A year ago, Emer Maguire had it all. Now she’s sleeping on the floor of her brother’s student flat in a shady part of Belfast – no girlfriend, no home, no hope. Where did it all go wrong? How did she end up all alone, broken hearted and with only an assistance dog called Dougal for company? Is she the Patron Saint of Bad Luck?

Comedian Emer Maguire recalls how the worst year of her life - including messy break-up, serious medical issues and not one, but two life-changing diagnoses – put her on the path to living her best life. Told with her trademark honesty and songwriting brilliance, Emer’s tale is both heartfelt and uplifting, a laugh-out-loud rollercoaster journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

One of Northern Ireland’s most exciting comedic voices, Emer Maguire (who was dubbed by one critic as the “indie Victoria Wood”) is a double Irish IMRO award-winning presenter and four times TEDx speaker.

Written and performed by Emer Maguire Produced by Anna Hinds Executive Producer: Keith Martin Sound: David Walker

A FABEL radio production for BBC Radio 4

This week, Geoff looks at the “angry middle-aged white men” that Gary Neville identified as the source of all division within the UK. Is that fair? If so, why are they angry? And could there be both a deeper reason for their anger and also a better outlet for it?

As ever, these serious points are intercut with “manly hypotheticals”, the sort of question men ask each other to avoid talking about stuff that matters, like - if you’re drinking non-alcoholic beer, are you still obliged to buy a round?

This is episode 2 of Series 2 of Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club. To hear more from this series, search "Stand-Up Specials" on BBC Sounds.

Written and presented by Geoff Norcott

Recorded by Sean Kerwin Production manager: Dawn Williams Executive producer: Caroline Raphael

Producer: Ed Morrish

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4

This is episode 1 of the latest series of Brian & Roger, titled Carla.

There’s not much that could quell Roger’s positive mood; he’s got a plan for a very special bonding activity with his teenage son Jamie and Brian may be able to help. There’s romance on the cards too but he'll need some dating advice...

Brian & Roger are friends that met at a support group for divorced men. Both are starting again, both are finding it hard. One of them is nice.

To hear more episodes from this series, search "Brian and Roger" on BBC Sounds.

Written and performed by Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner. Produced by Joel Morris and Sally Harrison. Music by Bach, arranged by Hywel Davies. Hywel Davies (piano), Luke Belcher (bass), Tilly Tremayne (vocals).

Executive Producer: Johnny Vegas A Woolyback production for BBC Radio 4

In this episode Sue checks out a fiendish Church-eating fungus, the mad lifecycle of Marine Midges and a potential orgasm fungus.

This is episode 2 of series 5 of Nature Table - Miraculous Marine Midges and Church-Eating Fungus.

‘Sue Perkins’ Nature Table - possibly the funniest “natural science” series, ever.’ Pick of the Week, The Telegraph

Recorded at the Natural History Museum, this episode of Sue Perkins’ ARIA-winning ‘Show and Tell’ wildlife comedy features special guests: comedian Sara Pascoe, the Natural History Museum’s Queen of flies Dr. Erica McAlister and Fungarium Collections Manager at Kew Gardens, Lee Davies.

Nature Table has a simple clear goal: to positively celebrate our planet’s wonderfully wild (and funny) flora and fauna in a fun accessible way... whilst always having a giggle.

Hosted by: Sue Perkins Guests: Sara Pascoe, Dr. Erica McAlister, Lee Davies and Elizabeth. Written by: Jon Hunter and Jenny Laville. Additional material by: Jade Gebbie. Researcher: Catherine Beazley Executive Producer: James Robinson Sound Editor: Jerry Peal Music by: Ben Mirin Production Coordinator: Sarah Nicholls & Caroline Barlow Producer: Simon Nicholls

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

This episode we hear Hugh Dennis's word for decision fatigue, Katy Wix's coinage for when you find yourself stuck telling a story in public to break an awkward silence, and Jess Fostekew's word for that nuggety squashed sock you find stuck inside a duvet cover.

Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all too relatable moments when we're lost for words.

This is episode four from series three of Unspeakable. To hear more from this series, search "Unspeakable" on BBC Sounds.

Hosts: Phil Wang and Susie Dent Guests: Hugh Dennis, Jess Fostekew and Katy Wix Created by Joe Varley Writers: Matt Crosby and James Farmer Recorded by Jerry Peal Producer: Jon Harvey Executive Producers: Joe Varley and Akash Lockmun

A Brown Bred production for BBC Radio 4

It's the first every Live Comedy Day, and Live From the UK brings a special, extended episode to the Radio 4 listener.

Angela Barnes is back at the comedy club where she did her first ever gig, the Brighton Komedia. She did a comedy course with comedy guru Jill Edwards, so catches up with her to chat about starting out, and grassroots comedy.

We also tour to all 4 nations of the UK, bringing you insights on a night tour of Edinburgh Zoo, useless stuff you learn in school, nans playing rugby and the dystopian world of fast food restaurants.

Throughout the show, some of the UK's best loved comedians will also pop up to tell you about their first ever gig.

In this episode, you can hear;

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd at the Monkey Barrel in Edinburgh Emer Maguire at the Empire Music Hall, Belfast Carwyn Blayney at the Swansea Grand Seann Walsh at Komedia Brighton

Additional Material by Ruth Husko

Recorded by David Thomas, Sean Kerwin and Davy Neil Sound design by David Thomas Production Coordinator: Jodie Charman Executive Producer: Pete Strauss

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4.

We like to think we vote with our heads. But what if we've always voted with our tribe? Top political comedian Matt Forde convenes his Focus Group in front of a live theatre audience with a razor-sharp panel — former Conservative adviser Salma Shah, ex-SNP MP and broadcaster John Nicolson, and stand-up comedian Pierre Novellie — to ask whether tribal loyalty is the secret engine of political life. From parties haemorrhaging members to rivals, to the flag-wrapped contradictions of nationalist politics, to the question of whether multicultural Britain is importing conflicts it never signed up for, this is an episode about belonging, identity - and the ridiculous places both can lead

This featured episode is The Politics of The Tribe from Series 2 of The Matt Forde Focus Group on BBC Radio 4.

Written and performed by Matt Forde Additional writing from Karl Minns, Ruth Husko and Richard Garvin Producer: Richard Garvin Co Producer: Daisy Knight Broadcast Assistant: Ocean Holder Sound Design: David Thomas Editor Chris Maclean An Avalon production for BBC Radio 4

53 year old Slim looks back on his first proper decade of adulthood.

Driving the buses of London in this period leads Slim to reflect on why bus drivers don't get respect. He's also a father of two at this point, and recalls some of his favourite, and least favourite dad duties, and we also hear about his first time in front of an audience.

This is the third episode from the series Slim's Guide to Life. For more episodes, search "Stand-Up Specials" on BBC Sounds.

Written and performed by Slim Script Edited by David Ajao Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Recorded at Up The Creek comedy club by Chris Maclean. Sound design by Chris Maclean Music by Slim

Slim's Guide to Life is produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies, and is a BBC Studios production for Radio 4.

Cariad Lloyd, Steen Raskopoulos, Luke Manning, and Emily Lloyd-Saini embark on a new series of improv mayhem. Host Alasdair Beckett-King presides over a series of games full of emotional butchers, a three-headed movie director, and the inner monologue of a spider trapped in the bath.

"No Script. No Prep. No Clue."

To hear more episode from this series, search "Wing It" on BBC Sounds.

Presented by Alasdair Beckett-King

Devised and produced by Sam Holmes

Executive Producer: James Robinson Production Co-ordinator: Katie Baum Additional material: Ruth Husko Sound Editor: Chris Maclean

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4

Comedian Aurie Styla returns to rampage through the history of technology, through his own experience as a self-confessed tech nerd growing up in the 90s, and various things you thought you’d forgotten.

With his interactive, wildly funny style, tonight the focus is on the role tech has played in our fitness lives: for better or worse

This episode is from the Stand-Up Specials brand on BBC Sounds.

An Impatient production for BBC Radio 4.

An audience show in which Colin explores how his bizarre family made him the man he is today. Now, as a 45 year-old dad, he wonders if it’s too late to do anything about it. Based on his hugely successful 2024 Edinburgh show, Colin weaves anecdotes and musings with all too real stories about his early life, featuring a recurring cast of characters: his perennially pessimistic mum, his not-quite-in-reality brothers and his long-suffering Dad who screams ‘why can’t we just be a normal family?’ Colin asks “is it a surprise my neurodiversity was missed?' But growing up in Nottingham we just had a simple phrase that covered everything - ‘he’s not right’. Colin paints a picture of a childhood full of secrets and lies, dominated by Mum’s terror of ending up in the local ‘madhouse’ whilst espousing paranoid conspiracies and pulling out the Ouija board on Christmas Day. Whilst inherently funny, the craziness is recounted with love and sympathy. A brilliant storyteller, Colin intercuts tales of that childhood life with stories about his own contemporary family and how one has been shaped by the other. What does he want to pass on and what does he absolutely not want to? How does he be the best dad he can when his basic understanding of the world is so scrambled? Each episode begins with Colin telling us how he’s, possibly inappropriately, reacted to something mundane that has just happened or been said to him. He’ll unpick the story across the episode tracing his reaction back to his upbringing with other themes, stories and observations along the way. Colin’s stand-up is intercut with childhood and contemporary scenes. Colin plays all his family members, neighbours, distant relatives, postmen, etc.