R4 Drama 2026
I'm typing these entries out, summarising them from RT, removing spoilers and editing / adding notes where necessary. Typos are gradually being removed. The page is generally updated at the end of each month.
To locate a play, use Control-F which will bring up a search box. The page lists afternoon dramas. .........ND
The Saturday and Sunday plays are labelled as such in the lists.
Plays made by independent production companies are indicated by 'Indie'.
1 Jan 2026 19:00 The Archers
It's panic stations in Ambridge, and one resident makes a heartbreaking discovery. Writer: Tim Stimpson.
1 Jan 2026 19:15 The Archers: Truth and Lies
By David Payne. A play written to mark the 75th anniversary of The Archers. Ambridge is in shock as a mysterious police detective arrives, determined to get answers to some challenging questions.
Sally Griffiths ..... Claire Skinner,
Emma Grundy ..... Emerald O’Hanrahan,
Brad Horrobin ..... Taylor Uttley,
Hannah Riley ..... Helen Longworth,
Lilian Bellamy ..... Sunny Ormonde,
Harrison Burns ..... James Cartwright,
Brian Aldridge ..... Charles Collingwood,
Clive Horrobin ..... Alex Jones.
Production coordinators ..... Nikita Berry and Morgan Westwood-Cooke.
Technical Producer ..... Vanessa Nuttall.
Sound designer ..... Andy Partington.
Director ..... Toby Swift.
Editor .... Jeremy Howe.
BBC Audio Birmingham.
2 Jan 2026 Spores, 2-2: Fool's Sickener
By Marietta Kirkbride. The research team in Canada brings in bonobo apes to test the mould. Meanwhile, someone in England makes a frightening discovery.
Cassie ….. Kate O’Flynn,
Bryn ….. Ben Skym,
Pascal ….. Emmanuel Berthelot,
Ola ..… Aggy K. Adams,
Helen ….. Laurel Lefkow,
Ethan ..... Philip Desmeules,
Josie ..... Cristina Wolfe,
Aditi Saklani ..... Amrita Acharia,
Conference attendees ..... Laila Alj, Liis Mikk.
Bonobo recordings from Prof. Zanna Clay of Durham University.
Production Manager: Eleanor Mein.
Production Assistant: Liis Mikk with Teresa Milewski.
Title music: Ioana Selaru and Melo-Zed.
Track laying: Andreina Gomez.
Sound design: Jon Nicholls and Adam Woodhams.
Produced by Nicolas Jackson.
Indie (Afonica).
3 Jan: Saturday Play: Two on a Tower,1
Adapted by Anita Sullivan. Part 1 - The Astronomer. Viviette Constantine is isolated in a small village in England in the 1880’s. Her husband Sir Blount Constantine has been away for several years. Whilst out walking, she meets Swithin, a young astronomer who shows her the stars. They are stronly attracted. Then her husband is reported dead... Note that the adaptation is written the female point of view.
Lady Viviette Constantine - Olivia Poulet,
Swithin St Cleeve - Callum Scott Howells,
Louis Glanville - Tommy Sim’aan,
Tabitha Lark - Scarlett Courtney,
Bishop Helmsdale and Mr Cecil - Tony Turner,
Parson Torkingham - Keiron Self,
Haymoss and Sir Blount - Marc Danbury,
Mrs Martin and Mrs Poulter - Jane Slavin.
Produced by John Norton.
BBC Wales.
4 Jan: Sunday afternoon: The Last of the Mohicans, 2
By J.F.Cooper, ad. Shahid Iqbal Khan. Uncas takes up the story, after he is also captured after a failed attempt to rescue Cora, Alice and Duncan from Magua and his men. As Chingachgook tries to find them, Magua takes his captives to the Delaware village, where he is determined to marry Cora. The great leader Tamenund is called on to decide the prisoners' fate.
Uncas ….. Jay Rincon,
Magua ….. Bradley Lewis,
Cora ….. Leonie Elliott,
Chingachgook ….. Jose Palma,
Alice ….. Robyn McIntyre,
Duncan Heyward ….. Thomas Dennis,
Hawkeye ….. Adam Bond,
Colonel Munro ..... Matthew Pidgeon,
Tamenund ..... Curtis Zunigha.
Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown.
Production Manager: Darren Spruce.
Producer: Polly Thomas.
Indie (Thomas Carter Projects)
5 Jan: Disordered, 2-2
By Magnus Mackintosh. Episode title - Someone Like Me. 30m comedy drama slot. Hector has an extremely unusual first date with social-media obsessed Joy, followed by a surprise encounter at a Sexual Abuse Support Group. This, with some gentle persuasion from William, leads to a change in Hector’s life. The series is about a middle-aged single father with long-term mental health difficulties.
Hector - Jamie Sives,
Susan - Rosalind Sydney,
William - Raffi Philips,
Amanda - Gail Watson,
Joy – Alison O’Donnell,
Jeanine – Jenny Ryan,
Keith – David Kay,
Colin – Moray Hunter.
Studio Engineer and Editor - Lee McPhail.
Production Manager- Tayler Norris.
Produced by Moray Hunter and Gordon Kennedy.
Indie (Absolutely). Recorded at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland, East Lothian.
6 Jan: Almonds and Raisins, 2-2
By Adam Usden; ad. from Maisie Mosco's novel. After David sacrificed his freedom to save his brother by taking his place in the army, he and Miriam are finally reunited. As they recount their experiences they realise that their time apart has reshaped them in ways neither could have imagined.
David, Harry and Ibrahim.....Ashley Margolis,
Miriam, Selima and Clara .....Lilit Lesser,
The Pharoah, Lt. Abbott and Doctor...Ziad Abaza.
Produced by Nadia Molinari.
Sound Design by Sharon Hughes.
Technical Producers: Andrew Garratt, Sam Dickinson.
Assistant Technical Producer: Amritleen Randhawa.
Production Co-ordinator: Ben Hollands.
Casting Manager: Alex Curran.
BBC.
7 Jan: Faith, Hope and Glory, 1-2: Clement & Gloria
By Rex Obano; rpt. from a few years ago. It's 1948; two years since Clement and Gloria rescued an abandoned child in Tilbury Dock, and completed their unusual family. Now they pursue their separate lives until their daughter Joy makes them admit what is most valuable to them.
Gloria ..... Pippa Bennett Warner,
Clement ..... Stefan Adegbola,
Hope ..... Danielle Vitalis,
Neville ..... Chris Jack,
Olubuki ..... Rex Obano,
Martina ..... Clare Perkins,
Ida ..... Emma Handy,
Gerard ..... Hasan Dixon,
Stephens ..... Ian Dunnett Jnr,
Post Mistress ..... Jane Whittenshaw,
Sallow ..... Roger Ringrose.
Director: Jessica Dromgoole.
Producer, Mary Peate.
8 Jan: The Goblin King and Me
By Paul Magrs. A story about a real-life encounter with David Bowie, marking ten years since his death. Daniel is a quiet kid. He's bullied at school and lives with his grandparents, who don't understand why he can't be tougher. Then one day Daniel wins a competition to go to a special screening of a children's fantasy film: Labyrinth, starring David Bowie as the Goblin King.He sets off to London with his gran. When and when the trip goes wrong, Daniel's journey becomes a fantasy quest in which reality and Daniel's inner fantasy life begin to merge. Can he make it to the centre of the labyrinth, to meet the Goblin King? [a close friend of the author told him how he once met David as a child, and how DB gave him some life-changing advice.]
Daniel: Frankie Treadaway,
David Bowie: Jon Culshaw
Gran: Susan Jameson,
Grandad: James Bolam,
Grown-up Daniel: David Judge,
Newsagent and Policeman: Dan Starkey,
Paul and Mr Simeon: Kieran O’Brien,
Boys: Tom Barnard, Jorge Roberts-Lee and William Stevens.
Sound design by Benji Clifford.
Original score by Sophie Cotton.
Produced by Simon Barnard.
Directed by Ken Bentley.
Indie (Bafflegab)
9 Jan: Spores: 2-4: Devil's Agent
By Marietta Kirkbride.
When spores erupt at a care home in Wales, Cassie’s son Bryn and 30 residents are exposed to infection. But how could this have happened when just days earlier the building was declared mould-free by the inspector?
Bryn thinks that not everyone who claims to see the mould can be trusted. But why would the inspector lie?
Cassie ….. Kate O’Flynn,
Bryn ….. Ben Skym,
Pascal ….. Emmanuel Berthelot,
Ola ..… Aggy K. Adams,
Helen ….. Laurel Lefkow,
Ethan ..... Philip Desmeules,
Josie ..... Cristina Wolfe,
Layla Wolf ..... Laila Alj.
Other voices played by the cast.
Production Manager: Eleanor Mein.
Production Assistant: Liis Mikk with Teresa Milewski.
Executive Producer: Sara Davies.
Sound design: Jon Nicholls and Adam Woodhams.
Produced by Nicolas Jackson.
Indie (Afonica).
10 Jan: Saturday Play - Two on a Tower, 2: Marriage
By Anita Sullivan; Hardy adaptation. A story of a wedding in spite of barriers of class and age. Note also that it's written from a female point of view. Rpt. from 2021..... With the death of Sir Blount in Southern Africa, Viviette and Swithin are finally able to marry. They do so in secret, waiting for Swithin to make his name as an astronomer and for Viviette to observe a period of mourning. Unfortunately, Blount's death has been mis-reported.
Lady Viviette Constantine - Olivia Poulet,
Swithin St Cleeve - Callum Scott Howells,
Louis Glanville - Tommy Sim’aan,
Tabitha Lark - Scarlett Courtney,
Bishop Helmsdale and Mr Cecil - Tony Turner,
Parson Torkingham - Keiron Self,
Haymoss and Sir Blount - Marc Danbury,
Mrs Martin and Mrs Poulter - Jane Slavin.
Produced by John Norton.
BBC Wales.
11 Jan: Sunday afternoon - 1776, ep. 1
A two-part play with music, adapted and directed by Martin Jarvis, from work by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards. It marks 250 years of American Independence - the American colonies' struggle to break from British rule. Delegates, risking hanging for treason, carve out the Declaration of Independence - the basis of American democracy for 250 years. It has a US-based cast including Alfred Molina, Ioan Gruffudd, Steven Weber, Josh Stamberg, Gregory Harrison and Erin Bennett.
Benjamin Franklin…Alfred Molina,
John Adams...Ioan Gruffudd,
Rutledge…Steven Weber,
Dickinson…Josh Stamberg,
Jefferson…Chase Fein,
Hancock…Andre Sogliuzzo,
Thomson…Gregory Harrison,
Henry Lee…Richard Leacock,
McNair…JD Cullum,
Hopkins…William Calvert,
McKean…Matthew Wolf,
Courier…Jack Stuhley,
Abigail Adams…Erin Bennett,
Martha Jefferson…Janine Barris,
Delegates: Henri Lubatti, Darren Richardson, Alan Shearman, Mark Jude Sullivan and members of the company.
Congress Singers: Sebastian Guerrero, Tyler Ledon, Drew Tablak, Loren Smith, Ken White.
Keyboard: Noriko Olling Wright.
Music director: Jason Currie.
Sound Design: Neil Wogenson and Charles Carroll.
Production associate: Tracy Pattin.
Producers: Mark Holden and Rosalind Ayres.
Directed by Martin Jarvis.
Musicians: Chad Wright, Josh Brown, Mike Edwards, Taryn Spink, Jenni Asher.
