Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveller, and chocoholic. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby. abigailowen.com

Abigail Owen

Abigail Ulman was born and raised in Melbourne. She has a BA in Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne/VCA and was a recent Wallace Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University. This is her first book.

Abigail Ulman

Abilio Estévez

Abir Mukherjee is the bestselling author of the award-winning Wyndham &amp; Banerjee series of crime novels set in 1920s India and the British Book Awards Crime Thriller of the Year 2025 Hunted. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and won various awards including the CWA Dagger for best Historical Novel, the Prix du Polar Européen, and the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing. 
 
 
He also co-hosts the popular Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast which takes a wry look at the world of books, writing, and the creative arts, tackling everything from bestsellers to pop culture. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in Surrey with his wife and two sons. 
 
 
Website: abirmukherjee.com Twitter, Threads &amp; Instagram: @radiomukhers Facebook: AuthorAbir

Abir Mukherjee

Abolqasem Ferdowsi

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham L. Newman is a professor at the School of Foreign Service and Government Department at Georgetown University. He is a 2022-2023 Berlin Prize winner and his work has been published in leading outlets like The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, Nature, Science, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Harvard Business Review, and Politico.

Abraham Newman

Abraham Verghese

Absolut Vodka

Ad Putter

Ada Moncrieff is the author of Murder Most Festive, Murder at the Theatre Royale and Murder at Maybridge Castle. She lives and works in London.

Ada Moncrieff

Adam Aleksic is a linguist and content creator posting educational videos as the “Etymology Nerd” to an audience of over three million. As a linguistics student at Harvard College, he founded and served as president of the Harvard Undergraduate Linguistics Society. He’s discussed online language on NPR, repeatedly contributed to The Washington Post, and his work has been mentioned in The New York Times, The Economist, and The Guardian. He’s lectured on language and social media at Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, and other top universities, including a TEDx talk at the University of Pennsylvania. Adam is based in New York City, where he spends a lot of time scrolling TikTok for “research.”

Adam Aleksic

Adam Alter is an Associate Professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, and holds an affiliated appointment within the Psychology Department. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel and Behave and has written for The New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic, Wired, Popular Science and numerous other publications.

Adam Alter

Professor Adam Balen is lead clinician at one of the UK's largest and most successful IVF units at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. In recognition of his research on fertility and related conditions, he holds a DSc (the highest academic degree in medicine) from the University of Leeds. Adam is internationally renowned, holding roles with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Federation of Gyneacology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gyneacologists (RCOG). He runs both NHS and private fertility clinics so he understands the issues that arise from both sides and he works closely with fertility patient support organisations across the UK. Adam regularly features in the media on all aspects of reproductive health and lectures widely throughout the world.

Adam Balen

Adam Baron

Adam Bornstein

Adam Brookes grew up in the UK and was a journalist with BBC News for many years. As a foreign correspondent he was based in Indonesia, China and the United States. Along the way he reported from many other countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea. He lives in Washington DC.

Adam Brookes

Adam Buxton

Adam Byatt started his cooking career at Claridge’s aged just 16. He first introduced his seasonal, sustainable philosophy with the opening of Thyme in 2004. Having achieved both local and critical success, he returned to Clapham Old Town with Trinity in 2006. Following from the success of Trinity, Adam opened Bistro Union in 2011, and oversaw the hugely successful launch of Upstairs at Trinity, a recipient of a Bib Gourmand Award. Trinity now holds a coveted Michelin Star as well as three AA rosettes and is visited by 50,000 diners a year. Voted in the top ten restaurants in London by both Hardens and Zagat, it has also been included in The Times’ Top 100 Restaurants in the UK, and voted by Opentable diners as one of the top ten restaurants in the UK. 
 
Adam was named Imbibe’s Restaurant Personality of The Year 2017 in recognition of his impact on the London dining scene as well as his commitment to passing on his culinary knowledge to future generations of young chefs. Adam has worked for many charities including DEBRA and Action Against Hunger and travels to numerous culinary schools and colleges to give talks on careers in the hospitality industry. Adam has been appointed Chef Director of Food and Beverage at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, where he oversees Charlie’s. Adam is now the Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and recently announced his sixth restaurant, Brasserie Constance, in Fulham Pier. He has appeared on numerous television shows including regular appearances on Saturday Kitchen and Great British Menu. From 2025 Adam will be chef-in-residence for Delicious magazine, also presenting a podcast.

Adam Byatt

Adam Christopher is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith and Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town. He has also written official tie-in novels for the hit CBS television show Elementary and the award-winning Dishonored video game franchise. Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic. Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.

Adam Christopher

Adam Foulds's most recent books are In the Wolf’s Mouth, The Quickening Maze, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Encore Award and the European Union Prize for Literature, and The Broken Word, which won the Costa Poetry Award and the Somerset Maugham Award. He has recently been awarded the E.M. Forster Award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and named as one of Granta’s ‘Best of Young British Novelists’.

Adam Foulds

Dr Adam Fox is a highly qualified and respected allergy specialist and consultant paediatric allergist and clinical lead for Allergy at Guy's &amp; St Thomas' Hospitals. The Times recently named him as one of Britain's top 100 children’s doctors. 
 
www.allergyfreebabyandtoddler.com

Adam Fox

Adam Frost

Adam Galinsky is currently the Morris and Alice Kaplan Professor of Ethics and Decision in Management at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He received his PhD from Princeton University in Social Psychology and his B.A. from Harvard University.

Adam Galinsky

Adam Glasser

Adam Goodfellow

Adam Goodwin

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at The Wharton School, where he has been the top-rated professor for seven straight years. His books have sold millions of copies, his TED talks have been viewed more than thirty-five million times, and he hosts the hit podcast Re:Thinking. His pioneering research has challenged widespread assumptions about motivation, success, character, and change, and his viral piece on languishing was the most-read New York Times article of 2021 and the most-saved article across platforms. He has been recognized as the world’s number-two most influential management thinker and one of Fortune’s 40 Under 40, and he has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation. Grant received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and he is a former Junior Olympic springboard diver and magician. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Allison Sweet Grant, a novelist and poet; their two cats (who don’t get along); and their three children (who mostly do).

Adam Grant

Adam and Charlotte met in Zanzibar while working with Voluntary Services Overseas. Upon their return to the UK, Charlotte completed an MA at Oxford Brookes and started her career in publishing. Adam in the meantime became writer-in-residence at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre before co-founding Storytelling Schools, an international organisation dedicated to training teachers in oracy, literacy and creativity. Adam and Charlotte's first book together was the best-selling and award-winning Spaghetti with the Yeti. Since then, Adam and Charlotte have continued to follow their passion for creating engaging books that inspire interaction and creativity in young readers.

Adam Guillain

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Brian Cox

Robin Ince

Four more series of the multi-award-winning science/comedy show 
 
Celebrating the wonders of the universe since 2009, The Infinite Monkey Cage combines wit and wisdom to explore scientific concepts in an entertaining, accessible way. In these four series, physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are back to 'put a smile on the face of science' (The Independent). They're joined by a wealth of boffins, brainiacs and celebrity science enthusiasts, all keen to share their hard facts, soft theories and bold comic deviations. 
 
Beginning with the end of the universe, they tackle topics including black holes, the human brain, Neanderthals and the science of cooking - and attempt to answer profound philosophical questions such as 'What is life, and how did it start?', 'Is time an illusion?' and ''What is reality?' There's also an astronaut's guide to isolation, featuring Helen Sharman, Chris Hadfield, Nicole Stott and Apollo 9's Rusty Schweickart; a look back at 60 years of chimpanzee research with Jane Goodall; and a history of rock (not in the Rolling Stones sense, but actual rolling stones). 
 
Plus, the duo play Animal Top Trumps to find out whether we should prefer beautiful bats to much-maligned flies; travel deep below the ocean waves to see what lies beneath; discover how trees communicate using the Wood Wide Web; and learn why two brains are definitely better than one... 
 
Among their special guests are Eric Idle, Steve Martin, Matt Lucas, Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey, Mark Gatiss, Steve Jones, Ross Noble, Sara Pascoe, Prof Alice Roberts, Carlo Rovelli, Harold McGee, Dr Janna Levin, Dave Gorman, Brendan Hunt and Katy Brand. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince 
Producer: Alexandra Feachem 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Infinite Monkey Cage: Series 22-25

BBC Radio Comedy

Three series of the Sony Award-winning BBC Radio comedy show 
 
A fast-paced mix of stand-up, songs and sketches, The Now Show takes an off-the-wall look at world events, blending satire and silliness to poke fun at politics and lampoon the news. 
 
In these 18 episodes from 2014 and 2015, Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Jon Culshaw. Joining them are a raft of comedians including Nathan Caton, Elis James, Sara Pascoe, Aditi Mittal, Alex Edelman and Alexei Sayle, as they dissect the headlines with their scalpel of wit. 
 
Everything is fair game and a potential target for the team, and topics under the spotlight include the Scottish independence referendum; the UN climate summit; 3-parent babies; fox hunting and whether or not Pluto is a planet. David Quantick ponders the Proms; Nish Kumar wonders if Monopoly is to blame for economic inequality; and Jon Holmes explain how the British Army is waging war through social media. 
 
Plus, the team pose the traditional Audience Questions, including 'What have you observed that demands explanation?', 'What gadget or invention do you most regret buying?' and 'What irritates you so much you'd be prepared to go to prison?' 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis and Jon Culshaw 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Liam Beirne, Rose Biggin, Sarah Campbell, Chris Coltrane, Tom Crowley, Max Davis, Alice Gregg, Gareth Gwynn, Gaby Hutchinson-Crouch, Jon Hunter, Nadia Kamil, Jane Lamacraft, Sarah Morgan, Carrie Quinlan, Andy Woolton 
 
Produced by Alexandra Smith and Joe Nunnery 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 44 featuring: Mitch Benn, Nathan Caton, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Jon Holmes, Elis James, Nish Kumar, Terry Mynott, Sara Pascoe, Grace Petrie, David Quantick, Laura Shavin, Iain Stirling, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 45 featuring: Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Pippa Evans, Rich Hall, John Finnemore, Jon Holmes, Tez Ilyas, Adam Kay, Nish Kumar, Aditi Mittal, Laura Shavin, Vikki Stone 
 
Series 46 featuring: Mitch Benn, Peter Bradshaw, Rory Cellan-Jones, Alex Edelman, Harry the Piano, Jon Holmes, Faisal Islam, Alice Lowe, Elis James, Emma John, Sarah Kendall, Tom Peck, David Quantick, Alexei Sayle, Laura Shavin, Gemma Whelan, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 September-17 October 2014 (Series 44), 9 January-13 February 2015 (Series 45), 3 July-7 August 2015 (Series 46) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 44 – 46

The BBC Radio 4 topical comedy

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis present three more series of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy show 
 
A long-time favourite of Friday night comedy fans, The Now Show presents the headlines through sketches, songs and stand-up, providing a wry, satirical perspective on UK and world events. 
 
