SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020

SAT 00:00 Terry Pratchett (b007ncfp)
Only You Can Save Mankind
3. Is This Just Fantasy?
Johnny has the flu and wants to go to bed, but the ScreeWee Captain is still in trouble.
As the alien fleet crosses the computer screen, 12 year-old Johnny prepares to blow the ScreeWee into a million pieces - sparking a wild seesaw adventure involving space warfare, starships and aliens.
The conclusion of Terry Pratchett's sci-fi fantasy novel starring Tim Smith and Janet Dale.
Johnny Maxwell …. Tim Smith
ScreeWee Captain …. Janet Dale
Gunnery Officer …. Michael Angelis
The PT Teacher …. Mark Finn
Wobbler …. Akhbar Karim
Johnny’s Mother …. Marian Kemmer
Johnny’s Father …. Laurence Rew
ScreeWee Crew Member …. Tessa Harrison
Newscaster …. Terry Pearson
Yo-less …. Peter Dalton
Big Mac …. Michael Peristrello
Kirsty …. Natalie Moore
Kirsty’s Mother …. Tina Gray
Mr Patel …. Renu Setna
With David Hawkins, Matthew Campion and Simon Carter
Dramatised by Bob Hescott.
Producer: Brian Lighthill
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1996.
SAT 00:30 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.
SAT 01:00 Wimsey (b007k4d8)
Busman's Honeymoon
6. A Chain of Circumstance
With no clear murder suspect, the arrival of the removal men helps the upper crust sleuth to spot a vital clue.
Ian Carmichael stars as Lord Peter Wimsey in the gripping conclusion of Dorothy L Sayers' thriller.
Lord Peter Wimsey …. Ian Carmichael
Lady Wimsey …. Sarah Badel
Bunter …. Peter Jones
Mrs Ruddle …. Pearl Hackney
Narrator …. John Westbrook
Miss Twitterton …. Rosemary Leach
Frank Crutchley …. Kenneth Cranham
Superintendent Kirk …. Peter Vaughan
Mr Puffett …. Michael Ripper
The Rev. Goodacre …. Gerald Sim
Constable Sellon …. Christopher Beeny
First Removal man …. Edward Cast
Second Removal Man …. Alex Jennings
Dramatised by Alistair Beaton.
Producer: Martin Fisher
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1983.
SAT 01:30 Hercule Poirot (b007jm4n)
Evil Under the Sun
Episode 5
Determined to pinpoint the American starlet's killer, the Belgian sleuth invites everyone on his list of suspects to a picnic.
The finale of Agatha Christie's whodunit starring John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot.
Hercule Poirot …. John Moffatt
Colonel Weston …. George Baker
Christin Redfern …. Susannah Corbett
Patrick Redfern …. Iain Glen
Rosamund Darnley …. Sabina Franklyn
Linda Marshall …. Lindsey Fawcett
Captain Kenneth Marshall …. Robin Ellis
Inspector Colgate …. Gerrard McDermott
Horace Blatt …. John Hartley
Gladys …. Nicol Forbes
Carrie Gardener …. Wendy Craig
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Producer: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1998.
SAT 02:00 Wordaholics (b01rr48h)
Series 2
Episode 2
Gyles Brandreth hosts the comedy panel show challenging guests to display their knowledge of words and language.
Katy Brand and Alex Horne compete against Richard Herring and Natalie Haynes to find out who knows more about words.
Katy Brand reveals an unexpected love of Proverbs in the Old Testament and takes a guess at what 'cougar juice' meant at the turn of the 20th century; Richard Herring explains why his favourite West County word from his schooldays is 'wasp'; Natalie Haynes guesses the meaning of the German word 'zechpreller' which has no direct translation in English, and Alex Horne coins his very own onomatopoeia to describe a snowflake landing on a bubble.
Writers: Jon Hunter and James Kettle.
Producer: Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2013.
SAT 02:30 Romantic Friction (b00764mh)
An Ending..?
Brian has gone to the Shetland Isles to make giant fibreglass ducks and romance writer, Anna's head is throbbing because she's been hitting the cooking sherry.
Her book is on hold, her characters are unhappy and her publisher is nagging her for a finished copy. Is there any chance of a happy ending?
Samantha Bond and Hugh Bonneville star in Michelle Read's 4-part comedy-drama
Anna ...... Samantha Bond
Brian ...... Hugh Bonneville
Deirdre ...... Beth Chambers
Fertility Doll ...... Adjoa Andoh
Buddah ...... Kammy Darweish
Brenda ...... Michelle Read
Bob ...... Andrew Wincott
Minnie ...... Sue Elliott-Nicholls
Book ...... Michael Fenton Stevens
Dougie ...... Ewan Bailey
Producer: Dawn Ellis
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2001.
SAT 03:00 John Buchan - The 39 Steps (b00lbtl4)
2. The Coming of the Black Stone
A gang of German spies is hot in pursuit of Richard Hannay and a notebook which contains the secret of the 39 steps.
Hannay must solve the mystery of the steps if he's to save the British naval fleet from certain destruction...
David Robb and Tom Baker star in the conclusion of John Buchan's spy-thriller.
Hannay ...... David Robb
Bullivant ...... Tom Baker
Hawk ...... Struan Rodger
Charlotte ...... Tracy Wiles
Johnners ...... Phillip Joseph
Jopley ...... Thomas Arnold
Chairman ...... Gordon Reid
Sir Harry ...... Stuart McQuarrie
Dramatised by Bert Coules.
Producer: Bruce Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2001.
SAT 04:00 Podcast Radio Hour (m000lvt8)
Glorious game shows - and Avery Trufelman on The Cut
Amanda Litherland is joined by Caroline Crampton (podcaster - Shedunnit, writer - HotPod newsletter) to recommend great podcasts and speak to creators.
Firstly, a round up of some addictive new listening:
Nice White Parents (New York Times, Serial)
You're Wrong About
The Comb (BBC World Service)
Bad People (BBC Sounds)
The culture podcast The Cut from New York Magazine has recently relaunched with a new host - Avery Trufelman. Avery joins to discuss what's in store for the new podcast, and what she's learned from her years as a producer and reporter at 99% Invisible.
Caroline chooses some superb game show podcasts to keep you entertained:
Triviality
Make My Day with Josh Gondelman
Punch Up The Jam
Got It
Smash Boom Best
and comedians Fern Brady and Alison Spittle discuss their new game show for BBC Sounds - Wheel of Misfortune - where they turn tragedy into comedy.
SAT 05:00 The Golden Age (b01nx4j3)
Saturday Sports Parade
Tharb and Lord Reith have to help the King overcome a bizarre speech impediment, with the dubious aid of tempestuous children's presenter, Lancelot Wyndham.
Meanwhile, Mabel tries to revamp the BBC's flagship sports show, "Saturday Sports Parade".
Set in the BBC's Broadcasting House in London during the 1930s, this series follows head of programmes, John Tharb and his assistant, Mabel Hopcraft as they struggle to deal with the foibles and fragile egos of radio's biggest stars.
These include the perpetually drunk band-leader, Ronaldo and the most boring man in radio, Mallard Tofts. Tharb's task is not made any easier by having to constantly defer to the whims and wishes of his irascible boss, Lord Reith.
Robert Bathurst stars in the first radio sitcom to be written by Channel 4's Father Ted writer, Arthur Mathews.
Robert Bathurst.....John Tharb
Vicky McClure.....Mabel Hopcraft
Ford Kiernan.....Lord Reith
Peter Egan.....Lancelot Wyndham
Pippa Evans.....The Queen Consort
Kevin Bishop.....The King / Edward Fellowes
Ewan Bailey.....Gerald Merry
Producer: Simon Mayhew-Archer.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2012.
SAT 05:30 Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang-Ups (b07pjb9t)
Series 4
Strangers on a Train
Episode 1 - Strangers on a Train. Tom enlists the help of his Dad to take delivery of an important package while Mum bites the bullet and learns to drive.
Series 4 of Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang-Ups presents another hilarious helping of down-the-line adventures from Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated Tom. Listen in on Tom's weekly phone calls home to his Mum, Dad and Gran in Sheffield and get a glimpse into the triumphs and tribulations of the Wrigglesworth clan in all its dysfunctional glory.
Starring Tom Wrigglesworth, Paul Copley, Kate Anthony and Elizabeth Bennett.
Written by Tom Wrigglesworth and James Kettle with additional material by Miles Jupp.
Producer: Richard Morris
A BBC Studios Production.
SAT 06:00 Daphne Du Maurier (b007k4b7)
Rebecca
Arriving at Manderley, the young Mrs de Winter finds the beautiful mansion and its occupants haunted by memories of Rebecca - the first wife of her new husband Maxim...
Christopher Cazenove and Janet Maw star in Daphne Du Maurier’s classic 1938 novel.
Dramatised by Brian Miller.
Maxim de Winter …. Christopher Cazenove
Mrs de Winter …. Janet Maw
Mrs Danvers …. Rosalie Crutchley
Jack Favell …. Nicholas Grace
Colonel Julyan …. Frederick Treves
Mrs Van Hopper …. Irene Sutcliffe
Frith …. John Gabriel
Beatrice …. Margaret Courtenay
Ben …. Danny Schiller
Clarice …. Elizabeth Mansfield
Horridge …. Brian Miller
Tabb …. John Bull
Dr Baker …. Geoffrey Whitehead
Director: Cherry Cookson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1989
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b05stkqz)
Series 36
Wendy Cope on John Clare
"John Clare, I cried last night for you" wrote Wendy Cope in a poem dedicated to the earlier poet, who overcame monumental setbacks such as a poverty-stricken upbringing and a long struggle with mental illness. However, Clare managed to write some of the most sensitive poetry in the English language. At one point he was known as "the English Robert Burns" but then his fame dropped away and many people now remember him solely for his cri de coeur, "I Am."
Expert witness is John Clare's biographer, Sir Jonathan Bate.
Producer Christine Hall
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2015
SAT 08:00 Quote... Unquote (m00013nn)
Nigel Rees quizzes a host of celebrity guests on the origins of sayings and well-known quotes, and gets the famous panel to share their favourite anecdotes and quotes.
* Historian, broadcaster and writer of award-winning sketch show Horrible Histories - Greg Jenner
* Comedian and writer - Sindhu Vee
* Actor and comedian - Roy Hudd
This is the 54th series of the popular humorous celebrity quotations quiz.
In almost forty years, Nigel Rees has been joined by writers, actors, musicians, scientists and various comedy types. Kenneth Williams, Judi Dench, PD James, Larry Adler, Ian McKellen, Peter Cook, Kingsley Amis, Peter Ustinov… have all graced the Quote Unquote stage.
Presenter: Nigel Rees
Producer: Simon Nicholls
A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in November 2018.
SAT 08:30 An Actor's Life for Me (b00s7t2v)
Series 3
Neighbours
Robert Wilson discovers that not everybody needs good neighbours.
John Gordon Sinclair stars in Paul Mayhew-Archer's sitcom.
Robert ..... John Gordon Sinclair
Desmond Shaw ..... Gary Waldhorn
Sue ..... Gina McKee
Doctor …. Toby Longworth
Mrs Blake …. Hilda Braid
Neville …. Jon Glover
Producer: Diane Messias
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in February 1993.
SAT 09:00 Knowing Steve, Knowing You (b06gx1tz)
Steve Coogan talks to the novelist and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce about his life and career.
Featuring fresh interviews with John Thomson, Henry Normal, Michael Winterbottom, Simon Greenall, Graham Duff, Sioned Wiliam and Steve Brown.
Featured archive material:
* Knowing Knowing Me, Knowing You: Alan Partridge Documentary:
From 03/07/1993
The hapless host takes a fly-on-the-wall behind-the-scenes look at Pear Tree Productions.
* Nebulous – The Buzzing
From 2006
Professor Nebulous battles against giant, murderous insects in the sci fi comedy with Mark Gatiss and guest star Steve Coogan.
* Hey, Rrradio!!! (Clip)
From 14/10/1988
Steve Coogan makes his national radio debut on Radio 1 in 1988 with 'A Question of International Revolutionary Politics' in the comedy cabaret extravaganza "Hey, Rrradio!!!"
* The Word Made Fresh (Clip)
From 17/10/1988
Steve Coogan performs his early comedy creation Duncan Thickett in this curtain raiser to the first BBC Radio Young Writers Festival.
* Front Row (Clip)
From 28/10/2010
A clip of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon talking to John Wilson about their television series "The Trip" on Radio 4's "Front Row".
Producer: Stuart Ross.
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in October 2015
SAT 12:00 Booked (b08yfb97)
Series 6
Episode 1
More original writing and outrageous parody wreaking havoc with literary icons.
Ian McMillan chairs the irreverent literary game with Mark Thomas, David Stafford, Stuart Maconie and Linda Smith.
Producer: Marc Jobst
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1999.
SAT 12:30 The Goon Show (b007jt71)
Series 6
The Treasure in the Lake
Neddie discovers he's the heir to a Scottish fortune, but first he must outlive the current Laird.
Groundbreaking, surreal BBC radio comedy written by Spike Milligan.
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 February 1956.
SAT 13:00 Hercule Poirot (b007jm2f)
Evil Under the Sun
Episode 1
Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot allows himself to be tempted by an English summer holiday at the seaside.
But he soon senses the presence of evil on Smugglers' Island...
Agatha Christie's whodunit stars John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot
From the book first published in 1941 and dramatised in five parts by Michael Bakewell.
Hercule Poirot …. John Moffatt
Carrie Gardener …. Wendy Craig
Odell Gardener …. John Rowe
Miss Brewster …. Joan Littlewood
Rev Stephen Lane …. Iwan Thomas
Christine Redfern …. Susannah Corbett
Patrick Redfern …. Iain Glen
Arlena Stuart/Marshall …. Fiona Fullerton
Rosamund Darnley …. Sabina Franklyn
Linda Marshall …. Lindsey Fawcett
Captain Kenneth Marshall …. Robin Ellis
Horace Blatt …. John Hartley
Producer: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1998.
SAT 13:30 Hercule Poirot (b007jm30)
Evil Under the Sun
Episode 2
When a glamorous American starlet is found strangled, the Belgian sleuth has a hotel full of suspects to investigate.
Agatha Christie's whodunit stars John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot.
Hercule Poirot …. John Moffatt
Colonel Weston …. George Baker
Carrie Gardener …. Wendy Craig
Odell Gardener …. John Rowe
Miss Brewster …. Joan Littlewood
Christine Redfern …. Susannah Corbett
Patrick Redfern …. Iain Glen
Arlena Stuart/Marshall …. Fiona Fullerton
Rosamund Darnley …. Sabina Franklyn
Linda Marshall …. Lindsey Fawcett
Captain Kenneth Marshall …. Robin Ellis
Inspector Colgate …. Gerrard McDermott
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Producer: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1998.
SAT 14:00 Hercule Poirot (b007jm3j)
Evil Under the Sun
Episode 3
Suspects-a-plenty, along with witchcraft and a secret love-letter for the Belgian sleuth to investigate.
Agatha Christie's whodunit stars John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot.
Hercule Poirot …. John Moffatt
Colonel Weston …. George Baker
Carrie Gardener …. Wendy Craig
Miss Brewster …. Joan Littlewood
Christine Redfern …. Susannah Corbett
Patrick Redfern …. Iain Glen
Rosamund Darnley …. Sabina Franklyn
Linda Marshall …. Lindsey Fawcett
Captain Kenneth Marshall …. Robin Ellis
Inspector Colgate …. Gerrard McDermott
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Producer: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1998.
SAT 14:30 Hercule Poirot (b007jm42)
Evil Under the Sun
Episode 4
With sound alibis proven for the main suspects, the Belgian sleuth makes a chance discovery in a nearby cove...
Agatha Christie's whodunit stars John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot.
Hercule Poirot …. John Moffatt
Colonel Weston …. George Baker
Christine Redfern …. Susannah Corbett
Patrick Redfern …. Iain Glen
Rosamund Darnley …. Sabina Franklyn
Linda Marshall …. Lindsey Fawcett
Captain Kenneth Marshall …. Robin Ellis
Inspector Colgate …. Gerrard McDermott
Rev Stephen Lane …. Iwan Thomas
Horace Blatt …. John Hartley
Gladys …. Nicol Forbes
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Producer: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1998.
SAT 15:00 Hercule Poirot (b007jm4n)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:30 today]
SAT 15:30 A Good Read (b00t3zb6)
Claire Fox and Lisa Appignanesi
Books about the American dream and civilisation.
Novelist and Chair of the Royal Society of Literature, Lisa Appignanesi and Claire Fox, director and founder of the Institute of Ideas join Sue MacGregor to discuss books by Willa Cather, John Armstrong and Joseph O'Neill
A Lost Lady by Willa Cather
Publisher: Virago Modern Classics
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
Publisher: Fourth Estate
In Search of Civilisation - Remaking a tarnished idea by John Armstrong
Publisher: Penguin
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2010.
SAT 16:00 Daphne Du Maurier (b007k4b7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b05stkqz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (b09wvpbp)
Hexagonal Phase
6. The 0.6666667th Part
Ford Prefect calls upon Arthur Dent for help. Now, there’s desperation...
A full-cast production of the sixth book in the famous Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy, based on Eoin Colfer’s ‘And Another Thing...’
