Jesting About returns

BBC Newcastle’s Jesting About show is to return this summer.

The six-part radio programme, which aims to celebrate and showcase North East comedy talent, will return for its fourth outing in June and July.

Twenty two up-and-coming acts from around the North East will perform content for the programmes over two nights at Newcastle’s Live Theatre on 22 and 23 March.

Tickets for the recordings are free but must be reserved via the Live Theatre box office and will be available from Monday 7 March at 10am.

The show on 22 March will be hosted by Jason Cook and feature Ben Crompton, Andy Fury, Kier Kyle, Julian Lee, Sean Turner, Joby Mageean, Laura Hunter, Rowan McCabe, Lauren Pattinson and Fran Garrity.

The second show on 23 March will be MCed by Nicola Mantalios-Lovett and will feature Lee Kyle, The Mimic Men (Alfie Joey and Cal Halbert), John Whale, Neil Harris, Jazz Riot, John Scott, Anth Young, Mark Kennedy, Rahul Kholi and Eddie Rivers.

Earlier this year Jesting About helped bag BBC Newcastle the title of Station Of The Year in the corporation’s internal Gillard Awards, with judges remarking that they were “especially impressed by the ambition of Jesting About” as it “showcased the best comedy talent in the area and made for some fabulous and unexpected local radio”.

Producer Steve Drayton said: “I’m really pleased with these bills. We’ve top notch MC’s and headliners, some returnees who made a huge impact in the recorded programmes, and some very new performers. Producing the programmes will be a dream.”