A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy and is known as @agatharoza on Wattpad.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A.J. Cronin

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis is a speculative fiction author and lover of everything steeped in myth and mystery. Her stories often lean into diverse voices, not only in her identity as a Black woman, but in exploring neurodivergence and mental health. A proud introvert and nostalgic gamer, she lives in Maryland, USA, with her husband and three children. Angelica is also the author of Hunt A Killer, a PERFECT SCORE novel, under the pen name A.M. Ellis, which she wrote as an IP for Scholastic in the US.

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A.T. Emerald

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar is an American actress and author.

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

Aaron Dignan is the founder of The Ready--a global organizational transformation and coaching practice--that helps companies large and small adopt new forms of self-organization and dynamic teaming. Clients include Johnson &amp; Johnson, Microsoft, Lloyds Bank, Citibank, Boeing, Mailchimp, Airbnb, Dropbox, and charity: water. 
 
He is also the founder of Murmur--a SaaS startup that helps teams scale culture through the magic of working agreements. The Murmur platform will allow every team on the planet to define and share their ways of working. 
 
Dignan is the author of Brave New Work (2019) and Game Frame (2011), co-host of the Brave New Work podcast, and a friend to misfit toys.

Aaron Dignan

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm: The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Aaron Edwards

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

Berkely Mather

Ten full-cast BBC Radio thrillers by Berkely Mather 
 
Berkely Mather (real name John Evan Weston-Davies) was a British author who wrote sixteen novels ranging from historical adventures to espionage fiction. A prolific writer for television and radio, he contributed scripts to TV series including Z Cars and The Avengers, and his film credits include Dr. No. 
 
Included here are some of his best radio thrillers, beginning with The Sand Leopard, charting the exploits of Geth Straker, captain of the Peregrine. The trouble-hunting mariner is commissioned to sail to the Red Sea in search of sunken Second World War bullion – but are his two new crew members what they seem? Neil McCallum stars as Straker in this action-packed drama. 
 
In The Hard Buy, it is the late 1960s, and wealthy young British playboy Brett Beaumont (John Rye) suddenly finds himself discredited and framed. Aboard his luxury yacht, he embarks on a dramatic journey to clear his name. 
 
The Meisterspringer, starring Cyril Shaps and Graham Blockey, sees ‘Meisterspringer’ Paul Mettold blackmailed by British agents into arranging the escape from prison of Russian spy James Carter. But the breakout does not go according to plan… 
 
The Bounce Back features six plays themed around retribution – Returned Without Thanks, Honesty’s The Best Fiddle, The Stake-Out, Just a Detail, Never Let Your Left Hand Know…, and Quick Returns. Among the casts are Hector Ross, Hilda Schroder, Henry Stamper, Humphrey Morton, Douglas Hankin, Sheila Grant, Alan Dudley and Ronald Herdman. 
 
Finally, the 30-minute drama Bird’s Eye View, starring Geoffrey Matthews and Cecile Chevreau, tells the story of an English convict on a French prison island who attempts to escape by boat – but on board, a surprise awaits him… 
 
NB: Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary. Some episodes contain dated attitudes and language 
 
 First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 31 July-18 September 1961 (The Sand Leopard), 15 October 1962 (Bird’s Eye View), 23 January-13 March 1967 (The Bounce Back), 27 June-22 July 1968 (The Hard Buy), 21 April-26 May 1985 (The Meisterspringer) 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Sand Leopard & Other Vintage Thrillers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Collection

Peter Ling

David Valla stars in a gripping story of drugs, deception and betrayal set in 1960s LondonTransport yourself to London&rsquo;s swinging sixties and the dark underbelly of the capital city in this immersive thriller that will have you hooked from the start. Find yourself trapped in the brutal world of drug dealers, vice and deception. This is an evocative and gripping listen with a full cast and stunning score.It&rsquo;s the late 1960s and Nico Gachet is a young French student on the run in England. After making some terrible mistakes he must take drastic measures if he is to save his life and the lives of those he loves. Hoping to make amends for a terrible crime, Nico plans a dangerous liaison in the heart of the city. However, everywhere he turns the fearsome &lsquo;Buller&rsquo; looms. Nico&rsquo;s plans begin to fall apart and he must choose who he can trust. Can the young man pick his allies wisely and are they really who they say they are? Who is the sinister drug dealer Buller? And can Nico save himself and his friends? This atmospheric story is a perfect listen for fans of vintage thrillers such as Edward Boyd, Find the Lady and Paul Temple.Starring David Valla, who is known for his roles as Bill Warren in Crossroads and Eddie Syms in Coronation Street. Written by Peter Ling, the co-creator of Crossroads, whose writing credits include Doctor Who for television and radio adaptations of Sherlock Holmes and Gideon Fell. 
Cast and creditsWritten by Peter Ling 
Produced by Ronald MasonNico Gachet - David Valla 
Karen Engstrom - Patricia Gallimore 
Mrs Benson - Hilda Kriseman 
Neil Benson - Derek Seaton 
Andrew Plessey - Geoffrey Wincott 
Miss Hathaway - Hilda Schroder 
Garage Mechanic/Ambulance Man - Roger Gale 
Vince McAfferty - Kerry Francis 
Coffee House Boss - John Gabriel 
Landlady - Diana Payan 
Syd Schumann - Leonard Fenton 
Indian Doctor/Inspector - Garard Green 
Ray Lockett - Alaric Cotter 
Detective - Michael Deacon 
Stall Keeper - Peter Maycock 
Suzanne Kaye - Cecile Chevreau 
Salesman - Ian Thompson 
Buller - Henry Stamper 
Receptionist - Frances Jeater 
Amanda - Margaret Wolfit 
Night Nurse - Kathleen HelmeFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 2, 7 August 1969&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Death Speaks Another Language

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Thriller

Edward Boyd

A collection of suspenseful standalone radio thrillers by Edward Boyd 
 
Scottish writer Edward Boyd was well known for his TV and radio plays, including The Corridor People and The View from Daniel Pike, and he also penned several episodes of Z-Cars. He specialised in the thriller genre, and this collection showcases six of his best radio crime dramas. 
 
The Wolf Far Hence – Steve Gardiner heads to the Highlands to try and locate his ex and her new fortune-hunting lover – only to find himself investigating a series of murders in a hotel beside a lonely Scottish loch. Teddy Johnson stars in this gripping serial, which won Edward Boyd a Writers’ Guild Award. 
 
The Candle of Darkness – Hardnosed investigator Steve Gardiner returns for another adventure, in which he goes looking for an old friend in a small Scottish seaside resort, but finds the town under threat from a serial killer dubbed ‘The Kind Man’. Starring Teddy Johnson as Steve, with Moultrie Kelsall as DI Gordon. 
 
The Same River Twice – Johnny Maxen reluctantly walks through the Gare du Nord on his way back to a life he thought he’d left behind. He’s looking for his missing wife – but is soon under suspicion for her murder… Gordon Jackson stars as Johnny Maxen, with Roddy McMillan as Inspector Wardlaw. 
 
Badger by Owl-Light – When a bomb explodes in the middle of London, Peter Talion is hired to uncover the secret cult responsible – and eliminate its leader. Starring Edward Judd as Peter Talion, with Tony Robinson as Simon. 
 
Curlew in Autumn – A small town in Galloway, Scotland. A cottage unchanged since 1941. A dead nurse. And a lawyer with one million pounds in his bank account, and no idea how it got there… These puzzling facts and events are explored in this atmospheric mystery, starring McLevy creator David Ashton. 
 
Castles in Spain – Grahame Mayer is a bookseller, not a private eye. Nonetheless, he's being asked to investigate a military mystery connected to the Spanish Civil War – a mystery that almost every major intelligence agency in Great Britain and America wants solved. Starring Ray Brooks and Garard Green. 
 
NB: These vintage recordings contain language and attitudes from the time in which they were first broadcast. Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Edward Boyd 
Produced by Eddie Fraser (The Wolf Far Hence, The Candle of Darkness, The Same River Twice), Stewart Conn (Badger by Owl-Light) and Patrick Rayner (Curlew in Autumn, Castles in Spain) 
 
The Wolf Far Hence 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 20 November-25 December 1953 
 
The Candle of Darkness 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29 March-3 May 1954 
 
The Same River Twice 
First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 2 October-20 November 1966 
 
Badger by Owl-Light 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 October 1975 
 
Curlew in Autumn 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 April-13 May 1984 
 
Castles in Spain 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 October-20 November 1987 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Same River Twice & Other Stories

Six Classic BBC Full-Cast Thrillers

Alfred Hitchcock

Ernest Lehmann

Mark Gatiss

Anthony Hinds

D.M. Thomas

Dennis Potter

Harold Pinter

Karen Blixen

Joseph Conrad

Alexander Mackendrick

Jay Presson Allen

Arthur Miller

Seven legendary unproduced screenplays, resurrected and reinvented for BBC Radio 4 
 
The annals of movie history are full of lost treasures – spectacular scripts from world-renowned writers that could have been classics, had they only been made. Now, for the first time, some of these forgotten gems have been brought to life, fully realised as vivid, cinematic radio productions. Scripted by major 20th Century writers, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks. 
 
Collected here are seven sensational ‘unmade movies’: 
 
Harold Pinter’s Victory, adapted from the novel by Joseph Conrad 
Harold Pinter’s The Dreaming Child, adapted from the novel by Karen Blixen 
Arthur Miller’s The Hook 
Alfred Hitchcock’s unfinished screenplay The Blind Man, completed by Mark Gatiss 
Hammer Horror’s The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula 
Dennis Potter’s The White Hotel 
Alexander MacKendrick’s Mary Queen of Scots 
 
These could-have-been classics are brought to life with stellar casts featuring Hugh Laurie, Bertie Carvel, Rose Leslie, Bill Paterson, Ellie Bamber, Tim Pigott-Smith, Rebecca Front, Anne-Marie Duff, Meera Syal, Vanessa Kirby and Mark Strong. Setting the scene and providing the ‘establishing shots’ – the original stage directions and descriptions from the screenplays – are narrators Simon Russell Beale, Anne Reid, David Suchet, Peter Serafinowicz, Michael Sheen, Simon McBurney and Glenda Jackson. 
 
Moving, mysterious, suspenseful, thrilling and terrifying, these dazzling productions will keep you enraptured from beginning to end. So sit back, grab some popcorn and let them play out on the biggest screen of all – that of your imagination. 
 
NB: Contains strong language and sexual scenes 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Unmade Movies: The Collection

Seven BBC Radio 4 Adaptations of Unproduced Screenplays

Matthew Broughton

A compelling new thriller from the creator of Tracks 
 
When artist Jess is rescued by a mysterious stranger after collapsing at a protest rally, neither of them know that their lives are about to be transformed forever. The pair swiftly fall in love, but when Dan disappears, Jess realises how little she knows about the man who saved her. 
 
Jess is an aspiring artist with synaesthesia - she sees colours and patterns when she hears certain sounds, and uses her unique ability to connect the unconnected. Searching for answers, she is seduced by a glamorous and shadowy underworld of criminal gangs and a brutal leader with murderous intent. Conflicting perceptions compete as Jess's world begins to spiral out of control in this dark and gripping thriller... 
 
Who is Dan, really? Who can Jess trust, and is the truth what it appears to be? 
 
Senses collide and worlds change in this taut full-cast drama, starring Holli Dempsey as Jess and Josef Altin as Dan. 
 
 
Written by Matthew Broughton and Faebian Averies 
Directed by John Norton, Emma Harding and Philippa Swallow 
Sound Design by Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis 
Produced by John Norton, Philippa Swallow and Emma Harding 
 
Cast 
Jess - Holli Dempsey 
Dan - Josef Altin 
Johnny - Tom Byrne 
Melissa - Alexandria Riley 
Petal - Rina Mahoney 
Daisy - Grace Cooper Milton 
Clem - Francois Pandolfo 
Desk Sergeant, Security Guard, Newsreader - Chris Jack 
Security Guard, Janey, Gallery Director - Jasmine Hyde 
Mark, Magner - Neil McCaul 
Ryan - Justice Ritchie 
Ronnie Vaz - Alun Raglan 
Henry - Brendan Charleson 
Mother - Christine Kavanagh 
Molly - Molly Pepper Tuer 
Man - Dean Rehman 
Gina - Suzanne Packer 
Anthony Wheeler - Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong 
Vic - David Sterne 
Maggie - Ashleigh Haddad 
Blue Rider - Olivia Vinall 
 
Series 1 first broadcast BBC Radio 4, February 2022 
Series 2 first broadcast BBC Radio 4, December 2022 
Series 3 first broadcast BBC Radio 4, December 2023 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Broken Colours: The Complete Series 1-3

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast thriller

David Edgar

David Edgar – one of Britain’s greatest living playwrights – introduces a collection of his outstanding works 
 
David Edgar is among the UK’s leading contemporary dramatists, well known for his powerful plays chronicling Britain's changing political landscape over the past 50 years. 
 
This radio anthology begins with the award-winning Destiny, adapted for radio by Edgar himself, in which he analyses the rise of the right-wing National Front movement. In Saigon Rose, the sexual revolution is under the spotlight, as a couple and their cohorts are forced to face the darker side of the Swinging Sixties. This is followed by a play adapted from the journals of a South African lawyer – The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs is a dramatic account of his arrest and solitary confinement. 
 
Mary Barnes recounts the struggles of the titular heroine with her own madness, and Ecclesiastes deals with a fundamentalist preacher. A Movie Starring Me centres around a TV soap star and her obsessive fan, while Entertaining Strangers is about the struggle between a fundamentalist parson and a town’s first woman brewer. The 1984 miners’ strike forms the backdrop to That Summer. 
 
Two plays from Edgar’s ‘Iron Curtain Trilogy’ are next: The Shape of the Table and Pentecost, examining themes of negotiation in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Talking to Mars looks at the collapse of the Cold War through the eyes of an international radio station. 
 
The Secret Parts is a gripping murder mystery, adapted for radio by David Edgar from the novel written by his late wife Eve Brook. Playing with Fire is a powerful exploration of racial tensions in multicultural Britain, and Something Wrong about the Mouth is about a man who wants to commission a portrait of a woman he can't produce, dressed for an event that didn't occur. If Only finds a Labour spin doctor, a Tory MP and a Lib Dem party worker stranded by the Icelandic ash cloud. 
 
David Edgar’s 2019 solo show, Trying It On, sees him delving into the background of his landmark play, Maydays. This collection concludes with Maydays, refashioned by Edgar into a sweeping three-part audio epic charting the journey of idealistic young activists from the far-left to the die-hard right. 
 
Track List: 
01: Introduction by David Edgar 
02-05: Destiny 
06-08: Saigon Rose 
09-11: The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs 
12-13: Mary Barnes 
14-15: Ecclesiastes 
16-17: A Movie Starring Me 
18-19: Entertaining Strangers 
20-21: That Summer 
22-23: The Shape of the Table 
24-28: Pentecost 
29-30: Talking to Mars 
31-32: The Secret Parts 
33-34: Playing with Fire 
35: Something Wrong About the Mouth 
36-37: If Only 
38: Trying It On 
39-41: Maydays 
 
Written by David Edgar 
The Secret Parts written by Eve Brook 
 
Text copyright © David Edgar 1976 (Saigon Rose, Destiny), 1977 (Ecclesiastes), 1978 (The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs), 1979 (Mary Barnes), 1983 (Maydays), 1987 (That Summer), 1990 (The Shape of the Table), 1991 (A Movie Starring Me), 1994 (Pentecost), 1996 (Talking to Mars), 2005 (Playing with Fire), 2007 (Something Wrong About the Mouth), 2013 (If Only), 2018 (Trying It On) 
The Secret Parts text copyright © Eve Brook 2000 
All rights reserved 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

David Edgar: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

17 Full-Cast Productions including The Shape of the Table, Pentecost & Maydays

Michael Dobbs

The classic political drama that inspired the hit Netflix series Francis Urquhart, Chief Whip of the Conservative Party, wants to get to Number 10 and will stop at nothing in his pursuit of power. This full-cast dramatisation packs a powerful punch in the fast-paced political thriller based on Michael Dobbs bestselling novel of the same name.The country is undecided after a close election and the party must stand united behind a new leader. Francis Urquhart has ambitions for the role, however several adversaries stand between him and the top job. Urquhart’s scheming reaches new levels of intrigue and scandal resulting in a deadly showdown. After receiving a series of leaks from an unknown source, journalist Mattie Storrin must follow her instinct for a story. But she has no idea how far this particular story will lead her down a path of deceit and destruction. As Storrin uncovers more than she expects and the web of lies becomes ever more complex, we’re left wondering how far Urquhart is prepared to go in pursuit of power? This thrilling production will have you wondering if it’s really true that, ‘he who wields the knife never wears the crown.’Listen to the full series, available for the first time as a download, and follow the ruthless ambition of the master schemer. Embark on this story of blackmail, intrigue and suspense as one man does everything he can to eliminate his enemies.Cast and creditsBased on the novel by Michael DobbsFrancis Urquhart - Daniel Massey Mattie Storrin - Amanda Root Henry Collingridge - Geoffrey Whitehead Roger O’Neil – Colm McConvey Morris Metcalf – Denis Hawthorne Rebel Preston - David Timpson Steve Kendrick - Stephen Critchlow Kevin Spense- Roger May Mr Jabwala - Buddy Osman Other parts played by Patience Tomlinson, Beverly Hills, Keith Drinkell, John Hartley, Alice Arnold, Zu Lemondean First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 January 2004©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

House of Cards

A BBC Radio Drama

Ted Willis

A collection of full-cast dramatisations from the renowned screenwriter and novelist Ted Willis 
 
"There are great actors and intriguing premises in every one of the stories ... If you’d forgotten what an ingenious mind Ted Willis had, and what a gifted writer he was for espionage plots, then this collection is a timely reminder." Entertainment Focus 
 
Ted Willis began his creative life in amateur theatre and journalism before moving into writing for films, TV and radio, and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer for television. His best-known creation was the hit police procedural Dixon of Dock Green which he based on the stories told to him by a policeman friend. This radio anthology includes five of his best-loved crime tales from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. 
 
The Buckingham Palace Connection - Summer, 1976. A question in the House of Lords leads Ted Willis to uncover the extraordinary true story of a 1918 mission to rescue the Romanovs... Maurice Denham, Jeremy Clyde and Miriam Margolyes star in this exciting drama, based on real events and adapted by Ted Willis from his own novel. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3-31 May 1981 
 
The Left-Handed Sleeper - Ted Willis' neighbours have become embroiled in scandal. MP Mark Ritchie has gone on the run, suspected of being a spy, and MI5 are on his trail. Can his wife Christine prove his innocence? Dramatised by the author from his 1975 novel, this gripping espionage thriller stars Ted Willis as the narrator, with Annette Crosbie as Christine. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 November-12 December 1982 
 
Death May Surprise Us - Attending a country fair, the Prime Minister and his wife are kidnapped in broad daylight, within yards of a huge crowd. With the country reeling, the hunt is on to find them and bring them home safely... Leslie Sands and Mary Wimbush star in this suspenseful tale, adapted by Ted Willis from his 1974 novel. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 August-30 September 1984 
 
The Blue Lamp - This vintage drama by Ted Willis and Jan Read was based on their original treatment for the 1950 Ealing Studios film that introduced the character of PC George Dixon, who went on to appear in TV's Dixon of Dock Green. Deryck Guyler stars as the veteran London copper who faces up to an armed robber. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 December 1962 
 
And No Birds Sing - Philip Brooks is quietly reading at home, but a knock on his front door may change his life forever... This intriguing play stars Hugh Burden as Philip Brooks, Mary Miller as Ann Brooks and Adrian Egan as Detective Sergeant Syms. 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 May 1979 
 
Credits 
Written and dramatised by Ted Willis 
 
The Buckingham Palace Connection: Directed by Glyn Dearman 
The Left-Handed Sleeper: Produced by Christopher Venning 
Death May Surprise Us: Directed by Graham Gauld 
The Blue Lamp: Produced by David H. Godfrey; Written by Ted Willis and Jan Read; Adapted for radio by Jan Read 
And No Birds Sing: Directed by David Johnston 
 
With special thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Buckingham Palace Connection and more

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Vintage Thrillers

Denise Mina

Full-cast dramas and short stories from bestselling author Denise Mina, plus a bonus interview 
 
An acclaimed novelist, playwright and comic book writer, Denise Mina has won numerous awards, including the CWA John Creasy Dagger for Best First Crime Novel and the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award (twice). Her 'Paddy Meehan' series has been adapted for BBC TV, and she has presented numerous television and radio programmes. Included here are six of her stories, as heard on BBC Radio, plus a bonus biographical programme. 
 
