British Comedy Guide

BBC Wales orders topical panel show and stand-up showcase

ExclusiveFriday 4th March 2022, 12:46pm by Jay Richardson

Live From Aberystwyth Pier. Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Kiri Pritchard-McLean is to host a topical panel show and stand-up series for BBC Wales, and is writing her first pantomime, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal.

Promising to take "a distinctly Welsh look at the news at home and abroad", a pilot of What Just Happened? will air on BBC One Wales this March, featuring Robin Morgan and Priya Hall as team captains.

Recording takes place on Tuesday at the Memo Arts Centre in Barry with guest comics Anna Thomas and Leroy Brito, and also features Leila Navabi and Pritchard-McLean's Gein's Family Giftshop sketchmates Kath Hughes and Ed Easton.

Directed by stand-up Stuart Laws (Laugh Lessons, Stand Up At BBC Wales), the pilot is being produced by Little Wander (Stand-Up For Radio Wales, Live From Aberystwyth Pier) and follows a radio version made for BBC Radio Wales in December by Henry Widdicombe and Jo Southerd for their Brecon-based company, which also produces the Machynlleth Comedy Festival and several comedians' live tours, including Pritchard-McLean's latest show.

Little Wander is also making three one-hour stand-up showcases for BBC One Wales. Recording on Wednesday and hosted by Pritchard-McLean, Live From Barry Island features a line-up that includes Brito, Isy Suttie, Daliso Chaponda, Stephen Bailey, Sara Barron, Mike Bubbins and Sikisa.

The daughter of a farmer, Pritchard-McLean is due to face off against Tim Vine in a sheep herding contest for Comic Relief, in a special version of Countryfile's One Man and His Dog competition airing on BBC One on Red Nose Day, March 18th.

Sheep herding contest for Comic Relief 2022. Image shows from L to R: Tim Vine, Kiri Pritchard-McLean

The prolific stand-up, who hosts a Sunday afternoon radio slot for BBC Radio Wales, recently recorded her Empathy Pains show for release online and is currently touring the show Home Truths.

Having channelled her experience of learning Welsh as an adult for her radio sitcom The Learners, which co-starred Les Dennis, Mick Ferry, Tudur Owen, Hughes, Easton and Janice Connolly (known as Mrs Barbara Nice on the comedy circuit), Pritchard-McLean recently disclosed that she is writing a bilingual pantomime in Welsh and English. She shared news of the production whilst covering for Carol Vorderman on her Saturday morning radio show in January.

What Just Happened? will air on BBC One Wales on Tuesday 15th March at 10:35pm. Live From Barry Island will air on the channel later in 2022.

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