Lobby Land

A satirical comedy drama about life and work in the journalists' Westminster bubble.

It centres on political editor Samantha Peakes of fictional clickbait website Hot Takes as she continually tries to scoop stories from the events in Westminster and avoid losing her job. It is topical, using current events to form part of the story, and was commissioned as "a sharp satirical sitcom for post-Brexit Britain".

It's summer in Westminster as parliament returns from its summer recess; the halls are alive with the sound of gossip, but Sam is struggling to stay afloat. Having drawn the short straw at work, she's being tailed around by Lawrence the office intern, and she needs a new story - fast. But in journalism, what you write isn't necessarily what people read.

Sam Peakes … Ophelia Lovibond, Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP … Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips … Cariad Lloyd
Dom Bell … Lewis Macleod
Lawrence Mills … Ryan Sampson
Mel Munson MP …. Clare Price
Lord Ellis …. Colin Hoult
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor
Marcus ...... Joe Da Costa

Written by Jon Harvey, with Christopher Davies and Alistair Griggs
Producer Jon Harvey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2018

Part 1 00:00
Pass the Source

As parliament returns from its summer recess, in Westminster the halls are alive with the sound of gossip.

However, young political editor Sam Peakes is struggling to stay afloat.

Having drawn the short straw at work, she's being tailed around by Lawrence the office intern, and she needs a story - fast.

Sam ...... Gemma Whelan
Will/Marcus/Nav/Smithson ...... Lewis MacLeod
Mia/Jean ...... Cariad lloyd
Lawrence/Edward ...... Ryan Sampson
Tom ...... Charlie Higson

Written by Chris Davies, Alistair Griggs and Jon Harvey

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2017.

Part 2 28:08
Frozen Out

It's summer in Westminster and the halls are alive with the sound of gossip, but young political editor Sam Peakes is struggling to stay afloat.

Having drawn the short straw at work, she's being tailed around by Lawrence the office intern, and she needs a story - fast.

'Hot Takes' political editor Samantha Peakes tries to make hay out of the Westminster chaos - and, ideally, keep her job.

Written by Jon Harvey, Christopher Davies and Alistair Griggs.

Sam Peakes … Ophelia Lovibond
Tom Shriver MP … Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips … Cariad Lloyd
Dom Bell … Lewis Macleod
Lawrence Mills … Ryan Sampson
Mel Munson MP …. Clare Price

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2018.

Part 3 55:54
Poker Face

Westminster lobby hack Sam Peakes has just written her best political story yet.

But in journalism, what you write isn't always what people read.

'Hot Takes' political editor Samantha Peakes tries to make hay out of the Westminster chaos - and, ideally, keep her job.

Written by Jon Harvey, with Christopher Davies and Alistair Griggs.

Sam Peakes … Ophelia Lovibond
Tom Shriver MP … Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips … Cariad Lloyd
Dom Bell … Lewis Macleod
Lawrence Mills … Ryan Sampson
Lord Ellis …. Colin Hoult

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2018.

Part 4 1:23:52
Plane Sailing

Westminster lobby hack Sam is off to India, but will she be able to find a story off the beaten track?

'Hot Takes' political editor Samantha Peakes tries to make hay out of the Westminster chaos - and, ideally, keep her job.

Written by Jon Harvey, with Christopher Davies and Alistair Griggs

Sam Peakes - Ophelia Lovibond
Tom Shriver MP - Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips - Cariad Lloyd
Dom Bell - Lewis Macleod
Lawrence Mills - Ryan Sampson
Rahul Mandip - Ahir Shah

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2018.

Part 5 1:51:51
Summer in the City

Can Sam make a success of her fledgling political podcast?

'Hot Takes' political editor Samantha Peakes tries to make hay out of the Westminster chaos - and, ideally, keep her job.

Written by Jon Harvey, with Christopher Davies and Alistair Griggs

Sam Peakes - Ophelia Lovibond
Tom Shriver MP - Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips - Cariad Lloyd
Dom Bell - Lewis Macleod
Lawrence Mills - Ryan Sampson
Kate Duxford - Abigail Burdess

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2018.

Part 6 2:19:47
Vis-à-Vis

Topical sitcom following life in Westminster through the eyes of Sam Peakes, a young political editor at a clickbait website.

Sam battles to make sense of the madness engulfing British politics.

Sam Peakes ...... Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP ...... Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips ...... Cariad Lloyd
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor

Written by Jon Harvey, Sarah Dempster and Christopher Davies.

With additional material by Laura Major.

Production Co-Ordinator: Tam Shilham
Script Editor: Dan Tetsell
Executive Producer: Lucy Armitage
Editor: Jerry Peal
Producer : Jon Harvey

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2019.

Part 7 2:47:24
Risky Business

As Boris enters Number 10 and Britain melts in a heat-wave, the Hot Takes journalists follow the only reasonable course of action.

They hole up at home and turn off the news.

Can the peace last?

Sam Peakes ...... Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP ...... Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips ...... Cariad Lloyd
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor

Written by Jon Harvey, Christopher Davies and Sarah Dempster.

With additional material by Laura Major and Dan Tetsell

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2019.

Part 8 3:15:04
Brecon Bad

Sam heads to Wales to cover the fallout from the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, giving Mia the worst birthday of her life.

Sam Peakes ...... Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP ...... Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips ...... Cariad Lloyd
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor

Written by Jon Harvey, Christopher Davies and Sarah Dempster

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2019.

Part 9 3:43:03
Sideways Moves

Tom Shriver MP decides the time is right to reap the benefits of a cash-in memoir, and Sam wants a piece of the action.

But is there more to their relationship than meets the eye?

Sam Peakes ...... Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP ...... Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips ...... Cariad Lloyd
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor

Written by Jon Harvey, Christopher Davies and Sarah Dempster.

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2019.

Part 10 4:10:51
Cometh The Power

Sam and Mia have been nominated for journalism awards at the prestigious DONCASTAs.

But has Sam got a bigger decision to make?

Sam Peakes ...... Yasmine Akram
Tom Shriver MP ...... Charlie Higson
Mia Phillips ...... Cariad Lloyd
Gideon Burnside ...... Dan Tetsell
Nathan Edmonds ...... Daniel Lawrence Taylor
Marcus ...... Joe Da Costa

Written by Jon Harvey, Christopher Davies and Sarah Dempster

Additional material by Laura Major

Producer: Jon Harvey

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2019.

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