The Thick of It
- Author Armando Iannucci
- Narrator Peter Capaldi, Chris Langham, Rebecca Front, Joanna Scanlan, Chris Addison, James Smith, Roger Allam, Full Cast
- Publisher BBC Audio
- Publish Date 30 April 2026
- Run Time 13 hours
- Format Audio
- Genre Film, television, radio genres: Comedy and humour, Humorous fiction, Narrative theme: Politics, Television screenplays, scripts and performances.
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What to expect
Revisit your favourite moments from the cult political comedy with this audio collection of the complete TV soundtracks
Described as ‘the 21st century’s answer to Yes Minister’, this scabrous satire set in the corridors of the British government ran for four series between 2005 and 2012. It won numerous awards, including six BAFTAs, and is frequently ranked among the greatest TV shows of all time.
Following the relationships between successive government ministers, their advisors and the media, it takes us behind the scenes at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship (DoSac), as hapless MPs Hugh Abbott (Chris Langham), Nicola Murray (Rebecca Front) and Peter Mannion (Roger Allam) go head-to-head with Number Ten's ferocious, foul-mouthed enforcer, Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi). Trying to keep them out of trouble are SpAds Ollie Reeder (Chris Addison) and Glenn Cullen (James Smith), and press secretary Terri Coverley (Joanna Scanlan).
Featuring the complete Series 1-4 of the hit show, plus the three Specials, this soundtrack collection brings you all their political machinations and omnishambles to listen to on the go. So prepare to immerse yourself in government embarrassment, ministerial cock-ups, policy U-turns, Coalition rows, backroom deals and back-stabbing, as the DoSac team are caught up in a whirlwind of wild media speculation, career-ending scandal and frantic spin-doctoring...
Also included are all eight episodes of the accompanying documentary series Out of The Thick of It, released online to accompany Series 3 and comprising exclusive bonus content in the form of deleted footage, specially written scenes, and clips and interviews with key cast and crew.
NB: Contains strong language and adult humour
Production credits
Devised by Armando Iannucci
Written by Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell, Rob Colley, Roger Drew, Dan Gaster, Sean Gray, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche and Will Smith
Produced by Adam Tandy and Armando Iannucci
Directed by Armando Iannucci, Natalie Bailey, Billy Sneddon, Becky Martin, Chris Addison and Tony Roche
Executive producers: Jon Plowman, Mark Freeland, Armando Iannucci and Andy Forssell
Edited by Billy Sneddon, David Frisby and Ant Boys
Production designer: Simon Rogers
Cast
Malcolm Tucker – Peter Capaldi
Ollie Reeder – Chris Addison
Glenn Cullen – James Smith
Terri Coverley – Joanna Scanlan
Hugh Abbott – Chris Langham
Nicola Murray – Rebecca Front
Peter Mannion – Roger Allam
Angela Heaney – Lucinda Raikes
Dan Miller – Tony Gardner
Robyn Murdoch – Polly Kemp
Jamie – Paul Higgins
Julius Nicholson – Alex Macqueen
Ben Swain – Justin Edwards
Stewart Pearson – Vincent Franklin
Emma Messenger – Olivia Poulet
Phil Smith – Will Smith
Adam Kenyon – Ben Willbond
Fergus Williams – Geoffrey Streatfeild
Helen Hatley – Rebecca Gethings
Series 1, 2 and Specials first broadcast BBC Four: 19 May-2 June 2005 (Series 1), 20 October-3 November 2005 (Series 2), 2 January 2007 (‘The Rise of the Nutters’), 3 July 2007 (‘Spinners and Losers’, ‘Opposition Extra’)
Series 3 and 4 first broadcast BBC Two: 24 October-12 December 2009 (Series 3), 8 September-27 October 2012 (Series 4)
Out of the Thick of It first released 26 October-14 December 2009
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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