Hey Rrradio
“Hey Rrradio” was the offspring of Punt & Dennis’s “Live On Arrival” and the parent of The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Born out of a desire to get the BBC Light Entertainment Department producing comedy for Radio 1 - something considered very alternative back in 1988, David Tyler created the pilot episode, hosted by Patrick “Marby” Marber and recorded at The Hackney Empire. Bill Dare then took over the series, producing another thirteen shows.
A mixture of stand-ups and music (provided, in the case of the pilot, by band called Soho and a three-part beehive-laden girl group from Australia who specialized in recreating a 60s Motown-ish sound, The Fabulous Singlettes), the format now seems rather obvious, but was pretty way-out at the time, in Radio 4 terms...
Hey Rrradio
Pilot
First Tx: 7/10/88 Radio 1
Recorded at The Hackney Empire 21/7/88
Hosted by | Patrick Marber |
and featuring | John Hegley |
Nick Hancock | |
Sheila Hyde | |
Owen O’Neil | |
The Tracy Brothers | |
The Fabulous Singlettes | |
Soho | |
With additional material by | Abi Grant |
Stuart Silver | |
Mark Burton | |
John O'Farrell | |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Hey Rrradio
Click here to hear the sig tune by John Hegley...
and don't forget you can play a clip of the show itself by clicking "CLIPS" over on the left
Here's a ruddy good link where you can read more about Hey Rrradio, although it's gone a little bit advert-y since it was written, so apologies in advance.
And here's the wonderful John Hegley's website