2. The Third Shoe
Howard Gilbert has been convicted for the murder of his model girlfriend, Brenda. But did he really kill her?
Francis Durbridge's thriller starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury in another intriguing case for BBC radio's smoothest investigator and his glamorous wife
Paul Temple …. Peter Coke
Steve …. Marjorie Westbury
Charlie …. James Beattie
Wilfred Stirling …. Charles Leno
Detective Inspector Kingston …. Duncan McIntyre
Lance Reynolds …. Richard Williams
Howard Gilbert …. David Peel
Mrs Talbot …. Anne Cullen
Dick Metcalf …. Cyril Shaps
Warder …. Geoffrey Bond
Sara Parker presents a radio portrait of Peggy Seeger, the American folksinger and political activist who was Ewan MacColl's long-time partner.
This year, Peggy returns to live once again in Britain, to be near her extended family and to explore new creative avenues. For many years her own 'song-making', as she calls it, was overshadowed by MacColl's, with whom she lived for three decades in this country. Together they produced three children, countless recordings (including the iconic 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' with MacColl wrote for her) and, with Sara Parker's father Charles, the celebrated 'Radio Ballads'.
Her creative life has also been lived in relation to the success of her folk-singer brothers, Pete and Mike, and partly in the shadow of her parents, the avant-garde composer Ruth Crawford Seeger and the ethnomusicologist Charles Seeger.
Now, in her prime, she tells Sara what's brought her to this point, about her growing and creatively energetic family, how she feels about the loss of loved ones and about the strength she gets from her new partner, the Irish singer Irene Pyper-Scott.
2. Love Struck
Ray and Jane are both starting over with new paramours half their age. Despite the age gap it seems older does not always mean wiser.
Apparently it's not only teenagers that act like love-struck, tongue-tied fools.
Juliet Stevenson and Philip Jackson star in Peter Souter's comedy about love, sex and other foolhardy mistakes made by the modern 50-pluser.
Jane ..... Juliet Stevenson
Ray ..... Philip Jackson
Tony ..... Patrick Brennan
Heather ..... Liza Sadovy
Honey ..... Stephanie Racine
Sam ..... Adam Nagaitis
Honey's Dad ..... Robert Blythe
Portia ..... Sarah Thom
Accompanying her neighbour Betty to a funeral, Linda encounters a mislaid eco warrior.
Comedy series written by and starring Linda Smith.
With Femi Elufowoju Jr, Jeremy Hardy, Margaret John, Chris Neill and Rob Newman.
Announcer Douglas Smith is taken for a spin in 'Relatively Grand Prix' - and at the Bona Male Model Agency, Julian and Sandy sign up some brand new talent.
Stars Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick and Betty Marsden.
Recorded at the BBC's Paris Studio in Lower Regent Street, London. Announcer: Douglas Smith
Round The Horne was born out of the demise of BBC radio comedy Beyond Our Ken, after the end of writer Eric Merriman's involvement. Using the same cast and producer, Barry Took and Marty Feldman were persuaded to write the scripts - which led to four series that ran between 1965 and 1968 - packed full of parodies, recurring characters, catchphrases and double-entendres.
Marty Feldman had moved on so series 4 is written by Barry Took with Brian Cooke & Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Webster.
Music by the Max Harris Group.
The bumbling bureaucrats cause chaos as London's new airport opens - in Scotland.
A weekly tribute to all those who work in government departments.
Stars Richard Murdoch and Deryck Guyler. With Norma Ronald, Ronald Baddiley, John Graham and Clive Dunn.
Written by Edward Taylor and John Graham.
'The Men from the Ministry' ran for 14 series between 1962 and 1977. Deryck Guyler replaced Wilfrid Hyde-White from 1966. Sadly many episodes didn't survive in the archive, however the BBC's Transcription Service re-recorded 14 shows in 1980 - never broadcast in the UK, until the arrival of BBC Radio 4 Extra.
A year into married life and already things are a little creaky. So, following Will's unimaginative anniversary present (a draining rack), Annabelle's signed them up for a course of marriage counselling.
Counsellor Guy mediates a recent dispute between Will and Annabelle, with flashbacks to the events that spawned the argument...
Will Smith ..... Will Smith
Annabelle Smith ..... Sarah Hadland
Guy ..... Paterson Joseph
Katrina ..... Tracy Wiles
Doug ..... Simon Bubb
Heather ..... Morwenna Banks
As the Cold War intensifies, a spy appears to be at large within Britain's nuclear research programme.
CP Snow's epic novel sequence about the English Establishment and Power.
Lewis Eliot ... David Haig
Martin Eliot ... Tim McInnerny
Walter Luke ... Jeremy Swift
Magaret Davidson ... Juliet Aubrey
Sawbridge ... Adrian Scarborough
Captain Smith ... Sean Baker
Sir Thomas Beville ... Rober Laing
Austin Davidson ... David Collings
Sir Hector Rose ... John Carlisle
Captain Smith ... Sean Baker
Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway.
Weakly John Brodribb's transformation into Victorian stage great Henry Irving. Eleanor Bron reads Michael Holroyd's biography.
A young governess consults the detective in a most sinister case. Starring Clive Merrison, Michael Williams and Imogen Stubbs.
The new novel by Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
Grace is injured in an unexpected attack while Violet is away. She becomes dangerously ill and is looked after by both her mother and her aunt.
In 1947 an ambitious project began to survey and catalogue the biodiversity of plants in East Africa. It was to take 60 years and turned out to be one of the largest regional "floras" ever assembled, involving 135 botanists from 21 countries amassing a host of new species to science.
Professor Kathy Willis examines the deceptive simplicity of creating Floras - books in which plants are catalogued, described and often lavishly illustrated. She explores how they're proving powerful tools for unlocking the range of newly discovered species for plant enthusiasts and conservationists.
And she unlocks the secrets of the rigorous art of botanical illustration, a tradition that goes back as far as when the botanical impresario Sir Joseph Banks first employed an illustrator on board the Endeavour. Kathy Willis discovers why this discipline is unlikely to ever be superseded by photography.
With contributions from Henke Beentje, former editor of Flora of Tropical East Africa, senior botanist Iain Darbyshire, Quentin Luke of National Museum of Kenya and illustrator Lucy Smith
By Kieran Prendiville. A comedy drama set in the no-prisoners world of northern social clubs.
Its protagonist is Les Bone, a plumber who once came within sniffing distance of the big time when his band Nuclear Dump went mega.....without him.
And now, twenty five years down the line, still unlucky in love, single-parent Les has been tossed a second chance. His kids have a boyband (even if one of them is a girl) and they're a boy short for an upcoming tour of south Yorkshire, one of the hardest enclaves in clubland.
As the family band hits the road, Les meets an old flame and receives devastating news about daughter Sheila.
Les ..... Paul Copley
Sheila ...... Belinda Everett
Elaine ...... Blue Merrick
Denny ...... Christian Rodska
Chris ...... Harry Hepple
Alan/Scotch Billy ..... Rob Hudson
Kevin ..... Brogan West
Troy ..... James Baxter
Kimberly/Nurse ..... Joan Walker
Compere ..... Kieran Prendiville
Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.
Campbell's disastrous experience at the Royal Court Theatre in London shapes the direction of his career. With the Roadshow he takes theatre to the people.
Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.
Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.
Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?
Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.
Angus Deayton hosts the comedy panel show with no format.
Johnny Vaughan, Alan Davies, Roisin Conaty and Arthur Smith battle it out to see who can beat each other at their own games each has brought along.
Angus valiantly tries to make sure everyone comes out of it with their reputations intact.
Producer: Sam Michell.
12. A Rocky Send Off
After travelling through time, could Captain Jet Morgan and his crew be bound for home at last?
Futuristic tale set in 1965 as first broadcast in 1953.
Jet Morgan …. Andrew Faulds
Lemmy Barnett …. Alfie Bass
Doc …. Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch …. David Williams
Other parts by David Jacobs and Deryck Guyler.
Music composed and orchestra conducted by Van Phillips.
Written and produced by Charles Chilton.
Though first heard in 1953, the original recordings were wiped.
Peek behind the facade of the Odeon Cinema in London’s Leicester Square as Geoffrey Wheeler seeks out traces of the variety theatre which once stood in its place - the Alhambra.
From the earliest days of the 20th century until its closure in the 1930s, the Alhambra was one of the capital’s premier Variety venues. But it fell foul of the rising popularity of cinema and radio and was forced to close.
Geoffrey rediscovers the Alhambra's fine legacy.
With Roy Hudd.
Series visiting variety theatres around the United Kingdom.
Can comedian-author-adventurer Tim FitzHigham outrun a racehorse over a hundred yard dash?
He turns to Kriss Akabusi and his former school PE teacher for training advice.
Series in which Tim recreates bizarre bets from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Written by and starring Tim FitzHigham with Olivia Fitzroy and Bob Slayer.
Additional material written by Jon Hunter and Paul Byrne.
Producer: Colin Anderson.
to midnight, seven days a week, the Comedy Club has two hours of comedy. Plus Paul Garner chats again to Paul Kaye.
Dodgy Phil hatches a sporting scheme to improve the fortunes of Barry and Garry's bar.
Tony Roche's comedy about the world's worst pub in London's East End.
Dodgy Phil ...... John Thomson
Barry ...... Phil Cornwell
Garry ...... Alistair McGowan
With Debra Stephenson, Kim Wall and Tony Roche.
Special effects: Carl Phillips and Nick Romero.
The consultants advise an African finance minister, and Ryan carries a package. Stars Marcus Brigstocke. From December 2002.
WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 2016
WED 00:00 Charles Chilton - Journey into Space (b007jmyk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:00 on Tuesday]
WED 00:30 The Palace of Laughter (b007w2my)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:30 on Tuesday]
WED 01:00 Paul Temple (b00rlwgt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 on Tuesday]
WED 01:30 Peggy Seeger: In Her Prime (b00vcpbf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 on Tuesday]
WED 02:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ng83m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:00 on Tuesday]
WED 02:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4hq2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:15 on Tuesday]
WED 02:30 15 Minute Drama (b011ld3s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:30 on Tuesday]
WED 02:45 Book of the Week (b0101kyv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:45 on Tuesday]
WED 03:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017pwt0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 on Tuesday]
WED 04:00 It's Your Round (b00zm32d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Tuesday]
WED 04:30 Mr and Mrs Smith (b019rpw8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:30 on Tuesday]
WED 05:00 55 and Over (b01nxh1h)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:00 on Tuesday]
WED 05:30 Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting (b007jshj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 on Tuesday]
WED 06:00 Paul Temple (b00rm20y)
Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case
3. Peter Galino
After the discovery of the body of key witness, Mary Talbot, there's drama back at her flat - and suave sleuth Paul worries that wife Steve is in danger.
Francis Durbridge's thriller starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury in another intriguing case for BBC radio's smoothest investigator and his glamorous wife.
Paul Temple …. Peter Coke
Steve …. Marjorie Westbury
Charlie …. James Beattie
Wilfred Stirling …. Charles Leno
Detective Inspector Kingston …. Duncan McIntyre
Lance Reynolds …. Richard Williams
Betty Wayne …. Grizelda Hervey
Peter Galino …. Robert Rietty
Producer: Martyn C Webster
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in April 1954.
WED 06:30 A Celestial Star in Piccadilly (b00gl694)
Anna Chen presents a tribute to Hollywood's first Chinese-American movie star, Anna May Wong, star of the classic 1929 silent movie Piccadilly. Filmed in London, it made her a celebrity in Britain in the 1930s. Despite her talent, Wong struggled against racial prejudice throughout her career, and was banned from even kissing her leading men. However, her reputation is now enjoying a revival thanks to the restoration and re-release of Piccadilly.
Producer: Chris Eldon Lee
A Culture Wise Production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 07:00 Married (b007wqdc)
Series 1
Episode 6
Robin is accused of murdering his "new" family.
Two small questions: how is he going to win his "new" wife back and how is he going to avoid the death penalty?
Hugh Bonneville stars in the conclusion of series one of Tony Bagley's comedy.
Robin ...... Hugh Bonneville
Lesley ...... Josie Lawrence
Dirk ...... Steve Frost
Julia ...... Barbara Murray
Elaine ...... Janet Ellis
DS Cotton ...... Simon Roberts
Murdo ...... Lewis MacLeod
Maxine ...... Ann Gosling
Ned ...... Sam Bradley
Producer Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1999.
WED 07:30 Chain Reaction (b072my2p)
Series 11
Ian Hislop interviews Victoria Coren-Mitchell
Comedian and satirist Ian Hislop turns interviewer as he talks to the writer and presenter Victoria Coren-Mitchell about her wide and varied career in writing, quizzing and cards.
Chain Reaction is the long running hostless chat show where this week's interviewee becomes next week's interviewer.
Ian Hislop is a long-standing team captain on 'Have I Got News for You' and the editor of the satirical magazine Private Eye. As a dedicated fan and student of history, he has made several acclaimed documentaries on wide-ranging subjects including conscientious objectors and The Beeching Report.
Victoria Coren-Mitchell is a columnist for The Observer and GQ amongst other publications and has presented myriad documentaries on subjects as varied as The Bohemians and Mary Poppins. As well as a prolific writing career, she keeps order on the popular and fiendishly difficult television quiz, 'Only Connect'. She is also well-known as one of the world's top professional poker players and has achieved huge success at the card table.
Producer: Richard Morris
A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2016.
WED 08:00 The Navy Lark (b01jzq5k)
Series 6
Navigation By Computer
HMS Troutbridge sails into the technological age, but can the crew keep up?
Stars Leslie Phillips as the Sub-Lieutenant, Jon Pertwee as the Chief Petty Officer, Stephen Murray as the Number One, Richard Caldicote as Captain Povey, Heather Chasen as Heather and Michael Bates as Lieutenant Bates, Ronnie Barker as Mr Merrivale and Tenniel Evans as the Admiral.
Laughs afloat aboard British Royal Navy frigate HMS Troutbridge. The Navy Lark ran for an impressive thirteen series between 1959 and 1976.
Scripted by Lawrie Wyman
Producer: Alastair Scott Johnston.
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in November 1963.
WED 08:30 I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (b01321dr)
Series 8
Episode 6
The team sets out to cause full frontal offence, plus high drama on the railway.
