A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy and is known as @agatharoza on Wattpad.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

Aaron Dignan is the founder of The Ready--a global organizational transformation and coaching practice--that helps companies large and small adopt new forms of self-organization and dynamic teaming. Clients include Johnson &amp; Johnson, Microsoft, Lloyds Bank, Citibank, Boeing, Mailchimp, Airbnb, Dropbox, and charity: water. 
 
He is also the founder of Murmur--a SaaS startup that helps teams scale culture through the magic of working agreements. The Murmur platform will allow every team on the planet to define and share their ways of working. 
 
Dignan is the author of Brave New Work (2019) and Game Frame (2011), co-host of the Brave New Work podcast, and a friend to misfit toys.

Aaron Dignan

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm: The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Aaron Edwards

Aaron Robertson is a writer, an editor, and a translator of Italian literature. His translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon was short-listed for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award, and in 2021 he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, n+1, The Point, and Literary Hub, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Aaron Robertson

Aaron Shapiro

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

Elizabeth Gaskell

Barry Campbell

Steve Wakelam

Amanda Vickery

Jenny Uglow

A collection of BBC Radio dramatisations of Elizabeth Gaskell's well loved novels - plus bonus material 
 
 Elizabeth Gaskell was one of Victorian England's pre-eminent female novelists. Admired by Charles Dickens, who described her as his 'dear Scheherazade', she mingled storytelling and social realism to superb effect in her highly acclaimed fiction. 
 
 This comprehensive collection comprises dramas and readings of her finest works and some lesser-known pieces. Among the adaptations are her final, unfinished novel Wives and Daughters, her debut novel Mary Barton and her only historical novel, Sylvia's Lovers; as well as the 1851 novella Mr Harrison's Confession (a prequel to Cranford), and her great novel of industrialisation, female independence and identity, North and South. All feature star casts including Emerald O'Hanrahan, Sue Johnston, Jodie Comer, Emily Mortimer, Rod Hudd, David Threlfall, Julian Rhind-Tutt, 
 
 Also included are readings of Mrs Gaskell's chilling supernatural tale 'The Old Nurse's Story', her much-loved novel of life in a small town and its female inhabitants, Cranford, and her festive short story 'Christmas Storms and Sunshine'. 
 
 Based on true events, Stephen Wakelam's detective drama Death at the Bed End, starring Kenneth Cranham, explores the controversy surrounding Elizabeth Gaskell's biography of Charlotte Brontë and the libel threat that followed its publication also included is Mrs Gaskell: Portrait of a Victorian Novelist by Barry Campbell, which is inspired by the author's letters. And in Great Lives: Elizabeth Gaskell, historian Amanda Vickery and biographer Jenny Uglow discuss Mrs Gaskell's life, work and achievements with presenter Francine Stock. 
 
 Credits 
 Written by Elizabeth Gaskell 
 Written by Stephen Wakelam 
 
 Mary Barton 
 Dramatised by Lavinia Murray. Produced and directed by Claire Grove and Tracey Neale 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 September-9 November 2001 
 
 Mr Harrison's Confessions 
 Adapted for radio by Jeremy Front. Produced and directed by Sally Avens. 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 June 1988 
 
 The Old Nurse's Story 
 Produced by Kay Patrick. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24-25 May 1984 
 
 North and South 
 Dramatised by Charlotte Keatley. 
 Directed by Michael Fox. 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 June 1997 
 
 Sylvia's Lovers 
 Dramatised by Ellen Dryden. Produced and directed by Pauline Harris. 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6-13 March 2016 
 
 Wives and Daughters 
 Dramatised by Theresa Heskins. Produced and directed by Peter Leslie Wild 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 November-10 December 2010 
 
Cranford 
 Produced by Julian Wilkinson. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 November 2019 
 
 Christmas Storms and Sunshine 
 Produced by Simon Richardson. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 December 2018 
 
 Death at the Bed End 
 Written by Stephen Wakelam. Directed by Janet Whitaker. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 December 2004 
 
Mrs Gaskell: Portrait of a Victorian Novelist 
Written by Barry Campbell based on "Elizabeth Gaskell: A Biography" by Winifred Gérin. Permission granted by Oxford Publishing Ltd (Academic), Oxford University Press (via PLSclear).Produced by James Runcie. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 August 1983 
 
 Great Lives: Mrs Gaskell 
Presented by Francine Stock, Amanda Vickery and Jenny Uglow. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May 2005 
 
 ©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection

A BBC Drama collection including North and South, Wives and Daughters & more

D.H. Lawrence

Two bold, authentic dramas exploring D.H. Lawrence's extraordinarily modern view of sexuality 
 
Daring, transgressive and controversial, D.H. Lawrence scandalized the literary world with his frank descriptions of sex and desire. He was censored by his own publisher for being too explicit, and several of his most famous works were banned under the Obscene Publications Act. But for Lawrence, a self-described 'priest of love', passion was the stuff of life - and these two dynamic reimaginings celebrate him at his most fearless, pushing the boundaries of sexuality at the dawn of the 20th Century. 
 
The Rainbow is seen through the eyes of Ursula Brangwen, and spans three generations of her family from 1840 to 1905. Unsatisfied with the limited choices open to women, Ursula delves into the histories of her mother, Anna, and grandmother Lydia, in an attempt to find a path to follow as she grapples with the forces of passion and desire. From her first crush to an illicit same-sex love affair, we follow Ursula on her journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery. 
 
In Women in Love, Ursula's younger sister, Gudrun, comes into equal focus, as she and Ursula search for happiness and fulfilment in the Midlands mining town of Beldover. Gudrun, an artist, embarks on an affair with coalmine owner Gerald Crich; while schoolteacher Ursula falls in love with his friend, school inspector Rupert Birkin. But while Ursula and Rupert grow closer, Gudrun and Gerald's relationship is threatened by Gerald's inability to express his emotions - and his tangled feelings for Rupert... 
 
Cassie Bradley stars as Ursula and Katie Redford as Gudrun in these stunning linked dramas about the complexity of human love. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by D.H. Lawrence 
 
The Rainbow 
Ursula - Cassie Bradley 
Tom - Karl Collins 
Lydia - Aneta Piotrowska 
Young Ursula - Florence Hunt 
Anna - Rosalie Craig 
Young Anna - Lauren Tanner 
Will - Lee Ingleby 
Anton - Nico Mirallegro 
Winifred - Tala Gouveia 
Harby - Graeme Hawley 
 
Dramatised by Linda Marshall Griffiths 
Directed by Nadia Molinari 
A BBC Audio Drama North Production 
With thanks to the Estate of Frieda Lawrence Ravagli 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20-27 June 2021 
 
Women in Love 
Ursula - Cassie Bradley 
Gudrun - Katie Redford 
Rupert - Alexander Arnold 
Gerald - James Cooney 
Hermione - Emily Pithon 
Diana/Pussum - Verity Henry 
Julius - Rupert Hill 
Hermione - Emily Pithon 
Loerke - Ashley Margolis 
 
Dramatised by Ian Kershaw 
Directed by Gary Brown 
A BBC Audio Drama North Production 
With thanks to the Estate of Frieda Lawrence Ravagli 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4,4-11 July 2021 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Tainted Love

A full-cast reimagining of The Rainbow & Women in Love

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

Jane Austen

Charlotte Brontë

Unabridged readings of three of the greatest novels of all time 
 
This timeless collection brings together three of the finest works in the literary canon, read in full by some of the very best audiobook narrators. With over 38 hours of unmissable storytelling, tracked by chapter so you can easily find your place, this is the ideal way to enjoy these classic masterpieces. 
 
Pride and Prejudice 
Jane Austen's universally acknowledged romance charts the love story between pretty, witty Elizabeth Bennett and handsome, arrogant Fitzwilliam Darcy. Read by Clare Corbett. 
 
Jane Eyre 
Orphan Jane falls head over heels in love with the brooding, mysterious Mr Rochester in Charlotte Brontë's coming-of-age classic about secrets and lies. Read by Katherine Press. 
 
Cranford 
Elizabeth Gaskell's much-loved portrait of life in a Cheshire town and its female inhabitants, as they cope with the impact of change on their small world. Read by Carolyn Pickles. 
 
 
Credits: 
 
Pride and Prejudice 
Read by Clare Corbett 
Produced by Justine Willett 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 24 August 2019 
 
Jane Eyre 
Read by Katherine Press 
Produced by Anne Bunting 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 24 August 2019 
 
Cranford 
Read by Carolyn Pickles 
Produced by Julian Wilkinson 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 1 November 2019 
 
 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

BBC Classics

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre & Cranford

Emily Brontë

George Eliot

Edith Wharton

Virginia Woolf

Unabridged readings of four fictional masterpieces 
 
Contained in this collection are four more enduring classics, read in full by some of the very best audiobook narrators. With over 32 hours of irresistible storytelling, tracked by chapter for ease of navigation, this is the perfect way to immerse yourself in these iconic works. 
 
Wuthering Heights 
Emily Brontë's tempestuous tale of passions, betrayal and retribution on the wild Yorkshire moors. Read by Susan Jameson. 
 
Silas Marner 
George Eliot's heart-warming tour de force about a lonely weaver's search for redemption and hope. Read by Sean Baker. 
 
Ethan Frome 
Edith Wharton's powerful, affecting novella about a poverty-stricken young man attempting to escape a loveless marriage. Read by Joseph Ayre. 
 
Orlando 
Virginia Woolf's comic biography of a time-travelling hero whose adventures through the centuries include transforming into a heroine... Read by Clare Corbett. 
 
 
Credits: 
 
Wuthering Heights 
Read by Susan Jameson 
Produced by Ross Burman 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 24 August 2019 
 
Silas Marner 
Read by Sean Baker 
Produced by Martha Littlehailes 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 22 August 2019 
 
Ethan Frome 
Read by Joseph Ayre 
Produced by Julian Wilkinson 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 1 November 2019 
 
Orlando 
Read by Clare Corbett 
Produced by Simon Richardson 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 1 November 2019 
 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

More BBC Classics

Wuthering Heights, Silas Marner, Ethan Frome & Orlando

In this BBC radio full-cast dramatisation, Jane Austen introduces us to the handsome, clever and very flawed Emma Wodehouse. 
 
While she is perfectly content with her life and has no interest in love or marriage for herself, she enjoys nothing more than matchmaking those around her. Mr Knightly tries to talk Emma Woodhouse out of this but when she pushes on anyway, her life, and the lives of the friends around her, are irreversibly changed... 
 
Published over 200 years ago, Emma remains one of the British nation's favourite novels. Among the star cast in this radio production are Eve Best, Norman Rodway, Robert Bathurst, and Marcia Warren. 
 
This title is part of the BBC's Jane Austen collection. 
 
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Emma

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

In this BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of one of Jane Austen's most beloved works, the devoted Dashwood sisters are forced by tragic circumstances to set about the delicate task of finding suitable husbands... 
 
John Willoughby quickly and seemingly irreversibly captures Marianne's heart. Her sister Elinor finds few suitors, and even fewer reasons to open up in a society fuelled by social status... 
 
Published over 200 years ago, Sense and Sensibility remains one of the British nation's favourite novels. Among the star cast in this radio production are Amanda Hale, Olivia Hallinan, Deborah McAndrew, and Blake Ritson. 
 
This title is part of the BBC's Jane Austen collection. 
 
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sense and Sensibility

John Ford

A visceral, revamped BBC radio production of John Ford's classic play about a doomed love between a brother and sister 
 
With its shocking portrayal of incest, intrigue and murder, this powerful Jacobean revenge drama scandalised audiences when it was first performed in the 1620s, and is still controversial today. 
 
When siblings Giovanni and Annabella embark on a passionate affair, Annabella falls pregnant with her brother's child. Knowing she must marry to protect her honour, she chooses one of the many suitors clamouring for her hand - but when her secret is revealed, the lovers are caught up in a bloody chain of events that culminate in a poisoning, a blinding, a stabbing and a brutal massacre... 
 
Reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, but darker and more twisted, John Ford's 17th-century tale of sex and death is restyled for radio in Pauline Harris's compassionate, disturbing adaptation. Intercut with the music of Jimi Hendrix and Nick Cave, it also features an original song, 'In Deep', composed by Jules Maxwell and sung by Jessie Buckley, Indira Varma, and Abby Andrews. The play is introduced by Professor Emma Smith from Hertford College, Oxford. 
 
 
 
Cast 
Annabella - Jessie Buckley 
Giovanni - Damien Molony 
Signor Florio - Niall Buggy 
Putana - Fenella Woolgar 
Friar Bonaventura - Oliver Cotton 
Lord Soranzo - Matthew Pidgeon 
Vasques - Enzo Cilenti 
Hippolita - Indira Varma 
Grimaldi - Gary Duncan 
Cardinal - Neil McCaul 
Officer - Adam Fitzgerald 
Dorando - Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong 
 
Adapted and directed by Pauline Harris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 7 January 2018

'Tis Pity She's a Whore

A BBC Radio full-cast production

Georgette Heyer

BBC Radio adaptations of three of Georgette Heyer's sparkling Regency romances and a classic comedy thriller 
 
The acknowledged 'queen of Regency romance', bestselling author Georgette Heyer, also penned a dozen delightful mystery novels. Included here are dramatisations of four of her finest stories from both genres, full of her characteristic wit, charm and period detail. 
 
Regency Buck 
Pretty but shrewd Judith Taverner gallops in from the provinces and daringly defies the gaming, drinking and brawling world of Regency London to claim her rights, her fortune - and who knows, perhaps her happiness? Starring Elizabeth Proud as Judith Taverner and Simon Shepherd as Peregrine Taverner. 
 
Friday's Child 
'I'm going back to London! And I'm going to marry the first woman I see!' is the cry of young Lord Sheringham when his proposal of marriage is rejected by Isabella, the Incomparable. True to his word, he takes the even younger Hero Wantage as his bride... Starring James Frain as Viscount Anthony Sheringham and Elli Garnett as Hero Wantage, with Simon Russell Beale as Jasper Tarleton. 
 
Faro's Daughter 
Deborah Grantham's position in a gaming house makes her utterly unsuitable as a wife for a nobleman, so Max Ravenscar determines to rescue his cousin from her clutches. But the bribe he offers does not go down well, and a battle of wits commences... Starring Sylvestre Le Touzel as Deborah Grantham and Nathaniel Parker as Max Ravenscar, with Anna Massey as Lady Bellingham. 
 
Envious Casca 
An English country Christmas in the 1930s, a Tudor manor house decked with holly, a family gathered for seasonal cheer - and a murder. Inspector Hemingway is on the case, but can he shake off amateur sleuths Toby and Jane French? Starring Peter Kelly as Inspector Hemingway, James Fleet as Toby and Helen Baxendale as Jane. 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Georgette Heyer BBC Radio Drama Collection

Four full-cast dramatisations

Arnold Bennett

Neil Dudgeon and Tim McInnerny star in this epic tale of money, passion and defiance, inspired by the 'Five Towns' novels of Arnold Bennett 
 
In this radical reinterpretation of Arnold Bennett's classic novels set in the Staffordshire potteries, it's the 19th Century and the Industrial Revolution is at full throttle. Only the ruthless thrive in this uncompromising world - and Ephraim Tellwright and Darius Clayhanger are both determined to succeed. 
 
From humble beginnings, these two self-made men have risen to become wealthy and powerful. Now, they hold the fate of the Five Towns in their hands, passing judgement on those who put the prosperity and reputation of their community at risk... 
 
Over 10 hours and almost 40 years, we follow them, their descendants, and the inhabitants of Bursley and the Five Towns, as individuals rise, fall, flourish, age, and see the world around them become unrecognisable, transformed by new technology. Fortunes are lost, hearts broken, empires built and compromises made. 
 
These tales of aspiration and passion, damage and danger are told with Bennett's forensic eye for human psychology and a surprising degree of witty comedy, and feature a star cast including Emma Cunniffe, Kate O'Flynn, Don Gilet and Rebekah Staton.

China Towns: Based on the Five Towns Novels

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

William Makepeace Thackeray

Al Murray stars in this anarchic BBC radio reboot of Thackeray’s groundbreaking satirical novel 
 
Comedian Al Murray plays his great-great-great grandfather William Makepeace Thackeray as the unreliable narrator in this radical makeover of his ancestor’s celebrated satire on class, sex, money, hypocrisy and snobbery in nineteenth-century England. 
 
As the curtain rises on our ‘story without a hero’, moneyless Becky Sharp leaves school with her upper-class best friend Amelia Sedley. Clever, cunning and ambitious, Becky is determined to make her way in Regency society – and she’ll trample on anyone who gets in her way. 
 
When her plan to marry Amelia’s brother Jos falls through, she snares the aristocratic Rawdon Crawley – but her hopes of riches are dashed when the couple are disinherited by his wealthy aunt. Meanwhile, Amelia marries the dashing George Osborne, breaking the heart of her devoted admirer, William Dobbin. 
 
But war is fast approaching, and as Napoleon advances towards Waterloo, where will the winds of destiny blow our players? And will the ever-resourceful Becky succeed in achieving her desires? 
 
Pacey, contemporary, fresh and funny, this sparkling dramatisation features Ellie White as Becky, Helen O’Hara as Amelia, Blake Ritson as Rawdon, Rupert Hill as George, Thom Tuck as Jos and Graeme Hawley as Dobbin. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
Thackeray (narrator)……………………Al Murray 
Becky Sharp……………………Ellie White 
Amelia Sedley……………………Helen O’Hara 
Rawdon Crawley……………………Blake Ritson 
Jos Sedley……………………Thom Tuck 
George Osborne……………………Rupert Hill 
Dobbin……………………Graeme Hawley 
Mrs Sedley/Mrs Bute/Aunty Crawley/Jane/Rawdon Junior……………………Emma Gregory 
Mr Sedley/Sir Pitt/Lord Steyne……………………Jonathan Keeble 
Mr Osborne/Bute/General Tufto……………………Malcolm Raeburn 
Pitt……………………Lloyd Peters 
Lady Bareacres/Miss Briggs/George Junior……………………Fiona Clarke 
 
Written by William Makepeace Thackeray 
Dramatised by Jim Poyser, with additional material by Al Murray 
A BBC Radio Drama North production 
Produced and directed by Gary Brown 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 May-9 June 2019

Vanity Fair

Rachel Joyce

Amanda Hale and Tom Burke star in a brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Charlotte Brontë's most beloved novel, adapted by Rachel Joyce. 
 
Orphan Jane learns at an early age that self-control is the surest means of retaining self-respect in adversity. It is a lesson that serves her well in the years ahead as she endures the misery of life with her cruel, uncaring aunt, followed by the harsh regime at Lowood Institution, a charity school for poor children. 
 
After taking the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, she meets the master of the house, the brooding, enigmatic Edward Rochester, and finds herself falling in love with him. It seems as if happiness may finally be within her grasp – but a series of strange events leads her to believe that Rochester is concealing a dark secret. When the truth is revealed, the heartbroken Jane will need all her inner strength and resilience to face up to it... 
 
Dramatised for radio by bestselling novelist Rachel Joyce (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), this iconic love story stars Amanda Hale as Jane and Tom Burke as Rochester. Suffused with romance, passion, mystery and danger, it is a spellbinding tale that is as real and relevant today as when it was first published in 1847. 
 
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Jane Eyre

In this BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of one of Jane Austen's most beloved works, Mrs Bennet is determined to see her five daughters married off and secure a future for them all. 
 
When the wealthy Mr Bingley arrives in the neighbourhood, Mrs Bennet wastes no time in making his acquaintance. His friend Mr Darcy, however, discourages Mr Bingley from marrying Jane Bennet, and also appears to snub her sister Elizabeth. 
 
When Elizabeth hears that Mr Darcy himself is of poor character, her innate prejudice of him is reinforced, and she roundly refuses his unexpected proposal of marriage. But then, when she discovers that she was misinformed, Elizabeth wonders if she can ever hope to see Mr Darcy again.... 
 
Published over 200 years ago, Pride and Prejudice remains one of the British nation's favourite novels. Among the star cast in this radio production are Amanda Root, Pippa Nixon, Samantha Spiro and David Troughton. 
 
This title is part of the BBC's Jane Austen collection. 
 
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Pride and Prejudice

Michael Morpurgo

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the powerful novel set in the First World War, from the author of War Horse. 
 
This is the story of Thomas ‘Tommo’ Peaceful, a young soldier who finds himself in Belgium, in the trenches of the First World War, with his brother Charlie. It is also the story of Tommo’s life, growing up in Devon with his brothers, and of his love for Molly, the beautiful girl he met on his first day at school. 
 
As the story unfolds, from past to present, so approaches the hour when Tommo and Charlie will be separated for ever. The horrors of the First World War, and the injustice meted out to the soldiers who fought in it, are movingly described. 
 
Recorded on location Iddesleigh, the Devon village where the book is set, this radio dramatisation features among its cast Paul Chequer, Nicholas Lyndhurst and author Michael Morpurgo himself. 
 
It also features; Ted Allpress, Harvey Allpress, Amy Reade, Daniel Houghton, Paul Chequer, Mark Quartley, Annette Chown, Ben Allen, Alison Reid, Nick Brimble, Christopher Bianchi, Peter Ellis, Jonathan Keeble, Terence Mann, Simon Reade and Susan Roberts.

Private Peaceful

A BBC Radio Drama

Madame de Lafayette

Madame de Lafayette's classic tale of intrigue and love, ‘La Princesse de Clèves’, dramatised for BBC Radio 3 and originally broadcast in the ‘Drama on 3’ slot on 28 February 2010.   Set in the 16th Century, the play follows the life of a beautiful young lady newly presented to Court. It's the reign of Henri II and Mary Queen of Scots is safely ensconced in France. It's a time of dangerous liaisons when one step out of line could ruin a woman and her family.  Quickly married off, the naïve Princess finds herself admired and taunted by those around her. And, whilst they gossip cruelly, she becomes helplessly and dangerously caught up in matters of love.  Playfully adapted, this BBC Radio 3 dramatisation offsets the Princess’ painful conflict between duty and love with characters who delight in the wickedness of their world.  ‘La Princesse de Clèves’ stars Melody Grove as La Princesse, Candida Benson as her mother and Liam Brennan as Clèves. Also featuring in the cast are Robin Laing, Laurie Brown, Meg Fraser, Irene MacDougall, Ralph Riach and Crawford Logan. Translated and dramatised by Jo Clifford and directed by Kirsty Williams.

La Princesse De Clèves (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3)

BBC Audio presents Mansfield Park, Jane Austen's perceptive study of middle class morals in the 19th century. Jane Austen's unlikely heroine Fanny Price is plucked from her impoverished family and brought up by wealthy relatives at Mansfield Park. 
 
When two outrageous and flirtatious guests arrive at Mansfield Park, Fanny's moral compass is shattered. How will Fanny continue to appear meek and cheerful, whilst being forced to re-examine her entire life? 
 
Starring Hannah Gordon, Amanda Root and Michael Williams. 
 
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Mansfield Park

BBC Audio presents Persuasion, Jane Austen's last novel. Anne Elliot had never forgotten the personable Captain Wentworth, who reappears in Anne Elliot's life several years after she had been persuaded to break off their engagement. 
 
He makes no secret of his angry indignation. Newly wealthy from success at sea, a marriage with Frederick Wentworth could walk Anne and her entire family back from the brink of financial ruin. Can Wentworth forgive, and can the couple reunite? 
 
Narrated by Janet Suzman. 
 
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Persuasion

A BBC Radio 4 reading

William Shakespeare

In this BBC full-cast production of Henry IV Part 2, civil war is ravaging England. Rebels are rallying together, unified against Henry. Will Henry and his son, Hal, emerge victorious - or alive? 
 
Father and son Julian Glover and Jamie Glover star as King Henry and his son Hal in the powerful production which also stars Timothy West and Prunella Scales. 
 
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.

Henry IV Part Two

A BBC Radio Shakespeare production

In this BBC full-cast production, Julius Caesar is triumphant after his victory over the sons of Pompey. But as bad omens and weather plague Rome, even his most loyal friends are starting to see the signs... 
 
Political intrigue and fierce battle rage in this tense and dynamic production in which a country is torn apart under the legacy of Julius Caesar, 'the colossus'. 
 
Gerard Murphy, Stella Gonet, Samantha Bond and Nicholas Farrell star in Shakespeare's turbulent Roman history. 
 
 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.

Julius Caesar

In this BBC full-cast production, Othello is drawn further and further into jealous rage by the manipulative Iago. 
 
In this story of evil cunning perverting a once noble mind, radio captures Iago's sly hints and boasts to the audience with shocking clarity. The listener is led along an emotional path that grips with fascinating horror until the play's tragic conclusion. 
 
Staring Ray Fearon as Othello, James Frain as Iago and and Anastasia Hille as Desdemona. 
 
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.

Othello

In this BBC full-cast production of The Merchant of Venice, love, bigotry, greed, and justice are entwined. 
 
Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centred on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio. Shylock's angry insistence on the repayment of his debt from Bassanio ends in the Venetian courts, where he demands his pound of flesh. Portia meanwhile, a wealthy young Venetian woman, must marry one of her many suitors. Her late father's will has set the challenge by means of three caskets: one gold, one silver and one lead. 
 
Warren Mitchell stars as Shylock, with Martin Jarvis as Antonio, Samuel West as Bassanio and Juliet Aubrey as Portia. 
 
This superb production of Shakespeare's dramatic and complex play is directed by the award-winning Peter Kavanagh, and features specially-composed music by the renowned Barrington Pheloung. 
 
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.

The Merchant Of Venice

Jeffery Farnol

A vintage 13-part dramatisation of Jeffery Farnol’s historical romance 
 
When 22-year-old Barnabas Barty, the son of a landlord and ex-prize fighter, unexpectedly inherits £700,000 from his uncle in Jamaica, he decides to fulfil his dream of becoming a gentleman. Leaving his father’s country inn in Kent, he sets off to London determined to enter the beau monde. 
 
En route, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful woman, and engages in fisticuffs with an arrogant aristocrat in a green coat. Though the lady vanishes before Barnabas can ask for her name, he later learns that she is Lady Cleone Meredith… and that he has several rivals for her affections. He also learns that he has made a powerful enemy – for the man he knocked down was Sir Mortimer Carnaby, a member of the Ton and a close friend of the Prince Regent… 
 
Has Barnabas blighted his chances of becoming a person of quality? Can he ever win the heart of the fair Cleone? And what will fashionable London make of this amateur gentleman? 
 
Alongside Georgette Heyer, Jeffery Farnol largely originated the ‘Regency romance’ genre, and in his 50-year career he wrote over 40 bestselling tales of love and adventure. The Amateur Gentleman was among his most popular novels, and was adapted as a film three times in the 1920s and 1930s. First broadcast in 1966, this classic BBC Radio dramatisation stars Brian Hewlett as Barnabas, with Anthony Jackson as the Storyteller and Eva Haddon as Cleone. 
 
Cast 
Barnabas Barty – Brian Hewlett 
Storyteller – Anthony Jackson 
John Barty/Captain Slingsby – John Dearth 
Mr Crabtree – Stephen Jack 
Nathaniel Bell/Jack Truelove/Jaspar Gaunt – Wilfred Babbage 
A Chapman/Pufton, a Gentleman-in-Powder/Quinly – Michael McClain 
Sir Mortimer Carnaby/Jerry Tucker, the Bosun/Coachman/Waiter//Mr Tressider/Bow Street Runner – Ronald Herdman 
Cleone – Eva Haddon 
John Chumley/Gamekeeper/Jaspar Shrig – Basil Jones 
Viscount Devenham – Henry Stamper 
Milo – Nigel Anthony 
Mr Chichester/Guard – Anthony Hall 
John Peterby/A landlord – Kevin McHugh 
Clemency Dare – Carol Marsh 
Billy Button/Corporal Richard Roe/Nick, the Cobbler – Michael Kilgarriff 
A Fussy Gentleman/Sir George Annersley/Mr Bimby – Walter Fitzgerald 
Gabriel Martin/Major Piper – Alan Dudley 
Digby Smivvle – Harold Kasket 
The Marquis of Jerningham – John Justin 
Ronald Barrymaine – Allan McClelland 
A woman debtor/Mrs Smummitt – Anna Burden 
Duchess of Camberhurst – Noel Hood 
Countess of Orme – Joan Matheson 
Marquis of Jerningham – John Justin 
Ralph Darville – Noel Howlett 
 
Adapted by Felix Felton and Susan Ashman 
Produced by John Powell 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29 July-21 October 1966 
 
Episode list 
1. The Road to London 
2. The Lace Handkerchief 
3. At Oakshott’s Barn 
4. The Duties of a Valet 
5. The Misfortunes of Ronald Barrymaine 
6. Annersley Revisited 
7. Barnaby Bright 
8. Wagers and Warnings 
9. The Great Steeplechase 
10. The Gathering Shadows 
11. Account Settled 
12. The Harder Way 
13. The Duchess Decides 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Amateur Gentleman

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

Rudyard Kipling

Dramatisations of some of Kipling’s finest fiction for adults, including ‘The Man Who Would Be King’ and The Light That Failed 
 
Well-known for his poems and stories set in India during British Imperial rule, Rudyard Kipling was the first English author to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was also offered a knighthood and the Poet Laureateship, but turned down both. His books remain immensely popular today, and this collection showcases a selection of his best adult works. 
 
Set deep in the Hindu Kush mountains, the chilling cautionary tale ‘The Man Who Would Be King’ tells the story of two conmen with an insane and dangerous plan to conquer a remote region of Afghanistan. Blake Ritson, Richard Ridings and Samuel James star in this thrilling drama about friendship and the folly and glory of imperial ambition. 
 
First broadcast in 1994 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rudyard Kipling, Kipling in Love comprises eight half-hour dramas based on his short stories – ‘His Wedded Wife’, ‘Lispeth’, ‘Venus Annodomini’, ‘The Courting of Dinah Shadd’, ‘In the Pride of His Youth’, ‘Love O’Women’, ‘Beyond the Pale’ and ‘On Greenhow Hill’. Among the star casts are Jack Klaff, Mamta Kaash, Alex Jennings, Steve Hodson, Frances Jeater, Terry John, Samuel West, Meera Syal, Michael Troughton and Nina Wadia. 
 
Adapted from Kipling’s debut novel, The Light That Failed revolves around war illustrator Dick Heldar, his struggles to become a successful artist and his unrequited love for his childhood sweetheart, Maisie. It stars Steve Hodson, Stuart Organ and Natasha Pyne. Wrapping up this collection is ‘They’, a haunting supernatural tale of a motorist’s mysterious encounters with a group of elusive children. Narrated by Tony Britton, this 1982 World Service production stars Annette Crosbie and Douglas Blackwell. 
 
First published 1888 (‘The Man Who Would Be King’, ‘His Wedded Wife’, ‘Lispeth’, ‘Venus Annodomini’, ‘In the Pride of His Youth’, ‘Beyond the Pale’), 1891 (‘The Courting of Dinah Shadd’, ‘On Greenhow Hill’, The Light That Failed), 1893 (‘Love-o’-Women’), 1904 (‘They’) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Rudyard Kipling 
 
The Man Who Would Be King 
 
Kipling in Love 
<ul><li>His Wedded Wife</li><li>Lispeth</li><li>Venus Annodomini</li><li>The Courting of Dinah Shadd</li><li>In the Pride of His Youth</li><li>Love O’Women</li><li>Beyond the Pale</li><li>On Greenhow Hill</li></ul> 
 
The Light That Failed 
They 
 
Copyright © 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Selected works of Rudyard Kipling

11 Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramas

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

Robert Browning

BBC Radio dramatisations and readings of Browning’s most famous poems, performed by stars including Anton Lesser, Roger Allam and David Tennant, plus two bonus plays 
 
Victorian poet Robert Browning was renowned for his evocative dramatic monologues peopled with vivid, morally ambiguous characters. In 1846, he eloped with fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett, and they rapidly became Britain’s most famous literary power couple. This collection brings together four of Browning’s poetic masterpieces, juxtaposed with a play inspired by his work and a drama about Robert and Elizabeth’s romance. 
 
The Ring and the Book – In the aftermath of a triple stabbing, Rome is rife with speculation. Accused of murdering his young wife and her parents, Count Guido Franceschini is put on trial, and finds himself desperately fighting for his life. Anton Lesser, Roger Allam and Andrew Sachs star in this thrilling tale of of sex, lies, murder and justice. 
 
The Pied Piper of Hamlin – When a town fails to pay the rat-catcher who has lured all the rats away with his magic pipe, the piper takes a terrible revenge. Playing his music once more, he leads all the children from the town. Only one boy remains behind… David Tennant stars as the Narrator, with Bertie Gilbert as the boy. 
 
My Last Duchess – Based on Browning’s chilling poem about an aristocrat whose wife died young in suspicious circumstances, this intriguing dramatisation attempts to solve the mystery of what happened to the duchess, and who did the deed. Starring Roger Allam, Emily Mortimer and Tim McInnerny. 
 
Andrea del Sarto – Richard Pasco reads Robert Browning's monologue about the 16th-century Florentine artist known as ‘the faultless painter’, whose marriage was the source of deep unhappiness. 
 
The Contemplative Life – Brother James's loathing of oafish Brother Lawrence has led him to petty acts of destruction. As a punishment, he is forced to share a cell with him… Alan Rickman and Michael Aldridge star in this comedy inspired by Browning’s poem ‘Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister’. 
 
The Barretts of Wimpole Street – Starring Dorothy Tutin and Jeremy Brett, this radio version of Rudolf Besier’s celebrated stage play explores the secret courtship of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, which took place at No 50 Wimpole Street, her father’s forbidding household. 
 
First published 1842 (‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’, ‘My Last Duchess’), 1855 (‘Andrea del Sarto’), 1868 (‘The Ring and the Book’) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Robert Browning 
 
The Ring and the Book 
Cast: Anton Lesser, Roger Allam, Lou Brealey, Dominic Rowan, Andrew Sachs, Frances Jeater, Dan Starkey, Stephen Critchlow, Ben Crowe, Chris Pavlo, Joan Walker, John Rowe, Michael Maloney, Stephen Moore 
 
The Pied Piper of Hamelin 
Cast: David Tennant, Bertie Gilbert 
With music and songs written and performed by John Harle, lyrics by Joyce Harle, sung by Thomas Platts, head chorister at Canterbury Cathedral with the choir of Wingham School, Kent 
 
My Last Duchess 
Cast: Roger Allam, Emily Mortimer, Tim McInnerny, Robert Hands, John Hartley, Jacob Heringman 
 
Andrea del Sarto 
Read by Richard Pasco 
 
The Contemplative Life 
Cast: Alan Rickman, Michael Aldridge, David Garth, Brian Smith, Colin Starkey, David Sinclair, 
Trevor Nichols, John Webb 
 
The Barretts of Wimpole Street 
Cast: Dorothy Tutin, Jeremy Brett, Paul Rogers, William Eedle, John Rowe, John Samson, 
Robin Browne, David Valla, Christopher Good, Kate Binchy, Jane Knowles, Kenneth Fortescue, 
Helen Worth, Michael Kilgarriff, Rolf Lefebvre, John Ruddock, Sheila Grant 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robert Browning: The Ring and the Book, The Pied Piper of Hamelin & more

BBC Radio dramatic reimaginings of five iconic poems

A Private Thriller

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

A Puffin Book

A Ripley Novel

A Slice of the Moon

A Victorian Mystery

A Walk in...

A Women’s Murder Club Thriller

A chef Paul Delamare Mystery

Aberrations

Across the Universe

Actiphons

Adelia Aguilar

Adrian Mole

Adventures in Time

Aftermath

Against War

Age of X

Agent 21

Agent Z

Detective Aidan Waits is a troubled junior detective haunted by his past. Facing an uncertain future, and disconnected from his history, DC Waits and his partner, Detective Inspector Peter 'Sutty' Sutcliffe work on Manchester's streets to uncover the city's worst criminals among the grime of the underworld.

Filters

Category

Publication Date

Format

Series

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter