Down the Line (radio series)

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This article is about the radio show. For other uses, see Down the Line.

Down the Line is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises populist radio phone-in shows. The show is a spoof following the tradition of the like of BBC Radio 4's Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge (a spoof chat show with fictional guests). Down The Line is hosted by "Gary Bellamy" (Rhys Thomas).

Down The Line was first broadcast in May 2006, and led to many complaints from listeners who apparently failed to spot it was a spoof, generating excellent publicity for the programme.

It has been revealed that the team is a fairly long list of familiar comedy voices and writers (Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson et al).

Regular 'callers' include:

Christopher Nibbs from Pevensey Bay; a jokey character who refers to himself as 'Nibbsy' or 'The Nibbster'.
Khalid, who only repeats topics of the show followed by the phrase 'what is point?' and responds to any subsequent remarks by Gary with the same question.
The 'pearly king', a cheery cockney who talks about the 'pearly way'.
Humphrey Milner; an elderly gent who uses endless examples to illustrate his point.
Graham Downs, who has a sinus problem.

Recording for the third series commenced on Monday 12th November 2007 and began broadcasting on January 10th 2008.

Speaking on Jonathan Ross's Radio 2 show on 8 September, 2007 Higson said that the team were working on a television adaptation of the show.

1 Series 1
2 Series 2
3 Series 3
4 One Off Editions
5 External links

[edit] Series 1

Episode 1 (2 May 2006) - Freedom of speech
Episode 2 (9 May 2006) - Religion and the decline in Anglican congregations
Episode 3 (16 May 2006) - Animals at war
Episode 4 (23 May 2006) - Crime
Episode 5 (30 May 2006) - Healthy eating
Episode 6 (6 June 2006) - Equality and why men won't go to the doctors

[edit] Series 2

A second series started on 16 January, 2007 for another 6-week run until the 20 February, 2007. "Guests" this series include characters played by: Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Lucy Montgomery, Amelia Bullmore, Matt Lucas, Felix Dexter, Mark Gatiss, Catherine Tate, Arabella Weir, Robert Popper, Louis Vause, Peter Rutherford, Simon Godley, Phoebe Higson, Sam Ward, Dave Cummings, and Fiona Whitehouse.

Episode 1 - War/Chocolate
Episode 2 - Bullying/Property Sales
Episode 3 - Immigration/Love
Episode 4 - Plastic Surgery/Natural Disasters
Episode 5 - Global Warming
Episode 6 - Education/Ghosts

[edit] Series 3

Series 3 of Down The Line started its run on Thursday, 10th January 2008, according to trailers broadcast in the preceding weeks. One trail referred to the show as "DTL", spoofing BBC radio's tendency to call long-running programmes by their acronyms (as in 'FOOC' - From Our Own Correspondent, "TWAO" - The World At One, etc.). "Guests" this series will include characters played by: Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Lucy Montgomery, Amelia Bullmore, Simon Day and Felix Dexter.

Episode 1 (10 January 2008) - Liberal Agenda of Media / What shall we call a new planet?
Episode 2 (17 January 2008) - String Theory / Popular Science Fiction
Episode 3 (24 January 2008) - Communications / Technology
Episode 4 (31 January 2008) - The Elderly / Consumer Rights / The Countryside
Episode 5 (7 February 2008) - Olympics / Can we Trust the Media?
Episode 6 (14 February 2008) - Bad Manners / Modern Liberal Parenting