The Glam Metal Detectives

The Glam Metal Detectives is a comedy show produced by the BBC in 1995. Shown on BBC2 on Thursday nights at 9pm, it combined both sketch and sitcom elements, As with other shows launched in this timeslot, The Glam Metal Detectives attempted to innovate and combine genres, resulting in an off-the-wall mix of the sublime and the surreal which broke new ground with its 'multimedia' approach. The show consists of a single series of seven episodes. The scripts were written by the cast, and director Peter Richardson, and the series starred Gary Beadle, Phil Cornwell, Doon Mackichan, Sara Stockbridge, George Yiasoumi, and Mark Caven. The show was designed to appear as if the viewer was channel surfing through a multi-channel wasteland, happening upon spoof adverts, short sketches, and recurring show elements. Like other BBC content of the mid-1990s, it often lampooned the low-budget quality of satellite television available in the UK at the time.

Directed by Peter Richardson, The Glam Metal Detectives leans on a strong ensemble — Phil Cornwell, Doon Mackichan, Sara Stockbridge — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1995.