One of the talents behind hit TV series The Vicar of Dibley has scooped the radio industry's top award.

Paul Mayhew-Archer, 46, of The Chestnuts, Abingdon, who co-writes the Vicar of Dibley with actor Richard Curtis, also writes hit radio show Old Harry's Game, which won the Sony Award after much critical acclaim.

And this Sunday, the Vicar of Dibley could win a BAFTA award after being nominated best comedy show.

Old Harry's Game is set in hell and tells of Satan's exploits with the inhabitants of his world. Mr Mayhew-Archer said: "I am absolutely thrilled.

"Years ago I started as a radio producer at the BBC doing light entertainment shows for radio. Now I go back and write shows like Old Harry's Game with Andy Hamilton, who I wrote with at Cambridge university.

"The Sony is the radio equivalent of the BAFTA. We won the British Comedy Award just before Christmas as well, so we've won the two best radio awards - I don't think I expected to do so well." Last year the Vicar of Dibley won an International Emmy Award and Mr Mayhew-Archer hopes to match the same level of success with his new works, featuring Father Ted star Ardal O'Hanlon.

He said: "I thought the Vicar of Dibley would do well because Dawn French and Richard Curtis are a particularly good combination."

Story date: Thursday 06 May

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