Mitchell, and others
-
Infinite Monkey Cage
- The Complete Series 1-5
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince
- Narrated by: Professor Brian Cox, full cast, Robin Ince
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The complete series 1-5 of the Sony Award Winning BBC Radio 4 show, The Infinite Monkey Cage, presented by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. The duo, assisted by a panel of experts and entertainers, tackle subjects such as biology, cosmology, physics and why Brian's hair is always so perfect. Guests include Dara Ó Briain, Jon Ronson, Stephen Fry and Dave Gorman, amongst many more.
-
-
Science is fun
- By A. Tanneberger on 05-24-20
By: Professor Brian Cox, and others
-
Reluctant Persuaders: The Complete Series 1-4
- A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Drama
- By: Edward Rowett
- Narrated by: Josie Lawrence, Mathew Baynton, Nigel Havers, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three decades, Rupert Hardacre was one of the big beasts of advertising: he worked hard, played hard, and lived hard. But he fell harder. Driven out of every reputable agency in town for drinking all their whiskey and sleeping with all their wives, he used the remains of his fortune to found Hardacre's, the best (and only) advertising agency on the M25. Now he's so confident that his name alone will take him back to the top, he's happy to leave all the actual work to the creative department.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Fenris on 06-17-23
By: Edward Rowett
-
Old Harry’s Game
- The Complete Series of the Award-Winning BBC Radio 4 Comedy
- By: Andy Hamilton
- Narrated by: Andy Hamilton, James Grout, Jimmy Mulville, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Hell—where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire. Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel.
-
-
london at its best
- By thomas_kostrzewa on 08-08-23
By: Andy Hamilton
-
The News Quiz: Through the Years
- Vintage Highlights from the Topical Radio 4 Comedy Panel Show
- By: BBC Radio Comedy
- Narrated by: Miles Jupp, Sandi Toksvig, Barry Norman, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A finely matured selection of episodes from the long-running topical Radio 4 panel show, chaired by Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig and Miles Jupp. These 14 archive editions, all published for the first time, span the decades from 1978 to 2017 and recall the headline-grabbing issues, incidents and individuals of yesteryear.
By: BBC Radio Comedy
-
4 at the Store
- Nineties and Noughties Stand-Up Comedy from BBC Radio 4
- By: BBC Radio Comedy
- Narrated by: Ross Noble, Adam Hills, Simon Bligh, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stand-up fans rejoice—this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy more than 11 hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny compères: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills.
By: BBC Radio Comedy
-
That Mitchell and Webb Sound: The Complete Series 1-5
- The BBC Radio 4 Comedy Show
- By: David Mitchell, Robert Webb
- Narrated by: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Olivia Colman, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to the inside-out world of Mitchell and Webb, a strange and surreal place populated by misfits, eccentrics, talking animals and a few stray Radio 4 arts programme presenters. Included here are all five series of their fantastically skewed comedy show, packed with offbeat sketches and peculiar characters. Meet seedy snooker commentators Ted and Peter; poorly matched crime-fighting duo Angel Summoner and BMX Bandit; a cop who doesn't get results but, by God, he does things by the book; and some nervous Nazis who've just noticed their caps have skulls on them.
-
-
Better Than Fry and Laurie?
- By John on 10-29-24
By: David Mitchell, and others
-
Infinite Monkey Cage
- The Complete Series 1-5
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince
- Narrated by: Professor Brian Cox, full cast, Robin Ince
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The complete series 1-5 of the Sony Award Winning BBC Radio 4 show, The Infinite Monkey Cage, presented by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. The duo, assisted by a panel of experts and entertainers, tackle subjects such as biology, cosmology, physics and why Brian's hair is always so perfect. Guests include Dara Ó Briain, Jon Ronson, Stephen Fry and Dave Gorman, amongst many more.
-
-
Science is fun
- By A. Tanneberger on 05-24-20
By: Professor Brian Cox, and others
-
Reluctant Persuaders: The Complete Series 1-4
- A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Drama
- By: Edward Rowett
- Narrated by: Josie Lawrence, Mathew Baynton, Nigel Havers, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three decades, Rupert Hardacre was one of the big beasts of advertising: he worked hard, played hard, and lived hard. But he fell harder. Driven out of every reputable agency in town for drinking all their whiskey and sleeping with all their wives, he used the remains of his fortune to found Hardacre's, the best (and only) advertising agency on the M25. Now he's so confident that his name alone will take him back to the top, he's happy to leave all the actual work to the creative department.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Fenris on 06-17-23
By: Edward Rowett
-
Old Harry’s Game
- The Complete Series of the Award-Winning BBC Radio 4 Comedy
- By: Andy Hamilton
- Narrated by: Andy Hamilton, James Grout, Jimmy Mulville, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Hell—where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire. Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel.
-
-
london at its best
- By thomas_kostrzewa on 08-08-23
By: Andy Hamilton