Wickedly funny and bitingly satirical, Dead Ringers has been lampooning politicans, celebrities and media pundits for over 20 years. In these seven series, first broadcast between 2000 and 2002, the team give us their peerless impressions of the personalities we love to laugh at: from Tony Blair and George W. Bush to Brian Sewell, Posh n' Becks and Kirsty Wark.
In their surreal alternate universe, Jack Nicholson joins the cast of Last of the Summer Wine, Alan Bennett and Thora Hird reveal their dark sides over a pot of Earl Grey, and a desperate Doctor calls directory enquiries in search of his arch-enemy, The Master. Plus, Hamlet receives the classic sitcom treatment, Anne Robinson puts her family through its paces to find The Weakest Child - and there's horror at the Simon Bates Hotel...
Also included are The Archers Special, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the much-loved soap opera; the 2001 Election Special; and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Special, in which the impressionists take a right royal look back over 50 years of British cultural life.
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive
Cast and credits
Starring Alistair McGowan, John Culshaw, Kate Robbins, Simon Lipson, Jan Ravens, Kevin Connelly, Phil Cornwell, Mark Perry and Lewis MacLeod, with Matthew Cox and Stefano Paolini
Created by Bill Dare
Produced by Bill Dare, Mario Stylianides and Danny Wallace
Associate producer: Adam Bromley
Music composed by John Whitehall
Written by Nev Fountain, Tom Jamieson and Laurence Howarth with: Richard Ayoade, Ivor Baddiel, Mike Barfield, DA Barham, Colin Birch, Simon Blackwell, Ashley Blaker, Magic Bob, Ashley Boroda, James Cary, Steve Cochrane, Dave Cohen, Ali Crockatt, Ed Dyson, Paul Ebbs, Gez Foster, Terry Franks, Marcus Harvard, Mike Haskins, Mark Haynes, Jon Holmes, Matthew Holness, Andy Hurst, Robin Ince, George Jeffrie, Richard Lewis, Simon Littlefield, Trevor Lloyd, Ewan Marshall, Paul McKenzie, Oriane Messina, Henry Naylor, Ged Parsons, Steve Parry, George Poles, Steve Punt, Shaun Pye, Dan Robins, Stuart Robinson, Tony Roche, Fay Rusling, Rupert Russell, Arnie Sidebottom, Martin Smith, Dan Tetsell, Toby Thunder, Alison Todd, Bert Tyler-Moore, Richard Webb, Mike Weedy
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7-28 January 2000 (Series 1), 16 June-4 August 2000 (Series 2), 17 November-15 December 2000 (Series 3), 25 December 2000 (The Archers Special), 6-27 April 2001 (Series 4), 6 June 2001 (Election Special), 24 August-7 September 2001 (Series 5), 7 December 2001-11 January 2002 (Series 6), 19 April-10 May 2002 (Series 7), 4 June 2002 (Golden Jubilee Special)
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
Since the turn of the millennium, Dead Ringers has been giving us its skewed, hilarious take on the famous and the infamous. The show has won a British Comedy Award, a Sony Gold Award, and a Press Guild Award for Radio Programme of the Year - and won a legion of fans with its merciless parodies, mocking every programme, institution and politician you hold dear.
Satire meets silliness in these seven series, as the gravelly-voiced Doctor inquires about interstellar travel on the London Eye, Scooby Doo and the gang enter the terrifying London Congestion Zone, and Stephen Fry presents a BAFTA tribute to someone - but he's not entirely sure who... Elsewhere, some familiar voices phone up the European Space Agency, the team add a bit of festive cheer to Crimewatch and Embarrassing Bodies, and Mel and Sue give their double entendres a good old squeeze in The Great British Innuendo.
Also featured is a sparkling selection of unbroadcast material from the razor-sharp BBC Radio 4 comedy.
