SATURDAY 03 JULY 2021

SAT 00:00 Jenny Stephens - Project Archangel (b00wmp8p)
2. Moscow
Malcolm and Polly go on an unexpected journey under the streets of Moscow - and Malcolm meets the ghost of someone he once knew very well.
Stars Dan Hagley.
Sci-fi spy thriller by Jenny Stephens - the sequel to Project Raphael.
Malcolm . . . . . Dan Hagley
Polly . . . . . Emily Chennery
Moira . . . . . Sunny Ormonde
Winston . . . . . Delroy Brown
Victor . . . . . Christian Rodska
Mike . . . . . Richard Derrington
Director: Peter Leslie Wild
First broadcast on Radio 4 Extra in December 2010.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b00t0fzl)
Working Mums
Provocative and thoughtful writing and discussion, presented by Dominic Arkwright.
Arabella Weir, Deborah Orr and Oliver James join Dominic in the studio to debate their experiences of coping with the demands of motherhood and paid employment.
Producer: Beatrice Fenton
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2010.
SAT 01:00 Geoffrey Household - Rogue Justice (b00h9t28)
5. Vengeance
Fuelled by unremitting vengeance, the aristocratic English hero's personal war with the Third Reich finally comes to an end.
Concluded by Michael Jayston.
Geoffrey Household's sequel to his acclaimed British thriller Rogue Male was published over 40 years later in 1982.
Abridged by Patricia Hannah.
Producer: David Jackson Young
Made for BBC 7 by BBC Scotland and first broadcast in February 2009.
SAT 01:30 Doctor Finlay (b0089kwf)
Adventures of a Black Bag
6. The Sisters Scobie
Doctor Finlay rashly decides he can cure both the crabby cohabiting Scobie sisters of flu - and the fact that they haven't talked to each other for 15 years...
Starring John Gordon Sinclair.
AJ Cronin's stories about the early years of the celebrated doctor.
Ready with his black bag, Doctor Finlay sets out to remedy all manner of ailments suffered by his patients in the Scottish Highland town of Levenford.
Dramatised by Sue Rodwell.
Dr Finlay ...... John Gordon Sinclair
Dr Cameron ...... Brian Pettifer
Janet ...... Katy Murphy
Beth Scobie ...... Jennifer Piercey
Annabelle Scobie ...... Muriel Barker
Nurse Peggy Angus ...... Sharon Small
John Angus. ...... Gordon Reid
Producer: Jeremy Howe
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2001.
SAT 02:00 The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (b08kylx4)
Episode 5
Cora is invited to give a talk to Joanna Ransome's class in Aldwinter school, which has unforeseen consequences for the girls.
Sarah Perry's award-winning novel set at the end of the 19th century and inspired by true events.
Moving between Essex and London, myth and modernity, Cora Seaborne's spirited search for the Essex Serpent encourages all around her to test their allegiance to faith or reason in an age of rapid scientific advancement.
At the same time, the novel explores the boundaries of love and friendship and the allegiances that we have to one another. The depth of feeling that the inhabitants of Aldwinter share are matched by their city counterparts as they strive to find the courage to express and understand their deepest desires, and strongest fears.
Abridged by Jeremy Osborne.
Read by Ruth Gemmell.
Producer: Rosalynd Ward
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2017.
SAT 02:15 44 Scotland Street (b08fhsjb)
Series 4
Episode 5
Irene, at last, returns home bearing gifts, and Angus finds himself giving diplomatic advice.
Quirky tales and 'goings on' in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town.
Featuring Alexander McCall Smith's much-loved characters from his bestselling series of books.
Angus Lordie ...... Crawford Logan
Domenica ...... Carol Ann Crawford
Irene ...... Emma Currie
Stuart ...... David Jackson Young
Bertie ...... Simon Kerr
Secretary ...... Richard Conlon
Torquil MacLean ...... James Bryce
Director: David Ian Neville.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2017.
SAT 02:30 The Louis Zamperini Story (b04n67xj)
Angelina Jolie explores the extraordinary life of Louis Zamperini, an archetypal American hero, in war and peace.
The American actress shares some very personal insight in to the important role that the American war hero has played in her life. She talks openly about her deep respect for Louis with historian Dr Uta Balbier, who shraes his compelling story.
Louis Zamperini broke an American sporting record aged 19, qualifying to run the 5,000 metres in the 1936 Berlin Olympics - the youngest athlete to ever represent the USA. He didn't win, but still became a household name - a sports hero, who gained notoriety for stealing Hitler's flag from his Berlin HQ as a memento.
A few years later, the nation was at war and Zamperini joined the US Air Force, trained as a bombardier and was posted to the Pacific theatre, where he crewed on a B-24 bomber.
His plane crashed in April 1942 and he was one of three survivors who spent 47 days drifting on a raft before being captured by the Japanese. He was interned in a prisoner of war camp where he endured over 2 years of regular brutal punishment.
Once released, Louis became a born again Christian and devoted his life to redemption – travelling to Japan to track down each guard who abused him and personally forgiving them.
For the next 60 years, Zamperini devoted his life to teaching the importance of forgiveness and he became a popular and successful public speaker.
Angelina Jolie explains why Louis was so influential and how he provided her with a sense of purpose in her own private and professional life.
Producer: Des Shaw
A Ten Alps production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2014.
SAT 03:00 James Hilton - Lost Horizon (b00tp95x)
3. The Inheritance
That four people should be kidnapped in India and flown over a thousand miles to the lamasery of Shangri-La was incredible enough.
But then Hugh Conway discovered during an audience with the High Lama that he was conversing with a man who was 250 years old.
Stars Derek Jacobi.
Conclusion of James Hilton's novel about Shangri-La, the mystical lamasery hidden in the mountains of Tibet.
Dramatisatised by Barry Campbell.
Hugh Conway ...... Derek Jacobi
Mallinson ...... Andrew Branch
Barnard ...... Alan Tilvern
Miss Brinklow ...... Carol Marsh
Chang ...... Garard Green
Hilton ...... Alaric Cotter
High Lama ...... Alan Wheatley
Lo-Tsen ...... Pik-Sen Lim
Rutherford ...... John Livesey
American ...... Crawford Logan
Doctor ...... John Bull
Pianist: Antony Miall
Producer: Graham Gauld
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 1981.
SAT 04:00 Counterpoint (b00snrk0)
Series 24
2010 Final
Paul Gambaccini hosts the final of 2010’s search to find the nation's musical mastermind.
The three competitors have won both heats and semi-finals as they battle to be named the 24th annual Counterpoint champion.
As always, questions come from every period and genre of music, from the classics to the musical stage, folk, jazz and the pop charts.
Producer Paul Bajoria
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2010.
SAT 04:30 To the Manor Born (b007k4dj)
What's in a Name?
Hard-up Audrey needs a secret job - but what on earth is she qualified to do?
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.
Keith Barron ..... Richard DeVere
Angela Thorne ..... Marjory Frobisher
Nicholas McArdle ..... Brabinger
Margery Withers ..... Mrs Polouvicka
Frank Middlemass ..... Ned
First piloted on radio and then whisked off to TV before it ever appeared, finally arrived home in 1997.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in January 1997.
SAT 05:00 Fags, Mags and Bags (b0bgrs9n)
Series 8
Ladychase
The local Provost for Lenzie needs help to raise funds to create a tourist attraction for the town.
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
Malcolm............Mina Anwar
Provost..............Moray Hunter
Lovely Sue........Julie Wilson Nimmo
Hilly.....................Marj Hogarth
Mrs Armstrong.........Maureen Carr
Producer: Gus Beattie for Gusman Productions.
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2018.
SAT 05:30 Hennikay (m000xdt7)
Bill Bailey stars in this brand new comedy special about a middle aged man who, after 45 years, and for reasons quite unknown to him, suddenly meets up with his imaginary childhood friend, Hennikay.
It's the biggest day in his career and he is on the brink of closing the biggest deal in the history of Maidstone but, when Guy Starling strides into his office at Solutify Technology, a software house that develops games for grown-ups to waste their time playing on their phones, he is confronted with an 11 year old boy playing keepy-uppies.
And to make matters worse, no one else can see or hear him. Because he is Hennikay, Guy’s imaginary friend from his lonely childhood.
Neither of them know why he is there after all these years but he refuses to leave and, even though he sees the world through the naïve eyes of a child from 1976, Hennikay might just be there to help his oldest (and only) friend in the world save the day and close the deal.
Acclaimed comedian (and reigning Strictly Come Dancing Champion) Bill Bailey leads a cast which includes Sanjeev Bhaskar and Elizabeth Carling in this warm, funny look at childhood, adulthood and some of the follies of modern life - where a man with a confused child in his head might just be the sanest man in the room.
Cast:
Guy – Bill Bailey
Tony – Sanjeev Bhaskar
Marika – Elizabeth Carling
Kallie – Anna Leong Brophy
Don – John Schwab
Hennikay – Max Pattison
Written by David Spicer
Producer: Liz Anstee
A CPL production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 06:00 Giles Cooper - The Return of General Forefinger (m000xktw)
The story of the eccentric widow of a 19th-centry empire builder.
Her mission in life is to bring home to Ireland every statue of her husband, regardless of location or cost.
Starring Muriel Pavlow and Nigel Stock.
A comedy of motives by Giles Cooper.
Binnie .... Muriel Pavlow
Augusta Forefinger ....Mary O'Farrell
George F Brady ....Nigel Stock
Quentin Ashmold ....Peter Howell
Linda ....Elizabeth Proud
Spine-Pad ....Norman Wynne
Macnab ....Roger Snowdon
Moti ....David Spenser
Clancy .....Robert Mooney
Tim .....Kenneth Dight
Producer: Michael Bakewell
First broadcast on the BBC Third Programme (Network Three) in July 1961.
SAT 07:25 Leonard Rossiter - In a Nutshell (b00sj95g)
Double Cross Benchers
"United we stand, Divided we throw a tantrum".
Politics - and the shock of party loyalty - divulged by Leonard Rossiter.
Barry Pilton's mercurial musings.
Producer: Louise Purslow
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in September 1981.
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b087qjzg)
Series 41
Akram Khan on Srinivasa Ramanujan
In 1914, a self-taught Mathematics student named Ramanujan left India for Trinity College Cambridge.
Here, alongside the celebrated English mathematician GH Hardy, he completed some extraordinary work on Pi and prime numbers.
What was even more extraordinary was that he couldn't prove a lot of his work, and attributed many of his theories to a higher power.
For the renowned UK choreographer Akram Khan, there is a beauty in patterns and maths, and he sees Ramanujan's genius as a clash between Eastern and Western cultures.
Together with presenter Matthew Parris, he explores the mathematician's life.
Guest Professor Robin Wilson, who once visited Ramanujan's home, takes them through some of the maths, and explains why you'll never look at the number 1729 in the same way again.
Producer: Toby Field.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2017.
SAT 08:00 The Motion Show (b00762c8)
Series 4
Episode 1
Debates galore from getting old – to whether the Devil has the best tunes?
Graeme Garden chairs the quirky battle of words and wit.
With Hugh Dennis, Arthur Smith, Gyles Brandreth and Henry Naylor.
Producer: Helen Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2001.
SAT 08:30 Snap (b00tzw0w)
Series 2
Episode 5
Doug is dating Kaz's PE teacher but just when the relationship gets a bit more intimate he begins to feel uncomfortable.
Grannie Annie and Ernie are hunky dory so that just leaves Kaz on her own. If Kaz is cool with that why isn't anyone else happy?
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 The Meow Show With Ed Reardon and Elgar (b0868bq0)
The 12-year-olds at Radio 4 Extra thought it would be a wheeze to hire Ed Reardon for a three-hour showcase of programmes about cats from the BBC radio archives, on the condition that his feline companion Elgar joins him as co-presenter.
And so Radio's favourite curmudgeon bundles Elgar into his basket and hops on the train from Berkhamsted to London's Broadcasting House. Between complaints about the paucity of hospitality (apart from a luxury pouch for puss) Ed and Elgar paw through the cat back catalogue to discover some kitty treats.
* In Spoken Cat Sian Phillips meets the people learning cat language so that they can communicate with their moggies.
* Dawn French reads The Cat Lover by Lynne Truss.
* Beryl Reid reveals how the Post Office put pussycats on the payroll in A Shilling a Week and All the Mice You Can Eat.
* In City Cat Fergus Keeling finds out how Felis Domesticus copes with the urban rat race.
* Dylan Winter hears about a whiskered winner of the PDSA Dickin Medal, a cat called Simon who kept up morale during the 100 day Yangtze Incident, in The Animals VC: The Cat Among the Pigeons.
* A vintage edition of Ed Reardon's Week finds Elgar going AWOL.
* And a moving story set on Christmas Eve, The Mousehole Cat, finds an old moggy helping his human to feed a starving Cornish village.
Along the way Ed dangles snippets of poetry and a serenade from Si Si the famous singing cat.
The disgruntled fare-dodger also tries to get tips on publishing success from Tom Cox, the author of four books about his cats and the owner of several feline social media sensations. And the cat-loving comedian Susan Calman has a clandestine consultation with Elgar.
Presented by Christopher Douglas.
Written by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds
Producer: Moy McGowan
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in December 2016.
SAT 12:00 55 and Over (b01nt3xm)
1. Out of Tune
Ray and Jane's marriage is rocked by some very bad singing and late-life crises take hold.
Starring Juliet Stevenson and Philip Jackson.
Multi-award winning writer, 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
Director: Helen Perry
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2012.
SAT 12:30 England, Their England by AG MacDonell (m000xf01)
Episode 1
Young Donald Cameron retires injured from the Great War and finds himself with a commission - to write a book about the English and their curious habits.
Leslie Phillips narrates AG MacDonell's classic comic novel first published in 1933.
Adapted in six parts by Bob Sinfield.
Donald Cameron .... Sam Graham
Davies .... Shaun Prendergast
Ewan Cameron .... Peter Kelly
Gwladys .... Katy Odey
Miss Garrison .... Denise Coffey
Mr Ossory .... Christopher Benjamin
Director: Neil Cargill
A Splice of Life production for BBC Radio 2, first broadcast in September 1994.
SAT 13:00 Archive on 4 (b0b3vv2q)
Is That Machine On?
Stuart Maconie celebrates the golden age of the music press interview.
In the heyday of the printed music media between the mid-60s and early noughties, the music interview was many things - combative, intimate, confessional, unhinged, flirtatious, sometimes violent - but it was rarely dull. Still, it seems that long-gilded age of rock journalism is now over.
The days of extraordinary access, when a reporter might spend a week with a band on its tour bus or private plane, hanging out in their dressing rooms and hotel suites, are at an end. The music papers are gone. In 2018, NME - the last inky survivor - went online only.
Stuart Maconie looks back at the lost world - those revealing encounters between journalist and musician.
Featuring classic recorded archive interviews with Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley and Michael Jackson – plus contributions from journalists Caitlin Moran, Barney Hoskyns, Allan Jones and Dawn Slough.
Producer: Jonathan Mayo
A TBI production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2018.
SAT 14:00 Hal (b08lgdpn)
Series 2
Teenagers
Hal Cruttenden returns as a hapless house husband trying to cope with his mid-life crisis and doubting his every move.
His wife Sam is still a highly successful business woman, while daughters Lily and Molly continue to grow into teenagers and find their dad just a little annoying. Racist neighbour Penny is a major thorn in Hal's side and his best mates Fergus and Barry hinder rather than help Hal's goal of finding himself.
In this opening episode, Lily is set to introduce the family to her new hip boyfriend, but Hal's need to re-kindle his own romantic past leads to unforeseen challenges.
Hal’s bitter and embittered sister Pippa has come to stay unexpectedly, after her husband decided to experiment with his sexuality...
Written by Hal Cruttenden and Dominic Holland.
Hal ...... Hal Cruttenden
Sam ...... Kerry Godliman
Penny ...... Ronni Ancona
Pippa ...... Abigail Cruttenden
Fergus ...... Ed Byrne
Barry ...... Gavin Webster
Oberon ...... Arthur Hughes
Therapist ...... Jonathan Kydd
Ian ...... Jonathan Kydd
Policeman ...... Simon Greenall
Bazman ...... Joe Attewell
Producer: Paul Russell
An Open Mike production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2017.
SAT 14:30 Masala FM (b007x0c9)
Episode 1
Masala FM is East London's premier Asian community radio station.
Owner, Mr Krishna, wants to make some changes and everyone's scared, except for visiting Bollywood celebrity Johnny 'Muscles' Patel...
Six-part sitcom written by Meera Syal
Starring:
Sanjeev Bhaskar
Nitin Sawheny
Meera Syal
Nina Wadia
Music by Nitin Sawhney.
Producer: Liz Anstee
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 1996.
SAT 15:00 Start/Stop (b07lhk6p)
Series 3
The Third Way
Fiona road tests Barney's theory about how to put the spark back in your marriage, much to Barney's annoyance.
Meanwhile Evan is housebound, sitting in a rubber ring after breaking his coccyx. And David is worried his memory is failing, and he's trying everything under the sun to improve it.
Third series of Jack Docherty's sitcom about three marriages in various states of disrepair.
Starring:
Couple 1: Jack Docherty as Barney and Kerry Godliman as Cathy
Couple 2: John Thomson as Evan and Fiona Allen as Fiona
Couple 3: Charlie Higson as David and Laura Aikman as Alice.
The set up: Barney and Cathy have been married for ages and it shows, Evan and Fiona's marriage is one big, noisy argument and David is old enough to be Alice's father.
Start/Stop follows the story of these three couples as they try to make the best of their marriages and friendships. The show is warm, smart and funny, and the characters are able to stop the action, explain themselves to the audience and start it all up again.
Producer: Claire Jones
A BBC Studio production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in July 2016.
SAT 15:30 The Mark Steel Lecture (b007jlw6)
Series 2
Lord Byron
The life and times of the 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' Romantic poet, Lord Byron.
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.
SAT 16:00 Giles Cooper - The Return of General Forefinger (m000xktw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:25 Leonard Rossiter - In a Nutshell (b00sj95g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:25 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b087qjzg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 David Ashton - The Two Sisters (b0721g5y)
A lecherous salesman stumbles into the claustrophobic world of two sisters with a grim secret.
Starring Joan Sims and Barbara Jefford.
David Ashton 's darkly humorous horror story has several decidedly "unsisterly" twists and turns.
Henrietta ...... Barbara Jefford
Abigail ...... Joan Sims
The Nephew ...... Robert Glenister
Producer: Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 1996
SAT 19:00 The Meow Show With Ed Reardon and Elgar (b0868bq0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Rigor Mortis (b007mdgd)
Series 2
Episode 1
Doctor Webster gets a little carried away when Professor Donaldson suggests that the team get to know the people they're autopsying.
Starring Peter Davison.
Laurence Howarth's black comedy set in the world of the pathology lab.
Dr Webster ...... Peter Davison
Dr Anderson ...... Matilda Ziegler
Professor Donaldson ...... Geoffrey Whitehead
Gordon ...... Tom Price
Chloe ...... Marianne Levy
Simon ...... Gus Brown
Mr Reeve ...... Nicholas Boulton
Music by Paul Mottram and Stephanie Benavente.
Producer: Dawn Ellis
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2004.
SAT 22:30 Elvenquest (b0170c13)
Series 3
Episode 5
The Questers continue their search for the Sword of Asnagar and are happy to be welcomed into the palace of the White Wizard.
He is a man who is nothing but sweetness and light and, consequently, the very opposite to Lord Darkness.
But extremism of any kind, whether for good or evil, is a dangerous thing - and Penthiselea soon begins to smell that there's something not altogether unfishy about the White Wizard.
Meanwhile, Kreech and Lord Darkness are off to the Land of Dunes for their annual holiday...
Fantasy-based sitcom set in Lower Earth written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto.
Vidar ...... Darren Boyd
Dean/Kreech ...... Kevin Eldon
Amis, aka The Chosen One ...... Dave Lamb
Sam ...... Stephen Mangan
Lord Darkness ...... Alistair McGowan
The White Wizard ...... John Sessions
Penthiselea ...... Sophie Winkleman
Producer: Sam Michell.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2011.
SAT 23:00 The Skivers (b00d8pgd)
Series 1
Lewis Collins
Secrets of Michael Fish are revealed, and East 17 move house.
Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh's skilful sketch show with special guest Lewis Collins - will he share any tips from TV's The Professionals?
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 23:30 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.