Nigella Lawson has written eleven bestselling cookery books including the classics How to Eat and How To Be A Domestic Goddess – the book that inspired a whole new generation of bakers. These books, and her TV series, have made her a household name around the world. 
 
www.nigella.com 
@Nigella_Lawson

Nigella Lawson

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Hattie Naylor

Kieran Hodgson stars as Pliny the Younger in Hattie Naylor’s engaging drama charting the fortunes of a household in Ancient Rome. 
 
The Emperor Domitian has informers everywhere; no-one is safe. He rules Rome with a rod of iron, and is dangerously unstable and paranoid. In the snake-pit of Imperial Rome, all Pliny the Younger wants to do is get his letters ready for publication. 
 
Except if he, his mother Marcella, their Greek cook Doris (who narrowly missed out on becoming the next Oracle at Delphi), and Venta, their slave with secretarial skills have any chance of surveying, they are going to have to negotiate a political minefield, keep their eyes peeled for spies and, most of all, not do anything to annoy the Emperor. 
 
Easier said than done. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Pliny the Younger………………..Kieran Hodgson 
Venta………………………………..Nigel Barrett 
Marcella……………………………Joanna Scanlan 
Doris the Cook…………………Mia Soteriou 
Regulus……………………….Matthew Gravelle 
Lucipor…………………………Ewan Bailey 
Produced by and directed for radio by Kate McAll 
Written by Hattie Naylor

How to Survive the Roman Empire, by Pliny and Me: The Complete Series 1-3

The BBC Radio 4 comedy drama

Rosamunde Pilcher

Rosamunde Pilcher's beloved saga of one family's passions and heartbreaks &ndash; plus an interview with the author&lsquo;A deeply satisfying story written with love and confidence&rsquo; Maeve BinchyRecovering from a heart attack, Penelope Keeling discharges herself from hospital and returns to her cosy Cotswolds cottage. Fiercely self-sufficient, she values her independence above everything &ndash; but fears that others wish to take it from her&hellip;Penelope has one treasured possession &ndash; &lsquo;The Shell Seekers&rsquo;, painted by her artist father Lawrence Stern. A comforting reminder of a precious bygone time, it sparks memories of her bohemian Cornish childhood and her wartime romance with the love of her life. But when her self-centred adult children, Noel and Nancy, find out that Stern&rsquo;s work is now worth a fortune, they urge Penelope to sell up and give the money to them. Only her daughter Olivia &ndash; who has also known love and loss &ndash; respects her mother&rsquo;s freedom to make her own decisions. As Penelope searches her heart, and recalls the passions, tragedies and secrets of her past, she knows what she must do&hellip; but will it rip her family apart?One of the best-selling and most famous sagas of the last four decades, The Shell Seekers is an enduring classic which has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Set in Gloucestershire, London, Cornwall and Ibiza, and shifting between 1939 and 1985, this poignant drama explores themes of memory, fate, trauma and connection.Also featured is a fascinating episode of Bookshelf, in which Nigel Forde talks to Rosamunde Pilcher about her life and novels.Production creditsWritten by Rosamunde PilcherDramatised by Lin CoghlanDirected by Tracey NealeCastThe Narrator, Rosamunde Pilcher &ndash; Jessica TurnerPenelope &ndash; Emma FieldingOlivia &ndash; Emily BerringtonNancy &ndash; Jasmine HydeYoung Penelope &ndash; Kitty O'SullivanRichard &ndash; Carl PrekoppNoel/Ambrose &ndash; Will KirkCosmo/Mr Brookner/Soldier &ndash; John LightbodyAntonia &ndash; Imogen FrontDanus &ndash; Ian Dunnett JnrLawrence &ndash; Michael BertenshawDoris &ndash; Debra BakerMiss Pawson &ndash; Anna SpearpointMrs Enderby &ndash; Juliana LiskFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14-21 April 2024The Shell Seekers copyright &copy; 1987 Rosamunde Pilcher&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Shell Seekers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio 4 Dramatisation

Don Taylor

An epic 12-part drama about the events leading up to, and following, the execution of King Charles I 
 
'Classy writing... wonderfully crisp, with a brilliant cast' The Spectator 
 
England, 1647. Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army has routed the Royalists, and the King, having fled to Scotland, has been ransomed, sent back across the border and imprisoned. It seems the war is over, but there is trouble ahead. Parliament wants to disband the army and install its own militia - an act that looks, to Cromwell's loyal soldiers, like outright betrayal. 
 
As dissent grows within the ranks, agitators such as Francis White and John Reynolds, and leading Leveller John Lilburne, step up to speak for the common man. What began with a dispute over army demobilisation soon becomes far more, and a radical faction arises demanding freedom, equality and power to the people. But for Cromwell and his Commander-in-Chief, Thomas Fairfax, this is a challenge to Parliament's authority, and smacks of revolution. Facing a schism within the army, Cromwell is torn - but when the King escapes from custody, he and his troops have a new threat to deal with... 
 
Meanwhile, the women at home have troubles of their own. Clever, independent Penelope White is subject to the whims of her intransigent father, who wants her to marry a man of his choosing. And Lilburne's wife, Elizabeth, must risk her life each time she smuggles forbidden political papers into his cell in the Tower of London. As their men prepare to fight once more, what does the future hold for them? 
 
Set between the pivotal years of 1647 and 1649, this classic Civil War drama stars Bernard Hepton as Cromwell, Nigel Anthony as Fairfax, Graham Blockey as Francis White, Christian Rodska as Lilburne, William Eedle as Charles I, Deborah Makepeace as Penelope and Maureen O'Brien as Elizabeth. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Don Taylor 
 
God's Revolution 
Lord General Fairfax - Nigel Anthony 
John Church - Eric Allan 
Francis White - Graham Blockey 
Charles I/Lieut. Colonel Jackson/Cornet Denne - William Eedle 
Oliver Cromwell - Bernard Hepton 
Stephen White - David March 
John Reynolds - Kim Wall 
John Lilburne - Christian Rodska 
James Thompson - Simon Cuff 
Miles Sindercombe/Col. Rainsborough/Sir William Waller/Morrison - John Baddeley 
Corporal Perkins/Silent soldier/Simeon/Joseph/Winstanley/Brother Gerard - Steve Hodson 
Colonel James/Lockyer/Major General Skippon/Huntingdon - Peter Craze 
Edmund White/Major Gooday/Col. Scroop - Cornelius Garrett 
Penelope White - Deborah Makepeace 
Elizabeth Lilburne - Maureen O'Brien 
William Thompson/Captain Musket - Anthony Jackson 
Commissary Ireton - Bill Wallis 
Edward Sexby/Col. Whalley - John Hartoch 
Lady Anne Fairfax - Lin Sagovsky 
Cornet Joyce/Everard - Jonathan Nibbs 
Betty - Zelah Clarke 
Mrs Cromwell/Martha- June Barrie 
John Lilburne - Christian Rodska 
Beggar woman - June Tobin 
John Wildman - Stephen Rashbrook 
Robin - Elizabeth Lindsay 
Isaac - Christopher Asante 
Capt. Hatton - Alan Coveney 
Pride - Norman Eshley 
Mary Overton - Barbara Kellermann 
Mrs Chidley - Ellen Dryden 
Barry - Paul Sirr 
Directed by Shaun MacLoughlin and Ronald Mason 
Psalms arranged by Blaise Compton 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 October-23 December 1988 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

God’s Revolution

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast historical drama

Mike Walker

Mike Walker’s gripping BBC Radio drama about money, art, religion, politics and power 
 
Florence, 1415. Banker Cosimo Medici is looked down upon as a jumped up money-changer. Then he marries the noble Contessina de Bardi and becomes the richest man in Europe. But his wealth and power threaten the Florentine elite, who are determined to bring him down... 
 
However, the House of Medici cannot be crushed that easily. Sixty years and many violent deaths later, the family are the unquestioned, ruthless rulers of Florence. They control the government, have transformed the city through their patronage of the arts, and one of them has even been crowned Pope. But trouble is coming in the form of the fanatical poet monk Savonarola, and the bank is in decline. Can Lorenzo the Magnificent save anything for his dim-witted successors – and will they even care? 
 
With a cast of extraordinary characters including Piero the Gouty, master negotiator Lucrezia Tornabuoni and Pope Leo X, as well as Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Artemisia Gentileschi, this fast-paced ‘Renaissance Sopranos’ tells the thrilling story of one of the most infamous dynasties of all time. Among the cast are Patrick Baladi, Sirine Saba, Tom Cullen, Saran Morgan and Catrin Aaron. 
 
