The best comedy audiobooks: fantastic funny stories to listen to

We wouldn’t dare round up the funniest audiobooks without including Partridge. Narrated by the man himself, the audiobook is on another level to the original paperback. It follows Patridge’s treacherous journey through Britain as he details the people, sights and places he encounters along the way. Combined with witty vignettes about his own life, Alan Partridge: Nomad shows off the best (or should that be worst) of the fictitious broadcaster who has now graced our TVs for almost three decades.

A much-loved sci-fi classic, and also one of the funniest books ever made, Hitchhiker's Guide is worth your time in any medium. But we think there's someting extra delightful about it when it's being beautifully narrated by Stephen Fry. Given he did the voiceover for the not-quite-successful (but still kind-of good) movie, he's the perfect choice to read the tale of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect’s adventures around the universe.

How we pine for another series of Toast! Arguably, the best character Matt Berry has ever created, Stephen Toast is a failed/failing actor who has to survive on voiceover work and other scraps of acting. This book is read in character, and is both a memoir and a ‘how to act’ bible. Learn about Toast's journey, from RADA to 'It's a Right Royal Knockout', and hear his thoughts on crucial matters like typecasting, and how to deal with difficult work experience staff in the recording studio. Having Berry read the audiobook is a delight and this is well worth the (Ray) purchase.

Tina Fey is a heavyweight in the comedy arena, so it's no surprise Bossypants is effortlessly funny. But it’s also brutally honest, sweet and most importantly, relatable. Narrated by Fey, this memoir gives you a sneak peak at the woman who has became an American TV staple. From Saturday Night Live to 30 Rock, she's done it all, and this is a must-listen if you want to know how to transform from awkward teenager to actress-cum-comedian- extraordinaire (results may vary).

In the current political climate, just 10 seconds of watching the news can make you want to despair. Thanks, then, go to David Mitchell, whose dry take on a broad range of subjects (everything from politics and inheritance tax, to rude street names and scampi) will put a smile on your face, or at the very least, distract you from all that misery. Plus, the bonus tit-bits of knowledge will definitely make you feel smarter (even if you have no one to share them with right now).

“Surprisingly down to Earth, and very funny” is the Tweet Limmy puts out whenever someone famous dies, so it's the perfect title for his own book. It’s fantastic to hear Limmy read out his own words, with the book taking on the subjects of mental health, his time at school and how he became the comedian he is today. While you will laugh a lot listening to this, it’s more about how humour can get you out of the darkest spots, told candidly by one of the best comedians around.

Great comedians telling funny anecdotes is podcast gold. And James Acaster went and made them into a whole book back in 2017, Classic Scrapes. We rate the audiobook over the paperback, as it’s narrated by James Acaster himself.

Between immersing himself in the weird world of Westboro Baptist Church to that Jimmy Saville documentary, Louis Theroux has experienced his fair share of awkward and eye-opening encounters over the years. It’s precisely what makes this memoir all the more enjoyable. Gotta Get Theroux This sees the hilariously awkward journalist and documentary filmmaker look back on his life. Delving into two decades of interviews, chance meetings and memorable moments, Theroux’s observant take on some of the world’s strangest inhabitants is one not to be missed.

This audiobook captures the very essence of one of the best loved comedians of all time. From his early years growing up in the Drumchapel district of Glasgow - and a tale that involves being mistakenly adopted by a drunken neighbour - through to the time he took up the banjo and formed a band called the Humblebums, this is an undeniably enthralling tale from the comic genius. But be warned, there are plenty of lows as well as highs here, and the book offer more than just laugh out loud comedy.

You wouldn’t expect too much from the novelisation of a TV show, but the Red Dwarf audiobooks are surprisingly brilliant. OK, maybe it’s not that much of a surprise when their novels were written by the show’s creators, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. The first two novels are readily available in digital audiobook form, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers and Better Than Life.

Joe Lycett has become known as a modern-day justice crusader. Just last week, the comedian legally changed his name to Hugo Boss in protest, after the fashion brand began sending cease-and-desist letters to charities using the word ‘boss’ in their name. If ever you needed an excuse to find out more, that must surely be it. Parsnips, Buttered, perfectly encapsulates his tongue-in-cheeky style of comedy, featuring convoluted stories and tales of political correctness gone mad. It’s silly entertainment at its finest.