Steve Penk's Radio Nightmares

Episodes

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20181117Broadcaster Steve Penk digs out some of the funniest clips of live radio mistakes and provides listeners with exclusive access to his own collection of audio material from around the world.

Radio bloopers have been around for as long as radio itself. They're mainly endearing and add a humanising element to the radio and to the presenters on it. A blooper is defined as an embarrassing public blunder, but as long as it's someone else's mistake, most of us are quite capable of getting past the embarrassment to enjoy the humour. The immediacy of live-to-air radio is part of its strength, but also very exposing. If there's a slip of the tongue, it's broadcast into the ether moments later, especially in the early days of broadcast radio when almost everything was done live on the air. There have been some celebrated 'bloopers' over the years - from 'colourful' language, to laughing fits, technical glitches to amusing mispronunciations.

This collection includes new interviews with broadcasters Paul Gambaccini, John Waite and Anna Foster recalling their radio nightmares and archive programmes from Jonathan Hewat presenting a compilation of his series Can I Take That Again and Emily Buchanan introducing a blooper reel from A World In Your Ear.

01Can I Take That Again?2020042220200423 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/7) (BBC7)
Broadcaster Steve Penk digs out some of the funniest clips of live radio mistakes.

Plus, exclusive access to his own collection of audio material from around the world.

Radio bloopers have been around for as long as radio itself. They're mainly endearing and add a humanising element to the radio and to the presenters on it.

A blooper is defined as an embarrassing public blunder, but as long as it's someone else's mistake, most of us are quite capable of getting past the embarrassment to enjoy the humour. The immediacy of live-to-air radio is part of its strength, but also very exposing. If there's a slip of the tongue, it's broadcast into the ether moments later, especially in the early days of broadcast radio when almost everything was done live on the air.

There have been some celebrated 'bloopers' over the years - from 'colourful' language, to laughing fits, technical glitches to amusing mispronunciations.

The first of a three-part compilation - including an episode of Jonathan Hewat's ‘Can I Take That Again'.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in November 2018.

Steve Penk with his collection of classic radio fluffs and bloopers.

02One More Time2020042920200430 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/02/7) (BBC7)
Broadcaster Steve Penk digs out some of the funniest clips of live radio mistakes.

Plus, exclusive access to his own collection of audio material from around the world.

Radio bloopers have been around for as long as radio itself. They're mainly endearing and add a humanising element to the radio and to the presenters on it.

A blooper is defined as an embarrassing public blunder, but as long as it's someone else's mistake, most of us are quite capable of getting past the embarrassment to enjoy the humour. The immediacy of live-to-air radio is part of its strength, but also very exposing. If there's a slip of the tongue, it's broadcast into the ether moments later, especially in the early days of broadcast radio when almost everything was done live on the air.

There have been some celebrated 'bloopers' over the years - from 'colourful' language, to laughing fits, technical glitches to amusing mispronunciations.

The second of a three-part compilation.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in November 2018.

Steve Penk with his collection of classic radio fluffs and bloopers.

03Third Time's A Charm2020050620200507 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/09/7) (BBC7)
Broadcaster Steve Penk digs out a final batch of some of the funniest clips of live radio mistakes - with exclusive access to his own collection of audio material from around the world.

Radio bloopers have been around for as long as radio itself. They're mainly endearing and add a humanising element to the radio and to the presenters on it.

A blooper is defined as an embarrassing public blunder, but as long as it's someone else's mistake, most of us are quite capable of getting past the embarrassment to enjoy the humour.

The immediacy of live-to-air radio is part of its strength, but also very exposing. If there's a slip of the tongue, it's broadcast into the ether moments later, especially in the early days of broadcast radio when almost everything was done live on the air. There have been some celebrated 'bloopers' over the years - from 'colourful' language, to laughing fits, technical glitches to amusing mispronunciations.

The last of a three-part compilation - including:

Emily Buchanan introducing a blooper reel from ‘A World In Your Ear'.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in November 2018.

Steve Penk with his collection of classic radio fluffs and bloopers.