SATURDAY 29 AUGUST 2020

SAT 00:00 The Hospice by Robert Aickman (b0855zx8)
Maybury is driving home, he's lost, it's getting dark and he's running out of petrol.
BBC 6 Music’s Gideon Coe reads Robert Aickman’s teasingly elusive strange tale.
With a specially commissioned soundtrack by Vic Mars.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music in 2016.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b00771dl)
Telephones
Dominic Arkwright, Ben Goldacre, Sophie Borland and Joe Queenan discuss the cultural impact of the telephone. From November 2006.
SAT 01:00 Unofficial Rosie (b007jlfq)
1. Down These Mean Streets
Merseyside mother of two Rosie Monaghan is 39 and redundant.
Wondering what to do with the rest of her life - she decides to become a private detective...
Paula Wilcox stars in Alan McDonald's six-part thriller serial.
Rosie ...... Paula Wilcox
Margie ...... Elizabeth Estensen
Jerry ...... Christopher Bramwell
Mike ...... Steve Hodson
Bob ...... Dominic Grounsell
Carol ...... Helen Roberts
Andrew ...... Kim Wall
Others parts played by Federay Holmes, Siriol Jenkins, Matthew Morgan and Nicholas Murchie.
Music composed by Peter Howell.
Director: Tracey Neale
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1993.
SAT 01:30 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000m0kf)
5. The Ends Justify the Means?
After the kidnapping of Ruth Cobb, DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge gets an unexpected ally.
But an ever bigger surprise is still to come...
Patrick Mower stars as Detective Constable ‘Birdie’ Partridge.
Chris Boucher's vintage crime serial about the mystery disappearance of a passenger from an ocean liner.
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge …. Patrick Mower
Ruth Cobb …. Helen Atkinson Wood
Daryl Kennedy…. John Rowe
Garvey …. Gregory de Polnay
Bank Clerk …. Gary Cady
Stuart Cobb …. David Timson
Producer: Gerry Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1981.
SAT 02:00 Wordaholics (b01rvptv)
Series 2
Episode 3
Gyles Brandreth chairs the word-obsessed comedy panel show.
Lloyd Langford and Susie Dent compete against Dave Gorman and Natalie Haynes to find out who has the most word know-how.
Dave Gorman guesses the meaning of the phrase 'living on Queen Street' from the late 1800s; Natalie Haynes unravels the word 'autodysomophobia'; Lloyd Langford guesses the meaning of the Yiddish word 'farpotshket'; and Susie Dent shares her love of the current Liverpool word 'twirlies' and explains the meaning of the word 'quockerwodger'.
Both teams also have a go at coming up with modern phrases to replace the old cliches 'When life give you lemons, make lemonade' and 'Beauty is only skin deep'.
Writers: Jon Hunter and James Kettle.
Producer: Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2013.
SAT 02:30 Minor Adjustment (b0b0x50b)
Lollipops and Roses
Daughter Kate launches a campaign to help a lollipop man and family life is disrupted by a well-meaning TV documentary crew.
Six-part comedy series about the Stubbs family - cartoonist Richard, therapist Sarah and their daughters - Kate, aged 16 and three-year-old Amy who has Down's Syndrome.
Starring Peter Davison and Samantha Bond.
Written by son and father team, Andy and Eric Merriman - inspired by Andy's own four-year-old daughter, Sarah. Eric famously wrote legendary BBC comedy series 'Beyond Our Ken'.
Richard ...... Peter Davison
Sarah ...... Samantha Bond
Ron Miller ...... Peter Jones
Kate ...... Claire Russell
Amy ...... Sarah Merriman
Emma ...... Heather Jones
Michael ...... Stephen Critchlow
Chris ...... Keith Drinkel
Producer: Gareth Edwards
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1996
SAT 03:00 Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina (b007jps2)
2. The Affair
Anna's affair with young officer Vronsky has begun, but her pompous husband will not acknowledge it
Bored high society wife Anna embarks on a love affair.
Starring Teresa Gallagher, Toby Stephens and Nicholas Farrell.
Leo Tolstoy's 1877 novel dramatised Ed Thomason.
Anna Karenina .... Teresa Gallagher
Alexis Vronsky .... Toby Stephens
Alexis Alexandrovich Karenin .... Nicholas Farrell
Serezha .... George Allonby
Mikhail Slyudin/Gardener .... Hugh Dickson
Lydia Ivanovna .... Carolyn Jones
Betsy .... Janet Maw
Peter .... Gerard McDermott
Alexander Vronsky .... Alex Lowe
Orderly/Mishkin/Coachman .... Robert Harper
Annushka .... Alison Pettitt
Stremov/Driver/Porter .... Ioan Meredith
Yashvin/1st officer .... Chris Pavlo
Ivan Serpukhovsky .... Chrisopher Scott
Translator: Louise Maude
Director: David Hitchinson
First broadcast on the BBC World Service in 1997.
SAT 04:00 Podcast Radio Hour (m000m0km)
Listener Week
This week Amanda Litherland is joined by producer Chris Pearson to hear a variety of podcast recommendations sent in by listeners.
We hear voice notes and emails recommending:
Just The Zoo Of Us
The Countryside Hour (BBC Radio Norfolk)
The Ballad of Billy Balls
The History of English
Floating
The Stoop
Constellation Prize
Small Doses
Decoder Ring Theatre
Plus, listener Blossom joins to talk about her wellness podcast Tea with HB.
SAT 05:00 The Golden Age (b01p068b)
Minority Appeal
Mabel suggests making some programmes for "minorities"; a suggestion which takes Lord Reith by surprise.
Meanwhile, Tharb does his best to cheer up BBC Radio's most depressed newsreader, Roger Eves.
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.
Robert Bathurst stars in the last episode of the radio sitcom written by Arthur Mathews.
Robert Bathurst.....John Tharb
Vicky McClure.....Mabel Hopcraft
Ford Kiernan.....Lord Reith
Peter Egan.....Doctor Ganley
Malcolm Tierney.....Sergeant Major
Kevin Bishop.....Ordinary Cockney Father / Perfumed Pete
Pippa Evans.....Ordinary Cockney Mother
Ewan Bailey.....Roger Eves / Fancy Dan
Moisty.....Arthur Mathews
Producer: Simon Mayhew-Archer.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2012.
SAT 05:30 Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang-Ups (b07qbstb)
Series 4
Big Tom and the Hendersons
Episode 2 - Big Tom and The Hendersons. Dad tries to fight off an unwanted invasion while Granny turns to smuggling.
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, Elizabeth Bennett and Ed Kear.
Written by Tom Wrigglesworth and James Kettle with additional material by Miles Jupp.
Producer: Richard Morris
A BBC Studios Production.
SAT 06:00 Eric Pringle - Sort of a Hero (m000m5hc)
Physical and mental stamina are pushed to the limits as Jeffery Cotterell retraces his dead brother's attempt on the 42 mountains of the Lake District.
Was Edward Cotterell's death an accident - or something more sinister..?
Eric Pringle's thriller is set against the exciting test of endurance known as the Bob Graham Round of the Fells.
Jeffery ...... Christian Rodska
Edward ...... John McCardle
Gilbert ...... Martin Reeve
Wendy ...... Diane Whitley
Vicky/Agatha ...... Sue Jenkins
John ...... Keith Ladd
Robert ...... John Branwell
Stan ...... Tom Bowles
Walter ...... John Basham
Jeffery as a boy ...... Karl Anthony Bonworth
Edward as a boy ...... Michael Turner
Director: Kay Patrick.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 1991.
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b05tl3jp)
Series 36
Antonia Quirke on Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando - greatest actor of the twentieth century?
Film critic Antonia Quirke definitely thinks he is. But the star of the Godfather, On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire divides opinion in this lively assessment of his life. With contributions from writer Robyn Karney and Joe Queenan in the United States. Matthew Parris presents.
The producer is Miles Warde.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
SAT 08:00 Quote... Unquote (m00017qt)
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.
* Actress, writer and star of hit BBC Radio 4 comedy Dead Ringers - Jan Ravens
* Author of Brick Lane - Monica Ali
* Broadcaster and former host of BBC TV's Going For Gold - Henry Kelly
This is the 54th series of the popular humorous celebrity quotations quiz.
In almost 40 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 Kathmandu or Bust (b07mfggz)
Dover and Out
Five Travellers, an old army truck and a dream - oh, and a clueless expedition leader who's never been outside Europe and can't read a map...
Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Series written by Mike Yeaman and David Napthine.
Simon …. David Haig
Mechanic …. Peter Serafinowicz
Petra …. Michelle Chadwick
Callum …. Forbes Masson
Trigger …. Richard Ridings
Joan …. Sarah Crowden
Ellie …. Lolly Susi
Bernice …. Natasha Pyne
Producer: Lissa Evans
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1996.
SAT 09:00 I Did It My Way (b00cfmpg)
Galton and Simpson
The creators of Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son - comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson chat to Peter Reed about their radio life and times.
102 episodes of their classic sitcom Hancock's Half Hour were recorded for BBC Radio between 1954 and 1959.
58 episodes of Steptoe and Son were recorded for BBC TV – with 51 re-recorded for BBC Radio.
The duo's choice from the archive features:
* HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR - The Threatening Letters:
The lad is full of the joys of Spring - until the postman arrives.
Starring Tony Hancock, Sid James, Bill Kerr, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams.
