82ASK

A A Gill

Andrew Swanston read law at Cambridge, but was inspired to write by his lifelong interest in early modern history. His Thomas Hill novels – The King’s Spy, The King’s Exile and The King’s Return – are set against the backdrops of the English Civil War, Cromwell’s Commonwealth and the early Restoration respectively. He is also the author of Waterloo: The Bravest Man and Beautiful Star and Other Stories. His first historical thriller set during the reign of Elizabeth I – Incendium (published in paperback as The Incendium Plot) – introduced readers to the academic, lawyer and intelligencer Dr Christopher Radcliff, whose adventures continue in Chaos. Andrew Swanston lives in Surrey.

A D Swanston

A E Langsford

A G Hopkins

A. J. BAIME is the New York Times best-selling author of The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Both books are in development for major motion pictures. Baime is a longtime regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, and Men’s Journal. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Visit him at facebook.com/ajbaime and trumanbook.com.

A J Baime

A J Jacobs

A J P Taylor

Anthony James Pollard is a British medieval historian, specialising in the fifteenth century and in particular the Wars of the Roses. A leading authority in the field, he is profesor emeritus of Teesside University. His books include North-Eastern England during the Wars of the Roses, Richard III and the Princes in theTower, Imagining Robin Hood: the Late Medieval Stories in Historical Context and Warwick the kingmaker: Politics, Power and Fame.

A J Pollard

A J Rochester

A K Benjamin is a clinical neuropsychologist and the author of Let Me Not Be Mad: A Story of Unravelling Minds.

A K Benjamin

A. L. Berridge read English at Oxford, and taught for ten years before moving into television, where her production credits range from period drama and thrillers to long-running soaps. She has written two previous novels, Top Ten besteller Honour and the Sword and In the Name of the King. Into the Valley of Death is her third novel.

A L Berridge

Alison Gaylin's first job was as a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, which sparked a lifelong interest in writing about people committing despicable acts. More than a decade later, she wrote and published her Edgar-nominated first novel, HIDE YOUR EYES. 
 
She's since published nine more books, including the USA Today and international bestselling Brenna Spector suspense series, which has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Thriller awards and won the Shamus award. 
 
She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughter, cat and dog.

A L Gaylin

A Maxwell-Hyslop

A McArthur

A P Wavell

A.S. Webb is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of Chaos, the first instalment of The Dark Pantheon Trilogy. She is inspired by stories rooted in history and mythology, that push the boundaries of imagination and urge us to reflect on what it means to be human.

A S Webb

A. A. Dhand is the author of six previous novels, and has been shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger Award. His DI Harry Virdee novels are currently being adapted for TV by the BBC. He was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired all his novels. For more information about A. A. Dhand and his books, follow him on X @aadhand, and on Instagram @aa_dhand.

A. A. Dhand

A. A. Gill

A. A. Milne

A. Anatoli

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland's folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France.

A. B. Poranek

A. Bradley

Professor A. C. Grayling is Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy, history, science and current affairs. For several years he wrote columns for the Guardian newspaper and The Times and was the chairman of the 2014 Man Booker Prize.

A. C. Grayling

A.D. Miller is the author of Snowdrops, The Earl of Petticoat Lane and The Faithful Couple. Snowdrops was a bestseller and was shortlisted for many prizes including the Man Booker and the CWA Gold Dagger. It was translated into 25 languages. As Moscow Correspondent of The Economist A.D. Miller has travelled across the former Soviet Union and covered the Orange Revolution in Ukraine; he is now the magazine’s Culture Editor based in London. 
 
admillerbooks.com

A. D. Miller

A. E. Ellis

A. E. W. Mason

A. Humphreys

A. Igoni Barrett was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1979 and lives in Lagos. He is a winner of the 2005 BBC World Service short story competition, the recipient of a Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship, a Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency. His short story collection, Love is Power, or Something Like That, was published in 2013. In 2014 he was named on the Africa39 list of sub-Saharan African writers under 40. Blackass is his first novel.

A. Igoni Barrett

The short life of A.J.A. Symons (1900-41) was described by his biographer as an intricate and largely harmless confidence trick. His many interests included the collection of musical boxes and rare books as well as the study and practice of forgery; they left him time to edit an anthology of Edwardian verse and compose studies of H.M. Stanley and other notable figures. He is remembered for The Quest for Corvo, one of the most remarkable biographies ever written, and for co-founding the Wine and Food Society.

A. J. A. Symons

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Robert Browning

BBC Radio dramatisations and readings of Browning’s most famous poems, performed by stars including Anton Lesser, Roger Allam and David Tennant, plus two bonus plays 
 
Victorian poet Robert Browning was renowned for his evocative dramatic monologues peopled with vivid, morally ambiguous characters. In 1846, he eloped with fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett, and they rapidly became Britain’s most famous literary power couple. This collection brings together four of Browning’s poetic masterpieces, juxtaposed with a play inspired by his work and a drama about Robert and Elizabeth’s romance. 
 
The Ring and the Book – In the aftermath of a triple stabbing, Rome is rife with speculation. Accused of murdering his young wife and her parents, Count Guido Franceschini is put on trial, and finds himself desperately fighting for his life. Anton Lesser, Roger Allam and Andrew Sachs star in this thrilling tale of of sex, lies, murder and justice. 
 
The Pied Piper of Hamlin – When a town fails to pay the rat-catcher who has lured all the rats away with his magic pipe, the piper takes a terrible revenge. Playing his music once more, he leads all the children from the town. Only one boy remains behind… David Tennant stars as the Narrator, with Bertie Gilbert as the boy. 
 
My Last Duchess – Based on Browning’s chilling poem about an aristocrat whose wife died young in suspicious circumstances, this intriguing dramatisation attempts to solve the mystery of what happened to the duchess, and who did the deed. Starring Roger Allam, Emily Mortimer and Tim McInnerny. 
 
Andrea del Sarto – Richard Pasco reads Robert Browning's monologue about the 16th-century Florentine artist known as ‘the faultless painter’, whose marriage was the source of deep unhappiness. 
 
The Contemplative Life – Brother James's loathing of oafish Brother Lawrence has led him to petty acts of destruction. As a punishment, he is forced to share a cell with him… Alan Rickman and Michael Aldridge star in this comedy inspired by Browning’s poem ‘Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister’. 
 
The Barretts of Wimpole Street – Starring Dorothy Tutin and Jeremy Brett, this radio version of Rudolf Besier’s celebrated stage play explores the secret courtship of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, which took place at No 50 Wimpole Street, her father’s forbidding household. 
 
First published 1842 (‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’, ‘My Last Duchess’), 1855 (‘Andrea del Sarto’), 1868 (‘The Ring and the Book’) 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Robert Browning 
 
The Ring and the Book 
Cast: Anton Lesser, Roger Allam, Lou Brealey, Dominic Rowan, Andrew Sachs, Frances Jeater, Dan Starkey, Stephen Critchlow, Ben Crowe, Chris Pavlo, Joan Walker, John Rowe, Michael Maloney, Stephen Moore 
 
The Pied Piper of Hamelin 
Cast: David Tennant, Bertie Gilbert 
With music and songs written and performed by John Harle, lyrics by Joyce Harle, sung by Thomas Platts, head chorister at Canterbury Cathedral with the choir of Wingham School, Kent 
 
My Last Duchess 
Cast: Roger Allam, Emily Mortimer, Tim McInnerny, Robert Hands, John Hartley, Jacob Heringman 
 
Andrea del Sarto 
Read by Richard Pasco 
 
The Contemplative Life 
Cast: Alan Rickman, Michael Aldridge, David Garth, Brian Smith, Colin Starkey, David Sinclair, 
Trevor Nichols, John Webb 
 
The Barretts of Wimpole Street 
Cast: Dorothy Tutin, Jeremy Brett, Paul Rogers, William Eedle, John Rowe, John Samson, 
Robin Browne, David Valla, Christopher Good, Kate Binchy, Jane Knowles, Kenneth Fortescue, 
Helen Worth, Michael Kilgarriff, Rolf Lefebvre, John Ruddock, Sheila Grant 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robert Browning: The Ring and the Book, The Pied Piper of Hamelin & more

BBC Radio dramatic reimaginings of five iconic poems

John Hegley

The hilarious poet laureate of alternative comedy delights audiences around the UK Listen and laugh as John Hegley, the hilarious and haphazard poet laureate of alternative comedy, entertains audiences with his unique book of verse. This collection has the complete three series of this not-to-be-missed listening treat. Recorded in front of live audiences across the UK, including locations such as the Cheltenham Literary Festival and Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, Hegley presents tales of the Tate, a jumble sale and an armadillo, poems dedicated to Bonfire Night and not waving, songs about glasses, plus a surreal adventure in a Tardis-like kennel. The joyous possibilities of flannel, fennel and funnel are also investigated.Settle down and listen as the nation's second favourite comic poet asks, "How long is your dog?", and discovers that sometimes a poem doesn't necessarily want to be a poem. Joined by a host of guests including radio DJs Mark Radcliffe and Mark Riley, comedian Tony Curtis and with musical accompaniment from Nigel Piper and the Popticians this is a listening gem.John Hegley is a hugely popular voice on BBC Radio. An established author, Hegley is most famous for his children’s book Stanley's Stick, as well as numerous comic poetry collections, such as Peace, Love and Potatoes. He has produced ten books of verse and prose pieces, two CDs and one mug, and he performs live in venues all over the UK. Cast and creditsWritten by John HegleyProduced by Phil Clarke and Nigel PiperMusic by Nigel Piper and the PopticiansSeries 1With Nigel Piper, Keith Moore, Susan Norton, Andrew Bailey, Roy O’Shea and Tony CurtisFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30th Oct - 11th Dec 1996Series 2With Nigel Piper, Keith Moore, Susan Norton and Andrew Bailey First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26th Aug - 14th Oct 1998Series 3With Nigel Piper, Simon Munnery, Andrew Bailey, Arnold Brown, Keith Moore, Christopher Logue, Mark Radcliffe and Mark Riley First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2nd Feb - 22nd Mar 2000©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Hearing with Hegley: The Complete Series 1-3

A BBC Radio Comedy Series

James Quinn

Two sitcom gems from the early 2000s featuring the achingly hip poet Sir Ralph Stanza, written by and starring James QuinnSir Ralph Stanza, a hip London poet, is determined to communicate the people's hopes and fears through his verse. Whether they like it or not&hellip;Sir Ralph Stanza&rsquo;s Letter from Salford follows the exploits of the distinguished-but-hip London poet Sir Ralph Stanza as he settles into his new role as the poet-in-residence for Salford. This is all thanks to a specially-funded scheme displaying great cultural magnanimity towards the good people of the north of England. As he straddles the streets of Orsdall and Weaste, in his panama hat, blazer and silk scarf, Sir Ralph's goal is to blend in with the locals and express their anger through his verse. He seeks his muse in a chip shop, has run-ins with &lsquo;the man&rsquo; and what says &lsquo;artistic climax&rsquo; more than bringing quiche to the Quays&hellip;?In The Jail Diaries of Sir Ralph Stanza our hero poet navigates his new role and incarcerated reality as poet-in-residence at a maximum security prison. Albie Sachs, Nelson Mandela, Jeffrey Archer... The literary penal tradition is an honourable one. It finally reaches its pinnacle with Sir Ralph Stanza, the poet dedicated to bringing culture to the masses, and gently explaining it to them. Sir Ralph shocks the prison authorities by doing a rap double act with inmate Jermaine leading to some far reaching and unexpected consequences&hellip;These comedy series about a poet with a passion feature a special guest appearance from none other than (actual) poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. A perfect listen for anyone looking for the lighter side of life, culture and laughter. Cast and creditsWritten by James QuinnProduced by Graham FrostSir Ralph Stanza&rsquo;s Letters from SalfordStarring James Quinn 
With Alison Darling, Jack Deam, Mark Chatterton, Stephen Hoyle, Jemma Thompson, Tony Melody, Judy Flynn and Bob ChadwickAnd featuring Carol Ann Duffy First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 May - 5 Jun 2002 (series 1), 30 Apr 2003 - 4 Jun 2003 (series 2)The Jail Diaries of Sir Ralph StanzaStarring James QuinnWith Chris Jack, James Scales, Lorraine Cheshire, Joan Kempson, Neil Bell, Theo Ant Smith First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 Aug &ndash; 22 Sep 2004&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Exploits of Sir Ralph Stanza

A BBC Radio Comedy Collection

Alfred Tennyson

A definitive collection of Tennyson&rsquo;s finest worksAlfred Lord Tennyson is one of Britain&rsquo;s greatest and most popular poets. Even during his lifetime, he was considered a national institution: Queen Victoria appointed him Poet Laureate in 1850, a position he held for 42 years, and in 1884 he became the first writer to be granted a baronetcy. In a long and fruitful career, he penned numerous classic works, and this BBC Radio collection showcases some of the very best.We begin with two of his masterpieces, dramatised by award-winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts. The Idylls of the King is an extraordinary epic poem that infuses the legend of King Arthur with a passionate intensity. Told here in five acts, it stars Tim Pigott-Smith. Considered one of the finest elegies, In Memoriam was written in response to the sudden death of his friend Arthur Hallam. This drama weaves the peerless poem into the story behind it, and stars Holliday Grainger, James Cooney and Ashley Margolis.Crossing the Bar plunges us into Tennyson&rsquo;s stirring sea-narratives, with sea-songs performed by a cappella trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson. It includes the poems &lsquo;The Kraken&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Sea Fairies&rsquo;, &lsquo;Enoch Arden&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Voyage of Maeldune&rsquo; and &lsquo;Crossing the Bar&rsquo; - read by John Dougall, Rachel Bavidge, Sam Dale, Jasmine Callan, Stuart McLoughlin and Joseph Kloska. 
 In Maud, Tennyson&rsquo;s dark, lyrical verses tell of a disturbed young man roaming the windswept hills, madly in love and haunted by loss. Dramatised for radio in 1969, Harold brings to life the story of England&rsquo;s last Anglo-Saxon King, starring Gabriel Woolf.Next up are readings of Tennyson&rsquo;s best-loved poems, including seven written in the language of his native Lincolnshire and introduced by his great-grandson Hallam Tennyson. &lsquo;Aylmer&rsquo;s Field&rsquo;, his Victorian version of the Romeo and Juliet story, is read by Andrew Sachs; while Peggy Ashcroft reads his celebrated lyrical ballad &lsquo;The Lady of Shalott&rsquo;. &lsquo;The Lotos-Eaters&rsquo;, inspired by the tale of Odysseus and his mariners, is read by Sir John Gielgud. &lsquo;The Northern Farmer&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Parson&rsquo;s Daughter&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Church Warden and the Curate&rsquo;, &lsquo;Owd Roa,&rsquo; &lsquo;The Village Wife&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Cobbler&rsquo; and &lsquo;The Spinster&rsquo;s Sweet-Arts&rsquo; are read by Edward Campion and Mary Wimbush. Lastly, &lsquo;The Charge of the Light Brigade&rsquo; is read by Alfred Badel, and &lsquo;The Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington&rsquo;, read by the poet's grandson Sir Charles Tennyson.We conclude with a pair of fascinating documentaries exploring the poet&rsquo;s life and work. Searching for Alfred in the Shadow of Tennyson sees Ruth Padel investigating the man behind the image, while In Our Time: Tennyson&rsquo;s In Memoriam finds Melvyn Bragg discussing the poet&rsquo;s moving meditation on love and death.First published 1830 (&lsquo;The Kraken&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Sea-Fairies), 1832 (&lsquo;The Lady of Shalott&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Lotos-Eaters&rsquo;), 1833 (&lsquo;Fatima&rsquo;), 1850 (&lsquo;In Memoriam&rsquo;), 1852 (&lsquo;Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington&rsquo;), 1854 (&lsquo;The Charge of the Light Brigade&rsquo;), 1855 (&lsquo;Maud&rsquo;), 1859-1885 (Idylls of the King), 1864 (&lsquo;Enoch Arden&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Farmer&rsquo;), 1876 (Harold), 1880 (&lsquo;The Voyage of Maeldune&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Village Wife&rsquo;, &lsquo;The Northern Cobbler&rsquo;), 1885 (&lsquo;The Spinster&rsquo;s Sweet-Arts&rsquo;), 1889 (&lsquo;Crossing the Bar&rsquo;, &lsquo;Owd Roa&rsquo;), 1891 (Alymer&rsquo;s Field), 1892 (&lsquo;The Church-Warden and the Curate&rsquo;)&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alfred Lord Tennyson: In Memoriam, Idylls of the King, Maud & more

A BBC Radio Collection

Melvyn Bragg

Melvyn Bragg and guests analyse 25 key poets and literary works, tracing the evolution of poetry over 550 years 
 
'The best programme coming out of the entire corporation these days' Sunday Telegraph 
 
Since its debut in 1998, In Our Time has amassed a dedicated following of more than 2 million listeners. Hosted by Melvyn Bragg, with a panel of guest experts, each show features a plethora of fascinating facts and inspirational discourse on topics ranging from democracy to dark matter. 
 
This specially curated collection celebrates the rich diversity of poetry in English, focussing on 25 major works and writers from the mediaeval era to the 20th Century. Opening with a programme on Geoffrey Chaucer, often called the father of English literature, it encompasses some of the greatest poets of all time, including John Donne, Pope, Milton, Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti, W B Yeats and Wilfred Owen. 
 
Among the influential poems discussed are Shakespeare's sonnets, Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', Wordsworth's 'The Prelude' and the epic that made Byron famous, 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage'. Also featured is a bonus episode, 'The Sonnet', exploring the most enduring form in the poet's armoury and how its fourteen lines have exercised poetic minds. 
 
Packed with stimulating ideas and spellbinding rhetoric, this absorbing anthology is guaranteed to bring unfettered enjoyment to all lovers of the written word. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Simon Tillotson, Thomas Morris and Natalia Fernandez 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Chaucer 9 February 2006 
Piers Plowman 29 October 2020 
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 13 December 2018 
Shakespeare's Sonnets 24 June 2021 
John Donne 12 January 2023 
Milton 7 March 2002 
Pope 9 November 2006 
Songs of Innocence and of Experience 23 June 2016 
Lyrical Ballads 8 March 2012 
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 4 March 2021 
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage 6 January 2011 
The Prelude 22 November 2007 
John Clare 9 February 2017 
Emily Dickinson 11 May 2017 
Christina Rossetti 1 December 2011 
The Charge of the Light Brigade 10 January 2008 
Tennyson's In Memoriam 30 June 2011 
Aurora Leigh 24 March 2016 
William Morris 5 July 2018 
Gerard Manley Hopkins 21 March 2019 
Walt Whitman 27 April 2023 
Thomas Hardy's Poetry 13 January 2022 
Yeats and Mysticism 31 January 2002 
Yeats and Irish Politics 17 April 2008 
Wilfred Owen 27 October 2022 
The Sonnet 21 June 2001 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Iconic Poets and Poems in English

A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss 25 major leaders, thinkers and writers of the classical world 
 
'The best thing on Radio 4, possibly the best thing on the radio full stop' 
The Spectator 
 
In Our Time is one of BBC Radio's most successful and best-loved programmes, with a weekly listenership of over two million. Since 1998, it has 'transformed the landscape for serious ideas at peak listening time' (The Times), introducing its audience to an astonishing array of intriguing topics, from the epic of Gilgamesh to the gin craze. 
 
This special thematic collection focusses on some of the most important rulers, philosophers and writers of ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Across 25 episodes, presenter Melvyn Bragg and a panel of top-class academics engage in lively and eloquent conversation as they explore the lives, reputations and impact of these pivotal figures. Their subjects include emperors, statesmen, military leaders, authors, poets, playwrights, fabulists and theorists - among them Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Socrates, Pythagoras, Ovid, Aesop and Sappho. 
 
Whether you're a long-standing In Our Time fan or a new listener, a student of ancient history or simply keen to expand your knowledge; this thoughtfully curated compilation of illuminating, accessible discussions is sure to enlighten and entertain. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson, Victoria Brignell, Natalia Fernandez and Luke Mulhall 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Leaders of Ancient Rome 
 
Julius Caesar 2 October 2014 
With Christopher Pelling, Catherine Steel and Maria Wyke 
 
Cleopatra 2 December 2010 
With Catharine Edwards, Maria Wyke and Susan Walker 
 
Cicero 25 January 2018 
With Melissa Lane, Catherine Steel and Valentina Arena 
 
Agrippina the Younger 31 March 2016 
With Catharine Edwards, Alice König and Matthew Nicholls 
 
Nero 25 April 2019 
With Maria Wyke, Matthew Nicholls and Shushma Malik 
 
Constantine the Great 5 October 2017 
With Christopher Kelly, Lucy Grig and Greg Woolf 
 
Marcus Aurelius 25 February 2021 
With Simon Goldhill, Angie Hobbs and Catharine Edwards 
 
Pliny the Younger 12 December 2013 
With Catharine Edwards, Roy Gibson and Alice König 
 
Queen Zenobia 30 May 2013 
With Edith Hall, Kate Cooper and Richard Stoneman 
 
Part II: Leaders of Ancient Greece 
 
Pericles 17 September 2020 
With Edith Hall, Paul Cartledge and Peter Liddel 
 
Alexander the Great 1 October 2015 
With Paul Cartledge, Diana Spencer and Rachel Mairs 
 
Part III: Thinkers of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece 
 
Galen 10 October 2013 
With Vivian Nutton, Helen King and Caroline Petit 
 
Thucydides 29 January 2015 
With Paul Cartledge, Katherine Harloe and Neville Morley 
 
Xenophon 26 May 2011 
With Paul Cartledge, Edith Hall and Simon Goldhill 
 
Heraclites 8 December 2011 
With Angie Hobbs, Peter Adamson and James Warren 
 
Socrates 27 September 2007 
With Angie Hobbs, David Sedley and Paul Millett 
 
Archimedes 25 January 2007 
With Jackie Stedall, Serafina Cuomo and George Phillips 
 
