Mark Steel

Sony Award-winning satirist and stand-up comedian Mark Steel takes us through the life stories of some of his favourite historical characters in this acclaimed radio series, which ran for three series on BBC Radio 4 before transferring to TV in 2003. From Oliver Cromwell to Ludvig van Beethoven, Mark's chosen personalities are all passionate, driven - and more than a little eccentric...

Among the inspirational people he profiles are W. G. Grace, one of cricket's greatest players and the first modern celebrity; Mary Shelley, a radical's daughter who married a poet and invented science fiction; Che Guevara, who became a left-wing hero despite chronic asthma; and Aristotle, who deserves to be remembered for much more than a line in a Monty Python song.

Mark Steel turns his analytical mind to the theme of revolutions in these six entertaining lectures, examining some of the major historical forces at work and holding up a mirror to our own age.

In these entertaining lectures, he reinterprets the French Revolution, examining everything from the storming of the Bastille to the guillotine; looks at the politics of the sexual revolution (taking in the pill, the women's movement and the Stonewall riots); and assesses the motivating factors and key players in the Russian Revolution - including the Romanovs, Rasputin and the Red Guard.

Mark Steel uses his unique logic to propose subversive solutions to society's problems.

What if the Royal Family was chosen by weekly lottery?
Why should giving to charity be illegal?
Could government economic policy be decided by sport?

Award-winning writer and comedian Mark Steel aims to put the world to rights in these 15 episodes, as he comes up with radical proposals to improve our lives and sort out our social ills.

Series 11 takes him to the former mining town of Blyth, Northumberland, where he finds a fascinating industrial legacy, a posh pub, and a very nice beach; Walthamstow, where he's joined by local MP Stella Creasey for a discussion about the controversial 'mini-Holland' cycling scheme; and Whitby; where he dodges the seagulls to present his findings on the Dracula origin story, chip shops and the resort's whaling history. In Series 12, Mark tours the contrarian city of Nottingham to learn about local legends Robin Hood and Frank the xylophone player; and travels to Tring's Natural History Museum to take in the exhibit of fleas dressed as Mexicans. He also sets out to the Isles of Scilly, Salisbury and Newport, and pops over to Paris, where he performs two versions of his show: one in English and one in French... With just the right blend of affection and rudeness, he celebrates the curious stories, quirky characters and regional eccentricities that make these areas unique. Whether you're a local or an out-of-towner, his hilarious observations will have you roaring with laughter.

The complete ninth and tenth series of Mark Steel's comedy travelogue. In these two series of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 show, comedian Mark Steel is on the road again, visiting places that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. Along the way, he delves into the history, heritage and culture of each town, before going on to write and perform a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. His first stop is Hastings, where he finds that a lot's happened since 1066 - including an annual Pirates' Day. Other destinations on his road trip include King's Lynn (where he's thrilled to find a traffic island full of rabbits), Carlisle (notable for its cursing stone and pervasive smell of biscuits) and Aberystwyth (the 'Athens of Wales' and home to the Holy Grail).

Plus, he ventures into the Forest of Dean - but manages to make it out alive, and heads across the Med to Malta, where he samples some pastizzi and gets caught up in a parade. He also performs two COVID-friendly outdoor shows, on Brighton Beach and from a tree stump in The Dell Gardens, Stratford-upon-Avon, and finishes with a special online episode, in which he talks to a virtual audience about the many places he's visited over the course of 10 series of Mark Steel's In Town. Winner of numerous accolades including the 2010 Silver and 2012 Gold Awards for Best Comedy at the Sony Radio Academy Awards and the 2018 BBC Radio Awards Best Comedy Show, this quirky, engaging series is - in the words of the Sony judges - 'stand-up comedy at its very best'.