A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy and is known as @agatharoza on Wattpad.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis is a speculative fiction author and lover of everything steeped in myth and mystery. Her stories often lean into diverse voices, not only in her identity as a Black woman, but in exploring neurodivergence and mental health. A proud introvert and nostalgic gamer, she lives in Maryland, USA, with her husband and three children. Angelica is also the author of Hunt A Killer, a PERFECT SCORE novel, under the pen name A.M. Ellis, which she wrote as an IP for Scholastic in the US.

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar is an American actress and author.

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

Aaron Dignan is the founder of The Ready--a global organizational transformation and coaching practice--that helps companies large and small adopt new forms of self-organization and dynamic teaming. Clients include Johnson &amp; Johnson, Microsoft, Lloyds Bank, Citibank, Boeing, Mailchimp, Airbnb, Dropbox, and charity: water. 
 
He is also the founder of Murmur--a SaaS startup that helps teams scale culture through the magic of working agreements. The Murmur platform will allow every team on the planet to define and share their ways of working. 
 
Dignan is the author of Brave New Work (2019) and Game Frame (2011), co-host of the Brave New Work podcast, and a friend to misfit toys.

Aaron Dignan

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm: The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Aaron Edwards

Aaron Robertson is a writer, an editor, and a translator of Italian literature. His translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon was short-listed for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award, and in 2021 he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, n+1, The Point, and Literary Hub, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Aaron Robertson

Aaron Shapiro

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Clive Anderson

Clive Anderson and guests poke fun at the past in this panel show with a yesteryear twist 
 
Originally broadcast on Radio 4 in 2003-4, We&rsquo;ve Been Here Before is the topical, satirical, historical panel game that aims to show beyond all doubt that there&rsquo;s nothing new in the news. Hosted by award-winning comedian, broadcaster and Whose Line Is It Anyway? star Clive Anderson, it takes a wry, witty look at long-gone days through a present-day lens, as the panellists battle it out to discover who&rsquo;s got the best memory for detail when it comes to raking up the past. 
 
Gyles Brandreth, Jimmy Carr, Chris Addison, Mark Steel, Natalie Haynes, Richard Herring, Robin Ince and Steve Punt are among the stellar guests striving to identify news clips from years gone by, and to spot the parallels with contemporary events. From reality TV, BBC-bashing and striking unions to celebrity American presidential hopefuls, European referendums and Prime Ministers under pressure, they find that the stories they sift through sound strangely familiar. 
 
Still funny and relevant over 20 years after it first aired, this entertaining series is the ultimate proof that what goes around comes around. It&rsquo;s a blast from the past with a modern perspective &ndash; and any similarity to current events is entirely the idea... 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Clive Anderson 
Reader: Lewis MacLeod 
Produced by Adam Bromley (Series 1) and Ed Morrish (Series 2) 
 
Series 1 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Jimmy Carr, John O'Farrell, David Quantick, Jon Holmes, Simon Brett, Lewis Shaffer, Steve Punt, Robin Ince, Maureen Lipman, Simon Brett 
 
Series 2 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, John O'Farrell, Arthur Smith, Arabella Weir, Natalie Haynes, Richard Herring, Mark Steel, David Quantick, Chris Addison, Nick Revell, Helen Atkinson-Wood 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1-29 August 2003 (Series 1), 11 June-2 July 2004 (Series 2) 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

We’ve Been Here Before: The Complete Series 1 and 2

The BBC Radio Comedy Panel Show

Mark Nelson

Mark Nelson and celebrity guests separate the good from the bad, with a few unexpected twists 
 
Hosted by Mark Nelson, this lively show sees a panel of celebrities competing to share the best, worst and most hilarious anecdotes from their daily lives. Each guest is vying for the audience's vote as they try to convince Mark that their 'good' story is the most joyful, serendipitous or worthy, and their 'bad' story is the most unfortunate, outrageous or unforgivable. To keep them on their toes, they're also faced with some spontaneous surprise questions, and must rely on their quick wits to come up with snappy answers. 
 
Collected here are 41 of the finest episodes, featuring a fantastic mix of talent from across Scotland and beyond. The stellar line-up includes Rory Bremner, Kirsty Wark, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hadley, Kerry Katona, Toyah Willcox, Phil Hammond, Mr Motivator and Carol Smillie. 
 
Lorraine Kelly unveils her inner geek, Shaparak Khorsandi recalls her family's favourite and most disgusting story, Janey Godley shares her tale of landing at the feet of George Clooney and Les Dennis reveals the best and the worst things about his celebrity lifestyle. Plus, Pippa Evans learns the hard way that whisky is a sipping drink, Fred MacAulay feels like he's fed the five thousand after becoming father of the bride and Zoe Lyons goes a long, long way for spicy noodles that she ultimately regrets. 
 
Laugh along with them all as they share their moments of joy, tales of peril, personal failings and funniest confessions in this joke-packed panel show. Though the rules tend to break down, the good things often outweigh the bad - and there's always something unexpected waiting around the corner... 
 
NB: Contains some adult themes 
 
Production credits 
Based on an original idea by Jo Caulfield and Kevin Anderson 
Written by Jo Caulfield and Kevin Anderson, with additional material by Ross Craig, Dan Evans, Keiron Nicholson, Jane Walker, John Hamilton and Gareth Waugh 
Presented by Mark Nelson 
Produced by Richard Melvin 
A Dabster Production for BBC Radio Scotland 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland on the following dates: 
 
4 January 2019 
11 January 2019 
1 February 2019 
15 February 2019 
30 August 2019 
13 September 2019 
20 September 2019 
27 September 2019 
4 October 2019 
11 October 2019 
10 January 2020 
17 January 2020 
19 June 2020 
11 September 2020 
8 January 2021 
22 January 2021 
29 January 2021 
5 February 2021 
12 February 2021 
3 September 2021 
10 September 2021 
24 September 2021 
1 October 2021 
8 October 2021 
7 January 2022 
14 January 2022 
21 January 2022 
28 January 2022 
4 February 2022 
11 February 2022 
29 April 2022 
13 May 2022 
20 May 2022 
27 May 2022 
10 June 2022 
26 August 2022 
6 January 2023 
28 April 2023 
5 May 2023 
19 May 2023 
26 May 2023 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Good, the Bad and the Unexpected

Highlights from the BBC Radio Comedy Panel Show

Mark Steel

Radical comedian Mark Steel profiles sixteen historical figures who shaped their era 
 
Sony Award-winning satirist and stand-up comedian Mark Steel takes us through the life stories of some of his favourite historical characters in this acclaimed radio series, which ran for three series on BBC Radio 4 before transferring to TV in 2003. From Oliver Cromwell to Ludvig van Beethoven, Mark’s chosen personalities are all passionate, driven – and more than a little eccentric... 
 
Among the inspirational people he profiles are W. G. Grace, one of cricket’s greatest players and the first modern celebrity; Mary Shelley, a radical’s daughter who married a poet and invented science fiction; Che Guevara, who became a left-wing hero despite chronic asthma; and Aristotle, who deserves to be remembered for much more than a line in a Monty Python song. 
 
In addition, he delves into the lives of Renaissance genius (and absent-minded buffoon) Leonardo da Vinci; Carthaginian elephant-wrangler and scourge of the Romans, Hannibal; jazz singer Billie Holiday, whose trademark song ‘Strange Fruit’ was so inflammatory that Columbia refused to record it; and gravity-defining mathematician Isaac Newton, who was obsessed with alchemy and tried to turn lead into gold. 
 
Illustrated with idiosyncratic sketches featuring Melanie Hudson, Martin Hyder, Kim Wall, Carla Mendonça, Femi Elufowoju Junior and Debbie Isitt, these informative, accessible and hugely entertaining lectures celebrate the remarkable men and women whose ideas and enthusiasm changed the world. 
 
 
Written and performed by Mark Steel 
With Melanie Hudson, Martin Hyder, Kim Wall, Carla Mendonça, Femi Elufowoju Junior and Debbie Isitt 
Produced by Phil Clarke (Series 1) and Lucy Armitage (Series 2 & 3) 
Executive producer: Paul Schlesinger 
 
Contents: 
 
Series 1 
Oliver Cromwell 
W. G. Grace 
Charlie Chaplin 
Thomas Paine 
 
Series 2 
Lord Byron 
Aristotle 
Leonardo da Vinci 
Che Guevara 
Billie Holiday 
Karl Marx 
 
Series 3 
Ludwig van Beethoven 
Hannibal 
Isaac Newton 
Mary Shelley 
Muhammad Ali 
Napoleon Bonaparte 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-30 August 1999 (Series 1), 13 March – 17 April 2001 (Series 2), 18 September – 23 October 2002 (Series 3) 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Mark Steel Lectures

The BBC Radio Comedy Series

Radical comedian Mark Steel takes a sideways look at some of the most tumultuous moments in history 
 
Mark Steel turns his analytical mind to the theme of revolutions in these six entertaining lectures, examining some of the major historical forces at work and holding up a mirror to our own age. 
 
In these entertaining lectures, he reinterprets the French Revolution, examining everything from the storming of the Bastille to the guillotine; looks at the politics of the sexual revolution (taking in the pill, the women’s movement and the Stonewall riots); and assesses the motivating factors and key players in the Russian Revolution – including the Romanovs, Rasputin and the Red Guard. 
 
He also explores how the Industrial Revolution transformed our perception of time, work and money; argues that the American Civil War was not just a rebellion but a full-blown revolution; and shows how Darwin’s revolutionary theory of natural selection was so shocking, he kept it quiet for 20 years for fear of a backlash... 
 
With readings by Martin Hyder and Carla Mendonça and witty comic sketches, this amusing, informative series is packed with fantastic stories, extraordinary characters and fascinating historical facts. 
 
Written and presented by Mark Steel 
With Martin Hyder and Carla Mendonça 
Produced by Phil Clarke 
 
Contents: 
The French Revolution 
The Sexual Revolution 
The Russian Revolution 
The Industrial Revolution 
The American Civil War 
The Theory of Evolution 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 June – 4 August 1998 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Mark Steel Revolution

Mark Steel uses his unique logic to propose subversive solutions to society's problems 
 
What if the Royal Family was chosen by weekly lottery? 
Why should giving to charity be illegal? 
Could government economic policy be decided by sport? 
 
Award-winning writer and comedian Mark Steel aims to put the world to rights in these 15 episodes, as he comes up with radical proposals to improve our lives and sort out our social ills. 
 
From the economy to transport, housing, crime and our current age of pessimism, Mark’s got a brilliant idea that’s sure to fix the problem. Each show sees him using witty, persuasive arguments and short, sharp sketches to present his case, as he contends that having a job should be illegal, everyone should have to be gay for two years, and nobody should have to go to school until they’re 36. 
 
Whatever the issue, Mark’s got the answer – whether it’s dealing with immigration by deporting everyone born in England, or healing religious divisions by making everyone change their faith every Monday. Lend him your ears and he’ll convince you of anything, as he sets about proving that the ridiculous is really very sensible indeed – and that changing the world is easy, if you’re willing to listen to his advice... 
 
Written and performed by Mark Steel and Spitting Image writer Pete Sinclair, this funny, thought-provoking series also features Maria McErlane and Kim Wall. 
 
 
Written by Mark Steel and Pete Sinclair 
Starring Mark Steel, Pete Sinclair, Maria McErlane and Kim Wall 
Produced by Turan Ali (Series 1) and Phil Clarke (Series 2-4) 
 
Contents: 
 
Series 1 
The Family: ‘No-one should live in the same family for more than one year’ 
Judges: ‘Ex-convicts should be recruited as High Court judges’ 
The Economy: ‘Government economic policy should be decided by sport’ 
 
Series 2 
Unemployment: ‘Having a job should be illegal’ 
Transport: ‘Transport should only be paid for by people who don’t use it’ 
Housing: ‘Everyone in Britain should be re-housed at random’ 
The Royal Family: ‘The Royal Family should be chosen by weekly lottery’ 
 
Series 3 
Sexual Politics: ‘Everyone should have to be gay for two years’ 
Charity : ‘Anybody who gives to charity should be jailed’ 
Crime: ‘Criminals should decide their own punishment’ 
Immigration: ‘Anyone born in England should be deported’ 
 
Series 4 
Religion: ‘People should have to change their religion every Monday’ 
The Media: ‘Anyone in charge of the media should be sacked after thirty minutes’ 
Education: ‘Nobody should go to school until they are 36’ 
Pessimism: ‘Pessimists should be persecuted by law’ 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 5 from 16 Oct-13 Nov 1992 (Series 1), 15 July-5 Aug 1994 (Series 2), 4 Aug-25 Aug 1995 (Series 3), 16 Aug-6 Sept 1996 (Series 4) 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Mark Steel Solution

BBC Radio Comedy

Both series of the BBC’s classic comedy panel game from 2023 – plus two Edinburgh SpecialsThe long-running Radio 4 national treasure of a parlour game is back for two more series, chaired once again by the superlative Sue Perkins. Joining her are an array of loquacious panellists, all hoping to avoid the pitfalls of hesitation, deviation and repetition as they strive to speak for 60 seconds on a given topic.Showing off their quick wit and nimble minds are celebrities including Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Jennifer Saunders, Jan Ravens, Tony Hawks, Lucy Porter, Alan Davies, Anna Maxwell Martin and Heidi Regan. Among the subjects up for discussion are Snakes and Ladders, Whitney Houston, Wordle, The Perfect Mullet, The Letter Q, Columbo, Revolving Restaurants and The Great Barrier Reef.Also included are two special editions of Just a Minute recorded at the Edinburgh Festival, featuring Gyles Brandreth, Janey Godley, Susie McCabe, Fred MacAulay, Rachel Parris and debut contestants Ian Smith and Urooj Ashfaq. Faced with topics including How to Make a Good First Impression, Heckling A Walking Tour, Teacakes and A Hatchet Job, can they ad-lib their way to a complete, uninterrupted minute?Note - April 2024: The audio files have been updated to include the complete Edinburgh specials.Production creditsDevised by Ian MessiterChaired by Sue PerkinsProduced by Rajiv KariaProduction co-ordinator: Caroline BarlowSound editor: Marc WillcoxSeries 90 featuring: Paul Merton, Jennifer Saunders, Julian Clary, Anna Maxwell Martin, Desiree Burch, Tony Hawks, Jan Ravens, Zoe Lyons, Alan Davies, Holly Walsh, Gyles Brandreth, Lucy Porter, Ria Lina, Rhys JamesSeries 91 featuring: Paul Merton, Jennifer Saunders, Julian Clary, Lucy Porter, Shaparak Khorsandi, Daliso Chaponda, Heidi Regan, Felicity Ward, Ivo Graham, Josie Lawrence, Gyles Brandreth, Jan Ravens, Tony Hawks, Rachel ParrisEdinburgh Specials featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Janey Godley, Ian Smith, Urooj Ashfaq, Susie McCabe, Fred MacAulay, Rachel ParrisFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 December 2022-13 February 2023 (Series 90), 3 April-22 May 2023 (Series 91), 21-28 August 2023 (Edinburgh Specials)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute 2023: The Complete Series 90 & 91

The BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game

All three series of the award-winning satirical news show from 2023 
 
Originally conceived as a one-off whimsy, The News Quiz is now in its 46th year and still going strong. In these 26 shows, host Andy Zaltzman gathers up handfuls of headlines and hurls them at the panellists, who promptly fling back punchlines, puns and persiflage. 
 
Kicking off with a ‘Best of 2022’ episode reflecting on the highs and lows of a year in which Britain had two monarchs and three Prime Ministers, the team go on to peruse the biggest, funniest and most noteworthy events of 2023. Among the stories discussed are the UK strike wave, the conflict in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, Nicola Sturgeon’s surprise resignation, Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps, HS2 grinding to a halt, the looming general election and BRITS IN SPACE – as well as the curious case of 200,000 stolen Cadbury Creme Eggs and the surprise appearance of a walrus in Scarborough. 
 
Mulling over all this, and more, are some of the nation’s best comedians and journalists, including Anushka Asthana, Chris McCausland, Simon Evans, Andy Hamilton, Susie McCabe, Ian Smith, Scott Bennett, Ayesha Hazarika, Ria Lina, Mark Steel, Zoe Lyons and Ashley Storrie. 
 
Production credits 
Hosted and written by Andy Zaltzman 
With additional material by Simon Alcock, Rebecca Bain, Davina Bentley, Catherine Brinkworth, Carl Carzana, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Ben Clover, Cody Dahler, Max Davis, Kate Dehnert, James Farmer, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Alice Fraser, Jade Gebbie, Mark Granger, Adam Greene, Will Hall, Miranda Holms, Cameron Loxdale, Caroline Mabey, Stuart Mitchell, Eleri Morgan, Eleanor Morton, Alfie Packham, Vicky Richards, Christina Riggs, Rhiannon Shaw, Mike Shephard, Katie Storey, Peter Tellouche, Zoë Tomalin and Jennifer Walker 
 
Produced by Georgia Keating, Sam Holmes and Gwyn Rhys Davies 
Executive Producers: James Robinson, Richard Morris and Pete Strauss 
Production Co-ordinators: Ryan Walker-Edwards, Becky Carewe-Jeffries and Dan Marchini 
Sound Editors: Jerry Peal, Marc Willcox, Giles Aspen, John Hemingway and David Thomas 
 
Series 110 featuring: Maisie Adam, Samira Ahmed, Kate Andrews, Anushka Asthana, Angela Barnes, Alasdair Beckett-King, Scott Bennett, Catherine Bohart, Frankie Boyle, Simon Evans, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Ayesha Hazarika, Shaparak Khorsandi, Nish Kumar, Helen Lewis, Ria Lina, Camilla Long, Zoe Lyons, Alex Massie, Susie McCabe, Chris McCausland, Geoff Norcott, Andy Parsons, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Ian Smith, Mark Steel, Ashley Storrie, Holly Walsh, Felicity Ward 
 
Series 111 featuring: Kate Andrews, Anushka Asthana, Scott Bennett, Rachel Cunliffe, Neil Delamere, Andrew Doyle, Simon Evans, Alice Fraser, Freddy Gray, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Rosie Holt, Ria Lina, Camilla Long, Andrew Maxwell, Susie McCabe, Robin Morgan, Geoff Norcott, Andy Parsons, Lucy Porter, Ian Smith, Ashley Storrie 
 
Series 112 featuring: Anushka Asthana, Tom Ballard, Alasdair Beckett-King, Bethany Black, Daliso Chaponda, Andrew Doyle, Simon Evans, Alice Fraser, Ayesha Hazarika, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Zoe Lyons, Alex Massie, Susie McCabe, Chris McCausland, Robin Morgan, Rachel Parris, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Ian Smith, Mark Steel, Felicity Ward 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 December 2022-10 March 2023 (Series 110), 28 April-9 June 2023 (Series 111), 8 September-27 October 2023 (Series 112) 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2023: The Complete Series 110, 111 and 112

The topical BBC Radio 4 panel show

Grant Stott

Jo Caulfield

Gary Robertson

Grant Stott is joined by team captains Jo Caulfield and Gary Robertson in the panel game that pits journalists against the people they're reporting on 
 
Hold the front page - it's Stop the Press, the comedy quiz where the points really matter! Recorded live in Edinburgh, each show sees well-known entertainers taking on keen newshounds in a bid to find out who knows more about their own specialist subject. Do these comedians, musicians, actors and writers have what it takes to stop the press? 
 
