Ross Noble, Stephen Fry, Punt and Dennis, and Maureen Lipman are among the comedy stars who will appear on spring's Radio 4 schedules, unveiled today.

Noble will front a new travelogue series, recorded as he takes his stand-up show around the globe.

He has just returned from Shanghai, and other destinations in the series will include Hungary, South Africa and Chine.

The shows, to be broadcast in April, were produced by Danny Wallace - the same man who travelled the world with Dave Gorman, looking for his namesakes.

A history of gay and lesbian comedy is also included in the spring line-up. The Laugh That Dare Not Speak Its Name examines how issues have been tackled in stand-up and sitcom.

Acclaimed writer Jack Rosenthal has penned what may be his first work for radio - the six-part Lean on Me, which will star his wife Maureen Lipman alongside Julia McKenzie and Gary Waldhorn.

Returning series include Absolute Power, starring Stephen Fry and John Bird as spin doctors, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis's Now Show, ancient Greek sitcom Acropolis Now and Manchester-based sketch show The In Crowd.

And Paul Jackson is back with a run of his interview shows In Conversation With, featuring The League Of Gentlemen, Paul Whitehouse, Victoria Wood, Jenny Eclair and Armando Iannucci as guests.

Radio 4 controller Helen Boaden said: "I'm very proud of what we have to offer one of in 2002."