Miles Jupp offers up his dream line-up as the first of six curators for Radio 4’s first Summer Comedy Festival. Expect a summer festival with a difference as some of the nation’s favourite comics turn curators and host a virtual festival featuring their favourite performers from the worlds of comedy, literature and spoken word. The other comedy curators are: Funny Women matron Jo Brand, Darren Harriott, Sara Pascoe, Daliso Chaponda and 2014 Funny Women Awards winner Jayde Adams.
Jupp pitches his festival in an eclectic field dubbed ‘Juppstock’, where alternative stand-up comic Simon Munnery, crime writer Val McDermid, and quiz supremo Paul Sinha are amongst guests stepping up to the virtual stage. Jo Brand settles on a poetic theme for her gathering on Friday 31st July, with the talents of poet, musician and performer John Hegley, spoken word artist Hollie McNish, poet and playwright Nafeesa Hamid and comedian Lewis MacLeod.
Stand-up and writer Daliso Chaponda takes the reigns for Friday 7th August with a line-up soon to be announced around the theme of protest, Jayde Adams, presents a glittering line-up on 14th August topped by cabaret star Le Gateau Chocolat. Comedian, actor and author Sara Pascoe’s Tear-Jerker festival is scheduled for 21 August, and Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominee Darren Harriott’s ‘Carnival of the Unexpected’ on 28 August.
Sioned Wiliam, Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 comedy, says: “Our six hosts each have their own brilliant styles but they share comedic excellence which I know listeners will hear in their curations too. Radio 4’s Summer Comedy Festival hopes to give listeners a little bit of the magic they may be missing whilst most live events aren’t taking place.”
Line-ups confirmed so far:
Friday 24th July
18:30-19:00
Host: Miles Jupp
Guests: Simon Munnery, Alison Mitchell, Abandoman, Val McDermid, Paul Sinha
Friday 31st July
18:30-19:00
Host: Jo Brand
Guests: John Hegley, Nafeesa Hamid, Hollie McNish, Lewis MacLeod
Followed by hosts Daliso Chaponda (7th), Jayde Adams (14th), Sara Pascoe (21st) and Darren Harriott (28th August), guests TBC.
A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4.