Joining quizmaster Grant Stott are two team captains, Good Morning Scotland host Gary Robertson and Britain's finest funnywoman, Jo Caulfield. Taking on the might of the Fourth Estate are intrepid celebrities including Ian Rankin, Sindhu Vee, Janey Godley and Jan Ravens, while among those defending the press' honour are rock and pop critic Fiona Shepherd, BBC meteorologist Judith Ralston and formidable Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark. 
 
Included here are all four series of the fast-paced, star-packed show, as well as a special New Year episode recorded at the start of 2018, in which the players look forward to the sporting, cultural and more unusual events of the coming year. With topics ranging from current affairs to general knowledge, it's a good old-fashioned comedy quiz that's ideal to play along with: so why not get in on the action, and pit your wits against the professionals? 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Grant Stott 
Team captains: Jo Caulfield and Gary Robertson 
A Dabster Production for BBC Radio Scotland 
 
Series 1 featuring: Justin Currie, Fiona Shepherd, Sean Biggerstaff, Siobhan Sinnott, Frank McAvennie, Moira Gordon, Nick Nairn, Bill Whiteford, Joanna Blythman, Andy Gray, Paul English, Horse, Lisa-Marie Ferla 
 
Series 2 featuring: Dave Johns, Hannah McGill, Guy Pratt, Gayle Anderson, Stuart Donaldson, Rona Dougall, John Lloyd, Kate Copstick, Fish, Fiona Shepherd, Tom Urie, Beverly Lyons 
 
2018 New Year Special featuring: Alex Arthur, Aileen Clarke 
 
Series 3 featuring: Allan Stewart, Judith Ralston, Gary Little, Lisa Summers, Ray Bradshaw, Catriona Shearer, Scott Agnew, Laura MacIver, Julia Sutherland, Brian Taylor, Ian Rankin, Theresa Talbot, Sindhu Vee, Glenn Campbell 
 
Series 4 featuring: Donald Alexander, Kirsty Wark, Janey Godley, Richard Gordon, Stuart McPherson, Viv Lumsden, Michelle McManus, Dougie Vipond, Jan Ravens, Tam Cowan, Lucy Porter, David Currie, Hal Cruttenden, Cat Shearer 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 5 May-9 June 2017 (Series 1), 1 September-6 October 2017 (Series 2), 2 January 2018 (New Year Special), 4 May-15 June 2018 (Series 3), 31 August-12 October 2018 (Series 4) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Stop the Press

The Complete BBC Radio 4 Comedy Quiz Series

Nick Hancock

Nick Hancock finds out what people, places and pop songs his celebrity guests would consign to oblivion 
 
Room 101 is the anti-Desert Island Discs. Instead of picking the tracks, books and luxuries they love, guests are invited to banish their least favourite things to Orwell's eponymous chamber of horrors. Twenty-seven episodes of the show were broadcast on Radio 5 between 1992 and 1994, and it went on to run for 18 hit series on BBC TV before relaunching on Radio 4 in 2023. 
 
This specially-curated collection contains 16 of the very best editions of the original radio series. Included are the first ever show, in which Paul Merton reveals his aversion to Northanger Abbey, the city of Edinburgh and Kenneth More's laugh, and the final one from 1994, which sees Andy Hamilton hoping to rid the world of Look Back in Anger, 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool' and Field of Dreams. 
 
Among the other famous names discussing their bugbears and bête noires are Helen Lederer, Trevor and Simon, Caroline Quentin, Tony Hawks, Kevin Day, Maria McErlane and Mark Lamarr. Weighing up their arguments (and adding a few prejudices of his own) is host Nick Hancock, who has the final say on what stays and what goes. 
 
Will he let Arthur Smith put Barbara Cartland into Room 101? What has Jenny Eclair got against 'My Little Pony' videos? Why does Ian Hislop detest 'We Are The Champions'? And why does Steve Punt think Platform 5 at East Croydon station is the worst place in the world? All will be revealed in these bright and breezy shows, as some of our favourite celebrities share their peeves, pet hates and personal stories. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Nick Hancock 
Produced by Lissa Evans and Phil Clark 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 5 on the following dates: 
 
Paul Merton 9 January 1992 
Jenny Eclair 16 January 1992 
Arthur Smith 30 January 1992 
Steve Punt 6 February 1992 
Ian Hislop 14 August 1992 
John Walters 4 September 1992 
Helen Lederer 11 September 1992 
Donna McPhail 2 October 1992 
Trevor Neal and Simon Hickson 3 September 1993 
Caroline Quentin 10 September 1993 
Tony Hawks 17 September 1993 
Kevin Day 15 October 1993 
Maria McErlane 22 October 1993 
Mark Lamarr 29 October 1993 
Nick Revell 27 February 1994 
Andy Hamilton 25 March 1994 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Room 101

Highlights from the Classic BBC Radio 5 Comedy Series

Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo presents these specially selected shows exploring the history of democracy and the modern political system 
 
In a parliamentary career spanning over 20 years, Michael Portillo served as a Conservative MP and held numerous Cabinet posts. Few people are better placed to comment on politics than him, and in these thought-provoking programmes, he gives us his take on the development of democracy and contemporary political theory. 
 
In the three-part series Democracy on Trial, Portillo investigates the difficult and dangerous global journey taken by this fragile ideal over 2,500 years, and the surprisingly tenuous grip it holds upon the world today. From Athens in the fifth century BC to the present day, he examines the effectiveness of a form of government we take for granted, and analyses its rise, fall and future. 
 
For Whom the Division Bell Tolled sees him looking at the history and peculiarities of the back-bencher, asking historians whether these traits have been present since the very first Parliaments in the 1300s. Across three episodes, he traces the origins of the back-bench revolt, recalls the good and noble works of back-benchers from the past, and wonders whether those on the back bench have always been more interested in keeping their jobs than changing the world. 
 
In The Right Stuff, Portillo considers the lasting influence of the author and philosopher Ayn Rand, questioning whether her work remains a blueprint for those on the political right. Talking to contemporaries and critics, he probes the origins and impact of Rand's writings, and assesses how her controversial ideas relate to the current political landscape. 
 
Capitalism on Trial finds him pondering years of bailouts, stagnating growth and market instability, and asking whether free-market capitalism is looking a little tarnished. Over two programmes, he talks to leading thinkers including Amartya Sen, Will Hutton and Gillian Tett as he weighs up the costs and benefits of the economic system that governs our lives. 
 
Finally, in Things We Forgot to Remember: The 1945 Labour Government, Portillo looks back at Clement Attlee's postwar government, querying how radical their agenda really was and how much our collective memory of it is due to myth-making by subsequent Labour administrations. 
 
Production credits 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Democracy on Trial 
Episode 1 11 May 2010 
Episode 2 18 May 2010 
Episode 3 25 May 2010 
Produced by Philip Sellars and Julia Johnson 
 
For Whom the Division Bell Tolled 
Episode 1 14 May 2008 
Episode 2 21 May 2008 
Episode 3 28 May 2008 
Produced by Philip Sellars 
 
The Right Stuff 11 November 2008 
Produced by Owen McFadden 
 
Capitalism on Trial 
Episode 1 27 September 2011 
Episode 2 4 October 2011 
With Amartya Sen, Will Hutton, Ha-Joon Chang, Gillian Tett, Nigel Lawson and Hernando De Soto 
Produced by Julia Johnson 
 
Things We Forgot to Remember: The 1945 Labour Government 6 May 2007 
With Denis Healey, Peter Carrington and Tony Benn 
Produced by Julia Adamson 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Michael Portillo: On Politics

A BBC Radio Collection

Melvyn Bragg

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of physics through its most important ideas and hypotheses 
 
'In Our Time is in a class of its own' New York Times 
 
Eclectic, erudite and entertaining, In Our Time is one of Radio 4's most successful programmes, regularly attracting an audience of over 2 million for its discussions on every subject under the sun: from oceanography to Ovid. 
 
In this special themed collection, Melvyn Bragg is joined by guest experts including Simon Schaffer, John Gribbin, Jim Al-Khalili and Sir Martin Rees to discuss 25 of the key laws, principles and problems of physics. Here are examinations of major concepts including plasma, radiation, matter and antimatter and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, as well as discourses on historical theories such as Zeno's paradoxes, the speed of light and relativity. Also featured are analyses of modern developments in physics, including the discovery and growing understanding of the proton, neutron and electron, the controversial breakthrough of nuclear technology, and the search for the holy grail of 20th century physics: the Grand Unified Theory. 
 
Physicists, students of science and knowledge seekers will savour these wide-ranging, comprehensive and accessible discussions, which serve as a springboard to dive deeper into the fascinating fundamental principles that govern our universe. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris and Simon Tillotson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Major Concepts 
States of Matter 3 April 2014 
Heat 4 December 2008 
Absolute Zero 7 March 2013 
The Second Law of Thermodynamics 16 December 2004 
Plasma 13 October 2016 
Magnetism 29 September 2005 
Radiation 12 November 2009 
The Physics of Time 18 December 2008 
Quantum Gravity 22 February 2001 
Antimatter 4 October 2007 
The Graviton 24 November 2005 
Optics 1 March 2007 
With Simon Schaffer, Jim Bennett and Emily Winterburn 
 
Part II: Historical Theories 
Zeno's Paradoxes 22 September 2016 
The Speed of Light 30 November 2006 
The Laws of Motion 3 April 2008 
Kinetic Theory 23 May 2019 
Relativity 6 June 2013 
The Physics of Reality 2 May 2002 
 
Part III: Modern physics 
Grand Unified Theory 24 February 2000 
The Electron 29 September 2022 
Nuclear Physics 10 January 2002 
Cosmic Rays 16 May 2013 
The Proton 26 April 2018 
The Neutron 14 April 2016 
The Neutrino 14 April 2011 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Concepts and Theories in the History of Physics

A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss 25 pivotal concepts, theorists and developments that have advanced the science of mathematics 
 
'Might be the best radio programme ever' Oliver Burkeman, The Guardian 
 
In Our Time is a Radio 4 phenomenon, a knowledge juggernaut that has informed and entertained over 2 million listeners each week since its first broadcast in 1998. In its 25 years on air, it has covered an astonishing array of topics, from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to the Sistine Chapel. 
 
Beginning with three introductory episodes, this specially curated collection explores 25 of the most important individuals, ideas and discoveries that have transformed our understanding of mathematics over the past 5,000 years. We learn how Indian mathematics provided the foundations for much of our modern thinking, discover why Euclid's Elements is the most influential textbook ever written and hear of the epic feud between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz over who invented calculus. 
 
Plus, we are introduced to influential mathematicians including Pythagoras, Blaise Pascal, Emmy Noether and Alan Turing, as well as key concepts, problems and puzzles such as negative numbers, infinity, Fermat's Last Theorem, the Poincaré conjecture and P v NP. 
 
Enlightening, thought-provoking and inspiring, these wide-ranging discussions make abstruse ideas accessible and demystify mathematics, showing how it shaped our world and made us who we are. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Simon Tillotson, Thomas Morris and Natalia Fernandez 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Context 
Mathematics 6 May 1999 
Mathematics and Platonism 11 January 2001 
Mathematics' Unintended Consequences 11 February 2010 
 
Part II: History of Mathematics 
Indian Mathematics 14 December 2006 
Euclid's Elements 28 April 2016 
Maths in the Early Islamic World 16 February 2017 
Renaissance Maths 2 June 2005 
Calculus 24 September 2009 
 
Part III: Influential Mathematicians 
Pythagoras 10 December 2009 
Archimedes 25 January 2007 
Blaise Pascal 19 September 2013 
Emilie du Châtelet 4 February 2021 
Carl Friedrich Gauss 30 November 2017 
Ada Lovelace 6 March 2008 
Emmy Noether 24 January 2019 
Alan Turing 15 October 2020 
 
Part IV: Key Concepts 
Zero 13 May 2004 
Prime Numbers 12 January 2006 
Negative Numbers 9 March 2006 
e 25 September 2014 
Pi 2 September 2004 
Imaginary Numbers 23 September 2010 
Infinity 23 October 2003 
 
Part V: Problems and Puzzles 
Zeno's Paradoxes 22 September 2016 
Fermat's Last Theorem 25 October 2012 
The Poincaré Conjecture 2 November 2006 
Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems 9 October 2008 
P v NP 5 November 2015 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Theories and Thinkers in the History of Mathematics

Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Brandreth presents the quiz show with scandal on its mind 
 
Hosted by the least discreet man in Britain, broadcaster and national treasure Gyles Brandreth, Whispers is the panel game that celebrates all things scurrilous and salacious. Running the gauntlet of gossip are two teams of two guests, who test their wits and wit as they try to tell the difference between fact, fiction and outlandish speculation. 
 
In the opening round, they are challenged to work out whether a given allegation is true, false or a 'whisper' (a rumour that was widely circulated, but never proven). Subsequent rounds include 'Scandal of the Week', in which they must flesh out the bare bones of a celebrity biography by buzzing in with the missing information; and 'Loose Connections', where their task is to pinpoint the sensational or bizarre link between two well-known personalities. At the end of each show, five bonus points are allocated to anyone who can identify a fib told by Gyles earlier in the game. 
 
Team captains Anthony Holden, Stella Duffy and Lucy Moore are joined by panellists including Lynne Truss, Jennie Bond, Julian Fellowes, Richard Herring, Louise Doughty and John O'Farrell to probe the follies and foibles of the famous and infamous. Did Queen Victoria take cannabis? What's the connection between Salman Rushdie and The Beatles? And was Bonaparte really attacked on his wedding night by Josephine's dog? Find out in the quiz that puts naughty before nice and dishes the dirt on the bad boys and girls of history. 
 
Production credits 
Devised and presented by Gyles Brandreth 
Written by Nick Hildred and Hugh Rycroft 
Produced by Elizabeth Freestone and Victoria Lloyd 
 
Series 1 featuring: Anthony Holden, Stella Duffy, Rosie Millard, Jenny Colgan, Lynne Truss, Rowan Pelling, Jennie Bond, Geoffrey Durham 
 
Series 2 featuring: Anthony Holden, Lucy Moore, Geoffrey Durham, Valerie Grove, Lynne Truss, Michèle Brown, Simon Fanshawe, Charles Collingwood 
 
Series 3 featuring: Anthony Holden, Lucy Moore, Penny Junor, Julian Fellowes, Richard Herring, Louise Doughty, Dan Tetsell, John O'Farrell 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 October-10 December 2003 (Series 1), 15 September-20 October 2004 (Series 2), 5 October-9 November 2005 (Series 3) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Whispers: The Complete Series 1-3

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Panel Game

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman explains why we need to pay less, not more, attention to the news 
 
Award-winning journalist and author Oliver Burkeman has written three bestselling books on happiness, productivity and time management. Now, in this thought-provoking radio series, he looks at the way we consume and obsess over the news, and why it's so bad for us. 
 
Tracing the origins of the modern news cycle, from the first mass production of newspapers in the 19th century to 24-hour rolling news and the alluring interactivity of social media, he shows how we have gone from a scarcity to a superabundance of information. Hooked by attention-grabbing headlines, we've dived into the dramas of presidential politics, pandemics and wars, feeling actively involved in - and infuriated by - things we can't control. And this illusory sense of participation in events inevitably causes stress, anxiety and a loss of perspective. So how do we rethink our dysfunctional relationship with the news? 
 
Talking to authors, academics and media experts including Emily Bell, Robert Talisse, Pandora Sykes, Rolf Dobelli and 'Doomscrolling Reminder Lady' Karen K Ho, Oliver considers how we can free ourselves from the relentless grip of the news. Do we have to be up to speed with the latest stories to be responsible citizens, or is our increasing engagement with current affairs actually bad for democracy? Is going cold turkey the solution, or could simply stepping back, pausing and reflecting be the key to greater understanding? And is it possible, by focussing only on issues over which we can personally exert an influence, to let the rest of the world take its course? 
 
Over five fascinating episodes, Oliver shows how we can switch our default state, put real life centre stage - and make the news somewhere we visit, rather than where we live. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Oliver Burkeman 
Produced by Peter McManus 
With Charlie Beckett, Tanya Goodin, Emily Bell, Karen K Ho, Bryan McLaughlin, Rossalyn Warren, Robert Talisse, Ben Toff, Pandora Sykes, Rolf Dobelli, Graeme Forbes 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19-23 December 2022 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Oliver Burkeman: Living with the News

A BBC Radio 4 Series

Oliver Burkeman examines the insidious way in which convenience has warped our existence 
 
Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman is well known for his books and radio programmes exploring how we can lead meaningful and productive lives in an age of overwhelm. This time, he brings his keen sense of the ridiculous to bear on our obsession with convenience, looking at the hidden pitfalls of a life of ease. 
 
Over the past 20 years, the on-demand industry has flourished, promising to solve our problems, save us time and spare us from tedious, time-consuming tasks. But, in attempting to excise mundane experiences, we've inadvertently ended up getting rid of many things that are actually necessary for our well-being. Having everything delivered denies us the chance to interact with other people, leaving us lonelier. Services such as Apple Pay encourage us to make pointless purchases, meaning we're less likely to have spare cash to give to someone begging on the street. And our demands for immediacy and instant gratification have made us lazier and more impatient. 
 
In these five episodes, Oliver attempts to assess the consequences of our reliance on convenience. Helping him are a wealth of authors and thinkers, including Kat Rosenfield, Julian Baggini, Jonathan Rowson, Mark Manson and Coco Krumme. He asks how our sense of belonging is undermined by frictionless travel and effortless digital communication; spends time with the gig economy workers who pick up the tab to smooth our path; delves into the spiritual and psychological implications of convenience; and explains how, since moving from Brooklyn to rural Yorkshire, he has come to love his less convenient life. 
 
Throughout, Oliver shows how convenience culture has made our lives subtly worse - and how, by resisting its temptations at least some of the time, we could become happier, healthier and more fulfilled individuals. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Oliver Burkeman 
Produced by Peter McManus 
Executive Producer: Heather Kane-Darling 
With Kat Rosenfield, Julian Baggini, Jonathan Rowson, Mark Manson, Craig Lambert, Coco Krumme 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 May-2 June 2023 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Oliver Burkeman’s Inconvenient Truth

Three series of the satirical radio panel show chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
 
Ever since 1977, The News Quiz has been finding the hilarity in the headlines and providing witty commentary on stories big and small. In these 25 episodes from 2009, the inimitable Sandi Toksvig is in the hot seat, presiding over an all-star panel of journalists and comedians. 
 
Bringing their A-game to the show are regulars including Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Mark Steel, Francis Wheen, Sue Perkins and Carrie Quinlan, as well as relative newcomers such as Chris Addison, Phill Jupitus, Rory Bremner, Robin Ince and David Mitchell. 
 
