Coming Up on Radio 4.....

[Nyder]

Thought I'd start a new thread because there are the occaisional progs on R4 that I'd like to draw your attention to (thank goodness for the iPlayer )

Two items of interest tomorrow:-

Wednesday 1st August @9pm
Whatever Happened to the Chemistry Set?
Pretty self-explanatory really. There will be a "charming low-tech radiophonic score" to accompany this prog.

Wednesday 1st August @11am
In Living Memory: Sealand
Sealand is a former wartime fort in the Thames estuary which found a new lease of life in the 60s as a pirate radio station (far more stable than a ship!). This was possible because the fort (and the ships for that matter) were in international waters outside the control of the UK government. This programme looks at the life of broadcaster Paddy Roy Bates who declared the fort an independent country with himself as ruler!!

[Nyder]

The Chemistry prog was okay, apart from the narrator links. Every time she introduced a new person she said "If [name] was a chemistry set they'd be an explosive mixture...." etc

For heaven's sake this is Radio 4, not CBeebies!!!

Much more interesting was the prog on Sealand and the self-proclaimed Prince Roy & Princess Joan and their attempts to proclaim the fort their sovereign country. They even have their own passport, currency and anthem!! Oh and their own flag of course:-


Do take a listen on the iplayer - it's fascinating!

[Nyder]

This is on tomorrow - right up our alleys :-)

[SiHart]

I think that might be the kind of thing I'd like to hear...

[Philipnet]

Boom boom!

[Paul Monk]

Great thread! I love radio documentaries but quite often miss them.

[Nyder]

Still on the iPlayer till Tuesday.....

A documentary first broadcast last Tuesday at 8pm looked back on the "SOS Service" provided by BBC Radio from the late 20s up until the 90s. It rang along the lines of a personal message read out over the air thus:-

"Would Mr Brown of Cleveland Street Bristol please contact Frenchay Hospital as your mother is gravely ill. And now onto the weather...."

At the time, the BBC weren't allowed to broadcast any follow-ups to these SOSs - did Mr Brown make it in time???

This documentary tracks down some of these people involved in the SOS messages and ponders about the mysterious demise of the service.....

Well worth a listen

[Nyder]

Not so much coming up.... but done and dusted

"When The Dog Dies" is a comedy starring Ronnie Corbett, and is written by the team behind "Sorry!" so you have some idea of the RC persona and the type of comedy involved. It's a really gentle comedy - not laugh out loud material, but it makes you smile

The last episode of Series 2 is on the iPlayer until Wednesday. I know that R4Extra have been repeating the first series too, so keep an eye out for it. Or should that be ear.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Next Thursday 4th October at 11.30am...


Happy Days - The Children of the Stones

Writer and comedian Stewart Lee explores the 1970s television series Children Of The Stones and examines its special place in the memories of those children who watched it.

In this documentary, Stewart returns to Avebury to discuss the serial's influence on him and explore the history and secrets of the ancient stones. Including contributions from series co-creator Jeremy Burnham, cast members and fans.

[SiHart]

Having recently enjoyed Children of the Stones on DVD, I'll be having a listen to that!

[Nyder]

Wow I'll be tuned in too - loved Stones! Scared me silly as a kid

[Nyder]

Happy Boxing Day!

Just listened to Dawn French on Desert Island Discs. Funny and very moving, plus she selected "Kinky Boots" as one of her songs, so extra points for that too! Do give it a whirl on the iPlayer!

[Nyder]

There's a wonderful documentary about Margaret Rutherford (narrated by Stephen Fry) on the iPlayer. Tony Benn is her first cousin once-removed, and she taught Anthony Worral-Thompson how to swim! She had a traumatic childhood which probably accounted for periods of depression (or "melancholia" as it described in the olden days).

Makes me want to watch "Blithe Spirit" now!

[Nyder]

Good week for comedy on Radio 4. There's a new series of Cabin Pressure starting tmw, and on Friday a new series When The Dog Dies, which is basically a radio version of Sorry! as it stars Ronnie Corbett and is written by the same writers.

[Nyder]

A curio on Radio 4 Extra (and still available on the iPlayer) is "It Sticks Out Half A Mile" - a follow-up to Dad's Army. The pilot had Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier reprising their roles. However, Arthur died shortly after the pilot was made and so the series was "re-booted" with Ian Lavender and Bill Pertwee.

You can listen to the pilot now (the tape was believed wiped until the writer of the show Harold Snoad give his copy back to the Beeb). This series dates back from the early 80s, so it seems The Beeb was still wiping away even at this stage

[Si Hunt]

They really were rubbish weren't they. We've just finished "The Crusade", half of it only able to be enjoyed via photos with captions running across the bottom. Good 'ol Beeb!

Si.

[Nyder]

It's good to have Just A Minute back! Sue Perkins really is very good at this game. I could listen to a whole programme with just her! Newbie Jason Manford struggled gamely on.

[Nyder]

Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere" starts on R4 this afternoon at 2:30 and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Head, Bernard Cribbins & Christopher Lee.

It's the Radio Times "pick of the week" of radio programmes and it goes on to say:-

"If you listen to one thing this year, make it Neverwhere. And do yourself a favour: play it through decent speakers in a darkened room. It's worth the special treatment".

Praise indeed! I'll take a listen to it tonight.

[Philipnet]

The Twittersphere is awash with praise for Neverwhere. It's something I will have to check out

[Dirk Gently]

It was rather good.

[Jon Masters]

Next sunday's The Re-union on Radio 4 has Warris Hussein, Carole Ann Ford, William Russell, Jeremy Young and Peter Purves talking about DW

[Nyder]

Thanks for the heads up Jon :-)

[SiHart]

Sounds good to me!

[Nyder]

This morning at 11:30 - Bernard Cribbins discusses his 70 years in The Biz, with contributions from David Tennant.

[Nyder]

Hear Lalla Ward squirm on Loose Ends as Clive Anderson asks her about her marriage to Tom Baker.