Steve Roud was Local Studies Librarian for the London Borough of Croydon and served as Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society for over fifteen years. He has been researching British folklore for over thirty years and is the joint author of the Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore, plus other books on traditional drama and folk song, and the Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland, which won the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award in 2004. His publications include London Lore (2008) and The Lore of the Playground (2010). He also compiles the Folk Song Index and the Broadside Index, two internationally acclaimed computer databases of traditional folk and popular song. He lives in Sussex.

Steve Roud

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Steve Richards

Steve Richards tells the inside story of Gordon Brown's time as prime minister, based on revealing interviews with his close colleagues. Interviewees include former ministers Peter Mandelson, Ed Balls, Harriet Harman, Jack Straw, Douglas Alexander, Alan Johnson, Hazel Blears, Peter Hain and Shriti Vadera; and several former Downing St insiders including those responsible for policy, political strategy and polling. Producer: Martin Rosenbaum.

The Brown Years

Steve Redgrave

Sir Steve Redgrave is a former British rower who won five Gold Medals in five successive Olympic Games. In this collection we hear - in his own words - about why he retired after the Olympic Games in Atlanta, yet returned for his fifth victory in Sydney. He discusses his early days rowing and his post-race emotions, and memories of his last race. He's also open about his retirement and knowing that Sydney was the last time, as well as missing the team and routine. In addition, he talks about his career after rowing, such as his charity running, his clothing range, his charity trust and running the London Marathon. 
 
The interviews included in this collection are Parkinson, BBC One (first broadcast 6 October 2000); Go 4 It, BBC Radio 4 (first broadcast 15 April 2001) and What Sports Stars Do Next, BBC Radio Wales (first broadcast 10 December 2007). 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Steve Redgrave In His Own Words

Roald Dahl

In interviews ranging from 1972 to 1989, Roald Dahl talks about writing for children; his medical inventions to aid his ailing son and wife (the actress Patricia Neal) when they were seriously ill, and writing his short stories. He also covers his school days; military service; writing for films (including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and the link between cruelty and laughter. 
 
These archive recordings, many of which have not been heard since they were first transmitted, open a window into the past and shine a light on the one of the icons of our time. 
 
 Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Roald Dahl In His Own Words

Two new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of Roald Dahl's gripping autobiographical stories. 
 
These two compelling adaptations, based on Roald Dahl’s real-life tales of his of his boyhood and youthful overseas adventures, celebrate his remarkable life and commemorate his genius. 
 
Boy Dahl’s childhood was one of excitement, wonder, terror and sadness. From his fascination with the local sweetshop to the Great Mouse Plot, the horrors of boarding school, the obnoxious Boazers and his time as a chocolate taster for Cadbury’s, we hear of the extraordinary events that shaped him and inspired his bestselling books. 
 
Going Solo Setting sail for Africa on the SS Montola, aged 22, Dahl is plunged into an unfamiliar world of eccentric colonial characters. In Tanzania he enjoys life on the savannah, encountering lions and deadly mambas – but when World War II breaks out, and he must round up the Germans in Dar es Salaam, he experiences the brutality of war. As he leaves the bush behind and takes to the skies as an RAF pilot, many thrilling adventures and dangerous missions will ensue before he finally makes his way back home... 
 
Starring Patrick Malahide as the voice of Dahl, these colourful dramatisations will carry you away into worlds every bit as amazing, strange and memorable as the ones in his acclaimed fiction. Duration: 3 hours approx

Boy & Going Solo

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Maya Angelou

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Maya Angelou's poignant, powerful autobiography, starring Adjoa Andoh, Indie Gjesdal and Pippa Bennett-Warner. 
 
Abandoned by their parents, Maya and her older brother Bailey are sent to live with their grandmother and uncle in the small Southern town of Stamps in Arkansas. Struggling with rejection, they endure the prejudice of their white neighbours and suffer several racist incidents. 
 
One day, their father unexpectedly returns and takes the children to live with their mother in St Louis, Missouri. Aged only eight, Maya is abused by her mother's boyfriend, an experience that haunts her for a lifetime. Filled with guilt and shame, she refuses to speak to anyone except Bailey – until she meets Mrs Bertha Flowers, who encourages her love of books, helping her to find her voice and regain her own strong spirit. 
 
Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic, beloved worldwide, which recounts a youth filled with curiosity, wonder, disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and hard-won independence. This radio dramatisation, starring Adjoa Andoh, Indie Gjesdal and Pippa Bennett-Warner, plays out her extraordinary story with dramatic verve and poetic brilliance. 
 
Cast: 
Narrator (Older Maya)...Adjoa Andoh 
Maya...Indie Gjedsal/Pippa Bennett-Warner 
Bailey...Roshawn Hewitt 
Momma...Cecilia Noble 
Uncle Willie/Freeman/Daddy...Richard Pepple 
Steward/Lawyer...John Lightbody 
Girl...Francesca Elise 
Mother...Ellen Thomas 
Bertha Flowers...Nikki Amuka-Bird 
Spanish voices... Maider Jáuregui, Rocío Mesonero, Celia Romo, Julio Villa-García, Hugo Sánchez and Francisco Oda-Ángel @ Instituto Cervantes,Manchester 
Receptionist...Lauren Cornelius 
 
Dramatised by Patricia Cumper 
Produced by Pauline Harris

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Vicky Baker

Chloe Moss

The rise and fall of Anna Delvey: mixing drama with documentary to tell the incredible story of one of the most infamous impostors of our time 
 
Wealthy heiress Anna Delvey was one of the international jetset. Her Instagram account was a window on a glamorous world, filled with art launches, champagne brunches, VIP parties and stays in high-end hotels. Due to come into a $67m trust fund on her 26th birthday, she planned to establish the Anna Delvey Foundation, a multi-million dollar visual-arts centre in the heart of New York, and wined and dined the city’s wealthy elite to secure investment for her project. 
 
It all sounded amazing – but it was all a lie. Anna Delvey the heiress was actually Anna Sorokin the magazine intern. Through name-dropping, networking and sheer chutzpah, this ordinary twentysomething had reinvented herself as a multimillionaire socialite – conning businesses and friends out of thousands of dollars in the process. 
 
But how did she manage to live a life of luxury for so long? How did she make anyone believe her story? And how did she get people to trust her enough to give her their money? 
 
In this gripping docudrama, journalist Vicky Baker and playwright Chloe Moss dig deeper into the scandal that shook New York, exploring how she successfully scammed high society, and what ultimately brought about her downfall. Bella Dayne, who played Helen of Troy in the BBC series Troy: Fall of a City, stars as Anna. 
 
Cast and credits 
Reporting by Vicky Baker 
Drama by Chloe Moss 
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko 
 
Starring Bella Dayne as Anna 
Other parts played by Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Heather Craney, Will Kirk, Scarlett Courtney, Neil McCaul, Clive Hayward, Ian Conningham, Lucy Reynolds, Adam Courting, Greg Jones, Laura Christy, Jessica Turner, Ikky Elyas and Sinead MacInnes 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 December 2019

Fake Heiress: The Anna Delvey scandal

A BBC investigation into how she conned New York high society

Various

Forty-five episodes from Series 1-8 of the Sony Award-winning BBC Radio comedy show, hosted by Rufus Hound. 
 
In this hilarious and revealing show, host Rufus Hound invites his guests to revisit their formative years by dusting off their intimate teenage diaries and reading them out in public for the very first time. From terrible poetry, musings on pop music and cringeworthy crushes, to fond recollections of schooldays and exotic holidays, to poignant and searingly honest confessions, these extracts reveal the secret thoughts, feelings and experiences of a host of well-known celebrities – before they became famous. 
 
Among the contributors are Richard Herring, Shappi Khorsandi, Sheila Hancock, Meera Syal, Arabella Weir, Robert Webb, Caitlin Moran, Ken Livingstone, Terry Wogan, Alex Horne, Lionel Shriver, Michael Rosen, Ian Rankin, Debbie McGee and John Finnemore. 
 
As they delve into the past and reflect on their youth, will they be filled with nostalgia, or embarrassment? What would they say to their younger selves? And what song will they choose to sum up their teenage years? Find out all this – and a lot more besides – in these surprising, insightful and hugely entertaining shows. 
 
Produced by Harriet Jaine 
Executive Producer: Aled Evans 
A Talkback production for BBC Radio 4 
 
Episodes: 
 
Series 1 
Richard Herring 
Russell Kane 
Shappi Khorsandi 
Steve Hall 
Josie Long 
Jenny Eclair 
 
Series 2 
Sheila Hancock 
Victoria Coren 
Meera Syal 
Rob Deering 
Phil Nichol 
 
Series 3 
Michael Winner 
Janet Street-Porter 
Jo Caulfield 
Arabella Weir 
 
Series 4 
Robert Webb 
Caitlin Moran 
Jackie Kay 
Toby Young 
Rhona Cameron 
Julia Donaldson 
 
Series 5 
Ken Livingstone 
Vanessa Feltz 
Sarfraz Mansoor 
Rachel Johnson 
Janet Ellis 
Kate Mosse 
 
Series 6 
Terry Wogan 
Chris Difford 
Oona King 
Robert Newman 
Lucy Worsley 
Alex Horne 
 
Series 7 
Robert Peston 
Lionel Shriver 
Michael Rosen 
Samira Ahmed 
Chris Packham 
 
2017 Special 
Ian Rankin 
 
Series 8 
Debbie McGee 
John Finnemore 
Anneka Rice 
Pippa Evans 
Gyles Brandreth 
Helen Lederer

My Teenage Diary

Adolescent musings from Series 1-8 of the hit BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Liam Williams

From Liam Williams, a two-time Edinburgh Festival Award Nominated comedian, comes a rich storytelling series about Liam's teenage misadventures in the Yorkshire suburbs. 
 
The first series delves into Liam's memories of his first fight, virginity loss, the best house party ever organised, and his marvellous outwitting of an entire teaching staff. This is the New Labour, post-mining, aspirational heartland, meeting 50 Cent and Generation Y ennui, represented in a bourgeois radio format - by one of Britain's most exciting comedians. 
 
Series two sees Liam anxiously awaiting A-Level results before trying to find his feet in a most alien of new environments, Cambridge University. There, he searches for hedonism, torn between the laddish drinking societies and the artsy intelligentsia of Cambridge University. 
 
Liam Williams is a critically acclaimed comedian, known for his wry poetic presentation style. He was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2013 Edinburgh Fridge Comedy Awards, and for Best Show at the 2014 awards. He has appeared as a guest stand up on Russell Howard’s Good News, and on Channel 4’s Drunk History. His successful mockumentary series on BBC Three in 2017 was called Pls Like, about a man trying to become a YouTube star. 
 
The series was recorded in Leeds and stars teens from Yorkshire as the young Liam and his mates. Ladhood received a commendation for Best Scripted Comedy at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2018. 
 
Produced by Arnab Chanda (Series 1) and Joseph Nunnery (Series 2).

Ladhood: The Complete Series 1 and 2

A BBC Radio 4 comedy

BBC Radio Comedy

What would Jonathan Agnew do if he wasn't a cricket commentator? Who would play Romesh Ranganathan in a film of his life? What's the naughtiest thing Sara Pascoe did as a child? 
 
It's not what you know, but who you know that matters... and indeed, how well you know them. The show is a bit like ‘Mr and Mrs’, except that it's not played by husbands and wives. Instead, panellists can pick anyone they like: dad, cousin, best friend, mother-in-law. 
 
What is Bridget Christie's worst fear? Or Ainsley Harriott's worst habit? Or Seann Walsh's worst gig? 
 
All these burning questions, and more, will be answered in this BBC comedy panel show hosted by Miles Jupp, where panellists are tested on how well they know their nearest and dearest. 
 
Get to know panellists such Rebecca Front, Roisin Conaty, Mark Steel, Tom Wrigglesworth, Ed Byrne, Tony Hawks, Rachel Riley, Richard Madeley, Dave Gorman, Lucy Porter, Richard Osman, Frankie Boyle, Susan Calman, Sara Cox, Katherine Ryan, Alan Johnson and Sarah Millican. 
 
Produced by Sam Michell.

