PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

Robin of Locksley returns from the Crusades to find his people starving and oppressed by the new Sheriff of Nottingham. Under this tyrannical regime, the slightest crime attracts the heaviest punishment, and dissent is impossible. Robin soon discovers that the only way to reason with the Sheriff is with bow and arrow, even if it means sacrificing his lands and becoming an outlaw. 
 
This exciting adventure is read by Richard Armitage, who plays Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood. It also features Robin and his loyal band of brothers, as seen in the hit BBC TV series. 
 
Crammed with action, humour, wit, and romance, this fantastic adaptation of the classic tale brings the legendary outlaw hero to life for a whole new generation.

Robin Hood: The Complete Series 1

Based on the BBC TV series

Anthony Hope

BBC Radio adaptations of Anthony Hope's famous swashbuckling adventure novel and its sequel 
 
Anthony Hope's swashbuckling historical novel The Prisoner of Zenda was first published in 1894 and was an instant hit, spawning an 1898 sequel, Rupert of Hentzau, and launching the Ruritanian romance genre. Included here are the radio dramatisations of both thrilling novels, starring Julian Glover as Rudolf Rassendyll and King Rudolf, Martin Jarvis as Rupert of Hentzau and Hannah Gordon as Flavia. 
 
The Prisoner of Zenda - On holiday in the East European province of Ruritania, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll is caught up in a web of subterfuge. When his distant cousin, King Rudolf, is drugged on the eve of his coronation, Rassendyll is persuaded to impersonate him at the ceremony, thereby thwarting Rudolf's half-brother's attempts to seize the throne. But as the doppelganger is crowned, the real King is kidnapped and imprisoned. To save him, Rassendyll is forced to continue the deception: and finds himself falling in love with the King's intended bride, Princess Flavia... 
 
Rupert of Hentzau - Three years on from his Ruritanian adventures, Rudolf Rassendyll is living in voluntary exile, separated from his beloved Flavia since her marriage to the King. His only consolation is the annual red rose she sends him, as a token of love and remembrance. But now, instead of a flower, she has sent a letter - and this incriminating missive has been intercepted by the dastardly Rupert of Hentzau. The repercussions will bring Rassendyll face-to-face with his old foe, as he is embroiled once more in danger and intrigue. 
 
First published 1894 (The Prisoner of Zenda) and 1898 (Rupert of Hentzau) 
 
The Prisoner of Zenda 
Rudolf Rassendyll/King Rudolf - Julian Glover 
Colonel Sapt - Nigel Stock 
Princess Flavia - Hannah Gordon 
Count Fritz von Tarlenheim - David Timson 
Rupert of Hentzau - Martin Jarvis 
Duke Michael - Michael Spice 
Antoinette de Mauban - Anne Kidd 
Lord Burlesdon - Clive Swift 
Lady Rose Burlesdon/ Innkeeper - Diana Bishop 
Countess Helga - Hilda Schroder 
Rosa - Cherry Gilliam 
Captain Detchard - Terry Scully 
Johann - Sam Dastor 
Josef - Haydn Jones 
Train guard - William Sleigh 
Bersonin - David Gooderson 
Customs officer - Brian Haines 
 
Adapted by Eric Maschwitz and Kay Patrick 
Produced by Martin Jenkins 
Original music (1939) by Robert Chignell and Leslie Woodgate 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 May 1973 
 
Rupert of Hentzau 
Rudolf Rassendyll/King Rudolf - Julian Glover 
Queen Flavia - Hannah Gordon 
Herbert/Bauer - Nigel Anthony 
Hermann/Anton von Strofzing - David Sinclair 
James - Timothy Alcock 
Station-Master/Butler - Wilfrid Carter 
Countess Helga - Hilda Schroder 
Count Fritz von Tarlenheim - David Timson 
Madame Helsing/Mother Holf - Diana Bishop 
Rischenheim - Kerry Francis 
Rupert of Hentzau - Martin Jarvis 
Chancellor Helsing/Farmer - Peter Williams 
Constable/Thug - Vernon Joyner 
Colonel Sapt - Nigel Stock 
Fraulein Helsing - Bonnie Hurren 
Bernenstein - Sean Barrett 
Simon/Thug - Fraser Kerr 
Rosa - Cherry Gilliam 
 
Adapted by Cynthia Pughe and Kay Patrick 
Produced by Martin Jenkins 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 May 1973 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Prisoner of Zenda & Rupert of Hentzau

Two BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Ian Serraillier

A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of Ian Serraillier’s classic wartime story. 
 
When the Germans march into Poland in 1941, the Balickis’ happy family life is shattered. With their parents taken away by Nazis, Ruth, Edek and Bronia are forced to fend for themselves in the dangerous, war-ravaged city of Warsaw. 
 
When Edek is captured too, the girls are desperate. Then they meet orphaned street urchin Jan, who carries with him a talisman of hope: a silver sword paperknife that they recognise as having belonged to their mother. 
 
Realising that their parents may still be alive, Ruth and Bronia set off on an epic journey to Switzerland to search for them. With Jan by their side, they are determined to reunite the family – and their first step is to find Edek. But the road ahead is full of danger and hardship, and they will facemany challenges along the way... 
 
This moving story of friendship, courage and solidarity brings to life the reality of a Europe laid waste by war. 
 
Cast: 
Ruth - Sarah McDonald Hughes 
Edek - Stephen Hoyle 
Bronia - Hester Cox 
Jan - Aqib Khan 
Margaret/Irka/Mrs Wolff - Maggie Fox 
Joseph/German 1/Mr Wolff - Malcolm Raeburn 
Ivan - David Fleeshman 
Soldier/American GI - Andrew Blake 
Doctor - Lloyd Peters 
Cook/Mrs Borowicz - Szilvi Naray Davey 
The Burgomaster/Captain Malinowski - Jonathan Keeble 
 
Adapted by Chris Wallis. 
Produced and directed by Charlotte Riches.

The Silver Sword

A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

Ged Parsons

Christopher Marlowe turns government spy in these four comedy crime dramas 
 
Murder and intrigue are all in a day's work for Kit Marlowe, England's leading playwright and undercover agent in Her Majesty's Secret Service. Amid the squalor and splendour of Elizabethan London, he probes a series of baffling mysteries, aided by his trusty underworld accomplice Bartholomew Ratsbane. 
 
The Curious Case of the Curs'd Quayside - Two of the navy's finest warships have been mysteriously sunk while moored in harbour. Sent by spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham to investigate, can Marlowe find the saboteur before more ships are scuppered? 
 
The Turbulent Tale of the Troubl'd Tragedy - Spring, 1590, and the keen-witted spy is faced with two tricky cases. Who has stolen Mighty Meg from the Tower, and why has an unknown patron funded the worst play ever written? 
 
The Perplex'd Plot of the Perilous Plague - Fleeing the epidemic that is ravaging London, Christopher Marlowe takes refuge with Walsingham at the Palace of Whitehall. But it seems the plague has followed them to the very heart of government... 
 
The Murky Mystery of Murder at St Marks- When an eminent professor receives a death threat, Marlowe sets off to his Cambridge college to make enquiries. But no sooner has he arrived than the dons start dropping like flies. Can the murderer at large be outwitted? 
 
Dominic Jephcott stars as Marlowe in these light-hearted comic mysteries, with Bill Wallis as Ratsbane, Paul Brooke as Sir Francis Walsingham and guest appearances from Roy Hudd, Hugh Bonneville (credited as Richard Bonneville), Peter Serafinowicz and Hugh Dennis. 
 
