July Update

An update so jam packed, I'm doing it in sections.

BBC Radio Wales
With Rhod Gilbert on BBC Radio 2 this weekend, Nadia Kamil and I looked after his Saturday morning show on BBC Radio Wales.

For rights reasons we weren't allowed to talk about the Lions match, but that was fine, as we had plenty on the go including a brand new String Of Brapp Brapp Big Ones, the obligatory BBC Glastonbury coverage and a sincere apology from me for pretending it was Christmas. 

The whole thing is still available on the Radio Wales website. 

As is my regular Sunday morning show.

XFM Breakfast Show with Jon Holmes
On the subject of radio, I'm still contributing bits and bobs to the XFM Breakfast Show with Jon Holmes on a daily basis.

You can listen to the show from 6am every weekday morning on 104.9FM in London, on DAB, on Sky and Virgin Media, through the XFM app, online or you can get hold of the best-bits by downloading the weekly podcast. 

The Committee Meeting
Anyone who has visited this website over the last year or so will have seen me plugging Social Club FM, a BBC Radio Wales sitcom which I co-wrote based on Elis James and Chris Corcoran's Committee Meeting live show.

Elis and Chris have now turned the live show into a cracking pilot for BBC Three featuring Vern Griffiths, Nadia Kamil, Mike Wozniak and Colin Baker.

The Committee Meeting is currently online and really is well worth a watch.

I'm not able to embed it all, you'll have to follow that link - But I am allowed to embed the following clip of Mr Chairman and Steve News.

AM vs. FM

While everyone else was watching Arrested Development, I spent the Bank Holiday weekend on BBC Radio Wales. In fact, I was on...

On Saturday Afternoon with Nadia Kamil and Eggsy.

On MondayAfternoon with Benjamin Partridge

And presenting the regular Sunday morning show too

Because it was a bank holiday weekend we got away with absolutely loads - From pretending it was 2052 to letting Ben read the Travel News. Incredibly, we were also allowed to play with the transmitter switches and broadcast different versions of a sketch on AM and FM.

Now, if you caught it live, chances are you only heard one version, but BBC Radio Wales have kindly put the two different versions online. So this is my attempt at covering the BBC's religious affairs show All Things Considered on FM...

While this is what went out at the same time on AM...

I hope I've got them the right way round. 

BBC Radio Wales - Saturday Afternoons

Nadia Kamil and I have begun a short stint on BBC Radio Wales, presenting a jam-packed Saturday afternoon show. The first one was last week  so we've got two more to go. You'll find them on the BBC Radio Wales website for a week after they are broadcast.

In fact, this link should take you to the most recent Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning shows.

And then when you've done that, why not check out the most recent episode of Social Club FM.

Summer Update

Social Club FM

Chris Corcoran and Elis James

Over the last couple of months, I've been busy co-writing the second series of Social Club FM, which started on Friday at 6.30pm on BBC Radio Wales. 

That's the slot where you'll find it for five more weeks and each episode will also be available on iPlayer, so there's no excuse not to catch it. 

(Typing this, I've just realized that this week, SCFM will clash with an episode of The News Quiz I will have written on - But that's exactly what Podcasts are for). 

Saturday AND Sunday Shows - BBC Radio Wales
I'm still presenting the Sunday Morning Show on BBC Radio Wales so there's almost always an edition on iPlayer... And even if there isn't, there are clips here (Which I promise we'll get round to updating soon!)  

With the summer approaching, and considerably less sport on the radio, I'll also be doing three Saturday afternoon shows for the station starting on 11th May... I believe I'll be on from 4 till 6.30pm, meaning I go into the repeat of Social Club FM, so I'll probably treat it as a two-and-a-half-hour build-up to that.

XFM Breakfast Show with Jon Holmes
I continue to write jokes, silly news stories and prepare the occasional cut-up for Jon Holmes' breakfast show on XFM London. 

You can listen to the show from 6am every weekday morning on 104.9FM in London, on DAB, on Sky and Virgin Media, through the XFM app, online and no doubt through a myriad of ways I've forgotten. 

And if you miss it, you can always download the weekly podcast. 

(A late) January 2013 Update

In January, Jon Holmes started his tenure as host of London's XFM Breakfast Show. Behind the scenes, I've been flinging bits and bobs his way to help him keep him going for four hours a day. You can hear the show on 104.9FM in London, on the XFM website or download the best-bits podcast every week. 

Aside from that, we're currently in the thick of writing a second series of Social Club FM, which will appear on BBC Radio Wales soon... And, as always, you can catch my latest stab at BBC Radio Wales' Sunday morning show (plus clips from previous shows) on the Radio Wales website.

Pantheon Of Heroes - Series 2!

Series 2 of Elis James' Pantheon of Heroes has started going out on BBC Radio Wales on Fridays at 6.30pm.

