麻豆社

A fast-moving audience sketch show set in the world of a call centre called Smile5, a company that sells anything and everything. This week, a new Guy called Scott starts work at Smile 5, while sketches include a man calling to complain about a faulty bowl.

Aleesha and other characters ..... Chizzy Akudolu
Bernie and other characters ..... Margaret-Cabourn Smith
Big Tony, Ralph and other characters ..... Colin Hoult
Sailesh, Bradley and other characters ..... Phaldut sharma

Writers ..... Various

Script editor ..... Dan Tetsell/James Kettle.

Producer ..... Tilusha Ghelani

WELCOME TO SMILE5!

Smile5 is a mail order catalogue company selling everything from Rolex watches to lawnmowers, from financial products to phone and broadband, from holidays to health insurance. And somewhere in a brown-field wasteland miles from the nearest town, it runs one of the largest call centres operating in the UK. This is the world of The Headset Set.

Each episode features a host of sketches set eavesdropping on both sides of the bizarre, horrific and ludicrous business-customer relationship. The remaining sketches are set in the Smile5's offices. We meet four of the call centre's employees:

Sailesh - Officially the team leader, Sailesh has recently moved from Bangalore seemingly bringing a wealth of call-centre experience and an admirable work ethic lacking in his fellow Headsetters, which the others resent him for.

Bernie - As she's been here longer than anyone, she refuses to recognise Sailesh's authority. She also refuses to learn how to use anything more technologically advanced than a 1980s trim phone.

Aleesha - A self-loathing street-wise cynic who resents having to work at Smile 5. Or in fact, having to work at all.

Big Tony - Tony spends most of his time on the phone, but not necessarily on Smile 5 business. He's always running some sort of dodgy scam, like a minicab office from his desk.

Other sketches feature Smile5's unsympathetic counsellor and the head of training Ralph, who trains the most inept of the call centre staff, such as the child-like Bradley.

The series stars Chizzy Akudolu (Holby City), Margaret Cabourn Smith (Fresh Meat, Miranda), Colin Hoult (Being Human; Life's Too Short), Lucy Montgomery (Armstrong and Miller; Lucy Montgomery's Variety Pack) and Phaldut Sharma (Eastenders)

WRITERS

This is a team written sketch show originated by Stephen Carlin and James Kettle. Established sketch writers such as Stephen Carlin, James Kettle, Jon Hunter and Colin Hoult are joined by the best comedy writers to have emerged from recent 'open door' radio shows. These recent Radio 4 and 4 extra shows, Recorded for Training Purposes and Newsjack, gave new comedy writers an opportunity to hone their skills.

First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 4 in November 2012.

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