Written by Ged Parsons 
Produced and directed by Richard Wilson 
 
Cast 
Marlowe - Dominic Jephcott 
Bartholomew Ratsbane - Bill Wallis 
Sir Francis Walsingham - Paul Brooke 
Admiral Downing/Beaumont - Garard Green 
Captain Curtis/Dr Heywood - Brian Bowles 
Captain Barnaby - Julian Dutton 
Ned Peake - Roy Hudd 
Fortescue - Simon Godley 
Trump - Lionel Jeffries 
Squires - Daniel Strauss 
Gloriana Nonsuch - Victoria Carling 
Faversham - Ronald Herdman 
Ripley - Richard Bonneville 
Dr Valentine - Hugh Dennis 
Dr Darras - Peter Serafinowitz 
Sir Hubert Sharpe - Gordon Reid 
Mistress Parker - Sarah Thomas 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-30 December 1993 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Christopher Marlowe Mysteries

Four BBC historical crime comedies

Eric Saward

David Banks reads this action-packed novelisation featuring the Sixth Doctor and Peri. 
 
What links a diamond raid in 20th Century London, a secret base in the heart of the city's sewer system, a cold and desolate planet light years from Earth, and a daring plan to alter the entire course of interplanetary history? 
 
The Doctor's old enemy, Lytton, has allied himself with the Cybermen. Their scheme, if successful, could bring the human race to its knees. 
 
For the Cybermen have journeyed back in time to prevent the destruction of their home world. And for Mondas to survive, the Earth must die...

Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen

6th Doctor Novelisation

Nick Revell

An epic six-part comedy saga with a star cast, from master storyteller and satirist Nick Revell 
 
When Tony Hardstaff breaks the bank playing ‘Snap!’ at the St Petersburg Casino, he is swept up in a maelstrom of romance and adventure. Seduced by the sultry Natassia Fillipovna Karamazov – a woman with curves so perfect they could make a geometry professor spontaneously combust – Tony is caught in flagrante by the Russian mafia, and flees for his life. 
 
Taking the first plane out, Tony returns to his ancestral home in Grimesdale, and to the bosom of the family he left a decade earlier. But the prodigal son is not welcomed with open arms. His ruthless 183-year-old father Obadiah is less than thrilled to see him, his sister Jane is so shocked, she suffers a nosebleed, and his mother Alice is so upset, she drops dead on the spot. 
 
To cap it all, Tony’s Brontë-obsessed ex-sweetheart has gone round the bend, his best mate Dave is now leader of the Morris Dancing Survivalist Militia, and the town he grew up in is under threat… Forced to grapple with wandering corpses, canine spirit guides, old flames and eastern European heavies, Tony goes on the run once again. But can he escape the clutches of the past? 
 
Magical realism meets Northern family saga in this surrealistic comedy, told in flashback and travelling between Venezuela, Russia and west Yorkshire. Written by and starring Nick Revell as Tony, it features a stellar cast including Morwenna Banks, Alistair McGowan, Peter Serafinowicz, Alison Steadman and Claire Skinner. 
 
NB: Contains some dated attitudes and language 
 
Production credits 
Written by Nick Revell 
Produced by Paul Schlesinger 
Music composed by Paul Mottram 
 
Cast 
Tony – Nick Revell 
Natassia Fillipovna – Morwenna Banks/Tracy-Ann Oberman 
The Narrator – Alistair McGowan 
Mrs Yepanchin/Mrs Womersley – Joanna Brooks 
Ivan – Jonathan Kydd 
Sergei/Jeff – Peter Gunn 
Kropotkin/Dave/Carl – Peter Serafinowicz 
Vladimir/Elder/Shrink – Chris Pavlo 
Obadiah – David Swift 
Alice – Maggie Steed 
Jane – Alison Steadman 
Joanna – Natalie Walter 
Emily – Claire Skinner 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1 May-5 June 1997 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The House of the Spirit Levels

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy

Mike Walker

Mike Walker's thrilling saga of the Habsburg dynasty, who ruled most of Europe - and much of the New World - for almost 600 years 
 
For almost six centuries, the House of Habsburg was one of the most powerful royal families in Europe - and beyond. They established an empire that began with a castle on a crag, and ended up extending over four continents. In these riveting dramas, Mike Walker traces their rise and fall. 
 
Hawk Rising - Brugg, 1230. Summoned to Duke Rudolf of Habsburg's clifftop fortress to tutor his son, Albert, Turkish scholar Ibrahim finds himself accompanying the young man on a Prussian crusade. Rudolf is determined to become Holy Roman Emperor - but he needs the Pope's backing, and Alexander supports the expedition... Starring Philip Arditti as Ibrahim, Mark Lewis Jones as Rudolf and Kai Owen as Albert. 
 
Hawk Hunting - Enthroned as Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf battles to secure his dynasty. If Albert is to succeed him, various enemies must be removed from the scene, including his onetime ally King Ottokar of Bohemia. Meanwhile, Ibrahim is teaching philosophy to Albert's son, Frederick - and making secret deals. Starring Matthew Aubrey as Frederick and John Telfer as Ottokar. 
 
Hawk Wounded - Albert the One-Eyed of Habsburg has supplanted Norbert as Holy Roman Emperor: but Wenceslas is set on revenge. Disenchanted with Frederick, Albert places his trust in another Habsburg, John of Swabia - and Ibrahim confronts his nemesis. Starring Aled Pugh as John. 
 
Wallenstein - 1618. Wallenstein, a brilliant, rebellious Protestant mercenary, strives for advancement in the Holy Roman Empire's army. Guided by astute widow Katherina, he achieves fame and fortune. But this war wolf is hard to tame - can Katherina rein him in? Richard Harrington stars as Wallenstein, with Anamaria Marinca as Katherina. 
 
Redl - Vienna, 1913. Double agent Colonel Alfred Redl believes he is invincible: as unstoppable as the Habsburgs he purports to serve. A pioneer of modern surveillance techniques and a superb story-spinner, he is almost the perfect spy. But when this arch-traitor is himself betrayed, he falls - and the Empire falls with him... Starring Jonathan Forbes as Redl. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Mike Walker 
Directed by Alison Hindell and John Norton 
Sound design: Nigel Lewis 
A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Castle of the Hawk: An epic chronicle of the Habsburg dynasty

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast drama

RF Delderfield

A stunning full-cast dramatisation of R.F. Delderfield's classic novel of life between the warsListen now to this epic story of tragedy, love and betrayal set during the inter-war period as soldier Davy Powlett-Jones, invalided out of the trenches, must face a new start in life…A coal miner's son, Davy has risen from the ranks of the South Wales Borderers and been commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after serving three years in the front-line trenches in the First World War. The story begins in 1918, when injured and shell-shocked Davy leaves the war behind him to face new challenges and begin a new life teaching history at Bamfylde School in North Devon. Over the following decade Davy’s life reflects the turmoil, tragedy and hope of the men and women who fought in the Great War and how they come to terms with peaceful life in Britain which inexorably ruptures as the Second World War looms.In this beautiful full-cast BBC Radio adaptation, the General Strike, socialism, the development of the Labour Party and the formation of the National Government all play out through the story of a humble teacher.To Serve Them All My Days was first published in 1972 and swiftly became a modern classic. The book was adapted into a hugely popular TV show and continues to be loved by fans of J.L. Carr and L.P. Hartley. Listen now to this stunning adaptation that takes a microscope to the lives of ordinary people during extraordinary times and brings to life a bygone era of British existence facing the moral perplexities and harsh economic realities of emerging modern times.Cast and creditsWritten by R.F. DeldefieldAdapted by Shaun McKennaDirected by Marc BeebyDavy Powlett-Jones - Oliver Milburn Algy Herries - John Wood Howarth - John RoweCarter - Anthony Calf Beth/Grace - Alison PettitThe Guard/Stratton/Gage - Delroy Brown"Nipper" Shawe/Skidmore/Featherstone - Josh Freeborn"Chad" Boyer/Dobson/Stoker Monk - Steven WilliamsBriarley/Lowther - Steven RobertsJulia - Juliet AubreyKeith/Alderman Blunt/McNaughton - John CumminsSpats/Hislop - Anthony GlennonBrigadier Cooper/Barnaby/Rigby - Gerard McDermottBristow - Harry FrancisAlcock - Clive MerrisonChristine - Kate BufferyEwart - Nick SayceFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23rd - 27th Jan 2006©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

To Serve Them All My Days

A BBC Radio Dramatisation

CJ Sansom

The complete collected dramatisations of C. J. Sansom's historical mystery series 
 
Set during the reign of Henry VIII, these six stunning dramas follow the adventures of hunchbacked lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake as he navigates the dangerous world of Tudor England, solving crimes and seeking out murderers. 
 