In these 19 episodes from 2015 and 2016, hosts Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are joined by some of the brightest and best comedy writers and performers - including Mitch Benn, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Mae Martin, Adam Kay and Nish Kumar - for an entertaining romp through the worlds of politics, popular culture and current affairs. 
 
Topics tackled include the Paris terror attacks, the Panama Papers, the EU referendum and its aftermath, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and puppets. Plus, on its 100th anniversary, Jake Yapp makes a plea for us to keep British Summer Time 365 days a year; Ellie Taylor explains why Millennials are so anxious; Jon Holmes denounces our increasingly selfie-obsessed society and Andy Zaltzman makes an argument for sport to save us all. And as Christmas approaches, the team take a trip to a cat café, and celebrate the season with a Political Panto... 
 
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Liam Beirne, Rose Biggin, Catherine Bohart, Sarah Campbell, Rebecca Channon, Max Davis, Sophie Duker, Gareth Gwynn, Jon Hunter, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Marc Jones, Dan Kiss, Jane Lamacraft, Jenny Laville, Laura Major, Robin Morgan, Sarah Morgan, Michael Odewale, Carrie Quinlan, Clare Wetton, Tom Whalley, Andy Wolton 
 
Produced by Alexandra Smith, Joe Nunnery and Adnan Ahmed 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 47 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Mitch Benn, Georgie Bingham, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Sofie Hagen, Dr Phil Hammond, Harry the Piano, Jon Holmes, Tez Ilyas, Luke Kempner, Sarah Kendall, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Robert Peston, Grace Petrie, David Quantick, Jess Ransom, Jasper Rees, John Robins, Emily Taylor, Dr Gabrielle Walker, Holly Walsh, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 48 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Luke Harding, Isabel Hardman, Harry The Piano, Dr Nick Hawes, Jon Holmes, Alice Jones, Zoe Lyons, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Lucy Porter, Jessica Ransom, Suzi Ruffell, Christoph Scheuermann, Felicity Spector, Vikki Stone, Ellie Taylor, Mike Wilmot, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 49 featuring: James Acaster, Gemma Arrowsmith, Dane Baptiste, Matt Burgess, Pippa Evans, Tez Ilyas, Greg Jenner, Adam Kay, Luke Kempner, Sarah Kendall, Nish Kumar, Dr Tomila Lankina, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Rachel Parris, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Jess Ransom, Suzi Ruffell, Vikki Stone, Ellie Taylor, Xenia Wickett, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 13 November-18 December 2015 (Series 47), 4 March-8 April 2016 (Series 48), 4 November-16 December 2016 (Series 49) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 47 – 49

Three sparkling series of the award-winning comedy show 
 
The Now Show is back with a bang, bringing you a bumper helping of topical skits, sketches, stand-up and songs. In these 18 episodes, Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Gareth Gwynn. Joining them to take a satirical sideswipe at the news are comedians including Felicity Ward, Glenn Moore, Michael Spicer, Ria Lina, Josh Pugh, Athena Kugblenu, Geoff Norcott, Stevie Martin and Sarah Keyworth. 
 
Aurie Styla riffs about the smug benefits of owning an electric car; Daliso Chaponda muses on the future of the Metaverse; Priya Hall wonders why we're experiencing shortages of pretty much everything; and Jess Fostekew talks us through all the things she's doing to distract herself from the news. 
 
Supplying the music are Jess Robinson, who gives us a sneak preview of Adele's 23rd album, '95'; Ignacio Lopez, with a Bowie-inspired song about billionaires in space; Beardyman, with a jazzy ode to staying calm; and Stiff & Kitsch, with a tuneful list of all the things we can worry about again now the pandemic is over (kind of). 
 
Plus, we hear the funniest answers to Audience Questions including 'Have you ever been given a nickname you didn't want?', 'What strange things are on your bucket list?', 'What's the most humiliating thing that has ever happened to you?' and 'Have you ever hidden something? Who from, and why?' 
 
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis (Series 59, Episode 3 presented by Steve Punt and Gareth Gwynn) 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Simon Alcock, Becca Bain, Davina Bentley, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Steve Blair, Catherine Brinkworth, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Natasha Dhanraj, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Alex Garrick-Wright, Jade Gebbie, Gareth Gwynn, Jack Harris, Rajiv Karia, Harry Kampf, Jenny Laville, Cameron Loxdale, Laura Major, Eleri Morgan, Robin Morgan, Hannah Platt, Rhiannon Shaw, Mike Shepherd, Katie Storey 
 
Produced by Pete Strauss and Rajiv Karia 
Production Co-ordinators: Sarah Sharpe 
Music composed by Alex Silverman (Series 59, Episode 1 and Series 60, Episode 6) 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 59 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Karen Bartke, Beardyman, Daliso Chaponda, Huge Davies, Gareth Gwynn, Jason Forbes, Priya Hall, Janine Harouni, Kieran Hodgson, Natasha Hodgson, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Ignacio Lopez, Jamie MacDonald, Glen Moore, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Nimisha Odedra, Josh Pugh, Jess Robinson, Emma Sidi, Michael Spicer, Stiff & Kitsch, Aurie Styla, Tim Sutton, Felicity Ward 
 
Series 60 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Angela Barnes, Ken Cheng, Huge Davies, David Eagle, Jazz Emu, Jason Forbes, Jess Fostekew, Chiara Goldsmith, Archie Henderson, Kieran Hodgson, Matty Hutson, Sharlin Jahan, Rhys James, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Sarah Keyworth, Ola Labib, Stevie Martin, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Freya Parker, Chloe Petts, Jess Robinson, Ian Smith, Laura Smyth, Stiff & Kitsch, Tim Sutton, Chris Thorburn, Inel Tomlinson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 29 October-3 December 2021 (Series 59), 11 March-15 April 2022 (Series 60), 28 October-2 December 2022 (Series 61) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 59-61

Andy Hamilton

All seven series of Andy Hamilton's fiendishly funny award-winning comedy set in Hell. 
 
'Satirical, philosophical - and devilishly funny' Gillian Reynolds, Daily Telegraph 
 
Welcome to Hell - where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire. 
 
Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel... 
 
Over the course of the series, we meet various famous figures now languishing in Hell, including a foul-mouthed Jane Austen, a mindless Helen of Troy and a less-than-heroic Samson. Satan takes Hell resident Thomas on a tour of his life, his assistant Scumspawn has trouble with a pushy computer, and love drives The Professor to extreme action. Satan and The Professor find a huge, empty space in Hell (when they enter Scumspawn's brain), a Health and Safety officer notes that the lighting is inadequate, and Satan punishes a feng shui expert. And then Edith arrives... 
 
Seven series of the Sony Award-winning comedy (plus the Christmas and Olympic specials) starring Andy Hamilton as Satan and a regular cast of acclaimed actors including Annette Crosbie as Edith, Timothy West as God, James Grout as The Professor, Jimmy Mulville as Thomas and Robert Duncan as Scumspawn. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Andy Hamilton 
Produced by Paul Mayhew-Archer 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 November - 28 December 1995 (Series 1), 7 April - 12 May 1998 (Series 2), 24 March - 28 April 1999 (Series 3), 29 March - 3 May 2001 (Series 4), 31 December 2002 - 1 January 2003 (2002 Christmas Special), 20 September - 11 October 2005 (Series 5), 27 September - 1 November 2007 (Series 6), 19 February - 26 March 2009 (Series 7), 23 December - 30 December 2010 (2010 Christmas Special), 12 July - 19 July 2012 (Olympic Special). 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Old Harry’s Game

The Complete Series of the Award-Winning BBC Radio 4 Comedy

Tom Allen

Pippa Evans

Suzi Ruffell

Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Jayde Adams

Gemma Arrowsmith

Stephen Buchanan

Alun Cochrane

Athena Kugblenu

A sparkling selection of one-off comedy shows from Radio 4's Sunday night Stand Up Specials season 
 
Since 2018, BBC Radio 4 has been making the nation laugh with its Stand Up Specials strand, featuring fantastic half-hour sets from a host of celebrated comedians. This wide-ranging collection brings together eleven of the very best acts, from established stars to new and emerging talent, as they 'zoom through angst from all angles' (The Guardian). 
 
Among the hot comic takes, Tom Allen's Not Very Nice explores what happens when the hilarious host of The Apprentice: You're Fired turns from sweet to naughty; Pippa Evans Grows Up finds the Now Show star asking what it means to be a grown-up; Postcards to Portsmouth sees Suzi Ruffell returning to her home town (well, just down the road) to share tales of her family; and Kiri Pritchard-McLean spotlights the life choices of millennials in Egg-sistential Crisis, asking 'why have they stopped having babies?' 
 
From Asda to Diva introduces us to Jayde Adams, who combines wit and show-stopping music to demonstrate how she went from working in a supermarket to fully-fledged prima donna; Emergency Broadcast sees Gemma Arrowsmith trapped in Broadcasting House and presenting a lockdown sketch show with Tom Crowley, Adam Courting, Hugh Dennis and Susan Harrison; Talking Shop outlines BBC New Comedy Award winner Stephen Buchanan's chequered work history and friendship with a Vietnamese refugee; and in Centrist Dad?, Alun Cochrane defends the much-maligned middle ground as he tries to find his place on the shifting political spectrum. 
 
Also included is Black Country Gentlemon, in which George Fouracres tells his story of growing up in Wolverhampton; Magnifying Class, Athena Kugblenu's examination of class identity and what it means to be upwardly mobile; and One of Many, where Stephen Bailey contemplates his numerous namesakes - all of whom are more newsworthy than him - and wonders whether you can change your life just by changing your name. 
 
Production credits 
 
Tom Allen Is Actually Not Very Nice 
Written and performed by Tom Allen and featuring Gabby Best 
Produced by Richard Morris 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 April 2018 
 
Pippa Evans Grows Up 
Written and performed by Pippa Evans 
Produced by Alison Vernon-Smith 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 May 2018 
 
Suzi Ruffell: Postcards to Portsmouth 
Written and performed by Suzi Ruffell, with additions from Ann Ruffell 
Produced by Suzy Grant 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 May 2019 
 
Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Egg-sistential Crisis 
Written and performed by Kiri Prichard-McLean 
Produced by Suzy Grant 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10 January 2021 
 
Jayde Adams: From ASDA to Diva 
Written and performed by Jayde Adams, with music by Richard Thomas 
Produced by Hayley Sterling 
Production co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 January 2021 
 
Gemma Arrowsmith: Emergency Broadcast 
Written by and starring Gemma Arrowsmith, with Tom Crowley, Adam Courting, Hugh Dennis and Susan Harrison 
Produced by Victoria Lloyd 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 February 2021 
 
Stephen Buchanan: Talking Shop 
Written and performed by Stephen Buchanan 
Produced by Adnan Ahmed 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 March 2021 
 
Alun Cochrane: Centrist Dad? 
Written and performed by Alun Cochrane 
Produced by Richard Morris 
Production co-ordinator: Mabel Wright 
Sound engineer: Michael Smith 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 July 2021 
 
George Fouracres: Black Country Gentlemon 
Written and performed by George Fouracres 
Produced by Richard Morris 
Production co-ordinator: Beverly Tagg 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 March 2022 
 
Athena Kugblenu: Magnifying Class 
Written and performed by Athena Kugblenu 
Produced by Leila Navabi 
Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 April 2022 
 
Stephen Bailey: One of Many 
Written and performed by Stephen Bailey 
Produced by Georgia Keating and Hayley Sterling 
Production Coordinator: Katie Baum 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 May 2022 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Sunday Night Stand-Up

11 comedy specials from BBC Radio 4

Five complete series of the ever-popular panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
December 2022 marks 55 years of Just a Minute, Radio 4's longest-running and most beloved panel game. To commemorate this milestone, this special collection comprises five classic series of the hit show from 2010 and 2011, featuring a wealth of favourite panellists attempting to prove they have the gift of the gab. 
 
Ready to pounce on hesitation, repetition or deviation is chairman Nicholas Parsons, while among the players are longtime regular Paul Merton; current JAM host Sue Perkins and Sheila Hancock (who first appeared in the second ever episode). Making their debuts on the show are celebrities Rick Wakeman, Kevin Eldon, Sir Terry Wogan and Fi Glover. 
 
Other famous names showing off their verbal dexterity include Julian Clary (who reveals, among other things, what he thinks of New Year's Eve Parties); John Sergeant (explaining why it takes Two to Tango); Alun Cochrane (riffing on What Makes Me Furious); Stephen Fry (speaking on The Right Way to Greet Someone) and Josie Lawrence (who shares her ability to Leave on a High). 
 
Listen as they take these topics, and many more, in their comic stride - can they achieve the coveted goal of speaking for sixty seconds without being challenged? (It sounds like a breeze, but it's harder than you think...) 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 56 featuring: Paul Merton, Julian Clary, David Mitchell, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Charles Collingwood, Chris Neill, Justin Moorhouse, Tony Hawks, Dave Gorman, Jenny Eclair, Pam Ayres, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck 
 
Series 57 featuring: Paul Merton, Jenny Eclair, Gyles Brandreth, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck, John Sergeant, Tony Hawks, Ross Noble, Sheila Hancock, Shappi Khorsandi, John Bishop, Fred Macaulay, Stephen K Amos 
 
Series 58 featuring: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Alun Cochrane, Sue Perkins, Kevin Eldon, Julian Clary, Sheila Hancock, Ian McMillan, Gyles Brandreth 
 
Series 59 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Shappi Khorsandi, Rick Wakeman, Sheila Hancock, Sue Perkins, Marcus Brigstocke, Ross Noble, Tony Hawks, Liza Tarbuck, Sir Terry Wogan, Julian Clary, Graham Norton 
 
Series 60 featuring: Paul Merton, Stephen Fry, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Sue Perkins, Graham Norton, Tony Hawks, Fi Glover 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4 January-22 March 2010 (Series 56), 2 August-13 September 2010 (Series 57), 8 November-13 December 2010 (Series 58), 7 February-28 March 2011 (Series 59), 16 May-20 June 2011 (Series 60) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 56 – 60

The BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game

Five collected series of the award-winning panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Just a Minute is the grandaddy of panel games, entertaining Radio 4 listeners since 1967 with wit, whimsy and wonderful wordplay. To mark the show's 55th anniversary in December 2022, here are five fantastic series from 2011, 2012 and 2013, all chaired by the legendary Nicholas Parsons. Among them is Series 62, which commemorated JAM's 45th birthday with an episode tackling the same subjects given out in the very first series, and featured two special editions from Mumbai. 
 
Among the panellists keen to show their mettle are first-timers Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Hannibal Buress and Tim Vine, relative newcomers Richard Herring, Paul Sinha, Jason Manford and Stephen Mangan, and veterans Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth and Sue Perkins (proving that she's as skilled at playing the game as she is at hosting it). 
 
Under the watchful eye of the chairman, they attempt to talk for 60 uninterrupted seconds on topics including My Tartan Underwear, The Search for Intelligent Life, The Importance of Eyebrows, How to Annoy the Audience and My Mate Dan - but can they make it to a minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation? As the Minute Waltz fades away, let the hilarity commence... 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani and Claire Jones 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 61 featuring: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shelia Hancock, Graham Norton, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Phill Jupitus, Rick Wakeman, Gyles Brandreth, Jason Byrne, Shappi Khorsandi, Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres 
 
Series 62 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Ross Noble, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Charles Collingwood, Liza Tarbuck, Josie Lawrence, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Marcus Brigstocke, Anuvab Pal, Cyrus Broacha 
 
Series 63 featuring: Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Greg Proops, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Richard Herring, Paul Sinha 
 
Series 64 featuring: Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck, Graham Norton, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres, Charles Collingwood, Gyles Brandreth, Janey Godley, Hannibal Buress, Tim Vine, Jason Byrne, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Alun Cochrane, Kevin Eldon 
 
Series 65 featuring: Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Jason Manford, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Stephen Mangan, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Richard Herring 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August-19 September 2011 (Series 61), 6 February-19 March 2012 (Series 62), 14 May-18 June 2012 (Series 63), 6 August-24 September 2012 (Series 64), 11 February-1 April 2013 (Series 65) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 61 – 65

Five series of the perennially popular panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Loved by Radio 4 listeners since 1967, Just a Minute is the deliciously devious word game that asks players to speak for sixty seconds on any given subject without hesitation, deviation or repetition. Putting them through their linguistic paces - and keeping order over the proceedings - is chairman Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Included here are five series from 2013-14, collected together to celebrate the show's 55th birthday and featuring its 900th episode and a Christmas special. The polished performers are a mix of old hands such as Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Sue Perkins, Sheila Hancock and Jenny Eclair, and new kids on the block like Roy Walker, Henry Blofeld, Patrick Kielty, Joe Lycett, Rebecca Front, Holly Walsh, Vanessa Feltz, Kerry Godliman, Jonathan Ross and Frank Skinner. 
 
Topics include 'Fur Coat and No Knickers', 'Murder Most Foul', 'Unanswerable Questions', 'Random Acts of Kindness', 'My Five a Day' and 'Books I Shouldn't Have Read': as well as one that will test the contestants' memory as well as their linguistic skills - 'Previously on Just a Minute'... 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Katie Tyrell, Tilusha Ghelani and Claire Jones 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 66 featuring: Paul Merton, Pam Ayres, Kevin Eldon, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Fred MacAulay, Roy Walker, Richard Herring, Russell Kane, Kevin Eldon 
 
Series 67 featuring: Tony Hawks, Alun Cochrane, Patrick Kielty, Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton, Greg Proops, Joe Lycett, Sue Perkins, Russell Kane, Henry Blofeld, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Liza Tarbuck, Stephen Mangan, Pam Ayres 
 
Just a Christmas Minute featuring: Pam Ayres, Stephen Mangan, Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton 
 
Series 68 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Fi Glover, Paul Merton, Alun Cochrane, Rebecca Front, Russell Kane, Sheila Hancock, Richard Herring, Josie Lawrence, Fi Glover, Miles Jupp, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 69 featuring: Paul Merton, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Vanessa Feltz, Gyles Brandreth, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Kielty, Paul Sinha, Kevin Eldon, Joe Lycett, Sheila Hancock 
 
Series 70 featuring: Paul Merton, Alun Cochrane, Jonathan Ross, Liza Tarbuck, Gyles Brandreth, Sue Perkins, Frank Skinner, Josie Long, Stephen Mangan, Tony Hawks, Kerry Godliman, Holly Walsh, Russell Kane, Jonathan Ross, Sheila Hancock 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 May - 24 June 2013 (Series 66), 12 August - 23 September 2013 (Series 67), 23 December 2013 (Just a Christmas Minute), 10 February - 31 March 2014 (Series 68), 19 May - 23 June 2014 (Series 69), 11 August - 29 September 2014 (Series 70) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 66 – 70

Five fantastic series of the much-loved panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
First broadcast in 1967, Just a Minute is Radio 4's longest-running panel game, and a national institution. These five series from 2015-2016, brought together in one collection to commemorate the show's 55th anniversary, feature some of the most magical moments in JAM's history - among them David Tennant's spectacular performance, speaking for an uninterrupted minute in his very first show. 
 
Other debutants include Lucy Beaumont, Susan Calman, Tom Allen, Andy Hamilton, Josh Widdicombe, Rufus Hound, Nish Kumar, Esther Rantzen, John Finnemore and Alexei Sayle - but will any of them match the Tenth Doctor for verbal dexterity? Meanwhile, notching up their 100th appearance are Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth and Graham Norton. 
 
