News about Julia McKenzie

Instead of giving too many'male-skewing' suggestions, Radio 4 chiefs have told program designers that they must come up with more comedy shows led by women. Julia McKenzie, the commissioning editor for comedy and entertainment, has urged producers to 'consider the gender balance' and aim for a'mixed slate.' Her remarks follow previous complaints that men have dominated television comedy. In 2014, its television company agreed not to air all-male comedy panel shows.

The Daily Mail's Weekend magazine has reached yet another magnificent milestone - this month we turn 30! We asked you to share our top ten TV shows so we could compile our definitive list of the 100 Greatest TV Shows voted for by you.

Just A Minute, one of many popular Radio 4 comedy shows, is not guaranteed, as one BBC executive points out that no programme is'sacrosanct.' Julia McKenzie, the station's comedy manager, said she would "occasionally have to make difficult decisions" about canceling shows. Her remarks appeared on an episode of Radio 4's audience feedback show Feedback, which included listener comments about comedy's quality.

Radio 4 is fighting allegations that the BBC's comedy output is marred by a Left-wing bias by telling program designers that 'humour shouldn't only come from one political viewpoint.' The station has also asked its factual suppliers to 'check the political assumptions underpinning your theory.' Bosses are also trying to convince producers that Radio 4 has become too bleak, and that it is not looking for 'unremitting grief and bleakness' in its drama output, according to its boss.