The Voice of The Book …. John Lloyd
Arthur Dent …. Simon Jones
Ford Prefect …. Geoff McGivern
Zaphod Beeblebrox …. Mark Wing-Davey
Trillian/Tricia McMillan …. Sandra Dickinson
Trillian …. Susan Sheridan
Random …. Samantha Béart
Jeltz/Wowbagger …. Toby Longworth
Constant Mown …. Andy Secombe
Left Brain/Thor …. Mitch Benn
Fenchurch …. Jane Horrocks
Hillman Hunter …. Ed Byrne
Cthulu …. Jon Culshaw
Marvin …. Jim Broadbent
The Guide MkII …. Professor Stephen Hawking
The Consultant …. Lenny Henry
Heimdall/Barzoo/Buckeye Brown/Eccentrica /Gunner Vogon …. Tom Alexander
Aseed Preflux/Sub-Etha Voice/HOG Door …. Philip Pope
Modgud/The Viking …. Theo Maggs
Baldur …. Phillipe Bosher
Announcer …. John Marsh
Based on the novel with additional material by Douglas Adams
The series is co-written, directed and sound-designed by Dirk Maggs.
Music by Philip Pope
Produced by Dirk Maggs, Helen Chattwell and David Morley
A Perfectly Normal production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2018.
SAT 18:30 Ben Moor - Undone (b00f6ddd)
Series 2
Unaccustomed
Carlo leads the story as Edna and Tankerton face their biggest challenge yet
Staring Alex Tregear and Ben Moor.
Ben Moor's comic sci-fi saga about magazine editor Edna Turner entering a parallel world where her version of London is replaced with the city of Undone.
Carlo .Jones..... Duncan Wisbey
Edna Turner ...... Alex Tregear
Tankerton Slopes ...... Ben Moor
Faceless Bureaucrat ...... Jot Davies
Daphne ...... Ray Baker
Prince ...... Kevin Eldon
Other parts played by the cast.
Producer: Colin Anderson
Made for BBC Radio 7 by BBC Radio Comedy and first broadcast in February 2008.
SAT 19:00 Knowing Steve, Knowing You (b06gx1tz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar (b09fzmk0)
Series 2
Death and Travel
Alexei considers travel to places both real and imaginary.
Along the way he reveals why BBC Radio 4 is a staple for Merchant seamen, how to get a cheap drink in the centre of Paris and the impulses he must fight when on holiday.
The Godfather of Alternative Comedy delivers a mixture of stand-up, memoir and philosophy from behind the counter of his Imaginary Sandwich Bar.
Written by Alexei Sayle
Performed by Alexei Sayle with Ian Smith
Original music and lyrics by Tim Sutton
Producer: Joe Nunnery
A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in November 2017.
SAT 22:30 Agendum (b0bgrhy5)
Series 1
Shock
A current affairs parody and stupidly feasible visit to the 24-hour Hall Of Opinion Mirrors. Because there are two stories to every story.
A deadly pandemic, an inappropriate economic yardstick and a very special anniversary are thrown about by some talking heads who probably came in a taxi, corralled by presenterer Alexandra Palisades in this new parody created by Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris.
With Carrie Quinlan as Alexandra Palisades
And the voices of:
Justin Edwards
Melanie Hudson
Kath Hughes
Simon Kane
Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong
Jess Robinson
Luke Sumner
Tony Way
Written by Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris
Produced by David Tyler
A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in September 2018.
SAT 23:00 That Mitchell and Webb Sound (b03lph8r)
Series 5
Episode 4
A horror story for slugs; the Escalator brothers inventing the world's first horseless staircase; and the very last programme the BBC ever does...
Offbeat sketches from the lopsided world of David Mitchell and Robert Webb.
With Olivia Colman and James Bachman.
Producer: Gareth Edwards
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2013.
SAT 23:30 Sarah Millican's Support Group (b011ppyc)
Series 2
6. ' I've finally found what I'm looking for...'
"Bullying at work - a trapeze artist who's been pushed off her perch"
"I've finally found what I'm looking for...Terry, it's you!"
Sarah Millican is a life counsellor and modern-day agony aunt tackling the nation's problems head on, dishing out real advice for real people.
Assisted by her very own team of experts of the heart - man of the people local cabbie Terry, and self qualified counsellor Marion,
Sarah tackles the nation's problems head on and has a solution for everything.
Sarah ...... Sarah Millican
Marion ...... Ruth Bratt
Terry ...... Simon Daye
Judy ...... Anna Crilly
Evan ...... Elis James
Written by Sarah Millican.
Producer: Lianne Coop
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2011