❉ John Dredge has once again created a self-contained comedy world for us to immerse ourselves in for his sixth series, writes James Collingwood.
John Dredge’s hilarious podcast, The Nothing to Do with Anything Show, returns for its sixth series on May 20th. For anyone who hasn’t encountered the Dredge comedy universe before, or listened to the previous five series, you’re really in for a treat. Consistently one of the funniest people on twitter/x, John now has a Golden Lion award winning short film under his belt with Splorry. I’ve been looking forward to the new series since interviewing John last August and it was great to have this early taster.
The first episode is an absolute pleasure. John, along with co-creator and producer Richard Cray, has again created a self-contained comedy world for us to immerse ourselves in. A world that shows the influences of John’s comedy heroes Kenny Everett, The Goons and the RadioActive team.
I once heard someone talking about working with Chris Morris and commenting that the programmes Morris made were so densely packed in their production that it was impossible to edit out any detail without spoiling the whole programme. This show seems to have that same quality. You can tell every second has been carefully thought about.
There’s also a brilliant ensemble cast that includes Greg Haiste (Fawlty Towers: The Play, This England), Anil Desai (Sex Education, The Gold), Katy Slater (The Milligan Papers). John is also helped out by other regulars James Shakeshaft (The Loremen podcast), Paul Creasy (of Next Level Sketch Comedy) and Miles Eady, and by newbies Victor Hampson, Victoria Dry, Georgina Waring and Patrick O’Halloran.
The Dredge World is a world that references Top of the Form, Down Your Way, Nick Beggs and Cud (look ’em up, kids) and Malcolm Muggeridge and Robert Robinson bickering (again, look ’em up kids!).
Highlights of the first episode include The Smurfs Sing the Smiths (with hilariously accurate sounding snippet of an interview with “Morrissey Smurf”), a class-satirising Top of the Form skit with a nod to I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again and the return of the Goonish regular “avant garde film director and amateur weatherman” David Lynch.
As producer Richard Cray says, “We’ve really pushed the boat out with this series, so much so that I think we may have strayed into international waters.”
❉ The first episode of the new series of the Nothing to Do with Anything Show is available for streaming and download from the 20th of May. The previous series are also available to stream and download on all major podcast platforms and on the web via British Comedy Guide. An expanded radio version of the series is set for broadcast on Resonance FM later in the year. John Dredge on Twitter | John Dredge on Instagram
❉ James Collingwood is based in West Yorkshire and has been writing for a number of years. He currently also writes for the Bradford Review magazine for which he has conducted more than 30 interviews and has covered music, film and theatre. His Twitter is @JamesCollingwo1
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