Chain Reaction (radio programme)
Chain Reaction (nicknamed "the tag-team talk show") is a hostless chat show first broadcast on BBC Radio 5 in 1991, and then revived on BBC Radio 4 in 2004. Each week an individual from the world of entertainment selects someone that they would like to interview. This interviewee goes on to be the next week's interviewer.
Genre | Chat show |
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Running time | 30 minutes |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Language(s) | English |
Home station | BBC Radio 4 |
Produced by |
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Original release |
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Opening theme | "I Do Not Fear Jazz" by Big Strides |
Website | Chain Reaction |
The first series comprised four programmes broadcast on Radio 5 on successive nights starting on New Year's Eve 31 December 1991, with the following guests:
- Ralph Steadman interviewing John Cleese
- John Cleese interviewing William Goldman
- William Goldman interviewing Ian McKellen
- Ian McKellen interviewing Glenys Kinnock
The second series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 14-18 September 1992
- Glynis Kinnock interviewing Juliet Stevenson[1]
- Juliet Stevenson interviewing Helen Bamber[2]
- Helen Bamber interviewing John Sessions[3]
- John Sessions interviewing unknown[4]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[5]
The third series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 2-6 November 1992
- Rob Newman interviewing Spike Milligan[6]
- Spike Milligan interviewing John Wells[7]
- John Wells interviewing Paul Merton[8]
- Paul Merton interviewing unknown[9]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[10]
The fourth series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 14-18 December 1992
- Joe Strummer interviewing unknown [11]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[12]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[13]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[14]
- Unknown interviewing unknown[15]
The fifth series of 5 episodes were broadcast on consecutive Fridays at 9.30pm on BBC Radio 5, starting on 6 August 1993
- David Gedge interviewing John Peel[16]
- John Peel interviewing Ian Rush[17]
- Ian Rush interviewing Max Boyce[18]
- Max Boyce interviewing Pete Waterman[19]
- Pete Waterman interviewing Jimmy Savile[20]
The first revived series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
- Jenny Eclair interviewing Jimmy Carr
- Jimmy Carr interviewing Matt Lucas
- Matt Lucas interviewing Johnny Vegas
- Johnny Vegas interviewing Stewart Lee
- Stewart Lee interviewing Alan Moore
- Alan Moore interviewing Brian Eno
The second series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
- Jo Brand interviewing Barry Cryer
- Barry Cryer interviewing Mark Thomas
- Mark Thomas interviewing Alexei Sayle
- Alexei Sayle interviewing Lenny Henry
- Lenny Henry interviewing Bill Bailey
- Bill Bailey interviewing Simon Pegg
The third series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
- Marcus Brigstocke interviewing Clive Anderson
- Clive Anderson interviewing John Lloyd
- John Lloyd interviewing Phill Jupitus
- Phill Jupitus interviewing John Hegley
- John Hegley interviewing Jack Dee
- Jack Dee interviewing Jeremy Hardy
The fourth series comprises four episodes, with the following guests:
- Catherine Tate interviewing David Tennant
- David Tennant interviewing Richard Wilson
- Richard Wilson interviewing Arabella Weir
- Arabella Weir interviewing Paul Whitehouse
The fifth series comprises six episodes, with the following guests:
- Robert Llewellyn interviewing Dave Gorman
- Dave Gorman interviewing Frank Skinner
- Frank Skinner interviewing Eddie Izzard
- Eddie Izzard interviewing Alastair Campbell
- Alastair Campbell interviewing Alistair McGowan
- Alistair McGowan interviewing Simon Callow
The sixth series began on Friday 13 August 2010, with the following guests:
- Ronni Ancona interviewing Lee Mack
- Lee Mack interviewing Adrian Edmondson
- Adrian Edmondson interviewing Ruby Wax
- Ruby Wax interviewing Harry Shearer
- Harry Shearer interviewing Stephen Merchant
- Stephen Merchant interviewing Jarvis Cocker
The seventh series began on Friday 29 July 2011, with the following guests:
- Rhys Thomas interviewing Simon Day
- Simon Day interviewing Peter Hook
- Peter Hook interviewing John Cooper Clarke
- John Cooper Clarke interviewing Kevin Eldon
- Kevin Eldon interviewing Mark Steel
- Mark Steel interviewing Barry Davies
The eighth series began on Friday 27 July 2012, with the following guests:
- Jeremy Front interviewing his sister Rebecca Front
- Rebecca Front interviewing Chris Addison
- Chris Addison interviewing Derren Brown
- Derren Brown interviewing Tim Minchin
- Tim Minchin interviewing Caitlin Moran
- Caitlin Moran interviewing Jennifer Saunders
The ninth series began on Friday 27 December 2013, with the following guests:
- Terry Christian interviewing Kevin Bridges
- Kevin Bridges interviewing Frankie Boyle
- Frankie Boyle interviewing Grant Morrison
- Grant Morrison interviewing Neil Innes
- Neil Innes interviewing Graham Linehan
- Graham Linehan interviewing Adam Buxton.[21]
The tenth series began on Wednesday 18 February 2015, with the following guests:
- Adam Buxton interviewing Reece Shearsmith
- Reece Shearsmith interviewing Bob Mortimer
- Bob Mortimer interviewing Vic Reeves
- Vic Reeves interviewing Olivia Colman
- Olivia Colman interviewing Sharon Horgan
- Sharon Horgan interviewing Dennis Kelly
The eleventh series began on Wednesday 24 February 2016, with the following guests:
- Ed Byrne interviewing Al Murray
- Al Murray interviewing Ian Hislop
- Ian Hislop interviewing Victoria Coren Mitchell
- Victoria Coren Mitchell interviewing Sandi Toksvig
- Sandi Toksvig interviewing Roy Hudd
- Roy Hudd interviewing Alison Steadman
The twelfth series began on Monday 13 February 2017, with the following guests:
- Sara Cox interviewing Joe Lycett
- Joe Lycett interviewing Katherine Ryan
- Katherine Ryan interviewing Sara Pascoe
- Sara Pascoe interviewing Harry Hill
- Harry Hill interviewing Tim Vine
- Tim Vine interviewing Sir Ken Dodd
The theme music is "I Do Not Fear Jazz" by Big Strides.
References
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Chain Reaction - Episode guide". BBC Radio 4. 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.