Fannish Fifty: BBC Sounds

[smallhobbit]

I do enjoy listening to BBC Sounds and regularly check the schedules for Radio 4 Extra in particular.  This is where many of the old detective programmes are repeated as serials, so for half an hour every day, for about a week I can listen to June Whitfield as Miss Marple, John Moffat as Hercule Poirot and Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey.  There are other series I also enjoy, including Inspector West, Paul Temple and Charles Paris.

In addition there are other 15 minute programmes.  This year I've listened to re-enacted excerpts from Queen Victoria's letters and diaries, The Warsaw Ghetto: History as Survival, an abbreviated version of Michael Caine's biography, Death in Broadcasting House, and an account of how the conquering of Everest related to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.  Some of these are on Radio 4 Extra, if repeats, others are new programmes on Radio 4.

Then there are weekly programmes, such as ghost stories, Terry Pratchett's Night Watch and The Invention of Series, the latest of which was on Russia.

Some of these programmes are available long-term - earlier this year I listed to Charles Dickens Sketches by Boz - and some only for a few weeks.  In some series it may only be one or two episodes which appeal, at other times I'll listen to most if not all.

BBC Sounds is available worldwide and has a fascinating collection of programmes to explore.

Comments

[rusty_armour]

I've just discovered BBC Sounds through Lucy Worsley's Lady Killers podcast, and I've heard some interesting programmes being advertised. I should try to find some of those old detective programmes. I certainly enjoyed watching Ian Carmichael play Lord Peter Wimsey in the TV series. Of course, the other programmes that you mentioned sound really interesting as well.

[smallhobbit]

Yes, there are lots of interesting programmes. A lot of the detective ones, including Lord Peter Whimsey are only on for a few weeks, but others, like Father Brown are there for much longer.

[adafrog]

Cool.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you.