The Now Show

After a shaky start, The Vote Now Show, an election-themed variant on The Now Show is shaping up nicely (appalling theme tune remix aside). The addition of factual reports presented with a light touch doesn't yet quite work as well as the equivalent reports on More4's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but it's a shot in the arm that makes one realise the rut The Now Show had got into.

Video: a pest on The Vote Now Show

As listeners will have heard on Wednesday night, BBC Business Editor Robert Peston made a guest appearance on The Vote Now Show, where he was interviewed by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis.

As the old song says, what a difference a day makes. On Wednesday night The Vote Now Show (Radio 4) did a sketch about the three party leaders answering questions but, as their team of talented mimics couldn't do Nick Clegg, his answers were delivered in the voice and style of Frankie Howerd, complete with "ooh er missus" expostulations. On Thursday night the actual party leaders' debate was broadcast. I doubt The Vote Now Show will be resorting to Frankie's voice again soon. Their problem of how to deliver a vocally recognisable Nick Clegg remains. If you listened to him on the real debate (Radio 4, Thursday) his voice had a sort of closed throat, reedy sound, a bit like John Major's but posher. If Brown was a bassoon and Cameron a flute, Clegg was a clarinet. A slightly angry clarinet too, one playing more tunes from the Ukip songbook than the classic Grimond-Steel-Kennedy album. But that was on radio, where a fresh face, a yellow tie and an easy relationship with the camera count for nought and what we're used to is proper address to issues.

Substance was already a problem for The Vote Now Show last week. Months ago, it must have seemed a good idea to do a late night election comedy show three times a week, scripted on the day, recorded a few hours before transmission, performed with an audience. The general lack of anything much to make fun of last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights was, however, apparent. I admit to falling asleep while washing the dishes to it on the first night, waking up to cold suds and studio laughter. Maybe this week will be hotter.

The Vote Now Show team at work

When I heard that The Vote Now Show team was writing and editing the programme three floors below me in Henry Wood House I had to nip down and get some photos.

For those who prefer the gag-o-meter turned up to 11 on their election coverage, there's The Vote Now Show. Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis and the rest of the hardworking Now Show team are offering comedic biteback three nights a week for election season, with programmes being recorded just four hours before transmission to make sure they're bang up to date on the day's events.

On Monday, Andy Zaltzman subjected himself to a John Humphrys interview (Humphrys is delightfully game), while Jon Holmes' consideration of stirring theme tunes for party leaders provides the belly-laugh we all sorely need. Tuesday's instalment included John Finnemore's hilarious dos and dont's for campaign leaflets - horse illustrations are key, apparently.

Why radio won't stop joking for the election

The head of BBC radio comedy on the importance - and tension - of preparing topical comedy for general election season.

Vote for Laughs

There's some more political comedy coming your way in the form of The Vote Now Show which starts tonight. Hope you enjoy it and let us know what you think.

New nightly satirical round-up of election news from The Now Show's acerbic team, led as ever by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. How times change. Ther''ve been almighty ructions in the past about the BBC allowing topical comedy shows onto the airwaves during an election campaign. Now Radio 4 has this (Mondays through Wednesday nights), plus two weekly editions of What the Papers Say (Sundays and Wednesdays) while The News Quiz starts another series on Friday. But in the grim convergences of this campaign will there be enough for them all to make fun of?

The Now Show want to know your workplace secrets

Last week The Now Show started asking you, the good people of the internet, to contribute to its audience question. For those that don't know, each week we ask our audience a question, and read out the funniest/oddest/most damning answers at the end of the show.

Break out the bunting, The Now Show has hit the big three-0. Yes, it's the 30th series of the award-garlanded topical sketch show fronted by Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt. When the ever-changing world of news is grist to your mill, it must compel you to keep going as more and more things show themselves up as ripe for sideswiping, but will the show start to settle down in its 30s, be not quite so willing to take risks as it was in its 20s? Judging by the high quality of comedy on show in the 29th series, I'd say not. It's the perfect show for the here and now, unless you're listening on iPlayer or to the newly available podcast, in which case it's the perfect show for the now and then.