Aaron Robertson is a writer, an editor, and a translator of Italian literature. His translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon was short-listed for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award, and in 2021 he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, n+1, The Point, and Literary Hub, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Aaron Robertson

Aaron Shapiro

Aaron T Beck

Aaron Vallance

Aaron Young was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and read Politics and Communications at The University of Liverpool. He is a BAFTA-nominated director, producer and executive producer with over 20 years of experience across projects for the BBC, PBS, Channel 4, Channel 5, UKTV, UK Film Council and Arts Council England. A long-time collaborator of acclaimed historian, James Holland, he is the producer and director of the BAFTA-shortlisted BBC titles ‘Battle of Britain: The Real Story’ and, ‘Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams’, as well as ‘The Battle for Malta’, ‘Normandy ’44: The Battle Beyond D-Day’, the RTS-nominated ‘Imphal &amp; Kohima: Britain’s Greatest Battle.’, and the 3-part series, 'Normandy '44: D-Day and the Battle for France. His most recent credits include 'Hidden Histories of WWII', 'Lost Temples of Cambodia', the RTS-winning ‘Lost Home Movies of Nazi Germany’, and ‘Prue Leith: Journey with My Daughter’. Aaron was named in the inaugural list of BAFTA ‘Brits to Watch.’ He is the co-owner of award-winning film and television production company, Bright Button Productions, and lives with his wife and children in Poundbury, Dorset.

Aaron Young

Aatish Taseer

Abbe Prevost

Abbey Bryant is an NYC-based award-winning illustrator. With her BFA in Children's Book Illustration, her notable illustrated books include Nautilus award winner Hazel Mist, Hypnotist as well as an Enchanted Fairy House Kit with Scholastic's Klutz! 
 
As a queer illustrator, LGBTQ+ themes and stories hold a spot near to her heart. Most days she can be found around the city drawing New Yorkers or sketching trees at the park.

Abbey Bryant

Abbey Clancy is a model, television presenter and the host of chart-topping podcast The Therapy Crouch. She was the runner-up of Britain's Next Top Model in 2006, winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and went on to present Britain's Next Top Model. Later this year she will host Celebrity Homes on ITV.

Abbey Clancy

Abbie Greaves studied at Cambridge University before working in a literary agency for a number of years. She was inspired to write her first novel, The Silent Treatment, after reading a newspaper article about a boy in Japan who had never seen his parents speak to one another before. 
 
Abbie lives in Brighton with her boyfriend.

Abbie Greaves

Abbie Ross is a British author and psychotherapist. Her first book, Hippy Dinners, a funny and poignant memoir of her bohemian childhood in 1970s North Wales, has been optioned by Baby Cow, who are developing it into an 8-part television series. 
Before turning to writing, Abbie had a successful career as a producer at Aardman Animations, the acclaimed studios behind Wallace &amp; Gromit and the film Chicken Run. 
Today, she divides her time between her thriving psychotherapy practice in Bristol, and her writing, and finds that the two careers complement each other perfectly.

Abbie Ross

Abbie Spallen

Abbie Taylor lives in Dublin. She works as a doctor and has two daughters.

Abbie Taylor

Abby L Yates co-founded the Ghostbusters with Erin Gilbert. Ghosts from Our Past was her first book, now finally back in print.

Abby L Yates

Abby Lee

Abby Rawlinson is an integrative therapist with a private practice based in east London, UK. Her work mixes traditional psychotherapeutic theories with cutting-edge, evidence-based techniques into a style that feels relatable, down-to-earth, and compassionate. Abby regularly contributes to articles, including but not limited to Stylist, Elle, BBC, Harpers Bazaar, Sheerluxe, Women's Health, and Psychologies. She can be found on Instagram @therapywithabby or online at therapywithabby.co.uk

Abby Rawlinson

Abby Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, FIFA World Cup champion, six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award and one of Time’s Most Influential People. She is a founder of Treat Media, an award-winning media company that makes art for humans who want to stay human. Abby is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wolfpack and the New York Times bestseller Forward. Named one of the ‘50 Most Powerful People in Podcasting,’ she is co-host of the chart-topping podcast We Can Do Hard Things, which has received over a half billion plays. Abby is an executive producer of the Sundance award-winning film Come See Me in the Good Light, part owner of the NWSL’s Angel City Football Club and sits on multiple boards. Her most recent book, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions, created with Glennon Doyle, Amanda Doyle and Treat Media, is being hailed as ‘the guidebook for being alive.’

Abby Wambach

Abel &amp; Cole’s story starts in 1988 with Keith Abel flogging potatoes door-to-door. ‘Of course potatoes are organic,’ he thought, ‘they’re vegetables’. However, he quickly discovered how unnecessarily complicated our food system had become and, consequently, realised the huge benefits of going organic and never looked back. In fact, Abel &amp; Cole still get veg from the farm where Keith's first organic spuds came from. 
To this day, their priorities remain the same. Now, selling 100% organic produce, Abel &amp; Cole believe that organic farming (a holistic system that encourages biodiversity) is the very best way to go. It protects our countryside and the critters that inhabit it, insists on the very best animal welfare, supports your local community and, frankly, tastes heaps better. Abel &amp; Cole think so anyway.

Abel & Cole Limited

Abhijit Banerjee, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, is the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). In 2011, he was named one of Foreign Policy magazine’s top 100 global thinkers. Banerjee served on the U.N. Secretary-General’s High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Abhijit V. Banerjee

Abhishek Mukherjee, 30, is a Delhi-based journalist. He holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Delhi University, a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Raipur. He also likes dogs.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Abi Elphinstone grew up in Scotland where she spent most of her childhood running wild across the moors, hiding in tree houses and building dens in the woods. After being coaxed out of her tree house, she studied English at Bristol University and then worked as an English teacher in Africa, Berkshire and London. She is the bestselling and multi-award shortlisted author of RUMBLESTAR (first in The Unmapped Chronicles), SKY SONG &amp; THE DREAMSNATCHER TRILOGY, published by S&amp;S. When she's not writing, Abi volunteers for Beanstalk, speaks in schools and travels the world looking for her next story.

Abi Elphinstone

Abi Falase is a Black British writer and director, reimagining fundamental societal concepts in inventive new worlds. Abi has written and directed a number of plays, including The Village and Rush with the Almedia Theatre, as well as Rift for Immediate Theatre and was shortlisted for the BBC Scriptworks ‘A Thousand Stories’ scriptwriting competition in 2021.

Abi Falase

Abi Titmuss

Abie Longstaff is the eldest of six children and grew up in Australia, Hong Kong and France. She knows all about squabbling, chaos and bossing younger sisters around. So she logically began her career as a barrister. She started writing when her children were born. Her favourite childhood books were Hating Alison Ashley, A Little Princess, Maura's Angel and The Black Stallion and she sneakily reads them again sometimes. Abie lives in Hove with her family.

Abie Longstaff

Abigail Ahern

Abigail is a Brighton-based writer, illustrator and creative producer. Original storytelling has always been at the heart of Abigail's career and she has spent a decade leading social media campaigns for some of the biggest TV &amp; entertainment clients in the world. Abigail also used to perform stand-up comedy and won several tiny trophies for her onstage humour; which involved life-size illustrations, ridiculous songs and rambling stories about her family.

Abigail Balfe

Abigail Docherty

Abigail Foster is a Chartered Accountant and founder of Elent Finance, a financial education company designed to demystify the world of finance and empower you to achieve financial wellbeing. 
 
Abigail has worked with leading financial institutions across the UK, including HMRC, the Bank of England and Downing Street, and global companies such as Google and Goldman Sachs. She hosts a weekly money segment on LBC radio and has also appeared as a finance expert on ITV, Channel 5 and Sky News.

Abigail Foster

Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.

Abigail Owen

Abigail Ulman was born and raised in Melbourne. She has a BA in Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne/VCA and was a recent Wallace Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University. This is her first book.

Abigail Ulman

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Matthew Solon

Twelve jurors. One verdict. Can the jury decide?When high-profile company director Virginia Hart fights a libel case against journalist Pat Carver, twelve ordinary people find themselves navigating the complex and unfamiliar world of the civil court. A woman’s reputation is on the line, and they alone must decide whether the allegations made against her in the satirical magazine Shady Tales count as freedom of speech, or scurrilous defamation.But it soon becomes clear to the jury members that the trial will have an impact on their own lives. From big-shot banker Tyrone to shy, illiterate Shane; chatty, overly helpful Carol; feisty fashion model Samantha and aspiring businesswoman Folosade, they are each dealing with their own issues – and they all bring their own flaws, fears, values and prejudices to the case.The prosecution has barely made its opening statements before two of the jurors are at loggerheads, and tensions quickly begin to rise within the group. The lies, scandal and intrigue unfolding in the courtroom are mirrored in the jury room, and as the trial moves towards its climax, can the jurors work together to ensure justice prevails?Written by acclaimed actor and dramatist Matthew Solon, whose radio credits include Takeover, The Bid and Five Days in May, this thrilling drama features a star cast including Bill Nighy, Maggie Steed, Patrick Robinson, Gary Olsen, Tracy-Ann Oberman and Bhasker Patel.Production creditsWritten by Matthew SolonDirected by Andy Jordan and Jocelyn BoxallCastVirginia Hart – Suzanne BertishTyrone Spencer – Patrick RobinsonGilly Baxter – Maggie SteedMegan Evans – Rachel AtkinsPat Carver – Bill NighyMichael Whitely – Gary OlsenDermot O'Connor – Denys HawthorneWith Joseph Bennett, Philip Bretherton, Colin Bruce, Harry Ditson, Abi Eniola, Robert Hands, Jenny Howe, Kelly Hunter, Frances Jeater, Jonathan Keeble, Don McCorkindale, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Bhasker Patel, Dominic Power, Christopher Scott, Irene Sutcliffe, Badi Uzzaman, Geoffrey WhiteheadFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 September-16 October 1998© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Jury

