First of all, if you haven’t already heard it, dash over right now to the BBC Radio Player and listen to last Wednesday’s first episode of the second series of Ed Reardon’s Week.
Ed Reardon is quite the funniest creation I’ve heard (or seen) in some time; a writer by trade, although he has trouble making ends meet. He did once write an episode of Tenko, and had his first novel made into a blockbuster film by his friend Jaz. But now times are tough, and in between writing books to order like Pet Peeves or Jane Seymour’s Household Hints, he’s struggling to turn in scripts for Holby City, or write The Old Lock Keeper’s column for his local free newspaper.
This book is basically the first series of the Radio 4 comedy. Quite why Radio 4 insisted on broadcasting it at 11.30am rather than the somewhat better 6.30pm slot is a question I don’t entirely understand. It’ll certainly get a 6.30pm repeat, but it deserves the bigger audience from the outset.
Ed is a fantastic creation, lovingly crafted. He lives with his cat, Elgar, and has a family from a previous marriage that seems a little estranged. He plays in a jazz band with his old mucker Jaz, even though he’s insanely jealous of the big-time director who bastardised his novel for a movie tear-jerker.
Sadly BBC Audio haven’t seen fit to release the first series on CD, so you’ll, er, just have to find someone who might have some mp3s if you want to hear the first series.
And in the meantime, get listening to the second series – Wednesdays at 11.30am, Radio 4.
Ed Reardon’s Week
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46 responses to “Ed Reardon’s Week”
Ed Reardon is SO hilarious; can’t wait until the series goes on sale. All the characters are perfect. He reminds me of every writer, publisher and agent I know in some way (and of me sometimes, too). Hear the last episode of the second season? Did you get the impression that he might not have made it through the surgery?
William Dylan Powell
It truly is an excellent series. I did indeed hear the final episode of the second series, but I somehow hope that his surgery has done no worse than give him a few more NHS woes to worry about.
Adam
I am sure parts of Ed’s character is based on me – all the same, I have recorded every single episode. I love one episode when he shovels copious amounts of party nibbles into his pocket to feed both himself and the cat.
Which episode of Tenko did you write?
Oh and good news. Following the current repeat of series 2 of Ed Reardon, the third series starts at 11.30am on Fridays from 15 December for six weeks.
See more here – http://www.adambowie.com/weblog/archive/001863.html
Hi Adam,
I share your enthusiasm for Ed Reardon’s Week, one of the best radio comedies around! I’ve been streaming the episodes from the bbc website and converting them to mp3. I have about half of them so far. If you’d like a copy, let me know (post a message here) and I’ll email them or upload them to an ftp server.
Cheers,
John
Thanks John,
I think I’m ok for episodes. Series 3 is going well too!
Adam
Hi,
I agree Ed Reardon’s week is lovely. The failure, the misanthropy, the pretentions, the mixture of the outlandish and the understated. Best comedy I’ve heard in a while.
Yes I’d love some epsisodes if you have some John
(xxxx)
Matthew
can anyone help me out with past episodes on mp3, id much appreciate it . big fan of ed’s and missing his slant on the world!
Hi
Agree. I’ve been converting to mp3 as well. This has made my morning train trip into Sydney CBD pure joy.
I’m only missing the first ep from series 2 – Rogue Mail. I caught it recently when Radio 4 repeated the series, but accidentally deleted the file, does anyone know if it’s downloadable from anywhere, or available on disk in the UK? BBC 7 seemed to indicate that they may schedule the series recently at the end of their recent run of the first series.
I’d like to buy all the episodes, including the latest series on MP3. Does the BBC sell ’em like that? Couldn’t find it on iTunes.
William Dylan Powell
Sadly not. The first series was supposed to be made available on CD sometime this spring, but BBC Audio haven’t included it amongst their latest releases.
Audible.co.uk is another place where BBC programmes sometimes get released before a CD emerges, but again I can’t find it.
There’s no legal way of obtaining this series currently which I find amazing.
If anyone has any episodes they would email to me, that would be great.
Is there any word on whether there will be a fourth series? BBC Radio 7 played Series II some weeks back, but I can’t find anything on a new one. Thanks!
Hi,I got on to Ed Reardon’s Week tragically late so haven’t any recorded episodes: but the one transmitted 19.1.07 – I think the last in the last series (3) – is so dangerously funny that it’s health risk. Any chance anybody has it as an MP3?, and would be prepared to send it? Cheers, Vic
Can anyone give a few episodes on MP3?
You will find a couple of episodes here
http://rapidshare.com/files/48998620/ed1.mp3
http://rapidshare.com/files/52726291/ed1a.mp3
Agree with most of you regards the quality and hilarity of the Ed Reardon series. Currently recording Ep 3, Series 3 and would love to trade this and future episodes with anyone who has earlier ones? Please make contact through email (xxxx) and I weill be much obliged to you
IF ANYONE CAN POST ME
(or the other chap who asked (Vic White))
– SOME MP3’S OF ANY EPISODES I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL.
I actually only ever managed to catch a couple of episodes and what i DID hear i bl0Ody loved! . . SO PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE PLEASE SEND IF YOU HAVE.
As my friend said when he pissed on Oliver Reeds grave – “it’s what he would have wanted”
I’m sure if Ed were real.. he WOULD approve. Thus “S E N D!!”
Thanks a quintillionth
Peace and Cake,,
James.x
ps. my e-mail is
xxxx
Hello
I am a massive fan of Ed Reardon, by which I really do mean the character of Ed Reardon not ony the fantastic show.
Anyway, I’ve missed so many episodes and I would really appreciate it if anyone who has recorded any episodes could send them to me somehow. (email: xxxx)
Ladies and gents – there are ways and means…
Just drop a comment below if you want to know more. No need to include your email address in your comment if you fill it out in the comment box correctly.
Adam
I have got series one and two but have missed series three completely … can anyone help?
Hi all, I got into Ed Reardon’s week very early on so I have a good selection of old episode as mp3. Sadly the quality isn’t great but better than nothing. I have the following ias eithyer MP3 or on tape.
Series 1
Episode Title Original Airdate
2 Pulp Non-Fiction 14 January 2005
3 Holby City 21 January 2005
4 The Old Lock-Keeper 28 January 2005
5 The Winona Defence 4 February 2005
6 King of the Road 11 February 2005
Series 2
Episode Title Original Airdate
1 Rogue Mail 21 December 2005
2 The Speech 28 December 2005
3 The Last Laugh 4 January 2006
4 Our Man In Berkhamsted 11 January 2006
5 A Hint of Calvados 18 January 2006
6 The Operations 25 January 2006
[edit] Series 3
Episode Title Original Airdate
1 The Name-Check 15 December 2006
3 Undercover 29 December 2006
4 The Dig 5 January 2007
5 Murder Most Rewritten 12 January 2007
if there is a demand then I will happy make as many of them as I can online.
If this has already been done by someone could you please let me know as I’d love to get a copy of the missing episodes.
cheers
Carl
another fan keen to get hold of any or all of the back episodes
Series 3 in ogg format (zipped), approximately 60 mb.
http://rapidshare.com/files/76761610/ERW3.zip
Series 2 in ogg format (zipped), approximately 60 mb.
http://rapidshare.com/files/76797056/ERW2.zip
Series 4 (missing ep. 3) – in ogg format (zipped)[approx 70 mb]
link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/78589981/ERW_4_Missing_3_.zip
If anyone should have the missing episode (3), I should be most grateful if it could be posted. Thanks.
Hi. Can anybody who’s got previous episodes of ed reardon’s week please on, say, mp3 format, please email them to me? I’d be heartily grateful…
Duncan. (xxxx)
Hi All,
I have been trying for months, unsuccessfully, to find all episodes of Ed Reardon’s week.
I would be extremely grateful if anyone could e-mail me any episodes that you have.
xxxx
Many thanks in advance, it really is appreciated.
