Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 presents a fantastic line-up of brand new comedy to help banish those winter blues and lift listeners into spring, showcasing the outstanding talent of award-winning comedian Sarah Millican; Cockney stand-up star and if.comedy award nominee Micky Flanagan; the comic writing genius of Tom Basden, one of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's four man sketch group, the Cowards; and many more.

Sarah Millican won the if.comedy Best Newcomer Award in Edinburgh 2008 and completed a successful sell-out run in Edinburgh last year.

In this, her first series for Radio 4, Sarah Millican's Support Group, she plays Sarah, life counsellor and modern day agony aunt.

Together with the assistance – or hindrance – of her support group, Sarah will be tackling the nation's problems head on, dishing out real advice for real people.

Although the characters and problems are fictitious, Sarah also asks the audience for their take on a given situation – with often hilarious results and heartfelt confessions from the British public.

Written by and starring Sarah, she is joined by a stellar cast which includes: Simon Day (Fast Show, Radio 4's Down The Line); Helen Atkinson Wood (Blackadder, Young Ones); Tim Key (Edinburgh Comedy Award 2009 winner, Radio 4's All Bar Luke); Emma Fryer (Ideal); Janice Connolly (Coronation Street, That Peter Kay Thing); Nick Mohammed (Reggie Perrin, Radio 4's Nick Mohammed In Quarters); Ruth Bratt (Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive) and Mark Heap (Spaced, Green Wing).

Sarah Millican's Support Group starts on Thursday 18 February 2010 at 11.00pm.

Tom Basden, also an if.comedy Best Newcomer award winner, has written a new series, Party, based on his 2009 Edinburgh play which won a Fringe First.

This four-part sitcom follows a group of young idealists trying to set up a brand new political party.

From the perils of electing a leader and choosing a party name, through to the finer intricacies of foreign and environmental policy, this show satirises the characters' ambitions, hypocrisy and naivety as they try to change the world for everybody else.

Party starts on Wednesday 10 March at 6.30pm with a starry cast of hot comedy talent including: Tim Key; Johnny Sweet (if.comedy Best Newcomer Award winner 2009); Anna Crilly (Lead Balloon); Katy Wix (Miranda); Nick Mohammed; and Tom himself.

Micky Flanagan: What Chance Change? is the decade-by-decade story of how Micky has gone from Sunblest to panini, tabloids to broadsheets, and street party to dinner party.

His transition from a fish market labourer from the East End, to a stand-up living in comfortable East Dulwich, is a fascinating story explored in his first ever series which mixes biographical audience stand-up with documentary features.

This series follows a successful pilot broadcast on Radio 4 last year.

Micky Flanagan: What Chance Change? starts on Tuesday 18 May at 6.30pm.

Also coming to Radio 4 this spring is a new edgy comedy arts series starring Rory Bremner engaging topical comics, satirists and comedians from different countries about their cultures and how they relate to ours – if at all.

The series features mad, bad and dangerous to know comic performer Hans Teeuwen from Amsterdam; Irish comic and satirist Barry Murphy; and Viktor Giacobbo, a satirical presence in Switzerland for the best part of 30 years.

Rory Bremner's International Satirists starts on Monday 8 March at 11.00pm.

Tom Wrigglesworth recounts his brilliantly funny and engaging tale of taking on jobsworths in An Open Return Letter To Richard Branson.

Tom takes on a train manager after witnessing him abusing his position of authority. Nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award 2009, this one-off comedy can be heard on Tuesday 9 March at 11.00pm.

David Sedaris, American humorist and multi-award winning topper of The New York Times Best Sellers List, performed to a packed Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Theatre audience in a series of recordings especially for Radio 4.

Meet David Sedaris presents hilarious and highly individual essays covering a wide variety of topics from Christmas in The Netherlands, to his Father's eating habits, drawn largely from his own life experiences.

Meet David Sedaris starts on Friday 2 April at 11.30am.

Charlotte Cory explores the world of internet dating in a new series, Thinking Of Leaving Your Husband?, starring Lia Williams, Henry Goodman and Miriam Margolyes starting on Monday 5 April at 11.30am.

And Ronnie Corbett teams up again with the writers of the hit sitcom Sorry, Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent, for a new series, When The Dog Dies.

Sandy Hopper is a retired hotel manager and committed grandad and has promised his children that he'll downsize and get rid of his lodger Dolores (Liza Tarbuck) when the dog dies...

When The Dog Dies starts on Friday 30 April at 11.30am.

This season also sees the return of some of Radio 4's hugely popular comedies, including new series of: I've Never Seen Star Wars with Marcus Brigstocke; Mark Steel's In Town with Mark visiting six more UK towns; the popular topical panel show The News Quiz; and the Sony Award winning comedy Clare In The Community starring Sally Phillips.

Notes to Editors

• Sarah Millican's Support Group – Thursdays at 11.00pm from 18 February (1/4)
• Party – Wednesdays at 6.30pm from 10 March (1/4)
• Micky Flanagan: What Chance Change? – Tuesdays at 6.30pm from 18 May (1/4)
• Rory Bremner's International Satirists - Mondays at 11.00pm from 8 March (1/3)
• An Open Return Letter To Richard Branson – Tuesday 9 March at 11.00pm (1/1)
• Meet David Sedaris – Fridays at 11.30am from 2 April (1/4)
• Thinking Of Leaving Your Husband? – Mondays at 11.30am from 5 April (1/4)
• When The Dog Dies – Fridays at 11.30am from 30 April (1/6)
• I've Never Seen Star Wars – Tuesdays at 6.30pm from 9 March (1/6)
• Mark Steel's In Town – Wednesdays at 6.30pm from 7 April (1/6)
• The News Quiz – Fridays at 6.30pm from 16 April (1/9)
• Clare In The Community – Mondays at 11.30am from 31 May (1/6)

VW