It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
Living with the Enemy

Living with the Enemy

The Complete BBC Radio comedy

Summary

All six episodes of the BBC radio comedy about two chalk-and-cheese flatmates

Nick Reynolds is a lefty alternative comedian-turned-holistic therapist. Living on the floor below him is Gyles Brandon, an ex-Tory MP turned media darling. Poles apart, they’d never choose each other as friends, but when Nick accidentally floods Gyles’ apartment, they become reluctant flat-sharers.

Joined by Gyles’ goddaughter Sophie Okuyu, the spoilt daughter of a corrupt African politician, the housemates get into various scrapes, including plotting to seek revenge on Gyles’ ex-wife, trying to curry favour (and make some money) at a swanky Mayfair art gallery, and going on a celebratory night out which swiftly turns to disaster...

Written by and starring Gyles Brandreth as Gyles and Nick Revell as Nick, this Odd Couple story was inspired by a chance meeting between the pair at the Edinburgh Festival, where they hit it off despite being political opposites. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle, Black Mirror) plays Sophie, and guest stars include Prunella Scales, Timothy West, Martin Jarvis and Neil Pearson.

Cast
Gyles Brandon – Gyles Brandreth
Nick Reynolds – Nick Revell
Sophie Okuyu – Gugu Mbatha-Raw
George Carstairs – Martin Jarvis
Taxi driver/Goon – Nathan Caton
Mr Longstaff/ Richard Dowdeswell/Piers/Brian/Barry – Martin Hyder
Shop assistant – Alys Torrance
Mrs Woodman – Prunella Scales
Mr Woodman – Timothy West
Charles Danbury – Nickolas Grace
Jana – Maria McErlane
Immigration officer/Asif – Dan Mersh
Olga – Barunka O'Shaughnessy
Rick – Neil Pearson

Written by Nick Revell and Gyles Brandreth
Produced by Ed Morrish
BA: Pamela Norris
Studio Managers: Alick Hale-Monro & Gary Newman
Archive BA: Kevin Gordon
Theme music composed and performed by Ben Walker

About the authors

Nick Revell

Learn More

Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Brandreth is a writer, performer, former MP and Government Whip, now Chancellor of the University of Chester and probably best known these days as a reporter on BBC1's The One Show and as a regular on Radio 4's Just a Minute. On TV he has featured on Have I Got News For You, QI, Room 101, Countdown, and This is Your Life. As a journalist he writes for the Telegraph and Daily Mail and is a columnist for The Oldie. The founder of the National Scrabble Championships, his books about words and language include four best-sellers, The Joy of Lex, Word Play, Have You Eaten Grandma? and Dancing by the Light of the Moon.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more