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive
Cast and credits
Starring John Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Mark Perry, Kevin Connelly, Phil Cornwell, Duncan Wisbey, Lewis MacLeod and Debra Stephenson, with Brian Bowles
Created by Bill Dare
Produced by Bill Dare, Katie Tyrell, Mario Stylianides and Katie Marsden
Music composed by John Whitehall
Written by Nev Fountain, Tom Jamieson and Laurence Howarth with: Ed Amsden, Daniel Audritt, Jack Bernhardt, Colin Birch, Simon Blackwell, James Bugg, Sarah Campbell, Carl Carter, Lucy Clarke, Tom Coles, Tony Cooke, Ali Crockatt, Rhodri Crooks, Jon Culshaw, Bill Dare, Max Davis, John Finnemore, Gerard Foster, Paul Gannon, Jon Holmes, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, Robin Ince, Paul Kerensa, Gráinne Maguire, Laura Major, Henry Naylor, Benjamin Partridge, Steve Punt, Pete Reynolds, Tony Roche, David Scott, Chris Thompson, Richard Ward, Mark Watson, Duncan Wisbey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 16 August-6 September 2002 (Series 8), 10-31 January 2003 (Series 9), 5 September-3 October 2003 (Series 10), 16 September-21 October 2005 (Series 11), 30 July-3 September 2014 (Series 12), 26 December 2014-2 January 2015 (Series 13), 10 April-8 May 2015 (Series 14)
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
Serving up razor-sharp caricatures and explosively satirical truth-bombs since January 2000, Dead Ringers is one of Radio 4’s most popular and critically-acclaimed comedy shows. In these five series, first broadcast between 2015 and 2019, media mauling and celebrity savaging are once more the order of the day, as Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Debra Stephenson and Duncan Wisbey poke fun at the worlds of politics and entertainment.
In the wake of the Brexit vote, the team give us their in-depth analysis of the highs, lows and madness of the EU referendum campaigns. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are the targets of some post-election skewering; Donald Trump has a ‘dino-mite’ idea; and there’s terror in store as a haunted Boris Johnson meets the Mr Hyde to his Mr Hyde.
Plus, Morrissey, Pam Ayres and Chas n’ Dave gives us their best James Bond theme tunes; David Sedaris and Alan Bennett have a biscuit-off; Joan Bakewell explains Love Island to Radio 4 listeners – and British superheroes the National Treasures welcome their newest member: Lorraine Kelly...
Also featured are 13 sparkling Specials, including a wealth of tinsel-topped Christmas editions; 2016’s speculative ‘A Look Back at the Year 2020’; the one-off drama ‘An Alien Has Landed’, imagining what would happen if an extra-terrestrial visited Earth; and the 2019 Election Special, examining every twist, turn and embarrassing face-saving platitude from the candidates.
Cast and credits
Starring John Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Duncan Wisbey, Lewis MacLeod and Debra Stephenson
Produced and created by Bill Dare
With Sanjeev Bhaskar (An Alien Has Landed)
Guest cast: Josh Berry (Series 18, Episode 5)
Production Coordinator: Beverly Tagg
Music composed by John Whitehall
Written by Nev Fountain, Tom Jamieson and Laurence Howarth with: Simon Alcock, Ed Amsden, Liam Beirne, Jack Bernhardt, Catherine Brinkworth, James Bugg, Sarah Campbell, Tom Coles, Lewis Cook, Max Davis, Sarah Doran, Sara Gibbs, Alex Hardy, Alex Harvey, Danielle Harvey, Laura Major, Jane McCutcheon, Charlotte Pearson, Vivienne Riddoch, Mike Shephard, Edward Tew, Duncan Wisbey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 August-11 September 2015 (Series 15), 25 December 2015 (Christmas Special), 1 January 2016 (New Year Special), 18 June-22 July 2016 (Series 16), 23-30 December 2016 (Christmas Specials), 16 June-21 July 2017 (Series 17), 22-29 December 2017 (Christmas Specials), 17 February 2018 (An Alien Has Landed), 8 June-13 July 2018 (Series 18) 7-21 December 2018 (Christmas Specials), 7 June-12 July 2019 (Series 19), 13-27 December 2019 (Election Special & Christmas Specials)
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
The popular topical comedy show is back with another helping of political vituperation, media mauling and celebrity savaging.
Series 20 sees the team faced with the challenge of finding the comedy in Covid, as they look back at the key moments since the pandemic began. There's a special maths lesson from Matt Hancock, a fight between Good Boris and Bad Boris about when lockdown should start, and Michael Portillo grapples with wearing a mask on Great British Railway Journeys.
Plus, Keir Starmer makes his Dead Ringers debut, a former Prime Minister performs in Alan Bennett's latest Talking Heads monologue, Joan Bakewell explains Kanye West, and Her Majesty the Queen tells us why she's helping out the FBI.
We also hear a startling out-take from Normal People, meet a special guest at Downton Abbey - and finally find out what Michael Gove's real job is...
Also included are three Brexity, Covidy, Trumpy, Bideny Christmas specials - so sit back and treat your ears to a bumper helping of superb satirical impressions from Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Debra Stephenson and Duncan Wisbey.
