Selected Episodes from the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

Meet the Huggetts

Post-war comedy drama with Britain’s most popular family Rediscover the most popular family in Britain! The Huggetts dominated the airwaves in the 1950s. For nearly a decade their family capers entertained listeners with the trials and tribulations of everyday life in post-war Britain. An unashamedly working-class family, the Huggetts epitomise the spirit of a united nation relishing simple pleasures with a cheery, down-to-earth smile.Only seven of these era-defining episodes have survived in the archive, and they are now available together for the first time. This light-hearted, feel-good comedy is as fresh and funny as it was when it was first broadcast. Listen now and laugh along with a family from a bygone era and enjoy this piece of wonderful radio history.In episode one, ‘All at Sea’ has Joe and Ethel in a mess over money when a factory outing looms. Chaos reigns in ‘No Fear’ when young Bobby Huggetts sets out to play the hero. ‘Loser Pays’ has Joe and Fred attempting to teach their wives a lesson, but it backfires. The family are baffled by a mystery letter that arrives from America in ‘Transatlantic Tangle’. A summer heat wave has the family suffering in ‘What Unusual Wallpaper’ and in ‘Clean Linen’ there is a mix-up at the launderette sparking a whole pile of embarrassment for the Huggetts. Finally, in ‘'Ail and Hearty’ Dad Joe is spotted calling in at the doctor's surgery. Should the family be worried?Enjoy these seven lost episodes, available to download now.Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.Written by Eddie MaguireProduced by Jacques Brown and Peter EtonCastJoe - Jack Warner 
Ethel - Kathleen Harrison 
Jane - Marion Collins / Alanna Boyce 
Bobby - George Howell / James Langley / Malcolm Ranson 
Fred Stebbings - Charles LenoMrs Stebbings - Beatrice Varley Mr Campbell/Charlie/Insurance Salesman - Kenneth Connor 
Clara - Molly LumleyMamie Webb - Patricia HayesDetective - Alan Keithwith Bill Pertwee and Ralph Hallett First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, August 1954 - June 1961©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Post-war comedy drama with Britain’s most popular familyRediscover the most popular family in Britain! The Huggetts dominated the airwaves in the 1950s. For nearly a decade their family capers entertained listeners with the trials and tribulations of everyday life in post-war Britain. An unashamedly working-class family, the Huggetts epitomise the spirit of a united nation relishing simple pleasures with a cheery, down-to-earth smile.Only seven of these era-defining episodes have survived in the archive, and they are now available together for the first time. This light-hearted, feel-good comedy is as fresh and funny as it was when it was first broadcast. Listen now and laugh along with a family from a bygone era and enjoy this piece of wonderful radio history.In episode one, ‘All at Sea’ has Joe and Ethel in a mess over money when a factory outing looms. Chaos reigns in ‘No Fear’ when young Bobby Huggetts sets out to play the hero. ‘Loser Pays’ has Joe and Fred attempting to teach their wives a lesson, but it backfires. The family are baffled by a mystery letter that arrives from America in ‘Transatlantic Tangle’. A summer heat wave has the family suffering in ‘What Unusual Wallpaper’ and in ‘Clean Linen’ there is a mix-up at the launderette sparking a whole pile of embarrassment for the Huggetts. Finally, in ‘'Ail and Hearty’ Dad Joe is spotted calling in at the doctor's surgery. Should the family be worried?Enjoy these seven lost episodes, available to download now.Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.Written by Eddie MaguireProduced by Jacques Brown and Peter EtonCastJoe - Jack Warner 
Ethel - Kathleen Harrison 
Jane - Marion Collins / Alanna Boyce 
Bobby - George Howell / James Langley / Malcolm Ranson 
Fred Stebbings - Charles LenoMrs Stebbings - Beatrice Varley Mr Campbell/Charlie/Insurance Salesman - Kenneth Connor 
Clara - Molly LumleyMamie Webb - Patricia HayesDetective - Alan Keithwith Bill Pertwee and Ralph Hallett First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, August 1954 - June 1961©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Philip Levene

Jill Hyem

Eddie Maguire

Dawn Pavitt

Terry Wale

Andrew Sachs

Arnold Yarrow

Gerald Flood

Cyril Shaps

Brenda Bruce

Bernard Horsfall

Pauline Yates

Nigel Anthony

George Cole

Wendy Craig

Francis Matthews

Charles Leno

Mary Wimbush

Full Cast

10 Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Dramas

Who is behind the mysterious advert reading ‘Wife available – what offers?’ 
 
What prompted a ‘third girl’ to suddenly pack her bags and leave her flatshare? 
 
And when a newly married couple’s honeymoon period comes to an abrupt end, is the wedding dress to blame? 
 
Conceived by respected writer Philip Levene, whose writing credits include 19 episodes of ITV’s The Avengers, these ten full-cast dramas read between the lines of newspaper personal ads to tell captivating tales of the human condition – each with an unexpected twist. 
 
The stories range from a rookie blackmailer who learns the pitfalls of the business and a husband and wife who get more than they bargain for when they try to sell some old jewellery, to a lonely librarian who hires a personal escort for an important date and a dodgy insurance broker who takes drastic measures to try and avoid exposure. 
 
Written by esteemed TV scriptwriters and starring a host of well-known names including Carole Boyd, Bernard Horsfall, Anne Stallybrass, George Cole and Wendy Craig, this entertaining and varied anthology is a treasure trove from the golden age of radio. 
 
This series of vintage radio plays was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 20 March – 25 September 1967. 
 
Episodes:Findings Keepings by Philip LeveneEvening Out by Jill HyemNo Square Deal by Eddie MaguireThird Girl Wanted by Jill HyemOff to a Good Start by Dawn Pavitt & Terry WaleWhat Am I Bid? by Eddie MaguireHome and Away by Dawn Pavitt & Terry WaleTime for a Coat by Andrew SachsThis Column Every Friday by Arnold YarrowThe Companion by Philip Levene 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

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