British Comedy Guide

The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio

Does anyone listen to this on Saturday mornings? Personally I've been tuning in since 2011 and have caught up with a lot of the past podcasts via the Absolute Radio app, but I really love it. The show has picked up two gold Sony/Radio Academy Awards in the past five years and they are well-deserved. The banter between the host Frank Skinner and the two sidekicks, Emily Dean and Alun Cochrane is fantastic and even when one of the trio is absent the regular stand-ins, Steve Hall and Matt Forde are a welcome addition to the team.

What do others think?

What time is it on? I like to listen to Sounds of the 60s on Radio 2 from 8-10.

It's on Absolute Radio from 8am to 11am on Saturdays, 9-12pm on the 'decades' stations (60s-00s). It can also be listened to via the Absolute app. It's brilliant, honestly.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 15th June 2014, 9:35 PM BST

It's on Absolute Radio from 8am to 11am on Saturdays, 9-12pm on the 'decades' stations (60s-00s). It can also be listened to via the Absolute app. It's brilliant, honestly.

Thanks Frank. Does that mean it's the same show on all five stations?

:P Oh if only I were as rich as the real-life Mr Collins! Yep, same show, albeit timeshifted with different music.

I keep meaning to listen to this as I love a bit of Frank. Will see what I can download.

The podcasts are OK, apart from the ones that don't have him in. Not sure how they could seriously think that some ordinary presenter could stand in for him.

Oh I don't know, I think that the other presenters do a pretty good job in Frank's absence. One of them, Steve Hall who writes for Russell Howard's Good News is particularly amusing and I'm amazed that he isn't better known as he's pretty sharp.

I've listened to a few of these over the last week and they're a nice, laid back listen. Not particularly dynamic or exciting (I'm yet to find that in any UK podcasts), but there's plenty of Skinner magic sprinkled throughout.

Absolute Radio do their bit for comedy on the airwaves.
They tried a Panel show last year, which was advertiser funded. Think it was called Mens Issues. Usual comedy circuit faces. Be interesting to see if they can challenge Radio 4 in the future with a regular slot.

Matt Forde does weekend overnights for Talksport. Steve Hall was involved before with absolute, either with Frank Skinner show, or possibly Dave Gorman show which used to be sundays. Alun Cochrun is a decent quality laid back stand-up and Emily Dean is an interesting character, she seems to be well connected, working for Jonathan Ross in the past, and plays up to a diva-ish image.

I also thought the show may struggle without a big name replacement for Frank, but the team do work well together and bounce off each other when he's not there.

As Ben says, there's plenty of Skinner magic sprinkled throughout. Almost throwaway lines than are weaved into debates, and listener texts add to the mix, before Frank normally gets the best line and then cue the music.

The only sad thing about the scheduling of the show for me is it is up against Danny Baker on 5Live between 9-11am (currently on summer break) , although thanks to the Absoloute Digital offerings you can listen to Frank 8-9am Danny 9-11 and then the last hour of Frank 11-12, missing just an hour inbetween.
I've not really organised my time for podcasts and listen again just yet!

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 17th June 2014, 10:02 PM BST

Oh I don't know, I think that the other presenters do a pretty good job in Frank's absence. One of them, Steve Hall who writes for Russell Howard's Good News is particularly amusing and I'm amazed that he isn't better known as he's pretty sharp.

Steve Hall was one of We Are Klang
That's probably why he's not more famous

I do enjoy this show when Frank's in it
Emily you are doubtless charming, but not that funny
The show relies on Franks "Attempt a joke about everything and some will work" approach.
With the others there to do the laughing

@Radiogagger - yep, agree about the Absolute comedy thing. I watched The Manuscript last year(?) and thought it was fairly good, standard panel show fare at times, but a step in the right direction anyway.

@Steve - I'd forgotten about 'We Are Klang' mainly because I only watched half an episode on BBC4 and thought that it wasn't to my taste. Discussing it with someone at work we agreed that it was a bit of a Young Ones reboot, but a little too anarchic for me.

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