BBC Radio 4 stand up comedy

Life: An Idiot’s Guide: The Complete Series 1-3

Stephen K Amos and the comedy circuit's best stand-ups attempt to unravel the knotty problems of life 
 
Award-winning jokesmith and self-confessed idiot Stephen K Amos teams up with some of the world's sharpest comic minds to compile a dummies' guide to being a modern human. From raising children and having a mid-life crisis, to first impressions and facing your fears, who better than a bunch of comedians to lead us through life's existential maze? 
 
In these 17 episodes, Stephen and friends take us on a journey of self-discovery through observational comedy - with help from a live studio audience, who provide their own tips, stories and experiences. They share their unique perspectives on topics including dishonesty, technology, medicine, multiculturalism, religion and austerity, as well as helping us deal with the ultimate scary subject: mortality. 
 
Featuring a wealth of superb stand-ups including Sara Pascoe, Susan Calman, Lucy Porter, Ava Vidal, James Acaster, Boothby Graffoe, Marlon Davis, Richard Herring, Nish Kumar, Shazia Mirza, Alfie Moore, Andy Zaltzman, Tom Allen and Robin Ince, this hilarious show may not show you the meaning of life, but it will make you laugh about it. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
Hosted by Stephen K Amos 
Additional material by Christine Rose, Hugh Sington and Stephen Grant 
Produced by Colin Anderson 
 
Pilot special guests: W Kamau Bell, Susan Calman, Tim FitzHigham, Josie Long and Simon Munnery 
 
Series 1 special guests: Sara Pascoe, Matt Forde, Carey Marx, David O'Doherty, Miss London, Jess Fostekew, Craig Campbell, Ava Vidal, Howard Read, Andy Wilkinson, Lucy Porter, Maeve Higgins, Tom Allen, Phil Nichol 
 
Series 2 special guests: Sarah Kendall, Gráinne Maguire, James Acaster, Michael Redmond, Holly Walsh, Boothby Graffoe, Marlon Davis, Jarlath Reagan, Lloyd Langford, Alfie Moore, Ava Vidal, Richard Herring, Fred MacAulay, Angela Barnes, Greg Proops, Paul Sinha, Andre Vincent, John Hegley 
 
Series 3 special guests: Stephen Grant, Nish Kumar, Andrew Maxwell, Susan Murray, Tom Craine Josie Long, Wil Hodgson, Gavin Webster, Shazia Mirza, Mae Martin, Travis Jay, Dan Antopolski, Suzi Ruffell, Tom Rhodes, Andy Zaltzman, Jason Cook, Brendon Burns, Robin Ince 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 23 August 2011 (Pilot), 7-28 March 2012 (Series 1), 17 January-21 February 2013 (Series 2). Series 3 first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra, 12 May-16 June 2014 
 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Stephen K Amos

Jonathan Harvey

Don Gilet

Gemma Whelan

Emerald O'Hanrahan

Rachel Atkins

Full cast

Shaquille Ali-Yebuah

Fatou Sohna

Ellen Thomas

Frankie Wilson

Harry Jardine

A BBC Radio 4 Sitcom About Growing up Black, Gay and Funny in 1980s London

Stand-up meets sitcom in Stephen K Amos&rsquo;s semi-autobiographical show about growing up black, gay and funny in 1980s London 
 
&lsquo;One of the most likable figures in British comedy Radio Times 
 
Comedian Stephen K Amos is one of eight children, whose parents came to London from Nigeria in the 60s. In these three series, co-written with multi-award-winning British playwright Jonathan Harvey, he takes us back in time to the 1980s, as he reminisces about his dysfunctional childhood and formative experiences, and shares the dramas and traumas of his teenage years. 
 
We join his younger self as he wrestles with his identlty; falls in love; overcomes his stage fright and takes the lead role in the school play, Balham Side Story. And as he takes his first steps into working life, he gets caught up in the Brixton riots, worries about his parents splitting up, and finally plucks up the courage to reveal a secret&hellip; 
 
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah stars as Young Stephen, and each show is hosted by Stephen K Amos himself, adding stand-up narration and his own comic perspective. Among the cast are Ellen Thomas and Don Gilet as Stephen&rsquo;s mum and dad, Fatou Sohna as Stephanie Amos, Gemma Whelan as Miss Collins, Michelle Butterly as Miss Bliss and Frankie Wilson as Jayson Jackson. 
 
And the answer to the show&rsquo;s title? You&rsquo;ll have to listen and find out... 
 
Production credits 
 
Stephen K Amos &ndash; Himself 
Young Stephen &ndash; Shaquille Ali-Yebuah 
Stephanie Amos &ndash; Fatou Sohna 
Virginia Amos &ndash; Ellen Thomas 
Vincent Amos/Tanktop &ndash; Don Gilet 
Miss Collins &ndash; Gemma Whelan 
Jayson Jackson/John the Baptist &ndash; Frankie Wilson 
PE Teacher/Red Coat/Philip/Check-in guy/Random Bloke &ndash; Harry Jardine 
Fanni &ndash; Emerald O'Hanrahan 
Fola &ndash; Kathryn Drysdale 
Bo Bells/Taxi driver/Stephanie Turner &ndash; Rachel Atkins 
Samaritan/Policeman/Taxi driver &ndash; David Seddon 
Miss Bliss &ndash; Michelle Butterly 
Mary Magdalene/Bette Davis/Sophie &ndash; Nadia Kamil 
Boy Roy &ndash; Ryan Watson 
Miss Hunt/Moira Stuart/Fergie &ndash; Margaret Cabourn-Smith 
Princess &ndash; Jocelyn Jee Esien 
Dustin &ndash; Laurie Kynaston 
With Frances Barber, Bola Okun, Emerald Crankson, Karen Bartke and David Sterne 
 
Written by Jonathan Harvey with Stephen K Amos 
Produced by Colin Anderson and Paul Sheehan 
Violin played by Rachel Barnes 
Cover photography by Pal Hansen 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 November 2013-1 January 2014 (Series 1), 31 December 2014-4 February 2015 (Series 2), 25 January-15 February 2017 (Series 3) 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Stephen K Amos

Books by Stephen K Amos

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter