A Collection of BBC Radio Historical Docu Dramas

Life and Intrigue in Tudor Britain

Six gripping dramatised documentaries detailing the history of the turbulent Tudor period. 
 
Passion, power, sex and suspicious deaths &ndash; the Tudor story is one of drama and dysfunction, and it has kept us enthralled for over 400 years. In these six dramatised documentaries, we take a behind-the-scenes look at Tudor England and get to know the key characters we have grown to love and hate, such as Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowman and featuring first-hand accounts and letters, these thrilling, historically accurate retellings bring this tumultuous era to vivid life. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady spans three critical years in the life of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and later Queen of England. It begins in 1533, when her father divorces her mother and marries Anne Boleyn. Refusing to accept the validity of Henry&rsquo;s actions, Mary finds herself facing danger and disgrace&hellip; 
 
In Elizabeth's Admiral, we follow the events which took place in the immediate aftermath of Henry VIII&rsquo;s death in 1547 &ndash; events which led to the execution of the Lord High Admiral Thomas Seymour and came near to seriously compromising the future of the 15-year-old Princess Elizabeth. 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field, set between March 1566 and June 1567, tells the tragic tale of the murder of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary Queen of Scots: a crime that remains one of the most controversial 'whodunnits' of all time. 
 
Chance or Villainy? explores the mysterious death of Amy Robsart in 1560. Her husband, Lord Robert Dudley, was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and was rumoured to be having an affair with her &ndash; so when Amy was found dead at the foot of a staircase, it seemed that a serious crisis might ensue&hellip; 
 
In A Knot of Secret Might, we hear the ill-fated love story of Lady Katherine Grey, sister of the doomed &lsquo;Nine-Day Queen&rsquo; Lady Jane Grey. And in The Great Enterprise, 1588, we are transported back to sixteenth-century Spain, as Philip II prepares to launch his &lsquo;Invincible Armada&rsquo;... 
 
Among the ensemble casts of these superb docu-dramas are Beryl Calder, Haydn Jones, Marjorie Westbury, Kathleen Helme, Patricia Leventon, Nerys Hughes and Roger Delgado. 
 
Credits 
Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowden 
Special thanks to Keith Wickham for Archive material. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 22 Dec 1964 
 
Elizabeth&rsquo;s Admiral (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 Apr 1968 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field 
Produced by Alison Plowden 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 Sep 1969 
 
Chance or Villainy? (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 Feb 1966 
 
A Knot of Secret Might 
Produced by Richard Wortley 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Oct 1970 
 
The Great Enterprise, 1588 (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 Aug 1968 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Six gripping dramatised documentaries detailing the history of the turbulent Tudor period. 
 
Passion, power, sex and suspicious deaths &ndash; the Tudor story is one of drama and dysfunction, and it has kept us enthralled for over 400 years. In these six dramatised documentaries, we take a behind-the-scenes look at Tudor England and get to know the key characters we have grown to love and hate, such as Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowman and featuring first-hand accounts and letters, these thrilling, historically accurate retellings bring this tumultuous era to vivid life. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady spans three critical years in the life of Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and later Queen of England. It begins in 1533, when her father divorces her mother and marries Anne Boleyn. Refusing to accept the validity of Henry&rsquo;s actions, Mary finds herself facing danger and disgrace&hellip; 
 
In Elizabeth's Admiral, we follow the events which took place in the immediate aftermath of Henry VIII&rsquo;s death in 1547 &ndash; events which led to the execution of the Lord High Admiral Thomas Seymour and came near to seriously compromising the future of the 15-year-old Princess Elizabeth. 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field, set between March 1566 and June 1567, tells the tragic tale of the murder of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary Queen of Scots: a crime that remains one of the most controversial 'whodunnits' of all time. 
 
Chance or Villainy? explores the mysterious death of Amy Robsart in 1560. Her husband, Lord Robert Dudley, was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and was rumoured to be having an affair with her &ndash; so when Amy was found dead at the foot of a staircase, it seemed that a serious crisis might ensue&hellip; 
 
In A Knot of Secret Might, we hear the ill-fated love story of Lady Katherine Grey, sister of the doomed &lsquo;Nine-Day Queen&rsquo; Lady Jane Grey. And in The Great Enterprise, 1588, we are transported back to sixteenth-century Spain, as Philip II prepares to launch his &lsquo;Invincible Armada&rsquo;... 
 
Among the ensemble casts of these superb docu-dramas are Beryl Calder, Haydn Jones, Marjorie Westbury, Kathleen Helme, Patricia Leventon, Nerys Hughes and Roger Delgado. 
 
Credits 
Compiled from contemporary sources by Alison Plowden 
Special thanks to Keith Wickham for Archive material. 
 
The Most Unhappy Lady 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Home Service, 22 Dec 1964 
 
Elizabeth&rsquo;s Admiral (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 Apr 1968 
 
The Killing at Kirk O&rsquo;Field 
Produced by Alison Plowden 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 Sep 1969 
 
Chance or Villainy? (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 Feb 1966 
 
A Knot of Secret Might 
Produced by Richard Wortley 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 Oct 1970 
 
The Great Enterprise, 1588 (A Pattern of Tudors) 
Produced by Joe Burroughs 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 Aug 1968 
 
&copy; 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alison Plowden

Abigail Docherty

John Mortimer

Madame de Lafayette

Peter Wolf

Michael Butt

Amanda Whittington

Paul B. Davies

Friedrich Schiller

Michael Bryant

Kathleen Helme

Melody Grove

Roger Lloyd Pack

Meg Fraser

Alexandra Mathie

Louise Brealey

Michael Horden

Full Cast

A BBC Radio 4 Drama Collection

Nine gripping dramas that delve into the turbulent, thrilling history of the Tudor eraAffairs and assassinations. Conflict and chaos. Power and plots. The tumultuous Tudor period is one of the most iconic and fascinating chapters in British history. In these ten atmospheric dramas, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of Tudor England – and rediscover the key characters we have grown to love and hate. Featuring world-renowned actors, these gripping, historically accurate tales are packed with excitement.A Pattern of Tudors - the story of Cardinal Wolsey who built Hampton Court, and Henry VIII who took it from him.True and Lawful Queen - Katherine of Aragon’s refusal to divorce Henry VIII sparks a chain of events that leads to the Reformation.Black Queen to King’s Castle - the ghost of Anne Boleyn tells her own story of the events that led to her execution.The Babington Plot - Told from the perspective of the conspirators, this is an enthralling account of the 1586 plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and return England to Catholic rule under Mary, Queen of Scots.La Princesse de Clèves - a playful adaptation of Madame de Lafayette's classic novel of intrigue and love set in the 16th Century and following the dangerous liaisons of a beautiful young lady newly presented to Court.Gold’s Fool - the true story of how Queen Elizabeth I was misled by alchemists into believing that the Arctic black rocks of Baffin Island were rich in precious ore.Mary Stuart - we learn of the extraordinary relationship between Elizabeth I and her rival cousin, the imprisoned Scottish queen.Edward, Edward - seen entirely through the eyes of children, this shows how Edward VI, crowned king at the age of nine, finds himself powerless in a world ruled by adults.The Nine Days Queen - the tragic story of the trial of Lady Jane Grey. Crowned Queen of England in 1553 aged 16, she was imprisoned in the Tower nine days later, and was dead within a year.Among the stellar cast of these remarkable dramas are Phyllida Nash, Michael Hordern, David Troughton, Izzy Meikle-Small, Stephen Greif, Burn Gorman, Roger Lloyd Pack, Kathleen Helme and Melody Grove.© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alison Plowden

Books by Alison Plowden

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