The Write Stuff Explained

Show Name:The Write Stuff
Format:literary panel game
Runtime:28 mins
Language:English
Home Station:BBC Radio 4
Presenter:James Walton
Starring:Sebastian Faulks
John Walsh
Beth Chalmers
Producer:Sam Michell
Num Series:17

The Write Stuff, "Radio 4's game of literary correctness", was a lighthearted quiz about literature on BBC Radio 4, taking a humorous look at famous literary figures, which ran from 1998[1] to 2014. It was chaired and written by James Walton.[2] The two teams were captained by novelist Sebastian Faulks and journalist John Walsh, with Beth Chalmers reading literary extracts.

Format

John Walsh and Sebastian Faulks were team captains from the programme's beginning. They were each joined by another journalist or novelist; frequent guests in later years included John O'Farrell, Mark Billingham and Lynn Truss. Truss stepped in as captain to replace Faulks for series 13 (2010).

Each week, the programme had an "Author of the Week"; W. B. Yeats, E. M. Forster, D. H. Lawrence, Robert Burns, and J. K. Rowling all featured. The programme, on occasion, featured a group of writers, rather than a single author, as its key study – for example, poets of the Beat Generation were the featured authors on 26 October 2010. Each programme begans with the panellists reading favourite extracts from the author's writing, and the first round is a series of questions about the author's life and works.

The programme normally ended with panellists having to write a pastiche (or parody; the programme uses the terms interchangeably) based on that week's author of the week. Walton describes these as 'the most popular bit of the programme'.[3] Walton sets a topic that would be so out of style of the author in question that a pastiche would be humorous. For example, when Robert Burns was the author of the week, contestants were asked to write a poem, in the style of Burns, celebrating something typically English; when Philip Roth was the author of the week, contestants were asked how he might have written a children's story. Faulks has published a collection of his parodies as a book, Pistache.[4]

The intervening rounds do not focus on the author of the week. Rounds commonly included are: connections; odd one out; literary mistakes; the archive round; and a music round.

The programme was normally broadcast at 18:30 on a weekday, one of the Radio 4 comedy slots.

Episodes

Series 1 (1998)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
1–1 1998-07-31Jane AustenVictoria Glendinning, Tracey MacLeod
1–2 1998-08-07Raymond ChandlerLouise Doughty, Victoria Coren
1–3 1998-08-14T. S. EliotKate Saunders, Nigel Williams
1–4 1998-08-21Martin AmisVictoria Glendinning, Tracey MacLeod
1–51998-08-28D. H. LawrenceLouise Doughty, Victoria Coren
1–61998-09-04Charles DickensJonathan Myerson, Nigel Williams

Series 2 (1999)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
2–1 1999-07-07William ShakespeareNigel Williams, Lynne Truss
2–2 1999-07-14Arthur Conan DoyleTracey MacLeod, Philippa Gregory
2–3 1999-07-21The Brontë SistersFrank Delaney, Harry Ritchie
2–4 1999-07-28James JoyceLynne Truss, Nigel Williams
2–51999-08-04Ernest HemingwayTracey MacLeod, Philippa Gregory
2–61999-08-11Oscar WildeFrank Delaney, Harry Ritchie

Series 3 (2000)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
3–1 2000-05-10Thomas HardyLynne Truss, Sue Limb
3–2 2000-05-17Agatha ChristieJane Thynne, Harry Ritchie
3–3 2000-05-24Geoffrey ChaucerImogen Stubbs, Louise Doughty
3–4 2000-05-31Kingsley AmisLynne Truss, Sue Limb
3–52000-06-07Samuel BeckettJane Thynne, Harry Ritchie
3–62000-06-14Evelyn WaughImogen Stubbs, Louise Doughty

