Showing results by publisher "BBC Audio" in Entertainment & Celebrities

His career as a naturalist and broadcaster has spanned nearly five decades and there are very few places on the globe that he has not visited. In this volume of memoirs David tells stories of the people and animals he has met and the places that he has visited. Over the last 25 years he has established himself as the world's leading Natural History programme maker with several landmark BBC series.

Victoria Coren Mitchell meets some fascinating women to explore the journeys they have made in the cars that they have known - and the sorts of things they shout in traffic. Hear what Dawn wrote on the back of her first car; find out which comedian totalled her beloved Cortina; and discover the advantages of the refrigerated glove compartment. Sarah Millican describes a traffic jam that lead to some desperate measures, Sheila Hancock explains how the trick of getting older is actually to speed up and Jo Brand recounts how her car became an impromptu counselling couch for comedians.

Rebecca Front presents a look back at Victoria Wood's stand-up and songs, including never-heard-before material. With unprecedented access to Victoria's own boxes of battered cassette tapes, this programme is a shameless chance to hear some wonderful stand-up comedy, characters and songs, mixed with a look back at what made her so funny and so universally loved.

In a fascinating collection of archive interviews with the celebrated writer, presenter and polymath, you can hear—in his own words—the beliefs and aspirations that have shaped him. He talks about his upbringing, a time when Stephen admits he was a rebellious schoolboy and behaved outrageously in order to survive school, and discusses his early love of language and Oscar Wilde. He also recalls discovering classic radio comedy and meeting Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie at Cambridge.

Benedict Cumberbatch reads Ian Kelly’s biography of one of the most beguiling and controversial individuals of any age. In this fascinating biography of the notorious libertine, Ian Kelly draws on documents by Casanova, his friends, and his lovers (male and female) in order to bring fresh insights to the man’s life and world. The sights and smells of 18th-century Europe are brought keenly to life, as are the colourful incidents of Casanova’s life.

Over the course of his distinguished entertainment career, Alan Bennett has received multiple awards and honours, including two BAFTAs, four Laurence Olivier Awards, two Tony Awards, an Academy Award nomination for his film The Madness of King George, and a British Book Award for Author of the Year in 2006. In this four-part collection of his remarkable Untold Stories, the acclaimed writer considers his childhood, career, and the current state of the world with his customary blend of wit and poignancy.

A centenary collection of the best BBC Radio programmes about the legendary Spike Milligan - including the brand-new documentary Spike Milligan: Inside Out. Named for Spike’s explanation of his sense of humour - ‘I’m Irish - we think sideways’ - this BBC radio anthology, published to celebrate the centenary of his birth, provides unique insight into his genius. Spike Milligan: Inside Out sees Milligan admirer Michael Palin and Spike’s daughter, Jane, chat through some of Spike’s many audio recordings.

Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home...to a foreign country.

Terry Wogan is one of Britain's most popular and successful broadcasters. Witty, charming, and relaxed, he has undoubtedly captured the nation's heart. Here, for the first time, he tells his story, from his beginnings in Limerick to incredible success as a national celebrity, in his own delightfully laconic fashion.

The humorous and moving tale of Miss Shepherd, an eccentric old lady who, by a bizarre series of twists and turns, lived in the author's garden for many years. Alan Bennett reads his own acclaimed work, recently adapted as a West End smash hit starring Maggie Smith as the eccentric old lady.

This fascinating selection of extracts provides a vivid audio portrait of Dirk Bogarde, the award-winning actor and accomplished writer and artist who died in 1999.

Wonderful highlights of Kenneth Williams’ career in this classic compilation. For more than 30 years, Kenneth Williams kept the nation in stitches with his outrageous gallery of comic creations and an effortlessly brilliant barrage of repartee and innuendo on radio and television. In Beyond Our Ken and Round the Horne, Kenneth Williams brought us the popular characters of Rambling Syd Rumpo, J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock, and Sandy (of Julian & Sandy).

Peter Ustinov was an actor, director, author and raconteur who won many awards in his lifetime, including Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes and BAFTAs. In this collection, we hear—in his own words—about his thoughts on being a writer and director, and those who influenced him. He discusses his childhood and upbringing as well as providing insights into his family. Peter, in his own unique style, also talks about his work, ageing and the future.

In this documentary portrait of Kenneth Williams, who died in 1988, the much-loved comedy actor's diaries are drawn upon to illustrate his life and career. David Benson, who won acclaim for his one-man show in which he portrayed Kenneth Williams, reads extracts from the diaries, while archive audio clips from such programmes as Round the Horne and Beyond Out Ken illustrate the madcap versatility of Williams the performer.

In this fascinating collection of interviews from the BBC radio and TV archive, Spike Milligan talks about his life and career as one of the foremost comedy writers and performers of the 20th century.

We all know what it means these days to be a "grumpy old man", because part of that role is to be outspoken. Well, we've heard just about enough out of the men, thank you very much. Grumpy Old Women gives us the other perspective, the female take, on the million irritations of today's world.

In interviews ranging from 1968 to 2009, Paul McCartney talks about touring the UK with Wings (which was then a new band), a mid-'70s offer to re-form the Beatles, the early days of the Beatles and their final break-up. He also discusses his solo albums, receiving the freedom of the City of Liverpool, Christmas with his family, his love of music and his career since the break-up of the Beatles up to 2009.

Sir John Betjeman, poet, broadcaster, journalist, prose writer and critic, was one of the best-loved figures of the 20th century. Betjeman was a prolific writer and his poems still resonate today. This release celebrates the centenary of Betjeman's birth.

Stephen Fry presents a special tribute to Humphrey Lyttelton, the sublime host of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, through the eyes of his close pals on the show and distinguished admirers, from Dame Judi Dench to Radiohead. The programme features many highlights taken from his thirty-six years at the helm of Radio 4's perennial antidote to panel games.

Career highlights from one of this country’s funniest satirists and comedy men.

Willie Rushton’s career spanned decades, from the cutting edge satire of television’s That Was the Week That Was to the razor-sharp punnery and verbal wizardry of radio’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue.