The Shuttleworths
The Shuttleworths is a comedy show that so far has aired for five series and numerous specials on BBC Radio 4. It features "versatile singer/songwriter from Sheffield, South Yorkshire" John Shuttleworth, his wife Mary, neighbour Ken Worthington, their two teenage children Darren and Karen, and a host of other minor characters. All parts are voiced by comedian Graham Fellows.
Each fifteen minute episode is based around John's musings on the minutae of everyday life, and interspersed with his own bizarre bouncy keyboard ditties on such varied matters as Austin Ambassadors, garden centres and toast, all performed (usually badly) on his Yamaha Portasound electronic keyboard.
Radio Shuttleworth
From 1998, John's attempt to set up a local radio station "serving the Sheffield region - and a little bit further even" was broadcast as two series of Radio Shuttleworth. The programmes followed a similar format to The Shuttleworths, but their new length of thirty minutes allowed guest slots (Impress an Impresario, Make Mary Merry, Annoy a prospective employer) and opportunities to interview celebrities on the show. The show was a Radio 4 continuation of the 1994 Radio 1 series Shuttleworth's Showtime, and some guests and segments (including Make Mary Merry) had previously appeared on the Radio 1 incarnation.
John Shuttleworth's Open Mind
In John Shuttleworth's Open Mind, John attempted to investigate five unsolved phenomena that fascinate the nation. Each programme was thirty minutes long. This was effectively a third series of Radio Shuttleworth.
Episode lists
The Shuttleworths
| Series |
Episode |
Title |
First broadcast |
| 1 |
1 |
Cotton Buddies |
11 October 1993 |
| 2 |
Mini-Break in Giggleswick |
12 October 1993 |
| 3 |
How... |
13 October 1993 |
| 4 |
The Pillock Of The Community |
14 October 1993 |
| 5 |
One Foot In The Gravy |
26 March 1994 |
| 6 |
John Goes to London |
2 April 1994 |
| Special |
1 |
Xmas Eve With The Shuttleworths |
20 December 1993 |
| Special |
2 |
New Year With The Shuttleworths |
31 December 1993 |
| Special |
3 |
Europigeon |
28 April 1994 |
| 2 |
1 |
Wireless Wanderings (1) |
28 June 1995 |
| 2 |
Wireless Wanderings (2) |
5 July 1995 |
| 3 |
The Birthday Bench |
12 July 1995 |
| 4 |
John Dries Up |
19 July 1995 |
| 5 |
Shuttleworth Diplomacy |
26 July 1995 |
| Special |
4 |
John Shuttleworth's Open House #1 |
26 September 1996 |
| Special |
5 |
A Christmas Carol |
25 December 1996 |
| 3 |
1 |
Chic Ken |
8 October 1997 |
| 2 |
Ping Pong Pangs |
15 October 1997 |
| 3 |
Radio Shuttleworth |
22 October 1997 |
| 4 |
Caravan Capers |
29 October 1997 |
| 5 |
John Le Shuttle |
5 November 1997 |
| 6 |
Midsummer Madras |
12 November 1997 |
| Special |
6 |
John Shuttleworth's Open House #2 |
31 December 1997 |
| Special |
7 |
The Leg End of Robin Hood |
26 December 2000 |
| Special |
8 |
Plonker's Baby |
24 December 2002 |
| 4 |
1 |
Cough in the Loft |
13 February 2003 |
| 2 |
Chrome Alone |
20 February 2003 |
| 3 |
A Moving Story |
27 February 2003 |
| 4 |
Scare in the Community |
6 March 2003 |
| 5 |
Every Cloud Has a Silver Wedding |
13 March 2003 |
| 6 |
Hello, Hello, Hello |
20 March 2003 |
| 5 |
1 |
Tale of a Toaster |
12 May 2010 |
| 2 |
Smells Like White Spirit |
19 May 2010 |
| 3 |
A Gig With Billy Joel |
26 May 2010 |
| 4 |
How's Your Nan |
2 June 2010 |
| 5 |
Picnic at Toadmouth Rock |
9 June 2010 |
| 6 |
Wishee Washee Day |
16 June 2010 (originally scheduled for 2 June but postponed due to Cumbria shootings) |
Radio Shuttleworth
| Series |
Episode |
Special guests |
First broadcast |
| 1 |
1 |
Leo Sayer, John Hegley |
3 November 1998 |
| 2 |
Wendy Craig, Lorraine Bowen, The League Against Tedium |
10 November 1998 |
| 3 |
Patrick Moore, Seán Cullen, Jenny Eclair |
17 November 1998 |
| 4 |
Vanessa Feltz, Boothby Graffoe |
24 November 1998 |
| 5 |
John Kettley, John Moloney, Sean Lock |
1 December 1998 |
| 2 |
1 |
Barbara Dickson, Bill Bailey, Hattie Hayridge |
24 February 2000 |
| 2 |
Richard Whiteley, John Otway, Jo Enright |
2 March 2000 |
| 3 |
Tony Hart, Lorraine Bowen, Stephen Frost |
9 March 2000 |
| 4 |
Peter Purves, Phil Nichol, Milton Jones |
16 March 2000 |
| 5 |
Katrina Leskanich, Robert Wyatt |
23 March 2000 |
| 6 |
Matthew Kelly, Mitch Benn, Kevin Gildea |
30 March 2000 |
John Shuttleworth's Open Mind
External links