 
Created by Mike Walker 
Written by Mike Walker, Sian Ejiwunmi Le-Berre and Catherine Johnson 
Sound Design: Nigel Lewis and Catherine Robinson 
Organ: Branwen Munn 
Produced by John Norton 
 
Cast 
Cosimo de' Medici – Patrick Baladi 
Contessina de' Bardi – Sirine Saba 
Rinaldo degli Albizzi – Richard Elfyn 
Niccolo Tinucci – Christopher Elson 
Old Giovanni – Hugh Thomas 
Silvio – Marc Danbury 
Gio Verdi – Marco Fiera 
The Manager – David Hounslow 
Lorenzo de' Medici – Tom Cullen 
Lucrezia Tornabuoni – Saran Morgan 
Clarice Orsini – Abra Thompson 
Gio de' Medici – Gareth Pierce 
Marietta – Saran Morgan 
Cardinal Orsini – Simon Armstrong 
Soderini – Daniel Cerqueira 
Pope Sixtus – John Cording 
Tinucci – Tommy Sim'aan 
Pazzi – Matthew Durkan 
Savonarola – Matthew Gravelle 
King Ferrante – Jonathon Forbes 
Pope Innocent – Roger Ringrose 
Leonardo da Vinci – Tom Kiteley 
Botticelli – Hughie O' Donnell 
Alessandro de Medici - Elliott Barnes-Worrell 
Lorenzino de Medici - Sion Daniel Young 
Ippolito de Medici - Jacob Ifan 
Taddea Malaspina - Kiran Sonia Sawar 
Simonetta da Collevecchio - Marsha Millar 
Giorgio Vasari - Nico Pimparé 
Pope Clement - Arwel Gruffydd 
Emperor Charles V - Michael Bertenshaw 
Margaret - Kitty O'Sullivan 
Scoronconcolo - Tyler Cameron 
Strozzi - John Lightbody 
Young Alessandro - Hardy Yusuf 
Young Ippolito - Huw Huckstep 
Catherine de Medici - Catrin Aaron 
Silvestri - Julian Lewis Jones 
Diane de Poitiers - Juliette Aubrey 
Prince Henri - Arthur Hughes 
King Francis - Aneirin Hughes 
Guise - Joel MacCormack 
Nurse - Heather Craney 
Young Catherine - Grace Nettle 
Isabelle - Nia Gandhi 
Coligny - Ian Dunnett Jnr 
Le Conde - Matthew Bulgo 
Cardinal Guise - Tom Mumford 
Margot - Poppy Almond 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Medici: Bankers, Gangsters, Popes

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Drama

Daniel Defoe

Philip Palmer

Three lively retellings of Daniel Defoe’s classic novels, plus two bonus programmes about his extraordinary life and far-reaching influence. 
 
Robinson Crusoe and his Farther Adventures 
An imaginative blend of the famous castaway tale and its lesser-known sequel, this thrilling drama sees Crusoe setting sail for the far north. Facing danger in the Siberian wastes, he keeps terror at bay by telling his companions campfire tales of his many adventures on his beloved island. Starring Tim McInnerney as Crusoe. 
 
Moll Flanders 
When Daniel Defoe meets Elizabeth Atkins in Newgate jail, she recounts her stranger-than-fiction story of a rags-to-riches life that took her from prostitution to prosperity – but culminated in destitution. Inspired, Defoe mixes fact and fiction to re-invent her as one of his most engaging characters: Moll Flanders. Starring Ben Miles as Defoe and Jessica Hynes as Elizabeth Atkins. 
 
A Journal of the Plague Year 
Writing a fictional journal of the Great Plague of 1665, Defoe soon comes to be haunted by the characters he is conjuring. Starring Ben Miles as Defoe. 
 
This exciting new collection of reinvented tales will also include two bonus programmes about Daniel Defoe himself: 
 
Defoe: Merchant, Writer, Convict, Spy by Philip Palmer - A biographical drama about Defoe’s life, starring Ben Miles as Defoe and Niamh Cusack as his wife Mary. 
 
Defoe: The Facts and Fictions - A documentary by Mark Lawson, exploring the far-reaching influence of the pioneering author.

The Daniel Defoe BBC Radio Drama Collection

Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders & A Journal of the Plague Year

Nigel Baldwin

Four thrilling detective dramas set in Amiens during the French Revolution 
 
'Stylish detective series' The Independent 
 
September 1791. Newly promoted Lieutenant General Jacques Lacroix is transferred from Paris to Amiens, tasked to solve crimes and arrest criminals. But in these days of revolution, it's increasingly tricky for him to identify the criminals amongst all the agitators, rabble-rousers and counter-revolutionaries. And his job is about to get even harder, as he finds himself investigating a slew of grisly murders... 
 
In Friends in High Places, the body of a murdered girl is dragged out of the Somme. She was last seen at a salon the previous night, in the company of Maximilien Robespierre: could the great man be implicated in her death? 
 
To Be A Pilgrim finds Lacroix probing an alleged conspiracy that sets him off on the wrong track, and calling on the local sorceress, Madeleine Bonniface, to help him solve what appears to be a ritual killing. 
 
In Health of a Nation, a doctor is found dead as the Reign of Terror begins. His son confesses to the murder - but he has an alibi, so why would he lie? 
 
Finally, in Moon Conjunct Uranus, Madeleine Bonniface's astrological chart predicts trouble ahead for Lacroix - and when the death of a young woman is linked to a secret magical sect, the evidence all seems to point to him... 
 
These atmospheric historical crime dramas star David Calder stars as Lacroix, with Brian Hibbard, Kathryn Pogson, Simon Ludders and Frances Tomelty. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Nigel Baldwin, with additional research by Constantia Michael 
Directed by Alison Hindell 
Original music by Paula Gardiner, performed by Mark Edwards, Jeanette Masocchi, Ron Parry and Paula Gardiner 
 
Cast 
Lt Gen Lacroix - David Calder 
Monet - Brian Hibbard 
Charlotte - Kathryn Pogson 
Dupont - Ian Rowlands 
Roland - Christian Rodska 
Robespierre - Brendan Charleson 
Didier/Panchaud/Chalier - Steve Hodson 
Mme Rives/Josephine - Bethan Jones 
Surgeon - Matthew Morgan 
Mme Giradoux - Lesley Rooney 
Duval - Simon Ludders 
Madeleine - Frances Tomelty 
Mme des Chats/Mme Dupre - Sue Roderick 
Ferrier/Michel - Andrew Wincott 
Georges/Jean - Robert Harper 
Simone - Sara Harris-Davies 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 March-3 April 1995

The Tree of Liberty

A BBC Radio 4 crime drama

Sean O'Casey

An unparalleled collection of Full-Cast BBC Drama adaptations of Sean O’Casey’s powerful, poignant works 
 
 One of Ireland’s foremost playwrights, Sean O’Casey is renowned for his groundbreaking plays depicting the lives of poor, working-class Dubliners struggling with social and political upheaval and revolutionary change. This is the first comprehensive audio collection of O'Casey's works, and includes the three masterpieces collectively known as the ‘Dublin Trilogy’, as well as the dark comic satire Cock-a-Doodle Dandy, the one-act Bedtime Story and the anti-war drama The Silver Tassie.The Shadow of a Gunman – Dublin, 1920. With the Irish War of Independence raging, poet Donal Davoren finds himself caught up in danger and violence when he is mistaken for an IRA gunman on the run. Bryan Murray, Alan Devlin and Marcella O’Riordan star in this Radio 4 production of Sean O’Casey’s breakthrough play.Juno and the Paycock – The slum-dwelling Boyle family are blighted by poverty, war and the alcoholism of its feckless patriarch 'Captain' Jack Boyle. Will a surprise legacy transform their lives? Adapted for Radio 3, O’Casey’s classic tragicomedy stars Sorcha Cusack and Stanley Townsend.The Plough and the Stars – Painting a stark portrait of a city and a nation in turmoil, this classic play tells the story of ordinary Dubliners during the Easter Rising of 1916. Introduced by the playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah and starring Elaine Cassidy, Padraic Delaney, Gabrielle Reidy, Finbar Lynch & Matthew McNulty.Cock-a-Doodle Dandy – Rich farmer Michael Marthraun tries to stamp out permissiveness in rural Ireland, but the appearance of a beautifully plumed rooster calls the villagers to love and liberty. Believing the bird to be demonic, Marthraun calls in the priest, Father Domineer… Joseph O’Conor, Stephen Brennan and T. P. McKenna star in this adaptation of O’Casey’s own favourite play.Bedtime Story – Pious young clerk John Joe Mulligan is known to be a pillar of the Church. So why has he invited the seductive Angela back to his room? A concise exploration of morality and religious hypocrisy, this farcical comedy stars John Lynch, Sorcha Cusack and Angela Dearden.The Silver Tassie – A tale of love and the bitter heroics of war, O’Casey’s moving Expressionist play follows young athlete Harry Heegan (Jim Norton) as he leaves the football field for the Western Front.Text copyright © Sean O’Casey 1923 (The Shadow of a Gunman), 1924 (Juno and the Paycock), 1926 (The Plough and the Stars), 1927 (The Silver Tassie), 1949 (Cock-a-Doodle Dandy), 1951 (Bedtime Story)Production creditsWritten by Sean O’CaseyThe Shadow of a GunmanJuno and the PaycockThe Plough and the StarsCock-a-Doodle DandyBedtime StoryThe Silver Tassie© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Dublin Trilogy & more

Six BBC Radio Full-Cast Productions including Shadow of a Gunman & Juno and the Paycock

Victor Pemberton

A suspenseful archaeological thriller full of secrets, lies and mysteries from acclaimed writer and producer Victor Pemberton 
 
Best known as a TV producer, writer and script editor for Doctor Who, Victor Pemberton created the Doctor's most iconic gadget, the sonic screwdriver. A prolific dramatist, he also penned a wide variety of plays for BBC Radio including this gripping 8-part adventure, first broadcast in 1968. 
 
