List of BBC Radio programmes adapted for television

2025-09-04T16:53:02Z

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{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
Many [[BBC]] radio comedy programmes have been successful enough for the writers and performers to adapt them into [[television]] programmes. Unless otherwise stated these programmes were originally broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4]], and then broadcast on one of the BBC's TV channels. The following list gives some of the more notable ones.



{| border="1"
!style="background:cornsilk;"| '''Radio version'''
!style="background:khaki;"| '''Television version'''
!style="background:tan;"| '''Notes '''
|-
|''Sean Lock’s 15 Minutes of Misery'' / ''Sean Lock: 15 Storeys High''||''[[15 Storeys High]]''
|
|-
|''[[Absolute Power (comedy)|Absolute Power]]'' || ''Absolute Power''
|
|-
|''[[An Actor's Life For Me]]''||''An Actor's Life For Me''||BBC Radio 2 programme turned BBC1 sitcom
|-
|''[[After Henry (radio series)|After Henry]]''||''[[After Henry (TV series)|After Henry]]''||BBC Radio 4 programme turned ITV sitcom
|-
|''Annika Stranded''||''[[Annika (2021 TV series)|Annika]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Mighty Boosh|The Boosh]]'' || ''[[The Mighty Boosh]]''
|
|-
|''[[Blue Jam]]'' || ''[[Jam (TV series)|Jam]]'' || [[BBC Radio 1]] radio production. [[Channel 4]] television production.
|-
|''[[The Clitheroe Kid]]'' || ''The Clitheroe Kid''
|
|-
| ''[[Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show!]]'' || ''[[Count Arthur Strong (TV series)|Count Arthur Strong]]''
|
|-
|''[[Dave Hollins: Space Cadet]]'' sketches in ''[[Son of Cliché]]'' || ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' || Many changes.
|-
|''[[Dead Ringers (comedy)|Dead Ringers]]'' || ''Dead Ringers''
|
|-
|''[[Hinge and Bracket|The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket]]''
|''[[Dear Ladies]]''
|BBC Radio 4 (1977–1979) to BBC Two television sitcom (1983–1985)
|-
|''[[Delve Special]]'' || ''[[This is David Lander]]'', ''[[This is David Harper]]'' || Broadcast on [[Channel 4]]
|-
|''[[Fist of Fun]]'' || ''Fist of Fun'' || Broadcast on [[BBC Radio 1]]
|-
|''[[Genius_(Radio_series)|Genius]]'' || ''Genius''
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|-
|''[[The Goon Show]]'' || ''[[Telegoons]]''
|
|-
|''[[Goodness Gracious Me (TV & radio)|Goodness Gracious Me]]'' || ''Goodness Gracious Me'' || Radio version was funded by [[BBC TV]] in the hopes the series would eventually transfer to television.
|-
|''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]'' || ''Hancock's Half Hour'', ''Hancock''
|
|-
|''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' || ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''
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|-
|''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]'' || ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' || Unaired [[Television pilot|pilot]]
|-
|''[[I've_Never_Seen_Star_Wars_(radio_series)|I've Never Seen Star Wars]]'' || ''[[I've_Never_Seen_Star_Wars_(TV_series)|I've Never Seen Star Wars]]''
|
|-
|''[[Just a Minute]]'' || ''Just a Minute'' || Unaired pilots and both [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] (1994–1995) and [[BBC One|BBC1]] (1999, 2012) series.
|-
|''[[Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (radio series)|Knowing Me, Knowing You]]'' || ''[[Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (TV series)|Knowing Me, Knowing You]]''
|
|-
|''[[Life With The Lyons]]'' || ''Life With The Lyons''
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|-
|''[[Little Britain (sketch show)|Little Britain]]'' || ''Little Britain''
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|-
|''Miranda Hart’s joke shop''||''[[Miranda (TV series)|Miranda]]''||The radio version was based on a semi-autobiographical TV pilot
|-
|''[[That Mitchell and Webb Sound]]'' || ''[[That Mitchell and Webb Look]]'' || The TV version was made in January 2006 and started airing in September.
|-
|''Naked Radio'' || ''[[Naked Video]]'' || ''Naked Radio'' was first broadcast on [[BBC Scotland|BBC Radio Scotland]]
|-
|''[[The News Quiz]]'' || ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' || Many changes. It is disputed whether HIGNFY ''is'' actually based on TNQ or not. Former ''News Quiz'' panellist [[Ian Hislop]] is now a panellist on HIGNFY
|-
|''[[On The Hour]]'' || ''[[The Day Today]]''
|
|-
|''[[On the Town with The League of Gentlemen (radio series)|On the Town with The League of Gentlemen]]'' || ''[[The League of Gentlemen]]'' || Moved from town of Spent to Royston Vasey.
|-
|''[[People Like Us (mockumentary)|People Like Us]]'' || ''People Like Us''
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|-
|''[[Radio Active (radio series)|Radio Active]]'' || ''[[KYTV (TV series)|KYTV]]''
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|-
|''[[Room 101 (radio series)|Room 101]]'' || ''[[Room 101 (British TV series)|Room 101]]'' || Broadcast on [[BBC Radio 5 (former)|Radio 5]]
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|''Second Thoughts'' || ''[[Second Thoughts (TV series)|Second Thoughts]]'' || BBC Radio Four radio series transferred to ITV
|-
|''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'' || ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' || Broadcast on [[Channel 4]]
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|''Victoria Derbyshire'' || ''[[Victoria Derbyshire (TV programme)]] ''
|}

==Television to radio transfers==
Some television series transfer in the other direction. Both the [[science fiction]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and ''[[Blake's 7]]'' have become short-lived radio series. Several [[comedy|comedies]], such as ''[[To the Manor Born]]'' (in 1997) and ''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'', have also been transferred.

As another example, in 2004 the [[Andy Hamilton]] comedy ''[[Trevor's World of Sport]]'' transferred to Radio 4. Having largely failed in its television incarnation, it was felt the older medium might suit it better. This would seem to create the impression that, whereas popular radio shows are "promoted" to television, an unpopular television show was being "demoted" to radio. However, public opinion on the radio series has been mostly positive, suggesting that it was a good decision.

{| border="1"
!style="background:cornsilk;"| '''Television version'''
!style="background:khaki;"| '''Radio version'''
!style="background:tan;"| '''Notes '''
|-
|''[[All Gas and Gaiters]]'' || ''All Gas and Gaiters''
|-
|''[[Blake's 7]]'' || ''Blake's 7''
|-
|''[[Dad's Army]]'' || ''Dad's Army ''
|-
|''[[Dr Finlay's Casebook]]''||''[[Dr Finlay's Casebook]]'' & ''[[The Adventures of a Black Bag]]''
|-
|''[[Doctor Who]]'' || ''Doctor Who''
|-
|''[[Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind]]'' || ''Mastermind''
|-
|''[[One Foot in the Grave]]'' || ''One Foot in the Grave''
|-
|''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' || ''Steptoe and Son''
|-
|''[[To the Manor Born]]'' || ''To the Manor Born''
|-
|''[[Trevor's World of Sport]]'' ||''Trevor's World of Sport''
|-
|''[[Yes Minister]]'' || ''Yes Minister''
|}

==Radio programmes transferred to independent television==
* A few early game shows from [[Radio Luxembourg_(English)|Radio Luxembourg]] transferred to [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], when it started broadcasting in 1955. This included ''[[Take Your Pick]]'' and ''[[Double Your Money]]''.
==See also==
*[[List of television series made into books]]

[[Category:BBC Radio comedy programmes|*]]
[[Category:BBC television shows|*]]
[[Category:Lists of television series based on works|BBC Radio programmes adapted for television]]
[[Category:British radio-related lists|BBC Radio programmes adapted for television]]
[[Category:British television-related lists|BBC Radio programmes adapted for television]]
[[Category:BBC-related lists|Radio programmes adapted for television]]

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List of BBC Radio programmes adapted for television