Pythagoras 10 December 2009 
With Serafina Cuomo, John O'Connor and Ian Stewart 
 
Part IV: Writers of Ancient Rome 
 
Seneca the Younger 23 February 2017 
With Catharine Edwards, Mary Beard and Alessandro Schiesaro 
 
Josephus 21 May 2015 
With Tessa Rajak, Philip Alexander and Martin Goodman 
 
Ovid 29 April 2021 
With Maria Wyke, Gail Trimble and Dunstan Lowe 
 
Horace 15 November 2018 
With Emily Gowers, William Fitzgerald and Ellen O'Gorman 
 
Part V: Writers of Ancient Greece 
 
Aesop 20 November 2014 
With Pavlos Avlamis, Simon Goldhill and Lucy Grig 
 
Herodotus 23 September 2021 
With Tom Harrison, Esther Eidinow and Paul Cartledge 
 
Sappho 9 April 2015 
With Edith Hall, Margaret Reynolds and Dirk Obbink 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Key Figures in Ancient History

Vikram Seth

A BBC Radio 3 dramatisation of Vikram Seth's verse novel about the lives and loves of a group of twentysomethings in 1980s San Francisco 
 
Award-winning novelist Vikram Seth is renowned worldwide for his magnum opus A Suitable Boy. But his dazzling debut, though less well-known, is equally innovative, masterly and ambitious. First published in 1986. and inspired by Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, it is written entirely in verse, comprising almost 600 stanzas of rhyming sonnets. 
 
This epic poem focusses on the interconnected stories of five young professionals, as they make their way in the 'unfettered city' of San Francisco in the '80s. There's lonely computer engineer John; his sculptor ex-girlfriend Jan, a drummer in a heavy-metal band; his best friend Phil, a divorced dad who's turned his back on Silicon Valley to become a peacenik; lawyer Liz, devoted to her cranky, elderly cat Charlemagne and Ed, Liz's brother, a fervent Christian torn between his faith and his homosexuality. 
 
We follow them from coffee shops to concerts, parties to peace protests, Sonoma Valley wineries to singles bars as they forge (and break) friendships, flirt, date, start relationships, split up and try again with someone new. Their search for romance, fulfilment and self-realisation - for 'someone who will do for love, and who may love us too' - will bring them happiness, heartbreak, joy and pain... 
 
Not merely a portrait of youthful love and loss, but also of a time and a place - San Francisco at its zenith, before gentrification and the tech giants took over - Seth's delightful verse narrative is by turns funny, playful, lyrical and profound. This BBC Radio 3 adaptation, first broadcast in 1999, stars Mark Leake as John, with Barbara Barnes as Liz, Laurel Lefkow as Jan and Michael Neil as Phil. 
 
 
Production credits 
Written by Vikram Seth 
Produced by Ekene Akalawu 
 
Cast 
John - Mark Leake 
Liz - Barbara Barnes 
Jan - Laurel Lefkow 
Phil - Michael Neil 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3, 7-11 June 1999 
 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Golden Gate

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Jonathan Bate

Sir Jonathan Bate examines eight iconic poems inspired by great historical events - and explores the Romantics, John Clare and William Wordsworth 
 
'Mingles history and poetry ... in an accessible, thought-provoking way' Irish Times 
 
In this BBC Radio 4 series, eminent biographer and broadcaster Sir Jonathan Bate looks at major historical events through the poems they inspired, exploring how history influences poetry, and how poetry shapes the way we regard history. 
 
Bate interviews historians, scholars and writers to investigate the genesis of eight classic works. Beginning in Dublin, he looks at the history behind WB Yeats' Easter 1916, showing the impact of the Irish uprising on the poet. In Manchester, he discovers how the 1819 Peterloo Massacre sparked the creation of Shelley's The Mask of Anarchy, and in Westminster, he finds out what influence the English Civil War had on Marvell's An Horatian Ode. Visiting the village of Shamley Green and the roof of St Paul's Cathedral, he uncovers the links between TS Eliot's Four Quartets and the devastation of the Blitz. 
 
On the Essex coast, Bate delves into one of the classics of the Old English canon, The Battle of Maldon, written in the aftermath of the Anglo-Saxon army's failed attempt to prevent a Viking landing in 991. Coming right up to date, Bate talks to Linton Kwesi Johnson about his poem Di Great Insohreckshan, an account of the civil unrest that spilt on to the streets of Brixton in April 1981. Plague and fire ravaged England in 1666, yet for John Dryden, it was a 'year of wonders', as Bate explains in his analysis of Annus Mirabilis. Finally, he considers John Betjeman's Death of King George V, showing how it captures not only the passing of a monarch, but also a subtle shift in the Britain where Betjeman had grown up. 
 
Also included are two episodes of In Our Time, in which Jonathan Bate and Melvyn Bragg talk about the Romantics and John Clare respectively, and a 90-minute special, In Wordsworth's Footsteps, revealing the true story of the making of a creative and political radical who was so much more than the famous author of Daffodils. 
 
The Poetry of History 
Presented by Sir Jonathan Bate 
Produced by Julian May, Tom Alban and Martin Smith 
Readers: Jim Norton, Robert Glenister, Jim Durham, Dr Richard Dance, Julian Glover, Tom Durham, David Timson 
 
With guests including: Theo Dorgan, Anne Enright, Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, Tom Paulin, Clive Emsley, Professor Kelvin Everest, Professor Joad Raymond, Professor Kevin Sharpe, Professor José Harris, Ian Smith, Dr Katie Lowe, Dr Gareth Williams, Linton Kwesi Johnson, John Clare, Professor Justin Champion, Professor Valentine Cunningham, Candida Lycett Green, Hugo Vickers, AN Wilson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 2-23 April 2006 (Series 1), 25 November-16 December 2007 (Series 2) 
 
In Our Time: The Romantics 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Charles Taylor 
With Sir Jonathan Bate, Professor Rosemary Ashton and Professor Nicholas Roe 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 October 2000 
 
In Our Time: John Clare 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Simon Tillotson 
With Sir Jonathan Bate, Dr Mina Gorji and Professor Simon Kövesi 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 February 2017 
 
In Wordsworth's Footsteps 
Presented by Sir Jonathan Bate 
Produced by Beaty Rubens 
Featuring Alice Oswald, James Rebanks, Melvyn Bragg, Professor Lynn Hunt, Emily Woof and Adam Nicolson 
With Simon Russell Beale as Wordsworth and Laura Christy as Dorothy Wordsworth 
Music specially composed by Emily Levy 
Viola playing by Aby Vulliamy 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 January-12 February 2020

The Poetry of History

Henry Normal

Henry Normal uses poetry, storytelling and comedy to tackle big subjects with his trademark humour. This collection includes five of his funny and moving BBC Radio 4 shows: 
 
A Normal Family is centred around Henry's son, Johnny, who was diagnosed with autism. Through stand-up and poetry, Henry explores what this means for Johnny, for himself, and for his wife, Angela. 
 
A Normal Life continues to draw on Henry's experiences of bringing up a child with autism, and tackles the subjects of life, death, loneliness, loss, human frailty and other classic conversation stoppers. 
 
A Normal Love sees Henry explore love, romance and other unreasonable expectations. 
 
A Normal Imagination looks at the reasons why humans create. 
 
A Normal Nature is an exploration of unsung nature, from the point of view of a busy urban human. 
 
These extended episodes include material never broadcast on the radio. 
 
‘It's a rare and lovely thing: half an hour of radio that stops you short, gently demands your attention and then wipes your tears away while you have to have a little sit down’ - The Guardian 
 
A Normal Life was awarded a Silver ARIA for Best Comedy/Entertainment production at the 2017 Radio Academy Awards. 
 
Written and performed by Henry Normal. 
Produced by Carl Cooper. 
A BBC Studios Production.

A Normal…Family, Life, Love, Imagination & Nature

The BBC Radio 4 stand up shows

Tim Key

Ever wondered just how much of life you can understand through poetry? 
 
Tim Key is never far from stage and screen - from Peep Show to Alpha Papa to Taskmaster. But now he's back doing what he does best - attempting to recite poetry whilst tormenting his friend and musician, the equally brilliant, and long suffering, Tom Basden. 
 
From ruminating on the meaning of family via his narrative poem The Godfather, attempting to get to the bottom of death via his poem The Boy Who Faked His Own Death, and also organising an impromptu stag party, Tim Key uses poetry to help him understand every situation. 
 
'In any other sphere apart from comedy, we'd probably class this way of looking at the world as certifiable. Here it feels like genius.' The Telegraph 
 
"The show... has a kind of artistry and strange beauty that makes it unlike any other hour of stand-up you are likely to see." The Observer 
 
'...You never know when Key will suddenly toss you a fantastic joke or startlingly well-constructed line.' Radio Times 
 
Audio updated April 2019

Tim Key's Late Night Poetry Programme: The Complete Series 1-4

The BBC Radio 4 comedy

Dante Alighieri

Stephen Wyatt

Blake Ritson, David Warner, Hattie Morahan and John Hurt star in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Dante's epic poem. 
 
Inferno: Thirty-five year old Dante finds himself in the middle of a dark wood, in extreme personal and spiritual crisis. Hope of rescue appears in the form of the venerable poet Virgil, now a shade himself, who offers to lead Dante on an odyssey through the afterlife, beginning in the terrifying depths of Hell. 
 
Purgatorio: Dante is led up Mount Purgatory by his guide. They encounter numerous souls who have embarked on the same difficult journey - one that will eventually lead to their spiritual salvation. 
 
Paradiso: Dante's journey comes to a glorious conclusion as he is led by Beatrice, through the spheres of Paradise and into the presence of God himself. As they ascend, they encounter a number of souls who have also achieved blessedness. 
 
Many years later, the older Dante reflects on the episodes from his life that have inspired his great poem. 
 
 
 ©2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Divine Comedy

Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso

Robert Browning's poetic masterpiece of sex, lies and murder, adapted by Martyn Wade. Episode 1: Rome is rife with speculation in the aftermath of a triple stabbing. Starring  Anton Lesser as Browning, with full cast. Directed by Abigail le Fleming.Episode 2: Accused of murder, Guido fights desperately for his life. Starring  Anton Lesser as Browning, with full cast. Directed by Abigail le Fleming.

The Ring And The Book

John Betjeman

In this fascinating collection of interviews from the BBC radio and TV archive, John Betjeman (Poet Laureate 1972) talks about his life and career as one of the foremost poets of the 20th Century. 
 
The interviews included are: Asian Club, broadcast on BBC Radio, 7 July 1959 (featuring Arthur Russell and studio audience); People of Today, broadcast on BBC Radio, 24 December 1959 (featuring Irene Slade); Omnibus, broadcast on BBC TV, 5 November 1972 (featuring unnamed interviewer); Parkinson, broadcast on BBC TV, 17 February 1973 (featuring Michael Parkinson); Desert Island Discs, broadcast on BBC Radio, 12 April 1975 (featuring Roy Plomley); Parkinson, broadcast on BBC TV, 5 November 1977 (featuring Michael Parkinson); John Betjeman: A Tribute, broadcast on BBC TV, 5 June 1984 (featuring unnamed interviewers); Time Enough! Or Not Enough Time, broadcast on BBC TV, 8 May 1994 (featuring Jonathan Steadall). 
 
Due to the age and nature of this archive material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

John Betjeman In His Own Words

'For myself/ I knew as soon as I could read and write/ That I must be a poet. Even today,/ When all the way from Cambridge comes a wind/ To blow the lamps out every time they're lit/ I know that I must light mine up again.' From his earliest boyhood memories of Highgate and Archibald, his old stuffed bear, through to his undergraduate years at Oxford and his early career, John Betjeman’s unique narrative style poignantly describes the pains and pleasures of growing up. In the much-loved tones of Sir John himself, this magnificent autobiography in verse captures the voice of the late Poet Laureate. ‘Summoned by Bells can hardly help being a landmark... one seems to be living his childhood and boyhood with him’ - Stephen Spender.

Summoned By Bells A Life In Verse

Sir John Betjeman was one of the best-known and loved Poet Laureates. Even after his death, his popularity continues to garner acclaim and new admirers. Fortunately, he left behind a legacy of poetry readings and performances in the BBC archives that can be enjoyed in this comprehensive collection.   Selected from over thirty years of radio and television programmes, this compilation includes the very best of his performances and the most popular of his poems, among them 'Metro-land';  'A Subaltern’s Lovesong'; 'Diary of a Church Mouse'; 'In a Bath Teashop'; 'Pot Pourri from a Surrey Garden'; 'Youth and Age on Beaulieu River'; 'Trebetherick'; 'Myfanwy at Oxford'; 'Back from Australia' and 'Death at Leamington'.

Betjeman's Britain Poems From The BBC Archive

Various

Forty-five of Britain's best-loved poems, read by John Nettles, Siobhan Redmond, Greg Wise and Emma Fielding. 
 
In a national poll conducted to discover Britain's favourite poem, Rudyard Kipling's 'If -' was voted number one. This unique anthology brings together over forty poems from the poll, including the top ten. 
 
Here is poignant war poetry (Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth', Rupert Brooke's 'The Soldier' and Siegfried Sassoon's 'Everyone Sang' ); romantic verse such as Shakespeare's 'Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?' and W. B. Yeats' 'When You Are Old'; Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear's great nonsense poems 'Jabberwocky' and 'The Owl and the Pussy-Cat', and much more. Classics such as Wordsworth's 'The Daffodils' and Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shallot' sit alongside contemporary poetry like Allan Ahlberg's 'Please Mrs Butler' and Wendy Cope's 'Bloody Men'. 
 
Superbly read by John Nettles, Siobhan Redmond, Greg Wise and Emma Fielding, this popular collection includes many of the very best examples of British verse, as chosen by poetry lovers nationwide. 
 
The poems included in this collection are: 
 
1 'If -' by Rudyard Kipling, read by John Nettles 
2 'The Lady of Shallot' by Alfred Lord Tennyson, read by Siobhan Redmond 
3 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare, read by Greg Wise 
4 'Not Waving but Drowning' by Stevie Smith, read by Siobhan Redmond 
5 'The Daffodils' by William Wordsworth, read by John Nettles 
6 'To Autumn' by John Keats, read by Siobhan Redmond 
7 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' by William Butler Yeats, read by Emma Fielding 
8 'Dulce et Decorum Est' by Wilfred Owen, read by Greg Wise 
9 'Ode to a Nightingale' by John Keats, read by Siobhan Redmond 
10 'He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven' by William Butler Yeats, read by John Nettles 
11 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti, read by Siobhan Redmond 
12 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard' by Thomas Gray, read by John Nettles 
13 'Fern Hill' by Dylan Thomas, read by John Nettles 
14 'Leisure' by William Henry Davies, read by Emma Fielding 
15 'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes, read by Greg Wise 
16 'To His Coy Mistress' by Andrew Marvell, read by Greg Wise 
17 'Dover Beach' by Matthew Arnold, read by John Nettles 
18 'The Tyger' by William Blake, read by John Nettles 
19 'Adlestrop' by Edward Thomas, read by Siobhan Redmond 
20 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke, read by Greg Wise 
21 'Sea-Fever' by John Masefield, read by John Nettles 
22 'Upon Westminster Bridge' by William Wordsworth, read by Greg Wise 
23 'How Do I Love Thee?' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, read by Emma Fielding 
24 'Cargoes' by John Masefield, read by Greg Wise 
25 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll, read by Emma Fielding 
26 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, read by John Nettles 
27 'Ozymandias of Egypt' by Percy Bysshe Shelley, read by Greg Wise 
28 'Abou ben Adhem' by Leigh Hunt, read by John Nettles 
29 'Everyone Sang' by Siegfried Sassoon, read by Greg Wise 
30 'The Windhover' by Gerard Manley Hopkins, read by Siobhan Redmond 
31 'Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night' by Dylan Thomas, read by John Nettles 
32 'Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?' by William Shakespeare, read by Siobhan Redmond 
33 'When You Are Old' by William Butler Yeats, read by Emma Fielding 
34 'Lessons of the War (To Alan Mitchell): Naming of Parts' by Henry Reed, read by John Nettles 
35 'The Darkling Thrush' by Thomas Hardy, read by Emma Fielding 
36 'Please Mrs Butler' by Allan Ahlberg, read by Emma Fielding 
37 'Kubla Khan' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, read by John Nettles 
38 'Home-Thoughts, from Abroad' by Robert Browning, read by Greg Wise 
39 'High Flight (An Airman's Ecstasy)' by John Gillespie Magee, read by Greg Wise 
40 'The Owl and the Pussy-Cat' by Edward Lear, read by Emma Fielding 
41 'The Glory of the Garden' by Rudyard Kipling, read by Greg Wise 
42 'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost, read by Siobhan Redmond 
43 'The Way through the Woods' by Rudyard Kipling, read by Emma Fielding 
44 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen, read by Greg Wise 
45 'Bloody Men' by Wendy Cope, read by Siobhan Redmond 
 
©1998 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)1998 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

The Nation's Favourite Poems

T.S. Eliot

These are masterly readings, by renowned thespian Paul Schofield, of two substantial works of poetry by T.S. Eliot.

Waste Land, The & Four Quartets

Sir John Betjeman’s unique relationship with the BBC left a lasting legacy of poetry, readings and performances. A First Class Collection features a selection of some of his most memorable and best-loved poetry. Betjeman was one of the best-known and loved Poet Laureates and over a hundred years after his birth he continues to attract acclaim and admiration. Some of his fascinating BBC Archive recordings can be enjoyed again in this specially selected collection of poetry. A First Class Collection includes the poet’s own readings of some of his most popular works, introduced by Andrew Motion, as well as readings specially commissioned for BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please and exclusive readings from actors Derek Jacobi, Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Fry, Susan Jameson and Samuel West.

John Betjeman A First Class Collection

Pam Ayres

Warm and witty, direct and droll, the sharply funny Pam Ayres has been amusing and entertaining her many fans for more than 30 years since her first television appearance on Opportunity Knocks. Her humorous observations of daily life touch a chord with anybody who's ever been bewildered by the exercise craze or has yearned after the vanished Spotted Dick. In this collection, Pam reads over 50 of her best-known and loved poems, including such favourites as 'Oh I Wish I'd Looked After Me Teeth', 'I'm a Starling...me Darling', 'Will I have to be Sexy at Sixty?', and 'St. Tesco'. Many of the poems include a personal introduction by Pam.

The Pam Ayres Poetry Collection

Spike Milligan

From the pen of comic genius Spike Milligan, here are 62 hilarious gems read by Spike himself, including "Ying-Tong-Iddle-I-Po", "This Is a Stick Up", and "Fleas, Knees, and Hidden Elephants". 
©1997 2002 BBC Audiobooks LTD (P)1997 2002 BBC Audiobooks LTD

Spike's Poems

Tim Key returns with more comic chaos, musically supported by Tom Basden 
 
Award-winning comedian Tim Key is back with three more series of his peculiar poetry programme. Having presented the show from a houseboat, a space simulator and the top of the Shard, he now ventures even further afield in his increasingly ineffective attempts to understand life through the medium of verse. 
 
In these 12 episodes, he finds himself stuck in a cable car high above the Norwegian fjords, making a movie in Rome, stranded in an Austrian cave network with the water rising, and broadcasting live from the labour ward where Megan is having a baby. He also prepares to make his TV debut, gets in trouble with Customs at Stansted Airport, heads out on safari (in Woburn) and hits the road in an Americana special... 
 
Accompanying him on his adventures are regulars Tom Basden and Katy Wix, and guest stars including Miles Jupp, Bridget Christie, Stephen Merchant, Lolly Adefope, Mike Wozniak, Sam Campbell and Morgana Robinson. 
 
‘His sentences never end where you expect them to and the oddly appealing atmosphere he creates is so spellbinding, it's like emerging from a nice fog when he spits you out at the other end.’ Julia Raeside, The Guardian 
 
Cast 
Key – Tim Key 
Lord – Tom Basden 
Megan – Katy Wix 
Jiffy – Mike Wozniak 
Sir Hayden – Miles Jupp 
Pamela – Carlotta Morelli 
Bunny – Karl Johnson 
Bogle – Bridget Christie 
With Stephen Merchant, Lolly Adefope, Sam Campbell, Simon Armstrong, Morgana Robinson 
 
Photo by Jonathan Birch 
 
© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Tim Key’s Poetry Programme: The Complete Series 5-7

The BBC Radio 4 Comedy

The year is 1Q84. This is the real world, there is no doubt about that. But in this world, there are two moons in the sky. Discover the 1Q84 Trilogy by Haruki Murakami.

1Q84

365 Days of Art

A BBC Christmas

A Black Book Thriller

A Box Full of Murders

A Cal Leandros Novel

A Christmas Mystery

The intelligent and capable police commissioner Guido Brunetti confronts crime in and around his home town of Venice.

A Commissario Brunetti Mystery

A DC Smith / Kings Lake Investigation Series

A Daisy Story

Chronicling the lives of over three hundred characters, unrivalled for its scope and humour, this is a unique evocation of life in twentieth-century England.

A Dance to the Music of Time

A Fairy Tale Revolution

A Frank Grasby Mystery

A Guide For the Curious

A Horatio Hornblower Tale of the Sea

A Jo Birmingham Thriller

A Jon Roscoe Thriller

A Ladybird Book

A Ladybird Magic Windows Book

A Look Back at

A Luke Carlton Thriller

A Max Mingus Thriller

A Michael Bennett Thriller

A Midge McGowan Mystery

A Mitchum Thriller

A Moneybunny Book

A Murder Most Unladylike Collection

A Murder Most Unladylike Mini Mystery

A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery

A Nigel Strangeways Mystery

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