Films, cinema

1. Victoria Wood

dinnerladies

The complete TV soundtracks of dinnerladies, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes content“Brilliant, even with just the audio.” - Customer Review“Incredibly funny! These show the genius writing of Victoria Wood. As funny here as in the TV. Genius casting. Simply perfect.” - Customer ReviewEnjoy this wonderful celebration of one of the nation’s best-loved TV shows, discover exclusive behind-the-scenes content as well as a deep dive into the life and work of comedian and creator, Victoria Wood.16 episodes across two seasons of the classic sit-com dinnerladies follows the lives of the staff of the canteen at Manchester factory HWD Components. Written by and starring Victoria Wood, the audio soundtrack of these classic TV episodes are brilliantly funny, with the jokes flying as thick and as fast as granary torpedoes. Along with the day-to-day feeding the faces of folk, the canteen staff Bren, Twink, Jean (and all the others!) have to contend with the arrival of a Royal on site, a Japanese-themed party complete with costumes, and the controversial delivery of new uniforms… Featuring an all-star cast including Celia Imrie, Julie Walters and Maxine Peake.This complete series collection is accompanied by two bonus documentaries: During the making of her much-loved sitcom dinnerladies, Victoria Wood recorded her own personal audio diary, talking not just about the show she was writing and starring in but with thoughts and reminiscences across her whole career. In Victoria Wood: Loose Chippings her biographer, writer and journalist Jasper Rees delves into Victoria’s private archive, including never-before-broadcast stand-up and songs, and treasures such as the previously-thought lost song that launched her career on ITVs New Faces as well as her first ever concert as a student in Birmingham University that lay hidden for 50 years. In Victoria Wood: From Soup to Nuts, Rebecca Front explores Victoria Wood’s stand-up and songs using Victoria's own archives. With unprecedented access to her own boxes of battered cassette tapes, this is a chance to hear some wonderful stand-up comedy, characters and songs, mixed with a look back at what made Victoria Wood so funny and so universally loved.Bringing together the very best of dinnerladies and a celebration of its iconic creator, Victoria Wood this collection is a must listen for any fan of the laugh-out-loud comedy. Cast and creditsdinnerladiesWritten by Victoria WoodDirected by Geoff PosnerBren - Victoria WoodDolly - Thelma BarlowTony - Andrew DunnAnita - Shobna GulatiPhilippa - Celia ImrieTwinkle - Maxine PeakeStan - Duncan PrestonJean - Anne ReidPetula - Julie WaltersLady Pamela - Richenda CareyDuke of Danby - Simon WilliamsClint - Ken DoughtyConnie - Thora HirdJim - Eric SykesMr Timothy/Mr Michael - Christopher GeetTiffany - Ann-Louise GrimshawMr Tashimoto - Eiji KusuharaHugo - Adam LeeseKeith - Peter LorenzelliBabs - Kate RobbinsBob - Jack SmethurstSecretary - Sue DevaneyMan in queue - David HattonNicola Bodeux - Sue WallaceMalcolm - Ozzie SueFirst Broadcast BBC One, 1998-2000Victoria Wood: Loose ChippingsProduced by Geoff PosnerPresented by Jasper ReesFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14th Dec 2024Victoria Wood: From Soup to NutsProduced by David TylerExecutive Producer Geoff PosnerPresented by Rebecca FrontFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18th - 25th May 2018©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

1. Bill Dare
2. Helen Arney
3. Matt Parker

Comedy Pick’n’Mix

Mark Watson is one of Britain's most popular stand-up comedians. His comedy shows have won, among others, the Daily Telegraph Award, Time Out Best Stand-Up Award, Edinburgh Festival Panel Prize, and best shows at the Adelaide and Sydney Festivals. He has performed at every major international comedy festival and in more than twenty countries. He made comedy history at the Edinburgh Festival by performing for 24 hours, solo and without a break. He is a regular on many British TV shows and has had two highly successful BBC Radio 4 series, Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better and Mark Watson's Live Address to the Nation. He is the author of the novels Bullet Points and A Light-Hearted Look at Murder, and the non-fiction title Crap at the Environment. Mark Watson lives in London. John Llloyd is a well known comedy writer and producer, with credits including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Not the Nine O'Clock News, Blackadder, Spitting Image and QI. He has also co-authored twenty books.

1. Glenn Moor
2. David Tyler

Glenn Moore’s Almanac: Series 2

Comedian Glenn Moore takes another look through his almanac at major world events and what he was doing at the time. Perhaps best-known for his outrageously brilliant one-liners on Mock The Week, Glenn delivers a tale of comic mishaps and extraordinary scenes interwoven with a big event in history – and looks back through his almanac to find out other strange connections to the day as well.In episode one, a deadly spy operation causes him to suspect his innocent Russian flatmate…In the second episode, a shocking case of wrongful arrest as Glenn Moore is mistaken for... Glenn Moore!In episode three, it’s lockdown 2020 - can father-to-be Glenn learn how to use a mask and change a nappy - and crucially, tell which is which?And in the series finale, Glenn is running the London Marathon - with his fridge strapped to someone else’s back…Production credits Written by & starring Glenn MooreFeaturing George Fouracres, Gemma Arrowsmith & Dan TetsellAdditional material by Katie StoreyProduced & directed by David TylerA Pozzitive production for the BBCFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4-25 September 2025.©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The News Quiz: A Heritage Collection

A brand-new collection of previously unpublished episodes taken from the programme's first four decades.As highly prized as a Ming vase or a Regency sideboard, this fine collection of 14 vintage episodes of BBC Radio 4’s long-running panel show - chaired by Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Bill Tidy and Sandi Toksvig - is at last available for all to hear. Those in the know will discern a clear patina of sensible, silly and salacious news items from Britain, America and all around the world. Joining regular panellists Alan Coren, Richard Ingrams, Jeremy Hardy and Andy Hamilton to examine the silverware are guest players including Clive Anderson, Mark Steel, Jo Brand, Ian Hislop, Phill Jupitus, and John Sergeant.Included among the programmes is a duo of two-part News Quiz of the Year editions from 1981/82 and 1983.First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 26/12/1981, 02/01/1982, 24/12/1983, 25/12/1983, 05/10/1985, 22/09/1990, 22/03/1997, 04/10/1997, 05/01/2001, 01/03/2002, 29/02/2008, 09/01/2009, 04/02/2011, 06/04/2012.Cast and creditsWritten by Stephen Carlin, Carl Carter, Dave Cohen, Lucy Clarke, Rhodri Crooks, Nev Fountain, Gareth Gwynn, Jon Hunter, John Langdon, Simon Littlefield, Paul McKenzie, Gráinne Maguire, Benjamin Partridge, Suk Pannu, Iain Pattinson, George Poles, John-Luke Roberts, Hugh Ryecroft, Jane Sherwood, David SpicerChaired by Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Bill Tidy & Sandi ToksvigWith Clive Anderson, Joan Bakewell, Alistair Beaton, Jo Brand, Susan Calman, Alan Coren, Kevin Day, Justin Edwards, Andy Hamilton, Phil Hammond, Jeremy Hardy, Ian Hislop, Peter Hobday, Simon Hoggart, Laurence Howarth, Richard Ingrams, Phill Jupitus, Miles Kington, Andrew Lawrence, Ann Leslie, Stan McMurtrie, Edward Pearce, Gay Search, John Sergeant, Linda Smith, Mark Steel, David Taylor, Laurie Taylor, Sandi Toksvig, John Wells, Francis Wheen, Michael White.Newsreaders: Harriet Cass, Corrie Corfield, Peter Donaldson, Charlotte Green, John Marsh, Brian Perkins, Simon VanceProduced by Lucy Armitage, Sam Bryant, Aled Evans, Danny Greenstone, Victoria Lloyd, Diane Messias, Ed Morrish, Alan Nixon, and Jon RolphEpisode selection by Michael Stevens©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

1. James Walton

The Write Stuff

Highlights from the light-hearted literary quiz chaired by James Walton The Write Stuff is the book-based panel show that takes a witty and whimsical look at well-known authors and their work. Host James Walton challenges the erudite contestants with tricky literary teasers, which they endeavour to answer using a combination of knowledge and guesswork. Each episode is themed around an ‘Author of the Week’, who is the subject of the introductory rounds in which the panellists read out favourite quotations from their writing and field questions about their life. Among the intervening rounds are ‘Connections’, ‘Odd One Out’, a music round, an archive round and a fast-paced, fingers-on-buzzers round of general literary knowledge. And for the rib-tickling finale, the contestants are tasked with penning parodies in the style of the chosen author, resulting in comic gems such as Jerome K Jerome’s ‘Three Men on a Club 18-30 Holiday’, a hardboiled crime novel in the style of Virginia Woolf, and a Twitter thread by Jane Eyre. Collected here are 40 of the finest episodes from the show’s 17 series, featuring iconic writers from Jane Austen and Charles Dickens to James Joyce, Anton Chekhov, William Wordsworth and John Milton. Pitting their wits against each other are the fiercely competitive team captains Sebastian Faulks and John Walsh, aided by celebrity guests including Stephen Fry, Miles Kington, Philippa Gregory, Sue Limb, Simon Brett, Lynne Truss, John O’Farrell, Natalie Haynes and Mark Billingham. Also included is a Christmas special, filled with festive quizzing and seasonally themed pastiches. Clever, funny and decidedly unstuffy, this knockabout show is a must for bookworms, bibliophiles and anyone who enjoys mixing some laughter with their literature. Production credits Compiled, written and presented by James Walton Produced by John Rolph, Katie Marsden, Dawn Ellis, Alexandra Smith and Sam Michell Readers: Rachel Atkins, Beth Chalmers and Becky Hindley First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: Jane Austen 31 July 1998 DH Lawrence 28 August 1998 Charles Dickens 4 September 1998 Arthur Conan Doyle 14 July 1999 The Brontë Sisters 21 July 1999 James Joyce 28 July 1999 Oscar Wilde 11 August 1999 William Wordsworth 11 April 2001 Samuel Taylor Coleridge 10 April 2002 Virginia Woolf 17 April 2002 George Orwell 2 April 2003 Dylan Thomas 12 May 2004 Rudyard Kipling 26 May 2004 Alexander Pope 9 June 2004 Samuel Pepys 16 June 2004 The Write Stuff at Christmas 29 December 2004 Lord Byron 25 May 2005 John Milton 22 June 2005 Charles Dickens 29 June 2005 Henry James 19 June 2006 Thomas Hardy 17 July 2006 F Scott Fitzgerald 9 April 2007 John Keats 16 April 2007 Jonathan Swift 7 April 2008 Hans Christian Andersen 14 April 2008 George Eliot 28 April 2004 DH Lawrence 3 November 2008 Marcel Proust 19 October 2010 Daniel Defoe 27 January 2012 Gustav Flaubert 3 February 2012 HG Wells 24 February 2012 The Brontës 12 May 2013 Mark Twain 19 May 2013 Greek Tragedy 26 May 2013 William Blake 9 June 2013 Gerald Manley Hopkins 19 October 2014 Jerome K Jerome 26 October 2014 Henry Fielding 2 November 2014 Virginia Woolf 9 November 2014 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

1. Ted Walker
2. Colin Rose

We’re in Business

John Graham was an actor and writer who penned many radio dramas and comedies for the BBC including The Men from the Ministry, which he co-wrote with Edward Taylor. The show was extremely popular, and ran for 14 series between 1962 and 1977. The duo also scripted a stage play, Pardon Me, Prime Minister.