#radio sitcom

A Heavenly Happy Birthday to Bebe Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971)

okay, so, seeing as my podcast rec list got… surprisingly popular, i realised there was something i left off.

cabin pressure

i didn’t include it because if we’re being honest it isn’t a podcast, it’s a radio 4 sitcom so i just didn’t think to put it in the list.

but really, everyone, it is so. good.

like i said, it’s a comedy, but not without substance. there’s character development, heartwarming scenes, progressive plotting… it’s really a stunningly good programme, and of course, exceedingly funny.

it’s about the team running the charter airline airdot MJN air.

there’s the owner, carolyn knapp-shappey, who is a fierce, funny and very competent. she brings her wayward pilots in line.

there is captain martin crieff, the only pilot in the world to have failed to get his licence six. times

there is first officer douglas richardson, an older officer fired from air england for having sticky fingers. he’s very competent, but also has an exceedingly fey attitude to life. games and antics surround our dougie.

finally, there is arthur shappey, carolyn’s son and air steward of the plane. he is a human embodiment of sunshine. really one of my favourite characters in anything.

to round this off, the series has probably the most satisfying end in any piece of media i’ve ever enjoyed. it’s often that a series leaves you wanting more, because why wouldn’t you? it’s brilliant! but rarer that in your heart you know that the end was so perfect that to continue would spoil that. i really, really loved it.

Here is a link to the first episode of the second series of “The Will Hay Programme- The Diary of a Schoolmaster”. It might be the only remaining episode in the BBC radio archive. Sad really, as it’s a charming sitcom that features the forgotten Will Hay in his quintessential role as a befuddled & corruptible headmaster of the fourth form. There is one other circulating episode of this radio Britcom that I know of. It’s the first episode of the first series.    

The legendary comic film actor Will Hay stars as jocular headmaster Dr. Muffin who shares digs with Mrs Potts.With Charles Hawtrey, Clarence Wright, Beryl Riggs, Dick Francis, Billy Nicholls and John Clark.Music from the Dance Orchestra conducted and incidental music composed by Stanley Black.

Scripted by Will Hay, Max Kester and Alick Hayes.Producer: Alick Hayes