The cast of the radio series. Copyright: BBC / Above The Title Productions
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 1978 - 2018
  • 32 episodes (6 series)

A science fiction radio comedy series written by Douglas Adams that started off the H2G2 multi-media franchise phenomenon. Stars Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Peter Jones, William Franklyn, John Lloyd and more.

Episode menu

The Quintessential Phase, Episode 2 - Fit The Twenty-Fourth

In which an alien race ask Tricia McMillan to work out their horoscopes, Arthur Dent gets some advice, and Ford Prefect discovers The Guide has become much more sinister.

Further details

Arthur tries to get advice from the oracles on Hawalius. When he finally decides to leave the planet, the space ship he is on develops a problem and crash lands.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the blonde American journalist Tricia McMillan meets the Grebulons. After seeing a report she did that attacked horoscopes, the Grebulons want her to come to Rupert to calculate their horoscopes in relation from their position on Rupert. Tricia decides to go along, providing she has exclusive rights to the story.

Back at The Guide's office, Zarniwoop makes Ford Prefect the new restaurant critic. Zarniwoop claims he plans to aim The Guide at families rather than hitchhikers. The horrified Ford beats up Zarniwoop and steals two cards from him, a Dine-A-Charge which allows him to charge food to the company and an Ident-I-Eze card which has Zarniwoop's I.D. on it.

Ford enters The Guide's artificial universe and discovers Zaphod, near a shack, claiming that he has been on his own for a month. Zaphod claims that the Presidency and the Krikkitmen were a distraction. To make things worse, Zarniwoop is a Vogon that has undergone plastic surgery. When Zarniwoop tries to apprehend Ford, Ford and his robot companion Colin jump out of a 23rd story window.

Broadcast details

Date
Tuesday 7th June 2005
Time
6pm
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 16th July 2018 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 11th July 2020 6:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 12th July 2020 12:00am Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
Simon Jones Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern Ford Prefect
William Franklyn The Book
Mark Wing-Davey Zaphod Beeblebrox
Sandra Dickinson Trillian
Rula Lenska Voice of the Bird
Jonathan Pryce Zarniwoop
Guest cast
Andrew Secombe Colin the Robot
Lorelei King Stewardess
Saeed Jaffrey Old Man on the Pole
Miriam Margolyes Smelly Photocopier Woman
Roger Gregg Lift
Roger Gregg Accountancy Bird
Michael Fenton Stevens Accountancy Bird
Michael Fenton Stevens Grebulon Lieutenant
Danny Flint Accountancy Bird
Philip Pope Grebulon Underling
Writing team
Douglas Adams Writer
Production team
Dirk Maggs Producer

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