Hackers And Humphreys All. Copyright: BBC
Hackers And Humphreys All

Hackers And Humphreys All

  • Radio documentary
  • BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • 2016
  • 1 episode

Shaun Ley explores the links between real politics and the satire of Yes, Prime Minister. Features Shaun Ley, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, Richard Mottram, Edwina Currie and more.

Hackers And Humphreys All. Copyright: BBC

Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2016
Channel
BBC Radio 4 Extra
Episodes
1
Features
Shaun Ley, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, Richard Mottram, Edwina Currie, Bernard Donoughue, Peter Hennessey, Graham McCann and Tony Blair
Producers
Adam Bowen
Company

Yes, Prime Minister made its television debut on the same day that Michael Heseltine quit the cabinet. In a celebration of thirty years of one of Britain's best loved sitcoms, BBC Radio 4 Extra explores the relationship between the real world of Whitehall and this timeless satire.

In new and exclusive interviews, Sir Antony Jay, a former political speech writer, and Jonathan Lynn, now a Hollywood film director, who between them wrote every word, share the secrets of Yes, Prime Minister's success.

Shaun Ley hears about the sources who blabbed, how New Labour ministers were influenced by Jim Hacker's serial defeats at the hands of Sir Humphrey, and visits the very heart of the British government, the Cabinet Room, to find out how true to life some of the plotlines really were.

A three hour special programme, featuring four classic TV episodes of Yes, Prime Minister.

Additional details

Production
Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Saturday 9th January 2016 at 9am on BBC Radio 4 Extra
Episode length
180 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 19th March 2022 at 7:00pm on Radio 4 Extra
  • Saturday 19th March 2022 at 9:00am on Radio 4 Extra
  • Saturday 5th May 2018 at 7:00pm on Radio 4 Extra

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