Curriculum Vitæ (page being rewritten)

NB: Where a programme has been released on commercial record or video, this is indicated by *. This list is not yet in chronological order, more the order in which I’ve remembered or discovered things. All contributions, corrections, hell, even opinions! are welcome, and thanks to those who have helped flesh out my original list since this page went live.

This page will soon be rewritten with tables and chronological order, and all that sort of thing.

Radio

NB: For fuller information on all British radio comedy since the 1980s, visit here.

The Cabaret Upstairs
(1985–1987) (Radio 4) Jeremy does his stand-up routine.
Unnatural acts/At Home with the Hardys.
Four friends: Jeremy, Kit [Hollerbach], Paul and Caroline [Leddy], play a bewildering array of characters, and all their exploits are based on dire britcom type situations. [I have never heard of this programme myself, it was sent in be a reader of the page.] More information is available here and here (Unnatural Acts) and here (At Home).
Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation
This programme is a Pozzitive Television production for BBC Radio 4. For episode titles and transmission dates, see below.
The News Quiz
Frequent appearances. With Simon Hoggart, Alan Coren, Francis Wheen, Andy Hamilton, Linda Smith and assorted minor celebrities (David Steel, Clive Anderson, etc.).
Power
Six part series on Radio 4 about power, with a few funny bits, but by no means up to his usual level.
I’m Sorry, I Haven’t a Clue
JH appeared on this a few series back when Tim Brooke-Taylor wasn’t doing it. Since the sad death of Willie Rushton, there have been three special guests every series. In the last series broadcast, JH was the first of these. He is not bad at playing Mornington Cresent, either, but he’s not too hot at the singing in the overly-present musical rounds. All in all, ISIHAC, Jeremy or no Jeremy, is a bit tired now.
A Brief History of Time Wasting
Linda Smith is a frequent collaborator with Jeremy, often appearing with him on the News Quiz and having been in All the Fun of the Mayor with him. So when she decided to write a sitcom for Radio 4, where her talents were most appreciated, he was offered a part (or rather, the chance to play several parts).

Television

If I Ruled the World
A Hat Trick production for BBC2. A comedy-political show, where the audience has to vote for whichever team is funniest. Hardy is a team captain. Clive Anderson as host. With Graeme Garden and guests. See here for a little more information.
Jack and Jeremy’s Police 4
One off special for Channel 4, with Jack Dee. Also appearing are Steve Frost and the inimitable “Smeggers”. Keep a look out for a touch of pre-Stella Street Joe Pesci-style “No, you can’t have coffee with a cream tea, fuck you!” scene! Also, there are definite premonitions of Brass Eye and Brass Eye Special; the song at the end being very Pædogeddon-esque.
Jack and Jeremy’s Real Lives (series of 6 in the same style as above)
- (Show 1) Aristocrats with a strong dislike for the working class and the underpriviliged.
- (Show 2) Avant-garde writers who fail to get onto a high-class BBC2 arts show.
- (Show 3) Restaurant owners who “cater to the elite”, which featured Hardy’s stunning comic performance as the hard-boiled, angry, Italian-Northern chef Vincenzo Arkwright.
- (Show 4) Investigators into the paranormal. The weakest of the series though notable for Willie Rushton's last TV appearence.
- (Show 5) Consumer watchdogs which featured a very funny sketch with Jack and Jeremy portraying Jeremy Clarkson.
- (Show 6) Owners of a private hospital. You can probably guess the sort of gags on offer here.
The Brain Drain
A Hat Trick production for BBC2. Quiz a few years back on BBC 2, hosted by Jimmy Mulville (who now mainly writes scripts for Hat Trick, including Have I Got News for You), with Sandi Toksvig.
Without Walls on Swearing
Channel 4, some years ago. Jeremy was a guest on the Call My Bluff section with Barry Cryer and Donna McPhail. He had to define words like Turd and Fuck. Ground-breaking television, though.
Foot and Hardy
A program celebrating 50 years of the NHS in which JH, Private Eye journalist Paul Foot and Linda Smith (from the News Quiz) reveal the attrocities of PFI and the private hospital industry.
Now Something Else
(1986) (BBC2) Rory Bremner’s first TV show, in which Jeremy Hardy appeared as a boom operator with a five minute monologue each week.
The Civil War: England’s Fight for Freedom
(1999) (Channel 4) (90 min) Jeremy presented and narrated this documentary about the English Civil War. Using modern day news reporting techniques including secretly filmed footage and interviews with the protagonists, the program presented an introduction to the Revolution in an easy to follow style. Jeremy Hardy himself abandoned the comedian image for his presenting duties and visited various parts of the country where the action was taking place including the Houses of Parliament and Burford Church in Oxford. [Thanks to James Taylor.]
Blackadder Goes Forth (episode 2)
(1989) (BBC1) (30 min) See the videos section below.
Monday Night Clive
(198?) (ITV) Jeremy appears as a guest on the first edition of this show hosted by the former Observer TV critic Clive James whose production company is responsible for Clarkson.
We Know Where You Live (2001)—see video section, infra.

