Nurse. Herbert (Paul Whitehouse). Copyright: Down The Line Productions
Nurse

Nurse

  • Radio sitcom / sketch show
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2014 - 2018
  • 18 episodes (3 series)

Comedy series about a community psychiatric nurse on her rounds. Co-written by and starring Paul Whitehouse. Also features Esther Coles, Rosie Cavaliero, Cecilia Noble, Vilma Hollingbery, Marcia Warren and Simon Day

Key details

Genres
Sitcom, Sketch Show
Broadcast
2014 - 2018
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Episodes
18 (3 series)
Stars
Esther Coles, Paul Whitehouse, Rosie Cavaliero, Cecilia Noble, Vilma Hollingbery, Marcia Warren and Simon Day
Writers
Paul Whitehouse, David Cummings and Esther Coles
Producers
Paul Whitehouse, Tilusha Ghelani and David Cummings
Company

Radio comedy which follows a Community Psychiatric Nurse into the homes of her patients.

The series follows Elizabeth, a Community Psychiatric Nurse in her forties, into the homes of her patients (or Service Users in today's jargon). It recounts their humorous, sad and often bewildering daily interactions with the nurse, whose job is to assess their progress, dispense their medication and offer comfort and support.

Compassionate and caring, Elizabeth is aware that she cannot cure her patients, only help them manage their various conditions. She visits the following characters throughout the series:

Lorrie and Maurice: Lorrie, in her fifties, is of Caribbean descent and has schizophrenia. Lorrie's life is made tolerable by her unshakeable faith in Jesus, and Maurice, who has a crush on her and wants to do all he can to help. So much so that he ends up getting on everyone's nerves.

Billy: Billy feels safer in jail than outside, a state of affairs the nurse is trying to rectify. She is hampered by the ubiquitous presence of Billy's mate, Tony.

Graham: Graham, in his forties, is morbidly obese due to an eating disorder. Matters aren't helped by his mum 'treating' him to sugary and fatty snacks at all times.

Ray: Ray is bipolar and a rock and roll survivor from the Sixties. It is not clear how much of his 'fame' is simply a product of his imagination.

Phyllis: Phyllis, in her seventies, has Alzheimer's. She is sweet, charming and exasperating. Her son Gary does his best but if he has to hear 'I danced for the Queen Mum once' one more time he will explode.

Herbert: Herbert is an old school gentleman in his late Seventies. Herbert corresponds with many great literary figures unconcerned that they are, for the most part, dead.

Additional details

Production
Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Wednesday 19th February 2014 at 11:15pm on BBC Radio 4
Most recent repeats