Dissolution - Winter, 1537. When a King's Commissioner is brutally murdered at Scarnsea monastery, Thomas Cromwell sends Shardlake to investigate. Can he catch the killer before he strikes again? 
 
Dark Fire - Summer, 1540, and Shardlake is embroiled in two urgent cases: tracking down a batch of Greek Fire, an ancient weapon of mass destruction, and defending an orphan girl accused of murder. Accompanied by Cromwell's man, Barak, he must race against time to save Elizabeth's life - and Cromwell's skin. 
 
Sovereign - Autumn, 1541. As the King embarks on a Royal Progress to York, Shardlake and Barak arrive in the city on a secret mission for Archbishop Cranmer. But soon they are caught up in a murder investigation - and a daring plot to bring down the royal family... 
 
Revelation - Spring, 1543. With London rocked by religious turmoil, Shardlake must complete two vital assignments: help a teenage boy imprisoned in Bedlam for his heretical ravings, and prevent a serial killer from completing his unholy mission. 
 
Heartstone - Summer, 1545, and Shardlake and Barak are drawn into two murky mysteries: one involving 'monstrous wrongs' committed against a ward of the court, the other involving the troubled past of Bedlam inmate Ellen Fettiplace. Meanwhile, across the Channel, the French fleet is preparing to attack... 
 
Lamentation - 1546. Henry VIII lies dying, and his Protestant and Catholic factions are vying for power. As heretics are burned at the stake, the Queen rashly decides to write a compromising confessional book - and when it is stolen, she turns to Shardlake. His investigations lead him from London's backstreet print shops to the heart of the royal court... 
 
Jason Watkins and Justin Salinger star as Shardlake, with Bryan Dick as Barak, Mark Bonnar and Robert Glenister as Cromwell, Sam Dale and Sean Baker as Cranmer, and Emily Wachter and Jessica Hardwick as Queen Catherine Parr. 
 
 
Written by C. J. Sansom 
Dramatised by Colin MacDonald 
Produced and directed by Kirsteen Cameron, David Jackson Young and Bruce Young 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Shardlake: The Complete BBC Radio Collection

Six BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Noel Streatfeild

Full-cast dramatisations of three of Noel Streatfeild's classic children's books 
 
Rising to fame with her 1936 novel Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild soon became one of the most popular authors of her day. She was one of the first winners of the Carnegie Medal and was awarded an OBE in 1983. She died in 1986, but her stories continue to captivate children today. Included here are three of her very best - Ballet Shoes, The Growing Summer and When the Siren Wailed. 
 
Ballet Shoes - Adopted by Great Uncle Matthew on his archaeological expeditions, Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil grow up as sisters, and vow to make their name famous. When they enrol at the Children's Academy of Dancing, the Fossil girls share a future of a dazzling life onstage, where their dreams and fears will soon come true.... Rosemary Leach, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet and Lucy Curtis star in this delightful dramatisation. 
 
The Growing Summer - It is 1965, and the young Gareth children's lives are about to change for ever. When their father falls dangerously ill, they are sent to Ireland to stay with their eccentric Great-Aunt Dymphna for the summer. There, in her crumbling mansion on the west coast, they face dangers and adventures they could never have imagined... Starring Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman and Paul Herriott. 
 
When the Siren Wailed - When World War Two breaks out, Laura, Andy and Tim Clark are evacuated to the countryside. Brought up in poverty, they find a happy, comfortable home with the Colonel - but then tragedy occurs, and the children decide to run away back to London. Caught up in an air raid, can they make their way through the blackouts and bombed-out streets to find their mother? Narrated by Wendy Richard, this gripping, moving adventure story stars Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Courtney and Keeley Hawes. 
 
Text copyright © Noel Streatfield 1936 (Ballet Shoes), 1966 (The Growing Summer), 1974 (When the Siren Wailed) 
Copyright © Beneficiaries of Noel Streatfeild 1986 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Noel Streatfeild 
 
Ballet Shoes 
With Rosemary Leach, John Ringham, Alexandra Mathie, Victoria Shalet, Lucy Curtis, Lia Williams, Charles Edwards, Abigail Thaw, Alison Skilbeck, Olivia Breeze, Max Digby, Jonathan Dryden Taylor and Miriam Berry 
Adapted by Ellen Dryden 
Directed by Don Taylor 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27-31 Dec 1999 
 
The Growing Summer 
With Ann Rye, Holly Grainger, Will Haigh, Emily Fleeshman, Paul Herriott, James Caplin, Catherine Keane, Vincent Patrick 
Dramatised by Julie Wilkinson 
Directed by Sue Sutton Mayo 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 Aug 2000 
 
When the Siren Wailed 
Narrated by Wendy Richard 
With Norman Bird, John Church, Nicholas Gatt, David Goudge, Keeley Hawes, Joan Matheson, Marc Murphy, Judy Parkin, Christopher Scott, Joan Walker, Melinda Walker, Howard Ward, Nicholas Courtney, Malcolm Hebden and Eva Stuart 
Dramatised by Richard Pinner 
Produced by Mary Kalemkarian 
Researcher: Lis Roberts 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 Jan-19 Mar 1989 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Noel Streatfeild: Ballet Shoes & more

A BBC Radio 4 Children’s Drama Collection

Vasily Grossman

A two-part radio dramatisation of Vasily Grossman's dark, honest account of the battle of Stalingrad; a prequel to Life and Fate – plus Stalingrad: Destiny of a Novel 
 
Epic BBC serial Life and Fate stunned radio audiences in 2011, garnering rave reviews for its powerful depiction of a family torn apart by war in Soviet Russia. Now, with this astonishing prequel published in its first ever English translation by Richard and Elizabeth Chandler, we are transported back to the very beginning of Vasily Grossman’s panoramic tale, as the ‘harsh whirlwind’ of war approaches the city of Stalingrad. 
 
As Stalingrad opens, we are introduced to the many lives of the Shaposhnikov family and their partners. Atomic scientist Viktor Shtrum struggles with his work for the State and with his own conscience, while his family live, love and work (despite swirling rumours) to run the city’s power stations, factories and hospitals. 
 
Meanwhile, at the Front, we meet old-school Bolshevik Commissar Nikolai Krymov in the thick of the Russian army’s pell-mell retreat before Operation Barbarossa, and follow the 'unknown' soldiers giving their lives to hold the line at the Volga. 
 
This vivid, gripping drama features many of the same acclaimed cast as Life and Fate, including Kenneth Branagh as Viktor Shtrum and Greta Scacchi as Lyuda Shaposhnikova. 
 
