Ajay Chowdhury, the inaugural winner of the Harvill Secker-Bloody Scotland prize, is a tech entrepreneur and theatre director. His children’s book – Ayesha and the Firefish, was published in 2016 and adapted into a musical which premiered in San Francisco. 
 
 
The Waiter (Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month), was published in 2021, and is the first in his critically-acclaimed crime series about Detective Kamil Rahman, an ex-policeman from Kolkata who has moved to Brick Lane in London. It is being adapted for television by Moonage Pictures.The Cook (Guardian Top Crime Books of the Year) was published in May 2022 to excellent reviews and deals with the issue of homelessness. The third book in the series – The Detective (Sunday Times Top Crime Books of the Year) – is about government surveillance and AI. The Spy (Longlisted Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing), the fourth book, sees Kamil infiltrate a terrorist cell. The Shadow (A Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month) is the latest book in the series.

Ajay Chowdhury

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David Llewellyn

When Yasmin finds a jewelled egg in her grandfather's shed, her first thought is to sell it. Unfortunately, the object is no valuable Faberge antique, but a dangerous weapon from another planet. Worse still, the buyer she finds online is a Russian secret agent working for the Committee for Extraterrestrial Research, who promptly swipes it, kills her brother Sayed and lands her in hospital. When Sgt Andy Davidson realises that he's not dealing with an ordinary double shooting, he calls Gwen Cooper, who breaks the bad news about the egg and its deadly contents. With no Torchwood to help, and Gwen in America, it's up to Andy and Yasmin to follow the trail of the Shiva virus - all the way from Cardiff to the British Museum... Written specially for AudioGO by David Llewellyn, Fallout is read by Tom Price, who played Sgt Andy in the hit TV series. 
 
1 CD. 1 hr 2 mins.

Torchwood Fallout

John Masefield

When Kay Harker meets a mysterious Punch and Judy man on his way home for Christmas, he little realizes that he is about to be plunged into adventure. The old man entrusts Kay with a strange puzzle box - the Box of Delights - before suddenly disappearing. Kay soon discovers two things: the box can transport him through time and space, and there is a plot to steal it. He must battle heroically against terrifying forces of evil in order to win the day... This thrilling BBC Radio adaptation boasts a stellar cast, including Donald Sinden, Lionel Jeffries, Spike Milligan and Celia Imrie. 
 
3 CDs. 3 hrs.

The Box Of Delights

A 30-part landmark series for BBC Radio 4, written and presented by Neil MacGregor 
 
'The new blockbuster by the museums maestro Neil MacGregor ... The man who chronicles world history through objects is back ... examining a new set of objects to explore the theme of faith in society' Sunday Times 
 
In this major new BBC radio series, Neil MacGregor investigates the role and expression of shared beliefs through time and around the world. 
 
Using specially selected objects from the British Museum and beyond, talking to experts from various disciplines and visiting key locations from the river Ganges to Jerusalem, he examines how rituals and systems of belief have shaped our societies. Looking at communities from the distant past to the present day, both in Europe and worldwide, his focus moves from the beginnings of belief and the elemental worship of fire, water and the sun, through festivals, pilgrimages and sacrifices, to power struggles and political battles between faiths and states. 
 
Among the objects featured are the Lion Man, a small ivory sculpture which is about 40,000 years old; a 16th century ivory and gold qibla, used to find the direction of Mecca; and the Lampedusa Cross, made from pieces of a refugee boat wrecked off the Italian coast in 2013. 
 
Produced by BBC Radio 4 in partnership with the British Museum, this enlightening series explores humanity’s enduring need to believe, belong and connect with the cosmos. 
 
Duration: 6 hours 50 mins.

Living With The Gods

The BBC Radio 4 series

Patricia Highsmith

Five gripping full-cast adaptations of Patricia Highsmith's bestselling 'Ripley' series - plus bonus material 
 
Charming, cultured and clever, Tom Ripley has a taste for the finer things in life. And he is determined to get them, by any means necessary... 
 
These five plays - The Talented Mr Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water - chart Tom's journey from impoverished conman to wealthy bon viveur and serial killer. His homicidal adventures begin when he befriends shipping heir Dickie Greenleaf: he wants money, success, and he's willing to kill for it. But when he attains the luxurious lifestyle he craves, he is always on the edge of being discovered. Will his shadowy past finally catch up with him? 
 
BAFTA-winning actor Ian Hart stars as Ripley in these tense, thrilling dramas. Also included are two bonus documentaries: Looking for Ripley, in which crime writer Mark Billingham unravels the mystery behind our lasting fascination with Tom Ripley, and A Passionate Affair, presented by Marcel Berlins, who asks whether Patricia Highsmith fell in love with her suave, amoral anti-hero. 
 
Text © 1993 by Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich, all rights reserved. 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Complete Ripley: The Tom Ripley thrillers

Five BBC Radio full-cast dramatisations

A suspenseful full-cast BBC radio adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's classic psychological thriller 
 
When Guy Haines meets Charles Bruno in the dining car of a Texas-bound train, they share their secrets in the way that only strangers can. Charles confides his hatred for his controlling father, Guy confesses that he is divorcing his unfaithful wife. As the drink flows and the conversation turns darker, Charles proposes the perfect solution to both their problems - a murder swap - and Guy laughingly agrees. 
 
Back home, he quickly forgets their drunken pact: but Charles does not. Soon Guy is facing a nightmarish choice - fulfil his part of the bargain, or be framed for a murder he didn't commit... 
 
Dramatised for radio by award-winning playwright Craig Warner, this disturbing tale of obsession, blackmail, guilt and fear stars Michael Sheen (Good Omens, Staged) as Guy Haines and Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, Endeavour) as Charles Bruno. 
 
Credits 
Written by Craig Warner, based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith 
Original music by Craig Warner 
Directed by Andy Jordan 
 
Cast 
Charles Bruno........................Anton Lesser 
Guy Haines........................Michael Sheen 
Anne........................Saskia Reeves 
Gerard........................Bill Nighy 
Elsie Bruno........................Jane Whittenshaw 
Alex........................Denys Hawthorne 
Myers........................Roger May 
Treacher........................Stephen Critchlow 
Cop........................John Hartley 
Frear........................Andrew Branch 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 25 January 1996 
 
Strangers on a Train © 1993 by Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich, all rights reserved. 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Strangers on a Train

A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

John Barrowman

Carol E. Barrowman

It starts with a series of unexplained events. Earth tremors across the globe. Women being driven insane by their heightened and scrambled senses. And the world is starting to notice - the number one Twitter trend is #realfemmefatales. Governments and scientists are bewildered and silent. The world needs Torchwood, but there's not much of Torchwood left. Captain Jack Harkness has tracked the problem to its source: a village in Peru, where he's uncovered evidence of alien involvement. In Cardiff, Gwen Cooper has discovered something alien and somehow connected to Jack. If the world is to be restored, she has to warn him - but she's quickly becoming a victim of the madness, too... From Torchwood star John Barrowman, and Carole Barrowman, this is an epic thriller that finds Captain Jack and Gwen in a race to save humanity itself. Read by Daniel Pirrie (Doctor Who, Downton Abbey). 
 
7 CDs. 8 hrs 12 mins.

Torchwood: Exodus Code

Agatha Christie

The Unexpected Guest begins on a foggy night at a lonely country house, where a woman with a gun in her hand is quietly surveying the dead body of her husband. It looks like a straightforward case of murder. Or is it? As the ghosts of an old wrong begin to emerge from the past, the case begins to look anything but straightforward, and it is up to Sergeant Cadwallader and Inspector Thomas to discover the unexpected truth... In The Pale Horse, a dying woman gasps out her bizarre story to Catholic priest Father Gorman - but no sooner has he written it down than he is violently killed. The only clue he leaves is a twisted scrap of paper on which are written nine names. On the trail of these names Inspector Lejeune, together with academic Mark Easterbrooke and his crime writer friend Ariadne Oliver, are led inexorably to The Pale Horse Inn, in the village of Much Deeping. The three women who live there - a psychic, a medium and a witch - all seem to have some link to Father Gorman’s death. And each of them has their own secrets... These two Agatha Christie stories, each with a twist in the tale, are dramatised with full casts including Siôn Probert and Stephanie Cole. 
 
2 CDs. 2 hrs.

The Unexpected Guest & The Pale Horse

Bert Coules

Clive Merrison and Andrew Sachs star in seven original BBC Radio 4 full-cast adventures for Holmes and Watson. 
 
How many times did Dr John Watson tantalise us with passing references to a mystery which his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, never wrote about in full? In these original adventures Bert Coules, the chief dramatist of BBC Radio 4’s celebrated Sherlock Holmes canon, has imaginatively fleshed out seven such unrecorded cases. 
 
The Determined Client: Miss Addleton engages Holmes to save her father's good name. 
The Striking Success of Miss Franny Blossom: Holmes investigates a respectable gambling club. 
The Thirteen Watches: Bizarre events on an express train brings a railway baron to Baker Street. 
The Ferrers Documents: A slum landlord and a missing witness figure in a dark tale of hatred and revenge. 
The Remarkable Performance of Mr Frederick Merridew: A night at the music hall ends in tragedy. 
The Eyes of Horus: A priceless Egyptian artefact vanishes from a locked casket in a locked vault. 
The Marlbourne Point Mystery: Holmes and Watson discover death, treachery and betrayal on an isolated coastal headland.

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Collection 2

Seven BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Kenneth Grahame

'There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.' When the Water Rat invites the unassuming Mole to spend his first day ever in a boat on the river, and wise Badger comes along for the ride as well, so begins a marvellous season of adventure for the three friends. Mr Toad (he of Toad Hall) completes a happy foursome, but his tendency to get into hot water leads him into some rather hair-raising scrapes of his own. From an idyllic riverside picnic to a snowy encounter in the Wild Woods, and from poop-pooping in Toad's shiny new motor car to fighting against the massed ranks of Stoats, Weasels and Ferrets in a battle for Toad Hall, there's never a dull moment when they are all together! In his own inimitable style, Alan Bennett gives voice to each and every character in Kenneth Grahame's beguiling novel. 
 
3 CDs. 3 hrs.

Wind In The Willows - Reading

June Whitfield stars as Miss Marple in eight thrilling full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisations. 
 
A Pocket Full of Rye A spate of unusual deaths is linked to the nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence'. 
 
4.50 from Paddington After witnessing a murder on a train, Mrs McGillicuddy calls on Miss Marple. 
 
At Bertram’s Hotel Crime lurks beneath the surface of a respectable Mayfair hotel. 
 
The Body in the Library A mysterious blonde is found murdered in Dolly Bantry’s library. 
 
The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side At a benefit held at Gossington Hall, harmless Mrs Badcock is fatally poisoned. 
 
A Caribbean Mystery Bored in paradise, Miss Marple finds her interest aroused by an old soldier’s tale. 
 
Murder at the Vicarage Everyone in St Mary Mead detested Colonel Protheroe – but who killed him? 
 
A Murder is Announced A startling entry in a local paper’s personal column leads to a deadly shooting. 
 
These BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations feature eight of Miss Marple’s most complex and intriguing cases. Based on the original novels by Agatha Christie, they are performed by a stellar cast. 
 
Duration: 16 hours approx.

Marple's Casebook

Classic Drama from the BBC Radio Archives

Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy is one of Britain’s most popular and bestselling authors, and this collection of four stories from the BBC Radio 4 archive shows her at her most insightful and imaginative. In The Garden Party, Helen envies her neighbour Debbie Kennedy’s garden – and her life – but discovers that things are not always as they seem; while The Special Sale sees lonely Yvonne arranging a special lunch for her friend Frank and his children on the day after Christmas. The Sensible Celebration finds Lorna about to throw a small party to celebrate the decade gone by: but as she plans, she starts to think about her life, and her marriage. Finally, in Dolly’s Mother, the beauty, grace and efficiency of her perfect parent have always made Dolly feel inferior – until the day of her sixteenth birthday. These four stories, never collected together in book form and unique to audio, are read by acclaimed actors Niamh Cusack, Dervla Kirwan, Doreen Hepburn and Stella McCusker. 
 
1 CD. 57 mins.

Garden Party, The & Other Stories

Ian Edgington

Washington D.C., post-Miracle. The city has been hit by a spate of very unusual serial killings. The victims are different ages and genders and the locations vary, but each body has one thing in common – it has been reduced to a dried-up, desiccated husk. Special Agent Lucas Avery has dealt with some tricky puzzles in his time, but this is stranger than anything he’s ever encountered. His one lead is a pair of names: ‘Gwen’ and ‘Rhys’... For Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams, still recovering from the recent, traumatic events that shook the world, life is about to get difficult and dangerous again. For it’s not just Homeland Security on their trail, but something else – something alien, terrifying and deadly... Written specially for audio by Ian Edginton, Army of One is read by Kai Owen, who played Rhys Williams in the hit BBC television series. 
 
1 CD. 1 hr 10 mins.

Torchwood Army Of One

Richmal Crompton

Described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘the wizard of the talking book’, Martin Jarvis has made the voices of William and his gang of outlaws his own in these marvellous readings. Roar with laughter as the lovable rogue, hampered by the loathsome Violet Elizabeth, wreaks havoc in this hilarious collection. Includes the following stories: 'The Christmas Truce'; 'Only Just in Time'; 'The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague'; 'William and the Musician'; 'William Leads a Better Life'; 'William and the Twins'; 'William’s Birthday'; 'William and the Little Girl'; 'The Outlaws and Cousin Percy' and 'William and the Princess Goldilocks'. ‘There’s nothing to touch them’ - Independent on Sunday. 
 
2 CDs. 2 hrs 30 mins.

Just William

Volume 1

Donald Cotton

Paul Erickson

Glyn Jones

These classic soundtrack adventures, with additional linking narration, have all been remastered and include bonus interviews with William Russell, Maureen O'Brien, Peter Purves and Anneke Wills. The Sensorites: the Doctor and friends meet the alien Sensorites... The Romans: in first-century Rome, Ian and Barbara are sold into slavery and the Doctor encounters Nero... The Space Museum: the Doctor and his companions see a terrible potential future... The Ark: the Doctor, Steven and Dodo come face-to-face with the last humans and their servants, the Monoids... The Gunfighters: 1881, Tombstone. The TARDIS crew are in trouble, as they try to avoid getting caught in the crossfire at the OK Corral... The War Machines: The TARDIS lands in London in 1966 - only to find that the brand new Post Office Tower is home to a monstrous supercomputer. This box set also contains bonus PDF files of the original TV scripts. 
 
13 CDs. 12 hrs 30 mins.

Doctor Who Collection 6: The TV Episodes

Arthur Conan Doyle

’It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death. The terror is in the hearts of the people from the dusk to the dawn. Wait, young man, and you will learn for yourself’. Sherlock Holmes is intrigued and disturbed when he receives an ominous coded message: a Mr Douglas of Birlstone House is in terrible danger. Before Holmes can act, shocking news arrives. Douglas has been founded dead – his face blown off by a shotgun. Scotland Yard is stumped. Was this suicide or murder? But Holmes is in no doubt. For he recognises the calling card of his nemesis: Professor James Moriarty. In this thrilling tale of fear and tyranny, stretching from the stark American coal valleys to an English country manor, Holmes must battle his greatest – and most lethal – enemy... 
 
6 CDs. 6 hrs 17 mins.

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley Of Fear

Lou Wakefield

Carole Hayman

When Irene Spencer meets Vera Small at her daughter Lesley’s wedding reception, they embark upon a correspondence that is quite unlike any other in the history of letter-writing. Both Irene and Vera are happily widowed and endowed with errant offspring. They live in a world of church fêtes and amateur dramatics, but love nothing more than dipping their pens in the vitriol pot – while remaining the firmest of pen-pals. Feisty, naughty and endlessly funny, Ladies of Letters provides a hilarious insight into suburban friendships as they really are! ‘Quite honestly as I laid the last letter aside I felt a better person for having glimpsed behind the net curtains of Mrs Small’s and Mrs Spencer’s life.’ - Sue Townsend. 
 
1 CD. 1 hr 30 mins.

Ladies Of Letters

Mark Morris

Ross Chapman is one of life's losers. So when he survives a point-blank shooting, dons a superhero costume and becomes a crime-busting vigilante, something strange is clearly going on. And Ross's transformation isn't the only odd thing happening in Cardiff. Time is distorting - around the city, some people are aging, dying and decomposing in a matter of minutes, while others are reverting to childhood. Sgt Andy Davidson knows he's out of his depth - so when Jack Harkness sweeps into the police station, he's glad of the help that only Torchwood can provide. But for Jack, the stakes are higher than ever. He's seen a vision of Gwen, dead, murdered by an unknown gunman. And if he can't solve the mystery of Mr Invincible, he can't save her... Written specially for AudioGO by Mark Morris, Mr Invincible is read by Tom Price, who played Sgt Andy Davidson in the hit BBC television series. 
 
1 CD. 1 hr 4 mins.

Torchwood Mr Invincible

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

How did Claudius become the man he is in Shakespeare's Hamlet? What were the real reasons behind the murder of his brother? How does he really feel about his nephew? These questions will be answered in this drama spiced with ghosts, pirates, magic and political skulduggery. 
 
Set in an alternative Europe in the 1930s, Elsinore is a prequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This compelling new drama imagines the turbulence of the Danish court, in a world where Denmark is a powerful, militarised country with a small empire around the Baltic that it is fighting hard to maintain. There is more than a hint of totalitarianism in the air. 
 
In this uneasy setting, Elsinore delves into the troubled, not to say murderous relationship between King Hamlet and his brother Claudius: one of the most interesting characters in the Shakespearean canon. Realism meets with moments of otherworldliness as the story unravels, taking in pirates and magic, rebellion and betrayal. 
 
A dark, exciting drama that touches on the events and people in Shakespeare's play, and brings us to the moment where Hamlet begins. 
 
From the extraordinary imagination of Sebastian Baczkiewicz, writer of the successful Pilgrim series. 
 
Duration: 3 hours approx.

Elsinore: Hamlet. Claudius. The Beginning. The Truth.

A BBC Radio 4 Drama

John Finnemore

Every episode of the hit BBC Radio 4 airline sitcom is collected together in this special box set, including the Christmas special final episode, and several bonus features. 
 
Cabin Pressure is set in the wing and a prayer world of a tiny, one-plane charter airline, staffed by two pilots - one on his way down, and one who was never up to start with. Whether flying a cat to Abu Dhabi, dealing with a nervous bassoonist, hunting for a cleverly-hidden lemon or attempting to celebrate Christmas in seven minutes, no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult. Carolyn Knapp-Shappey, MJN Air's formidable boss, has employed two of the very cheapest pilots money can buy: Captain Martin Crieff, who's always wanted to fly and won't let a little thing like lack of ability stop him, and First Officer Douglas Richardson, smooth-voiced old sky-god and eternal schemer. Passenger service is provided by the relentlessly cheery Arthur. 
 
Written by John Finnemore, Cabin Pressure stars Stephanie Cole as Carolyn, Benedict Cumberbatch as Martin, Roger Allam as Douglas, and John Finnemore as Arthur. 
 
‘The more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department.’ – Philip Pullman

Cabin Pressure: A-Z

The BBC Radio 4 Airline Sitcom

Andy Stanton

The eighth exceptionally entertaining Mr Gum story, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant…Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss.’ – Danny Baker, BBC Radio London 
 
Good evening. Talking parrots in the rooftops? A giant cactus on the high street? Mosquitoes so nasty that even their own friends don’t like them? Something’s gone terribly wrong in Lamonic Bibber… and Mr Gum is nowhere to be found. 
 
Yes, folks, Polly and Friday are facing their biggest challenge yet. So strap yourselves in, cry ‘HI-HO-WEIRDY!’ and get ready for an adventure so crazy your feet will melt with happiness! And I’m not just saying that, I’ve actually seen it happen. HOORAY! 
 
Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout is the eighth in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

Mr Gum and the Secret Hideout: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (8 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

The third barking bonkers Mr Gum story, read by author Andy Stanton with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant… Stanton’s the Guv’nor. The Boss.’ Danny Baker 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
 
Good evening, brave listener. But are you brave enough to join Polly and Friday as they climb Goblin Mountain to battle the forces of evil? 
 
For be warned. This audiobook is full of swords and trolls and witches and a thing that looks like a gherkin. And somehow that old roo-de-lally Mr Gum is all mixed up in it too. Shabba me whiskers, it’s a burpin’ epic! 
 
Mr Gum and the Goblins is the third in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award.The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

Mr Gum and the Goblins: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (3 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

J.R.R. Tolkien

Broadcast to mark the 3000th programme of the much-loved children's series Jackanory, The Hobbit was transmitted over two weeks and 10 episodes in 1979. It told the gripping story of Bilbo Baggins and his band of dwarves, who are on a quest for the treasure guarded by the fearsome dragon Smaug. As he leaves his cosy hobbit-hole and travels into the wild, Bilbo's adventures begin. On his journey, he will encounter trolls, goblins, elves and giant spiders - as well as a mysterious and magical ring and a strange, sinister creature named Gollum... Read by Bernard Cribbins, Jan Francis, Maurice Denham and David Wood, this rare audio soundtrack is sure to offer a treat for all fans of J. R. R. Tolkien. 
 
2 CDs. 2 hrs 28 mins.

The Hobbit: Jackanory

Widely regarded as a broadcasting classic, the 1981 BBC Radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings stars Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, John Le Mesurier and Peter Woodthorpe. This box set contains all three parts of the epic tale - The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him the Rings of Power - the means by which he will be able to rule the world. All he lacks in his plan for domination is the Ruling Ring, which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Frodo Baggins... Brian Sibley, one of the original dramatists, has written new opening and closing narration for the character of Frodo, played by Ian Holm. This collection also includes a bonus CD featuring Stephen Oliver's complete musical score, and a demo version of 'Bilbo's Last Song'. 
 
13 CDs. 13 hrs 15 mins.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Trilogy

The Complete Collection Of The Classic BBC Radio Production

BBC Radio Comedy

Four of the funniest recent episodes from the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons 
 
Among the talented and humorous players in this sparkling quartet are Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Jo Caulfield, Julian Clary, Stephen Fry, Jan Ravens, Rebecca Front, Marcus Brigstocke, Sheila Hancock, Fern Britton and Graham Norton. 
 
Did Nicholas know Boudicca? What dish was to be served after the Royal Wedding? When did Gyles meet Fanny Cradock, and is he really getting married in the morning? What does Sheila know of George Orwell, and what are her views on ripped jeans? Should Paul be challenged for being out of tune? 
 
Answers to these and many more tantalising questions can be answered, without hesitation, deviation or repetition, after listening to this quartet of instalments! 
 
Duration: 2 hours approx.

Just a Minute: Best of 2018

4 episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy game

Ian Messiter

Just as uproariously funny - and terrifically popular - today as when it first began on BBC Radio 4 in 1967, Just a Minute challenges contestants to speak for one minute on a given subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Its mix of irreverent fun and ferocious competition has always attracted stellar names from the world of comedy and theatre, all of whom pit their wits - and their wit - against regular players including Kenneth Williams, Derek Nimmo, Clement Freud and Peter Jones. Nicholas Parsons, who has been at the helm of the series since it began, as chairman and occasionally as player, introduces this sparkling quartet of editions and provides fascinating background information on the game. 
 
2 CDs. 2 hrs.

Just A Classic Minute

Volume 3

You lucky little peanuts, it’s the seventh superb Mr Gum story, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old. 
 
‘Mad, bad – and very funny’ Booktrust 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant…Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss.’ – Danny Baker, BBC Radio London 
 
Good evening and welcome to a tale of forests! Of dreadful villains! Of caterpillars called Graham! And of a great big BEEFER of a cherry tree! 
 
But what dark secrets are hidden in that tree, where the leaves grow thick and green? Polly intends to find out, and she intends to find out by finding out. What will she find out? Find out by listening to this audiobook, and you’ll find out! NEEEEIIIIGGGGH! 
 
Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree is the seventh in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (7 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

Shabba me whiskers! It’s that bestselling and award-winning first ever Mr Gum story, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant…Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss’ Danny Baker, BBC Radio London 
 
 
Good evening. Mr Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book’s all about him. 
 
And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly and an evil, stinky butcher all covered in guts. And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and EVERYTHING. 
 
You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum! is the first in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum!: Children's Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (1 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

Jimmy Perry

David Croft

Diehard Dad's Army fan Phill Jupitus has selected four of his favourite episodes from the sitcom that captured the heart of a nation. As Jupitus says, 'There are episodes here you will be familiar with and some you may never have heard, but what I can promise is that they are all achingly funny.' 'The Man and the Hour' is the first ever episode of the series, in which Mainwaring barks out, 'Come on Adolf, we're ready for you!'; 'My British Buddy' finds Mollie Sugden guest starring as a Walmington inhabitant besotted with the new GIs in town; 'Time on My Hands' finds a German airman snagged by his parachute on the town hall clock; and in 'A Soldier's Farewell' Mainwaring dreams he is Napoleon at Waterloo, with Wilson an elegant Duke of Wellington... Providing stalwart support to the stars are John Laurie, James Beck, Arnold Ridley, Ian Lavender and Bill Pertwee. 
 
2 CDs. 1 hr 53 mins.

Dad's Army: The Very Best Episodes

Mr Gum is back and as nasty as ever in this second hilarious story, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘Wickedly entertaining’ The Bookseller 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant…Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss.’ – Danny Baker, BBC Radio London 
 
Good evening. OK, this book’s a bit hard to describe. There’s this gingerbread man with electric muscles, see? And he’s rich as a mushroom, right? And Mr Gum and Billy William are planning to get the cash, yeah? And it’s up to Polly to save the day. 
 
And there’s a funfair and hot dogs, and Friday O’Leary shouts out some crazy stuff, and... hey, that wasn’t so hard to describe after all! See ya! 
 
Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire is the second in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (2 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

Shabba me whiskers! It’s the fourth fantastic Mr Gum story, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘Smooky Palooki! This book is well brilliant!’ Jeremy Strong 
‘They’re the funniest books … I can’t recommend them enough’ Stephen Mangan 
‘They are brilliant’ Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 
‘It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant…Stanton’s the Gov’nor, the Boss.’ – Danny Baker, BBC Radio London 
 
Good evening, children, on this dark and windy night. Now, come gather round the fireplace, for ‘tis time for strange tales to be spun. 
 
Like the tale of Polly and that old tumbledown windmill by the riverside. But just what is the windmill’s terrible secret? Why is Mr Gum lurk-lurk-lurkin’ about? And how much does Old Granny know? 
 
Gather closer, children, for all shall be revealed… BRRR! SPOOKY! 
 
Mr Gum and the Power Crystals is the fourth in the internationally bestselling series by Andy Stanton, which has won everything from the Blue Peter Book Award (twice) to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Red House Children’s Book Award. The books have been translated into over 25 languages worldwide, and have sold over 4 million copies. 
 
“Good evening. This is Andy Stanton, professional children’s author and part-time marshmallow. Hey, do you like hearing ‘Mr Gum’ read out loud by a complete idiot? Well, then, you’re in luck, because – for your entertainment, amusement and annoyance - every single word of these audio books is spoken by ME! And not only that, but these recordings are absolutely JAM-PACKED with silly voices, weird sound effects and utterly ridiculous songs (sorry about my singing, by the way, it’s appalling). So there you have it – what are you waiting for? GET LISTENING, YOU NIBBLEHEADS!”

Showing results for: ‘Ajay Chowdhury’

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