SATURDAY 26 JUNE 2021

SAT 00:00 James Follett - Earthsearch (b00cfzsp)
Earthsearch I
10. Earthfall
Despite the difficulties put in their way by the two guardian 'Angels', the crew of the Challenger have found Paradise.
It's an earth-like planet originally discovered by the second-generation crew. However, the 'Angels' are by no means beaten...
Starring Sean Arnold.
Conclusion of James Follett's ten-part adventure serial in time and space.
Commander Telson .... Sean Arnold
Sharna .... Amanda Murray
Astra .... Kathryn Hurlbutt
Darv .... Haydn Wood
Angel One .... Sonia Fraser
Angel Two .... Gordon Reid
Director: Glyn Dearman
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1981.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b00sxkv2)
Blinded By Science
Provocative and thoughtful new writing and discussion, presented by Dominic Arkwright. This week's subject is Blinded By Science.
Joining Dominic to write and talk about science and what we make of it are Dr. Ben Goldacre, author of Bad Science in the Guardian, Tania Hershman, writer in residence in the Science Faculty at Bristol University and space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock.
Produced by Beatrice Fenton.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2010.
SAT 01:00 Father Brown Stories (b00yb1z9)
Series 1
7. The Sins of Prince Saradine
Father Brown and Flambeau cross a Norfolk lake to meet an Italian with a dark history, and exchange dreams with an old adversary.
Starring Andrew Sachs and Olivier Pierre.
Series of GK Chesterton's stories about the insightful clerical sleuth.
Dramatised by John Scotney.
Father Brown ........ Andrew Sachs
Flambeau ........ Olivier Pierre
Mr Paul ........ Garard Green
Mrs Anthony ........ June Barrie
Saradine ........ Roger Hammond
Italian ........ Robin Summers
Norfolk Tough ........ Peter Acre
Directed at BBC Bristol by Alec Reid.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1985.
SAT 01:30 Doctor Finlay: Adventures of a Black Bag (b0081w49)
1. The Resolution that Went Wrong
Dr Finlay encounters a local hard-nut and vows to get even.
Starring John Gordon Sinclair.
AJ Cronin's stories about the early years of the celebrated doctor. Ready with his black bag, Dr Finlay sets out to remedy all manner of ailments suffered by his patients in the Scottish Highland town of Levenford.
Dramatised in six parts by Sue Rodwell.
Dr Finlay ...... John Gordon Sinclair
Dr Cameron ...... Brian Pettifer
Janet ...... Katy Murphy
Charlie Bell ...... Alex Ferns
Mrs Bell ...... Ellie Haddington
Archie Galt ...... David Ashton
Producer: Jeremy Howe
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2001.
SAT 02:00 Wish Lanterns by Alec Ash (b07q3ct6)
5. Progress
Rejoin the cohort in 2014 as they approach or turn 30 years old.
Stable employment continues to preoccupy them, as does the question of when and how to start a family.
Concluding the stories of young Chinese lives, particularly those born under the one-child policy of the 1980s, as they seek to negotiate the expectations of those around them and their own inner desires for self-fulfilment.
Written by Alec Ash.
Read by David Seddon.
Abridged and Produced by Jill Waters.
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2016.
SAT 02:15 Black Eyed Girls by Katie Hims (b095tkgv)
Episode 5
Meg and Jeanie have not set eyes on one another since they were 11.
Now they are in their late sixties, and have ended up boarding the same train. One thing leads to another.
The conclusion of Katie Hims's heartrending story of separated twins and their search for one another.
Jeanie . . . . . Jessica Turner
Meg . . . . . Carolyn Pickles
Ticket Inspector . . . . . Samuel James
Director: Sasha Yevtushenko
First broadcast on Radio 4 in September 2017.
SAT 02:30 Warpaint: The Story Of Camouflage (b00768wm)
Patrick Wright investigates how artists pioneered the creation of the first effective forms of military camouflage during the First World War.
Producer: John Goudie
First broadcast on BBC radio 4 in August 2002.
SAT 03:00 Inspector Resnick (b043x39r)
Cutting Edge
Episode 3
The brutal death of a ward sister intensifies DI Charlie Resnick's search for the hospital assailant.
Tom Georgeson stars as jazz-loving Detective Inspector Charlie Resnick.
