Book description
And Now on Radio 4 offers an enthusiast's guide to the shows
that have made Radio 4 what it is, and also explores some of the
wonderful corners of the network's history that are long forgotten by
all but a few. Who, for instance, now recalls Ronnie Barker's starring
role on Radio 4 in a sophisticated cabaret-cum-sketch-show called
Lines from My Grandfather's Forehead? What about Spike
Milligan's intimate, soul-bearing account of his upbringing in
colonial India, Plain Tales from the Raj? And who now remembers
that Start the Week was once hosted by Russell Harty, a bit of
programming compared by one insider to letting Graham Norton run Newsnight.
In order to reflect the way devotees listen to Radio 4, the book is
organised not on simple chronological lines but in the form of a
typical day. Chapter by chapter, the day evolves, from Farming
Today, through the daily feast that is Today, through the
morning menu of conversation, Woman's Hour, documentary and
comedy. Lunchtime brings The World at One. The early evening,
of course, yields The Archers. And finally there's Book at
Bedtime and Sailing By.
An addictive mix of history, biography, anecdote and occasional
useless fact, this is the perfect book for Radio 4 aficionados.
Simon Elmes is Creative Director of the BBC's Radio Documentary Unit,
where he oversees a wide range of programmes. He was Executive Producer
of the long-running magazine
Word of Mouth
, from its inception until 2004. In 1996 it was awarded one of the
world's premier broadcasting prizes, the Premio Ondas. He produced the
award-winning
The Routes of English
, a 26-part series on the history of the English language, and has
written four books to accompany the series. He also produced the 2005
radio and TV project
Voices.
