Tell It To Steve - They Did Comedy First
Archive chats with Meera Syal, Paul Whitehouse, Bob Mortimer, Joan Rivers and Eric Idle, plus a newly recorded catch-up with Eddie Izzard to accompany interviews from 1991/95.
Featuring interviews from across more than 30 years, with guests who first came to our attention by making us laugh. All of them went on to work in other fields including writing, theatre, directing, podcasting, and in one case… selling their products on a famous shopping channel.
In order of appearance:
Eddie Izzard (October 1991, Radio 1) – the first of many meetings between Eddie and Steve. Eddie had been nominated for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe that summer and had also appeared at the Terence Higgins Trust fundraiser Hysteria 3, but was largely avoiding any TV or radio appearances, so fans may have been surprised by this appearance on Steve Wright In The Afternoon on Radio 1.
Eddie Izzard (July 1995, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One) – appearing on the Steve Wright People Show, around some acting roles and ahead of a 10 week run in London of her Definite Article show.
Paul Whitehouse & Bob Mortimer (August 2019, Radio 2) – promoting the 2nd series of their Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two series Gone Fishing. Although we know them best for working with other comedians, this interview references Knock Down Ginger – a comedic quiz on the 1989 chatshow One Hour With Jonathan Ross which they both appeared on.
Away from comedy and fishing, Paul co-wrote and starred in Only Fools And Horses: The Musical and had roles in the Armando Ianucci films The Death Of Stalin and The Personal History of David Copperfield. Bob’s other work includes the bestselling novel The Satsuma Complex and the Athletico Mince podcast.
Joan Rivers (June 2002, Radio 2) – a comedy legend and a favourite guest over the years. Acerbic yet sweet, and always working. Part of this interview is a reminder of her success outside of comedy, when she talks about her perfume and the amount of jewellery she can expect to sell on one of her regular QVC appearances.
Joan also talks about who inspired her, early on in her career.
Eric Idle (May 1990, Radio 1) – Steve’s first interview with Eric, ahead of the UK release of the film Nuns On The Run, which Eric starred in alongside Robbie Coltrane. Nudge, nudge… Monty Python of course gets a mention as well.
Eric Idle (April 1993, Radio 1) – further Monty Python chat and also a mention of the theme song to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One sitcom One Foot In The Grave which Eric wrote and performed.
In the 21st Century, Eric would go on to create and co-write the hugely successful musical Spamalot and direct the Monty Python live show One Down, Five To Go.
Meera Syal (summer 2000, Radio 2) – the 3rd series of Goodness Gracious Me had just been on TV, and Meera discusses where the idea for it came from, it’s origin on Radio 4 and how long it might continue.
There’s also chat about Bollywood movies, and her other upcoming projects which include the musical Bombay Dreams, and a TV adaptation of Meera’s acclaimed novel Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee.
Eddie Izzard (March 2023, Radio 2) – a newly recorded interview with Eddie talking about a new stage adaptation of the classic Dickens’ story Great Expectations. It debuted in New York at the start of 2023, with Eddie playing all 19 characters, and will have a 6 week run in London in the summer of 2023.
As well as discussing how she plays all the characters in Great Expectations and what the next classic that’s been worked on is, Eddie also chats about performing in different languages, the origins of her digressive storytelling style and the truth about not wanting to be on TV or radio back in the early 1990s.