Cast and credits
Starring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Duncan Wisbey and Debra Stephenson
Produced and created by Bill Dare
A BBC Studios production
Written by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Sarah Campbell, James Bugg, Simon Alcock, Cody Dahler, Jane McCutcheon, Vivienne Riddoch, Gareth Cederic, Jeffrey Aidoo, Charlie Dinkin, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Cassie Smith, Alex Hardy, Athena Kugblenu, Paige Wilson, Sophie Dixon, Kate Lipson, Edward Tew
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 June-17 July 2020 (Series 20), 11-25 December 2020 (Christmas Specials)
The award-winning topical satire show returns with an online audience to serve up more mimicry, mockery and mordant wit. Series 21 brings us exclusive footage from Boris and Carrie's secret wedding, the truth behind the historic summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin and the real secret of Andy Murray's success.
We hear tips from Michael Moseley on how to stay healthy in post-pandemic Britain, Liz Truss shares the details of her latest whizzo trade deals and Sir Chris Whitty reveals what it's really been like working with Boris Johnson. And as the Euros kick off, a virulent case of optimism sweeps the England squad.
The world of TV takes an unexpected turn, as Keir Starmer shows the nation his Ramsay MacDonald in Naked Attraction, Ted calls the Line of Duty detectives back together to figure out a better end to the series and Sean Bean learns the harsh rules for surviving a Jimmy McGovern drama. Plus, we meet some surprising new contestants in Love Island...
To top it all off, there are also three fantastic festive specials, in which a host of politicians, media pundits and celebrities are given a Christmas roasting - with lashings of satirical gravy.
Cast and credits
Starring Jon Culshaw, Lewis MacLeod, Jan Ravens, Debra Stephenson and Duncan Wisbey
Produced and created by Bill Dare
Production Coordinator: Sarah Sharpe
A BBC Studios production
Written by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Jeffrey Aidoo, Simon Alcock, Becca Bain, James Bugg, Sarah Campbell, Tasha Dhanraj, Sophie Dickson, Rajiv Karia, Athena Kugblenu, Jane McCutcheon & Vivienne Riddoch, Edward Tew, Duncan Wisbey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 11 June-16 July 2021 (Series 21), 10-24 December 2021 (Christmas Specials)
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
(P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Dead Ringers is back, taking a satirical sledgehammer to the news and mercilessly mocking the great and the good. In Series 22, the team give us their unique take on our favourite politicians and celebrities, from 'The Donald' Trump and Boris Johnson ('Fwaah!') to Kirsty Wark, Sue Barker and Clare Balding.
Priti Patel reveals her latest plan for asylum seekers, Keir Starmer cultivates his 'bad boy' image and, following the success of her furry Russian hat, Liz Truss picks the perfect headwear to impress the British people. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak contracts a nasty dose of the 1970s and Jacob Rees-Mogg takes on some surprising new roles...
Plus, the cost of living crisis hits Ready Steady Cook, Huw Edwards is forced to make the news a little less harrowing, Scooby Doo investigates the terrifying poltergeist haunting 10 Downing Street - and in the Upside Down, the Stranger Things gang are confronted with a monster worse than any Demogorgon.
Also featured are three fabulously funny festive specials, in which we take a behind-the-scenes look at the World Cup in Qatar, hear some choice extracts from Matt Hancock's Covid diaries, and discover the unexpected collaborator who helped King Charles craft his first Christmas speech...
Cast and credits
Series 22 starring Jon Culshaw, Lewis MacLeod, Jan Ravens, Debra Stephenson and Duncan Wisbey
Christmas Specials starring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Duncan Wisbey, Naomi McDonald and Anil Desai
Produced and created by Bill Dare
Production Co-ordinators: Caroline Barlow, Sarah Sharpe and Katie Baum
Sound design: Rich Evans
Written by Nev Fountain, Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden, Tom Coles, Rebecca Bain, James Bugg, Sarah Campbell, Cody Dahler, Robert Dark, Sophie Dickson, Toussaint Douglass, Jade Gebbie, Cameron Loxdale, Katie Sayer, Peter Tellouche, Edward Tew and Rachel E. Thorn
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 17 June-22 July 2022 (Series 22), 9-23 December 2022 (Christmas Specials)
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
This collection brings together some of the best episodes from BBC1’s first, second and third series.
Enter a surreal universe where David Dickinson goes looking for weapons of mass destruction in "Weapons Hunt", the Queen sells off the royal jewels on the QVC shopping channel, and Delia Smith turns homicidal and starts cooking up the competition. Elsewhere, Anne Robinson votes off The Weakest Disciple and Simon Schama and David Starkey battle it out - literally - in order to become television's leading historian.
Also in the mix are an oddly threatening Michael Buerk, Saddam Hussein advertising Werther's Originals, and familiar favourites Tony Blair, Greg Dyke, and Kristy Wark. Obi-Wan Kenobi visits a second-hand car salesman, Ozzy Osborne takes over the role of Dumbledore in the new Harry Potter movie, and Doctor Who spends a weekend with the Cybermen family in Living with the Enemy.
So take a ringside seat for another TV swipe at the famous - and infamous - courtesy of Dead Ringers.
The complete Series 23 of the award-winning show – plus three Christmas Specials
Everyone’s favourite impressions show returns, giving a satirical savaging to a host of politicians, media pundits and celebrities. Among the team’s new victims in this 23rd series are Holly Willoughby, Stacey Solomon and the entire cast of Succession.
Boris Johnson plots a political comeback with the SNP (‘Och aye the fwaah!’); Thérèse Coffey launches her signature scent, Eau Sewage; The Archers is revamped for Gen Z; and, with the cost of living crisis at its height, money superhero Martin Lewis swoops in to save us all. We also learn the explicit secrets of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s OnlyFans account; find out Sir Keir Starmer’s secret plan for after the election; and hear some surprising tips from Dr Michael Mosley on how to improve our health and wellbeing...
Also included are three Specials with a festive twist, featuring all the people you’d least like to have dinner with. In the first two, Baroness Mone and her husband get their just deserts, Rishi Sunak and King Charles give their end of year speeches – and the Trussmeister is back with a vengeance. And in the third, Jon Culshaw and Jan Ravens join Dead Ringers creator and producer Bill Dare to look back at how party leaders across the spectrum have been portrayed in the last ten years of the programme.
Cast and credits
Starring Jon Culshaw, Lewis MacLeod, Jan Ravens, Jess Robinson, Duncan Wisbey and Jason Forbes
Produced and created by Bill Dare
Production Co-ordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Designer: Rich Evans
Written by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Davina Bentley, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, James Bugg, Sarah Campbell, Cody Dahler, Robert Darke, Sophie Dickson, Chris Donovan, Toussaint Douglass, Christina Riggs, Nicky Roberts, Katie Sayer, Peter Tellouche, Edward Tew, Rachel E. Thorn, Joe Topping, Duncan Wisbey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 16 June-21 July 2023 (Series 23), 15-29 December 2023 (Christmas Specials)
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
Both series of the hugely popular topical satire show from 2024
Fresh from winning ‘Best Radio Sketch Show’ at the 2023 Comedy.co.uk Awards, Dead Ringers is back with two more series, aiming a satirical slingshot at world affairs, the culture wars – and Mr Blobby. With the supply chain of human folly functioning better than ever, there’s no shortage of targets for their merciless mockery, and among the politicians and celebrities being pilloried are Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Jeremy Hunt, Rylan and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Liz Truss speaks her truth in her new book (‘I KNOW!!!’), Nigel Farage launches a pubcast, Alan Bennett advises on the Drake v. Kendrick Lamar beef and David Attenborough is traumatised by Baby Reindeer. Plus, Taylor Swift finds an unlikely boyfriend on Poetry Please, Jacob Rees-Mogg tells us about the birds and the bees, Rishi Sunak has an urgent message for Elon Musk, and the new Dr Who has a novel way of dealing with alien invaders…
There’s also a special episode from the Hay Festival, featuring the ‘Top 20 Government Apologies’ playlist, Harry Kane’s predictions for the Euros – and a surprising new arrival in Bridgerton. And in the aftermath of the UK and US elections, the team take a probing look at the new inhabitants of Number Ten and the White House. Will they prove to be as risible as the previous incumbents?
NB: Series 24 was recorded before the tragic news of the death of Michael Mosley
Cast and credits
Starring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Duncan Wisbey and Jess Robinson
Written by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Sarah Campbell, Angela Channell, Cody Dahler, Rob Darke, Sarah Dempster, Sophie Dixon, Christopher Donovan, Toussaint Douglass, Lizzy Mansfield, Christina Riggs, Katie Sayer, Peter Tellouche, Edward Tew, Rachel Thorne and Joe Topping
With additional material by Jennifer Walker
Produced and created by Bill Dare
Executive Producers: James Robinson, Pete Strauss and Richard Morris
Production Co-ordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Design: Rich Evans
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 Apr-31 May 2024 (Series 24), 1-22 Nov 2024 (Series 25)
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd