Radio Drama Production & Sound Design: Award-Winning Producers Eloise Whitmore & Tony Churnside on Location Recording, BBC Dramas & The Skewer

In this podcast episode Ashea is joined by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Chernside, co-founders of Naked Productions, an award-winning sound design and audio production company specializing in BBC radio dramas and acclaimed audio content. Eloise won the Radio Sound Designer and Producer of the Year award in 2013, and Tony is a multi-award-winning sound designer and technical producer behind the acclaimed satirical BBC Radio 4 comedy series The Skewer.

Together, Eloise and Tony discuss the evolution of radio drama production in 2026, innovative location recording techniques for achieving authentic sound, the craft of sound design and storytelling, and the contrasting workflows between long-form drama and fast-turnaround satire productions. Whether you're interested in audio drama, sound design, radio production, podcasting, or understanding how award-winning audio content is created, this conversation provides insider insights into professional audio production, creative collaboration, and the technical approaches that define modern radio and audio storytelling.

In This Episode:

• Radio Drama Production Techniques and Evolution - How radio drama production has changed over 20 years, the shift from traditional studio recording to innovative location-based approaches, and the impact of lockdown on production methods
• Location Recording for Authentic Sound - Documentary-style recording techniques that capture real actor movement and ambient sound, using handheld microphones to follow action like a camera, and achieving authenticity through immersive recording
• Sound Design and Storytelling - The philosophy of "painting sound worlds" and "telling stories with sound," creating immersive audio experiences, and the importance of sound design in radio drama
• Naked Productions: From Concept to Broadcast - Overview of award-winning projects including BBC dramas like Putin and Lockerbie, sound installations, and the diverse range of audio content the company produces
• The Skewer: Fast-Turnaround Satire Production - How The Skewer is produced on an extremely tight deadline, the concept of a "river of sound," building flexible structures for last-minute changes, and the collaborative creative process
• Actor Performance and Immersive Recording - Why actors deliver better performances when physically engaged in their scenes, the advantages of recording with movement versus traditional studio recording, and how modern techniques benefit acting quality
• Pro Tools Workflow and Audio Engineering - Shared session structures, favorite plugins (Altiverb, speakerphone, Avid Pro Limiter), automation techniques, and the evolution from baked-in mixing to real-time automation
• Day in the Life of Radio Producers - Comparing the workflows of long-form drama production versus fast-turnaround satire, time allocation between recording and mixing, and the demands of professional audio production

About Our Guests:

Eloise Whitmore: Eloise Whitmore is an award-winning radio producer and sound designer with 20 years of experience in radio production. She won the Radio Sound Designer and Producer of the Year award in 2013, recognition of her innovative approach to audio production and storytelling. As co-founder of Naked Productions, Eloise leads the creative vision for the company's diverse projects, from BBC radio dramas to audio installations, bringing expertise in location recording, sound design, and the technical and creative demands of professional audio production.

Tony Churnside: Tony Chernside is a multi-award-winning sound designer and technical producer with a background in acoustics and audio production. He holds a PhD in audio production and has expertise in object-based audio formats and audience consumption. As co-founder of Naked Productions and the technical producer behind the critically acclaimed BBC Radio 4 satire The Skewer, Tony brings both deep technical knowledge and creative production expertise to professional audio projects.

About Our Host:

Ashea is a platinum-selling songwriter, music producer, and audio engineer from the UK. With credits spanning notable artists, major labels, and prestigious broadcasters, Ashea brings authentic conversations between industry professionals to the Production Expert Podcast. Credits & Placements Include… Alan Walker, Holy Goof, TS7, Billy Da Kid (Kiss FM), Steve Smart (Kiss FM), The Wideboys, MER, Sony Music, 2Tone Records, BBC, SVT1 (Sweden).

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Naked Productions - Award-winning sound design and audio production company. Visit: nakedproductions.co.uk
• The Skewer - BBC Radio 4 satirical comedy series. Available on BBC Sounds
• BBC Radio Dramas - Putin, Lockerbie, and BBC Scotland productions
• Pro Tools - Digital audio workstation used by both producers
• Altiverb - Convolution reverb plugin by Audio Ease
• Speakerphone - Dialogue processing plugin
• Genelec UniO Monitoring Ecosystem - Professional audio monitoring solution providing seamless bridge between loudspeaker and headphone monitoring for consistent mix translation. Visit: genelec.com/unio

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Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Genelec. If you've ever been disappointed with the way your mixes sound on other playback systems, check out Genelec's UniO monitoring ecosystem. By providing a seamless bridge b