SATURDAY 17 JULY 2021

SAT 00:00 Charles Chilton - Journey into Space (b007jrdj)
The World in Peril
Episode 5
Jet and Lemmy monitor strange calls coming in on the ship-to-ship intercom.
Completing the sci-fi trilogy of the adventures of Captain Jet Morgan, Mitch, Doc and Lemmy.
Jet Morgan …. Andrew Faulds
Stephen ‘Mitch’ Mitchell …. Don Sharp
Doc Matthews …. Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Lemmy Barnet …. Alfie Bass
Various …. Alan Tilvern
Various and Announcer …. David Jacobs
Music composed by Van Phillips
Written and produced by Charles Chilton.
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in October 1955.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b00vrxk3)
On the Road
"The facts are that four out of five male children start life predisposed in favour of adventure," wrote Peter Fleming in 1933. "They do it because they want to. It suits them. It is their cup of tea."
In this travel themed edition, Dominic Arkwright asks domestic obsessive Lucy Mangan and Johnny Green, the former road manager of the Clash, whether this is really the case.
Writer Justin Marozzi weighs in with a compelling account of a mercury drinker he met in Uzbekistan, while debate centres on whether the nomadic urge is innate.
Producer: Miles Warde
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2010.
SAT 01:00 Find The Lady (m000dz0w)
2. In Which Andrew Marsh Loses a Car
Andrew Marsh is reeling from the shock news about his friend Roger.
With growing police suspicions over his role in the loss of his cheque book, Andrew decides to start his own fraud investigation
Starring Noel Johnson.
Thriller serial by David Ellis.
Andrew Marsh …. Noel Johnson
Joyce Marsh …. Madi Hedd
Detective Sergeant Rankin …. Henry Stamper
Constable …. Peter Baldwin
Harry Yates …. Leonard Fenton
Salesman …. Rolf Lefebvre
Constable …. Peter Baldwin
Margaret Everard …. Eva Haddon
Producer: Betty Davies.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in February 1969.
SAT 01:30 Hercule Poirot (m0002cvc)
The Mystery of the Blue Train
5. A Dancer's Revenge
After Ruth Kettering was found murdered on the Blue Train with her priceless rubies stolen, both her husband Derek and former lover are suspects.
So when Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot discovers the latter has recently acquired a set of rubies, the case would seem to be cut and dried.
Or is it..?
Starring Maurice Denham.
Agatha Christie's thriller based on a short story, The Plymouth Express.
Hercule Poirot …. Maurice Denham
Katherine Grey …. Janet Maw
Rufus Van Aldin …. Robert Beatty
Derek Ketterin …. Anthony Smee
Major Knighton …. Michael Deacon
Mirelle …. Judy Buxton
Monsieur Carrege …. Gordon Reid
Le Comte de la Roche …. Nigel Graham
Mason …. Pauline Letts
Zia …. Jane Leonard
Papopoulos …. Ronald Herdman
George …. Edward de Souza
Waiter …. Jamie Roberts
Dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Director: David Johnston.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1985.
SAT 02:00 Beryl Bainbridge: Love By All Sorts Of Means (b07tc375)
5. Accidental Meeting Sparks Success
A biography of the novelist who denied that she ever wrote fiction, maintaining that her books were based on her experiences. "What is more peculiar, more riveting, devious and horrific than real life?" she said.
But while her own life was the primary source for her books, she was never afraid of adding a little colour.
The author Brendan King is a freelance translator, editor and reviewer, with a special interest in late nineteenth century French literature. He completed his PhD on Joris-Karl Huysmans' life and work at Birkbeck College, London, in 2004.
Between 1987 and 2010, King worked for Beryl Bainbridge, and helped prepare a number of the novels she wrote during this period for publication, including the book she was working on at the time of her death, The Girl in the Polka-dot Dress, which was published posthumously.
Readers:
Narrator ...... James Fleet
Beryl Bainbridge ...... Samantha Bond
Author: Brendan King
Abridger: Pete Nichols
Producer: Karen Rose
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2016.
SAT 02:15 Shardlake (b09l2299)
Heartstone
Episode 10
Concluding Colin MacDonald's dramatisation of the Tudor mystery novel by C.J. Sansom.
Matthew Shardlake is on board the Mary Rose when the warship is sunk in battle with the loss of more than four hundred lives. Among the handful of survivors, Shardlake reports back to Queen Catherine with the results of his investigations into the Curteys children and the family of Sir Nicholas Hobbey. And he pays a final visit to Ellen Fettiplace in the Bedlam.
Matthew Shardlake ..... Justin Salinger
Hugh Curteys ..... Will
Howard George Leacon ..... Finn den Hertog
Queen Catherine ..... Emily Wachter
Sir Richard Rich .... Nicholas Murchie
Ellen Fettiplace ..... Kath Weare
Sailor 1 ..... Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong
Sailor 2 ..... Philip Bretherton
Other parts played by members of the cast.
Writer ..... C. J. Sansom
Dramatist ..... Colin MacDonald
Director ..... David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2018.
SAT 02:30 Essex, My Essex (b03w38q3)
Essex born and bred, writer Ian Sansom goes back to the county which made him who he is.
Ian's grandparents moved there from east-end London to fulfil their dreams. For them, Essex was a promised land of milk and honey, of golden harvests and Harvester restaurants.
Ian left 30 years ago and hasn't really been back since.
But a lot can happen in 3 decades and in that time just about everything has happened to Essex. When Ian left there was no Essex man, no jokes about Essex girls, no Birds of a Feather, no Gavin and Stacey, and The Only Way is Essex was a mere glint in the average commuter's eye.
Now, with the London-overspill county occupying a new space in the public imagination, Ian retraces the steps back to his past.
Talking to people who've stayed there, meeting family and friends, going back to landmarks that meant something to him in his younger days, Ian finds out what's changed.
Between the low-rise housing and out-of-town retail parks, he finds an anarchist community which uses the county as a place to reimagine life's possibilities.
Plus a secret nuclear bunker from which a post-apocalyptic Essex generation would emerge and a retired vice Lord Lieutenant who hopes limericks can change perception of Essex girls.
This is it. This is his Essex.
Producer: Conor Garrett
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2014.
SAT 03:00 Inspector Chen (b08dmgjw)
Series 2
3. The Mao Case
It's a dangerous and politically sensitive case for Inspector Chen when he's asked to investigate the sudden change of fortune of the granddaughter of Chairman Mao's mistress.
Starring Jamie Zubairi.
Qiu Xiaolong's mysteries featuring the academic turned Special Case Squad detective set in 1990s Shanghai.
Inspector Chen ...... Jamie Zubairi
Party Secretary Li ...... Daniel York
Mr Xie ...... David Yip
Jiao ...... Alice Hewkin
Old Hunter ...... David Hounslow
Lieutenant Song ...... Chike Chan
Long ...... Paul Chan
Yong ...... Keziah Joseph
Peng ...... David Sterne
Gu ...... John Dougall
Hua ...... John Bowler
Ling ...... Natasha Cowley
Maid ...... Catriona McFarlane
Dramatised by Joy Wilkinson
Director: David Hunter.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2017.
SAT 04:00 It's Not What You Know (b036v9hd)
Series 2
Episode 2
Frank Skinner, Grace Dent and Jonathan Agnew each nominate someone they know well to answer a series of questions and they than have to second guess how they answered.
Host Miles Jupp tests Frank on how well he knows his friend and radio co-host Emily Dean, Grace her best friend, the Times columnist Caitlin Moran, and Jonathan his wife's best friend Anne Davies.
What is Frank's favourite drink? Who is Grace's favourite writer? And what would Jonathan do if he wasn't a cricket commentator?
All answers and more will be revealed.
Producer: Sam Michell.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2013.
SAT 04:30 To the Manor Born (b007k4vh)
Sons of the Fathers
Clearing out the cellar - Audrey finds more than she'd bargained for.
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
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, before finally arriving home in 1997.
Adapted from his TV scripts by Peter Spence.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in February 1997.
SAT 05:00 Guilt Trip (b07m7833)
Episode 2
It's day six of the walk and Ros is concerned that they aren't doing enough to revive the bond between them, while Laura is worried that she doesn't have a passion and focus in her life.
Will they both find what they are looking for?
Comedy drama written by Katherine Jakeways with Felicity Montagu and Olivia Nixon.
A mother and daughter are undertaking a two week sponsored walk along The Thames Path to raise money for the dead father's charity.
But the mother and father divorced nine years ago and he'd re-married, so relationships between them all have been strained. Things come to a head at any mention of the French Oak gable table that Ros and her now dead ex bought together in Camden. This has somehow ended up in the stepmother's house, much to Ros's annoyance: "I mean she sits at it! It's my table and she sits at it."
Ros ...... Felicity Montagu
Laura ...... Olivia Nixon
Stepmother ...... Katherine Jakeways
Boyfriend ...... Tim Key
With Javone Prince, Evie Killip and Amelia Lowdell.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in July 2016.
SAT 05:30 Taboo (m000xskv)
Kate Copstick and special guests Desiree Birch, Scott Capurro, Tanyalee Davies, Jordan Gray, Roger Mahony, Tim Renkow and Kate Smurthwaite tackle the tricky subject of taboo in comedy, exploring what's wrong with woke, who can say what to whom, where and when, and asking why can't we all just lighten up and laugh. Unless you object to the use of the word lighten... which is not meant in any sense of lighter being better...
Written and Presented by Kate Copstick
With Special Guests: Desiree Burch, Scott Capurro, Tanyalee Davis, Jordan Gray, Roger Mahony, Tim Renkow and Kate Smurthwaite
Studio Engineer and Editor: Gerry O'Riordan
Produced by Gordon Kennedy
Recorded at The Soundhouse Studios
An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 06:00 JCW Brook - Jonas (b083gwvc)
Married friends Max and Julie, and Hugo and Pat enjoy cordial bridge nights.
One evening, after deciding to try out a Ouija board that Max found in a junk shop, they become embroiled in a spiritual mystery.
Is the board cursed..?
A spirit world mystery written by JCW Brook.
Max Brown …. Julian Holloway
Julie Brown …. Anna Cropper
Hugo Stevens …. John Rye
Pat Stevens …. Prunella Scales
Waitress …. Carole Boyd
Mohammet Asif …. David March
Other parts played by the cast.
Producer: Ian Cotterell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 1975.
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b088fg46)
Series 41
Len Goodman on Lionel Bart
Len Goodman's great life was one of the biggest figures in creating British musicals and pop music in the 1960's.
The writer and lyricist behind the hit musical Oliver, knew everybody who was anybody, made a fortune and partied with Royalty. But like many who flourished in that era he also lost everything in a blitz of booze, drugs and bad behaviour.
Len Goodman makes a case for why he regards Bart as a genius.
With Matthew Parris.
Helping Len him to unravel the story of his hero the expert witness is broadcaster David Stafford who has co-written a biography on Lionel Bart named after Bart's second most famous musical: Fings Aint Wot They Used T'Be .
Producer: Perminder Khatkar.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 January 2017.
SAT 08:00 The Motion Show (b00762kw)
Series 4
Episode 3
Debates galore from returning to nature - to joining Big Brother.
Graeme Garden chairs the quirky battle of words and wit.
With Marcus Brigstocke, Steve Punt, Stuart Maconie and Jenny Eclair.
Producer: Helen Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2001.
SAT 08:30 Smelling of Roses (m000xtcr)
Series 2
Romance Is Dead
Rosie's event management company arranges activities for the partners of conference. delegates for a major finance company.
Meanwhile Kate thinks this is her ticket back to a high-flying job....
Prunella Scales stars in the second of four series of Simon Brett's sitcom following the trials and tribulations of Rosie Burns and her event-management company based in Brighton.
With Arabella Weir as Kate, Rebecca Callard as Jo, Duncan Preston as Bob, Annette Badland as Tess, Debbie Norman as Sheila Wilkinson and Alan Cowan as Philip Wilkinson.
Producer: Maria Esposito
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2001.
SAT 09:00 Growing Pains (b09b23xz)
Grace Dent slams the door and locks herself in her teenage bedroom.
Where better to rifle through the BBC Radio archives to celebrate the awkward, emotional, and unfortunately inevitable adolescent experience?
Grace reminisces about the daily heartbreak and arguments of her own teenage years growing up in 1970s Carlisle.
She investigates what it was really like for the teenage boys she thought had it so easy. BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake paints a portrait of his own formative years.
Young Adult author Steven Camden goes back to the park to conjure up memories of adolescent boredom and longing.
We visit Ambridge over the decades to see how teenagers have been portrayed in The Archers on BBC Radio 4.
And Grace persuades some real life teenagers to explain their lives, lingo and of course mobile phones to her.
Along the way - with a few teenage stroppy tantrums - Grace dips into archives:
* Too Old To Rock and Roll, Too Young To Die
Documentary made by Sara Conkey in 1995, featuring the reminiscences of people who were teenagers during the Blitz
(Clips from 'Casablanca' and 'Gone With The Wind' Courtesy of Turner International)
* I Capture The Castle
Part 1 of Jane Rodgers adaptation of Dodie Smith's classic novel, starring Holliday Grainger as Cassandra Mortmain
* My Teenage Diary
Richard Herring opens up his teenage diary for Rufus Hound
* Summer with Monika
Dramatisation of Roger McGough's iconic poem about young love in the 1960's. Starring Mark McGann and Katy Carmichael.
Producer: Jessica Treen
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in October 2017.
SAT 12:00 The Fair Intellectual Club (b080xj88)
An Encounter with Mr Newton
Lucy Porter's sitcom set in pre-enlightenment Edinburgh.
Intellectual giant Isaac Newton is in town and he's struggling with a new theory to explain why things keep falling on his head.
He encounters the members of the Fair Intellectual club - a secret society for the scholarly improvement of young ladies. With the help of carefree socialite Ishbel, devout clergyman's daughter Marjory and maths boffin Alison, the penny finally drops.
Mr Newton also has to contend with Alison's idiot brother Robert, Ishbel's ancient retainer Kennedy and a rented pineapple.
Isaac Newton ...... Gavin Mitchell
Ishbel ...... Caroline Deyga
Marjory ...... Samara MacLaren
Alison ...... Jessica Hardwick
Robert ...... Simon Donaldson
Kennedy ...... Gordon Kennedy
Music by Aly Macrae.
Director: Marilyn Imrie
Producer: Gordon Kennedy
An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in November 2016.
SAT 12:30 Beachcomber... By the Way (b007jv6b)
Series 2
Episode 1
The further adventures of Mr Justice Cocklecarrot, Captain Foulenough, Dr Strabismus (whom God preserve) of Utrecht and Big White Carstairs.
Richard Ingrams, John Wells, John Sessions and Patricia Routledge recreate the world of the JB Morton.
Running in the Daily Express from 1924 to 1975 – JB Morton’s surreally comic ‘Beachcomber’ column paved the way for a great deal of modern humour.
Adapted by Michael Barfield with Richard Ingrams.
Announcer: Brian Perkins
Producer: Harry Thompson
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1991.
SAT 13:00 Archive on 4 (b07tqbw0)
Period Drama Politics
Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History at Nottingham University, asks whether the portrayal of class relations in period dramas - Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs and Noël Coward's play Cavalcade - had any political effect.
Steven sees striking parallels between the dramas; all three are set in the early decades of the twentieth century in wealthy households with servants; all three portray the relationship of the upper classes with their servants as essentially benevolent; all three appeared at times of national crisis (the 1930s, the 1970s and after the 2008 financial crash); and a Conservative government was voted in after each one.
Steven investigates whether there is a pattern here. Are these dramas just comforting entertainment or could they have had a subtle effect on voting habits? And how accurate is the portrayal of relations between the ruling classes and their servants?
Featuring a specially recorded interview with Downton creator Julian Fellowes, and an archive interview with the Script Editor of Upstairs Downstairs, Alfred Shaughnessy, that hasn't been broadcast before.
With archive material from Noël Coward, Sheridan Morley, Jean Marsh, Eileen Atkins, and Sir John Gielgud, and contributions from Coward's biographer Philip Hoare, Upstairs Downstairs expert Richard Marson, and Selina Todd, Professor of Modern British History at Oxford University.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2016.
SAT 14:00 Revolting People (b0089mbr)
Series 3
Young Love
Captain Brimshaw receives fresh orders from his father - to return to England and marry his cousin...
Sitcom set just before the American War of Independence.
Written by Andy Hamilton and Jay Tarses.
McGurk …. Andy Hamilton
Samuel …. Jay Tarses
Captain Brimshaw …. James Fleet
Mary …. Jan Ravens
Joshua …. Tony Maudsley
Lord Brimshaw …. Hugh Dennis
Emily …. Penelope Nice
Producer: Paul Mayhew-Archer
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2004.
SAT 14:30 Bunk Bed (b092g8gg)
Series 4
Episode 2
Everyone craves a place where their mind and body are not applied to any particular task - the nearest faraway place which allows us to drift. The state between wakefulness and deep slumber where strange thoughts can be followed like balloons floating through the air.
Late at night, in the dark and in a bunk bed, your tired mind can wander through unchartered territory.
This is the chat show with a difference.
Written by and starring unlikely bedfellows, Patrick Marber and Peter Curran.
Award-winning actor and director Kathy Burke shares her memories of reading saucy novels aloud for an audience of fellow teenagers in the 1970s.
Curran and Marber fight over concepts of male sensitivity, only to be severely admonished by Kathy, and they discuss how the words of The Sex Pistols' God Save The Queen now mock them in middle-age.
Producer: Peter Curran
A Foghorn production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2017.
SAT 15:00 Party (b01mqq72)
Series 3
The Curry
Return of the satirical comedy about a group of young idealists trying to make waves with their new political party.
The group reconvene after their Summer break and the ambition steps up a gear.
Written by Tom Basden.
Simon .... Tom Basden
Duncan .... Tim Key
Jared .... Jonny Sweet
Mel .... Anna Crilly
Phoebe .... Katy Wix
Producer .... Julia McKenzie.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2012.
SAT 15:30 Hannah Gadsby: Arts Clown (b05419l4)
1. Edouard Manet's Olympia
Art historian Hannah Gadsby kicks off her comedy lectures about four masterpieces, with Edouard Manet's masterpiece 'Olympia'.
She shares her first encounter with the art work as well as looking at what critics had to say about it at the time it was created.
Born in Tasmania, Hannah's first encounters with art was via books. These taught her the language of art appreciation, but also legitimised her desire to look at 'boobs'. This was just as well as Hannah realised in her teens that she was 'a little bit lesbian' but homosexuality was still illegal in Tasmania at that time.
The painting 'Olympia' was first shown in Paris in 1865. The reclining nude made a lot of people very angry at the time.
Hannah explains what makes 'Olympia' a cornerstone of modern art and what brings her personally back to this painting again and again.
She is assisted by her very own 'Quotebot' who has been inputted with every quote that's ever been written about art. It sounds remarkably like comedy legend and all-round boffin, John Lloyd.
Written by Hannah Gadsby.
Script edited by Jon Hunter
Producer: Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2015.
SAT 15:45 Jelly Mountain (b00fd63q)
Episode 1
Ivor Cutler's unique views on language, justice - and scratching people's backs.
With Craig Murray-Orr, Dylan Edwards, Beverley Crew and Alison O'Kill.
Producer: Neil Cargill
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1996.
SAT 16:00 JCW Brook - Jonas (b083gwvc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b088fg46)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 Andrew Dallmeyer - Potted History (m000xyws)
Eccentric Ruben Chomsky has invented an incredible device to listen to sounds captured on ancient pottery when it was first thrown on the wheel.
Now he needs the help of someone to ‘acquire’ some from his local museum...
Written by Andrew Dallmeyer.
Anna Hewison .... Irene MacDougall
Ruben Chomsky ....Tom Watson
Patrick Selby-Wright .... Crawford Logan
‘Alice’ .... Michael Perceval-Maxwell
Mr Butterfield .... John Buick
With Eliza Langland, John Ramage and Ann-Louise Ross as the voices on the pottery.
Directed in Edinburgh by Finlay Welsh.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1996.
SAT 19:00 Growing Pains (b09b23xz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Rigor Mortis (b007qhq4)
Series 2
Episode 3
Pathologist Ruth's fibs over her career and love-life backfire when her mum arrives.
Starring Peter Davison.
Laurence Howarth's black comedy set in the world of the pathology lab.
Anthony Webster …. Peter Davison
Ruth Anderson …. Matilda Ziegler
Ruth’s Mother, Moira …. Paula Wilcox
Professor Donaldson …. Geoffrey Whitehead
Graham …. Tom Price
Chloe …. Marianne Levy
Police Constable …. Gus Brown
Norman Pace …. Lewis Aaltonen
Music by Paul Mottram and Stephanie Benavente.
Producer: Dawn Ellis
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2004.
SAT 22:30 Chain Reaction (b052jk2z)
Series 10
Adam Buxton talks to Reece Shearsmith
Adam Buxton - comedian, actor, technophile and one half of 'Adam and Joe', Adam Buxton
talks to
Reece Shearsmith - co-creator and star of The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville and Inside No. 9,
Chain Reaction is the long running hostless chat show where the interviewee becomes this next interviewer.
Producer: Charlie Perkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.
SAT 23:00 The Skivers (b007jq44)
Series 1
Britt Ekland
New age DIY, the wonders of Sweden and Sinatra sings punk.
Nick Golson and Tim de Jongh's skilful sketch show with special guest Britt Ekland who's not in the mood for romance.
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 April 1994.
SAT 23:30 The Mark Steel Lecture (b007md98)
Series 2
Che Guevara
A profile of the revolutionary leader who became a left-wing hero, despite chronic asthma.
Mark Steel lectures humourously about historical figures that have shaped their era.
With:
Martin Hyder
Carla Mendonca
Producer: Lucy Armitage
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2001.