A regular on the British comedy circuit, Mark Steel has been a touring stand-up comedian for twenty years. He's written and presented four series of The Mark Steel Solution, The Mark Steel Revolution and a further four series of The Mark Steel Lectures
The Mark Steel Solution was initially broadcast on BBC Radio 5 for a series, before three series were broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The show's original slogan was "Give me thirty minutes and I’ll convince you of anything!"
Delivered by Mark Steel, each scripted lecture presents persuasive, yet witty, arguments for a seemingly bizarre solution to a contemporary social problem by highlighting the flaws in the present system.
Many thanks to Martin F for contributions to this page.
S01 E01 - The Royal Family - "The Royal Family should be chosen by weekly lottery"
S01 E02 - The Family - "Nobody should be allowed to live in the same family for more than a year"
S01 E03 - Judges - "Criminals should be recruited as high courts judges"
S01 E04 - School - "Nobody should go to school until they're 35"
S01 E05 - England - "Anyone born in England should be deported"
S01 E06 - The Economy - "All government economic policy should be decided by sport"
Series 2
S02 E01 - Unemployment - "Having a job should be illegal"
S02 E02 - Transport - "Transport should only be paid for by people who don't use it"
S02 E03 - Housing - "Everyone in Britain should be rehoused at random"
S02 E04 - The Royal Family - "The Royal Family should be chosen by weekly lottery" (paraphrasing S01 E01)
Series 3
S03 E01 - Sexuality - "Everyone should have to be gay for two years"
S03 E02 - Charity - "Anybody who gives to charity should be jailed"
S03 E03 - Crime - "Criminals should decide their own punishment" (Uses some sketches from S01 E03)
S03 E04 - Immigration - "Anyone born in England should be deported" (paraphrasing S01 E05)
Series 4
S04 E01 - Religion - "People should have to change their religion every Monday"
S04 E02 - Media - "Anyone in charge of the media should be sacked after thirty minutes"
S04 E03 - Education - "Nobody should go to school until they are 36" (paraphrasing S01 E04)
S04 E04 - Life - "Pessimists should be persecuted by law"
