John Finnemore
Writer
Film, TV & Theatre
Film, TV & Theatre
John Finnemore is a multi-award-winning writer and performer for radio, television, film, and stage.
For BBC Radio 4 he created and starred in the sitcom CABIN PRESSURE, the sketch show JOHN FINNEMORE’S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME, and the play anthology JOHN FINNEMORE’S DOUBLE ACTS. In a 2020 Radio Times poll of the greatest radio comedies of all time, he was the only writer with two titles ranked in the top ten.
In 2020 he received the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing. Other accolades include two BBC Audio Drama Awards, two further WGGB Awards, and a Sony Radio Academy award.
John’s television work includes THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK, GOOD OMENS 2, and Armando Iannucci’s HBO/Sky comedy AVENUE 5, in which he also appeared. He and Iannucci have co-written a feature film, IN TOO DEEP, which is in development.
John sets cryptic crosswords, including for the Times Listener, as “Emu”. After becoming the third person in nearly a century to solve the literary puzzle CAIN’S JAWBONE, he devised his own cryptic murder mystery puzzle, THE RESEARCHER’S FIRST MURDER (Unbound, 2024). He also contributed a new Jeeves and Wooster story for JEEVES AGAIN (Penguin Random House, 2025).
He is currently writing a play for the London stage.
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
IN TOO DEEP 2021 | Back to Blue, LLC | Film. Co-writing with Armando Iannucci |
HALLELUJAH! 2021 | Sprout Pictures | Film. |
Film
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
TOM JONES 2018 | Cross Day Productions | Co-writer |
THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 2018 | The Electric Shadow Company | Additional material |
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS 2001 | BBC1 | Original short film |
Television
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
GOOD OMENS - SERIES 2 2020 - 2022 | BBC Studios | Script Producer |
AVENUE 5 - SERIES 2 2021 | HBO | Episode 5 |
BACK - SERIES 2 2021 | Big Talk Productions | Episode 4 |
2013 | Maverick TV/Channel 4 | Writer |
10 O'CLOCK LIVE - SERIES 3 2013 | Zeppotron/Channel 4 | Writer |
10 O'CLOCK LIVE - SERIES 2 2012 | Zeppotron/Channel 4 | Writer |
MICHAEL MCINTYRE'S CHRISTMAS COMEDY ROADSHOW 2011 | Open Mike Productions/BBC1 | Writer |
10 O'CLOCK LIVE 2011 | Zeppotron/Channel 4 | Writer |
THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK 2009 | BBC TV | Series 4 |
28 ACTS IN 28 MINUTES 2007 | BBC TV | |
RONNI ANCONA 2007 | BBC TV | Pilot |
THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK 2006 | BBC2 | |
SWINGING 2005 - 2006 | Monkey Kingdom/Channel 5 | |
DEAD RINGERS 2004 - 2006 | BBC2 | |
PEEP SHOW 2003 | Objective / Channel 4 | Additional material |
THE SKETCH SHOW 2003 | ITV | |
SMACK THE PONY 3 2002 | Talkback for Channel 4 | As writer and performer |
HARRY AND PAUL | Tiger Aspect | Series 3 |
Radio
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAM SERIES 9 2021 | BBC Radio 4 | Written and performed by John Finnemore; produced by Ed Morrish |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME SERIES 8 2019 | BBC Radio 4 | Eighth series of his award winning radio show for BBC Radio 4 |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 7 2018 | BBC Radio 4 | Seventh series of John's award winning radio show for BBC Radio 4 |
DOUBLE ACTS 2 2017 | BBC Radio 4 | Series of six comedy two-handers: The Queen's Speech; Mercy Dash; The Rebel Alliance; Penguin Diplomacy; Here's What We Do and The Wroxton Box |
JUST A MINUTE 2017 | BBC Radio 4 | |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 6 2016 | BBC Radio 4 | |
2015 | Pozzitive Television/BBC Radio 4 | Series of six comedy two-handers: A Flock of Tigers; Wysinnwyg; Red-handed; The Goliath Window; English for Pony-Lovers and Hot Desk |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 5 2015 | BBC Radio 4 | |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 4 2014 | BBC Radio 4 | |
I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T A CLUE 2014 | BBC Radio 4 | Regular panelist 2014 - present |
2013 | BBC Radio 4 | |
2013 | Pozzitive/BBC Radio 4 | Produced and directed by David Tyler |
THE NOW SHOW 2013 | BBC Radio 4 | Regular contributor 2006 - present |
2012 | BBC Radio 4 | Radio Award, Chortle Comedy Awards 2013 |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME: EDINBURGH 2012 2012 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH 2012 - 2025 | BBC Radio 4 | Panel game show hosted by David Mitchell. Regular panelist 2012 - present |
CABIN PRESSURE 3 2011 | Pozzitive/BBC Radio 4 | Produced and directed by David Tyler. |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 2011 | BBC Radio 4 | comedy.co.uk award for Best British Radio Sketch Show 2011 |
CABIN PRESSURE AT CHRISTMAS 2010 | BBC Radio 4 | 2011 Writers' Guild Award for Best Radio Comedy |
CABIN PRESSURE 2 2009 | Pozzitive/BBC Radio 4 | Nominated for 'Best Radio Comedy/Light Entertainment' in 2010 Writers' Guild Awards |
THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB SOUND 2009 | BBC Radio | Series 4 |
CABIN PRESSURE 1 2008 | Pozzitive/BBC Radio 4 | |
DEAD RINGERS SPECIAL 2007 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THAT MITCHELL & WEBB SOUND 3 2007 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THE NEWS QUIZ 2006 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB SOUND 2005 | BBC Radio 4 | |
DEAD RINGERS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2005 | BBC Radio 4 | |
TAILS YOU LOSE 2004 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THAT MITCHELL & WEB SOUND 2003 | BBC Radio 4 | |
DEAD RINGERS 2003 | BBC Radio 4 | |
THAT MITCHELL & WEBB SOUND 2003 | BBC Radio 4 | |
LAURENCE AND GUS: HEARTS AND MINDS | BBC Radio 4 | Series 2 |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
JOHN FINNEMORE'S FLYING VISIT 2018 | Pozzitive | National tour |
JOHN FINNEMORE'S SOUVENIR CABIN 2015 | The Shaw Theatre | |
THE DIARY OF A NOBODY 2010 | Drill Hall Theatre | Original musical, with Susannah Pearse |
AMY EVANS' STRIKE 2005 | Edinburgh Fringe | The Courtyard Theatre at the Theatre Museum |
BURKE AND HARE 2004 | Ophaboom Theatre | Showcase at Drill Hall Theatre |
TAILS YOU LOSE 2003 | Edinburgh Fringe | |
TOLD YOU SO 2002 | The Courtyard Theatre, London | Musical play |
THE STRAIGHT MAN 2002 | Edinburgh Fringe | |
AMY EVANS' STRIKE 2001 | Edinburgh Fringe | Nominated for a Fringe First Award |
JOHN AND KEVIN'S ONE MAN SHOW 2001 | The Pleasance, Edinburgh | As writer and performer |
Online
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
DAVID MITCHELL'S SOAPBOX 2011 | Channelflip Media | |
DAVID MITCHELL'S SOAPBOX 2009 | Channelflip Media |