Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar

All three series of Alexei Sayle’s hilarious stand-up and storytelling show

The Godfather of alternative comedy, Alexei Sayle, mixes memoir and philosophy from behind the counter of his imaginary sandwich bar, serving up wit, wisdom and illusory baguettes as he muses on a multitude of topics.

In these twelve shows, he explores his impulse to pretend and his love of sandwiches, discusses his childhood in a communist household and his physical attraction to Boris Johnson, explains why he will never go on Strictly Come Dancing and draws a striking comparison between capitalism and all-you-can-eat buffets. He also reveals where all the Millets shops have gone, considers the appeal of Donald Trump, tells us how to get a cheap drink in the centre of Paris and recounts the difficulties he faced when tracking down his lost cat.

From considerations of ethics and political discussions to anecdotes about celebrities and tales of his family, his freewheeling flights of fancy and madcap monologues will make you laugh out loud. So why not drop into Alexei’s deli and listen in, as one of the leading lights of the foccacia revolution shares his weird and wonderful worldview.

Cast and credits

Written and performed by Alexei Sayle

With Jake Yapp, Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton, Sean Baker and Ian Smith

With additional material from Liam Bearne, Sarah Campbell and Ben Partridge

Original music and lyrics by Tim Sutton

Produced by Joe Nunnery

Production Coordinator: Beverly Tagg

A BBC Studios production

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 15 November-6 December 2016 (Series 1), 9-30 November 2017 (Series 2), 12 September-3 October 2019 (Series 3)