Accompanying this stellar dramatisation is Stalingrad: Destiny Of A Novel; featuring extracts from Grossman's private journal, translated here for the first time, and chronicling Stalingrad’s tortuous gestation and long, tormented passage to print. Written and presented by author and historian Catherine Merridale, with readings by Anton Lesser, this five-part series reveals the dramatic backstory behind the classic novel and explores the beginnings of Grossman’s own journey towards Soviet heresy. 
 
Written by Vasily Grossman 
Translated by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler 
Dramatised by Mike Walker (Part One) and Jonathan Myerson (Part Two) 
 
Part One produced and directed by Jonquil Panting 
Part Two produced by James Robinson and directed by Jonathan Myerson 
Series Producer: Alison Hindell 
 
Original music composed by John Hardy, with Rob Whitehead, and performed by Oliver Wilson-Dixon, Tom Jackson, Stacey Blythe and Max Pownall 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 November-1 December 2019

Stalingrad

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Simon Bovey

Four gripping sci-fi adventures from acclaimed scriptwriter Simon Bovey 
 
Simon Bovey is an established writer and director who has penned numerous compelling dramas for BBC Radio. Collected here are four of his sensational sci-fi tales, packed with mystery, suspense and terror... 
 
Cold Blood – Recorded in 2005 but set in 2015, this chilling serial follows a group of scientists conducting research in Antarctica. Once the most pristine environment in the world, this icy wilderness has become gold rush country. Biotechnology companies have raced to unravel the secrets of life in a cold climate, drawn by the lure of lightning in a bottle. Now someone’s captured it – and a killer is on the loose… Starring Tom Mannion, Tim McMullan, Ndidi Del Fatti, Helen Longworth and Stuart McLoughlin. 
 
The Voice of God – Investigating a series of mysterious Australian earthquakes, seismologist Sam Rideout and her outback guide, Joshua, make a sinister discovery when they track the tremors to their epicentre inside an old British nuclear test site. Joshua is Aboriginal, and Maralinga is a sacred place to his people. But it also happens to be a top-secret facility, researching a sonic super-weapon that could lead to global catastrophe… Clare Corbett, Matthew Dyktinski, Geoffrey Beevers and David Thorpe star in this tense apocalyptic thriller serial. 
 
Slipstream – It’s 1945, and the Allies are on course to win the war. But then an unidentified Nazi aircraft appears: silver, disc-shaped and capable of astonishing speed. When it shoots down 150 RAF bombers, Major Barton and his British Commando unit are sent on a dangerous mission to investigate… Rory Kinnear, Tim McMullan, Ben Crowe, Joannah Tincey and Rachel Atkins star in this action-packed serial set during World War II. 
 
Hive Mind – Written in 2010, this dystopian eco-drama is set in 2019, in a world where honeybees are officially extinct. Their role now falls to an army of seasonal migrant workers, hired by farmers like Sam Clark to pollinate crops by hand. It’s a costly, labour-intensive process, so when a new technological solution is developed in the form of tiny artificial ‘bees’, Sam jumps at the chance to try it. But the arrival of the Honeybots proves anything but ideal… Starring Tony Bell and Ania Sowinski, with Michael Shelford, Alison Pettitt, David Seddon and Lloyd Thomas. 
 
 
Written by Simon Bovey 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Cold Blood & other stories

Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Sci-Fi Thrillers

Jack Higgins

Full-cast dramatisations of three of Jack Higgins’ best-known novels 
 
Jack Higgins (the pen name of Henry Patterson) was the internationally bestselling author of 85 novels. He shot to fame with The Eagle Has Landed, which sold 50 million copies worldwide and became a hit film. Adapted for radio, it is included here, together with its gripping sequel The Eagle Has Flown and the sensational Falklands War thriller Exocet. 
 
The Eagle Has Landed – November 1943, and Winston Churchill is planning a weekend's relaxation in the Norfolk village of Studley Constable. Little does he know that a crack group of German paratroopers, aided by deadly IRA gunman Liam Devlin, are waiting to kidnap him and deliver him to Adolf Hitler…Starring Michael Fitzgerald, Frank Grimes, Rosemary Martin and Harry Patterson, aka Jack Higgins, this classic story is one of the greatest World War Two adventures ever told. 
 
The Eagle Has Flown – Gunned down during ‘Operation Eagle’, German paratrooper Kurt Steiner is alive, but a prisoner in the Tower of London. Now Himmler wants him back, and calls in the one man with the skills to retrieve him: Liam Devlin. Harry Paterson stars as himself, Jack Higgins, with Michael Fitzgerald as Steiner, Frank Grimes as Devlin and Graham Padden as Himmler. 
 
Exocet – Argentina has invaded the Falkland Islands, forcing Britain to send in a naval task force to reclaim them. With war looming, Brigadier Charles Ferguson of MI6 recruits the beautiful Gabrielle Legrand to spy on her Argentinian lover, Raul Montera. Her mission: to work alongside her ex-husband, Tony Villiers, to foil a Soviet plot to sell deadly Exocet missiles to Argentina… Peter Jeffrey, Michael N Harbour, Moir Leslie and William Hope star in this riveting four-part drama. 
 
Text copyright © Jack Higgins 1971, 1983 (The Eagle Has Landed), 1983 (Exocet), 1991 (The Eagle Has Flown) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Jack Higgins 
 
The Eagle Has Landed 
Jack Higgins – Harry Patterson 
Steiner – Michael Fitzgerald 
Col Radl – Ian Hogg 
Joanna – Rosemary Martin 
Liam Devlin – Frank Grimes 
Molly – Holly Aird 
Pamela – Kimberly Hope 
Father Vereker – Simon Carter 
Churchill – Roger Hume 
Himmler – Graham Padden 
Canaris – Terry Molloy 
Hitler – David Halliwell 
Sturm – David Vann 
Meuhoff – Neil Coker 
Neuman – John Dixon 
Lemke – Stephen Garlick 
Betty Wilde – Heather Barrett 
Graham – Philip Molloy 
Arthur – Christopher Good 
George – Vincent Brimble 
Sgt Hofer – Geoffrey Whitehead 
 
The Eagle Has Flown 
Liam Devlin – Frank Grimes 
Jack Higgins – Harry Patterson 
Steiner – Michael Fitzgerald 
Vaughan – Quint Boa 
Himmler – Graham Padden 
Canaris – Terry Molloy 
Hitler – David Halliwell 
Mary – Melanie Revill 
Lavinia – Charlotte Westoram 
Shaw – David Neal 
Rommel – Gordon Reid 
Munro – Leon Tanner 
Carter – John Dixon 
Schellenberg – David Holt 
Kneussel – Richard Allenson 
Kramer – Richard O'Ryan 
Berger – Peter Meakin 
 
Exocet 
Brigadier Charles Ferguson – Peter Jeffrey 
Major Tony Villiers – Michael N Harbour 
Gabriel Legrand – Moir Leslie 
Harry Fox – Peter Acre 
Victor Vronski – David Bamber 
Col Raul Montera – William Hope 
Julio Garcia/Col Dwyer – Allan Corduner 
Nikolai Belov – David March 
Sgt Major Jackson – Eric Allan 
Chief Supt Carver/General Leopoldo Galtieri – John Church 
Anna Marchuk – Melanie Hudson 
Queen Elizabeth II/Margaret Thatcher – Melinda Walker 
Prof Paul Bernard – Keith Drinkel 
Major Langham/Major Espinet – Steve Hodson 
Journalist/Private Elliot – David Holt 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Eagle has landed, The Eagle has Flown and Exocet

Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Thrillers

John Peel

David Troughton reads a brand new tale featuring the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. 
 
