Edward Rowett

Josie Lawrence

Matthew Baynton

Nigel Havers

Olivia Nixon

Full Cast

A BBC Radio 4 comedy drama

Comedy drama set in Hardacre's, the worst advertising agency in London 
 
For three decades, Rupert Hardacre was one of the big beasts of advertising: he worked hard, played hard, and lived hard. But he fell harder... 
 
Driven out of every reputable agency in town for drinking all their whiskey and sleeping with all their wives, he used the remains of his fortune to found Hardacre's, the best (and only) advertising agency on the M25. Now he's so confident that his name alone will take him back to the top, he's happy to leave all the actual work to the creative department. 
 
But for the Hardacre organisation, there's more chaos than creativity. The entire creative team is made up of two fresh-faced and utterly clueless graduates, the new accounts chief Amanda is terrifying everyone, and their permanently disengaged receptionist Laura doesn't appear to know (or care) what's going on. 
 
On a good day, Rupert and the Hardacre team will be coming up with ads for industrial adhesives, cast iron stoves, and jewellery for dogs. But can they beat the competition and rebuild their reputation to crawl back up the greasy ladder to success? Will old friends in the industry be their saving grace - or their downfall? And most importantly, can Rupert ever get a decent glass of whiskey? 
 
Starring Nigel Havers (Downton Abbey, Coronation Street), Josie Lawrence (Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Eastenders) and Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, The Wrong Mans), the charming and hilarious Reluctant Persuaders won Best Scripted Comedy at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2016, and is perfect for fans of In and Out of the Kitchen and Fags, Mags and Bags. 
 
Written by Edward Rowett 
Produced by Gordon Kennedy 
Directed by Alan Nixon 
An Absolutely Production for BBC Radio 4 
 
Cast 
Rupert Hardacre - Nigel Havers 
Amanda Brook - Josie Lawrence 
Joe - Mathew Baynton 
Teddy (Series 1, 3 and 4) - Rasmus Hardiker 
Teddy (series 2)/Frederick - Kieran Hodgson 
Laura/'Gram Woman - Olivia Nixon 
Charles Blackwell - Martin Jarvis 
Laurie Patterson - Frances Barber 
Lake - Rebekah Staton 
Ace - Oliver Chris 
Doctor/WPC/Crystal/Client/Waitress - Holly Morgan 
Jordan - Richard Goulding 
Bill Lessing - Mark Evans 
Barista - Andrew Nolan 
Elgin - James Northcote 
Mikey - Esh Alladi 
Christmas Ad Voice Over - Gordon Kennedy 
MC/Narrator - Victoria Rigby 
Waitress - Olivia Penhallow 
Bartender - Mark Evans 
Tube Announcer - David Fairs 
Book Launch Host - Edward Rowett 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra on 15 September - 6 October 2015 (Series 1), 6 April - 27 April 2017 (Series 2), 4 October - 8 November 2018 (Series 3), 2 March - 6 April 2021 (Series 4) 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Edward Rowett

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