SINS OF THE FLESH wins at the SCRIBE AWARDS 2024 + MAHABHARATA NOW gets a REPEAT OUTING on BBC R4 ...

 

Quite a nice little flurry of good news this week ... firstly the splendid announcement that 'SINS OF THE FLESH' (part of the 'EVERYWHERE AND ANYWHERE' audio box set compilation) from BIG FINISH has only gone and won the BEST AUDIO DRAMA AWARD at this years prestigious SCRIBE AWARDS!!! It's already garnered so many outstanding reviews from the audio world of Doctor Who, not least for it's no holds barred story telling - it seems only right that writer of 'SINS OF THE FLESH' and producer of the 3 part compilation ALFIE SHAW should come away with this years award. 

The Scribe Awards is a yearly event held by the IAMTW (The International Association of Media Tie-In Writers) which celebrates and honors excellence in the field of writing tie-in fiction for media franchises. These works include novels, short stories, audio dramas, and graphic novels tied to licenses of movies and TV shows, as well as video games, comics, songs, and even book series.

The winners were rather excitingly announced at this years SAN DIEGO COMIC CON last Friday, July 26. Congratulations should also go to all the nominees but in particular to the other two adventures featured in the box set; GEORGIA COOK'S 'SPIRIT OF THE SEASON' and ALL'S FAIR by MAX KASHEVSKY which were also nominated in the same category.

Lastly but not leastly, congratulations to our esteemed director on all three stories HELEN GOLDWYN, thank you for casting me in one of the best roles I've had in recent years in 'SINS OF THE FLESH' ... HUZZAH!!!

'MAHABHARATA NOW', a B7 MEDIA production for BBC RADIO 4 was first transmitted last year gets a welcome repeat outing over the next two Saturdays, the 3rd & 10th August at 3pm on BBC Radio 4. Written by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle, produced by Helen Quigley and Andrew Mark Sewell and the director was Jatinder Verma ... 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001rgxs

I was delighted to be a small part within this RADIO ADAPTATION of 'THE MAHABHARATA', an epic that comprises one hundred thousand stanzas of verse divided into eighteen books, or parvas. It is the largest single literary work in existence. 

In Episodes 3 & 4 - Yash and Padma arrive in Manchester to begin their four year exile. I pop up as the WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR in Episode 3 and in Episode 4, I can be heard playing a myriad of characters ... 

Linktree linktr.ee/SeanConnolly

 Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

GREAT TO BE BACK in an 'ACTUAL' RECORDING STUDIO working opposite REAL LIVE actors!

I'm so delighted to have been back in a PHYSICAL RECORDING STUDIO last week recording a terrific NEW radio play for BBC RADIO 4 produced by the lovely folks at B7 MEDIA ... Here I am next to 'Poldark' and 'Line of Duty' actress KERRI MCLEAN, just one member of the esteemed cast! 

It was a great day at THE SOUNDHOUSE STUDIOS (ALL COVID SECURE!) in LONDON which reminded me why being 'physically in a studio' is SOOO different to recording remotely from your own home studio. I know which one I prefer!! What was extra lovely was the fact that I hadn't worked professionally with any of the actors or production team before ...

The play itself is a very powerful piece of writing by THANDHI LUBIMBI & RICHARD KURTI, can't wait for everyone to hear it later in the year. More news on the full cast and the TX date in the coming months. STAY TUNED!!

Acting website at www.seanconnolly.co.uk

Voice website at www.seanconnollyvoices.com

BBC Radio Drama family REUNITED as the extraordinary WW1 Drama Serial 'HOME FRONT' comes to an end ...

SEAN CONNOLLY, LUCY HUTCHINSON and BELLA HAMBLIN aka The Moore family in the BBC Radio Drama serial 'HOME FRONT' are reunited ...

It was a very special evening for myself and my actress wife BELLA HAMBLIN last night as the BBC's First World War radio drama serials 'HOME FRONT' and 'TOMMIES' came to an end ... It was of course an entirely appropriate time to celebrate the achievements of both dramas as it fell on the eve of Remembrance Sunday and the centenary of the Armistice.

It was lovely to celebrate our part in the FOUR YEAR SPANNING drama 'HOME FRONT' playing Folkestone Bakers, husband and wife ERNIE & HILDA MOORE (played by my REAL WIFE - BELLA HAMBLIN) with our lovely daughter JESSIE played by LUCY HUTCHINSON and catch up with the many people we had worked with in that time. Lucy will probably hate me for sharing this but have a look below for a picture of us all in the first year of the show back in 2014!

BELLA HAMBLIN, LUCY HUTCHINSON and SEAN CONNOLLY - The Moore Family during recording on the first season of the BBC Radio serial 'HOME FRONT' ...

The setting for the celebration was the BBC's BROADCASTING HOUSE in a VERY WET London ... Moving speeches of thanks and appreciation about both 'HOME FRONT' and 'TOMMIES' mixed in with a smattering of poetry and song, made for a rather splendid evening! Re-acquainting ourselves with friends and colleagues was a real treat, including meeting up with one of my 'ARCHERS' sisters, actress and voice artist SUSIE RIDDELL (see below), who also appeared in 'HOME FRONT' ... So I had the pleasure of being with my 'HOME FRONT' radio wife and daughter but also my 'ARCHERS' sister, confused yet??!!

