Episodes
| Series | Episode | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | 19951031 | 20150420/21 (BBC7) 20190328 (BBC7) 20190329 (BBC7) 20190330 (BBC7) 20220216 (BBC7) 20220217 (BBC7) 20220219 (BBC7) | Richard III talks to Eeyore and Oedipus shares confessions with Captain Haddock. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and original writing from: Roger McGough Miles Kington Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 1995. Irreverent literary game with Roger McGough, Miles Kington, Mark Thomas and Dillie Keane. |
| 01 | 02 | 19951107 | 20150427/28 (BBC7) 20190404 (BBC7) 20190405 (BBC7) 20220223 (BBC7) 20220224 (BBC7) 20220226 (BBC7) | Mrs Malaprop shares a Jacuzzi with Eliza Doolittle, and the She Devil flirts with Frankenstein at a rave. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Dillie Keane Roger McGough Mark Thomas Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1995. Irreverent literary game with Roger McGough, Miles Kington, Mark Thomas and Dillie Keane. |
| 01 | 03 | 19951114 | 20150504/05 (BBC7) 20190411 (BBC7) 20190412 (BBC7) 20220302 (BBC7) 20220303 (BBC7) 20220305 (BBC7) | Joan of Arc turns Bond girl and Kipling's poem If gets an overhaul. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Dillie Keane Mark Thomas Miles Kington Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1995. Ian McMillan with Roger McGough, Miles Kington, Mark Thomas and Dillie Keane. |
| 01 | 04 | 19951121 | 20150511/12 (BBC7) 20190418 (BBC7) 20190419 (BBC7) 20220309 (BBC7) 20220310 (BBC7) 20220312 (BBC7) | Ian McMillan hosts with Roger McGough, Miles Kington, Mark Thomas and Dillie Keane. |
| 01 | 05 | 19951128 | 20150518/19 (BBC7) 20190425 (BBC7) 20190426 (BBC7) 20220316 (BBC7) 20220317 (BBC7) 20220319 (BBC7) | The Dong with the luminous nose honks hooters with Cyrano de Bergerac, and Obelix encounters the mighty Goliath. Sniff versus biff? Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Miles Kington Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1995. Ian McMillan's literary game with Mark Thomas, Roger McGough, Dillie Keane, Miles Kington. |
| 01 | 06 LAST | 19951205 | 20150525/26 (BBC7) 20190502 (BBC7) 20190503 (BBC7) 20220323 (BBC7) 20220324 (BBC7) 20220326 (BBC7) | Dr Faustus brews up with Willy Wonka, and Ma Larkin bares all to the butler from Remains of the Day. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1995. Ian McMillan's literary game with Miles Kington, Mark Thomas, Roger McGough, Dillie Keane. |
| 02 | 01 | 19970218 | 20151119/20 (BBC7) 20151121 (BBC7) 20190620 (BBC7) 20190621 (BBC7) 20190622 (BBC7) 20220518 (BBC7) 20220519 (BBC7) 20220521 (BBC7) | Piglet bumps into the Greek Chorus, Inspector Clouseau takes Blanche Dubois to a dance, and Hunter S Thompson writes a public school prospectus. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 1997. Irreverent literary game with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Miles Kington and Roger McGough. |
| 02 | 02 | 19970225 | 20151126/27 (BBC7) 20190627 (BBC7) 20190628 (BBC7) 20220525 (BBC7) 20220526 (BBC7) 20220528 (BBC7) | Sickboy from Trainspotting jumps into Pride and Prejudice, Fred Flintstone advertises in the lonely hearts column and The Three Musketeers gets a radical reworking. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Mark Thomas Dillie Keane John Hegley Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 1997. Ian McMillan's irreverent literary game with Miles Kington, Dillie Keane, Mark Thomas. |
| 02 | 03 | 19970304 | 20151203/04 (BBC7) 20190704 (BBC7) 20190705 (BBC7) 20220601 (BBC7) 20220602 (BBC7) 20220604 (BBC7) | Mrs Danvers sneaks into the plot of Noel Coward's Private Lives. The Pilgrim's Progress is re-worked to include a brush with Michael Palin and assorted other media moguls. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Dillie Keane Miles Kington Mark Thomas Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1997. Ian McMillan's literary game with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Miles Kington, Roger McGough. |
