Peter Cook picked by Jon Harvey aka Count Binface

Peter Cook picked by Jon Harvey aka Count Binface

From Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

May 19, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

Jon Harvey discusses the life and impact of comedy legend Peter Cook.

Peter Cook was at the centre of the satire boom of the early sixties, both on stage with Beyond the Fringe and with his Soho club, The Establishment. Later he became a famous double act with Dudley Moore, and was also less well known as Lord Gnome, the proprietor of Private Eye. "I can't believe that after 600 episodes of Great Lives, no one has ever nominated him before." A funny half hour on the life of Peter Cook, featuring archive of him both young and old. Jon Harvey makes the case for this comedy great along with the voices of biographer Harry Thompson, Jonathan Miller, Ian Hislop, Richard Ingrams, and - in an interview from 1993 - Chris Morris. Also includes an extract of The Strange Death of the Establishment from Radio 4 in 2004 The producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde

People in this episode

Guest: Jon Harvey

Topics covered

  • satire
  • comedy
  • biography
  • entertainment
  • history

Keywords

  • Peter Cook
  • satire
  • comedy
  • Dudley Moore
  • Private Eye
  • Beyond the Fringe
  • The Establishment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Private Eye, BBC Studios, Radio 4

Books & works: Beyond the Fringe, The Establishment, The Strange Death of the Establishment

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