2008 Sony Award nominees announced

The shortlist for the 2008 Sony Radio Awards – "The Oscars of Radio", has been announced.

The nominees for the best comedy series award are mixed. One of the nominees stars a comedian who is relatively unheard of. BBC 7's A Series of Psychotic Episodes is written and performed by Miriam Elia, who won the BBC's 'Witty and Twisted' competition last year, a scheme setup to look for new comedy writers. It is not the first time Elia has reached an award shortlist, she has also been a finalist for Channel 4's 'Gags to Go' contest.

The other nominees on the list are all Radio 4 shows. They are the sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags, Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson's satire Down the Line, comedy documentary Mark Thomas: My Life in Serious Organised Crime (pictured) and sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound.

Other comedians up for awards include Russell Brand, whose Radio 2 show is up for the best entertainment award, and Manchester comedian Toby Hadoke is in the running for best drama for his show Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf.

The awards are to be presented on the 12th May.