Meik Wiking founded the world's first Happiness Research Institute in 2013, in Copenhagen, Denmark and is a New York Times and Sunday Times Bestselling author. Meik has been called The Indiana Jones of Smiles and probably the World's Happiest Man by The Times. He is the author of four globally bestselling books which have sold over 2 million copies worldwide: The Little Book of Hygge, The Little Book of Lykke, The Art of Making Memories and My Hygge Home.

Meik Wiking

Sue Meikle has always been obsessed with picture books, and after working as an Early Years Specialist for over 25 years, she has read stories to children from Stockport to South Africa. In schools, in early years centres, while on forest school adventures... Sue has even read stories on a travelling play bus! So, perhaps it was always in the stars for Sue to not just read books, but write them, too! When she's not reading or writing stories, Sue can be found walking her dog or chauffeuring her teenagers around the Greater Manchester area (because that’s where they live… in a home that they made from a derelict barn!)

Sue Meikle

David Meikle is a TV scriptwriter and Sunday Times bestselling author. He has written and co-written seven books, including the autobiographies of Charlie Richardson and Bobby Cummines.

David Meikle

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John Peel

A collectible slipcase containing three exciting Doctor Who audiobooks, each featuring the Daleks! In Daleks: The Chase, the TARDIS is pursued through Time and Space by the Daleks, who are intent on preventing any future intervention in their plans by the Doctor. In Daleks: Mission to the Unknown and Daleks: The Mutation of Time, the leader of Earth in the far future, Mavic Chen, has allied himself with the Daleks. When the Doctor steals the core of the Time Destructor, his arch enemies pursue him across the galaxy in order to retrieve it. Read by Maureen O'Brien, Peter Purves and Jean Marsh, with Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks, these recordings feature specially composed music and sound effects. 
 
15 CDs. 17 hrs 45 mins.

Doctor Who: Dalek Menace! (Classic Novels Boxset)

BBC Radio Comedy

Four laughter-filled editions of the long-running and much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons 
 
In this selection of episodes, the entertaining players brave enough to employ their wits and ingenuity against both the clock and their competitors are Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Sheila Hancock, Josh Widdicombe, Gyles Brandreth, Fern Britton, Jenny Eclair and Kerry Godliman. 
 
As always, the name of the game is to speak for one minute on a given subject without falling foul of hesitation, repetition or deviation. 
 
Why is Josh known as the Beast of Dartmoor? What is Julian’s morning routine? Does Sheila have a party trick, and when exactly did the last century begin? When should Gyles use the ‘historical present’, and will Fern ever get to tell her story about dinner in Venice? 
 
Fingers on buzzers please, as we play Just a Minute!

Just a Minute: Best of 2019

4 episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy game

Nicholas Parsons chairs four episodes of the long-running panel game. 
 
“Welcome to Just a Minute!” As the Minute Waltz fades away, once again a multitude of players pit their wits against each other as they attempt to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the subject. 
 
In these four episodes, long-time players including Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton and Julian Clary are joined by newcomers including Kevin Eldon, Vanessa Feltz, Miles Jupp, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Kielty, Joe Lycett, Paul Sinha and Holly Walsh. 
 
Among the subjects tackled are Personal Hygiene in the 10th Century, Mobile phone etiquette, Stonehenge, How to prepare sushi, Soap operas, Crystal Palace and Flying a kite. 
 
So join redoubtable chairman Nicholas Parsons as the panellists use their intellect, imagination, wit and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these four sparklingly funny shows. 
 
2 CDs. 1 hr 52 mins.

Just a Minute: The Best of 2014

Four episodes of the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game

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

Nicholas Parsons chairs eight episodes of the long-running panel game, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Spring 2015. 
 
“Welcome to Just a Minute!” As the Minute Waltz fades away, once again a multitude of players pit their wits against each other as they attempt to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the subject. 
 
So join redoubtable chairman Nicholas Parsons as the panellists - including Paul Merton alongside long-time players and newcomers to the game - use their intellect, imagination, wit and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these eight sparklingly funny shows.

Just a Minute: Series 71

All eight episodes of the 71st radio series

Twelve archive editions of the the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons 
 
Having matured like a fine wine for over 50 years, Just a Minute continues to improve with age. A full-bodied, cheeky little number, it’s both sparkling and robust, and ideal for almost every occasion. A few bottles of the finest have been brought up from the cellar for this vintage collection. 
 
In these twelve humorous, enlightening and previously unpublished editions — harvested from between 1972 and 2004 — players once again attempt to speak without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the given subject. Challenges fly thick and fast under the unflappable adjudication of Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Seasoned players Kenneth Williams, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Clement Freudand Paul Merton compete alongside guests including Tim Rice, Sheila Hancock, Michael Palin, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Ross Noble, Ray Alan, Rob Buckman, Barry Cryer, Wendy Richard, Jeremy Hardy, Richard Stilgoe, Steve Frost, Graham Norton, Liza Tarbuck, Kit Hesketh-Harvey and Julian Clary. 
 
Which players will be allowed time to breathe uninterrupted, as they demonstrate they have the nose for a corking finish? Find out as we play Just a Minute! 
 
Please note: Contains mild innuendo. The humour in these programmes sometimes reflects the era in which they were first broadcast. 
 
 
Episode Guide 
 
26 September 1972 
Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams 
10 February 1976 
Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Michael Palin, Kenneth Williams 
20 February 1979 
Featuring Ray Alan, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams 
22 January 1980 
Featuring Rob Buckman, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams 
3 April 1985 
Featuring Barry Cryer, Peter Jones, Tim Rice, Kenneth Williams 
23 February 1991 
Featuring Peter Jones, Tim Rice, Wendy Richard, Richard Stilgoe 
11 February 1995 
Featuring Jeremy Hardy, Tony Hawks, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo 
1 February 1999 
Featuring Jenny Eclair, Steve Frost, Peter Jones, Tim Rice 
11 March 2002 
Featuring Clement Freud, Sheila Hancock, Paul Merton, Graham Norton 
7 July 2003 
Featuring Clement Freud, Sheila Hancock, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Paul Merton 
18 August 2003 
Featuring Jenny Eclair, Clement Freud, Tony Hawks, Ross Noble 
16 August 2004 
Featuring Julian Clary, Clement Freud, Paul Merton, Liza Tarbuck

Just a Minute: A Vintage Collection

12 classic episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy game

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

Andy Stanton

The fifth fabulously funny Mr Gum story by Andy Stanton, read by the author and with music and sound effects. A fantastic book for boys and girls aged 7-10 years old 
 
‘Worryingly splendid’ The Guardian 
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. Do you like bears called Padlock? Course you do. Do you like hot-air balloons? Course you do. Do you like tall sailing ships with mad sea captains, and horrifying old villains and words like ‘wab!’, ‘tungler’ and ‘kelp’? COURSE you do! 
 
Well, guess what, you lucky little nibbleheads? This book’s got all of those things – and a lot more besides. It’s a rollicker! It’s a frolicker! It’s a fun-time sun-time yollicker! So what you waiting for? GET LISTENING! 
 
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear is the fifth 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 Dancing Bear: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (5 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

A collection of classic nursery rhymes and songs brought to you by the BBC. 
 
Join in with over 40 minutes of fun with familiar favourite rhymes including This Little Piggy, Incy Wincy Spider and Baa Baa Black Sheep. Pre-schoolers will love to sing, dance and learn with this traditional compilation of 30 cheerful songs. Head down to the farm with Old McDonald, count with One Potato Two Potato and discover the delightful joys of Hey Diddle Diddle with a CD that will soon become an essential soundtrack to those precious early years. 
 
The tracks in this collection are: 
 
This Little Piggy 
Old McDonald Had A Farm 
Sing a Song of Sixpence 
Baa Baa Black Sheep 
Incy Wincy Spider 
Three Blind Mice 
Five Little Speckled Frogs 
Bought Me a Cat 
Hickety Pickety My Black Hen 
The Farmer's in His Den 
A Farmer Went Trotting 
Cock A Doodle Doo 
Hickory Dickory Dock 
The House that Jack Built 
One Man Went to Mow 
I Went to Visit the Farm One Day 
12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive 
Five Little Ducks 
Two Little Dickie-Birds 
Pussy Cat Pussy Cat 
Old Mother Hubbard 
One Potato Two Potato 
Oats and Beans and Barley Grow 
To Market To Market 
Tom Tom the Piper's Son 
Goosey Goosey Gander 
Little Bo Peep 
Three Little Kittens 
Hey Diddle Diddle 
The North Wind Doth Blow

This Little Piggy

30 favourite songs and nursery rhymes

Ten archive editions of the the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game plus two very special programmes, chaired by Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Seasons come and go, and years fly by, but Just a Minute has been a constant ray of sunshine on Radio 4 for over 50 years. 
 
Now, in this new collection of programmes, ten previously unpublished editions — from the 1970s to the 2010s — are presented alongside two very special half hours: Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes and 50 Years of Just a Minute: Paul Merton in Conversation with Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Among the many guest performers attempting to speak for 60 seconds without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the subject are Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones, Paul Merton, Andrée Melly, Patrick Moore, Kenny Everett, Tim Rice, Wendy Richard, Richard Murdoch, Jenny Eclair, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Stephen Frost, Gyles Brandreth, Sue Perkins and Frank Skinner. 
 
Who will win enough points to take a commanding lead, who will find themselves trailing a little, and who will finish in a strong fourth place? Find out as we play Just a Minute! 
 
1. 12 October 1971: Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Andrée Melly, Kenneth Williams 
2. 18 April 1978: Featuring Clement Freud, Patrick Moore, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams 
3. 5 February 1980: Featuring Kenny Everett, Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Kenneth Williams 
4. 16 June 1984: Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Tim Rice, Kenneth Williams 
5. 16 June 1988: Featuring Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Wendy Richard, Kenneth Williams 
6. 28 April 1990: Featuring Peter Jones, Paul Merton, Richard Murdoch, Wendy Richard 
7. 2 August 1999: Featuring Jenny Eclair, Stephen Frost, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Peter Jones 
8. 19 January 2004: Featuring Clement Freud, Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Linda Smith 
9. 9 January 2006: Featuring Clement Freud, Stephen Fry, Paul Merton, Tim Rice 
10. 18 August 2014: Featuring Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Frank Skinner 
11. 25 December 2017: Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes. Featuring panellists from across the years 
12. 1 January 2018: 50 Years of Just a Minute - Paul Merton in conversation with Nicholas Parsons 
 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Chaired by Nicholas Parsons 
Episode selection by Michael Stevens 
Music: The Minute Waltz (Waltz in D Flat Major, Op. 64) by Chopin 
 
Duration: 5 hours 50 mins approx. 
 
Please note: The humour in these programmes sometimes reflects the era in which they were first broadcast. Contains strong language and mild innuendo. Due to the archive nature of some of the episodes, sound quality may vary.

Just a Minute: Through the Years

Roger Hargreaves

Mr Funny's car is a shoe! It looks very funny when he drives to the zoo. But can he cheer up the animals? Mr Dizzy always gets things confused, until one day he happens upon a wishing well... Mr Bump tries his hand at many jobs, but keeps getting fired! Will he ever bump into one that's suitable for him? Mr Fussy is a fussy old fusspot who dusts his flowers and irons his shoelaces! So how will he cope with Mr Clumsy? Mr Topsy-Turvy manages to turn a whole town upside down! Mr Small goes job hunting and finds, after all, he's perfect as he is. 
 
1 CD. 44 mins.

Mr Men (Vintage Beeb)

Join Mr Messy, Mr Snow, Mr Daydream, Mr Bounce, Mr Mean and Mr Chatterbox in these six delightful tales for children and adults. Mr Messy is messy by name and messy by nature - until he meets Mr Neat and Mr Tidy! Mr Snow is magically brought to life by Santa at Christmas - and helps deliver the presents. Mr Daydream takes a daydreaming boy on an amazing adventure. Mr Bounce can't stop bouncing, so can anything help keep his feet on the ground? Mr Mean is so mean he thinks lumps of coal make good presents! Will a wizard teach him not to be so selfish? And Mr Chatterbox won't stop talking - until he's given a magic hat, which grows every time he talks too much! Vintage Beeb: classic albums first available as BBC LPs, now reissued on CD. 
 
1 CD. 42 mins.

Mr Men Stories Volume 2 (Vintage Beeb)

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

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

David Attenborough

One of the nation’s most popular presenters examines twenty marvels of the natural world from his extraordinary and pioneering experiences. How did Sir David track down a giant Earthworm? Why does he respect Rats? What was the first bribe in nature? Why do well known foods often have two names? And where can you see evidence of the earliest life on Earth? His enthusiasm is as infectious as ever, and conveys a unique fascination on topics as diverse as the Kiwi, Hummingbirds, Monsters, Butterflies, Chimps, Cuckoos, Fireflies and Elsa, the famous lioness. So listen to these stories to find out why Rats should be respected and which insects emerge from the ground only once every 17 years. Includes detailed programme notes inside the booklet. 
 
3 CDs. 3 hrs 15 mins.

David Attenborough New Life Stories

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

Spike Milligan

The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea: No fewer than 38 Batter Puddings have been hurled at Minnie Bannister, the world famous poker player. (Give her a good poker and she'll play any tune you like.) A madman is at large so it's time to call in Scotland Yard! The Histories of Pliny the Elder: The mighty Julius Caesar has invaded Ancient Briton, only to be greeted by none other than Eccles. Undeterred, Caesar and the might of the Roman army prepare for battle, while the Britons prepare for a game of football. However, Caracticus Seagoon will never surrender to Rome - he will fight them up the hill and down Mrs Dale. Vintage Beeb: classic albums first available as BBC LPs, now on CD and download for the first time ever. 
 
1 CD. 56 mins.

Goon Show Classics Volume 1 (Vintage Beeb)

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

A. A. Milne

Alan Bennett reads A.A. Milne's much-loved stories about a small bear and his friends.   What is the connection between a bear of very little brain and a honey pot? Usually it's the very sticky paw of Winnie the Pooh, as he takes a break between adventures for a little something.  In these five stories, taken from the book 'Winnie-the-Pooh', Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place, Eeyore loses a tail, Piglet meets a Heffalump, Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents, and an expedition is mounted to the North Pole!  As usual they are accompanied by Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl - to say nothing of Pooh's very clever young human friend, Christopher Robin.   Now with a musical introduction, Alan Bennett's delightful readings bring each and every character in the forest to life.

Winnie The Pooh

Stephen Moss

Brett Westwood

Most of us can tell the difference between a Blue Tit and a Blackbird or a Robin and a Wren, but what happens if you close your eyes – can you still tell which bird is which simply by listening to their song? If the answer is no, then this practical audio guide to the songs of British garden birds is the easy way to get to know the songs of some of our most popular and best-loved songbirds. Recorded on location in the Somerset Levels, in the garden of birdwatcher, writer and broadcaster Stephen Moss, this helpful and practical guide will quickly enable you to sort out your Blue Tits from your Great Tits and your Hedge Sparrows from your Tree Sparrows. Joining Stephen and presenter Brett Westwood, wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson is armed with an array of microphones that allow us to eavesdrop on the songs, calls and alarm cries of the birds we see around us. Packed with useful information and helpful tips, this guide is for anyone who wants to understand more about the beautiful birds which share our parks and gardens every day. 
 
1 CD. 1 hr 15 mins.

A Guide To British Garden Birds

And Their Songs

Four of the funniest recent episodes from the topical comedy show, presented by Miles Jupp 
 
2017 marked the 40th anniversary of The News Quiz, ‘the finest topical comedy panel game known to radio’ and a guaranteed provider of headlines, punchlines and sparkling satirical wit. 
 
These four shows from Series 92 and 93 take a tongue-in-cheek look at current events, with chairman Miles Jupp presiding over a pack of keen newshounds including Jeremy Hardy, Zoe Lyons, Susan Calman, Charlie Higson, Andy Hamilton, Vicki Pepperdine, Helen Lewis, Sarah Kendall, Lucy Porter, Mark Steel, Hugo Rifkind, Rich Hall and Katy Brand. 
 
The panellists find the funny in topics ranging from Donald Trump to Morris dancing, and from by-elections to pie selections, taking in Brexit, Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, urban foxes and an unorthodox lifeguard recruitment drive – not to mention the small matter of a UK General Election. To add to the hilarity, newsreaders Alan Smith, Corrie Corfield and Kathy Clugston read a selection of humorous press cuttings contributed by listeners. 
 
So sit back and enjoy the highlights of a news-packed year in the company of some of the best and brightest commentators. 
 
Duration: 2 hours approx.

The News Quiz: The Best of 2017

The topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

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

What is the connection between a Bear of Very Little Brain and a honey pot? Usually it's the very sticky paw of Winnie-the-Pooh, as he takes a break between adventures for 'a little something'. Alan Bennett gives A.A. Milne's characters the voices you felt they were always meant to have in this collection of stories about Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Owl. Hear all about the fun they have as they lay a Heffalump trap, celebrate Eeyore's birthday, invent the game of Poohsticks and welcome Kanga and Baby Roo to the forest - among many other entertaining escapades. 
 
6 CDs. 6 hrs.

Winnie The Pooh - The Collection

Four sparkling episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons 
 
One of the longest-running and most popular radio comedy shows of all time, Just a Minute celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017. 
 
Here are four of the finest episodes from this milestone year, featuring veteran panellist Paul Merton and a host of other regulars including Pam Ayres, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Sheila Hancock, Josie Lawrence and Graham Norton, as well as relative newcomers Tom Allen, Zoe Lyons and Al Murray. 
 
Attempting to talk for sixty seconds without repetition, hesitation or deviation, they are faced with subjects including Anne Boleyn, dust sheets, the tube and pick n’ mix. We hear what Paul Merton considers to be the 8th Wonder of the World, find out what isn’t Gyles Brandreth’s cup of tea, and discover what Jenny Eclair thinks about a dog’s dinner. Plus, there are three uninterrupted minutes: but who scores them, and on what topic? 
 
Presided over by the charming Nicolas Parsons with a stopwatch that takes no prisoners, 
these four shows from Series 77 and 78 are a brilliant collection of the best of 2017. 
 
Duration: 1.5 hours

Just a Minute: Best of 2017

4 episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio 4 comedy game

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)

Arthur Conan Doyle

When a country doctor comes to Sherlock Holmes with a far-fetched tale of a sudden death, a devil dog and an ancient curse, Holmes is sceptical. Could the demise of Sir Charles Baskerville really have been caused by the gigantic ghostly hound which is said to have haunted his family for generations? Arch-rationalist Sherlock Holmes characteristically dismisses the theory as nonsense. Claiming to be immersed in another case, he sends Watson to Dartmoor to protect the Baskerville heir and to observe the suspects at close hand. But soon events take a dangerous turn, and it seems that the legend may be real... With Watson in dreadful peril, can Holmes uncover the terrible truth about the hound of the Baskervilles? 
 
6 CDs. 6 hrs.

Sherlock Holmes: The Hound Of The Baskervilles

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)

Bridget Christie

The complete first and second series of Bridget Christie’s award-winning series about modern feminism 
 
Comedian Bridget Christie noticed that misogyny, like shiny leggings, has made an unexpected comeback. But did it ever really go away? 
 
Bridget asks why feminism became a dirty word, and whether the modern British woman needs it. From a smell in a well-known bookshop to a pen designed especially for women, she looks at some of the more ridiculous things associated with being a woman. She ponders women's relationship with their bodies via a lap dance, TOWIE and a fish called Michael, asks who has the best sexism in the world, and discusses why twitter is a sexist's natural habitat. She explains what happens when you wear an 'End FGM' badge on a popular TV show, and tries to find a feminist icon who doesn't want to replace the word 'feminism' with 'bootylicious'. 
 
The series’ token man Fred MacAulay helps her remember some of the key incidents which brought her to an epiphany and a call to arms. 
 
Series 1 of Mind the Gap won the Rose D’Or International Broadcasting Award for Best Radio Comedy 2014 and the Chortle Award for Best Radio Series 2014. Series 2 won the Chortle Award for Best Radio Programme 2015.

Bridget Christie Minds the Gap: The Complete Series 1 and 2

Douglas Adams

Eoin Colfer

Don't panic! This brand new collector's edition box set contains the only audiobooks you'll ever need on your galactic travels - the complete BBC radio productions of Douglas Adams's legendary saga. Included are: 
 
The two original series, the Primary and Secondary Phases, remastered by Dirk Maggs with vibrant sound and music and including a 55-minute feature programme, Douglas Adams's Guide tothe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and a fascinating 50-minute interview with Douglas Adams 
 
Extended editions of the Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases, directed by Dirk Maggs and featuring over 1½ hours of material not heard on BBC Radio 4 
 
The concluding Hexagonal Phase, with a further 50 minutes of extra unbroadcast content 
 
A special bonus disc featuring Douglas Adams's appearance on BBC Radio 4's Bookclub, in which he talks to James Naughtie and a group of readers about comedy, sci-fi, the creation of his characters and his influences 
 
Grab your towel, pour yourself a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and get set for over 20 hours of unmissable radio adventure! 
 
Audio updated in 2020.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Complete Radio 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!”

Mr Gum and the Power Crystals: Children’s Audio Book

Performed and Read by Andy Stanton (4 of 8 in the Mr Gum Series)

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