Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | A Naughty Victorian Lady | 20111120 | In today's episode, Byng reminisces about his early childhood as the son of a Nottingham bank manager, and his first job as a theatrical costume designer in Soho. He also performs two of his songs: I'm One of the Queens of England and Naughty Victorian Days. Douglas Byng (1893 - 1987) was a female impersonator and the most famous cabaret star of his day. Billed as 'Bawdy but British', his professional career lasted for over 70 years. This short series traces the journey of the cross-dressing glamour queen from privileged childhood in the 1890s, through concert parties in Hastings, to his emergence as the darling of the society set, entertaining royalty and London's 'Bright Young Things' at the Caf退 de Paris in the 1920s and 30s. Douglas Byng has been dubbed 'the highest priest of camp'. He blazed a trail for others to follow, treading a fine line between sophisticated urbanity and risqu退 innuendo which presaged more contemporary, boundary-bending comedians such as Kenneth Williams, Danny La Rue, Barry Humphries and...our own Julian Clary. Byng's debonair appearances in revue were described by Noel Coward as 'the most refined vulgarity in London'! After the Second World War, Douglas Byng became a familiar stage and film actor and much-loved pantomime dame. His saucy recordings of self-penned songs led to occasional bans by the BBC, but his popularity never diminished. He wrote his autobiography (As You Were - published in 1970) in retirement in Brighton, and this book provides the material for the series. With Julian Clary as Douglas Byng. Compiled by Tony Lidington. Pianist: Martin Seager Producer/Director: David Blount A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4. Byng reminisces about his early childhood as the son of a Nottingham bank manager. Julian Clary plays camp cabaret star, drag artiste and finest of panto dames | |
| 01 | A Naughty Victorian Lady | 20130727 | In today's episode, Byng reminisces about his early childhood as the son of a Nottingham bank manager, and his first job as a theatrical costume designer in Soho. He also performs two of his songs: I'm One of the Queens of England and Naughty Victorian Days. Douglas Byng (1893 - 1987) was a female impersonator and the most famous cabaret star of his day. Billed as 'Bawdy but British', his professional career lasted for over 70 years. This short series traces the journey of the cross-dressing glamour queen from privileged childhood in the 1890s, through concert parties in Hastings, to his emergence as the darling of the society set, entertaining royalty and London's 'Bright Young Things' at the Caf退 de Paris in the 1920s and 30s. Douglas Byng has been dubbed 'the highest priest of camp'. He blazed a trail for others to follow, treading a fine line between sophisticated urbanity and risqu退 innuendo which presaged more contemporary, boundary-bending comedians such as Kenneth Williams, Danny La Rue, Barry Humphries and...our own Julian Clary. Byng's debonair appearances in revue were described by Noel Coward as 'the most refined vulgarity in London'! After the Second World War, Douglas Byng became a familiar stage and film actor and much-loved pantomime dame. His saucy recordings of self-penned songs led to occasional bans by the BBC, but his popularity never diminished. He wrote his autobiography (As You Were - published in 1970) in retirement in Brighton, and this book provides the material for the series. With Julian Clary as Douglas Byng. Compiled by Tony Lidington. Pianist: Martin Seager Producer/Director: David Blount A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4. Byng reminisces about his early childhood as the son of a Nottingham bank manager. Julian Clary plays camp cabaret star, drag artiste and finest of panto dames | |
| 02 | The Cabaret Boys | 20111127 | 20130803 (R4) | Julian Clary plays camp cabaret star, drag artiste and the finest of panto dames, Douglas Byng - who makes a ghostly comeback to entertain his friends at the Pavilion Theatre, Brighton. In today's episode, Byng tells of his first professional engagement as a member of a concert party in Hastings , remembers working at London's Gaiety Theatre during the First World War, and has a thing or two to say about theatrical 'digs'! Douglas Byng (1893 - 1987) was a female impersonator and the most famous cabaret star of his day. Billed as 'Bawdy but British', his professional career lasted for over 70 years. This short series traces the journey of the cross-dressing glamour queen from privileged childhood in the 1890s, through concert parties in Hastings, to his emergence as the darling of the society set, entertaining royalty and London's 'Bright Young Things' at the Caf退 de Paris in the 1920s and 30s. Douglas Byng has been dubbed 'the highest priest of camp'. He blazed a trail for others to follow, treading a fine line between sophisticated urbanity and risqu退 innuendo which presaged more contemporary, boundary-bending comedians such as Kenneth Williams, Danny La Rue, Barry Humphries and...our own Julian Clary. Byng's debonair appearances in revue were described by Noel Coward as 'the most refined vulgarity in London'! After the Second World War, Douglas Byng became a familiar stage and film actor and much-loved pantomime dame. His saucy recordings of self-penned songs led to occasional bans by the BBC, but his popularity never diminished. He wrote his autobiography (As You Were - published in 1970) in retirement in Brighton, and this book provides the material for the series. With Julian Clary as Douglas Byng. Compiled by Tony Lidington. Pianist Martin Seager. Producer/Director: David Blount A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4. Julian Clary plays camp cabaret star, drag artiste and finest of panto dames |
| 03 | I Had My Bit Of Cake | 20111204 | 20130810 (R4) | In today's episode, Byng explains how he began playing risqu退 female characters, and became the darling of 'the smart set' at London's Caf退 de Paris. Douglas Byng (1893 - 1987) was a female impersonator and the most famous cabaret star of his day. Billed as 'Bawdy but British', his professional career lasted for over 70 years. This short series traces the journey of the cross-dressing glamour queen from privileged childhood in the 1890s, through concert parties in Hastings, to his emergence as the darling of the society set, entertaining royalty and London's 'Bright Young Things' at the Caf退 de Paris in the 1920s and 30s. Douglas Byng has been dubbed 'the highest priest of camp'. He blazed a trail for others to follow, treading a fine line between sophisticated urbanity and risqu退 innuendo which presaged more contemporary, boundary-bending comedians such as Kenneth Williams, Danny La Rue, Barry Humphries and...our own Julian Clary. Byng's debonair appearances in revue were described by Noel Coward as 'the most refined vulgarity in London'! After the Second World War, Douglas Byng became a familiar stage and film actor and much-loved pantomime dame. His saucy recordings of self-penned songs led to occasional bans by the BBC, but his popularity never diminished. He wrote his autobiography (As You Were - published in 1970) in retirement in Brighton, and this book provides the material for the series. With Julian Clary as Douglas Byng. Compiled by Tony Lidington. Pianist: Martin Seager. Producer/Director: David Blount A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4. Byng explains how he began playing risque female characters. Julian Clary plays camp cabaret star, drag artiste and finest of panto dames |