Conclusion of John Harvey's dramatisation of his own novel.
DI Charlie Resnick …. Tom Georgeson
Millington …. Sean Baker
Lynn …. Kate Eaton
Kevin …. Ben Porter
Dipak …. Paul Bazeley
Silver …. Don McCorkindale
Carew …. Nicholas Boulton
Sarah …. Gillian Bevan
Dr Fletcher …. John Simm
Groves …. Peter Kenny
Debbie …. Colleen Prendergast
Mr Salt …. Denys Hawthorne
Calvin …. Philip Weaver
Delia …. Ann Beach
Suzanne Olds …. Patience Tomlinson
Lynn …. Kate Eaton
Elaine …. Jennie Stoller
Karl …. Adrian Scarborough
Producer: David Hunter
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1996.
SAT 04:00 Counterpoint (b00slqvx)
Series 24
2010 Semi-final 3
Paul Gambaccini chairs the third semi-final of 2010’s search to find the nation's musical mastermind.
With questions on all aspects of music and a wide selection of musical extracts to suit all tastes.
From the BBC Radio Theatre in London.
Producer: Paul Bajoria
First broadcast on Radio 4 in June 2010.
SAT 04:30 To the Manor Born (b007k45h)
The Grapevine
Audrey tries to fool Devere that she has been on holiday to Spain.
Starring Penelope Keith and Keith Barron.
Lady of the manor Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, forced to sell her beloved Grantleigh Estate, has decamped to the tiny Old Lodge cottage with her butler in tow. .
From this vantage point, Audrey keeps a close and disapproving eye on new owner, the nouveau-riche Richard DeVere.
Adapted for radio by Peter Spence from his BBC TV script.
Audrey fforbes-Hamilton …. Penelope Keith
Richard DeVere …. Keith Barron
Marjory Frobisher …. Angela Thorne
Brabinger …. Nicholas McArdle
Mrs Polouvicka …. Margery Withers
Ned …. Frank Middlemass
Mrs Plunkett ...... Zulema Dene
First piloted for BBC radio, but whisked off to BBC TV before it ever appeared, before finally arriving home in 1997.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in January 1997.
SAT 05:00 Fags, Mags and Bags (b0bgg1q1)
Series 8
Lenzie Has Fallen
Mrs Birkett raises suspicions about the source of a lurgy outbreak in Lenzie and starts to point an accusing finger at Hilly.
More shop based shenanigans and over the counter philosophy, courtesy of Ramesh Mahju and his trusty sidekick Dave.
Set in a Scots-Asian corner shop, the staff continue their tireless quest to bring nice-price custard creams and cans of coke with Arabic writing on them to an ungrateful nation. Ramesh Mahju has built it up over the course of over 30 years and is a firmly entrenched, friendly presence in the local area.
Then of course there are Ramesh's sons Sanjay and Alok, both surly and not particularly keen on the old school approach to shop-keeping, but natural successors to the business. Ramesh is keen to pass all his worldly wisdom onto them - whether they like it or not!
Written by and starring Donald Mcleary and Sanjeev Kohli.
Ramesh ...... Sanjeev Kohli
Dave ...... Donald McLeary
Sanjay ...... Omar Raza
Alok ...... Susheel Kumar
Mrs Birkett ...... Stewart Cairns
Mr Hepworth ...... Tom Urie
Hilly ...... Kate Brailsford
Bra Jeff ...... Steven McNicol
Producer: Gus Beattie for Gusman Productions
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2018.
SAT 05:30 The Confessional (m000x60b)
Series 1
The Confession of Alastair Campbell
Actor and broadcaster Stephen Mangan presents a comedy chat show about shame and guilt.
Each week Stephen invites a different eminent guest into his virtual confessional box to make three 'confessions' . This is a cue for some remarkable storytelling, and surprising insights.
We’re used to hearing celebrity interviews, where stars are persuaded to show off about their achievements and talk about their proudest moments. Stephen's not interested in that. He doesn’t want to know what his guests are proud of, he wants to know what they’re ashamed of. That’s surely the way to find out what really makes a person tick. Stephen and his guest reflect with empathy and humour on why we get embarrassed, where our shame thresholds should be, and the value of guilt.
In the final edition of this series, the writer, journalist and political strategist Alastair Campbell speaks about “maladaptive competitiveness”, technology which defeats him and dressing up at Lambeth Palace.
Other guests in this series include Cariad Lloyd, Dr Phil Hammond, Clarke Peters, Suzi Ruffell, Marian Keyes, Phil Wang, Joan Bakewell, Lucy Porter and Nigel Planer.
Written and presented by Stephen Mangan
With extra material by Nick Doody
Devised with Dave Anderson
Produced by Frank Stirling
A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 06:00 Drama (b09hnwhy)
John Osborne's Luther
It's over 500 years since Martin Luther reputedly hammered his 95 theses on the door of All Saints Church, Wittenberg - starting what became known as the Reformation. With the Pope using the sale of indulgences to fund his own obsessions and works, Luther had begun to see the church as corrupt. He was excommunicated in 1521.
John Osborne's play skilfully intertwines the sacred and the profane and tries to get inside the mind of the man who started as a profound believer in the church's teachings and ended up challenging them all.
The first production of the play was at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham in 1961. It won a Tony Award in 1964.
Martin .... Harry Lloyd
Tetzel .... David Troughton
Staupitz .... Adrian Scarborough
Cajetan .... Nicholas Murchie
Hans .... Christian Rodska
Brother Weinand .... John Hollingworth
Prior / Leo .... Jamie Newell
Miltitz .... David Ajoa
Lucas / Eck .... Kieron Jecchinis
Knight .... Nigel Cooke
Katherine .... Amanda Root
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in December 2017.
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b086s76k)
Series 41
Suzannah Lipscomb on CS Lewis
Step though the wardrobe - as historian Suzannah Lipscomb selects the creator of the Narnia Chronicles, CS Lewis.
The writer was a fascinating and extremely complicated man. Born in Northern Ireland, his mother died when he was a child, and his university career was interrupted so he could fight in the Great War.
Suzannah views his writings as deeply moving, as they have influenced her faith.
Presenter Matthew Parris is less convinced by the religious influence in his work.
But contributor to the Cambridge Companion to CS Lewis, Malcolm Guite sits firmly on Suzannah Lipscomb's side.
Produced in Bristol by Miles Warde.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2017.
SAT 08:00 Whispers (b007k3jf)
Series 1
Episode 6
Swearing, cocaine, wine throwing and flagellation!
Gyles Brandreth sets the questions. in the quiz about scandal, gossip and slander.
The regular team captains, biographer Anthony Holden and writer Stella Duffy, are joined by the BBC's former royal correspondent Jennie Bond and entertainer Geoffrey Durham.
Producer: Elizabeth Freestone
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2003.
SAT 08:30 Snap (b00tvql2)
Series 2
Episode 4
A problem aired is a problem shared, but will Ryan find a way to deal with being bullied on his own?
And Molly doesn't care who Doug goes out with now they’re divorced, but she'd still like to know all the details...
Paul Mendelson’s sitcom about life for a couple after they've split.
Molly ....... Rebecca Lacey
Doug ....... Paul Venables
Kaz ....... Soumaya Keynes
Ryan ....... Jessie Sullivan
Annie ....... Marlene Sidaway
Dawn ....... Samantha Spiro
Raymond ...... Jonathan Tafler
Producer: David Ian Neville
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2004.
SAT 09:00 Rik Mayall on Radio (m0001pl7)
Broadcaster and Producer John Lloyd explores the fascinating radio contributions of the actor and comedian Rik Mayall to reveal a remarkable and eclectic mix of programmes and archives.
Rik Mayall, was one of the first and foremost alternative comedians in the UK, best known for his work on TV's The Young Ones, Bottom and The New Statesmen which all had tremendous impact on British situation comedy. However whilst enjoying tremendous success on television Mayall made many captivating contributions to radio which are often overlooked.
In this special tribute, in the year Mayall would have celebrated his 60th birthday, John Lloyd introduces highlights from Mayall’s radio years along with illuminating new interviews from some of the people closest to him.
Programmes featured include;
** Higher Education (2000). Mayall stars in the Lloyd Peters drama.
** The Reunion (2018) An edited version of the programme as Sue MacGregor reunites five people who made their names in the ground-breaking TV comedy The Young Ones.
** Bedside Tales: May 22nd. (2009) A classic episode of Rik's series co-written with John Nicholson
Charting Mayall's career through radio we also hear illuminating and rare footage of interviews along with extracts from his readings and plays.
Producer: Stephen Garner
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in 2018.
SAT 12:00 Lemn Sissay's Origin Stories (b07wpf5q)
1. The Bed under the Stairs
Batman was an orphan; Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was an orphan; Superman was an orphan and a foundling. Cinderella was a foster child. Darth Vader - well, they can't all be winners.
Taking a comic and poetic angle, Lemn Sissay compares reality against the treatment of children raised in care, orphans and foster children in popular culture. Because it surely says something about how we view them that we create so many for fiction?
In this opening episode, Lemn compares his experiences as a foster child to the life of Harry Potter.
Like Harry, Lemn was never told the truth about what happened to his parents. Like Harry, he found his foster parents harsh and unforgiving. But, like Harry, he came through those problems, avoided the dementors, and grew up.
As well as storytelling, comedy and poetry, Lemn imagines an interview with Vernon and Petunia Dursley - Harry's foster parents. Finally, they get to tell their side of the story.
Written and performed by Lemn Sissay.
Producer: Ed Morrish
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2016.
SAT 12:30 The Goon Show (b00j1c4f)
The Battle of Spion Kop
Things aren't going well in The South African War. Time to send in the cutlery.
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: John Browell
First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in December 1958.
SAT 13:00 Archive on 4 (b07mvd5z)
Tolkien: The Lost Recordings
Joss Ackland narrates a search through BBC archives for unheard gems from JRR Tolkien, as Oxford Academic Dr Stuart Lee discovers the unbroadcast offcuts from an interview given by the author.
Tolkien gave the interview for a BBC film in 1968, but only a tiny part of it was used in the broadcast programme. It was one of only a handful of recorded interviews he gave, and was also to be his last.
Dr Lee’s search for the unbroadcast rushes takes him to the depths of the BBC film archives, and back to the making of the original film Tolkien in Oxford.
For the director Leslie Megahey, only 23 at the time, this was his first film, and the one that launched a prestigious career. The programme reunites him with three others - researcher Patrick O’Sullivan, Tolkien fan Michael Hebbert, and critic Valentine Cunningham who describes how he was brought in to be the voice of dissent challenging the burgeoning Tolkien cult spreading from America.
What emerges is a picture of a playful academic, whose fiction was little respected by adults at the time and looked down on as a lesser form of literature. But he is robustly defended by Professor Tom Shippey and remembered fondly by his colleague Dr Roger Highfield.
Stuart Lee presents the results of his search through the archives to Dr Dimitra Fimi who considers any new words from Tolkien’s mouth as ‘gold’. While, for Dr Lee, the real dragon’s hoard is the privilege of hearing Tolkien in relaxed mode reflecting on his life as never before.
Producers: Anna Scott-Brown and Adam Fowler
An Overtone production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in August 2016.
SAT 14:00 The Skivers (b007jpsp)
Series 1
Leslie Phillips
Lecturer Leslie Phillips guest stars in Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh's skilful sketch show.
From the people who brought you ‘And Now in Colour’.
Written and performed by Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh.
With:
Mel Giedroyc
Peter Bradshaw
Producer: Jon Naismith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1994.
SAT 14:30 Cliche (m000x684)
From 16/03/1981
From mirthful menus to Batman minus Robin.
Series of sketch shows starring:
Carole Hayman
Nick Maloney
Simon Molloy
Brian Southwood
Script and songs written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor.
Musical accompaniment by Pete Lingwood.
Produced at BBC Manchester by Ron McDonnell.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1981.
SAT 15:00 Political Animals (b01m179f)
Series 1
Humphrey
Notoriously photo-shy Humphrey was chief mouser to the Cabinet Office from 1989 to 1997.
With a robust vocabulary and a pretty earthy view of political life, he looks back on New Labour life at Number 10 under Tony Blair.
Starring James Fleet.
Series of scurrilous talks given by well-known, if unreliable, Downing Street cats.
Tony Bagley assists each feline to relate their trials and tribulations under four different prime ministers.
Director: Marc Beeby
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2012.
SAT 15:15 Brian Appleton's History of Rock 'n' Roll (b00fw5m7)
A Lot of Knowledge
The forgotten Thompson Twin reveals why rock 'n' roll can be a cruel mistress.
Set in a fictitious college of further education in the 'Newcastle-under-Lyme area'.
Series of comic lectures, written and performed by Graham Fellows
Producer: Dawn Ellis
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2001.
SAT 15:30 The Jason Byrne Show (b01phj38)
Series 3
The Irish and the Scottish Are Black-Belts in Misery
Jason compares international attitudes to other people's good fortune and explains why his Irish background means that revelling in misery is never far away.
Why is British fruit so bitter? Can Jason relieve heart-ache in the audience and what simple pleasures make Jason and his son happy?
Themed audience comedy show with high-energy stand-up and sketches featuring Laurence Howarth and Daisy Haggard.
Producer: Julia McKenzie
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in December 2010.
SAT 16:00 Drama (b09hnwhy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b086s76k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 Mike Walker - 2025 (b00j0hbm)
2. Access
Olivia and Irena take a step closer to gaining access to illegal genetic engineering. But who can they trust?
The conclusion of Mike Walker's futuristic two-part sci-fi serial.
Irena ...... Alphonsia Emmanuel
Olivia ...... Mona Hammond
Dr Beth David ...... Daniela Nardini
Henry ...... David Yip
Anno ...... Su-Lin Looi
Praeger ...... John Rowe
Dr Finzey ...... Alastair Danson
Kate ...... Rachel Atkins
The Shopkeeper ...... Ravin J Ganatra
Director: Sally Avens
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1998.
SAT 19:00 Rik Mayall on Radio (m0001pl7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Welcome to Wherever You Are (b09jgkll)
Series 1
Episode 4
Welcome To Wherever You Are is a stand-up show that refuses to be constrained by geography when it comes to booking guests; instead, it uses modern technology to connect a studio audience in the BBC Radio Theatre, London, with the best comedians in the world - no matter where they happen to be.
In this final episode of the series, host Andrew Maxwell presents the Saudi-born 'White Sudani' Omar Ramzi from his home in Dubai; the 'Queen of African Comedy' Kansiime Anne, from Kampala; and, from Rome, Francesco De Carlo, who is the regular Italian correspondent for Unspun with Matt Forde.
Andrew Maxwell is a multi-award-winning stand up and double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, familiar to Radio 4 audiences for his appearances on The News Quiz, The Now Show, and his own series Andrew Maxwell's Public Enemies. He's also appeared on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, and Have I Got News For You.
Presented by Andrew Maxwell
Featuring Omar Ramzi
Featuring Kansiime Anne
Featuring Francesco De Carlo
Production co-ordinator: Hayley Sterling
Producer: Ed Morrish
A BBC Studios Production.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2017.
SAT 22:30 Elvenquest (b016vn8f)
Series 3
Episode 4
As they continue their search for the Sword of Asnagar, the noble Questers find themselves coming to the rescue of King Baldwin the Jovial whose mead hall is being terrorised by a terrible creature called "The Grundle". But when Amis, the Chosen One, starts to question whether he is actually all that special after all, the Questers hatch a plan to kill the beast and restore Amis' self-worth.
Meanwhile, time is running out for Lord Darkness. Kreech tells he must find a girlfriend to keep him young, or he'll find his incorporeal essence once more slowly shrivelling and turning to dust. So Darkness starts off on the dating game. Trouble is, it's been a bit of time since he last met a girl, let alone chatted one up...
Starring:
Darren Boyd as Vidar
Kevin Eldon as Dean/Kreech
Dave Lamb as Amis aka The Chosen One
Alistair McGowan as Lord Darkness
Stephen Mangan as Sam
Daniel Rigby as King Baldwin The Jovial
and
Sophie Winkleman as Penthiselea
Written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto
Producer: Sam Michell.
SAT 23:00 The Skivers (b007tcph)
Series 1
Ken Campbell
Action from Ancient Greece to 221B Baker Street.
Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh's skilful sketch show with special guest Ken Campbell
Written and performed by Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh.
With Peter Bradshaw and Mel Giedroyc
Producer: Jon Naismith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1994.
SAT 23:30 The Mark Steel Lecture (b007jlw6)
Series 2
Lord Byron
The comic examines the life and times of the 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' Romantic poet. From March 2001.