Elizabeth Warwick, the daughter of a famous archaeologist, travels to Egypt's Valley of the Kings to explore the mysterious tomb her father discovered before his death. Following in his footsteps, she hopes to find out what secrets lurk within. Is it an empty shell, or the final resting place of a Pharaoh? 
 
But her investigations lead her further and further into danger. Sir Richard Warwick had enemies, and now they are pursuing her. Embroiled in intrigue and unsure who to trust, she embarks on a quest that will take her from the Temple of Luxor to Cairo's City of the Dead... 
 
Among the cast of this thrilling serial are Sheila Grant, John Humphry, David Spenser, Rolf Lefebvre, Nigel Anthony and Marion Mathie. 
 
 
NB: Contains some dated references. Due to the age and nature of the recording, the sound quality may vary 
 
Cast 
Elizabeth Warwick - Sheila Grant 
Mahmoud - James Thomason 
Mr Wilder - John Humphry 
Fuad - David Spenser 
Charles Villiers - Rolf Lefebvre 
Margaret Villiers - Marion Mathie 
Achmed Araby - Haydn Jones 
Abdullah - Antony Viccars 
Bertie Pringle - Barry Lowe 
O'Hara - Denis McCarthy 
Captain Aziz - John Justin 
Achmed Araby - Haydn Jones 
The stranger/Michael Warwick - Christopher Bidmead 
Dr Fawzad - Nigel Anthony 
 
Other parts played by Anthony Jackson, Ian Thompson, Barbara Mitchell, Margaret Robertson, Rosalind Shanks, Douglas Hankin, LeRoy Lingwood, Alexander John and members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company 
 
Written by Victor Pemberton 
Produced by John Tydeman 
First broadcast BBC Radio 2, 30 May-24 June 1968 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Kill the Pharaoh!

A Vintage BBC Radio Thriller

CJ Sansom

A thrilling BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation based on the third novel in C. J. Sansom's bestselling Tudor crime series featuring hunchback lawyer-detective Matthew Shardlake. 
 
Autumn, 1541. Henry VIII, accompanied by his young bride Catherine Howard, has embarked on a Great Progress from London to York, to establish his power and authority with his rebellious subjects in the North and receive their oaths of loyalty. 
 
Shardlake, sent ahead of the 3000-strong procession, is in the city to help prepare legal petitions for the King – and to undertake a delicate clandestine mission for Archbishop Cranmer. Sir Edward Broderick, a dangerous conspirator imprisoned in York Castle, is being transferred to the Tower of London for interrogation, and it is up to Shardlake and his faithful assistant Barak to ensure he gets there safe and well. 
 
But the death of a glazier sees the duo drawn into a murder investigation, a treasonous plot and a secret that threatens to bring down the royal family… 
 
Starring Justin Salinger as Shardlake and Bryan Dick as Barak, this gripping third instalment of the 'Shardlake' series is a compelling murder mystery and a deeply evocative portrait of the turbulent Tudor world. 
 
Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx. 
Tensions are running high in the city, and soon Shardlake is called to investigate a suspicious death - and stumbles upon a daring plot that has the potential to shake England to its core. 
 
CJ Sansom's 'Shardlake' series has sold over two million copies, and this atmospheric dramatisation starring BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries) brings his début novel to electrifying life. Fast-paced and suspenseful, it is both an engrossing murder mystery and a brilliantly realised portrayal of Tudor England. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Shardlake: Sovereign

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Liz Lochhead

Five full-cast dramas by the celebrated Scottish writer Liz Lochhead, plus a short story 
 
Liz Lochhead is a widely recognised poet, playwright and performer. She was the Makar, Scotland’s national poet, between 2011 and 2016, and was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 2015. The six pieces in this anthology are characterised by their evocative language and focus on different facets of female identity: from schoolgirls, wives and mothers to convention-defying creators and ‘cunning women’. 
 
Blood and Ice – Summer, 1816. Following their scandalous elopement, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her lover Percy Shelley decamp to Lake Geneva. There, they are joined by Lord Byron and his mistress Claire Clairmont, and one night, in a villa by the shore, they challenge each other to write a ghost story. Mary’s tale will become the most famous Gothic novel of all time – and the creature at its centre will haunt her for the rest of her life. Starring Gerda Stevenson, Stephen Boxer, Jack Klaff and Stella Gonet. 
 
Quelques Fleurs – Liz Lochhead plays lonely, ‘born to shop’ housewife Verena, with Stuart Hepburn as her oil-rig worker husband in these tragicomic intercut monologues, which paint a portrait of a childless couple trapped in an unhappy marriage. 
 
Maleficium – Taking its title from a Latin word meaning ‘malevolent sorcery’, this chilling play draws on real accounts of witch trials to create voices for three women: Alice, Margery and Jinnet – a farm labourer, a farmer's wife and an elderly wisewoman. When two of them are accused of witchcraft by the other, they are brought to the point of tragedy… Starring Clare Corbett, Siobhan Redmond and Freda Dowie. 
 
Fancy You Minding That – Separated by three generations and by the 400 miles from London to Glasgow, a grandmother, mother and daughter recall their very different, very painful memories of the men in their lives. With Phyllis Logan as Valerie, Jennifer Piercey as Ina and Catherine Clarke as Kate. 
 
Cuba – Scotland, 1962. With the Cuban Missile Crisis at its height, best friends Barbara and Bernadette believe the world is about to end. They decide to spend their last days making a stand for women and peace – only to find themselves facing a very personal betrayal. Julie Wilson Nimmo, Pauline Lockhart and Liz Lochhead star. 
 
‘The Cure’ – Hoping to impress her handsome house captain, a schoolgirl takes to the athletics track – but the course of true love does not run smoothly. Read by Grace Glover. 
 
Text copyright © Liz Lochhead 1982 (Blood and Ice), 1986 (Fancy You Minding That), 1991 (Quelque Fleurs), 1994 (‘The Cure’), 1998 (Cuba), 2001 (Maleficium) 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Blood and Ice & other plays

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Productions

Jonathan Meyerson

Nigel Williams

Rex Obano

Joy Wilkinson

Tamsin Oglesby

A collection of factual dramas exploring the history of oil - and the price we pay for it 
 
Ever since it was first drilled over 150 years ago, oil has been both a blessing and a curse. It has enabled economic growth; provided an efficient energy source; fuelled our entire infrastructure - and caused wars, pollution and global warming. These seven dramas, set between 1951 and 2045, and taking us from postwar Iran to futuristic Lancashire, examine the role oil has played in shaping our world: recounting incredible stories of wealth, power, politics and corruption. 
 
Stand Firm, You Cads! By Jonathan Myerson tells the colourful tale of how Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh took back the nation's oil from the British, and the chaos and conflict that followed. In Looking for Billy by Nigel Williams, a private detective investigates protests against an Alaskan pipeline - and finds out what oil did to the indigenous Inupiat people. The Weapon, by Jonathan Myerson, is a tense, thrilling dramatisation of the 1973 OPEC siege, while Baby Oil, also written by Myerson, is based on real events in the propaganda campaign at the outbreak of the First Gulf War. 
 
In Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria by Rex Obano, a local businesswoman is caught up in the violent consequences of the Ogoni people's campaign against the oil industry. No Two Days by Joy Wilkinson is a mesmerising maze of stories about risk, passion and deep-sea oil, centred around an ambitious journalist's attempts to investigate the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. And in Tamsin Ogleby's future oil comedy Blood from Stone, a father-and-son energy company struggles with the new economics of the oil market. Is Ralph right about getting out for good? Is his dad Charlie more addict than businessman? And will we ever be able to give up oil? 
 
Anna Maxwell Martin, Raad Rawi, Jemma Redgrave, Paul Ritter, Nicholas Le Prevost , James McArdle, Nadine Marshall, Faye Marsay, Obi Abili, David Ajala, Jude Akuwudike, and Alun Armstrong are among the casts in these enthralling dramas. Also included are two short clips in which Nicolas Kent discusses the difference between directing for radio and stage, and explains his inspiration for The Price of Oil. 
 
