What's Funny About . .

BBC Radio 4

(5 stars; 2 reviews)

TV veterans Peter Fincham and Jon Plowman talk to the writers, producers, and performers behind Britain’s biggest TV comedy hits, sharing the inside story of how they brought their programmes to the screen. The TV comedies covered include: The Vicar of Dibley, The Thick Of It, Absolutely Fabulous, Blackadder, Goodness Gracious Me, W1A, The Office, Have I Got News For You, Smack The Pony, Not The Nine O'Clock News, Fawlty Towers, The Good Life, Catastrophe, The Fast Show, One Foot in the Grave, Green Wing, Derry Girls, and Alas Smith and Jones.

With Peter and Jon as our guides, they delve into how these iconic shows were made. They explore who came up with the ideas, how the scripts were written, and discuss the commissioning, casting, and the reception each show received when it first aired. Expect to hear some backstage secrets straight from the horse’s mouth, as they reveal the unvarnished truth from the people who were there.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.