Audiobooks Narrated by Colin Edwynn

Barry Hines: Kes, Billy’s Last Stand & more: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

"Three dramas by Barry Hines and an abridged reading of his classic Kes (A Kestrel for a Knave) Yorkshire-born author Barry Hines is renowned for his 1968 novel A Kestrel for a Knave (later turned into Ken Loach’s award-winning film Kes) and for scripting the BAFTA-winning BBC TV film Threads. The titles in this collection explore his signature theme – working-class life in Northern England – and include a trio of radio dramas alongside an abridged version of Kes, read by Stephen Tompkinson. Billy’s Last Stand – Casual labourer Billy makes his living shovelling coal into people’s sheds and cellars. It’s a one-man job: until the parasitic Darkly turns up, offering him a business partnership. Arthur Lowe and Ronald Baddiley star in Barry Hines’ darkly comic debut play. Two Men from Derby – Elbow-deep in domestic chores, miner’s wife Freda is visited by Joe and George, two scouts from Derby County FC who want to sign her husband as a professional footballer. But Dick is nowhere to be found… Regarded by Hines as the best thing he ever wrote, this slow-burn drama stars Sharon Duce, Colin Edwynn and Bernard Gallagher. Looking at the Sun – When redundant miner Stewart lands a job at a nuclear power station, he has high hopes for a new beginning. But his wife Lisa’s concerns about the plant put their marriage under increasing strain. Starring Chris Brailsford as Stewart and Gillian Waugh as Lisa. Kes – Neglected at home and bullied at school, Billy’s sole comfort is the wild bird of prey he has trained from a fledgling. But his newfound happiness is short-lived... Stephen Tompkinson reads this adaptation of Hines’ heartbreaking coming-of-age tale of a boy and his kestrel. Text copyright © Barry Hines 1965 (Billy’s Last Stand), 1968 (A Kestrel for a Knave), 1976 (Two Men from Derby), 1992 (Looking at the Sun) Production credits Written by Barry Hines Billy’s Last Stand Billy – Arthur Lowe Darkly – Ronald Baddiley Two Men from Derby Freda – Sharon Duce Joe – Colin Edwynn George – Bernard Gallagher Winnie – Juliet Cooke Stanley – Charles Booth Looking at the Sun Stewart – Chris Brailsford Lisa – Gillian Waugh Mr Ellis – Gerry Kersey Clayton – Robin Polley Janice – Belinda Chapman Melanie Lee – Barbara Dryhurst Japanese photographer – Fenella Norman Sharland – Christopher Kent Martyn – Peter Bell Colin – Nick Spurr Kevin – Colln Meredith Alison – Caitlin Smith Kes Read by Stephen Tompkinson © 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Barry Hines (Author), Arthur Lowe, Bernard Gallagher, Charles Booth, Chris Brailsford, Colin Edwynn, Full Cast, Gerry Kersey, Gillian Waugh, Juliet Cooke, Peter Bell, Robin Polley, Ronald Baddiley, Sharon Duce, Stephen Tompkinson (Narrator)

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Listen to Les: A BBC Radio 4 vintage comedy

"25 episodes from the long-running BBC comedy series starring the legendary Les Dawson For over a decade between 1974 and 1985, lugubrious funnyman Les Dawson had radio audiences in stitches with his hit comedy show Listen to Les. Included in this collection are 25 vintage episodes, showcasing the gravel-voiced master of mirth at his very best. All your favourite characters are here, including gossip-loving housewives Cissie and Ada; chat show host Cosmo Smallpiece; the elegant Sophisticates and the hilariously dismal Desponds - as well as Wotan, Man of Steel; the debut appearance of comic discovery Justin Jest; and a rare interview with boxer Sugar Albert Ackroyd. You'll hear tales of 1920s gangsters, Britain's first space hero, and Leonard Shufflebottom: a man so thin, he was once used as a dipstick. Les also pays tribute to a feisty barber and a sheep-headed publican, presents his very own versions of Dallas and Columbo, reflects on the British sense of humour - and reveals how the mother-in-law joke was invented... Packed with deadpan one-liners, melancholic monologues, side-splitting sketches and unforgettable piano sing-alongs, these classic shows are sure to have your tear ducts prickling with laughter. NB: Some of the humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast Production credits Performed by Les Dawson With Roy Barraclough, Colin Edwynn, Daphne Oxenford and Eli Woods Written and produced by James Casey Music by Brian Fitzgerald First broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 11 August 1974-17 March 1985 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

James Casey (Author), Colin Edwynn, Daphne Oxenford, Eli Woods, Full Cast, Roy Barraclough (Narrator)

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