Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Simon Brett

Jeremy Front

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: So Much Blood

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

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

Charles Paris: A Deadly Habit

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