It’s Not What You Know: Series 1-5

The BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

In a fascinating collection of archive interviews with the celebrated writer, presenter and polymath, you can hear - in his own words - the beliefs and aspirations that have shaped him. He talks about his upbringing, a time when Stephen admits he was a rebellious schoolboy and behaved outrageously in order to survive school, and discusses his early love of language and Oscar Wilde. He also recalls discovering classic radio comedy and meeting Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie at Cambridge. 
 
 Stephen is extraordinarily honest about some of his personal experiences, which have included imprisonment for credit card fraud, going public about his sexuality, and coping with public criticism. He also comments on fame, addictions, being hard on himself and wanting to make people laugh. 
 
 The interviews in this collection include: Could Do Better, BBC Radio (first broadcast 4 November 1987); Walters' Weekly, BBC Radio (first broadcast 1 January 1988, featuring John Walters); Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio (first broadcast 27 November 1988, featuring Sue Lawley); Open to Questions, BBC TV (first broadcast 1 May 1989); Parkinson, BBC TV (first broadcast 15 January 1999, featuring Michael Parkinson); Front Row, BBC Radio (first broadcast 15 September 2010, featuring Mark Lawson). 
 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Stephen Fry In His Own Words

John Sergeant

Greg Dyke

Gyles Brandreth

Jennie Bond

Roy Hattersley

Adam Hart-Davis

Antony Worrall-Thompson

Esther Rantzen

Janet Street-Porter

Lorraine Kelly

Edwina Currie

Alan Carr

Sue Perkins

Lucy Porter

Robin Ince

The comedy panel game where all the questions are about the guest host 
 
Welcome to The Personality Test, the panel show in which a brand new host takes the chair for every episode to present a quiz entirely themed around themselves. Each gets to run the show by their own rules, devising topics and queries based on their life, whims, fancies and past glories. Among the showbiz celebrities in the hot seat are Gyles Brandreth, Jennie Bond, Antony Worrall Thompson, Esther Rantzen, Janet Street-Porter and Edwina Currie, while the rounds include Love It Or Hate It, True or False, That Special Day and Life's a Pitch. 
 
Is John Sergeant a fan of Julia Roberts? Would Greg Dyke give Radio 4 just a minute, or leave it on a desert island? And does Claire Rayner have a penchant for jelly babies? Having spent a week swotting up on their host, the contestants must tackle these questions and more, as they do their best to amuse, entertain, charm, flatter - and occasionally, flirt outrageously - in a bid to chalk up the points and win the game. Battling it out are regular panellists and comedy heavyweights Alan Carr, Sue Perkins, Robert Ince, Lucy Porter, Will Smith and Carrie Quinlan. 
 
Intriguing and challenging, riotous and revealing, this unique panel show shines a fascinating spotlight on the interests and enthusiasms of your favourite personalities - and keeps you laughing along the way. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Richard Turner, Simon Littlefield and Kieron Quirke 
Devised and produced by Aled Evans 
 
Series 1 presented by: John Sergeant, Greg Dyke, Gyles Brandreth and Jennie Bond 
With Sue Perkins, Alan Carr, Lucy Porter, Will Smith, Robin Ince and Natalie Haynes 
 
Series 2 presented by: Roy Hattersley, Rick Wakeman, Adam Hart-Davis, Antony Worrall Thompson, Claire Rayner and Esther Rantzen 
With Sue Perkins, Lucy Porter, Robin Ince, Mark Dolan and Will Smith 
 
Series 3 presented by: Janet Street-Porter, Lorraine Kelly, Andrew Neill, Edwina Currie, Toyah Willcox and Eve Pollard 
With Sue Perkins, Will Smith, Nick Doody, Lucy Porter, Robin Ince, Carrie Quinlan and Dan Tetsell 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 July-2 August 2006 (Series 1), 7 December 2006-11 January 2007 (Series 2), 5 July-9 August 2007 (Series 3) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Personality Test

The complete BBC Radio 4 comedy quiz series

Nick Hancock

Nick Hancock finds out what people, places and pop songs his celebrity guests would consign to oblivion 
 
Room 101 is the anti-Desert Island Discs. Instead of picking the tracks, books and luxuries they love, guests are invited to banish their least favourite things to Orwell's eponymous chamber of horrors. Twenty-seven episodes of the show were broadcast on Radio 5 between 1992 and 1994, and it went on to run for 18 hit series on BBC TV before relaunching on Radio 4 in 2023. 
 
This specially-curated collection contains 16 of the very best editions of the original radio series. Included are the first ever show, in which Paul Merton reveals his aversion to Northanger Abbey, the city of Edinburgh and Kenneth More's laugh, and the final one from 1994, which sees Andy Hamilton hoping to rid the world of Look Back in Anger, 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool' and Field of Dreams. 
 
Among the other famous names discussing their bugbears and bête noires are Helen Lederer, Trevor and Simon, Caroline Quentin, Tony Hawks, Kevin Day, Maria McErlane and Mark Lamarr. Weighing up their arguments (and adding a few prejudices of his own) is host Nick Hancock, who has the final say on what stays and what goes. 
 
Will he let Arthur Smith put Barbara Cartland into Room 101? What has Jenny Eclair got against 'My Little Pony' videos? Why does Ian Hislop detest 'We Are The Champions'? And why does Steve Punt think Platform 5 at East Croydon station is the worst place in the world? All will be revealed in these bright and breezy shows, as some of our favourite celebrities share their peeves, pet hates and personal stories. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Nick Hancock 
Produced by Lissa Evans and Phil Clark 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 5 on the following dates: 
 
Paul Merton 9 January 1992 
Jenny Eclair 16 January 1992 
Arthur Smith 30 January 1992 
Steve Punt 6 February 1992 
Ian Hislop 14 August 1992 
John Walters 4 September 1992 
Helen Lederer 11 September 1992 
Donna McPhail 2 October 1992 
Trevor Neal and Simon Hickson 3 September 1993 
Caroline Quentin 10 September 1993 
Tony Hawks 17 September 1993 
Kevin Day 15 October 1993 
Maria McErlane 22 October 1993 
Mark Lamarr 29 October 1993 
Nick Revell 27 February 1994 
Andy Hamilton 25 March 1994 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Room 101

Highlights from the Classic BBC Radio 5 Comedy Series

Stephen K Amos

Jonathan Harvey

Stand-up meets sitcom in Stephen K Amos&rsquo;s semi-autobiographical show about growing up black, gay and funny in 1980s London 
 
&lsquo;One of the most likable figures in British comedy Radio Times 
 
Comedian Stephen K Amos is one of eight children, whose parents came to London from Nigeria in the 60s. In these three series, co-written with multi-award-winning British playwright Jonathan Harvey, he takes us back in time to the 1980s, as he reminisces about his dysfunctional childhood and formative experiences, and shares the dramas and traumas of his teenage years. 
 
We join his younger self as he wrestles with his identlty; falls in love; overcomes his stage fright and takes the lead role in the school play, Balham Side Story. And as he takes his first steps into working life, he gets caught up in the Brixton riots, worries about his parents splitting up, and finally plucks up the courage to reveal a secret&hellip; 
 
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah stars as Young Stephen, and each show is hosted by Stephen K Amos himself, adding stand-up narration and his own comic perspective. Among the cast are Ellen Thomas and Don Gilet as Stephen&rsquo;s mum and dad, Fatou Sohna as Stephanie Amos, Gemma Whelan as Miss Collins, Michelle Butterly as Miss Bliss and Frankie Wilson as Jayson Jackson. 
 
And the answer to the show&rsquo;s title? You&rsquo;ll have to listen and find out... 
 
Production credits 
 
Stephen K Amos &ndash; Himself 
Young Stephen &ndash; Shaquille Ali-Yebuah 
Stephanie Amos &ndash; Fatou Sohna 
Virginia Amos &ndash; Ellen Thomas 
Vincent Amos/Tanktop &ndash; Don Gilet 
Miss Collins &ndash; Gemma Whelan 
Jayson Jackson/John the Baptist &ndash; Frankie Wilson 
PE Teacher/Red Coat/Philip/Check-in guy/Random Bloke &ndash; Harry Jardine 
Fanni &ndash; Emerald O'Hanrahan 
Fola &ndash; Kathryn Drysdale 
Bo Bells/Taxi driver/Stephanie Turner &ndash; Rachel Atkins 
Samaritan/Policeman/Taxi driver &ndash; David Seddon 
Miss Bliss &ndash; Michelle Butterly 
Mary Magdalene/Bette Davis/Sophie &ndash; Nadia Kamil 
Boy Roy &ndash; Ryan Watson 
Miss Hunt/Moira Stuart/Fergie &ndash; Margaret Cabourn-Smith 
Princess &ndash; Jocelyn Jee Esien 
Dustin &ndash; Laurie Kynaston 
With Frances Barber, Bola Okun, Emerald Crankson, Karen Bartke and David Sterne 
 
Written by Jonathan Harvey with Stephen K Amos 
Produced by Colin Anderson and Paul Sheehan 
Violin played by Rachel Barnes 
Cover photography by Pal Hansen 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 November 2013-1 January 2014 (Series 1), 31 December 2014-4 February 2015 (Series 2), 25 January-15 February 2017 (Series 3) 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

What Does the K Stand For?

A BBC Radio 4 Sitcom About Growing up Black, Gay and Funny in 1980s London

Victoria Coren Mitchell

Victoria Coren Mitchell meets some fascinating women to explore the journeys they have made in the cars that they have known - and the sorts of things they shout in traffic. 
 
Hear what Dawn wrote on the back of her first car; find out which comedian totalled her beloved Cortina; and discover the advantages of the refrigerated glove compartment. Sarah Millican describes a traffic jam that lead to some desperate measures, Sheila Hancock explains how the trick of getting older is actually to speed up, and Jo Brand recounts how her car became an impromptu counselling couch for comedians (and when you shouldn't risk a roadside wee). 
 
Plus you can find out what no driving test examiner should ever say to a successful candidate. 
 
With guests including Dawn French, Germaine Greer, Sarah Millican, Olivia Coleman, Sheila Hancock, Jo Brand, Esther Rantzen and Claudia Winkleman. 
 
Produced by Gareth Edwards. 
A BBC Studios production.

Women Talking About Cars: Series 1-3

Natalie Haynes

All four series of Natalie Haynes’ BBC Radio 4 show combining comedy with classicism 
 
Writer, broadcaster and recovering comedian Natalie Haynes mixes comedy and conversation to bring the ancient world entertainingly up to date in these four radio series. Each episode sees her profiling a key figure from ancient Greece and Rome, and, aided by her special guests, creating a stand-up show around them. 
 
Series 1 investigates Petronius and the worst dinner party in history; asks whether Sophocles invented the TV detective with Oedipus; explains how Virgil was responsible for Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and introduces us to the notorious Aspasia. 
 
In Series 2, Natalie stands up for Aristophanes (expect a chorus of frogs and a sex strike); Ovid (featuring frottage at the races); Plato (a bit chunky, but a good wrestler) and Agrippina (pretty well connected and handy with the purse strings). 
 
Series 3 discusses Sappho, whose scorching poetry is now mainly lost; brings us some thousand-year-old gossip about Cicero; gives us the lowdown on Lucian, the forgotten inventor of science fiction; and tells the story of Juvenal, history’s first great stand-up comedian. 
 
Finally, Series 4 explores Phryne, the Greek courtesan famed for her wit and beauty; Horace, the Roman poet who made friends of enemies through his writing; Euripides, whose Medea still shocks us today; and Livy, who gave us Hannibal crossing the Alps and the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. 
 
Guests include Martin Rowson, Richard Dyer, Victoria Rimell, Professor Edith Hall, Frank McGuinness, Andrew Collins, Pamela Helen Stephen, Gordon Cutting, Dr Llewelyn Morgan, Sarah B. Pomeroy, Dr Ian Jenkins, Cate Haste, Rosie Wyles, Fiona Laird, Michael Squire, Philippa Perry, Stella Duffy, LiTTLe MACHiNe, Mark Stephens, Matthew Sweet, Armando Iannucci, Katy Brand, Ben Okri, Mark Ravenhill and Al Murray. 
 
Produced by Christine Hall and Mary Ward Lowery 
A BBC Studios production

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 1-4

A comical guide to Ancient Greece and Rome

Sandi Toksvig

Sandi Toksvig and her celebrity guests explore the Danish concept of 'hygge' 
 
One of the few Danish words that British people have become familiar with, 'hygge' is a specifically Scandinavian notion of snugness, comfort and contentment. It's all about enjoying the simple pleasures, like curling up with a book on a rainy afternoon or cradling a cup of hot cocoa while wearing a chunky sweater. 
 
In this convivial chat show, Danish comedian and author Sandi Toksvig takes a deep dive into both the concept and the Danish way of life. Broadcasting from her toasty log cabin deep in the heart of rural Denmark (complete with sauna, underground wine-cellar and three-tier bird bath that dispenses miniature hot towels), she invites her special guests to join her in front of an open fire and talk about what 'hygge' means to them. 
 
Grayson Perry explains how learning new things can bring deep joy; Bridget Christie describes her love of running; Clive Myrie relates his passion for opera and poetry, and Brian Cox tells us how he finds comfort in physics, piano playing and Sibelius' Fifth Symphony. Sandi also chats about Australian Christmasses with Krishnan Guru-Murthy, discusses hopeless DIY with Andy Hamilton, muses on the soothing magic of fragrance with Lyse Doucet and hears from David Blunkett about mishaps in Braille and guide dogs behaving badly... 
 
These funny, feelgood shows are full of cosy charm and congenial conversation, so join Sandi and friends as they talk 'hygge' and put the world to rights - all over a delectable mug of warm spiced wine. 
 
Production credits 
Hosted by Sandi Toksvig 
Produced by Julia McKenzie 
Additional material written by Simon Alcock, Charlie Dinkin, Rajiv Karia and Tasha Dhanraj 
Production Coordinators: Carina Andrews and Katie Baum 
Sound Recordist and Editor: Rich Evans 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 1 featuring: Grayson Perry and Sindhu Vee, Bridget Christie and Clive Myrie, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Rose & Rosie, Prof Brian Cox and Zoe Lyons, Alan Davies 
 
Series 2 featuring: Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Gina Miller, Andy Hamilton, Lyse Doucet, David Blunkett 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 2-31 December 2020 (Series 1), 27-31 December 2021 (Series 2) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Sandi Toksvig’s Hygge

The BBC Radio 4 Comedy Chat Show

Part of BBC Radio 3's 'The Essay' strand, The Book That Changed Me features writers, academics and other eminent professionals discussing the literary works that have had the greatest impact on their lives. 
 
This fascinating selection contains some of the best episodes from the series, including legendary songwriter Steve Earle on Truman Capote's masterpiece In Cold Blood; academic Monica Siddiqui on Austen's Pride and Prejudice; and Tony Blair's onetime strategist Alastair Campbell on Flaubert's seminal Madame Bovary. 
 
Renowned film director Richard Eyre reveals how Angus Calder's social history The People's War evokes memories of his childhood; neurobiologist Colin Blakemore explains why he loves Darwin's lesser-known work, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals; visual artist Tacita Dean describes how Marguerite Yourcenair's Fires helped her find her voice as a writer, feminist and filmmaker; and David Simon, creator of TV's The Wire, relates how James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men made him realise the importance of reportage. 
 
Absorbing and enlightening, this entertaining collection sheds new light on the intellectual lives of a host of famous names, and celebrates the transformative power of literature. 
 
Production credits 
Produced by Smita Patel 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on the following dates: 
 
Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell 14 March 2011 
With Alan Johnston 
The Wrench by Primo Levi 15 March 2011 
With Edmund de Waal 
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin 17 March 2011 
With Colin Blakemore 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 18 March 2011 
With Mona Siddiqui 
Othello by William Shakespeare 25 October 2011 
With Musa Okwonga 
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens 20 January 2014 
With Alan Johnson 
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 19 January 2015 
With Steve Earle 
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 20 January 2015 
With Jude Kelly 
What a Carve-Up! by Jonathan Coe 21 January 2015 
With Jon Ronson 
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 22 January 2015 
With Lolita Chakrabarti 
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee 31 October 2016 
With David Simon 
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 1 November 2016 
With Pauline Black 
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X 2 November 2016 
With Ben Anderson 
Fires by Marguerite Yourcenair 3 November 2016 
With Tacita Dean 
The People's War by Sir Richard Eyre 4 November 2016 
With Angus Calder 
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys 2 April 2018 
With Afua Hirsch 
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 3 April 2018 
With Henry Marsh 
The Arabian Nights translated by Richard Francis Burton 4 April 2018 
With Zarah Hussain 
Madame Bovary by Gustav Flaubert 5 April 2018 
With Alastair Campbell 
Pyramids by Terry Pratchett 6 April 2018 
With Inua Ellams 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Book That Changed Me: 20 Essays on Influential Literature

A BBC Radio 3 Collection

Willie Rushton

Career highlights from one of this country’s funniest satirists and comedy men. Willie Rushton’s career spanned decades, from the cutting edge satire of television’s 'That Was The Week That Was' to the razor-sharp punnery and verbal wizardry of Radio’s 'I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue'. Actor, writer, lyricist and veteran satirist, this is Rushton at his magical best – in 'The Wind in the Willows' and 'Gulliver’s Travels', with Roy Plomley on 'Desert Island Discs', reading 'Winnie the Pooh' and slogging it out on 'Trivia Test Match'. 'Remembering... Willie Rushton' features appearances by Barry Cryer, Kenny Everett, Brian Johnston, Humphrey Lyttelton, Sue MacGregor and Ned Sherrin. With songs, sketches and classic clips, this is a perfect portrait of one of the warmest and funniest humorists of our time. This recording was previously released as 'Willie Rushton at the Beeb'.

Remembering Willie Rushton

Lyndon Mallet

Frances Barber and David Bamber star in this light-hearted sitcom about the diary-writing inhabitants of 11 Hare Lane 
 
When newly widowed Jessica decides to rent a room to recently divorced Rex, she's a little apprehensive. She's never had a lodger before, and he's not used to being a tenant. Neither are quite sure how their relationship works - and to make things trickier, they're wildly different people. But unbeknownst to either of them, they share a secret - they both keep a diary. 
 
Taking turns to read from their respective journals, they relate their thoughts, hopes, dreams and first impressions of each other, which are somewhat less than flattering. He finds her aloof, she thinks he's too eager to please - and when his dodgy DIY skills leave her seething, she retaliates by letting his room to mature student Charles, a tall, attractive blond who looks like a poet. 
 
Relegated to the boxroom by 'Lord Byron', and beset by work frustrations and a demanding ex-wife, Rex is left feeling disheartened. Meanwhile, Jessica makes a shocking discovery about her late husband that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about their marriage. Living parallel lives under the same roof, can Rex and Jessica learn to rub along together? And as they fill up their diaries with their deepest feelings, will they ever get around to confiding in one another? 
 
Adapted by Lyndon Mallet from his acclaimed novel of the same name, this warm, gentle comedy drama stars Frances Barber as Jessica and David Bamber as Rex. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Lyndon Mallet 
Directed by Kate Valentine and Peter Kavanagh 
Original music by Simon Cryer 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11-18 September 2000 (Episodes 1 &amp; 2), 10 September-1 October 2001 (Episodes 3-6) 
 
Cast 
Jessica - Frances Barber 
Rex - David Bamber 
 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Hare Lane Diaries

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Drama

The tag-team interview show where the celebrity guest becomes the interviewer 
 
A complete collection of the talk show with a twist - the guest each week becomes the interviewer in the following episode. Focusing on the career and passions of a figure in the entertainment world whose work they admire, each interviewer gets to delve into the life of their hero as well as revealing hidden aspects of themselves. 
 
Featuring great British comedians, award-winning actors, and iconic musicians and writers, Chain Reaction serves you double helpings of amazing individuals like Johnny Vegas, Barry Cryer, Lenny Henry, David Tennant, Eddie Izzard, Lee Mack, Ruby Wax, Stephen Merchant, Caitlin Moran, Frankie Boyle, Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves, Olivia Colman, Katherine Ryan, Ian Hislop, Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Joe Lycett, Sara Pascoe, Tim Vine, and many, many more. 
 
Production credits 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani, Sam Bryant, Lianne Coop, Ed Morrish, Carl Cooper, Charlie Perkins, Richard Morris and Adnan Ahmed 
 
With: Jenny Eclair, Jimmy Carr, Matt Lucas, Johnny Vegas, Stewart Lee, Alan Moore, Brian Eno, Jo Brand, Barry Cryer, Mark Thomas, Alexei Sayle, Lenny Henry, Bill Bailey, Simon Pegg, Marcus Brigstocke, Clive Anderson, John Lloyd, Phill Jupitus, John Hegley, Jack Dee, Jeremy Hardy, Catherine Tate, David Tennant, Richard Wilson, Arabella Weir, Paul Whitehouse, Robert Llewellyn, Dave Gorman, Frank Skinner, Eddie Izzard, Alastair Campbell, Alistair McGowan, Simon Callow, Ronni Ancona, Lee Mack, Ade Edmondson, Ruby Wax, Harry Shearer, Stephen Merchant, Jarvis Cocker, Rhys Thomas, Simon Day, Peter Hook, John Cooper Clarke, Kevin Eldon, Mark Steel, Barry Davies, Jeremy Front, Rebecca Front, Chris Addison, Derren Brown, Tim Minchin, Caitlin Moran, Jennifer Saunders, Terry Christian, Kevin Bridges, Frankie Boyle, Grant Morrison, Neil Innes, Graham Linehan, Adam Buxton, Reece Shearsmith, Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves, Olivia Colman, Sharon Horgan, Dennis Kelly, Ed Byrne, Al Murray, Ian Hislop, Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Sandi Toksvig, Roy Hudd, Alison Steadman, Sara Cox, Joe Lycett, Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Harry Hill, Tim Vine, Ken Dodd 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 December 2004 - 27 March 2017 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Chain Reaction

The Complete BBC Radio 4 Hostless Chat Show

Boswell James

Dramatisation by Robin Brooks of James Boswell's biography of Samuel Johnson, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Johnson's birth. Episode 1:  Young Boswell comes to London to seek out his hero. He wants to write a biography of the great man 'in scenes', with Johnson's conversation cast as dialogue. Nothing quite like this has ever been attempted before.Episode 2:  Boswell visits Johnson only intermittently, but relies on him more and more. Johnson meets Hester Thrale, who becomes his devoted friend and confidante, and the most important person in his life. Starring Kenneth Cranham and full cast. Directed by Claire Grove.

The A-Z Of Dr Johnson

Boswell's Life Of Johnson

Martina Navratilova

In this fascinating collection of interviews from the BBC radio and TV archive, Martina Navratilova talks about her life and career as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. 
 
The interviews included are: BBC Radio interview (first broadcast 1 June 1978, featuring Gerald Williams); BBC Radio interview, (first broadcast 6 July 1979, featuring Gerald Williams, Jana Navratilova); BBC Radio interview (first broadcast 7 July 1984 (featuring Mike Ingham); Nicky Campbell, BBC Radio (first broadcast 18 January 1995, featuring Nicky Campbell); Friday Night With Jonathan Ross , BBC TV (first broadcast 23 June 2006, featuring Jonathan Ross); Woman's Hour, BBC Radio (first broadcast 10 July 2006, featuring Jenni Murray); The Steve Wright Show with Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio (first broadcast 11 July 2006, featuring Mark Radcliffe); The Andrew Marr Show, BBC TV (first broadcast 22 June 2008, featuring Andrew Marr); The Jeremy Vine Show, BBC Radio (first broadcast 5 July 2010 (featuring Jeremy Vine). 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Martina Navratilova In Her Own Words

Lenny Henry

A collection of BBC radio shows presented by comedian and actor Lenny Henry. 
 
Stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, TV presenter: Lenny Henry is a multi-talented Renaissance man with a wide range of interests. But there are a few things (and people) he just doesn't get, despite their iconic status - and in What's So Great About...?, he explores them to find out what makes them so appealing. He questions the mystique surrounding Method Acting; discusses the benefits of Life Coaches with Phill Jupitus; hears about the joy of Maths from Carol Vorderman and asks Simon McBurney and Fiona Shaw to persuade him of the genius of Samuel Beckett. He also investigates the art of Jackson Pollock, meets stars from the world of Snooker to discover the lure of the cue and chats about Chaucer with Terry Jones. 
 
Lenny was once sceptical about Shakespeare too, but he's now a passionate convert. In Lenny Henry Plays Othello, we follow him as he embarks on his first straight stage role and first Shakespearean role, playing one of theatre's most tragic characters. From voice coaching to first night nerves, we eavesdrop on his journey from comedian to tragedian. 
 
In August Shines, inspired by his theatrical success in August Wilson's Fences, Lenny travels to Pittsburgh to tell the story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning African-American playwright. The city was also home to the bad-boy pop artist whose work Lenny explores in Andy Warhol: Time Regained. Visiting the Warhol Museum, he learns about the 'Time Capsules' - an artwork consisting of 300,000 eclectic objects assembled across the last 13 years of Warhol's life - and joins the audience for the unboxing of the mysterious Capsule 528... 
 
Finally, in the compelling 10-part series Raising the Bar: 100 Years of Black British Theatre and Screen, Lenny traces the long, painful road that black Britons have travelled on stage and screen, from the overt racial discrimination of the 19th Century, via the veiled slurs that persisted throughout the 20th, to today's more equal society. Talking to playwrights such as Kwame Kwei-Armah, and actors and directors including Carmen Munroe, Yvonne Brewster and Steve McQueen, he tells the story of black drama and the influential artists who have shaped it over the past century, and looks to the future to examine the prospects for young black British talent. 
 
Published by Penguin Random House Ltd 
Licensed by BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
MCPS 
Presented by Lenny Henry 
 
What's So Great About...? 
Produced by Simon Elmes 
With Ellen Burstyn, James Lipton, Phill Jupitus, Carol Vorderman, Celia Hoyles, Professor Brian Butterworth, Simon McBurney, Fiona Shaw, John Calder, James Knowlson, Brian Sewell, Julian Joseph, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Dennis Taylor, John Virgo, John Parrott, Terry Griffiths, Ardis Butterfield, Mike Poulton, Terry Jones 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 July 2008-11 June 2011 
 
Lenny Henry Plays Othello 
Produced by Simon Elmes 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 February 2009 
 
August Shines 
Produced by Simon Elmes 
With Chris Rawson, Professor Larry Glasco, Kim Ellis, Jeff Folino, Sala Udin, Nelson Harrison 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 October 2014 
 
Andy Warhol: Time Regained 
Produced by Simon Elmes 
With Ben Harrison, Rick Armstrong, Tim Marlow, Erin Byrne, Benjamin Liu, Donald Warhola 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 September 2014 
 
Raising the Bar: 100 Years of Black British Theatre and Screen 
Presented by Lenny Henry 
Produced by Simon Elmes 
Series Consultant: Dr Michael Pearce 
Featuring: Bola Agbaje, Yvonne Brewster, Michael Buffong, Lolita Chakrabarti, Isaac Julien, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Mustapha Matura, Steve McQueen, Carmen Munroe, Horace Ové, Winsome Pinnock, Paulette Randall, Roy Williams 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-20 November 2015

Lenny Henry's What's So Great About...?

And 4 other BBC documentaries

Richard Mabey

Nature writer Richard Mabey reflects on his lifelong relationship with science and the natural world in this collection of episodes originally broadcast on Radio 4 in September 2009 and repeated as part of The Essay series on Radio 3 in April 2010. 
 
In Episode 1, 'The Greenhouse and the Field', Richard talks about his very first laboratory - his father's greenhouse, a magician's chamber, where as a nine-year-old he would conduct his own experiments with chemicals bought with his pocket money. 
 
In Episode 2, 'The Lens and the Lichen', he explores how a lens can enhance and at times distort our view of nature. He discusses how the late 18th-century Claude glass influenced the Picturesque movement in art and the excitement of looking at lichens through a microscope. 
 
In the third episode, 'The Stinkhorn and the Perfumier', he ponders why we are all so good at remembering scents, despite their having little relevance for our survival. 
 
In Episode 4, 'The Songbird and the Sol-Fa', he presents his own thoughts on why birds sing and recounts how writers through the ages have had wildly different interpretations on the meaning of birdsong. 
 
Episode 5, 'The Map and the Word', concludes with him considering how maps are not just a tool for getting from A to B; for him, they are a kind of 'cryptogram'. 
 
©2004 Richard Mabey (P)2010 AudioGo Ltd

Scientist And The Romantic, The (BBC Radio 3 Documentary)

Lemn Sissay

Award-winning writer Lemn Sissay explores the idea of uniqueness across different aspects of his life 
 
'Creative, surprising - and unique' The Telegraph 
 
If you Google 'Lemn Sissay', all the results will be about him - he's the only person in the world with that name. But that's not the only thing that makes him unique. In this fascinating series, he mixes stand-up, poetry and interviews to explore four more situations in his life where he stood out, alone, and examines how that uniqueness made him feel. 
 
'The Only Poet on the Bill' finds Lemn considering his formative years on the 1980s comedy circuit, and chatting to fellow poet Tony Walsh about performing his poem 'This is the Place' at the vigil for the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. In 'The Only Non-Graduate at the Graduation', he reflects on being appointed Chancellor at Manchester University, and giving out degrees despite not having one himself. He also speaks to the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Donna Ludford, about how she felt becoming a councillor without having attended university. 
 
'The Only Black Man in the Village' sees Lemn drawing on his experience of growing up in an all-white town, and talking to Oscar-nominated writer/director Cornelius Walker about his documentary Black Sheep. And in 'The Only Foster Child in the House', he discusses his adolescence in children's homes and his lifetime of advocacy for young people raised in the care system, as well as speaking to campaigner and care leaver champion Terry Galloway. In each episode, Lemn is joined by Henry Normal, who interrupts at will to ask questions about the show. 
 
Comprising Lemn's signature blend of artistic yet extraordinarily honest comedy, this absorbing series explores issues of race, class, education and lack of empowerment, asking thought-provoking questions about how we define ourselves, and why it matters. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and performed by Lemn Sissay 
With Tony Walsh, Donna Ludford, Cornelius Walker, Terry Galloway 
Commentary: Henry Normal 
Recorded by Jerry Peal 
Sound mixing by Rich Evans 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-24 March 2023 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Lemn Sissay is the One and Only

A BBC Radio 4 Series

Spike Milligan

In this fascinating collection of interviews from the BBC radio and TV archive, Spike Milligan talks about his life and career as one of the foremost comedy writers and performers of the 20th Century. 
 
 The interviews included are: It Takes All Sorts, broadcast on BBC Radio, 23 January 1967 (featuring Holmes Tolley); Line Up, broadcast on BBC Radio, 30 October 1969 (featuring Joan Bakewell); Laugh Till It Hurts, broadcast on BBC Radio, 10 June 1971 (featuring Ralph Rolls); Parkinson, broadcast on BBC Television, 13th January 1973 (featuring Michael Parkinson); Face Your Image, broadcast on BBC Television, 14 March 1975 (featuring David Dimbleby); In the Psychiatrist's Chair, broadcast on BBC Radio, 25 September 1982 (featuring Anthony Clare); Famous Last Words, broadcast on BBC Television, 29 September 1986 (featuring Peter France). 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Spike Milligan In His Own Words

Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is a world-famous entrepreneur and businessman. Here he discusses his life and achievements in a series of interviews from the BBC radio and TV archive: Pebble Mill, broadcast on BBC One, 15 October 1984 (featuring Bob Langley); Desert Island Discs, broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4 June 1989 (featuring Sue Lawley); Sport on Four, broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 May 1990 (featuring Byron Butler); Breakfast With Frost, broadcast on BBC One, 21 January 2001 (featuring David Frost); Midweek, broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 June 2002 (featuring Libby Purves); Steve Wright in the Afternoon, broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 4 July 2002 (featuring Steve Wright); The Johnnie Walker Show, broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 2 July 2006 (featuring Johnnie Walker). 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Richard Branson In His Own Words

Derek Jones

Derek Jones meets celebrities with a love of wildlife in these 38 episodes from the classic nature-themed interview showBetween 1970 and 1980, broadcaster Derek Jones invited a host of famous names to chat about their enthusiasm for nature and their encounters with animals. Delving into the BBC Sound Archive to select some of their favourite natural history recordings, they reveal their hitherto unknown passions – from birds and butterflies to the countryside and conservation.In these specially selected shows, Brian Blessed talks about his fascination with dinosaurs, keeping big cats and overcoming his fear of mountaineering, Bing Crosby tells us about wildfowling, ‘Mister Meadowlark’, naming racehorses and landing salmon; distinguished actress Dame Flora Robson speaks of her years in Hollywood, and her worries that the Los Angeles smog is killing the local flora and fauna; and Goon Show stars Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan let us in on their love for travel and wildlife photography (Harry) and ridiculous animal noises and names (Spike).Many of Jones’ guests share an interest in twitching, including Eric Morecambe, who relates how his curiosity about birds began when he went fishing with his father in Morecambe Bay, and Bobby Charlton, who developed his bird-spotting hobby while becoming a Manchester United legend. Humphrey Lyteltton reminisces about observing birds on holidays in North Wales, on tour with the band and in his back garden, and Peter Cushing recalls rescuing red shanks and watching oystercatchers and whimbrels on the Kent estuary with his late wife Helen. And, thirty years before Springwatch was a twinkle in Auntie’s eye, Bill Oddie confesses that when he wasn’t busy being a Goodie, he was busy birdwatching.Whether they’re mad about ornithology or hooked on angling, every one of the celebrities featured has a wealth of compelling personal stories to share, and fascinating insights to impart. Part natural history show, part nostalgic memoir, this wonderfully entertaining series is sure to inspire and delight.Cast and creditsPresented by Derek JonesProduced by John Burton and Michael Bowen 
 
 
Guests in episode order:Robert Dougall, Cyril Fletcher, Nigel Stock, Kenneth Allsop, Humphrey Lyttelton, Percy Edwards, Peter Cushing, Barbara Mullen, Virginia McKenna & Bill Travers, Spike Milligan, Bernard Cribbins, Marghanita Laski, Adam Faith, Roger Whittaker, Flora Robson, Derek Nimmo, James Robertson Justice, Bobby Charlton, Bill Oddie, Susan Hampshire, Brian Blessed, Derek Waring, Sir Martin Furnival-Jones, Eddie Braben, Eric Morecambe, Henry Longhurst, Harry Secombe, Lord Home of The Hirsel, Bing Crosby, Eva Rueber-Staier, Esmond Knight, Andrew Sachs, Frank Thornton, Dulcie Gray, Norman Thelwell, HRH Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands, The Marquess of Bath, Windsor DaviesFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 3 May 1971 to 10 December 1980.© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sounds Natural

A BBC Radio 4 nature series

Kenneth Williams

In this documentary portrait of Kenneth Williams, who died in 1988, the much-loved comedy actor's diaries are drawn upon to illustrate his life and career. David Benson, who won acclaim for his one-man show in which he portrayed Kenneth Williams, reads extracts from the diaries, while archive audio clips from such programmes as Round the Horne and Beyond Out Ken illustrate the madcap versatility of Williams the performer. This Radio Collection version features material additional to the original Radio 4 broadcast.

The Private World Of Kenneth Williams

Comic icon Spike Milligan recollects highlights from his stellar career. The comic genius of Spike Milligan changed the face of radio comedy through 'The Goon Show'. Here Milligan chooses and introduces classic clips from his astonishing career: readings from his books 'Puckoon' and 'Adolf Hitler, My Part in his Downfall', poems, songs, sketches, extracts from 'Q6' and 'In the Psychiatrist’s Chair'. He reminisces about India and Bexhill and reads his favourite poems including 'Fred Fernakerpan'. Also included is the complete version of 'The Starlings' - the only 'Goon Show' recorded outside of London and without a studio audience. Plus, of course, there’s a generous helping of 'Goon Show' clips, including 'The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea' and 'The Pevensey Bay Disaster', featuring Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers. In this recording you can hear in his own words why Spike was one of the biggest figures in British comedy.This recording was previously released as 'Spike Milligan at the Beeb'.

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