Chain Reaction (radio)

Chain Reaction (nicknamed "the tag-team talk show") is a hostless chat show first broadcast on BBC Radio 5 in 1991, and then revived on BBC Radio 4 in 2005. Each week an individual from the world of entertainment selects someone that they would like to interview. This interviewee goes on to be the next week's interviewer.

The first series comprised four programmes broadcast on Radio 5 on successive nights starting on New Year's Eve 31 December 1991, with the following guests:

• Ralph Steadman interviewing John Cleese
• John Cleese interviewing William Goldman
• William Goldman interviewing Ian McKellen
• Ian McKellen interviewing Glenys Kinnock

The second series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 14-18 September 1992

• Glynis Kinnock interviewing Juliet Stevenson^[1]
• Juliet Stevenson interviewing Helen Bamber^[2]
• Helen Bamber interviewing John Sessions^[3]
• John Sessions interviewing unknown^[4]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[5]

The third series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 2-6 November 1992

• Rob Newman interviewing Spike Milligan^[6]
• Spike Milligan interviewing John Wells^[7]
• John Wells interviewing Paul Merton^[8]
• Paul Merton interviewing unknown^[9]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[10]

The fourth series of 5 episodes were broadcast at 9.30am on BBC Radio 5 daily from 14-18 December 1992

• Joe Strummer interviewing unknown ^[11]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[12]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[13]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[14]
• Unknown interviewing unknown^[15]

The fifth series of 5 episodes were broadcast on consecutive Fridays at 9.30pm on BBC Radio 5, starting on 6 August 1993

• David Gedge interviewing John Peel^[16]
• John Peel interviewing Ian Rush^[17]
• Ian Rush interviewing Max Boyce^[18]
• Max Boyce interviewing Pete Waterman^[19]
• Pete Waterman interviewing Jimmy Savile^[20]

The first revived series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:

• Jenny Eclair interviewing Jimmy Carr
• Jimmy Carr interviewing Matt Lucas
• Matt Lucas interviewing Johnny Vegas
• Johnny Vegas interviewing Stewart Lee
• Stewart Lee interviewing Alan Moore
• Alan Moore interviewing Brian Eno

The second series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:

• Jo Brand interviewing Barry Cryer
• Barry Cryer interviewing Mark Thomas
• Mark Thomas interviewing Alexei Sayle
• Alexei Sayle interviewing Lenny Henry
• Lenny Henry interviewing Bill Bailey
• Bill Bailey interviewing Simon Pegg

The third series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:

• Marcus Brigstocke interviewing Clive Anderson
• Clive Anderson interviewing John Lloyd
• John Lloyd interviewing Phill Jupitus
• Phill Jupitus interviewing John Hegley
• John Hegley interviewing Jack Dee
• Jack Dee interviewing Jeremy Hardy

The fourth series comprises four episodes, with the following guests:

• Catherine Tate interviewing David Tennant
• David Tennant interviewing Richard Wilson
• Richard Wilson interviewing Arabella Weir
• Arabella Weir interviewing Paul Whitehouse

The fifth series comprises six episodes, with the following guests:

• Robert Llewellyn interviewing Dave Gorman
• Dave Gorman interviewing Frank Skinner
• Frank Skinner interviewing Eddie Izzard
• Eddie Izzard interviewing Alastair Campbell
• Alastair Campbell interviewing Alistair McGowan
• Alistair McGowan interviewing Simon Callow

The sixth series began on Friday 13 August 2010, with the following guests:

• Ronni Ancona interviewing Lee Mack
• Lee Mack interviewing Adrian Edmondson
• Adrian Edmondson interviewing Ruby Wax
• Ruby Wax interviewing Harry Shearer
• Harry Shearer interviewing Stephen Merchant
• Stephen Merchant interviewing Jarvis Cocker

The seventh series began on Friday 29 July 2011, with the following guests:

• Rhys Thomas interviewing Simon Day
• Simon Day interviewing Peter Hook
• Peter Hook interviewing John Cooper Clarke
• John Cooper Clarke interviewing Kevin Eldon
• Kevin Eldon interviewing Mark Steel
• Mark Steel interviewing Barry Davies

The eighth series began on Friday 27 July 2012, with the following guests:

• Jeremy Front interviewing his sister Rebecca Front
• Rebecca Front interviewing Chris Addison
• Chris Addison interviewing Derren Brown
• Derren Brown interviewing Tim Minchin
• Tim Minchin interviewing Caitlin Moran
• Caitlin Moran interviewing Jennifer Saunders

The ninth series began on Friday 27 December 2013, with the following guests:

• Terry Christian interviewing Kevin Bridges
• Kevin Bridges interviewing Frankie Boyle
• Frankie Boyle interviewing Grant Morrison
• Grant Morrison interviewing Neil Innes
• Neil Innes interviewing Graham Linehan
• Graham Linehan interviewing Adam Buxton.^[21]

The tenth series began on Wednesday 18 February 2015, with the following guests:

• Adam Buxton interviewing Reece Shearsmith
• Reece Shearsmith interviewing Bob Mortimer
• Bob Mortimer interviewing Vic Reeves
• Vic Reeves interviewing Olivia Colman
• Olivia Colman interviewing Sharon Horgan
• Sharon Horgan interviewing Dennis Kelly

The eleventh series began on Wednesday 24 February 2016, with the following guests:

• Ed Byrne interviewing Al Murray
• Al Murray interviewing Ian Hislop
• Ian Hislop interviewing Victoria Coren Mitchell
• Victoria Coren Mitchell interviewing Sandi Toksvig
• Sandi Toksvig interviewing Roy Hudd
• Roy Hudd interviewing Alison Steadman

The twelfth series began on Monday 13 February 2017, with the following guests:

• Sara Cox interviewing Joe Lycett
• Joe Lycett interviewing Katherine Ryan
• Katherine Ryan interviewing Sara Pascoe
• Sara Pascoe interviewing Harry Hill
• Harry Hill interviewing Tim Vine
• Tim Vine interviewing Sir Ken Dodd

The theme music is "I Do Not Fear Jazz" by Big Strides.

References

External links

• Official Radio 4 Chain Reaction page
• Transcript of Stewart Lee / Alan Moore
• Transcript of Alan Moore / Brian Eno