The Doctor makes a hasty landing on a satellite, only to discover that it's a one-man prison in space. Markan is in exile from his own people, banished to live out his remaining days with only his robot for company. 
 
When the Doctor and Zoe learn of the crimes that led to Markan's sentence, they have very little sympathy. But returning to the TARDIS isn't as easy as it should be - and Markan is determined to get there first. 
 
David Troughton, who has played several roles in Doctor Who, reads John Peel's intriguing story of reckless genius and the power that can be gained by control of the mind... 
 
Cover design by Lee Johnson; Cover portraits © BBC 
Reading produced by Morrison Ellis. Sound design: David Roocroft. Project editor: John Ainsworth Executive producer: Michael Stevens 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Text © John Peel 2026 (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Doctor Who The Mind Trap

2nd Doctor Audio Original

Katie Hims

Shaun McKenna

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

Sarah Daniels

Richard Monks

Lucy Catherine

Series 1-5 of the groundbreaking BBC Radio 4 drama charting life on the home front during World War One 
 
First heard on radio between 4 August 2014 and 9 November 2018, each episode of Home Front is set exactly one hundred years before the broadcast date, and each follows one character’s day. Together they create a mosaic of experience from a wide cross-section of society, mixing historical fact with enthralling fiction to explore how ordinary people coped with daily life in wartime Britain. 
 
The story begins in Folkestone, as the first troops march off to the front lines. Soon, families such as the Grahams and the Wilsons begins to feel the impact of war, as the wounded return and first Belgian refugees, then Canadian troops, arrive in the seaside resort. In addition, the White Feather and suffragette movements grow in popularity, and a tide of grief increasingly leads people to thoughts of the hereafter. 
 
Industrial Tynemouth, meanwhile, is experiencing a quite different war. The factories and shipyards are at peak production, and more women are joining the workforce. At the munitions factory, owner Geoffrey Marshall and his family must adapt to the changing times – as must workers like Fraser and Edie Chadwick. 
 
Tackling themes including the outbreak of war, recruitment, industry, profiteering and spiritualism are some of radio’s foremost dramatists including Katie Hims, Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Shaun McKenna. Among the extensive cast are Michael Bertenshaw, Keely Beresford, Freddie Fox, Ami Metcalf, Edmund Wiseman, Barbara Flynn, Mark Stobbart and Toby Jones, with Dame Harriet Walter making a cameo appearance as Emmeline Pankhurst.

Home Front: The Complete BBC Radio Collection Volume 1

Herman Melville

BBC adaptations of three works by Herman Melville, plus bonus biographical programmes about his life and workBorn in 1819, Herman Melville spent his early twenties at sea. He wrote four successful novels based on his experiences, but his subsequent fiction failed to sell, and he spent the rest of his life in literary obscurity. It was not until 100 years after his birth that his works were rediscovered, and Moby-Dick is now recognised as one of the great American novels. Adapted for BBC radio, it is included here, alongside dramatisations of Bartleby the Scrivener; Billy Budd, Sailor and two bonus documentaries.Moby Dick – Now in middle age, Ishmael looks back on his younger self and recalls the voyage that has haunted him for half his life. Setting sail aboard the Pequod, he is caught up in Captain Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of the great white whale – a chase that will end in tragedy. Trevor White and Garrick Hagon star in this compelling dramatisation of Melville’s masterpiece, adapted by award-winning author Stef Penney.Bartleby the Scrivener – Hired as a copyist in a firm of lawyers, Bartleby is a model employee – until the day he announces that he would ‘prefer not to’ undertake a certain job. Then the list of tasks he’d rather avoid doing becomes longer and more sinister…This famous tale of resistance and alienation stars Ian Holm and Adrian Scarborough.Billy Budd, Sailor – Press-ganged into service on a Royal Navy warship, handsome young Billy Budd is falsely accused of mutiny by the cruel master-at-arms John Claggart. Outraged by this unfair allegation, Billy lashes out and kills Claggart – only to find himself charged with treason… Paul Scofield, Charles Simpson and Matthew Morgan star in this adaptation of Melville’s final prose work, left unfinished on his death in 1891, published posthumously in 1924 and later adapted into an opera by Benjamin Britten.The Strange Journey of Herman Melville – With contributions from Melville scholars and critics, this fascinating profile explores the forgotten author of Moby-Dick, who fell out of favour during his lifetime and whose reputation was only re-established after his death.There She Blows!: The Legacy of Moby Dick – Fraser Harrison traces the origins of Melville’s magnum opus and looks at the contemporary image of the whale as described by poets, musicians and artists.First published 1851 (Moby-Dick; or, The Whale), 1853 (Bartleby, the Scrivener), 1924 (Billy Budd, Sailor)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Herman Melville: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Three Full-Cast Dramatisations including Moby-Dick

Steve Waters

A gripping BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the 1970's Iranian Revolution 
 
Something is coming. What is on the horizon for the people of Iran? Can America's friendship with Iran survive? From Jimmy Carter's optimistic visit to Tehran in December 1977 to the trial of the state's enemies in 1979, this nine-part drama tells the story of the Iranian Revolution, where protestors took to the streets in support of the exiled religious leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Shah requested help from an America already torn apart by its own conflicts. 
 
In a time of hope, of tyranny, of change, of oppression, in a tale of power, betrayal and fear, this true story will transport you to the 1970s, when the Iranian Revolution would change the world - forever. 
 
Featuring Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, All Creatures Great and Small), Bijan Daneshmand (The Night Manager, The Boy from Aleppo that Painted the War) and Carolyn Pickles (Broadchurch, Land Girls). 
 
Cast 
Narrator - Diana Rigg 
The Shah - Bijan Daneshmand 
President Carter - Nathan Osgood 
The Ayatollah Khomeini - Selva Rasalingam 
Zbigniew Brzezinski - Sam Dale 
William Sullivan - Tony Turner 
Farah Pahlavi - Nathalie Armin 
Rosalynn Carter- Carolyn Pickles 
Nassiri - Peter Polycarpou 
Mehdi - Moe Bar-El 
Haikaz / Sadegh Ghotbzadeh - Philip Arditti 
Gary Sick - David Seddon 
Warren Christopher - Don Gilet 
Molly - Saffron Coomber 
Sharpour Bakhtiar - Peter Polycarpou 
General Gharabaghi / General Oveissi - Vincent Ebrahim 
Carole Bauman - Clare Corbett 
Sadegh Khalkhali - Bhasker Patel 
Ebrahim Yazdi - Paul Chahidi 
Hassan - Amir El-Masry 
Joan - Alexandra Constantinidi 
Iraj - Ashley Kumar 
Ahmad - Ronny Jhutti 
Amir - Dana Haqjoo 
Shirin - Afsaneh Dehrouyeh 
Nargess - Sara Zeymour 
 
Production credits 
Written by Steve Waters 
Composer- Ghanvar Khaleghi 
Sound Design - Caleb Knightley 
Produced and Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
'Exactly the type of drama at which the BBC excels' Guardian 
 
Originally broadcast January-March 2019 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Fall of the Shah

A BBC Radio full cast drama

Dan Freedman

Nick Romero

The swashbuckling exploits of Edwardian occultist and adventurer Lord Zimbabwe, written by and starring Nick Romero and Dan Freedman Laugh out loud at this 2000s sitcom featuring the outrageous time travelling Edwardian Lord Zimbabwe (Nick Romero), and his friend the German inventor Doctor Lilac (Dan Freedman). This pacy comedy has the travelling duo racing across space and time solving mysteries and thwarting evil enemies with the help (or lack thereof) of Zimbabwe’s butler, Theremin, who refuses to carry out any of his instructions, and Schrödinger, a semi-corporeal cat that exists in a superposition of quantum states of life and death.First stop on the adventure is Ancient Egypt, where Lord Zimbabwe must swash a buckle or two! The tackiest Pharaoh civilisation ever created experiences an untimely death and unwittingly unleashes an evil curse on humanity - will the intrepid adventurers be able to save the day as well as the damsel? There is barely time for a hot buttered crumpet and a cup of tea when a mysterious Countess begs Lord Zimbabwe to win back her soul from the Lord of the Underworld. The stakes are high – if the soul is not retrieved, the Countess is destined to become a Barry Manilow fan for eternity… Soon after, the beautiful Miss Clanton summons the occultist over the seas of time to the Wild West and the town of Tombstone, where her evil uncle, the Waffle Barron is set on dastardly acts. Despite his trusty butler Theremin, refusing to carry out any of his commands, Lord Zimbabwe presses on and faces his greatest challenge yet when an American heiress is subject to a cruel alien abduction and taken into space - will Zimbabwe and Dr Lilac successfully be able to reach the moon and save her? And more importantly, will they be back in time to feed Schrödinger?This delightful comedy, written by award-winning duo Nick Romero and Dan Freedman, famous for their fast jokes and clever puns, will have you laughing from here to there and back again.Cast and creditsWritten by Dan Freedman and Nick RomeroProduced by Helen WilliamsLord Zimbabwe - Nick RomeroDr Lilac - Dan FreedmanTheremin/Ringo - Peter DonaldsonProfessor Cockcroft/Contessa Del Monte/Miss Clanton - Sophie AldredPriest/Vicar - Colin GuthrieIke Clanton/Cletus - Owen OakeshottOther parts played by the cast.First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 Jul - 1 Aug 2000©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ectoplasm

A BBC Radio Sitcom

Catherine Czerkawska

A stunning family saga set on the banks of the River Clyde 
 Immerse yourself in this beautiful family story set in the heart of Scotland as stories old and new emerge from the banks of the river. Featuring a full-cast, this is a stunning drama from the BBC archives and a treat for any audio fan with a love of rich stories, beautifully told.On a trip home, young Alison Lynn discovers an old wooden boat lying out of the water in the marina, named Isabella. Curious as to the origins of the boat’s name, she sets about finding the story of the elusive Isabella. Discovering that the boat’s namesake is still alive, an elderly lady of eighty-eight, Alison decides to track her down. The journey transports Alison back to the 1880s and she is immersed in her own family history, where the Lynns were a powerful force, building exquisite yachts with great craftsmanship. As a yachting fan herself, Alison is determined to bring Isabella back to her former glory with the help of her new found relative.This is a story full of love and passion, sorrow and death. It weaves a tale of family history against a backdrop of turbulent times that echo down the generations. Will Alison and Isabella be able to find peace and will they be able to save this relic of the past and embrace a new future?This listening treat is perfect for fans of immersive family stories from authors such as Anne Tyler and Joanna Trollope and is available as a complete download for the first time.Cast and creditsWritten by Catherine CzerkawskaDirected by Hamish WilsonIsabella - Sybil Wintrope 
Alison - Louise Beattie 
Adam/Stirling - Allan Sharpe 
David - Alec HeggiePaolo - John Buick Hetty - Monica GibbIan - Liam BrennanMaclehose/Luke - Gibert Martin 
Annie - Sheila Donald 
Sadie - Anne Downie 
Malcolm - Alec MonteathDavid - Mark McDonnellForeman/ Alexander - Tom Smith 
Emily - Irene MacDougallJessie/Receptionist - Astrid Wilson 
Archivist/Archie - William ArmourMatron/Young James - Mary Riggans 
Nurse/Midwife - Susie MaguireCook - Ceit Kearney Kitchen maid - Wendy Ronald 
Young Hetty - Isabel Wright 
James Lynn - James MacPhersonBosun/Gardener - Stuart Davids OldMan/Paolo’s Papa - Douglas StivenEpisode titles 1. Casting Off2. Hoisting the Sail 3. Still Waters 4. Weathering the Storm First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16th March - 6th April 1994©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Running Before the Wind

A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama

Barbara Taylor Bradford

A powerful billionaire who appears to have everything. The woman that holds the key.When a beautiful piece of music stirs mega-tycoon, Maximilian West, he remembers the women who have loved him and shaped his life. So begins a dazzling tale, taking us from the streets of London to the suites of New York, from the rise of Nazi Germany to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Strong, powerful, enigmatic, aloof, and adoring - many women made Maximilian the man with everything, but there is only one woman who can make him feel truly alive&hellip;Hear an unforgettable journey of sacrifice, secrets, love and redemption. Be mesmerised across all eight episodes of this sumptuous full-cast adaptation that will have you gripped from start to finish.Barbara Taylor Bradford is one of the world&rsquo;s greatest storytellers, her books have sold over 92 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 40 languages. Her debut, A Woman of Substance, was an instant bestseller and she has established herself as one of the best-known writers of compelling stories with heart. Bert Coules has written several hugely successful radio and TV adaptations including the Brother Cadfael novels, works by Val McDirmid, Ian Rankin and The Further Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes series.&ldquo;Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the world&rsquo;s best at spinning yarns.&quot; The Guardian&ldquo;Queen of the genre.&rdquo; Sunday TimesCast and creditsWritten by Bert CoulesOriginal story by Barbara Taylor BradfordDirected by Enyd WilliamsPianist Michael HaslamMaximilian West - Robin EllisPrincess Irina Troubetzkoy - Dorothy TutinAnastasia &ndash; Alexandra BastedoCamilla Galland - Nicola PagettAdriana Macklin - Joanna MunroBlair Martin &ndash; Alice Arnold Theodora/Teddy - Emma FieldingUrsula Westheim - Susannah CorbettFrau Westheim - Sonia FraserSister Constanza &ndash; Sian Phillips Aunt Ketti &ndash; Maria CharlesAlix West - Elaine Pyke Michael West - Nicholas FletcherAlan Trenton &ndash; Simon WilliamsMargot Derevenko &ndash; Pauline Jameson Willy Herzog - Kim WallMark Lewis &ndash; Christopher Scott Little Maxim - William Nichols RoseYoung Maxim &ndash; Jonathan Kitchens Teenage Maxim- Robert Harper Teenage Alan &ndash; Alex LoweOther parts played by Janet Maw, Chris Pavlo, Shirley Dixon, Jonathan Adams, Sean Baker, Colleen Prendergast, Rory Jennings, Denys Hawthorne, Joan Meredith First Broadcast BBC Radio 2, 22 Oct &ndash; 10 Dec 1996&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Women in His Life

Gary Russell

Jacqueline King reads this brand-new adventure for Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary, based on a script by Russell T Davies and featuring the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna Noble, as played on TV by David Tennant and Catherine Tate. 
 
A life-changing encounter. A fugitive from the stars. Wrathful warriors in pursuit. 
 
Landing on Earth, the Doctor finds a stranded alien in need of protection – and is dragged headlong into the life of his old friend Donna Noble, knowing that if she ever remembers their time together, she will die… 
 
Jacqueline King, whose plays Sylvia Noble in the BBC TV series, reads Gary Russell’s novelisation of the 2023 television adventure by Russell T Davies. 
 
? 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
Reading produced by Neil Gardner/Ladbroke Audio. 
Sound design by David Darlington. 
Executive producer for BBC Audio: Michael Stevens.

Doctor Who: The Star Beast

14th Doctor Novelisation

Victor Pemberton

Jon Culshaw reads a thrilling novelisation of the 1976 audio adventure in which the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane face an aquatic menace. 
 
