3. Looking at Linda and Where's the F in News

Available for 29 days

From the dawn of broadcast comedy, women played a vital but largely overlooked role; more in the background rather than the forefront. What impact did the sisters of satire from the 60’s and 70’s have on the comedy we know today and what was their cultural influence? In the less enlightened 1960S and 70s, women were often the butt of the joke, rather than making them. Just because they weren’t the stars of the show didn’t mean their influence wasn’t felt. June Whitfield, Eleanor Bron and Miriam Margolyes were all quietly but firmly making their name in comedies such as The Glums, The Establishment Club and The Betty Witherspoon Show. These women paved the way for comedians and actors such as Jan Ravens, Meera Syal and Linda Smith. In the last of three programmes, Samira Ahmed is joined by actor and director Arabella Weir and former radio producer and novelist Lissa Evans to discuss some of the best sitcoms from the BBC archives to assess the impact funny women have had on contemporary comedy and the extent of their satirical legacy Includes: WHERE'S THE F IN NEWS Producer: Belinda Naylor Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in November 2019.