Starring Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, David Hatch, Jo Kendall and Bill Oddie.
Sketches written by Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie - and Tim Brooke-Taylor.
Originating from the Cambridge University Footlights revue 'Cambridge Circus', ISIRTA ran for 8 years on BBC Radio and quickly developed a cult following.
Music and songs by Bill Oddie, Liam Cohen and Dave Lee.
Producer: David Hatch/Peter Titheradge
First broadcast on the BBC Radio 2 in March 1970.
WED 09:00 It's Not What You Know (b0375sfk)
Series 2
Episode 3
Justin Moorhouse, Bridget Christie and Ainsley Harriott each nominate someone they know well to answer a series of questions and they than have to second guess how they answered.
Host Miles Jupp tests Bridget on how well she knows her best friend Rebecca Sewell, Ainsley his best friend, pitch doctor Paul Boross, and Justin his former radio producer Sean Gibson.
What is the one thing that DJ Justin does not like talking about? What is Bridget's worst fear? And who is Ainsley's worst habit?
All answers and more will be revealed.
Producer: Sam Michell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2013.
WED 09:30 The Party Line (b00sythm)
Series 1
Episode 6
MP Duncan goes on a date - with the Opposition. Stars James Fleet. Topical sitcom by Punt and Dennis. From June 2005.
WED 10:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017sl4r)
The Affair
Back in Cambridge, a scandal threatens the reputation of Lewis Eliot's old college and his best friend.
CP Snow's epic novel sequence about the English Establishment and Power.
Lewis Eliot ... David Haig
Martin Eliot ... Tim McInnerny
Nightingale ... Jeremy Child
Crawford ... Hugh Quarshie
Jago ... Sean Barrett
Winslow ... Clive Merrison
Nightingale ... Jeremy Child
Dawson Hill ... Peter Blythe
Skeffington ... David Acton
Francis Getliffe ... Geoffrey Whitehead
Brown ... Jonathan Coy
Donald Howard ... David Tennant
Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway
Directed by Jeremy Howe and Sally Avens
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
WED 11:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015sd2s)
Episode 3
After an American triumph, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry grow closer - until a death alters their romance. Read by Eleanor Bron.
WED 11:15 Drama (b00zlk09)
The Magnificent Andrea
The Magnificent Andrea is the first original radio play by NIGEL PLANER, famous for appearances in comedy and drama ranging from 'The Young Ones' to the recent 'Hairspray' in the West End. Nigel has created two wonderful characters, both in love with the same woman - who has just - tragically - died. One is her former husband, boozy columnist Barry (ROGER ALLAM) at the tail end of a career marked by low-achievement in pugnacious, snide journalism. The other is Andrea's recent partner until her sudden death: alternative but ultra-orthodox, politically-correct naturopath Nigel (NIGEL PLANER). We join Barry after a typically hearty breakfast on his way from Chelsea to attend the funeral in South London. (As he succinctly but tellingly puts it: 'In former times, a breakfast of egg on toast and two glasses of red wine would have cost considerably less than fifteen nicker') There he confronts his squeaky-clean nemesis Nigel. The lugubrious Barry is appalled at the ceremony: 'Andrea would have wanted a troupe of African drummers at her sending off, with mytho-poetic speeches by the priest, a Guetamalan shaman. What she got is a couple of hymns, a bit of Bible and a shunt into the automatic incinerator of Wandsworth Crematorium just off the A217') It is while milling outside that the basically decent Nigel makes the mistake of inviting Barry back to the house - Barry's house - for the reception. Now the fireworks really start.
Nigel Planer has created an explosive comedy drama as these two moral polarities collide, wrestling over the memory of their shared inspirational warrior woman, and of course, her home. Also a dark and funny play about mourning, loss and recovery as the cantankerous columnist's wit evaporates to reveal an unexpected tenderness.
CAST:
Barry ..... Roger Allam
Nigel ..... Nigel Planer
Tania/Receptionist ..... Sally Orrock
Taxi Driver ..... Brian Bowles
Preacher ..... Jane Whittenshaw
George ..... Sam Dale
Sarah/Waitress ..... Joanna Monro
Ambulance Driver ..... Stuart McLoughlin
Directed by Peter Kavanagh.
WED 12:00 The Navy Lark (b01jzq5k)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:00 today]
WED 12:30 I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (b01321dr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:30 today]
WED 13:00 Paul Temple (b00rm20y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 today]
WED 13:30 A Celestial Star in Piccadilly (b00gl694)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 today]
WED 14:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ngmjw)
Patricia Ferguson - The Midwife's Daughter
Episode 8
By Patricia Ferguson
Read by Joanna Tope
The new novel by Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
The War is taking its toll on the young men of the community. Grace is recovering and is offered a job in a convalescent home in Patricia Ferguson's story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
WED 14:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4mmq)
An Ill Wind
During the early hours of October 16th 1987, hurricane force winds ripped through southern England recording gusts of 110 mph. In just a few hours 15 million trees across the country were felled. Dawn revealed over 700 of Kew's trees sprawled on their sides, their root systems spread in the cool calm air after the storm.
Kathy Willis explores how one Kew oak tree - the Turner Oak - that didn't fall, helped transform the understanding of tree planting, arboreal care and provided insights into why trees stay upright.
She takes a walk with arborealist Tony Kirkham around Kew Gardens to learn how this natural clearout gave a once in a generation chance to rethink Kew's arboreal canvas. It also created an opportunity for the first-ever comprehensive tree root survey, which has since transformed our approach to tree planting and long-term care that's now finding its way into horticultural practices today.
Producer: Adrian Washbourne
WED 14:30 15 Minute Drama (b011l9th)
Kieran Prendiville - Once More with Feeling
Episode 3
By Kieran Prendiville. A comedy drama set in the no-prisoners world of northern social clubs.
Its protagonist is Les Bone, a plumber who once came within sniffing distance of the big time when his band Nuclear Dump went mega.....without him.
And now, twenty five years down the line, still unlucky in love, single-parent Les has been tossed a second chance. His kids have a boyband (even if one of them is a girl) and they're a boy short for an upcoming tour of south Yorkshire, one of the hardest enclaves in clubland.
The revelation about Sheila's real father threatens to fracture the family. Meanwhile Chris dies a comedy death, and comedian Denny takes full advantage.
Cast:
Les ..... Paul Copley
Sheila ...... Belinda Everett
Elaine ...... Blue Merrick
Denny ...... Christian Rodska
Chris ...... Harry Hepple
Alan/Scotch Billy ..... Rob Hudson
Kevin ..... Brogan West
Troy ..... James Baxter
Kimberly/Nurse ..... Joan Walker
Compere ..... Kieran Prendiville
Producer/Director: Clive Brill
A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 14:45 Book of the Week (b0100x2s)
Ken Campbell: The Great Caper
Episode 3
Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.
Campbell's Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool presents his first epic, the nine-hour drama 'Illuminatus'.
Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.
Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.
He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, "The outsider's outsider"
Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?
Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.
Read by Toby Jones
Abridged by Pete Nichols
Producer: Karen Rose
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 15:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017sl4r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 today]
WED 16:00 It's Not What You Know (b0375sfk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 16:30 The Party Line (b00sythm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:30 today]
WED 17:00 Married (b007wqdc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:00 today]
WED 17:30 Chain Reaction (b072my2p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 today]
WED 18:00 Charles Chilton - Journey into Space (b007jmz0)
Operation Luna
13. Set Course for Earth
After blasting off, Captain Jet Morgan and his crew try to make sense of their mammoth trip through time.
Conclusion of the futuristic tale set in 1965 as first broadcast in 1953.
CAST:
Jet Morgan …. Andrew Faulds
Lemmy Barnett …. Alfie Bass
Doc …. Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch …. David Williams
Other parts by David Jacobs and Deryck Guyler.
Music composed and orchestra conducted by Van Phillips.
Written and produced by Charles Chilton.
Though first heard in 1953, the original recordings were wiped.
Re-recording first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1958.
WED 18:30 Off the Page (b007718g)
The Snip
Dominic Arkwright discusses the pros and cons of vasectomy with Toby Young, Rory Clements and Anna Raeburn. From November 2006.
WED 19:00 The Navy Lark (b01jzq5k)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:00 today]
WED 19:30 I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (b01321dr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:30 today]
WED 20:00 Paul Temple (b00rm20y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 today]
WED 20:30 A Celestial Star in Piccadilly (b00gl694)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 today]
WED 21:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015sd2s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:00 today]
WED 21:15 Drama (b00zlk09)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 today]
WED 22:00 Chain Reaction (b072my2p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 today]
WED 22:30 Seekers (b03bs3tf)
Series 1
The New Seeker
Made redundant by an Essex job centre, Stuart must return to his former workplace.
He’s convinced he did a better job than his ex-colleagues who are still there. But he was content to work there, especially because of Senior Job Seeker Advisor, Nicola who he had a one night stand with during half time of the England- Portugal game in 2006. He still holds out for a relationship to blossom even though seven years have gone by.
Now stuck on the other side of the desk with the unemployed, Stuart is reunited with Joe and Terry two old school friends that Stuart outgrew eons ago.
Steven Burge’s comedy about the characters who frequent a Job Centre in the Essex town of Rayleigh.
Starring Matthew Horne and Daniel Mays.
Stuart ...... Mathew Horne
Joe ...... Daniel Mays
Terry ...... Tony Way
Nicola ...... Zahra Ahmadi
Dave Manager ...... Alex Lowe
Mr Dibble ...... Alex Lowe
Mr Manford ...... Alex Lowe
Mr Everett ...... Alex Lowe
Mr Gleason ...... Michael Bertenshaw
Mrs Wilcox ...... Philippa Stanton
Mrs Rahman ...... Bharti Patel
Gary Probert ...... Steve Oram
Producer: Katie Tyrrell.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2013.
WED 22:55 The Comedy Club Interviews (b074v9cf)
From
10pm to midnight, seven days a week, the Comedy Club has two hours of comedy. Plus Paul Garner chats again to Paul Kaye.
WED 23:00 In and Out of the Kitchen (b01qw8m7)
Series 2
On Location
Damien is sent on location to the Lake District to film a chunk of his new series for Sky Arts about "poets and their palates".
But when the sunshine turns to driving rain, Damien's spirits are further dampened when it appears Anthony might not be missing him quite as much as he had hoped...
Written by Miles Jupp.
Damien Trench ...... Miles Jupp
Anthony MacIlveny ...... Justin Edwards
Gary McDade ...... Ben Crowe
Sound Man ...... Ben Crowe
Mr Mullaney ...... Brendan Dempsey
Marion Duffett ...... Lesley Vickerage
Producer: Sam Michell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.
WED 23:30 At Home With The Snails (b00c8rbm)
Series 2
Episode 3
Snail obsessed Alex’s plan to rescue snails by bringing them home hits a snag..,
George and Beverly continue faking their deaths in order to bring their family closer.
Second series of Gerard Foster's comedy drama
George ..... Geoffrey Palmer
Beverley ..... Angela Thorne
Alex ..... Gerard Foster
Rose ..... Miranda Hart
Hosana ..... Debra Stephenson
Roger ..... Richie Webb
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2002.
THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2016
THU 00:00 Charles Chilton - Journey into Space (b007jmz0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:00 on Wednesday]
THU 00:30 Off the Page (b007718g)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:30 on Wednesday]
THU 01:00 Paul Temple (b00rm20y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 on Wednesday]
THU 01:30 A Celestial Star in Piccadilly (b00gl694)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 on Wednesday]
THU 02:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ngmjw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:00 on Wednesday]
THU 02:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4mmq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:15 on Wednesday]
THU 02:30 15 Minute Drama (b011l9th)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:30 on Wednesday]
THU 02:45 Book of the Week (b0100x2s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:45 on Wednesday]
THU 03:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017sl4r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 on Wednesday]
THU 04:00 It's Not What You Know (b0375sfk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 on Wednesday]
THU 04:30 The Party Line (b00sythm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:30 on Wednesday]
THU 05:00 Married (b007wqdc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:00 on Wednesday]
THU 05:30 Chain Reaction (b072my2p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 on Wednesday]
THU 06:00 Paul Temple (b00rm4xk)
Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case
4. La Mortella
Hot on the heels of a tip from Peter Galino, the debonair sleuth and wife Steve head to London's La Mortella club to hunt down more clues.
Francis Durbridge's thriller starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury in another intriguing case for BBC radio's smoothest investigator and his glamorous wife.
Paul Temple …. Peter Coke
Steve …. Marjorie Westbury
Charlie …. James Beattie
Sir Graham Forbes …. Lester Mudditt
Lynne Ferguson …. Peggy Hassard
Lance Reynolds …. Richard Williams
Louis Fabian …. Olaf Olsen
Waiter …. Arthur Lawrence
Producer: Martyn C Webster
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in April 1954.
THU 06:30 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (b00s77wp)
Bob Dylan's biographer Howard Sounes casts new light on a song that has haunted two families for nearly 50 years - Dylan's account of the killing of a black hotel worker.
"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" is part of both the history of folk music and the Civil Rights struggle, so familiar to Dylan fans that it is almost the stuff of legend, so shocking in content that it seems like a story from the days of slavery.
Yet this crime took place less than 50 years ago, and only few miles from where a black president sits in the White House.
On the evening of Friday 8 February 1963, William Zantzinger, 24-year-old owner of an old-style tobacco plantation, turned up drunk at a charity ball in Baltimore, Maryland. Hattie Carroll was one of the African-Americans serving the guests at a time when America was still segregated.
Zantzinger yelled at Carroll for not pouring his drink quickly enough and tapped her with his walking cane. Carroll collapsed and died of heart failure. She was 51 years old, and left 9 orphaned children, not ten as Dylan sang. Dylan was correct however in reporting that Zantzinger was lightly treated - he received six months for manslaughter.
Who was William Zantzinger and what is known about his victim? Howard Sounes, author of the celebrated Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, introduces us to witnesses to the crime; we hear dialogue from the trial; and gain a fuller appreciation of killer and victim from their surviving friends. Sounes even locates Zantzinger's cane, an astonishing find which the presenter likens to handling John Dillinger's pistol.
We also hear Zantzinger's voice, cursing Dylan unrepentantly, in what is believed to be his only recorded interview before his recent death.
