meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Comedy of the Week

Ed Reardon's Week

Comedy of the Week

BBC

Comedy

42.8K Ratings

🗓️ 31 July 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Author of several plays, television dramas, works of non-fiction, letters to the BBC about the pitiful decline in standards of literature and grammar, and master of the abusive email – Ed Reardon is back. Ed is still living in his superb, stylish capsule urban living unit (i.e., small office conversion), and conducting his part-time relationship with Maggie. However, the means to finance a decent living as always eludes him. His agent, Ping, is not forthcoming with any major offers of work but his nemesis and best friend, Jaz, is keen for Ed to ghost-write his new memoir, ‘I, Jaz’. Ed would rather focus on trying to secure a spot on local radio and is busy ‘self-taping’ his audition piece berating the art of ‘Storytelling’, which proves a little difficult as his daughter, Eli, has decided she is going to pursue a new career as a ‘Storyteller’ and asks Ed to support her. And with Pearl having gone to join the silver workforce as a store detective, Ed has a new student in his University of the 3rd Age writing class which allows him the opportunity to introduce a superior command of the narrative art to a new audience in the form of his classic ‘Tenko’ episode. The series is dedicated to Andrew Nickolds, who sadly passed away mid-way through writing the series. The regular cast this series are joined by Ellen Thomas and Sally Grace along with guests Robert Powell, Helen Monks, Rachel Atkins and Joe Thomas. Ed Reardon - Christopher Douglas Ping - Barunka O’Shaughnessy Jaz Milvain - Philip Jackson Eli - Lisa Coleman Stan - Geoffrey Whitehead Olive - Sally Grace Winnie - Ellen Thomas Written by Andrew Nickolds and Christopher Douglas Produced by Dawn Ellis Production Co-ordinator Katie Baum Sound Jon Calver

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.

0:06.8

Ed Riddens' Week by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nichols.

0:11.9

Episode 1, The Storyteller.

0:18.0

But perhaps the most egregiously overrated feature

0:20.9

of the current literary landscape,

0:22.6

no less penacious than banter and beat boxing,

0:25.7

is storytelling.

0:27.4

Every book, festival, community centre

0:29.9

and low-budget art programme

0:32.0

now features a self-styled storyteller.

0:35.2

I have a story to tell,

0:37.1

they in tone in an otherworldly voice.

0:39.2

Well, with respect, I suggest you do not have a story to tell.

0:42.5

I suggest you have a characterful hat

0:44.8

and a self-satisfied expression

0:47.0

and an infantilised view of a world populated

0:49.7

by wealthy merchants and apothecaries and woodmen,

0:52.7

but what you absolutely do not have is a story.

0:55.8

And even in the unlikely event that you did have one,

0:58.2

I'll take a shrewd guess that you would have no idea

1:00.6

how to construct and deliver it.

1:02.3

Whereas, say, a properly scripted TV drama,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.