Men's Hour to become fixture in BBC Radio 5 Live schedule

Men's Hour is set to become a fixture of the BBC Radio 5 Live schedule after it was recommissioned for a second, extended run. The show – dubbed a cheeky younger brother to BBC Radio 4's long-running Woman's Hour when it first aired in July – will return for at least three months next year, as well as a one-off Christmas 2010 special. Hosted by Tim Samuels, the original seven-part run featured guests including Louie Spence, Mark Ronson, Andy McNab and Dave Lee Travis. Samuels said: "We've had an amazing array of blokes opening up on a vast range of subjects – from life-changing experiences to the most peculiar examples of hypochondria. The alchemy of guests, topics and tone has really given us something to build on when we come back. Give us 64 years and Men's Hour might just become the new Woman's Hour." The show will return for its second run in the spring of next year but it is unlikely to be in the same Sunday evening slot, with that part of the schedule recently revamped by the station and its controller, Adrian Van Klaveren . Jonathan Wall, the Radio 5 live commissioning editor, said: "Men's Hour wasn't going to join Woman's Hour as a national broadcasting institution within six programmes. "But I do think Tim and the team have provided some intelligent, thought-provoking and entertainingly honest discussion which has convinced us to commit to a longer series next year. I am delighted that some of the critics, who thought it was just a PR stunt, appear to have been won over by the quality of the live discussion and the open and frank views of the contributors." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".