BBC Radio 4 has announced a raft of comedy commissions, including Greatest Living Writer, a new audio comedy from Richard Curtis. The series centres on John Westlake (Bill Nighy), a literary titan whose towering genius has earned him global reverence, lifelong indulgence, and absolutely no useful social skills. As those around him absorb the blast radius of his genius, the series plays with creativity, legacy, literary celebrity, family, and the uncomfortable truth that being good at writing does not necessarily make you good at being a pleasant person.
Joining Bill Nighy in the cast are Nicola Walker, Nick Mohammed, Meera Syal, Jim Broadbent and Madelyn Smedley, with an exciting line-up of celebrity cameos still to be announced.
Starting on Radio 4 on Boxing Day at 11pm, and available as a boxset on BBC Sounds on 14th December, the ten-part series is a Goldhawk Production, produced by Emma Hearn, John Scott Dryden and Alex Hollands and script edited by Emma Freud.
Emma Freud says: 'This is Richard’s first sitcom since Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and Mr Bean. Of all his writing, this is the closest he’s written to his life, his world, his home and his experiences. It’s been a joy to see the scripts flowing out of him - I’ve never seen him write so fast or enjoy the process as much. He isn’t the brute at the centre of this comedy - but that brute is, I think, how he would secretly like to behave if he could. Which he can’t.'
Julia McKenzie, Comedy and Entertainment Commissioner, BBC Radio 4, says: ‘What a thrill it is to be able to commission a brand-new sitcom from the iconic Richard Curtis! Radio 4 is beyond excited to bring the audience such a funny, spicy, star-studded show. One of the best bits of my job is getting a sneak preview of the fantastic scripts and those, plus the extraordinary cast and production team, make me certain this will be eagerly binged the minute the box set lands this December.’
John Scott Dryden, Director of Goldhawk, a Platform Media Label, says, 'Richard has created a world that is gloriously absurd, painfully recognisable and full of heart. It’s an extraordinary line-up and a rare privilege to bring together comedy talent of this calibre. We can’t wait for listeners to hear John Westlake and his magnificently complicated family come to life.'
Click here for news of more new and returning BBC Radio 4 comedy projects featuring Bella Hull, Vittorio Angelone, Desiree Burch, Grace Campbell, Miles Jupp, John Tothill, Scott Bennett and others.
Richard Curtis picture by Rich Hardcastle
