The News Quiz

Susan Calman: Death threats for independence satire

Susan Calman has called for the end of "name-calling, swearing and death threats" marring the independence debate after her satirical contribution to a radio show triggered an onslaught of online abuse.

Susan Calman: Scottish politics sometimes not funny

I've been told that someone has written a blog which is pretty abusive towards me after my performance on The News Quiz.

The News Quiz (Radio 4, 6.30pm) returns. I know there are people who will leap with joy at this news. Once I would have been among them. No longer. Even though producer Sam Bryant has brought back journalists (tonight Daniel Finkelstein of The Times) to pit wits against comedians Roisin Conaty, Phill Jupitus and Jeremy Hardy, the programme has grown so much coarser with the years that even Sandi Toksvig seems challenged when trying to enliven the murky script.

Sandi Toksvig: 'I don't understand boredom'

Comedian, playwright, novelist, TV personality: Sandi Toksvig is a one-woman cottage industry.

Radio 4 pilots US version of News Quiz

Transatlantic take on topical quiz show marks first time a BBC Radio 4 comedy programme has been remade in the States.

The News Quiz is no sweatshop say writers

Writers defend 'additional material' slot.

News Quiz accused of 'exploiting' writers

The BBC has been accused of exploitation and hypocrisy, after asking comedy writers to work on Radio 4's flagship topical show The News Quiz for free.

The News Quiz] (Radio 4, Friday) returned for a 75th series last week, its host Sandi Toksvig and contestants Dominic Lawson, Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton and Fred MacAulay keen to get at what must be one of the richest current affairs harvests in living memory. As ever, Hamilton had the best lines, noting that the name of Libyan diplomat Moussa Koussa "sounds like an ABBA track" and comparing the all-party select committee responsible for grilling Rupert and James Murdoch to "a panel comprised of Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason, Dale Winton, Jim Bowen and Sooty". (Listeners were left to guess which MP most closely resembles a small glove-puppet bear.)

The format may now be as well worn and familiar as an old cardigan, but it's no less welcome for that.

The unbearable smugness of Sandi Toksvig

I love the Danes. If they want to ban Marmite, that's fine by me. Yes of course it's tasty, in small doses, but isn't there something inherently WRONG about something of which A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY? If it's so great, why would you have to SPREAD THINLY? What other foodstuff takes as its USP the fact that LOTS OF PEOPLE HATE IT? Face it, if Marmite was a person, it would be a pervert.

Now they've banned Marmite, can we ban Sandi Toksvig?

BBC bosses rule the c-word is 'a good joke' for 6.30pm

The BBC was at the centre of a new decency row last night after ruling that the most offensive word in English is acceptable for broadcast.