The BBC Radio 4 Comedy

Jack & Millie: Series 3

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

The Cinderella Killer, Dead Room Farce, Star Trap, A Doubtful Death & A Deadly Habit

Charles Paris: A Third BBC Radio Collection

Bill Nighy stars as the irrepressible Charles Paris in these five BBC Radio dramatisations 
 
Actor, alcoholic and amateur sleuth Charles Paris returns in another quintet of humorous theatrical thrillers. All Charles asks for is a nice juicy part in a successful play - but wherever he appears on the bill, murder and mystery always play a starring role... 
 
The Cinderella Killer - Panto seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but when the show's star is found dead, the slapstick must make way for a murder investigation. 
 
Dead Room Farce - Charles is appearing in a revival of a 1970s farce. But when two cast members die in suspicious circumstances, he suspects foul play is afoot. 
 
Star Trap - When a series of accidents befalls the cast of a West End musical, Charles steps in to investigate. Who is trying to sabotage the show - and why? 
 
A Doubtful Death - Charles has landed a role in an immersive theatre production of Hamlet. But when an actress goes missing, he must decide if it is to be or not to be a murder case... Also included with this story is an exclusive afterword with scriptwriter Jeremy Front, who adapted it from an unproduced screenplay by Simon Brett. He reveals what it's like behind the scenes of Charles Paris, and explains the mechanics of recording for radio. 
 
A Deadly Habit - Offered a job in a verbatim theatre piece set in a monastery, Charles has reservations. Then disaster strikes the production - and he smells criminality... 
 
Written by Jeremy Front 
Based on the novels and screenplay by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
 
Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice 
 
Text copyright © Simon Brett 1977 (Star Trap), 1998 (Dead Room Farce), 2014 (The Cinderella Killer), 2018 (A Deadly Habit), 2020 (A Doubtful Death) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Murder in the Title, A Reconstructed Corpse, An Amateur Corpse, Corporate Bodies & A Decent Interval

Charles Paris: A Second BBC Radio Collection

Bill Nighy stars as the lovably louche Charles Paris in these five BBC Radio dramatisations 
 
Charles Paris - unsuccessful actor, bad husband, and dipsomaniac - is back, and getting into trouble once more. As he tries to woo back his semi-detached wife, Frances, and land a few half-decent roles, he finds himself embroiled in murder and mayhem and forced to turn detective. Luckily, his sleuthing is much better than his acting... 
 
Murder in the Title - The thespian sleuth gets a part in a terrible play - but someone wants to kill off the cast. First a series of nasty accidents occur, then Charles is the victim of an attempted stabbing. Can he find the killer, or will he be fired first? 
 
A Reconstructed Corpse - Charles is playing a missing businessman in a crime reconstruction programme. But when severed body parts begin to appear, he must piece together a macabre jigsaw puzzle of murder. 
 
An Amateur Corpse - What starts as a simple voiceover job leads Charles to the discovery of a dead body. Could his old friend Hugo really be a murderer? All the signs are pointing that way... 
 
Corporate Bodies - A corporate video turns into a horror movie when a secretary is killed. As he investigates, Charles uncovers blackmail, sexual intrigue and multiple motives for murder amongst the workforce. 
 
A Decent Interval - Cast as The Ghost and First Gravedigger in Hamlet, Charles is finding rehearsals tense as both the lead roles are being played by reality TV stars. But soon it's not just Shakespeare's lines being murdered... 
 
Written by Jeremy Front 
Based on the novels by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
 
Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice 
 
Text copyright © Simon Brett 1978 (An Amateur Corpse), 1983 (Murder in the Title), 1991 (Corporate Bodies), 1993 (A Reconstructed Corpse), 2013 (A Decent Interval) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A Series of Murders, Sicken and So Die, Murder Unprompted, The Dead Side of the Mic & Cast in Order of Disappearance

Charles Paris: A BBC Radio Collection

Five full-cast BBC radio dramatisations, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris 
 
Thespian sleuth Charles Paris is his own worst enemy, a louche lush who can resist anything except temptation - especially in the form of women and alcohol. Estranged from his long-suffering wife, Frances, his personal life is shambolic, and as an actor, he's C-list at best. But he does have a talent for solving murders - which is just as well, because wherever he goes, someone seems to drop dead... 
 
A Series of Murders - Charles has landed a juicy part playing Sergeant Collins in the TV detective series, 'The Stanislaus Braid Mysteries'. But will all the deadly doings be restricted to on-screen? 
 
Sicken and So Die - A suspected poisoner is on the loose in a production of Twelfth Night - can Charles track down the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy? 
 
Murder Unprompted - There's drama backstage when a murder is discovered in a West End theatre production. Has Charles time to find the killer before the curtain goes up? 
 
The Dead Side of the Mic - A job with the BBC radio rep coincides with the mysterious death of a studio manager in Broadcasting House. Once again, Charles steps in to investigate... 
 
Cast in Order of Disappearance - Playing a middle-management vampire in 'The Wreathing', Charles finds himself dealing with a blackmailer, a maiden in distress - and a murderer. Has he bitten off more than he can chew? 
 
Written by Jeremy Front 
Based on the novels by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
 
Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice 
 
Text copyright © Simon Brett 1975 (Cast in Order of Disappearance), 1980 (The Dead Side of the Mic), 1982 (Murder Unprompted), 1989 (A Series of Murders), 1995 (Sicken and So Die) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Charles Paris: So Much Blood

A brand new full-cast BBC radio dramatisation, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris 
 
'Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It's the role he was born to play.' The Telegraph 
 
August in Edinburgh, and thousands of performers of all stripes have flocked to the Fringe Festival. Among them is Charles Paris filling in at the last minute after a student actress breaks a leg and has to drop out. Showcasing an earnest one-man show in a sea of stand-up comics is a bit of a gamble, but at least he's acting, and with a Charles Paris production, what could possibly go wrong? 
 
Charles is sharing a venue with a group of student actors, but when one of the performers dies in a freak stabbing, the actor-cum-amateur sleuth smells a murderous rat and decides to investigate. When the killer sets his sights on him, Charles realises that he must be getting close to the truth - despite not having a clue what's going on... 
 
Help arrives in the form of his agent, Maurice, in town scouting for talent, and Charles' 'semi-detached' wife, Frances, who inadvertently finds herself directing Charles' show. The three become drawn into the mystery, and find themselves playing detectives. This unlikely trio are way out of their depth, but when has that ever stopped Charles Paris? 
 
Jeremy Front's witty drama stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front 
Based on the novel by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
 
Cast 
Charles Paris - Bill Nighy 
Frances - Suzanne Burden 
Maurice - Jon Glover 
James - Roger Ringrose 
Anna - Natasha K Stone 
Martin - Connor Curren 
Laura - Chloe Sommer 
Angus/Sam - Tom Kiteley 
Tessa - Joanna Monro 
Eilish - Catriona Stirling 
Sophie - Fiona Skinner 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9th-30th June 2023 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It's the role he was born to play.

A brand new full-cast BBC radio dramatisation, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris 
 
'Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It's the role he was born to play.' The Telegraph 
 
August in Edinburgh, and thousands of performers of all stripes have flocked to the Fringe Festival. Among them is Charles Paris filling in at the last minute after a student actress breaks a leg and has to drop out. Showcasing an earnest one-man show in a sea of stand-up comics is a bit of a gamble, but at least he's acting, and with a Charles Paris production, what could possibly go wrong? 
 
Charles is sharing a venue with a group of student actors, but when one of the performers dies in a freak stabbing, the actor-cum-amateur sleuth smells a murderous rat and decides to investigate. When the killer sets his sights on him, Charles realises that he must be getting close to the truth - despite not having a clue what's going on... 
 
Help arrives in the form of his agent, Maurice, in town scouting for talent, and Charles' 'semi-detached' wife, Frances, who inadvertently finds herself directing Charles' show. The three become drawn into the mystery, and find themselves playing detectives. This unlikely trio are way out of their depth, but when has that ever stopped Charles Paris? 
 
Jeremy Front's witty drama stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front 
Based on the novel by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
 
Cast 
Charles Paris - Bill Nighy 
Frances - Suzanne Burden 
Maurice - Jon Glover 
James - Roger Ringrose 
Anna - Natasha K Stone 
Martin - Connor Curren 
Laura - Chloe Sommer 
Angus/Sam - Tom Kiteley 
Tessa - Joanna Monro 
Eilish - Catriona Stirling 
Sophie - Fiona Skinner 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9th-30th June 2023 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

30 Festive Dramas and Stories

A BBC Christmas Collection

A sparkling seasonal anthology of BBC dramas and readings 
 
Christmas is the perfect time to curl up with a good story, and this cracking collection brings you 30 wonderfully diverse tales inspired by this most special of seasons. From Santa Claus, gift-giving and family gatherings, to an unexpected encounter in a snowstorm and an alternative take on the Nativity, they're sure to get you in the festive mood. 
 
Here are modern readings of classics such as Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Tree', Anton Chekhov's 'At Christmas Time', Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Fir Tree', O Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi', Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Christmas Storms and Sunshine' and Leo Tolstoy's 'Papa Panov's Special Christmas'. Alongside them is some superb short fiction by contemporary authors, including Stella Duffy ('South'), Paul McVeigh ('Daddy Christmas'), Laura Barnett ('Survivors'), and nine delightful stories by Alexander McCall Smith. Among the stellar narrators are Don Gilet, Nina Sosanya, Hannah Gordon, Stephanie Cole and Meera Syal. 
 
Interspersed with these are a range of spellbinding plays, including Rachel Joyce's poignant Christmas by the Lake; festive action comedy Lena Marsh, Live and Schticking! by Jeremy Front; a very unusual and very dangerous Santa in The Morpeth Carol by Timothy X Atack; and Robert Hudson and Marie Phillips' epistolary animal tale, Some Hay in a Manger, introduced by Stephen Fry. All feature star casts including Niamh Cusack, Robert Lindsay, Sam Troughton, Clare Corbett, Tamsin Greig and Joel Fry. 
 
Heartwarming and heartfelt, comic and bittersweet, moving and magical, these fantastic, evocative stories are a real Christmas treat. 
 
Note: Chapter metadata updated in January 2023. 
 
Contents 
Christmas by the Lake by Rachel Joyce 
Christmas Short Stories by Alexander McCall Smith: 
· 'Motordrome' 
· 'The Revenge, or Otherwise, of Herbie Bontemps' 
· 'How to Escape in Gaelic' 
· 'The Colourful Life of Cousin Grace' 
· 'Good President Wenceslas' 
The Christmas Present by Ben Crompton 
Christmas Compass: Series 1: 
· 'North' by Malachy Tallack 
· 'South' by Stella Duffy 
· 'East' by Ruth Thomas 
· 'West' by Mike McCormack 
A Time to Dance by Lucy Gannon 
Christmas Compass: Series 2 by Alexander McCall Smith 
· 'Winter Journey' 
· 'In the DRC' 
· 'Primatologist' 
· 'On The Island' 
Midnight at Christmas by Elliott Kerrigan 
'The Fir Tree' by Hans Christian Andersen 
'At Christmas Time'by Anton Chekhov 
'Papa Panov's Special Christmas' by Leo Tolstoy 
Some Hay in a Manger by Robert Hudson and Marie Phillips 
'Daddy Christmas' by Paul McVeigh 
'Christmas Storms and Sunshine'by Elizabeth Gaskell 
The Morpeth Carol by Timothy X Atack 
'Survivors' by Laura Barnett 
Lena Marsh, Live and Shticking!by Jeremy Front 
'A Christmas Tree' by Charles Dickens 
'The Gift of the Magi' by O Henry 
Get Santa by Peter Gibbs 
'Home' by Christine Dwyer Hickey 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris: Sicken and So Die

Bill Nighy stars as the suave thespian sleuth in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation 
 
Life is good for Charles Paris. He's moved back in with his estranged wife, and has landed a plum stage role as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. But it can't last. First his attempts to woo Frances fall flat, then the play's director is taken ill with gastric trouble. His replacement, Romanian wunderkind Alex Radelescu, is determined to take the play in a radical new direction - with or without Charles. 
 
When a second member of the company falls sick, Charles begins to suspect a poisoner is on the loose - and the next victim could be him. Can he unmask the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy? 
 
Adapted by Jeremy Front, this engaging dramatisation stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, Jon Glover as Maurice and Julian Rhind-Tutt as Alex Radelescu. 
 
'Always a treat' Gillian Reynolds, Sunday Times 
 
Production credits 
Written by Simon Brett 
Adapted by Jeremy Front 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 August-20 September 2006 
 
Cast 
Charles Paris - Bill Nighy 
Frances - Suzanne Burden 
Maurice - Jon Glover 
Ken Carter - Peter Wight 
Alex Radelescu - Julian Rhind-Tutt 
Vivienne Marlin - Elizabeth Bell 
Gavin Scholes - Thomas Wheatley 
Jack Bradley - John Cummins 
Sally Luther - Tracy Wiles 
Ben Ritson - Tom Lawrence 
Vasile Bogdan/Scott - Ryan McCluskey 
Talya Northcott - Alex Tregear 
Inspector Dewar - Kim Wall 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Seven BBC full-cast romantic comedies

Hopes and Desires

Seven BBC full-cast romantic comedies about love, longing and life-changing moments 
 
Written by a host of top radio writers and starring some of Britain's finest actors, these sparkling, beautifully crafted comedy dramas are centred around people with unconscious yearnings. From the serial seducer to the lonely mother's boy, each is looking for love - but will they find it? 
 
Vongole by Michael Butt: Oxford professor Tristram Swann's favourite pastime is wooing his female students with Petrarch and pasta. But what is he really after? Starring Bill Nighy. 
 
The Non-Entity by Marcy Kahan: Once a successful Soviet hack, Dimitri hasn't sold a story since the fall of Communism. So why has a British publisher flown out to Moscow to see him? Starring Kenneth Cranham, Eleanor Bron and Sylvestre Le Touzel. 
 
Toad Squad by Nick Warburton: Bitter at being retired prematurely, Reg embarks on a mission to protect the humble toad. Starring Philip Jackson and Amanda Root. 
 
The Anniversary Waltz by Jeremy Front: Deli owners Max and Shirley spend their days sniping at one another - but a sudden epiphany makes them realise things have got to change... Starring Prunella Scales, Roger Allam and Rebecca Front. 
 
Catching Heathcliff by Nick Warburton: Lindsey dreams of someone brooding and passionate - and then Morton walks into her book group... Starring Philip Jackson and Amanda Root. 
 
Battersea Triangle by Michael Butt: Passive Dougie is trapped in a relationship with his domineering boss, Angela. When he meets the docile India, his problems seem to be over - but are they just beginning? Starring Mark Benton, Christine Kavanagh and Indira Varma. 
 
The Dangers of Self-Hypnosis by Gary Ogin: Having had no luck with speed-dating, Maurice turns to a self-hypnosis CD to find romance. Exploring his subconscious, he finds the beautiful Rachel... Starring Richard Coyle, Prunella Scales and Sophie Winkleman. 
 
 
Produced and directed by Peter Kavanagh 
 
Vongole 
Tristram - Bill Nighy 
Minnie - Emma Callander 
Helen - Miranda Colchester 
Freddie - Stephen Critchlow 
Mamma/Judy - Carolyn Jones 
Written by Michael Butt 
 
The Non-Entity 
Dmitri - Kenneth Cranham 
Annoushka - Eleanor Bron 
Claire - Sylvestra Le Touzel 
Robert - Stephen Critchlow 
Written by Marcy Kahan 
 
Toad Squad 
Reg - Philip Jackson 
Bel - Amanda Root 
Mr Topping - Jonathan Coy 
Written by Nick Warburton 
 
The Anniversary Waltz 
Shirley - Prunella Scales 
Max - Roger Allam 
Roszinka - Rebecca Front 
Girl - Rosie Fellner 
Marcy - Liza Sadovy 
Toastmaster/Old man - Bruce Purchase 
Written by Jeremy Front 
 
Catching Heathcliff 
Graham - Philip Jackson 
Lindsey - Amanda Root 
Heathcliff/Morton - Mark Straker 
Postman - Nick Warburton 
Written by Nick Warburton 
 
Battersea Triangle 
Dougie - Mark Benton 
India - Indira Varma 
Angela - Christine Kavanagh 
Fiona - Emily Rose Smith 
Written by Michael Butt 
 
The Dangers of Self-Hypnosis 
Maurice - Richard Coyle 
Mother - Prunella Scales 
Rachel - Sophie Winkleman 
Abigail - Christine Kavanagh 
Hypnotist/Judge - Sam Dale 
Daniel - Mark Straker 
Written by Gary Ogin 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Seven BBC full-cast romantic comedies about love, longing and life-changing moments 
 
 Written by a host of top radio writers and starring some of Britain's finest actors, these sparkling, beautifully crafted comedy dramas are centred around people with unconscious yearnings. From the serial seducer to the lonely mother's boy, each is looking for love - but will they find it? 
 
 Vongole by Michael Butt: Oxford professor Tristram Swann's favourite pastime is wooing his female students with Petrarch and pasta. But what is he really after? Starring Bill Nighy. 
 
 The Non-Entity by Marcy Kahan: Once a successful Soviet hack, Dimitri hasn't sold a story since the fall of Communism. So why has a British publisher flown out to Moscow to see him? Starring Kenneth Cranham, Eleanor Bron and Sylvestre Le Touzel. 
 
 Toad Squad by Nick Warburton: Bitter at being retired prematurely, Reg embarks on a mission to protect the humble toad. Starring Philip Jackson and Amanda Root. 
 
 The Anniversary Waltz by Jeremy Front: Deli owners Max and Shirley spend their days sniping at one another - but a sudden epiphany makes them realise things have got to change... Starring Prunella Scales, Roger Allam and Rebecca Front. 
 
 Catching Heathcliff by Nick Warburton: Lindsey dreams of someone brooding and passionate - and then Morton walks into her book group... Starring Philip Jackson and Amanda Root. 
 
 Battersea Triangle by Michael Butt: Passive Dougie is trapped in a relationship with his domineering boss, Angela. When he meets the docile India, his problems seem to be over - but are they just beginning? Starring Mark Benton, Christine Kavanagh and Indira Varma. 
 
 The Dangers of Self-Hypnosis by Gary Ogin: Having had no luck with speed-dating, Maurice turns to a self-hypnosis CD to find romance. Exploring his subconscious, he finds the beautiful Rachel... Starring Richard Coyle, Prunella Scales and Sophie Winkleman. 
 
 
 Produced and directed by Peter Kavanagh 
 
 Vongole 
 Tristram - Bill Nighy 
 Minnie - Emma Callander 
 Helen - Miranda Colchester 
 Freddie - Stephen Critchlow 
 Mamma/Judy - Carolyn Jones 
 Written by Michael Butt 
 
 The Non-Entity 
 Dmitri - Kenneth Cranham 
 Annoushka - Eleanor Bron 
 Claire - Sylvestra Le Touzel 
 Robert - Stephen Critchlow 
 Written by Marcy Kahan 
 
 Toad Squad 
 Reg - Philip Jackson 
 Bel - Amanda Root 
 Mr Topping - Jonathan Coy 
 Written by Nick Warburton 
 
 The Anniversary Waltz 
 Shirley - Prunella Scales 
 Max - Roger Allam 
 Roszinka - Rebecca Front 
 Girl - Rosie Fellner 
 Marcy - Liza Sadovy 
 Toastmaster/Old man - Bruce Purchase 
 Written by Jeremy Front 
 
 Catching Heathcliff 
 Graham - Philip Jackson 
 Lindsey - Amanda Root 
 Heathcliff/Morton - Mark Straker 
 Postman - Nick Warburton 
 Written by Nick Warburton 
 
 Battersea Triangle 
 Dougie - Mark Benton 
 India - Indira Varma 
 Angela - Christine Kavanagh 
 Fiona - Emily Rose Smith 
 Written by Michael Butt 
 
 The Dangers of Self-Hypnosis 
 Maurice - Richard Coyle 
 Mother - Prunella Scales 
 Rachel - Sophie Winkleman 
 Abigail - Christine Kavanagh 
 Hypnotist/Judge - Sam Dale 
 Daniel - Mark Straker 
 Written by Gary Ogin 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris: A Deadly Habit

Actor and sleuth Charles Paris is back in this full-cast BBC radio dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel, starring Bill Nighy 
 
Locked down with his semi-detached wife Frances, Charles has thrown himself into a new career as a handyman, becoming quite the DIY expert. He's developed muscles, stopped smoking and even cut back on the booze. 
 
Then his agent, Maurice, offers him the chance to get back on stage - and in a West End play, no less. The star, Justin Grover, asked for him specifically: but Charles has reservations. Grover was cocky enough when they were both young hopefuls; now he's the star of a massive TV fantasy series, and the play - a verbatim piece set in a monastery - is dire. 
 
So why has Justin signed up for it? He certainly doesn't need the money, unlike Charles. The cast is drearily male, and before long Charles is hitting the Scotch again. When he drunkenly stumbles over the corpse of a fellow actor, Charles panics, leaving the body to be discovered by someone else. But he soon regrets lying to the police, and driven by guilt and self-preservation, he resolves to find the murderer... 
 
This sparkling adaptation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Emma, Love Actually) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Credits 
Written by Simon Brett 
Adapted by Jeremy Front 
Directed by Sally Avens 
 
Cast 
Charles Paris........................Bill Nighy 
Frances........................Suzanne Burden 
Maurice........................Jon Glover 
Justin ........................Tony Turner 
Lydia ........................Ria Marshall 
Kit ........................Joseph Ayre 
Brendan ........................Jonathan Kydd 
Nina ........................Marilyn Nnadebe 
D.S. Dalby ........................Stewart Campbell 
Alice/Peaches ........................Elinor Coleman 
Kelly/Dervla ........................Jane Slavin 
Bethan ........................Christine Kavanagh 
Neil ........................Simon Ludders 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-24 September 2021 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jack & Millie: Series 2

"Jack &amp; Millie" is the brainchild of Jeremy Front who, with his sister Rebecca Front had been improvising these two characters for years - and now they've been brought to life in a new show... 
 
The second series of this new comedy show is written by Jeremy Front (writer of the Charles Paris mysteries for Radio 4) and stars Jeremy Front and Rebecca Front as Jack &amp; Millie Lemman - an older couple who are fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world... 
 
The show also features Millie's frenemy Shirley - played by Tracy-Ann Oberman, Jack's all-too-easygoing friend Harry (Nigel Lindsay), their high-pressure son Melvin (Harry Peacock) and their high-maintenance (and Catholic) (and French) daughter-in-law Delphine (Jenny Bede - most recently heard in Tom Neenan's "The Hauntening" and an episode of "John Finnemore's Double Acts" alongside Mathew Baynton). 
 
In the first episode, Jack &amp; Millie are back and ready to deal with Harry's bongos, Delphine's chicken, Shirley's bombshell and a cleaner with flashbacks, while in episode 2, Jack meets an unwanted old friend, Melvin gets hot under the collar, Delphine makes a French joke and Shirley and Millie get an unexpected buzz... 
 
In episode 3, Jack &amp; Millie's TV binge comes to an abrupt end when they have to face a mindfulness pillow, a Tudor sallet and some hot yoga and in episode 4, Millie feels like a natural woman while Jack feels like a man grappling with a keyboard, a saucepan and some shonky decking... 
 
The show comes from Pozzitive, proud producers of Cabin Pressure, Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones!, Agendum, Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation, The Brig Society, The Castle, Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive, Shush! &amp; Kevin Eldon Will See You Now...

"Jack &amp; Millie" is the brainchild of Jeremy Front who, with his sister Rebecca Front had been improvising these two characters for years - and now they've been brought to life in a new show... 
 
The second series of this new comedy show is written by Jeremy Front (writer of the Charles Paris mysteries for Radio 4) and stars Jeremy Front and Rebecca Front as Jack &amp; Millie Lemman - an older couple who are fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world... 
 
The show also features Millie's frenemy Shirley - played by Tracy-Ann Oberman, Jack's all-too-easygoing friend Harry (Nigel Lindsay), their high-pressure son Melvin (Harry Peacock) and their high-maintenance (and Catholic) (and French) daughter-in-law Delphine (Jenny Bede - most recently heard in Tom Neenan's "The Hauntening" and an episode of "John Finnemore's Double Acts" alongside Mathew Baynton). 
 
In the first episode, Jack &amp; Millie are back and ready to deal with Harry's bongos, Delphine's chicken, Shirley's bombshell and a cleaner with flashbacks, while in episode 2, Jack meets an unwanted old friend, Melvin gets hot under the collar, Delphine makes a French joke and Shirley and Millie get an unexpected buzz... 
 
In episode 3, Jack &amp; Millie's TV binge comes to an abrupt end when they have to face a mindfulness pillow, a Tudor sallet and some hot yoga and in episode 4, Millie feels like a natural woman while Jack feels like a man grappling with a keyboard, a saucepan and some shonky decking... 
 
The show comes from Pozzitive, proud producers of Cabin Pressure, Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones!, Agendum, Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation, The Brig Society, The Castle, Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive, Shush! &amp; Kevin Eldon Will See You Now...

Decline and Fall, Brideshead Revisited and other full-cast dramatisations

The Evelyn Waugh BBC Radio Drama Collection

This collection brings together Jeremy Front’s dramatisations of Evelyn Waugh’s most loved novels

Evelyn Waugh is one of the pre-eminent English novelists of the 20th Century. This collection comprises six of his finest works, dramatised by award-winning writer Jeremy Front. 
 
Decline and Fall 
Paul Pennyfeather, an earnest, scholarly Oxford student, knows nothing of 1920's high-life - until one night he encounters The Bollinger Club... This darkly comic romp set in the early Jazz Age stars Kieran Hodgson, John Sessions, Emilia Fox and Tom Hollander. 
 
Brideshead Revisited 
During the Second World War, a disillusioned Captain Charles Ryder finds himself posted to Brideshead Castle: the scene of the happiest years of his life and the beginnings of his friendship with Sebastian Flyte. A classic tale of life, love and a forgotten era, starring Ben Miles, Jamie Bamber, Anne-Marie Duff and Toby Jones. 
 
Scoop 
Hapless journalist William Boot is mistakenly sent to report on a war in Africa, where he finds love and ends up in the middle of a revolution... Waugh's celebrated satire of newspaper life stars Rory Kinnear and Tim McInnerny. 
 
Sword of Honour (The Waugh Trilogy) 
This three-part dramatisation of Waugh's satirical masterpiece follows the comic adventures of Guy Crouchbank during World War II. In Men at Arms, Guy is scarred by a broken marriage and searching for a purpose to live. When war breaks out, he feels he may have at last found a cause worth fighting for. Officers and Gentlemen sees Guy sent home in disgrace following a misbegotten raid in Dakar. But his next posting takes him somewhere totally unexpected... In Unconditional Surrender, Guy is beginning to lose his idealism about the war - but his military career is revived with selection for a mission to Italy. 
 
Winner of Best Audio Drama (Adaptation) at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards, this moving trilogy stars Paul Ready as Guy with Tim McInnerny as the Narrator, Tim Pigott-Smith as Brigadier Ritchie-Hook, Lee Ingleby as Trimmer and Lydia Leonard as Virginia. 
 
 
Text copyright © Evelyn Waugh 1928 (Decline and Fall), 1938 (Scoop), 1945 (Brideshead Revisited), 1952 (Men at Arms), 1955 (Officers and Gentlemen), 1961 (Unconditional Surrender). All rights reserved. 
 
Dramatised by Jeremy Front 
 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 October-10 November 2013 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jeremy Front (Author) 
 Jeremy Front is an award winning writer, actor and broadcaster. He studied Fine Art (Painting) at Goldsmith’s, University of London and Central St. Martin’s School of Art. 
 
His first feature length screenplay was shortlisted for the Oxford Film Foundation Prize and first theatre pieces were musical/sketch revues, co-written with his sister, Rebecca Front. Four Times Four, a collection of monologues for women was staged by the RSC in Stratford as part of their New Writing Season. 
 
Jeremy has written extensively for radio and television moving between original and adaptations in both drama and comedy. Work for BBC Radio includes the comedy series: Jack and Millie, seven series of Incredible Women (nominated BBC Audio Drama Award) in both of which he co-stars with Rebecca Front, and the long-running radio comedy series The Charles Paris Mysteries starring Bill Nighy. Jeremy has adapted and dramatized work by Graham Greene Stamboul Train, Elizabeth Gaskell Mr. Harrison’s Confession, John Meade Faulkner The Lost Stradivarius, Anita Loos Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Nominated and Finalist for a Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award), Chekov The Duel and Evelyn Waugh’s Decline and Fall, Scoop, Brideshead Revisited and The Sword of Honour Trilogy (Winner of the BBC Audio Drama Award).

Evelyn Waugh is one of the pre-eminent English novelists of the 20th Century. This collection comprises six of his finest works, dramatised by award-winning writer Jeremy Front. 
 
Decline and Fall 
Paul Pennyfeather, an earnest, scholarly Oxford student, knows nothing of 1920's high-life - until one night he encounters The Bollinger Club... This darkly comic romp set in the early Jazz Age stars Kieran Hodgson, John Sessions, Emilia Fox and Tom Hollander. 
 
Brideshead Revisited 
During the Second World War, a disillusioned Captain Charles Ryder finds himself posted to Brideshead Castle: the scene of the happiest years of his life and the beginnings of his friendship with Sebastian Flyte. A classic tale of life, love and a forgotten era, starring Ben Miles, Jamie Bamber, Anne-Marie Duff and Toby Jones. 
 
Scoop 
Hapless journalist William Boot is mistakenly sent to report on a war in Africa, where he finds love and ends up in the middle of a revolution... Waugh's celebrated satire of newspaper life stars Rory Kinnear and Tim McInnerny. 
 
Sword of Honour (The Waugh Trilogy) 
This three-part dramatisation of Waugh's satirical masterpiece follows the comic adventures of Guy Crouchbank during World War II. In Men at Arms, Guy is scarred by a broken marriage and searching for a purpose to live. When war breaks out, he feels he may have at last found a cause worth fighting for. Officers and Gentlemen sees Guy sent home in disgrace following a misbegotten raid in Dakar. But his next posting takes him somewhere totally unexpected... In Unconditional Surrender, Guy is beginning to lose his idealism about the war - but his military career is revived with selection for a mission to Italy. 
 
Winner of Best Audio Drama (Adaptation) at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards, this moving trilogy stars Paul Ready as Guy with Tim McInnerny as the Narrator, Tim Pigott-Smith as Brigadier Ritchie-Hook, Lee Ingleby as Trimmer and Lydia Leonard as Virginia. 
 
 
Text copyright © Evelyn Waugh 1928 (Decline and Fall), 1938 (Scoop), 1945 (Brideshead Revisited), 1952 (Men at Arms), 1955 (Officers and Gentlemen), 1961 (Unconditional Surrender). All rights reserved. 
 
Dramatised by Jeremy Front 
 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 October-10 November 2013 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris: A Doubtful Death

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor cum amateur sleuth, Charles Paris. In this new drama, Charles Paris is appearing in Hamlet when the actress playing Ophelia apparently commits suicide.

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor-cum-amateur detective Charles Paris 
 
Charles Paris is in Oxford, appearing in a re-imagining of Hamlet by a high-concept drama company. No fan of immersive theatre, he's unimpressed with the director's vision and less than thrilled to be rehearsing alongside puppeteers and mime artists. 
 
But he soon finds himself back on familiar territory when the actress playing Ophelia goes missing, only to turn up dead. Did she take her own life, or was there foul play? As he amasses a list of suspects who might have wished her harm, Charles takes on the mantle of detective once more to decide if this is to be or not to be a murder case... 
 
Scripted for radio by Jeremy Front from a story by Simon Brett, A Doubtful Death stars Bill Nighy (Emma, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Also included is an exclusive 18-minute afterword in which Jeremy Front discusses his experience of adapting an unproduced screenplay, reveals what it's like to work with recurring characters and actors, and explains the mechanics of recording for radio. 
 
Simon Brett OBE has written 19 Charles Paris novels as well as many other detective novels. Jeremy Front is a dramatist and comedic writer; he has won awards for his adaptation of Sword of Honour and co-writes and stars in the series Incredible Women with his sister, Rebecca. 
 
Credits 
Written by Jeremy Front 
From a story by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
Production Coordinator: Cynthia Fagan 
Studio Managers: Anne Bunting, Keith Graham and Jenni Burnett 
Interview produced by Ania Duggan and Roshni Radia 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 May-12 June 2020 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor-cum-amateur detective Charles Paris 
 
Charles Paris is in Oxford, appearing in a re-imagining of Hamlet by a high-concept drama company. No fan of immersive theatre, he's unimpressed with the director's vision and less than thrilled to be rehearsing alongside puppeteers and mime artists. 
 
But he soon finds himself back on familiar territory when the actress playing Ophelia goes missing, only to turn up dead. Did she take her own life, or was there foul play? As he amasses a list of suspects who might have wished her harm, Charles takes on the mantle of detective once more to decide if this is to be or not to be a murder case... 
 
Scripted for radio by Jeremy Front from a story by Simon Brett, A Doubtful Death stars Bill Nighy (Emma, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Also included is an exclusive 18-minute afterword in which Jeremy Front discusses his experience of adapting an unproduced screenplay, reveals what it's like to work with recurring characters and actors, and explains the mechanics of recording for radio. 
 
Simon Brett OBE has written 19 Charles Paris novels as well as many other detective novels. Jeremy Front is a dramatist and comedic writer; he has won awards for his adaptation of Sword of Honour and co-writes and stars in the series Incredible Women with his sister, Rebecca. 
 
Credits 
Written by Jeremy Front 
From a story by Simon Brett 
Produced and directed by Sally Avens 
Production Coordinator: Cynthia Fagan 
Studio Managers: Anne Bunting, Keith Graham and Jenni Burnett 
Interview produced by Ania Duggan and Roshni Radia 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 May-12 June 2020 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris: Star Trap

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche Charles Paris in this BBC radio dramatisation of Simon Brett’s novel

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche Charles Paris in this BBC radio dramatisation of Simon Brett’s novel 
 
When Charles Paris’ agent rings with the news that he has a part for him in a new musical, Charles is delighted – and somewhat amazed, as he can neither sing nor dance. 
 
But Maurice has an ulterior motive: as one of the show’s backers, he wants Charles to play detective and investigate a series of accidents that have dogged the production. The pianist has been shot in the hand and another cast member fell downstairs – or was he pushed? Anxious about their investment and their star, Chris Watt, the ‘angels’ are keen to ensure that nothing else goes wrong. 
 
Joining the company, Charles discovers that Chris, although amazingly talented, is a prima donna who has made enemies of almost everyone. When the accidents resume, it begins to look as if anyone who disagrees with him is being targeted. But would the star really sabotage his own show? Charles must find out – before things turn murderous… 
 
This thrilling adaptation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances.

The BBC Radio 4 comedy

Jack & Millie

Jack &amp; Millie is the brainchild of Jeremy Front who, with his sister Rebecca Front had been improvising these two characters for years - and now they’ve been brought to life in a new show...

Jack &amp; Millie is the brainchild of Jeremy Front who, with his sister Rebecca Front had been improvising these two characters for years - and now they’ve been brought to life in a new show... 
 
 
This new comedy show written by Jeremy Front (writer of the Charles Paris mysteries for Radio 4) and starring Jeremy Front and Rebecca Front as Jack &amp; Millie Lemman - an older couple who are fully engaged with contemporary life whilst being at war with the absurdities of the modern world... 
 
 
The show also features Millie’s frenemy Shirley - played by Tracy-Ann Oberman, Jack’s all-too-easygoing friend Harry (Nigel Lindsay), their high-pressure son Melvin (Harry Peacock) and their high-maintenance (and Catholic) (and French) daughter-in-law Delphine (Jenny Bede - most recently heard in an episode of “John Finnemore’s Double Acts” alongside Mathew Baynton). 
 
 
Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front ,Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Sue Kelvin, Adam G Goodwin and Llewella Gideon star in the first episode – “Death And The Maven” -, where Film Club Leo dies suddenly, Jack &amp; Millie have to make a choice between good behaviour and cheesecake... in this new comedy starring Jeremy and Rebecca Front 
 
In Episode 2, entitled “Special Lunch” and starring Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Harry Peacock, Jenny Bede and Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Jack &amp; Millie have a son. And Melvin has an app. And Melvin’s wife, Delphine has a dog. And Daniel Craig has both his eyebrows. A Special Lunch turns into a Totteridge tale of decking, Bond, beef tomahawks and a married lifetime’s-worth of verbal sparring... 
 
Show 3, and Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Rebecca Gethings, Naz Osmanoglu and Luke Sumner star in “Deliver Us From Ebay” - Jack &amp; Millie discover the 11th Commandment - Thou shalt not try and please a son’s scary ex-girlfriend. And what’s really in the mysterious neighbour’s packages...? 
 
Episode 4 stars Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Harry Peacock, Jenny Bede and Lauren O' Rourke in “The Kids Are Alright” - All grandkids make mistakes. But only Jack &amp; Millie’s do it quite so loudly and on video... 
 
And in the bonus Pilot edition, “Kafka Died At 39”, a phone, a strudel &amp; Franz Kafka combine to make Jack &amp; Millie’s day rather complicated in this new comedy about an older couple getting to grips with a French daughter-in-law, gassy beer, Eye-Closing Leon and a married lifetime’s-worth of verbal sparring... 
 
 
The show comes from Pozzitive, proud producers of Cabin Pressure, Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones!, Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation, The Brig Society, The Castle, Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive, Shush! &amp; Kevin Eldon Will See You Now...

The BBC Radio 4 spoof documentary series

Incredible Women: Series 1-6

Rebecca Front and Jeremy Front star in this series of spoof documentaries looking at the lives of some extraordinary and unforgettable characters.

Incredible Women has a warmth and charm that keeps you listening, as well as lovely writing, so give it a go.

This is not just good, it's excellent and shows that quality writing can transform radio comedy into something that's laugh-out-loud funny.

Rebecca Front and Jeremy Front star in this series of spoof documentaries looking at the lives of some extraordinary and unforgettable characters. 
 
We meet some truly remarkable women, such as controversial children's writer and wolf enthusiast Eleanor Fane-Gore; ‘Media Integrity Czar’ Valerie Panther; MI5 whistle-blower Helen McKee; fashion guru Tish Watts; child star Mandy Fenwick; Irina Stonkus, soon to be the first woman on Mars; and National Treasure Dame Cicely Leyland. 
 
In each programme our less-than-intrepid interviewer Jeremy spends one night in the home of each of his interviewees. On their territory, he asks about their personal histories, plus we discover some very odd things about the way they live their daily lives. 
 
The interviews with each of these weird and wonderful characters is interspersed with interviews with real-life famous folk who have been ‘affected’ by them in one way or another. Guests including Eamonn Holmes, Joanna Lumley, Clare Balding, Janet Street-Porter, Barbara Windsor, Andy Hamilton, Joe Lycett and Jeremy Paxman attempt to throw light upon the woman in question. 
 
‘Incredible Women has a warmth and charm that keeps you listening, as well as lovely writing, so give it a go.’ The Observer 
 
‘This is not just good, it's excellent and shows that quality writing can transform radio comedy into something that's laugh-out-loud funny.’ Radio Times 
 
Series 1-5 written by Jeremy Front and Rebecca Front 
Series 6 written by Jeremy Front 
Produced by Claire Jones

Charles Paris: Dead Room Farce

Bill Nighy stars as actor and amateur sleuth Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett’s novel

Bill Nighy stars as actor and amateur sleuth Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett’s novel 
 
Charles’ career is on the up. He’s starring in a revival of a popular (though hackneyed) 70's farce – and while his fellow actors aren’t exactly who you’d want to find yourself in bed with, he’s happy to be in work. 
 
But while there may be comedy on stage, offstage it’s rapidly turning into a whodunnit. First the director drops dead, then another premature death follows soon after when an audio producer doing a promo for the show dies in suspicious circumstances. 
 
The cast are hiding some shady secrets, and have plenty of skeletons in their cupboards which they don’t want rattled, but would anyone go as far as murder to protect themselves? Charles is determined to find out, and turns detective in an attempt to find out if foul play is afoot... 
 
This witty, stylish dramatisation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his long-suffering wife Frances. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: The Cinderella Killer

Bill Nighy returns as Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Charles Paris returns in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett’s humorous theatrical mystery, starring Bill Nighy. 
 
A job in pantomime seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but the cast of Cinderella are a motley crew from reality TV and Charles finds himself having to explain the traditions of panto to their baffled American star whose career is on a downward trajectory. 
 
When the star is shot dead, and Charles finds the body, he finds himself under suspicion. As the slapstick makes way for a murder investigation, he decides to clear his name by doing some sleuthing of his own. With a host of suspects and the body count rising, the line 'they're behind you' soon begins to take on a very sinister meaning indeed... 
 
Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his wife Frances, in this funny and fast-paced dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: A Decent Interval

Bill Nighy stars in a new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the novel by Simon Brett.

Simon Brett was born in Worcester Park, Surrey, on 28 October 1945. He was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he read English and was president of the Oxford University Dramatic Society. 
 
After graduating in 1967 he worked as Father Christmas in a department store before landinga job at the BBC as a radio producer. During his ten years there, he worked on such programmes as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Week Ending, The Burkiss Way, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue and Just a Minute. He moved to London Weekend Television in 1977, where he produced Maggie and Her, End of Part One and The Glums (a popular spin-off from radio’s Take It From Here). 
 
Brett’s first Charles Paris novel, Cast In Order of Disappearance, was published in 1975, and by 1979 he was able to leave LWT and become a full-time writer. He has written over eighty books, including nineteen Charles Paris books, fifteen Fethering Mysteries and six Mrs Pargeter novels, as well as several non-series titles such as A Shock to the System (1984), which was adapted as a film starring Michael Caine. He has also contributed to several anthologies and scripted many sitcoms for radio including No Commitments, Smelling of Roses and After Henry. 
 
Other radio work includes several one-off plays for Radio 4, and a number of episodes of the detective series Baldi. A former Chair of both the Crime Writers’ Association and The Society of Authors, he is currently President of the Detection Club, as well as being involved with various writers’ organisations. He is married with three children, and lives in West Sussex.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's entertaining crime novel, starring Bill Nighy. 
 
Charles Paris has been 'resting' for quite a while, so he's relieved when he is cast as the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father and First Gravedigger in a touring production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are a little tense – the lead roles of Hamlet and Ophelia are played by a reality TV contestant and TV talent show winner respectively, and their opinions on celebrity and the theatre differ somewhat from those of the more experienced members of the cast. 
 
The show is barely on the road before tragedy strikes – just before opening night, part of the set collapses, seriously injuring one of the actors. Then anothermember of the cast is found dead. It's up to Charles Paris to turn detective and investigate the mystery: but with almost everyone having a motive for murder, will he ever track down the real killer? 
 
Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: Murder Unprompted

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel.

"Bill Nighy's lovely, laid-back style sets the tone and pace, and there are great performances all round."

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel. Charles Paris is understudying in a West End production, whose star Michael Banks seems unable to master the script. Has Charles time to solve a murder, win Frances' heart and make it on stage by the time the curtain goes up? 
 
Also featuring; Suzanne Burden, Danny Webb, Jon Glover, Jemima Rooper, Liza Sadovy, Rachel Bavidge, Nitin Gonatra, Tilly Gaunt, Thomas Arnold, Jot Davies, Leslie Philips, Simon Treves, Jasmin Callan and Miranda Colchester. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: Corporate Bodies

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic murder mystery, starring Bill Nighy as the irrepressible Charles Paris.

Of previous adaptation Cast In Order of Disappearance: ''Bill Nighy's lovely, laid-back style sets the tone and pace, and there are great performances all round."

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic murder mystery, starring Bill Nighy as the irrepressible Charles Paris. 
 
Charles Paris (unsuccessful actor, bad husband, dipsomaniac) is currently appearing as a fork lift operator in a corporate video. It's not prime-time television or a major film, but it seems like easy money - until the fork lift is used to commit a murder. When Charles himself comes under suspicion, he decides to find out for himself who the murderer is. 
 
Meanwhile, as ever with Charles, life on the domestic front is not plain sailing. After inflicting damage upon his ex-wife's house, he finds himself offering her a berth on the houseboat he’s currently sitting for a friend. However, life on the water proves as tricky as life at work… 
 
Suzanne Burden, Tim McInnery and Jon Glover are also among the cast in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Jeremy Front

Simon Brett

Bill Nighy

Suzanne Burden

Jon Glover

Full Cast

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

Bill Nighy returns as the actor and amateur sleuth, Charles Paris 
 
Bored, broke and reduced to baring all as a life model, Charles Paris is relieved to land a role in a new sitcom – even if it is woefully unfunny. But no sooner has filming begun than things start to go wrong. First a charmless PA dies in a freak accident, then the young, cocksure director bites the dust. Once again, Charles finds himself on the case, hunting for clues from a host of showbiz suspects including an insecure, ego-ridden TV detective, a director suffering a midlife crisis, an ex-Bond girl and National Treasure, and her cognitively confused rock star husband. 
 
As the pound shop Poirot investigates, Frances (his semi-detached wife), and Maurice (his worse-than-useless agent), are furious. Following a skiing accident, Maurice has moved in with them, and is proving to be the house guest from hell. As tensions rise at home and on set, can Charles work out who is killing off the cast and crew – and more importantly, stop Frances from murdering Maurice? 
 
Jeremy Front’s witty drama stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice. 
 
Credits 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett 
Directed by Sally Avens 
Technical producers: Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig 
Production Coordinator: Luke MacGregor 
 
Cast 
Charles – Bill Nighy 
Frances – Suzanne Burden 
Maurice – Jon Glover 
Ash Amos – Phaldut Sharma 
Judy Gilmore – Christine Kavanagh 
Stevie Dean / Howard Langridge – Tony Turner 
Scott / Argyll / Art Tutor - Joseph Ayre 
Sadie – Maggie Service 
Cheryl – Anna Spearpoint 
Barmaid – Abbie Andrews 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 27 January – 17 February 2025 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Charles Paris: Situation Tragedy

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