A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Charles Paris: An Amateur Corpse

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic crime novel An Amateur Corpse.

Charles is out of work again, and to make matters worse his mother has come to stay and he's no way of escaping her. So when he's offered some voiceover work by old friend, Hugo, he's delighted to get out of the house. But Hugo's marriage is in trouble: his much younger wife, Ellie, spends all her time at her Amateur Dramatic Group, and Hugo is drinking too much. 
 
When Ellie is found drowned in their swimming pool, it seems Hugo is guilty of murder. It's up to Charles to prove his friend's innocence... 
 
Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden and Geraldine McEwan are among the star cast in this entertaining mystery, dramatised by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: A Reconstructed Corpse

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett’s comic murder mystery, starring Bill Nighy as the irrepressible Charles Paris.

Bill Nighy returns as Charles Paris: unsuccessful actor, bad husband and dipsomaniac. Desperately in need of work, having been kicked out of the marital home, Charles jumps at playing a missing property developer in a crime reconstruction programme. But the missing person case soon turns to murder when severed body parts begin to appear. 
 
Television ratings soar as the public tune in to discover every gory detail of the case. The raging egos and jealous manoeuvrings of the producers, presenters and the police provide a long list of suspects for Charles as he pieces together a macabre jigsaw puzzle of murder. 
 
Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden and Jon Glover are among the star cast in this enjoyable mystery, dramatised by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris: Murder in the Title

A BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Simon Brett’s comic crime novel, starring Bill Nighy as actor turned amateur sleuth Charles Paris.

Charles Paris is his own worst enemy, a louche lush who can resist anything except temptation – especially in the form of women and alcohol. 
 
He’s been out of work so long now he feels he may never get a job and he’s driving Frances, his semi-ex-wife, mad. So when he’s offered a small role in a play, she nearly pushes him out of the door. But it seems that The Message is Murder is such a terrible production that someone wants to kill off the cast. First there is a series of nasty accidents, then someone attempts to stab Charles. Can he find the murderer before they strike again? 
 
Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in this entertaining dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett. 
 
Duration: 1 hr 50 mins approx.

Charles Paris: Cast in Order of Disappearance

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris with Martine McCutcheon as Jodie Ricks in this BBC Radio 4 comedy detective drama.

Charles finds himself uncharacteristically employed in a film, having landed the part of Szabec, a middle management vampire in The Wreathing. 
 
His co-star is swimwear model turned actress Jodie Ricks and before long, Jodie is using Charles as a confidant. Poor Jodie is in terrible trouble - not only is she being blackmailed over some compromising photos, but she is also carrying the baby of the film's producer, Elliot Roth, who now wants nothing to do with her. Then things take an even nastier turn when it appears that someone is trying to kill Jodie. 
 Always keen to help a damsel in distress, Charles sets about trying to solve the mystery... 
 
Starring Bill Nighy and Martine McCutcheon and dramatised by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett. 
 
Duration: 1 hr 50 mins approx.

Charles Paris: The Dead Side of the Mic

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of his bestselling novel The Dead Side of the Mic.

Actor and reluctant sleuth Charles Paris is facing chaos on the domestic front. He's lodging with his ex-wife Frances, and now their pregnant daughter has moved in as well. It's all a bit much.... 
 
So he is over the moon when he lands a job on the BBC Radio Rep - but the ink is barely dry on his contract when a murder takes place in Broadcasting House. A young female studio manager is found dead in an editing suite, and Charles steps in to investigate. 
 
With a distinguished cast including Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances, and featuring Charlotte Green as herself, this four-part drama, adapted by Jeremy Front, is sheer listening pleasure. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy has made actor-detective Charles Paris his own

Charles Paris: A Series of Murders

Bill Nighy stars as alcoholic actor and amateur sleuth Charles Paris in this full-cast radio dramatisation.

Charles Paris is thrilled – he’s landed a nice juicy part playing Sergeant Collins in the TV detective series, ‘The Stanislaus Braid Mysteries’, and his estranged wife Frances seems to be on the brink of taking him back. 
 
 
But filming turns out to be a tortuous process, with pompous star Russell Bentley demanding numerous retakes and irascible author Winifred Railton constantly interrupting. To cap it all, nubile actress Lisa Stokes is crushed to death on set – and Charles finds her body. It seems like a straightforward accident, but Charles can’t shake the suspicion that she was murdered. Can he find the killer, stay away from the booze and the women, and win back his wife? 
 
Starring Bill Nighy as the lovable louche and Suzanne Burden as his estranged wife. 
 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett. 
 
 
Duration: 1 hour approx.

Simon Brett

Jeremy Front

Bill Nighy

Suzanne Burden

Full Cast

Charles Paris returns in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett’s humorous theatrical mystery, starring Bill Nighy. 
 
A job in pantomime seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but the cast of Cinderella are a motley crew from reality TV and Charles finds himself having to explain the traditions of panto to their baffled American star whose career is on a downward trajectory. 
 
When the star is shot dead, and Charles finds the body, he finds himself under suspicion. As the slapstick makes way for a murder investigation, he decides to clear his name by doing some sleuthing of his own. With a host of suspects and the body count rising, the line 'they're behind you' soon begins to take on a very sinister meaning indeed... 
 
Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his wife Frances, in this funny and fast-paced dramatisation by Jeremy Front. 
 
Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Simon Brett

Books by Simon Brett

Series by Simon Brett

Charles Paris Dramatisations

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