Earwig

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20201124

Earwig is a new naturalistic sketch show by BAFTA-winning comedy writer Brian Dooley (The Smoking Room).

While not immediately topical, our characters will of course discuss the main talking points of the day. As people do. They say the age of the expert is over, but this is what you get when amateurs wade in on the big issues.

Every episode we hop around different conversations the length and breadth of Britain. Covering every age, sex, race and class. A snapshot of the country today. An everyday family in Cardiff, a young couple dining out in Canterbury, an office of app-developers in Newcastle, a couple of bricklayers in Sheffield - as varied as possible.

Angie

19840331

20250728 (BBC7)
20250729 (BBC7)

Mr Emmanuel is an earwigger.

He likes to eavesdrop on other peoples' conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

Today, Mr Emmanuel is at a table next to an American couple.

It's a middle-aged man and his attractive, but jealous, young wife.

First of a series of six overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

Fred - Ed Bishop

Angie - Susannah Fellows

Jake - Jim McManus

Emma - Moir Leslie

Director: John Tydeman

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1984.

Mr Emmanuel always sits near diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a middle-aged man and his attractive, but jealous, young wife. Stars Hugh Burden.

[LISTEN NOW]

Peter And Paula

19840407

20250729 (BBC7)
20250730 (BBC7)

A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger - a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

The casual observer would not think that Peter and Paula were brother and sister - they seem from worlds apart, but Mr Emmanuel, at the next table, is more than a casual observer and by the end of the meal he has overheard their conversation and knows a great deal more about them.

Peter - Clive Swift

Paula - Phyllida Law

Jake - Jim McManus

Emma - Moir Leslie

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

Written by Alun Owen.

Directed by John Tydeman.

Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a brother and sister.

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a brother and sister. Peter and Paula seem to be worlds apart. Stars Hugh Burden.

[LISTEN NOW]

Johnny And The Duchess

19840414

20250730 (BBC7)
20250731 (BBC7)

A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

The lady sitting at the table next to Mr Emmanuel comes from Dublin and she is certainly larger than life.

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

The Duchess - Marie Kean

Jake - Jim McManus

Emma - Moir Leslie

The Solicitor - David Gooderson

Directed by John Tydeman.

Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to a lady from Dublin.

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to a lady from Dublin, who's certainly larger than life. Stars Hugh Burden and Marie Kean.

[LISTEN NOW]

Anna And The Dame

19840421

20250731 (BBC7)
20250801 (BBC7)

A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

Dame Laura is a well-known actress and she is lunching with her agent and a rising young actress. Mr Emmanuel, at the table next to them, overhears all they have to say but then, such is the force of Dame Laura's personality, it would be hard not to overhear her anywhere.

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

Dame Laura - Margaret Courtenay

Anna - Angela Pleasence

Jake - Jim McManus

Emma - Moir Leslie

Peter - Brett Usher

Directed by John Tydeman.

Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to an imperious actress.

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to imperious actress Dame Laura, as she lunches with a rising starlet. Stars Hugh Burden.

[LISTEN NOW]

Nick

19840428

20250801 (BBC7)
20250802 (BBC7)

A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

The owner of an art gallery is lunching with the friend of a well-known artist, now dead. He is trying to get some pictures from him, but what he gets is Nick's life story. Mr Emmanuel, carefully placed at the next table, gets it too.

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

Nick - Dudley Sutton

Jake - Jim McManus

Emma - Moir Leslie

Herbert Trevor - Timothy Bateson

Directed by John Tydeman.

Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to a contriving art dealer

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel earwigs a contriving art dealer out to get pictures from the friend of a dead artist. Stars Hugh Burden.

[LISTEN NOW]

Fraser And Son

19840505

20250804 (BBC7)
20250805 (BBC7)

A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations.

He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment.

Mr Emmanuel is at a table next to a well-known journalist and his son. The two parties seem to have little in common.

Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden

James Fraser - Fulton MacKay

Robin Fraser - John Graham

Jake - Jim McManus

Directed by John Tydeman.

Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen.

Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to a well-known journalist and his son. Both have little in common. Stars Hugh Burden.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
		20201124		Earwig is a new naturalistic sketch show by BAFTA-winning comedy writer Brian Dooley (The Smoking Room). While not immediately topical, our characters will of course discuss the main talking points of the day. As people do. They say the age of the expert is over, but this is what you get when amateurs wade in on the big issues. Every episode we hop around different conversations the length and breadth of Britain. Covering every age, sex, race and class. A snapshot of the country today. An everyday family in Cardiff, a young couple dining out in Canterbury, an office of app-developers in Newcastle, a couple of bricklayers in Sheffield - as varied as possible.
01	Angie	19840331	20250728 (BBC7) 20250729 (BBC7)	Mr Emmanuel is an earwigger. He likes to eavesdrop on other peoples' conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. Today, Mr Emmanuel is at a table next to an American couple. It's a middle-aged man and his attractive, but jealous, young wife. First of a series of six overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden Fred - Ed Bishop Angie - Susannah Fellows Jake - Jim McManus Emma - Moir Leslie Director: John Tydeman First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1984. Mr Emmanuel always sits near diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a middle-aged man and his attractive, but jealous, young wife. Stars Hugh Burden. [LISTEN NOW]
02	Peter And Paula	19840407	20250729 (BBC7) 20250730 (BBC7)	A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger - a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. The casual observer would not think that Peter and Paula were brother and sister - they seem from worlds apart, but Mr Emmanuel, at the next table, is more than a casual observer and by the end of the meal he has overheard their conversation and knows a great deal more about them. Peter - Clive Swift Paula - Phyllida Law Jake - Jim McManus Emma - Moir Leslie Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden Written by Alun Owen. Directed by John Tydeman. Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a brother and sister. Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel eavesdrops at a table next to a brother and sister. Peter and Paula seem to be worlds apart. Stars Hugh Burden. [LISTEN NOW]
03	Johnny And The Duchess	19840414	20250730 (BBC7) 20250731 (BBC7)	A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. The lady sitting at the table next to Mr Emmanuel comes from Dublin and she is certainly larger than life. Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden The Duchess - Marie Kean Jake - Jim McManus Emma - Moir Leslie The Solicitor - David Gooderson Directed by John Tydeman. Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to a lady from Dublin. Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to a lady from Dublin, who's certainly larger than life. Stars Hugh Burden and Marie Kean. [LISTEN NOW]
04	Anna And The Dame	19840421	20250731 (BBC7) 20250801 (BBC7)	A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. Dame Laura is a well-known actress and she is lunching with her agent and a rising young actress. Mr Emmanuel, at the table next to them, overhears all they have to say but then, such is the force of Dame Laura's personality, it would be hard not to overhear her anywhere. Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden Dame Laura - Margaret Courtenay Anna - Angela Pleasence Jake - Jim McManus Emma - Moir Leslie Peter - Brett Usher Directed by John Tydeman. Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to an imperious actress. Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to imperious actress Dame Laura, as she lunches with a rising starlet. Stars Hugh Burden. [LISTEN NOW]
05	Nick	19840428	20250801 (BBC7) 20250802 (BBC7)	A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. The owner of an art gallery is lunching with the friend of a well-known artist, now dead. He is trying to get some pictures from him, but what he gets is Nick's life story. Mr Emmanuel, carefully placed at the next table, gets it too. Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden Nick - Dudley Sutton Jake - Jim McManus Emma - Moir Leslie Herbert Trevor - Timothy Bateson Directed by John Tydeman. Mr Emmanuel is sat a table next to a contriving art dealer Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel earwigs a contriving art dealer out to get pictures from the friend of a dead artist. Stars Hugh Burden. [LISTEN NOW]
06	Fraser And Son	19840505	20250804 (BBC7) 20250805 (BBC7)	A series of six overheard conversation pieces by Alun Owen's earwigger, a man who likes to listen to other people's conversations. He always lunches at the same restaurant, and selects the table nearest the diners who will provide him with the best entertainment. Mr Emmanuel is at a table next to a well-known journalist and his son. The two parties seem to have little in common. Mr Emmanuel - Hugh Burden James Fraser - Fulton MacKay Robin Fraser - John Graham Jake - Jim McManus Directed by John Tydeman. Series of overheard conversation pieces written by Alun Owen. Mr Emmanuel earwigs at a table next to a well-known journalist and his son. Both have little in common. Stars Hugh Burden. [LISTEN NOW]