Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive was eventually a BBC Radio 4 (R4) show that ran from May 2005 through to 2008 (24 half hour episodes).

Made by Pozzitive TV (here) their site looks a bit abandoned – but it has some great details of a pilot show, made the year before with a script called The Armando Iannucci Show. Recorded in May 2004 the pilot had 4 guests (plus Armando):

• Jimmy Carr
• John Oliver
• Lucy Porter
• Dan Gaster

It was titled: What Happened There?

Details of the pilot are here and show that the sketches featured:

• Following the first gay kiss on The Archers, we presented the first gay kiss on The World At One (between Mark Mardell and the Conservative Shadow Home Secretary David Davies)
• An in-depth interview with a BBC Sound FX expert as to how you make the sound of “A Gay Kiss”
• Further to Anne Robinson’s extensive facial plastic surgery, we presented our panel with the offcuts from Ann Robinson’s head and asked them what they’d like to use them for…
• Radio 4 Announcer Vaughan Savidge reading the News For Asthmatics
• Comic Genius Ricky Gervais meets Physics Genius Steven Hawking in an attempt to decide just who is “Britain’s Best Genius”
• The audience handing out random words scribbled on paper to the panellists who then have to construct a plausible Channel 4 show based on it (highlights included “Police Camera Racist” and “The Duchess Of Kent Quicksand Challenge”)

The pilot was never broadcast but is now available (as of October 9^th 2025) on Amazon Audible – here, as Comedy Pick ‘n’ Mix.

Currently £7.87 (if you don’t have an Audible account) this show is part of this collection of 3 hours 49 minutes of old BBC radio shows.

You can see more details on Amazon but the shows listed are:

• The Armando Iannucci Show – What Happened There?
• Festival of the Spoken Nerd
• British Troll Farm
• Crash Course
• Electric Hotel
• God Squad
• Skeptic Tank
• Are You Alright In There?

Names that you may recognise (in the other shows) are Marcus Brigstocke, Josie Lawrence, Kirsty Wark, Mark Watson, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Chris Addison, Simon Evans, Shappi Khorsandi, Diane Morgan and John Lloyd.