I've Never Seen Star Wars is a comedy talk show broadcast 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...

. Hosted by comedian 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...

, each episode features a celebrity guest trying out experiences that are new to them, but common to many others. The title comes from the show's producer and creator, Bill Dare

Bill Dare

Bill Dare is an English producer and devisor of radio and television comedy programmes.The son of the actor and broadcaster Peter Jones, he is a graduate of the University of Manchester who subsequently became an actor, director and writer...

, having never seen the Star Wars

Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

films. The series has been the subject of controversy due to the questionable taste of some of the experiences.

The show has been adapted

I've Never Seen Star Wars (TV series)

I've Never Seen Star Wars is a comedy chat show broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Two , first broadcast on 12 March 2009. Created and produced by Bill Dare and hosted by Marcus Brigstocke for the 2009 episodes & Jo Brand for the 2011 episodes, each episode features a celebrity guest trying out new...

 for television and was first broadcast on BBC Four

BBC Four

BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....

 in early 2009.

Format

Each episode features a guest presenting a list of things to Brigstocke that, until coming on the show, they had never done before but many others have. Generally the show is structured around one each of certain types of experiences; reading a new book, listening to some new music, watching a new film or television programme (for all of these, the guest is often given an example of a genre they've never sampled before), eating a new food and taking part in a new leisure activity. Examples of the latter include comedian Phill Jupitus

Phill Jupitus

Phillip Christopher Jupitus is an English stand-up and improvised comedian, actor, performance poet, musician and podcaster....

 having his first colonic irrigation, magician Paul Daniels

Paul Daniels

Paul Daniels, born Newton Edward Daniels on 6 April 1938, is a British magician and television performer. He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994.-Early life:...

 learning how to swim and Goodies

The Goodies

The Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...

 star Tim Brooke-Taylor

Tim Brooke-Taylor

Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor OBE is an English comic actor. He became active in performing in comedy sketches while at Cambridge University, and became President of the Footlights club, touring internationally with the Footlights revue in 1964...

 buying his first pornographic magazine

Pornography

Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...

.

Reception

The series has a mixed reception. Critics have praised the format. Chris Campling said I've Never Seen Star Wars is, "one of the most invigorating new comedy series of the 21st century."

Elisabeth Mahoney in The Guardian

The Guardian

The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...

wrote about Jupitus' appearance saying: "He also tried colonic irrigation, and the recording of that was one of the funniest bits of radio this year. The therapist explained the process in a deadpan manner that was quite majestic, especially when she let her "tubing clamps" make their worrying sound effect. Jupitus fretted that she'd find "some hidden G-spot of delight" and that he'd become "sexually addicted to having my arse pumped out". Rather worryingly, then, he has already booked his next appointment."

However, the series has been attacked because of some of the experiences which have appeared. Jupitus' colonic irrigation and eating foie gras

Foie gras

Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...

, and Brooke-Taylor buying pornography are amongst the moments which have been cause for complaint. Dare appeared on BBC Radio 4's listen complaints show Feedback

Feedback (radio series)

Feedback is a series broadcast on BBC Radio 4, presented by Roger Bolton.-History:Originally a 15 minute programme, it began in 1979 replacing Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells. Amongst its earlier presenters were Colin Semper, a former head of Religious Broadcasting, and Susan Marling. Mary Whitehouse,...

to defend I've Never Seen Star Wars. Dare stated the choices were all made by the guests and were not designed to offend listeners. During the interview with host Roger Bolton

Roger Bolton (producer)

Roger John Bolton is a British television producer and radio presenter.-Early life:After attending Carlisle Grammar School and Liverpool University he joined the BBC as a trainee in 1967.-Television:He has worked on television as an editor of the revived Tonight in 1978, Panorama in 1979 and...

, Dare was asked, "if he could reassure listeners that there'd be no heavy breathing in future." Dare mocked both Feedback and Bolton saying: "Only if we get an asthmatic on, I suppose. But now asthmatics are going to ring up and say, how dare you make fun of our condition?"

Series 1

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Series 2

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Series 3

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Series 4

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