Michael Symmons Roberts’s fourth book of poetry, Corpus, was the winner of the 2004 Whitbread Poetry Award, and was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prize, and the Griffin International Prize. His sixth collection, Drysalter, was the winner of both the Forward Prize and the Costa Poetry Prize in 2013. He collaborated with Paul Farley on Edgelands (Cape/Vintage) and will do so again in The Deaths of the Poets (Cape, 2017). He has also worked many times with the composer James MacMillan. He has published two novels, and is Professor of Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Michael Symmons Roberts

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

P.G. Wodehouse

Set inside Blandings Castle, this comedy series follows Lord Emsworth and his pig Empress as they meet with his dysfunctional family and friends, and the havoc that follows.

EPISODE 2 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS 
An American family come to stay at Blandings, but Freddie’s attempts to sell them dog-food causes major embarrassment. 
 
Connie is desperate to make a good impression on her visiting old school nemesis, Veronica, and her rich American husband, Mr Schoonmaker. 
 
She enlists the services of snobbish secretary Mr Baxter to tidy up Blandings, in particular Clarence, who is liberally spreading manure on his roses and causing a stink. 
 
Meanwhile, Freddie has fallen madly in love with dog-lover Pandora and attempts to impress her by becoming a dog-food salesman, much to his Aunt Connie’s embarrassment. 
 
‘Sublime comic genius’ 
Ben Elton 
 
‘You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’ 
Stephen Fry 
 
‘The funniest writer ever to put words to paper.’ 
Hugh Laurie 
 
‘P.G. Wodehouse remains the greatest chronicler of a certain kind of Englishness, that no one else has ever captured quite so sharply, or with quite as much wit and affection.’ 
Julian Fellowes

Blandings: The Go-Getter

(Episode 2)

EPISODE 3 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS 
Disaster at the annual fete at Blandings Castle. 
 
It is the annual fete at Blandings Castle, and Connie will again force Clarence to wear a miserable top-hat and make a speech. To top it off, he is banned from picking his favourite flowers by terrifying head-gardener McAllister. 
 
However, Clarence befriends Gladys and Ern, two cheeky school-children who encourage him to do what he wants. Connie is of course scandalised, and brings her howitzers to bear on the ghastly intruders. 
 
Freddie - needing to tap his old man for some cash - tries to help Clarence and the children and inevitably makes everything worse. 
 
‘Sublime comic genius’ 
Ben Elton 
 
‘You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’ 
Stephen Fry 
 
‘The funniest writer ever to put words to paper.’ 
Hugh Laurie 
 
‘P.G. Wodehouse remains the greatest chronicler of a certain kind of Englishness, that no one else has ever captured quite so sharply, or with quite as much wit and affection.’ 
Julian Fellowes

Blandings: Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend

(Episode 3)

EPISODE 6 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS 
 
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS GALAHAD AT BLANDINGS 
 
With the arrival of sophisticated widow, Daphne, and her spoiled brat Huxley, Connie once again forces Clarence to look presentable. 
 
However, when Daphne flirts with Clarence and takes an interest in his pig, Beach and Connie become suspicious of Daphne’s motives. 
 
Freddie, though, has foresworn all involvement in love affairs – only to find an irresistible beauty, Monica, working in the pig-sty. 
 
‘Sublime comic genius’ 
Ben Elton 
 
‘You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’ 
Stephen Fry 
 
‘The funniest writer ever to put words to paper.’ 
Hugh Laurie 
 
‘P.G. Wodehouse remains the greatest chronicler of a certain kind of Englishness, that no one else has ever captured quite so sharply, or with quite as much wit and affection.’ 
Julian Fellowes

Blandings: Problems With Drink

(Episode 6)

EPISODE 4 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS 
Baxter returns as summer tutor for Clarence’s grandson George and plans to weasel his way back into permanent employment. 
 
Blandings is threatened by the return of tyrannical secretary Baxter, hired by Connie to put an end to all tom-foolery. This is a tragedy for Clarence and he finds an unusual ally in his grandson George, who had been happily rampaging through the grounds with an air rifle. 
 
It is not long before there is an outbreak of shooting and wounding. Meanwhile, Freddie is back to ask Clarence to clear his debts, this time pursued by East-End gangsters and a beguiling dancer who takes a fancy to Beach. 
 
‘Sublime comic genius’ 
Ben Elton 
 
‘You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’ 
Stephen Fry 
 
‘The funniest writer ever to put words to paper.’ 
Hugh Laurie 
 
‘P.G. Wodehouse remains the greatest chronicler of a certain kind of Englishness, that no one else has ever captured quite so sharply, or with quite as much wit and affection.’ 
Julian Fellowes

Blandings: The Crime Wave at Blandings

(Episode 4)

EPISODE 5 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERS 
Freddie must keep his new Portuguese wife a secret from Connie. 
 
Clarence’s niece - the lisping Gertrude - has been imprisoned at Blandings by Connie and forced to overhaul Clarence’s library. It’s driving him crazy. Gertrude’s forbidden love, the clumsy Revd Beefy Bingham, infiltrates Blandings using a false identity determined to win Clarence’s approval for the match. 
 
Meanwhile, Freddie has inadvertently married a Portuguese exotic dancer and must do his utmost to keep it a secret from Connie. 
 
‘Sublime comic genius’ 
Ben Elton 
 
‘You don't analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’ 
Stephen Fry 
 
‘The funniest writer ever to put words to paper.’ 
Hugh Laurie 
 
‘P.G. Wodehouse remains the greatest chronicler of a certain kind of Englishness, that no one else has ever captured quite so sharply, or with quite as much wit and affection.’ 
Julian Fellowes

Showing results for: ‘Michael Symmons Roberts’

Filters

Category

Publication Date

Format

Series

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter