Showing results by author "BBC Radio" in All Categories

Wickedly funny and bitingly satirical, Dead Ringers has been lampooning politicans, celebrities and media pundits for over 20 years. In these seven series, first broadcast between 2000 and 2002, the team give us their peerless impressions of the personalities we love to laugh at: from Tony Blair and George W. Bush to Brian Sewell, Posh n' Becks and Kirsty Wark.

In these 26 episodes, we turn the clock back to 2014 - the year when Scotland said 'no' to independence, Ukrainians ousted their pro-Russia president in the Maidan Revolution, and the European Space Agency's Philae probe made its historic first landing on a comet. Sandi Toksvig is in the chair for every show bar one, in which Susan Calman steps in as temporary host. Subjects on the table for the team include NHS pay, a badger crash, commuter train standards, Russian activities in Crimea, dietary health scares, passport delays and black cab strikes.

Dara O Briain and Isy Suttie discover strange-but-true tales as they’re drip-fed nuggets of narrative by a special guest expert with an often surprising link to the story.

Stand-up fans rejoice—this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy more than 11 hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny compères: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills.

The story of how in 1983 a Welsh fishing village and its local police force foil a daring international drug smuggling plot worth millions.

Taking over the News Quiz chair from Simon Hoggart, comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig steps up to the plate to lead the intrepid panellists in a round-up of the biggest (and smallest) news stories of 2006 and 2007. With the exception of one show, hosted by Clive Anderson when Sandi had the flu, she chairs each of these 33 episodes with her characteristic wit, charm and erudition.

Described by Barry Took as "a kaleidoscope of funny voices, catch phrases, and innuendo, revolving at breakneck speed and with a complete disregard for logic", I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again pre-dated I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue. It showcased the comic talents of Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, Graeme Garden, David Hatch, Jo Kendall, and Bill Oddie.

The story of Banksy's rise, the stunts, the culture and the story of how the work became so valuable.

The News Quiz made its debut on Radio 4 in 1977, and decades later it's still playfully making and breaking the headlines of our daily news. If you enjoy your news humorously grilled, with a side order of biting wit, these 14 gems of vintage episodes will be exactly to your taste.

Created by John Lloyd in 1977, The News Quiz has gone on to become one of the longest running panel games on BBC Radio 4. Originally hosted by Barry Norman, since then Simon Hoggart, Barry Took, Sandi Toksvig, Miles Jupp, Nish Kumar, Angela Barnes and Andy Zaltzman have taken up the chair. The satirical quiz show's panel of comedians and journalists trawl through news stories big and small to provide comedy, commentary, irony and irreverence. This is a brand-new collection of previously unpublished episodes taken from the archives

Since 1977, The News Quiz has entertained the nation with its satirical take on contemporary events. In these three series from 2020, hosts Nish Kumar, Angela Barnes and Andy Zaltzman invite a panel of comedians and journalists to find the funny behind the headlines (a tricky task in this difficult year). Regular players including Mark Steel, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind and Kerry Godliman rub shoulders with newer contestants such as Geoff Norcott, Sophie Duker, Sindhu Vee, Jess Fostekew, Daliso Chaponda and Athena Kugblenu.

With its brilliant blend of the silly, the serious and the satirical, The News Quiz has been a must-listen for comedy fans since it started 46 years ago. Recorded in front of an audience, these three series see Andy Zaltzman presiding over a motley crew of comedians and journalists as they trawl through the biggest (and smallest) news stories of 2023 to provide comedy, commentary, irony and irreverence.

A facsmile edition of the original 1978 LP of comedy sketches and songs, starring Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, Graeme Garden, David Hatch, Jo Kendall and Bill Oddie. Taken from the fondly-remembered BBC radio series of the early 1970s.

A sparkling collection of archive highlights from The News Quiz, which began on BBC Radio 4 in 1977 and continues to this day. Its chairmen have included Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig and Miles Jupp, and its guests have been drawn from the cream of British comedians, journalists and politicians: Alan Coren, Richard Ingrams, Ian Hislop, Peter Cook, Linda Smith, Jeremy Hardy, Clive Anderson, Jo Brand, William Hague, Boris Johnson, Edwina Currie and many more.

A collection of full-cast dramatisations and readings from the best-selling author. Maeve Binchy was one of Britain's best-loved storytellers, and this compilation of her finest fiction, as heard on BBC Radio, demonstrates all the warmth, wit and compassion that made her so popular.

Four more extended episodes from the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series, specially compiled by producer Jon Naismith. Another collection of episodes from the famous antidote to panel games now in its 18th edition. Jack Dee challenges regular panellists Tim Brooke-Taylor, and Barry Cryer, with a series of silly games against which to pit their wits. In tribute to Jeremy Hardy, a long-running guest panellist on the show who passed away in 2019, he features in every episode.

The News Quiz began on Radio 4 in 1977 and continues to be hugely popular to this day. The first host was Barry Norman, and subsequently Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig, Miles Jupp, Nish Kumar, Angela Barnes and Andy Zaltzman have all take the chair. The show's guests have been drawn from the cream of British comedians, journalists and politicians: Alan Coren, Richard Ingrams, Ian Hislop, Peter Cook, Linda Smith, Jeremy Hardy, Clive Anderson, Jo Brand, William Hague, Boris Johnson, Edwina Currie, Matthew Parris and many more.

Radio 4's longest-running panel game returns for the first time since the death of much-missed maestro Nicholas Parsons, who chaired the show for more than 50 years. Following in his footsteps for series 86 are an array of special guest hosts, including Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Nish Kumar, Jenny Eclair, Gyles Brandreth, Lucy Porter, Stephen Fry, Julian Clary, Tom Allen and Jo Brand, while in series 87, Sue Perkins takes the chair and endeavours to keep the participants in check.

Described by Barry Took as "a kaleidoscope of funny voices, catch phrases, and innuendo, revolving at breakneck speed and with a complete disregard for logic", I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again pre-dated I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue. It showcased the comic talents of Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, Graeme Garden, David Hatch, Jo Kendall, and Bill Oddie.

December 2022 marks 55 years of Just a Minute, Radio 4's longest-running and most beloved panel game. To commemorate this milestone, this special collection comprises five classic series of the hit show from 2010 and 2011, featuring a wealth of favourite panellists attempting to prove they have the gift of the gab.