Part of Radio 4's festive season

Michael  Palin,  Vic Reeves,  Toby  Jones, Gina  McKee  and  Monica  Dolan are to star in a Christmas Day spy comedy on Radio 4

The  Hartlepool  Spy was written by  Ian  Martin, whose credits include Veep, The Thick Of It and Death Of Staling.

It is set in 1804 when  Britain  is  at  odds  with  Europe  and  at  war  with  France  Paranoia  is  at  boiling  point. and Napoleon’s  spies  are thought to be everywhere.

Those familiar with the history of Hartlepool will know what happens next.

Detectorist star Jones  plays the  corrupt  mayor,  Tucker  Palmer, with Donal as his formidable wife. Reeves, under his real name Jim Moir, plays the  narcissistic  vicar,  Rev  William  Ferrier; McKee is the aristocratic landowner Lady  Embleton while Palin plays a character called Cavendish.

The show airs on Radio 4 at 2.15pm on Christmas Day.

Other comedy highlights of the Radio 4 Christmas schedule were also revealed tonight:

• As Chortle has previously reported, political sitcom Party, starring Anna Crilly, Tim Key, Jonny Sweet, Katy Wix and writer Tom Basden is returning for a one-off in which the  aspiring  political  agitators take on Donald Trump. Broadcast has been confirmed for 11.30am on Boxing Day.

•  Lena  Marsh,  Live  and  Shticking in which Rebecca Front plays an ancient ‘broad of Broadway’ in the UK to record a new Christmas album with her showbiz chums. The show, written by Front’s brother Jeremy, airs at 2.15pm on Boxing Day and also features Michael  Ball, Sharon  D  Clarke, Kevin  Whately, Samantha  Spiro, Jenny  Bede, Lewis  Macleod and Jason  Forbes,

• Joanna Lumley  and  Roger  Allam’s sitcom Conversations  From A Long  Marriage returns for a festive special in which the free  spirits prepare  for  Christmas  Day. This will air at 11.30am on Christmas Eve.

• Alan Carr is to be the castaway on Desert Island Discs on December 23.

• There are also Christmas specials from The Shuttleworths and Count Arthur Strong.

Published: 22 Nov 2018