Absolute Power

A swipe at the cults of celebrity and spin, Absolute Power centres around the PR agency, Prentiss McCabe, a company set up by a couple of ex-BBC, long-term staffers. The partners spin news stories to benefit their invariably loathsome clients.

Episodes

SeriesEpisodeFirst
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01012000010520110530 (BBC7)
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Having left the BBC, Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe embark on a new career as spin doctors in the world of government and media relations.

They're visited by the Chairman of the Conservative Party, who offers to establish them on the road to solvency...

Mark Tavener's political comedy stars Stephen Fry as Charles Prentiss and John Bird as Martin McCabe.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe are skint.

With:

Martin Hyder

Mark Tavener's political comedy with Stephen Fry and John Bird.

From January 2000.

01022000011220110606 (BBC7)
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Prentis McCabe - the machiavellian doctors of spin - attempt the impossible.

Can they relaunch The Sun newspaper as the beacon of the pro Euro movement while retaining the newspaper's traditional readership nurtured on a healthy diet of extreme xenophobia?

Mark Tavener's comedy about the two specialists in government and media relations.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe attempt to relaunch the Sun newspaper.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe attempt to relaunch the Sun newspaper. Stars Stephen Fry and John Bird. From January 2000.

01032000011920110613/19/20 (BBC7)
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Prentis McCabe - the machiavellian doctors of spin – get involved in the race for London Mayor.

Mark Tavener's comedy about the two specialists in government and media relations.

Tony Gardner

Siobhan Hayes

Colin McFarlane

Hugh Parker

Producer: Paul Schlesinger

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2000.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe get involved in the race for London Mayor.

With:

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe get involved in the race for London Mayor. Stars Stephen Fry and John Bird. From January 2000.

01042000012620110620 (BBC7)
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Can Prentiss McCabe come up with a strategy to increase church congregations around the country?

Tony Gardner

Siobhan Hayes

John Rowe

Alys Torrance

Producer: Paul Schlesinger

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2000.

Spinning for both the Church and the State proves profitable for Prentiss and McCabe.

With:

Spinning for both the Church and the State proves profitable for Prentiss and McCabe. Stars Stephen Fry. From January 2000.

01052000020220110627 (BBC7)
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Prentiss and McCabe are set their hardest challenge so far - to substantially increase listening figures for BBC Radio 3.

Will this prove a wheeze too far for the Wheeze-master Generals?

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe land at the BBC to tackle Radio 3.

With:

Rebecca Front

Roger Sloman

Philip Fox

Beth Chalmers

Mark Tonderai

Producer: Paul Schlesinger

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2000.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe land at the BBC to tackle Radio 3. Stars Stephen Fry and John Bird. From February 2000.

0106 LAST2000020920110704 (BBC7)
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What better way to increase the nation's feelgood factor than for England to win a major sporting trophy?

An impossible task Prentiss and McCabe?

Siobhan Hayes

Tony Gardner

Simon Greenall

Beth Chalmers

Producer: Paul Schlesinger

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe tackle a sporting victory for England.

With:

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2000.

Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe tackle a sporting victory for England. Stars Stephen Fry and John Bird. From February 2000.

02012001013020110711 (BBC7)
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Prentiss McCabe try to save New Labour from total voter humiliation.
02022001020620110718 (BBC7)
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An old flame pits spinmeisters Charles and Martin against one another.
02032001021320110725 (BBC7)
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Can spin kings Prentiss McCabe turn a failed novelist into a best seller?
02042001022020110801 (BBC7)
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The prime minister wants Charles and Martin to discredit the chancellor.
02052001022720110808 (BBC7)
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Charles tackles prison reform, as Martin helps Delia Smith with a new image.
0206 LAST2001030620110829 (BBC7)
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Charles Prentiss is challenged by a PR rival to wheeze the unwheezable.
03012002010120110905 (BBC7)
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Prentiss McCabe's government retainer is under threat from a difficult and complicated task, which Martin so decorously puts it as “poking one right up the prime minister ?.

Whilst Martin is enthused with the challenge, Charles is torn and admits to quite liking the PM.

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe return as spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Tony Gardner

Siobhan Hayes

Tom George

David Timpson

Music by Matthew Scott

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.

The government retainer is under threat when Prentiss McCabe is given a difficult task.

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Can Prentiss and McCabe's medicine help the government to sort out the NHS?

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Sir Archibald Sullivan - Tony Gardner

Sandy - Siobhan Hayes

Clive - Tom George

Maurice - David Timson

Can Prentiss and McCabe's medicine help the government sort out the NHS?

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Roguish Martin enters the Lords as Charles takes on a Big Brother TV 'star'.

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Sir Archibald Sullivan - Tony Gardner

Maurice - David Timson

With Lisa Coleman, James Vaughan and Beth Chalmers

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.

Roguish Martin enters the Lords as Charles takes on a Big Brother 'star'.

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Martin has a sporting challenge, but can Charles save a disgraced minister?

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Sir Archibald Sullivan - Tony Gardner

Clive - Tom George

Sandy - Siobhan Hayes

Johannes Pollard - Chris Pavlo

Maurice - David Timson

With Beth Chalmers

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.

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Spin doctors Prentiss and McCabe are challenged to boost public opinion about men.

CAST:

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Sir Archibald Sullivan - Tony Gardner

Clive - Tom George

Jeremy Lewis - James Vaughan

with Beth Chalmers

Written by Mark Tavener

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.

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The Machiavellian masters of spin get a lucrative contract to represent BBC television.

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Archie - Alex Lowe

Clive - Tom George

Morganna - Rachel Atkins

Debbie - Jalml Barbakoff

Headmaster - Kim Wall

The spin doctoring duo get a lucrative contract to work for the BBC.

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Spin doctor Martin's new bestseller drives a wedge between him and Charles.

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Archie - Alex Lowe

Clive - Tom George

Lydia - Helen Atkinson-Wood

Giles - Kim Wall

Presenter - Rachel Atkins

Claudia - Jaimi Barbakoff

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2004.

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When Martin persuades Charles to accompany him to Devon, Clive is left in charge of the government's Healthy Eating campaign.

Will the company survive with Clive in charge and, more importantly, will Charles survive without the cut and thrust of London?

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Archie - Alex Lowe

Clive - Tom George

Roger - Ewan Bailey

Geraldine - Beth Chalmers

Music by Matthew Scott.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2004.

Revenge is a gourmet dish best served cold when Martin deceives Charles.

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The spin doctor firm is offered the chance to cross the pond and help with the presidential campaign.

Charles can't resist the challenge of spinning in the land of the dirty trick, but Martin decides to stay at home.

Could this be the end of a beautiful friendship?

Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe are spin masters in the world of government and media relations.

Charles Prentiss - Stephen Fry

Martin McCabe - John Bird

Archie - Alex Lowe

Clive - Tom George

Alex - Beth Chalmers

Music by Matthew Scott.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2004.

Spin doctor Charles heads across the pond, leaving Martin to fend alone.