Guests announced for Laura Smyth’s Your Mum

New Radio 4 series about motherhood

Guests have been announced for Laura Smyth’s new Radio 4 comedy series, Your Mum.

The show - which Chortle first revealed in February –features the comedian talking to two guests about their mothers.

Producers call it ‘a nostalgic, shameless, cathartic ride that asks what (if anything) our folks have taught us, as well as Laura's tales from her own upbringing and her confessions as a parent;

The series kicks off at 6.30pm on June 25, and here is the episode guide:

Janine Harouni and Russell Kane (episode 1, 25th June). Janine tells us what happened when she was swapped at birth, why her brother has a bunker in Arizona and how her mum rules the roost with her ‘feminine guile’. Russell gives his hot male take on childbirth, makes a case against toddler food and thanks his mum for putting up with his extraordinary amount of energy.
Jess Fostekew and Bobby Mair (episode 2, 2nd July). Jess tells us about getting busted in her secondary school ‘orgy’, her mum’s strong opinions on condoms and why her mum firmly believes her grandson is Mozart. Bobby shares some of his adopted mum’s wildest fibs and outrageous ploys, before telling the unbelievable account of how he discovered his birth mother and what happened when she passed away.
Helen Bauer and Thanyia Moore (episode 3, 9th July). Helen tells us about her mum’s spiritual connection to the Titanic, how Hitler inspired her childhood nickname and why her brother’s criminal arrests left her mum beaming with pride. Thanyia explains why her mum is on first-name terms with local gangsters, the deep symbolism of having a manicure and why making Jamaica proud was such an important part of her childhood.
Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Olga Koch (episode 4, 16th July). Kiri tells us about when her mum hid from the police in the Welsh mountains (with her newborn baby), tackled an entire rugby team to save her husband, and picked Kiri up from school with a smelly surprise in the boot of the car. Olga shares what happened to her family with the collapse of the Soviet Union, how her mum's life changed dramatically overnight, and what uniquely Russian punishments were used to keep her in check.
Iain Stirling and Arlene Phillips (episode 5, 23rd July). Iain confesses that he is a total mummy’s boy, shares some of her passions (breaststroke and boxed wine) and thanks his selfless mum for getting him to where he is today. Arlene tells us about the long line of witches that came before her, reminisces on her mum’s angelic disposition and shares how losing her mum at such a young age drives and inspires her incredible career.
Jo Brand and Eshaan Akbar (episode 6, 30th July). Jo tells us how her mum sweet-talked her way into Libya, renounced Catholicism as a teenager and stopped at nothing to stand up for what she believed in. Eshaan explains how his mum invented UberEATS, used him as a human shield against the Bangladesh Army, and how he has coped with tragically losing such an incredible character.