Talking about Lionel Radio 4, Saturday 10.30am
With the latest West End revival of Oliver! about to start previews, this timely documentary looks at the life and career of its writer, Lionel Bart. As well as his most well-known musical, he also wrote Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be as well as many songs, including Cliff Richard’s Living Doll, Tommy Steele’s Little White Bull and the theme to From Russia With Love. Away from the stage, he struggled with alcoholism and depression, succumbing to a long battle with cancer in 1999. Eddie Mair presents this look at his life, with contributions from Tim Rice, Cameron Mackintosh, Miriam Karlin and Barbara Windsor.
Out to Lunch Radio 2, Saturday 1pm
Russell Kane and his team of comedians return for a sixth series of stand-up, sketches and music.
The Saturday Play: Giving up the Ghost Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
Adrian Bower stars as Scott, a firefighter haunted by the death of his close friend and co-worker Jacko, in a drama by Lynne Truss.
Straight In At Number 1: The Rise and Fall of the Charts Radio 2, Saturday 7pm
When it comes to the UK Top 40, Paul Gambaccini (co-founder of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles) knows his stuff — so this guide to the changing status of the singles music chart should be a knowledgeable listen. Concludes next Saturday.
Elaine Paige on Sunday Radio 2, Sunday 1pm
EP is joined this week by a little-known, shy and retiring singer by the name of John Barrowman. Somehow I suspect his “fruit and nuts” will not be making an appearance…
The DNA List: Len Goodman Classic FM, Sunday 3pm
I have to admit that we’ve ignored our commercial radio chums in our weekly round-ups so far. This week’s edition of the chat show in which Danny Wallace talks to guests about their influences sees him joined by Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman. Sadly it’s the last in the series, that’s how slow we’ve been to mention it…
Drama on 3: Great Escape Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
This new work by Zimbabwean playwright Andrew Whaley is a biting satire set during 2005’s Operation Murambatsvina, during which thousands of black Zimbabweans were forcibly moved from their homes. Desperate to leave their home country and forge a new life in South Africa, two men try to tunnel their way out using a machine powered by old policies and dreams of a better nation. Joseph Mydell and Christopher Odi (who were both in the RSC’s production of Breakfast with Mugabe) star.
Woman’s Hour Drama: To The North Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am (repeated 7.45pm)
Catherine McCormack and Julian Rhind-Tutt star in this adaptation of the 1930s novel by Elizabeth Bowen. Sisters-in-law Emmeline and Cecilia run a small travel agency together, but when Emmeline begins a relationship with a caddish barrister, their lives will, as you probably expect from this sort of drama, be changed forever.
Afternoon Play: The End of the Alphabet Radio 4, Monday 2.15pm
Given a month to life, Ambrose sets out with his wife Zipper to visit twenty-six places of interest in alphabetical order. David Haig and Juliet Stevenson play the couple at the heart at this adaptation of CS Richardson’s debut novel. With support from Adam Godley, Carolyn Pickles and Philip Fox, this is a cut above the usual AP fare.
80 Not Out Radio 4, Monday-Friday 3.30pm
A series of story readings by actors in their 80s, to celebrate the 80th birthday of Bernard Cribbins. Alec McCowen, Jill Balcon, Donald Sinden, Liz Smith and Cribbins himself contribute.
Afternoon Play: Eight Feet High and Rising Radio 4, Tuesday 2.15pm
Liam is 8ft 6in tall and lives in a cramped room. Ethel is 4ft tall and brings out the latent bully in everyone. Sarah Jane, the canine agent, has all the PR skills of a flea-bitten mutt, and Pat, Liam’s mother, weighs 30 stones and is obsessed by game shows. James Alexandrou, going great guns since leaving EastEnders, leads the cast as Liam.
A Charles Paris Mystery: The Dead Side of the Mic Radio 4, Wednesday 11.30am
The start of a new four-part mystery for Charles Paris, the actor-turned-detective played so brilliantly by Bill Nighy. Charles secures a place in the BBC Radio repertory company, a welcome piece of stability after the chaos of his home life. But it’s not long before a young studio manager is found dead, and murder stalks the corridors of Broadcasting House…
The Verb Radio 3, Friday 12 December
As the creator of the Alex Rider teenage spy novels and ITV wartime drama Foyle’s War, Anthony Horowitz has become a deservedly successful writer (let’s glide gracefully over the sheer awfulness of Crime Traveller). One of Ian McMillan’s guests this week, Horowitz has written a new mini-drama especially for the programme about Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.
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