The News Quiz Classic Collection

12 Original Episodes from the Topical Radio 4 Comedy Panel Show

By: BBC Radio Comedy

Narrated by: Barry Norman, Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, John Sergeant, Sheridan Morley, Various

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Twelve rare archive editions of the humorous radio quiz show that gives a poke in the eye to the people and stories that make the news.

For over forty years The News Quiz has graced the Radio 4 airwaves with an irreverent sideways look at the headlines. Having first appeared in 1977, it boasts a tantalising archive of episodes to remind us of the news from yesteryear, refracted through the satirical gaze of regular panellists including Alan Coren, Andy Hamilton, Mark Steel, Francis Wheen and Jeremy Hardy. Among the many guest panellists featured here are Boris Johnson, Nigella Lawson, Jo Brand, Eddie Mair, John Sergeant, Linda Smith and Roy Hattersley. 

Sit back and enjoy these twelve vintage episodes, previously unpublished in their entirety. Barry Norman, Sheridan Morley, Barry Took, John Sergeant, Simon Hoggart and Sandi Toksvig take turns in the chair as a parade of Prime Ministers, party leaders, US presidents and other newsworthy mortals passes by.

The episodes included in this collection are:

01/04/1977 with Barry Normal as the Chairman and Richard Ingrams, Nigel Dempster, Russell Davies and Alan Coren as the players.
16/08/1980 with Sheridan Morley as the Chairman and Simon Hoggart, Clement Freud, Bel Mooney and Alan Coren as the players.
06/05/1995 with Barry Normal as the Chairman and Francis Wheen, Bill Deedes, Alan Coren and Gillian Reynolds as the players.
20/04/1996 with Barry Normal as the Chairman and Francis Wheen, Roy Hattersley, Alan Coren and Andy Hamilton as the players.
09/04/1999 with John Sergeant as the Chairman and Boris Johnson, Tony Hawks, Francis Wheen, and Alan Coren as the players.
01/10/1999 with Simon Hoggart as the Chairman and Andy Hamilton, Francis Wheen, John O’Donnell and Mark Steel as the players.
29/10/1999 with Simon Hoggart as the Chairman and Nigella Lawson, Jeremy Hardy, Alan Coren and Andy Hamilton as the players.
19/10/2001 with Simon Hoggart as the Chairman and Jeremy Hardy, Jo Brand, Alan Coren and John Sergeant as the players.
18/07/2003 with Simon Hoggart as the Chairman and Linda Smith, Francis Wheen, Jeremy Hardy and Eddie Mair as the players.
29/10/2004 with Simon Hoggart as the Chairman and Richard Ingrams, Francis Wheen, Alan Coren and Sandi Toksvig as the players.
20/02/2009 with Sandi Toksvig as the Chairman and Jeremy Hardy, Fred MacAulay, Shappi Khorsandi and Mark Steel as the players.
10/05/2013 with Sandi Toksvig as the Chairman and Francis Wheen, Jeremy Hardy, Bridget Christie and Bob Mills as the players.

©2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

This is all very good but . . .

Yes, it’s quite fun but . . . I love the News Quiz and have been listening on podcast for years, since about halfway through Sandi’s run. It’s nice to be reminded of: not only the important events of the day but; what people’s attitudes to them were.

So, BBC Audio: give us complete series! I’ve got series 75, 78 & 79, but not 76 & 77! This mix and match, ‘random’ selection (large portions of which I’ve already heard in my other News Quiz audiobooks on Audible) is OK, but I’d like complete, sequential, series’ dealing with the ‘79 election, live aid, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Maastricht treaty etc etc etc

There’s 99 series of News Quiz—at £8 per month that’s £792 that I (and perhaps some others) would be happy to spend

And, y’know, the same kind-of applies to Have I got News For You as well (on iTunes, presumably)

BBC News Quiz

Political satire at its best. I particularly enjoy the episodes hosted by Sandi Toksvig with fantastic rants about the hypocrisy of our political leaders.

Makes me laugh every time

We all miss Jeremy Hardy, but he lives on in these recordings. Very funny. Recommended.

wonderful collection

this collection covers full episodes over many years of one of bbc radios' funniest shows. made me laugh out loud many times