The Offcuts Drawer - Successful Writers Share Their Best Worst Ideas

Comedy, horror, Scottish football and a dog pooing in a bedsit are all to be found in the never-before-heard clips from best-selling thriller writer Chris. Clips performed by: Christopher Kent, David Holt, David Monteath and Emma Clarke. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Chris was born in Glasgow and worked as a sub-editor at Screen International, the Scotsman and the Edinburgh Eveni...

Michael Gove humiliating himself at university, a KGB-supplied sex manual and tales of derring-do in warzones around the world from foreign correspondent Luke. Clips performed by: Christopher Kent, Lynsey Murrell and Nigel Pilkington. Luke Harding is an award-winning British foreign correspondent with the Guardian. He has reported from Delhi, Berlin and Moscow and has also covered wars in Afghanis...

Presenter and columnist Jay knows about food. But he's an acclaimed novelist, journalist and musician too. Hear his unusual play with music, the novel that never was and his celebration of Welsh drag act Lady Ding.   Clips performed by: Keith Wickham, Toby Longworth, Christopher Kent and Rachel Atkins. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Jay Rayner is probably best known as being the r...

A film script written with the young Hugh Grant (yes, that one), a TV show about The Sex Pistols and a romcom based on his real-life relationship - just 3 of the top notch offcuts from the writer/producer of the multi award-winning TV drama Unforgotten. Clips performed by: Toby Longworth, Lizzie Roper, Christopher Kent, Leah Marks, Nigel Pilkington, Emma Clarke and Rachel Atkins. Warning: This epi...

Yes she's a writer of *breathes in* TV comedy series's (her own and other people's), drama, animation, children's books, memoirs, novels, programme guides and plays but she's also won Masterchef and Mastermind. And she has some very useful advice to writers starting out. Clips performed by: Keith Wickham, Leah Marks, Emma Clarke, Beth Chalmers and Toby Longworth. Emma Kennedy wears many hats. Havi...

"Barry from Watford" and paranormalist "Clinton Baptiste" are just 2 of Alex's alter egos that you've likely met. But did you know he's written material for just about every comedy performer in the UK? Hear his story, and the worst impressions of Barack Obama and Tom Cruise ever.  Clips performed by: Chris Pavlo, Christopher Kent, Emma Clarke, Lizzie Roper and Beth Chalmers. Alex first worked as a...

From standup to multi best-selling crime novelist and screenwriter, Mark's own story includes hair-raising real-life encounters with gangsters and even serial killers. Among the TV show ideas and unpublished articles there's some standup material and even a song lyric which has yet to be performed by his band of fellow novelists The Fun Lovin Crime Writers. Clips performed by: Keith Wickham, Chris...

As one half of the renowned Sitcom Geeks, Dave knows more than a little about what it takes to be a successful comedy writer. From his early association with Rik Mayall and co, through award-winning sitcoms and sketch shows, right through to his latest novel, Dave's offcuts cover the various trends of comedy from the past 40 years. Clips performed by: Chris Pavlo, Emma Clarke, Keith Wickham and Ra...

Comedy writer/performer Katherine - "the new Victoria Wood" and star of the Horrible Histories movie, shares never-before-heard bits of her writing for TV and radio. Clips performed by: Beth Chalmers, Emma Clarke, Rachel Atkins, Leah Marks and Toby Longworth. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Katherine Jakeways is a British comedian, actor and writer, whose writing was described by t...

A lesser known fact about erudite standup comedian Simon is that he used to write for porn magazines. But there's also scientist comedy in the mix plus a little bit of politics and the truth about whether he really is a Brexit comedian. Clips performed by: Nigel Pilkington, Toby Longworth, Beth Chalmers and Keith Wickham. Warning: This episode contains strong language. Simon Evans is an establishe...

A world without sex, a rubbish support group, the invisible woman making breakfast in her underwear - just 3 of the scenarios featured in the unfinished or rejected early work from the BBC comedy supremo Bill Dare. Clips performed by: Toby Longworth, Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers, Chris Pavlo, Nigel Pilkington and Keith Wickham. Bill is a renowned BBC radio and TV comedy writer and producer. For TV...

Arabella rose to fame in The Fast Show asking "Does my bum look big in this?" which she wrote as well as performed, but did you know about her musical based on the life of Tina Turner? Hear a clip of that and various radio, TV and film scripts she penned that didn't get the go ahead.... yet. Clips performed by: Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers, Leah Marks, Chris Pavlo, Nigel Pilkington and Keith Wickh...

Quantick, the swiss army knife of the writing world, has worked on some of the most iconic comedy creations this century, but now's your chance to hear his earlier, less successful work, plus the first ever online sitcom - about heroin addicts - that preceded his later triumphs. Clips performed by: Alex Lowe, Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers, Toby Longworth, Chris Pavlo and Keith Wickham.  For a track...

Renowned worldwide for romantic fiction Jenny shares her earliest novel... about rabbits, as well as an unpublished bonkbuster set in the world of nuclear physics and a Dr Who TV series for very small children. Clips performed by: Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers, Toby Longworth, Leah Marks, Nigel Pilkington and Keith Wickham.  Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including Chris...

The pilot. Jon shares tales of spies with technical trouble, insulting Keanu Reeves and why he received the largest fine in UK broadcasting history after a call from a 12 year old. Definitely NSFW. Recorded in front of a live audience.  Clips performed by: Rachel Atkins, Alex Lowe, Chris Pavlo and Keith Wickham.  Warning: This episode contains strong language and adult content. Jon Holmes is a dou...

Introduction to The Offcuts Drawer podcast. Laura Shavin interviews successful writers and gets them to share the writing offcuts they keep in their bottom drawer. For more details visit offcutsdrawer.com