Standard: £14
This event is currently on priority sale to friends of The Pound. General booking opens Monday 6 April at 10am. To become a Friend of The Pound, click HERE.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin…
This stand-up history show is written and performed by British Comedy Award-winning writer (Miranda, Not Going Out), comedian and broadcast historian Paul Kerensa – informing, educating and entertaining about how the Beeb began.
As well as writing comedy and drama for today’s BBC, Paul is the go-to know-it-all for broadcasting’s earliest days. He recently recreated the first ever drama on today’s Radio 4 (The Truth About Phyllis Twigg, still on BBC Sounds), as well as the first news bulletin, religious broadcast and political debate. He’s connected the grandchildren of radio’s first voices with their own heritage, and has tales to tell about the BBC’s first children’s character (Susan, the blue cat with yellow spots), first sports commentaries (no results allowed, so as not to annoy the newspapers!), and the BBC’s attempts at a radio crossword and live bridge (they didn’t work!).
In part one, we’ll look at the forgotten 1920s’ pioneers and the incredible stories behind radio’s first moments.
In part two, audience requests help navigate the rest of the century. Want to hear about The Archers, The Goons, Doctor Who or Noel’s House Party? You ask, we’ll use them to journey from ‘then’ to ‘now’, and maybe to ‘what’s next’.
Plus Paul’s anecdotes from twenty years at the BBC, writing for Miranda, Top Gear and more, working with stars like Claudia Winkleman, Lee Mack and Michael Buble. Expect behind-the-scenes gossip and factoids, and peruse old Radio Times magazines (including the first edition), Paul’s 1920s radio set, and his books.
Based on Paul’s 5* podcast The British Broadcasting Century, and his forthcoming historical novel: Auntie and Uncles: The Bizarre Birth of the BBC.
“A brilliant writer, fantastic communicator, deep thinker & philosopher but most importantly, extremely decent bloke.” – Chris Evans