Daniel
Adam,George Gissing was discussed on Bookclub on R4 today. Christopher Douglas was took the name Ed Reardon from the novel.Interesting.I would love to know how to get to hear the old episodes. Can you send any info please?
.
.
.
My email…
xxxx
.
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Hello All
Wonderful stuff here.
Gavin or Carl… any chance you could share the first series at all?
Marvellous.
Many thanks
A
Hello Adam,
I am new to this blog game — I came across your site while looking for some info on Ed Reardon series and was amazed at the interest in the series. I have all the episodes of all four series in wav format and can easily convert them to MP3 or other format but am unsure how to distribute them to all these people who need them — You seem to have most if not all the items and I think you might already have provided the missing episodes — however if you do need any missing episodes please let me know and I can send them to you via sendspace.
I believe you are bringing lot of joy and merriment to all these people… keep up the good work..
NRP
Hi NRP,
Welcome to the blog. I think most people have probably got hold of the programmes that they want.
Obviously, I wouldn’t in any way encourage pirate trading in episodes…
All the best!
Please please could someone send me as many episodes as possible as MP3’s or tell me where I can download them (Rapidshare isn’t working for me also, I have a Mac) I am going on holiday and need to take a good dose of British sarcasm with me! Thank you xxx xxxx
Hello All
Thanks [DG] for those links to Ed Reardon series 2,3,4.
You mentioned you were missing Series 4 Ep3 – in case you still are, here it is:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ygw1t3
I also have series 1 if anyone is looking for it.
best regards all
I found myself talking yesterday with someone else who also finds ER a total joy. We wondered if there were others out there – of course! Hello! Happy Does anyone have recordings of 1.1, 1.6 and 4.1 to share? Thanks and hello again!
Hello Nick
Yes – here are those three episodes you asked for.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/2gmsx6
I’m wondering if they’re about to start Series 5 on R4, since they’ve been repeating series 4..
Does anyone know for certain that Ed Reardon’s been recommissioned?
If it does get a fifth series, recent patterns suggest that it won’t be on until December.
Ed Reardon popped up this week at the very fine Speechification.
Thanks for the missing episodes! Here’s to series five!
Missed series four completely – anyone got it on MP3 or could point me in the right direction? I would happily buy them from the BBC if they got their fingers out and published them.
I will need to send them a suitable strongly worded missive :~)
Ed Reardon’s week is one of the best things I’ve heard in ages.
Gav
HI Ive download the entire four series from
http://btjunkie.org/torrent/Ed-Reardon-s-Week-Series-01-to-04-24-Episodes-Complete-Audio-Comedy-128Kbps-Mp3-Slimoo/3385c229bc11d4b388e994f0edf40920099670881589
and they are great particularly the first series.
However series 1 episodoe 3 Holby City
is missing.
And it seems to be missing from all other active torrents as well (Often replaced my s2.e3.)
Could anyone supply me with a copy of this one episode? (maybe rapidshare or something similar).
Since BBC Worldwide has finally seen fit to begin releasing Ed Reardon on CD – at least the first couple of series – I’d appreciate it if people didn’t post links to downloads of it here anymore.
Thanks.
Anyway, a new series starts this Monday on Radio 4!
No doubt you are all overjoyed at the start of a new series. I had forgotten how good it is. btw Series 1 now available on CD
Good to see that there are others who are fans of this great comic creation. I believe that the reason it is so good is because we care about the characters, and Ed in particular. We’re all on his side, aren’t we?
On a separate matter, can anyone supply a name for the title music? An old Dixieland number, obviously, but I don’t recognise it.
I wouldn’t normally ask this, but I’ve been a devoted follower of Ed Reardon since series 1, yet somehow I’ve managed to miss the last episode of the last series on iplayer (I’m convinced things don’t appear in the search engine on there half the time; eps 3-5 of a recent re-run of That Mitchell & Webb Look series 2 never showed up either despite regularly searching for them). Given the cliffhanger ending of the penultimate episode I am distraught! Has anyone got a copy they can accidentally send me? I promise to delete it after listening. I would be very grateful. edfan at qolc dot net. Thanks 🙂