From May 1958
* THE GALTON AND SIMPSON PLAYHOUSE - Clicquot et Fils:
Monsieur Clicquot plans to improve his ailing funeral parlour.
Starring Richard Griffiths and Josie Lawrence.
From December 1998.
* FRANKIE HOWERD & JUNE WHITFIELD - 'Up Je T'aime'
The duo's 1971 parody of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg's song originally banned by the BBC
* STEPTOE AND SON AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE
1963 recording from The Royal Variety Performance.
* STEPTOE AND SON - Porn Yesterday:
Harold Steptoe is aghast when he sees for himself 'What the Butler Saw'.
Adapted from the TV script. Starring Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H Corbett.
From March 1976.
* HANCOCK: The Radio Ham: the Pye re-recording:
The originally BBC TV-only episode performed by The Lad Himself before an audience for an album release in 1961.
Amateur radio enthusiast Tony Hancock receives a mayday call from a yachtsman in distress.
Presenter: Peter Reed
Producer: Mik Wilkojc
Made for BBC Radio 7 and first broadcast in July 2008.
SAT 12:00 Clare in the Community (b03nt9vm)
Series 9
Stand By Your Man
Clare has mysteriously abandoned her honeymoon and come back to work at Sparrowhawk Family Centre. The rest of the social workers have an unfortunate experience on a community project, and Brian struggles to enjoy a holiday on his own.
Sally Phillips is Clare Barker the social worker who has all the right jargon but never a practical solution.
A control freak, Clare likes nothing better than interfering in other people's lives on both a professional and personal basis. Clare is in her 30s, white, middle class and heterosexual, all of which are occasional causes of discomfort to her.
Clare continually struggles to control both her professional and private life.
In today's Big Society there are plenty of challenges out there for an involved, caring social worker. Or even Clare.
Written by Harry Venning and David Ramsden.
Clare ...... Sally Phillips
Brian ...... Alex Lowe
Jill ...... Nina Conti
Petra ...... Nina Conti
Ray ...... Richard Lumsden
Helen ...... Liza Tarbuck
Libby ...... Sarah Kendall
Joan ...... Sarah Thom
Queenie ...... Hannah Gordon
Hazel ...... Hannah Gordon
Ben ...... John Norton
Producer: Alexandra Smith.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2014.
SAT 12:30 Pankhiraj (b07n36t8)
Homeward Bound
Will an unexpected event bring Nishith and Sripurna closer together?
Three generations of women collide in the conclusion of Tanika Gupta's four-part comedy.
Starring Charubala Chokshi, Souad Faress and Meera Syal.
Malati ...... Meera Syal
Dida ...... Charubala Chokshi
Sripurna ...... Souad Faress
Rehana ...... Vinny Dhillon
Geoffrey ...... Geoffrey Beevers
Nishith ...... Bhasker Patel
Director: Michelle Matherson Frederick
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1996.
SAT 13:00 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000lz5m)
1. Did He Fall? Or...
As the ocean liner Carthena, sails to Southampton, a passenger walks on the dark deck, not knowing his death is only seconds away.
It's a death which will set in motion a criminal investigation stretching from England to Australia.
Patrick Mower stars as Southampton Detective Constable ‘Birdie’ Partridge.
Chris Boucher's vintage crime serial in five parts
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge …. Patrick Mower
DS Dunne …. Geoffrey Matthews
Ruth Cobb …. Helen Atkinson Wood
Martin Lennister …. David McAlister
Captain of the Carthena …. Nicholas Courtney
Australian Driver …. Anthony Jackson
Producer: Gerry Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1981.
SAT 13:30 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000lzj1)
2. Hostile Witness
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge has an amateur sidekick. But is she potentially the next victim?
Patrick Mower stars as Southampton Detective Constable ‘Birdie’ Partridge.
Chris Boucher's vintage crime serial about the mystery disappearance of a passenger from an ocean liner.
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge …. Patrick Mower
Ruth Cobb …. Helen Atkinson Wood
Daryl Kennedy …. John Rowe
Hotel Receptionist …. John Hollis
Server in Chip Shop …. John Warner
Producer: Gerry Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1981.
SAT 14:00 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000m0tv)
3. Unofficial Investigations
Ruth Cobb 's brother has died in mysterious circumstances while on a sea voyage from Australia to England.
Despite being ordered not to, ‘Birdie’ and DS Dunne keep investigating. Meanwhile Ruth is making her own enquiries and is facing danger....
Patrick Mower stars as Detective Constable ‘Birdie’ Partridge.
Chris Boucher's vintage crime serial about the mystery disappearance of a passenger from an ocean liner.
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge …. Patrick Mower
Ruth Cobb …. Helen Atkinson Wood
DS Dunne …. Geoffrey Matthews
Hotel Receptionist …. John Hollis
Superintendent …. Alan Dudley
Mrs Flanders …. Heather Bell
Detective …. Crawford Logan
Jones …. Derek Pollitt
Minicab Driver …. Martin Friend
Hotel Landlord …. Peter Tuddenham
Producer: Gerry Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1981.
SAT 14:30 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000m136)
4. Mistaken Identity
Stuart Cobb died in strange circumstances. So too did Terri Seldon, a girlfriend of his.
Now his sister Ruth makes a big mistake by visiting the scene of her murder...
Patrick Mower stars as Detective Constable ‘Birdie’ Partridge.
Chris Boucher's vintage crime serial about the mystery disappearance of a passenger from an ocean liner.
DC ‘Birdie’ Partridge …. Patrick Mower
Ruth Cobb …. Helen Atkinson Wood
Daryl Kennedy…. John Rowe
Garvey …. Gregory de Polnay
Inspector …. Michael Godley
Mr Dibley …. Michael Tudor Barnes
Shop Assistant …. Patience Tomlinson
Producer: Gerry Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1981.
SAT 15:00 Chris Boucher - A Walk in the Dark (m000m0kf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 01:30 today]
SAT 15:30 A Good Read (b00v1q45)
Shirley Williams and Sathnam Sanghera
Sue MacGregor and her guests - veteran politician Baroness Shirley Williams and writer Sathnam Sanghera - discuss favourite books by Khaled Hosseini, Giles Smith and Michael Ondaatje.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Lost in Music by Giles Smith
Publisher: Picador
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Publisher: Bloomsbury
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2010.
SAT 16:00 Eric Pringle - Sort of a Hero (m000m5hc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b05tl3jp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (b09xnnjl)
Hexagonal Phase
5. Part the 0.83333
Thor vs Wowbagger in a fight-to-the-death, followed by cheesy nibbles and drinks.
A full-cast production of the sixth book in the famous Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy, based on Eoin Colfer’s ‘And Another Thing...’
The Book …. John Lloyd
Arthur Dent …. Simon Jones
Ford Prefect …. Geoff McGivern
Zaphod Beeblebrox …. Mark Wing-Davey
Tricia …. Sandra Dickinson
Trillian …. Susan Sheridan
Random …. Samantha Beart
Wowbagger …. Toby Longworth
Thor …. Mitch Benn
Constant Mown …. Andy Secombe
Fenchurch …. Jane Horrocks
Hillman Hunter …. Ed Byrne
Cthulu …. Jon Culshaw
Marvin …. Jim Broadbent
The Guide Mk II …. Stephen Hawking
The Consultant …. Lenny Henry
Heimdall …. Tom Alexander
Aseed …. Phillip Pope
Modgud …. 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 (b008zdkt)
Series 2
Unwelcome
Edna and Tankerton return to her home town and attend a fete worse than death.
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.
Edna Turner ...... Alex Tregear
Tankerton Slopes ...... Ben Moor
Billy/Carlo ..... Duncan Wisbey
Rosie Turner ...... Emma Kennedy
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 I Did It My Way (b00cfmpg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Alexei Sayle's Imaginary Sandwich Bar (b09gkcst)
Series 2
La Vie Moral
Alexei considers how one might live an ethical life, recounts the difficulties he faced when tracking down his lost cat and pays penance for a feud with another performer.
Written by Alexei Sayle
Performed by Alexei Sayle
Original music and lyrics by Tim Sutton
Produced by Joe Nunnery
A BBC Studios Production.
SAT 22:30 Agendum (b0bh468b)
Series 1
Threat
Current affairs parody and stupidly feasible visit to the 24-hour Hall Of Opinion Mirrors. Because there are two stories to every story .
The very young, the very old and Stevenage all come under the microscope of talking, collimated by Alexandra Palisades in this parody created by Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris
With Carrie Quinlan as Alexandra Palisades and also starring:
Justin Edwards
Melanie Hudson
Simon Kane
Jess Robinson
Luke Sumner
Tony Way
Written by Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris
Produced by David Tyler
A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 23:00 That Mitchell and Webb Sound (b03phz0k)
Series 5
Episode 5
Bonus material from David Mitchell and Robert Webb's 5th series of sketches with Olivia Colman and James Bachman. From 2013.
SAT 23:30 The Mary Whitehouse Experience (b043bldw)
Series 4
Episode 1
Doped horse racing and political party conferences are under scrutiny.
Starring the double double-acts of David Baddiel and Rob Newman and Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. With Mark Thomas.
BBC Radio 1's alternative comedy with sketches, stand-up and the odd spot of audience participation. Starting in 1989, the foursome's popularity sparked a BBC TV-transfer of the same name.
Producer: Armando Iannucci
First broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in October 1990.