The Dead Hour - Glasgow, 1984. Called out to a domestic dispute involving a female lawyer, cub reporter Paddy Meehan accepts a bribe to keep the story out of the papers. But when the woman is found dead the next day, Paddy feels compelled to investigate. Starring Amy Manson. 
 
Three Fires - Focussing on the rise and fall of fanatical Dominican preacher Girolamo Savonarola, Denise Mina turns her satirical eye on Renaissance Florence and the events leading up to the Bonfire of the Vanities. Kieran Hodgson reads this gripping historical tale. 
 
'Squirrels are Pretty from Far Away' - Alice is disturbed by the squirrels infesting her new home, but when she is accused of a crime it is the squirrels who come to her rescue. Read by Tracy Wiles. 
 
'In a State of Nature' - A murder under Tanzanian skies, and a beautiful young woman is left rootless after her rich, kindly lover disappears mysteriously at a roadside petrol station. Read by Emma Currie. 
 
Hurtle - Three financial dealers are trapped in a plummeting lift during a major trading scandal. But did someone deliberately cause the lift to malfunction? Starring John Kielty, Crawford Logan and Alexandra Mathie. 
 
The Meek - Baby Simone has Down's Syndrome, and her mother is convinced she has special powers. Is she traumatised, or is Simone really leading a parallel life in a world where superheroes exist and are being hunted down? Meg Fraser and Sarah Gordy star in this dark, surreal drama. 
 
Inspecting Detectives - Ex-detectives Tom Wood and Peter Ritchie give Denise Mina the 'good cop, bad cop' treatment to find out what makes her tick, grilling her on her life, her writing, and her portrayal of police work. 
 
Text copyright © Denise Mina 2002 ('Squirrels are Pretty from Far Away', 'In a State of Nature'), 2003 (Hurtle), 2006 (The Dead Hour), 2009 (The Meek), 2022 (Three Fires) 
All rights reserved 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Denise Mina: A BBC Radio Collection

The Dead Hour, Three Fires & more

Jonathan Holloway

Briony Glassco

Philip Martin

Natalia Power

Gregory Evans

Five full-cast BBC Radio Dramas to send a chill up the spine 
 
Thrilling, creepy, and utterly unforgettable, these five stories of strange voices, haunting passions, and terrifying nightmares will stay with you forever... 
 
In No Conferring, four students from Bracewell College, Cambridge, attempt a Christmas bonding week in order to prepare for their upcoming University Challenge appearance. But the isolated moorland cottage stay soon goes very, very wrong. Written by Jonathan Holloway. 
 
Myrtle, Mahonia and Rue finds a young landscape gardener who loves her work, but will do anything to escape the terrible nightmares she suffers from. Her only hope is a drastic course of action... Written by Bryony Glassco. 
 
Voices from Another Room sees an artist troubled by the voices he thinks he's hearing - voices discussing his murder. And what is worse: the voices are in the future, and the murder is due to happen at any moment. Written by Philip Martin. 
 
In Sally Go Round the Moon, Sally is working hard at her job - perhaps too hard. Is it stress that's making her hear the voice of a child no one else can? Or is she really being haunted? Written by Natalia Power. 
 
Ghosting is the tale of a young novelist, who agrees to some ghostwriting work on the memoir of supermodel Vita. Soon he discovers exactly how seductive Vita is - but how much will he risk for his work, and for Vita herself? Written by Gregory Evans. 
 
Featuring a star-studded cast including Neil Dudgeon (Midsomer Murders, Life of Riley, Common as Muck), Claire Cage (Casualty, Submarine), Damian Lynch (EastEnders, Tommies, Little Britain), Jaimi Barbakoff (The Archers, Black Mirror, The Power), Lydia Leonard (The Crown, Gentleman Jack, Ten Percent), Rachel Atkins (Absolute Power, Ed Reardon's Week, Mrs Sidhu Investigates), Jimi Mistry (Coronation Street, East is East, The Syndicate), and Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle's War, Lewis), this is just the collection for those who love the chilling, spine-tingling dramas of The Man in Black, The Price of Fear, and Fear on 4. 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A Sting in the Tale

Five Eerie Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas

Sheila Hodgson

A series of full-cast ghost stories based on plots by M. R. James 
 
In 1929, M. R. James penned an essay called 'Stories I Have Tried to Write', in which he detailed plots that had failed to blossom and fragments of tales that never materialised, recalling them 'for the benefit of someone else'. In this BBC Radio series, Sheila Hodgson takes advantage of his generosity, fleshing out these sketchy ideas into full-blown dramas. Some are narrated by M. R. James himself, while others feature the author as a character, caught up in strange, inexplicable events. 
 
The Whisper in the Ear - M. R. James recounts the curious affair of young undergraduate Robert Stafford and his mysterious train companion. 
 
Turn Turn Turn - The Cambridge provost tells a chilling cautionary tale of witchcraft in Cambridge, in an attempt to heal a rift between a vicar and his son. 
 
The Backward Glance - The unsettling story of a mysterious 18th-century mask made of black silk - and skin... 
 
Here Am I, Where Are You? - The tale of a cursed professor with a curious red book, a wayward nephew and a Georgian tankard. 
 
Echoes from the Abbey - An invitation to spend Christmas at Medborough Abbey leads to a ghostly encounter for distinguished academic Dr James. 
 
The Lodestone - A young illustrator becomes obsessed with drawing the gravestone of a 17th-century witch. 
 
The Boat Hook - Visiting Trondheim Cathedral, Dr James is unsettled by the appearance of a small model boat... 
 
David March and Michael Williams star in these haunting supernatural dramas, which will thrill all fans of M. R. James' original ghost stories. 
 
NB: Due to the age of some of the recordings, the sound quality may vary 
 
Written by Sheila Hodgson 
Based on ideas by M.R. James 
Directed by David Johnston 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

M. R. James: Stories I Have Tried to Write

Seven Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas

Howard Brenton

A collection of Howard Brenton's finest plays, produced for BBC radio 
 
One of Britain's leading contemporary playwrights, Howard Brenton is well known for his controversial state-of-the-nation plays, dark comedies and powerful political satires. He has written over 50 works for the theatre and numerous screenplays, including 13 episodes of the hit TV series Spooks. Included here are some of his most acclaimed dramas, including the award-winning Pravda, co-written with David Hare. 
 
Epsom Downs - Set on Derby Day in the Silver Jubilee year 1977, this provocative drama presents a teeming, Brueghel-like array of characters: from the gamblers, bookmakers and trainers to the jockeys, the horses and the Derby course itself... Among the ensemble cast are Peter Woodthorpe and Nigel Anthony. 
 
Pravda - Lambert Le Roux is an enormously powerful South African media tycoon. He's also a monster manipulating all, including Fleet Street. Anthony Hopkins and Bill Nighy star in this caustic black comedy. 
 
Thirteenth Night - Jack Beaty is an activist in a 'piddling little Labour Party ward.' What would he do if he came to power tomorrow? Tom Wilkinson, Frances Tomelty and Bill Nighy star in Brenton's surreal parody of Macbeth, with its horror-comic vision of a totalitarian state run mad. 
 
Nasser's Eden- 1956. Sir Anthony Eden and Gamal Abdel Nasser battle over Egypt nationalising the Suez Canal - Britain's last symbol of her empire. Written specially for radio and starring Alec McCowen and Nadim Sawalha, this fast-paced drama looks behind the politics to reveal the personalities who changed the face of history. 
 
Bloody Poetry - Switzerland, 1816. The poet Shelley, his future wife Mary and her step-sister Claire meet the infamous Lord Byron. But their dreams of a utopian future result in tragedy... Oliver Ryan, Clare Corbett, Patrick Kennedy and Sarah Ovens star in Brenton's compelling play celebrating these four young artistic radicals. 
 
Text copyright © Howard Brenton 1977 (Epsom Downs), 1981 (Thirteenth Night), 1984 (Bloody Poetry), 1998 (Nassar's Eden) Pravda text copyright © David Hare and Howard Brenton 1985 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Howard Brenton 
Pravda written by Howard Brenton and David Hare 
 
Epsom Downs 
Cast: Peter Woodthorpe, Nigel Anthony, Heather Bell, Peter Baldwin, Michael Spice, Graham Chinn, Jean Rogers, Chas Byer, Cliff Burnett, Mary Clare Nash, John Bull, Petra Davies, 
Eva Stuart, John Levitt, Susan Sheridan, Wilfrid Carter, Martin Muncaster, Tammy Ustinov, Heather Bell, Olivier Pierre, Michael McStay, Peter Gordon, Fred Bryant, David Tate, Andrew Branch 
Adapted for radio by Howard Brenton 
Directed by Richard Wortley 
 
Pravda 
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Bill Nighy, Robert Glenister, Suzanne Burden, Frederick Treves, 
Garard Green, Stephen Tompkinson, David King, Christopher Good, Vincent Brimble, 
James Greene, Simon Treves, Danny Schiller, Nicholas Gilbrook 
Adapted and directed by Richard Wortley. 
 
Thirteenth Night 
Cast: Tom Wilkinson, Frances Tomelty, Bill Nighy, Peter Woodthorpe, Sean Barrett, 
Timothy Bateson, Maggie McCarthy, Eileen Tully, Pauline Siddle 
With Alex Jennings, Richard Huw and Michael Jenner 
Directed by Michael Heffernan. 
 
Nasser's Eden 
Cast: Alec McCowen, Nadim Sawalha With Bob Peck, Nigel Davenport, Saeed Jaffrey, Raad Rawi, Trevor Peacock, James Laurenson, Alix Refaie, Antony Zaki, Clifford Rose, John Rowe, Peter Birrel, Vic Tablian and Ajay Chabra 
Produced by Carolyn Horn. 
 
Bloody Poetry 
Cast: Oliver Ryan, Clare Corbett, Patrick Kennedy, Sarah Ovens, Gareth Pierce 
Adapted for radio and directed by Alison Hindell 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Productions: Pravda, Epsom Downs and more

Victor Pemberton

A suspenseful archaeological thriller full of secrets, lies and mysteries from acclaimed writer and producer Victor Pemberton 
 
Best known as a TV producer, writer and script editor for Doctor Who, Victor Pemberton created the Doctor's most iconic gadget, the sonic screwdriver. A prolific dramatist, he also penned a wide variety of plays for BBC Radio including this gripping 8-part adventure, first broadcast in 1968. 
 
Elizabeth Warwick, the daughter of a famous archaeologist, travels to Egypt's Valley of the Kings to explore the mysterious tomb her father discovered before his death. Following in his footsteps, she hopes to find out what secrets lurk within. Is it an empty shell, or the final resting place of a Pharaoh? 
 
But her investigations lead her further and further into danger. Sir Richard Warwick had enemies, and now they are pursuing her. Embroiled in intrigue and unsure who to trust, she embarks on a quest that will take her from the Temple of Luxor to Cairo's City of the Dead... 
 
Among the cast of this thrilling serial are Sheila Grant, John Humphry, David Spenser, Rolf Lefebvre, Nigel Anthony and Marion Mathie. 
 
 
NB: Contains some dated references. Due to the age and nature of the recording, the sound quality may vary 
 
Cast 
Elizabeth Warwick - Sheila Grant 
Mahmoud - James Thomason 
Mr Wilder - John Humphry 
Fuad - David Spenser 
Charles Villiers - Rolf Lefebvre 
Margaret Villiers - Marion Mathie 
Achmed Araby - Haydn Jones 
Abdullah - Antony Viccars 
Bertie Pringle - Barry Lowe 
O'Hara - Denis McCarthy 
Captain Aziz - John Justin 
Achmed Araby - Haydn Jones 
The stranger/Michael Warwick - Christopher Bidmead 
Dr Fawzad - Nigel Anthony 
 
Other parts played by Anthony Jackson, Ian Thompson, Barbara Mitchell, Margaret Robertson, Rosalind Shanks, Douglas Hankin, LeRoy Lingwood, Alexander John and members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company 
 
Written by Victor Pemberton 
Produced by John Tydeman 
First broadcast BBC Radio 2, 30 May-24 June 1968 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Kill the Pharaoh!

A Vintage BBC Radio Thriller

Juliet Ace

A very royal saga about The Crown and a very historic house 
 
 
In this story of Crown House, the grand home of the Ministers, the bond is built between the Minister family and the House of Windsor in this tale of changing times and unvarying traditions. This is a tale of two families and a fresh era for the Minsters of Crown House, and the Royal Family of Windsor. 
 
 
The series follow the birth of a royal baby and the growing closeness of William Minster and his wife Alice to the King and Queen. The life of Crown House's staff, as Jenny Webster, the housekeeper's daughter, watches the developments of the beloved Minsters and the saga unfolds between rich and poor, upper-class and lower-, old and young. Both above and below stairs find their lives changed by the passing years, as they are hit by scandal and heartbreak, accidents and loss, love and secrets. 
 
 
Crown House is a moving story of change and upheaval, with an all-star cast including Jane Asher (Brideshead Revisited, Holby City), Martin Jarvis (Just William, Ring for Jeeves), Dinah Sheridan (The Railway Children, Genevieve), Gayle Hunnicutt (A Woman of Substance, Dallas), Richard Pasco (Mrs Brown, A Dance to the Music of Time), Geoffrey Matthews (Coronation Street, The Day of the Triffids) and many more. Written by Juliet Ace (The Archers, Young Victoria) and Peter Ling (The Avengers, Doctor Who) 
 
From Peter Ling's Crown House novels, this drama series shines a light on a very different side of the Windsors, and is just the thing for listeners of Cromwell Vs The Crown, Flying the Flag, and Encounters with Victoria. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Jenny - Jane Asher 
Old Bea - Margaret Rawlings 
Gina - Gayle Hunnicutt 
Alice - Dinah Sheridan 
Richard - Martin Jarvis 
William - Richard Pasco 
Nicholas - Dominic Rickhards 
Lady Flora Kelso - Margaret Ward 
Sir Charles - Geoffrey Matthews 
Caroline - Cara Kelly 
Edith - Barbara Atkinson 
Polly Harvey - Polly James 
Paul Weyman - John Pullen 
Mrs Webster - Eva Stuart 
Nursemaid - Diana Olsson 
Hawkins - John Samson 
Grace Duncan - Barbara Hunt 
Scott Hanson - Ian Michie 
Grace Duncan - Barbara Leigh-Hunt 
Miranda - Andrea Kealy 
Martin - Henry Power 
Rollo Paton - Norman Bird 
Thelma, Lady Furness - Shelley Thompson 
Louie - Simon Cuff 
Instructor - Philip Sully 
Cockney Girl - Alice Arnold 
Tram conductor - Richard Tate 
Charles Lindbergh - Ed Bishop 
Telephone operator - Caroline Gruber 
Landlady - Zelah Clarke 
Barman - Peter Craze 
W T Carpenter - David Goudge 
Seaman - William Simons 
Radio announcer / Stoker - Michael Tudor Barnes 
 
Written by Peter Ling and Juliet Ace 
Produced by Graham Gauld 
 
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4: 
30 October - 18 December 1988 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Crown House

A BBC Radio 4 Regal Drama

Twin sisters are the investigating police in this unusual three-part detective series 
 
Alice and Belinda are identical twins, and have grown up sharing everything: toys, rooms, and friends. But as they begin their careers as detectives - a job they have each wanted for as long as they can remember - a computer error sees them accidentally starting at the same North London police station. 
 
Work gives them enough mysteries to be investigating as they attempt to make themselves known and respected in their new roles, but when Belinda is sexually harassed by a colleague, her twin Alice realizes she can use her identical appearance to fight back when her sister no longer can... 
 
Created by Juliet Ace, award-winning writer and playwright (The Archers, Young Victoria, A Slight Hitch), Twin Reaction is a fascinating and fresh look at the bond of sisters, the demands of work, and the pleasures and pains of being a woman in the modern world. 
 
Starring Jenny Funnel (As Time Goes By, Doctors) and Carolyn Backhouse (Rosemary and Thyme, Jupiter Moon), this compelling series is perfect for listeners of Colvil and Soames, The Lady Detectives, and The Unforgiven. 
 
Content Warning: This drama deals with adult themes such as sexual violence 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Alice - Jenny Funnel 
Belinda - Carolyn Backhouse 
Newsome - Eric Allen 
Glover - Cornelius Garrett 
Cox - Lindsay Mack 
Dobson - Ian Sanders 
Bella - Sue Broomfield 
Other cast: 
Rachel Oldfield 
Paul Nicholson 
Janet Dale 
Marilla Robson 
Brian Gear 
Jilly Bond 
William Eedle 
Sunny Ormonde 
Linda Regan 
Joanne Mitchell 
 
 
Written by Juliet Ace 
Directed by Shaun MacLoughlin 
 
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4: 
7 August - 21 August 1995 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Twin Reaction

A BBC Radio 4 Detective Drama

Adam Baron

David Morrissey stars as Billy Rucker in these two gritty urban noir thrillers 
 
Ex-copper turned private investigator Billy Rucker scours the seamy underbelly of London, hunting for runaways - and murderers. Tough, worldly-wise and street-savvy, he can go where the police can't: and once he's on the trail, he won't stop until he finds the truth... 
 
Shut Eye - When an airline pilot is found brutally murdered with a champagne bottle, his brother, Tory MP Sir Peter Morant, asks Billy Rucker to investigate. Although he's already working one assignment - tracking down teenager Dominic Lewis - Rucker agrees to take the case. Delving into Teddy's private life in search of a serial killer, he identifies a high-profile suspect. But when another body is discovered, Billy finds the finger of suspicion pointing at him... 
 
Hold Back the Night - High summer, and the city is sweltering. Despite the heat, PI Billy Rucker is out pounding the streets, looking for a missing girl named Lucy Bonham. He suspects that Lucy and her friend Donna were mixed up in something nasty - but he has no idea of the full horrors he is about to uncover. 
 
Adapted from Adam Baron's highly acclaimed crime novels, these dark, suspenseful detective dramas star David Morrissey, Danny Webb, Adjoa Andoh, Li Leng Au and Ioan Meredith. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Adam Baron 
Dramatised by Doug Lucie 
Produced and directed by Janet Whitaker 
 
Starring David Morrissey as Billy Rucker, Danny Webb as DI Gold, Adjoa Andoh/Li Leng Au as Sharon and Ioan Meredith as Inspector Clay 
 
Shut Eye 
Sir Peter - Edward de Souza 
Alex - Matt Day 
Rollo - Declan Wilson 
Mrs Lewes - Rachel Atkins 
Secretary/Waitress - Gbemisola Ikumelo 
Charlotte - Caroline Langrishe 
Graham - Nicholas Woodeson 
Sal - Frances Jeater 
Dominic/Boy - Chris Moran 
Archie/PC - Damian Lynch 
Man - Harry Myers 
WPC/Kristen - Cherie Taylor-Battlste 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-30 March 2004 
 
Hold Back the Night 
Mrs Bonham - Cheryl Campbell 
Emma - Rachael Stirling 
Olly - Harry Myers 
Sal - Elizabeth Bell 
Nicky - Nicholas Boulton 
Sharon - Adjoa Andoh 
Juliet - Alison Pettitt 
George - Vincenzo Nicoli 
Albanian prostitute - Alex Tregear 
Steve - Martin Hyder 
Janet/Iris - Susan Jameson 
Mr Bonham - Hugh Dickson 
Dr Fursten - Stephen Hogan 
Lee - Peter Darney 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 November-13 December 2005 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Private Eye Billy Rucker: Shut Eye & Hold Back the Night

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio 4 Crime Dramas

Hannah Silva

Fraser Ayres

Marcy Kahan

Neil McKay

Lavinia Murray

Alex Bulmer

Simon Wu

Amy Ng

Tara Hegarty

11 gripping thrillers from some of BBC Radio's best contemporary writers, including BAFTA- winner Neil McKay 
 
Inventive, intriguing and atmospheric, this eclectic selection of crime, mystery and psychological dramas immerses us in a series of diverse worlds where nothing is what it appears to be, and nobody is quite what they seem. 
 
Wide in scope and disparate in style, the stories range from a police procedural and a dark, dystopian eco-thriller to a shocking tale of modern-day slavery, based on real-life events. Created by a host of writers, including BAFTA Award-winning playwright Neil McKay, they are by turn chilling, surreal, haunting and darkly comic. 
 
Meet Maynard, desperate to turn his life around and escape a life of crime; teenagers Saurabh and Yusuf, who make a sinister discovery on Alderly Edge; Kit, struggling to regain her identity after an accident; and Tiger Girl Michelle, addicted to gambling in London's casinos. All will experience the unexpected, and find their lives changed beyond recognition... 
 
Among the casts are Suranne Jones, Lemn Sissay, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Fiona Shaw, Erin Doherty, Maggie Steed, Pauline McLynn, Ralph Ineson and Gary Lewis. 
 
Cast and credits 
All productions are Sparklab Productions for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 3 
Produced by Melanie Harris and Executive Produced by Polly Thomas, Jeremy Mortimer & Jo Meek 
 
On the Edge 
Cast: Darren Kuppan, Renny Krupinski, Conor Alexander, Matt Andrews, Fiona Clarke, Jeffrey Longmore, Rachel Caffrey 
Written by Neil McKay. Directed by Melanie Harris. 
 
Ballad of the Burning Boy 
Cast: Suranne Jones, Lemn Sissay, Chris Finnegan, Phil Korbel 
Written by Lavinia Murray. Directed by Melanie Harris. 
 
Maynard 
Cast: Fraser Ayres, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Ellen Thomas, Chizzy Akudolu, Kellie Shirley, Martina Laird 
Written by Fraser Ayres. Directed by Kathy Burke. 
 
Noise 
Cast: Effie Woods, Jonas Khan, Sarah Waddell, Richard Teverson 
Written by Alex Bulmer. Produced and Directed by Polly Thomas 
 
The Disappearance of Mr Chan 
Cast: Jennifer Leong, Jeremy Ang Jones, Jamie Zubairi, Liz Sutherland-Lim, Michelle Yim 
Written by Simon Wu. Directed by David Tse. 
 
The Music Lesson 
Cast: Fiona Shaw, Erin Doherty 
Written by Hannah Silva. Directed by Susannah Tresilian. 
 
Ninety Minutes with Stanislavski 
Cast: Colin Stinton, Norah Lopez Holden, Maggie Steed, Matthew Marsh, Nicholas Woodeson, Bruce Alexander 
Written by Marcy Kahan. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
The Crossing 
Cast: Pauline McLynn, Owen O'Neill, Laurence Dobiesz, Michael Colgan 
Written by Tara Hegarty. Directed by JP McKeown 
 
Tiger Girls 
Cast: Crystal Yu, Pik-Sen Lim, Adam J Bernard, Liz Sutherland-Lim, Lobo Chan 
Written by Amy Ng. Directed by Shan Ng 
 
The Saudi Prince and the Pauper 
Cast: Ralph Ineson, Yousef Kerkour, Lloyd Thomas, Mary Doherty 
Written by Neil McKay. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
The Last of England 
Cast: Anthony O'Donnell, Gary Lewis, Dan Gordon, George Bukhari, Faye McKeever 
Written by Neil McKay. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

On The Edge and other stories

11 BBC Radio Thrillers

Patrick Hamilton

A collection of thrilling radio dramas from the celebrated novelist and playwright 
 
 
Patrick Hamilton is renowned for his gritty, slice-of-life tales chronicling the hopes, dreams and obsessions of London's working class in the inter-war years. This collection brings together his key pieces, together with some lesser-known classics and a bonus 2004 documentary exploring his achievements and legacy. 
 
Hangover Square - Earl's Court, 1939. With war looming, everyone is frantically pursuing a good time. But when composer George Bone becomes obsessed with beautiful, fast-living actress Netta, murder and madness ensue... This brooding adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's masterpiece stars Nicholas Farrell and Amanda Redman. 
 
Rope - Believing they have committed the perfect murder, two students throw a macabre dinner party, where the guests include the victim's father. Will anyone see through their terrible vanity? Alan Rickman and Adam Baring star in this electrifying drama, famously adapted as an Alfred Hitchcock film. 
 
Gaslight - A husband commits to driving his wealthy young wife insane in order to steal from her in this psychological drama which originated the term 'gaslighting'. Starring Barbara Jefford and Michael Kilgarriff. 
 
Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky - Patrick Hamilton's semi-autobiographical trilogy tells a story of unrequited love amid the hardship of 1920s London, and comprises The Midnight Bell, The Siege of Pleasure and The Plains of Cement. Steven Pacey, Annette Badland, John Moffatt and Emily Morgan star. 
 
The Governess - Ethel Fry takes a position as a governess in the Drew household, but when the family discovers their baby son has been abducted, the entire house is thrown under suspicion. Starring Margaret Wolfit and Helen Worth 
 
To The Public Danger - A young couple fall into the company of two reckless motorists, whose drunk-driving has fatal consequences. Ivan Samson and Arthur Young star. 
 
The Duke in Darkness - Set in the Chateau Lamorre during the 16th-century French Civil Wars, this stirring tale of imprisonment and escape stars Alec Clunes and John Moffatt. 
 
A Portrait in Black - Biographer Nigel Jones celebrates the centenary of Hamilton's birth and his skill at conjuring up a lost world of seedy boarding-houses, third-class railway compartments, dance halls and fleapit cinemas. 
 
Text copyright © Patrick Hamilton 1929 (Rope), 1935 (Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky), 1938 (Gas Light), 1939 (To the Public Danger), 1941 (Hangover Square), 1943 (The Duke in Darkness), 1946 (The Governess) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Patrick Hamilton 
 
Hangover Square 
Rope 
Gaslight 
Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky 
The Governess 
To The Public Danger 
The Duke in Darkness 
 
Extra Content: 
A Portrait in Black 
 
 
'If you were looking to fly from Dickens to Martin Amis with just one overnight stop, then Hamilton is your man' Nick Hornby 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Patrick Hamilton: Rope, Gaslight, Hangover Square and more

Seven BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions

Peter Flannery

Olivia Poulet

Laurence Dobiesz

Karen Laws

Melanie Harris

Dan Rebellato

Tim Dawson

Gemma Bedeau

Ishy Din

Derron Sandy

Kyle Hernandez

Elisha Efua Bartels

Lucy Montague Moffatt

Thirteen plays about human connection, from some of BBC Radio's best writers exploring love, family, romances and life's ups and downs 
 
This diverse collection of stories centres around family dynamics, relationships both romantic and platonic, and the diverse ways ordinary people navigate the vicissitudes of everyday life. 
 
Ranging from modern fairy tales to coming-of-age dramas, they feature a wide variety of styles, and are scripted by an array of writers from award-winning dramatists to first-time authors. Here are stories of meeting and parting; hope and heartbreak; grief and forgiveness; and the endless possibility of change. 
 
We meet the couple racing to secure their IVF treatment; the wide-eyed young Conservative whose awakening is more than just political; the teenager who discovers a secret that threatens his entire extended family; the ex-offender transformed through his friendship with a photographer, and many more captivating characters. These engrossing dramas let us venture into their worlds; giving us an intimate insight into their lives and loves. 
 
Among the casts are Jaime Winstone, Sean Gallagher, Rhea Bailey, Mina Anwar, Ciarán Griffiths and Harry McEntire. 
 
Cast and credits 
All plays are Sparklab productions for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 3. 
Produced by Melanie Harris and Executive Produced by Polly Thomas, Jeremy Mortimer & Jo Meek. 
 
#blessed 
Cast: Olivia Poulet, Laurence Dobiesz, Ayesha Dharker, Valmike Rampersad, Fenella Woolgar 
Written by Olivia Poulet and Laurence Dobiesz. Directed by Susannah Tresilian. 
 
Indigo Children 
Cast: Lizzy Clark, Jaime Winstone, Luke Jerdy, Sylvestra Le Touzel 
Written by Hannah Silva. Directed by Jude Kelly 
 
My Life Is a Series of People Saying Goodbye 
Cast: Sean Gallagher, David Annen, Will Payne, Fenella Woolgar, Frances Grey, Jenny Jules 
Written by Dan Rebellato. Produced and Directed by Polly Thomas 
 
Not for Turning 
Cast Nicola Holt, Henry Devas, Andrew Bentley, Ashley Gerlach, Toby Hadoke 
Written by Tim Dawson. Directed by Lawrence Till 
 
The Ladies Room 
Cast: Rhea Bailey, Lisa Livingstone, Lois Chimimba 
Written by Gemma Bedeau. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Whose Baby? 
Cast: Gurjeet Singh, Mina Anwar, Perveen Hussain, George Bukhari, Sid Akbar Ali 
Written by Ishy Din. Directed by Julia Ford. 
 
1963 
Cast: Andy Clark, Curtis Appleby, Ross Waiton, Jill Dellow, Micheal Ajao 
Written by Peter Flannery. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Mr Singh 
Cast: Keegan Maharaj, Rhesa Samuel, Idrees Saleem, Tafar Lewis, Khadijah Kirton, Israel Nunes Children from the Quays Foundation, Maloney, Trinidad & Tobago. 
Written by Derron Sandy. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Aron 
Cast: Levee Rodriguez, Errol Fabien, Anand Lawkaran, Jayron Remy, Tishanna Williams, Nickolai Salcedo. Written by Kyle Hernandez. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Carifesta 2019: Water More Than Flour 
Cast: Mandisa Granderson, Conrad Parris, Kimmy Stoute-Robinson, Arnold Goindham 
Written by Elisha Efua Bartels. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
Karin and Andrew 
Cast: Eve Shotton, Ciarán Griffiths, Darren Kuppan, Melissa Jane Sinden 
Scripted and directed by Melanie Harris. 
 
In His Kiss 
Cast: Niamh McGowan, Harry McEntire, Kimberly Hart-Simpson 
Written by Lucy Montague Moffatt. Directed by Julia Ford 
 
The Reality Tunnel 
Cast: Sarah Miele, Sam Newton 
Written by Karen Law. Directed by Melanie Harris 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

#Blessed and other stories of love and friendship

13 BBC Radio Dramas

Edward J. Mason

A vintage BBC suspense thriller from the creator of The Archers and Dick Barton 
 
When David Conway attends a birthday party for his beautiful fiancée Pat, he expects a few drinks and a good time, but what he discovers is that his beloved is in fact in terrible danger. Following the clues, and a tip off about her missing bracelet, David and Pat are led first to a steel works, then a circus, but instead of finding the bracelet, they uncover both a body and a realisation that they have enemies - enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want... 
 
Edward J. Mason wrote for the BBC for decades, creating the radio serials The Lady Craved Excitement, What the Butler Saw, and the world's longest running series The Archers. He later wrote for television on series including The Days of Vengeance, Flower of Evil, and Outbreak of Murder, and this thrilling production is just the adventure for listeners of Dick Barton: Special Agent, Down Payment on Death and Hand in Glove: The Casebook of Dr Wallace. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Anne Cullen 
 
Arnold Peters 
 
Bernard Rebel 
 
Chris Gittins 
 
Dudley Rolph 
 
Eddie Robinson 
 
Gerik Schelderup 
 
Harry Stubbs 
 
June Spencer 
 
Michael Ford 
 
Peter Wilde 
 
William Avenall 
 
Ysanne Churchman 
 
Written by Edward J. Mason 
Produced by Philip Garston-Jones 
 
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Midland Home Service: 
26 October - 30 November 1954 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Red for Danger

A BBC Radio 4 Vintage Thriller from the writer of Dick Barton

William Boyd

A collection of BBC dramatisations and readings of William Boyd's award-winning novels and short stories 
 
One of Britain's foremost contemporary writers, William Boyd is renowned worldwide for his bestselling novels, which have been translated into over 30 languages. He has won numerous awards, including the Somerset Maugham Award (for A Good Man in Africa), the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize (for An Ice-Cream War) and the Costa Book Award (for Restless). 
 
Collected here are the BBC radio productions of all three acclaimed books. Starring Alan Rickman Alison Steadman and Bill Paterson, A Good Man in Africa tells the satirical story of a buffoonish diplomat's struggles in a fictional West African country. In the espionage thriller Restless, it is 1976, and Ruth discovers that her very English mother, Sally, is in fact a Russian emigré and former British spy. Eileen Atkins stars as Sally, with Fenella Woolgar as Ruth. And in An Ice-Cream War, as millions face slaughter on the Western Front, British and German colonists in East Africa try to emulate their European counterparts. Nickolas Grace and William Hootkins star in this darkly comic drama. 
 
Also included are dramatisations of three of Boyd's superb short stories. 'On the Yankee Station' is a gripping tale of revenge on an American aircraft carrier; 'The Destiny of Nathalie X' features an African filmmaker's encounter with Hollywood and its grotesque inhabitants; and in the eerie 'A Haunting', a landscape architect finds himself taken over by an unseen presence. Peter Whitman, Keith Edwards, John Sessions and Maynard Eziashi are among the star casts. 
 
We conclude with five further stories, read by Ben Miles, Jonathan Firth, Bill Nighy, Niamh Cusack and Tom Goodman-Hill. 'Adult Video' features an Oxford post-graduate who 'rewinds', 'fast forwards' and 'plays' through his life; 'Varengeville' sees a young boy go exploring and meet a painter - as his mother entertains her 'friend'; 'Lunch' reveals a diner's eventful days through his restaurant receipts and pithy comments; 'Fantasia on a Favourite Waltz' centres around a prostitute's encounter with a talented young pianist; and 'The Pigeon' takes us into the world of a sickly author facing romantic betrayal and family fissures. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by William Boyd 
 
Text copyright © William Boyd 1981 (A Good Man in Africa, 'On the Yankee Station'), 1982 (An Ice Cream War), 1995 ('The Destiny of Nathalie X'), 1998 ('Varengeville'), 2000 ('A Haunting'), 2004 ('Adult Video', 'Lunch', 'Fantasia on a Favourite Waltz', 'The Pigeon'), 2006 (Restless) 
 
A Good Man in Africa 
Dramatised by Stephen Davis 
Directed by Richard Wortley 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 March 1985 
 
Restless 
Dramatised by Melissa Murray 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6-17 April 2009 
 
An Ice Cream War 
Dramatised by John Peacock 
Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 May-16 June 1994 
 
'On the Yankee Station' 
Adapted by William Boyd 
Directed by Richard Wortley 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 May 1985 
 
'The Destiny of Nathalie X' 
Directed by Dave Batchelor 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 November 1998 
 
'A Haunting' 
Directed by Dave Batchelor 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 December 2001 
 
William Boyd - Fascination 
Abridged by Neville Teller 
Produced by Duncan Minshull 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15-19 November 2004 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

William Boyd: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

A Good Man in Africa, An Ice Cream War, Restless and more

Michael McStay

The collected BBC Radio 4 crime dramas featuring Inspector Coleman and Sergeant Astor 
 
Like his actor namesake, Ronald Coleman is a suave, well-spoken English gentleman. But although he's a movie buff, Coleman is no film star - he's a copper, and a Detective Inspector to boot. Together with his down-to-earth Scottish partner, DS Fred Astor, he sets about solving cases on two very different patches - rural Kirkcaldy and inner-city Southampton. 
 
Death Beach sees Hollywood director Curt Zorack's film shoot interrupted by the death of one of the cast. But is it suicide or murder? In Death of a Mean Cornet, a jazz musician and old friend of Sergeant Astor is found dead of a heroin overdose. It looks like an accident, but Fred's not convinced. In Death Against the Odds, two murders in one night cause Inspector Coleman and Sergeant Astor to lose some sleep - and long for the days when sheep-rustling was the worst crime they had to deal with. 
 
Death of a Hooligan finds the two detectives working together at South Hants Central, and probing the suspicious death of a football fan; while in A Day at the Races, Sergeant Astor falls among thieves, and Inspector Coleman has one of his infamous hunches. In No Harm Done, the duo are faced with a wall of silence when a resident of the notorious Gantry Estate is found badly beaten. And in Fools Rush In, an IRA terrorist is released from Parkhurst prison - and promptly disappears. How is he connected to the mysterious Irishman causing parking problems on a suburban street? 
 
These enthralling crime dramas star Stephen Thorne as Coleman and Joe Dunlop as Astor, with a supporting cast including Diana Bishop, Frances Jeater and Nicholas Boulton. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Michael McStay 
Produced and directed by Jane Morgan and Ned Chaillet. Theme music by Stephen Warbeck 
Starring Stephen Thorne as Inspector Coleman and Joe Dunlop as Sergeant Astor 
 
Death Beach 
Cast: Peter Vaughan, Mary Miller, David King, Nigel Carrington, Vincent Brimble, Jonathan Oliver, James Greene, Michael McStay, Jane Whittenshaw, Sue Broomfield, Ben Onwukwe, Stephen Garlick, Nicholas Gilbrook 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 13 October 1990 
 
Death of a Mean Cornet 
Cast: Kate Binchy, Maria Miles, James Grant, Paul Barber, Tony Armatrading, Michael McStay, Sidney Cole, Peter Gunn, John Forgeham, Terence Edmond, David Learner, John Webb, Matthew Sim, Mark Straker, Nicholas Murchie, Jonathan Tafler 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 July 1992 
 
Death Against the Odds 
Cast: Peter Gunn, Phyllis Logan, James Warwick, Morag Hood, Elaine Collins, Diana Bishop, 
John Fleming, Pauline Yates, John Webb, David Holt, Dominic Letts 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 August 1993 
 
Death of a Hooligan 
Cast: Diana Bishop, Frances Jeater, Nicholas Boulton, James Kerry, Dominic Curtis, Tom Bevan, Peter Kenny, Paul Panting, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Gareth Armstrong, James Taylor 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 16 May 1994 
 
A Day at the Races 
Cast: Diana Bishop, Frances Jeater, Nicholas Boulton, John Hartley, Larry Dann, McCartney Brown, Breffni McKenna, Gareth Armstrong, David Jarvis, David Sinclair, James Taylor, 
Don McCorkindale. 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 23 May 1994 
 
No Harm Done 
Cast: Diana Bishop, Frances Jeater, Nicholas Boulton, Tony Osoba, Elaine Claxton, Pauline Letts, Dexter Fletcher, Simon Schatzberger, Deborah Berlin, Toby Jones, Sidney Cole, Peter Acre, Matthew Morgan, Gavin Muir, David Jarvis, Danny Schiller, Susannah Corbett 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 May 1994 
 
Fools Rush In 
Cast: Diana Bishop, Frances Jeater, Nicholas Boulton, Anthony Jackson, Marianne Morley, Sally Kinghorn, Rachel Atkins, Michael Onslow, Tom Bevan, Paul Panting, Lyndham Gregory. 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 6 June 1994 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Inspector Coleman and Sergeant Astor

Seven BBC Radio Crime Dramas

Mike Walker

A collection of dramas set in South and Central America by acclaimed dramatist Mike Walker 
 
An award-winning dramatist, author and feature writer, Mike Walker has written numerous original dramas for BBC Radio 4, including his epic chronicles Tsar, Caesar!, The Stuarts and Castle of the Hawk. Collected here are five of his gripping dramas from the 1980s and '90s, set around the Amazon rainforest and Nicaragua. 
 
Broken Wings and Bright Stars - Life in Tomas's small Brazilian fishing village hasn't changed for generations. But the old ways are dying, and few men now venture out to sea. For young Tomas, the future lies with the developers and their promise of jobs and money - so when his grandfather asks for his help building a boat, he is faced with a dilemma... Gary Cady stars as Tomas, with Michael Spice as Jose, in this first play in the Broken Wings and Bright Stars trilogy. 
 
Dull Sun, Polished Moon - American filmmaker Bill Krause leads a crew into the Amazon jungle to make a documentary about tribal life, accompanied by his friend Father Alvarro, Tomas and Javari, a Brazilian Indian. They want to record the truth - but the truth is complicated, and difficult to reconcile. This second drama in the Broken Wings and Bright Stars trilogy stars Gary Cady, Ronald Herdman, Crawford Logan and Steve Hodson. 
 
Fallen Leaves, Dead City - In this final part of the Broken Wings and Bright Stars trilogy, Tomas, desperate to make a difference, has embarked on a dangerous venture. Forced to confront the consequences of his actions, he must put aside idealism and face some harsh realities. Starring Gary Cady, Frances Jeater, Richard Pascoe and Crawford Logan. 
 
Staying Still - When Jack Lowell is not organising survival courses for unfit executives on a remote Scottish island, he is living with an indigenous tribe in the Brazilian rainforest. Then tragedy occurs and his two worlds collide. Unhinged by grief, he seeks to extract payment for his losses... Nigel Anthony and Hilary MacLean star in this haunting tale of ritual, remorse and revenge. 
 
Compañeros - Four strangers meet and decide to make a journey into the heart of Nicaragua, but when they happen upon a group of trigger-happy Contras, their nightmare begins... Starring Derek Newark, Angharad Rees, Trevor Nichols and Colin Stinton. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Mike Walker 
 
Broken Wings and Bright Stars 
Cast Gary Cady, Michael Spice, Steve Hodson, Eric Lander, Pauline Letts, Martyn Read, Anton Phillips, Crawford Logan, John Webb, Jill Lidstone, Ronald Herdman, Patience Tomlinson 
Directed by Christopher Venning. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 October 1981 
 
Dull Sun, Polished Moon 
Cast Gary Cady, Ronald Herdman, Steve Hodson, Frank Ellis, Crawford Logan, John Livesey, Stephen Thorne, Hugh Dickson 
Directed by Christopher Venning. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 April 1982 
 
Fallen Leaves, Dead City 
Cast, Richard Pascoe, Gary Cady, Frances Jeater, Beth Porter, Aaron Swartz, Ronald Herdman, Nick Reding, James Bryce, Crawford Logan, Alex Jennings, Stuart Organ, 
Henry Stamper, Michael Spice, John Livesey 
Directed by Christopher Venning. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 February 1983 
 
Staying Still 
Cast Nigel Anthony, Hilary MacLean, Bob Docherty, David Bannerman, Pavel Douglas, Patricia Gallimore, Deborah Berlin, Cornelius Garrett, Tina Gray, Richard Fleming, Aled Jones, Rachel Oldfield, Anna Rose 
Directed by Shaun MacLoughlin. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 October 1994 
 
Compañeros 
Cast Derek Newark, Angharad Rees, Trevor Nichols, Colin Stinton, Stuart Milligan, Arturo Venegas, Francisco Morales, Alan Dudley, Michael Deacon 
Directed by Peter King. First broadcast BBC Radio 4,11 January 1988 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Broken Wings and Bright Stars & other stories

Five BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramas

Christopher Reason

A gripping psychological BBC drama series about a probation officer who uncovers an abuse scandal 
 
When the body of 17-year-old Jackie Shaw is found in a shallow grave, it sends shockwaves through her small West Yorkshire community. Rumours of murder and systematic sexual abuse are rife, and the town's MP, Samuel Stokes, is adding fuel to the fire with his campaign against a so-called 'Asian grooming gang'. 
 
Probation officer Rachel Collier deals with paedophiles on a daily basis: so when she hears that her teenage daughter, Chloe, has become friendly with 24-year-old Tariq, she's concerned where it might lead. But that's not her only worry: she's also struggling to deal with her husband's adultery, her feelings for her Catholic priest, Father Fitzgerald, and her new client, Peter, a sex offender whose victim was Jackie's best friend. 
 
Then three local men, the Jamali brothers, are arrested for murder. The police are confident that the gang's ringleaders are behind bars - but Peter insists that the trio are innocent, and the real perpetrators are being protected. As Rachel investigates what seems to be an establishment cover-up, she places herself and her family in danger - and discovers that nothing, and no-one, is what they seem... 
 
Written by award-winning dramatist Christopher Reason, this intriguing thriller stars Rosie Cavaliero as Rachel, with a star cast including Shaun Dooley, Shannon Flynn and Sacha Dhawan. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Christopher Reason 
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko 
 
Cast 
Rachel - Rosie Cavaliero 
Paul - Shaun Dooley 
Chloe - Shannon Flynn 
Peter - Nicholas Murchie 
Father Fitzgerald - Finlay Robertson 
Leo - Martin Savage 
Stokes - John Dougall 
Mrs Monroe/Samantha - Karen Bartke 
DJ - Catriona McFarlane 
Reporters - John Bowler &amp; Alison Belbin 
Tariq - Sacha Dhawan 
Lydia - Elizabeth Berrington 
Bishop - John Bowler 
Moz - Jayson Benovichi-Dicken 
Nikki - Katherine Rose Morley 
Newsreaders - Alison Belbin, Catriona McFarlane, John Bowler &amp; Karen Bartke 
Waiter - Gavi Singh Chera 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 23 February-23 March 2017 
 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Inappropriate Relationships

A BBC Radio 4 Crime Drama

John Mortimer

An irresistible collection of sparkling stories featuring John Mortimer's beloved comic creation 
 
Horace Rumpole is the most erudite, astute, and seldom defeated of barristers in the annals of the Old Bailey. In these 32 dramas, arranged in order of broadcast, four distinguished actors don the wig and white band to portray our hero as he recalls his long, eventful career. 
 
Timothy West stars as the older Rumpole in eight cases in which he proves, despite scurrilous rumours to the contrary, that he is alive, well and as adept as ever at getting to the heart of crimes ranging from sexual assault to terrorism. He also has hopes of becoming a QC at last - but his marriage to She Who Must Be Obeyed is under pressure... 
 
Joining Timothy West for another seven legal adventures, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the young, feisty, devastatingly acute Rumpole. We flash back to the 1950s, as he meets and marries Hilda, embarks on his first big murder case 'alone and without a leader', and defends clients including an aristocrat, a shoplifting clergyman and a gardener accused of blackmail. 
 
Returning as young Rumpole, Cumberbatch takes us through six more curious cases. It is 1964, and Horace takes on a new pupil - Phyllida Trant, the 'Portia of our Chambers' - only to find himself becoming smitten with her. Forced to consider the path his life has taken, he comes close to giving up the law... 
 
With the Sixties swinging, Julian Rhind-Tutt gives us a Rumpole in his prime, recounting ten tales which find the tireless defender swapping sides to appear for the prosecution; coming to the aid of a doctor accused of unprofessional conduct; and suffering the indignity of wrongful arrest. We leave him facing a life-changing decision: after many years of falling in and out of love with both women, will he finally leave Hilda to be with Phyllida? 
 
Also included is a special 90-minute Christmas episode starring Desmond Barrit, in which Rumpole indulges in a little seasonal, charitable blackmail and solves an audacious crime at the panto. 
 
Production credits 
Written by John Mortimer 
Adapted by Richard Stoneman 
Directed by Marilyn Imrie. 
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4 
Sax quartet version of Gershwin's 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' arranged by Julie Hodge and performed by 'Sax' (Luiza Beddoes, Kate Mylnar, Janine Ng and Julie Hodge) 
Pantomime music written by Neil Brand 
 
Cast 
Older Horace Rumpole - Timothy West/Desmond Barrit 
Young Horace Rumpole - Benedict Cumberbatch/Julian Rhind-Tutt 
Hilda - Prunella Scales/Joanna David 
Young Hilda - Jasmine Hyde/Cathy Sara 
Phyllida - Cathy Sara/Patience Tomlinson 
'Soapy Sam' Ballard - Michael Cochrane 
Claude Erskine-Brown - Nigel Anthony 
Fig Newton - David Shaw-Parker/Geoffrey Whitehead 
Bonny Bernard - Bruce Alexander/Nicholas Le Provost/Matthew Morgan 
Judge Bullingham - Christopher Benjamin/David Shaw-Parker/Stephen Critchlow 
Liz Probert - Elaine Claxton 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 between 25 December 2001 and 9 May 2018 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rumpole: A BBC Radio Collection

32 BBC Radio full-cast dramas

Jenny Stephens

A collection of futuristic sci-fi dramas 
 
From acclaimed director and scriptwriter Jenny Stephens, here are a trio of sensational science fiction serials: supernatural espionage thriller Project Raphael, its sequel Project Archangel, and the dark, dystopian Jefferson 37. All feature a full cast of veteran actors including Dan Hagley, Emily Chennery, Sunny Ormonde, John Flitcroft, Oliver Hembrough and Dharmesh Patel. 
 
Project Raphael - Deep in the heart of Yorkshire, British Intelligence are working with 'revenants' - spies from beyond the grave - in a bid to learn the secrets of the mysterious Nablovski Colony. But recently deceased agent Raphael is proving hard to find. Desperate to contact him, his fellow MI7 agents arrange a meeting with local psychic Malcolm Holmes: but when he brings his friend, would-be ace reporter Polly, along, the duo find themselves in great danger. As uncomfortable truths are revealed, can they reach out to Raphael - and avoid becoming revenants themselves? 
 
Project Archangel - When ghost-hunter Malcolm Holmes receives a visit from a menacing customer at his mother's health food shop, he becomes involved once more in the murky world of paranormal espionage. Tricked into flying to Moscow with Polly, he is embroiled in the dangerous machinations of Nablovski agent Victor Peshkov - and meets the ghost of someone he once knew very well... 
 
Jefferson 37 - In the not-too-distant future, human spare-part surgery has become the norm. State-of-the-art science village Abbotsville specialises in creating clones for organ replacement - for those who can afford it. But what happens behind its barbed-wire fences is shrouded in mystery and controversy. So when marketing expert Eleanor is called in to revamp Abbotsville's image, she is intrigued - but she soon discovers there's more to the clone farm than meets the eye... 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Jenny Stephens 
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild 
 
Project Raphael 
Agent Finch - Deborah McAndrew 
Agent Evans - Aneirin Hughes 
Malcolm Holmes - Dan Hagley 
Polly Williams - Emily Chennery 
Moira Holmes - Sunny Ormonde 
Agent Raphael - John Flitcroft 
PC Ahmed - Saikat Ahamed 
Emily Cross - Sophie Samuda 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio, 14-16 January 2008 
 
Project Archangel 
Malcolm Holmes - Dan Hagley 
Polly Williams - Emily Chennery 
Moira Holmes - Sunny Ormonde 
Agent Winston Cardell - Delroy Brown 
Victor Peshkov - Christian Rodska 
Mike - Richard Derrington 
Agent Raphael - John Flitcroft 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio, 13-16 December 2010 
 
Jefferson 37 
Jefferson 37 - Oliver Hembrough 
Patel 2 - Dharmesh Patel 
Eleanor Riley - Alison Carney 
Dr Abbots - David Birrell 
Dr Martell - Rob Swinton 
Lucy White 44 - Emily Chennery 
Paul Smith - Alex Jones 
Saskia Treby 9 - Helen Monks 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio, 11-14 February 2008 
 
Copyright © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Project Raphael

Three BBC Radio sci-fi thrillers

Sheridan Le Fanu

Dramatisations and readings of Sheridan Le Fanu's best-known Gothic masterpieces 
 
One of the leading ghost story writers of the Victorian era, Sheridan Le Fanu is renowned for his chilling tales of mystery and horror. His pioneering lesbian vampire novella Carmilla was a major influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula, and spawned numerous film adaptations including Hammer Horror's Karnstein Trilogy. 
 
Opening this anthology is a dramatisation of that classic tale, starring Anne-Marie Duff as Laura, the lonely girl living in a solitary Austrian castle, who strikes up a dangerous friendship with the mysterious, bewitching Carmilla. It is followed by Ian MacDiarmid's reading of 'Schalken the Painter', the eerie story of a 17th Century Flemish artist in love with his master's daughter. 
 
Le Fanu's suspenseful Gothic thriller, Uncle Silas, about a young heiress placed under the guardianship of her father's disgraced brother, is dramatised with a full cast including Teresa Gallagher, George Cole, Joan Sims and Dorothy Tutin. Also featured is The Le Fanu Ballads, a supernatural portmanteau drama bridging Le Fanu's era and our world today. Based on the short stories 'The Watcher', 'Madam Crowl's Ghost', 'Schalken the Painter' and 'Mr Justice Harbottle', and set in a basement nightclub in Dublin, it stars Paul Chahidi, Haydn Gwynne and Jonathan Forbes. 
 
One unabridged readings conclude our collection. In 'The Ghost and the Bonesetter', read by Sean Barrett, a terrified house-sitter receives an unusual request from the tyrannical spirit of a local squire. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Sheridan Le Fanu 
First published 1838 ('The Ghost and the Bonesetter'), 1839 ('Schalken the Painter'), 1847 ('The Watcher'), 1864 (Uncle Silas), 1871 ('Madam Crowl's Ghost'), 1872 (Carmilla, 'Mr Justice Harbottle') 
 
Carmilla 
Cast: Anne-Marie Duff, Brana Bajic, David Warner, Celia Imrie, Jacqueline Pearce, Nigel Anthony, Roger May, Kenneth Cranham 
Dramatised by Don McCamphill. Produced by Lawrence Jackson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 June 2003 
 
Schalken the Painter 
Read by Ian McDiarmid. Produced by Lawrence Jackson 
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 29-30 May 2006 
 
Uncle Silas 
Cast: Teresa Gallagher, Graham Crowden, Dorothy Tutin, Joan Sims, Kathleen Byron, Tessa Worsley, John Hartley, Jonathan Keeble, Roger May, Geoffrey Whitehead, Stephen Critchlow, George Cole, Jane Whittenshaw, George A Cooper, Becky Hindley, Pauline Letts, David Collings, John Evitts, Linda Regan, Joan Littlewood 
Dramatised by Alan Drury. Directed by Enyd Williams 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8-22 October 1995 
 
The Le Fanu Ballads 
Cast: Paul Chahidi, Haydn Gwynne, Jonathan Forbes, Ruth Everett, Matthew Durkan, Alexandra Hannant, Rebecca Crankshaw, Chris Jack, Michael Begley, Neil McCaul. 
Sheridan Le Fanu's ghost stories adapted by Neil Brand 
Directed by Tracey Neale. 
Music composed and played by Neil Brand, with 'Nuala's Ballad' sung by Ruth Everett 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 April 2022 
 
The Ghost and the Bonesetter 
Read by Sean Barrett. Produced by Gemma Jenkins 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 September 2001 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

J. Sheridan Le Fanu: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Gothic Horror Collection

Carmilla, Uncle Silas, Shalker the Painter & more

Jeffrey Archer

Two full-cast dramatisations of Jeffrey Archer's thrillers with narration by Jeffrey Archer himself 
 
Jeffery Archer is a New York Times bestselling author, published in over 37 languages across 97 countries. Jeffrey Archer's debut novel Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less from 1976 is dramatised here in seven parts by Betty Davis; as well as his later work A Matter of Honour, which was recently rediscovered in the collection of an amateur archivist after the recording was lost on delivery to the BBC archives. The sound quality of A Matter of Honour may be affected as a result. 
 
Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less 
 
The conned: an Oxford don, a revered society physician, a chic French art dealer, and a charming English lord. They have one thing in common. Overnight, each novice investor lost his life's fortune to one man. 
 
The con: Harvey Metcalfe. A brilliant, self-made guru of deceit. A very dangerous individual. And now, a hunted man. With nothing left to lose, four strangers are about to come together - each experts in their own field. 
 
Their plan: find Harvey, shadow him, trap him, and destroy him - penny-for-penny. From the luxurious casinos of Monte Carlo to the high-stakes windows at Ascot; from the bustle of Wall Street to fashionable London galleries, their own ingenious game has begun. 
 
It's called revenge - and they were taught by a master. 
 
Narrated by Jeffrey Archer 
 
Harvey Metcalfe - Stratford Johns 
Stephen Bradley - Paul Darrow 
Adrian Tryner - Francis Matthews 
Jean Pierre Lamanns - Edward de Souza 
Lord James Brigsley - Jeremy Clyde 
Anne Summerton - Lesley-Anne Down 
David Stein - Leonard Fenton 
Jorg Birrer - Sion Probert 
Miss Melkie - Sonia Fraser 
Giovanni - Sean Arnold 
 
Adapted by Betty Davies 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
First Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 October and November 1980 
 
 
A Matter of Honour 
 
10th May 1966: The Tsar's Icon is a fake. It is imperative that the original be found - and by 20th June. Finding it will change the course of human history. 
 
It seems innocent enough. A disgraced British colonel bequeaths a mysterious letter to his only son. But the moment Adam Scott opens the yellowing envelope, he sets into motion a deadly chain of events that threatens to shake the very foundations of the free world. 
 
When at last he comes to understand what he is in possession of, he's even more determined to protect it, for it's more than a matter of life and death - it's a matter of honour. 
 
Narrated by Jeffrey Archer 
 
Adam Scott - Michael York 
Alexander Romanov - Simon Ward 
Lawrence Pemberton - Tom Chadbon 
Brezhnev - Czeslaw Grocholski 
Zaborski - John Church 
Petrova - Jill Lidstone 
Heidi - Helena Breck 
Konstantinov - George Roubicek 
Goering - Garard Green 
Gerard Scott - Manning Wilson 
Mrs Scott - Pauline Letts 
Wainwright - Eric Stovell 
Other parts played by Sheila Grant, Ronald Herdman, Gordon Reid and Jill Simcox 
 
Dramatised by Brian Sibley 
Directed by Glyn Dearman 
 
First Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 November and December 1986 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jeffrey Archer: Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less & A Matter of Honour

2 BBC Radio 4 full-cast thrillers

Val McDermid

A BBC Radio collection of full-cast dramatisations, radio plays and short stories by the bestselling crime writer 
 
Award-winning 'Queen of Crime' Val McDermid has sold over 17 million books worldwide, and been translated into over 40 languages. Her 'Wire in the Blood' series was adapted for TV, starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris, and ran for six seasons. Included here are full-cast adaptations of several of her acclaimed novels, as well as four tales specially written for BBC Radio. 
 
Clean Break - When a Monet is stolen from a stately home where she'd arranged the security, Manchester-based PI Kate Brannigan sets off on a chase across Europe that brings her face-to-face with organised crime. Starring Charlotte Coleman. 
 
The Right Chemistry - Jane Hazelgrove stars in this follow-up to Clean Break, which sees Kate embroiled in a deadly case of industrial sabotage, blackmail, counterfeiting and murder. 
 
The Distant Echo - Late one night in the snow, four students stumble upon the body of a dead girl. 25 years later, the police launch a cold-case review of the unsolved murder - but is the killing over? A thrilling dramatisation of the first 'Karen Pirie' novel, starring Jimmy Chisholm, John-Paul Hurley and Claire Knight. 
 
Village SOS - Investigating a murder in the sleepy Northumbrian village of Shilwick, DCI Marion Bettany and DS John Hodgson find the residents curiously reluctant to help. Helen Baxendale and David Seddon star as the detective duo. 
 
Resistance - Midsummer, and 150,000 revellers are partying at the Solstice music festival. But then people start to get sick with a mystery illness: one that's highly contagious and seemingly resistant to antibiotics... Gina McKee stars in this chilling, apocalyptic drama. 
 
I Remember Yesterday - A young woman haunts Edinburgh's alleyways, seeking revenge to the '70s strains of Donna Summer. Hannah Donaldson reads this spine-chilling ghost story. 
 
Same Crime, Next Year - Set in Harrogate, this gripping tale imagines the fallout from the torrid affair of two crime writers. Read by Siobhan Redmond. 
 
Text copyright © Val McDermid 1995 (Clean Break), 2003 (The Distant Echo), 2011 (Village SOS), 2013 (I Remember Yesterday), 2016 (Same Crime, Next Year), 2017 (Resistance) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Filters

Category

Publication Date

Format

Series

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter