"I think I was the only one I hadn't heard of!" - 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' gets a radio repeat ...

 JOANNE FROGGATT, SEAN CONNOLLY and KATHERINE DOW BLYTON some of the cast of AMANDA WHITTINGTON'S radio adaptation of 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' in 2007 ...

A lovely surprise to start the week ... BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA are repeating the 2008 radio adaptation of AMANDA WHITTINGTON'S successful stage play 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' ...

Amongst the cast are GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER and 'DOWNTON ABBEY' star JOANNE FROGGATT, 'EMMERDALE' actress KATHERINE DOW BLYTON, SACHA DHAWAN from 'IN THE CLUB' and 'MR SELFRIDGE' and 'CASUALTY' and 'STELLA' actor PAL ARON ... Quite the starry cast, I think I was the only one I hadn't heard of!!

PAL ARON and SACHA DHAWAN complete the cast of AMANDA WHIITINGTON'S radio play 'BOLLYWOOD JANE' ...

So when's it on ..? Well the first of the 5 EPISODES went out this afternoon on BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA but is instantly available on the BBC iPLAYER RADIO, the rest of the 15 MINUTE DRAMA instalments coming on Tuesday through to Friday of this week at 2.30PM and 2.30AM daily. There is also an Special OMNIBUS of ALL 5 EPISODES on SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER @ 6AM & 1PM, then MONDAY 28TH NOVEMBER @ 1AM. So .. no excuse not to give a listen.

I play MAC, a six foot plus - well meaning builder in the drama ('anything' is possible in radio drama!). I have very happy memories of the recordings back in 2007. Original air date was in 2008.

Director was KATE CHAPMAN ...

Off to the seaside as BBC Radio Drama 'SKEGGY' gets a welcome repeat ...

Chris Thompson's touching radio play 'Skeggy' is repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra

A radio play I recorded over fifteen years ago is receiving a very welcome repeat on BBC Radio 4 Extra ... 'SKEGGY' written by CHRIS THOMPSON and directed by PETER LESLIE WILD, tells the story of three couples having very different reasons for heading to the Lincolnshire seaside resort of Skegness. To listen to the 45 minute play on the BBC's Radio iPlayer CLICK HERE until July 22nd ...

The cast list for 'SKEGGY' is as follows:

Norman Bird is Charlie

Joyce Gibbs is Sheila

Sean Connolly is Dave

Susan Brooke is Marie

Laura Chambers is Lauren

Alison Carney is Jane

Tom Knight is Martin

Veda Warwick is Mrs Adams

Peter Leslie Wild assembled a really lovely cast for 'SKEGGY'. The extra special treat for me (apart from working with good friends) was the chance to work with the late British TV and Film legend NORMAN BIRD ...

You'd be hard pressed to name a popular television programme that he didn't appear in ... An extraordinary amount of film credits too over a career spanning over FOUR DECADES. The pictures above represent a small number of his screen appearances (from left to right) Bird in Cash on Demand (1961) with Peter Cushing, Eddie the Farmhand in the British classic 'Whistle Down the Wind' (1961), voicing Bilbo Baggins in the animated version of 'The Lord Of The Rings' (1978) and perhaps most famously he played farmer Mr Braithwaite in the classic television series 'Worzel Gummidge' (1979-81). But many will also remember his appearance as Mr. Arrad in the classic 'Waldorf Salad' episode of 'Fawlty Towers' ... 

Norman Bird was born on October 30th 1924 and sadly died on April 22th 2005 ... A quote from The Guardian obituary described him as "The man in the cardigan." and provided, as the Encyclopaedia of British Film put it, "a wonderful gallery of under-achievers". 

It was privilege and an honour to spend a few days in his company!!

'HOOD - NOBLE SECRETS' - BBC Radio 4 Extra on Saturday 13th February 2016

Following on from SPITEFUL PUPPET'S nomination at the 2016 BBC Audio Drama Awards and their victory at the 2015 Awards, BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA is to broadcast ALL FOUR PARTS of the 'HOOD' series for the next FOUR SATURDAYS ...

The first feature length episode 'NOBLE SECRETS' will go out on Saturday 13th February at 6am and 4pm.

As a sneak preview here's me playing BROTHER TUCK, a role I reprise across the adventures.

 

Go on give it a listen, it's the ROBIN HOOD tale as you've never heard it before!

BBC Radio Drama 'SCORCHED' by Nicola Jones is repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra and is now available on the Radio iPlayer.

The BBC Radio production 'SCORCHED' written by Nicola Jones and produced and directed by Peter Leslie Wild is enjoying a welcome repeat run at the moment. Starring Tom Roberts and Kim Wall, it was repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Friday 3rd April and now it's available for another 24 days on the BBC's Radio iPlayer here ... I play the cameo role of the Taxi Driver towards the start of the play. Great to hear it again ... 

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.