The Mark Steel Lectures
- TV factual / stand-up
- BBC Four
- 2002 - 2006
- 18 episodes (3 series)
Series telling the story of some of the world's greatest names, from Byron to Pankhurst, in an accessible, comic manner. Features Mark Steel and Martin Hyder.
Press clippings
The Mark Steel Lectures
For me, the Radio 4 series of The Mark Steel Lectures was a delight. In each episode, he proved himself to be one of the few people who can talk passionately and entertainingly about relatively academic subjects. Some were naturally more interesting than others - a subject like Aristotle is always going to be difficult to sell to a comedy audience, after all - but all were entertaining, with a good balance of facts and jokes. This was often achieved by concentrating as much on the subjects' personalities as their achievements, and usually the best moments would be the asides, reflecting how modern society would interpret each subject's activities and eccentricities.
John Phillips, Off The Telly, 2nd March 2006Heard the one about Darwin's worms?
Simon Schama and the rest may have made history popular, but why do they always leave out the funny bits, asks Mark Steel.
Mark Steel, The Guardian, 29th September 2003Mark Steel lectures on laughter
Comedian and writer Mark Steel is hard at work editing the forthcoming TV version of his popular BBC Radio Four series The Mark Steel lectures.
City Life, 15th March 2002