Whether novices or veterans, all the panellists are faced with the same challenge: to talk for 60 seconds without hesitation, deviation and repetition on any given subject - from 'Crows' Feet' to 'Hypnotising Chickens', 'Genghis Khan' to 'Kermit the Frog' and 'Wellington Boots' to 'Beef Wellington'. Join host Nicholas Parsons and the distinguished panellists, as they use their intellect, imagination and gift of the gab to beat the clock and win the points. 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani and Victoria Lloyd 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 71 featuring: Julian Clary, Stephen Fry, Paul Merton, David Tennant, Tony Hawks, Josie Lawrence, Alun Cochrane, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Jenny Eclair, Shappi Khorsandi, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton, Robin Ince 
 
Series 72 featuring: Paul Merton, Tim Rice, Liza Tarbuck, Graham Norton, Alun Cochrane, Susan Calman, Gyles Brandreth, Sheila Hancock, Mike McShane, Pam Ayres, Lucy Beaumont, Marcus Brigstocke 
 
Series 73 featuring: Janey Godley, Gyles Brandreth, Joe Lycett, Paul Merton, Andy Hamilton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks, Josh Widdicombe, Jenny Eclair, Sheila Hancock, Julian Clary, Susan Calman, Josie Lawrence, Tom Allen 
 
Series 74 featuring: Paul Merton, Rufus Hound, Graham Norton, Pam Ayres, Gyles Brandreth, Tim Rice, Esther Rantzen, Stephen Fry, Jenny Eclair, Josie Lawrence, Nish Kumar 
 
Series 75 featuring: Paul Merton, John Finnemore, Gyles Brandreth, Sheila Hancock, Josie Lawrence, Alexei Sayle, Graham Norton, Josh Widdicombe, Holly Walsh, Marcus Brigstocke 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 9 February - 30 March 2015 (Series 71), 18 May - 6 July 2015 (Series 72), 24 August - 16 November 2015 (Series 73), 22 February - 28 March 2016 (Series 74), 16 May - 20 June 2016 (Series 75) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 71 – 75

Five sensational series of the classic panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Born the same year as Radio 4 itself, Just a Minute is one of the BBC's longest-running and most popular panel games. In these five series from 2016-2018, collected together to mark the 55th birthday of the show, Nicholas Parsons presides over more hilarious linguistic shenanigans. Highlights include a festive edition, Just a Minute Does Panto!, which sees the players journeying through Panto-land in search of the missing Golden Whistle. Also featured is Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes, which was specially compiled to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary in 2017 and featured panellists from across the decades. 
 
Among other sparkling moments in this ferociously funny collection are Paul Merton's 400th appearance, and Katherine Ryan's amazing achievement of talking for a full minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition on her very first turn. Endeavouring to follow in her footsteps are fellow first-timers Pippa Evans, Zoe Lyons, Will Self, Al Murray, Fern Britton, James Acaster and Mark Watson, as well as a multitude of JAM stalwarts including Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Sheila Hancock and Graham Norton. 
 
The topics range from 'Schrödinger's Cat', 'Hair of the Dog' and 'The Early Bird' to 'Sailing Close to the Wind', 'Playing Second Fiddle' and 'Giving Up the Ghost'. So join the plucky panellists as they prepare to do verbal battle on the show where every second counts! 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Matt Stronge and Victoria Lloyd 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 76 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Katherine Ryan, Julian Clary, Tony Hawks, Zoe Lyons, Janey Godley, Nish Kumar, Marcus Brigstocke, Fred MacAulay, Pippa Evans, Ross Noble, Sheila Hancock, Will Self 
 
Just a Minute Does Panto! featuring: Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Tom Allen, Rufus Hound, Pippa Evans, Julian Clary 
 
Series 77 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Zoe Lyons, Graham Norton, Sheila Hancock, Tom Allen, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Marcus Brigstocke, Al Murray 
 
Series 78 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry, Pam Ayres, Zoe Lyons, Julian Clary, Ross Noble, Fern Britton, Gyles Brandreth 
 
Series 79 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Andy Hamilton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks, Phill Jupitus, Sheila Hancock, Jenny Eclair, Josie Lawrence, Fred Macaulay, James Acaster, Paul Sinha, Janey Godley, Mark Watson, Rufus Hound, Zoe Lyons 
 
Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes featuring Paul Merton, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Tony Hawks, Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth, Graham Norton, Jenny Eclair, Sue Perkins, Andree Melly, Linda Smith, Ross Noble, Wendy Richard, Liza Tarbuck, Aimi Macdonald, Stephen Fry, Chris Neill, Fred MacAulay, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Moore, Janey Godley, Richard Murdoch, Lance Percival, Maureen Lipman, Susan Calman, Peter Cook, Betty Marsden, Ian McMillan, David Mitchell, Annabel Giles, Sandi Toksvig, Barbara Castle 
 
Series 80 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi, Jo Caulfield, Julian Clary, Paul Merton, Stephen Fry, Jan Ravens, Gyles Brandreth 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August - 26 September 2016 (Series 76), 25 December 2016 (Just a Minute Does Panto!), 20 February - 27 March 2017 (Series 77), 15 May - 19 June 2017 (Series 78), 7 August - 25 September 2017 (Series 79), 25 December 2017 (Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes), 19 February - 26 March 2018 (Series 80) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 76 – 80

Five sparkling series of the evergreen BBC Radio 4 panel show 
 
Just a Minute has been entertaining generations of listeners since its first series in 1967. This collection of five series from 2018-2019, commemorating the programme's 55th anniversary, contains the last ever episodes chaired by broadcasting legend Nicholas Parsons, as well as several shows in which Gyles Brandreth sits in for him as temporary host. 
 
Between them, they keep the scores and the peace, as players including newbies Sara Pascoe, Angela Barnes, Cariad Lloyd, Phil Wang, Ed Byrne and Kiri Pritchard-McLean join regulars such as Paul Merton, Pam Ayres, Josie Lawrence and Julian Clary to pit their wits against each other. One of them will achieve the rare feat of speaking for a full minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation - but who? 
 
Among the subjects stretching the panellists' linguistic elastic to breaking point are 'Fishnet Stockings', 'The Wild West', 'The Theory of Evolution', 'George V', 'Bad Apples' and 'Pasta'. So sit back and marvel at their wonderful way with words, as they show off their ingenuity, invention and improvisational skills in a bid to trounce the competition and secure the game. 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Matt Stronge and Richard Morris 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
Temporary chairman: Gyles Brandreth (Episodes 4 and 5, Series 81 and Episodes 3 and 4, Series 85) 
 
Series 81 featuring: Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Fern Britton, Graham Norton, Marcus Brigstocke, Rebecca Front, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Sara Pascoe, Tony Hawks 
 
Series 82 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Zoe Lyons, Pam Ayres, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Janey Godley, Fred MacAulay, Mark Watson, Jo Caulfield, Sheila Hancock, Jan Ravens, Rufus Hound 
 
Series 83 featuring: Tony Hawks, Josie Lawrence, Gyles Brandreth, Angela Barnes, Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Josh Widdicombe, Julian Clary, Lee Mack, Zoe Lyons, Jenny Eclair, Fern Britton 
 
Series 84 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Kerry Godliman, Jenny Eclair, Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Lucy Porter, Tony Hawks, Cariad Lloyd, Zoe Lyons 
 
Series 85 featuring: Graham Norton, Zoe Lyons, Jenny Eclair, Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Phil Wang, Sheila Hancock, Fred MacAulay, Lucy Porter, Ed Byrne, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Mark Watson, Stephen Fry, Jan Ravens, Pam Ayres 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 May - 18 June 2018 (Series 81), 6 August - 24 September 2018 (Series 82), 4 February - 25 March 2019 (Series 83), 13 May - 17 June 2019 (Series 84), 5 August - 23 September 2019 (Series 85) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 81 – 85

Giovanni Boccaccio

Terry Jones introduces ten dramatisations of choice Florentine Fancies, adapted from Giovanni Boccaccio's classic human comedy by the BBC 
 
Monty Python star and medieval historian Terry Jones presents ten BBC Radio dramatisations of tales from Giovanni Boccaccio's humane and comic masterpiece. 
 
Composed in the early 1350s, in the wake of the Black Death, The Decameron comprises 100 short stories from all over the world, reset by Boccaccio among the flourishing merchant classes of Renaissance Italy. Their universal themes - love, sex, religion, fate, morality - resonate with us to this day, and their witty, satirical, bawdy voice sounds utterly modern. Beautifully realised in vivid, vernacular prose, they have become a bedrock of our storytelling tradition, mined ever since by authors from Chaucer to Shakespeare, Keats, Molière and Thomas Mann. 
 
The scene is the onset of the Black Death, Italy and a group of seven young women and three young men escape to the countryside to shelter in a secluded villa just outside of Florence in order to escape the Plague. There, they tell each other tales from all over the world. 
 
These ten radio retellings are performed by a stellar cast, including John Finnemore, Ingrid Oliver, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Lydia Leonard, Tim McInnerny, Samuel Barnett, Neil Pearson, Louise Brealey, and Tameka Empson. 
 
Cast and credits 
Saint Ciappelletto 
Ciappelletto - Colin McFarlane 
Musciatto - Sam Dale 
Holy Friar - Michael Bertenshaw 
The Burgundians - Monty d'Inverno & Paul Heath 
Doctor - Ian Conningham 
 
Federigo and His Falcon 
Federigo degli Alberighi - John Finnemore 
Monna - Ingrid Oliver 
Elena - Carrie Quinlan 
Beppo - Shaun Mason 
Niccolo - Adam Thomas Wright 
 
How Elena Blew Hot and Cold 
Elena - Lydia Leonard 
Violante - Elaine Claxton 
Rinieri - Cyril Nri 
Pyrrhus - Paul Heath 
 
How to Get It Off Your Chest 
Zeppa - Ian Conningham 
Mrs Zeppa - Hannah Genesius 
Spinelloccio - Shaun Mason 
Mrs Spinelloccio - Bettrys Jones 
Narrator - Jude Akuwudike 
 
Kind Hearts and Bayonets 
Mithridanes - Samuel Barnett 
Nathan - Sam Dale 
Beggarmaid - Bettrys Jones 
 
The Sweetest Young Man in Perugia 
Pietro - Tim McInnerny 
Madam - Hannah Genesius 
Pandara - Jane Slavin 
Masetto - Monty d'Inverno 
Ercolano - David Acton 
 
The Wager 
Musciatto - Michael Bertenshaw 
Ambrogiuolo - Geoffrey Streatfeild 
Bernabo - Paul Ritter 
Zinevra - Louise Brealey 
Sultan - Jude Akuwudike 
Captain - Shaun Mason 
 
A Job for the Boys 
Masetto - Neil Pearson 
Sister Donna - Tameka Empson 
Sister Lisa - Rhiannon Neads 
Hildegard - Jane Slavin 
Nuto - Sam Dale 
Steward - Michael Bertenshaw 
 
Love Lies Sleeping 
Silvestra - Laura Molyneux 
Beppo - Rudi Dharmalingam 
Giovanni - Joseph Drake 
Mother - Jane Slavin 
Rinaldo - David Acton 
 
A Quiet Night in Naples 
Andreuccio - Gunnar Cauthery 
Filomena - Roslyn Hill 
Scarabone - Shaun Mason 
Neighbour - David Acton 
Ludo - Paul Heath 
Bruno - Ian Conningham 
Sister Lisa - Elaine Claxton 
Sister Donna - Hannah Genesius 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 1-12 December 2014 
 
Written by Giovanni Boccaccio 
Adapted by Robin Brooks 
Music arranged and performed by Robert Hollingworth and Paula Chateauneuf 
Translations by Silvia Reseghetti 
Script consultant: Guyda Armstrong 
Produced and directed by Jonquil Panting 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Decameron

A BBC Radio drama adaptation of the Renaissance classic

All fourteen fantastic episodes of Just a Minute from 2022 
 
Celebrating its 55th year on the air, the panel game that rewards those who can talk the hind leg off a donkey returns for two more sparkling series. Sue Perkins, now firmly established as host, is back in the chair, inviting the celebrity panellists to speak for 60 seconds without hesitating, deviating from the allotted subject or repeating themselves. 
 