Indie (Jarvis & Ayres)
12 Jan: Disordered, 2-3: Chaos out of Order
By Magnus Mackintosh. Hector and Susan are now an item and all is going well, until the appearance on the scene of an ex-boyfriend and a new friend for Hector raise problems of trust. Then Hector gets a surprise visitor from his past . 30m. comedy drama.
Hector - Jamie Sives,
Susan - Rosalind Sydney,
William - Raffi Philips,
Amanda - Gail Watson,
Sally – Amy Conachan,
Waiter and Assessor – Steven McNicoll,
Simon – Gordon Kennedy,
Dad – Peter Mullan.
Studio Engineer and Editor - Lee McPhail.
Production Manager - Tayler Norris.
Produced and directed by Moray Hunter and Gordon Kennedy.
Recoded in Scotland; usual place. Indie (Absolutely).
13 Jan: Almonds and Raisins, 2-3
By Adam Usden / Maisie Mosco. After his separation from Miriam, a sad David throws himself into his work. It earns him respect from Isaac and draws Bessie’s attention.
David.....Ashley Margolis,
Miriam.....Lilit Lesser,
Sammy.....Alastair Michael,
Sarah.....Emma Leah Golding,
Rachel.....Leah Marks,
Sigmund.....Jack Wagman,
Isaac and Dr. Smolensky...Richard Katz,
Bessie.....Helen Reuben.
Produced by Nadia Molinari.
Sound design by Sharon Hughes.
Technical Producers: Andrew Garratt, Sam Dickinson.
Assistant Technical Producer: Amritleen Rhandhawa.
Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands.
Casting Manager: Alex Curran.
BBC.
14 Jan: Faith, Hope and Glory, 1-7: Hope and Jim
By Roy Williams. It's 1948, and Hope and Jim are stuck in Britain, ashamed to go home, and still suffering the loss of their baby two years earlier.
Jim ...... Martins Imhangbe,
Hope ...... Danielle Vitalis,
Lorraine ...... Lizzy Watts,
Dennis ...... Hasan Dixon,
Bert ...... Ben Crowe,
Matron ...... Emma Handy,
Gloria ...... Pippa Bennett Warner,
Clement ...... Stefan Adegebola,
Johnnie ...... Ian Dunnett Jnr,
Neighbour ...... Roger Ringrose.
Producer, Mary Peate.
Director, Jessica Dromgoole.
15 Jan: Took Nothing Left Nothing
By Katie Bonna. When Sam takes his ex-stepdaughter Flo on a treasure hunt in the woods, he hopes to rebuild their lost bond. But the discovery of a bizarre series of love letters throws a disturbing light on Flo's current relationship.
Sam …. Shane Zaza,
Flo …. Rowan Robinson,
Ava …. Mia Haynes-French,
Petra …. Katie Bonna.
Original music by Maz O’Connor.
Producer …. Anne Isger.
Sound …. Keith Graham and Sam Dickinson.
Production Co-ordinator ….. Kate Gray.
16 Jan: Spores, 2-5: Dark Healer
By Marietta Kirkbride. Final episode. 30m.
Cassie ….. Kate O’Flynn,
Bryn ….. Ben Skym,
Pascal ….. Emmanuel Berthelot,
Ola ..… Aggy K. Adams,
Helen ….. Laurel Lefkow,
Ethan ..... Philip Desmeules,
Josie ..... Cristina Wolfe,
Layla Wolf ..... Laila Alj,
Thugs ..... Théo Marceau and Félix Marceau.
Bonobo handler ..... George Williams.
Other voices played by the cast.
Production Manager: Eleanor Mein.
Production Assistant: Liis Mikk with Teresa Milewski.
Executive Producer: Sara Davies.
Sound design: Jon Nicholls and Adam Woodhams.
Produced by Nicolas Jackson.
Indie (Afonica)
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