Search results for ""bbc audio""

Every episode of the hit BBC Radio 4 airline sitcom is collected together in this special box set, including the Christmas special final episode, and several bonus features. Cabin Pressure is set in the wing and a prayer world of a tiny, one-plane charter airline, staffed by two pilots - one on his way down, and one who was never up to start with. Whether flying a cat to Abu Dhabi, dealing with a nervous bassoonist, hunting for a cleverly-hidden lemon or attempting to celebrate Christmas in seven minutes, no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult. Carolyn Knapp-Shappey, MJN Air's formidable boss, has employed two of the very cheapest pilots money can buy: Captain Martin Crieff, who's always wanted to fly and won't let a little thing like lack of ability stop him, and First Officer Douglas Richardson, smooth-voiced old sky-god and eternal schemer. Passenger service is provided by the relentlessly cheery Arthur. Written by John Finnemore, Cabin Pressure stars Stephanie Cole as Carolyn, Benedict Cumberbatch as Martin, Roger Allam as Douglas, and John Finnemore as Arthur.‘The more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department.’ – Philip Pullman

Read more less

Sing and rhyme along with these 26 much-loved nursery rhyme songs! Includes: 'The Wheels on the Bus' / 'Down at the Station, Early in the Morning' / 'Row Row Row Your Boat' / 'The Big Ship Sails on the Alley Alley Oh' / 'London Bridge is Falling Down' / 'Jack and Jill' / 'Hickory Dickory Dock' / 'I'm a Little Teapot' / 'Polly Put the Kettle On' / 'Miss Polly had a Dolly' / 'Pop Goes the Weasel' / 'Five Currant Buns' / 'Ten Fat Sausages' / 'Peter Hammers with One Hammer' / 'The Grand Old Duke of York' / 'Girls and Boys Come Out to Play' / 'I Jump Out of Bed' / 'Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush' / 'Ring a Ring o'Roses' / 'I Hear Thunder, I Hear Thunder' / 'Incy Wincy Spider' / 'Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes' / 'If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands' / 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' / 'Wee Willie Winkie' / 'Ten in a Bed'.1 CD. 45 mins.

Read more less

Maureen O’Brien reads this exciting classic novelisation of a First Doctor TV adventure. Following a skirmish in deep space, two alien spacecraft have crash landed on a barren planet in Galaxy Four. The Drahvins are a race of beautiful females, led by the imperious Maaga. The Rills are hideous tusked monstrosities, accompanied by their robotic servants, the Chumblies. When the Doctor arrives, with companions Vicki and Steven in tow, he discovers that the planet will explode in two days' time. The Drahvins desperately seek his help in escaping the planet and the belligerent Rills. But things are not always as they seem... Maureen O’Brien, who played Vicki in the BBC TV series, reads William Emms’s complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1986. Duration: 4 hours approx. “This range of classic Target audiobooks continues to go from strength to strength…” Doctor Who Magazine

Read more less

Nicola Bryant reads an exciting original story featuring the 12th Doctor, as played on TV by Peter Capaldi, and his companions Brandon and Alex.The TARDIS is under attack. Alien plants have taken root in its corridors, strange flowering tendrils that threaten to rip the Doctor’s ship apart. New companions Brandon and Alex venture into the heart of the TARDIS to discover the source of the infestation. Instead they find a secret door, and a forgotten world. The Doctor has unfinished business with the Arborites, living trees with long memories. Centuries ago he fought to prevent a galactic catastrophe - but now his past has come back to haunt him in ways he never thought possible. Can the Time Lord rescue his young friends before they are destroyed by his past mistakes, or will Hirolth rise to leave utter devastation in its wake? Duration: 1 hour 10 mins approx

Read more less

Lisa Bowerman reads this exciting classic novelisation of a Seventh Doctor TV adventure, the last in the original run of Doctor Who serials. “Attention to detail is a hallmark of this always excellent range” Doctor Who Magazine The Doctor brings Ace home to Perivale. On a summer Sunday it seems the least lively place in the universe, yet mystery lurks behind the calm facade. The members of Ace's old gang have gone away, each of them disappeared without trace. Something is killing the domestic pets of Perivale, and unearthly hoofprints scar the baked earth of the recreation ground. What strange force connects all these events? As Ace herself is transported to a distant planet, it seems that the Doctor may be stepping into a well-prepared trap. Can it be the work of the his old adversary, the Master - and if so, to what end? Lisa Bowerman, who played Karra in the 1989 BBC TV serial, reads Rona Munro’s complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1990. Duration: 4 hours approx.

Read more less

Richard Franklin reads the exciting novelisation of a classic TV adventure featuring the Third Doctor, as played by Jon Pertwee. Eminent scientist Emil Keller has developed a revolutionary new process for the treatment of hardened criminals. His invention, the Keller Machine, is being heralded as a major scientific breakthrough.But Professor Keller is in truth the Master, and the Keller Machine is much more than a mere machine.Soon the Doctor, Jo, the Brigadier and UNIT are involved in a bitter struggle with the Master, an alien mind parasite, and a diabolical scheme to plunge the world into a Third World War... Richard Franklin, who played Captain Mike Yates in the BBC TV series, reads Terrance Dicks's novelisation of a 1971 TV serial by Don Houghton.

Read more less

Anneke Wills reads this exciting classic novelisation of a Second Doctor TV adventure. In the far future a group of humans is living an idyllic existence on a distant planet. Their colony is run like a gigantic holiday camp, and nothing seems to trouble their carefree existence. When one of them claims that the colony is being invaded by hideous monsters, no-one takes him seriously. But the Doctor's suspicions are immediately aroused. What is the terrible menace that lurks at the heart of this apparent paradise? Why are the colonists unaware of the danger that lies before their very eyes? And what is the Macra Terror? Anneke Wills, who played the Doctor’s companion Polly in the BBC TV series, reads Ian Stuart Black’s complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1987. Duration: 3 hours 5 mins

Read more less

An unabridged reading of this classic novelisation of an adventure featuring the Third Doctor, as played on TV by Jon Pertwee. 'Axos calling Earth, Axos calling Earth…’ The creatures stood before them, offering friendship and their priceless Axonite, in return for - what?Only the Doctor remains suspicious. What is the real reason for the Axon’s sudden arrival on Earth? And why is the evil Master a passenger on their spaceship? He very soon finds out… Duration: 3 hours 40 mins.

Read more less

An unabridged reading of this novelisation of a classic 1960s TV serial, featuring the Second Doctor. When space beacon Alpha One disintegrates into lumps of metal, General Hermack of the Space Corps realises that space pirates have discovered a new source of precious argonite. After witnessing further destruction, the General leaves a squad of guards on beacon Alpha Four - just as the TARDIS materialises. Suspected by the Space Corps of being pirates, then pursued as spies by the pirates themselves, the Doctor, Zoe and Jamie attempt to unmask the mastermind behind the thefts of argonite. In doing so they risk execution, explosion, and asphyxiation in the vacuum of space. Duration: 4 hours approx.

Read more less

Amanda Hale and Tom Burke star in a brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Charlotte Brontë's most beloved novel, adapted by Rachel Joyce. Orphan Jane learns at an early age that self-control is the surest means of retaining self-respect in adversity. It is a lesson that serves her well in the years ahead as she endures the misery of life with her cruel, uncaring aunt, followed by the harsh regime at Lowood Institution, a charity school for poor children. After taking the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, she meets the master of the house, the brooding, enigmatic Edward Rochester, and finds herself falling in love with him. It seems as if happiness may finally be within her grasp – but a series of strange events leads her to believe that Rochester is concealing a dark secret. When the truth is revealed, the heartbroken Jane will need all her inner strength and resilience to face up to it...Dramatised for radio by bestselling novelist Rachel Joyce (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), this iconic love story stars Amanda Hale as Jane and Tom Burke as Rochester. Suffused with romance, passion, mystery and danger, it is a spellbinding tale that is as real and relevant today as when it was first published in 1847. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Read more less

The complete collection of acclaimed BBC Radio dramas based on John le Carre's bestselling novels, starring Simon Russell Beale as George Smiley. With a star cast including Kenneth Cranham, Eleanor Bron, Brian Cox, Ian MacDiarmid, Anna Chancellor, Hugh Bonneville and Lindsay Duncan, these enthralling dramatisations perfectly capture the atmosphere of le Carre's taut, thrilling spy novels. Call for the Dead is the first Smiley novel, which sees him looking into an apparent suicide only to uncover a murderous conspiracy;A Murder of Quality finds Smiley investigating a murder in a private school; The Spy Who Came in from the Cold introduces Alec Leamas, a British intelligence officer whose East Berlin network is in tatters; The Looking Glass War features former spy Fred Leiser, lured back from retirement to investigate a claim that Soviet missiles are being installed close to the West German border; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the first book in the Karla trilogy, and sees Smiley searching for a mole who has infiltrated the Circus; The Honourable Schoolboy sees Smiley determined to destroy his nemesis, Karla, and his spy networks; Smiley's People finds George Smiley called out of retirement to exorcise some Cold War ghosts from his clandestine past; The Secret Pilgrim sees Smiley invited to dine with the eager new recruits at the Circus. He offers them his thoughts on espionage and, in doing so, prompts a former colleague to re-examine his own eventful secret life. 'A radio triumph...Simon Russell Beale's pitch-perfect master spy' - "Financial Times". Duration: 19 hours.

Read more less

Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Betty Marsden and Hugh Paddick star in 20 episodes of the anarchic 1960s radio comedy.Round the Horne arrived on BBC radio in 1965, bringing laughter to Sunday lunchtimes throughout the land. It carved a niche in the history of broadcast comedy, a sketch show which prodded the boundaries of propriety and innuendo. At its heart was the suave and upstanding Kenneth Horne, around which revolved the multiple naughty personas of Kenneth Williams, Betty Marsden, Hugh Paddick and Bill Pertwee. Among the parade of regular characters were Julian and Sandy, the camp couple of resting thespians happy to turn their hands to anything, Rambling Syd Rumbo the musical cordwangler, Fiona and Charles the passionate duo, and J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock the world’s dirtiest man. Meanwhile regular film parodies, spoof sagas and musical interludes peppered the mix.Round the Horne earned its place in the annals of comedy history, and is fondly remembered today as a groundbreaking series that influenced many more to come. Here the entire third series can be enjoyed once again, along with a PDF booklet featuring cast biographies and a full series history. Duration: 10 hours approx.

Read more less

June Whitfield stars as Miss Marple in eight thrilling full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisations.A Pocket Full of Rye A spate of unusual deaths is linked to the nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence'. 4.50 from Paddington After witnessing a murder on a train, Mrs McGillicuddy calls on Miss Marple. At Bertram’s Hotel Crime lurks beneath the surface of a respectable Mayfair hotel. The Body in the Library A mysterious blonde is found murdered in Dolly Bantry’s library. The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side At a benefit held at Gossington Hall, harmless Mrs Badcock is fatally poisoned. A Caribbean Mystery Bored in paradise, Miss Marple finds her interest aroused by an old soldier’s tale. Murder at the Vicarage Everyone in St Mary Mead detested Colonel Protheroe – but who killed him? A Murder is Announced A startling entry in a local paper’s personal column leads to a deadly shooting. These BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations feature eight of Miss Marple’s most complex and intriguing cases. Based on the original novels by Agatha Christie, they are performed by a stellar cast. Duration: 16 hours approx.

Read more less

Maggie Smith stars in this BBC radio adaptation of Alan Bennett's highly acclaimed autobiographical stage playAn eccentric old lady moves into a quiet street in Camden Town. There she remains, installed in her van in glorious self-sufficiency, until the council instructs her to move on. Then a kind homeowner invites her to move her van into his garden – where she stays for the next fifteen years. This is the fascinating story of the genteel vagrant who found a unique place in Alan Bennett's life and writing.But the drama is as much about the author himself as Miss Shepherd. Why did Alan Bennett let her commandeer his driveway? Was he acting out of kindness, weakness, or hidden guilt over not spending enough time with his own mother? Did he always subconsciously plan to exploit Miss Shepherd for literary profit? Thought-provoking and moving, The Lady in the Van tackles profound questions about social responsibility, homelessness and mental illness with a lightness of touch characteristic of Bennett the master storyteller.With a full cast including Adrian Scarborough, Marcia Warren and Alan Bennett, this bitter-sweet comic tale stars Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd.Now a major BBC feature film, starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.

Read more less

David Schofield reads this exciting original adventure featuring the 12th Doctor and Clara, as played by Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the BBC TV seriesThe Doctor and Clara are called to a mysterious, isolated house on a moonlet in the Asurmian Reach. There they meet the inscrutable Justin Winter and his two assistants, Joey and Carenza. Winter has called for the Doctor’s help: he and his friends are trapped in the house, all exits having long ago been sealed. When even the TARDIS proves unable to dematerialise, the Doctor and Clara quickly realises they are as much prisoners as their new acquaintances. Strange blood moths fly around their heads, and there’s a strange whispering and rustling from the shadows of the house’s interior. As tensions rise, the Doctor struggles to engineer a way out - and a staggering series of revelations are about to be made.David Schofield, who plays Odin in the Doctor Who Series 9 episodes The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived, reads this thrilling original adventure by George Mann, part of the Tales of Winter quartet of stories. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes. Reading produced by Neil Gardner. Sound design by David Darlington. Project Manager: John Ainsworth. Executive Producer: Michael Stevens

Read more less

Peter Purves reads John Lucarotti's novelisation of his classic First Doctor TV adventure. The TARDIS lands in Paris on 19 August 1572. Driven by scientific curiosity, the Doctor goes to meet and exchange views with the apothecary, Charles Preslin. Before he disappears, he warns Steven to stay 'out of mischief, religion and politics'. But in 16th Century Paris it is impossible to remain a mere observer, and Steven soon finds himself involved with a group of Huguenots. The Protestant minority of France is being threatened by the Catholic hierarchy, and danger stalks the Paris streets. As Steven tries to find his way back to the TARDIS he discovers that one of the main persecutors of the Huguenots appears to be...the Doctor! Peter Purves, who played Steven in the original BBC TV series, reads this novelisation of a fondly remembered classic story, the original episodes of which are lost from the BBC archives.

Read more less

Toby Longworth reads this original adventure for the Thirteenth Doctor and Graham, as played on TV by Jodie Whittaker and Bradley Walsh.“There is a darkness here. A darkness that feeds.”It's 1970, and record-breaking explorer Silvia Sandstrom has completed an epic lone drive to the North Pole. But as she activates her on-board experimental equipment, her vehicle is swallowed by a massive hole in the ice.Meanwhile the TARDIS is drawn to an arid wasteland, also apparently at the North Pole. There the Doctor and Graham meet Silvia - but it's clear that she is a woman out of her own time.Why is a nearby experimental base haunted by deranged figures? And who is the genius behind the Romanov Project, the wave of energy that now threatens to rip the Earth apart at every point in history?Toby Longworth reads Niel Bushnell’s atmospheric story about human endeavour and its consequences.

Read more less

Katy Manning reads this thrilling original adventure for the Third Doctor, as played on TV by Jon Pertwee, and his companion Jo Grant.An Escape Room with a sting in its tail is the setting for the Doctor and Jo’s latest encounter with a familiar enemy. Three young graduates and their tutor race against time to crack the codes, open the exit door, and obtain ‘A New Life’ – at least, that’s what the publicity said.As the Doctor observes proceedings, he begins to suspect that something far more sinister lurks on the other side of the door. To make matters worse, the room appears set to eliminate anyone who doesn’t make the grade.Working against time, the Doctor and Jo form an uneasy alliance with the gamers. What terror lies waiting for them all? Katy Manning, who played Jo in the BBC TV series, reads this tense thriller by Steve Lyons.? 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution LtdReading produced by Neil Gardner.Sound design by David Darlington.Project editor: John Ainsworth.Executive producer for BBC Audiobooks: Michael Stevens

Read more less

Anneke Wills reads an exciting novelisation of a classic TV adventure for the Second Doctor.When the TARDIS lands on a deserted volcanic island, the Doctor and his companions find themselves kidnapped by primitive sea-people.Taken into the bowels of the Earth, they discover they are in the lost kingdom of Atlantis. Offered as sacrifices to the fish-goddess, Amdo, the Doctor and his companions are rescued from the jaws of death by the famous scientist, Zaroff.But they are still not safe, and nor are the people of Atlantis. For Zaroff has a plan that will make him the greatest scientist of all time. He will raise Atlantis above the waves - even if it means destroying the world...Anneke Wills, who played Polly in the TV series, reads Nigel Robinson's novelisation of the 1967 TV serial by Geoffrey Orme.(©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Read more less

Geoffrey Beevers reads an exciting novelisation of a classic TV adventure for the Fourth Doctor.The Doctor and Sarah arrive safely back on Earth - or do they? Why does the mysterious soldier march straight over a cliff, and then reappear unharmed? Why are they attacked by sinister mechanics with built-in guns for hands?Why is a picturesque country village at first deserted, then filled with mindless zombies? And why are the Doctor and Sarah's best friends trying to kill them?Will they be in time to defeat the deadly Kraals and their terrifying android invasion of Earth?Geoffrey Beevers, who played the Master in the BBC TV series, reads Terrance Dicks's novelisation of the 1975 TV serial by Terry Nation.(P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Read more less

Nicholas Briggs reads this exciting novelisation of a classic TV adventure for the Fourth Doctor. A mysterious plague strikes Space Beacon Nerva, killing its victims within minutes. When the Doctor lands, only four humans remain alive. One of these seems to be in league with the nearby planet of gold, Voga... Or is he in fact working for the dreaded Cybermen, who are now determined to finally destroy their old enemies, the Vogans? The Doctor, Sarah and Harry find themselves trapped in the midst of a terrifying struggle to the death - between the ruthless, power-hungry Cybermen and the desperate, determined Vogans. Nicholas Briggs, who voices the Cybermen in the hit BBC TV series, reads Terrance Dicks's 1976 novelisation of a TV serial by Gerry Davis. Duration: 3 hours 20 mins approx. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Read more less

An exciting novelisation of a classic TV story featuring the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K9. On the planet Tigella, the Savants and the Deons are irrevocably opposed on one crucial issue: the Dodecahedron, mysterious source of all their power. To the Savants it's a miracle of science to be studied and used to benefit all. To the Deons it's a god, and not to be tampered with. When the power source begins to fluctuate, the whole planet is threatened. Zastor, Tigella's leader, welcomes the Doctor and invites him to arbitrate; yet the Time Lord may not be all he seems...

Read more less

Eight brand new recordings of original Hancock's Half Hour scriptsHancock's Half Hour was one of the most popular radio comedies of the 1950s, and the first modern sitcom. Over 100 episodes of the show were broadcast between 1954 and 1959, but 22 went missing from the BBC archives. Lovingly recreated by Radio 4 in front of a live audience at the BBC Radio Theatre, they can now be heard for the first time since their initial transmission. Collected here are the final eight episodes from the fourth series - including a special premiere of The Counterfeiter, which was never recorded by the original team.The episodes are: The Winter Holiday, Department Store Santa, The Diamond Ring, Prime Minister Hancock, Christmas at Aldershot, The Counterfeiter, The Christmas Eve Party and The New Year Resolutions.Written by Ray Galton and Alan SimpsonProduced by Neil Pearson, Paul Sheehan and Hayley SterlingMusic composed by Wally Stott, and performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Levon ParikianThanks to Tessa Le BarsFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 6 December 2018-31 December 2020Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and with the classic score re-recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra, these hilarious episodes star Kevin McNally as The Lad Himself, with Kevin Eldon, Simon Greenall, Robin Sebastian, Susy Kane and Margaret Cabourn-Smith.

Read more less

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Cari Mora, written by Thomas Harris. ________________________________From the creator of Hannibal Lecter and The Silence of the Lambs comes a story of evil, greed and the consequences of dark obsession.________________________________Twenty-five million dollars in cartel gold lies hidden beneath a mansion on the Miami Beach waterfront. Ruthless men have tracked it for years. Leading the pack is Hans-Peter Schneider. Driven by unspeakable appetites, he makes a living fleshing out the violent fantasies of other, richer men. Cari Mora, caretaker of the house, has escaped from the violence in her native country. She stays in Miami on a wobbly Temporary Protected Status, subject to the iron whim of ICE. She works at many jobs to survive. Beautiful, marked by war, Cari catches the eye of Hans-Peter as he closes in on the treasure. But Cari Mora has surprising skills, and her will to survive has been tested before. Monsters lurk in the crevices between male desire and female survival. No other writer in the last century has conjured those monsters with more terrifying brilliance than Thomas Harris. Cari Mora, his sixth novel, is the long-awaited return of an American master.________________________________‘The last two decades of 19th century popular fiction were dominated by Conan Doyle and Sherlock Homes. A century on, suspense literature has achieved their equals in Thomas Harris.’ GUARDIAN‘Harris’s writing bears the hallmarks of honed perfection.’ THE TIMES

Read more less

The TARDIS materialises on a planet where the age of prosperity comes often, and precious jewels line the streets like litter. Overseeing the citizens is the bombastic Captain, half human and half machine. Lurking in shadows are the Mentiads, mysterious cowled figures who set their sights on certain individuals and claim them for their own. As the Doctor, Romana and K9 become entangled in local events they are caught between the apparently insane Captain and apparently sinister Mentiads. But then the Doctor makes a terrible discovery beneath the surface of the planet, and realises the true nature of the Captain's operations. Soon yet another planet comes under threat from the Captain, one which the Doctor knows well: Earth. Can he manage to save it from a terrible fate? John Leeson narrates this classic full-cast TV adventure, written by Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and in a special bonus interview he recalls his time as the Voice of K9 in the BBC TV series. Also included are colour PDF files of the original TV camera scripts.2 CDs. 2 hrs 4 mins.

Read more less

’It is the Valley of Fear, the Valley of Death. The terror is in the hearts of the people from the dusk to the dawn. Wait, young man, and you will learn for yourself’. Sherlock Holmes is intrigued and disturbed when he receives an ominous coded message: a Mr Douglas of Birlstone House is in terrible danger. Before Holmes can act, shocking news arrives. Douglas has been founded dead – his face blown off by a shotgun. Scotland Yard is stumped. Was this suicide or murder? But Holmes is in no doubt. For he recognises the calling card of his nemesis: Professor James Moriarty. In this thrilling tale of fear and tyranny, stretching from the stark American coal valleys to an English country manor, Holmes must battle his greatest – and most lethal – enemy... 6 CDs. 6 hrs 17 mins.

Read more less

When a country doctor comes to Sherlock Holmes with a far-fetched tale of a sudden death, a devil dog and an ancient curse, Holmes is sceptical. Could the demise of Sir Charles Baskerville really have been caused by the gigantic ghostly hound which is said to have haunted his family for generations? Arch-rationalist Sherlock Holmes characteristically dismisses the theory as nonsense. Claiming to be immersed in another case, he sends Watson to Dartmoor to protect the Baskerville heir and to observe the suspects at close hand. But soon events take a dangerous turn, and it seems that the legend may be real... With Watson in dreadful peril, can Holmes uncover the terrible truth about the hound of the Baskervilles?6 CDs. 6 hrs.

Read more less

One of the nation’s most popular presenters examines twenty marvels of the natural world from his extraordinary and pioneering experiences. How did Sir David track down a giant Earthworm? Why does he respect Rats? What was the first bribe in nature? Why do well known foods often have two names? And where can you see evidence of the earliest life on Earth? His enthusiasm is as infectious as ever, and conveys a unique fascination on topics as diverse as the Kiwi, Hummingbirds, Monsters, Butterflies, Chimps, Cuckoos, Fireflies and Elsa, the famous lioness. So listen to these stories to find out why Rats should be respected and which insects emerge from the ground only once every 17 years. Includes detailed programme notes inside the booklet.3 CDs. 3 hrs 15 mins.

Read more less

Worth his weight in marmalade sandwiches, here’s Paddington in four more favourite adventures. Whether he’s playing in the sand, going to the theatre, picnicking on the river or enjoying Christmas Day, you can be sure life will be full of surprises! The stories are ‘A Day at the Seaside’, ‘Pantomime Time’, ‘A Picnic on the River’ and ‘Paddington’s Christmas.' Introduced by Michael Hordern, who narrated the original BBC TV series Paddington.1 CD. 1 hr.

Read more less

Ciara Jansen stars in a BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's story. When Heidi, a lively orphan girl, goes to live with her grandfather in a little hut high in the Alps she soon learns to live in perfect harmony with her surroundings, leading a carefree life with her constant companion, Peter, a young goatherd. But her happiness is short-lived when she is sent to stay with a rich city family as a companion for the sick Clara. Although she becomes fond of the older girl, Heidi is terribly homesick. Will she ever be able to return to the Alps and the happiness she once knew with her friends? Johanna Spyri's touching story of the adventures of a young Swiss girl is one of the most popular children's stories ever written. Heidi's pleasure in the beauty of the Swiss mountains and her rich relationships with her friends and family are perfectly evoked in this warm and lively full-cast radio dramatisation.

Read more less

Alan Bennett reads A.A. Milne's much-loved stories about a small bear and his friends. What is the connection between a bear of very little brain and a honey pot? Usually it's the very sticky paw of Winnie the Pooh, as he takes a break between adventures for a little something. In these five stories, taken from the book 'Winnie-the-Pooh', Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place, Eeyore loses a tail, Piglet meets a Heffalump, Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents, and an expedition is mounted to the North Pole! As usual they are accompanied by Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl - to say nothing of Pooh's very clever young human friend, Christopher Robin. Now with a musical introduction, Alan Bennett's delightful readings bring each and every character in the forest to life.

Read more less

Though Sally Jupp came from the village home for unmarried mothers, she seemed the ideal girl to help Mrs Maxie run a large Elizabethan manor house and look after her invalid husband. But the real Sally, pretty, ambitious and clever, was very different from the docile, repentant character she seemed to be. Murder shattered the tranquillity of her new home and Chief Detective Inspector Adam Dalgliesh arrived in the peace of a country Sunday to solve a case as mysterious as Sally herself. He soon discovers that there is no shortage of motives, and as he investigates, the complex secrets and powerful passions of village and family life come into play. This BBC Radio dramatisation stars Robin Ellis, with Hugh Thomas Grant and Siân Phillips. 2 CDs. 2 hrs.

Read more less

Widely regarded as a broadcasting classic, the 1981 BBC Radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings stars Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, John Le Mesurier and Peter Woodthorpe. This box set contains all three parts of the epic tale - The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him the Rings of Power - the means by which he will be able to rule the world. All he lacks in his plan for domination is the Ruling Ring, which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Frodo Baggins... Brian Sibley, one of the original dramatists, has written new opening and closing narration for the character of Frodo, played by Ian Holm. This collection also includes a bonus CD featuring Stephen Oliver's complete musical score, and a demo version of 'Bilbo's Last Song'.13 CDs. 13 hrs 15 mins.

Read more less

'To begin at the beginning: it is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black...' When Richard Burton breathed the opening words of Under Milk Wood into a microphone, broadcasting history was made. For this 'play for voices' conjures up the intimate dreams and waking lives of the inhabitants of a Welsh seaside village in a remarkable way. It is bawdy and beautiful; its colourful characters lust and love, gossip and fantasise. Through the magic of language, Under Milk Wood creates a rich modern pastoral which, once heard, touches the listener with its poetry and haunts the imagination for ever. This radio drama is the completed version broadcast in 1963 which includes several passages that were omitted from the first recording in 1954.2 CDs. 1 hr 41 mins.

Read more less

Katy Manning, Jon Culshaw and Tim Treloar read a dynamic trio of stories inspired by strips first published in Doctor Who Annual.In 'Dead on Arrival', Jo Grant finds out what it's like to be a ghost when she realises that no-one can see her. Even more alarmingly, the Doctor and the Brigadier appear to be mourning her death! Something has gone very wrong since her last trip in the TARDIS - but how can she tell the Doctor about it?In 'The Traitor', the Fourth Doctor and Sarah help rescue the survivors of a crashed spaceship, only to discover that they are scientists deliberately marooned on a distant planet. The people plead with the Doctor and Sarah for help - but what happens next is far from expected.In 'The Power', the Doctor and Leela are among those invited to the wedding of Princess Azula on the planet Shem. Yet barbarism still rules over a divided people, and the time travellers become embroiled in a bitter tussle for the secret of the mysterious Power.Adapted by Paul Magrs from strip stories first published in the Doctor Who Annuals of the 1970s, these stories are brought to life by three much-loved readers and some stirring sound design.Readings produced by Neil GardnerSound design by David RoocroftExecutive Producer for BBC Audio: Michael Stevens© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Read more less

Dan Starkey reads this imaginitive original story featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Nardole."Time: the present. Place: Smalltown, USA. A town like any other. A sleepy world of white picket fences, front porch gliders and freshly-mown lawns, a Pontiac or Chevrolet in every driveway."But the streets are empty, with not a sound to be heard, and no-one to hear it if there was. Because this town is merely an empty stage, waiting for its players to take their parts. They're due to make their entrance any moment now, strangers in a strange land, somewhere in that timeless space known only as The Nightmare Realm."It's into this strange world of shifting sands that the TARDIS propels the Doctor and Nardole, who think they're in 1950s suburbia until an apparent nuclear attack takes them into far darker territory, with a series of terrifying consequences...Dan Starkey, who played the Sontaran Strax in the TV series, reads this unsettling original story by Jonathan Morris(P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution LtdReading produced by Neil GardnerSound design by David RoocroftProject editor: John AinsworthExecutive producer: Michael Stevens

Read more less

Don’t panic! The Hitchhiker’s saga returns once again with a full-cast dramatisation of Mostly Harmless, the fifth book in Douglas Adams’s famous ‘trilogy in five parts’.‘A radio event... the great original cast has been reassembled’. Gillian Reynolds, The Daily TelegraphWhile frequent flyer Arthur Dent searches the universe for his lost love, Ford Prefect discovers a disturbing blast from the past at The Hitchhiker’s Guide HQ. Meanwhile, on one of many versions of Earth, a blonder, more American Trillian gets tangled up with a party of lost aliens having an identity crisis. And just when Arthur thinks he has found his true vocation on the backwater planet of Lamuella, the original Trillian turns up with more than a little spanner in the works. A stolen ship, a dramatic stampede and a new and sinister Guide lead to a race to save the Earth … again. But this time, will they succeed?Simon Jones returns as Arthur, Geoffrey McGivern as Ford, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Susan Sheridan as Trillian, Sandra Dickinson as Tricia McMillan, and Stephen Moore as Marvin. William Franklyn is the Book, Rula Lenska is also the Book and Samantha Béart is Random. Guest stars include Miriam Margolyes, Griff Rhys Jones, John Challis, Roy Hudd, Saeed Jaffrey, and Jonathan Pryce.This extended CD edition features 40 minutes of material not heard on BBC Radio 4.Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins approx.

Read more less

Richard Briers, Adrian Scarborough and Terence Rigby star in this full-cast dramatisation, narrated by Alan Bennett.When Mole abandons his spring cleaning one morning, he surfaces into the sunlight and encounters the Water Rat. Mole stays with Ratty in his snug waterside home, and soon he meets Ratty’s friends: Badger, who lives in the Wild Wood, and the incorrigible Toad of Toad Hall. This timeless tale of waterside Britain has been loved by generations of children and acclaimed as a classic. The story of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad and their escapades never fails to enchant. Many of the original cast from Alan Bennett's acclaimed National Theatre production appear in this Radio 4 dramatisation, including Richard Briers as Rat, Adrian Scarborough as Mole and Terence Rigby as Albert - with Alan Bennett as the narrator.

Read more less

The Unexpected Guest begins on a foggy night at a lonely country house, where a woman with a gun in her hand is quietly surveying the dead body of her husband. It looks like a straightforward case of murder. Or is it? As the ghosts of an old wrong begin to emerge from the past, the case begins to look anything but straightforward, and it is up to Sergeant Cadwallader and Inspector Thomas to discover the unexpected truth... In The Pale Horse, a dying woman gasps out her bizarre story to Catholic priest Father Gorman - but no sooner has he written it down than he is violently killed. The only clue he leaves is a twisted scrap of paper on which are written nine names. On the trail of these names Inspector Lejeune, together with academic Mark Easterbrooke and his crime writer friend Ariadne Oliver, are led inexorably to The Pale Horse Inn, in the village of Much Deeping. The three women who live there - a psychic, a medium and a witch - all seem to have some link to Father Gorman’s death. And each of them has their own secrets... These two Agatha Christie stories, each with a twist in the tale, are dramatised with full casts including Siôn Probert and Stephanie Cole.2 CDs. 2 hrs.

Read more less

Harriet Walter and Beryl Reid star in this full-cast adaptation of the much-loved children's classic. When spoilt young orphan Mary Lennox is brought back from India to live in her uncle’s house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds the blunt ways of the staff at Misselthwaite Manor an unpleasant shock. Bored and miserable, it seems as though life in England will be awful. But Misselthwaite has hidden delights and, when Mary begins to discover them, nothing is the same again. First, there is the secret garden – and with it comes a boy who knows all the wonders of the country. He can even talk to the birds! Then, as the old house gives up its biggest secret, Mary forms a magical friendship. Frances Hodgson Burnett's charming story is played out with all the freshness and warmth of the original novel in this BBC Radio full-cast dramatization.

Read more less

An unabridged reading of this exciting novelisation of a First Doctor television adventure. It is ten million years in the future, and the Earth is about to plunge into the Sun. A gigantic Space Ark has been launched, to take the last of humanity to a new life on the planet Refusis II. Accompanying the humans on their journey are the Monoids, strange reptilian creatures from an alien world. When the TARDIS materialises on board, the Doctor and his friends are greeted with suspicion, which soon turns to open hostility when Dodo inadvertently infects the Ark's crew with a long-forgotten virus. It is an accident which will have a terrible effect on mankind, an effect which will last for seven hundred years... Duration: 4 hours approx.

Read more less

The award-winning BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Vikram Seth’s masterpiece‘The drama highlight of the year…this sumptuous production, wonderfully atmospheric, written with pace and performed, by an all-Indian cast, quite superbly. The novel may be vast but I was convinced by this version right from the start. Magnificent drama’ - Radio TimesA Suitable Boy is Vikram Seth's epic love story set in India. Funny and tragic, with engaging, brilliantly-observed characters, it is as close as you can get to Dickens for the twentieth century. The story unfolds through four middle-class families - the Mehras, Kapoors, Khans and Chatterjis. Lata Mehra, a university student, is under pressure from her mother to get married. But not to just anyone she happens to fall in love with. There are standards to be met and finding a husband for Lata becomes a family affair in which all the members are to play a part. The characters struggle, they try to buck the system, to break free of restraint, of interference - but ultimately their strength and sense of being comes from their family and friends. It is a celebration of ordinariness; a beautifully composed story that is an affirmation of family and friendship. In his sweeping epic, Vikram Seth has created an entire world filled with warmth, humour, pathos, tragedy - in short, life. Recorded on location in India, A Suitable Boy is made by the production team behind the award-winning Bleak House and The Handmaid's Tale.Shortlisted for the Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1993.Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1994.Winner of the WH Smith Literary Award, 1994.Dramatised and directed by John Dryden. A Goldhawk Production.Duration: approx. 6 hours on 5 CDs.

Read more less

Ian Carmichael stars as Lord Peter Wimsey in these definitive BBC radio dramatisations of Dorothy L Sayers' classic crime novelsAristocratic amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey was the master creation of Dorothy L Sayers, widely acknowledged as one of the four original ‘Queens of Crime’. These full-cast adaptations – first broadcast on BBC radio in the 1970s, and presented here in their entirety – are admired by fans of the genre worldwide.Whose Body? is the tale that first introduced Lord Peter to the world, and sees him investigating the case of a corpse in a Battersea bathtub and a vanished oil millionaire.In Clouds of Witness, Lord Peter’s eldest brother stands accused of murder. In collaboration with Inspector Parker, Wimsey slowly uncovers a web of lies and deceit within his own family...Unnatural Death finds Peter probing the mysterious death of an elderly lady. He suspects foul play, and with the help of the indomitable Miss Climpson, sets about his investigations in deepest Hampshire...Produced by Simon Brett (author of the ‘Charles Paris’ series), these acclaimed dramas also feature Peter Jones, Patricia Routledge, Miriam Margolyes and Garard Green.Duration: 10 hours 30 minutes approx.

Read more less

Nine more episodes from the fourth series of the popular radio comedy, plus bonus programme Forty Laughing YearsFull of whimsical witticisms, sketches, songs, puns and double entendres, Beyond Our Ken entertained the nation over seven series and 123 episodes. Published for the first time on audio, the nine episodes in this volume were initially broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1960-61.In these evergreen shows, Kenneth Horne’s escapades include trying to get his windows cleaned, recounting the story of Raffles, being offered the freedom of the city of Giggleswade, and dealing with some morning callers.Meanwhile, Hornerama investigates topics of immediate interest, including ‘Love and Marriage’, ‘Old British Customs’ and ‘The Film Industry’. There’s also musical interludes from the Hornets, Janet Waters and the BBC Variety Orchestra.The episodes include Room at the Top, The Horse Soldiers, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Charge of the Light Brigade, A Hatful of Rain, Twelve O’Clock High, Tea and Sympathy, Some Come Running and Tunes of Glory. Also included is the 1962 tribute programme Forty Laughing Years, hosted by Kenneth Horne.Duration: 5 hours approx.

Read more less

Matthew Waterhouse reads this novelisation of a classic 1982 TV serial featuring the Fifth Doctor, as played on TV by Peter Davison. When the TARDIS materialises on an alien space craft, the commander of the ship - the reptilian Monarch - invites the Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan to continue their journey to Earth in his company. Monarch’s hospitality even extends to a generous offer to liberate the time travellers from the shortcomings of their bodies and replicate them as androids - so much more practical. Although Adric finds this proposal extremely attractive, the Doctor has good reason to be suspicious of Monarch's motives... Matthew Waterhouse, who played Adric in Doctor Who, reads Terrance Dicks's novelisation of a four-part TV serial by Terence Dudley.

Read more less

Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Colin Baker are among the readers of these 12 stories from the worlds of Doctor Who. The Curse of Peladon is read by Jon Pertwee; Kinda is read by Peter Davison; Attack of the Cybermen is read by Colin Baker; Out of the Darkness (three short stories) is read by Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant; and Short Trips (six short stories) is read by Nicholas Courtney and Sophie Aldred. With original music.

Read more less

Jon Culshaw reads the brand new novelisation of a classic Doctor Who adventure by Douglas Adams. The hugely powerful Key to Time has been split into six segments, all of which have been disguised and hidden throughout time and space. Now the even more powerful White Guardian wants the Doctor to find the pieces. With the first segment successfully retrieved, the Doctor, Romana and K9 trace the second segment of the Key to the planet Calufrax. But when they arrive at exactly the right point in space, they find themselves on exactly the wrong planet – Zanak. Ruled by the mysterious ‘Captain’, Zanak is a happy and prosperous planet. Mostly. If the mines run out of valuable minerals and gems then the Captain merely announces a New Golden Age and they fill up again. It’s an economic miracle – so obviously something’s very wrong... Duration: 10 hours approx.

Read more less

Stephen Fry narrates this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the famous Victorian comic novel. Orphan Becky Sharp and wealthy Amelia Sedley are best friends at Miss Pinkerton's Academy for Young Ladies. On leaving school, ambitious, social-climbing Becky looks for a rich man to support her, while the sweet-natured Amelia meets her old friend Dobbin, who is instantly captivated. Becky takes a job in the service of Sir Pitt Crawley, and uses her charm to hook his dashing son. However, marriage to Captain Rawdon of the Guards does not provide the fortune she seeks. Meanwhile, Amelia rejects the faithful Dobbin and becomes engaged to the handsome George Osborne – but destiny has some shocks in store for her, too. As time goes by, the girls' fortunes rise and fall. War, financial disaster and the ruin of her reputation leave the resourceful Becky undaunted, but Amelia finds it harder to bear fate's blows. It will be many years before their story is played out, and their futures finally decided... William Makepeace Thackeray's classic satire of passion and ambition, first published in 1847 and 1848, is a deliciously ironic portrait of English society and its mores. This engaging 2004 radio production, published for the first time on audio, features a distinguished cast including Emma Fielding as Becky Sharp, Katy Cavanagh as Amelia and Toby Jones as Jos Sedley. Duration: 5 hours approx

Read more less