Taking up the challenge are an assortment of chatterbox comedians including Dane Baptiste, Paul Merton, Zoe Lyons, Gyles Brandreth, Shazia Mirza, Lucy Porter, Ria Lina, Jayde Adams and Daliso Chaponda. As ever, they're faced with topics ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous - among them My Favourite Kardashian, She Sells Sea Shells, Nosey Neighbours, The Ukulele, Kendal Mint Cake and The Art of Seduction. 
 
So join them for more marvellous, magical, mirth-filled minutes, as they compete to find out who has the biggest gift of the gab. Seconds out, let battle commence... 
 
Production credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Chaired by Sue Perkins 
Production co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow 
Sound editor: Marc Willcox 
Produced by Richard Morris, Hayley Sterling and Sarah Sharpe 
 
Series 88 featuring: Dane Baptiste, Stephen Fry, Sheila Hancock, Paul Merton, Zoe Lyons, Gyles Brandreth, Shazia Mirza, Lucy Porter, Shaparak Khorsandi, Julian Clary 
 
Series 89 featuring: Paul Merton, Pippa Evans, Tony Hawks, Suzi Ruffell, Gyles Brandreth, Ria Lina, Zoe Lyons, Dane Baptiste, Jayde Adams, Jan Ravens, Desiree Burch, Daliso Chaponda, Lucy Porter 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 February-28 March 2022 (Series 88), 16 May-4 July 2022 (Series 89) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute 2022: The Complete Series 88 & 89

All 24 episodes of the flagship comedy show from 2022 
 
The radio precursor to Have I Got News for You, The News Quiz has been serving up sizzling satire and sardonic commentary since 1977. In these three series, Andy Zaltzman brings together some of Britain’s finest comedians, journalists and commentators to chew over the headlines of 2022. 
 
Starting with a ‘Best of 2021’ episode in which he raids the archive to remember events such as the Capitol riots, petrol panic-buying and goats on Zoom, he goes on to grill the panel on topics including Partygate, the war in Ukraine, the end of Covid restrictions in England, the Platinum Jubilee, Liz Truss’s brief tenure as PM, whether climate change is making people shrink – and why a brain in a petri dish is playing video games. There’s also a headline-book-newsfest broadcast live from the Hay Literature Festival, and a special edition of the show reflecting on the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. 
 
Facing up to this barrage of news stories are Shaparak Khorsandi, Lucy Porter, Paul Sinha, Steve Punt, Angela Barnes, Simon Evans, Alice Fraser, Celya AB, Anuvab Pal, Nish Kumar, Hugo Rifkind, Anand Menon, Zoe Lyons and News Quiz debutant Ed Balls. 
 
Production credits 
Hosted and written by Andy Zaltzman 
With additional material by Celya AB, Simon Alcock, Ray Badran, Rebecca Bain, Davina Bentley, Catherine Brinkworth, Stephen Buchanan, Carl Carzana, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Ken Cheng, Max Davis, Tasha Dhanraj, Nathan D'Arcy Roberts, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Alice Fraser, Jade Gebbie, Rajiv Karia, Alex Kealy, Stephanie Kemp, Cameron Loxdale, Eleri Morgan, Benjamin Partridge, Sam Picone, Hannah Platt, Heidi Regan, Rhiannon Shaw, Mike Shephard, Sean Stoakes, Peter Tellouche, Zoë Tomalin 
 
Produced by Richard Morris, Gwyn Rhys Davies, James Robinson, Georgia Keating and Sam Holmes 
Executive producer: James Robinson and Pete Strauss 
Production Co-ordinators: Katie Baum, Caroline Barlow and Ryan Walker-Edwards 
Sound Editors: Marc Willcox 
 
Series 107 featuring: Ed Balls, Angela Barnes, Desiree Burch, Daliso Chaponda, Neil Delamere, Simon Evans, Rachel Fairburn, Daniel Finkelstein, Alice Fraser, Isabel Hardman, Ayesha Hazarika, Elis James, Shaparak Khorsandi, Olga Koch, Athena Kugblenu, Nish Kumar, Ola Labib, Zoe Lyons, Chris McCausland, Geoff Norcott, Katie Perrior, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Hugo Rifkind, Ahir Shah, Tim Shipman, Paul Sinha, Ian Smith, Mark Steel, Sindhu Vee, Jackie Weaver 
 
Series 108 featuring: Celya AB, Maisie Adam, Angela Barnes, Scott Bennett, Daliso Chaponda, Des Clarke, Michael Deacon, Diona Doherty, Simon Evans, Alice Fraser, Amy Gledhill, Andy Hamilton, Isabel Hardman, Ayesha Hazarika, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Chris McCausland, Anand Menon, Robin Morgan, Shaparak Khorsandi, Susie McCabe, Tudur Owen, Anuvab Pal, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Paul Sinha, Ian Smith, Mark Steel, Eleanor Tiernan, Felicity Ward 
 
Series 109 featuring: Celya AB, Stephen Bailey, Katy Balls, Simon Evans, Jessica Fostekew, Alice Fraser, Ayesha Hazarika, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Zoe Lyons, Esther Manito, Alex Massie, Susie McCabe, Anand Menon, Glenn Moore, Anuvab Pal, Lucy Porter, Steve Punt, Hugo Rifkind, Adam Rowe, Ian Smith, Sonia Sodha, Eleanor Tiernan 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 31 December 2021-4 March 2022 (Series 107), 22 April-10 June 2022 (Series 108), 16 September-21 October 2022 (Series 109) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz 2022: The Complete Series 107, 108 and 109

The topical BBC Radio 4 panel show

Mark Thomas

Free-thinking funnyman Mark Thomas creates a People's Manifesto, aided by his live studio audience 
 
'Funny, knowing and tongue-in-cheek... sardonic, furious-paced wit' The Guardian 
 
Comedian, activist and 'libertarian anarchist' Mark Thomas believes that, as a nation, we are drifting - economically, politically and socially. Where, he asks, are the big ideas, theories and visions that will help our country in its hour of need? Tired of the status quo, he sets out to change the world by compiling a People's Manifesto, gathering policy suggestions from his studio audience and getting them to vote for the best. 
 
Their blue-sky proposals range from the serious (limit and regulate payday loan companies; force all politicians to use public transport, the NHS, and send their kids to state schools) to the hilarious (mandating that all restaurants should only serve starters; colour-coding society so you can see at a glance who's single and looking). 
 
Other ideas up for the vote include legalising recreational drugs for senior citizens ('Deals on Wheels'); introducing a maximum wage; and reinstating 'Saint Monday' - the ancient tradition of taking Mondays off. Also on the agenda are crushing the cars of anyone illegally parked in a disabled space; declaring any war that lasts more than five years a draw; having a 'none of the above' option on voting cards; and enforcing rustle-free zones in cinemas (policed by 'cinema ninjas'.) 
 
Inspired, Mark decides to pursue one of his favourite propositions - that he should invade Jersey - and heads to Glasgow to consider a kick-starter to buy Scotland out of the Union... But which of the Great British Public's policies will make the final cut? Listen and find out... 
 
Also included is a bonus accompanying PDF of the full People's Manifesto, as voted for by the audience of Mark Thomas: The Manifesto. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Mark Thomas 
Produced by Ed Morrish (Series 1 and 2) and Colin Anderson (Series 3-5) 
Researcher: Susan McNicholas (Series 5) 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 June-2 July 2009 (Series 1), 4 February-25 February 2010 (Series 2), 6 January-27 January 2011 (Series 3), 8 February-29 February 2012 (Series 4), 4 April-9 May 2013 (Series 5) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The People’s Manifesto

The complete BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Barry Took

Barry Took presents this revised radio version of the popular parlour game 'Twenty Questions' 
 
Hosted by veteran humorist Barry Took, presenter of Points of View and former chair of The News Quiz, this entertaining guessing game sees a panel of intellectually acute guests attempting to determine a mystery object in 20 tries. Their only clue is the category it falls into: animal, vegetable, mineral, abstract, or a combination of all four. 
 
For most rounds, the studio audience know the answer and cheer on the contestants with promising guesses - but sometimes, both they and the listeners are kept in the dark, giving them an opportunity to play along too. 
 
Pitting their wits against Barry Took are panellists Geoffrey Durham, Jeremy Hanley, Helen Atkinson Wood, Hattie Hayridge, Dick Vosburgh, Neil Innes, Jan Ravens, Nigel Dempster, Frances Edmonds, Chris Serle and Clare Francis, as they play their hunches and attempt to identify everything from a supermodel to a Page 3 girl, the Channel Tunnel to the shipping forecast, and a minicab driver to man's best friend. Using their best deductive reasoning, will they figure it out - or will they get stumped? 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Barry Took 
Written and compiled by Michael Dines 
Voice provided by Peter Donaldson 
Produced by Andy Aliffe 
 
With: Geoffrey Durham, Jeremy Hanley, Helen Atkinson Wood, Hattie Hayridge, Dick Vosburgh, Neil Innes, Jan Ravens, Nigel Dempster, Frances Edmonds, Chris Serle, Clare Francis 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 April-10 June 1998 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Guess What?

The BBC Radio 4 20 questions game show

Tim Firth

Tim de Jongh

Michael Rutger

William Vandyck

The complete Series 1 &amp; 2 of the award-winning live sketch comedy show - plus two Christmas Specials 
 
First broadcast in 1990 and 1991, here are all 14 episodes of the cult comedy sketch show written and performed by Tim Firth, Tim de Jongh, Michael Rutger and William Vandyck. Join the team as they whisk the audience away on a series of adventures, including a day trip to Margate, Territorial Army manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain, an excursion to Nevada for NASA astronaut training, a Euro link-up in France and a luxury tour of London. 
 
Along the way, they entertain us with a plethora of precision comedy sketches, interspersed with songs, jokes and banter. You'll get drawn in to the architects' improvisation game, Whose Pencil Line Is It Anyway?, discover an unusual way of plotting a novel, step inside the mind of a Shakespearean actor, and listen to some rather surprising Books at Bedtime... 
 
There's also a phone-in for people having problems with their phones, a car valeting service with a twist, and a James Bond theme as written by Richard Stilgoe - plus Cockney rhyming slang for dyslexics, the news for suspicious people, Crufts for ordinary dogs and scores of other comic skits. 
 
And in two fantastic festive specials, it's party time as the quirky quartet serve up some far from traditional Christmas fare - including dried fish, advocaat and an exploding rabbit... 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and performed by Tim Firth, Tim de Jongh, Michael Rutger and William Vandyck 
Sound by John Whitehall 
Produced by Lissa Evans 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 31 March-5 May 1990 (Series 1), 28 December 1990 and 23 December 1991 (Christmas Specials), 12 January-16 February 1991 (Series 2) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

And Now in Colour

A BBC Radio 4 comedy sketch show

Mark Steel

The complete Series 11 and 12 of Mark Steel's comedy travel show 
 
'Consistently the funniest programme on the radio' The Independent 
 
Mark Steel is back with two more series of his award-winning show, in which he explores nine weird and wonderful places around the UK and beyond. After thoroughly researching each town's history, people and idiosyncrasies, he goes on to write and perform a tailor-made evening of stand-up for the residents. 
 
Series 11 takes him to the former mining town of Blyth, Northumberland, where he finds a fascinating industrial legacy, a posh pub, and a very nice beach; Walthamstow, where he's joined by local MP Stella Creasey for a discussion about the controversial 'mini-Holland' cycling scheme; and Whitby; where he dodges the seagulls to present his findings on the Dracula origin story, chip shops and the resort's whaling history. 
 
In Series 12, Mark tours the contrarian city of Nottingham to learn about local legends Robin Hood and Frank the xylophone player; and travels to Tring's Natural History Museum to take in the exhibit of fleas dressed as Mexicans. He also sets out to the Isles of Scilly, Salisbury and Newport, and pops over to Paris, where he performs two versions of his show: one in English and one in French... 
 
With just the right blend of affection and rudeness, he celebrates the curious stories, quirky characters and regional eccentricities that make these areas unique. Whether you're a local or an out-of-towner, his hilarious observations will have you roaring with laughter. 
 
Written by and starring Mark Steel 
Additional material by Pete Sinclair 
Produced by Julia McKenzie and Carl Cooper 
Production co-ordinators: Beverly Tagg, Sarah Sharpe and Katie Baum 
Sound Manager: Jerry Peal 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1-15 December 2021 (Series 11), 22 August-26 September 2022 (Series 12) 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Mark Steel’s In Town: Series 11 & 12

A BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Christopher Douglas

Andrew Nickolds

The first four series of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 comedy 
 
Welcome to the world of Ed Reardon, writer and liver of life at the cutting edge - well, above The Cutting Edge, in a one-bedroom flat over a hairdresser's in Berkhamsted that he shares with his his trusty feline companion, Elgar. Divorced, impoverished and embittered, he spends his time penny-pinching, freeloading and ranting at the modern world and the 'moronic 12-year-olds' who run the media. 
 
Once a promising novelist (his first and last book, Who Would Fardels Bear? was turned into a Hollywood movie), he now lives off the royalties of his 1982 episode of Tenko (£17 per annum) and whatever scraps of freelance work he can coax out of his agents, Felix and Ping. Though consistently mocked by his friend and one-time collaborator Jaz Milvane - who's now become irritatingly rich and successful - Ed battles on with his attempts to finally gain the literary fame and fortune he feels he deserves. 
 
In these four series, we follow him as he tries to conquer the Christmas book market; falls in love; finds himself in hospital; attempts to secure his inheritance and comes up with a once-in-a-lifetime idea - only to forget where he put it... 
 
Written by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds, this splendidly splenetic sitcom stars Christopher Douglas as Ed, with Stephanie Cole as Olive, John Fortune as Felix, Sally Hawkins and Barunka O'Shaughnessy as Ping and Philip Jackson as Jaz. 
 
'A masterpiece of comedic melancholy' The Stage 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Andrew Nickolds and Christopher Douglas 
Produced by Simon Nicholls and Dawn Ellis 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 January-11 February 2005 (Series 1), 21 December 2005-25 January 2006 (Series 2), 15 December 2006-19 January 2007 (Series 3), 16 November-21 December 2007 (Series 4) 
 
Cast 
Ed Reardon - Christopher Douglas 
Olive - Stephanie Cole 
Felix - John Fortune 
Cliff - Ronnie Golden/Simon Greenall 
Ping - Sally Hawkins/Barunka O'Shaughnessy 
Jaz Milvane - Philip Jackson 
Pearl - Rita May 
Stan/Ray - Geoffrey Whitehead 
Jake - George Dalton/James Rawlings 
Eli - Alice Lowe 
 
With Sally Grace, Martin Hyder, Geoffrey McGivern, Dan Tetsell, Melanie Hudson, Emma Kennedy, Vicki Pepperdine, Adam Shipway, Matt Holness, Tom Colebrook, Andy Hamilton, Matthew Holmes, Chris Addison, Joanna Scanlan, Nina Wadia, Angela Wynter, Sean Lock, Paul Richard Biggin, David Cann, Eve Dallas, Alan Ford, Laura Solon, David Warner, Miranda Keeling, Morwenna Banks, Rachel Atkins, Tom Price, Nicola Sanderson, Matt Green, Phil Nice, Peter Marinker, Jon Glover, John-Luke Roberts, Kim Wall, Katy Wix 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ed Reardon's Week: Series 1-4

The hit BBC Radio 4 sitcom

Series 5-8 of the curmudgeonly comedy starring Christopher Douglas 
 
Freeloading freelancer Ed Reardon is back, and still trying to survive in a world where the media seems to be run by idiots and lying charlatans. Success continues to elude him, but at least he can eke out a living teaching creative writing, condensing modern classics and doing a spot of celebrity ghostwriting. 
 
These four series find him shouldering his share of grandfatherly responsibilities; taking up residence in Berkhamsted's premier accommodation for the financially distressed; rekindling a romance with an old flame; and curating a moving tribute for Jaz Milvane's 'surprise' 60th birthday bash. Meanwhile, Ed's cat, Elgar, finds fame with an internet blog. Could he become a more successful writer than Ed? (Quite probably...) 
 
And in a special seasonal edition, Ed is hoping to spend Christmas Day in the bosom of his family - but will he end up alone with Elgar, an Oxo cube and a cinnamon stick? 
 
Scripted by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds, this furiously funny sitcom stars Christopher Douglas as Ed, with supporting roles from Stephanie Cole as Olive, John Fortune as Felix, Barunka O'Shaughnessy as Ping, Philip Jackson as Jaz and Geoffrey Whitehead as Stan. 
 
'Comic genius' Radio Times 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Andrew Nickolds and Christopher Douglas 
Produced by Dawn Ellis 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 October-10 November 2008 (Series 5), 11 January-15 February 2010 (Series 6), 10 January-14 February 2011 (Series 7), 3 April-8 May 2012 (Series 8), 25 December 2012 (Ed Reardon at Christmas) 
 
Cast 
Ed Reardon - Christopher Douglas 
Olive - Stephanie Cole 
Felix - John Fortune 
Cliff - Ronnie Golden/Simon Greenall/Geoff McGivern 
Ping - Barunka O'Shaughnessy 
Jaz Milvane - Philip Jackson 
Pearl - Rita May 
Stan - Geoffrey Whitehead 
Ray - Simon Greenall 
Jake - Sam Pamphilon 
Eli - Lisa Coleman 
Fiona - Jenny Agutter 
With Sally Grace, Lewis MacLeod, Nicola Sanderson, Martin Hyder, Richard Smith, Tom Price, Rachel Atkins, Rebecca Front, Nicholas Boulton, Dan Tetsell, Kim Wall, Tony Gardner, Rhys Rusbatch, Katy Wix, Emma Fryer, Henry Devas, Matilda Ziegler, Paul Merton, Geoffrey Palmer, Darren Boyd, Paul Sharma, Corrie Corfield 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ed Reardon's Week: Series 5-8

Series 9-12 of the hit comedy featuring curmudgeonly author Ed Reardon 
 
Author, pipe-smoker, fare-dodger and master of the complaining letter and abusive email, Ed Reardon returns for another four series. Despite many thwarted attempts at literary succes, he's still living a precarious existence with his trusty companion Elgar, reliant on any small morsels of work Ping can offer him to keep body, mind and cat together. He also continues to have regular run-ins with his nemesis, Jaz Milvane - who somehow manages to make money out of mad schemes, while Ed makes nothing - and his love life remains more than a little erratic. 
 
Among his endeavours in these 24 episodes, Ed attends his first ever interview for a real job; finds himself facing homelessness as Stan throws him out on the street; enters the groves of academe as he becomes a student at 'Uni'; and gains a new agent, Maggie, who gets him a regular writing gig on Your Motorhome magazine. Can she help him to turn his fortunes around? 
 
Also included is a special festive edition, which sees Ed spending the holiday season without Elgar. All he has for Christmas is a computer and a commission... 
 
Christopher Douglas stars as Ed, alongside Stephanie Cole, Philip Jackson, Geoffrey Whitehead, Alison Steadman, Brigit Forsyth and Barunka O'Shaughnessy, in this acclaimed comedy by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds. 
 
'Pure joy' The Telegraph 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Andrew Nickolds and Christopher Douglas 
Produced by Dawn Ellis 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 November-16 December 2013 (Series 9), 13 May-17 June 2015 (Series 10), 1 January 2016 (Ed Reardon at Christmas), 4 October-8 November 2016 (Series 11), 24 October-28 November 2017 (Series 12) 
 
Cast 
Ed Reardon - Christopher Douglas 
Olive - Stephanie Cole 
Cliff - Geoffrey McGivern 
Ping - Barunka O'Shaughnessy 
Jaz Milvane - Philip Jackson 
Pearl - Alison Steadman/Brigit Forsyth 
Stan - Geoffrey Whitehead 
Ray - Simon Greenall 
Jake - Sam Pamphilon 
Eli - Lisa Coleman 
Fiona - Jenny Agutter 
Suzan - Raquel Cassidy 
Maggie - Monica Dolan 
 
With Melanie Hudson, Nicola Sanderson, Jonathan Bailey, Carys Eleri, Claudie Blakley, Jonathan Coy, Corrie Corfield, Felicity Montagu, Carolyn Pickles, Dan Mersh, Vicki Pepperdine, Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie, Phaldut Sharma, Joanna Brookes, Pam Ferris, Jack Farthing, Jeremy Paxman, John Humphrys, Divian Ladwa, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Maya Sondhi, Ruth Madeley, Don Gilet, Karl Theobald, Tyger Drew-Honey, Petroc Trelawney, 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ed Reardon's Week: Series 9-12

Sarah Millican

The quiz that finally decides: who's the most Average Jolene, and who's the ultimate Maverick Matilda? 
 
Sarah Millican picks through her guests' minds and secret routines - using simple surveys from the Great British Public on childhood habits, daily rituals, and preferred cheeses - to discover which of them fits the pattern of the average person on the street, and which is so far from the norm we really ought to be worried. 
 
Featuring Kathy Burke, Tom Allen, Jenny Eclair, Alun Cochrane, Sandi Toksvig, Angela Barnes, Phil Wang, Lucy Beaumont, Sara Pascoe, and Kerry Godliman, as well as Mark Watson, Susan Calman, Jo Brand, Sara Cox, Daliso Chaponda, Scarlett Moffatt, Sindhu Vee, Shappi Khorsandi, and Josie Long, expect skeletons to come tumbling out of closets as Sarah uncovers her panel's surprising quirks and hilarious anecdotes before revealing who is distinctly normal, and who gets to wear the badge of True Maverick. 
 
Perfect for fans of Sarah Millican's Support Group, Dilemma, Joe Lycett's Obsessions, and Tom Allen is Not Actually Very Nice, and for anyone who wants to be reminded that it's good to be different. 
 
Produced by Lianne Coop for Chopsy Productions 
Written by Sarah Millican 
 
Series 1: First broadcast 27 June - 8 August 2019 
Series 2: First broadcast 7 January - 11 February 2021 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Elephant in the Room: Series 1 and 2

The BBC Radio comedy panel show

Paul Sinha

Five fantastic shows from The Chase's 'Sinnerman', award-winning comic and broadcaster Paul Sinha 
 
'One of our most thoughtful and enjoyable comedians' The Times 
 
Paul Sinha loves a quiz. Not only is he the sixth-ranked quizzer in the UK, he's also a regular on Radio 4's long-running Round Britain Quiz and a resident Chaser on ITV's The Chase. In these collected BBC shows, Paul offers us his unique perspective as a quizmaster, stand-up star, ex-GP and second-generation migrant, as he takes a comedic look at British culture, history, nationalism and sport. 
 
Paul Sinha's Quiz Culture sees him travelling to the European Quizzing Championships in Derby, to meet the Continent's superstars, pit his skills against them, and find out why trivia has become such a serious business. In Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test, he examines the test that newcomers to Britain must pass to become citizens, and finds the questions deeply disappointing. Deciding he can do better, he rewrites it to reflect his own ideas of Britishness, focussing on the history syllabus, the arts, health and social cohesion. 
 
The Sinha Carta finds Paul scrutinising England's most important legal document, Magna Carta, explaining what's in it, why it's brilliant, and how it came to be. He also suggests some new, up-to-date additions, for a Magna Carta fit for a modern Britain. In The Sinha Test, Paul draws on his experience as a proudly English son of Indian immigrants to conduct a comic analysis of cricket, national identity and divided loyalties. Finally, in The Sinha Games, he weighs up the pros and cons of hosting the Olympics. Using archive material, interviews, jokes and heavy sarcasm, he examines the past, present and future of the Games, as well as talking to the gold medallist who most influenced him as a young man - his former teacher, Olympic pentathlete Andy Archibald. 
 
Production credits 
Written and performed by Paul Sinha 
 
Paul Sinha's Quiz Culture 
Produced by Monise Durrani 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 March 2011 
 
Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 Extra on the following dates: 
 
1 History Syllabus 5 August 2013 
2 Health of the Nation 12 August 2013 
3 British Culture 19 August 2013 
4 British Greatness 26 August 2013 
 
The Sinha Carta 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 February 2015 
 
The Sinha Test 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 2011 
 
The Sinha Games 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 July 2012 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Paul Sinha: A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Quiz Culture, Citizenship Test and more

Phil Hammond

Tony Gardner

All three series of Phil Hammond and Tony Gardner's award-winning comedy show exploding the myths of medicine 
 
'Very funny indeed' Daily Telegraph 
 
Broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond and actor Tony Gardner are best known for their respective roles in Trust Me, I'm a Doctor and Fresh Meat. But in the 1990s, then junior doctors, they made their names as the comedy double-act Struck Off and Die. A huge hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show transferred to radio in 1993, winning both a Writer's Guild and a Sony Award. Mixing dark, irreverent jokes, sardonic sketches and improvised interviews, it demystified the mysterious workings of the medical profession - and 30 years on, it remains as hilarious and relevant as when it was first broadcast. 
 
Series 1 sees the two doctors bringing their scalpel-sharp wit to bear on public and private health care, exposing the plight of the NHS; debunking the widespread myth that 'doctor knows best' and giving us their insiders' view of topics including surgeons, GPs, nurses, and birth and death. 
 
In Series 2, they take a four-part satirical look at Shakespeare's 'Ages of Man', examining the important role doctors play in every stage of our lives. Together, they give us the lowdown on childhood, reveal everything we need to know about sex, consider marriage and the menopause and tell the unexpurgated truth about old age. 
 
And in Series 3, Struck Off and Die's Family Health Companion, Drs Hammond and Gardner tackle issues such as stress, embarrassing sexual problems, the doctor-patient relationship, medical politics and medical training. Plus, there's a speculative probe into the medicine of the future - including doctorless surgeries, do-it-yourself operations and the virtual-reality hospital... 
 
Also included are excerpts from Radio 4's Edinburgh 90, featuring the Struck Off and Die duo entertaining the 1990 Fringe Festival audience with their anarchic insights. 
 
Production credits 
Written by and starring Phil Hammond and Tony Gardner 
With Felicity Montagu, Julian Dutton, Joanna Brookes, Tom Berrington, Philippa Fordham and David Wolstencroft 
Produced by Jon Magnusson and Helen Williams 
Edinburgh 90 produced by Sarah Smith 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 July 1991 (Edinburgh 90), 13 August - 3 September 1993 (Series 1), 19 August - 9 September 1994 (Series 2), 29 March - 3 May 2000 (Series 3) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Struck Off and Die: The Complete Series 1-3

A Classic BBC Radio 4 Sketch Comedy

Susan Calman

Susan Calman hosts this BBC Radio panel game exploring the wonderful world of lists 
 
Presented by writer, comedian and self-confessed listomaniac Susan Calman, this hilarious show celebrates the power of the humble list - from 'Buzzfeed' to 'bucket' and everything in between. 
 
Accompanying Susan for a spot of comic categorising are a panel of special guests, including Lucy Porter, Joe Lycett, Richard Herring, Katherine Ryan, James Acaster, Miles Jupp, Lucy Beaumont, Nat Luurtsema, Alun Cochrane, Sarah Millican, Ricky Wilson, Roisin Conaty and Isy Suttie. Together, they participate in a variety of anarchic games themed around lists both magnificent and mundane. 
 
What would be on Mary Poppins' to-do list? What things should you resolutely avoid doing before you die? And can you tell the difference between a list of 'My Little Pony' names and a list of illegal narcotics? All these questions, and more, are tackled by the plucky panellists, who are also challenged to improvise their own quickfire lists, including 'fresh quirks for a TV detective', 'new additions to the Ten Commandments' and 'Disney dwarves that were left out of the final 7'. 
 
Full of great gags, diverting topics and off-the-wall trivia, Listomania is sure to make your list of favourite radio comedy shows - so grab a pen and paper and join in the fun! 
 
Production credits 
 
Presented by Susan Calman 
Written by James Kettle, Gráinne Maguire, Sarah Campbell, Sian Harries and Juliet Meyers, with additional material by Max Davis and Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch 
 
Produced by Adnan Ahmed, Sam Bryant and Jane Berthoud 
 
With: Lucy Porter, Joe Lycett, Richard Herring, Katherine Ryan, Dane Baptiste, Elis James, Aisling Bea, Celia Pacquola, Holly Walsh, Lloyd Langford, Sara Cox, James Acaster, Miles Jupp, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Lucy Beaumont, Nat Luurtsema, Alun Cochrane, Sarah Millican, Andrew O'Neill, Ricky Wilson, Roisin Conaty, Isy Suttie, Gary Delaney 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 June 2014 (Pilot), 19 February-26 March 2015 (Series 1) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Susan Calman’s Listomania

A BBC Radio 2 panel show

William Holland

Eric Pringle

A BBC Radio dramatisation of the real-life diaries of a West Country village parson, writing at the turn of the 19th Century 
 
'A good diary can provide an unsurpassed entry into society, and the diary of William Holland is a very good diary indeed' The Spectator 
 
On October 25th, 1799 - his 18th wedding anniversary - cantankerous Somerset parson William Holland begins his diary, chronicling events at the vicarage and in the small farming community of Over Stowey. He would keep it for the next 19 years, candidly recording the small trials of day-to-day life - from chaotic church services and unruly locals to lazy servants and irksome in-laws. 
 
As the new century dawns, he finds himself dealing with parish problems and domestic dramas: including a madman in the poorhouse, a drunkard in the pulpit, and his wife's prattling cousin in the house. At harvest time, he has his work cut out collecting tithes from the local farmers, and his troubles are further compounded by an escaped cow, some curious medical complaints, and an audacious plum-plunderer... 
 
Paying a social visit to Bath with his family, the hectic pace has him longing for the relative peace and quiet of home. And back at the parsonage, his life is transformed when his manservant Robert resolves to give up drinking and womanizing. But will it last? 
 
Full of humorous observations and comic incident, this delightful journal paints a unique picture of a wonderful collection of characters, and the entertaining and often hilarious things that happen to them. Dramatised by Eric Pringle, it is brought to life by a full cast of well-known actors, and stars Ronald Pickup as William Holland, Rosemary Martin and Rowena Cooper as his wife, Mary, and Gavin Muir as Robert. 
 
Production credits 
Written by William Holland 
Dramatised by Eric Pringle 
Directed by Cherry Cookson 
 
Cast 
William Holland - Ronald Pickup 
Mary - Rosemary Martin/Rowena Cooper 
Robert - Gavin Muir 
Miss Dodwell - Tessa Worsley 
Mr Amen - Gordon Gostelow 
Farmer Morle - David Collings 
William Frost/Farmer Landsey - David Timson 
Rector Reekes/Ben Hunt - John Hartley 
Thomas Poole/Farmer Trant/Porter - Stephen Critchlow 
Mrs Southcomb - Margaret Courtenay 
Farmer CottleMr Lewis - Andrew Branch 
Margaret/Hannah/Betty/Little Will - Jane Whittenshaw 
Sally Hill/Grace - Caroline Strong 
With Tilly Gaunt, Giles Fagan and Ben Crowe 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7-21 February 1996 (Series 1), 29 October-12 November 1999 (Series 2) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Paupers and Pig Killers from the diaries of William Holland

A BBC Radio 4 comedy drama

Seven series of sensational live stand-up comedy from the nineties and noughties 
 
Stand-up fans rejoice - this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy over eleven hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny compères: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills. 
 
Included here is an A-Z of top-drawer comic talent, from Dan Antopolski to Andy Zaltzman, by way of Richard Ayoade, John Bishop, Alan Carr, Omid Djalili, Noel Fielding, Rhod Gilbert, Reginald D Hunter, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Dara Ó Briain, Lucy Porter, Gina Yashere and a host of other peerless performers. 
 
It's all the fun of a comedy club, without the need to leave your armchair - just sit back and laugh along as these classic comic talents work their inimitable magic on stage. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Simon Bligh (Series 1-3), Ross Noble (Series 4-5) and Adam Hills (Series 6-7) 
Produced by Helen Williams, Simon Nicholls and Tilusha Ghelani 
 
Featuring: Dan Antopoloski, Richard Ayoade, Sue Beard, Mitch Benn, John Bishop, Adam Bloom, Simon Bligh, Spencer Brown, Ed Byrne, Tina C (aka Chris Green), Rhona Cameron, Craig Campbell, Alan Carr, Jo Caulfield, Pat Condell, Hal Cruttenden, Rob Deering, Felix Dexter, Omid Djalili, Jo Enright, Simon Evans, Noel Fielding, Toby Foster, Rhod Gilbert, Ronnie Golden, Boothby Graffoe, Steve Gribbin, Rainer Hersch, Adam Hills, Dominic Holland, Pierre Hollins, Reginald D Hunter, Robin Ince, Milton Jones, Sarah Kendall, Shaparak Khorsandi, Matt King, Gary Le Strange (aka Waen Shepherd), Sean Lock, Mark Maier, John Mann, Andrew Maxwell, Veronica McKenzie, Sean Meo, Lee Mack, Ian Moore, Justin Moorhouse, Julia Morris, Richard Morton, Phil Nichol, Ross Noble, Dara Ó Briain, David O'Doherty, John Oliver, Luke Ponte, Lucy Porter, Greg Proops, Howard Read, Michael Redmond, Junior Simpson, Ian Stone, Tommy Tiernan, Paul Tonkinson, Jayne Tunnicliffe, Gavin Webster, Matt Welcome, Jason Wood, Glenn Wool, Gina Yashere, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8-29 December 1998 (Series 1), 30 December 1999-6 January 2000 (Series 2), 27 December 2001-17 January 2002 (Series 3), 15 May-5 June 2002 (Series 4), 19 December 2002-9 January 2003 (Series 5), 31 July-7 August 2003 (Series 6), 14-21 August 2003 and 8 January 2004 (4 at the Fringe), 1 January and 15-29 January 2004 (Series 7) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

4 at the Store

Nineties and Noughties stand-up comedy from BBC Radio 4

Stephen Sheridan

James Grout stars as a hapless vicar who discovers that life behind suburbia's net curtains is more exciting than he'd expected 
 
After being mugged by a pair of pensioners outside the Darby &amp; Joan Club, the Reverend Timothy Carswell has had enough of his rough, tough inner-city parish. Convinced that someone so meek would be better suited somewhere quieter, the Bishop packs him off to a nice, sedate, residential neighbourhood where nothing ever seems to happen. 
 
However, unbeknownst to the vicar, his apparently respectable new parish is a hotbed of passion, paranormal experimentation and geriatric prostitution. Under the thumb of his dour Scottish housekeeper, Mrs Muir, who keeps him busy writing long, tedious sermons, he fails to notice the many crimes being committed under his very nose - including burglary, arson and even murder. But when his congregation is stolen by the charismatic American preacher, Elijah Hornblower, he finally realises that something is afoot - and he'll have to fight fire with fire if he wants to keep his flock... 
 
Written by acclaimed dramatist Stephen Sheridan, this dry, darkly funny sitcom stars James Grout as Rev Carswell, with Sarah Thomas and Elizabeth Mansfield as Mrs Muir. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Stephen Sheridan 
Produced by Lissa Evans 
 
Cast 
Rev Timothy Carswell - James Grout 
Miss Tilling - Margaret Courtenay 
Miss Tapp/Emily Ford - Jean Heywood 
Dr Warlock/Bishop - Christopher Good 
Mrs Muir - Sarah Thomas/Elizabeth Mansfield 
Mrs Knatchbull - Maxine Audley 
Cudlipp/Mugger/Critchley - Fraser Kerr 
Mugger's accomplice/Miss Shaw - Auriol Smith 
Edwin - Robert Lang 
Jeremy - Christian Robinson 
David - Tobias Best 
Mr Rainbird - David Bannerman 
Constable/Eric - Ian Lindsay 
Mrs Garland - Rosemary Martin 
Arnold - Cyril Shaps 
Captain Van Thal - Donald Pickering 
Hilary - Jacqueline Tong 
Miss Willow - Patricia Hayes 
Keith - Brian Bowles 
Maria - Sarah Souster 
Guy/Jehovah's Witness - Angus Wright 
Simon Garland - Daniel Strauss 
Mr Vaughan - Michael Turner 
Mr Shaw - Ronald Herdman 
Rev Hornblower - Garrick Hagon 
Mr Widlake - Brian Miller 
Mrs Widlake - Bernadine Corrigan 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 February-2 April 1991 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Secret Life of Rosewood Avenue

A BBC Radio 4 comedy

Nigel Rees

The last ever episodes of the acclaimed quotations quiz, devised and introduced by Nigel Rees - including the historic 500th show 
 
Ever since 1976, Quote... Unquote chairman Nigel Rees has quizzed a host of well-known personalities on the origins of popular sayings, both familiar and obscure, and encouraged them to contribute their own quotes, anecdotes and catchphrases. But - to paraphrase Chaucer - all good things must come to an end, and with Series 57, the long-running panel game takes its final bow. 
 
Among the household names gracing the stage in these final eighteen episodes are comedians Ken Cheng, Shazia Mirza and Sophie Duker, actors Steve Pemberton and Paterson Joseph, authors Juno Dawson, Luke Jennings and Victoria Hislop, lyricist Tim Rice, presenters Konnie Huq and Dame Esther Rantzen and journalist Jonathan Freedland (aka thriller writer Sam Bourne). 
 
Their quota of quotations to identify ranges from memorable lines from the worlds of literature, film and music, to comic catchphrases, famous last words and evergreen epitaphs. There's also an opportunity for the panellists to share the brilliant bon mots they wish they'd said, and dispense their favourite family sayings and the nuggets of wisdom that they've picked up over the years. 
 
Also included in this release is 'Quote... Unquote: A Celebration', a special episode marking the end of an era for the long-running literary panel game. 
 
So join Nigel and guests for a feast of aphorisms, epigrams, wisecracks and witty rejoinders, and prepare to be inspired, amazed and thoroughly entertained. 
 
 
Production credits 
Devised and introduced by Nigel Rees 
Quotes read by Sally Grace, Charlotte Green and Alison Skilbeck 
Produced by Simon Nicholls, Victoria Lloyd and Ella Watts 
Production Coordinators: Candace Wilson and Gwyn Davies 
Theme tune: 'Duddley Dell', written and performed by Dudley Moore 
Sound design: Hedley Knights 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Quote…Unquote

Series 55, 56 & 57 of the classic comedy panel show

Athenian

Atlantia

Avalon

BBC Children's Classics

BBC Classics

BBC Earth

BBC Radio’s The Lord of the Rings

BBC TV Soundtracks

BP Animation

Baby Touch

Ballroom Girls

Barnaby Grimes

Be More...

Bear Mountain Rescue Series

Beasts of Prey

The complete boxed collection of Beatrix Potter's beloved Peter Rabbit books

Beatrix Potter Originals

Beautiful Creatures

BeddyByes

Bel Dame Apocrypha

Bella Wallis Victorian Mysteries

Belle

Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom

Bergman Brothers

Big Ideas for Little Philosophers

Bill Clinton & James Patterson stand-alone thrillers

Bill Smith / Lydia Chin

Bim Blake

Bindi Babes

Tim and Biscuit, two unlikely friends, always seem to get themselves into difficult situations. From their first meeting in Cliffhanger, where bookish Tim is forced to endure an activities camp, to Buried Alive, where a quiet camping holiday turns out to be full of surprises, there is never a dull moment with these two around.Jaqueline Wilson’s hilarious duo of books catalogues their escapades, triumphs and failures, with a good helping of snacks along the way!

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