Little Blighty on the Down: Series 1-5
A BBC Radio 4 Political Comedy Satire
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Little Blighty on the Down: Series 1-5
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About this listen
All five series of the political satirical soap opera set in the strangely familiar village of Little Blighty - plus Christmas Specials
Little Blighty is an idyllic part of the world, with a church, a market, a small school and a pub, The Cock and Bull. Village life is pretty uneventful, though the humdrum happenings include social turmoil, economic upheaval and vicious political squabbles - all presided over by the redoubtable head of the Parish Council and secretary of the Rotarians, Mrs Roberts.
This formidable lady has been running things for nine years: despite the best efforts of the leader of the opposition, Working Men's Club Chairman Mr Blandish. He's desperate for his members to present a united front against Mrs Roberts, but unfortunately they're too busy fighting amongst themselves.
The doctor's surgery is overcrowded, the river's polluted, the school is fiddling the exam results and the local market's under threat from cheap imports, but nothing seems to dent Mrs Roberts' popularity - until she introduces a conveyance charge across the village bridge. Could the 'Toll Tax' finally be her downfall?
Also included are three festive Specials, The Blighty Chronicles, It's a Wonderful Blight and Dead of Blight, in which the village's rich history is staged; a guardian angel visits Little Blighty; and we attend Lord and Lady Spenney's Christmas party, where we hear some bloodcurdling supernatural tales....
Scripted by Spitting Image writers John O'Farrell, Mark Burton and Mike Coleman, and first broadcast in 1988, this 'everyday story of a country folk' is a pitch-perfect parody of the British political landscape in the late '80s and early '90s - and remains surprisingly topical today. It is performed by a star cast including Jo Kendall, Andrew Sachs, Nick Hancock, Michael Troughton and Alistair McGowan.
Production credits
Written by Mark Burton, John O'Farrell and Mike Coleman
Produced by David Tyler and Lissa Evans
Performed by Jo Kendall, John Bluthal, Andrew Sachs, Nick Hancock, Bernadine Corrigan, Daniel Strauss, Michael Troughton, John Baddeley, Jonathan Kydd and Alistair McGowan
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 2nd-16th September 1988 (Series 1), 21st July-18th August 1989 (Series 2), 29th December 1989 (The Blighty Chronicles), 6th July-3rd August 1990 (Series 3), 5th July-2nd August 1991 (Series 4), 26th December 1991 (It's a Wonderful Blight), 10th July-7th August 1992 (Series 5), 31st December 1992 (Dead of Blight)
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution LtdListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A comic microcosm of a country not a million miles away." (Radio Times)
What listeners say about Little Blighty on the Down: Series 1-5
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Richienotrich
- 17-09-23
Of its time perhaps...
I heard one episode while driving and enjoyed it so then bought all five series with a credit. For some reason, I have found it not so funny or interesting since, and cannot explain why!
I will continue to the end, but to be honest cannot wait until it is over.
Maybe it's me or maybe it is a better listen when driving!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- P1977
- 15-05-22
Unbelievably Dull
An erratic, impossible-to-follow, not all that well acted, borefest. Bad lines and puns. A waste of a credit.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- East Stander
- 15-08-22
Awful
This was without doubt the most awful purchase I've made on Audible. Beware before buying.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- blossommeredith
- 20-03-23
A wasted credit
There is nothing to recommend. Satire needs to be clever and humorous this is neither.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Brian Daji
- 26-04-23
Worst BBC series I've listened to
I think this is by far the worst bbc comedy I've cone across having been an audible member for over 10 years this is the only audiobook I've ever taken up the offer of the return on.
If you do try it remember you can return it as part of your membership.
Maybe it just wasn't my sense of humour !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tom Watts
- 19-08-22
The joy of opposition
Probably if you weren’t around and politically aware in the late 80s and 90s this series will mean nothing at all, but those of us who now look back on those days with nostalgia will love this, just as we loved it back then. Listening to each episode, I was delighted by how clearly it brought to mind the raging concerns of the time. The portraits of Mrs Roberts and Mr Barnum are rather affectionate in the end, and that does make this a rather cosy satire, just as The Archers at its best is a cosy soap, but in my old age I don’t want to see anyone punched with anything harder than a marshmallow, even politicians. Unreservedly recommended, for my generation and for scholars of late 20th century British political radio satire.
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3 people found this helpful