Producer: Sara Parker
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2010.
THU 07:00 PG Wodehouse (b00bwtw9)
What Ho! Jeeves: Joy in the Morning
Fancy Dress
Bertie Wooster helps his fearsome Uncle Percy with a spot of dressing up.
P.G. Wodehouse’s romp adapted in seven-parts by Chris Miller.
CAST:
Jeeves …. Michael Hordern
Bertie Wooster …. Richard Briers
Boko Fittleworth …. Jonathan Cecil
Peter Worplesden …. Peter Woodthorpe
Nobby Hopwood …. Rosalind Adams
Stilton Cheesewright …. Michael Kilgarriff
Producer: Simon Brett
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978.
THU 07:30 Susan Calman - Keep Calman Carry On (b072n5xp)
Series 1
Art with Phill Jupitus
Susan Calman is the least relaxed person she knows. She has no down time, no hobbies (unless you count dressing up your cats in silly outfits) and her idea of relaxation is to play Grand Theft Auto, an hour into which she is in a murderous rage with sky high blood pressure. Her wife had to threaten to divorce her to make her go on holiday last year. Her first for four years. But she's been told by the same long-suffering wife, that unless she finds a way to switch off, and soon, she's going to be unbearable.
So Susan is going to look at her options and try to immerse herself in the pursuits that her friends find relaxing, to find her inner zen and outer tranquillity. Each week she will ditch the old Susan Calman and attempt to find the new Susan Calm, in a typically British leisure pursuit.
This time, she visits the Scottish National Portrait Gallery with Phill Jupitus.
Keep Calman Carry On is an audience stand up show in which Susan reports on how successful she's been - both at relaxing and at the pursuit itself - as well as playing in and discussing a handful of illustrative clips from her efforts. It's an attempt to find out how people find solace or sanctuary in these worlds and how Susan can negotiate her own place in them.
Producer: Lyndsay Fenner
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.
THU 08:00 Steptoe and Son (b007jnv2)
Series 6
Upstairs Downstairs, Upstairs Downstairs
Albert's laid up with a bad back leaving poor Harold overworked.
Starring Wilfrid Brambell as Albert and Harry H Corbett as Harold.
Written for TV and adapted for radio by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
Albert ...... Wilfrid Brambell
Harold ...... Harry H Corbett
Doctor ...... Michael McClain
Following the conclusion of their hugely successful association with Tony Hancock, writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson wrote 10 pilots for the BBC TV's Comedy Playhouse in 1962. The Offer was set in a house with a yard full of junk, featuring the lives of rag and bone men Albert Steptoe and his son Harold and it was the spark for a run of 8 series for TV.
Producer: Bobby Jaye
First broadcast on the BBC Radio 2 in February 1976.
THU 08:30 Radio Active (b007js7f)
Series 3
Edinburgh Festival
Scotland beware! The national local radio station's weekly arts programme has special coverage of the Edinburgh Festival.
Starring:
Helen Atkinson-Wood
Angus Deayton
Geoffrey Perkins
Philip Pope
Michael Fenton-Stevens
Music by Philip Pope and Mike Schilling.
Written by Angus Deayton and Geoffrey Perkins. With Jon Canter, Richard Curtis, Helen Murray, Nick Wilton, Moray Hunter, John Docherty and Roger Planer.
Producer: Jamie Rix
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 1983.
THU 09:00 The Food Quiz (b073qz7y)
Series 1
Episode 6
On Jay Rayner's menu are Clement Freud, Charlie Hicks, Jennifer Sharp and Angela Hartnett. From October 2003.
THU 09:30 Beachcomber... By the Way (b008m24j)
Series 3
Episode 1
The further adventures of Mr Justice Cocklecarrot. Captain Foulenough, Dr Strabismus (whom God preserve) of Utrecht, Big White Carstairs and more...
Richard Ingrams John Wells, John Sessions , Joan Sims amd Patricia Routledge recreate the world of JB Morton.
With Brian Bowles , Simon Greenall , Henrietta Gooden and featuring June Whitfield.
Running in the Daily Express from 1924 to 1975 – JB Morton’s surreally comic ‘Beachcomber’ column paved the way for a great deal of modern humour – thanks to characters he created between the wars.
Adapted by Michael Barfield with Richard Ingrams.
Announcer: the silken tones of Brian Perkins.
Producer: Harry Thompson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1994.
THU 10:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017srv7)
The Corridors of Power
Post-war politics throws up surprises for Lewis Eliot, as a rising star enlists his help. Stars David Haig and Iain Glen. From June 2003.
THU 11:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015pw1l)
Episode 4
Ellen Terry's Lady Macbeth is a controversial success, but her relationship with Henry Irving cools off. Read by Eleanor Bron.
THU 11:15 Drama (b010t6jh)
Ed Jones - The Janitor
The Janitor by Ed Jones.
Kevin is struggling to keep his new restaurant afloat in posh Salford Quays. But then Jonno turns up. The boy he was a dad to for a couple of years when he was shacked up with his mother. He couldn't save the mother, can he now save the kid? All fifteen stone of him?
Kevin............Jason Done
Jonno............Tachia Newall
Sandra..........Naomi Radcliffe
Mikey............Chris Jack
Amy..............Catherine Kinsella
Scotty...........Gerard Fletcher
Producer Gary Brown
Twenty years ago you wouldn't have found a posh restaurant in Salford. Now there's a load of them and a theatre and a designer outlet mall. And to top it all there's Media City with all those Giles and Jocastas moving in.
The truth is there's two kinds of Salfords. There's the Quays and posh Salford and Salford-Salford; the proper bit, that Lowry painted, with the bent over people and the dark heart.
This is the story of Kevin, a talented chef, who wanted to open a restaurant in his old stamping ground. To put something back - and make some dosh at the same time. Only, he isn't very good with figures, and his employees are ripping him off. His business is bleeding money.
When Jonno returns- a kid he used to live with - they both try and make things work. Jonno is trying to leave behind his old life of drugs and violence. But when it catches up with him it has major consequences for both Jonno and Kevin.
Starring Jason Done from Waterloo Rd, this is a morality tale for our times.
THU 12:00 Steptoe and Son (b007jnv2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:00 today]
THU 12:30 Radio Active (b007js7f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:30 today]
THU 13:00 Paul Temple (b00rm4xk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 today]
THU 13:30 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (b00s77wp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 today]
THU 14:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ngnwv)
Patricia Ferguson - The Midwife's Daughter
Episode 9
By Patricia Ferguson
Read by Joanna Tope
The new novel by Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
Grace has met the injured soldier, Joe Gilder, and they plan their life together - with support from Aunt Bea.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
THU 14:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4t17)
Capsules of Life
By the end of the 20th century, concerns raised in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit about the fate of wild plants and their ecosystems meant that conservation in the field now needed to be complemented by methods away from a plant's natural habitat.
Professor Kathy Willis pays a visit to the underground vaults of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP), one in a network of 1300 seed banks around the world - and one of the main "ex situ" methods for conserving plant genetic material.
Knowing the longevity and quality of seeds is vital if they're to be put to good use in the real world. We hear a testament to the length of seed survival as head of the MSBP reveals recent success in germinating a 200 year old packet of seeds collected from the Dutch East India Company Gardens in South Africa. And Kathy Willis discovers how research into variable climates during crop cycles on seed quality is providing new leads into which varieties of crops seeds to store, to ensure future sustainable food supplies.
With contributions from seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy, MSB seed manager Janet Terry, Paul Smith head of the MSBP, and Hugh Pritchard head of MSBP seed conservation.
Producer Adrian Washbourne.
THU 14:30 15 Minute Drama (b011ld41)
Kieran Prendiville - Once More with Feeling
Episode 4
By Kieran Prendiville. A comedy drama set in the no-prisoners world of northern social clubs.
Its protagonist is Les Bone, a plumber who once came within sniffing distance of the big time when his band Nuclear Dump went mega.....without him.
And now, twenty five years down the line, still unlucky in love, single-parent Les has been tossed a second chance. His kids have a boyband (even if one of them is a girl) and they're a boy short for an upcoming tour of south Yorkshire, one of the hardest enclaves in clubland.
After a disastrous performance, the band is paid off. Les picks up with Elaine where he left off twenty five years ago - and gets dumped again.
Cast:
Les ..... Paul Copley
Sheila ...... Belinda Everett
Elaine ...... Blue Merrick
Denny ...... Christian Rodska
Chris ...... Harry Hepple
Alan/Scotch Billy ..... Rob Hudson
Kevin ..... Brogan West
Troy ..... James Baxter
Kimberly/Nurse ..... Joan Walker
Compere ..... Kieran Prendiville
Producer/Director: Clive Brill
A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 14:45 Book of the Week (b0100x2v)
Ken Campbell: The Great Caper
Episode 4
Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.
By Michael Coveney. In his production of 'The Warp', Campbell made arduous demands on his cast. For actor Russell Denton it was a life-changing experience.
Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.
Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.
He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, "The outsider's outsider"
Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?
Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.
Read by Toby Jones
Abridged by Pete Nichols
Producer: Karen Rose
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 15:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017srv7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 today]
THU 16:00 The Food Quiz (b073qz7y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 16:30 Beachcomber... By the Way (b008m24j)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:30 today]
THU 17:00 PG Wodehouse (b00bwtw9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:00 today]
THU 17:30 Susan Calman - Keep Calman Carry On (b072n5xp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 today]
THU 18:00 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (b007k0s3)
1. Immune
Robert Neville is immune to a plague which has decimated the population
Earth's last living man takes on hordes of survivors turned into monstrous vampires.
1954 cult classic set in the United States of America in 1976.
Read by Angus McInnes.
One of the 20th century's most significant vampire novels, Richard Matheson's 'I Am Legend' combines the worlds of sci-fi and horror.
Abridged in nine parts by Scott Stainton Miller.
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by BBC Scotland and first broadcast in 2006.
THU 18:30 Great Lives (b0076ymt)
Series 9
Robin Day
Series of biographical discussions with Matthew Parris. News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy nominates his illustrious predecessor Robin Day. During the height of his career, Day was regarded as Britain's finest political interviewer. Some salute him for breaking the mould of deferential interviewing but others think he bullied his subjects and stole the limelight himself with his mannered performances. From June 2006.
THU 19:00 Steptoe and Son (b007jnv2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:00 today]
THU 19:30 Radio Active (b007js7f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:30 today]
THU 20:00 Paul Temple (b00rm4xk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 today]
THU 20:30 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (b00s77wp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 today]
THU 21:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015pw1l)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:00 today]
THU 21:15 Drama (b010t6jh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 today]
THU 22:00 Susan Calman - Keep Calman Carry On (b072n5xp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 today]
THU 22:30 Newsjack (b073r1c6)
Series 14
Episode 6
This week's stories lovingly bashed, mashed and moulded into sketches, one-liners and vox-pops written by the public. Trying to make sense of it all is our host, Nish Kumar.
We tackle Osborne's budget, Matt Le Blanc's Top Gear gaffe, and the biggest news story of all this week - Peter Stringfellow's naming ceremony in a strip club.
Nish is joined by George Fouracres, Cariad Lloyd and Dominique Moore.
Newsjack was produced by Matt Stronge and Paul Sheehan.
The Production Coordinator was Sophie Richardson.
It was a BBC Radio Comedy Production.
THU 22:55 The Comedy Club Interviews (b074v9v6)
From
10pm to midnight, seven days a week, the Comedy Club has two hours of comedy. Plus Paul Garner chats again to Paul Kaye.
THU 23:00 Old Harry's Game (b007jm9l)
Series 3
This Thing Called Love
Satan worries about his image, and the Professor is concerned over his widow's remarriage.
Andy Hamilton’s devilishly funny sitcom set in Hell.
Satan …. Andy Hamilton
The Professor …. James Grout
Thomas …. Jimmy Mulville
Scumspawn …. Robert Duncan
Other characters played by Philip Pope, Michael Fenton Stevens, Felicity Montagu and Nick Revell
Producer Paul Mayhew-Archer
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1999.
THU 23:30 Arthur Smith's Balham Bash (b010hcwk)
Series 3
Episode 3
Arthur Smith presents comedy and music from his flat in Balham, south London.
With stand-up comedy from Sean Lock in the living room, Annette Fagon on the landing and music from Squeeze in the kitchen.
Producer Alison Vernon-Smith.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2011.
FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2016
FRI 00:00 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (b007k0s3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:00 on Thursday]
FRI 00:30 Great Lives (b0076ymt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:30 on Thursday]
FRI 01:00 Paul Temple (b00rm4xk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 on Thursday]
FRI 01:30 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (b00s77wp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 on Thursday]
FRI 02:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ngnwv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:00 on Thursday]
FRI 02:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4t17)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:15 on Thursday]
FRI 02:30 15 Minute Drama (b011ld41)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:30 on Thursday]
FRI 02:45 Book of the Week (b0100x2v)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:45 on Thursday]
FRI 03:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017srv7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 on Thursday]
FRI 04:00 The Food Quiz (b073qz7y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 on Thursday]
FRI 04:30 Beachcomber... By the Way (b008m24j)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:30 on Thursday]
FRI 05:00 PG Wodehouse (b00bwtw9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:00 on Thursday]
FRI 05:30 Susan Calman - Keep Calman Carry On (b072n5xp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 on Thursday]
FRI 06:00 Paul Temple (b00rmxpm)
Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case
5. That Good Old Intuition
With Lynn Ferguson missing - the suave sleuth heads off to question the owner of the La Mortella club, Louis Fabian.
Francis Durbridge's thriller starring Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury in another intriguing case for BBC radio's smoothest investigator and his glamorous wife.
Paul Temple …. Peter Coke
Steve …. Marjorie Westbury
Sir Graham Forbes …. Lester Mudditt
Charlie …. James Beattie
Lynn Ferguson …. Peggy Hassard
Wilfred Stirling …. Charles Leno
Louis Fabian …. Olaf Olsen
Peter Galino …. Robert Tietty
Detective Inspector Kingston …. Duncan McIntyre
Miss White …. Elizabeth London
Producer: Martyn C Webster
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in April 1954.
FRI 06:30 Let's Go To Misterland (b00qm467)
Created in 1971 by Roger Hargreaves, the Mr Men books have been an inherent part of so many childhoods.
Inspired by the author's son Adam, who one day inquired, "what does a tickle look like?". and the first character was born. The Little Miss books followed ten years later, worldwide sales have exceeded 100 million, and today the brand is flourishing under its new owners.
Stephanie Flanders takes a look at the Mr Men business and its growth over the years. She speaks to Adam Hargreaves who tells us the story behind the books and what inspired his father to create such a simplistic, yet hugely influential brand.
Created in the humble surroundings of a small home office, the characters have reached a global audience, and they appeal to today's children as much as their 1970s counterparts. Despite his death in 1988, Roger Hargreaves was the third best-selling author of the past decade, outstripping such feted writers as Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Pratchett and John Grisham.
Stephanie Flanders, daughter of the actor and singer Michael Flanders, examines the appeal of the Mr Men and how these bold, colourful drawings and simple stories continue to capture children's hearts.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2010.
FRI 07:00 1835 (b0129v0m)
Haircut Sir?
Aristocrat Belport and his servant Ned join the police force, and are called upon to solve some murders in the city of London.
But first, to meet police regulations, they must both have hair cut:s - and as luck would have it, there's a barber's on Fleet Street, run by a Mr Sweeney Todd...
Comic saga of an aristocrat and his servant who struggle to find things to do in the mid- 1830s.
Belport ...... Paul Rider
Ned ...... Jason Done
Peel ...... Roy Barraclough
Trollope ...... Simon Greenall
Sweeney Todd ...... Jonathan Keeble
Written and directed at BBC Manchester by Jim Poyser.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2004.
FRI 07:30 Wordaholics (b01s6c9z)
Series 2
Episode 4
Gyles Brandreth chairs the word-obsessed comedy panel show.
Katy Brand and Alex Horne compete with Richard Herring and Natalie Haynes for wordy supremacy.
Richard Herring decides to reclaim the word 'middle class' and tries to decipher the 16th century phrase 'a mare's nest'. Team-mate Natalie Haynes tries to get rid of the word 'decimate' and despite being a vegetarian works out what the very meaty cookery term 'barding' means.
Alex Horne comes up with the correct definition for the Victorian phrase 'a scraping castle' and asks to take the word 'a' out of the dictionary. Meanwhile, Katy Brand takes a guess at what the unit of measurement 'the Warhol' is and reveals that her favourite word is 'plop'.
Writers: Jon Hunter and James Kettle.
Producer: Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2013.
FRI 08:00 Hancock's Half Hour (b007jps5)
Series 6
The Poetry Society
The lad's new avant garde friends produce some poetical gems - with a little help from Sid and Bill.
Starring Tony Hancock. With Sidney James, Bill Kerr, Fenella Fielding, Warren Mitchell and Fraser Kerr.
Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
Theme and incidental music written by Wally Stott.
Producer: Tom Ronald
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in December 1959.
FRI 08:30 The Goon Show (b007jtd4)
Series 7
The Nasty Affair at the Burami Oasis
Admiral Seagoon is dispatched as bandits attack the British garrison.
Groundbreaking, surreal BBC radio comedy written by Spike Milligan and Larry Stephens.
Starring:
Peter Sellers
Harry Secombe
Spike Milligan
First billed as Crazy People, ten series of The Goon Show were recorded between 1951 and 1960, but sadly many of the earliest shows weren’t kept in the archive.
With the Ray Ellington Quartet and Max Geldray.
Orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
Producer: Peter Eton
First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in October 1956.
FRI 09:00 Wildbrain (b073r48v)
1997 - Heat 6
Lionel Kelleway visits Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, to test more wildlife knowledge in the BBC Natural History Unit's quiz.
FRI 09:30 No Commitments (b007jp2j)
Series 8
My Turn Now
Anna's sisters Charlotte and Victoria are even more self-absorbed than usual. Stars Rosemary Leach. From January 2002.
FRI 10:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017sv17)
Corridors of Power - The Choice
As Roger Quaife's political destiny hangs on an extraordinary Commons debate, what future for Lewis Eliot? Stars David Haig. From June 2003.
FRI 11:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015r2bd)
Episode 5
Suffering a stroke on stage, Henry Irving dies, but Ellen Terry battles on. Eleanor Bron concludes Michael Holroyd's biography.
FRI 11:15 Drama (b00j8dk1)
Peter Souter - Stream, River, Sea
By Peter Souter. Hugh and Bella, are running to the same timetable, the timetable you're on if someone you love has just died, and they keep running into each other.
They visit the same undertakers at the same time; Hugh's Mum is cremated immediately after Bella's husband; and they even end up in the same bereavement-counselling group.
But Hugh and Bella are dealing with very different types of grief. Hugh's heart is like a toy that has never been taken out of the box, Bella's is like a beautiful crystal glass that's been dropped from a 30 storey building.
Hugh... Alex Jennings
Bella... Juliet Stevenson
Daisy... Lizzy Watts
Directed by Gordon House.
FRI 12:00 Hancock's Half Hour (b007jps5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:00 today]
FRI 12:30 The Goon Show (b007jtd4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
08:30 today]
FRI 13:00 Paul Temple (b00rmxpm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:00 today]
FRI 13:30 Let's Go To Misterland (b00qm467)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:30 today]
FRI 14:00 Book at Bedtime (b01ngrxl)
Patricia Ferguson - The Midwife's Daughter
Episode 10
By Patricia Ferguson
Read by Joanna Tope
The new novel by Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
There is wonderful news for Grace but joy is short lived. And the final truth about the past is revealed.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
FRI 14:15 Plants: From Roots to Riches (b04d4ppb)
A Useful Weed
At a glance, Arabidopsis thaliana (Mouse ear cress) looks little more than a tiny flowering weed. But this nondescript plant became a Rosetta stone for understanding the molecular processes underpinning many plant traits when in 2000 it became the first plant to have its genome fully sequenced.
Professor Kathy Willis hears how Arabidopsis bagged the role in plant genetics research similar to that played by mice and fruit flies in animal research, and how amidst arguments for and against the technique of modification, it became a key to introducing new characteristics in a quicker and more targeted way than traditional plant breeding.
The overall size of the Arabidopsis genome however, is not typical of many plants. We hear how a new understanding of the surprisingly diverse range of genome sizes within the plant kingdom is shedding light on the speed of a plant's ability to reproduce and adapt in changing conditions, which could play a fundamental role in decoding the patterns of plant distribution we see around the world.
With contributions from historian Jim Endersby, plant scientist Prof Liam Dolan and cytogeneticist Ilia Leitch.
Producer Adrian Washbourne.
FRI 14:30 15 Minute Drama (b011ld49)
Kieran Prendiville - Once More with Feeling
Episode 5
By Kieran Prendiville. A comedy drama set in the no-prisoners world of northern social clubs.
Its protagonist is Les Bone, a plumber who once came within sniffing distance of the big time when his band Nuclear Dump went mega.....without him.
And now, twenty five years down the line, still unlucky in love, single-parent Les has been tossed a second chance. His kids have a boyband (even if one of them is a girl) and they're a boy short for an upcoming tour of south Yorkshire, one of the hardest enclaves in clubland.
Against all odds, the family band makes the Blackpool showcase and comedian Denny gives the performance of his life.
Cast:
Les ..... Paul Copley
Sheila ...... Belinda Everett
Elaine ...... Blue Merrick
Denny ...... Christian Rodska
Chris ...... Harry Hepple
Alan/Scotch Billy ..... Rob Hudson
Kevin ..... Brogan West
Troy ..... James Baxter
Kimberly/Nurse ..... Joan Walker
Compere ..... Kieran Prendiville
Producer/Director: Clive Brill
A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 14:45 Book of the Week (b0100x2x)
Ken Campbell: The Great Caper
Episode 5
Michael Coveney's biography tells the story of Campbell, the great adventurer of British theatre.
In his later work, Campbell focuses on improvisation; taking the safety-net of the script away from his performers.
Ken Campbell, who died in September 2008, was one of the great mavericks of British theatre.
Ill-suited to a role in conventional theatre, he created a risk-taking confrontational style of performance, which often explored unlikely subject matter.
He became, in director Mike Leigh's words, "The outsider's outsider"
Bob Hoskins, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent are amongst the performers whose formative years were spent working with Campbell. What did the director and producer bring to performance that made him such a mesmeric figure?
Writer Michael Coveney is a long-standing theatre critic, who has worked for The Financial Times, The Observer and The Daily Mail. Actor Toby Jones played Truman Capote in 'Infamous' and Swifty Lazar in 'Frost/Nixon' and recently reprised the role of Dobby in the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'. Toby has also appeared in a production of 'The Warp' by Neil Oram, the 22-hour epic created by Ken Campbell.
Read by Toby Jones
Abridged by Pete Nichols
Producer: Karen Rose
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 15:00 CP Snow - Strangers and Brothers (b017sv17)
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10:00 today]
FRI 16:00 Wildbrain (b073r48v)
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FRI 16:30 No Commitments (b007jp2j)
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09:30 today]
FRI 17:00 1835 (b0129v0m)
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FRI 17:30 Wordaholics (b01s6c9z)
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07:30 today]
FRI 18:00 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (b007k0tb)
2. Tomb
Earth's last living man, Robert Neville, discovers that his wife's tomb is a lair for vampires.
Richard Matheson's 1954 cult classic set in 1976 USA. One of the 20th century's most significant vampire novels, combining sci-fi and horror.
Read by Angus McInnes.
Abridged by Scott Stainton Miller.
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by BBC Scotland and first broadcast in January 2006.
FRI 18:30 Soul Music (b008m82d)
Series 6
New York, New York
Andrew Collins and Mark Shenton present the story behind the classic song New York, New York.
Songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote the title song for the film. Unfortunately, the star Robert de Niro didn't like it, so they furiously wrote another one.
John Kander talks about the story behind the classic song.
Featuring:
Lorrena Turner
Michael Freedland
Huw Madoc-Jones
Terry Bennett
Alun Howells
Gareth Valentine
John Kander
Patrick Sasso
Rosemary Watts
Series about music that makes the hairs stand up on the back of our necks.
Producer: Sara Conkey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2008.
FRI 19:00 Hancock's Half Hour (b007jps5)
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08:00 today]
FRI 19:30 The Goon Show (b007jtd4)
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08:30 today]
FRI 20:00 Paul Temple (b00rmxpm)
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06:00 today]
FRI 20:30 Let's Go To Misterland (b00qm467)
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06:30 today]
FRI 21:00 Michael Holroyd - A Strange Eventful History (b015r2bd)
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11:00 today]
FRI 21:15 Drama (b00j8dk1)
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11:15 today]
FRI 22:00 Wordaholics (b01s6c9z)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:30 today]
FRI 22:30 Rudy's Rare Records (b01ng835)
Series 4
Let It Grow
Episode 3: Let It Grow
Adam is keen to take on an allotment and work the land with his Dad, Rudy. Rudy would prefer a patio.
Adam hopes to bond with his Dad, Rudy, whilst they till the earth together on an allotment. However, Rudy prefers to chill with his best friend Clifton and only takes an interest when they spot a rare and illegal plant growing in the greenhouse.
Father and son comedy set in the finest old-school record shop in Birmingham. Starring Lenny Henry, Larrington Walker and some terrific tunes.
Rudy's Rare Records is a tiny down at heel old reggae record shop in Birmingham - one of a dying breed; a place with real soul, stacked with piles of vinyl, where the slogan is "if we don't have it - them don't mek it". It's owned by the charismatic, irrepressible Rudy Sharpe (Larrington Walker), reluctantly helped out by his long-suffering neurotic son Adam (Lenny Henry) and Handsworth's first, black, surly girly goth, Tasha (Natasha Godfrey). Rudy has recently married his long-term love interest Doreen (Claire Benedict) which is leaving his best friend Clifton (Jeffery Kissoon) feeling left out.
Adam ............ Lenny Henry
Rudy ............ Larrington Walker
Tasha ............ Natasha Godfrey
Doreen ............ Claire Benedict
Clifton ............ Jeffery Kissoon
Lucinda ............ Sarah Thom
Trader/Customer/Dealer ............ Adam Nagaitis
Written by Danny Robins
Producer: Katie Tyrrell
Music featured in this episode:
ZUNGGUZUNGGUGUZUNGGUZENG * YELLOW MAN
THE GATES OF ZION * THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS
INCREDIBLE * M BEAT FEAT. GENERAL LEVY
HERBAL DUB * KING TUBBY
RUMOURS * GREGORY ISAACS
CARRY GO BRING HOME * THE SELECTER
GIMME THE LIGHT * SEAN PAUL
HARD TIMES * LEO GRAHAM
RAPPER'S DELIGHT * SUGARHILL GANG.
FRI 22:55 The Comedy Club Interviews (b074vb9h)
From
10pm to midnight, seven days a week, the Comedy Club has two hours of comedy. Plus Arthur Smith chats again to Adam Riches.
FRI 23:00 The Mark Steel Lecture (b007jlwr)
Series 2
Aristotle
A profile of the Greek philosopher, who he thinks was hard done by - Aristotle.
Mark Steel lectures humourously about historical figures that have shaped their era.
With:
Melanie Hudson
Martin Hyder
Producer: Lucy Armitage
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2001.
FRI 23:30 Hard to Tell (b03h3ybf)
Series 2
Episode 1
Second series of the relationship comedy written by Jonny Sweet.
It tells its central love story through the couple's individual conversations with their family and friends. In the process, we are introduced to all manner of relationships from a father and his cherished tour van to two women rivalling for the position of Best Friend, from a brother and sister comparing notes on Brazilians to a vicar and his new parish, and from a lodger's historic fling with a local waitress to a mum's lack of control over her desire to monitor her son's life.
Recorded on location, Hard To Tell's naturalistic, contemporary and conversational style brings new meaning to restaurants, funerals, French dressers and monkey puzzle trees.
Jonny Sweet is also the writer of Radio 4's Party and co-writer/co-star of Chickens on Sky 1.
Episode 1:
Tom and Ellen organize a night out so that their parents can meet. Ellen's Dad's lodger invites herself along, while Tom's Mum and Dad decide to open up about an aspect of Tom's lifestyle that's been troubling them.
Producer: Lucy Armintage
A Tiger Aspect production for BBC Radio 4.