The News Quiz | A Calm Discussion of Utterly Uncalm Matters | BBC Radio Drama

Welcome to the long-running, award-winning satirical powerhouse that is The News Quiz. In an era where the news cycle moves faster than a politician fleeing a press conference, we provide the only thing left to do: sit down for a relatively calm discussion about the total absence of calm in the world.

🔍 Tonight’s Agenda: Order in the Chaos
From the baffling decisions in Westminster to the "unprecedented" events happening every Tuesday, our panel of the UK’s sharpest comedians attempts to find the logic (or lack thereof) in:

🏛️ The Political Whirlwind: Making sense of the latest policy U-turns, cabinet reshuffles, and those "quiet" news stories that are actually quite loud.

🌍 Global Bedlam: From international summits that look more like awkward family reunions to the shifting sands of global diplomacy.

📉 The Economic Rollercoaster: Why the "fiscal forecast" looks less like a graph and more like a cry for help.

🗞️ The Newsreader’s Cuttings: The legendary segment where BBC newsreaders take a break from being serious to share the most absurd, accidental, and hilarious local headlines sent in by you, the listeners.

💡 The Format: Satire as a Survival Skill
While the show technically awards "points," the real goal is to provide the most biting, witty, and surreal commentary on the week’s events.

The Host: Andy Zaltzman brings his signature blend of high-speed puns, intricate metaphors, and obsessive statistical analysis to the chair.

The Panel: A rotating cast of world-class comedians and journalists—from Nish Kumar and Lucy Porter to newer voices like Glenn Moore and Sara Barron.

The Result: 28 minutes of rapid-fire topical comedy that proves if you don't laugh at the news, you'll probably cry at it.

🎧 Why This Episode is a Classic:
The "Zaltzman" Edge: No one can turn a boring trade deal into a 3-minute comedic odyssey quite like Andy.

The Cuttings: There is nothing quite as joyful as hearing a professional BBC newsreader lose their composure over a story about a "rogue squirrel" or a "misplaced village hall."

Intellectual Anarchy: It’s smart, it’s fast, and it’s unapologetically critical of the mess we’ve collectively decided is "normal."

👍 Support the Satire:
💖 LIKE – If you’ve officially given up on the news being sensible! 💬 COMMENT: Which headline this week made you question your sanity? ✅ SUBSCRIBE – For your weekly dose of Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4.

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#TheNewsQuiz #BBCRadio4 #FridayNightComedy #AndyZaltzman #BritishComedy #Satire #PoliticalHumour #TopicalComedy #PanelShow #RadioComedy #NewsBloopers