Series 4 (2001)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
4–1 2001-04-11William WordsworthTracey MacLeod, Gary Younge
4–2 2001-04-18Graham GreeneJonathan Myerson, Jane Thynne
4–3 2001-04-25Enid BlytonSue Limb, Victoria Coren
4–4 2001-05-02John UpdikeTracey MacLeod, Gary Younge
4–52001-05-09Harold PinterJonathan Myerson, Jane Thynne
4–62001-05-16John BetjemanSue Limb, Victoria Coren

Series 5 (2002)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
5–1 2002-04-03Ian FlemingNigel Williams, Harry Ritchie
5–2 2002-04-10Samuel Taylor ColeridgeStephen Fry, Lynne Truss
5–3 2002-04-17Virginia WoolfWendy Holden, Joseph Connolly
5–4 2002-04-24J. R. R. TolkienNigel Williams, Harry Ritchie
5–52002-05-01Philip LarkinStephen Fry, Lynne Truss
5–62002-05-08P. G. WodehouseWendy Holden, Joseph Connolly

Series 6 (2003)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
6–1 2003-04-02George OrwellJohn O'Farrell, Louise Doughty
6–2 2003-04-09(no programme due to coverage of The Budget)
6–3 2003-04-16Samuel JohnsonSue Limb, Joanne Harris
6–4 2003-04-23Lewis CarrollJohn O'Farrell, Louise Doughty
6–52003-04-30Franz KafkaTracey MacLeod, Jonathan Myerson
6–62003-05-07Jane AustenSue Limb, Joanne Harris

Series 7 (2004)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
7–1 2004-04-21George Orwell (repeat of 6-1)John O'Farrell, Louise Doughty
7–2 2004-04-28Beatrix PotterTracey MacLeod, Jonathan Myerson
7–3 2004-05-05Samuel Johnson (repeat of 6-3)Sue Limb, Joanne Harris
7–4 2004-05-12Dylan ThomasJohn Sutherland, Sabrina Broadbent
7–52004-05-19Richmal CromptonMiles Kington, Harry Ritchie
7–62004-05-26Rudyard KiplingNicholas Lezard, Nigel Williams
7–72004-06-02Catherine CooksonJohn Sutherland, Sabrina Broadbent
7–82004-06-09Alexander PopeMiles Kington, Harry Ritchie
7–92004-06-16Samuel PepysNicholas Lezard, Nigel Williams

Series 8 (2005)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
8–1 2005-05-25Lord ByronSimon Brett, Peter Kemp
8–2 2005-06-01Noël CowardWendy Holden, Louise Doughty
8–3 2005-06-08Iris MurdochNigel Williams, Jonathan Myerson
8–4 2005-06-15Roald DahlSimon Brett, Peter Kemp
8–52005-06-22John MiltonWendy Holden, Louise Doughty
8–62005-06-29Charles DickensNigel Williams, Kate Saunders

Series 9 (2006)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
9–1 2006-06-12Alan BennettMichèle Roberts, Harry Ritchie
9–2 2006-06-19Henry JamesPeter Kemp, Miles Kington
9–3 2006-06-26A. A. MilneSue Limb, John O'Farrell
9–4 2006-07-03Sylvia PlathMichèle Roberts, Harry Ritchie
9–52006-07-10W. B. YeatsPeter Kemp, Miles Kington
9–62006-07-17Thomas HardySue Limb, John O'Farrell

Series 10 (2007)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
10–1 2007-03-12William ShakespeareSabrina Broadbent, Mark Billingham
10–2 2007-03-19John le CarréJane Thynne, Wendy Holden
10–3 2007-03-26Tom StoppardPeter Kemp, Sue Limb
10–4 2007-04-02Stephen KingSabrina Broadbent, Mark Billingham
10–52007-04-09F. Scott FitzgeraldJane Thynne, Wendy Holden
10–62007-04-16John KeatsPeter Kemp, Sue Limb

