Oliver Reed

Dawn French narrates this profile of volatile actor Oliver Reed. Reed's life story is told through his many interviews, which were of inevitably variable quality due to his enduring fondness for the sauce. Although Reed lived up to his reputation as a hellraiser, for every encounter where he's slurring and the worse for wear, there's another in which he's the perfect gentleman. His anecdotes testify to a life lived richly as this entertaining hour of excerpts proves.

Hannah Verdier, The Guardian, 13th October 2017

Still Britain's most beloved Royles? You can't imagine Jim letting a bunch of students kick his car doors in. Last year's trip to Prestatyn was fun but didn't quite reach the heights of The Queen Of Sheba and The New Sofa. This year's instalment entitled Joe's Crackers promises a Christmas gift of a fridge magnet from recession-hit Dave and Denise. Meanwhile, Wythenshawe's Oliver Reed - Joe from next door - reminisces about his naked wrestling days.

Will Dean, The Guardian, 20th December 2010

Sean Lock co-wrote and narrated TV's Believe It Or Not and I doubt if he'll make easier money this year.

A cut and paste collection of TV's more bizarre moments, punctuated by snide comments from Lock, the show was yet another tribute to the researcher's art.

We were invited to relive horrors, obscure and familiar, including Loyd Grossman's rock band, the man on Nationwide who claimed he could walk on eggs (he couldn't), MP Christopher Mayhew taking Mescaline on a 1956 edition of Panorama, Fanny Cradock committing career suicide and, best of all, Oliver Reed's alcohol-fuelled appearance on late-night discussion show, After Dark.

Lock thoughtfully transcribed Reed's exact words: "If somebody that knows no ill comes to a Palais de Dance and tickles his heels in the air because he's a Celt, how do you forgive yourself because he's a better dancer?" How, indeed, Oliver? How indeed?

Harry Venning, The Stage, 6th July 2009