SATURDAY 13 MARCH 2021

SAT 00:00 Guy de Maupassant - The Hand (b007t4lx)
1880’s Corsica: Reminded by a gruesome trophy of his days in Africa, Sir John Rowell awaits the return of his nemesis...
Starring Denis Quilley.
Guy de Maupassant’s story dramatised by Michael Robson.
Sir John Rowell ...... Denis Quilley
Bermutier ...... Cyril Shaps
Olivier ...... Edward Seckersn
Audas ...... David Strong
Chavanne ...... Hector Ross
Devised and directed by Derek Hoddinott.
First broadcast on the BBC World Service in February 1976.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b00l1qvz)
Trivia
What turns a fact into knowledge, and did you know that Pete Conrad was the first man to dance on the moon?
Dominic Arkwright debates elitism in education with Kathryn Hughes, Francis Gilbert and Mark Mason, author of The Importance of Being Trivial.
Produced by Miles Warde.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2009.
SAT 01:00 Paul Temple (b007jrcx)
Paul Temple and the Alex Affair
3. Mr Carl Lathom
Despite an attempt on his life, debonair detective Paul Temple remains hot on the trail of the elusive 'Alex'.
Francis Durbridge's thriller stars Peter Coke as Paul Temple and Marjorie Westbury as Steve in another intriguing case for BBC radio's smoothest investigator and his glamorous wife.
Paul Temple …. Peter Coke
Steve …. Marjorie Westbury
Sir Graham Forbes …. James Thomason
Inspector Crane …. Haydn Jones
Wilfred Davis …. Basil Jones
Dr Kohima’s Maid …. Ann Murray
Carl Lathom …. Simon Lack
Mrs Trevelyan …. Barbara Mitchell
Ricky Henderson …. Frank Henderson
Dr Kohima …. Rolf Lefebvre
Webb/Shaw …. Ronald Herdman
Producer: Martin C Webster
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in March 1968.
SAT 01:30 Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household (b007jr3t)
Episode 5
Still on the run from foreign agents, the Englishman is pursued through the deep tunnels of the London Underground.
Geoffrey Household's classic British thriller was first published shortly before the outbreak of war in 1939.
Read by Michael Jayston.
Producer: David Jackson Young.
Made for BBC 7 by BBC Scotland and first broadcast in January 2004.
SAT 02:00 The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel (b079rrbb)
Episode 5
A close up and intimate natural history by John Lewis-Stempel. By taking an abandoned field close to his farm, he observes in minute detail the behaviour of plants, birds and animals that are being displaced by agribusiness. In telling the story of one field, he tells the story of our countryside, our language, our religion and our food. But in transforming one field, he creates a haven for one particular animal close to his heart - the brown hare.
The final episode brings mixed emotions - the field awaits a new use and a new owner.
Writer: John Lewis-Stempel
Abridger Barry Johnston
Reader: Bernard Hill
Producer: David Roper
A Heavy Entertainment Production
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.
SAT 02:15 Gregory Evans - Blood and Milk (b091wby0)
Series 2
Episode 5
Having failed to secure Beth's release from the clutches of Moses Lipski, Meg decides to take matters into her own hands - with dramatic results.
CAST
Megan Evans ….. Bettrys Jones
Samuel Singer ….. David Horovitch
Beth ….. Kerry Gooderson
Dora Lipski ….. Chetna Pandya
Moses Lipski ….. Brian Protheroe
Annie Riley ….. Alice Haig
Iolo Jones ….. Philip Fox
Major Arthur Eden ….. Simon Ludders
Directed by Marc Beeby.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2017.
SAT 02:30 Invalid Password - The Password, A History Of Failure (b03g9dqg)
Passwords have never been weaker and hackers have never been more powerful. In 2012, a computer cluster was unveiled that can cycle through as many as 350 billion password guesses per second.
For most people, passwords are the first and only line of defence for confidential information online. We've been taught that passwords are the answer - as long as they are elaborate enough.
Passwords:
* must not follow any predictable pattern
* must not reference any events you have personally witnessed
* must be a closely guarded personal secret
* must not be something you would use as a password just to get past a password reset check
* must be impossible to remember
But, today, that's becoming a fantasy - businesses, banks, schools, governments and individuals have all been hacked.