Getting Jeremy into your Home

There are a few records and videos available that are suitable for Jeremy Hardy fans. A list with exhaustive aspirations appears below:

If you want to search for some rare Jeremy Hardy items that are not listed elsewhere (because they are deleted), please use the search boxes below: Amazon.co.uk sells almost everything, Sendit.com sells videos, and eBay can often find you stuff you never dreamt existed. All these links bring in a small amount of income for the site, which pays for the web space and software to build it. Thanks for your support; the goods you buy don’t cost you any more because of this!

For UK videos and DVDs: www.sendit.com.

Search:

Keywords:

Records Available

Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation
BBC. MC and CD. 2 episodes from the first series, as shown above. Very hard to get hold of, and not even listed at Amazon.co.uk.

Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation CD Cover

Also available is a 2 cassette pack of four Speaks to the Nation series 2 episodes (see below)

Barry Took’s Pick of the News Quiz See it at Amazon.co.uk.
BBC. I haven’t heard this, but since Jeremy Hardy is the funniest person on the News Quiz, chances are he’s on it quite a bit. MC only.
Simon Hoggart’s Pick of the News Quiz See it at Amazon.co.uk.
Newly released on 06/11/2000, this is sure to contain Jeremy’s greatest News Quiz triumphs.
Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation See it at Amazon.co.uk.
4 episodes from the second series, not released by the BBC. MC only.

Videos available

Jeremy Hardy Gives Good Sex See it at Blackstar
with Martin Clunes. Carlton video. Hard to find, and now deleted, but you can still try with Blackstar’s video hunt—£16.99, but only if they find it for you.
Jeremy Hardy Live and Well See it at Blackstar
This mysterious video was, as far as I can make out, deleted before it was released! Try video hunt for it by all means, but it won’t work. Mine didn’t.
Famous Compere’s Police Dog See it at Blackstar
Yet another compilation of Amnesty International stuff. Long since deleted. Also early appearances by Mark Thomas and Julian Clary.
Hysteria See it at Blackstar
Jeremy reportedly appears in this AIDS research/awareness benefit concert by the Terrence Higgins trust. He is not in Hysteria 3, but may be in Hysteria 2, which I have yet to watch.
Blackadder Goes Forth See it at Blackstar
The ever popular and historically inaccurate Blackadder reaches its finest hour in this series, and Jeremy appears early on (episode 2) as a camp prison attendant. Jeremy’s not gay, BTW.
We Know Where You Live (2001)
The Amnesty concert from Wembley Arena is on VHS and DVD. Jeremy very good in this one!

Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation

(Almost) Complete Episode Guide

S E Title: How to… Rec Tx Cast Notes

1 1 Stay Alive for as Long as You Possibly Can 30/09/1993 Debbie Isitt; Steve Frost Released on BBC CD and cassette

1 2 Be Truly Free 07/10/1993

1 3 Get into Heaven 14/10/1993

1 4 Be an Adult 21/10/1993

1 5 Have Sex 28/10/1993 Released on BBC CD and cassette

1 6 Know Your Place 04/11/1993

2 1 Be a Popular Figure Around Town 06/10/1994 Debbie Isitt; Gordon Kennedy

2 2 Have a Baby 13/10/1994

2 3 be a Leader of Men 20/10/1994

2 4 Be a Father (part 1) 27/10/1994

2 5 Be a Father (part 2) 03/11/1994

2 6 Face the Challenge of the 21st Century 10/11/1994

3 1 Be a Man 01/01/1997 01/01/1997 Two of Debbie Isitt; Gordon Kennedy;Meera Syal' Caroline Leddy

3 2 Bear up under the Strain 01/01/1997 01/01/1997

3 3 Make Your Presence Felt 02/01/1997 02/01/1997

3 4 Improve Your Mind 03/01/1997 03/01/1997

3 5 Keep Abreast of Developments 04/01/1997 04/01/1997

3 6 be Happy 05/01/1997 05/01/1997

4 1 Fight Fire with Fire 04/09/2001 06/09/2001 Debbie Isitt; Gordon Kennedy Shows in this series went out at 2300

4 2 Live 18/09/2001 20/09/2001 The recording and broadcast of this programme was delayed for one week following September 11

4 3 Work 25/09/2001 27/09/2001

4 4 See through OthersÕ Eyes 02/10/2001 04/10/2001

4 5 Hand the World on to the Next Generation 18/09/2001 11/10/2001 This was the second show recorded on 18/09/2001

4 6 When Jeremy Hardy Spoke to the Nation 18/10/2001 Graeme Garden This is a clip show drawing on all previous series

5 1 Be Yourself 07/01/2003 09/01/2003 Debbie Isitt; Gordon Kennedy Shows in this series went out at 1830

5 2 Belong 14/01/2003 15/01/2003

5 3 Be Young 21/01/2003 22/01/2003

5 4 28/01/2003 29/01/2003