Review: Caitriona Dowden is Holier Than Thou

“Any Monk of Byland fans in?” asks Caitriona Dowden in the middle of a blissfully esoteric hour that introduces her as a special talent.

Deadpan and understated, she sets out to explain why she should be made a saint, in the process using her academic chops (she did a degree in religion, and is now doing a PhD in medieval history) to form some irresistible arguments.

Along the way we pick up entertaining details about saints (Christina the Astonishing really revolutionised the lactation game, for instance), find out why nuns have gone downhill since the Middle Ages, and hear why there’s nothing more atheist than a Catholic.

Dowden was a high achiever at school (the first time she went up a bra size was the only time she ever got a B), and jokes about having had Radio 4-themed birthday parties. As it happens, this show would go down a treat on that station.

There’s something funny and clever in every sentence, and the whole thing is structured as if it were written by someone with 20 years’ experience in stand-up. Caitriona Dowden might not achieve sainthood, but she deserves to be big. Remember her name.