Showing results by author "BBC" in All Categories

With its brilliant blend of the silly, the serious and the satirical, The News Quiz has been a must-listen for comedy fans since 1977. In these three series, panels of comedians and journalists are invited to look for the laughs behind the headlines of 2022.

The Cybermen make their first ever appearance whilst William Hartnell's Doctor nears the end of his first incarnation, in this classic soundtrack adventure with linking narration by Anneke Wills. The year is 1986, and at the South Pole the crew of the Snowcap Base have detected a new planet on their radar. The arrival of the Doctor, Ben, and Polly at the Base coincides with another landing, that of a spaceship whose humanoid passengers have used cybernetics to replace their limbs and vital organs.

As highly prized as a Ming vase or a Regency sideboard, this fine collection of 14 vintage episodes of BBC Radio 4’s long-running panel show - chaired by Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Bill Tidy and Sandi Toksvig - is at last available for all to hear. Those in the know will discern a clear patina of sensible, silly and salacious news items from Britain, America and all around the world.

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

For two decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, every fan of the Doctor hoped to find The Doctor Who Annual in their Christmas stocking. Larger than life and twice as colourful, the stories within were exuberant - and often charmingly naive - in their take on 'the children's own programme which adults adore'. Here, for the first time on audio, Peter Purves (Steven), Anneke Wills (Polly), Geoffrey Beevers (the Master), Matthew Waterhouse (Adric) and Nicola Bryant (Peri) read a selection of these tales.

Three further series of flagship comedy The Now Show presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis: with their characteristic wit and satirical flair, Hugh Dennis, Steve Punt and a plethora of special guests crack wise at all things news, using topical sketches, stand-up, songs and chat to bring a smile to your face.

Presented by Michael Parkinson, this highly entertaining collection of interviews is taken from Spike Milligan's numerous appearances on Parkinson between 1972 and 1982. The subjects Spike covers include his early years, his poetry and books, The Goons, and his relationship with the BBC.

Often imitated but never bettered, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is the only authentic antidote to panel games. This collection finds unflappable chairman Humphrey Lyttelton giving silly things to do to regular panelists Tim Brooke-Taylor, Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden, as well as special guests Stephen Fry and Rob Brydon. Highlights include old favourites such as One Song to the Tune of Another, 84 Chicken Cross Road, Sound Charades, New Definitions and of course the brilliantly baffling, fiendishly funny Mornington Crescent.

Another helping of inspired ad-libbery from the multi award-winning BBC Radio 4 series.

The TARDIS arrives on the storm-lashed planet of Peladon, just as it is being assessed for its suitability to join the Galactic Federation. Mistaken for Federation delegates from Earth, the Doctor and Jo become involved in a series of dramatic events at the conference. King Peladon's Chancellor has died in mysterious circumstances, and his High Priest is vehemently opposed to the Federation's advances.

An all-new volume of interviews and behind-the-scenes features from the worlds of Doctor Who, presented by Elisabeth Sladen. In 2005, after sixteen years off-air, Doctor Who returned to BBC Television - and soon became more popular than ever before. In this special anthology of clips and interviews, featuring newly-released material, Elisabeth Sladen journeys back to the recent past to delve into the show’s dazzling success.

Bath-based BBC Audiobooks hosted a sell-out event for the Bath Literature Festival. Reading Between the Lines: From Page to Production featured Rula Lenska, Lynne Truss, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Lorelei King in an entertaining and lively discussion about the art of the audiobook. They were joined by Sunday Times audio critic Karen Robinson, BBC Audiobooks' Publishing Director Jan Paterson, and Senior Producer Kate Thomas.

No game generates more passion, or stirs the emotions, like Rugby Union. No game enjoys itself more when the final whistle blows. And none has produced quite such a line of good talkers, on or off the subject. Here, from the BBC's unique Sound Archives, are memories of great teams, matches and tries, the wit and wisdom of some of the legendary characters to have graced the game and a few of its celebrated followers.

Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett star in highlights from their BBC TV series. Includes the sketches: 'The Strange Case of Mrs. Mace', 'Plain Speaking', 'Grublian', 'Dr. Spooner Re-Visited', 'A Doctor’s Life', and 'About a Bout'. There’s also 'Doctors Anonymous', 'Jolly Rhymes', 'The Complete Rook', 'Ronnie Corbett’s Chat-Spot', and 'A Doctor’s Life'. Vintage Beeb: classic albums first available as BBC LPs, now reissued and available to download.

Nicholas Parsons was the host of the Just a Minute for nearly 52 years - from its first broadcast on 22nd December 1967 until his last show on 23rd September 2019, aged 96. He was a comedy 'straight man', West End actor, radio personality, game-show presenter, chat-show host, quiz master supreme and larger-than-life stage superstar. Here we celebrate his life and work with a series of programmes compered by Paul Merton, plus Series 85 of Just a Minute - his final series.

An extraordinary tale of desire, betrayal, and death from Britain's longest running and best loved radio serial. Wealthy, philandering gentleman farmer Brian Aldridge embarked on a casual fling with freelance translator Siobhan Hathaway, but what ensued was the most explosive affair in the history of Ambridge.

The TARDIS travellers discover that the crew of an Earth spaceship have been hijacked by the Sensorites, and they in turn are transported to the aliens' planet. Humans and Sensorites alike are stricken by a deadly illness, for which the Doctor struggles to find a cure.

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.

Sorry I Haven't a Clue has Radio Four's highest listening figures for light entertainment and won the 1998 Voice of the Listener and Viewer for top radio show.

Wonderful highlights of Kenneth Williams’ career in this classic compilation. For more than 30 years, Kenneth Williams kept the nation in stitches with his outrageous gallery of comic creations and an effortlessly brilliant barrage of repartee and innuendo on radio and television. In Beyond Our Ken and Round the Horne, Kenneth Williams brought us the popular characters of Rambling Syd Rumpo, J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock, and Sandy (of Julian & Sandy).