The Offcuts Drawer - Successful Writers Share Their Best Worst Ideas

This is part 2 of my interview with Charlie and in this episode his offcuts include an episode of Dr Who, a horror version of a Disney cartoon classic and a black comedy film written for some of the regulars in the Fast Show. CAST : Nigel Pilkington, Kenny Blyth, Noni Lewis, Christopher Kent, Shash Hira, Keith Wickham, Beth Chalmers Charlie Higson has worked across comedy, drama and fiction for mo...

Screenwriter, comedian, showrunner, actor, novelist, podcaster, musician, singer... Charlie shares so many projects from his long and varied career that we didn't have time to fit them all into 1 episode - so listen out for part 2 coming shortly. This episode's abandoned, unfinished and rejected writing projects include a film best described as A Christmas Carol meets Channel 4's Star Stories, &nb...

The creator of Yes Minister shares clips of his abandoned screenplays and theatre scripts along with tales of his work in Hollywood and beyond, as he prepares for the West End opening of the final instalment: Sorry Prime Minister. CAST: Keith Wickham, Beth Chalmers, Shash Hira, Christopher Kent, Kenny Blyth, Emma Clarke Jonathan Lynn is a multifaceted figure in British entertainment: a film direct...

Bernadette, who writes under - at time of recording - seven different pen names, shares some of her discarded projects including a novel about a cat in prison (not a children's book), a Jane Austen fan who meets a grisly end, and a historical tale of father/daughter derring do.   CAST: Emma Clarke, Shash Hira, Beth Chalmers, Noni Lewis, Marcus Hutton   Bernadette Strachan is the author o...

The writer & voice of BBC Radio 4's Ed Reardon shares the comedy scripts that missed the mark, got rejected by the commissioners or still remain unfinished. CAST: Nigel Pilkington, Chris Kent, Jake Yapp, Helen Goldwyn, Beth Chalmers, Emma Clarke Christopher Douglas is a British writer and performer, best known for co-writing and voicing Ed Reardon’s Week on BBC Radio 4 with the late Andrew Nic...

A former television writer now an award-winning children’s novelist and playwright, Piers’ offcuts include an attempt at a romantic novel, a social media status update about a bossy weevil, and a sitcom based on the unlikely topic of his early life growing up on a farm during the foot & mouth pandemic. CAST: Kenny Blyth, David Monteath, Helen Goldwyn, David Lane Pusey Piers Torday is a British...

Top Author & Writer Adele Parks shares clips of her writing that never made it to publication, plus some of her earliest literary attempts and and some very surprising NSFW poetry. CAST: Helen Goldwyn, Emma Clarke, Chris Pavlo and Beth Chalmers. Adele Parks has published more than twenty novels since her first, Playing Away, appeared in 2000. Her books have sold over five million copies and ar...

Novelist, blogger & script editor Lucy V Hay shares her writing that failed before she became a published novelist, and screenplays that have yet to find a home. Struggling with mental health issues and a subsequent cancer diagnosis, Lucy shares the story of how she went from being a teenage mum to becoming a successful novelist and script editor, and the driving force behind Bang2Write, one o...

TV, film and radio comedy writer Dan Maier reveals a cornucopia of different formats for his offcuts that include a radio sketch written for a famous double act, a children's science fiction trilogy and a Victorian blog entry. CAST: Chris Pavlo, Jake Yapp, Helen Goldwyn, Nigel Pilkington and Emma Clarke Dan Maier is a television and radio writer with a career spanning satire, sitcoms, sketch, film...

Best-selling thriller novelist and author Louise Candlish shares her writing offcuts which include: a deleted chapter from one of her most successful novels, a TV drama that didn't get picked up, the prologue of an abandoned novel, a pitch for a book written before the idea was fully developed, and a couple of stories that reveal her taste for melodrama from a very young age. CAST: Beth Chalmers,...

Advertising copywriter and novelist Paul shares rejected scripts that include a screenplay about a cab-driving priest, a dog that could still become a household name and a romantic reunion for the radio. Cast: Chris Pavlo, David Lane Pusey, Helen Goldwyn, Christopher Kent, Marcus Hutton Warning: This episode contains strong language Paul Burke is a multi‑award‑winning advertising copywriter and pr...

Writer and storyteller Lynn Ferguson shares a mixed bag of offcuts that include a London love story, a nightmare foxhunt, a ghostly family reunion and a family saga of oil-magnate ducks. CAST: David Monteath, Nigel Pilkington, Gayanne Potter, Christopher Kent, Beth Chalmers Warning: This episode contains strong language Lynn Ferguson is a writer and story coach whose work spans radio, television,...

"Swearing consultant", screenwriter and producer Ian Martin shares a combination of film scripts and short stories that include tales of gory ghosts, a mosquito-ridden dystopia, and body-swapping in the Bible. Cast: Beth Chalmers, Keith Wickham, Kenny Blyth, Christopher Kent, Emma Clarke and Nigel Pilkington This episode contains very STRONG LANGUAGE Ian Martin is a BAFTA- and EMMY-winning comedy...

Best-selling thriller writer Lisa ("Then She Was Gone", "The Family Upstairs", "Watching You") shares clips that didn't make it into her books, and talks in fascinating detail about her unusually practical and no-nonsense writing technique. Clips performed by : Beth Chalmers, Christopher Kent and Rachel Atkins. Lisa Jewell is the Number 1 New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels (short...

"Dublin Trilogy" novelist and former comedian Caimh (CK) McDonnell shares his sitcom set aboard a ferry, a pre-Fleabag Fleabag and a comedy about what happens when multiple timelines meet. Offcuts performed by: Jake Yapp, Darrell Maclaine, Kenny Blyth, Lizzie Roper, David Monteith and Rachel Atkins. This episode contains strong language. Caimh McDonnell is the internationally bestselling author of...

A rap musical set in a US prison based on a Noel Coward play, a sitcom about IVF and a story about JFK faking moon landings - just 3 of the offcuts from comedy writer and US showrunner Georgia. Clips performed by: Desiree Burch, Beth Chalmers, Keith Wickham, Lizzie Roper and Jake Yapp. With additional music by Jake Yapp. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Georgia is a multi-award...

Raconteuse Miranda shares the bits of writing that didn't quite make it, along with tales of her former life as a sex worker, in a show that's definitely NSFW. Clips performed by Chris Pavlo, Bhavnisha Parmar and Emma Clarke.  Warning: This episode contains strong language and explicit material. Miranda Kane is a comedian, writer, and performer who garners inspiration from her previous career...

An investigation into the Mole-man of Hackney, standup material about pond-dipping and a bit of angst-filled teenage poetry are just some of the offcuts shared by Isy. Clips performed by: Lynsey Murrell, Beth Chalmers, Darrell Maclaine, Shash Hira, Toby Longworth and Emma Clarke Isy Suttie is a comedian, actress and writer who started performing stand up in 2002. She trained as an actress and has...

Scotland's "Queen of Crime" shares some stonking bits of early writing, including her attempt at a bonkbuster and the short story that prefigured her move into thrillers. Clips performed by: Christopher Kent, Beth Chalmers, Leah Marks, Kenny Blyth, Emma Clarke and Rachel Atkins. Val McDermid has sold over 17 million books to date across the globe and is translated into over 40 languages. She is pe...

The "Horrid Henry" creator gives us an out-take from her successful opera, unpublished articles and some other children's book ideas that despite her stellar international reputation still didn't get picked up. Clips performed by: Beth Chalmers, Emma Clarke, Leah Marks, David Holt, Rachel Atkins and Keith Wickham. Francesca Simon is universally known for the staggeringly popular Horrid Henry serie...

"Friday Night Dinner" writer Popper shares some truly bizarre offcuts including the fake CV that landed him his big break in comedy, a prank community woodland notice and a sitcom about a wasp. Clips performed by: David Holt, Alex Lowe, Toby Longworth and Lizzie Roper. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Robert Popper is an award-winning writer, producer, performer, and bestselling aut...

A grab-bag of television and film scripts that didn't quite make it including a drama about GI brides and a psychological mystery set in the Scottish Highlands from screenwriter Andrea. Clips performed by: Kate O’Sulivan, Kenny Blyth, Lizzie Roper, Shash Hira, Emma Clarke, David Monteath, Rachel Atkins and Beth Chalmers. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Andrea Gibb is an award winni...

The West End theatre version of TV's "The Good Life", the "Toys" musical that came *before* the film... Jeremy's selection of near misses covers both stage and screen. Clips performed by:  Alex Lowe, Lizzie Roper, David Holt, Beth Chalmers, Toby Longworth and Emma Clarke. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Jeremy Sams has written and created countless successful theatre shows includin...

Creator of "Guilt" and "Eric, Ernie & Me" Neil showcases some other shows that didn't quite make it and shares what it's really like writing for American TV. Clips performed by: Lynsey Murrell, Beth Chalmers, David Monteath, Kate O'Sullivan, Nigel Pilkington and Kenny Blyth. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Neil Forsyth is an author and television writer. In television he is a Royal...

A sweary Karen Carpenter tribute act, women's rugby and the first black female astronaut - actress/comedian Jackie reveals an interesting range of subjects in her offcuts. Clips performed by: Lynsey Murrell, Beth Chalmers and Lizzie Roper. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Veteran of the British theatre Jackie Clune started out as a drama lecturer before achieving critical success in...