Peter Sellers
Being Here - The Peter Sellers Story

Being Here - The Peter Sellers Story

  • Radio documentary
  • BBC Radio 2
  • 2010
  • 1 episode

Thirty years after Peter Sellers's death, Alexander Armstrong profiles the life and times of the man who brought laughter to millions. Features Alexander Armstrong, Eric Sykes, Denis Norden, John Antrobus, Liz Fraser and more.

Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2010
Channel
BBC Radio 2
Episodes
1
Features
Alexander Armstrong, Eric Sykes, Denis Norden, John Antrobus, Liz Fraser, Simon Williams, Valerie Leon, Michael Parkinson and Peter Sellers
Producers
Phill Collinge and Andrew Edwards
Company

Thirty years after Peter Sellers's death, Alexander Armstrong profiles the life and times of the man who brought laughter to millions.

Armstrong explores how a one-time drummer and banjo player from Southsea become the toast of Hollywood and one of Britain's greatest comedy exports.

Sellers became famous for his vocal skills in The Goons as well as his chameleon-like ability to adopt many different personas. He was a Goon, Inspector Clouseau and Dr Strangelove - but there was much more to Sellers than these comic creations. This documentary considers the films, and also the other radio work, the chart success (with multi-selling comedy LPs), and Sellers's life off-stage.

Sellers features extensively in the programme, via the BBC's archives, while friends like Eric Sykes, Denis Norden and writer John Antrobus are on hand to make sense of this comedic genius. Actress Liz Fraser talks about his early film days while Simon Williams and Valerie Leon reflect on the latter ones. Sir Michael Parkinson also recalls his memorable interview with Sellers.

To those who knew him, Sellers could be difficult at times, but many of the friends he made stayed with him throughout his life. To those who grew up watching him on the big screen or listening to him on the radio, the name Peter Sellers meant only one thing - laughter.

Additional details

Part of

Radio 2's Comedy Season 2010

Production
Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 26th July 2010 at 10pm on BBC Radio 2
Episode length
1 hour
All previous repeats
  • Saturday 5th March 2011 at 10:00pm on Radio 2

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