British Comedy Guide
Reluctant Persuaders. Image shows from L to R: Amanda (Josie Lawrence), Joe (Mathew Baynton), Hardacre (Nigel Havers), Teddy (Rasmus Hardiker). Copyright: ABsoLuTeLy Productions
Reluctant Persuaders

Reluctant Persuaders

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2015 - 2021
  • 20 episodes (4 series)

Radio 4 sitcom set in London's worst advertising agency. Stars Nigel Havers, Josie Lawrence, Mathew Baynton, Rasmus Hardiker, Olivia Nixon and Kieran Hodgson

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Reluctant Persuaders

Reluctant Persuaders

Comedy drama set in Hardacre's, the worst advertising agency in London.

For three decades, Rupert Hardacre was one of the big beasts of advertising: he worked hard, played hard, and lived hard. But he fell harder...

Driven out of every reputable agency in town for drinking all their whiskey and sleeping with all their wives, he used the remains of his fortune to found Hardacre's, the best (and only) advertising agency on the M25. Now he's so confident that his name alone will take him back to the top, he's happy to leave all the actual work to the creative department.

But for the Hardacre organisation, there's more chaos than creativity. The entire creative team is made up of two fresh-faced and utterly clueless graduates, the new accounts chief Amanda is terrifying everyone, and their permanently disengaged receptionist Laura doesn't appear to know (or care) what's going on.

On a good day, Rupert and the Hardacre team will be coming up with ads for industrial adhesives, cast iron stoves, and jewellery for dogs. But can they beat the competition and rebuild their reputation to crawl back up the greasy ladder to success? Will old friends in the industry be their saving grace - or their downfall? And most importantly, can Rupert ever get a decent glass of whiskey?

Starring Nigel Havers, Josie Lawrence and Matthew Baynton, the charming and hilarious Reluctant Persuaders won Best Scripted Comedy at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2016, and is perfect for fans of In And Out Of The Kitchen and Fags, Mags And Bags.

First released: Thursday 23rd February 2023

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