Dead Ringers

The first seven series of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 impressions show - plus three sparkling Specials.

Wickedly funny and bitingly satirical, Dead Ringers has been lampooning politicans, celebrities and media pundits for over 20 years. In these seven series, first broadcast between 2000 and 2002, the team give us their peerless impressions of the personalities we love to laugh at: from Tony Blair and George W. Bush to Brian Sewell, Posh n' Becks and Kirsty Wark.

In their surreal alternate universe, Jack Nicholson joins the cast of Last of the Summer Wine, Alan Bennett and Thora Hird reveal their dark sides over a pot of Earl Grey, and a desperate Doctor calls directory enquiries in search of his arch-enemy, The Master. Plus, Hamlet receives the classic sitcom treatment, Anne Robinson puts her family through its paces to find The Weakest Child - and there's horror at the Simon Bates Hotel...

Also included are The Archers Special, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the much-loved soap opera; the 2001 Election Special; and the 2002 Golden Jubilee Special, in which the impressionists take a right royal look back over 50 years of British cultural life.

NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive.

Cast and credits

Starring Alistair McGowan, John Culshaw, Kate Robbins, Simon Lipson, Jan Ravens, Kevin Connelly, Phil Cornwell, Mark Perry and Lewis MacLeod, with Matthew Cox and Stefano Paolini

Created by Bill Dare

Produced by Bill Dare, Mario Stylianides and Danny Wallace

Associate producer: Adam Bromley

Music composed by John Whitehall

Written by Nev Fountain, Tom Jamieson and Laurence Howarth with: Richard Ayoade, Ivor Baddiel, Mike Barfield, DA Barham, Colin Birch, Simon Blackwell, Ashley Blaker, Magic Bob, Ashley Boroda, James Cary, Steve Cochrane, Dave Cohen, Ali Crockatt, Ed Dyson, Paul Ebbs, Gez Foster, Terry Franks, Marcus Harvard, Mike Haskins, Mark Haynes, Jon Holmes, Matthew Holness, Andy Hurst, Robin Ince, George Jeffrie, Richard Lewis, Simon Littlefield, Trevor Lloyd, Ewan Marshall, Paul McKenzie, Oriane Messina, Henry Naylor, Ged Parsons, Steve Parry, George Poles, Steve Punt, Shaun Pye, Dan Robins, Stuart Robinson, Tony Roche, Fay Rusling, Rupert Russell, Arnie Sidebottom, Martin Smith, Dan Tetsell, Toby Thunder, Alison Todd, Bert Tyler-Moore, Richard Webb, Mike Weedy

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7-28 January 2000 (Series 1), 16 June-4 August 2000 (Series 2), 17 November-15 December 2000 (Series 3), 25 December 2000 (The Archers Special), 6-27 April 2001 (Series 4), 6 June 2001 (Election Special), 24 August-7 September 2001 (Series 5), 7 December 2001-11 January 2002 (Series 6), 19 April-10 May 2002 (Series 7), 4 June 2002 (Golden Jubilee Special)