Old Harry's Game

Old Harry's Game is a UK radio comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton, who also plays the cynical, world-weary (or is that underworld-weary) Satan ("Old Harry" was one of many names for the devil). Beginning in 1995, four series of six half-hour episodes each were aired by 2001 and a Christmas special followed in 2002. It is set mainly in Hell with episodes based around philosophical arguments. Satan usually takes one side in the argument, with the somewhat idealistic main human character, Professor Richard Whittingham (James Grout), taking the other.

The other main human in the series is Thomas Quentin Crimp (Jimmy Mulville), an execrable character with few morals, held up by Satan as an example of all that is detestable about humanity. In the first episode, Thomas caused a car crash which landed him and the professor in Hell.

Other characters featured are Satan's minions, Gary (Steven O'Donnell) in the first series and Scumspawn (Robert Duncan) from the second onwards. Several members of the damned also appear, including some famous people (Nero, Leonardo Da Vinci and Helen of Troy to name three) and God makes the occasional appearance.

Originally aired on BBC Radio 4, Old Harry's Game is repeated on BBC 7 in winter 2003-04.