The Headset Set

The BBC radio sketch show set in a vast call centre.

Smile5 is the mail-order catalogue company that sells anything and everything, from foot spas to fishing insurance, Rolex watches to lawnmowers. And way out of town, miles from anywhere, is its immense call centre, populated by the Headset Set: team leader Sailesh, recently transferred from Bangalore and hiding a dark secret; long-term employee (and determined technophobe) Bernie; self-loathing, streetwise cynic Aleesha and Big Tony, who treats the job as a side line to his own, somewhat shadier enterprises. Along with Ralph, the unsympathetic head of training; childlike Bradley, who's too nervous to make calls and the recalcitrant HR department, they spend their days dealing with strange requests and even stranger people.

In these 12 hilarious episodes, we eavesdrop on both sides of their bizarre, horrific and ludicrous phone calls, as well as following the ups and downs of call centre life. Series one sees the hapless operators thrown into chaos by a new phone system: falling ill en masse, coping with appraisal day and reacting to the news that their colleague Dan has died. And in series two, the team welcome new colleague Scott, deal with missing lunches and a massive hole in the middle of the office, bring their dogs to work and prepare to suffer the Curse of the Thermostat...

This sparkling sketch show was created by Stephen Carlin and James Kettle, penned by a team of comedy writers - including established names such as Madeleine Brettingham and Jon Hunter as well as new, emerging talent - and script edited by Dan Tetsell and James Kettle. It stars Chizzy Akudolu, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Colin Hoult, Phaldut Sharma, Philip Fox and Lucy Montgomery.

First released: Thursday 7th July 2022