Stephen Fry and John Bird star as spin doctors Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe in Mark Tavener's comedy series. Ex-controllers of BBC Radio 2 and 4, they have now gone into the private sector and are earning a packet as the ultimate consultants.
SERIES 1 | 2
:: Series One
This series was originally broadcast of a Wednesday evening in the late night comedy slot on Radio 4 (11.30pm) with a repeat in the early evening comedy slot (6.30pm) and few months later. Alongside Fry and Bird were Siobhan Hayes, Jeremy Clyde, Tony Gardner, Simon Greenall, Martin Hyder, Beth Chalmers, Roger Blake, Neil McCaul, Colin McFarlane, Hugh Parker, John Rowe, Alys Torrance, Rebecca Front, Roger Sloman, Philip Fox, Simon Greenall, and Mark Tonderai. The 5th episode in this series was written by Mark Burton.
| TX Date | Rpt Date | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1.00 | 5.4.00 | Having left the BBC they embark on a new career as spin doctors. This week they are visited by the chairman of the Conservative Party. |
| 12.1.00 | 12.4.00 | Prentiss and McCabe attempt the relaunch of the Sun newspaper as the beacon of the pro-Euro movement while retaining the paper's traditional readership. |
| 19.1.00 | 19.4.00 | This week the specialists in government and media relations get involved in the race for London Mayor. |
| 26.1.00 | 26.4.00 | The PR agency with contacts at the highest level of government is asked to come up with a strategy to increase church congregations around the country. |
| 2.2.00 | 3.5.00 | This week, their challenge is to achieve a substantial increase in Radio 3's listening figures. |
| 9.2.00 | 10.5.00 | This week, they are charged with boosting national morale via an England win in a major sporting trophy. |
:: Series Two
The second series of the comedy now sees Prentiss and McCabe mysteriously at the top of their profession. Broadcast in the early evening comedy slot on Wednesdays on Radio 4 (6.30pm) the series was repeated in the late night slot, (11.30pm) again of a Wednesday some months later. Also in the series were Siobhan Hayes, Tony Gardner, Beth Chalmers, and Tamsin Greig.
| TX Date | Rpt Date | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| 30.2.01 | 25.7.01 | Charles takes a commission to revive interest in the Labour Party. |
| 6.2.01 | 1.8.01 | They enlist Ken Livingston and Mel C in an attempt to sell the study of philosophy as sexy, happening and popular. |
| 13.2.01 | 8.8.01 | They are asked to put a failed novelist at the top of the bestsellers list. |
| 20.2.01 | 15.8.01 | They take on a contract to discredit the Chancellor and make the PM look good. |
| 27.2.01 | 22.8.01 | Charles, against his better judgement, decides to help the case for prison reform, while Martin tries to help Delia Smith to change her image. |
| 6.3.00 | 29.8.01 | Last in the series at the PR Agency of Prentice McCabe. |
:: Series Three
The third series of the comedy was broadcast in the early evening comedy slot on Tuesdays on Radio 4 (6.30pm).
| TX Date | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| 1.1.02 | They are asked to knock the PM's reputation |
| 8.1.02 | Charles enters the world of show business when he represents the latest `Big Brother' star |
| 15.1.02 | They are charged with the unenviable task of helping the government sort out the health service |
| 22.1.02 | Charles decides to find Martin a really difficult client |
| 29.1.02 | Charles throws himself into a commission to boost public opinion of men |