Old Harry’s Game

The Complete Series of the Award-Winning BBC Radio 4 Comedy

By: Andy Hamilton

Narrated by: Andy Hamilton, James Grout, Jimmy Mulville, Robert Duncan, David Swift, Timothy West, Annette Crosbie, full cast

All seven series of Andy Hamilton's fiendishly funny award-winning comedy set in Hell.

Welcome to Hell—where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire.

Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel...

Over the course of the series, we meet various famous figures now languishing in Hell, including a foul-mouthed Jane Austen, a mindless Helen of Troy and a less-than-heroic Samson. Satan takes Hell resident Thomas on a tour of his life, his assistant Scumspawn has trouble with a pushy computer, and love drives The Professor to extreme action. Satan and The Professor find a huge, empty space in Hell (when they enter Scumspawn's brain), a Health and Safety officer notes that the lighting is inadequate, and Satan punishes a feng shui expert. And then Edith arrives...

Seven series of the Sony Award-winning comedy (plus the Christmas and Olympic specials) starring Andy Hamilton as Satan and a regular cast of acclaimed actors including Annette Crosbie as Edith, Timothy West as God, James Grout as The Professor, Jimmy Mulville as Thomas and Robert Duncan as Scumspawn.

Production credits

Written by Andy Hamilton

Produced by Paul Mayhew-Archer

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 November-28 December 1995 (Series 1), 7 April-12 May 1998 (Series 2), 24 March-28 April 1999 (Series 3), 29 March-3 May 2001 (Series 4), 31 December 2002-1 January 2003 (2002 Christmas Special), 20 September-11 October 2005 (Series 5), 27 September-1 November 2007 (Series 6), 19 February-26 March 2009 (Series 7), 23 December-30 December 2010 (2010 Christmas Special), 12 July-19 July 2012 (Olympic Special).

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Critic reviews

"Satirical, philosophical—and devilishly funny." (Gillian Reynolds, Daily Telegraph)

london at its best

Its blend of witty wordplay, sharp satire, and irreverent humor continues to delight audiences worldwide.

Brilliant in every way

The actors all deliver the cunning scripts, breathing this title to life. It's one of my repeat - yes Agatha and Sir Conan Doyle, I only paid once-- listens for the wit and performances and inspired me to seek more by Andy Hamilton and all the actors. I still laugh out loud. Brilliant!

Loved it

Sarcastic, caustic, naughty, intelligent, inappropriate, spectacular! I haven't laughed so much in years! Absolutely brilliant. ❤️❤️

BBC’s comedy take on Hell

I enjoyed this show when it first aired and have enjoyed listening to repeats ever since. This complete collection had four episodes I’d never heard which was a delightful surprise.