The Skewer

For other uses, see Skewer (disambiguation).

The Skewer is a topical radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and as a podcast on BBC Sounds. Created and produced by Jon Holmes, the 15 or 30 minute episodes are a sound collage which combine topical soundbites with excerpts from popular culture, historical quotations and songs, often in unsettling or surreal ways.

The Skewer

Genre	Topical/Sketch comedy
Running time	15/30 minutes
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Home station	BBC Radio 4
Produced by	Jon Holmes
Original release	8 January 2020 (2020-01-08)

The programme is created using Avid Pro Tools^[1] and is designed to be heard through headphones, making use of binaural techniques.^[2] The series has an "open door" writing policy,^[1] with ideas and soundscapes being added just a few hours before broadcast.^[3]

Following a pilot episode on 4 April 2019^[2][4] The Skewer has run for eleven series since 8 January 2020.^[5]

Reception

Miranda Sawyer in The Observer describes the programme as "Nightmare, or dream? Funny and strange, like all good things." and compared it to the work of Chris Morris.^[6]

"A surreal flow of snippets - news and views, music and memories - melded into a huge orchestral piece of compelling originality. The Skewer is satire at its cleverest, both biting and beautiful. If you could listen to a Francis Bacon painting, this is what it would sound like.” - Radio Academy Awards

Awards

• 2022 Radio Academy Award for Best Comedy ^[7]
• 2022 NYF Awards Best Comedy
• 2022 NYF Awards Innovation
• 2022 NYF Sound Art
• 2022 British Comedy Guide Awards (finalist)
• 2022 BBC Audio & Drama Awards Best Comedy (finalist)
• 2022 Audio Production Award for Sound Design (Gold)
• 2022 Audio Production Award for Best Comedy Producer
• 2022 British Podcast Awards Best Comedy (nominee)
• 2021 New York Festival Award for Best Comedy
• 2021 New York Festival Award for Innovation
• 2021 New York Festival Award for Sound Art
• 2021 Radio Academy Award for Best Comedy ^[8]
• 2021 Radio Academy Awards: Best New Show, Silver^[8]
• 2021 Radio Academy Award for Best New Show
• 2021 BBC Audio and Drama Awards for Best Comedy
• 2021 Audio Production Award for Best Comedy Producer
• 2021 British Podcast Award for Best Radio Podcast
• 2020 New York Festival Award for Sound Art
• 2020 British Podcast Award for Best Radio Podcast
• 2020 Audio Production Awards for Best Comedy Producer
• 2020 BBC Radio and Music Awards for Best Comedy
• 2020 Chortle Awards (nominee)

References

1. "The Skewer contributor guide". Unusual Productions. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
2. "The Skewer: Pilot". BBC Radio 4. 4 April 2019.
3. @jonholmes1 (20 January 2021). "With apologies for late delivery to the Duty Producer @BBCRadio4, we're just doing the final tech listen to tonight's #TheSkewer. (There was some sort of event in America we had to deal with.)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
4. "The Skewer". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
5. "The Skewer, Series 1, Episode 1". BBC Radio 4. 8 January 2020.
6. Sawyer, Miranda (26 January 2020). "The week in podcasts and radio". The Observer.
7. "The ARIAS - Nominees". Radio Academy. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
8. "2021 ARIAS". Radio Academy. Retrieved 4 June 2022.

External links

• The Skewer at BBC Online