Charles Dickens: A BBC Biography

A BBC radio collection celebrating Charles Dickens' life, work and influence 
 
Charles Dickens was a literary giant, second only to Shakespeare in the ranks of England's greatest writers. This extensive biographical collection looks at the man, his novels and his legacy to provide an all-round portrait of the much-loved author. 
 
Michael Eaton's five-play cycle Dickens in London, starring Samuel Barnett, Alex Jennings and Antony Sher, explores Dickens' changing relationship with the city that fired his imagination. His numerous achievements are discussed in Great Lives: Charles Dickens (featuring Armando Iannucci and Humphrey Carpenter) and In Our Time: Dickens (featuring Melvyn Bragg and guests). Sam West reads from Dickens' letters in Words and Music: Dickens's World; Simon Watts tells how the author's 1842 visit to the US became a turning point in his career in Witness History: Dickens in America; Ian Gillan takes a tour of Dickens' old home in Pride of Place: 48 Doughty Street; and in Night Waves, Philip Dodd talks to Claire Tomalin about her definitive biography, Charles Dickens: A Life. 
 
Literary Pursuits finds Sarah Dillon hunting for the story behind the story of Dickens' classic masterpiece, Great Expectations; and in The Mystery of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Frances Fyfield ponders what happened to the hero of Charles Dickens's final, unfinished novel? In Free Thinking: Dickens, Matthew Sweet and guests examine his oeuvre and the way his work connects with the present day, while Landmarks: Charles Dickens is devoted to the great author's final completed novel, Our Mutual Friend. 
 
Finally, Indian writer Ayeesha Menon finds out about her country's love affair with Charles Dickens in The Documentary: Dickens and India - Mutual Friends; and his enduring significance is explored in the five-part Radio 3 series The Writer's Dickens, in which contemporary novelists Tessa Hadley, Romesh Gunesekera, AL Kennedy, Alexander McCall Smith and Justin Cartwright consider the craft of Dickens' prose and reveal how he is both a role model and a shadow looming over their own writing. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Complete BBC Radio 4 Collection

Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive: Series 1-4

Creator of The Thick Of It, I'm Alan Partridge and Veep and films In The Loop and The Death Of Stalin, Armando Iannucci is probably the most famous writer/director/satirist of his generation. Here he hosts his own award-wining radio show.

Creator of The Thick Of It, I'm Alan Partridge and Veep and films In The Loop and The Death Of Stalin, Armando Iannucci is probably the most famous writer/director/satirist of his generation. Here he hosts his own award-wining radio show. 
 
Comedians who guested over the four series include David Mitchell, Michael McIntyre, Russell Howard, Miranda Hart, Jo Brand, Phill Jupitus, Stewart Lee, Jack Dee, Clive Anderson and a young John Oliver (before he was launched to stardom on The Daily Show).

Facts & Fancies

A compilation of readings from the book of the same name by the co-creator of the comedy series, Knowing Me, Knowing You . Iannucci proffers his inaccurate insights into science, the arts, and such topics as the first fist-fight on the moon, an Official History of Noises, the War between Savoury Eaters and the Sweet-toothed Peoples and the Existence of Nonsense. Read by Armando Iannucci.

Two Episodes from the Hit BBC TV Series and a Christmas Special

I'm Alan Partridge & Knowing Me, Knowing Yule

Steve Coogan is the king of tan slacks and bad taste in these two episodes from the BBC television spoof chat show.

Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge, the crass chat show host who has a spectacular fall from grace in these 3 BBC TV episodes.   'Knowing me, Knowing Yule' (29 December 1995)  In a special Christmas edition of his television chat show, the irrespressible Alan bids the nation good tidings from 'an exact replica reproduction' of the interior of his house - and counts the BBC's Chief Commissioning Editor amongst his guests. However, his attempts to secure a second series go far from well... in fact they end in complete disaster.   'I'm Alan Partridge - A Room with an Alan' (3 November 1997)  Since the catastrophic end to his chat show, Alan has been rebuilding his career as an early morning DJ on Radio Norwich. His wife has left him for a fitness instructor, and Alan has moved to the Linton Travel Tavern - where, he says 'they make a cracking Irish coffee.' In this first episode we meet Alan's personal assistant Lynn, whom he describes as being like Burt Reynolds - very reliable, but she's got a moustache.   'I'm Alan Partridge Alan Attraction' (10 November 1997)  The romantic excitement of Valentine's Day is tempered with ill tidings for Alan, who's faced with the prospect of giving up his Rover 200 and sacking everyone at his production company. He still finds time, though, to whisk the lovely Jill off for a day at the local bird sanctuary, in the hope that she genuinely likes him 'sex-wise'.

Two Episodes from the Hit BBC TV Series

Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge

Steve Coogan is the king of tan slacks and bad taste in these two episodes from the BBC Television spoof chat show series.

'Knowing me Alan Partridge, knowing you... a-ha!'   A lot of people say that, when it comes to drama and comedy, the pictures are so much better on the radio. As Alan Partridge says, 'all those people are wrong'.   There's a new chat in town as the hit programme comes live from BBC Television Centre, and Alan ushers on a variety of guests including horsewoman of few words Sue Lewis, powerful hypnotist Tony le Mesmer, fashion designer Yvonne Boyd, and husband and wife thespians Tania Baker and Gary Baker. There's also a whole edition of the programme broadcast from sexy Paris, city of French people.   Joining Steve Coogan as he squirms his way across the easy chairs are Steve Brown, Minnie Driver, Rebecca Front, Melanie Hudson, Doon MacKichan, Patrick Marber and David Schneider.

Armando Iannucci

Peter Capaldi

Rebecca Front

Joanna Scanlan

Chris Addison

James Smith

Roger Allam

Full Cast

The Complete BBC TV Soundtracks

Revisit your favourite moments from the cult political comedy with this audio collection of the complete TV soundtracks 
 
Described as ‘the 21st century’s answer to Yes Minister’, this scabrous satire set in the corridors of the British government ran for four series between 2005 and 2012. It won numerous awards, including five BAFTAs, and is frequently ranked among the greatest TV shows of all time. 
 
Following the relationships between successive government ministers, their advisors and the media, it takes us behind the scenes at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship (DoSac), as a succession of hapless MPs — including Nicola Murray (Rebecca Front) and Peter Mannion (Roger Allam) — go head-to-head with Number Ten's ferocious, foul-mouthed enforcer, Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi). Trying to keep them out of trouble are SpAds Ollie Reeder (Chris Addison) and Glenn Cullen (James Smith), and press secretary Terri Coverley (Joanna Scanlan). 
 
Featuring the complete Series 1-4 of the hit show, plus the three Specials, this soundtrack collection brings you all their political machinations and omnishambles to listen to on the go. So prepare to immerse yourself in government embarrassment, ministerial cock-ups, policy U-turns, Coalition rows, backroom deals and back-stabbing, as the DoSac team are caught up in a whirlwind of wild media speculation, career-ending scandal and frantic spin-doctoring... 
 
NB: Contains strong language and adult humour 
 
Production credits 
Devised by Armando Iannucci 
Written by Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell, Rob Colley, Roger Drew, Dan Gaster, Sean Gray, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche and Will Smith 
Produced by Adam Tandy and Armando Iannucci 
Directed by Armando Iannucci, Natalie Bailey, Billy Sneddon, Becky Martin, Chris Addison and Tony Roche 
Executive producers: Jon Plowman, Mark Freeland, Armando Iannucci and Andy Forssell 
Edited by Billy Sneddon, David Frisby and Ant Boys 
Production designer: Simon Rogers 
 
Cast 
Malcolm Tucker – Peter Capaldi 
Ollie Reeder – Chris Addison 
Glenn Cullen – James Smith 
Terri Coverley – Joanna Scanlan 
Hugh Abbott – Chris Langham 
Nicola Murray – Rebecca Front 
Peter Mannion – Roger Allam 
Angela Heaney – Lucinda Raikes 
Dan Miller – Tony Gardner 
Robyn Murdoch – Polly Kemp 
Jamie – Paul Higgins 
Julius Nicholson – Alex Macqueen 
Ben Swain – Justin Edwards 
Stewart Pearson – Vincent Franklin 
Emma Messenger – Olivia Poulet 
Phil Smith – Will Smith 
Adam Kenyon – Ben Willbond 
Fergus Williams – Geoffrey Streatfeild 
Helen Hatley – Rebecca Gethings 
 
Series 1, 2 and Specials first broadcast BBC Four: 19 May-2 June 2005 (Series 1), 20 October-3 November 2005 (Series 2), 2 January 2007 (‘The Rise of the Nutters’), 3 July 2007 (‘Spinners and Losers’, ‘Opposition Extra’) 
Series 3 and 4 first broadcast BBC Two: 24 October-12 December 2009 (Series 3), 8 September-27 October 2012 (Series 4) 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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