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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Henry Normal

Henry Normal uses poetry, storytelling and comedy to tackle big subjects with his trademark humour. This collection includes five of his funny and moving BBC Radio 4 shows: 
 
A Normal Family is centred around Henry's son, Johnny, who was diagnosed with autism. Through stand-up and poetry, Henry explores what this means for Johnny, for himself, and for his wife, Angela. 
 
A Normal Life continues to draw on Henry's experiences of bringing up a child with autism, and tackles the subjects of life, death, loneliness, loss, human frailty and other classic conversation stoppers. 
 
A Normal Love sees Henry explore love, romance and other unreasonable expectations. 
 
A Normal Imagination looks at the reasons why humans create. 
 
A Normal Nature is an exploration of unsung nature, from the point of view of a busy urban human. 
 
These extended episodes include material never broadcast on the radio. 
 
‘It's a rare and lovely thing: half an hour of radio that stops you short, gently demands your attention and then wipes your tears away while you have to have a little sit down’ - The Guardian 
 
A Normal Life was awarded a Silver ARIA for Best Comedy/Entertainment production at the 2017 Radio Academy Awards. 
 
Written and performed by Henry Normal. 
Produced by Carl Cooper. 
A BBC Studios Production.

A Normal…Family, Life, Love, Imagination & Nature

The BBC Radio 4 stand up shows

David Mitchell

David Mitchell sets out on a vigorous but impeccably polite investigation into the confusing world of manners. Are they really in decline, as many would have us believe? Or are we just throwing off the shackles of the Victorian obsession with etiquette? 
 
Over the course of the series, David eats his lunchtime sandwiches with children in a primary school, and later goes to a street market to see manners - good and bad - in action. He explores where our manners come from with Professors Steven Pinker from Harvard University and the author Henry Hitchings. What do we mean by 'civility' and 'good manners' in public places? Why are people still pinching vicars' bottoms, and what can the state do to improve standards of public behaviour? And, David asks, how is the digital age changing our sense of public space? 
 
Produced by Chris Ledgard.

Behaving Ourselves

David Mitchell on Manners

Jason Hazeley

Simon Evans

David Tyler

Frank Skinner hosts series 3 of the panel game based on what we all sit down and do at least once a day – shop online and leave a review, as an all-star panel celebrate the good, the bad & the baffling 
 
Everyone has an online life, and when the great British public put pen to keyboard to leave a review, they almost always write something hilarious. And our all-star panel have to work out just what they were reviewing – and maybe contribute a few reviews of their own... and more... So if you’re the person who went on Trip Advisor to review Ben Nevis as “Very steep and too high”, this show salutes you! 
 
In episode one, Frank & the team discuss looking too much at cats, looking too much like dogs and what to do when your crowbar is the wrong size. With Ian Smith, Jo Caulfield, Pierre Novellie and Rachel Parris. 
 
In episode two, Frank & the team discuss the most fashionable way to wear a pizza, the most unfashionable way to wear a Tam o’Shanter and the tallest swimming trunks in the world. With Dee Allum, Marcus Brigstocke, Hasan Al-Habib and Bella Hull. 
 
In the third episode, Frank & the team discuss the usual; potatoes, limes, feathers, drainage systems of Ancient Civilizations etc etc... With Simon Evans, Harriet Kemsley, Chloe Petts and Rajiv Karia. 
 
In episode four, Frank & the team find out the right way to get frightened by lions, the wrong way to clean a delicious crevice, and what to do if your arms don’t reach the kitchen. With Ahir Shah, Louise Young, Freya Parker and Pierre Novellie. 
 
Episode five, and Frank and the team check out a hospital in Prague, a cheesesteak in New Jersey and how real men cut their nosehairs. With Simon Evans, Jo Caulfield, Kerry Godliman and Ed Byrne. 
 
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for episode six as Frank and the team don green tights and angels’ wings and jiggle suspiciously to play a Xmas-flavoured episode of the panel game. With Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Sunil Patel, Simon Evans and Ania Magliano. 
 
And in the final episode, Frank & the team discuss giant frogs, redundant tingles and being unexpectedly Danish. With Lucy Porter, Anna Thomas, Finlay Christie and Daliso Chaponda. 
 
Production credits 
Hosted by Frank Skinner 
Devised by Jason Hazeley and Simons Evans with the producer David Tyler 
Written by Frank Skinner, Catherine Brinkworth, Sarah Dempster, Gareth Gwynn, Jason Hazeley, Rajiv Karia, Karl Minns, Katie Sayer & Peter Tellouche 
 
A Pozzitive production for the BBC. 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 Nov – 30 Dec 2025 
 
(C)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

One Person Found This Helpful: Series 3

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Panel Game

Jacob Hawley

Stand-up comedian Jacob Hawley explores every corner of the UK drugs scene, from nightclubs to prisons 
 
In his first BBC radio series, New Comedy Award finalist Jacob Hawley examines one of the most important issues affecting young people today, looking into every aspect of British drug culture to discover its scope and effects. As a recreational drugs user for almost a decade, Jacob thought he knew more than most about the topic - but was shocked by how much he still had to learn. 
 
Beginning with a debate about legalisation, these 16 episodes examine the highs and lows of drug use and abuse, from psychedelics, ayahuasca and chemsex to addiction, County Lines gangs and drugs behind bars and on the streets. Jacob visits a rehab clinic to talk to recovering addicts, meets families who have lost loved ones to drugs and speaks with dealers and policemen to canvass opinions from both sides of the law. In addition, he probes the murky world of doping and performance-enhancing drugs, investigates prescription drug abuse and antidepressants, and looks at the damaging effects of one of the most widely-used drugs in the world: alcohol. 
 
His guests include controversial scientist Professor David Nutt; 'Acid Countess' Amanda Feilding, grime artist and DJ Faze Miyake and Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell - and, in a special episode live from the BBC 6Music Festival, Jacob catches up with actor and presenter Tyger Drew-Honey, who discusses his struggle with drink and drugs. 
 
This acclaimed series earned Jacob a Radio Academy Silver Award for Best New Presenter. Enlightening, informative and insightful, it will expand your mind and make you rethink the way you look at drugs. 
 
Created and presented by Jacob Hawley 
Produced by Nick Coupe 
Music by Buddy Peace 
Art by Charles Williams at Made Up 
Jacob Hawley: On Drugs is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds 
 
With guests including: Professor David Nutt, Dr Kevin Sabet, Lizzie McCulloch, Jack Barry, Adam Deacon, Sabina Osbourne Gray, Tom Huggins, Carl Donnelly, Amanda Feilding, Harry Shapiro, Joshua Levitas, Elizabeth Burton-Phillips MBE, James Wharton, Denholm Spurr, Monty Moncrieff MBE, Luke Laws, Faze Miyake, Ryan Walker-Edwards, Fiona Measham, Bradley Laurencin, Shaun Attwood, Lawrence Gibbons, Paul Sharky, Joseph Kaz, Dr Michael Shiner, Chloe Petts, Laura Pilcher, Nathan Harmer, Ed Warner, Emily Robinson, Luke Campbell, Thomas Maw, Tyger Drew-Honey, Dr Tom Yerburgh, Michael Ritchie, Nikki Holland, Sonya Jones, Tanayah Sam, Ahir Shah, Angela Barnes, Emma Carrington, Dr David Healy, Lou Sanders, Jon Long, Tom Blackwood, Dr Richard Piper 
 
 
If you've been affected by any of the issues discussed in this podcast, you can find help and support here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling

Jacob Hawley: On Drugs

Exploring the UK drug scene

Stuart Mitchell

Two hilarious stand-up radio shows from comedian Stuart Mitchell 
 
What is the true cost of happiness? In these two very funny series Stuart Mitchell examines his own cost of living crisis, and then takes a deep dive into the real cost of dying. Delivered in Stuart’s signature light-hearted yet meaningful style, this is a listen that will get you thinking and laughing. 
 
In Stuart Mitchell’s Cost of Living, Stuart looks at his own unbelievable – but absolutely true – life story. A working-class boy with huge aspirations, Stuart achieved everything he dreamed of and more. But he soon came to realise that the cost of having everything was more than he was willing to pay. A morality tale about his time working in Westminster, moving to a highly paid job in banking and willingly losing it all to find happiness, Stuart makes us ponder the true cost of living. His journey of self-discovery is prompted by a visit to one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants - a meal that makes him question his entire existence… 
 
In Stuart Mitchell’s Cost of Dying he breaks down the true cost of dying. Having hired the same undertaker six times for family members, Stuart aims to find out if can we even afford to kick the bucket. He takes a cheeky look at the costs of end-of-life care, a long, cold look at mortuary fridges and the importance of death certificates. You might want to reconsider a cardboard coffin after listening, and don’t forget the financial costs of lawyers are just as heavy as the emotional ones. In fact, you’ll learn so much about the hidden costs of dying, you may well decide not to bother doing it! 
 
Stuart Mitchell is a well-known Scottish comedian and TikTok star. He is currently the longest-running panelist on BBC Scotland’s Breaking The News, and has made numerous appearances across TV and radio including Chris McCausland’s You Heard It Here First, The Blame Game and The News Quiz. He is also co-creator and star of the Glesga Da Podcast along with Raymond Mearns. 
 
Written and performed by Stuart Mitchell 
Produced by Lauren Mackay 
Sound by Andy Hay and Chris Currie 
Stuart Mitchell’s Cost of Living first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25th February - 31st March 2024 
Stuart Mitchell’s Cost of Dying first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12th November - 10th December 2025 
 
©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Stuart Mitchell’s Cost of Living and Dying

BBC Radio 4 Stand-Up Comedy

David Grossman

Aditya Chakrabortty

Gordon Brown

Five eye-opening BBC documentaries about the hidden economic framework that surrounds our every move. 
 
Capitalism is all around us, affecting almost everything we do and impacting our daily lives in myriad ways. This comprehensive collection takes an in-depth look at this all-pervasive economic system, examining its triumphs and disasters and revealing how it puts money and markets at the centre of our world. 
 
In the explosive 10-part series The New Age of Capitalism, Newsnight's David Grossman probes the factors driving the turbo-charged growth in contemporary commerce. Exploring aspects ranging from the 'intangible economy' and AI to the trillion-dollar tech giants, he asks key questions about the way modern capitalism works, and the consequences for society. 
 
Insecure Overachievers sees leaders of elite City firms divulging the secret epidemic of anxiety and insecurity among elite professionals. Exceptionally capable and fiercely ambitious, they are driven by a deep belief in their own inadequacy, fostered by a competitive work culture that takes advantage of their vulnerabilities. 
 
The Bailouttells the compelling story of the race against time to agree a rescue plan to save Britain's banks from going bust. Told by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with contributions from Alistair Darling, Mervyn King and Robert Peston, this is a blow-by-blow account of how events unfolded during one incredible week in October 2008. 
 
The Money Clinic goes behind the scenes as families and couples open up about their finances and their feelings with a relationship counsellor. In frank, intimate discussions, they learn how to deal with the financial issues that are coming between them, and receive practical tips on managing both their cash and the emotional side of money. 
 
And in Our House, we meet young Brighton couple Tacita and Charlie, who are desperate to buy their first home - but a property on the south coast is out of their reach. We follow them as, guided by a team of financial experts, they travel back in time to 1968, 1979, 1988, 1997 and 2009 to see which decade would have given them the best chance to get on the housing ladder. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
 
The New Age of Capitalism 
Presented by David Grossman 
Produced by Diane Richardson and Matthew Chapman 
Editor: Hugh Levinson 
With: Jonathan Haskel; Stian Westlake; Tim Wu; James Williams; Diane Coyle; Andrew McAfee; Dr Asa Cusack; Professor Ricardo Hausmann; Fran Boait; Professor Sir Charles Bean; Brad Katsuyama; Professor Donald MacKenzie; Edward Luttwak; James Bloodworth; Joshua Kurlantzick; Dr Linda Yueh; Rana Foroohar; Joshua Ryan-Collins; Adam Lashinsky; Barry Lynn 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 10-21 September 2018 
 
Insecure Overachievers 
Presented by Professor Laura Empson of London's Cass Business School 
Produced by Jonathan Brunert 
With: Jeremy Newman; Alex Michel; Jessica Carmody; Gerry Grimstone, Baron Grimstone of Boscobel; David Morley; Yuval Atsmon; Nigel Jones 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 24 September 2018 
 
The Bailout 
Presented by Gordon Brown 
With: Alistair Darling; Mervyn King; Robert Peston; Shriti Vadera, Baroness Vadera; Kirsty McNeill; Tom Fletcher; Nicolas Sarkozy; Sir John Kingman 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 6 October 2018 
 
The Money Clinic 
Presented by Ruth Alexander 
Produced by Smita Patel 
Editor: Emma Rippon 
Relationship counsellor: Dee Holmes from Relate 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-24 August 2019 
 
Our House 
Narrated by Katherine Press 
Written and produced by Rosamund Jones and Paul Kerley 
Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples 
Sound engineer: James Beard 
With: Charlie Chatwood; Tacita French; Jonathan Cribb; Professor Sharon Collard; Professor Claire Langhamer 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26-30 August 2019

This is Capitalism

A BBC Economics Collection

Bridget Christie

The collected radio shows of award-winning stand-up comedian Bridget Christie 
 
'The current queen of crusading UK comedy' - Guardian 
 
Writer, actress and stand-up star Bridget Christie has won numerous awards, performed 12 hit Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows and written the critically-acclaimed comic memoir A Book for Her. She's also created three hilarious and thought-provoking radio series, all of which are included here. 
 
In Bridget Christie Minds the Gap, she gives us her personal take on feminism, asking why it became a dirty word and whether women still need it. From a bookshop fart to the 'Bic for Her' and a fish called Michael, she recalls the key incidents which led her to an epiphany and a call to arms - with the help of token man Fred MacAulay. And in Series 2, she takes her activism to a new level as she deconstructs a yoghurt ad, tries to find an icon who doesn't replace the word 'feminism' with 'bootylicious', and reveals the consequences of wearing an 'End FGM' badge on a popular TV show... 
 
Bridget Christie's Utopia sees her embarking on a comic quest for her Shangri-La. Worried about world events - melting polar ice-caps, Brexit, Donald Trump - she attempts to find a way of living that will calm her anxiety. In these four episodes, she explores political disengagement, spirituality, a new life in the country and being mega-rich: but will any of them make her happy? 
 
And in Bridget Christie: Mortal, recorded from her home during lockdown, she turns her attention to the metaphysical questions we all spend our life avoiding (while being interrupted by cats, chores, children and her own dead self from beyond the grave). Do twins share a soul, or do they get one each? How do you live in the moment? And who's blocked the toilet again? Covering 'Birth', 'Death', 'Life', and 'The Afterlife', this informal, personal series will appeal to anyone mortal. 
 
 
Written and performed by Bridget Christie 
 
Bridget Christie Minds the Gap 
Produced by Alison Vernon-Smith and Alexandra Smith 
With Fred MacAulay 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7-28 March 2013 (Series 1), 8-29 January 2015 
 
Bridget Christie's Utopia 
Recorded in front of a live studio audience at the BBC Radio Theatre 
Produced by Simon Nicholls and Alison Vernon-Smith 
With special guests Mike Christie, Leyla Hussein, Sister Agatha and Fran Blockley 
A BBC Studios production 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7-28 February 2018 
 
Bridget Christie: Mortal 
Produced by Carl Cooper 
Sound mixer: Olga M. Reed 
With guest appearances from Bridget Christie's dad, sister Eileen and friend Ash 
A BBC Studios production 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 April-4 May 2021 
 
Photo: Tash Pszenicki 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bridget Christie: A BBC Radio 4 Stand-Up Comedy Collection

Bridget Christie Minds the Gap, Utopia & Mortal

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