Recording Fags, Mags and Bags

This week in deepest, darkest Glasgow I've had the great pleasure of producing the 3rd series of corner shop comedy 'Fags, Mags & Bags' for BBC Radio 4. (Let's get the plugs in early, lead character Ramesh would expect nothing less! Starts Wednesday 10th February at 1130)

Myself and the writers Donny Mcleary and Sanjeev Kohli have always been keen to explore multimedia and social networking to reach the widest possible audience for the show and for fans to interact with the programme online. We produced two YouTube clips last time round to promote the show, and for this new series I thought it would be interesting to give fans a peek into the backshop of 'Fags, Mags & Bags'. Across our Facebook page and my Twitter account we've been posting pics in real-time from the studio, offering little insights and exclusives into the recording process, and providing unsubstantiated gossip about cast members. Fans of the show have really gone for it and I think we've added about 100 fans since the start of the week so it's also helping create a buzz about the show ahead of transmission.

I have to say we're as proud of our Facebook page as Ramesh is of his Wall of Crisps or indeed his unrivalled selection of part-work magazines. We've had the page from the very first series and it now boasts over 600 members and effectively charts the evolution of the show with pics and content from all the series recordings. It keeps the show alive when it's not on-air, and allows fans to chat directly to Donny and Sanj as well as show off their encyclopaedic knowledge of the show. (Who would have thought that Chutney Windmills and the Lembit Opik Pitta Heater would have entered the British consciousness?)

As for the recording, well, doing it in early January in the middle the worst winter for over 30 years has not gone without its challenges. Thankfully actors are a hardy bunch. If you book them, they will come. In 'Fags, Mags & Bags' we've put together a great core cast who not only bring their great acting abilities but their bonhomie and ready wit to the proceedings which adds to a great atmosphere in the studio. From a producer's point of view this is priceless as that energy and enthusiasm really comes through in the recording.

To mix things up and bring something new to an episode we also like to invite along special guest stars. In series one we had The Fonejacker Kayvan Novak, in series two Eastenders star Nina Wadia made a stunning appearance, and this year we've had the great pleasure of welcoming Ron Donachie (Titanic) and the one and only Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who 7) along to the studio. Writer Donny was particularly excited about working with Sylvester as he's a huge Doctor Who fan, and watch out for an inadvertent joke about David Tenant in that episode, a very funny and happy accident!

Now for a week of editing and artificially creating the soundscape of shop. My best FX of last year was creating the sound of a Chup-a-Chups lollipop display crashing to the floor using a broom and lots of pen tops. As Ramesh would no doubt say, "it was both amazing and great".

Chris Beattie is producer of Fags, Mags and Bags. He's on Twitter

• The Fags, Mags & Bags Facebook page has 625 fans and plenty of behind-the-scenes insights from the shop.
• Watch the 'shopumentary' and lots of other Fags videos on YouTube.
• Gus took the picture in the studio. There's another picture here.