Bleak Expectations
- Radio sitcom
- BBC Radio 4
- 2007 - 2012
- 30 episodes (5 series)
Radio comedy following the adventures of Pip Bin as he struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent. Stars Tom Allen, Anthony Head, Richard Johnson, James Bachman, Susy Kane and more.
Bleak Expectations trivia
Writer Mark Evans takes on a small cameo part in each episode. For example, in Episode 3.4 he plays the part of the lion.
Geoffrey Whitehead plays a different evil sibling in each of the episodes - and is always killed (often accidently) by Pip.
In the first series Whitehead played a different Hardthrasher brother; in the second series he played the equally-evil Sternbeaters; and in Series 3 he plays various members of the Wackwallop family; in Series 4 it was the Grimpunch brothers; and in Series 5 it was the Clampvulture family.
A non-broadcast pilot was made of the first episode of Bleak Expectations in March 2006. The cast for the pilot included Joanna Page (as Pippa); Tom Hollander (Gently Benevolent); James Bachman (Harry); Kim Wall (Thomas); Sophie Thompson (Agnes, Pip's mother); and Kellie Bright (Poppy).
Amongst the more famous fans of Bleak Expectations include Ben Schott, the creator of Schott's Almanac.
For the last four episodes of Series 5 Anthony Head couldn't be on stage as he was trapped filming in Toronto. As a result he performed, via an ISDN line, in a Canadian sound-booth. Creator Mark Evans said "We stuck a picture of his face onto a mop and propped it up on stage near the microphone - it was like he was actually there."