John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme

John Finnemore, writer and star of the winsome comedy Cabin Pressure, returns with his third sketch show series. This time he even points his satirical guns at Radio 4. If it wasn't for the fact that I know this was recorded before a recent 15-Minute serial was aired, I'd have thought his sketch on dire radio drama to be an accurate but rather cruel portrayal of How to Have a Perfect Marriage.

The best sketch show in years, on television or radio, is very welcome back for a second series. The literate, precisely turned, flab-free skits strike a perfect balance between clever and silly, and range from classic set-ups like movie-trailer spoofs and therapist appointments to more esoteric ideas like King Solomon's subjects not falling for his wisdom. Nothing outstays its welcome, yet Finnemore is a master of gradually winding a silly idea into delirious, often slightly angry absurdity. He's the writer of beloved Radio 4 sitcom Cabin Pressure - this is just as good.

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.

More good news - there is to be a second series of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme! We don't know precisely when yet; but we do know that there will be six episodes this time round. Which means that, along with series four of Cabin Pressure, I now have twelve half hours of radio comedy to write. Gulp.

Sunday night sketches and souvenirs

We're really looking forward to 7:15pm this Sunday because it's the final episode of John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme on Radio 4. This promises to provide 30 minutes of edifying entertainment for your ears, performed by Finnemore alongside Carrie Quinlan, Lawry Lewin and Simon Kane.

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.

Just room to recommend a new sketch show on Radio 4, something there has been little opportunity to do of late. John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme has kicked off the station's new Sunday night comedy strand and has done so in style. If the first offering in this four-part series is anything to go by, the writer and star of R4's comedy sitcom Cabin Pressure has plenty to offer here as well. The clever sketch about Winnie the Pooh's destructive relationship with honey was a classic-in-the-making.

The debut show was funny, but this week's impenetrable Second World War sketches, including a running gag about trying to establish "cat nav" instead of radar, was just bizarre. As usual on Radio 4, one thing that did work was self-referential humour, hence the explanatory trail for "people who don't really listen to The Archers but know sometimes it's on". "A new arrival at the Bull doesn't mean a baby, it just means someone's come in".

The creator of top Radio 4 sitcom Cabin Pressure has his own sketch show. It's head, shoulders and some of the torso above most radio comedy: every sketch is a clever idea neatly executed, with tricksy wordplay and dazzling ideas that never tip over into smugness because they're just too funny. Among the highlights are an intervention staged by friends of chronic honey addict Pooh, and a terrific takedown of asinine "things to do before you're 30" books.

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.