A COMEDIAN’S hysterical live radio show about the Forest of Dean which literally brought the (Speech) House down has been nominated for a top award.

The Forest episide of Mark Steel’s In Town recorded in December 2018 and aired on Radio 4 last February has been shortlisted for the Best Scripted Comedy (Longform) award in the BBC Drama awards.

For the show, which can be listened to online at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002hmd, the comedian examined such topics as ‘Vorrest’ doggerel, ‘Who killed the bears?’, Dennis Potter and the wild boar.

Recorded before a live audience at the Speech House Hotel, Steel, pictured above, found Ruardean difficult to pronounce on his visit and also discussed the Dean Heritage Centre.

He was fascinated by “Vorrest” dialogue, though, including the racy expression “Fern Ticket” for an assignation in the woods.

But when he dared to broach the subject of ‘Who killed the bears?’, he was trea-ted to a cautionary tale from one local resident who made just that mistake in the old Roebuck pub in Ruardean Woodside.

The winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony at the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House London on Sunday, February 2.