Polyoaks - Radio 4 Sitcom - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Phil Hammond

Genre

Sitcom

Broadcast

2011 - 2017

Channel

BBC Radio 4

Episodes

26 (5 series)

Stars

Nigel Planer, Simon Greenall, David Westhead, Polly Frame, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Phil Cornwell, Jane Whittenshaw, Celia Imrie and more

Writers

Phil Hammond and David Spicer

Director

Frank Stirling

Producers

Frank Stirling and David Spicer

Companies

Satire on the NHS, set in the bewildering new world of Coalition healthcare. The show is set around a clinic always at odds with itself over diagnoses, funding, clinical commissioning groups, and the ever more dubious commercial activities of their associate.

The Polyoaks surgery is plagued by strikes, endless new management initiatives, staff shortages, militant patients, 'eight day weeks', privatisation - and all these things are entirely their fault, apparently.

The dysfunctional Bristol surgery - which is run by warring doctors, brothers Roy and Hugh Thornton - alternates between embracing and collapsing under reforms. The brothers also has to deal with the ever more dubious commercial activities of their associate - TV's Dr. Jeremy - who is juggling Dictionary Corner, a series of malpractice suits and forgotten alimony payments.

Additional details

Production

Studio

Broadcast details

First broadcast

Friday 3rd June 2011 at 11:30am on BBC Radio 4

Most recent repeats

View all 66 repeats