It's a comedy show about Welsh history written by Elis, Ben Partridge and myself, starring Elis, Ben and Nadia Kamil.

If you click on that first link at the time of posting, then you'll find the episode The Welsh Abroad. At 6.30pm tomorrow the episode about Culture will be added to the pile. There are six of them in total, but keep an eye out for Episode 3 - All about Myths, and featuring a sterling contribution from musician Rhodri Viney. That one goes out on 21st December - so something to enjoy in the festive traffic.

And after you've listened to Pantheon of Heroes, you can listen to my Sunday Morning Show without even leaving the BBC Radio Wales website.

Quality Items!

Last week, Benjamin Partridge and I stood-in for Rhod Gilbert on BBC Radio Wales.

The whole show is currently available to listen to on the station's website, and there is also a Best Bits podcast available to download too.

If you heard the show, and in particular the second hour, then you have probably been trying to imagine all of the incredible items which Ben and I purchased from charity shops during the week, and then attempted to sell online (with varying degrees of success).

Well, you'll be thrilled to know you can rest those imagination-muscles for a bit, as I thought I would upload the photos of the objects here.

These are the actual ones we put on the auction site too... I keep saying "auction site". I'm not on-air any more. I can say "eBay", if I want. eBay. We put them on eBay.

     

If none of this makes any sense, then for the full context, do have a listen back to last Saturday's Rhod Gilbert Show. That'll be online until Saturday 22nd September, although the Best Bits Podcast should be up there for a good deal longer.

I actually stood in for Rhod for three weeks in total, and the podcasts for all the shows are still available to download:

Podcast from 15th September (With Benjamin Partridge)

Podcast from 8th September (With Benjamin Partridge)

Podcast from 1st September (With Eggsy from GLC)

And while you're on the BBC Radio Wales website, do check another show I've been working on recently - The fourth series of Chris Corcoran's school-based sitcom Those That Can't.

Those That Can't

On Friday, the fourth series of Chris Corcoran's sitcom Those That Can't started on BBC Radio Wales, and this time round I've actually been involved in the writing of it.

The whole thing has been excellently produced by Benjamin Partridge and the new episodes will be broadcast on BBC Radio Wales on Fridays at 7pm, repeated on Saturdays at 6.30pm. 

As always, you can listen to them during the week on the Radio Wales website. 

And since you're going to the BBC Radio Wales website, you may as well help boost the figures on these clips while you're there.

Standing in: Rhod Gilbert & The Now Show

On Saturday I stood in for Rhod Gilbert on BBC Radio Wales for what proved to be an action packed two hours. There were sketches about moon landings, patios, Benjamin Partridge running around an empty building and a crying bride.

The whole show is available to listen to on iPlayer, or you can download the best 28 minutes as a podcast.

The week before that, I stood in for Jon Holmes on The Now Show. Although that particular podcast is no longer available, at the time of writing the show is still on BBC iPlayer for a few more days thanks to repeats on BBC Radio 4extra extending its online-life by almost a whole extra week.

Anyway, I'm back to being myself now.

Clips, links and audio

I thought I'd pop up some links to clips, or indeed whole episodes of shows, I have worked on recently (and some I worked on over four years ago).

BBC Radio Wales Sunday Show

As well as a link to the most recent show, there are now "clips" at the bottom of the BBC Radio Wales show page where some "Best Bits" will end up. 

BBC Radio Wales - Gareth Gwynn Page

Social Club FM

I co-wrote this sitcom with Elis James and Chris Corcoran, based on the "Chis Corcoran's Committee Meeting" live shows. Details on the series are here and, despite finishing in March, someone has kindly popped all five episodes up online: 

Social Club FM - Episodes 1 - 5

Elis James' Pantheon of Heroes

The Welsh History series, written by Elis James, Benjamin Partridge and I and starring Elis, Ben and Nadia Kamil came off iPlayer a while ago. However, a clip of the show about Welsh Rugby (taken from the episode "Heroic Failures" can be found here…

Pantheon of Heroes - The diaries of Jonny Wilkinson and Andy Powell

There was also a great selection of "Online Extras" produced for the series, which are still available at the bottom of the show's webpage. Stand-ups Henry Widdicombe, Lloyd Langford, Wes Paker, Mike Bubbins and Clint Edwards talk about a different hero they think should be added to the Pantheon of Heroes.

Pantheon of Heroes - Online Extras

There's also a bit by me about Perce Blackborow

Pantheon of Heroes - Online Extras - Gareth Gwynn on Perce Blackborow

There will be a second series of the show later in the year.

Roop and Tom

And finally, to mark the release of the film "Battleship", Roop and Tom have uploaded a trailer for the film which we made for XFM South Wales back in 2008, when the film was first announced. 

