Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

Topical comedy from the sharpest satirical minds in the business. Listen first on BBC Sounds, every Friday.

Is the news driving you up the wall? You’re not alone. Let the comedians take the strain and work out what’s been funny this week. Features BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, Dead Ringers, The Naked Week and Too Long; Didn’t Read.

Listen on BBC Sounds, seven days earlier than anywhere else, and subscribe to make sure that you don’t miss an episode.

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Episodens resumé

This episode of the news quiz features a satirical look at recent political encounters, including Donald Trump's interactions with Andy Burnham and Xi Jinping, alongside discussions on his proposed architectural projects in Washington D.C. and his attempt to rename artificial intelligence. The hosts also cover various global news items, such as a hack on the Australian Medicare system, UK party conference developments, and controversies surrounding Earl Spencer's memoir. The episode concludes with a discussion on a government review regarding the mental health challenges faced by young people aged 16 to 24.

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I mean, it's very easy to get on with Donald Trump because you disagree with everything he says.

00:04:06 · The host uses humor to describe the political dynamic between Trump and his opponents.

I think it's the kind of thing you couldn't really put to a public vote in this country, because then AI would end up being called intelligence McIntelligence.

00:13:56 · The hosts joke about how a public vote on AI naming might lead to biased or culturally specific results.

I wasn't going to buy a copy of this, but now it's annoyed Piers Morgan. I've bought 16 million copies.

00:17:22 · The host humorously claims that the controversy surrounding Earl Spencer's book is driving their massive sales.

Our younger generation have been generously bequeathed. The jobs market, they want to replace them with robots, an environment they didn't have a chance to enjoy polluting, a Brexit they didn't have a say in, houses they can barely afford to look at, let alone think about buying whilst eating an avocado.

00:27:30 · The speaker lists the various systemic and economic burdens currently facing the younger generation.

We should be amazed if any of them don't spend at least 50% of their time gazing vacantly into space, muttering, we chose a bad time to be born, didn't we?

00:28:03 · The speaker humorously suggests that the current global state is so overwhelming that despair is a natural response.

Episoder

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The News Quiz: Ep4. 'Demonstrable lies'

This episode of the news quiz features a satirical look at recent political encounters, including Donald Trump's interactions with Andy Burnham and Xi Jinping, alongside discussions on his proposed architectural projects in Washington D.C. and his attempt to rename artificial intelligence. The hosts also cover various global news items, such as a hack on the Australian Medicare system, UK party conference developments, and controversies surrounding Earl Spencer's memoir. The episode concludes with a discussion on a government review regarding the mental health challenges faced by young people aged 16 to 24.

02 okt. 2026
344-

The News Quiz: Ep3. The Robots Are/Aren't Coming

The podcast returns with a satirical news quiz exploring the tension between AI optimism and pessimism, covering topics from alignment risks to the geopolitical race for AI supremacy between the US and China. The discussion also touches on political reactions to technological development and the difficulty of regulating AI companies. The episode continues through various comedic news segments, including discussions on space weaponry, the potential dissolution of the United Kingdom, and recent music controversies. The show concludes with a fictional news report and trailers for upcoming BBC podcasts, 'The Hitler Diaries Scandal' and 'The Interface'.

25 sep. 2026
343-

The News Quiz: Ep 2. Team Vibes vs Team Bribes

In this episode, comedians participate in a news quiz covering recent political scandals, including investigations into Nigel Farage and the Reform party's potential illegal funding. The discussion also explores far-right protests in Portsmouth and UK government sanctions regarding MP travel to Israel. The panel further examines bizarre weekly headlines, ranging from conspiracy theories about weight loss drugs affecting the Earth's rotation to a botched art heist in France. The episode concludes with the announcement of quiz winners and promotions for other BBC podcasts.

18 sep. 2026
342-

The News Quiz: Ep1. The Burnham bounce?

The new season of 'The Interface' kicks off with 'The News Quiz,' where the panel critiques Prime Minister Andy Burnham's 'vibe-heavy' political debut and discusses shifts in Keir Starmer's leadership. The discussion also covers various news topics, including UK heatwaves, prison overcrowding, and a fake Booking.com listing for 10 Downing Street. The episode concludes with reflections on the cancellation of BBC's Ski Sunday, followed by trailers for Phil Wang's 'Comedy of the Week' podcast and the upcoming season of 'The Interface.'

11 sep. 2026
341-

The People Have Spoken Ep3. British Maple Syrup

O episódio inicia com anúncios do Banco CTT Biz e o programa de entretenimento satírico 'O Reino de Passos Programme', onde Ian Smith comenta notícias globais, incluindo a visita de Andy Burnham à Ucrânia e as tensões comerciais entre EUA e Canadá. A segunda parte aborda discussões humorísticas sobre a redefinição de marcos globais para uma identidade britânica e o impacto dos sotaques na percepção de inteligência. O programa também trata do retorno de Harry e Meghan ao Reino Unido e encerra com relatos sobre os primeiros empregos dos participantes.

04 sep. 2026