| 02 | 04 | 19970311 | 20151210/11 (BBC7) 20190711 (BBC7) 20190712 (BBC7) 20220608 (BBC7) 20220609 (BBC7) 20220611 (BBC7) | Alan Bennett reports on the Gulf War, and the book of Genesis becomes an American soap. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Dillie Keane Mark Thomas Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1997. |
| 02 | 05 | 19970318 | 20151217/18 (BBC7) 20190718 (BBC7) 20190719 (BBC7) 20220615 (BBC7) 20220616 (BBC7) 20220618 (BBC7) | The Troll applies for the job of Archbishop of Canterbury, while Thomson and Thompson, from Tintin, offer their pitch to be the PM's bodyguards. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Dillie Keane Mark Thomas Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1997. Ian McMillan's irreverent literary game with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane and Miles Kington. |
| 02 | 06 LAST | 19970325 | 20151224/25 (BBC7) 20190725 (BBC7) 20190726 (BBC7) 20220622 (BBC7) 20220623 (BBC7) 20220625 (BBC7) | John Betjeman writes the copy for a Ford Probe brochure, Shere Khan bumps into a nervous Mrs Tiggy-Winkle at a hunt saboteurs' meeting, and Ted Hughes tries to write a bright and breezy breakfast cereal advert. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Dillie Keane Mark Thomas John Hegley Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1997. Ian McMillan's irreverent literary game with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Miles Kington. |
| 03 | 01 | 19971014 | 20160324/25 (BBC7) 20191107 (BBC7) 20191108 (BBC7) 20191109 (BBC7) 20220810 (BBC7) 20220811 (BBC7) 20220813 (BBC7) | From bookish musical instruments and conversation consequences to guess the author! Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Roger McGough Dillie Keane Rory Motion Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 1997. Ian McMillan's irreverent literary game with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Rory Motion. |
| 03 | 02 | 19971021 | 20160331 (BBC7) 20160401 (BBC7) 20191114 (BBC7) 20191115 (BBC7) 20220817 (BBC7) 20220818 (BBC7) 20220820 (BBC7) | Ian McMillan's literary game with Mark Thomas, Roger McGough, Dillie Keane, Miles Kington. |
| 03 | 03 | 19971028 | 20160407/08 (BBC7) 20191121 (BBC7) 20191122 (BBC7) 20220824 (BBC7) 20220825 (BBC7) 20220827 (BBC7) | New beginnings and endings for classic stories – plus a surprising new job for Miss Jean Brodie! Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Miles Kington Dillie Keane Mark Thomas Roger McGough Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 1997. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Roger McGough. |
| 03 | 04 | 19971104 | 20160414/15 (BBC7) 20191128 (BBC7) 20191129 (BBC7) 20220831 (BBC7) 20220901 (BBC7) 20220903 (BBC7) | From secret diaries of famous literary characters - including Cruella de Vil - to guessing the book title just from crazy sound effects! Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Miles Kington Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1997. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Roger McGough. |
| 03 | 05 | 19971111 | 20160421/22 (BBC7) 20191205 (BBC7) 20191206 (BBC7) 20220907 (BBC7) 20220908 (BBC7) | Numbers in book titles - and what are literary characters least likely to say? Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Miles Kington Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1997. Literary quiz with Ian McMillan, Roger McGough, Mark Thomas, Miles Kington, Dillie Keane |
| 03 | 06 LAST | 19971118 | 20160428/29 (BBC7) 20191225 (BBC7) 20220914 (BBC7) 20220915 (BBC7) 20220917 (BBC7) | The dons from The Godfather contact memories of mother love and take an anger management course. Meanwhile Barbara Cartland's Love Lifts the Curse gets a new beginning and ending. From the Ilkley Literature Festival in West Yorkshire. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Rory Motion Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1997. Ian McMillan chairs, with Roger McGough, Mark Thomas, Rory Motion and Dillie Keane. |
