Series Overview
Members of the cast of Channel 4's hugely popular sketch show ‘Absolutely’ are back with their second series on BBC Radio 4. Pete Baikie, Morwenna Banks, Moray Hunter, Gordon Kennedy and John Sparkes are revisiting some of their much-loved sketch characters for four half hour shows, whilst also introducing some newcomers to the show.
In 2013, the group got back together for the “Sketchorama: Absolutely Special for BBC Radio 4” which subsequently won a BBC Audio Drama Award in the Best Live Scripted Comedy category. The first series of ‘The Absolutely Radio Show’ picked up a Celtic Media Award nomination for Best Radio Comedy.
Episode 1
The opening episode of the series features The Stoneybridge Town Council preparing to receive the town’s first ever tourist, the Little Girl giving her explanation of Brexit and Calum Gilhooley launching his own YouTube series. There are sketches about the downside of voice technology on smartphones, while Melania Trump presents a brand new podcast offering an insight into her life as “First Lady”.
Episode 2
The second episode of the series features the Little Girl with her views on gender, Denzil and Gwynedd struggling with putting their clocks forward, Calum Gilhooley visiting nay harassing an ill friend, Mr Muzak on the upside of drinking and Frank Hovis attending his first séance. There’s a sketch about the downside of meditating on the beach while ageing rockers Joe and Davey are desperately trying to not make a comeback and Barbara Windsor has an illuminating chat with the late Norman Wisdom.
Episode 3
The third episode of the series features the Little Girl with her views on what is or isn’t the Truth, Frank Hovis inviting us to support his new charity Hand Relief, the Reverend McMinn having a surprise encounter in his local minimart with a visiting President, the Tour Guide taking us on a trip round what may possibly be Edinburgh and Calum Gilhooley giving some unhelpful and unwelcome advice to a train ticket collector. There are songs about addiction to being healthy and the joys or otherwise of middle age, a look at the perils of box set bingeing and a brand new, same as all the rest police drama about a TV detective who is always off the case.
Episode 4
The final episode of the series features a fractious Stoneybridge Town Council meeting, there’s controversy even when there’s no agenda, the Little Girl with her take on US politics, Frank Hovis revealing how he met his wife, the Commissionaire on how best to manage a border wall between countries, Calum Gilhooley making a mountain out of buying a cup of coffee and Gwynned shocking Denzil when she reveals her new beachwear, a beaver skin furkini. The team look at the rise of mobile phone zombies, there’s a song about the pitfalls of being a self help junkie while ageing rockers Joe & Davie try to resurrect the old magic in the recording studio.
Clips
2 Line Terry
Me & Siri
Series Credits
Written and Performed by Peter Baikie
Morwenna Banks
Moray Hunter
Gordon Kennedy
John Sparkes
Edited by Pete Baikie
Studio Engineer Dave Murricane
Recorded Live at The Oran Mor, Glasgow
Production Manager Sarah Tombling
Photographer Richard Bailey
Graphics Sean Jones
Production Companies Absolutely and Gusman Productions
Executive Producer Chris Pye
BBC Executive Sioned Wiliam
Produced by Gordon Kennedy and Gus Beattie