A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama

Christopher Denys

Hilarious comedy caper set in Wales during the heyday of the Great British seaside holiday 
Set up the deckchair, pop a hanky on your head and order an ice-cream with a flake, as you settle in for a hilarious trip to Llantwit-on-Sea. It’s the 1950s, the Great British holiday is booming and recently widowed Eirlys Richards runs a lively boarding house in this Welsh seaside town.Wanting to spice up her life, Eirlys welcomes a lover into her holiday haven, however her other three lovers have something to say about this… Pet poodles, passionate chefs, hair-brained business schemes and brass playing bandmasters all vie for the enigmatic Eirlys’s attention in this fast paced and funny comedy drama packed full of charming characters and the laugh-out-loud situations they get themselves into. What did deckchair attendant Cox’n Hughes do to be barred from the local fisherman’s club, will the Punch and Judy auditions go smoothly and when will the lascivious town clerk get his comeuppance…?Written by Christopher Denys and starring Nerys Hughes as Eirlys Richards, best known for her roles in BBC TV series The Liver Birds and The District Nurse, and Russell Boulter (The Bill) as Matthew Dolan, this delightful comedy celebrates the best of Wales with a cast of memorable characters.Promenade Rock is a sunny seaside comedy that will have you in stitches. Listen now to the hilarious complete series, available to download for the time.Cast and creditsWritten by Christopher DenysDirected by Sue WilsonEirlys Richards - Nerys Hughes 
Matthew Dolan - Russell Boulter 
Iorweth Jenkins - Iwan Thomas 
Arnold Pilton - Christopher Scott 
Cox'n Hughes - Andy HockleyOwain Owen - Terry MolloyPC Ianto Evans - David Holt Gwenny Jenkins - Siriol Jenkins Round-the-Bay Baynon - Owen Garmon Griff Gadabout - Keith Drinkel Joyce Pilton - Tracy Wiles 
Newsreader/ Alderman Lloyd-Meredith / Dad - Ian Brooker 
Mother / Theda Pilton - Tina Gray Kalama Attercliffe - Badria Timimi Attercliffe - David Bannerman Voices of Punch and Judy - Guy Higgins Episode 1 – The Landlady and her LoversEpisode 2 – The ChefEpisode 3 – The HotelierEpisode 4 – The Silver GumshoeEpisode 5 – The LongshoremenEpisode 6 – The Punch and Judy ManEpisode 7 – The Town ClerkEpisode 8 – Mister ShowbusinessEpisode 9 – The Holiday-MakerEpisode 10 – Absent Without LeaveFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17th - 28th March 2003©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Promenade Rock

A BBC Radio Comedy Drama

Frank Hampson

Nick McCarty

Crash land with Dan Dare, the world’s Number One space hero!Decades after he first appeared in the comic Eagle, Dan Dare hits the airwaves and embarks on a mission to Venus to save the world. Classic comic-book fans and adventure lovers alike will relish this vintage production as Dan Dare, British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson, fires up his spaceship and launches into the future - the distant future - the 1990s…Nicknamed The ‘Biggles of Space’ and the ‘British Buck Rogers’, this superhero’s manner is more reminiscent of British war films of the 1950s. Dominating the comic-book scene in the 1950 and 60s, the dashing and daring pilot is back in this brilliant, four-part radio dramatisation. Enjoy listening to a full-cast recording as they take on the adventure with Dan Dare and his crew battling to save the world.And in a bonus documentary, listen as Sir Tim Rice explores the lasting appeal of the British magazine Eagle and the impact of Dan Dare in Eagle: The Space Age Weekly. Charting the influences behind the comic, and exploring the life of its creator, Marcus Morris, this fascinating programme features contributions from author Philip Pullman, Sally Morris the daughter of Eagle creator and Eagle Society member David Britton. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Reproduced with kind permission of the Dan Dare Corporation LtdDan Dare: Pilot of the FutureWritten by Frank HampsonDramatised by Nick McCartyDirected by Glyn DearmanMusic by Wilfredo AcostDan Dare - Mick FordSir Hubert - Terence AlexanderDigby - Donald GeeProfessor Peabody - Zelah ClarkeHank - William RobertsThe Mekon - Richard PearceSondar - David GoudgeAunt Anastasia - Margaret CourtenayMrs Digby - Shirley DixonVolstar - Ben OnwukweKalon - John MoffattPierre - Sean BarrettDapon - David KingUr Tag - Brian MillerOther parts played by Vincent Brimble, Paul Downing, Stephen Garlick, Dale Rapley, Danny Schiller, Charles Simpson, Simon Treves and Christopher Good First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 Apr - 10 May 1990Eagle: The Space Age WeeklyWritten and Presented by Sir Tim RiceFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4Extra, 23 Dec 2010©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Adventure

Simon Bullivant

Greywing to the rescue! Timothy Spall stars as the world’s most inept superhero…‘He slipped effortlessly into his super sleek costume… oh, how come their tights never wrinkle in the comics?’Bludden-On-Sand better buckle up as there is a new hero in town! Frustrated furniture fitter Nigel Struddock (Timothy Spall), with the help of a sewing machine, creates an alter ego: ‘Greywing’ - a local caped crusader determined to fight evil and bring justice wherever he can. He’s got the mask and the cape, but where’s the crime?! Every superhero needs an arch enemy and soon dastardly ice cream tycoon, Benny Leake (Bernard Hill) appears on the scene to be Greywing’s.Cheer for the hapless hero as he battles to stop villainous Benny Leake's sabotage plan, if only he can get the ice cream van to go fast enough. Local dramas come thick and fast for the gormless Greywing; dead fish are washed up on the beach and a funfair big wheel gets out of control. If that wasn’t enough, Nigel’s superhero alter-ego must jump into action at a dole office siege and things get tricky when his dastardly nemesis hires a heavy to dispose of him. Is our hero's number up? Surely not? Greywing to the rescue!A stellar line up of actors star in Simon Bullivant’s wonderfully hilarious comedy. Timothy Spall (Harry Potter, The King’s Speech) plays Nigel Struddock aka Greywing, Bernard Hill (Lord of the Rings, Wolf Hall, Titanic) is Benny Leake and Tilly Vosburgh stars as Judy Marvick, with a supporting cast including Julian Rhind-Tutt (Greenwing).Cast and creditsWritten by Simon BullivantProduced by Colin SwashNigel Struddock aka Greywing - Timothy Spall 
Benny Leake - Bernard Hill 
Judy Marvick - Tilly VosburghOther parts played by: John Baddeley, Andy Rashleigh, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Kate Binchy, Jill Graham, Melanie HidsonFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 5, 30 October - 4 December 1992©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Greywing

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy

Cath Staincliffe

Seven original radio dramas by award-winning crime writer Cath Staincliffe, featuring heir hunters, a genealogist and an undercover cop who must untangle family mysteries 
 
Cath Staincliffe is best known as the creator of the hit TV series Blue Murder, as well as for her ‘Scott and Bailey’ books and ‘Sal Kilkenny’ crime novels. This full cast drama collection features the five gripping dramas in her ‘Legacy’ series, together with a standalone mystery and a three-part thriller, all specially written for BBC Radio. 
These dramas feature a stellar line-up including Maxine Peake, Tony Mooney, William Ash, Claire Keelan, Jo Hartley, Suranne Jones, Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, Esh Alladi and Matthew McNulty. 
 
Legacy – Ex-police officer Dan and his ruthless sister Rachel are probate detectives, tracking down the rightful heirs to unclaimed estates. As they delve into the past, they uncover long-buried secrets… 
 
Legacy: Blood in the Mountains – When Henry Gaunt dies, Dan and Rachel trace his family tree back to the Spanish Civil War, where Henry’s father George died fighting alongside his cousin, Eric. Is Eric still alive, and could he be the heir they’re looking for? 
 
Legacy: Eden – Digging into the records to find Gordon Willshaw’s kin, Jo and Rachel are led to 1950s Kenya and the terrible events of the Mau Mau rebellion. 
 
Legacy: Suspicious Minds – The search for an heir to Petra Oster’s estate takes Dan and Rachel to 1980s East Berlin. It soon becomes clear that she escaped to Britain to erase her past – but what dark truths was she hiding? 
 
Legacy: High Green Walls – Discovering that deceased 73-year-old recluse Susan Peller was once a successful artist with a twin sister, Barbara, Dan and Rachel travel to America to find her fortune and hunt for her heir. 
 
Look Sharp – Genealogist Karen Sharp finds herself in danger – and forced to face her own fears – when she sets about untangling a family mystery. 
 
Undercover: Close to Home – Hoping to find out what happened to Ben Curtis’s wife, who went missing a year ago, policewoman Grace goes undercover as a live-in nanny at the family home... 
 
 
Credits 
Written by Cath Staincliffe 
Directed by Nadia Molinari 
 
Legacy 
Cast: Maxine Peake, Tony Mooney, Thomas Rolinson, Daniel Rogers, Lowri Evans, Eileen O'Brien, Fiona Clarke, Claude Close 
 
Legacy: Blood in the Mountains 
Cast: Claire Keelan, William Ash, Tom Hughes, Steven Hoyle, Russell Dixon, Eithne Browne, Russell Richardson 
 
Legacy: Eden 
Cast: Jo Hartley, William Ash, Alexandra Mathie, Olivia Cooke, Henry Devas, Yusra Warsama, Hugh Simon 
 
Legacy: Suspicious Minds 
Cast: Jo Hartley, William Ash, Conrad Nelson, Lisa Brookes, Fiona Clarke, Sarah McDonald Hughes, Jack Lord 
 
Legacy: High Green Walls 
Cast: Claire Keelan, William Ash, Russell Dixon, Kellie Shirley, Ellie Meigan Rose, Malcolm Raeburn, Jonathan Keeble, Fiona Clarke 
 
Look Sharp 
Cast: Suranne Jones, Jeff Hordley, David Hargreaves, Deborah McAndrew, Danielle Henry, Julie Westwood 
 
Undercover: Close to Home 
Cast: Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, Esh Alladi, Matthew McNulty, Bebe Massey, Tareq Al-Jeddal, Christine Bottomley, Emma Cunniffe, Kymberley Cochrane, Lula Marsh, Jessica Bellamy & Esh Alladi 
 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Legacy

Seven Full-Cast BBC Radio Mysteries

Andrew Palmer

Nell Brennan

Eight episodes from the 1980s sitcom about a jobsworth caretaker pursued by an over-amorous cleaner 
 
Know Your Place ran for two series and 15 episodes between January 1982 and August 1983. Included here are all eight of the surviving shows, starring Roy Dotrice as curmudgeonly caretaker Ramsay Potts and Patricia Hayes as cheery cleaning lady Elsie Spurgeon. 
 
Janitor Ramsay works at Worthing Court, a once-prestigious block of Edwardian flats in Bloomsbury that has seen better days. He takes pride in keeping the place spick and span, but flirty, feisty Elsie is always distracting him from his duties – and getting him into trouble. While he’s a stickler for the rules, she delights in breaking them, and while he respects authority, she refuses to know her place. 
 
In these eight episodes, the odd couple join forces to deal with an MP stuck in a lift, and Elsie takes advantage when she’s given a storeroom and borrows a flat. Meanwhile, ‘the remarkable’ Ramsay hears the peal of wedding bells, takes on a dangerous job, is forced to give up cigarettes, has a close call with a local gangster – and saves Elsie from being evicted... 
 
Written by Andrew Palmer and Nell Brennan, and produced by Edward Taylor (The Men from the Ministry), this light-hearted sitcom also features a host of guest stars, including Frank Thornton, April Walker, Pat Coombs, Norma Ronald and Bernard Bresslaw. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Andrew Palmer and Nell Brennan 
Produced by Edward Taylor 
 
Cast 
Ramsay Potts – Roy Dotrice 
Elspeth Spurgeon – Patricia Hayes 
With Frank Thornton, John Graham, April Walker, John Glover, Pat Coombs, Sue Holderness, Norma Ronald, Nell Brennan, Yvonne Manners, Benny Lee, Joe Dunlop, James Taylor, Frances Jeater, Avis Bunnage, John Blythe and Bernard Bresslaw 
 
Episode guide 
 
1 Lift Off 
2 Not to Be Used for Babies 
3 Room to Manoeuvre 
4 Marriage of Convenience 
5 Jumpers 
6 Sisterly Feelings 
7 Health Can Damage Your Smoking 
8 Out of the Closet 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Know Your Place

Selected episodes from the BBC Radio Comedy

Fintan Coyle

Tom Miles

The hilarious mishaps and adventures of Opera Sunderland, starring Godfrey James Staging opera can be a chaotic business – as this brilliant five-part comedy drama, written by Fintan Coyle and Tom Miles, shows. Opera Sunderland has a tradition of performing a new work every season - celebrating "its umbilical cord to civilisation". However, when managing director, Dwight Gaggenheim opts for West Side Story over innovative gay opera St Sebastien, the tempers and egos of a multitude of opera-types bubble hilariously to the surface. Even if the divas can agree on a creative direction, there is trouble ahead when the local cash-strapped council wants to use Opera Sunderland’s funding for a public convenience. Things go from bad to worse when Keyboard Ken, a stalwart member of the troupe, collapses and has to be rushed to hospital. Meanwhile, Natasha, Opera Sunderland's prima donna, tours pubs, clubs and local radio stations trying to drum-up an audience. Tensions mount, voices are raised higher than a soprano’s and sparks fly as the cast battle with nerves as first night approaches… After all, the show must go on!Available to download for the first time, this chaotic and comedic series features music by Tom Miles and Georges Bizet, and stars Godfrey James. Godfrey James is best known for his appearances in classic television series such as The Avengers, Z-Cars and The Sweeney as well as Doctor Who, Emerdale and Coronation Street. Cast and creditsWritten by Fintan Coyle and Tom MilesProduced by Chris NeillMusic by Tom Miles and Georges BizetDerek - Andrew BranchKeyboard Ken - Tom MilesCilla - Carolyn BonnymanGareth - Godfrey JamesNatasha - Caz WellerDwight - Jonathan KyddJames - Simon ButterissClaire Long - Sally GraceSingers:Alison PorterSusan JelleyHenrik WagerIan BloomfieldBenjamin DaviesKathryn JenkinSusan JelleyJochem van AstFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12th Jun-10th Jul 1997©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Taking It Up the Octave

A BBC Radio 4 Sitcom

BBC Radio Comedy

A collection of four series of the award-winning satirical show – plus 12 Christmas SpecialsWith its wickedly funny mimicry and on-point parodies, Dead Ringers became an instant classic when it hit the airwaves in January 2000. In these four series, first broadcast between 2020 and 2023, the team give us their inimitable impersonations of the famous and infamous: from Donald Trump and Joe Biden to Liz Truss, Professor Chris Whitty and Holly Willoughby.Finding the comedy in Covid, they take on social distancing, the test and trace system, masks and R numbers. There’s a special maths lesson from Matt Hancock, a fight between Good Boris and Bad Boris about when lockdown should start, and a covert recording of Dominic Cummings – as well as tips from Dr Michael Mosley on how to stay healthy in post-pandemic Britain.Plus, Keir Starmer shows the nation his Ramsay MacDonald in Naked Attraction, Rishi Sunak contracts a nasty dose of the 1970s, we learn the explicit secrets of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s OnlyFans account and we’re introduced to some surprising new contestants in Love Island. Angela Rayner has some unusual items for The Repair Shop, The Archers is revamped for Gen Z, the cost of living crisis hits Ready Steady Cook – and there’s a treat for anyone who’s ever watched a Wes Anderson film and wondered why.Also featured are twelve fantastic festive specials, including a compilation episode in which Jon Culshaw and Jan Ravens join Dead Ringers creator and producer Bill Dare to present a selection of the funniest Party Leader sketches since 2014, when David Cameron vs Ed Miliband was the only show in town.Cast and creditsStarring Jon Culshaw, Lewis MacLeod, Jan Ravens, Debra Stephenson, Jess Robinson, Duncan Wisbey, Naomi McDonald, Anil Desai and Jason ForbesProduced and created by Bill DareProduction Co-ordinators: Sarah Sharpe, Caroline Barlow, Katie Baum and Dan MarchiniSound Designer: Rich EvansWritten by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Jeffrey Aidoo, Simon Alcock, Daniel Audritt, Rebecca Bain, Davina Bentley, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, James Bugg, Kat Butterfield, Sarah Campbell, Gareth Ceredig, Lewis Cook, Cody Dahler, Robert Darke, Tasha Dhanraj, Sophie Dickson, Charlie Dinkin, Chris Donovan, Toussaint Douglass, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Jade Gebbie, Alex Hardy, Rajiv Karia, Athena Kugblenu, Kate Lipson, Cameron Loxdale, Jane McCutcheon, Vivienne Riddoch, Christina Riggs, Nicky Roberts, Katie Sayer, Cassie Smyth, Peter Tellouche, Edward Tew, Rachel E. Thorn, Joe Topping, Paige Wilson, Duncan WisbeyFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 June-17 July 2020 (Series 20), 11-25 December 2020 (Christmas Specials), 11 June-16 July 2021 (Series 21), 10-24 December 2021 (Christmas Specials), 17 June-22 July 2022 (Series 22), 9-23 December 2022 (Christmas Specials), 16 June-21 July 2023 (Series 23), 15-29 December 2023 (Christmas Specials)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Dead Ringers: Series 20-23 Plus Specials

The BBC Radio 4 Impressions Show

Susan Hill

An extensive collection of full-cast dramatisations and long-lost original radio plays by Dame Susan Hill 
 
Award-winning author Dame Susan Hill is best known for her hit ghost story The Woman in Black and her popular ‘Simon Serailler’ detective series, but she has also written extensively for radio. This audio anthology includes full-cast adaptations of two of her early novels, plus an additional 12 BBC Radio plays, many of them available for the very first time since their original broadcasts. 
 
Gentlemen and Ladies tells of the friendship and loneliness of a family living in a small Midland village, while Strange Meeting explores the relationship between two young subalterns in the First World War. These moving dramatisations star Patricia Hayes, Stephanie Cole, Martin Jarvis and David Timson. 
 
Themes of interdependence and isolation run through all Hill’s radio plays, which she describes as dealing with ‘human beings in confrontation’. In Taking Leave, a nephew visits the family he barely knows; in Lizard in the Grass, an orphan living in a clifftop convent is persecuted by one of the nuns, in The Cold Country, tempers fray when four explorers become snowbound in Antarctica and in Consider the Lilies, an ageing bachelor who sees angels finds himself drawn to a dying girl. Richard Hurndall, Helen Worth, Terry Scully, John Rollason and Tony Britton are among the star casts. 
 
A Window on the World focuses on students Nell (Patricia Gallimore) and Jess (Julie Hallam), who are mere observers of life – until one of them acts to alter the situation. Strip Jack Naked finds sick recluse James (Ian Richardson) shaken out of his austere existence by a visit from his estranged wife, but in The Sound that Time Makes, wife and mother Fay (Patricia Gallimore) is obsessively haunted by her schooldays. And with her wedding approaching, Helena (Carole Hayman) struggles to let go of her childhood in Here Comes the Bride. 
 
Chances features two interlinked monologues, read by Dames Judi Dench and Peggy Ashcroft, in which an Irish maid at a seaside hotel ponders her life, and a guest remembers better days and higher standards. A dying Frenchwoman summons her estranged daughter in Out in the Cold, starring Pauline Letts and Fiona Walker. Finally, Winter and Autumn focus on two couples, one elderly and resident in an old folks’ home, the other middle-aged and attempting to escape the past by moving house. Doreen Mantle, Cyril Luckham, June Brown and Bernard Hepton star as the spouses searching for meaning and connection. 
 
Copyright © Susan Hill 1968 (Gentlemen and Ladies), 1971 (Strange Meeting, Taking Leave, Lizard in the Grass), 1972 (The Cold Country), 1973 (Consider the Lilies), 1975 (A Window on the World, Strip Jack Naked), 1980 (The Sound that Time Makes, Here Comes the Bride), 1981 (Chances), 1982 (Out in the Cold), 1985 (Winter), 1986 (Autumn) 
 
Contents: 
Gentlemen and Ladies 
Strange Meeting 
Taking Leave 
Lizard in the Grass 
The Cold Country 
Consider the Lilies 
A Window on the World 
Strip Jack Naked 
The Sound that Time Makes 
Here Comes the Bride 
Chances 
Out in the Cold 
Winter 
Autumn 
 
Copyright © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Susan Hill BBC Radio Drama Collection

14 Full-Cast Dramas

George MacDonald Fraser

Full-cast adaptations of two Flashman novels, plus a standalone historical romp, a humorous short story and an interview with George MacDonald FraserScottish author George MacDonald Fraser took the loutish bully from Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown's Schooldays and gave him a new lease of life. Over the course of 12 novels, caddish anti-hero Flashman swashbuckled his way around the British Empire, playing a key role in some of the 19th century’s most significant events.Adapted for BBC Radio, and featuring a stellar cast, this collection includes:Flash for Freedom! – It is 1848 and Flashman is considering a political career. But a disastrous card game with Disraeli plunges him into hair-raising involvement with a murderous sea captain, the transatlantic slave trade, the Underground Railroad and Abraham Lincoln.Flashman at the Charge – Renowned bounder, blackguard, liar, lecher, and self-confessed coward Sir Harry Flashman suffers the ill fortune of being caught up in the Charge of the Light Brigade – and rides with the descendants of Genghis Khan against the might of Imperial Russia, as he attempts to save British India…Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don – England, 1599, and at the Spanish Embassy, a devilish plot is brewing. New envoy Don Diego claims to possess a compromising letter written by Queen Elizabeth 50 years ago: and unless it is retrieved, her reputation as the Virgin Queen will be in tatters. Time to call in Mistress Phoebe Fosdyke, Secret Agent…‘Monsoon Selection Board’ – Corporal David MacNeill recalls his challenging time in 1940s Burma, when he was part of a battalion trying to stop the Japanese army escaping. Hoping to become an officer, he is sent to face the Selection Board – but can he prove his mettle?Bookclub: George MacDonald Fraser – James Naughtie talks to George MacDonald Fraser about his inspiration for the Flashman books, writing a Bond screenplay, and why we can’t resist a rogue.Text copyright © George MacDonald Fraser 1970 (‘Monsoon Selection Board’), 1971 (Flash for Freedom!), 1973 (Flashman at the Charge), 2000 (Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don) Cast and creditsWritten by George MacDonald FraserFlash for FreedomFeaturing Joss Ackland, Rhys Meredith, Nigel Anthony, Christian Rodska, William Hope, Ndidi Del Fatti, Emily Wachter, Jamie Newall, Robert Hastie, Damian Lynch, Stuart MilliganDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Mar-3 Apr 2005Flashman at the ChargeFeaturing Joss Ackland, Angus Wright, Jayne McKenna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Anthony, David Holt, David Bannerman, Peter KennyDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13-20 Oct 2002Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly DonFeaturing Vivienne Dixon, Crawford Logan, Katherine Igoe, Mark McDonnell, James Bryce, Julie AustinWritten by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May 2000‘Monsoon Selection Board’Read by Tom FlemingProduced by Bruce YoungFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 Oct 1990Bookclub: George MacDonald FraserPresented by James NaughtieWith George MacDonald FraserProduced by Dymphna FlynnFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 Jan 2006© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Flashman & more

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Hilary Lyon

Both series of the hilarious and heart-warming comedy drama set in an Edinburgh café 
 
Arty free spirit Trisha returns to her native city of Edinburgh after years of living in London. Although she is coping with the loss of her job and a bruised heart, she arrives at Waverley Station enthusiastic and eager for the next chapter of her life to begin. Meanwhile, Trisha's big sister Clare could not be more different. A non-practising qualified accountant, she has been married for years, has two spoiled teenage children and has probably spent too much time on the school PTA. Together, they decide to open a new café in leafy Bruntsfield, which marks the beginning of a whole new era for both sisters. 
 
Throw in temperamental opera-loving Polish chef, Krzysztof and uninvited waitress, Lizzie, and you have the perfect recipe for volatile relationship tension, a lot of laughs and a few secrets for good measure. 
 
Cast 
Trisha – Julie Graham (Series 1) / Hilary Maclean (Series 2) 
Clare – Hilary Lyon 
Krzysztof – Simon Greenhall 
Lizzie – Pearl Appleby 
Minty – June Watson 
Richard – Roger May 
Callum – Derek Riddell 
Other roles played by Nicola Grier, Moray Hunter, Guy Paul, Duncan Duff, Stuart McQuarrie and Scott Hoatson 
 
Written by Hilary Lyon 
Directed by Marilyn Imrie 
Produced by Gordon Kennedy and Moray Hunter 
An Absolutely Production for BBC Radio 4First broadcast 7 April 2014 – 10 August 2015 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Secrets and Lattes: The Complete Series 1 and 2

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy Drama

Nick Revell

An epic six-part comedy saga with a star cast, from master storyteller and satirist Nick Revell 
 
When Tony Hardstaff breaks the bank playing ‘Snap!’ at the St Petersburg Casino, he is swept up in a maelstrom of romance and adventure. Seduced by the sultry Natassia Fillipovna Karamazov – a woman with curves so perfect they could make a geometry professor spontaneously combust – Tony is caught in flagrante by the Russian mafia, and flees for his life. 
 
Taking the first plane out, Tony returns to his ancestral home in Grimesdale, and to the bosom of the family he left a decade earlier. But the prodigal son is not welcomed with open arms. His ruthless 183-year-old father Obadiah is less than thrilled to see him, his sister Jane is so shocked, she suffers a nosebleed, and his mother Alice is so upset, she drops dead on the spot. 
 
To cap it all, Tony’s Brontë-obsessed ex-sweetheart has gone round the bend, his best mate Dave is now leader of the Morris Dancing Survivalist Militia, and the town he grew up in is under threat… Forced to grapple with wandering corpses, canine spirit guides, old flames and eastern European heavies, Tony goes on the run once again. But can he escape the clutches of the past? 
 
Magical realism meets Northern family saga in this surrealistic comedy, told in flashback and travelling between Venezuela, Russia and west Yorkshire. Written by and starring Nick Revell as Tony, it features a stellar cast including Morwenna Banks, Alistair McGowan, Peter Serafinowicz, Alison Steadman and Claire Skinner. 
 
NB: Contains some dated attitudes and language 
 
Production credits 
Written by Nick Revell 
Produced by Paul Schlesinger 
Music composed by Paul Mottram 
 
Cast 
Tony – Nick Revell 
Natassia Fillipovna – Morwenna Banks/Tracy-Ann Oberman 
The Narrator – Alistair McGowan 
Mrs Yepanchin/Mrs Womersley – Joanna Brooks 
Ivan – Jonathan Kydd 
Sergei/Jeff – Peter Gunn 
Kropotkin/Dave/Carl – Peter Serafinowicz 
Vladimir/Elder/Shrink – Chris Pavlo 
Obadiah – David Swift 
Alice – Maggie Steed 
Jane – Alison Steadman 
Joanna – Natalie Walter 
Emily – Claire Skinner 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1 May-5 June 1997 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The House of the Spirit Levels

Oliver Goldsmith

Full-cast BBC adaptations of Oliver Goldsmith’s two most famous works 
 
Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith was one of the most accomplished writers of the 18th century. A novelist, playwright, poet and essayist, he came to fame with his novel The Vicar of Wakefield and comic play She Stoops to Conquer. Both those classics are included here, with star casts including Julia McKenzie, Amanda Root, Peter Jeffrey and Sunny Ormonde. 
 
She Stoops to Conquer – Misunderstandings and mistaken identity are at the heart of this funny, farcical comedy of manners, in which a London gentleman looking for love finds himself the butt of a mischievous prank. Shy young Marlow comes to court Kate Hardcastle at her father’s house in the Yorkshire Dales, but is fooled into believing that Liberty Hall is an inn and his prospective bride a barmaid. Luckily for both, while Marlow is tongue-tied in the presence of a lady, he can be his charming, confident self with a commoner – and the sassy, independent Kate is happy to pretend, if it means she can win his heart... 
 
The Vicar of Wakefield – Part morality tale, part satire of the sentimental novel, Goldsmith’s 1766 masterpiece recounts the humorous adventures of the naive, ever-optimistic Rev Charles Primrose, who lives contentedly in the countryside with his wife and six children. When he loses his fortune to a swindler, he sets off with his despairing family through storms and floods to embrace a life of poverty in a rural Pennine parish. But as disaster piles upon calamity, the vicar finds his faith severely tested – can he face up to adversity and come through unscathed? 
 
 
She Stoops to Conquer 
Mrs Hardcastle – Julia McKenzie 
Mr Hardcastle – Clive Francis 
Kate Hardcastle – Amanda Root 
Tony Lumpkin – Adrian Scarborough 
Sir Charles Marlow – Norman Rodway 
Young Marlow – Martin Ball 
Hastings – Jonathan Cake 
Constance Neville – Cathy Sara 
Landlord/Jeremy – Terry Molloy 
Diggory/Master Muggins – Ian Brooker 
Pimple/Barmaid – Naomi Harris 
Roger/Master Slang – Richard Neale 
Adapted and directed by Sue Wilson 
Music composed and performed by Anthea Gomez (piano) with Martha Ann Brooks (trombone) and Katherine Gittings (violin) 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 June 2000 
 
The Vicar of Wakefield 
Rev Charies Primrose – Peter Jeffrey 
Deborah Primrose – Sunny Ormonde 
Squire Thornhill – Michael Cochrane 
Burchell – Anthony Pedley 
Lady Blarney – Tina Gray 
Miss Skeggs – Sara Coward 
Ephraim Jenkinson – Christopher Scott 
Olivia Primrose – Susan Jeffrey 
George Primrose – Iwan Thomas 
Arabella Wilmot – Lisa Kay 
Sophia Primrose – Laura Strachan 
Moses Primrose – James Richard 
Farmer Flamborough – Terry Molloy 
Actor/Innkeeper – John Webb 
Actress/Landlady – Gillian Goodman 
Gaoler – Kim Durham 
Adapted by Christopher Denys 
Directed by Sue Wilson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3-17 October 1999 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

She Stoops to Conquer & The Vicar of Wakefield

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Productions

Colette

Writer Colette’s classic works brought to life in a unique audio collection 
Listen for the first time to this stunning collection of five of Colette’s most celebrated works, compiled and created by BBC Radio. French author and woman of letters, Colette is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, which became the stage musical launching the career of Audrey Hepburn. Known for her frank, direct and honest way of writing about women and female friendships, Colette’s stories champion the female perspective and all feature strong women protagonists. Considered immoral and shocking at the time, her works are now cherished as a fresh insight into the female experience of the era and she is celebrated for the sheer quality of her writing. This exclusive collection includes, Gigi, Cheri, Claudine at School, The Vagabond and Sido and features performances from Lindsay Duncan (Sherlock, Starter for 10, Doctor Who), Paul Ritter (Friday Night Dinner), Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth and Dame Peggy Ashcroft. Also included is a bonus edition of In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg as he and guests discuss Colette, her life, her works and her significant cultural impact.In the classic Gigi, we follow the story of a young woman in Paris, who is being groomed by her grandmother for the life of a courtesan. Cheri is a semi-autobiographical story following an enduring love affair between a courtesan and a man half her age. Claudine at School Heavy with erotic over tones, this full cast dramatisation explores the life of the enchanting Claudine as she navigates her journey to womanhood. The Vagabond tells the story of a divorcée dancer in a Paris music hall, she is pursued by a wealthy admirer. Will she allow herself to fall in love a second time?Finally, Dame Peggy Ashcroft narrates Sido, based on Colette’s memories of her own mother.Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)Gigi Translated from the French and adapted by Barbara Bray 
Produced by Raymond RaikesCast: Margaret Robertson, Margaret Rawlings, Carol Marsh, Robert Hardy, Hilda Kriseman, Ian Thompson, Isabel JeansCheriDirected by Pauline HarrisCast: Lindsay Duncan, Joseph Millson, Frances Barber, Brigit Forsyth, Laura Harding, Conrad Nelson, Judith DavisClaudine at SchoolAdapted by Yvonne MitchellProduced and directed by Liane AukinCast: Fidelis Morgan, Rosalind Adams, Anne Rosenfeld, Jean Rogers, Nigel Lambert, Diana Bishop, Joan Matheson, Carole Hayman, Haydn Jones, Pamela Moiseiwitsch, Shane Briant,Michael Harbour, Peter Howell, Timothy Bateson, Edward KelseyThe VagabondDramatised by Charlotte CoryDirected by Mary PeateCast: Clare Higgins, Paul Ritter, Allan Corduner, David Thorpe, Jasmine HydeSido Abridged by B. J. SalmonRead by Dame Peggy AshcroftIn our Time – ColettePresented by Melvyn Bragg.Text copyright © Colette 1900 (Claudine at School), 1910 (Vagabond), 1920 (Cheri), 1929 (Sido), 1944 (Gigi)©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Colette: Gigi, Cheri and more

A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Tom Jamieson

Nev Fountain

Both series of the hugely popular topical satire show from 2024Fresh from winning ‘Best Radio Sketch Show’ at the 2023 Comedy.co.uk Awards, Dead Ringers is back with two more series, aiming a satirical slingshot at world affairs, the culture wars – and Mr Blobby. With the supply chain of human folly functioning better than ever, there’s no shortage of targets for their merciless mockery, and among the politicians and celebrities being pilloried are Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Jeremy Hunt, Rylan and Ronnie O’Sullivan.Liz Truss speaks her truth in her new book (‘I KNOW!!!’), Nigel Farage launches a pubcast, Alan Bennett advises on the Drake v. Kendrick Lamar beef and David Attenborough is traumatised by Baby Reindeer. Plus, Taylor Swift finds an unlikely boyfriend on Poetry Please, Jacob Rees-Mogg tells us about the birds and the bees, Rishi Sunak has an urgent message for Elon Musk, and the new Dr Who has a novel way of dealing with alien invaders…There’s also a special episode from the Hay Festival, featuring the ‘Top 20 Government Apologies’ playlist, Harry Kane’s predictions for the Euros – and a surprising new arrival in Bridgerton. And in the aftermath of the UK and US elections, the team take a probing look at the new inhabitants of Number Ten and the White House. Will they prove to be as risible as the previous incumbents?NB: Series 24 was recorded before the tragic news of the death of Michael Mosley Cast and creditsStarring Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Duncan Wisbey and Jess RobinsonWritten by Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Sarah Campbell, Angela Channell, Cody Dahler, Rob Darke, Sarah Dempster, Sophie Dixon, Christopher Donovan, Toussaint Douglass, Lizzy Mansfield, Christina Riggs, Katie Sayer, Peter Tellouche, Edward Tew, Rachel Thorne and Joe ToppingWith additional material by Jennifer WalkerProduced and created by Bill DareExecutive Producers: James Robinson, Pete Strauss and Richard MorrisProduction Co-ordinator: Dan MarchiniSound Design: Rich EvansFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 Apr-31 May 2024 (Series 24), 1-22 Nov 2024 (Series 25)© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dead Ringers: Series 24 & 25

James Hilton

Full-cast adaptations of James Hilton’s two most famous novels 
 
English author and screenwriter James Hilton is best remembered for his hugely successful novels Lost Horizon – which gave the world the term ‘Shangri-La’ – and Goodbye, Mr Chips. The books made him a household name, and were both adapted as Oscar-winning films. Now, those two classic stories have been brought together on audio, dramatised with full casts including Derek Jacobi, Carol Marsh and John Church. 
 
Lost Horizon – May, 1931. Evacuated from war-torn Baskul, four passengers are plunged into adventure when their plane is hijacked and subsequently crash-lands in the Himalayan mountains. Out of the Tibetan wilderness, a man approaches, and leads British consul Hugh Conway and his fellow travellers to the hidden lamasery of Shangri-La. There, they find an idyllic haven, lost to the outside world – but this mystical utopia is hiding an astonishing secret... 
 
Goodbye Mr Chips – Ensconced in comfortable retirement at Mrs Wickett's, gentle old headmaster Mr Chipping has a thousand tangled memories of his long tenure at his beloved Brookfield School. Looking back, he recalls his arrival as a shy, nervous novice; how he won the respect and adoration of his pupils; and how he found – and lost – his one great love, the beautiful, kind-hearted Kathie. Spanning over 60 years, from the Franco-Prussian War to the rise of Hitler, this is a touching, nostalgic tale of a life well-lived. 
 
Text copyright James Hilton 1933 (Lost Horizon), 1934 (Goodbye, Mr Chips) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by James Hilton 
Produced by Graham Gauld 
 
Lost Horizon 
Hugh Conway – Derek Jacobi 
Mallinson – Andrew Branch 
Barnard – Alan Tilvern 
Miss Brinklow – Carol Marsh 
Rutherford – John Livesey 
Wyland – Sion Probert 
Hilton – Alaric Cotter 
Sanders – Gary Cady 
Doctor – John Bull 
Chang – Garard Green 
High Lama – Alan Wheatley 
Lo-Tsen – Pik-Sen Lim 
American – Crawford Logan 
Dramatised by Barry Campbell 
 
Goodbye Mr Chips 
Mr Chipping – John Church 
Mrs Wickett – Katherine Parr 
Kathie – Lolly Cockerell 
Dr Merivale – Lewis Stringer 
Wetherby – Godfrey Kenton 
Lucy – Hilda Schroder 
Rowden – Alaric Cotter 
Barker – John Bott 
Whitby – John McAndrew 
Meldrum – John Forbes-Robertson 
Bryce – Haydn Wood 
Brookfield boys – Adrian Breeze, Matthew Emerson, Ian Land, Adam Bass & Adam Landor 
Mission boys – Paul Beardshaw, Colin McDonagh & Stuart Sampson 
Sutton – Gordon Reid 
Ralston – Nigel Anthony 
Chatteris – Walter Hall 
Staefel – Graham Faulkner 
Williams – Christopher Scott 
Wadham – Harold Reese 
Deakin – John Gray 
Midwife – Sonia Fraser 
Linford – Arthur Haycraft 
Dramatised by Margaret Simpson 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Lost Horizon & Goodbye Mr Chips

Two BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

John Graham

Peter Ling

Norman Wisdom stars in this light-hearted comedy crime caper 
 
British comedy legend, Norman Wisdom plays small-time crook Norman Hood who’s just been released from prison for burglary. Hoping to make a new life as an honest man, he is entrusted to widow Natalie Matthews (Moira Lister), who offers him a job and accommodation. However, she has an ulterior motive… 
 
Follow the farcical misadventures of Norman, played out with a huge cast of supporting actors as he tries to stick, but mostly fails, to the straight and narrow! Charming, gentle but ever so funny, Robbing Hood is a joy to listen to. Norman’s bicycle turns out to be an unexpected treasure, there’s a trip to the Grand Hotel which triggers a safe cracking incident, and somehow the hapless ex-con becomes mixed up with the mafia – who needs brains when you’ve got bullies?! When Norman tries to earn an honest crust and gets a job in a marmalade factory, it makes for a sticky situation and the psychiatrist next door wants to know why Norman's talking to trees? This is a vintage treasure of a series, not to be missed. 
 
Sir Norman Wisdom was a comedy legend and national treasure whose stellar career on film, stage and television spanned six decades. Charlie Chaplin once referred to him as his ‘favourite clown’. Robbing Hood is a rare radio outing for the actor and a must listen. Moira Lister was a regular cast member on Hancock’s Half Hour, and also appeared in a number of Ealing Studios comedy films. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by John Graham and Peter Ling 
Based on an idea by Norman Wisdom 
Directed by Leslie Lawton 
 
Norman Hood - Norman Wisdom 
Natalie Matthews - Moira Lister 
Bernard Bassington - Norman Jones 
Beatrice Bassington - Rosemary Leach 
Winifred Bassington/Miss Barlow - Anne Windsor 
Head Waiter - Timothy Carlton 
Prison Governor - Gordon Reid 
Warden - Peter Gunn 
Pettigrew - Royce Mills 
Mr Bargery - Jonathan Adams 
Mrs Bargery - Kate Binchy 
Victor/Charlton Humsecke - John Church 
Lorry driver - David Learner 
BT youth - Matthew Sim 
Valerie/Fiona - Melinda Walker 
Lady helper/Poppet/Michelle - Siriol Jenkins 
Nosher Nelson - Windsor Davis 
The Judge - James Grout 
Fifi - Sally Kinghorn 
Waiter - Eric Allen 
Alfredo - Nicky Henson 
Tracey - Lorraine Chase 
Police Sergeant - Victor Winding 
Inspector/Parrot - John Graham 
Petshop Girl/Receptionist - Joanna Wake 
The Simpson brothers - Henry McGee 
PC Harris - Jonathan Tafler 
Evans - Matthew Morgan 
Roderick Burrows - Keith Drinkel 
Dr Doberman - Andrew Sachs 
Miss Conway - Liza Goddard 
Heidwig - Sally Kinghorn 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 July - 25 August 1992 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robbing Hood

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime Comedy

Jeremy Front

Series 3 of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy, starring Jeremy and Rebecca Front. 
 
Jack & Millie is the brainchild of Jeremy Front who, with his sister Rebecca Front had been improvising these two characters for years - and now they’ve been brought to life in a new show... 
 
The third series of this new comedy show is written by Jeremy Front (writer of the Charles Paris mysteries for BBC Radio 4) and stars Jeremy Front and Rebecca Front as Jack & Millie Lemman - an older couple who are fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world... 
 
The show also features Millie’s frenemy Shirley - played by Tracy-Ann Oberman, Jack’s all-too-easygoing friend Harry (Nigel Lindsay), their high-pressure son Melvin (Tim Downie) and their high-maintenance (and Catholic) (and French) daughter-in-law Delphine (Jenny Bede). 
 
The show comes from Pozzitive, proud producers of Cabin Pressure, Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones!, Agendum, Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation, The Brig Society, The Castle, Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive, Shush! & Kevin Eldon Will See You Now... 
 
 
Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Tim Downie, Jenny Bede and Debbie Chazen star in the first episode of the new series – “Out of Town” - Jack & Millie decide to improve Mel’s mental health by taking him to the wilds of Chigwell for the weekend, but a rogue mosquito net, and an unwanted rendition of Fiddler On The Roof don’t seem to be helping... 
 
In Episode 2, entitled “Matters of Life & Death” and starring Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Tim Downie, Jenny Bede, Bhasker Patel, Tony Way and Katy Wix, Millie deliberately makes Jack ask Harry something serious while Shirley accidentally makes Millie watch Harvey wearing a Virtual Reality suit… 
 
Show 3, and Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Tim Downie, Jenny Bede, and Joseph May star in “The Moth Whisperer” - Jack and Millie have an encounter with an unexpected bean-to-cup coffee grinder, whilst Harry has an encounter with an unexpected son 
 
Episode 4 stars Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Tim Downie, Jenny Bede, Joseph May and Imogen Front in “Sunrise, Sunset”. Whilst Mel & Del’s daughter Scarlette is arrested for locking on to a TV celebrity, a combination of fake superfood and mispronounced turmeric lead to a wellness disaster 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jack & Millie: Series 3

The BBC Radio 4 Comedy

A.L. Kennedy

Bill Nighy stars in these three plays by multi-award-winning author A. L. Kennedy 
 
A.L. Kennedy is a celebrated novelist, playwright, short story writer and columnist. She has won numerous UK and international book awards, including the Costa Prize, and has twice been featured on the Granta Best of Young British Novelists list. A prolific writer for stage, screen and TV, she has also created several works for radio, among them this trio of dramas specially written for Bill Nighy. 
 
A Single Act &ndash; Lonely Simon (Bill Nighy) longs to bond with his vulnerable grandson Ben (Sebastian Croft), and rekindle his truncated relationship with his neighbour, Joyce (Amelia Bullmore). But although he cares for them both, he can&rsquo;t seem to connect with either. Could the magic of laughter and the &lsquo;Wilhelm scream&rsquo; bring them together? Celebrating 100 years of audio drama, this witty, poignant play pays homage to the inventiveness of radio and the world of sounds. It opens with a short introduction from Bill Nighy, talking about why this special art form is unique and what it means to him personally. 
 
Confessions of a Medium &ndash; Searching for a higher meaning to life, kindly, naive Mr Parker (Robert Glenister) moves to London, shuns conventional religion and explores the dark arts of séances and spiritualism. He believes he&rsquo;s met a spiritual guru in the guise of Mr Thomson (Bill Nighy) &ndash; but despite being a charming, erudite and mesmerising medium, Thomson is a total fraud... Based on a true story from the 1870s, this gothic, darkly comic drama explores themes of illusion, delusion and desire. 
 
Love Love Love Like the Beatles &ndash; Oliver has never been able to say those three little words &lsquo;I love you&rsquo;. Now, at his wits&rsquo; end after losing his job and wandering the streets all night, he finds a private residents&rsquo; garden and waits for the love of his life to pass by. Knowing he has a tendency to bolt when he&rsquo;s nervous, he climbs a tree &ndash; and refuses to come down until he sees Jo&hellip; This romantic comedy about a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown stars Bill Nighy as Oliver and Amelia Bullmore as Jo. 
 
A Single Act 
Simon Pratt &ndash; Bill Nighy 
Joyce Zani &ndash; Amelia Bullmore 
Ben Vane &ndash; Sebastian Croft 
Directed by Sally Avens 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 December 2023 
 
Confessions of a Medium 
Thomson &ndash; Bill Nighy 
Parker &ndash; Robert Glenister 
Morton/Mr Gordon/Gentleman/Wilson/Waiter &ndash; Jonathan Keeble 
Mills/Butler &ndash; Andrew Westfield 
Miss Foster/Mrs Gordon/Lady No.1 &ndash; Fiona Clarke 
Miss Blackstone/Woman &ndash; Daryl Fishwick 
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris 
Pianist: Daniel Browell 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 March 2010 
 
Love Love Love Like the Beatles 
Oliver &ndash; Bill Nighy 
Jo &ndash; Amelia Bulmore 
Mrs Henderson &ndash; Brigit Forsyth 
Mrs McDonald &ndash; Maggie Fox 
Leonard &ndash; David Fleeshman 
Directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 June 2012 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A. L. Kennedy: Three Plays

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas Starring Bill Nighy

Edward Taylor

35 episodes from Series 4-7 of the hugely popular Civil Service sitcom 
 
The original ‘Yes Minister’, The Men from the Ministry was a radio comedy phenomenon, running for 15 years and 13 series between 1962 and 1977, with a final fourteenth series broadcast internationally in 1980. 
 
In this second volume, featuring 35 specially chosen episodes from Series 4-7, bumbling bowler-hatted bureaucrats Deryck Lennox-Brown and Richard Lamb (aka ‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’) cause confusion in the corridors of power as they attempt to tackle the many and varied challenges of the General Assistance Department. Whether they’re hitting the buffers over a London tube station, getting inconvenienced by public toilets, baring it all for the sake of a new motorway route or scaling new heights for Sir Gregory’s poster campaign, they’re sure to get into hot water... 
 
Deryck Guyler stars as Number One and Richard Murdoch as Number Two, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin, Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin and John Laurie as Mr Dougal. Guest stars include Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Patricia Hayes, Clive Dunn, Jo Manning Wilson and Bill Pertwee. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. Please note, the Series 4 episodes ‘Out of this World’ and ‘Muddlers in Law’ are missing a couple of seconds at 19:51 and 06:38 respectively. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
Pianist: Dennis Gomm (Series 4, Episode 4) 
The Legend of The Men From The Ministry sung by Graeme Garden (Series 4, Episode 8) 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Mr Dougal – John Laurie 
Other parts played by John Graham 
With guest stars including: David Nettheim, Clive Dunn, Jack Watson, Ronnie Stevens, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Antony Viccars, Douglas Hankin, David Healy, Joan Sanderson, Carol Allen, Graham Stark, Colin Gordon, Gordon Clyde, Jo Manning Wilson, Patricia Hayes, John Curle, John Cole and Bill Pertwee 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 18 Feb – 5 May 1968 (series 4), on BBC World Service, 15 Feb – 22 Mar 1969 (series 5), 1 Feb – 29 Mar 1970 (series 6) and on BBC Radio 4, 1 Sep – 29 Sep 1970 (series 6), 29 Jul – 23 Sep 1971 (series 7). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Men from the Ministry: More Episodes from the Early Years

Selected Episodes from Series 4-7 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The original ‘Yes Minister’- 32 episodes of the beloved Civil Service sitcom 
 
Featuring the hilarious exploits of the bumbling bureaucrats of the General Assistance Department, the show starred Wilfrid Hyde-White and later Deryck Guyler as the hapless ‘Number One’, with Richard Murdoch as his hare-brained sidekick ‘Number Two’. Together, they muddled their way through Whitehall, creating chaos with their mix-ups, misunderstandings and mismanagement – to the consternation of their boss, the self-serving Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Gregory Pitkin (Roy Dotrice and Ronald Baddiley). 
 
The fantastically funny radio forerunner to 'Yes Minister', The Men from the Ministry ran for 15 years and 13 series between 1962 and 1977, with a final fourteenth series made in 1980 for transmission abroad. 
 
This volume contains 32 specially selected episodes from Series 1-3, in which – among many other misadventures – the panic-stricken pen pushers bungle in Britain’s space race; get bogged down in a building project; tackle traffic trouble and town planning and come face to face with some little green men… Co-starring as their loyal (but incompetent) secretary Mildred Murfin is Norma Ronald, and taking notes for Wilfrid Hyde-White’s ‘Number One’ is April Adams, played by Diana Olsson. Guest stars include John Laurie, Betty Marsden, Joan Sanderson, June Whitfield, Warren Mitchell, Hugh Paddick and Roger Delgado. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. Please note, the final minute of Series 3, Episode 10 (‘Getting the Bird’) is missing. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Roland Hamilton Jones) – Wilfrid Hyde-White (Series 1-2) 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler (Series 3) 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Roy Dotrice (Series 1-2), Ronald Baddiley (Series 3) 
April Adams – Diana Olsson 
Mr Dougal – John Laurie 
Other parts played by John Graham 
 
With guest stars including: June Whitfield, Patricia Hayes, Edwin Apps, David Graham, Percy Edwards, Betty Marsden, Julian Somers, Joan Sanderson, Rowena Gregory, Frederick Treves, Brian Oulton, Pat Coombs, Fred Yule, Austin Trevor, John Cazabon, Warren Mitchell, David Nettheim, Charlotte Mitchell, Graham Stark, Hugh Paddick, Jack Watson, Brandon Hawkins, Felix Felton, Bruce Beeby, Peter Bartlett, Ronnie Stevens, Gordon Clyde, Clive Dunn, Roger Delgado, Carol Allen, Hugh McDermott, David Healy and David Fallon 
 
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme 30 Oct 1962 – 8 Jan 1963 (series 1), 1 Aug – 17 Oct 1965 (series 2), 25 Dec 1966 – 12 Mar 1967 (series 3). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Men from the Ministry: The Early Years

Selected Episodes from Series 1-3 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The complete Series 11-14 of the long-running Civil Service sitcom 
 
The hugely popular precursor to ‘Yes Minister’, The Men from the Ministry had the nation in stitches for 13 series between 1962 and 1977. In 1980, a fourteenth series, comprising remakes of episodes from Series 1-4, was made by the BBC Transcription Service and aired abroad. Some of these remakes are the only surviving versions of their stories, as recordings of series 1-4 have been lost to time. 
 
In this fourth and final volume, comprising all 43 episodes from Series 11-14 of the classic comedy, we take one last ride on the Ministry merry-go-round in the company of bird-brained bureaucrats ‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’ of the General Assistance Department. As they spread chaos and confusion in the corridors of Whitehall, their manifold misadventures include trying to play Cupid for secretary Mildred, suspecting each other of espionage, plumbing new depths with a naval survey, bungling a British food promotion in New York and blundering through Anglo-Chinese Friendship month... 
 
Deryck Guyler stars as ‘Number One’ and Richard Murdoch as ‘Number Two’, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin and Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin. Among the guest stars are Pat Coombs, Cass Allen, John Cole, Corinna Marlowe, Hilary Pritchard and Nicolette McKenzie. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Other parts played by John Graham 
With guest stars including: Pat Coombs, Cass Allen, John Cole, Corinna Marlowe, Hilary Pritchard and Nicolette McKenzie 
 
First broadcast on Radio 4 26 May-18 Aug 1975 (series 11), 6 Jul-24 Aug 1976 (series 12), 4 Jul-22 Aug 1977 (series 13). Series 14 first recorded 13 Apr-6 May 1980. 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Men from the Ministry: The Final Episodes

The Complete Series 11-14 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

33 episodes from Series 8-10 of the much-loved Civil Service sitcom, plus the 1971 Special 
 
For fifteen years between 1962 and 1977, The Men from the Ministry kept audiences laughing over the course of 13 series, plus a fourteenth series recorded for overseas in 1980. 
 
This third volume features the complete Series 8 and 9, eleven episodes from Series 10 and the 1971 special ‘Gone to Pot’. We pay another visit to the General Assistance Department, where eager executives Deryck Lennox-Brown and Richard Lamb (‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’) are flummoxed once more by the challenges that come their way. From getting embroiled in dodgy doings in the West Country to botching a trade agreement with the Italians, battling unwelcome furry visitors and causing confusion in a moral crusade, the disorganised duo can’t help but throw a spanner in the works of Government... 
 
Deryck Guyler and Richard Murdoch star as Lennox-Brown and Lamb, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin, Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin, and guest stars including Garard Green, Joan Sanderson, Clive Dunn, Patricia Hayes and Dilys Laye. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Other parts played by the cast and John Graham 
With guest stars including: Garard Green, Sheila Wilcox, John Cole, Joan Sanderson, Patricia Hayes, Alexandra Dane, Clive Dunn, Hilary Pritchard, Patricia Hayes, Dilys Laye, Mandy Cuthbert and Gillie Graham 
 
First broadcast on Radio 4 29 Nov 1971 (Special), 11 Jul–29 Aug 1972 (series 8), 6 Mar–29 May 1973 (series 9), 17 Jun-9 Sep 1974 (series 10). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Men from the Ministry: The Later Years

Selected Episodes from Series 8-10 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

Martin Davies

A hilarious dark comedy about a football-crazy priest, starring BAFTA winner Brenda BlethynThe late Gregory Patterson was a stalwart of the Roman Catholic Parishioners. With his passing, how will Mrs Patterson cope with her headstrong daughter, Barbara? And can young Robert step into his father&rsquo;s shoes and face up to new responsibilities? The man with the answers would appear to be football-crazy priest Father Benedict who tries to help the grief stricken family as best he can&hellip;The priest decides that holding a Golden Oldie night in honour of the late faithful parishioner would be a good first step. But is it really the right occasion for a eulogy from his only son, Robert? Not when Barbara is determined to ruin the evening&hellip; As the Patterson family spiral out of control, with Barbara succumbing to temptation in the shape of biker Andy, Robert attending a rival school and a bereft Mrs Patterson hoping a small dog will fill the hole in her heart left by her husband&rsquo;s death, Father Benedict has more pressing concerns - the Frewitt Cup final is weeks away and the team must win at all cost.This charming and darkly funny comedy about faith, families and football will have you cheering in delight from the pews to the terraces. Starring Desmond Barrit as Father Benedict and BAFTA winner Brenda Blethyn (best known for her starring role in Vera) as Mrs Patterson.Cast and creditsWritten by Martin DaviesProduced by Lissa Evans (series 1) &amp; Richard Wilson (series 2)Father Benedict - Desmond BarritMrs Patterson - Brenda BlethynRobert Patterson &ndash; Paul Parris / Richard PearceBarbara Patterson - Charlotte Coleman / Melanie HudsonGuy Entwhistle - Martino Lazzeri / Henry WoolleyAndy - Mark StrakerJanet - Claire Skinner / Nicola BuckinghamMr Plant/Father Hugh - Gordon Reid / Geoff McGivernMrs Plant - Jane DolamoreManageress/Lady at Counter - Jill Meers First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 Feb - 10 Mar 1993 (series 1), 26 May - 30 Jun 1994 (series 2)&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A Whole New Ball Game: The Complete Series 1 and 2

A BBC Radio 4 Dark Comedy

John Gradwell

Hilarious series about life in Butterthwaite's local newspaper office Laugh out loud as you listen to this six-part satirical comedy series about a hapless news reporter trying to make his way in the tight-knit Butterthwaite community – starring Robert Beck and Jeffrey Holland, with guest appearances by Mark Gatiss and Peter SerafinowiczGraham Carpenter has big dreams of being a serious journalist, but he doesn’t quite have the skills to match. Starting a new job as local cub reporter for the Butterthwaite newspaper is Graham’s big chance. With pad and pencil in hand, he’s willing and ready - what could possibly go wrong?Follow Graham’s (mis)adventures as he tries to land the ultimate scoop. In the first week of the job he gets a lucky break and an unexpected story lead when there’s whispers of royalty coming to town, but can he get the front page? Celebrity visits, new museum openings and all manner of local scandal and gossip make for challenging work and Graham becomes increasingly frustrated. It’s a steep learning curve for the roving reporter whose pursuit of an exclusive remains elusive… Cast and creditsWritten by John GradwellProduced by Kathy SmithGraham Carpenter - Robert BeckBert Ball - Jeffrey Holland 
Brenda Thistlethwaite - Frances Jeater 
Arnold Beasley - David Ryall 
Vicky Cox - Sue Devaney 
Lawrence Stevens - Dean WilliamsonAll other parts played by Rachel Atkins, Mark Gatiss, Peter Serafinowicz, Peter Silverleaf, Dave Lamb, Margaret Stallard and Carolyn BonnymanFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 May - 26 June 1996©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Are You From the Bugle?

A BBC Radio 4 Satirical Comedy Series

Katie Hims

All six episodes of the BBC radio sitcom about a former nun who takes a job with a chaotic catering company 
 
Looking for a sign from God, nun Martina leaves her convent and becomes a temporary chef &ndash; only to walk straight into a catering crisis of epic proportions. Valentine&rsquo;s Viennese Patisserie supplies classy Austrian snacks for corporate events, but now their pastry cook has left, no-one knows how to make any of the delicacies they&rsquo;re offering. And that&rsquo;s not their only problem &ndash; they&rsquo;re also being chased by clients, up to their necks in bills and cancellations, and stuck with a clapped-out delivery van that keeps breaking down. 
 
When owner Kingsley does a runner, owing &pound;2500, it seems like the last straw. Left in the lurch, his brother Jimmy has just six weeks to get the money together. Then Martina has a brainwave: why not rename the company Bangers and Mash, and serve up sausages and pies instead of patisserie? Helped by kitchen assistant Juan Jose, she and Jimmy are soon producing food that wows even the pickiest customers &ndash; but just as they&rsquo;re turning things around, the toffee tin containing half the company&rsquo;s profits goes missing. With only three days to go till they have to pay up, it&rsquo;ll take a miracle to save their bacon&hellip; 
 
Scripted by award-winning dramatist Katie Hims (Home Front, 24 Kildare Road), this flavourful comedy drama stars Catherine Harvey as Martina, with Mark Straker as Kingsley, Gerard McDermott as Jimmy and Roger May as Juan Jose. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Katie Hims 
Directed by Catherine Horn 
 
Cast 
Martina &ndash; Catherine Harvey 
Kingsley &ndash; Mark Straker 
Jimmy &ndash; Gerard McDermott 
Juan Jose &ndash; Roger May 
Mrs Olney &ndash; Marlene Sidaway 
Carol &ndash; Jane Whittenshaw 
Health Inspector &ndash; Anthony Zaki 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 11 Jan-15 Feb 1999 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bangers and Mash

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Series

All four series of the hilarious adventures of tycoon Jimmy Bright and accountant Russell Farrow - starring Bernard Cribbins, Frank Thornton and Annette CrosbieIt’s the 1980s: business is big, the shoulder pads are bigger and Jimmy Bright is a tycoon on a mission… He’s got big dreams and the only thing standing between him and a millionaire lifestyle is accountant, Russell Farrow, whose attention to financial detail is unsurpassed. The two must rub along if Jimmy’s business, BrightCo, is to succeed but they seem to have very different views on what success looks like.There’s plenty keeping the duo busy; there are business takeovers to contend with, relocation issues to consider and not to mention a blossoming office romance - is Russell falling for Sue the secretary or just putting in a lot of overtime?Set in an era when Thatcher was boss, money was everything and consumption was king, this vintage comedy from the BBC is pitch perfect. All four series collected together for the first time ever, this is a hilarious listen, that will have you laughing out loud as the two men try and make the most of some truly terrible situations.Bernard Cribbins’s career spanned over seven decades. He became known in the 1960s for his appearances in such comedy films as Two-Way Stretch and the Carry On series. His other screen credits include The Railway Children, Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy, Fawlty Towers and several appearances in Dr Who. Frank Thornton played the unforgettable Captain Peacock in TV sitcom Are You Being Served?. He also appeared in the role of Herbert 'Truly’ Truelove in the hugely popular TV sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. BAFTA award winning actress Annette Crosbie OBE is best known for her role as Margaret Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. 
 NB: Series 2 Episode 3 has unfortunately been lost to time, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
Cast and creditsWritten by Andrew PalmerProduced by Edward TaylorJimmy Bright - Bernard CribbinsRussell Farrow - Frank ThorntonNan Forbes - Annette CrosbieSue Plant - Annee BlottBacon/Jacko - John KaneYouth/Man/Tenko - Paul B DaviesSir William Penny - Dennis RamsdenColonel Jagger - John GrahamSoyamoto - Kenneth ConnorMum - Patricia HayesFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 2, 22 Dec 1987 – 26 Jan 1988 (series 1), 28 Apr - 2 Jun 1989 (series 2), 6 Apr - 11 May 1990 (series 3), 3 May - 14 Jun 1991 (series 4). 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Mind Your Own Business!

A BBC Radio Vintage Comedy

Sue Teddern

Katharine Whitehorn

Both series of the engaging romantic comedy set in a 1960s bedsit, inspired by Katharine Whitehorn's cookery classic 
 
It&rsquo;s 1964, and 22-year-old Trisha moves into a West Hampstead bedsitter to escape her controlling suburban parents and her boring fiancé, Keith. She&rsquo;s determined to make it as a swinging, get-ahead girl-about-town, but finds herself struggling with homesickness, loneliness and the challenges of cooking a decent meal on a single gas ring. 
 
Then she rescues a grotty wardrobe from her landlady&rsquo;s attic, and it yields a surprising treasure &ndash; a copy of Cooking in a Bedsitter, which becomes her bible. Soon, she&rsquo;s rustling up tasty treats for dinner parties and double dates &ndash; aided by Deepak, the dishy young medical student from across the landing. 
 
He introduces her to the delights of aloo pakora, she surprises him with a picnic at the seaside &ndash; but when their burgeoning relationship is snuffed out by Trisha&rsquo;s parents, she moves on, to a different bedsit and a new man. She&rsquo;s definitely over Deepak: or is she? If she wants him back, she&rsquo;ll have to move fast &ndash; before he heads out of her life forever... 
 
Written by Sue Teddern (soloparentpals.com), and interspersed with recipes and extracts from Katharine Whitehorn&rsquo;s original book, this appetising romcom stars Beattie Edmondson and Nikesh Patel. 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by Sue Teddern 
Inspired by Cooking in a Bedsitter by Katharine Whitehorn 
Extracts from Cooking in a Bedsitter read by Karen Bartke and Eleanor Bron 
Directed by Emma Harding 
 
Cast 
Trisha &ndash; Beattie Edmondson 
Deepak &ndash; Nikesh Patel 
June &ndash; Alison Belbin/Ellie Darvill 
Len &ndash; John Bowler/Rupert Holliday-Evans 
Tony &ndash; John Dougall 
Katharine Whitehorn &ndash; Karen Bartke/Eleanor Bron 
Jill &ndash; Natasha Cowley 
Keith/Mike &ndash; Finlay Robertson 
The Hunk/Stuart &ndash; Luke MacGregor 
Male Guest/Big Nev &ndash; Gavi Singh Chera 
Female Guest/Sal &ndash; Catriona McFarlane 
Moira &ndash; Isabella Inchbald 
Robert &ndash; Clive Hayward 
Karl &ndash; Adam Fitzgerald 
Julie/Clare/Susie &ndash; Abbie Andrews 
Policeman &ndash; Neil McCaul 
Malcolm &ndash; Gary Duncan 
Errol &ndash; Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 28 Nov-19 Dec 2016 (series 1) and 4 Dec-25 Dec 2017 (series 2). 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Cooking in a Bedsitter: The Complete Series 1 and 2

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

Pilgrim walks again between the worlds of magick and of men… 
 
A two-part special from the fantastical drama series set in a world almost, but not quite, like our own. 
 
Each year at Belle Meadow Fayre, the Greyfolk meet to celebrate the burial of John Barleycorn, a ritual to mark autumn's end. But this year there’s a problem: Old Johnny John John has gone missing. Autumn shows no sign of abating and without the sacred ceremony at Belle Meadow, winter will not come. The Greyfolk are angry. It's down to Pilgrim to find Old Johnny John John and face down his kidnapper, the rogue faerie Kara. 
 
Paul Hilton stars Pilgrim, cursed with immortality by the King of the Greyfolk and forever forced to walk between the human world and the world of Faerie in a never-ending quest to preserve the uneasy balance between the two. 
 
Thrilling, dark and contemporary, this award-winning drama weaves together ancient myths, magic and a contemporary realism that is haunted by the folktales of the British Isles. 
 
Cast and credits 
Pilgrim – Paul Hilton 
Vass – Toby Jones 
Kara – Holli Dempsey 
Clemira – Sirine Saba 
Rana – Shreya Lallu 
Keith – David Hounslow 
Mr Summerskill – Carl Prekopp 
Benji – Nuhazet Diaz Cano 
Young Johnny John John – Ian Dunnett Junior 
The Girl – Agnes Dromgoole 
 
Production co-ordinator: Maggie Olgiati 
Foley artist: Alison Craig 
Sound design: Peter Ringrose 
Director: Sasha Yevtushenko 
A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Pilgrim: Belle Meadow Fayre

The BBC Radio 4 Fantasy Drama Series

The Cullen Brothers

A brilliant and bonkers comedy about finding love at the petrol pumps 
 Alex is desperate to find someone to share his life with, but too scared to do anything about it. A film obsessive, he works the night shift at an isolated petrol station on the outskirts of a two-bit town. Awkward, and with no real friends to speak of, he confides in his only ‘colleague’ - a smiley-faced vacuum cleaner named Keith, whose voice only Alex can hear.Ella is a cycling-mad woman of action, prepared for anything and curious about everything. One stormy night, by chance, their lives intersect. These two lonely souls are made for each other, even if they don't know it.Listen and fall in love with the pair as their story unfolds. A wonderful, heart-warming and unconventional love story with a touch of the absurd and plenty of laughs. Influenced heavily by the best movie genres film-nerd Alex can think of, his nights take some usual twists and turns. Episodes range from Westerns where the stake are high and loners drift like tumbleweed, to Zombie Horror with infected hordes and red rain, Sci-Fi evil twins and ray guys and all out Action when the petrol station is taken over and the duo must decide who is the most ‘Van Damme’ –making this a hilarious, compelling and uplifting listen.Starring Will Merrick (Skins), Patricia Allison (Sex Education) and Kenneth Collard (Cuckoo, Zapped).The Cullen Brothers (Oliver and Jake) are award winning directors, writers and producers from Bristol. The pair blend their love of cinema with their distinctive, absurd and irreverent comedic style. The Attendant radio series is based on their internationally acclaimed short film of the same name starring Robert James-Collier (Downton Abbey) and Isy Suttie (Peep Show).Cast and creditsWritten by The Cullen BrothersDirected by Alison CrawfordEdited by Abigail Youngman 
Produced by Alison Crawford and Mary Ward-Lowery 
Sound Designer Ilse LademannIncludes original music by Tom Constantine 
 Alex/Second Creation/Evil Alex - Will Merrick 
Ella/Female Creation/Evil Ella - Patricia Allison 
Keith/Evil Keith/‘How To…’ Tapes - Kenneth CollardThe Drifter - Zara RammSlops McCreedy - Jake CullenJonny Tenaka - Tim DownieBarry Oatcakes - Joseph TweedaleDenise / Evil Denise - Ingrid OliverBrubaker Levine - John MacKayBonkers - Joe SimsFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 October - 4 November 2021©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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