We all love a laugh, whether we’re reading a darkly comic novel, listening to a radio comedy show or chuckling at the latest TV sitcom. It’s easy, though, to underestimate the skill involved in crafting prose or scripts that will really hit home and tickle that funny bone.

Join comedy producer Steve Doherty and a panel of comedy writers to explore just what it takes to make us laugh.

Myfanwy Alexander is the author of four novels following the adventures of Inspector Daf Dafis of Dyfed Powys Police.  Best sellers in Welsh, two have been published in English, with Bloody Eisteddfod adapted for radio for Radio 4, Radio Cymru and Radio Wales. Myfanwy’s popular Radio Wales satire series, The LL Files, ran for 13 series and won her a Sony Comedy Award.  She has contributed to many radio programmes on various stations, including Radio 4’s Pick of the Week, Round Britain Quiz and PM, and has also written for TV, including BBC Wales Teach Yourself to Be Welsh; the sketch show series Large, and the S4C film Tân a Thân.

Steve Doherty is founder and managing director of Giddy Goat Media, specialising in comedy production: broadcast, online and live. His personal TV credits include Have I Got News For You and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Current producer credits include Now You’re Asking with Marian Keyes, Meet David Sedaris, Prepper (winner: WGGB Best Radio Comedy 2019) Chris Neill: Raging Enigma, Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children and Nick Revell’s BrokenDreamCatcher (all for BBC Radio 4), Bravo Two Charlies and The Learners for BBC Radio Wales and series of special concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for BBC Radios 3 and 4. He is married to Vanessa, has two teenage children and lives in Llandudno, north Wales.

Janice Hallett studied English at UCL and spent several years as a magazine editor, winning two awards for journalism. After gaining an MA in Screenwriting at Royal Holloway, she co-wrote the feature film, Retreat. Her debut novel, The Appeal, was a Sunday Times bestseller, a Waterstones Thriller of the Month and Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month. Her 2022 follow up, The Twyford Code is gathering similar plaudits. When not indulging her passion for global adventure travel, she is based in West London.

Sioned Wiliam comes from Barry. She is the author of the novels, Dal i Fynd, Chwynnu and Cicio’r Bar and has a fourth book Y Gwyliau coming out this Autumn. Sioned began her television and radio career at the BBC, before becoming an independent producer. Her credits include Tonight with Jonathan Ross, Game On, Big Train and Yonderland. She also produced iDot and exec produced Rhestr Nadolig Wil for Boom/S4C. She has been nominated for a Bafta award three times and won a British Comedy Award and a Bronze Rose at Montreux for BIG TRAIN in 1999. She has also worked as a Commissioning Editor for ITV and BBC Radio 4.