Newsflash! Newsjack is returning – nay, at the time of going to press, has already returned – to Radio 4 Extra. Yes, that cross between Weekending and The Now Show, the nursery slopes for would-be satirical sketch-writers, is back and looking for contributors. Say no more: I immediately pulled out my pad and began scribbling. I have often thought, when listening to The Now Show or The News Quiz, ‘giz a job – I can do that’ – but needless to say the ideas that occur to you as spin-offs need more than a little honing before they are fit to stand up by themselves and take part in a radio show.
My first efforts were, alas, out of date since the news stories bumping around in my head were not the latest. But it’s all good practice and in the end I sent in a sketch where two journalists try to make sense of Theresa May’s current leadership strategy. If it doesn’t get on I’ll reproduce it here; if it does, you can listen next Thursday evening.
Here are the jokes I rejected. Like the fish John West reject, I’m hoping they make my fish the best *
‘Reports are coming in that the divorce bill between soap star Brit Anya and her former lover Hugh Rope has risen to between £55 and 75 billion. Both sides disupte the figures; meanwhile their offspring have all been repealed, resulting in another Great Bill which will be divided among fans of the star. Jeremy Corbyn the Leader of the Opposition has offered to give some of the offspring a home, though it is not clear now many as a Party is still going on in his House.’
‘Meanwhile there are reports that leading Liberal Democrats have spent the summer on Dover Beach trying to push back the tide, to the accompaniment of a Green chorus singing what about us? and this is a Green tragedy.’
‘Rupert Murdoch was last night sent to bed without any supper because he had had a full-blown tantrum after learning that he couldn’t put the Sky into his toy box. His mother Theresa said he had too many toys already. Commentators believe that the 86-year-old is afraid he will never earn any money or amount to anything.’
I’ll keep you posted.
Kirk out
*though all my gags are of course 100% vegetarian
Sarada Gray 