John Finnemore

John Finnemore is a British comedy writer and actor who is one of the most acclaimed and beloved writers in BBC Radio comedy. He is the creator of Cabin Pressure, John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme, and John Finnemore's Double Acts, and his work is celebrated for its ingenious construction, its warmth, and its brilliantly inventive wordplay. Born in Reading in 1977, Finnemore was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he studied English. Before Cambridge, he spent six months in Kraków, Poland, teaching English. He has also written for That Mitchell and Webb Sound, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Dead Ringers, and many other BBC comedy programmes, and is a writer on Good Omens. Cabin Pressure (2008-2014) is his masterpiece — a BBC Radio 4 sitcom set in the cockpit of a tiny charter airline, MJN Air, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Roger Allam, Stephanie Cole, and Finnemore himself as the irrepressibly cheerful steward Arthur. The show ran for four series and a two-part finale, with each episode title running alphabetically from Abu Dhabi to Zurich. The final episode generated a record 22,854 requests for just 200 audience tickets — the highest for any Radio 4 comedy recording. John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme, a sketch show, ran for nine series and showcased his extraordinary range and inventiveness. John Finnemore's Double Acts featured two-hander plays that demonstrated his skill at longer dramatic writing. Finnemore has won more Comedy.co.uk awards than any other writer, and Cabin Pressure has been voted one of the greatest radio comedies of all time. The audiobook editions of Cabin Pressure and Finnemore's other work are, naturally, audio experiences at their finest. His shows and audiobooks are essential for anyone who loves comedy that is clever, warm, and joyfully, endlessly inventive.