Heresy (radio series)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the British talk show, for other uses see heresy (disambiguation)
Heresy is a comedy talk show on BBC Radio 4
, now presented by Victoria Coren
and formerly by David Baddiel
. In the show, the presenter and a panel of guests commit "heresy" by challenging people's most deeply received opinions on a subject, in front of a studio audience.
For example, received wisdom is that New Labour is all about spin, so the panel will try to argue that New Labour is not all about spin, and the guests have to try to make the audience change their minds.
Other assumptions challenged have included, "We should never negotiate with terrorists", "Television is dumbing down" and "We are on the brink of an environmental catastrophe".
The pilot and first series had four guests on each episode, but this has since been reduced to three.
In the fifth series, Baddiel handed over the host's chair to Victoria Coren
, although he appeared on the first show as a guest, where he made jokes referring to his previous time in the chair.
Heresy (disambiguation)
Heresy is a religious act or opinion held to be in opposition or ardent violation of the stated doctrine of the Christian Church or that of any church, creed, or religious system....
Heresy is a comedy talk show on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, now presented by Victoria Coren
Victoria Coren
Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect....
and formerly by David Baddiel
David Baddiel
David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter.-Early life:Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. His father, Colin Brian Baddiel, was a Welsh research chemist with Unilever before being made redundant in the 1980s, after...
. In the show, the presenter and a panel of guests commit "heresy" by challenging people's most deeply received opinions on a subject, in front of a studio audience.
For example, received wisdom is that New Labour is all about spin, so the panel will try to argue that New Labour is not all about spin, and the guests have to try to make the audience change their minds.
Other assumptions challenged have included, "We should never negotiate with terrorists", "Television is dumbing down" and "We are on the brink of an environmental catastrophe".
The pilot and first series had four guests on each episode, but this has since been reduced to three.
In the fifth series, Baddiel handed over the host's chair to Victoria Coren
Victoria Coren
Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect....
, although he appeared on the first show as a guest, where he made jokes referring to his previous time in the chair.
Episodes
| Episode | Air Date | Guests |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot and Series 1 - 2003-2004 | ||
| 1. Pilot | 2003-12-31 | Armando Iannucci Armando Iannucci Armando Giovanni Iannucci is a Scottish comedian, satirist, writer, director, performer and radio producer. Born in Glasgow, he studied at Oxford University and left graduate work on a PhD about John Milton to pursue a career in comedy.... , Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw is a British writer and film critic. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he was President of Footlights.Bradshaw is a film critic for The Guardian... , David Walliams David Walliams David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile... , Victoria Coren Victoria Coren Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect.... |
| 2. 1-1 | 2004-12-02 | Sue Perkins Sue Perkins Sue Perkins is an English comedienne, broadcaster, actress, and writer.-Education:Perkins was educated at Croham Hurst School, an independent school for girls in Croydon in South London, at the same time as the BBC Breakfast News presenter Susanna Reid... , Fi Glover Fi Glover Fiona "Fi" Glover is a BBC journalist and presenter and, until March 2011, the host of BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live.-Career:... , Simon Hoggart Simon Hoggart Simon David Hoggart is an English journalist and broadcaster. He writes on politics for The Guardian, and on wine for The Spectator. Until 2006 he presented The News Quiz on Radio 4... , Michael Bywater Michael Bywater Michael Bywater is a British writer and broadcaster.-Biography:He was educated at Nottingham High School, an independent school... |
| 3. 1-2 | 2004-12-09 | Alan Davies Alan Davies Alan Davies is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for starring in the TV mystery series Jonathan Creek and as the permanent panellist on the TV panel show QI.- Early life :... , David Walliams, Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw is a British writer and film critic. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he was President of Footlights.Bradshaw is a film critic for The Guardian... , Jenny Colgan Jenny Colgan Jenny Colgan is a British chick-lit novelist, author of romantic comedies such as "Amanda's Wedding", "Looking for Andrew McCarthy" and most recently "The Good,the Bad and the Dumped"... |
| 4. 1-3 | 2004-12-16 | Vicky Coren, Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw is a British writer and film critic. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he was President of Footlights.Bradshaw is a film critic for The Guardian... , Zoë Williams Zoe Williams Zoe Williams is a British columnist and journalist.-Early life:She attended the independent Godolphin and Latymer School girls school and read Modern History at Lincoln College, Oxford.. Her parents separated in 1976 and formally divorced 20 years later.-Writing:Williams writes forThe Guardian and... , Michael Bywater |
| 5. 1-4 | 2004-12-23 | Armando Iannucci, John O'Farrell John O'Farrell John O'Farrell is a British author, broadcaster and comedy scriptwriter.-Early life:O’Farrell grew up in Maidenhead, Berkshire the youngest of three children, attending Courthouse Primary School and then Desborough Comprehensive... , Zoë Williams, Victoria Coren Victoria Coren Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect.... |
| Series 2 - 2005 | ||
| 6. 2-1 | 2005-06-22 | John O'Farrell, Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw is a British writer and film critic. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he was President of Footlights.Bradshaw is a film critic for The Guardian... , Victoria Coren Victoria Coren Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect.... |
| 7. 2-2 | 2005-06-29 | John O'Farrell, Jonathan Ross Jonathan Ross Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer... , Michael Bywater |
| 8. 2-3 | 2005-07-06 | Peter Bradshaw, Chris Langham Chris Langham Christopher "Chris" Langham is an English writer, actor and comedian. He is most famous for playing MP Hugh Abbot in BBC Four sitcom The Thick of It and as presenter Roy Mallard in People Like Us, first on BBC Radio 4 and later on its transfer to television on BBC Two, where Mallard is almost... , Sanjeev Bhaskar Sanjeev Bhaskar Sanjeev Bhaskar, OBE is a British Indian comedian, actor and broadcaster, best known for his work in the BBC Two comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as host of The Kumars at No. 42... |
| 9. 2-4 | 2005-07-13 | Michael Bywater, Sue Perkins, Hugh Dennis Hugh Dennis Peter Hugh Dennis is an English actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner Steve Punt. He is also known for his position as a permanent panelist on the TV comedy show Mock The Week... |
| 10. 2-5 | 2005-07-20 | Sue Perkins, Armando Iannucci, Frank Skinner Frank Skinner Frank Skinner is a British writer, comedian and actor. He is best known for his television presenting, often alongside David Baddiel, with whom he also collaborated for the football song "Three Lions."He is a radio presenter on the Saturday morning slot on Absolute Radio.-Youth and early career... |
| 11. 2-6 | 2005-07-27 | John O'Farrell, Matt Lucas Matt Lucas Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and... , David Walliams |
| Series 3 - 2006 | ||
| 12. 3-1 | 2006-05-10 | Richard Herring Richard Herring Richard Keith Herring is a British comedian and writer, whose early work includes his involvement in the double-act, Lee and Herring... , Sue Perkins, Peter Bradshaw |
| 13. 3-2 | 2006-05-17 | Stewart Lee Stewart Lee Stewart Lee is an English stand-up comedian, writer and director known for being one half of the 1990s comedy duo Lee and Herring, and for co-writing and directing the critically acclaimed and controversial stage show Jerry Springer - The Opera... , Reginald D. Hunter, Joanna Scanlan Joanna Scanlan Joanna Scanlan is a Welsh actress and television writer, best known for her roles in various British comedy series, such as The Thick of It, Doctors and Nurses, Getting On and Little Britain.-Getting On:... |
| 14. 3-3 | 2006-05-24 | Jonathan Ross, Michael Bywater, Ed Byrne Ed Byrne Ed Byrne is a Perrier Award-nominated, Irish stand-up comedian, voice over artist and actor. He has presented television shows Uncut! Best Unseen Ads and Just for Laughs, and is a regular guest on various television panel games... |
