Reluctant Persuaders is a BBC Radio 4 sitcom, written by Edward Rowett.[3] It stars Nigel Havers, Josie Lawrence, Mathew Baynton, Rasmus Hardiker, Olivia Nixon and Kieran Hodgson,[4][8] and was produced by Absolutely Productions.[7] It ran for four series, with a Christmas special, between September 2015 and April 2021.[4][9]

Reluctant Persuaders
GenreSituation comedy
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Language(s)English
Home stationBBC Radio 4
StarringNigel Havers
Josie Lawrence
Mathew Baynton
Rasmus Hardiker
Olivia Nixon
Kieran Hodgson[1][2]
Written byEdward Rowett[3]
Original release15 September 2015[4] –
6 April 2021[5]
No. of series4[6]
No. of episodes20[6]
WebsiteReluctant Persuaders at BBC Radio 4

Plot

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Reluctant Persuaders follows Hardacre's, 'the worst advertising agency in London'.[3]

Cast

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Episodes

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Series One

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Episode number Title Original airdate
1"Lemon"15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)
London's worst advertising agency plans to re-launch with a guerrilla marketing campaign.[10]
2"We Try Harder"22 September 2015 (2015-09-22)
Hardacre enlists Amanda's help to win back one of his old accounts.[11]
3"The Best A Man Can Get"29 September 2015 (2015-09-29)
Things are getting desperate for the staff of Hardacre's - the work is not coming in and accounts chief Amanda Brook finds herself reduced to pleading for the business of India.[12]
4"Vorsprung Durch Technik"6 October 2015 (2015-10-06)
The team are set to be featured in advertising industry magazine Campaign, but unfortunately the entire staff is trapped in a lift.[13]

Series Two

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No. Episode No. Title Original airdate
51"Live Young"6 April 2017 (2017-04-06)
62"Just Do It"13 April 2017 (2017-04-13)
73"Give a Man a Fish"20 April 2017 (2017-04-20)
84"Think Different"27 April 2017 (2017-04-27)

Series Three

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No. Episode No. Title Original airdate
91"Ideas For Life"4 October 2018 (2018-10-04)
102"Happiest Place on Earth"11 October 2018 (2018-10-11)
113"Connecting People"18 October 2018 (2018-10-18)
124"Because She's Worth It"25 October 2018 (2018-10-25)
135"The Appliance of Science"1 November 2018 (2018-11-01)

Special

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Episode number Title Original airdate
14"Holidays Are Coming"16 November 2018 (2018-11-16)

Series Four

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No. Episode No. Title Original airdate
151"If You Like A Lot Of Chocolate On Your Biscuit..."2 March 2021 (2021-03-02)
162"Because Change Happenz"9 March 2021 (2021-03-09)
173"At Your Side"16 March 2021 (2021-03-16)
184"Ask The Man Who Owns One"23 March 2021 (2021-03-23)
195"Have A Break"30 March 2021 (2021-03-30)
206"Join Our Club"6 April 2021 (2021-04-06)

Broadcast history

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Reluctant Persuaders was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Repeats have since aired on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

Awards

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Reluctant Persuaders won the award for Best Scripted Comedy (Studio Audience) at the 2016 BBC Audio Drama Awards.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 1". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  2. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 2". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 1, Lemon". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  5. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 4". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders - Available now". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b Trott, Lloyd (31 October 2019). Actors' and Performers' Yearbook 2020: Essential Contacts for Stage, Screen ... - Google Books. ISBN 9781350107588. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  8. ^ a b "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 2, Live Young". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  9. ^ a b "BBC Radio 4 - Reluctant Persuaders, Series 3, Holidays Are Coming". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Reluctant Persuaders Season 1".
  11. ^ "Reluctant Persuaders Season 1".
  12. ^ "Reluctant Persuaders Season 1".
  13. ^ "Reluctant Persuaders Season 1".
  14. ^ "Who won at the 2016 BBC Audio Drama Awards?". Radio Times. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
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