BBC controller of entertainment Paul Jackson chats to comedy writers and performers about their lives and work. Many of the series have been released on a range of audio cassettes from Orion Books. Re-titled 'The Funny side Of...' they have been slightly remixed for release, although the interviews themselves are the same as broadcast.
SERIES 1 | 2 | 3
:: Series 1
The first series of this interview show as broadcast in the early evening comedy slot (6.30pm) on Radio 4 of a Thursday, with selected shows repeated in a season in the late night slot (11.30pm) a couple months after the second series had been broadcast.
| Guest | TX Date | Rpt Date |
|---|---|---|
| Caroline Aherne | 7.10.99 | 1.8.00 |
| Tim Brooke Taylor and Graeme Garden | 14.10.99 | 8.8.00 |
| Ben Elton | 21.10.99 | 15.8.00 |
| Penelope Keith | 28.10.99 | |
| Adrian Edmondson | 4.11.99 | 22.8.00 |
| Ronnie Corbett | 11.11.99 | 29.8.00 |
:: Series 2
A further 8 comedy celebrities were interviewed by Paul Jackson in the second series of the show, broadcast at 6.30pm on Radio 4 of a Thursday, with selected shows repeated later in the year.
| Guest | TX Date | Rpt Date |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Dee | 6.4.00 | 5.9.00 |
| Dave Allen | 13.4.00 | 12.9.00 |
| Richard Curtis | 20.4.00 | |
| Meera Syal | 27.4.00 | |
| Barry Cryer | 4.5.00 | |
| Dale Winton | 11.5.00 | 19.9.00 |
| Phill Jupitus | 18.5.00 | |
| Sandi Toksvig | 25.5.00 | 26.9.00 |
:: Series 3
The latest series included a further 6 interviews with those connected with the comedy industry was broadcast of a Thursday in the early evening comedy slot, and was recently repeated in the late night slot (11.30pm) - details to follow soon.
| Guest | TX Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Coogan | 8.3.00 | A rare interview with Steve Coogan, creator of, among others, Alan Partridge and Paul and Pauline Calf. |
| Des O'Connor | 15.3.00 | Here he talks to Des O'Connor. |
| Ruby Wax | 22.3.00 | Ruby Wax tells him what it was like interviewing Imelda Marcos, and reveals the facts behind the 'banana incident' with OJ Simpson. |
| Galton and Simpson | 29.3.00 | Galton and Simpson, the creators of `Steptoe and Son', tell of their experiences writing for Tony Hancock and Frankie Howerd and explain how they met as a result of tuberculosis. |
| Mel and Sue | 5.4.00 | Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins expound on the virtues of daytime TV, talk about writing for French and Saunders and explain that performing in the Cambridge Footlights is not necessarily the path to fame and fortune it once was. |
| Nick Hancock | 12.4.00 | He meets comedian and host of `They Think It's All Over' Nick Hancock, who talks about his 26 failed pilot programmes and the current love of his life - his daughter. |