| 04 | 01 | 19980702 | 20160616/17 (BBC7) 20200305 (BBC7) 20200306 (BBC7) 20200307 (BBC7) 20221102 (BBC7) 20221103 (BBC7) 20221105 (BBC7) | Literary consequences, Stop the Plot and plenty more! From Huddersfield. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Mark Radcliffe Miles Kington. Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1998. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Mark Radcliffe. |
| 04 | 02 | 19980709 | 20200312/13 (BBC7) 20221109 (BBC7) 20221110 (BBC7) 20221112 (BBC7) | Mixing up characters and plots in novels - and the tales of literary broken hearts. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Arthur Smith David Stafford Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1998. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Arthur Smith. |
| 04 | 03 | 19980716 | 20160630 (BBC7) 20200319 (BBC7) 20200320 (BBC7) 20221116 (BBC7) 20221117 (BBC7) 20221119 (BBC7) | Diary entries for great characters of literature – and what does Noel Coward know about plumbing? Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Miles Kington Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1998. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Dillie Keane, Roger McGough. |
| 04 | 04 | 19980723 | 20160707/08 (BBC7) 20200326 (BBC7) 20200327 (BBC7) 20221123 (BBC7) 20221124 (BBC7) 20221126 (BBC7) | Guess the book titles - and the diaries of great figures of literature. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane David Stafford Arthur Smith Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1998. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Thomas, Arthur Smith, David Stafford. |
| 04 | 05 | 19980730 | 20160714/15 (BBC7) 20200402 (BBC7) 20200403 (BBC7) 20221130 (BBC7) 20221201 (BBC7) 20221203 (BBC7) | Dear Diary - and guess the book from the sound effects. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Mark Radcliffe Miles Kington Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1998. Quirky literary quiz with Dillie Keane, Mark Thomas, Miles Kington and Mark Radcliffe. |
| 04 | 06 LAST | 19980806 | 20160721/22 (BBC7) 20200409 (BBC7) 20200410 (BBC7) 20221207 (BBC7) 20221208 (BBC7) | Name the book without saying it - and literary lonely hearts. Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Mark Thomas Dillie Keane Roger McGough Miles Kington Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 1998. Quirky literary quiz with Dillie Keane, Mark Thomas, Miles Kington and Roger McGough. |
| 05 | 01 | 19981125 | 20170403/04 (BBC7) 20170408 (BBC7) 20200528 (BBC7) 20200529 (BBC7) 20200530 (BBC7) 20230126 (BBC7) 20230127 (BBC7) | Literary consequences, Stop the Plot and plenty more! Barnsley poet Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. Outrageous parody, biting wit and bizarre couplings from: Dillie Keane Roger McGough David Stafford Arthur Smith Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1998. Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Dillie Keane, Roger McGough and David Stafford. |
| 05 | 02 | 19981202 | 20170410/11 (BBC7) 20200604 (BBC7) 20200605 (BBC7) 20230202 (BBC7) 20230203 (BBC7) | Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with David Stafford, Dillie Keane and Arthur Smith. |
| 05 | 03 | 19981209 | 20170417/18 (BBC7) 20200611 (BBC7) 20200612 (BBC7) 20230209 (BBC7) 20230210 (BBC7) | Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Helen Lederer, Roger McGough and Miles Kington. |
| 05 | 04 | 19981216 | 20170424/25 (BBC7) 20200618 (BBC7) 20200619 (BBC7) 20230216 (BBC7) 20230217 (BBC7) | The literary quiz with Helen Lederer, David Stafford, Roger McGough and Miles Kington. |