SUSIE RIDDELL, SEAN CONNOLLY and BELLA HAMBLIN, radio family at the BBC ...

Recorded at BBC BIRMINGHAM since 2014, the last ever episode of 'HOME FRONT' was aired yesterday, SATURDAY 10th NOVEMBER. The sprawling, 561 episode drama, transmitted on BBC RADIO 4, was mostly set in three locations in the UK; Folkestone, Tyneside and South Devon. The entire series, overseen by JESSICA DROMGOOLE, will be available to listen to for the next TEN YEARS via the BBC iPlayer here - also check out the new BBC APP - SOUNDS ... It's been special!

One last hurrah for ERNIE & HILDA MOORE in SEASON 11 of BBC RADIO 4's 'HOME FRONT' ...

If you've been following BBC Radio 4's First World War drama serial 'HOME FRONT' you will probably know (SPOILER ALERT!) ... that in SEASON 10 my character for over THREE YEARS - ERNIE MOORE and my wife HILDA MOORE (played by real-life wife BELLA HAMBLIN) were tragically killed in the historic BOMBING OF FOLKESTONE on 25th MAY 1917, leaving our daughter JESSIE MOORE parent-less!

Well, if you are keen reader of the RADIO TIMES you might have noticed that both ERNIE and HILDA appear in the cast list as SEASON 11 started it's run on 31st JULY!
If you'd like to know how this is possible, then click http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yfhs7 to listen to yesterday's episode called '2nd August 1917 - Jessie Moore' with a description as follows;

"On this day in 1917, the heaviest rainfall in 30 years fell on Passchendaele, and in Folkestone, Jessie lives under a cloud."

Season 11 runs from July 31st through to September 22nd 2017 ...

                        

There's also a terrific new way to explore the series thus far on the BBC website called the HOME FRONT STORY EXPLORER you can find it here http://homefront.ch.bbc.co.uk/ ... There's some great content to explore and gives an excellent overview of the major themes of the series as well as some really terrific artwork on the mini-site including pictorial imaginings of ERNIE MOORE (above) and my wife HILDA (left).

If you haven't already listened to it yet or maybe you just missed it, there was a marvellous 45 minute one-off edition called  'HOME FRONT - A LIGHTENING' written by Sarah Daniels. The episode marks the centenary of Britain's first Gotha Air Raid, which devastated Folkestone on 25 May 1917. Weaving real historical figures and testimony with the stories and characters of Home Front. Here's the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08mjsvj

It's been a real privilege to be involved in such a ground-breaking radio series, made all the more special doing it alongside my wife HILDA, sorry ... Bella!! 

'Real-life' husband & wife return to play a 'fictional' married couple in BBC Radio 4's 'HOME FRONT' ...

Real-life husband and wife; Sean Connolly & Bella Hamblin also play fictional married couple, Ernie & Hilda Moore in BBC Radio 4's wartime series 'HOME FRONT' ...

It has been a privilege as ever to be involved in BBC Radio 4's flagship wartime radio drama series 'HOME FRONT' ... but doubly so, as I was lucky enough to be once again, sharing the microphone with my lovely real 'and' radio wife BELLA HAMBLIN. We play ERNIE & HILDA MOORE, who run MOORE BAKERY in Folkestone, 'helped' by our daughter JESSIE, played by LUCY HUTCHINSON.

SEASON 10 of 'HOME FRONT' starts this coming Monday, EASTER MONDAY - 17th APRIL 2017 at 12.04PM on BBC RADIO 4 ... Of course we're not at liberty to divulge any storyline information, NO SPOILERS FROM US!! You'll just have to TUNE IN on the 17th ...

A reminder that the whole series, since it started in 2014, is available to listen to via the BBC's iPlayer.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Sean Connolly 'celebrates' 3 years for bad behaviour in 'THE ARCHERS' ...

Sean's first appearance in the cast list for 'THE ARCHERS' in the Radio Times on May 9th 2012.

Doesn't time fly when you're in jail!! It's THREE YEARS since I joined the cast of 'THE ARCHERS'. I rediscovered the picture above from the Radio Times listings from 2012. After an initial six months in Ambridge, Keith continues his jail sentence for conspiracy and arson after he burned down David and Ruth Archer's barn.

Needless to say I am looking forward to Keith's release, whenever that might be! Looking back on my first days in Ambridge I found this tweet by the Radio Times television columnist Alison Graham, quite fun!

I'm being followed by Keith Horrobin. As yet only on Twitter but if someone sets fire to my barn I won't have far to look. #thearchers

— Alison Graham (@TVAlisonGraham) July 12, 2012

Tune in today at 12.04pm to BBC Radio 4 and listen to 'HOME FRONT' ... Meet The Moore's - Family Bakers.

The complete Moore family are revealed on BBC Radio 4's WW1 drama 'HOME FRONT'.

Almost 2 months have passed since BBC Radio 4's new radio drama series 'HOME FRONT' first aired. It's my first episode today as likeable Folkestone Baker, Ernie Moore. My wonderful 'on-air' family includes my real and 'on-air' wife Bella Hamblin as Hilda and our sparky daughter Jessie played by the ridiculously talented Lucy Hutchinson. Bella has been on everything from The Archers to Coronation Street and Lucy has some very impressive credits including Ridley Scott's ALIEN franchise prequel 'PROMETHEUS'. The episode will be available on the BBC's iPlayer here, in perpetuity (for a long time!) ... 

'HOME FRONT' BBC Radio 4 introducing The Moore's - Folkestone's Family Bakers; Bella Hamblin (Hilda), Lucy Hutchinson (Jessie) and Sean Connolly (Ernie)

It's a family affair for Sean ... as the brand new BBC Radio 4 Drama Serial - 'HOME FRONT' starts.

New ground breaking BBC Radio 4 drama serial 'HOME FRONT' starts its epic run. 

I can be heard soon in BBC Radio 4’s ground-breaking radio drama serial 'HOME FRONT'. 
It commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the start of the First World War. The first episode can be heard today at 12 noon. I play the regular character of Folkestone Baker, Ernie Moore in Season 1 opposite my ‘on-air’ and ‘real-life’ wife Bella Hamblin. The series will then continue for the next FOUR years, reflecting the events of the war as they unfold in real time. 'Home Front' is directed by Jessica Dromgoole and Lucy Collinson and is recorded at The Mailbox - BBC Birmingham.

A festive repeat for the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the literary classic 'WATERSHIP DOWN'.

On BBC Radio 4 Extra this week .. Thursday 19th & Friday 20th December, the TWO-PART Classic Serial of 'WATERSHIP DOWN' gets a repeat airing. The production marks the 30th Anniversary of the books publication. Originally broadcast in 2002 on BBC Radio 4, it was recorded at the much missed Studio 3 at BBC Pebble Mill. It was adapted for radio by Neville Teller (MBE) and direction was by Peter Leslie Wild. I remember it was a challenging but joyous recording process, very happy memories. Many stalwarts of BBC Radio Drama were featured including a young Felicity Jones (Doctor Who, The Amazing Spider Man 2 & A Monster Calls). I played Silver, described in the book as a large rabbit with grey fur (it was radio!), great fun to play. I also remember the cast often joking about the lack of female rabbits (does) in the production.  

Keith Horrobin admits his guilt, he is the Ambridge 'FIRE-STARTER'!!

Keith Horrobin's money worries have tipped him over the edge!

Well now we know, Keith has pleaded guilty to burning David and Ruth Archer's barn. Oh dear, this can surely only end badly!

The Horrobin Three! - Sean relaxes during recording 'THE ARCHERS' with his sisters Charlotte Martin (Susan) and Susie Riddell (Tracy) ... oh and Joe Grundy.

The Horrobin siblings together ... Susan (Charlotte Martin), Keith (Sean Connolly) and Tracy (Susie Riddell) ...

Thought it'd be good to share a few pictures with you from my wonderful time on 'THE ARCHERS' so far. Firstly a lovely picture (above) with my 'Archers' sisters, the wonderful Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter née Horrobin) and Susie Riddell (Tracy Horrobin).

Sean Connolly with Edward Kelsey (Joe Grundy) during a break in recording 'THE ARCHERS' at The Mailbox - BBC Birmingham.

Above is a photo with actor Edward Kelsey none other than Joe Grundy himself. Ted has been one of my all time voice acting heroes having provided the voices of both of Colonel K and Baron Silas Greenback in 'DANGER MOUSE' for Cosgrove Hall Films.

Mr Growbag in Aardman's 'WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT' and other Cosgrove Hall classics like 'WIND IN THE WILLOWS'. What a thrill! For me I knew I had properly arrived in Ambridge when as Keith, I shared a half of Shires with the legendary Joe at the Bull!

The wait is over ... Sean can reveal that he is playing Keith Horrobin in 'THE ARCHERS' starting 9th May 2012.

Sean's first appearance in the cast list for 'THE ARCHERS' in the new Radio Times.

Well if you've seen the current issue of the Radio Times (above) then you might have noticed that I am playing Keith Horrobin in 'THE ARCHERS' on BBC Radio 4 - this coming Wednesday 9th May at 7pm. It's been fantastic meeting my new 'Archers' family members. We shall have to wait and see what life in Ambridge brings for Keith, let the fun commence! 

Sean joins the cast of Britain's longest-running soap opera 'THE ARCHERS'.

Sean poses outside 'THE ARCHERS' studio at BBC Birmingham's - Mailbox.

I am delighted to announce that I have joined the cast of Britain's longest running soap opera, 'THE ARCHERS'. I cannot reveal the nature of my role at the moment but when we get nearer to transmission, I'll be able to reveal more (definitely no spoilers though!).