Jenni Murray

If you were disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Jessica Hynes's character [Siobhan Sharpe in last week's opening episode, tonight's blisteringly farcical instalment more than makes up for it.

The BBC's new Head Of Values, Ian Fletcher (Hugh Bonneville), and Tracey "I'm-not-being-funny-or-anything," Pritchard (Monica Dolan), are on the train to Salford where Ian is going to be interviewed by Jenni Murray on Woman's Hour about the BBC's alleged "institutional anti-West-Country bias".

It's a golden opportunity for him to change the subject by announcing that Carol Vorderman will be joining Alan Titchmarsh to co-present a new series called Britain's Tastiest Village.

Until, that is, Siobhan starts tweeting incessantly on Ian's behalf.

Meanwhile, Clare Balding is on her way to New Broadcasting House because she thinks that SHE is presenting Britain's Tastiest Village.

A perfect storm of a PR disaster is brewing and Siobhan Sharpe is the lunatic steering the boat straight into the middle of it.

Radio Times review

The cha-cha-cha theme music from Animal Magic they use over the opening titles of W1A will hang around in your head for days if you're not careful, and so will some of its cruelly funny scenes.

Last time, buzzword bunny Siobhan "Totally" Sharpe (Jessica Hynes) barely got a look in. Here she's centre stage as she muscles in on Ian's trip to appear on Woman's Hour in Salford. "Let's ride this train, let's nail this puppy to the floor!" she drones, while launching a Twitter campaign that races out of control ("We've just been re-tweeted by Enrique Iglesias!")

Ian (Hugh Bonneville) is trying to scotch the idea that the BBC has an institutional bias against the West Country (and that it's institutionally sexist and ageist), but his encounter with Jenni Murray slides steadily into farce.

Meanwhile, back in London, there's a crisis meeting over the double-booking of Carol Vorderman and Clare Balding to present Britain's Tastiest Village. Step forward dim intern Will ("Yah, cool") to save the day.

Audio: Helen Fielding interview

The author Helen Fielding reveals she is writing a new book about Bridget Jones.

Breaking down gender barriers and making people laugh

Jenni Murray talks to a comedy duo with a difference - they're women...

Sometimes it can seem as if standup comedians are everywhere. Clustered on panel shows, chat shows, sitcoms; hosting clips programmes, commenting on the news, making you chicken pie when you get home at night...

That's just me (I'm married to a standup), and that's a bad joke. Not quite as bad as some we heard on Stand Up For Comic Relief, but close.

Last week, Radio 4 took us through the now familiar process of established comedians mentoring novices for charidee (you phone in to vote for the best, and the money goes to Comic Relief). Thus, Dev from Radio 1 was tutored by Chris Ramsey, Radio 2's Tony Blackburn got Julian Clary, Tom Service (Radio 3) by Sandi Toksvig, Jenni Murray (Radio 4) by Mark Steel, Tony Livesey (5Live) worked with Justin Moorhouse and Shaun Keaveny from 6Music was paired with Miles Jupp. (If there was ever a sign that the BBC are now fully supportive of 6Music, Shaun doing Comic Relief is it.)

Before we heard the routines, in the "funny" 6.30pm slot on Wednesday, Radio 4 offered us two half-hour puff pieces on Monday and Tuesday, where the newbies expressed their fear and competitiveness and their mentors cracked funnies. Tony Blackburn was the coolest, his shtick so tough that Clary's advice could only slide off it like an egg chucked at a tank. Blackburn refused to meet Clary more than once, and was as corny as can be, his light-ent persona carrying him through hoary gags such as getting the whole audience to look under their seats for a nonexistent prize. Tony Livesey was cheesy too, in ye old working men's club manner: terrible jokes, delivered with a wink and some panache. Shaun Keaveny was likable, as were Jenni Murray and Tom Service. But best by far was Dev, who told a truthful, funny, well-constructed story about asking a girl out complete with call-backs to earlier jokes. He should win.

As an aside, much as Comic Relief is an admirable institution, it should be held at least partly responsible for all these standups and their hijacking of mainstream culture. Funny is God, these days. (And God, though good with a one-liner, wasn't actually much of a giggle.) Oh, I'm so sick of listening to people say stuff that sounds as though it's a punch-line, but isn't actually, you know, funny. Hey ho. Adam and Joe will be back on 6Music next month. They really do make me laugh.

Stand up for Comic Relief - the contenders

As this video preview confirms, the brutal inter-station comedy smackdown that is Stand up for Comic Relief is under way. Six of the BBC's national radio networks are represented this time; Radio 4 by Woman's Hour legend Jenni Murray and the others by various presenters I can't quite bring myself to name (this, remember, is the Radio 4 blog).

Very funny (and rather rude) pretend radio show, real extracts from actual broadcasts mashed up into fantasy fictional contexts (Jeremy Paxman running amok and being chased by the police, for example). Jenni Murray, Richard Bacon and John Humphrys appear as themselves but others (David Mitchell, Evan Davies, Steve Wright) are edited into parodies of themselves. Excellent cast, tight production, sharp scripts and a glorious capacity to make telling fun of radio's daily excesses. The Robert Peston competition is a wow. Alice Arnold presents, perfectly.

What clever little sausages that Jon Holmes and his cutting crew are. Back for a third series of the show that cuts and re-edits radio and TV to great satirical effect, they turn their scatter guns on a range of targets, from David Mitchell and his takeover of all broadcasting to 24-hour rolling news coverage of a Jeremy Paxman on the rampage, randomly firing questions at passers-by. Joining in the joke and enjoying having the mickey taken out of them are John Humphrys, Jenni Murray and Richard Bacon. It's like Feedback, but with more blood and guts!

Series two of the show that's like a comedy quiz as seen in a cheese dream. On a blinding set dominated by a glaring, lo-fi computer screen, two celebrity contestants are faced with questions that have been sent to text-message answer services. Tonight: Martin Offiah v Jenni Murray. The random goofing is indebted to Shooting Stars and can feel indulgent and exclusive, although you can't argue with the hilarity of Murray being made to shout "Both my parents are Nigerians!" into a decibel-meter. Tilting his head strangely backwards, Mark Watson hosts.