| 05 | 05 | 19981223 | 20170501/02 (BBC7) 20200625 (BBC7) 20200626 (BBC7) 20230223 (BBC7) 20230224 (BBC7) | Ian McMillian asks his contestants to put their thumbs into the rich and sticky pudding of literature. Then they must pull out the plums and play the tastiest writing game of the party season. Poised ready for battle are: Dillie Keane Mark Radcliffe Sophie Hannah Simon Armitage Producer: Viv Beeby First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1998. Literary quiz with Dillie Keane, Mark Radcliffe, Sophie Hannah and Simon Armitage. |
| 05 | 06 LAST | 19981230 | 20170508/09 (BBC7) 20200702 (BBC7) 20200703 (BBC7) 20230302 (BBC7) 20230303 (BBC7) | Ian McMillan chairs the literary quiz with Mark Radcliffe, Sophie Hannah and Dillie Keane. |
| 06 | 01 | 19990622 | 20170719/20 (BBC7) 20170722 (BBC7) 20200820 (BBC7) 20200821 (BBC7) 20200822 (BBC7) 20230420 (BBC7) 20230421 (BBC7) | From guess the title via sound effects to literature played in TV soaps style. More original writing and outrageous parody wreaking havoc with literary icons. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Linda Smith Mark Thomas David Stafford Stuart Maconie Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999. Literary game with Mark Thomas, Linda Smith, David Stafford and Stuart Maconie. |
| 06 | 02 | 19990629 | 20170726/27 (BBC7) 20200827 (BBC7) 20200828 (BBC7) 20230427 (BBC7) 20230428 (BBC7) | From guess the book title to more baffling aural re-enactments. More original writing and outrageous parody gleefully corrupting the world's revered literary works. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Mark Steel David Stafford Miles Kington Sophie Hannah Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999. Irreverent literary game with Mark Steel, David Stafford, Miles Kington and Sophie Hannah. |
| 06 | 03 | 19990706 | 20170802/03 (BBC7) 20200903 (BBC7) 20200904 (BBC7) 20230504 (BBC7) 20230505 (BBC7) | From literary lonely hearts to diary entries with a twist. More original writing and outrageous parody gleefully corrupting the world's revered literary works. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Linda Smith Mark Thomas David Stafford Stuart Maconie Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1999. Ian McMillan chairs with Linda Smith, Mark Thomas, David Stafford and Stuart Maconie. |
| 06 | 04 | 19990713 | 20170809/10 (BBC7) 20200910 (BBC7) 20200911 (BBC7) 20230511 (BBC7) 20230512 (BBC7) | Alan Bennett reports from the Gulf War, Pride and Prejudice in the style of This Life, and the book of Genesis becomes an American soap. More original writing and outrageous parody gleefully corrupting the world's revered literary works. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Mark Steel David Stafford Miles Kington Sophie Hannah Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1999. Irreverent literary quiz with Mark Steel, David Stafford, Miles Kington and Sophie Hannah. |
| 06 | 05 | 19990720 | 20170816/17 (BBC7) 20200917 (BBC7) 20200918 (BBC7) 20230518 (BBC7) 20230519 (BBC7) | Literary Epithets - and what if well-known authors had day jobs? More original writing and outrageous parody gleefully corrupting the world's revered literary works. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Linda Smith Arthur Smith Stuart Maconie Sophie Howard Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1999. Irreverent literary quiz with Arthur Smith, Stuart Maconie, Sophie Howard and Linda Smith. |
| 06 | 06 LAST | 19990727 | 20170823/24 (BBC7) 20200924 (BBC7) 20200925 (BBC7) 20230525 (BBC7) 20230526 (BBC7) | From literary works turned into soap operas to words which literary characters are unlikely to say. More original writing and outrageous parody gleefully corrupting the world's revered literary works. Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game. With: Linda Smith Stuart Maconie Arthur Smith Sophie Howard Producer: Marc Jobst First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1999. Ian McMillan chairs with Arthur Smith, Stuart Maconie, Sophie Hannah and Linda Smith. |