In One Ear was a late-night alternative comedy

Alternative comedy

Alternative comedy is a term that originated in the 1980s for a style of comedy that makes a conscious break with the mainstream comedic style of an era, and typically avoids relying on a standardised structure of a sequence of jokes with punch lines. Patton Oswalt defines it as "comedy where the...

 sketch show, broadcast between 1984 and 1986, on BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...

 in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, broadcast live from the BBC Paris Studio in London, with a (sometimes edited) repeat later in the week.

The programme starred Nick Wilton

Nick Wilton

Nick Wilton is an English actor and scriptwriter. His best known roles are playing Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera EastEnders a recurring character, making his first appearance on the 3 January 2008. He also appeared in Carrott's Lib, Fast Forward and Jackanory.-Early and personal life:Wilton was...

, Helen Lederer

Helen Lederer

Helen Lederer is a Welsh comedienne, writer and actress who emerged as part of the alternative comedy boom at the beginning of the 1980s.-Career:...

, Clive Mantle

Clive Mantle

-Early life and education:Mantle was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. He was a pupil at Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire and a chorister in St John's College Choir for four years...

 and Steve Brown

Steve Brown (composer)

Steve Brown is a British composer.He wrote the book and lyrics and composed the score for Spend Spend Spend, which chronicled Viv Nicholson's rise and fall after winning a fortune in the football pools in the early 1960s....

. Writers included the cast and Jon Cantor, Geoffrey Perkins

Geoffrey Perkins

Geoffrey Howard Perkins was a comedy producer, writer and performer, and an important figure in British comedy broadcasting. This was recognised in December 2008 when he was awarded with an Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award...

, Jack (then John) Docherty

Jack Docherty

Jack Docherty is a Scottish writer, actor, presenter and producer.-Early career:He first performed at the 1980 Edinburgh Festival Fringe with the comedy sketch group The Bodgers which he formed with George Watson's College schoolfriends Moray Hunter, Gordon Kennedy and Pete Baikie. They performed...

, and Moray Hunter

Moray Hunter

Moray Hunter is a Scottish comedian, writer and performer. He is perhaps most famous for his roles in the Channel 4 sketch show, Absolutely. Alongside Jack Docherty he played one half of the eccentric double-act, Don and George, in Absolutely and later in the spin-off series, Mr. Don and Mr. George...

.

In One Ear won a Sony Award

Sony Radio Academy Awards

The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...

 in 1985. The programme was subsequently transferred to television as the short-lived Hello Mum. BBC Radio 7 has repeated episodes and compilations of the series.