Dead Ringers (comedy)
Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions show broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC2 since. The program was devised by Bill Dare, and stars Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phill Cornwell, Kevin Connelly and Mark Perry.The programme was first aired in 2000. On radio there have been ten series plus a number of special episodes including one devoted entirely to The Archers (a BBC radio soap) and Queen Elizabeth II's golden jubilee. On television there have been two series and a pilot episode.
The program is well known for its portrayal of fellow BBC employees, such as Radio 4 news reader Brian Perkins as a gangster ("Who's the daddy?") and Director General of the BBC Greg Dyke as a Michael Caine-like character. Newsreaders Kirsty Wark (of Newsnight) and Charlotte Green (of Radio 4) regularly open bulletins on the programme with a line from a popular song ("He was a skater boy, she said see you later boy, he wasn't good enough for her. More on that story later"). Broadcasts reportedly from Downing Street parody BBC political editor Andrew Marr, showing his supposed eccentric manner, interminable sentences, and jerky movements.
Culshaw regularly performs telephone prank calls impersonating Tom Baker's incarnation of The Doctor or Alec Guinness's version of Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the show's television incarnation he goes shopping as both characters, vexing shop assistants and used-car salesmen alike ("Yes, I know it's got six months' road-tax left, but will it take me to Alderaan?").
President George W. Bush mangles the English language ("My fellow amaeboids...", "My fellow umbrellastands...") and tapes over intelligence videos with episodes of Sesame Street.
Prime Minister Tony Blair announces his hand gesture style while speaking, while Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott catches fire when two of his incomprehensible sentences rub together.
The actors behind some impressions include:
- Jon Culshaw - George W Bush, Ozzy Osbourne, Brian Sewell, Brian Perkins, Tony Blair, David Beckham, Chris Tarrant, Obi-Wan Kenobi, William Hague, Simon Schama, Russell Crowe, Ricky Gervais, Mariella Frostrup, Tom Baker
- Jan Ravens - Delia Smith, Patricia Routledge, Margaret Thatcher, Charlotte Green, Clarrie Grundy (from The Archers), Germaine Greer, Clare Short, Ann Widdecombe, Ellen McArthur, Queen Elizabeth II
- Kevin Connelly - David Dimbleby, Iain Duncan Smith, Mark Lawson, David Starkey
- Mark Perry - David Dickinson, Patrick Stewart, John Prescott, Robin Cook
- Phil Cornwell - Greg Dyke, The Duke of Edinburgh