A BBC Radio 4 Comedy

Clare in the Community: The Complete Series 7-12

Series 7-12 of the Sony Award-winning sitcom featuring the splendidly self-obsessed social worker - plus Christmas and Edinburgh Festival Specials 
 
'An impressive cast and some genuinely funny writing make this a must' The Stage 
 
Well-meaning do-gooder Clare Barker is back, and dealing with more office politics, troublesome clients and domestic dramas. Secretly regarding herself as a cross between Mother Theresa and Wonder Woman, she's got all the right jargon for every problem, but never any practical solutions. However, in today's 'Big Society' there are plenty of challenges out there for an involved, caring social worker (or even Clare)... 
 
These six series find her struggling once again to control both her professional and private life. At the Sparrowhawk Centre, Clare finds herself in hot water on more than one occasion; and the team find themselves moving offices, facing up to possible redundancies, bidding a fond farewell to old colleagues and welcoming new ones. And at home, Clare's relationship with Brian is as thorny as ever. As we follow the duo through break-ups, wedding bells, separations and reconciliations, can they finally find happiness - or does fate have other ideas? 
 
Sally Phillips stars as Clare, with a stellar cast including Alex Lowe, Sarah Thom, Nina Conti and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Also included are a special instalment recorded live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 'In Treatment', and a one-off Christmas outing, 'Christmas With... Clare Barker', featuring guest star Hugh Bonneville. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Harry Venning and David Ramsden 
Produced by Katie Tyrrell (Series 7-8 and Edinburgh Special) and Alexandra Smith (Series 9-12 and Christmas Special) 
A BBC Studios production 
 
Cast 
Clare - Sally Phillips 
Brian - Alex Lowe 
Megan/Nali - Nina Conti 
Ray - Richard Lumsden 
Helen - Liza Tarbuck/Pippa Haywood 
Simon - Andrew Wincott 
Libby - Sarah Kendall 
Joan - Sarah Thom 
Mrs Singh - Nina Wadia 
Cilla - Gbemisola Ikumelo 
 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
With Sophie Thompson, Gerard McDermott, Simon Bubb, Victoria Inez Hardy, Georgia Lowe, Nathan Caton, Stefan Ramsden, Adam Billington, Eleanor Crooks, Will Howard, Robert Blythe, Ben Crowe, Bharti Patel, Patrick Brennan, Robert Blythe, Adam Nagaitis, Paul Stonehouse, Stephanie Racine, Peter Mitchell, Hannah Gordon, John Norton, Arthur Hughes, Alex Tregear, Carolyn Pickles, Hugh Bonneville, Shaun Mason, Lizzie Roper, Karl Theobald, Anil Goutam, Eleanor Curry, Amelia Lowdell, Neet Mohan, Elliot Steel, Dustin Demri-Burns, Clare Perkins, Alison Belbin, Sean Baker, Colin Hoult, Amita Dhiri, Alex Macqueen, Elizabeth Bennett, Nicola Ferguson, Emma Sidi, Rebecca Root, George Fouracres, Jenny Bede, Jenny Murray and Tony Way. 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 September-28 October 2011 (Series 7), 2 January-6 February 2013 (Series 8), 27 August 2013 ('In Treatment'), 8 January-12 February 2014 (Series 9), 29 December 2014 ('Christmas With... Clare Barker'), 10 July-14 August 2015 (Series 10), 15 November-20 December 2016 (Series 11), 24 September-29 October 2019 (Series 12) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Series 7-12 of the Sony Award-winning sitcom featuring the splendidly self-obsessed social worker - plus Christmas and Edinburgh Festival Specials 
 
'An impressive cast and some genuinely funny writing make this a must' The Stage 
 
Well-meaning do-gooder Clare Barker is back, and dealing with more office politics, troublesome clients and domestic dramas. Secretly regarding herself as a cross between Mother Theresa and Wonder Woman, she's got all the right jargon for every problem, but never any practical solutions. However, in today's 'Big Society' there are plenty of challenges out there for an involved, caring social worker (or even Clare)... 
 
These six series find her struggling once again to control both her professional and private life. At the Sparrowhawk Centre, Clare finds herself in hot water on more than one occasion; and the team find themselves moving offices, facing up to possible redundancies, bidding a fond farewell to old colleagues and welcoming new ones. And at home, Clare's relationship with Brian is as thorny as ever. As we follow the duo through break-ups, wedding bells, separations and reconciliations, can they finally find happiness - or does fate have other ideas? 
 
Sally Phillips stars as Clare, with a stellar cast including Alex Lowe, Sarah Thom, Nina Conti and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Also included are a special instalment recorded live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 'In Treatment', and a one-off Christmas outing, 'Christmas With... Clare Barker', featuring guest star Hugh Bonneville. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Harry Venning and David Ramsden 
Produced by Katie Tyrrell (Series 7-8 and Edinburgh Special) and Alexandra Smith (Series 9-12 and Christmas Special) 
A BBC Studios production 
 
Cast 
Clare - Sally Phillips 
Brian - Alex Lowe 
Megan/Nali - Nina Conti 
Ray - Richard Lumsden 
Helen - Liza Tarbuck/Pippa Haywood 
Simon - Andrew Wincott 
Libby - Sarah Kendall 
Joan - Sarah Thom 
Mrs Singh - Nina Wadia 
Cilla - Gbemisola Ikumelo 
 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
With Sophie Thompson, Gerard McDermott, Simon Bubb, Victoria Inez Hardy, Georgia Lowe, Nathan Caton, Stefan Ramsden, Adam Billington, Eleanor Crooks, Will Howard, Robert Blythe, Ben Crowe, Bharti Patel, Patrick Brennan, Robert Blythe, Adam Nagaitis, Paul Stonehouse, Stephanie Racine, Peter Mitchell, Hannah Gordon, John Norton, Arthur Hughes, Alex Tregear, Carolyn Pickles, Hugh Bonneville, Shaun Mason, Lizzie Roper, Karl Theobald, Anil Goutam, Eleanor Curry, Amelia Lowdell, Neet Mohan, Elliot Steel, Dustin Demri-Burns, Clare Perkins, Alison Belbin, Sean Baker, Colin Hoult, Amita Dhiri, Alex Macqueen, Elizabeth Bennett, Nicola Ferguson, Emma Sidi, Rebecca Root, George Fouracres, Jenny Bede, Jenny Murray and Tony Way. 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 September-28 October 2011 (Series 7), 2 January-6 February 2013 (Series 8), 27 August 2013 ('In Treatment'), 8 January-12 February 2014 (Series 9), 29 December 2014 ('Christmas With... Clare Barker'), 10 July-14 August 2015 (Series 10), 15 November-20 December 2016 (Series 11), 24 September-29 October 2019 (Series 12) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Harry Venning

David Ramsden

Sally Phillips

Alex Lowe

Liza Tarbuck

Full Cast

Nina Conti

Gemma Craven

The first six series of the Sony Award-winning sitcom about a social worker with all the right jargon, but none of the practical solutions 
 
'Completely engaging... beautifully observed characters and lots of very funny material' The Sony Judges 
 
Meet Clare Barker, the social worker who likes nothing more than sorting out other people's problems (while failing to deal with her own). Wracked with guilt over being white, middle-class and heterosexual, she has a dedicated social conscience (unless it's inconvenient for her) and lives to interfere in other people's lives - both on a personal and professional basis. Bearing the brunt of her control freakery and lack of self-awareness are her family, colleagues and long-suffering teacher partner, Brian - all of whom have their own frustrations, disappointments and dramas. 
 
In these six series, Clare and Brian try to shore up their rocky relationship, as Brian contemplates proposing, persuades Clare to attend couples counselling, and considers splitting up. Will their baby son, Thomas Paine, bring them back together - or will new nanny Nali prove a further obstacle to domestic bliss? Meanwhile, the Sparrowhawk Family Centre is threatened with closure, and the team are joined by new member Libby - 'an Aussie and a lesbo', proud to be both, and after Clare's job... 
 
Based on the long-running cartoon strip in the Guardian's 'Society' section, this wonderfully entertaining series stars Sally Phillips as Clare and Alex Lowe as Brian, alongside an ensemble cast including Nina Conti, Richard Lumsden, Ellen Thomas, Gemma Craven, Liza Tarbuck, Andrew Wincott and Sarah Kendall. 
 
 Production credits 
Written by Harry Venning and David Ramsden 
Produced by Katie Tyrrell 
Executive Producer: Paul Schlesinger 
 
Cast 
Clare - Sally Phillips 
Brian - Alex Lowe 
Megan/Nali - Nina Conti 
Ray - Richard Lumsden 
Irene - Ellen Thomas 
Helen - Gemma Craven/Liza Tarbuck 
Simon - Andrew Wincott 
Libby - Sarah Kendall 
 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
With Paul Chequer, Emily Wachter, Nicholas Boulton, Helen Longworth, Stephan Hogan, Richenda Carey, Alex Tregear, Sartaj Garewal, Bharti Patel, Delroy Brown, Vicki Pepperdine, John Cummins, Gerard McDermott, George Harris, Roy Hudd, Brigit Forsyth, Phil Davis, Christine Kavanagh, Lewis MacLeod, Mel Hudson, Geraldine McNulty, Mark Straker, Joseph Kloska, Martin Hyder, Shaban Arifi, Anna Bengo, Rad Lazar, Ben Onwukwe, Sam Pamphilon, Lloyd Thomas, Donnla Hughes, Chris Pavlo, Philip Pope, Rosemary Leach, Doreen Mantle, Jess Robinson and Paterson Joseph. 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 November-31 December 2004 (Series 1), 4 November-9 December 2005 (Series 2), 18 December 2006-22 January 2007 (Series 3), 16 January-20 February 2008 (Series 4), 18 February-25 March 2009 (Series 5), 31 May-5 July 2010 (Series 6) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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