A scientific expedition has disappeared from the bed of the Thames Estuary, where a giant meteorite had previously landed. Nearby, the Doctor and Sarah Jane are attacked by a vast, roaring creature. 
 
The Doctor is reminded of his encounter with the marine denizens of the planet Pesca, and soon his worst fears are confirmed. 
 
Strange meteorites are landing all over the world, and the Pescaton invasion has begun. 
Jon Culshaw reads Victor Pemberton's much-expanded novelisation of his own original script, with accompanying sound design. 
 
Reading produced by Morrison Ellis. Sound design by Oliver Denman. Executive producer for BBC Audiobooks: Michael Stevens 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Doctor Who: The Pescatons

4th Doctor Novelisation

Laurence Mason

Laurence 'Lol' Mason's spin-off homage to Dick Barton, following the adventures of the unretirable special agent and his doctor son 
 
A thrilling saga of criminal masterminds, espionage and adventure, Edward J. Mason's Dick Barton: Special Agent was a huge hit on the BBC Light Programme between 1946 and 1951. Together with his mates Jock Anderson and Snowy White, ex-Commando Dick faced dastardly villains and deadly peril - but always triumphed ('With one bound, Dick was free!') Half a century later, Edward J's son Lol paid affectionate tribute to the much-loved radio hero with this sparkling pastiche, featuring the joint escapades of father-and-son duo Dick and Richard Barton. 
 
Recuperating after an operation, the elderly crimefighter comes to stay with his GP son and daughter-in-law Sally in their sleepy rural village. Peace and quiet is what the doctor orders, so Dick settles down to get some rest and write his memoirs. But soon, mysterious parallels emerge between past and present, as Dick's old adventures start to echo events in Appledon... 
 
Robert Bathurst stars as Richard Barton, with Sally Phillips and Matilda Ziegler as Sally, Moray Watson as Dick Barton, Julian Dutton as his younger self and Iain Cuthbertson as Jock. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Lol Mason 
Produced by Jo Clegg 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 October 1997 (Pilot), 17 April-15 May 1998 (Series 1) 
 
Cast 
Richard Barton - Robert Bathurst 
Old Dick/Old Leslie - Moray Watson 
Jock - Iain Cuthbertson 
Young Dick/Young Leslie - Julian Dutton 
Sally Barton - Sally Phillips/Matilda Ziegler 
Mrs Cadwalladder - Ann Beach/Doreen Mantle 
Fassbinder - Kim Wall 
Colin Meadows - Wayne Forester/Julian Dutton 
Kenwood-Gore/Gordini - David Daker 
Dr Willoughby - Joss Ackland 
Marge - Carolyn Jones 
Dr Adebile - Adjoa Andoh 
 
With Roger Blake, Tim Whitnall and Fiona Allen 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Richard Barton: General Practitioner!

A BBC Radio 4 Crime Drama: Another Dick Barton Adventure

Berkely Mather

Ten full-cast BBC Radio thrillers by Berkely Mather 
 
Berkely Mather (real name John Evan Weston-Davies) was a British author who wrote sixteen novels ranging from historical adventures to espionage fiction. A prolific writer for television and radio, he contributed scripts to TV series including Z Cars and The Avengers, and his film credits include Dr. No. 
 
Included here are some of his best radio thrillers, beginning with The Sand Leopard, charting the exploits of Geth Straker, captain of the Peregrine. The trouble-hunting mariner is commissioned to sail to the Red Sea in search of sunken Second World War bullion – but are his two new crew members what they seem? Neil McCallum stars as Straker in this action-packed drama. 
 
In The Hard Buy, it is the late 1960s, and wealthy young British playboy Brett Beaumont (John Rye) suddenly finds himself discredited and framed. Aboard his luxury yacht, he embarks on a dramatic journey to clear his name. 
 
The Meisterspringer, starring Cyril Shaps and Graham Blockey, sees ‘Meisterspringer’ Paul Mettold blackmailed by British agents into arranging the escape from prison of Russian spy James Carter. But the breakout does not go according to plan… 
 
The Bounce Back features six plays themed around retribution – Returned Without Thanks, Honesty’s The Best Fiddle, The Stake-Out, Just a Detail, Never Let Your Left Hand Know…, and Quick Returns. Among the casts are Hector Ross, Hilda Schroder, Henry Stamper, Humphrey Morton, Douglas Hankin, Sheila Grant, Alan Dudley and Ronald Herdman. 
 
Finally, the 30-minute drama Bird’s Eye View, starring Geoffrey Matthews and Cecile Chevreau, tells the story of an English convict on a French prison island who attempts to escape by boat – but on board, a surprise awaits him… 
 
NB: Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary. Some episodes contain dated attitudes and language 
 
 First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 31 July-18 September 1961 (The Sand Leopard), 15 October 1962 (Bird’s Eye View), 23 January-13 March 1967 (The Bounce Back), 27 June-22 July 1968 (The Hard Buy), 21 April-26 May 1985 (The Meisterspringer) 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Sand Leopard & Other Vintage Thrillers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Collection

Frank Hampson

Nick McCarty

Crash land with Dan Dare, the world’s Number One space hero!Decades after he first appeared in the comic Eagle, Dan Dare hits the airwaves and embarks on a mission to Venus to save the world. Classic comic-book fans and adventure lovers alike will relish this vintage production as Dan Dare, British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson, fires up his spaceship and launches into the future - the distant future - the 1990s…Nicknamed The ‘Biggles of Space’ and the ‘British Buck Rogers’, this superhero’s manner is more reminiscent of British war films of the 1950s. Dominating the comic-book scene in the 1950 and 60s, the dashing and daring pilot is back in this brilliant, four-part radio dramatisation. Enjoy listening to a full-cast recording as they take on the adventure with Dan Dare and his crew battling to save the world.And in a bonus documentary, listen as Sir Tim Rice explores the lasting appeal of the British magazine Eagle and the impact of Dan Dare in Eagle: The Space Age Weekly. Charting the influences behind the comic, and exploring the life of its creator, Marcus Morris, this fascinating programme features contributions from author Philip Pullman, Sally Morris the daughter of Eagle creator and Eagle Society member David Britton. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Reproduced with kind permission of the Dan Dare Corporation LtdDan Dare: Pilot of the FutureWritten by Frank HampsonDramatised by Nick McCartyDirected by Glyn DearmanMusic by Wilfredo AcostDan Dare - Mick FordSir Hubert - Terence AlexanderDigby - Donald GeeProfessor Peabody - Zelah ClarkeHank - William RobertsThe Mekon - Richard PearceSondar - David GoudgeAunt Anastasia - Margaret CourtenayMrs Digby - Shirley DixonVolstar - Ben OnwukweKalon - John MoffattPierre - Sean BarrettDapon - David KingUr Tag - Brian MillerOther parts played by Vincent Brimble, Paul Downing, Stephen Garlick, Dale Rapley, Danny Schiller, Charles Simpson, Simon Treves and Christopher Good First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 Apr - 10 May 1990Eagle: The Space Age WeeklyWritten and Presented by Sir Tim RiceFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4Extra, 23 Dec 2010©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Adventure

Terrance Dicks

Jon Culshaw reads this thrilling novelisation of a classic TV story for the Fourth Doctor. 
 
Why is the Doctor suddenly summoned to the shores of Loch Ness? Terror and panic spread as the third oil rig is smashed into the sea by a mysterious force...the monster? The controlling power must be the Zygons - alien creatures who have hidden on Earth for thousands of years, and who now feel strong enough to take over the planet. The Doctor, Sarah, Harry and UNIT have different ideas - but can they outwit the supreme cunning of the ruthless Zygons? 
 
Jon Culshaw reads Terrance Dicks's 1976 novelisation of the BBC TV serial Terror of the Zygons by Robert Banks Stewart. 
 
Reading produced by Morrison Ellis. Sound design by David Darlington. Executive Producer for BBC Audiobooks: Michael Stevens 
 
(P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

Gerda Stevenson

Gerda Stevenson's dramatisation of the 1932 novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, set in north-east Scotland before and during the First World War. Episode 1: Chris Guthrie is torn between her love of the land and her ambition to become a teacher. As Chris' domineering father struggles with the harshness of the land, her mother's fear of childbirth leads her to despair. A full cast dramatisation. Directed by David Ian Neville.Episode 2: After her father's death, Chris is determined to stay and work the farm alone if need be. Joined by Ewan Tavendale in marriage and on the farm, Chris gives birth to a son. But the outbreak of the First World War brings devastating change to her family, the rural landscape and the community. A full cast dramatisation. Directed by David Ian Neville.

Sunset Song

Hannah Fergesen

Michelle Asante reads this brand new adventure for the Fifteenth Doctor and Belinda. 
 
"A piercing shriek ruptured the silence. The agonised howl of a creature in deep, shattering pain. That haunting, spectral scream." 
 
When a psychic shriek for help nearly overwhelms the TARDIS, the Doctor and Belinda track the source to a distant planet. There they find a sentient, telepathic bioship named Adama and ragged colonists descended from the original crew. Adama is dying, and their spectral screams are growing strong enough to kill anyone in the vicinity. 
 
When Adama crashed 100 years ago, it was with a great treasure on board, stolen from the ruthless Gangnax Imperium – technology that could either unite worlds or destroy them. If they are to save the bioship, the Doctor and Belinda must survive suspicious colonists, greedy bounty hunters and military forces determined to reclaim what’s theirs – before Adama’s final death throes destroy them all. 
 
Michelle Asante reads Hannah Fergesen's original novel featuring the Doctor, as played on TV by Ncuti Gatwa, and Belinda Chandra, as played on TV by Varada Sethu. 
 
? 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. 
 
Reading produced by Morrison Ellis. Sound design by David Roocroft. Executive Producer for BBC Audiobooks: Michael Stevens

Doctor Who: Spectral Scream

15th Doctor Novel

Lindsey Davis

Full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the first five Falco novels by Lindsey Davis, starring Anton Lesser as Marcus Didius Falco. 
 
The Silver Pigs: 
One fine day, A.D. 70, Sosia Camillina quite literally runs into Marcus Didius Falco on the steps of the Forum. It seems Sosia is on the run from a couple of street toughs, and after a quick and dirty rescue, P.I. Falco wants to know why. Hoping for future favors from Sosia's powerful uncle, Falco embarks on an intricate case of smuggling, murder, and treason that reaches into the palace itself. 
 
Shadows in Bronze: 
Rome, AD 71. Against his better judgement, Marcus Didius Falco secretly disposes of a decayed corpse for the Emperor Vespasian, then heads for the beautiful Bay of Naples with his friend Petronius. But this will be no holiday: they have been sent to investigate the murderous members of a failed coup, now sunning themselves in luxurious villas and on fancy yachts in Neapolis, Capreae, and Pompeii. 
 
Venus in Copper: 
A small accounting error has left Marcus Didius Falco sharing a cell with a large rat. But the Roman Empire's most hard-done-by investigator is finally bailed out, and promptly accepts a commission to help a family of freed slaves fend off a professional bribe.... 
 
The Iron Hand of Mars: 
Falco is dispatched to one of the most hostile parts of the Empire to deliver a new standard, an iron hand, to one of the legions. Germania is cold, wet, dismal, and full of dark forests inhabited by bloodthirsty barbarians, but Falco has an even bigger problem to worry about: he has forgotten Helena Justina's birthday, and she is being pursued by the Emperor's son Titus Caesar. 
 
Poseidon’s Gold: 
Returning to Rome after his mission to Germania, Falco finds that his mother is being harassed by a centurion named Censorinus, who says he is chasing a debt owed to him by Falco's late brother Festus. When Falco refuses to cough up the money, he and Censorinus end up fighting... and later, the centurion turns up dead. Under suspicion of murder, Falco must confront his past and uncover his brother's secrets before he can clear his name and solve the mystery. 
 
These funny and fast-moving adaptations are a treat for all Falco fans. 
 
Cast: 
Falco… Anton Lesser 
Helena… Fritha Goodey/Anna Madeley 
Petronius…Ben Crowe 
Ma…Frances Jeater 
Pa…Trevor Peacock 
Vespasian …Michael Tudor Barnes 
Titus …Jonathan Keeble 
 
Dramatised by Mary Cutler 
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild 
 
Sound quality varies due to the age of these recordings.

Falco: The Complete BBC Radio collection

Five full-cast dramatisations

Douglas Hill

Embark on a perilous quest into a magical realm where a young boy must do battle with monsters and demons in order to survive. 
 
Immerse yourself in an epic fantasy adventure, based on the book by the hugely popular science fiction writer Douglas Hill, and brought to life in this full-cast performance. 
 
When his village is destroyed by the evil Prince Mephtik, young Jarral Gullen must search for answers. With the help of his three friends Archer, Scythe and the Lady Mandragorina - a band of magically talented adventurers - Jarral must make a terrifying journey into the unknown. Only then will he be able to answer the questions that haunt him. Will he be able to discover what strange talents he possesses? And why does the spectre known as the Poisoner want to hunt him down? Marked with the tainted sword of Prince Mephtik, Jarral is doomed to die a terrible death unless both the blade and the prince are destroyed by the next full moon. The band of friends must complete their treacherous quest to Mephtik's demon-guarded fortress - but can Jarral connect with his power in time, and will he live long enough to use it? 
 
This exclusive edition includes a bonus fantastical story of magic and mayhem - Penelope's Pendant. When eleven-year-old Penny finds a pendant on the beach she discovers that it gives her the power to move herself and other objects through space. But when the pendant's maker comes to claim it, Penny doesn't want to let it go. 
 
Starring Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh alongside James Holland, Eric Allen, Elizabeth Bell, Ben Onwukuwe, Susan Sheridan and Hugh Dixon, these adventures will delight fans of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels and J.R.R. Tolkien's Tales from the Perilous Realm. 
 
 
Blade of the Poisoner 
Written by Douglas Hill 
Dramatised by Wally K Daly 
Produced by Peter Fozzard 
Music by Peter Howells 
Special Effects by Dick Mills 
 
Jarral the Man - Eric Allen 
Jarral the boy - James Holland 
Archer - Elizabeth Bell 
Carver - Ben Onwukwe 
Dorrina - Adjoa Andoh 
Mandra - Susan Sheridan 
Prince Mephtik - Hugh Dixon 
Yorrold - David Bannerman 
Soldiers - Nigel Carrington, Charles Millom and Neil Roberts 
Cryltor Tabatang - James Thomason 
Flammarock - Bret Usher 
Whiney - Richard Pierce 
Innkeeper - Anne Windsor 
Other parts played by Auriol Smith and Charles Millom 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 5, July 1991 
 
Penelope's Pendant 
Written by Douglas Hill 
Adapted by Paul Copley 
 
Penelope - Keeley Forsyth 
Trish - Vicky Fox 
Alan - Jason Lowe 
Ralph - Jonathan Tristram 
Tony - Matthew Raybould 
Errol - Richard Redpath 
Gummy - James Buckley 
Mother - Joanna Myers 
Narrator - Paul Copley 
Glumdole - Barry Kaylor 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 5, 2 April 1991 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Showing results for: ‘Nigella Lawson’

Filters

Category

Age

Publication Date

Format

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter