Latest news with #BillDare
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC Audio Drama Award winners announced along with plans for new monthly 90-minute play on BBC Radio 4
The BBC has revealed the winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards, celebrating the exceptional talent and creativity in the field of audio drama and comedy, in a ceremony tonight (30th March) hosted by actor and comedian Miles Jupp at the iconic Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House. The BBC's Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, gave a speech emphasising the BBC's commitment to audio drama and announced plans to launch a monthly 90-minute play slot starting later in the spring on BBC Radio 4, which will focus on new dramas and original adaptations of classic stage plays. These will sit alongside the very best of the recent archive, allowing new and existing listeners the opportunity for a deep dive into this beloved genre. "For over 100 years, the BBC has been a pioneer in audio drama, and today we remain the largest commissioner of audio drama globally – and our commitment to new writing remains unparalleled. In the last year alone we've featured the work of 30 new writers and broadcast 118 new titles, ranging from single dramas to 10-part series," said Moore. "While we celebrate our rich heritage and legacy, we must also embrace the evolving digital audio landscape to ensure the continued success of audio drama and its home on BBC Sounds. We will persist in championing new writing and talent, providing opportunities for emerging voices as well as established names across our networks, to deliver the very best to our listeners. I'm thrilled that the new 90-minute play slot on Radio 4 will bring the power of longform audio drama to many millions more listeners.' The ceremony also included a posthumous Outstanding Contribution award for much-missed producer Bill Dare, given in recognition of his huge influence on comedy, and particularly his contribution to audio comedy on BBC Radio 4. Dare, who tragically passed away earlier this month following an accident overseas, leaves behind a legacy of award-winning satirical programmes for radio and TV, including Dead Ringers, which is set to mark its 25th anniversary on Radio 4 later this year, Spitting Image, and recent Radio 4 comedy The Island starring Stephen Mangan. Julia McKenzie, BBC Radio 4's Commissioner for Comedy, said, "Bill Dare's contribution to comedy is unparalleled. He brought joy to so many listeners and his unique talent is hugely missed. This award is a tribute to his legendary status and the immense impact he had on comedy, at BBC Radio 4 and beyond." Moore also presented an Outstanding Contribution award to the podcast drama Central Intelligence, written by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox for Goldhawk Productions. The drama was recognised for the sheer scale of its ambition and its success with digital listeners, with over 2.5 million plays. Kim Cattrall, who stars in the series as narrator Eloise Page, was present to celebrate the series' win. Central Intelligence has been a smash hit with listeners on BBC Sounds and is part of the Limelight series of podcast dramas, which showcases fresh approaches to serialized storytelling from the very best new and established writing, acting, and production talents, and consistently ranks in the top ten most-listened-to podcasts on BBC Sounds. It returns for a second series on 20th June. Also amongst the winners was BAFTA and Emmy-award winner Sean Bean, who received the Best Actor award for his role in Antigone by Jean Anouilh. Anouilh's powerful reworking of the classic Greek play, which was an instant success when first staged in Paris in 1944, showcased Bean's exceptional talent for audio acting. Cecilia Appiah won Best Actress for her portrayal of Carol in Oleanna, David Mamet's most controversial play. Oleanna is an incendiary exploration of gender, education, class, power, and perception, which divided audiences but captured the zeitgeist. Appiah's compelling performance was a hit with listeners and praised by the judges. Alison Hindell, Radio 4's Commissioner for Drama and Fiction, said, 'Tonight we celebrate the huge variety of audio drama as a genre – from gripping new podcasts to classic plays – and the people who work so hard to bring brilliant audio drama to the BBC's audiences. The future of audio drama looks bright, with listeners' interest in the genre continuing to grow, and the BBC is here to champion it all the way.' Full List of Winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards: • Best Original Single Drama: The Invitation by Katherine Chandler, produced by John Norton, for BBC Audio Wales & West. Special commendation for Nearly Light by Kit Withington, produced by Jelena Budimir at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4. • Best Original Series or Serial: Life Lines by Al Smith, produced by Sally Avens at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 4. • Best Adaptation: Tam O'Shanter by Robert Burns, adapted by Gary McNair, produced by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland. Special commendation for Love and Information by Caryl Churchill, produced by Mary Peate and Jessica Dromgoole at Hooley Productions for BBC Radio 4. • Best Actor: Sean Bean for his role in Antigone, directed by Pauline Harris at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 3. • Best Actress: Cecilia Appiah for her role in Oleanna, directed by Gary Brown for BBC Studios Audio Salford. Special commendations for Michelle Fairley in Hello, I Appear to Have Killed My Husband, directed by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland, and Kate O'Flynn in Spores, directed by Nicolas Jackson at Afonica for BBC Radio 3. • Best Comedy Performance: Rosie Cavaliero in The Train at Platform 4, produced by James Robinson at BBC Studios Audio for BBC Radio 4. • The Marc Beeby Award for Best Debut Performance: Mae Munuo in Tribe of Two, directed by Jesse Fox at Afonica for BBC Radio 4. • Best Sitcom or Comedy Drama: Rum Punch by Travis Jay, produced by Daisy Knight at Avalon for BBC Radio 4. • Best Stand Up or Sketch Comedy: Janey Godley: the C Bomb Series 2 by Janey Godley with Ashley Storrie, produced by Richard Melvin at Dabster Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Munya Chawawa's Election Doom Scroll by Munya Chawawa, Matthew Crosby, James Farmer, and Joe McArdle, produced by Jo Maney and Ben Wicks at Expectation TV for BBC Radio 4. • Best Use of Sound: Restless Dreams, sound by Eloise Whitmore, produced by Eloise Whitmore and Polly Thomas at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4. • Best Podcast Audio Drama: The Skies Are Watching, written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto at Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Central Intelligence by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn at Goldhawk Productions, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox, for BBC Radio 4. Central Intelligence also received an Outstanding Contribution Award. • Best European Drama: The Fall of Lapinville by Benjamin Abitan, produced by Chloé Asous-Plunian for Arte Radio, France. • Imison Award: Tether by Isley Lynn, produced by Fay Lomas at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4. • Tinniswood Award: Man Friday by Edson Burton, produced by Mary Ward-Lowery at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4. About the BBC Audio Drama Awards: The BBC Audio Drama Awards celebrate the passionate and dedicated work of professionals who bring this artform to listeners - from actors to writers, producers and sound designers. Previous winners include Rosamund Pike, Susan Wokoma, Miriam Margolyes, Juliet Aubrey, Bridget Christie, Edmund Davies, Phil Wang, Danny Sapani, John Hurt and many more. The BBC once again joined with the Society of Authors and Writers' Guild of Great Britain to present the two annual writing awards run by these organisations, the Imison Award (for best script by a writer new to audio) and the Tinniswood Award (for the best audio script of the year). The BBC has compiled a timeline of key audio drama moments from the past century, which can be found here FK
Sky News
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Bill Dare: Spitting Image producer dies after accident abroad
Comedy writer Bill Dare, - who worked on shows including Spitting Image and Dead Ringers - has died after an accident overseas, his agent said. Described as a "super producer" by his peers, Dare, 64, worked on eight series of hugely popular satire puppet show Spitting Image. Airing on ITV during the 1980s and 1990s, the show delighted in lampooning public figures including politicians, celebrities and royalty, winning BAFTAs and Emmys. It was rebooted in 2020. Dare also created Dead Ringers, a comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4. He also produced The Now Show, a satirical take on the news which ran on Radio 4 from 1998 to 2024. Dare worked on a wide range of comedy shows during his career, including the radio production of The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He had also written several novels. In a statement released on Monday, his agent JFL Agency confirmed he died at the weekend. A spokesperson said: "We are shocked and greatly saddened to have to announce the death of our brilliant client Bill Dare, who died at the weekend following an accident overseas. "Our thoughts are with his wife Lucy, daughter Rebecca, and with all of Bill's family and friends who will be devastated by his loss. "Bill was a truly legendary producer and writer, and his comedy instincts were second to none." Colleagues were quick to pay tribute and reflect on his talent. Impressionist Jon Culshaw wrote on X: "It's impossible to express the unreal sense of loss at the passing of the incredible Bill Dare. The wisest comedy alchemist and the dearest, dearest friend. Much love to Lucy and all Bill's family and friends. We shall all miss him more than we can say." David Baddiel posted on the social media platform: "Just heard that the original producer of The Mary Whitehouse Experience on radio, Bill Dare, has died. Bill was an amazing creative force. I owe him much. RIP." Former EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman said she was "devastated" and that her "entire comedy career was down to Bill". She wrote: "When I was on the BBC Radio 4 rep company early on in career - I ran into Bill in the corridors - He asked if I was good at accents. I said yes. "He cast me in a sketch show. I had to do about 15 different accents. We recorded in front of a live audience at Broadcasting House - afterwards Bill said 'Why have I never met you - you're going to have a big career'. "He was incredibly loyal and supportive and really opened a path for me into the R4 comedy world and then TV having come out of the RSC and theatre it was all new. I will always be grateful. Fly high Bill." Comedian and writer Mark Steel wrote: "This is so grim. Bill was a compassionate hearty soul with the ability to be beautifully grumpy, a marvellously thoughtful comic mind. "He'd argue but always listen and you'd always laugh, he made a million shows and wanted them all to matter and would have made a million more." Have I Got News for You writer Pete Sinclair said: "I am utterly devastated by Bill's death. I still can't believe it. He was a comedy genius. A hugely talented writer as well as a brilliant producer. A close friend and co-writer. I cannot begin to say how much I'll miss him." Julia McKenzie, comedy commissioner for Radio 4, said: "I am so terribly sorry to hear this tragic news and my thoughts are with Bill's wife, family and friends. "Bill has been a huge part of Radio 4 comedy for decades, as a writer and producer, and listeners will have heard his legendary name at the end of many of their favourite shows. "Bill was a comedy obsessive, and very instinctive about making the funniest choices when it came to writing, directing and editing. "He cared so much about his work that in the production booth during Dead Ringers you'd see him crouched over the script, utterly focused on the show. "He was funny and very dry in person, amusingly cynical when he needed to be and always pushed to keep the comedy he made, and particularly satire, spiky. "I've known and worked with him for 18 years and like many I can't believe he has gone, he will leave a big hole in the comedy world and in our hearts."
Telegraph
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Comedy writer Bill Dare dies after accident abroad
Bill Dare, who worked on eight series of Spitting Image, has died after an accident overseas, his agent said. Dare wrote and produced programmes for TV and radio and created Dead Ringers, a television comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4. He also produced The Now Show, a satirical take on the news that ran on Radio 4 from 1998 to 2024. In a statement released on Monday, Dare's agent, JFL Agency, confirmed that he died at the weekend. A spokesman said: 'We are shocked and greatly saddened to have to announce the death of our brilliant client Bill Dare, who died at the weekend following an accident overseas. 'Our thoughts are with his wife Lucy, daughter Rebecca, and with all of Bill's family and friends who will be devastated by his loss. 'Bill was a truly legendary producer and writer, and his comedy instincts were second to none.' 'Comedy obsessive' Julia McKenzie, the comedy commissioner for Radio 4, said: 'Bill has been a huge part of Radio 4 comedy for decades, as a writer and producer, and listeners will have heard his legendary name at the end of many of their favourite shows. 'Bill was a comedy obsessive, and very instinctive about making the funniest choices when it came to writing, directing and editing. 'He cared so much about his work that in the production booth during Dead Ringers you'd see him crouched over the script, utterly focused on the show. 'He was funny and very dry in person, amusingly cynical when he needed to be and always pushed to keep the comedy he made, and particularly satire, spiky. She added: 'He will leave a big hole in the comedy world and in our hearts.' Richard Morris, the creative director of comedy and entertainment at BBC Studios Audio, said: 'Bill was a legendary figure in the comedy world and we, his friends and colleagues in radio, will miss him hugely. 'We'll miss the sharp wit and wisdom he brought to every production he worked on.'
