The Cold Swedish Winter. Image shows from L to R: Linda (Sissela Benn), Geoff (Adam Riches). Copyright: Unique Productions
The Cold Swedish Winter

The Cold Swedish Winter

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2014 - 2021
  • 20 episodes (5 series)

Radio 4 sitcom about a stand-up comedian from London who is living in Sweden. Written by Danny Robins and starring Adam Riches. Also features Sissela Benn, Thomas Oredsson, Anna-Lena Bergelin, Fredrik Andersson and Farshad Kholghi

The Cold Swedish Winter. Image shows from L to R: Linda (Sissela Benn), Geoff (Adam Riches). Copyright: Unique Productions

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
2014 - 2021
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Episodes
20 (5 series)
Stars
Adam Riches, Sissela Benn, Thomas Oredsson, Anna-Lena Bergelin, Danny Robins, Fredrik Andersson and Farshad Kholghi
Writer
Danny Robins
Director
Frank Stirling
Producer
Frank Stirling
Company

This series, set and recorded in Sweden, stars Adam Riches and some of Sweden's most popular TV comedy actors.

In Series 1, Geoff moves to the tiny, cold and unpronounceable village of Yxsjö in northern Sweden; a culture shock forced on him by his Swedish girlfriend Linda's decision to move home to raise their child.

Geoff has to contend with snow, moose, pickled herring, unemployment, snow, Maypole dancing, snowmobiles, snow, meatball rolling, saunas, social democracy, snow, the weirdest pizzas in Europe, bears, deep forests, death metal, illegal alcohol and... snow. Above all, he has a new family to contend with, the Andersson's bewilder him - from father Sten who has a worrying tendency to growl like a bear and threaten him with any blunt instrument to hand to Gunilla who threatens him with naked folk-dancing.

It's worth it all for Linda, of course, apart from her new found urge to conform with everything, except for her brother, a Goth with a propensity to set fire to things.

In Series 2, new dad Geoff has plenty of fresh experiences to contend with, including three varieties of pickled cabbage, sinister Christmas elves and an unpleasant visit from Sweden's answer to the BNP.

While Geoff and Linda now have their own place, he still has to deal with her disapproving Dad, Sten, her alarmingly flirtatious mother Gunilla and her apparently suicidal, arsonist brother, Anders.

Geoff is determined to be more Swedish than the Swedes as he takes to his new country with renewed enthusiasm, and he has help, in the form of fellow ex-pat, cynical Ian, an unending source of (slightly misleading) information, and Soran, a Danish Kurd with Swedophobia.

Series 4 features Pippi Longstocking, the notorious NWA (Norwegian Woodwind Assembly), Anders getting a girlfriend and Geoff becomes the face of Yxsjö's tourist board...

Additional details

Production
Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 11th August 2014 at 11:30am on BBC Radio 4
Most recent repeats