Sam Smith, Ethan Hawke, Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

When I’m not pausing, or having thoughts, I’m writing for sitcoms like ‘Not Going Out’ (Christmas Eve BBC1, glimpse my half-second cameo near the end), and ‘Miranda’ (Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). Both series end this Christmas, and for Miranda at least, it ends forever. Its fans will be gutted – I certainly am. But bear with – we’ve got what-I-call “a good send-off” for the show.

It debuted seven years ago on, in fact, Radio 2 – so thanks Radio 2 for giving Miranda a push! Till she promptly fell over. Since then I’ve lobbed lines into each episode, and even popped up as a customer. It’s been ‘such fun’ to be part of the lovely team, in a show everyone can watch – even if Dad may be itching to switch to Top Gear, sorry Dad.

Every week, teenagers tell me Miranda speaks to them. I don’t know how they spot me as an anonymous co-writer – must be the way I talk to fruit friends, or pratfall over cardboard boxes.

The show says to the ungainly that it’s ok to clumsily not ‘fit in’, or publicly embarrass yourself. And it asks at regular intervals, “What have you done today to make you feel proud?”

Now it ends, it’s for me a season of life: seven years on a fun joyous show. Like all of life’s seasons, it’s fleeting when viewed from this end of it – something perfectly shown, may I add, in Ethan Hawke’s brilliant films, from Before Sunrise to Boyhood.

The good book says, “There’s a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” “A time to plant, and a time to uproot.” Well now it’s time for Miranda to uproot. And good news for clumsy young folk: There’s a time to fit in and a time not to, a time to embarrass yourself and a time to be accepted... and that “spot o’time” will come. Awkwardness is often fleeting. And even if not, if you embarrass yourself at Christmas dinner or get your dress caught in a taxi door, may we all embrace the awkwardness and celebrate the different! Once we’ve covered up.

And thanks Radio 2 for starting the show off. May I clumsily awkwardly say, it’s been ‘such fun’.