Roop and Tom's Battleship Trailer

They've uploaded a few more bits from their time at GWR Bath, Fox FM and XFM South Wales. Have a look at Roop and Tom on Soundcloud.

January 2012 Update

It's been a while since I've updated this website, but it looks like it's going to be a busy start to 2012, so it made sense to put some links to the shows I'll be working on over the next few months.

Pantheon Of Heroes

This Friday (and indeed, the five Fridays that follow it) at 7pm on BBC Radio Wales, you'll be able to hear "Elis James' Pantheon of Heroes" - A brand new series starring Elis, Benjamin Partridge and Nadia Kamil and written by Elis, Ben and I. As well as the episodes appearing on iPlayer, there are also going to be some online extras too, where you'll be able to see me talking about Welsh adventurer Perce Blackborow.

Elis James' Pantheon of Heroes on the BBC Radio Wales Website

Social Club FM

Last summer, I produced a pilot for BBC Radio Wales written by and starring Chris Corcoran and Elis James called "Social Club FM". I'm pleased to say it's got a full series, and this time round, I'll actually be helping out with the writing of the episodes. The series starts on the 24th February with a repeat of the pilot, and there will be four more episodes after that. If you think the writing tails off and the production quality improves, I can only apologise.

Social Club FM on the BBC Radio Wales Website

Newsjack

I'll be script editing two episodes of the sixth series of Newsjack for BBC Radio 4 Extra. The series starts on 23rd February. As always, you can submit material to newsjack@bbc.co.uk but please check out the writer's guide first.

On the subject of writing opportunities, I've been doing some bits and bobs for the BBC College of Production. There’s an interview with me as part of the "I didn't get where I am today" series and I also took part in the podcast on writing Comedy and Drama. Later in the month there will also be another podcast on sketch writing featuring John-Luke Roberts.

Early Morning Sunday Show

I'm still presenting my Sunday morning show on BBC Radio Wales, which you can listen to on the BBC Radio Wales website.

In fact, this Sunday, being the Sunday closest to "Blue Monday", we’ll be doing our best to counteract the influence of the so-called "most depressing day of the year" by playing nothing but summer records. So if you've got any ideas, drop me an email to gareth@bbc.co.uk or get in touch with me on twitter.

May/June 2011 Update

A couple of iPlayer links to shows I've been working on recently.

Reception is a pilot sketch show for BBC Radio 2 which I have been script editing. This impressions show went out on 28 May, and will be on iPlayer for a week.

"What's The Story?" - BBC Radio Wales' topical panel game hosted by Justin Waite, is back for its fourth series and once again, I'll be producing the show. It is recorded in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on Thursday nights and goes out on Friday at 7pm (repeated at 4.30pm on Sundays). Tickets for the recordings are available from tickets@tidyproductions.co.uk.

And this link should take you to the latest edition of my BBC Radio Wales Sunday morning show.

The Rule Book

(If you listen regularly to my BBC Radio Wales morning show, you can probably skip the first few paragraphs of this. The opening is just filling people in on all the fun they've been missing out on!)

So I don’t know what I did, I don’t know who I worried or offended, but earlier this year a copy of the BBC Rule Book arrived on my desk.

It's a big green book comprising 368 pages of editorial guidelines and, unsurprisingly, when given a book of rules, the first thing that flashes through your mind is, "I wonder how many I can break"?

So that’s what I've been doing at 5.45am every Sunday this year as part of my BBC Radio Wales show (because if you break a rule before 6am it just doesn't seem as serious).

Lines crossed and conventions smashed so far include paying a contributor to talk about a criminal offence (I gave £10 to someone willing to admit they'd had a speeding ticket), endangering members of BBC Staff (I left a CD on a high shelf), the use of strobe lighting (the book never specifies it's a TV only rule) and several regulations surrounding covert recordings - In fact, I hit 5 in one fell swoop by not just playing a clip of a friend talking about a small piece of plastic, but then repeating it without filling in the appropriate form.

However, next week, I'm going to need some help as the rule I want to break is 19.4.1:

"Our commitment to our audiences is to ensure that complaints and enquiries are dealt with quickly, courteously and with respect".

So it’s simple enough - next week, I'm going respond to all enquiries (or complaints, of course) without courtesy or respect. But to do this properly, I'm going to need something to respond to.

If you'd like to send me something, there are two ways... The first (and probably best) is to my twitter account: @garethgwynn.

Alternatively, you can send me an email to gareth@bbc.co.uk (these get automatically copied to my boss too, by the way, so it's going to be especially exciting once it all gets going. I haven't actually warned him about this).

Then, all going to plan, you can hear me respond to these in a suitably petulant and surly manner live on BBC Radio Wales on Sunday at 5.45am. Or on iPlayer. Don't worry, I'm not operating under any illusion about this.