Series 11 (2008)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
11–1 2008-03-24E. M. ForsterWendy Holden, John O'Farrell
11–2 2008-03-31John GrishamMark Billingham, Jane Thynne
11–3 2008-04-07Jonathan SwiftPeter Kemp, Andrew Davies
11–4 2008-04-14Hans Christian AndersenWendy Holden, John O'Farrell
11–52008-04-21Ted HughesJane Thynne, Mark Billingham
11–62008-04-28George EliotPeter Kemp, Andrew Davies

Series 12 (2008)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
12–1 2008-10-06Raymond ChandlerLynne Truss, Mark Billingham
12–2 2008-10-13Seamus HeaneySue Limb, Andrew Motion
12–3 2008-10-20Philip RothHarry Ritchie, Simon Brett
12–4 2008-10-27J. K. RowlingMark Billingham, Lynne Truss
12–52008-11-03D. H. LawrenceSue Limb, Andrew Motion
12–62008-11-10Robert BurnsHarry Ritchie, Simon Brett

Series 13 (2010)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
13–1 2010-01-27Arthur Conan DoyleMark Billingham, John O'Farrell
13–2 2010-02-03Irvine WelshJane Thynne, Christopher Brookmyre
13–3 2010-02-10Anton ChekhovPeter Kemp, Tibor Fischer
13–4 2010-02-17Nancy MitfordMark Billingham, John O'Farrell
13–52010-02-24John DonneJane Thynne, Christopher Brookmyre
13–62010-03-03J. D. SalingerPeter Kemp, Tibor Fischer

Series 14 (2010)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
14–1 2010-10-05P. G. WodehouseFrancis Wheen, Ian McMillan
14–2 2010-10-12Tennessee WilliamsFrancesca Simon, Mark Billingham
14–3 2010-10-19Marcel ProustPhilip Kerr, Sue Limb
14–4 2010-10-26The BeatsFrancis Wheen, Ian McMillan
14–52010-11-02Stephenie MeyerFrancesca Simon, Mark Billingham
14–62010-11-09Edgar Allan PoePhilip Kerr, Sue Limb

Series 15 (2012)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
15–1 2012-01-20John BetjemanSue Limb, Andrew Motion
15–2 2012-01-27Daniel DefoeJane Thynne, Mark Billingham
15–3 2012-02-03Gustave FlaubertJohn O'Farrell, Alex Clark
15–4 2012-02-10Terence RattiganAndrew Motion, Sue Limb
15–52012-02-17Jackie CollinsJane Thynne, Mark Billingham
15–62012-02-24H. G. WellsAlex Clark, John O'Farrell

Series 16 (2013)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
16–12013-05-12The BrontësSue Limb, Mark Watson
16–22013-05-19Mark TwainJohn O'Farrell, Jane Thynne
16–32013-05-26Greek tragedyMark Billingham, Natalie Haynes
16–42013-06-02Dorothy ParkerSue Limb, Mark Watson
16–52013-06-09William BlakeJohn O'Farrell, Jane Thynne
16–62013-06-16Ian FlemingMark Billingham, Natalie Haynes

Series 17 (2014)

EpisodeOriginal airdateAuthor of the weekGuests
17–12014-10-05John OsborneMark Billingham, Lynne Truss
17–22014-10-12Jilly CooperJohn O'Farrell, Jane Thynne
17–32014-10-19Gerard Manley HopkinsRussell Davies, Sue Limb
17–42014-10-26Jerome K JeromeMark Billingham, Lynne Truss
17–52014-11-02Henry FieldingJane Thynne, John O'Farrell
17–62014-11-09Virginia WoolfRussell Davies, Sue Limb

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Walsh: 'Taboo word? It depends on whether you mean the human. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/john-walsh/john-walsh-taboo-word-it-depends-on-whether-you-mean-the-human-bits-or-rubbish-1878747.html . 7 May 2022 . subscription . live. Independent.co.uk. 26 January 2010.
  2. Web site: Authors | Spotlight Authors, All Authors, Author Interviews.
  3. Web site: Books, buzzers and an ageing Harry Potter.
  4. Web site: Jeeves and the Wedding Bells . 2024-06-19.

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