Xfm Series 0

Xfm Series 0

Xfm Series 0 refers to the original Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant show on the pre-takeover Xfm. The show was broadcast from January to August 1998 from 4pm to 6pm on Sundays, and was followed by The X-Rated Review Show presented by Lawrie Hallett (who Ricky and Steve called 'Rory Halibut').

These shows were before both the creation of The Office and the duo meeting Karl Pilkington and as such the show was mostly filled with their own anecdotes and attempts to interact with the audience. Unlike the later XFM shows, many of these featured a lot of pre-recorded content such as jingles, fake adverts and phone calls to Ricky's mother.

Only a few known recordings of the original shows exist.

List of Episodes

	Title	Xfm Label	Season	Download	#
	31 May 1998	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	1
	Ricky and Steve discuss Geri Halliwell leaving the Spice Girls, past pop culture items which Steve doesn't remember and Ricky's swearing. Also features music by Brainmangle, Velvetnazi666UK, Muff Shandy and Tony Buddabing.
	07 June 1998	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	2
	Ricky promises no more swearing or profanity in this show after his mother told him off for swearing last week. Steve mocks Ricky's mum's, discusses the "perfect murder" and the duo give away wrist bands to see Embrace at HMV.

Other Goodies

	Title	Xfm Label	Season	Download	#
	Tape 1 Side A	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	1
	Best of, from 4-10 weeks of shows. Includes phone calls to Ricky’s mum, Ricky's ideas for TV shows as a teenager, Tip the Balance, Meat Rations, Wesley Willis and much more.
	Tape 1 Side B	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	2
	Best of, from 4-10 weeks of shows. Includes phone calls to Ricky’s mum, Ricky's ideas for TV shows as a teenager, Tip the Balance, Meat Rations, Wesley Willis and much more.
	Tape 2 Side A	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	3
	Possibly a whole show or two, most of it on the above “best of”.
	Tape 2 Side B	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	4
	Possibly a whole show or two, most of it on the above “best of”.
	Tape 3 Side A	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	5
	More jumbled parts from some shows, again a lot on my “best of”. Plus some Radio 1 and Sturgess stuff.
	Tape 3 Side B	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	6
	More jumbled parts from some shows, again a lot on my “best of”. Plus some Radio 1 and Sturgess stuff.
	Tape 4	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	7
	A short tape with more assorted gubbins.
	Tape 4	n/a	Xfm Series 0	Download Page	7
	Bits of random early shows we do not have elsewhere as well as some other rarities: 1. Fox, Chicken, Bag Of Seed, 2. If You Don't Know Me By Now (song), 3. Stag Night, 4. Freelove Freeway (song), 5. Do You Want To Win Some Beer?, 6. Guardian Guide adverts, 7. Cockatoo, 8. Don't Cry, It's Christmas (song), 9. Prostate Cancer advert, 10. Promocast no.4, 11. Pissing In Sinks, 12. Hotel of Hate, 13. Bono off U2 advert, 14. What Kind Of Hat Is That?, 15. The Honey Badger, 16. Simon Pegg & Nick Frost (feat. Karl & Ricky), 17. Monkey News (2003-08-02)

Regular Features and Notable Events

'Do You Want Some Beer?' was a regular feature of the show in which Ricky would ring someone up at random and offer to send them some beer for free. The people who Ricky would call were often confused and suspicious of his offer, mainly because he didn't always let them know he was doing this as part of a radio show.

Another feature was 'What Can You Do For Me?', where Ricky and Steve would use their influence as radio presenters to get free stuff. One person offered to release a single for Ricky.

During one show, Ricky and Steve attempted to bleep the Super Furry Animals' "Man Don't Give A Fuck" live by pulling down the fader and making a noise in place of each of the fifty-plus mentions of the word "fuck" in the song. However, the pressure became too much for Gervais, who messed up and swore in frustration.

Ricky would often phone his mother on air. She was eccentric and in one conversation said she had gone swimming in a pond. Also, she would pester Ricky to pronounce his surname correctly ('Gervay').

The end

In August 1998, Ricky and Steve took voluntary redundancy after the Capital Radio Group bought out Xfm. According to Ricky, the last song they ever played was "If You See Her, Say Hello" by Bob Dylan.

Other Recordings

Various short clips have also emerged over time, these include:

• The Honey Badger
• Do You Want Some Beer?
• Fox, Chicken, Bag of Seed
• Hotel of Hate
• Pissing In The Sink

External Links

• Transcript of The X-Rated Review Show