and their contributions

Here are a few facts about the guests who appeared on the show and what they did on it. Most of these guests made regular appearances on the Graveyard Shift.

Stewart Maconie

Stewart Maconie is a Wigan born who often appears on the show. He presented the show from 11th-14th November 1996 when Mark Radcliffe was supposed to be doing a third shift on the Breakfast show while Chris Evans interviewed Prince, however the ginger one got pissed off with the purple one so Mark just had to have an extra week of holiday. He stands in on the Graveyard slot whenever Mark is away. He writes for Q Magazine and has written a number of books including He usually tells funny stories such as `Stuart Maconie`s Political Faux Pas.`

The British Ambassador to Canada was rung up by the C.B.S. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). They said "Well, we`ve done some good business over the year and we`d like to thank you for all the interviews that you have done and for answering any of our questions so promptly so, What would you like for Christmas?".

He said "I`m really not sure about this, it can get quite dodgy with having to declare them you know, but it`s a very nice thought."

"No no, really, we insist what would you like for Christmas?"

The ambassador said "Oh erm, a small box of crystalised fruits."

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded a bit puzzled but they said "fine."

He didn`t think any more of it till boxing day when he was sat at home watching the T.V. Near the end of the programme the presenter said "And finally, for Christmas we asked 3 representatives of foreign governments what they would like for Christmas." The French ambassador said that he would like an end to World suffering and religious intolerance. The German ambassador said that he would like a cure for cancer, and the British ambassador said that he would like a small box of crystalised fruits.

Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode was the Film critic who came in on Thursdays to round up the new releases and also to talk about his Cult Film of the week, he has a Phd in Horror Fiction. He presented Radio 1`s film programme `Cling Film` with Mary Anne Hobbs (Tuesdays 9-10pm). He regularly appears on Radio 1 in Simon Mayo`s programme as well as writing for various magazines including `Q` and `Empire`. He is the sort of film critic who will say that the big films that everyone watches are crap, preferring instead Arthouse type films. He does play the Bass so you shouldn`t believe everything that he says. However he was going on about Trainspotting ages before anyone had heard of it. He suffers from Asthma and actually had an attack on air on 21/11/1996 at about 10.40pm while doing his cult film of Shivers by David Cronemburg.

He is a huge Elvis fan, and will use any excuse to mention Elvis or play his tunes on ClingFilm. Mark Kermode still believes that Elvis is alive and reckons that this is the year (1997) that Elvis will make a comeback and appear from out of hiding leaner and meaner (He was obliviously wrong about that then).

He has a pet cat called Spalldrig and apparently has the tidiest desk at Radio 1. He and his wife raise chickens and further confirming his Elvis obsession he has one called Elvis and one called Pricilla. His favourite film is The Exorcist and is regarded by many as an expert on the film.

Mark Kermode doesn't own a TV. When asked how he watched his videos at home Mark Kermode replied:

"I have a video monitor."

"So what you're saying is, you have a TV that doesn't have an ariel?" queried Mark.

"No, I have a video monitor." Mark Kermode corrected him.

Mark Kermode's finest hour was storming off the show in the summer of '95 after Mark and Lard repeatedly made allusions to corneal Tom Parker's dancing chicken during his review of "This is Elvis".

One of Kermode's favorite bands is The Rubettes, a part of his taste that mystified all the other guests.

Katie Puckerick

Katie Puckrick was Mark`s Showbiz correspondent. She is American and so often tells us funny things about the Americans that we Limey`s find a bit strange, although she often ended up talking about sex in some form or another. She presented the girl show `Pyjama Party`. She has also been on `The Word` and presented The Sunday Show.

Douglas Stuart

After leaving The Pretty Flowers Scottish man Douglas T Stuart formed The BMX Bandits (pictured right) who are on Creation records. They were even supported by Oasis several years ago. Douglas wrote the lyrics while his old Pretty Flowers band mate Sean Dickinson wrote the music. Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub sometimes played in the band when he had nothing better to do. Many people saw The BMX Bandits as geeks so Douglas tried to solve this by handing out free sweets at their gigs. They recorded two John Peel sessions one in 1986 and the other in 1987. Douglas did Scottish stories and items on the show, he sometimes did recipes for Scottish foods which he brought in and forced Mark and Lard to eat them, a feature that they looked forward to I`m sure. He appeared on a Scottish cookery show as the celebrity chef. He once appeared on Countdown but failed to guess the conundrum.

Martin Roson

He was a Cartoonist for the Guardian and The Sun who comes from the South. He did a Cult Book spot usually on Tuesdays every two or three weeks. He has written a few books himself.

Kim Newman

Born in London in 1959 and grew up in Somerset. He is a former semi-professional kazoo player and cabaret performer. Did a Cult T.V. spot usually on Wednesday. Much to Mark Kermode`s annoyance he also knows everything about films and cinema. He has written several books including `The Quorum`, Jago and `Nightmare Movies: A critical history of the horror film since 1968`. Now lives in North London.

Simon Armitage

Poet from Yorkshire. Usually came in on Mondays. He appeared on the very first Radio 1 10-12pm Mark Radcliffe show in 1993. On that great night the band in was the Tindersticks. He often managed to get out of reading the poems with gossip and joking with Mark and Lard. He often came up with ideas for fax and email`s in on subjects such as quaint English customs. Simon Armitage also presented the show (once maybe twice) on National Poetry Day. Simon also appeared on the last ever Graveyard Shift show.

Joolz

She is a poet and storyteller, She sold T-shirts (and still does ) for New Model Army. She designed their T-Shirts and their record sleeves for the last 17 years. She received a Gold Record from EMI Germany (the band's label) for artistic contributions to the band's (huge in Germany) sales in February 1998. She often tours and has several books out including her soon to be released autobiography. She took a year out from Bradford University where she was studying Interdisciplinary Human Studies in order to nurse her partner, NMA's frontman Justin Sullivan, through a serious illness from which he is now fully recovered, though interestingly scarred (spooky). She is into all sorts of pagan things. Apparently her cat was recently abducted by aliens. Her poems are all quite miserable and sad but very personal and sincere. She still has not received the iron that she won in Bard or Blake on the Graveyard Shift's last week.

Mark Lamarr

Used to appear on The Graveyard Shift and basically pissed about with Mark and Lard. He also stood in for them a few times when they were on holiday.

Andrew Collins

Former Editor of top music magazine `Q`. Usually came in for some general chit chat with Mark. He and Stuart Maconie did a movie review show for ITV called "Collins and Maconie`s Movie Review". He was born in Northampton but now lives in a posh part of London.

Ian McMillan

Poet from Yorkshire and lives in Barnsley. Did an antiques program on BBC2. Did poetry readings on Radio 4 on Sundays. He got listeners to send in Poems on certain subjects such as Poetic messages to put in Milk bottles. Whenever he read the email and fax numbers on the address board he always made wobbleboard noises with it. He was usually usually in on Mondays.

Lee and Herring

Comics. They used to do the comedy radio show Fist Of Fun on Radio 1 and then did a T.V. show of the same name. They often tour around doing shows. Stewart Lee is the more confident one who seems to take control whenever he can while Richard Herring is the sad one who always has the piss taken out of him by Stuart. There will be a new series of Fist Of Fun if the TV company agrees to it.

Stephen Daly

Stephen Daly was the drummer in Edwin Collins` Scottish band Orange Juice which was formed in the late 70`s. He left the band in 1982 after they had recorded their much loved debut album "You Can`t Hide Your Love Forever" due to an internal shake-up. He is a Scottish man who lives in America. He talked to us through a satellite link up to the Manchester studio about all sorts of strange American people, products, foods etc. He did the job of making us Brits feel superior to the Yanks.

John Hegley

Poet who supports Luton (pictured right with a dog). Used to be in a band called The Popticians playing guitar and singing. They recorded two John Peel Session, one in 1983 and the second in 1984. They made comedy Pop records. He now tours around as a comic/poet.

John Shuttleworth

He played dodgy tunes on a keyboard and sang along to them - he was last on at the start of October 1996 (he sang that "Austin Ambassador Y-Reg" song), and has done a TV series called 500 Bus Stops.

Greg Proops

Greg made occasional visits to the studio until he was thrown out of the country. He appeared via satellite a couple of times before returning to the UK.

Katlin Moran

The former writing teen-prodigy occasionally popped in, but she disappeared after a while.

Father Lionel Fanthorpe

Appeared in the Poetry slot on the Breakfast show giving quick anecdotes about strange and unusual goings on. His Breakfast Show slot Fortean Radio was based on his Channel 4 programme Fortean TV.

Adrian Deevoy

Journalist who came on the show and talked about News Items and music news or whatever else he fancies. He was the journalist who recently went round to George Michael`s house to interview him for The Big Issue, however his exclusive interview was nicked by The Sun .

Sean Lock

Stand up comedian. Sean has performed at the Adelaide International Festival and Channel 9 T.V's Gala Night which made him quite popular as a comic. More recently Sean was invited to headline The Great Norwegian Comedy Festival and he then enjoyed a one-week run at The Hong Kong Comedy Festival. Sean's has won the Time Out Comedy Award for "inventiveness and originality". Sean has also starred in the hit BBC2. series Newman And Baddiel In Pieces and The World Of Lee Evans for Channel 4. Sean's regular spot on The Mark Radcliffe Show led to a weekly serialisation of his 1994 Edinburgh hit Rock, which he co-wrote with Bill Bailey. Sean has also written two award-winning short films, Smart Alek and Anton And Minty, both for the BFI.

James Brown

Former Loaded Editor who came in to talk about what was in Loaded and anything else that he feels like telling us. He now is the Editor of GQ.

Andrew Davis

Art Pixie. He gave us all the latest arts news and reviews of exhibitions. Many a minute has been wasted in the show discussing who is the sexiest, Lard or Art Pixie - difficult one that.

Frank Sidebottom

Pumpkin Headed guest on the show. He often appeared on Hit The North and was the 2nd sidekick there. Frank is the 'man' with the strange head standing between Mark (hooded) and Lard (at the back). On the Graveyard Shift he only really appeared at Christmas. Chris Sievey is the inspiration and voice behind Frank Sidebottom. He used to head the band The Freshies who have sung & written tribute songs to Queen and Manchester City.

Chris Donell

Viz Editor

Brenden Clearly

He is a poet and was one of the newest guests on the night-time show. He started on 19th November 1996. He is Irish and grew up near Belfast but now lives in the north East. He studied Literature at college. He has a book out called `The Irish Card`.

Mike Dash

Alien and unexplained things reporter. Mike Dash works for the Fortean Times - The journal of all strange happenings and weird phenomenon such as UFO`s and the man who breaks into other peoples houses but doesn`t steel anything, he just makes porridge.

Jim White

Sports Correspondent who supports Manchester United. Mark is a Manchester City supporter so they are both ready to take the piss if the other person's team loses.

Glyn Maxwell

Poet and Playwright who has recently had a baby daughter. He and Simon Armitage have a book out about their trip to Iceland called "Moon Country"

Mr Methane

Mr. Methane, a frequent guest at Christmas, and the first person to bring petomania to the BBC. He farts to the tune of popular songs a technique that he describes as "Controlled Anal Voicing", he often wears a purple and green superhero outfit. His real name is Paul Oldfield and he's from Macclesfield.

Bill Bailey

Music/Comedy man with a beard. Did stuff like comedy sketches while playing the keyboard.

Clint Boone

During the Manchester music event called Sound City, Clint was their roving reporter. With live reports from the streets, he and Lard were like two peas in a pod.

Will Self

The original Cult Book reviewer. Never one to use one syllable when eight would do (or one drug where...). He disappeared from the show to be replaced, after a gap of many months, by his friend Martin Rowson.

Sophie Hannah

Poet from Manchester. She has a book out called Hotels like Houses.

If you do know anything else about any of these guests or any that I may have missed out however small or insignificant the information is then please email me

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