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The Department
''The Department'' is a satirical comedy on BBC Radio 4 about a secret organisation with the power to influence every aspect of your life. The show is written and performed by Chris Addison, John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman (cancelled after the third series which was written only by Oliver and Zaltzman, after Addison concentrated on his first book), with Peter Dickson, Matthew Holness and Lucy Montgomery. Addison, Oliver and Zaltzman star as Research Team 32, an eccentric three-man think-tank with the brief to brainstorm new ideas on solving society's problems. Character List *Oscar Proud (Chris Addison) - Team 32's team leader and historian. Very patriotic and nostalgic for the time of the British Empire, but generally moral. *Victor Gooch (John Oliver) - Team 32's lawyer. Ruthless and cheerfully amoral. *Lazlo Wolfe (Andy Zaltzman) - Team 32's scientist. Deeply in love with 'Wendy'. *Keith Bilk ( Matthew Holness) - Undersecretary to the Department Committee. Very organi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasting House, London. Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya. He replaced Gwyneth Williams, who had been the station controller since 2010. Broadcasting throughout the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands on FM broadcast band, FM, Longwave, LW and Digital Audio Broadcasting, DAB, and on BBC Sounds, it can be received in the eastern counties of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, northern France and Northern Europe. It is available on Freeview (UK), Freeview, Freesat, Sky (UK & Ireland), Sky, and Virgin Media. Radio 4 currently reaches over 10 million listeners, making it List of most-listened-to radio programs#Top stations in the United Kingdom, the UK's second most-popular radio station after BBC Radio 2. BBC ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Addison
Christopher David Addison (born 5 November 1971) is a British comedian, writer, actor, and director. He was a panellist on several editions of TV comedy panel show '' Mock the Week''. He is known for lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4. In addition to stand-up, Addison played Ollie Reeder in the BBC Two satire series ''The Thick of It'' (2005) and Toby Wright in its spin-off film ''In the Loop'' (2009), starred in the Sky Living comedy-drama '' Trying Again'' (2014) and appeared in three episodes of series 8 of ''Doctor Who''. He co-created and starred in the BBC Two sitcom '' Lab Rats'' (2008). On radio, he previously hosted the weekly comedy news satire show '' 7-Day Sunday'' on BBC Radio 5 Live from 2009 to 2010. In 2020 he co-created the FX parental-comedy series '' Breeders'' starring Martin Freeman. Early life Addison was born in Cardiff, Wales, to English parents and moved with his parents to Worsley, Salford, England, when he was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Oliver
John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British and American comedian who hosts ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' on HBO. He started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom and came to wider attention for his work in the United States as the senior British correspondent on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' from 2006 to 2013. Oliver won three Primetime Emmy Awards for writing for ''The Daily Show'' and became its guest host for an eight-week period in 2013. He also co-hosted the comedy podcast '' The Bugle'' with Andy Zaltzman, with whom Oliver had previously worked on the radio series '' Political Animal'' and ''The Department''. From 2010 to 2013, he hosted the stand-up series '' John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show'' on Comedy Central. His acting roles include Ian Duncan on the NBC sitcom ''Community'' and voice work in the animated films '' The Smurfs'' (2011), '' The Smurfs 2'' (2013), and ''The Lion King'' remake (2019). As the host of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andy Zaltzman
Andrew Zaltzman (born 6 October 1974) is a British comedian and statistician. His comedy largely deals in political and sport-related material. He has worked with John Oliver, with their work together including '' Political Animal'', ''The Department'' and '' The Bugle''. Since 2016 he has been a statistician for BBC Radio's '' Test Match Special'' cricket commentaries, and since 2020 the presenter of Radio 4's '' The News Quiz''. On television, in 2024, he won the eighteenth series of '' Taskmaster'' against Babatunde Aléshé, Emma Sidi, Jack Dee, and Rosie Jones. Early life Born in Hammersmith, west London, Zaltzman is of Lithuanian-Jewish ancestry. He is the son of South African sculptor Zack Zaltzman and is the older brother of Helen Zaltzman, of ''The Allusionist'' and '' Answer Me This!'' podcasts. From his prep school, Holmewood House School in Langton Green, Kent, he then attended the private Tonbridge School. He studied Classics at University College, Oxfo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Dickson (presenter)
Peter Dickson is a voice-over artist. Credits Television *''Paddy's Show and Telly'' *'' OOglies'' *'' Monkey Dust'' *'' All Star Mr & Mrs'' (2008–2016) *'' Vic Reeves Big Night Out'' *'' E4'' *''The X Factor'' (2004–2018) *'' Britain's Got Talent'' (2007–2016) *'' Ireland's Got Talent'' (2018–2019) *'' They Think It's All Over'' *''The Price Is Right'' (Bruce Forsyth and Joe Pasquale versions) (1995–2001, 2006–2007) *''Catchphrase'' (2002) *'' Gameshow Marathon'' (2005–2007) *'' Soapstar Superstar'' (2006–2007) *'' The Paul O'Grady Show'' (2004–2009) *'' Family Fortunes'' (2000–2002) *'' All Star Family Fortunes'' (2007–2015) *'' Test the Nation'' *'' Last Chance Lottery'' *'' Guinness World Records Smashed'' *''The Fall of the British Empire'' *''Stalemate'' *''The Young Elizabeth'' *''George and Elizabeth'' *''Churchill'' *''Superted'' *''Margaret Royal Rebel'' ( Five) *''Search for Destiny'' *''Mountbatten'' *''Edward VIII'' *''Charles'' *''Aircraft S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew Holness
Matthew James Holness (born 1975) is an English comedian, director, author, plus actor. He is known for creating and portraying the fictional horror author Garth Marenghi. Early life and education Born in Whitstable, Kent, Holness became a fan of Hammer horror films at a young age, to the extent that when, at the age of six, he asked Hammer star and fellow Whitstable resident Peter Cushing for his autograph, Cushing expressed concern that the child knew so much about the films. Holness received the Master of Arts from Cambridge, graduating ''in absentia'' due to his comedy work. Holness attended Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury and went on to read English at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. As a member of the Cambridge Footlights, he appeared in a number of shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the mid-1990s. He also served as vice-president when David Mitchell was president. Other contemporaries included Robert Webb, Richard Ayoade and John Oliver. Career Holness firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucy Montgomery (actor)
Lucy Montgomery (born 24 January 1975) is a British actress, comedian and writer. Career While at Jesus College, Cambridge, Montgomery was a member of the Footlights, its amateur theatrical club. Subsequently, she studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Montgomery built her career as one third of Comedy Theatre Company Population 3, along with James Bachman and Barunka O'Shaughnessy, and she appeared as a roving reporter for the comic television programme '' The Friday Night Project''. Other television work has included '' Bo' Selecta!'', '' The Mighty Boosh'', and ''The IT Crowd''. Montgomery has been heard in several Radio 4 programmes, including the radio phone-in spoof '' Down the Line'', '' Robin and Wendy's Wet Weekends'', '' The Way We Live Right Now'', '' The Museum of Everything'', ''The Department'', '' Another Case of Milton Jones'', ''The Party Line'', ''Harry Hill's Ghost of a Christmas Present'', ''The Pits'', the ''Torchwood'' story " Lost Souls" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
