Douglas Adams Fans

[CarlMetro]

I know there are a few out there, well we have a new treat in store, coming soon to a radio near you............

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6898007.stm

Comedian Harry Enfield is to play Dirk Gently, the eccentric detective created by late author Douglas Adams, in the character's first UK broadcast series.
BBC Radio 4's adaptation of Adams' novel Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency will begin in October.

The six-part drama is being directed by Dirk Maggs, who the late author chose to make a new radio version of his Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Andrew Sachs, who played Manuel in Fawlty Towers, will also appear.
The other cast members include Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd and Peep Show's Olivia Colman.

A BBC spokesperson described Dirk Gently as having an "unshakeable belief in the interconnectedness of all things".

The detective specialises in finding lost cats until he meets an old friend and "is drawn into a four billion-year-old mystery that must be solved if the human race is to avoid immediate extinction".

[DonnieDarco]

I love the Dirk Gently books!!! I always preferred them over the Hitchhikers Guide. Not at all sure about Harry playing Dirk though, will have to think about that :D

[Eki]

Does BBC Radio 4 broadcast on the internet?

[Kneeslider]

Oh yes Eki, it is simply the best radio station in the world for a great many reasons. You will need the radio player downloaded, but that only takes a few minutes, and nearly all of the programs are available to 'listen again' for up to seven days after they are broadcast.

Particular favourites of mine are:-

Giles Wemmbley Hogg, The adventures of an inept gap year student.
In our time with Melvin Bragg, A discussion forum which covers the history of ideas.
And of course the Shipping Forecast!

In all, the thinking person's radio station!

Happy listening!

[DonnieDarco]

Only to listeners in the UK, by the looks of it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

By that I mean radio 4.

[oily oaf]

Oh yes Eki, it is simply the best radio station in the world for a great many reasons. You will need the radio player downloaded, but that only takes a few minutes, and nearly all of the programs are available to 'listen again' for up to seven days after they are broadcast.

Particular favourites of mine are:-

Giles Wemmbley Hogg, The adventures of an inept gap year student.
In our time with Melvin Bragg, A discussion forum which covers the history of ideas.
And of course the Shipping Forecast!

In all, the thinking person's radio station!

Happy listening!

I wholeheartedly concur with all of the above but a word of warning.
Do NOT listen to The Shipping Forecast when impressionable youngsters or elderly female relatives are within earshot.
Some of the broadcasts, particularly gale warnings are pretty "adult" in nature.
Only last Tuesday Rob McElwee spoke huskily of a deepening low over Biscay bringing storm force winds of up to gale force 9 over The German Bight!
The filthy Scottish swine :mad:

[Kneeslider]

Only to listeners in the UK, by the looks of it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

By that I mean radio 4.


Well I have been listening to it in many a far flung corner of the world, so give it a go, I think it should work.


As Oily says, the shipping forecast is on rather late at night, so you know what to expect.

And that esteemed cheeky mockeny wordsmith Damon Albarn was so impressed, he even wrote a song about it, This is a Low, on Parklife.

[Kneeslider]

See here for more information about the shipping forecast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipping_forecast

[Eki]

Only to listeners in the UK, by the looks of it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

By that I mean radio 4.
Works for me. Thanks.

[Kneeslider]

If you can, then check out The Mark Steele Lectures, where one man stands up for half an hour and rants in an amusing manner about a wide variety of historical figures. My particular favourite episodes are -

Karl Marx
Mary Shelley
Beethoven
Che Geuvara

Now that you have discovered Radio 4, then life will never be the same again!

[Eki]

I wholeheartedly concur with all of the above but a word of warning.
Do NOT listen to The Shipping Forecast when impressionable youngsters or elderly female relatives are within earshot.
Some of the broadcasts, particularly gale warnings are pretty "adult" in nature.
Only last Tuesday Rob McElwee spoke huskily of a deepening low over Biscay bringing storm force winds of up to gale force 9 over The German Bight!
The filthy Scottish swine :mad:
I think they broadcast Radio 4 and the shipping forecast also on shortwave radio, but I prefer the internet, so I won't become like that Native American who learned his English from AM radio. His English was otherwise perfect, but from time to time there were some hissing, squeeking and clicking sounds.

[Caroline]

I love the Dirk Gently books!!! I always preferred them over the Hitchhikers Guide. Not at all sure about Harry playing Dirk though, will have to think about that :D

I can't really imagine Harry Enfield as Dirk Gently either...but am stumped to come up with an alternative though.

I can't wait. I always thought his 'other' books were overlooked.

[DonnieDarco]

Hmmmmmmmmm. What about the guy who played Garth Merenghi? He seems..............eccentric enough to be Dirk :D

http://www.garthmarenghi.com/

Or maybe that's his actual name? I was never sure :D

[oily oaf]

Boris Johnson anyone?