| 15. 3-4 | 2006-05-31 | Lee Mack Lee Mack Lee Gordon McKillop is an English stand-up comedian and actor, known by the stage name Lee Mack. He is well known in the United Kingdom for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, for being a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and for hosting Lee Mack's All Star Cast.-Personal life:Mack... , Ruby Wax Ruby Wax Ruby Wax is a BAFTA nominated American comedian who made a career in the United Kingdom as part of the alternative comedy scene in the 1980s.-Early life:... , Russell Brand Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians... |
| 16. 3-5 | 2006-06-07 | Jimmy Carr Jimmy Carr James Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television.... , Chris Addison Chris Addison Chris Addison is an English stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4... , Rhys Thomas Rhys Thomas (comedian) Rhys Thomas is an English comedian and actor.-Career:His breakthrough came while working as a runner on Shooting Stars, when he showed Charlie Higson and Bob Mortimer some sketches he had performed in college... |
| 17. 3-6 | 2006-06-14 | Frank Skinner, Lee Mack Lee Mack Lee Gordon McKillop is an English stand-up comedian and actor, known by the stage name Lee Mack. He is well known in the United Kingdom for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, for being a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and for hosting Lee Mack's All Star Cast.-Personal life:Mack... , Sean Lock Sean Lock Sean Lock is an English comedian and actor. He began his comedy career as a stand-up comedian. He won the British Comedy Award in 2000 in the category of Best Live Comic, and was nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award. He is also well known for his appearances on television and radio... |
| Series 4 - 2007 | ||
| 18. 4-1 | 2007-05-16 | Germaine Greer Germaine Greer Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century.... , Stewart Lee Stewart Lee Stewart Lee is an English stand-up comedian, writer and director known for being one half of the 1990s comedy duo Lee and Herring, and for co-writing and directing the critically acclaimed and controversial stage show Jerry Springer - The Opera... , Harry Enfield Harry Enfield Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:... |
| 19. 4-2 | 2007-05-23 | Sue Perkins, Dr Phil Hammond, Jo Brand Jo Brand Josephine Grace "Jo" Brand is a BAFTA winning British comedian, writer, and actor.- Early life :Jo Brand was born 23 July 1957 in Wandsworth, London. Her mother was a social worker. Brand is the middle of three children, with two brothers... |
| 20. 4-3 | 2007-05-30 | Jon Culshaw Jon Culshaw Jonathan Peter Culshaw is an English impressionist and comedian. He was educated at St Bede's RC High School, Ormskirk and St John Rigby College, in Orrell, Wigan.... , Matt Lucas, Henning Wehn Henning Wehn Henning Wehn is a German stand-up comedian based in London.-Career:Since October 2003 Wehn has been self-styled the "German Comedy Ambassador in London"... |
| 21. 4-4 | 2007-06-06 | Vicky Coren, Peter Bradshaw, Arthur Smith Arthur Smith (comedian) Brian Arthur John Smith is an English alternative comedian and writer. He was born in Bermondsey, South London, brother to Richard Smith... |
| 22. 4-5 | 2007-06-13 | Fay Ripley Fay Ripley Fay Ripley is an English actress and recipe author. Born in Wimbledon, London, Ripley is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama . Her first professional role was in the chorus of a pantomime version of Around the World in 80 Days... , Sanjeev Bhaskar, David Aaronovitch David Aaronovitch David Aaronovitch is a British author, broadcaster, and journalist. He is a regular columnist for The Times, and author of Paddling to Jerusalem: An Aquatic Tour of Our Small Country and Voodoo Histories: the role of Conspiracy Theory in Modern History... |
| 23. 4-6 | 2007-06-20 | Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand, Michael McIntyre Michael McIntyre Michael Hazen James McIntyre is an English stand-up comedian. He is well known for appearing at many British stand-up comedy events and for several roles on television stand-up programmes such as Live at the Apollo and his own show, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow... |
| Series 5 - 2008 | ||
| 24. 5-1 | 2008-05-15 | David Baddiel, Richard Coles Richard Coles Richard Coles is a musician, journalist and Church of England priest. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, who achieved three Top Ten hits, including the Number 1 record and best-selling single of 1986, a Hi-NRG... , David Mitchell David Mitchell (actor) David James Stuart Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the... |
| 25. 5-2 | 2008-05-22 | Sue Perkins, Euan Ferguson, Richard Herring |
| 26. 5-3 | 2008-05-29 | Peter Bradshaw, Caitlin Moran Caitlin Moran Caitlin Moran is a British broadcaster, TV critic and columnist at The Times, where she writes three columns a week: one for the Saturday Magazine, a TV review column, and the satirical Friday column "Celebrity Watch"... , Jo Caulfield Jo Caulfield Josephine Caulfield is a British actress, writer and comedian.-Biography:Born in Wales to Irish parents, she was brought up in Derbyshire and Leicestershire England.... |
| 27. 5-4 | 2008-06-05 | Dave Gorman Dave Gorman David James Gorman is an English author, stand-up comedian and presenter. He has performed comedy shows on stage in which he tells stories of extreme adventures and presents the evidence to the audience in order to prove to them that they are true stories... , Clive James Clive James Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism... , Mark Steel Mark Steel Mark Steel is a British socialist columnist, author and comedian. He was a member of the Socialist Workers Party from his late teens until 2007.-Early life:... |
| 28. 5-5 | 2008-06-12 | Simon Evans Simon Evans Simon Evans , is an English comedian, born in Luton and currently living in Hove.-Early life:Simon Evans attended Verulam School in St Albans and then studied law at Southampton University, graduating in 1986.-Stand-up comedy:... , Richard Coles Richard Coles Richard Coles is a musician, journalist and Church of England priest. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, who achieved three Top Ten hits, including the Number 1 record and best-selling single of 1986, a Hi-NRG... , Andrew Collins Andrew Collins (broadcaster) Andrew Collins is the creator and writer of Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out .-Personal life:Collins was a member of the Labour Party between the late 1980s and early 1990s, leaving after Labour's... |
| 29. 5-6 | 2008-06-19 | David Mitchell, Michael Bywater, Arthur Smith |
| Series 6 - 2009 | ||
| 30. 6-1 | 2009-04-07 | Rufus Hound Rufus Hound Rufus Hound is a British comedian and presenter. He is also the winner of 2010 "Let's Dance for Comic Relief".-Career:... , David Baddiel, Germaine Greer |
| 31. 6-2 | 2009-04-14 | Mark Steel, Matthew Norman, Richard Coles Richard Coles Richard Coles is a musician, journalist and Church of England priest. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, who achieved three Top Ten hits, including the Number 1 record and best-selling single of 1986, a Hi-NRG... |
| 32. 6-3 | 2009-04-28 | Lucy Mangan, Arthur Smith, Frank Skinner |
| 33. 6-4 | 2009-05-05 | Euan Ferguson, Tanya Gold Tanya Gold Tanya Gold is a British journalist. She has written for a variety of newspapers in the United Kingdom, including The Guardian, the Daily Mail, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard. In 2009 she was highly commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category at the British... , David Mitchell |
| 34. 6-5 | 2009-05-12 | Dave Gorman, Sue Perkins, Jeremy Hardy |
| 35. 6-6 | 2009-05-19 | David Mitchell, Euan Ferguson, Clive James |
| Series 7 - 2010 | ||
| 36. 7-1 | 2010-05-19 | Rufus Hound, Grayson Perry, Julia Hartley-Brewer |
| 37. 7-2 | 2010-05-26 | Marcus Brigstocke Marcus Brigstocke Marcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian, actor and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television, radio and in 2010-2011 musical theatre. He is particularly associated with the 6.30pm comedy slot on BBC Radio 4, having frequently appeared on several of its shows... , Natalie Haynes, Rev Richard Coles. |
| 38. 7-3 | 2010-06-02 | David Baddiel David Baddiel David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter.-Early life:Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. His father, Colin Brian Baddiel, was a Welsh research chemist with Unilever before being made redundant in the 1980s, after... , Dave Gorman Dave Gorman David James Gorman is an English author, stand-up comedian and presenter. He has performed comedy shows on stage in which he tells stories of extreme adventures and presents the evidence to the audience in order to prove to them that they are true stories... , Polly Vernon |
| 39. 7-4 | 2010-06-09 | Richard Herring, Mark Steel, Janet Street-Porter |
| 40. 7-5 | 2010-06-16 | Matthew Norman, David Schneider, David Mitchell |
| 41. 7-6 | 2010-06-23 | Clive Anderson, Rufus Hound, Fern Britton |
| Series 8 - 2011 | ||
| 42. 8-1 | 2011-11-30 | Mark Steel Mark Steel Mark Steel is a British socialist columnist, author and comedian. He was a member of the Socialist Workers Party from his late teens until 2007.-Early life:... , Jessica Berens, Christopher Biggins Christopher Biggins Christopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups... |
| 43. 8-2 | 2011-12-07 | |
| 44. 8-3 | 2011-12-14 | |
| 45. 8-4 | 2011-12-21 | |
| 46. 8-5 | 2011-12-28 | |
| 47. 8-6 | 2012-01-04 | |