Gwyneth Williams

John Finnemore wrote the brilliant radio sitcom Cabin Pressure (and appeared in it as the haplessly optimistic son of the owner of a tiny airline). A sketch show by him was the first to appear in Radio 4 Controller Gwyneth Williams's new comedy slot after The Archers on Sunday nights where his powers of invention seemed somewhat overstretched. Hopes are high, however, for this fresh series where, with an excellent supporting cast, his undoubted gift for marrying recognisable characters with some very peculiar situations should shine.

Alex Horne Presents The Horne Section Edinburgh Special (Radio 4, 7.15pm) might bring some smiles at last to this now-dreaded comedy slot, introduced by Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams with the best of intentions: to cheer us up at the end of the weekend. Alas, that's harder to do than say as anyone who has sat with gritted teeth through the rants of Sue Perkins or the travails of Rory Bremner can attest. Alex Horne's 6.30pm week-night series was at least tuneful.

I love Rory Bremner. There are sterling comedy writers on his team here. Yet almost every joke ends in a dismally predictable pay-off. As satire on events political and financial it's too angry to hits its marks, as caricature of people in the public eye it is so obviously moulded to fit Bremner's repertoire that Gordon Brown turns up more regularly here than he has in real life for a whole year. I try to imagine Radio 4 Controller Gwyneth Williams sitting by her radio and laughing her socks off, this comedy slot having been her idea. That picture won't come. Alas.

John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme now occupies the place formerly held by Americana. In a bold move Radio 4 Controller Gwyneth Williams has inserted comedy into the slot where current affairs has most recently been and, before that, where the last ill-fated attempt at children's radio died the death. Finnemore's effort is prodigious, a dozen short sketches written and performed by a very funny man previously responsible for one of Radio 4's greatest recent comedy successes, Cabin Pressure. I heard the first Souvenir Programme, laughed quite a lot. I heard the latest, smiled a bit. Finnemore is a master in the comedy of disappointed expectation. He excels in wordplay. Both are stretched to unreasonable lengths here. It is also a reckless misuse of Finnemore's talents to ask him to bridge the gap between The Archers and (this week) a melancholic short story about a Scottish heroin-addicted young mother especially when this week's grim mix included a trailer for Ambridge Extra which sounded just like a Finnemore sketch.

Sunday night comedy - after The Archers

This Sunday sees the launch of Radio 4's new Sunday Night Comedy strand with John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme. On the blog here's Radio 4 and 4 Extra controller, Gwyneth Williams, and star of the first show in the slot, John Finnemore, to tell you about it.

The most appealing of controller Gwyneth Williams's schedule changes to R4 is turning this slot into a place for top-notch comedy series. Sue Perkins and Rory Bremner will be arriving soon but the run begins with a sketch show from the creator of Cabin Pressure, John Finnemore. The gags are predominantly observations on the vagaries of the English language and clever pokes at our obsession with nostalgia. Not a word is wasted - this is a chill-out zone for smart people.