In this social history of the password, Tim Samuels travels to Las Vegas for a password conference. Here he meets the man responsible for the most popular cracking software, a former US Army interrogator who now builds super computers and a passionate Norwegian who believes passwords are here to stay.
Discover how easy it is to crack Tim's password and witness the elaborate steps some people go through to protect their online information.
Have we reached a stage where passwords that are secure enough to resist hacking are too hard to remember? If passwords are living on borrowed time, what can protect us online?
Producer: Barney Rowntree
A Hidden Flack production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in November 2013.
SAT 03:00 Zoe Fairbairns - The Belgian Nurse (b00772vr)
The story of a friendship that created one of the 20th century's best-selling novels and films.
When American writer Kathryn Hulme meets a Belgian nurse on a UN Relief Programme after the Second World War, she doesn't understand why Marie-Louise Habets is so unwilling to talk about herself.
It's only later that Marie-Louise admits she has recently left her convent - a confession that reaches a worldwide audience through the book and then the film of The Nun's Story.
Written by Zoe Fairbairns.
Kathryn Hulme ...... Debora Weston
Marie-Louise Habets ...... Rachel Atkins
Pierre ...... John Moraitis
Fred Zinneman ...... Garrick Hagon
Audrey Hepburn ...... Christine Kavanagh
Mother Benedict ...... Jane Ridley
Director: Sara Davies
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2007.
SAT 04:00 It's Not What You Know (b01c7snf)
Series 1
Episode 1
Rachel Johnson, Desmond Lynam and Mark Steel nominate one of their nearest and dearest to answer a selection of questions.
Anything from "Who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?" to "What is your favourite film?" to "How much is a pint of milk?"
Then they attempt to second-guess how their nominee responded. If they can get it right, or come close, they get points.
Miles Jupp takes the chair.
Plus special guest - renowned film director and food critic, Michael Winner gives answers which the panel must try to predict.
Producer: Sam Michell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2012.
SAT 04:30 The Sit Crom (b00mf205)
The Wasps' Nest
The search for enemies leads to love triumphing over fire.
Sue Limb's six-part comedy set during the English Civil War.
Sir John Firebasket .... Joss Ackland
Lady Anne Firebasket .... Denise Coffey
Tobias Thynne .... Clive Merrison
Mercy, alias Melissa .... Miriam Margolyes
Father Francis .... Nickolas Grace
Slow Ned .... Chris Emmett
Gazebo Fogg .... Jack Klaff
Posthumous .... Nicky Henson
Counter Tenor .... Peter Hayward
Captain Arise Higgs .... Alun Armstrong
Producer: Jonathan James-Moore
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1990.
SAT 05:00 Rudy's Rare Records (b00yqsj3)
Series 3
Girls and Boys
With Rudy about to tie the knot, it's party time - Adam style.
Adam has created a wedding spreadsheet, and it's down to Richie to intervene to ensure that both the Stag Do, and Doreen's hen night, go off with a Rudy Sharpe Sizzle.
Father and son comedy set in the finest old-school record shop in Birmingham.
Stars Lenny Henry and Larrington Walker.
Written by Danny Robins and Paula Hines
Adam ...... Lenny Henry
Rudy ...... Larrington Walker
Richie ...... Joe Jacobs
Tasha ...... Natasha Godfrey
Clifton ...... Jeffery Kissoon
Doreen ...... Claire Benedict
Producer: Lucy Armitage.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2011.
SAT 05:30 Stand-Up Specials (m000sxgq)
Stephen Buchanan: Talking Shop
BBC New Comedy Award winner Stephen Buchanan's debut stand up show for BBC Radio 4.
In Talking Shop, Stephen outlines his chequered work history from shop worker to human ping pong ball. At home Stephen lives with his mum and a Vietnamese refugee Dove. Can Stephen help Dove onto the career ladder and can they both move up in the world?
Stephen Buchanan - Talking Shop encapsulates the trials and tribulations of his life so far, alongside the true story of Stephen and Dove's developing friendship - all of which have led to this very moment: Stephen's debut Radio 4 special.
Written and Performed by Stephen Buchanan.
Producer: Adnan Ahmed
A BBC Studios Production
SAT 06:00 Dodie Smith - Dear Octopus (b06qjp4l)
1938: Charles and Dora Randolph are celebrating their Golden Wedding.
A chance for four generations of the same family to be together – sparking all the problems and surprises that such a gathering inevitably causes...
Dodie Smith's play enjoyed a hugely successful run in the theatre before and during the early years of the Second World War.
Charles Randolph ...... Michael Denison
Dora Randolph ...... Dulcie Gray
Belle ...... Mary Wimbush
Margery ...... Annette Badland
Edna ...... Frances Jeater
Nanny ...... Dora Bryan
Cynthia ...... Penny Downie
Laurel ...... Trevyn McDowell
Hilda ...... Joanna David
Nicholas ...... Nicholas Gecks
Fenny ...... Charlotte Attenborough
Hugh ...... Joshua Towb
Kenneth ...... Michael Tudor Barnes
Bill ...... Mark Burrows
Scrap ...... Sara-Jane Derrick
Flouncy ...... Bernadette Windsor
Gertrude ...... Becky Hindley
Producer: Glyn Dearman
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1995
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b07bzdc1)
Series 39
George Fox
George Fox, born in 1624 in Leicestershire, is best known as the founder of the Quakers. In early life he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, and for a while he worked as a shepherd as well. But it was as a preacher travelling widely across the land that he made his name, and also received the most abuse. As he writes: "... the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down and almost stifled and smothered me. And I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them with their hands, Bibles and sticks."
Nominating the dissenting George Fox is Ann Limb, chair of the Scout Association. Also in studio, Jonathan Fryer, editor of George Fox and the Children of the Light.
Matthew Parris presents, and the producer in Bristol is Miles Warde.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.
SAT 08:00 Heresy (b07c2t5p)
Series 10
Episode 2
Victoria Coren Mitchell presents another edition of the show which dares to commit heresy .
Her guests this week are Alex Horne, Jonny Woo and Richard Osman. Together they discuss money, dress codes and sexy TV dramas.
Producer: Daisy Knight
An Avalon production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2016.
SAT 08:30 Beachcomber... By the Way (b0084hyx)
Series 1
Episode 5
Lady Cabstanleigh holds a party, Mrs McGurgle gets into an argument, Chief Inspector Blunderton follows up a few leads, and Justice Cocklecarrot has to contend with the antics of the Filthistan trio.
Richard Ingrams, John Wells, John Sessions and Patricia Routledge recreate the world of the JB Morton.
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.
Adapted by Michael Barfield with Richard Ingrams.
Announcer: Brian Perkins
Producer: Harry Thompson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1989
SAT 09:00 Ross Noble's Newcastle (b0755pvx)
From the bistro bar of Newcastle's Tyne Theatre, where he performed his very first hometown gig – Ross Noble explores Geordie comedy past and present.
Featuring a candid interview with Sarah Millican, an exploration of happiness with Jason Cook and a trip back in time to the humour of old with Percy Douglas and Bobby Thompson.
Self-deprecating, quick witted and warm, there's much to be said for Geordie humour that sets it apart from the comedy in the rest of the British Isles. Newcastle is a city of almost pathological friendliness - no-one takes themselves too seriously and everyone is as quick to poke fun at themselves as at others. Whether you put it down to the cheeriness of the accent or the egalitarian mentality of your average Novocastrian, there's no denying Geordies want people to enjoy themselves as much as they do, and that true homespun North Eastern humour has its tongue placed firmly in its cheek.
Multi-award winning Cramlington born stand up comic Ross Noble is one of British comedy's biggest household names – a TV and radio regular, with numerous sell-out stage shows.
The carefully selected archive includes:
* Ross Noble On....
* Jason Cook, Gavin Webster and Kai Humphries, MacAulay & Co at the Edinburgh Fringe
* The Geordie Game
* Knitted Trunks, Woman's Hour
* Sarah Millican, Funny Friends
* Ant and Dec, Desert Island Discs
* Jason Cook and Chris Ramsey, Jason Cook's Happiness HQ
* Fireside Tales
* Percy Douglas, Wot Cheor Geordie
* Bobby Thompson, Turns of the Century
* Jesting About
Producer: Anna Miles
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by BBC Radio Scotland
SAT 12:00 Cooking in a Bedsitter (b09h2rby)
Series 2
Mutton Rissoles
Spring 1965. Trisha moves into a new bedsitter with the toast-loving Moira.
Beattie Edmondson and Nikesh Patel star in Sue Teddern's romantic comedy, inspired by Katharine Whitehorn's cookery classic.
Extracts from Cooking in a Bedsitter are read by Eleanor Bron.
Trisha.....Beattie Edmondson
Deepak.....Nikesh Patel
June.....Ellie Darvill.
Director: Emma Harding
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2017.
SAT 12:30 Life With The Lyons (m0001st3)
Accidents Will Happen
When Bebe runs into a car driven by boxer Freddie Mills, Ben sets out to teach her a lesson....
Starring Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon.
With:
Barbara Lyon
Richard Lyon
Horace Percival
Doris Rogers
Molly Weir
Hugh Morton,
Special guest Freddie Mills.
Written by Bebe Daniels, Bob Block and Ronnie Hanbury.
Incidental music by Arthur Wilkinson. The BBC Variety Orchestra are conducted by Paul Fenoulhet.
Producer: Tom Ronald.
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in October 1951.
SAT 13:00 Archive on 4 (b09kpmys)
Good Luck Professor Spiegelhalter
Whether we believe in luck or not, we do use the word- a lot! More as a figure of speech than an article of faith perhaps, but some do pray for luck, others fantasize about it - and bad luck or misfortune is a staple of comedy.
Can luck be said to exist as some force in our lives and if so, what is its nature? How have people thought about luck in the past and what's changed today? Can you bring good luck upon yourself - there's a school of thought these days that thinks you can without appealing to the divine or supernatural.
Professor Spiegelhalter, the Winton professor for the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University looks at notions of luck in gambling, traces the origins of how we think about fate and fortune, the religious and psychological view of luck and how the emergence of theory of probability changed our view of it.
He is convinced by the philosopher Angie Hobbs that there is one form of luck it is rational to believe in and by psychologist Richard Wiseman that there is a secular solution to bringing about good fortune in your life.
Produced in Salford by Kevin Mousley
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2018.:
SAT 14:00 On the Hour (b007k45s)
Series 1
Episode 5
The latest on the 'Penelope Keith riots', and just 38 weeks to Wimbledon.
All the news as it happens, if it happens – and the sport with Alan Partridge.
Savagely satirical award-winning comedy starring Chris Morris.
With Steve Coogan, David Schneider, Rebecca Front, Patrick Marber and Doon Mackichan.
Written by Chris Morris, Richard Herring, Steven Wells, Andrew Glover, David Quantick and Stewart Lee.
Editor: Armando lannucci
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 1991.
SAT 14:30 Bussmann and Quantick Kingsize (b00757wk)
Episode 1
A five pound deal of sketches, monologues and weird soup.
Originally broadcast LIVE from London's exclusive Imperial Rooms, Mayfair.
Written and performed by Jane Bussmann and David Quantick.
Featuring:
Peter Serafinowicz
Emma Clarke
Steve Brody.
Producer: Phil Bowker.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1998.
SAT 15:00 Pleased to Meet You (b007k35j)
Series 1
Episode 3
90-something good-time girl Dora Dale spills the beans spills the beans on the Rat Pack, John and Yoko - and the subtext of Right Said Fred sung by Bernard Cribbins.
Betraying confidences and breaking unwritten rules galore, the friend of the stars reveals some surprising and salacious secrets.
Written by and starring Martin Kelner and Jake Yapp.
Made for BBC7 and first broadcast in August 2006.
SAT 15:30 Chain Reaction (b01m19nz)
Series 8
Tim Minchin talks to Caitlin Moran
Comedian and musician Tim Minchin is not well but still has a great time putting the world to rights in his attempt to interview journalist and author, Caitlin Moran, despite having no questions and no voice.
The talk tag show where the guest is the next interviewer.
Producer: Carl Cooper
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2012.
SAT 16:00 Dodie Smith - Dear Octopus (b06qjp4l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b07bzdc1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 Red Moon (m000t4mc)
Phase 6: Darkside
Eddie and Susan are embattled at a Cumbrian RAF base, hoping to avert disaster.
An alternative-history, Cold War thriller, where American and Soviet Moon bases aim their nuclear missiles at targets across the planet.
Winner of Best Online Audio Drama at the BBC Audio Drama Awards, 2019.
Eddie Sloper …. Philip Bulcock
Dr Susan Madison …. Yasmine Holness-Dove
Mrs Jones …. Georgina Periam
Quirke …. Joe Riley
Liz …. Sarah Whitehouse
SAS Captain …. Greg Page
Base Commander …. Richard Reed
Lt. Gen. Atherton …. William Hope
Music composed and performed by Francesco Quadraruopolo.
Story by Jack Bowman and Robert Valentine.
Written, directed and produced by Robert Valentine.
A Wireless Theatre Production recorded at the RNIB Talking Book Studios.
SAT 18:30 Alex Jones - Lightbulbs (b038xn76)
Steve returns from abroad after a year away to discover there's something nasty in the shed...
Alex Jones's tale of the supernatural starring Terry Molloy.
Steve .... David Holt
Joan...... Jillie Meers
Bill..... Terry Molloy
Karen... Lorna Laidlaw
Aunt Dot...Joyce Gibbs
Mrs Stanley....Sunny Ormonde
Vicar....Richard Curnow
Felicity... Mia Busby
Music by Alex Jones.
Producer: Sue Wilson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1995.
SAT 19:00 Ross Noble's Newcastle (b0755pvx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Bridget Christie Minds the Gap (b01r11x0)
Series 1
Episode 1
After noticing that misogyny, like shiny leggings, had made an unexpected comeback - comedian Bridget Christie wonders did it ever really go away?
In the first of her four-part stand up comedy series on the state of British feminism today, Bridget asks why feminism became a dirty word and whether the modern British woman needs it.
An incident involving a man, a smell and a well-known bookstore made her ask what place feminism has in modern Britain, whether the fight has been won or is being fought on different fronts. Plus, why did Bic launch the "Bic for Her" - a pen specifically designed for a woman's hand?
Fred MacAulay helps her remember some of the key incidents which brought her to an epiphany and a call to arms.
Producer; Alison Vernon-Smith.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013.
SAT 22:30 Elastic Planet (b007k399)
The Objects
Revealing the links between the art of siren writing, the discovery of pants, the Church of England motorcycle display team and the flamenco guitar.
Oliver Postgate narrates a stream of bizarre coincidences in Ben Moor’s cosmic comedy of connections.
With Rebecca Front, Dan Strauss, Kerry Shale, Geoff McGivern, Ben Moor, Raymond Baxter and Caron Keating.
Producer: Jon Naismith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 1995
SAT 22:45 We Know Everything (b0855xkm)
Episode 5
Hosts Dan Gaster and Paul Powell tackle another selection of imponderable questions from the studio audience.
This week - if all the world's a stage, where does the audience sit?
The answer to this and similar irrelevant queries will be revealed in tonight's show.
With Simon Godfrey, Clare Cathcart and Martin Hyder.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1995.
SAT 23:00 It's Jocelyn (b06snvwk)
Series 1
Episode 1
It's Jocelyn is the series from comedian Jocelyn Jee Esien (3 Non Blondes and Little Miss Jocelyn).
Back with a raft of brand fresh characters including the Overly Dramatic Family, a pair of terrible African Drummers and a bad-tempered couple who run a takeaway business, Jocelyn vents her frustrations at the world around her through sketches and stand-up. From pedantic dinner dates to coping with annoying friends, Jocelyn's life provides a rich seam of humour.
Jocelyn is delighted to be joined in the cast by Curtis Walker, Ninia Benjamin and Kevin J.
Producer: John Pocock
A BBC Radio Comedy production first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
SAT 23:30 Chain Reaction (b01m6crv)
Series 8
Caitlin Moran talks to Jennifer Saunders
The interviewee on the previous show, Caitlin Moran returns to interview her comedy hero, Jennifer Saunders. They talk shoes, Bananarama and women in comedy.
Talk tag show where the guest is the next interviewer.
Producer: Carl Cooper
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2012.