Production credits 
Devised by Nicolas Kent, with Jack Bradley and Jonathan Myerson 
Produced by Jonquil Panting 
 
Listening Order 
 
Stand Firm, You Cads! 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Nicolas Kent. Pianist: Laurie O'Brien 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 September 2015 
 
Looking for Billy 
Written by Nigel Williams. Directed by Nicolas Kent. Inupiat translations provided by Chelsey Zibell 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 September 2015 
 
The Weapon 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 September 2015 
 
Baby Oil 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Nicolas Kent 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 2015 
 
Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria 
Written by Rex Obano. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 October 2015 
 
No Two Days 
Written by Joy Wilkinson. Directed by Nicolas Kent 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 October 2015 
 
Blood from Stone 
Written by Tamsin Oglesby. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 October 2015 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Price of Oil

7 BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Samuel Pepys

Kris Marshall (My Family) stars in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the famous diarist's account of the aftermath of the Great Fire of London. 
 
Following on from the acclaimed radio dramatisation of Pepys' complete diaries, this further instalment of his chronicles focuses on events following the cataclysmic inferno that destroyed much of the capital four hundred years ago. 
 
When the Great Fire of 1666 was finally extinguished, little remained of London but smouldering rubble. Samuel Pepys witnessed firsthand the impact it had on the city and its people, and would be haunted by what he had seen for the rest of his life. Thousands of homes and many key buildings had been destroyed or damaged, including St Paul's Cathedral. 
 
Now aged 70, in poor health, and living with his servant Will in Clapham, Pepys remembers the devastation. He recalls burying his prize Parmesan to keep it safe, standing in Moorfield among the homeless as London burned, going out in his carriage to look at the ruins, and viewing the plans for the new city that would rise from the ashes – its centrepiece a magnificent cathedral that would be hailed as a masterpiece. 
 
Starring Kris Marshall as Samuel Pepys, this entertaining and enlightening adaptation by Hattie Naylor vividly conjures up the sights and sounds of Pepys' world. Duration: 1 hour 15 mins approx.

Samuel Pepys - After the Fire

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Georgette Heyer

BBC Radio adaptations of three of Georgette Heyer's sparkling Regency romances and a classic comedy thriller 
 
The acknowledged 'queen of Regency romance', bestselling author Georgette Heyer, also penned a dozen delightful mystery novels. Included here are dramatisations of four of her finest stories from both genres, full of her characteristic wit, charm and period detail. 
 
Regency Buck 
Pretty but shrewd Judith Taverner gallops in from the provinces and daringly defies the gaming, drinking and brawling world of Regency London to claim her rights, her fortune - and who knows, perhaps her happiness? Starring Elizabeth Proud as Judith Taverner and Simon Shepherd as Peregrine Taverner. 
 
Friday's Child 
'I'm going back to London! And I'm going to marry the first woman I see!' is the cry of young Lord Sheringham when his proposal of marriage is rejected by Isabella, the Incomparable. True to his word, he takes the even younger Hero Wantage as his bride... Starring James Frain as Viscount Anthony Sheringham and Elli Garnett as Hero Wantage, with Simon Russell Beale as Jasper Tarleton. 
 
Faro's Daughter 
Deborah Grantham's position in a gaming house makes her utterly unsuitable as a wife for a nobleman, so Max Ravenscar determines to rescue his cousin from her clutches. But the bribe he offers does not go down well, and a battle of wits commences... Starring Sylvestre Le Touzel as Deborah Grantham and Nathaniel Parker as Max Ravenscar, with Anna Massey as Lady Bellingham. 
 
Envious Casca 
An English country Christmas in the 1930s, a Tudor manor house decked with holly, a family gathered for seasonal cheer - and a murder. Inspector Hemingway is on the case, but can he shake off amateur sleuths Toby and Jane French? Starring Peter Kelly as Inspector Hemingway, James Fleet as Toby and Helen Baxendale as Jane. 
 
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Georgette Heyer BBC Radio Drama Collection

Four full-cast dramatisations

Carol Russell

Roy Williams

Three more series of the landmark, century-spanning historical drama 
 
Faith, Hope and Glory charts the lives of three African-Caribbean families, connected forever by the theft of a beautiful pram in Tilbury in 1946. As they live through the eighty years since then, they witness and take part in the emergence of the modern United Kingdom. 
 
Beginning in 1958 - the year of the Notting Hill race riots - these three series find our characters forced to make difficult decisions as they seek to quell their own domestic turmoil against the backdrop of increasingly febrile racial tensions. Meanwhile, a new generation begin to take their place in the rapidly changing Britain of the 1960s... 
 
This enthralling drama charts the history of post-war Britain through intimate, interwoven stories, brilliantly brought to life by leading Black playwrights Roy Williams, Rex Obano and Carol Russell. The cast includes Danielle Vitalis as Hope, Pippa Bennett Warner as Gloria and Shiloh Coke as Faith, together with Martins Imhangbe as Jim, Stefan Adegbola as Clement and Gary Beadle as Trevor. 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by Roy Williams, Rex Obano and Carol Russell 
Directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour 
Produced by Pat Cumper 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Faith, Hope and Glory: Series 3-5

An epic BBC Radio 4 drama

Will Hadcroft

Matthew Waterhouse reads this original story featuring the Fifth Doctor, Adric, Tegan and Nyssa. 
 
When the TARDIS lands on Earth in the 1830s, Tegan is keen to explore Dickensian London. The grim realities of poverty and destitution are sobering, with conditions exacerbated by the New Poor Law. Yet something else is affecting those most in need - something not of this world. 
 
As the Doctor falls into the hands of the law, and Tegan and Nyssa are abducted by a brutish pair of ne'er-do-wells, Adric finds himself on an altogether different plane, at the heart of the malaise affecting the capital city. 
 
For the beings who have formed a deadly contract with the people of Earth, the presence of TARDIS travellers in London is inconvenient, to say the least... 
 
Matthew Waterhouse, who played Adric in the BBC TV series, reads Will Hadcroft's atmospheric tale. 
 
? 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd &copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. 
 
Reading produced by Morrison Ellis. Sound design by David Roocroft. Executive producer for BBC Audiobooks: Michael Stevens

Doctor Who: Dark Contract

5th Doctor Audio Original

Aphra Behn

Susanna Centivre

William Congreve

Delarivier Manley

John Vanburgh

George Farquhar

A dazzling collection of comedies from the later Restoration period 
 
England's 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 and the reign of new monarchs William and Mary signified a turning point for Restoration comedy with laws being passed to restrict playwrights' freedoms. The latter years are marked by a shift towards more moral storylines, mixing humour with social and political issues, alongside the lighthearted 'comedy of manners'. 
 
The works in this collection bring together these complementary styles, full of humour while also focusing on hard hitting themes. We open with a 1688 piece by Aphra Behn, England's first professional female writer. Oroonoko is a powerful critique of the slave trade centring around a betrayed African prince. Adapted for BBC Radio, it stars Leo Wringer. 
 
A pre-eminent Restoration dramatist, William Congreve was renowned for his witty dialogue and brilliant characterisation, exemplified in the plays The Old Bachelor, The Double-Dealer and Love for Love. As heard on BBC Radio, these sparkling satirical portraits of romance, deception and the battle of the sexes star James Dale, Nicholas Parsons, Michael Spice and Maxine Audley. 
 
In her 1696 tragedy The Royal Mischief playwright and pamphleteer Delarivier Manley tackled gender politics rather than party politics. This BBC Radio adaptation stars Sian Thomas as the transgressive princess Homais, whose unrestrained sexual desire represents a threat to both the monarchy and the patriarchy. 
 
A loveless marriage is under the spotlight in The Provok'd Wife, John Vanburgh's outspoken 1697 comedy of sex, debauchery and revenge that is Restoration comedy at its finest. Saskia Reeves stars as Lady Brute, with Julian Rhind-Tutt as confirmed bachelor Heartfree. 
 
Irish playwright George Farquhar stormed the London stage with his 1699 comedy The Constant Couple, featuring a wealthy heiress seeking revenge, and the three rivals vying for her hand. Its popularity was mainly due to its rakish hero, Sir Harry Wildair, played in this BBC dramatisation by Alec Clunes. It is followed by William Congreve's The Way of the World, a comic masterpiece that exposes the grasping falsity of fashionable London society. Sheila Hancock stars, with Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister, Frances Barber and Indira Varma. 
 
Susanna Centilivre's 1705 comedy The Basset Table explores several hot topics of the time: the rise of science, gambling and female education. Featuring two strong, independent heroines determined to dodge unwanted marriages, this delightfully exuberant comedy stars Eleanor Bron and Danielle Allan. 
 
Concluding this collection are George Farquhar's two most popular plays. The Recruiting Officer, starring Paul Higgins and Lisa Dillon, is set in Shrewsbury during the War of the Spanish Succession, where wives are recruited while soldiers are wooed. Meanwhile, in The Beaux' Stratagem, starring Simon Treves and Dale Rapley, two rakes arrive in Lichfield from London in search of fortune... 
 
 
Content list 
 
Oroonoko 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 24 August 1990 
 
The Old Bachelor 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 3 Jun 1966 
 
The Double-Dealer 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 17 Jan 1969 
 
Love for Love 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 Feb 1965 
 
The Royal Mischief 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 28 Oct 1990 
 
The Provok'd Wife 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 Dec 2004 
 
The Constant Couple 
First broadcast BBC Network Three, 9 Jun 1967 
 
The Way of the World 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27 Apr 2003 
 
The Basset Table 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 10 Aug 1990 
 
The Recruiting Officer 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 18 Dec 2011 
 
The Beaux' Stratagem 
First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 19 Feb 1990 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Intrigue and Satire: Later Restoration Comedies

11 BBC Radio Full Cast Productions including  The Recruiting Officer and The Way of the World and more

Sir Walter Scott

Full-cast BBC adaptations of five of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley’ novels, plus a play adapted from his journal starring Alec Guinness, and a documentary about Scott and his legacyPoet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here are adaptations of five of the best-loved books in his ‘Waverley’ series, as well as two bonus programmes.Waverley – Sent to Scotland with his regiment, young English soldier Edward Waverley becomes embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Torn between love and duty, he falls in with Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army – and finds himself accused of treason… Richard Greenwood stars in this adaptation of Scott’s groundbreaking debut novel.Rob Roy – Francis Osbaldistone, the son of a rich London merchant, is banished to his family seat in the North. There, he meets the beautiful, high-spirited Diana Vernon and his villainous cousin Rashleigh, and befriends the enigmatic Scot, Robert Campbell – hero, chieftain of the clan MacGregor and wanted outlaw… Starring Liam Brennan, this thrilling drama is set during the Jacobite rising of 1715.The Heart of Midlothian – Edinburgh, 1737, and young Effie Deans is arrested for child murder and sentenced to death. Convinced of her innocence, her sister Jeanie decides to walk to London to plead for her sister’s life. Gerda Stevenson and Irene Allen star in this adaptation of Scott’s gripping novel, widely considered to be the finest of the ‘Waverley’ books.The Bride of Lammermoor – Edgar Ravenswood has sworn vengeance on the Ashton family who have destroyed his honour and ruined his fortune – but Lucy Ashton will come to mean more to him than honour, fortune and life Itself… This tragic tale of a doomed love affair stars David Rintoul and Gerda Stevenson.Woodstock – England, 1651. Charles Stuart’s army has been defeated at Worcester, and he is on the run. Suspecting that he will take refuge at Woodstock Manor, Oliver Cromwell sets a trap for him there – but he has reckoned without the wily King and his loyal Cavalier supporters… John Rowe and Brian Hewlett star in this epic Civil War tale.My Own Right Hand Shall Do It – Suffering a terrible reversal of fortune late in life, Sir Walter Scott determines to recover from financial ruin. Sir Alec Guinness stars in this moving portrait of tragedy and ultimate triumph.The Man Who Made Scotland – James Naughtie makes the case for a reappraisal of Sir Walter Scott, arguing that his branding of Scotland is the mark of a thoroughly modern thinker.NB: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may varyFirst published 1814 (Waverley), 1817 (Rob Roy), 1818 (The Heart of Midlothian), 1819 (The Bride of Lammermoor), 1826 (Woodstock)© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sir Walter Scott: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Five Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations including Waverley and Rob Roy

George MacDonald Fraser

Full-cast adaptations of two Flashman novels, plus a standalone historical romp, a humorous short story and an interview with George MacDonald FraserScottish author George MacDonald Fraser took the loutish bully from Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown's Schooldays and gave him a new lease of life. Over the course of 12 novels, caddish anti-hero Flashman swashbuckled his way around the British Empire, playing a key role in some of the 19th century’s most significant events.Adapted for BBC Radio, and featuring a stellar cast, this collection includes:Flash for Freedom! – It is 1848 and Flashman is considering a political career. But a disastrous card game with Disraeli plunges him into hair-raising involvement with a murderous sea captain, the transatlantic slave trade, the Underground Railroad and Abraham Lincoln.Flashman at the Charge – Renowned bounder, blackguard, liar, lecher, and self-confessed coward Sir Harry Flashman suffers the ill fortune of being caught up in the Charge of the Light Brigade – and rides with the descendants of Genghis Khan against the might of Imperial Russia, as he attempts to save British India…Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don – England, 1599, and at the Spanish Embassy, a devilish plot is brewing. New envoy Don Diego claims to possess a compromising letter written by Queen Elizabeth 50 years ago: and unless it is retrieved, her reputation as the Virgin Queen will be in tatters. Time to call in Mistress Phoebe Fosdyke, Secret Agent…‘Monsoon Selection Board’ – Corporal David MacNeill recalls his challenging time in 1940s Burma, when he was part of a battalion trying to stop the Japanese army escaping. Hoping to become an officer, he is sent to face the Selection Board – but can he prove his mettle?Bookclub: George MacDonald Fraser – James Naughtie talks to George MacDonald Fraser about his inspiration for the Flashman books, writing a Bond screenplay, and why we can’t resist a rogue.Text copyright © George MacDonald Fraser 1970 (‘Monsoon Selection Board’), 1971 (Flash for Freedom!), 1973 (Flashman at the Charge), 2000 (Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don) Cast and creditsWritten by George MacDonald FraserFlash for FreedomFeaturing Joss Ackland, Rhys Meredith, Nigel Anthony, Christian Rodska, William Hope, Ndidi Del Fatti, Emily Wachter, Jamie Newall, Robert Hastie, Damian Lynch, Stuart MilliganDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Mar-3 Apr 2005Flashman at the ChargeFeaturing Joss Ackland, Angus Wright, Jayne McKenna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Anthony, David Holt, David Bannerman, Peter KennyDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13-20 Oct 2002Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly DonFeaturing Vivienne Dixon, Crawford Logan, Katherine Igoe, Mark McDonnell, James Bryce, Julie AustinWritten by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May 2000‘Monsoon Selection Board’Read by Tom FlemingProduced by Bruce YoungFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 Oct 1990Bookclub: George MacDonald FraserPresented by James NaughtieWith George MacDonald FraserProduced by Dymphna FlynnFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 Jan 2006© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Flashman & more

Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Joseph Addison

Richard Steele

The complete Series 1 and 2 of the drama based on the publications of the real-life Lady Whistledown - the anonymous 18th Century columnist, 'Mr Spectator' 
 
'Wonderfully droll' The Spectator 
 
London, 1710. Enigmatic man of letters Mr Spectator moves like a shadow through the city's streets and coffee-houses, observing the manners, morals and misdemeanours of his fellow men. He has his finger on the pulse of all the latest news and fashions, and shares his wit and wisdom in his daily news-sheet - which is avidly perused by readers from all stations of society, from the humble to the highest in the land. In these two radio series, we meet his greatest fans, who look to him to solve their problems and determine their futures... 
 
Series 1 centres around Gilbert Mowbray, a clockmaker who is fast approaching his 40th birthday - and is not handling it well. Neglecting his workshop and his customers, he spends his time glued to Mr Spectator's musings - much to his wife Kitty's exasperation. As his midlife crisis deepens, can the nation's favourite agony uncle help Gilbert reassess his life? 
 
In Series 2, Britain is nine million pounds in debt - but Chancellor of the Exchequer Robert Harley has a plan to generate the necessary income: a little idea called the South Sea Company. However, to get his Bill through Parliament, he needs someone the public trusts to speak out in favour of the scheme. Enlisting the aid of Palace paper-boy Ned Dempsey, Harley determines to track down Mr Spectator - but can Ned unmask the elusive scribbler before time, and Harley's patience, run out? 
 
Adapted by Elizabeth Kuti from Joseph Addison and Richard Steele's Spectator essays, this wry, whimsical drama stars Benjamin Whitrow (Pride and Prejudice) as Mr Spectator, the anonymous oracle who, like his fictional counterpart Lady Whistledown, hid behind a nom de plume to stoke controversy. Among the supporting cast are Richard Lumsden, Sam Troughton, Bryan Dick, David Schofield, Jemma Redgrave and Claire Rushbrook. 
 
 
Production credits 
Inspired by and dramatised from Joseph Addison and Richard Steele's 18th-century Spectator essays by Elizabeth Kuti 
Produced and directed by Heather Larmour 
Violin played by Paddy O'Flaherty 
 
Cast 
Mr Spectator - Benjamin Whitrow 
Gilbert - Richard Lumsden 
Kitty - Amy Marston 
Jonathan - Sam Troughton 
Coffee-boy - Samuel Barnett 
Lady - Fo Cullen 
Gentlemen- Miche Doherty/Richard Dormer/Chris McHallem/Mark Lambert 
Stockjobbers - Miche Doherty/Mark Lambert 
Disgruntled man/Freddie/Lion - Richard Dormer 
Wife/Leticia - Sarah Kants 
Spectacle inventor/Gravedigger - Chris McHallem 
Signor Niccolini - Miche Docherty 
Isabel - Emma Bolger 
Jacob - Daniel Walsh 
Aggie - Laura Conway 
Ned Dempsey - Bryan Dick 
Harley - David Schofield 
Abigail - Christina Cole 
Queen Anne - Jemma Redgrave 
Anne Baldwin - Claire Rushbrook 
Defoe - Sam Dale 
Aunt Maude - Stella McCusker 
Opera Singer - David Revels 
With Seainin Brennan, Niall Cusack, Paul Kennedy, Marty Maguire and Charlie Niblock-Hamill 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12-16 January 2009 (Series 1), 16-20 August 2010 (Series 2) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Dear Mr Spectator

A BBC Radio full-cast drama inspired by the anonymous writings of the famous social commentator

Steve Waters

A compelling 10-part drama about the founding of Israel, told through the parallel voices of a Jewish immigrant and an exiled Palestinian 
 
1917. As the British enter Palestine with the aim of facilitating a Jewish homeland, young Arab Youssef Bannourah befriends Harry Lister, an English civil servant who has come to live in his village of Deir Yassin. Impressed by Youssef's intelligence, Harry finds him a job working for the British administration. Meanwhile, fleeing Jewish persecution in Russia, Miriam Cohen and her mother Sara set sail for the promised land. On arrival, they move to a newly constructed kibbutz near Jerusalem, where - divided by faith and a fence - Miriam meets Youssef for the first time. 
 
Both dream of a nation where Jews and Arabs can live together in harmony. But their youthful idealism soon turns to disillusionment, and as tensions rise and violence erupts in the holy city, they become embroiled in political upheaval and terrorism. And for naive, well-meaning Harry Lister, Britain's inability to keep the peace - and her promises - will have fateful consequences... 
 
Spanning 31 years from the closing days of the First World War to 1948, this epic, multi-perspectival drama is narrated by an older Miriam and Youssef, who recount the story to their children. Moving seamlessly between past and present, it takes in key figures and pivotal moments in Israel's history, including the Balfour Declaration, the 1930s Arab Revolt, the bombing of the King David Hotel and the UN vote to partition Palestine. 
 
Written by acclaimed playwright Steve Waters, Miriam and Youssef takes a nuanced look at the turbulent chain of events that led to the birth of the State of Israel, shedding fascinating light on the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Among the diverse cast are a host of top Middle Eastern and British actors, including native Israeli Shani Erez as Miriam, Egyptian-born Amir El-Masry as Youssef and Londoner Blake Ritson as Harry Lister. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Steve Waters 
Produced by Radio Drama London for BBC World Service 
Music written and performed by Glenn Sharp 
Sound design: Caleb Knightley 
 
Cast 
Miriam - Shani Erez 
Youssef - Amir El-Masry 
Young Miriam - Ava Merson-O'Brien 
Young Youssef - Rafi Essex/Jo Ben Ayed 
Young Zahra - Nikhita Essex 
Harry Lister - Blake Ritson 
Sara - Jessica Turner 
Abu Khalid - Rami Nasr 
Umm Khalid - Sirine Saba 
Mahmoud/Menachim Begin - Daniel Rabin 
Yehoshua - Philip Arditti 
Ben-Gurion/Rabbi - Elliot Levey 
Mufti - Dana Haqjoo 
Major Dennis/Haganath Major - Clive Hayward 
Zahra - Lara Sawalha 
Judah Magnes/McMasters - Neil McCaul 
Musa Alami - Sargon Yelda 
Mohammed - Ramzi Dehani 
Palestinian woman - Nathalie Armin 
With Heather Craney, Hasan Dixon and Steve Waters 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
 
 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 April-1 July 2020 
 
 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Miriam and Youssef

A BBC Radio Full cast dramatisation

Humphrey Ker

David Reed

Thom Tuck

Eight swashbuckling tales about the eccentric members of Victorian Britain's greatest aristocratic family 
 
Based on their critically-acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festival shows Aeneas Faversham, Aeneas Faversham Returns and Aeneas Faversham Forever, these action-packed romps chronicle the lives of the Brothers Faversham, nine men who straddled the Victorian era 'like a mighty change-Titan'. In the annals of the British Empire, few names blaze more brightly than theirs - and now, at last, their extraordinary stories can be told. 
 
Beginning in 1834, as deadly adventuress and super-spy Lady Alexandra gives birth to her eldest son, we hear of the rise and fall of these prodigious siblings. Series 1 introduces us to the first four: decorated soldier Horatius; eminent detective Theseus; reckless explorer Leonidas and magician-turned-megalomaniac Augustus. In Series 2, we turn to the younger fraternal quintet: sporting hero Titus; renowned horror writer Maximilian; celebrated actor Marcus and successful twin industrialists Perceus and Lucius. Packed with staggering sketches, bizarre occurrences, curious happenstance and dastardly deeds, the sensational tale of the remarkable Favershams is one you will never forget... 
 
Featuring a brand new introduction, this splendidly melodramatic series is written and performed by debonair, waistcoated comedy trio The Penny Dreadfuls - Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck - and co-stars Ingrid Oliver and Miles Jupp. Brought to you by the Orphans for Cholera Awareness Foundation, this is... The Brothers Faversham! 
 
Credits 
Written by and starring The Penny Dreadfuls: Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck 
Script edited by Richard Turner 
Produced by Julia McKenzie 
 
Cast 
Alexandra Faversham - Ingrid Oliver 
Narrator - Miles Jupp 
First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 11 January-1 February 2008 (Series 1), 5-26 October 2008 (Series 2) 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Penny Dreadfuls: The Brothers Faversham

The BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Dramatised by Julia Stoneham

Samantha Bond stars in two captivating stories set around a hostel for Land Girls during World War Two 
 
Based in Devon in the 1940s, these two dramas follow the lives and loves of a group of young women, all from different backgrounds, but all determined to do their bit for King and country in the Land Army. Billeted in a hastily-converted farmhouse, they face cramped conditions and gruelling work - but there's always dances at the village hop and the chance of romance with a GI... 
 
The Cinderella Service 
It's 1943, and Alice Todd has just separated from her husband. With a ten-year-old son to care for, she accepts the position of Warden at a hostel for Land Girls: but is she up to the job? Looking after ten lively, independent women is hard, and when Alice's competence is questioned, she doubts her ability to cope. Will the loyalty and friendship of her girls persuade her to stick it out? 
 
Cinderella D-Day 
1944. Alice is still busy running the Women's Land Army hostel, as well as taking tentative steps in her new career and a fledgling relationship. But the girls in her care are finding that life in wartime does not run smoothly. As the hostilities rumble on, there is happiness and heartbreak in store, and the hostel residents face danger and some stark personal choices... 
 
Created by Julia Stoneham - a regular writer on hit TV show The House of Elliott - these evocative wartime dramas star Samantha Bond as Alice, with a cast including June Barrie, Tilly Vosburgh, Becky Hindley and Deborah McAndrew. 
 
 
Directed by Tracey Neale 
Theme tune: 'This Time the Dream's On Me' by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc 
 
The Cinderella Service 
Alice - Samantha Bond 
Edward-John - James Cohen 
Rose - June Barrie 
Annie - Tilly Vosburgh 
Mabel - Cathy Murphy 
Marian - Becky Hindley 
Winnie - Deborah McAndrew 
Martha - Rachel Lewis 
Taffy - Elaine Claxton 
Georgina - Annabel Mullion 
Chrissie - Teresa Gallagher 
Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley 
Roger Bayliss - Peter Yapp 
Christopher Bayliss - Andrew Wlncott 
Ferdie - Bill Wallis 
Oliver Maynard/Fred - Ian Masters 
Ron Chapman - David Collings 
Mrs Bowden - Jilly Bond 
Nora - Abigail Docherty 
Andreas - Walter Van Dyke 
Ruben - David Antrobus 
Alec/John Boyce - Matthew Morgan 
James Todd - David Jarvis 
Mary Brewer - Eva Stuart 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-19 April 1995 
 
Cinderella D-Day 
Alice - Samantha Bond 
Rose - June Barrie 
Georgina - Louise Lombard 
Christopher - Adrian Lukis 
Annie - Tilly Vosburgh 
Marian - Becky Hindley 
Winnie - Deborah McAndrew 
Taffy - Elaine Claxton 
Martha - Rachel Lewis 
Mabel - Cathy Murphy 
Edward-John - Sam Collings 
Roger Bayliss - Ioan Meredith 
Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley 
Ferdie - Bill Wallis 
Lionel Brewer - Alex Lowe 
Mary Brewer - Ann Beach 
Ruben - David Antrobus 
Marvin - Robert Harper 
Joan - Elaine Pyke 
Kiwi - Joanna Monro 
James - David Jarvis 
Dave - Dominic Taylor 
Eleanor - Abigail Docherty 
Beryl/Mrs Tucker/Fran - Janet Maw 
Lionel - Alex Lowe 
Fred - Denys Hawthorne 
Italian POW - Chris Pavlo 
Arthur - William Howard 
Other parts played by members of the cast 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 September-2 October 1996

The Cinderella Service & Cinderella D-Day

Two BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Kris Marshall and Katherine Jakeways star as Mr &amp; Mrs Pepys in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the world famous diaries. 
 
Samuel Pepys was 26 when he decided to start keeping a diary, in January 1660. For the next ten years he faithfully recorded the day's events and confessed his innermost thoughts. That diary has since become one of our most important, and fascinating, historical documents. 
 
Pepys gave us eyewitness accounts of some of the great events of the 17th century, including the Great Fire of London and the Second Dutch War. He also told us what people ate and wore, what they did for fun, the tricks they played on each other, what they expected of marriage, and even how they conducted love affairs. He described London - the frozen river Thames, the rising crime rate and the poverty - and recorded the details of his own life: his wife, rivals, lovers and friends, his work for the Navy, his drinking and social life. 
 
Over 350 years may have passed since Pepys first put pen to paper, but the man and his preoccupations feel surprisingly familiar. In this major BBC Radio dramatisation of the journals, the sights and sounds of his world are vividly conjured. This collection comprises all ten radio series plus a special Saturday Drama centring on the Great Fire of London. 
 
 
Featuring Kris Marshall and Katherine Jakeways, as well as; ewan Baily, Rebecca Newman, Matthew Gravelle, Manon Edwards, Blake Ritson, Dick Bradnam, Lee Mingo, Andrew Wincott, John Biddle, Stephen Marzella and Bendan Charleson.

The Diary of Samuel Pepys

The BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Hugh Walpole

A BBC Radio adaptation of Hugh Walpole's historical novel, set in the Lake District during the 18th Century 
 
1730. Driven by a wild romantic impulse, Francis Herries uproots his family from Doncaster to the lakeland valley of Borrowdale. Accompanied by his housekeeper/mistress, Alice, they settle in his tumbledown ancestral home, Herries, in the shadow of the Cumberland fells. 
 
Proud, stubborn and temperamental, Francis cuts himself off from his brother, spurns his long-suffering wife and becomes embroiled in drink and debauchery. When he sells Alice at Keswick Fair, his reputation is ruined, and the locals dub him 'Rogue' Herries. His fate is sealed when he falls for the flame-haired Mirabelle Starr. They are both vagabonds, both outcasts - but she is thirty years his junior, and does not love him. 
 
As Francis struggles with his feelings for Mirabelle, his son David and daughter Deborah have battles of their own to fight. Meanwhile, the Jacobite rising has begun, and Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebel army is at the gates of Carlisle... 
 
Described by John Buchan as 'the greatest English novel since Jude the Obscure', Rogue Herries is a sweeping family saga full of romance and drama. This powerful adaptation stars Gavin Muir as Francis, Mark Bonnar as David, Jane Slavin as Alice, Deborah Berlin as Mirabelle and Jane Whittenshaw as Deborah, with a full cast including Stephen Thorne, Hugh Dickson and Gerard McDermott. 
 
Written by Hugh Walpole 
Dramatised by Eric Pringle 
Technical presentation by Rosamund Mason, Colin Guthrie and Andy Garrett 
Directed by David Blount 
 
Cast 
Francis - Gavin Muir 
David - Mark Bonnar 
Margaret - Janet Maw 
Deborah - Jane Whittenshaw 
Alice Press - Jane Slavin 
Pomfret/Greenship - Stephen Thorne 
Jannice - Shirley Dixon 
Roche/Harcourt/Whitfield - Hugh Dickson 
Statesman Peel/George Endicott/Harness - Gerard McDermott 
Pedlar/Adam Beatty - Ioan Meredith 
Benjamin/Anthony Thorne - Chris Pavlo 
Young Deborah - Katie Clarke 
Young David - George Maguire 
Razeley - Joseph Head/Robert Harper 
Prince - Robert Harper 
Mirabelle - Deborah Berlin 
Cumberlege - Gordon Reid 
Mrs Cumberledge - Carolyn Jones 
Hetty - Alison Pettitt 
Sunwood/Bann/Reverend - Christopher Scott 
Denburn - Keith Drinkel 
Sarah - Becky Hindley 
Mrs Henny - Linda Polan 
Others parts played by Alex Lowe and members of the company 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 April-11 May 1997 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rogue Herries

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Alex Y. Ferguson

A lively comedy drama about a young boy growing up in 1930s Tyneside with the help of his favourite uncle 
 
Lecky Ferguson is growing up in a penniless but close-knit family in Jarrow. He relies on his imaginative Uncle Freddie for explanations of the world’s many mysteries. Packed with humour and adventure, this award-winning full-cast drama tells the life of a young man that is far from ordinary. 
 
There are adventures with new-fangled electricity and a fistfight with the rag and bone man, not to mention the time that Uncle Freddie became the Pineapple King. They meet a Romanov princess at the chippy and share a seaside trip with an exiled Leon Trotsky in a stolen tram. Plucky Lecky shoots down a biplane with his catapult and meets a mysterious French airman, and there’s also the small matter of the Prince of Wales, who they manage to rescue from the Tyne. 
 
Based on events from the author’s own childhood, Alex Y. Ferguson's hilarious and heart-warming series is both a passionate evocation of the poverty of 1930s Jarrow and a laugh-out-loud tale of a childhood full of family warmth, surreal delights and magical moments. 
 
Starring Alex Y. Ferguson as the Narrator, with Art Davies (Series 1-2) and Shaun Prendergast (Series 3-6) as Uncle Freddie, and Karl Boyd (Series 1), Simon Henderson (Series 2), Gareth Brown (Series 3-5) and Jamie Bell (Series 6) as young Lecky Ferguson. 
 
Alex Y. Ferguson is a national award-winning writer with Silver and Gold Awards from the Writers’ Guild. My Uncle Freddie, ran for six series on Radio 4 and won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain’s Award for Comedy & Light entertainment in 1997. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

My Uncle Freddie: The Complete Series 1-6

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Comedy Drama

David Ashton

Counterfeiters, spies, murderers... and Isaac Newton must use his brilliant mind to defeat them all in this pair of full-cast historical crime dramas 
 
In Master of the Mint, a new figure of justice is walking the streets of 17th-century London - Isaac Newton, scientific genius. After thirty years as a Cambridge academic, Newton takes up a new post at the Royal Mint in the Tower of London. But the work doesn't stay peaceful: soon he finds himself asking questions within drinking dens of ill-repute, in pursuit of a notorious counterfeiting gang. Can he stop their plans to set off a financial crash that will bring down the Government? 
 
In Nemesis, Isaac Newton must contend not only with opponents to his currency plans, but also with a French secret agent who is aiding the theft of England's entire supply of silver. When a wagon of silver is stolen, and his close colleague murdered, Newton must face facts: he's been betrayed. But is he able to protect his country from the same fate? 
 
From the writer of McLevy, these are fun, gripping and irresistible tales of thugs and villains, treasure and treachery, and the scientific logic which might just save an entire country... 
 
Cast 
William Gaminara - Isaac Newton 
Gunnar Cauthery - Hopton Haynes 
Kerry Gooderson - Catherine Barton (Master of the Mint) 
Laura Christy - Catherine Barton (Nemesis) 
Nicholas Tizzard - Charles Montague (Master of the Mint) 
Rick Warden - Charles Montague (Nemesis) 
Jonathan Forbes - Albert Chandler 
Michael Nardone - John Gibson 
Ryan Early - Jack Carter 
Clive Hayward - Thomas Carey 
Melody Grove - Belle Russell 
Lauren Cornelius - Mary Docherty 
Sean Murray - Elliot Miller 
Will Kirk - Jamie Wilde 
Greg Jones - Gilchrist 
Gerard McDermott - Richard Vernon/Bob Phillips (Master of the Mint) 
Neil McCaul - Richard Vernon (Nemesis) 
 
Production credits 
Written by David Ashton 
Produced and Directed by Bruce Young 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 July 2018 (Master of the Mint) and 14-15 November 2019 (Nemesis) 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Isaac Newton: Master of the Mint & Nemesis

Two BBC Radio full-cast crime dramas

William Harrison Ainsworth

An epic 13-part dramatisation of William Harrison Ainsworth’s historical romance, centring around the rise and fall of Lady Jane GreyWilliam Harrison Ainsworth was lauded by his contemporaries as a successor to Sir Walter Scott, and was named in 1847 as one of the three most popular writers in England (alongside Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Charles Dickens). His first three historical novels were inspired by the lives of Dick Turpin, ‘Honest Jack’ Sheppard and ‘the Admirable Crichton’, but with The Tower of London, he decided to base his book around a place rather than a person. Depicting the ancient citadel ‘in its triple light of a palace, a prison and a fortress’, he went on to weave a thrilling tale of power struggles, romance and political intrigue – featuring two coronations, a wedding, several executions and a siege...It begins in July 1553, as the newly-crowned Queen Jane makes her way by barge to the Tower, where she will spend the first days of her reign. Following the death of Edward VI, she has been installed on the throne by her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland, who has married her to his son Lord Guildford Dudley with hopes of making him King.But danger lurks within the Tower’s high walls, for there are many who plot against Jane: not least Simon Renard, the Spanish Ambassador, who is determined to make Catherine of Aragon’s Catholic daughter, Mary, Queen in Jane’s place. Surrounded by enemies and betrayed by those she trusted most, Jane is led step by step to her tragic fate... Meanwhile, the beautiful Cicely, the ‘Rose of the Tower’, has fallen in love with Dudley’s squire, Cuthbert Cholmondeley, only for their budding romance to be thwarted by the villainous, jealous head jailer Nightgall. As history plays out around her, is she destined for happiness or heartbreak?Dramatised by actor and writer Tony Van den Bergh, this riveting 1968 drama dates from the glory days of the BBC Repertory Company, and features an ensemble cast including Gudrun Ure, Peter Baldwin, Francis de Wolff, Rosalind Shanks, Garard Green and Marjorie Westbury.With thanks to Keith Wickham and the Radio CircleNB: This recording contains dated language and attitudesProduction creditsWritten by William Harrison AinsworthFirst published 1840Dramatised by Tony Van den BerghProduced and directed by R D SmithCastJane, the Queen – Gudrun UreNightgall, head jailer – Peter BaldwinMagog, a giant warder – Francis de WolffRibald, his crony – Leigh CrutchleyArchbishop Cranmer/Arundel – John WyseBishop Ridley – Ralph Trumande Noailles, French Ambassador – David MarchSimon Renard, Spanish Ambassador – Malcolm HayesSuffolk – Peter WilliamsLord Guilford Dudley – Michael HarbourCuthbert, his squire – Christopher BidmeadCicely – Beth BoydGunnora, an old nurse – Phyllis MontefioreDame Potentia, a cook’s wife – Lynn CarsonXit, a dwarf – Nigel AnthonyNorthumberland, Lord Protector – Denis McCarthyPrincess Elizabeth – Rosalind ShanksQueen Mary – Alexa RomanesLord Gardiner – Duncan McIntyreLord Courtenay – Douglas HankinAlexia, a crazed prisoner – Margaret FordWinchester – Rolf LefebvreDean Feckenham – Geoffrey WincottSir Thomas Wyatt – Garard GreenMistress Ellen – Marjorie WestburyUnderhill – Haydn JonesMauger – John Holus Other parts played by Diana Robson, Jan Edwards, Norma Griffin, Joyce Latham, Henry Webb, Norman Wynne and members of the BBC Drama Repertory CompanyFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 March-5 June 1968© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Tower of London

A Vintage BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisation

John Peacock

A BBC Radio thriller series about two old-school detectives who solve crimes in Victorian London 
 
1839, and Bow Street Runner Pip Shepherd is out of a job. The Runners have been disbanded, merged with Sir Robert Peel's new Metropolitan Police - and there's no way Pip's signing up with them. But when he befriends 'Peeler' Thomas Tedman, and hears about an upcoming detective division, he has second thoughts: and soon the duo are investigating their first cases together. 
 
The Last of the Bow Street Runners sees Tom and Pip teaming up to solve the mystery of a murdered earl and a missing fiancé. 
 
In A Cuckoo in the Nest, a man lost at sea for 14 years returns to claim his fortune. But is he the Nettlefields' true son and heir, or an imposter? 
 
Out on the Drag finds Pip going undercover to infiltrate a gang of 'draggers' led by the sinister Brock - and finding more than he bargained for. 
 
In The Kitten House, the two policemen probe a sophisticated vice ring operating in the highest echelons of society... 
 
Scripted by award-winning writer John Peacock, these four fantastic historical crime dramas star Todd Carty (Grange Hill, EastEnders) as Pip, with Charles Simpson (London Bridge, Kavanagh QC) as Thomas. 
 
Written by John Peacock 
Directed by David Blount 
Pianist: Harry Myers 
 
Cast 
Pip Shepherd - Todd Carty 
Thomas Tedman - Charles Simpson 
Dolly Jenks - Maggie McCarthy 
With Deborah Berlin, Ioan Meredith, Tessa Worsley, Zulema Dene, Stephen Critchlow, Tracy Wiles, Becky Hindley, Elizabeth Conboy, Harry Myers, Maggie McCarthy 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 June-2 July 1999 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

London Particulars

Alexander Mackendrick

Jay Presson Allen

Alexander Mackendrick's unproduced screenplay about the most turbulent year of Mary Stuart's life 
 
'Rain-drenched spectacular... [Glenda] Jackson brings authority and asperity, but so much more' New Statesman 
 
The annals of movie history are full of lost treasures - spectacular scripts from world-renowned writers that could have been classics, had they only been made. Now, for the first time, some of these forgotten gems have been brought to life, fully realised as vivid, cinematic radio productions. Scripted by major 20th Century writers, including Harold Pinter, Arthur Miller, Alfred Hitchcock and Dennis Potter, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks. 
 
One of seven 'unmade movies' available on audio, Mary Queen of Scots follows one tumultuous year in the life of the 16th Century monarch. It's 1566, and two clans are at war. Two religions - Catholic and Protestant - are in conflict. And two countries - England and Scotland - are about to collide. At the centre of this turmoil is 23-year-old Queen Mary: pregnant, isolated and vulnerable. Caught in a web of treachery, betrayal and murder, she must use her steely intelligence and every skill at her disposal to maintain her rightful position on the throne... 
 
The acclaimed director of Whisky Galore! and The Ladykillers, Alexander Mackendrick spent nearly two decades struggling to adapt Mary Stuart's story for the silver screen, before retiring from filmmaking in 1969. Almost 50 years later, his cherished project was finally revived, directed by 'BAFTA Breakthrough Brit' Hope Dickson Leach and produced by Sandy Lieberson, Mackendrick's intended producer for the film. Narrated by the multi-award-winning Glenda Jackson, who twice played Elizabeth I in the 1970s, it stars Ellie Bamber (The Serpent) as Mary. Settle back and let yourself get carried away by this sweeping tale of passion, power, triumph and tragedy... 
 
 
Production credits 
Original screenplay by Alexander Mackendrick and Jay Presson Allen 
Directed by Hope Dickson Leach 
Executive Producers: Laurence Bowen, Peter Ettedgui, Sandy Lieberson and Frank Stirling 
Sound Design: Wilfredo Acosta 
Original music by Hutch Demouilpied 
A Dancing Ledge production for BBC Radio 4 
 
Cast 
Mary Stuart - Ellie Bamber 
Narrator - Glenda Jackson 
Maitland - Mark Bonnar 
Bothwell/Kerr - Emun Elliott 
Darnley - Edward Holcroft 
Morton - Bill Paterson 
Ruthven/Du Croc/Knox - Struan Rodger 
Murray/Rizzio/Taylor/Scout - Kevin Guthrie 
Paris/Porter - Jamie Quinn 
Mary Seton/Mary Fleming - Katharine O'Donnelly 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 December 2018 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Unmade Movies: Alexander MacKendrick's Mary Queen of Scots

A BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the unproduced screenplay

Adrian Bean

A gripping series about one family's journey into the unknown aboard the Mayflower, starring Louise Brealey 
 
What do you do when your beliefs are condemned by the rest of society? 
 
Sarah Hargreaves doesn't share her husband Matthew's desire to join the Puritan exiles, but when their son Benjamin is arrested on a trumped-up charge, they have little choice but to go. Things go rapidly from bad to worse, and they decide to leave everything behind. Hoping to find peace and like-minded souls in a new religious community in America, they spend everything they have left on a ticket to sail on the Mayflower. 
 
Safely aboard ship their adventure really begins. But conditions are cramped, storms blast the ship, and their daughter Elizabeth is very sick. Halfway across the vast Atlantic, there is no turning back… 
 
Also included in this release is a bonus programme, ‘The Mayflower – 400 years’, in which Emily Buchanan explores the Pilgrims’ journey, their relationship with Native Americans, and how their political and religious beliefs helped shape modern America. 
 
Cast: 
Sarah Hargreaves - Louise Brealey 
 Matthew Hargreaves - Trystan Gravelle 
 Ben - Joel MacCormack 
 Elizabeth - Megan McInerney 
Saul Tregarron - Matthew Gravelle 
 Captain Jones - John Cording 
Reverend Kerswell/Ghost Sailor/Minister - Marc Danbury 
Woman/Blackbird – Ashleigh Haddad 
Samoset – Daniel Taylor 
 
Directed by John Norton 
 A BBC Cymru Wales Production 
 
'The Mayflower - 400 years' was produced by David Cook and Dan Tierney

Exile: Journey on the Mayflower

A gripping BBC Radio full-cast drama

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