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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Sean O'Casey

An unparalleled collection of Full-Cast BBC Drama adaptations of Sean O’Casey’s powerful, poignant works 
 
 One of Ireland’s foremost playwrights, Sean O’Casey is renowned for his groundbreaking plays depicting the lives of poor, working-class Dubliners struggling with social and political upheaval and revolutionary change. This is the first comprehensive audio collection of O'Casey's works, and includes the three masterpieces collectively known as the ‘Dublin Trilogy’, as well as the dark comic satire Cock-a-Doodle Dandy, the one-act Bedtime Story and the anti-war drama The Silver Tassie.The Shadow of a Gunman – Dublin, 1920. With the Irish War of Independence raging, poet Donal Davoren finds himself caught up in danger and violence when he is mistaken for an IRA gunman on the run. Bryan Murray, Alan Devlin and Marcella O’Riordan star in this Radio 4 production of Sean O’Casey’s breakthrough play.Juno and the Paycock – The slum-dwelling Boyle family are blighted by poverty, war and the alcoholism of its feckless patriarch 'Captain' Jack Boyle. Will a surprise legacy transform their lives? Adapted for Radio 3, O’Casey’s classic tragicomedy stars Sorcha Cusack and Stanley Townsend.The Plough and the Stars – Painting a stark portrait of a city and a nation in turmoil, this classic play tells the story of ordinary Dubliners during the Easter Rising of 1916. Introduced by the playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and starring Elaine Cassidy, Padraic Delaney, Gabrielle Reidy, Finbar Lynch & Matthew McNulty.Cock-a-Doodle Dandy – Rich farmer Michael Marthraun tries to stamp out permissiveness in rural Ireland, but the appearance of a beautifully plumed rooster calls the villagers to love and liberty. Believing the bird to be demonic, Marthraun calls in the priest, Father Domineer… Joseph O’Conor, Stephen Brennan and T. P. McKenna star in this adaptation of O’Casey’s own favourite play.Bedtime Story – Pious young clerk John Joe Mulligan is known to be a pillar of the Church. So why has he invited the seductive Angela back to his room? A concise exploration of morality and religious hypocrisy, this farcical comedy stars John Lynch, Sorcha Cusack and Angela Dearden.The Silver Tassie – A tale of love and the bitter heroics of war, O’Casey’s moving Expressionist play follows young athlete Harry Heegan (Jim Norton) as he leaves the football field for the Western Front.Text copyright © Sean O’Casey 1923 (The Shadow of a Gunman), 1924 (Juno and the Paycock), 1926 (The Plough and the Stars), 1927 (The Silver Tassie), 1949 (Cock-a-Doodle Dandy), 1951 (Bedtime Story)Production creditsWritten by Sean O’CaseyThe Shadow of a GunmanJuno and the PaycockThe Plough and the StarsCock-a-Doodle DandyBedtime StoryThe Silver Tassie© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Dublin Trilogy & more

Six BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions including Shadow of a Gunman & Juno and the Paycock

Humphrey Ker

David Reed

Thom Tuck

Eight swashbuckling tales about the eccentric members of Victorian Britain's greatest aristocratic family 
 
Based on their critically-acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festival shows Aeneas Faversham, Aeneas Faversham Returns and Aeneas Faversham Forever, these action-packed romps chronicle the lives of the Brothers Faversham, nine men who straddled the Victorian era 'like a mighty change-Titan'. In the annals of the British Empire, few names blaze more brightly than theirs - and now, at last, their extraordinary stories can be told. 
 
Beginning in 1834, as deadly adventuress and super-spy Lady Alexandra gives birth to her eldest son, we hear of the rise and fall of these prodigious siblings. Series 1 introduces us to the first four: decorated soldier Horatius; eminent detective Theseus; reckless explorer Leonidas and magician-turned-megalomaniac Augustus. In Series 2, we turn to the younger fraternal quintet: sporting hero Titus; renowned horror writer Maximilian; celebrated actor Marcus and successful twin industrialists Perceus and Lucius. Packed with staggering sketches, bizarre occurrences, curious happenstance and dastardly deeds, the sensational tale of the remarkable Favershams is one you will never forget... 
 
Featuring a brand new introduction, this splendidly melodramatic series is written and performed by debonair, waistcoated comedy trio The Penny Dreadfuls - Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck - and co-stars Ingrid Oliver and Miles Jupp. Brought to you by the Orphans for Cholera Awareness Foundation, this is... The Brothers Faversham! 
 
Credits 
Written by and starring The Penny Dreadfuls: Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck 
Script edited by Richard Turner 
Produced by Julia McKenzie 
 
Cast 
Alexandra Faversham - Ingrid Oliver 
Narrator - Miles Jupp 
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 11 January-1 February 2008 (Series 1), 5-26 October 2008 (Series 2) 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Penny Dreadfuls: The Brothers Faversham

The BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Irène Némirovsky

BBC radio adaptations of four acclaimed works from the bestselling Ukrainian-born author Irène Némirovsky 
 
Best known for her posthumously published novel Suite Française, Irène Némirovsky was born in Kiev in 1903. Her family fled the Russian Revolution for Paris, where she found fame as a novelist. But when the Nazis occupied France, she was arrested as a Jew and sent to Auschwitz, where she died aged just 39. This collection includes four of her best works, dramatised for radio with a full cast. 
 
The Misunderstanding - Scarred by war, Yves returns to the Spanish resort of his childhood. There he meets beautiful, bored Denise, and the duo embark on an affair. But their love is challenged by mutual misunderstanding. Described as Némirovsky's Madame Bovary, this compelling tale of passion and regret stars Sarah Smart and Joseph Kloska. 
 
Jezebel - 1935, and Gladys Eysenach, a beautiful, elegant woman obsessed with her lost youth, is on trial for shooting dead her much younger lover. Delving into her past, she recounts the key events that led to the murder. Frances Barber stars as Gladys, with Anna Francolini as Némirovsky. 
 
Dolce - In 1941, a German regiment is billeted in a French village. In the Angellier household two warring women pack away their valuables and prepare to meet the enemy. An adaptation of the second, standalone volume of Némirovsky's masterpiece, Suite Française, this searing depiction of France under German occupation stars Sian Thomas, Eve Best, Deborah Findlay and James D'Arcy. 
 
The Dogs and the Wolves - Growing up during the Jewish pogroms in Ukraine, Ada falls in love with her rich cousin, Harry Sinner. But her poor cousin, Ben, is in love with her. When both families move to Paris, Ada becomes an artist, while Harry moves in elite French society. Then one day, he sees two of Ada's paintings, and her life is changed forever... Sarah Smart stars as Ada, with Carl Prekopp as Harry and Graeme Hawley as Ben, in Némirovsky's epic tale of family, finance and fate. 
 
First published 1926 (The Misunderstanding), 1937 (Jezebel), 2006 (Dolce), 2009 (The Dogs and the Wolves) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Irène Némirovsky 
Translated by Sandra Smith 
 
The Misunderstanding 
Cast: Joseph Kloska, Sarah Smart, Charlotte Sienna Lee, Jake Ferretti, Evan Jones, Rupert Hill, Emma Gregory 
Dramatised by Lin Coghlan 
Directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21-25 January 2019 
 
Jezebel 
Cast: Frances Barber, Anna Francolini, Natasha Cowley, David Sterne, Keziah Joseph, Victoria Brazier, Conrad Nelson, Ellen Dryden, John Catterall, Ashley Margolis 
Dramatised by Ellen Dryden 
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7-11 November 2016 
 
Dolce 
Cast: Sian Thomas, Eve Best, Deborah Findlay, James D'Arcy, Alex Tregear, Stuart McLoughlln, Teresa Gallagher 
Adapted by Penny Leicester 
Produced and directed by Di Speirs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14-18 August 2006 
 
The Dogs and the Wolves 
Cast: Anna Francolini, Sarah Smart, Carl Prekopp, Graeme Hawley, Sydney Wade, Ellis Hollins, Ben Hanley, Will Tacey, Olwen May, Fiona Clarke, Natalie Grady, Will Tacey 
Dramatised by Ellen Dryden 
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10-14 June 2013 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Irène Némirovsky: Four BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

The Dogs and the Wolves, Jezebel, The Misunderstanding and Dolce from the Suite Française Series

Carol Russell

Roy Williams

Rex Obano

Three more series of the landmark, century-spanning historical drama 
 
Faith, Hope and Glory charts the lives of three African-Caribbean families, connected forever by the theft of a beautiful pram in Tilbury in 1946. As they live through the eighty years since then, they witness and take part in the emergence of the modern United Kingdom. 
 
Beginning in 1958 - the year of the Notting Hill race riots - these three series find our characters forced to make difficult decisions as they seek to quell their own domestic turmoil against the backdrop of increasingly febrile racial tensions. Meanwhile, a new generation begin to take their place in the rapidly changing Britain of the 1960s... 
 
This enthralling drama charts the history of post-war Britain through intimate, interwoven stories, brilliantly brought to life by leading Black playwrights Roy Williams, Rex Obano and Carol Russell. The cast includes Danielle Vitalis as Hope, Pippa Bennett Warner as Gloria and Shiloh Coke as Faith, together with Martins Imhangbe as Jim, Stefan Adegbola as Clement and Gary Beadle as Trevor. 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by Roy Williams, Rex Obano and Carol Russell 
Directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour 
Produced by Pat Cumper 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Faith, Hope and Glory: Series 3-5

An epic BBC Radio 4 drama

Steve Chambers

The complete Series 1 and 2 of the historical drama set in a bustling Midlands railway station in the Victorian era 
 
In these two series, set on selected dates in January 1895 and December 1896, we follow the day-to-day shenanigans of Bridgford station master Joe Braddock and his staff, along with a motley crew of passengers and passers-by. Each episode is a self-contained drama, as well as telling the ongoing story of the crises and challenges tackled by the team, and their rivalries, enmities, friendships and burgeoning romances. 
 
As Series 1 begins, a goods train is derailed - just as a VIP visitor is about to arrive. As the crew scramble to clear the line, it becomes evident that the accident has damaged the Sherwood Tunnel: and something sinister lurks within. When a man is found dead, a public inquiry is launched - and as a second disaster looms, Signalman Fred Roberts fights to clear his name... 
 
In Series 2, newly promoted Regional Superintendent Archibald Cripps is hatching a plot to replace Joe as Station Manager. Adding to Joe's worries are a painful tooth, pickpockets, fare-dodgers and his daughter Josie's relationship with porter Jack Robson. But when a train gets stuck in a snowdrift, with a young pregnant woman on board, it's up to Joe and his rescue party to save the day - even if it means getting fired... 
 
Written by Steve Chambers (HighLites), these gentle, engaging plays take us back to a bygone age of travel, when the railways ruled the roost. They star Sean Baker as Joe Braddock, with a full cast including Philip Jackson, Christopher Scott, Julia Ford, Colleen Prendergast, Pauline Letts and John Hartley. 
 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 January-1 February 1995 (Series 1), 27 November-18 December 1996 (Series 2) 
 
Credits 
Written by Steve Chambers 
Directed by David Hunter, Celia de Wolff and Marion Nancarrow 
Technical presentation by Richard Beadsmore, Keith Graham, David Blount, Tim Sturgeon, Ian Harker and Hilary Carruthers 
 
Cast 
Joe Braddock - Sean Baker 
Tidmarsh - Philip Jackson/Christopher Scott 
Josie - Julia Ford/Colleen Prendergast 
Ada - Pauline Letts 
Fred Roberts - John Hartley 
Mr Cripps/Moran/Woodcock - Gavin Muir 
Phoebe - Becky Hindley 
Sydney - Tom Bevan 
Jackson - Joshua Towb/Chris Pavlo 
Wheeler - Tom Knight/Keith Drinkel 
Robson - Lloyd Notice/Robert Harper 
Mrs Brook Hammond - Frances Jeater 
General Booth/Blind man - Michael Tudor Barnes 
Parkin - Michael Tudor Barnes/Stephen Thorne 
Girl thief/Sheena - Deborah Berlin 
Professor Geider - David Collings 
McCarthy - Ian Masters 
Lydia - Geraldine Fitzgerald 
Hancock - Nicholas Collett/Alex Lowe 
Ellen Davison - Annabel Mullion 
Sarah - Elizabeth Anson 
Crippled John - Ronald Herdman 
Russian acrobat - David B Miller 
Reverend Sentence/Dr Keeble - George Parsons 
Meat porter - Ian Peck 
Purvis - Oliver Senton 
Nellie - Jane Slavin 
Hall/Mr Newton - Peter Whitman 
Sheena MacDonald - Deborah Berlin 
Mrs MacDonald/Miss Walker - Jilly Bond 
Mr MacDonald - Peter Yapp 
Dr Pettigrew - David Holt 
Tuffnell/Mr Alcock - Don McCorkindale 
Sir James Chettle/Ridley - Stephen Thorne 
Mrs Peabody - Joyce Gibbs 
Hickman - Tim Seely 
Jamie - Ian Taylor 
Captain Hargreaves - Mark Bonnar 
Bishop - James Taylor 
Bert - Peter Gunn 
Colonel Smithers-Jenkins/Holbrook/Farmer White/Mr Jenkins - Ioan Meredith 
Florrie - Amanda Gordon 
Flora - Tracy Wiles 
Mrs Ellen Scrimshaw - Ann Beach 
Dr Marie Pascal - Alice Arnold 
Harry - James Daley 
Dora - Ashley Moore 
Paper Seller - Kim Wall 
Janet/Jane Cakebread - Joanna Monro 
Mary - Adjoa Andoh 
Miss Joseph - Mary Roscoe 
Mrs Gunn/Lady Casterton - Shirley Dixon 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Victoria Station

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Drama

Robin of Locksley returns from the Crusades to find his people starving and oppressed by the new Sheriff of Nottingham. Under this tyrannical regime, the slightest crime attracts the heaviest punishment, and dissent is impossible. Robin soon discovers that the only way to reason with the Sheriff is with bow and arrow, even if it means sacrificing his lands and becoming an outlaw. 
 
This exciting adventure is read by Richard Armitage, who plays Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood. It also features Robin and his loyal band of brothers, as seen in the hit BBC TV series. 
 
Crammed with action, humour, wit, and romance, this fantastic adaptation of the classic tale brings the legendary outlaw hero to life for a whole new generation.

Robin Hood: The Complete Series 1

Based on the BBC TV series

Paul Merton

Josie Lawrence

Caroline Quentin

Jim Sweeney

Phelim McDermott

All three series of the improvised family saga starring Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Caroline Quentin and others – plus two special Christmas episodes 
 
Based entirely on audience suggestions, this hysterically funny historical drama tells the thrilling extended story of an aristocratic family at war with itself. From Ancient Rome to 1920s Hollywood, we follow the Mastersons’ turbulent history across the centuries, as their fortunes wax and wane, and their fates hang on objects as diverse and unlikely as a tumble dryer, a rabbit’s foot and a pair of Siamese twins. 
 
In these three series, their adventures include setting sail across the Atlantic (with a cargo of dangerous sheep), mucking out at the court of King Arthur, becoming embroiled in murder and intrigue aboard a luxury cruiser and running away to join a Victorian travelling circus. There’s family revenge in the Wild West over dodgy dental work; the medieval Mastersons face land struggles and an overcrowded castle; and in the Edwardian era, suffragettes split the family, sparking drama at the races. Plus, in two Christmas specials, the Mastersons face repercussions from a child’s innocent gift, and the family’s ancient culture reveals some curious customs… 
 
Starring in this comic chronicle of pride, passion, iniquity and inbreeding are celebrated comedians and improv veterans Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Caroline Quentin, Jim Sweeney, Lee Simpson and Phelim McDermott. 
 
Production credits 
Starring Josie Lawrence, Phelim McDermott, Paul Merton, Lee Simpson, Jim Sweeney and Caroline Quentin 
Produced by Phil Clarke 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4: 22 April-27 May 1993, (Series 1), 25 December 1993 (The Stuffing of the Mastersons), 11 June-16 July 1994 (Series 2), 8 July-12 August 1995 (Series 3), 25 December 1995 (The Mastersons’ Christmas Cracker)

The Masterson Inheritance: Series 1-3 plus specials

A BBC Radio Sketch Comedy

Mike Walker

Inspired by Holinshed's Chronicles, this series of radio dramas about the Plantagenet dynasty tells the story of the birth of a new Europe after the dark ages. The issues of control, of freedom, of belief, and the temptations of power were new to an age which had no template for domination on this scale. 
 
Henry II: What is a Man? - The first of the House of Anjou to be king of England, Henry II's long reign is beset by conflict with his sons. Starring David Warner as King Henry II and Jane Lapotaire as Queen Eleanor. 
 
Richard I: Lionheart - Prince Richard has become heir apparent, but in the face of Henry II's refusal to acknowledge his position, he turns to the Crusades. Starring Ed Stoppard as Richard. 
 
John, by the Grace of God - The fourth son of Henry II never expected to succeed to the English throne. When he does, he reveals a talent for making enemies. Starring Neil Stuke as King John. 
 
Edward I: Old Soldiers - Edward Longshanks - the Hammer of the Scots - was grief-stricken after the death of his first wife. But he finds new love with Margaret, sister of the French King. Philip Jackson as Edward I and Ellie Kendrick as Margaret. 
 
Edward II: The Greatest Traitor - While Edward's power is prey to his passions, his queen, Isabella, and his most powerful ally, Roger Mortimer, find a passion of their own. Starring Sam Troughton as Edward II. 
 
Richard II: And All Our Dreams Will End in Death – Richard II, having proved his mettle in quelling the Peasants' Revolt, disappoints his courtiers as he pursues peace and culture as an alternative to fighting and swiving. Starring Patrick Kennedy as Richard II. 
 
Henry V: True Believers - Young prince Hal will inherit an unstable throne, and a kingdom riven with heresy and rebellion. Victory over the rebel Hotspur will bring peace to England and glory to the king - but at what cost to the man? Starring Luke Treadaway as Hal. 
 
Henry VI: A Simple Man - The once-great England of Henry V is bankrupt and losing territory in France, but the weak, idealistic Henry VI is incapacitated by bouts of insanity. Queen Margaret is forced to take up arms to protect her royal line. Starring Al Weaver as Henry VI and Aimee Ffion Edwards as Margaret. 
 
Richard III: The Three Brothers: Edward IV manages to bring a modicum of stability to the kingdom of England, but discontent erupts into civil war after his death, and his brother Richard is forced to take drastic steps to uphold Plantagenet power. Starring Nancy Carroll as Queen Elizabeth, Simon Bubb as Edward IV and Carl Prekopp as Richard III. 
 
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer, Jessica Dromgoole and Sasha Yevtushenko.

Plantagenet: The epic chronicle of a dynasty

Nine BBC Radio 4 dramas

Mike Walker's thrilling saga of the Habsburg dynasty, who ruled most of Europe - and much of the New World - for almost 600 years 
 
For almost six centuries, the House of Habsburg was one of the most powerful royal families in Europe - and beyond. They established an empire that began with a castle on a crag, and ended up extending over four continents. In these riveting dramas, Mike Walker traces their rise and fall. 
 
Hawk Rising - Brugg, 1230. Summoned to Duke Rudolf of Habsburg's clifftop fortress to tutor his son, Albert, Turkish scholar Ibrahim finds himself accompanying the young man on a Prussian crusade. Rudolf is determined to become Holy Roman Emperor - but he needs the Pope's backing, and Alexander supports the expedition... Starring Philip Arditti as Ibrahim, Mark Lewis Jones as Rudolf and Kai Owen as Albert. 
 
Hawk Hunting - Enthroned as Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf battles to secure his dynasty. If Albert is to succeed him, various enemies must be removed from the scene, including his onetime ally King Ottokar of Bohemia. Meanwhile, Ibrahim is teaching philosophy to Albert's son, Frederick - and making secret deals. Starring Matthew Aubrey as Frederick and John Telfer as Ottokar. 
 
Hawk Wounded - Albert the One-Eyed of Habsburg has supplanted Norbert as Holy Roman Emperor: but Wenceslas is set on revenge. Disenchanted with Frederick, Albert places his trust in another Habsburg, John of Swabia - and Ibrahim confronts his nemesis. Starring Aled Pugh as John. 
 
Wallenstein - 1618. Wallenstein, a brilliant, rebellious Protestant mercenary, strives for advancement in the Holy Roman Empire's army. Guided by astute widow Katherina, he achieves fame and fortune. But this war wolf is hard to tame - can Katherina rein him in? Richard Harrington stars as Wallenstein, with Anamaria Marinca as Katherina. 
 
Redl - Vienna, 1913. Double agent Colonel Alfred Redl believes he is invincible: as unstoppable as the Habsburgs he purports to serve. A pioneer of modern surveillance techniques and a superb story-spinner, he is almost the perfect spy. But when this arch-traitor is himself betrayed, he falls - and the Empire falls with him... Starring Jonathan Forbes as Redl. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Mike Walker 
Directed by Alison Hindell and John Norton 
Sound design: Nigel Lewis 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Castle of the Hawk: An epic chronicle of the Habsburg dynasty

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama

Harriet O'Carroll

Jenny Howarth

Sophia Hillan

Vanessa Rosenthal

Maura Dooley

You've finished all her novels, so where do you go after Pride and Prejudice? 
 
Perfect for Janeites everywhere, this enticing collection brings together for the first time six special recordings that offer a glimpse behind the scenes at the life of the celebrated author. Taking us on a journey from her earliest teenage writings, to her love affair aged 20, to the scandalous arrest of her aunt which shook her family, these fascinating programmes offer a closer look at Jane Austen and those around her, as seen through her letters, writings and final home. 
 
Juvenile Jane - Jane Austen's delightfully precocious and revealing early works are celebrated by Austen expert Janet Todd and writer and illustrator Posy Simmonds. Anna Maxwell Martin reads extracts from three stories: 'Frederick and Elfrida', 'Henry and Eliza' and 'Love and Freindship'[sic]. 
 
Minuet - The story of Jane Austen's real-life romance with an impassioned but impoverished young Irishman, which fueled her desire to become a writer. Helen McCrory stars as Jane Austen and John Light as Tom Lefroy in this original drama by Harriet O'Carroll. 
 
A City Full of Swindlers - 1799, Bath. Accused of shoplifting a piece of lace, Jane Austen's aunt is arrested and imprisoned... Narrated by Cassandra Austen (Lucy Black), this shocking tale reveals Georgian Bath to be a much less decorous place than it appears in her sister Jane's novels. Based on a true story, Jenny Howarth's entertaining drama also stars Tim Pigott-Smith and Pamela Miles. 
 
Portrait of Elizabeth - Inspired by the Portrait of Elizabeth Bridges Austen at the Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton, Sophia Hillan's short story is told from the point of view of Jane's elder brother Edward's wife. It is 1808, and Elizabeth has just given birth to her 11th child. Suffering from fever and unaware that she is dying, she rails at the thought of having Jane attend her. But why is she so angry with her sister-in-law? Read by Laura Carmichael. 
 
No Ice in Weymouth - This 5-part series is a portrait of the family, social and professional world of Jane Austen, as seen through her letters and novels. Beginning in 1813, when Pride and Prejudice is about to be published, it concludes in 1815 in the months leading up to the publication of Emma. Starring Susannah Harker as Jane and Oona Beeson as Cassandra. 
 
A Quire of Paper: A Poem for Jane Austen and Her House - In 2016, Maura Dooley was poet-in-residence at the Jane Austen's House Museum, where Austen lived for the last eight years of her life. This atmospheric programme interweaves the sounds of the house, garden and village with specially composed poetry set against the rich history of this iconic place. 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jane Austen: A Portrait

A BBC Radio Collection

Mike Walker’s gripping BBC Radio drama about money, art, religion, politics and power 
 
Florence, 1415. Banker Cosimo Medici is looked down upon as a jumped up money-changer. Then he marries the noble Contessina de Bardi and becomes the richest man in Europe. But his wealth and power threaten the Florentine elite, who are determined to bring him down... 
 
However, the House of Medici cannot be crushed that easily. Sixty years and many violent deaths later, the family are the unquestioned, ruthless rulers of Florence. They control the government, have transformed the city through their patronage of the arts, and one of them has even been crowned Pope. But trouble is coming in the form of the fanatical poet monk Savonarola, and the bank is in decline. Can Lorenzo the Magnificent save anything for his dim-witted successors – and will they even care? 
 
With a cast of extraordinary characters including Piero the Gouty, master negotiator Lucrezia Tornabuoni and Pope Leo X, as well as Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Artemisia Gentileschi, this fast-paced ‘Renaissance Sopranos’ tells the thrilling story of one of the most infamous dynasties of all time. Among the cast are Patrick Baladi, Sirine Saba, Tom Cullen, Saran Morgan and Catrin Aaron. 
 
 
Created by Mike Walker 
Written by Mike Walker, Sian Ejiwunmi Le-Berre and Catherine Johnson 
Sound Design: Nigel Lewis and Catherine Robinson 
Organ: Branwen Munn 
Produced by John Norton 
 
Cast 
Cosimo de' Medici – Patrick Baladi 
Contessina de' Bardi – Sirine Saba 
Rinaldo degli Albizzi – Richard Elfyn 
Niccolo Tinucci – Christopher Elson 
Old Giovanni – Hugh Thomas 
Silvio – Marc Danbury 
Gio Verdi – Marco Fiera 
The Manager – David Hounslow 
Lorenzo de' Medici – Tom Cullen 
Lucrezia Tornabuoni – Saran Morgan 
Clarice Orsini – Abra Thompson 
Gio de' Medici – Gareth Pierce 
Marietta – Saran Morgan 
Cardinal Orsini – Simon Armstrong 
Soderini – Daniel Cerqueira 
Pope Sixtus – John Cording 
Tinucci – Tommy Sim'aan 
Pazzi – Matthew Durkan 
Savonarola – Matthew Gravelle 
King Ferrante – Jonathon Forbes 
Pope Innocent – Roger Ringrose 
Leonardo da Vinci – Tom Kiteley 
Botticelli – Hughie O' Donnell 
Alessandro de Medici - Elliott Barnes-Worrell 
Lorenzino de Medici - Sion Daniel Young 
Ippolito de Medici - Jacob Ifan 
Taddea Malaspina - Kiran Sonia Sawar 
Simonetta da Collevecchio - Marsha Millar 
Giorgio Vasari - Nico Pimparé 
Pope Clement - Arwel Gruffydd 
Emperor Charles V - Michael Bertenshaw 
Margaret - Kitty O'Sullivan 
Scoronconcolo - Tyler Cameron 
Strozzi - John Lightbody 
Young Alessandro - Hardy Yusuf 
Young Ippolito - Huw Huckstep 
Catherine de Medici - Catrin Aaron 
Silvestri - Julian Lewis Jones 
Diane de Poitiers - Juliette Aubrey 
Prince Henri - Arthur Hughes 
King Francis - Aneirin Hughes 
Guise - Joel MacCormack 
Nurse - Heather Craney 
Young Catherine - Grace Nettle 
Isabelle - Nia Gandhi 
Coligny - Ian Dunnett Jnr 
Le Conde - Matthew Bulgo 
Cardinal Guise - Tom Mumford 
Margot - Poppy Almond 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Medici: Bankers, Gangsters, Popes

John Reed

A dramatised retelling of John Reed's thrilling eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution - plus bonus documentary 
 
'Fizzy and fast, but never flippant' The New Statesman 
 
John Reed's first-hand description of the October Revolution was written in early 1918 and published in the USA the following year. The veracity and impact of his dynamic, snapshot-style reportage made the book an instant bestseller, and it has since become a modern classic, inspiring films including Sergei Eisenstein's October and the Oscar-winning Reds. 
 
This fast-paced dramatisation begins in autumn 1917, with news of upheaval in Russia hitting the headlines worldwide. The Tsar has abdicated, and the Provisional Government, formed to replace him, is losing control. American journalists John Reed and Louise Bryant arrive in Petrograd to find the city in chaos. The tension between factions is palpable, and it's only a matter of time before the situation explodes - but in what direction? As revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries struggle to seize power, the duo find themselves at the very heart of the insurrection, experiencing history as it unfolds... 
 
Vividly capturing the anarchy and confusion of those tumultuous days, Reed's sensational blow-by-blow account, adapted by acclaimed dramatist Robin Brooks, transports us to the chilly, mud-churned streets of Petrograd as these world-changing events play out. It is accompanied by a fascinating retrospective documentary, Start the Week: Russian Revolution a hundred years on, in which Tom Sutcliffe travels to Moscow to discover the forces that led to the Revolution, and finds out how far Russians today embrace or reject such a pivotal moment in their country's story. 
 
Production credits 
Written by John Reed 
Dramatised by Robin Brooks 
'The Internationale' sung by Eiry Thomas 
Directed by Alison Hindell 
A BBC Cymru/Wales production for BBC Radio 4 
 
Cast 
John Reed - Richard Laing 
Louise Bryant - Kelly Burke 
Lenin/Driver/Soldier/Shatov/Colonel/Meshkovsky/Cab Driver - Nicholas Murchie 
Liazonov/Kerensky/Doorman/Kameniev - Ewan Bailey 
Lunacharsky/Trotsky/Comberg - Matthew Gravelle 
Buchanan/Karelin/Commissar/Baklanov - Richard Elfyn 
Doorwoman - Lynn Hunter 
Zorin/Robert/Saratov/Antonov/Leonsky/Student/Zinoviev - Sion Pritchard 
Woman - Sarah Ridgeway 
Spiridonova/Girl - Gwawr Loader 
Oblomov/Sverdlov - Simon Ludders 
Krylenko - Tom Forrister 
Mayor/Nathanson - Philip Fox 
Dybenko - Richard Nichols 
Melcher - Charlie Clements 
Wife - Eiry Thomas 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-20 October 2017 
 
Start the Week: Russian Revolution a hundred years on 
Presented by Tom Sutcliffe 
With Konstantin Kosachev, Mikhail Zygar, Arkady Ostrovsky and Zelfira Tregulova 
Produced by Katy Hickman 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 October 2017 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ten Days That Shook The World

A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

Sir Walter Scott

Full-cast BBC adaptations of five of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley’ novels, plus a play adapted from his journal starring Alec Guinness, and a documentary about Scott and his legacyPoet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here are adaptations of five of the best-loved books in his ‘Waverley’ series, as well as two bonus programmes.Waverley – Sent to Scotland with his regiment, young English soldier Edward Waverley becomes embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Torn between love and duty, he falls in with Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army – and finds himself accused of treason… Richard Greenwood stars in this adaptation of Scott’s groundbreaking debut novel.Rob Roy – Francis Osbaldistone, the son of a rich London merchant, is banished to his family seat in the North. There, he meets the beautiful, high-spirited Diana Vernon and his villainous cousin Rashleigh, and befriends the enigmatic Scot, Robert Campbell – hero, chieftain of the clan MacGregor and wanted outlaw… Starring Liam Brennan, this thrilling drama is set during the Jacobite rising of 1715.The Heart of Midlothian – Edinburgh, 1737, and young Effie Deans is arrested for child murder and sentenced to death. Convinced of her innocence, her sister Jeanie decides to walk to London to plead for her sister’s life. Gerda Stevenson and Irene Allen star in this adaptation of Scott’s gripping novel, widely considered to be the finest of the ‘Waverley’ books.The Bride of Lammermoor – Edgar Ravenswood has sworn vengeance on the Ashton family who have destroyed his honour and ruined his fortune – but Lucy Ashton will come to mean more to him than honour, fortune and life Itself… This tragic tale of a doomed love affair stars David Rintoul and Gerda Stevenson.Woodstock – England, 1651. Charles Stuart’s army has been defeated at Worcester, and he is on the run. Suspecting that he will take refuge at Woodstock Manor, Oliver Cromwell sets a trap for him there – but he has reckoned without the wily King and his loyal Cavalier supporters… John Rowe and Brian Hewlett star in this epic Civil War tale.My Own Right Hand Shall Do It – Suffering a terrible reversal of fortune late in life, Sir Walter Scott determines to recover from financial ruin. Sir Alec Guinness stars in this moving portrait of tragedy and ultimate triumph.The Man Who Made Scotland – James Naughtie makes the case for a reappraisal of Sir Walter Scott, arguing that his branding of Scotland is the mark of a thoroughly modern thinker.NB: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may varyFirst published 1814 (Waverley), 1817 (Rob Roy), 1818 (The Heart of Midlothian), 1819 (The Bride of Lammermoor), 1826 (Woodstock)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sir Walter Scott: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations including Waverley and Rob Roy

Jane Harris

Full-cast adaptations of two of Jane Harris’s gripping novels - plus an interview with the author 
 
Listen now to these two stunning, suspenseful historical dramas, performed by a full cast and based on the novels by best-selling author, Jane Harris. 
 
The Observations transports listeners to Scotland, 1863. A young Irish girl, Bessy Buckley, escapes her former life as a prostitute when she's hired as a maid in a big house near Edinburgh. But her new employer, Arabella, has secrets of her own. She encourages Bessy to write her thoughts and experiences in a journal, and subjects her to odd experiments. Bessy quickly grows attached to her mistress but things change when Bessy discovers Arabella has been writing a book, ‘The Observations’, a study of the ‘habits and nature of the Domestic Class’. Bessy is incensed, and concocts an act of revenge… Starring Lucy Paterson and Candida Benson (The Crown). 
 
In Gillespie and I, it’s 1888 and Harriet Baxter, an art-loving Englishwoman, arrives in Glasgow for the city's International Exhibition. She meets the Scottish painter, Ned Gillespie, and his wife, Annie - but tragedy is about to strike the Gillespies. A chilling listen, involving anonymous letters, sleazy journalism and a notorious court case. This gripping story is performed by a full cast including Phyllis Logan (Downtown Abbey), Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones) and Liam Brennan. 
 
Also included here is an interview with Jane Harris from Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, in which she discusses Gillespie and I. 
 
Jane Harris is a best-selling writer whose novels have been published in over 20 countries worldwide and translated into many different languages. In 2007 The Observations was short-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction. Harris was nominated for the British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year and the Southbank Show/Times Breakthrough Award the same year. Gillespie and I was longlisted for the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. 
 
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The Observations & Gillespie and I

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

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

John Masters

An 18-part serialisation of John Masters' chronicles of the Savage family, spanning the years 1825-1946 and set against the backdrop of British rule in India 
 
Based on the hugely popular novels of John Masters, this landmark BBC Radio adaptation charts the history of the British in India through the perspective of one family over several generations. Ranging over more than 120 years, these thrilling tales of love, murder and espionage take us from the expansion of the East India Company to the last days of the Raj and the approach of Independence. 
 
The Deceivers - 1825. When Company official William Savage witnesses a brutal double murder and uncovers grisly evidence of mass ritual sacrifice, he is drawn into the dark world of the thuggee and their murderous, Kali-worshipping cult. Can he escape with his honour - and his soul - intact? Starring David Collings, Saeed Jaffrey, and Terence Alexander. 
 
Night Runners of Bengal - 1856, and William's son Rodney is an officer in the Bengal Army. His life is one of security and privilege - but a guru's prophecy, and disturbing events surrounding the Rani of Kishanpur, are harbingers of seismic change to come. Across India, the Great Rebellion is rising... Starring Michael Cochrane, Eva Haddon, Carole Boyd and Renu Setna. 
 
The Lotus and the Wind - 1879. Britain and Russia are deadly rivals in the 'Great Game'. At the centre of the conflict is Afghanistan, where soldier-turned-spy Lt Robin Savage is attempting to thwart Russian intelligence. Meanwhile, the woman he loves, Anne Hildreth, witnesses a murder en route to Peshawar... Starring Bill Nighy, Juliet Stevenson, John Rowe. 
 
Bhowani Junction - 1946, and India is heading for self-rule. But when Independence comes, what will happen to Anglo-Indians Patrick Taylor and Victoria Jones? As they search for their true identity amidst Britain's turbulent withdrawal, Colonel Rodney Savage hunts for saboteurs seeking to blow up Bhowani's railway... Starring Gary Bond, Sean Barrett and Shireen Shah. 
 
Text copyright © The Estate of John Masters 1951 (Nightrunners of Bengal), 1952 (The Deceivers), 1953 (The Lotus and the Wind), 1954 (Bhowani Junction) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by John Masters 
Music composed by Malcolm Clarke of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 
 
The Deceivers 
Dramatised by David Wade. 
Directed by Penny Leicester. 
Executive producer: Colin Venning 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September-28 October 1984 
 
Nightrunners of Bengal 
Dramatised by Barry Campbell. 
Directed by Christopher Venning 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4-25 November 1984 
 
The Lotus and the Wind 
Dramatised by David Wade. 
Directed by Penny Leicester 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2-23 December 1984 
 
Bhowani Junction 
Dramatised by Barry Campbell 
Directed by Christopher Venning 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1984-27 January 1985 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Masters' India Saga

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Hugh Walpole

A BBC Radio adaptation of Hugh Walpole's historical novel, set in the Lake District during the 18th Century 
 
1730. Driven by a wild romantic impulse, Francis Herries uproots his family from Doncaster to the lakeland valley of Borrowdale. Accompanied by his housekeeper/mistress, Alice, they settle in his tumbledown ancestral home, Herries, in the shadow of the Cumberland fells. 
 
Proud, stubborn and temperamental, Francis cuts himself off from his brother, spurns his long-suffering wife and becomes embroiled in drink and debauchery. When he sells Alice at Keswick Fair, his reputation is ruined, and the locals dub him 'Rogue' Herries. His fate is sealed when he falls for the flame-haired Mirabelle Starr. They are both vagabonds, both outcasts - but she is thirty years his junior, and does not love him. 
 
As Francis struggles with his feelings for Mirabelle, his son David and daughter Deborah have battles of their own to fight. Meanwhile, the Jacobite rising has begun, and Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebel army is at the gates of Carlisle... 
 
Described by John Buchan as 'the greatest English novel since Jude the Obscure', Rogue Herries is a sweeping family saga full of romance and drama. This powerful adaptation stars Gavin Muir as Francis, Mark Bonnar as David, Jane Slavin as Alice, Deborah Berlin as Mirabelle and Jane Whittenshaw as Deborah, with a full cast including Stephen Thorne, Hugh Dickson and Gerard McDermott. 
 
Written by Hugh Walpole 
Dramatised by Eric Pringle 
Technical presentation by Rosamund Mason, Colin Guthrie and Andy Garrett 
Directed by David Blount 
 
Cast 
Francis - Gavin Muir 
David - Mark Bonnar 
Margaret - Janet Maw 
Deborah - Jane Whittenshaw 
Alice Press - Jane Slavin 
Pomfret/Greenship - Stephen Thorne 
Jannice - Shirley Dixon 
Roche/Harcourt/Whitfield - Hugh Dickson 
Statesman Peel/George Endicott/Harness - Gerard McDermott 
Pedlar/Adam Beatty - Ioan Meredith 
Benjamin/Anthony Thorne - Chris Pavlo 
Young Deborah - Katie Clarke 
Young David - George Maguire 
Razeley - Joseph Head/Robert Harper 
Prince - Robert Harper 
Mirabelle - Deborah Berlin 
Cumberlege - Gordon Reid 
Mrs Cumberledge - Carolyn Jones 
Hetty - Alison Pettitt 
Sunwood/Bann/Reverend - Christopher Scott 
Denburn - Keith Drinkel 
Sarah - Becky Hindley 
Mrs Henny - Linda Polan 
Others parts played by Alex Lowe and members of the company 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 April-11 May 1997 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rogue Herries

Vasily Grossman

A two-part radio dramatisation of Vasily Grossman's dark, honest account of the battle of Stalingrad; a prequel to Life and Fate – plus Stalingrad: Destiny of a Novel 
 
Epic BBC serial Life and Fate stunned radio audiences in 2011, garnering rave reviews for its powerful depiction of a family torn apart by war in Soviet Russia. Now, with this astonishing prequel published in its first ever English translation by Richard and Elizabeth Chandler, we are transported back to the very beginning of Vasily Grossman’s panoramic tale, as the ‘harsh whirlwind’ of war approaches the city of Stalingrad. 
 
As Stalingrad opens, we are introduced to the many lives of the Shaposhnikov family and their partners. Atomic scientist Viktor Shtrum struggles with his work for the State and with his own conscience, while his family live, love and work (despite swirling rumours) to run the city’s power stations, factories and hospitals. 
 
Meanwhile, at the Front, we meet old-school Bolshevik Commissar Nikolai Krymov in the thick of the Russian army’s pell-mell retreat before Operation Barbarossa, and follow the 'unknown' soldiers giving their lives to hold the line at the Volga. 
 
This vivid, gripping drama features many of the same acclaimed cast as Life and Fate, including Kenneth Branagh as Viktor Shtrum and Greta Scacchi as Lyuda Shaposhnikova. 
 
Accompanying this stellar dramatisation is Stalingrad: Destiny Of A Novel; featuring extracts from Grossman's private journal, translated here for the first time, and chronicling Stalingrad’s tortuous gestation and long, tormented passage to print. Written and presented by author and historian Catherine Merridale, with readings by Anton Lesser, this five-part series reveals the dramatic backstory behind the classic novel and explores the beginnings of Grossman’s own journey towards Soviet heresy. 
 
Written by Vasily Grossman 
Translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler 
Dramatised by Mike Walker (Part One) and Jonathan Myerson (Part Two) 
 
Part One produced and directed by Jonquil Panting 
Part Two produced by James Robinson and directed by Jonathan Myerson 
Series Producer: Alison Hindell 
 
Original music composed by John Hardy, with Rob Whitehead, and performed by Oliver Wilson-Dixon, Tom Jackson, Stacey Blythe and Max Pownall 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 November-1 December 2019

Stalingrad

James Fenimore Cooper

BBC Radio drama adaptations of two action-packed adventures by James Fenimore Cooper 
 
A founding father of American literature, James Fenimore Cooper was one of America's first professional novelists, and a pioneer of both the Western and the historical romance. Included here are his 1826 masterpiece The Last of the Mohicans and his 1821 classic The Spy, widely considered the world's first espionage novel. 
 
The Last of the Mohicans - 1757, and Britain and France are struggling for control of the New World. Caught between them are the tribes of the First Nations... Hawkeye is an American scout who lives with the American Indians and fights for the British. When the daughters of a British army officer are captured by a vengeful Huron chief while travelling to join their father, Hawkeye and his Mohican friends set out on a rescue mission... This gripping dramatisation of James Fenimore Cooper's epic is narrated by Garrick Hagon, stars Michael Feast as Hawkeye and Helen McCrory as Cora. 
 
The Spy - New York State, 1778. Henry Wharton, a young soldier for the British in the American Revolutionary War, sneaks into no-man's land in disguise to spend an evening with his family. But their happy reunion is cut short when American troops surround the house. Can the mysterious peddler Harvey Birch provide Henry with a means of escape? Burn Gorman and Rose Leslie star in this thrilling tale of double agents and divided loyalties. 
 
First published 1821 (The Spy) and 1826 (The Last of the Mohicans) 
 
Production credits 
Written by James Fenimore Cooper 
 
The Last of the Mohicans 
Narrator - Garrick Hagon 
Hawkeye - Michael Feast 
Major Heyward - Philip Franks 
Cora - Helen McCrory 
Alice - Naomi Radcliffe 
General Munro - Russell Dixon 
Chingachgook - Okon Jones 
Uncas - Clarence Smith 
Magua - Alfredo Michelsen 
General Montcalm - John Jardine 
David - Robert Whelan 
Tamenund - Joe Speare 
 
Dramatised by David Calcutt 
Produced and directed by Michael Fox 
Music: Trevor Allan Davies 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-12 November 1995 
 
 
The Spy 
Harvey Birch - Burn Gorman 
Frances - Rose Leslie 
Henry - Alex Waldmann 
Mr Wharton - James Lailey 
Sarah - Francine Chamberlain 
Mr Harper - Timothy Watson 
Caesar - Richard Pepple 
Peyton Dunwoodie - Simon Bubb 
Captain Lawton - Gerard McDermott 
Colonel Wellmere/Skinner - Adam Billington 
Isabella Singleton - Victoria Inez Hardy 
Colonel Martin - Paul Moriarty 
 
Dramatised by DJ Britton 
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22-29 January 2012 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Last of the Mohicans & The Spy

Two BBC Radio full-cast dramatisations

Mary Cooper

Jonathan Tafler

Anna Linstrum

Alistair McGowan

Elizabeth Lewis

Robin Brooks

Lucy Caldwell

Sarah Wooley

Stephen Wakelam

Frances Bingham

David Pownall

Katie Hims

Ian Billings

Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre

Judith Adam

18 biographical dramas based on the lives and loves of celebrated writers 
 
These surprising, revealing dramas take a behind-the-scenes look at some of our best-loved authors, mingling fact and fantasy to explore their extraordinary hidden lives. From love affairs, friendships and family relationships to traumas, tragedies and journeys of self-discovery, we glimpse the unwritten worlds that shaped their unforgettable fiction. Among the star casts are Andrew Scott, Toby Jones, Richard Dormer, Glenda Jackson, Bella Ramsey, Julia Davis, Ian McDiarmid, Haydn Gwynne, David Threlfall, Alistair McGowan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Hattie Morahan, Rosie Cavaliero, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Paul Ritter and Lia Williams 
 
Jane and Tom - Writing to her sister, Jane Austen describes her love for Tom Lefroy - a love that would lead to Pride and Prejudice. 
 
When Fanny Met Germaine - A delightful romp through the passionate, scandalous friendship between two 18th Century writers: Fanny Burney and Mme de Stael. 
 
Comrade Ackland - Dorset, 1936. Newly returned from an illicit trip to Civil War Spain, Sylvia Townsend Warner and her lover Valentine Ackland have an unexpected visitor.... 
 
Tongues of Fire - 1913. When a Nobel laureate visits Dublin's Abbey Theatre, fireworks erupt between WB Yeats and Sean O'Casey. 
 
A Year at the Races - Approaching the end of his career, Groucho Marx meets a wisecracking fan determined to teach him new comedy tricks. 
 
Spike and the Elfin Oak- A comic fantasy inspired by Spike Milligan's madcap attempts in the mid-1960s to preserve a curious sculpture in Kensington Gardens. 
 
Everybody's Got Conditions - Casting Bette Davis in his play The Night of the Iguana proves the biggest mistake in Tennessee Williams' career... 
 
I Believe I Have Genius- Humble and obscure, young Charlotte Brontë travels to Brussels to study at a girls' school. 
 
Marian and George - Marian Evans (aka George Eliot) must choose between her adored brother and the love of her life... 
 
Lying Low - An intriguing drama imagining what happened to Samuel Beckett during his mysterious three weeks in Folkestone in 1961. 
 
A Terrible Beauty - WB Yeats travels to France to propose to beautiful Maud Gonne, soon after her husband's execution in the 1916 Easter Rising. 
 
The Watcher on the Wall - Dramatised from his letters, this is the story of Louis MacNeice's transatlantic love affair and the poetry it inspired. 
 
Edith Sitwell in Scarborough - Returning to her birthplace, Edith Sitwell sets out to wreak revenge. 
 
Mrs Tolstoy - A five-part drama charting the tempestuous marriage between Leo and Sofya Tolstoy. 
 
The 'B' Word - The opening night of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion causes a scandal and sparks a passionate love/hate triangle... 
 
The Rules of Palship - The young Noël Coward demanded fierce loyalty from his friends - but did he live up to his own high standards? 
 
The Lost Road - A playful tribute to the long friendship between CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien and how it influenced their respective masterpieces. 
 
Luxembourg Gardens - Re-imagined from Katherine Mansfield's stories, letters and journals, this Mansfieldesque play explores her last day in Paris, where she is dying of consumption aged 34. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Behind the Author's Desk: Dramas of Famous Writers' Real Lives

A BBC Radio 4 drama collection

Judith Kerr

The BBC radio adaptations of Judith Kerr's internationally acclaimed trilogy - plus bonus documentary 
Based on her own childhood experiences, Judith Kerr's When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a timeless classic loved by children and adults alike. By turns heart-rending and heart-lifting, it is even more resonant today than when it was first published in 1971. This story of a Jewish family who escape Germany just as the Nazis come to power is seen through the eyes of their young daughter Anna, and traces their perilous journey - splintered by conflict, driven by fear and eventually rewarded with reunion. The two sequels, Bombs on Aunt Dainty and A Small Person Far Away, follow Anna as she grows up, settles in London - and, many years later, returns to Berlin to confront the past. 
 
These three radio plays are the very first dramatisations of Kerr's trilogy, and feature a stunning cast including Anna Madeley, Paul Moriarty and Adjoa Andoh. Also featured is a bonus edition of World Book Club, in which Harriett Gilbert talks to Judith Kerr about her life and work. 
 
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
1933. Leaving her beloved Pink Rabbit behind, nine-year-old Anna leaves her Berlin home to flee with her family across the Swiss border. As they cross Europe in search of sanctuary, she quickly adapts to being a refugee - but will she ever feel she belongs anywhere? 
Bombs on Aunt Dainty 
 
1940. Teenage Anna is enjoying her new life in London, and looking forward to embarking on a secretarial course. But then her brother Max is interned as an enemy alien - and as the Blitz begins in earnest, she fears for the future of her family. 
A Small Person Far Away 
 
1956. Happily married and living in West London, Anna gets a worrying telegram. Her mother, who has been living back in Berlin for seven years, has pneumonia, and Anna must go to her at once. With the Cold War heating up, can Anna bear to return to the city of her birth? 
World Book Club: Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
The German-born author talks to Harriet Gilbert about her much-loved novel, answering questions from the audience about writing from a child's perspective, assimilating into British society, and staying happy despite the hardships she endured. 
 
Production credits 
 
Written by Judith Kerr 
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1971 
Bombs on Aunt Dainty first published in Great Britain as The Other Way Round by William Collins Sons &amp; Co. Ltd in 1975. Text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1975 
A Small Person Far Away text copyright © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 1978, 1989 
Dramatised by Beaty Rubens 
Directed by David Hunter 
 
Cast 
 
Young Anna - Lauren Mote 
Older Anna - Anna Madeley 
Young Max - Hugo Docking 
Older Max - Adam Billington 
Mama - Adjoa Andoh 
Omama - Eleanor Bron 
Papa - Paul Moriarty 
Elsbeth - Xenia Mainelli 
Julius/Ken - James Lailey 
Aunt Sarah - Sheila Steafel 
Fraulein Lambeck/Barbara - Tracy Wiles 
Herr Rosenfeld/Cotmore - Gerard McDermott 
Other cast: Alex Rivers, Christopher Webster, Thelma Ruby, Susan Engel, Joanna Monro, Ann Beach, Harry Livingstone, Jack Holden, Malcolm Tierney, Simon Treves, Carl Prekopp, Sara Kestelman, Emerald O'Hanrahan, Peter Hamilton Dyer 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11-25 March 2012 
 
World Book Club: Judith Kerr - When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 
Presented by Harriett Gilbert 
With Judith Kerr 
Produced by Karen Holden 
 
First broadcast BBC World Service, 6 March 2016

Out of the Hitler Time: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Bombs on Aunt Dainty, A Small Person Far Away

BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the complete trilogy

Various

The true story of English sisters Louise and Ida Cook (better known as romantic novelist Mary Burchell), whose love of opera led them into a life of danger, rescuing Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany.

The Righteous Sisters

Jon Canter

Miles Jupp stars as James Boswell, Dr Johnson's time-travelling biographer, with a host of top actors and comedians as his celebrity interviewees 
 
'Blisteringly funny... essential listening' Radio Times 
 
Before James Boswell penned a biography of his friend, Dr Johnson, they were both nobodies. But his Life of Samuel Johnson made them famous - so now Boswell's out to work his magic on other celebrities. Travelling through the centuries, he gives 12 legendary figures the Boswell treatment, hoping to do for them what he did for Johnson... 
 
Series 1 sees him attempting to write a biography of Sigmund Freud (Henry Goodman) - but it's Freud asking all the searching questions. Talking to Maria Callas (Arabella Weir), he gets up close and personal with her poodle; encountering Harold Pinter (Harry Enfield) he receives his very own 'Pinter pause' and, trying to beat Boris Johnson (Alistair McGowan) at whiff-whaff, he finds he's facing a fiendish opponent. 
 
In Series 2, Boswell tries to help Muhammad Ali (Lenny Henry), who's been banned from boxing and is in the wilderness. Interviewing Karl Marx (Julian Rhind-Tutt), he finds himself collaborating on Das Kapital, but on meeting Madonna (Debra Stephenson), he struggles to get into the groove. And will he succeed in immortalising Alan Bennett (Alistair McGowan), or will they simply be talking heads? 
 
Series 3 finds Boswell buttonholing Lord Byron (Freddie Fox) to find out if he's really mad, bad and dangerous to know; receiving some lessons in equality from Simone de Beauvoir (Amelia Bullmore); becoming involved in a murder mystery with Agatha Christie (Vicki Pepperdine) and attempting to become a better man under the guidance of Gandhi (Phaldut Sharma). But abstinence drives him to distraction - and worse... 
 
Created by scriptwriter and novelist Jon Canter, this engaging, entertaining series won the 2015 Best European Radio Fiction Series or Serial of the Year at the prestigious Prix Europa. 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by Jon Canter 
Directed by Sally Avens 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 February-17 May 2015 (Series 1), 21 March-11 April 2016 (Series 2), 7-28 March 2018 (Series 3) 
 
Cast 
James Boswell - Miles Jupp 
Sigmund Freud - Henry Goodman 
Maria Callas - Arabella Weir 
Harold Pinter - Harry Enfield 
Boris Johnson/Alan Bennett - Alistair McGowan 
Muhammad Ali - Lenny Henry 
Boxing commentator - Ewan Bailey 
Karl Marx - Julian Rhind-Tutt 
Madonna - Debra Stephenson 
Lord Byron - Freddie Fox 
Simone de Beauvoir - Amelia Bullmore 
Agatha Christie - Vicki Pepperdine 
Rose - Abbie Andrews 
Gandhi - Phaldut Sharma 
Mr Fortescue/The Prince of Wales - Clive Hayward 
 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Boswell’s Lives: The Complete Series 1-3

A BBC Radio 4 comedy

Rob Gittins

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation on the writer and poet Dylan Thomas. Based on a true story, Rob Gittins's play draws on archive material.  When 'Time' magazine printed a warts-and-all article about Dylan Thomas in 1953, the poet sued them for libel. Needing to gather more evidence, the magazine hired a private detective to shadow Thomas in New York.  Stars Trevor White as the detective and Doug Ballard as the editor, also with a cast including Genevieve Adam, Laurel Lefkow, Rhys Parry Jones and Richard Elfyn.

Investigating Mr Thomas

A Play About Dylan Thomas

John Peacock

Toulouse-Lautrec's iconic Parisian poster stars come to life in these full-cast dramas, set in 19th-century Montmartre 
 
1889, Paris. When Charles Zidler's extravagant pleasure palace, the Moulin Rouge, opens in bohemian Montmartre, he commissions local artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to create a series of posters to promote it. The striking lithographs Henri produces will make his name - and launch the careers of the performers he portrayed. 
 
This sparkling collection of plays introduces us to eight of those legendary artistes, whose lives were as vivid as Lautrec's paint. It opens with Yvette Guilbert, the story of a singer whose dreams of wealth and fame lead her to a brand new cabaret on Boulevard de Clichy.... In The Boneless Wonder, we meet can-can dancer Valentin Renaudin. Merely a silhouette in Toulouse-Lautrec's poster, what is he in real life? La Goulue tells the tale of his famous partner, Louise Weber, whose soubriquet reflects her love of food and life. And in Jane Avril, we hear about Henri's muse, whose nickname 'Crazy Jane' didn't simply refer to her exuberant dancing. 
 
May Belfort explores the Irish singer turned lady of the night, who relied more on her beauty than her voice. In Footitt and Chocolat, a circus double act is in danger of drifting apart; while in Casque d'Or, a group of passionate revolutionaries make a fatal last stand. Finally, Aristide Bruant sees the socialist club owner becoming a fashionable success - against all his intentions. He needs to find a new direction: as does Yvette Guilbert... 
 
Created by award-winning writer John Peacock, these dazzling dramas will transport you to Belle Époque Paris, in all its glamour and decadence. The star casts include Julie Covington as Yvette Guilbert, Frances Barber as La Goulue, Bonnie Langford as May Belfort, Bernard Hill as Aristide Bruant and Miranda Richardson as Marie Briand. 
 
Written by John Peacock 
Directed by Jane Morgan 
Music by Stephen Warbeck 
Technical presentation: David Greenwood, assisted by Anne Bunting and Colin Guthrie 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Posters of the Moulin Rouge

Eight BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas based on the characters of Toulouse-Lautrec

Martin Boyd

The classic tale of an Australian girl who marries into the English aristocracy at a time of great change to the traditional orderNovember 1910, and seventeen-year-old Lucinda is looking forward to being making her debut in Melbourne society. Beautiful and wealthy, she is set to make a brilliant match – and when she meets dashing army officer Hugo Brayford, the younger brother of an English viscount, it seems she has succeeded in landing her prize. Bowled over by his charm and aristocratic lineage, impressionable Lucinda quickly forgets her first love, Tony Duff, and accepts Hugo’s proposal of marriage.Leaving Australia, she prepares to start a new life in England – but all is not as she had anticipated. Hugo is frequently away, runs up debts that Lucinda must settle, and even the birth of his son, Stephen, cannot keep him by his wife’s side. And when he is injured fighting in the Great War, Lucinda finds herself faced with a terrible dilemma. Torn between society’s expectations and her heart’s desires, can she find the happiness she craves?Inspired by his own upper-class ancestors and his experiences during World War I, Martin Boyd’s seminal tale of family, class, marriage and money spans 30 years, from the last days of the Edwardian era to the Second World War. At once a romance and a chronicle of a world in flux, it charts one woman’s life and loves against the backdrop of societal transformation. Juliet Aubrey stars in this captivating adaptation, with a stellar cast including Eleanor Bron, James Laurenson, Penelope Wilton and Paul Rhys.Production creditsWritten by Martin BoydDramatised by Elspeth SandsDirected by Janet WhitakerCastLucinda – Juliet AubreyHugo – Jonathan FirthJulie – Angela PleasenceFred – James LaurensenLydia – Abigail McKernLady Wendale – Eleanor BronMarian – Penelope WiltonTony Duff – Matt DayPaul Brayford – Paul RhysSusannah Brayford – Pamela WiseArthur – Michael CochranePat Lanfranc – Mark StrakerWatteau – Miranda BarberCanon Chapman – David TimsonBill Vane – Nicholas BoultonMrs Greene-James – Joanna McCallumMrs. Galway – Ndidi Del FattiDriver – Jason ChanLord Fitzauncell – Stephen HoganStephen – Robert HastieMuriel – Helen LongworthHeather – Alex TregearBill as a child/Stephen as a child – Pax BaldwinCommanding Officer – Hugh DicksonFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2-16 January 2005© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Lucinda Brayford

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Drama

William Shakespeare

In this BBC full-cast production of Romeo And Juliet, the two star-crossed lovers fight for each other until their dying breath. Can their two feuding families reconcile? 
 
With the intimacy of radio, the full beauty and meaning of some of the most lyrical lines ever written can be truly heard: tenderness and passion, betrayal and bigotry are brilliantly evoked as the tale comes to its tragic conclusion. 
 
Douglas Henshall stars as Romeo, with Sophie Dahl as Juliet and Susannah York as Lady Capulet in Shakespeare's passionate story of doomed love. 
 
BBC radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly-formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. 
 
 In this acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former Director of the Royal National Theatre. Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the modern day.

Romeo And Juliet

A BBC Radio Shakespeare production

JG Farrell

BBC Radio 4 productions of JG Farrell's celebrated historical novels - plus bonus material 
 
Acclaimed author JG Farrell came to fame with his Empire Trilogy, exploring the collapse of British colonialism and its repercussions in three different countries. The first book in the series, Troubles, won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and the Lost Man Booker Prize, while the second, The Siege of Krishnapur, was awarded the Booker Prize for Fiction. Included here are three BBC Radio adaptations of the trilogy, plus an edition of Witness History exploring Farrell's tragic accidental death. 
 
Troubles - 1919, and Major Brendan Archer travels to Kilnalough in Ireland to visit his accidental fiancée, Angela. Arriving at her father's once-grand hotel, the Majestic, he finds it a dilapidated wreck, overrun by vegetation and hordes of feral cats. And outside its walls, a violent storm is brewing - one that will sweep him, and the Majestic, away... Jim Norton reads Farrell's tragicomic novel set during Ireland's struggle for independence. 
 
The Siege of Krishnapur - It is 1857 and British rule in India is under threat. At first the colonists are confident that their 'superior culture' will prevail, but when the Indian mutineers attack the Residency in Krishnapur, the Collector is unsure whether his defences can hold out... This thrilling adaptation of JG Farrell's masterpiece stars Alex Jennings, Shiv Grewal and Jasmine Hyde. 
 
The Singapore Grip - 1937. Young Matthew Webb arrives in Singapore to join the family rubber business, and becomes embroiled in a love triangle with two beautiful women. But as the Japanese invasion grows closer, Matthew's comfortable expat world is about to crumble... Robert Glenister, Jonathan Cake and Samantha Spiro star in this gripping dramatisation of Farrell's satirical tale of the fall of Singapore. 
 
Witness History: The Death of JG Farrell - The Booker Prize-winning author drowned off the south-west coast of Ireland in 1979, aged just 44. Vincent Dowd talks to those who knew him, and hears an eyewitness account of his death. 
 
Text copyright © JG Farrell 1970 (Troubles), 1973 (The Siege of Krishnapur), 1978 (The Singapore Grip) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by JG Farrell 
 
Troubles 
Read by Jim Norton 
Abridged by Doreen Estall. Produced by Heather Larmour 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8-19 November 2010 
 
The Siege of Krishnapur 
Hopkins, The Collector - Alex Jennings 
Fluery - Ben Askew 
Prince Hari - Shiv Grewal 
Harry Dunstaple - Matt Addis 
Louise Dunstaple - Jasmine Hyde 
Dr Dunstaple - Malcolm Tierney 
Mrs Dunstaple - Caroline Guthrie 
Willoughby - Sam Dale 
Miriam - Janice Acquah 
Dr MacNab - Stephen Hogan 
The Padre - Philip Fox 
Cutter - Jonathan Tafler 
Lieutenant Peterson - Paul Rider 
Lucy Hughes - Lizzy Watts 
Dramatised by Shelagh Stephenson. Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10-17 May 2009 
 
The Singapore Grip 
JG Farrell - Robert Glenister 
Matthew - Jonathan Cake 
Joan - Samantha Spiro 
Monty/Mr Smith - David Thorpe 
Vera - Su-Lin Looi 
Major Archer - John Rowe 
Walter - Timothy Bateson 
Jim - Kenny Blyth 
Air Marshall Brook-Popham - Terence Edmond 
Brigadier - Karl Johnson 
Governor - John East 
Captain Sinclair - Alex Tender 
Percival - Barry Foster 
ADC - Thomas Arnold 
Dramatised by Mike Walker. Directed by Peter Kavanagh. Music: Felix Jay 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 October-12 November 2000 
 
Witness History: The Death of JG Farrell 
Presented by Vincent Dowd 
With Lavinia Greacen, Hilary Spurling, Jerry Daly, Pauline Foley 
First broadcast BBC World Service, 17 October 2017 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Empire Trilogy: Troubles, The Siege of Krishnapur, The Singapore Grip

3 BBC Radio 4 productions

Barry Hines

Three dramas by Barry Hines and an abridged reading of his classic Kes (A Kestrel for a Knave)Yorkshire-born author Barry Hines is renowned for his 1968 novel A Kestrel for a Knave (later turned into Ken Loach’s award-winning film Kes) and for scripting the BAFTA-winning BBC TV film Threads. The titles in this collection explore his signature theme – working-class life in Northern England – and include a trio of radio dramas alongside an abridged version of Kes, read by Stephen Tompkinson.Billy’s Last Stand – Casual labourer Billy makes his living shovelling coal into people’s sheds and cellars. It’s a one-man job: until the parasitic Darkly turns up, offering him a business partnership. Arthur Lowe and Ronald Baddiley star in Barry Hines’ darkly comic debut play.Two Men from Derby – Elbow-deep in domestic chores, miner’s wife Freda is visited by Joe and George, two scouts from Derby County FC who want to sign her husband as a professional footballer. But Dick is nowhere to be found… Regarded by Hines as the best thing he ever wrote, this slow-burn drama stars Sharon Duce, Colin Edwynn and Bernard Gallagher.Looking at the Sun – When redundant miner Stewart lands a job at a nuclear power station, he has high hopes for a new beginning. But his wife Lisa’s concerns about the plant put their marriage under increasing strain. Starring Chris Brailsford as Stewart and Gillian Waugh as Lisa.Kes – Neglected at home and bullied at school, Billy’s sole comfort is the wild bird of prey he has trained from a fledgling. But his newfound happiness is short-lived... Stephen Tompkinson reads this adaptation of Hines’ heartbreaking coming-of-age tale of a boy and his kestrel.Text copyright © Barry Hines 1965 (Billy’s Last Stand), 1968 (A Kestrel for a Knave), 1976 (Two Men from Derby), 1992 (Looking at the Sun)Production creditsWritten by Barry HinesBilly’s Last StandBilly – Arthur LoweDarkly – Ronald BaddileyTwo Men from DerbyFreda – Sharon DuceJoe – Colin EdwynnGeorge – Bernard GallagherWinnie – Juliet CookeStanley – Charles BoothLooking at the SunStewart – Chris BrailsfordLisa – Gillian WaughMr Ellis – Gerry KerseyClayton – Robin PolleyJanice – Belinda ChapmanMelanie Lee – Barbara DryhurstJapanese photographer – Fenella NormanSharland – Christopher KentMartyn – Peter BellColin – Nick SpurrKevin – Colln MeredithAlison – Caitlin SmithKesRead by Stephen Tompkinson© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Barry Hines: Kes, Billy’s Last Stand & more

A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Alex Y. Ferguson

A lively comedy drama about a young boy growing up in 1930s Tyneside with the help of his favourite uncle 
 
Lecky Ferguson is growing up in a penniless but close-knit family in Jarrow. He relies on his imaginative Uncle Freddie for explanations of the world’s many mysteries. Packed with humour and adventure, this award-winning full-cast drama tells the life of a young man that is far from ordinary. 
 
There are adventures with new-fangled electricity and a fistfight with the rag and bone man, not to mention the time that Uncle Freddie became the Pineapple King. They meet a Romanov princess at the chippy and share a seaside trip with an exiled Leon Trotsky in a stolen tram. Plucky Lecky shoots down a biplane with his catapult and meets a mysterious French airman, and there’s also the small matter of the Prince of Wales, who they manage to rescue from the Tyne. 
 
Based on events from the author’s own childhood, Alex Y. Ferguson's hilarious and heart-warming series is both a passionate evocation of the poverty of 1930s Jarrow and a laugh-out-loud tale of a childhood full of family warmth, surreal delights and magical moments. 
 
Starring Alex Y. Ferguson as the Narrator, with Art Davies (Series 1-2) and Shaun Prendergast (Series 3-6) as Uncle Freddie, and Karl Boyd (Series 1), Simon Henderson (Series 2), Gareth Brown (Series 3-5) and Jamie Bell (Series 6) as young Lecky Ferguson. 
 
Alex Y. Ferguson is a national award-winning writer with Silver and Gold Awards from the Writers’ Guild. My Uncle Freddie, ran for six series on Radio 4 and won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain’s Award for Comedy & Light entertainment in 1997. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

My Uncle Freddie: The Complete Series 1-6

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy Drama

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