Each episode brings a fresh crop of news for the team to get their teeth into, and among the topics under discussion are Barack Obama's first 100 days, MP's expenses, Twitter's shakedown of super-injunctions, North Korea's nuclear ambitions, the Iraq inquiry and the perils of drunken trampolining. Rounding off the proceedings are newsreaders Harriet Cass, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Corrie Corfield, Neil Sleat, Carolyn Brown and Rory Morrison, with a selection of classic comic cuttings sent in by listeners. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Chair's script written by Stephen Carlin, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Jon Hunter, Simon Littlefield, Suk Pannu, James Sherwood and Danielle Ward 
 
With additional material by Nathon Caton, Matt Charlton, Steve Day, Gary Delaney, Miriam Elia, Gareth Gwynn, Elliot Howe, James Kettle, Benjamin Partridge, Dale Phillips, Dominic Philpott, Rory Stamp, John-Luke Roberts and Holly Walsh 
 
Produced by Victoria Llloyd, Katie Tyrrell and Ed Morrish 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 67 featuring: Chris Addison, Clive Anderson, Dave Gorman, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Laurence Howarth, Shappi Khorsandi, Phill Jupitus, Fred MacAulay, David Mitchell, Sue Perkins, Carrie Quinlan, Mark Steel, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 68 featuring: Rory Bremner, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Robin Ince, Phill Jupitus, Josie Long, Fred MacAulay, Sue Perkins, Steve Punt, Carrie Quinlan, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 69 featuring: Rory Bremner, Simon Evans, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Robin Ince, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, David Mitchell, Andy Parsons, Sue Perkins, Carrie Quinlan, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
News items read by Harriet Cass, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Corrie Corfield, Neil Sleat, Carolyn Brown and Rory Morrison 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 9 January-27 February 2009 (Series 67), 1 May-19 June 2009 (Series 68), 25 September-20 November 2009 (Series 69) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2009

Series 67, 68 and 69 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Sandi Toksvig hosts these three sensational series of 'the finest topical panel game known to radio' 
 
For over 40 years, The News Quiz has been scrutinising the headlines to give us its unique, sardonic take on the stories that are making a splash. In these 25 episodes, we raid the archives from 2010 to rediscover the highs, lows and mediums of that action-packed year. 
 
Sandi Toksvig is in the chair once more, attempting to corral panellists including Micky Flanagan, Armando Iannucci, Fred MacAulay, Milton Jones, Gyles Brandreth, Bridget Christie, Will Smith, Ava Vidal and Danielle Ward. 
 
Together, they probe topics including Sarah Palin's Fox News gig; Greece's precarious economy; the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull; the Commonwealth Games, Australia's Next Top Model, the General Election and the Conservative/LibDem coalition government - as well as the battling Milliband brothers and fibbing toddlers. Plus, newsreaders Carolyn Brown, Harriet Cass, Corrie Corfield, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Rory Morrison and Neil Sleat light up each episode with the funny stories, misprints and typos sent in by listeners. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Chair's script written by Stephen Carlin, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Gareth Gwynn, Simon Littlefield, John-Luke Roberts and James Sherwood 
 
With additional material by Jack Bernhardt, Carl Carter, Nathon Caton, Hannah George, Ivo Graham, Elliot Howe, Jon Hunter, Nadia Kamil, Lee Kern, James Kettle, Benjamin Partridge, John Robins, Dale Shaw, Russell Thompson, Andy Wolton and Mike Wozniak 
 
Produced by Sam Bryant and Victoria Lloyd 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 70 featuring: Susan Calman, Jack Dee, Micky Flanagan, John Gordillo, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Milton Jones, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Victoria Mather, Sue Perkins, Carrie Quinlan, Will Smith, Ava Vidal, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 71 featuring: Susan Calman, Jack Dee, Andy Hamilton, Armando Iannucci, Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, David Mitchell, Sue Perkins, Hugo Rifkind, Will Smith, Mark Steel, Ava Vidal, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 72 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Rory Bremner, Susan Calman, Bridget Christie, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Sue Perkins, Will Smith, Mark Steel, Ava Vidal, Francis Wheen 
 
News items read by Carolyn Brown, Harriet Cass, Corrie Corfield, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Rory Morrison and Neil Sleat 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 January-26 February 2010 (Series 70), 16 April-11 June 2010 (Series 71), 24 September-12 November 2010 (Series 72) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2010

Series 70, 71 and 72 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Three more series of the satirical radio panel show chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
 
Sandi Toksvig, 'probably the funniest person in the English-speaking world' (The Guardian), is our host for these 25 episodes of the perennially popular comedy news quiz, first broadcast between New Year's Eve 2010 and 4 November 2011. 
 
Joining her to poke fun at stories big and small are a panel of illustrious players including Roisin Conaty, Dominic Lawson, Richard Herring, Tom Wrigglesworth, Henning Wehn, Imran Yusuf, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Laura Solon, Sarah Millican and Paul Sinha. 
 
Among the headlines grabbing their attention are Sky Sport's own goal, bankers' bonuses, shrinking clinks, cohabitee's rights, iPhone's tracking abilitites, celebrity gagging orders, Wikileaks whistleblowing, the Higgs-Boson particle, internet dating scams and Mary Portas' charity shop challenge - plus David Cameron's KGB recruitment attempt and Theresa May's cat spat. 
 
Giving us a round-up of the comic cuttings sent in by listeners are newsreaders Carolyn Brown, Harriet Cass, Corrie Corfield, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Rory Morrison and Neil Sleat. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Chair's script written by Carl Carter, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Gareth Gwynn, Jane Lamacraft, Simon Littlefield, John-Luke Roberts and Danielle Ward 
 
Produced by Victoria Lloyd, Sam Bryant, Katie Tyrrell and Lyndsay Fenner 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 73 featuring: Jo Brand, Susan Calman, Roisin Conaty, Justin Edwards, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Dominic Holland, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Andrew Lawrence, Fred MacAulay, Sue Perkins, Carrie Quinlan, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Mark Steel, Henning Wehn, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen, Imran Yusuf 
 
Series 74 featuring: Rory Bremner, Susan Calman, Bridget Christie, Jack Dee, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Richard Herring, Armando Iannucci, Miles Jupp, Russell Kane, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Sarah Millican, Matthew Parris, Hugo Rifkind, Will Smith, Mark Steel 
 
Series 75 featuring: Marcus Brigstocke, Susan Calman, Bridget Christie, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Phill Jupitus, Dominic Lawson, Fred MacAulay, Sarah Millican, Bob Mills, Matthew Parris, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Laura Solon, Tom Wrigglesworth 
 
News items read by Carolyn Brown, Harriet Cass, Corrie Corfield, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Rory Morrison and Neil Sleat 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 31 December 2010-25 February 2011 (Series 73), 15 April-3 June 2011 (Series 74), 9 September-4 November 2011 (Series 75) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2011

Series 73, 74 and 75 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Sandi Toksvig chairs the satirical radio panel show in this trio of series from 2012 
 
2012 was full of historic milestones - London hosted the Olympics, the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, and The News Quiz marked its 35th anniversary. Sandi Toksvig is in the chair for these three series, as the team debate these and other top stories of the year. 
 
Series 76 spans the 2011 Christmas period, and sees the show getting festive with a seasonal edition and a panto special, Oh No It Isn't... The News Quiz. Co-written by John Finnemore, it features a host of guest stars including Michael Buerk, Barry Cryer, Nicholas Parsons and Kirsty Young. 
 
With normal service resumed in the New Year, the panel take on headlines including HS2, Fred Goodwin's shredded reputation, gender equality in the boardroom, the Paralympics, Cameron's cabinet reshuffle, Nick Clegg's tuition fees apology, the Edinburgh Agreement on the Scottish referendum - and Hurricane Sandy. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Produced by Victoria Lloyd, Lyndsay Fenner, Sam Bryant and Ben Walker 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Oh No It Isn't... The News Quiz written by Kevin Baker and John Finnemore 
Produced by Victoria Lloyd and Lyndsay Fenner 
 
Series 76 featuring: Tom Allen, Susan Calman, Roisin Conaty, John Finnemore, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Bob Mills, Simon Munnery, Sue Perkins, Steve Punt, Hugo Rifkind, Alexei Sayle, Mark Steel, Rick Wakeman 
 
Oh No It Isn't... The News Quiz featuring: Adjoa Andoh, Roger Bolton, Michael Buerk, Susan Calman, Barry Cryer, John Finnemore, Peter Gibbs, Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Fred MacAulay, Gerard McDermott, Nicholas Parsons, Libby Purves, Eric Robson, Graham Seed, Tom Sutcliffe, Peter White, Matthew Wilson, Kirsty Young 
 
Series 77 featuring: Rory Bremner, Ed Byrne, Susan Calman, Jo Caulfield, Bridget Christie, Roisin Conaty, Matt Forde, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Shappi Khorsandi, Andy Hamilton, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, Justin Moorhouse, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Rick Wakeman, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 78 featuring: Susan Calman, Roisin Conaty, Kevin Day, Michael Deacon, Nick Doody, Justin Edwards, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Phill Jupitus, Lloyd Langford, Fred MacAulay, Francesca Martinez, Sarah Millican, Bob Mills, Hugo Rifkind, Francis Wheen, Cal Wilson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 23 December 2011-10 February 2012 (Series 76), 6 April-1 June 2012 (Series 77), 7 September-2 November 2012 (Series 78) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The News Quiz 2012

Series 76, 77 and 78 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Sandi Toksvig is in the chair for this sparkling quartet of series from 2013 
 
Hosted once again by the incomparable Sandi Toksvig, these four series of the satirical radio panel game take us through all the big stories of 2013, the year of Obama's inaugaration, Margaret Thatcher's funeral, Prince George's birth and Andy Murray's first Wimbledon win. 
 
Series 79 features a 'Best of 2012' compilation show and 'The News Now Quiz Show', hosted by Rory Bremner, which sees Sandi and fellow News Quizzer Jeremy Hardy take on The Now Show's Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis in the ultimate topical smackdown. And the specials don't stop there: Series 81 also includes an Edinburgh edition, recorded at the Fringe Festival. 
 
Among the topics under discussion in these four series are undercover policemen, filibusting senators, private prisons, Kim Jong-un, British culture vultures, the roll-out of universal credit, and David Dimbleby's tattoo. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
The News Now Quiz Show hosted by Rory Bremner 
Produced by Lyndsay Fenner, Martha Owen, Sam Bryant and Sam Michell 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 79 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Jo Brand, Katy Brand, Susan Calman, Roisin Conaty, Nick Doody, Daniel Finkelstein, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Francesca Martinez, Bob Mills, Sue Perkins, Susan Rae, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Francis Wheen 
 
The News Now Quiz Show featuring: Hugh Dennis, Jeremy Hardy, Steve Punt, Sandi Toksvig 
 
Series 80 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Katy Brand, Ed Byrne, Susan Calman, Bridget Christie, Roisin Conaty, Daniel Finkelstein, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, Justin Moorhouse, Hugo Rifkind, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 81 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Nathan Caton, Roisin Conaty, Jason Cook, Justin Edwards, Matt Forde, Jeremy Hardy, Miles Jupp, Katy Brand, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Fred MacAulay, Francesca Martinez, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, Justin Moorhouse, Vicki Pepperdine, Jon Richardson, Hugo Rifkind 
 
Series 82 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Katy Brand, Susan Calman, Grace Dent, Justin Edwards, Rebecca Front, Jeremy Hardy, Rufus Hound, Miles Jupp, Phill Jupitus, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, Greg Proops, Hugo Rifkind 
 
News items read by Carolyn Brown, Corrie Corfield, Harriet Cass, Kathy Clugston, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat and Zeb Soanes 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 December 2012-8 February 2013 (Series 79), 12 April-10 May 2013 (Series 80), 28 June-9 August 2013 (Series 81), 8 November-20 December 2013 (Series 82) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2013

Series 79, 80, 81 and 82 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Three fantastic series of the satirical radio panel game from 2014 
 
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. 
 
Giving us the skinny on these and many other stories are panellists including Kevin Day, David Mitchell, Romesh Ranganathan, Jo Brand, Angela Barnes, Sarah Millican, Lucy Porter, Paul Sinha and Tom Wrigglesworth - as well as Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew, who joins the team for a 'Sport Relief' special. Bringing a touch of class to the cuttings are newsreaders Kathy Clugston, Corrie Corfield, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat, Zeb Soanes and - making her debut appearance - Diana Speed. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Series 83, Episode 9 chaired by Susan Calman 
 
Chair's script written by Jack Bernhardt, James Bugg, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Gareth Gwynn, Jon Hunter, Simon Littlefield, Tom Neenan, Benjamin Partridge, John-Luke Roberts and Andy Wolton 
 
Produced by Lyndsay Fenner, Katie Tyrrell and Sam Michell 
 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 83 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Katy Brand, Susan Calman, Kevin Day, Duncan Goodhew, Jeremy Hardy, Elis James, Phill Jupitus, Miles Jupp, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, David Mitchell, Justin Moorhouse, Sara Pascoe, Lucy Porter, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Tom Wrigglesworth 
 
Series 84 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Rebecca Front, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Elis James, Fred MacAulay, Bob Mills, David Mitchell, Justin Moorhouse, Sara Pascoe, Lucy Porter, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugo Rifkind, Katherine Ryan, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 85 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Angela Barnes, Jo Brand, Susan Calman, Rebecca Front, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Camilla Long, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Sarah Millican, Bob Mills, Sara Pascoe, Lucy Porter, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugo Rifkind, John Robins, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh 
 
News items read by Kathy Clugston, Corrie Corfield, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 February-11 April 2014 (Series 83), 6 June-25 July 2014 (Series 84), 24 October-19 December 2014 (Series 85) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2014

Series 83, 84 and 85 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Sandi Toksvig is at the helm for two final series of the satirical radio panel game 
 
After nine years, 28 series and over 220 episodes in the hot seat, Sandi Toksvig stepped down from The News Quiz at the end of Series 87. These two superlative series are her last hurrah - and our last chance to enjoy her unique blend of wit, warmth and intelligence, as she leads the panel in a whimsical review of the headlines. 
 
Jeremy Hardy and Susan Calman both take a turn in the chair, but for 12 of these 14 episodes, Sandi is at the helm as they take a wry look at the news in all its larger-than-life glory. Topics on the agenda include the threat of a 'Grexit', the re-internment of Richard III, MPs' salaries the dangers of skinny jeans, head transplants, French food waste and middle-class bees... 
 
Slogging it out to come up with the funniest jokes on these disparate subjects are players including Craig Ainsley, Elis James, Samira Ahmed, Fred MacAulay, Romesh Ranganathan, Susan Calman, BJ Novak, Sara Pascoe, Phill Jupitus and Helen Zaltzman. Reading out the amusing misprints, typos and innuendos sent in by listeners are Corrie Corfield, Kathy Clugston, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Sandi Toksvig 
Series 86, Episode 5 chaired by Jeremy Hardy 
Series 86, Episode 7 chaired by Susan Calman 
 
Chair's script written by Jack Bernhardt, James Bugg, Lucy Clarke, Max Davis, Jon Hunter, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, James Kettle, Simon Littlefield, Tom Neenan, John-Luke Roberts and Andy Wolton 
 
With additional material by Ed Amsden, Liam Byrne, Sarah Campbell, Tom Coles, Ben Harris, Daniel Hooper, Jenny Laville, Robin Morgan, Keiron Nicholson and Matilda Wnek 
 
Produced by Richard Morris and Lyndsay Fenner 
 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 86 featuring: Craig Ainsley, Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Elis James, Phill Jupitus, Sam Leith, Camilla Long, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Bob Mills, BJ Novak, Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 87 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Rebecca Front, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Elis James, Miles Jupp, Phill Jupitus, Fred MacAulay, Bob Mills, Justin Moorhouse, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen, Helen Zaltzman 
 
News items read by Corrie Corfield, Kathy Clugston, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 February-3 April 2015 (Series 86), 15 May-26 June 2015 (Series 85) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2015: Sandi Toksvig's Final Shows

Series 86 and 87 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Part of BBC Radio 3's 'The Essay' strand, The Book That Changed Me features writers, academics and other eminent professionals discussing the literary works that have had the greatest impact on their lives. 
 
This fascinating selection contains some of the best episodes from the series, including legendary songwriter Steve Earle on Truman Capote's masterpiece In Cold Blood; academic Monica Siddiqui on Austen's Pride and Prejudice; and Tony Blair's onetime strategist Alastair Campbell on Flaubert's seminal Madame Bovary. 
 
Renowned film director Richard Eyre reveals how Angus Calder's social history The People's War evokes memories of his childhood; neurobiologist Colin Blakemore explains why he loves Darwin's lesser-known work, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals; visual artist Tacita Dean describes how Marguerite Yourcenair's Fires helped her find her voice as a writer, feminist and filmmaker; and David Simon, creator of TV's The Wire, relates how James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men made him realise the importance of reportage. 
 
Absorbing and enlightening, this entertaining collection sheds new light on the intellectual lives of a host of famous names, and celebrates the transformative power of literature. 
 
Production credits 
Produced by Smita Patel 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on the following dates: 
 
Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell 14 March 2011 
With Alan Johnston 
The Wrench by Primo Levi 15 March 2011 
With Edmund de Waal 
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin 17 March 2011 
With Colin Blakemore 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 18 March 2011 
With Mona Siddiqui 
Othello by William Shakespeare 25 October 2011 
With Musa Okwonga 
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens 20 January 2014 
With Alan Johnson 
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 19 January 2015 
With Steve Earle 
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 20 January 2015 
With Jude Kelly 
What a Carve-Up! by Jonathan Coe 21 January 2015 
With Jon Ronson 
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 22 January 2015 
With Lolita Chakrabarti 
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee 31 October 2016 
With David Simon 
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 1 November 2016 
With Pauline Black 
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X 2 November 2016 
With Ben Anderson 
Fires by Marguerite Yourcenair 3 November 2016 
With Tacita Dean 
The People's War by Sir Richard Eyre 4 November 2016 
With Angus Calder 
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys 2 April 2018 
With Afua Hirsch 
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 3 April 2018 
With Henry Marsh 
The Arabian Nights translated by Richard Francis Burton 4 April 2018 
With Zarah Hussain 
Madame Bovary by Gustav Flaubert 5 April 2018 
With Alastair Campbell 
Pyramids by Terry Pratchett 6 April 2018 
With Inua Ellams 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Book That Changed Me: 20 Essays on Influential Literature

A BBC Radio 3 Collection

If you have an appetite for sharp satirical comedy blended with vintage news items, be sure to sample these 14 archive episodes of BBC Radio 4's long-running panel show, chaired by Barry Took, Simon Hoggart and Sandi Toksvig. 
 
This latest smorgasbord of editions, all first broadcast between 1980 and 2012, has for its subjects such delicacies as the Royal family, 'boisterous' TV presenters, Oscar acceptance speeches, pop stars, Teletubbies, the EU referendum, the 2010 financial crash, super-injunctions, ice cream vans and much, much more. 
 
Joining regular panellists Alan Coren, Richard Ingrams, Jeremy Hardy and Andy Hamilton are a highly palatable collection of guest players including Gillian Reynolds, John Wells, Alan Rusbridger, Gay Search, Andrew Rawnsley, Clive Anderson, David Aaronovitch, Francis Wheen, Oliver Pritchett, Linda Smith, Mark Steel, Michael White, John Sergeant, Fred MacAulay, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Kirsty Wark, Carrie Quinlan, David Mitchell, Matthew Parris, Susan Calman, Bob Mills and many more. 
 
Included among the programmes is a two-part News Quiz of the Year from 1980/81, as well as a 2000 edition recorded at the BBC Futureworld Exhibition. The original Radio 4 broadcast dates are 27/12/1980, 03/01/1981, 11/02/1984, 28/07/1990, 27/09/1997, 14/03/1998, 26/03/1998, 17/03/2000, 28/04/2000, 05/04/2002, 11/01/2008, 06/11/2009, 22/04/2011 and 29/09/2012. 
 
Cast and credits: 
 
Chaired by Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig 
 
Featuring David Aaronovitch, Clive Anderson, Susan Calman, Alan Coren, Valerie Grove, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Richard Ingrams, Fred MacAulay, Oliver Pritchett, Andrew Rawnsley, Gillian Reynolds, Alan Rusbridger, Gay Search, John Sergeant, Linda Smith, Mark Steel, Bob Mills, David Mitchell, Matthew Parris, Oliver Pritchett, Will Smith, Peter Tory, Carrie Quinlan, Danielle Ward, Kirsty Wark, John Wells, Francis Wheen, Michael White 
 
Newsreaders: Harriet Cass, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, Brian Perkins 
 
Produced by Lucy Armitage, Sam Bryant, Jenny Campbell, Lindsay Fenner, Armando Iannucci, Victoria Lloyd, Ed Morrish, Alan Nixon, Jon Rolph 
 
Written by Jack Bernhardt, Dave Cohen, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Gareth Gwynne, Jon Hunter, Tom Jameson, John Langdon, Simon Littlefield, Paul McKenzie, Matthew Norton, 'Ola', Benjamin Partridge, Celia Pacquola, Iain Pattinson, George Poles, Elliot Powell, John-Luke Roberts, Simon Rose, Hugh Ryecroft, Andy Walton, Danielle Ward 
 
Episode selection by Michael Stevens 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz: Another Vintage Collection

Classic highlights from the topical Radio 4 panel show

Josie Long

Josie Long presents four entertaining and educational comedic essays, aided by Maeve Higgins and special guests 
 
Award-winning comedian Josie Long has performed nine hit stand-up shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, subsequently touring them around the UK and internationally. This BBC Radio series was adapted from her hit 2009 stage show, and finds her attempting to unravel the mysteries of the universe through ad hoc research. Using the knowledge she's gleaned, she gives us the lowdown on her selected subject - with the help of her special guests, who join in with questions, illustrations and interruptions. 
 
In Astronomy for Dummies, Josie uses the textbook of the same name to try and get to grips with the complexities of the solar system. As she flicks through its pages, she learns how to identify constellations, joins the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence - and finds her cosmic twin... The Enlightenment sees her pondering the history of collecting things. From her childhood frog collection to the Pitts Rivers Museum, she considers why we love acquiring, categorising and displaying objects - and how doing so makes us better people... 
 
In Obscure Animal Facts, Josie attempts to level up, and become unbeatable at Trivial Pursuit. Sharing her favourite facts about the animal kingdom, she recalls her animal-activist past, interrogates her father over his quiz-buff history and reflects on the deep joy of being dorky. And in Propriety, Plants, Grandparents and Growing Your Own, she finds out how being outside connects us to nature, muses on apple names and adventure botanists, and discovers how her granny's gardening book holds the key to al fresco happiness. 
 
Among Josie's special guests are The Infinite Monkey Cage's Robin Ince; German comedian Henning Wehn; Josie's dad Geoff Long; and the host of Jordan, Jesse, Go!, Jesse Thorn. 
 
Production credits 
Written by and starring Josie Long 
Produced by Colin Anderson 
With Maeve Higgins, Robin Ince, Professor Stephen Maran, Henning Wehn, Daniel Harkin, Chris Neil, Jesse Thorne, Geoff Long, Isy Suttie 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 February-11 March 2009 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

All of the Planet's Wonders

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Series

Tim McGarry

David Hume

Comedian Tim McGarry and Orangeman Dr David Hume investigate Irish history from different perspectives 
 
'We're basically the Little and Large of Irish history' Tim McGarry 
 
Tim McGarry and Dr David Hume couldn't be less alike. Tim's a six-foot-four funnyman from Belfast, while David's a vertically challenged historian from Ballycarry. But although they disagree about almost everything, they have a great rapport and a passionate interest in their native island - and in this fascinating series, they join forces for some good-natured, intelligent debate about Irish history, politics and culture. 
 
Travelling the length and breadth of Éire and Northern Ireland, they visit important historical sites, gain new insights into pivotal stories and people, and interview a wide range of experts to give listeners the long and the short of it. Mixed in with the discussions are humorous sketches, bringing the history alive and providing light relief. 
 
Over 41 episodes, Tim and David lock horns and trade blows over controversial topics including the 1798 Rebellion, the Great Famine, the Battle of the Boyne, the birth of the Orange Order, the Irish War of Independence and Civil War, and Home Rule. They also consider Ulster heroine Mary McCracken, ask whether renowned figures such as Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Edward Carson and James Craig were heroes or villains, and wonder whether the Vikings and Oliver Cromwell were really that bad. Plus, in the 2-part special The Long and the Short of Christmas, the duo unite to take a light-hearted but scholarly look at the history of the festive season, from the birth of Jesus to modern times. 
 
Winner of the Gold Award for Specialist Speech Programme at the 2021 IMRO Radio Awards, this wry, engaging and eye-opening series is full of jokes, facts, opinions - and arguments. Irish history has never been so much fun! 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Tim McGarry and Dr David Hume 
Produced by Zoe Robinson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster & BBC Radio Foyle on 20 July-10 August 2014 (Series 1), 19 July-23 August 2015 (Series 2), 6 November-4 December 2016 (Series 3), 3 December 2017-7 January 2018 (Series 4), 9 May-13 June 2020 (Series 5), 24-25 December 2020 (The Long and the Short of Christmas), 24 April-29 May 2021 (Series 6), 27 August-1 October 2022 (Series 7). 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Long and the Short of It

A BBC History of Ireland

A bumper collection of vintage episodes of the award-winning panel game 
 
Just a Minute is BBC Radio 4's longest-running panel show, and a national treasure. Since 1967, it has welcomed an array of stellar guest players to demonstrate their verbal dexterity, wicked wit and brilliant banter, as they attempt to speak for 60 seconds on a given subject without hesitation, repetition or deviation. 
 
This extensive, wide-ranging box set brings together 32 of the finest episodes from the programme's history, including 24 taken from the previously published releases Another Classic Collection; A Further Classic Collection; The Golden Collection; Through the Years and A Vintage Collection; as well as 6 shows from The Classic Collection that have never before been available to download. 
 
Spanning over four decades, from 1973 to 2005, they chart the evolution of the nation's best-loved radio comedy, showcasing some of the best and funniest panellists including Sheila Hancock, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Tim Rice, Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Wendy Richard, Jenny Eclair, Graham Norton and Sue Perkins - and, on one notable occasion, Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Packed with fast-paced, irreverent fun and ferocious competition, this fabulous collection features more than 14 hours of non-stop laughter, as these talented talkers battle it out in a bid to secure that most elusive of prizes - a perfect, uninterrupted minute. 
 
NB: Contains mild innuendo. The humour in these programmes sometimes reflects the era in which they were first broadcast. Due to the archive nature of some of the episodes, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Simon Brett, John Lloyd, John Browell, David Hatch, Pete Atkin, Edward Taylor, Anne Jobson, Sarah Smith, Chris Neill and Claire Jones 
Featuring Sheila Hancock, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams, William Rushton, Nicholas Parsons, Magnus Pike, Ray Alan, Tim Rice, Brian Johnston, John Junkin, Gyles Brandreth, Martin Jarvis, Barry Cryer, Ian Hislop, Paul Merton, Richard Murdoch, Wendy Richard, Richard Stilgoe, Tony Hawks, Jeremy Hardy, Jenny Eclair, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Lee Simpson, Graham Norton, Linda Smith, Steve Frost, Stephen Frost, Sue Perkins, Ross Noble, Fred MacAulay, Maria McErlane and Nick Revell 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons and (on 12 January 1977) Ian Messiter 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
6 August 1973, 23 December 1975, 15 December 1976, 12 January 1977, 16 March 1977, 20 April 1977, 20 February 1979, 15 January 1980, 12 February 1980, 20 February 1982, 29 October 1983, 28 July 1984, 3 April 1985, 18 January 1986, 18 April 1987, 4 April 1989, 28 April 1990, 23 February 1991, 7 January 1995, 28 January 1995, 11 February 1995, 18 February 1995, 18 January 1999, 1 February 1999, 19 July 1999, 2 August 1999, 25 February 2002, 4 March 2002, 26 January 2004, 31 January 2005, 21 February 2005 and 7 March 2005. 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: The Very Best of Vintage

A Timeless Collection of Classic Episodes

Rib Davis

Eight dramatised documentaries of landmark trials that changed the law 
 
What do you do when a judge sentences your child to be beaten? 
 
If someone who has been stabbed dies after refusing a blood transfusion, is it a straight case of murder? 
 
How did a murder case end up changing the law for battered women who kill? 
 
In this gripping series, Helena Kennedy, celebrated human rights lawyer, broadcaster and civil liberties expert and playwright Rib Davis bring to life eight groundbreaking twentieth century trials. With the help of a full cast they reveal how the British legal system has been influenced by powerful, human stories that redefined the law to better reflect our modern society. 
 
A Case of Blasphemous Obscenity - Mary Whitehouse brings a libel case against the editor of Gay News, for publishing an allegedly obscene poem. 
 
A Bunch of Twigs - The parents of four 15-year-old boys, sentenced to be birched, launch an appeal against corporal punishment. 
 
The Case of The Ladies' Directory - What is moral? Publishing information on how to contact sex workers brings Fredrick Shaw to court on moral grounds. 
 
85 Burglaries and a Phone Tap - Who's listening? The trial of eight people in 1978 leads to a much more important investigation into State secrecy. 
 
I've Only Just Learnt To Cry - The tragic story of Emma Humphries, who in 1985 was tried for the murder of her boyfriend. 
 
Only a Phase - A group of young men in 1970s Belfast appeal to the British Government for gay rights. 
 
Breaking the Chain - A young Jehovah's Witness is stabbed and dies. The court must decide if it was murder or if she contributed to her own death by refusing a blood transfusion. 
 
On Self Deliverance - Murder or 'mercy'? An organisation finds itself in court after offering practical help to those wishing to commit suicide. 
 
Presented by Helena Kennedy 
Written by Rib Davis 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10-31 July 1998 (Series 1) and 1-22 December 1999 (Series 2) 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Unwritten Law

A BBC Radio True Crime Series

Four series of the satirical radio panel show chaired by Miles Jupp 
 
The News Quiz, 'the finest topical comedy panel game known to radio', has been providing headlines, punchlines, irony and irreverence since it was first broadcast in 1977. In these 33 episodes from September 2015 to October 2016, Miles Jupp takes over at the helm, replacing previous host Sandi Toksvig. 
 
Joining him in the name of news are an esteemed panel of guests including Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Chris Addison, Nish Kumar, Steve Lamacq, Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel, Andy Hamilton, Rebecca Front, Zoe Lyons, Kerry Godliman, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen and Lucy Porter. 
 
Using their considerable comedic talents, they dissect topics as diverse and diverting as Jeremy Corbyn, the EU referendum, Donald Trump, the Panama Papers, the collapse of BHS, the exit of Sam Allardyce as England manager and The Great British Bake-Off. There's also an entertaining selection of comical cuttings sent in by listeners, read by newsreaders Corrie Corfield, Caroline Nicholls, Neil Sleat, Kathy Clugston, Susan Rae, Diana Speed and Zeb Soanes. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Miles Jupp 
Chair's script written by Madeleine Brettingham, James Bugg, Lucy Clarke, Max Davis, Gareth Gwynn, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Jon Hunter, James Kettle, Simon Littlefield, Gráinne Maguire, Tom Neenan, Benjamin Partridge, Danielle Ward and Andy Wolton 
With additional material by Ed Amsden, Liam Byrne, Sarah Campbell, Rebecca Channon, Tom Coles, Jenny Collier, Dan Hooper, Dan Kiss, Eri Jackson, Rose Johnson, Carl Jones, Athena Kugblenu, Alex Lynch, Laura Major, Robin Morgan, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Ahir Shah and Mike Shephard 
Produced by Richard Morris and Paul Sheehan 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 88 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Yasmine Akram, Emily Ashton, Susan Calman, Terry Christian, Michael Deacon, Daniel Finkelstein, Rebecca Front, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Elis James, Sarah Kendall, Camilla Long, Zoe Lyons, Anne McElvoy, Bob Mills, Sara Pascoe, Lucy Porter, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 89 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Susan Calman, Terry Christian, Michael Deacon, Daniel Finkelstein, Kerry Godliman, Jeremy Hardy, Rich Hall, Elis James, Sarah Kendall, Andrew Maxwell, Nish Kumar, Steve Lamacq, Camilla Long, Zoe Lyons, Justin Moorhouse, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 90 featuring: Samira Ahmed, Dane Baptiste, Frankie Boyle, Susan Calman, Bridget Christie, Edwina Currie, Michael Deacon, Daniel Finkelstein, Rebecca Front, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Sarah Kendall, Cariad Lloyd, Camilla Long, Zoe Lyons, Andrew Maxwell, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 91 featuring: Chris Addison, Dane Baptiste, Angela Barnes, Frankie Boyle, Susan Calman, Simon Evans, Daniel Finkelstein, Rebecca Front, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Zoe Lyons, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen 
 
News items read by Kathy Clugston, Corrie Corfield, Caroline Nicholls, Susan Rae, Neil Sleat, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 September-6 November 2015 (Series 88), 8 January-26 February 2016 (Series 89), 15 April-10 June 2016 (Series 90), 9 September-28 October 2016 (Series 91) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz: 2015 – 2016

Series 88, 89, 90 and 91 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Four more series of the long-running satirical panel show chaired by Miles Jupp 
 
Since its inception in 1977, The News Quiz has been taking an irreverent sideways look at the headlines, playfully poking fun at the issues, incidents and individuals that make the news. These 32 episodes, first broadcast between January 2017 and February 2018, see Miles Jupp in the chair once more, as he shepherds the panellists through the top stories from that eventful period. 
 
With him are an eager pack of newshounds including Rich Hall, Romesh Ranganathan, Charlie Higson, Katy Brand, Andrew Maxwell, Angela Barnes, Desiree Burch, Llloyd Langford, Vicki Pepperdine and Gina Yashere. Between them, they find the funny in topics ranging from pie selections to the General Election, as well as Brexit, Theresa May, North Korea's nuclear stand-off, a cabinet reshuffle and Coronation kerfuffle, a risqué Georgian lifestyle manual, and the potential discovery of Santa Claus' grave... 
 
Lighting up each episode are the humorous press cuttings contributed by listeners, read by newsreaders Corrie Corfield, Caroline Nicholls, Neil Sleat, Alan Smith, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Miles Jupp 
Chair's script written by Ed Amsden, Madeleine Brettingham, Liam Byrne, Sarah Campbell, Tom Coles, Max Davis, Nick Doody, Clint Edwards, Gareth Gwynn, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Jon Hunter, James Kettle, Jenny Laville, Robin Morgan, Sarah Morgan, Tom Neenan, Benjamin Partridge, David Reed, Ahir Shah and Danielle Ward 
With additional material by Simon Alcock, Daniel Audritt, Scott Bennett, Catherine Bohart, Rebecca Channon, Sophie Duker, Jessica Fostekew, Sara Gibbs, Danielle Grufferty, Alex Hardy, Sian Harries, Daniel Hooper, Ben Hillyar, Rahul Kohli, Stephanie Laing, Caroline Mabey, Laura Major, David Mayes, Stuart Mitchell, Glen Moore, Saskia Preston, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Mike Shephard, Laura Sleep, Ian Smith, Katie Storey, David Reed and Suzi Ruffell 
Produced by Richard Morris and Joe Nunnery 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 92 featuring: Angela Barnes, Katy Brand, Susan Calman, Michael Deacon, Simon Evans, Daniel Finkelstein, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Jeremy Hardy, Charlie Higson, Sarah Kendall, Helen Lewis, Lloyd Langford, Zoe Lyons, Andrew Maxwell, Andy Parsons, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Romesh Ranganathan, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen, Gina Yashere 
 
Series 93 featuring: Angela Barnes, Katy Brand, Desiree Burch, Susan Calman, Peter Curran, Simon Evans, Daniel Finkelstein, Rich Hall, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Sarah Kendall, Helen Lewis, Lloyd Langford, Zoe Lyons, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Andrew Maxwell, Hugo Rifkind, John Robins, Suzi Ruffell, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 94 featuring: Angela Barnes, Fern Brady, Katy Brand, Desiree Burch, Simon Evans, Daniel Finkelstein, Kerry Godliman, Rich Hall, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Jeremy Hardy, Sarah Kendall, Lloyd Langford, Helen Lewis, Zoe Lyons, Andrew Maxwell, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Hugo Rifkind, Suzi Ruffell, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 95 featuring: Angela Barnes, Fern Brady, Katy Brand, Desiree Burch, Susan Calman, Daliso Chaponda, Simon Evans, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Jeremy Hardy, Lloyd Langford, Helen Lewis, Zoe Lyons, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Peter Oborne, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Andy Zaltzman 
 
News items read by Corrie Corfield, Caroline Nicholls, Neil Sleat, Alan Smith, Zeb Soanes and Diana Speed 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 6 January-24 February 2017 (Series 92), 21 April-9 June 2017 (Series 93), 8 September-27 October 2017 (Series 94), 5 January-23 February 2018 (Series 95) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz: 2017 – 2018

Series 92, 93, 94 and 95 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

A Private Thriller

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

A Puffin Book

A Ripley Novel

A Slice of the Moon

A Victorian Mystery

A Walk in...

A Women’s Murder Club Thriller

A chef Paul Delamare Mystery

Aberrations

Across the Universe

Actiphons

Adelia Aguilar

Adrian Mole

Adventures in Time

Aftermath

Against War

Age of X

Agent 21

Agent Z

Detective Aidan Waits is a troubled junior detective haunted by his past. Facing an uncertain future, and disconnected from his history, DC Waits and his partner, Detective Inspector Peter 'Sutty' Sutcliffe work on Manchester's streets to uncover the city's worst criminals among the grime of the underworld.

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