Chain Reaction (nicknamed "the tag-team talk show") is a hostless chat show first broadcast on BBC Radio 5 in 1991, and then revived on BBC Radio 4 in 2005. Each week an individual from the world of entertainment selects someone that they would like to interview. This interviewee goes on to be the next week's interviewer.
The first series comprised four programmes broadcast on Radio 5 on successive nights starting on New Year's Eve 31 December 1991, with the following guests:
Ralph Steadman interviewing John Cleese
John Cleese interviewing William Goldman
William Goldman interviewing Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen interviewing Glenys Kinnock
The first revived series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
Jenny Eclair interviewing Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr interviewing Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas interviewing Johnny Vegas
Johnny Vegas interviewing Stewart Lee
Stewart Lee interviewing Alan Moore
Alan Moore interviewing Brian Eno
The second series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
Jo Brand interviewing Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer interviewing Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas interviewing Alexei Sayle
Alexei Sayle interviewing Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry interviewing Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey interviewing Simon Pegg
The third series comprised six episodes, with the following guests:
Marcus Brigstocke interviewing Clive Anderson
Clive Anderson interviewing John Lloyd
John Lloyd interviewing Phill Jupitus
Phill Jupitus interviewing John Hegley
John Hegley interviewing Jack Dee
Jack Dee interviewing Jeremy Hardy
The fourth series comprises four episodes, with the following guests:
Catherine Tate interviewing David Tennant
David Tennant interviewing Richard Wilson
Richard Wilson interviewing Arabella Weir
Arabella Weir interviewing Paul Whitehouse
The fifth series comprises six episodes, with the following guests:
Robert Llewellyn interviewing Dave Gorman
Dave Gorman interviewing Frank Skinner
Frank Skinner interviewing Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard interviewing Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell interviewing Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan interviewing Simon Callow
The sixth series began on Friday 13 August 2010, with the following guests:
Ronni Ancona interviewing Lee Mack
Lee Mack interviewing Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Edmondson interviewing Ruby Wax
Ruby Wax interviewing Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer interviewing Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant interviewing Jarvis Cocker
The seventh series began on Friday 29 July 2011, with the following guests:
Rhys Thomas interviewing Simon Day
Simon Day interviewing Peter Hook
Peter Hook interviewing John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke interviewing Kevin Eldon
Kevin Eldon interviewing Mark Steel
Mark Steel interviewing Barry Davies
The eighth series began on Friday 27 July 2012, with the following guests:
Jeremy Front interviewing his sister Rebecca Front
Rebecca Front interviewing Chris Addison
Chris Addison interviewing Derren Brown
Derren Brown interviewing Tim Minchin
Tim Minchin interviewing Caitlin Moran
Caitlin Moran interviewing Jennifer Saunders
The ninth series began on Friday 27 December 2013, with the following guests:
Terry Christian interviewing Kevin Bridges
Kevin Bridges interviewing Frankie Boyle
Frankie Boyle interviewing Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison interviewing Neil Innes
Neil Innes interviewing Graham Linehan
Graham Linehan interviewing Adam Buxton.
The tenth series began on Wednesday 18 February 2015, with the following guests:
Adam Buxton interviewing Reece Shearsmith
Reece Shearsmith interviewing Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer interviewing Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves interviewing Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman interviewing Sharon Horgan
Sharon Horgan interviewing Dennis Kelly
The eleventh series began on Wednesday 24 February 2016, with the following guests:
Ed Byrne interviewing Al Murray
Al Murray interviewing Ian Hislop
Ian Hislop interviewing Victoria Coren Mitchell
Victoria Coren Mitchell interviewing Sandi Toksvig
Sandi Toksvig interviewing Roy Hudd
Roy Hudd interviewing Alison Steadman
The twelfth series began on Monday 13 February 2017, with the following guests:
Sara Cox interviewing Joe Lycett
Joe Lycett interviewing Katherine Ryan
Katherine Ryan interviewing Sara Pascoe
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The theme music is "I Do Not Fear Jazz" by Big Strides.
