Living with the Enemy
Encyclopedia
Living with the Enemy is a BBC Radio 4
sitcom written by and starring Nick Revell
and Gyles Brandreth
. It made its debut on 14 November 2006.
Revell appears as Nick Reynolds, a former 1980s left-wing comedian, now alternative medicine practitioner. Brandreth appears as a former Conservative Party
Minister turned minor television celebrity. The two are forced into sharing a flat in Hammersmith
, London
, after Nick leaves his bath running and floods Gyles's flat on the floor below. Gugu Mbatha-Raw
plays Gyles's god-daughter, Sophie, who is the third lead character, and is the spoilt daughter of a corrupt African politician.
Revell is also a stand-up comedian in real life, whilst Brandreth was a Conservative MP
between 1992 and 1997, when he served as a government whip
in John Major
's government. The inspiration for the series came about when the pair met by chance at the Edinburgh Festival and, despite being political opposites, found they got on surprisingly well, and thought this could be the basis for an 'Odd Couple' sitcom.
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...
sitcom written by and starring Nick Revell
Nick Revell
Nick Revell is a British stand-up comedian and writer for radio and television. Born John Revell, he studied at Lincoln College, Oxford, and subsequently taught English at Westminster School....
and Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Daubeney Brandreth is a British writer, broadcaster and former Conservative Member of Parliament and junior minister.-Early life:...
. It made its debut on 14 November 2006.
Revell appears as Nick Reynolds, a former 1980s left-wing comedian, now alternative medicine practitioner. Brandreth appears as a former Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Minister turned minor television celebrity. The two are forced into sharing a flat in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, after Nick leaves his bath running and floods Gyles's flat on the floor below. Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Gugu Mbatha-Raw is an English actress.- Life and career :Gugu Mbatha-Raw was born Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha in 1983, in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England. Her name, "Gugulethu", means pride in Zulu. Her mother, Anne, is an English nurse, and her father, Patrick Mbatha, is a South African...
plays Gyles's god-daughter, Sophie, who is the third lead character, and is the spoilt daughter of a corrupt African politician.
Revell is also a stand-up comedian in real life, whilst Brandreth was a Conservative MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
between 1992 and 1997, when he served as a government whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
's government. The inspiration for the series came about when the pair met by chance at the Edinburgh Festival and, despite being political opposites, found they got on surprisingly well, and thought this could be the basis for an 'Odd Couple' sitcom.