Navy Lark Special: Left Hand Down a Bit Radio 7, Saturday 9am (repeated 8pm and 3am)
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the classic radio sitcom, which originally ran from 1959 to 1977, Radio 7 collects six classic episodes from the series’ run, each introduced by cast member Leslie Phillips. Also as part of the celebrations, look out for a repeat of the recent edition of Radio 4’s The Reunion, with Sue MacGregor talking to cast members (Sunday 9.15am and repeated), and Jon Pertwee giving a one-man show about his career, from The Navy Lark to Doctor Who and Worzel Gummidge (Sunday 12pm and repeated). Fellow cast member Tenniel Evans has also been interviewed, and his segments will be broadcast throughout the week.
Galton and Simpson’s Half Hour: The Blood Donor Radio 2, Saturday 1.30pm
When Paul Merton performed in some rejigged Galton and Simpson comedies on ITV in the late 1990s, he did attempt some of the classic Hancock’s Half Hour/Hancock episodes, but wisely steered clear of the classic Blood Donor. No such luck here, as possibly the most well-known episode of Tony Hancock’s sitcom stars Merton in the last of this series of radio adaptations. All in all, it’s been an odd series — the delivery and content often sounding antiquated and jarring with some of the contemporary updates.
The Saturday Play: The Complete Ripley: Ripley Under Water Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
I missed last week’s Ripley play, The Boy Who Followed Ripley, off last week’s radio preview — and so of course it turned out to be the best of the run so far. This week sees the conclusion of the series, as Ian Hart’s Tom Ripley becomes concerned that his new neighbours are taking an unhealthy interest in his past…
Drama on 3: The Government Inspector Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
Satirist Alistair Beaton translates Gogol’s classic 19th century farce which, with its witty take on government corruption and sleaze, is never likely to go out of fashion. A stellar cast is led by Toby Jones as Khlestakov, with Frances Barber, Russell Tovey and Paul Ritter.
Classic Serial: Something Fresh Radio 4, Sunday 3pm
Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres are the team behind this latest PG Wodehouse revival for radio, a new adaptation of the author’s first Blandings novel. Jarvis plays the absent-minded Earl of Emsworth, who accidentally pockets a priceless gem belonging to the American father of his son’s fiancée. Thus begins a typical Wodehouse farce that is peppered with star names: Ian Ogilvy, Ioan Gruffudd, Helen McCrory, Jill Gascoine, Joanne Whalley and renowned US actor Hector Elizondo as millionaire J. Preston Peters.
Previews for Monday to Friday continue after the jump.
Afternoon Play: Dewey Eyed Radio 4, Monday 2.15pm
Olivia Colman plays Phillipa, the latest of a long line of librarians. When her father dies and her mother starts to lose her wits, Phillipa tries the only language her mother understands - the Dewey decimal system for cataloguing books.
Black Screen Britain Radio 4, Tuesday 11.30am
An enthralling history of Afro-Caribbean actors on British film and television, including contributions from performers who turned to show business after being unable to gain employment in other industries.
My Teenage Diary Radio 4, Wednesday 11pm
A new six part series in which comedians relive their formative years by reading from their teenage diaries. Richard Herring is first to take the plunge.
Friday Play: The Monkey’s Mask Radio 4, Friday 9pm
Adapted from Australian poet Dorothy Porter’s bestselling verse novel, Federay Holmes stars as the streetsmart private investigator Jill Fitzpatrick. Hired to find a missing university student, she finds herself falling for the girl’s poetry tutor, Diana Maitland (Kerry Fox). Death and love — always a volatile combination…
