Published by BBC Radio 4
Featuring Central Intelligence, starring Kim Cattrall, Kelsey Grammer and David Duchovny. The Limelight podcast - for fiction and drama serials you won't want to miss from Radio 4.
Listen on Apple Podcasts1965. Richard Helms is the obvious choice to lead the CIA. Experienced, respected and trusted inside the Agency, he appears to be next in line. LBJ has other ideas and instead appoints Admiral William “Red” Raborn — a fellow Texan with almost no intelligence experience. On his first day, a coup erupts in the Dominican Republic, and Raborn is thrown into a crisis he barely understands. As LBJ demands answers and Washington rushes towards military intervention, Eloise Page watches the Agency struggle under a director out of his depth. Starring Kim Cattrall, Kelsey Grammer and Johnny Flynn. Eloise Page..........Kim Cattrall Lyndon Baines Johnson..........Kelsey Grammer Richard Helms..........Johnny Flynn Young Eloise Page..........Elena Delia Admiral William ‘Red’ Raborn..........Roy McCrerey Tracy Barnes..........Richard Southgate Tap Bennett..........Tyreke Leslie Tom Karamessines ..........Akie Kotabe Dean Rusk..........Joseph Balderrama Desmond Fitzgerald..........Donald Sage Mackay Julia Helms..........Julee Cerda Helen Boatner..........Carlyss Peer John McCone..........Tim Ahern Spanish Guard ..........Walles Hamonde Gerri Whittington..........Nettie Chickering All other parts played by the cast Original music by Sacha Puttnam Written by Greg Haddrick, who created the series with Jeremy Fox Sound Design and Editing by Adam Woodhams, Andreina Gomez Casanova and John Scott Dryden Assistant Director: Flynn Hallman Sonica Studio Sound Engineers: Mat Clark & Paul Clark Sonica Runner: Lily Lefkow Director: John Scott Dryden Producer & Casting Director: Emma Hearn Executive Producers: Howard Stringer, Jeremy Fox, Greg Haddrick and John Scott Dryden. A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
1964. At the Pentagon, America’s future in Vietnam is played out in two rooms. The war game is meant to test whether bombing North Vietnam can force a communist retreat. But the simulation points to a devastating conclusion - whatever America does, the North will keep fighting, the Viet Cong will keep being supplied, and the war cannot be won on Washington’s terms. The CIA sees the warning clearly. John McCone tries to make LBJ listen. But the hawks in the administration dismiss the game as theory — and when the Gulf of Tonkin gives them the trigger they need, America steps towards a war the Agency already knows is doomed. Starring Kim Cattrall, Kelsey Grammer and Johnny Flynn. Eloise Page..........Kim Cattrall Lyndon Baines Johnson..........Kelsey Grammer Richard Helms..........Johnny Flynn Young Eloise Page..........Elena Delia Robert ‘Bob’ McNamara..........Rob Benedict Desmond Fitzgerald..........Donald Sage Mackay John McCone..........Tim Ahern Peer de Silva..........Ian Porter Barbara Robbins..........Lily Lefkow Admiral Grant Sharp..........David Menkin Tom Karamessines..........Akie Kotabe Gerri Whittington..........Nettie Chickering All other parts played by the cast Original music by Sacha Puttnam Written by Greg Haddrick, who created the series with Jeremy Fox Sound Design and Editing by Adam Woodhams, Andreina Gomez Casanova and John Scott Dryden Assistant Director: Flynn Hallman Sonica Studio Sound Engineers: Mat Clark & Paul Clark Margarita Sound Engineer: James Moore Sonica Runner: Lily Lefkow Director: John Scott Dryden Producer & Casting Director: Emma Hearn Executive Producers: Howard Stringer, Jeremy Fox, Greg Haddrick and John Scott Dryden. A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
1964. As British Guiana edges towards independence, Washington fears another communist foothold in the Americas. But the President’s attention is soon caught by a more immediate irritation: Harold Wilson’s new Labour government is pressing ahead with a lucrative export deal to Castro’s Cuba. To London, it is just business. To LBJ, it looks like betrayal. And as the CIA tries to keep one eye on British Guiana, the White House becomes consumed by a row over buses, allies, trade, and what loyalty means in the Cold War. Starring Kim Cattrall, Kelsey Grammer, Johnny Flynn and Jason Watkins. Eloise Page..........Kim Cattrall Lyndon Baines Johnson..........Kelsey Grammer Richard Helms..........Johnny Flynn David Ormsby-Gore..........Jason Watkins Young Eloise Page..........Elena Delia Robert ‘Bob’ McNamara..........Rob Benedict Desmond Fitzgerald..........Donald Sage Mackay Helene Boatner..........Carlyss Peer John McCone..........Tim Ahern Virginia Hall..........Jennifer Armour Tom Karamessines ..........Akie Kotabe Elizabeth, Richard Helm’s Secretary..........Laurel Lefkow Leroy Gomes..........Tyreke Leslie Cheddi Jagan..........Vivek Madan Tracy Barnes..........Richard Southgate Gerri Whittington..........Nettie Chickering All other parts played by cast Original music by Sacha Puttnam Production: Written by Greg Haddrick, who created the series with Jeremy Fox Sound Design and Editing by Adam Woodhams, Andreina Gomez Casanova and John Scott Dryden Assistant Director: Flynn Hallman Sonica Studio Sound Engineers: Mat Clark & Paul Clark Margarita Sound Engineer: James Moore Sonica Runner: Lily Lefkow Director: John Scott Dryden Producer & Casting Director: Emma Hearn Executive Producers: Howard Stringer, Jeremy Fox, Greg Haddrick and John Scott Dryden. A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
1964. Chile is preparing to vote — and Washington is watching nervously. With the memory of Cuba still raw, LBJ fears another communist foothold in the Americas. Inside Langley, the CIA is told to help deliver the right result before the ballot box produces the wrong one. For Eloise Page, Richard Helms and John McCone, that means money, media, pressure, persuasion — and the fine art of interference without fingerprints. The Agency faces its first major test under President LBJ: how far do you go to protect democracy from itself? Eloise Page..........Kim Cattrall Lyndon Baines Johnson..........Kelsey Grammer Richard Helms..........Johnny Flynn Young Eloise Page..........Elena Delia Desmond Fitzgerald..........Donald Sage Mackay John McCone..........Tim Ahern Helene Boatner..........Carlyss Peer Virginia Hall..........Jennifer Armour Henry Hecksher..........David Menkin Charlie Michaels..........Christopher Ragland Augustin ‘Gus’ Edwards..........Joseph Balderrama Tom Karamessines ..........Akie Kotabe Gerri Whittington..........Nettie Chickering Judge Sarah T Hughes..........Laurel Lefkow Security Guard..........Tyreke Leslie All other parts played by cast Original music by Sacha Puttnam Production: Written by Greg Haddrick, who created the series with Jeremy Fox Sound Design and Editing by Adam Woodhams, Andreina Gomez Casanova and John Scott Dryden Assistant Director: Flynn Hallman Sonica Studio Sound Engineers: Mat Clark & Paul Clark Sonica Runner: Lily Lefkow Director: John Scott Dryden Producer & Casting Director: Emma Hearn Executive Producers: Howard Stringer, Jeremy Fox, Greg Haddrick and John Scott Dryden. A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
JFK is dead. LBJ is in the White House. And the CIA is about to be dragged into the defining battles of the 1960s. From Chile and British Guiana to Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, the Middle East and the Bolivian jungle, the Agency is fighting communism on every front. But as America turns against the war, the enemy begins to look closer to home. Presidents demand answers. Directors come and go. Richard Helms rises. Bill Colby emerges. Eloise Page watches the CIA embrace satellites, surveillance, covert war — and, in one extraordinary case, the services of a cat. A thrilling new season of the award-winning drama about America’s Central Intelligence Agency, told from the inside out. Starring Kim Cattrall, Kelsey Grammer, Johnny Flynn, Jason Watkins and David Duchovny.
Series finale . When his worst fears become reality, Mo has 24 hours to gather all the evidence he can before gives himself up. Series creators: Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell. Episode 5 by Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell CAST Mo - Mohamed Elsandel Elli - Maeve Courtier-Lilley Omar - Ali Goolyad Martin - Matthew Gravelle Mama - Alaa Taha Amna - Fatima Seedahmed Mr Willis - Daniel Cerqueira D S Williams - Geraint Morgan Lawyer - Ben Crowe The Guard/ Courier - Halim Diwani Original Music by Tom Tripp Oud Music by Nabra Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris Production Coordinators: Maggie Olgiati and Eleri McAuliffe Script consultant: Majid Hassan Director: John Norton A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production
Mo is recovering in hospital after a hit and run. Now he's going to have to tell Omar what's going on. It's only a matter of time before the killer finds him again, or the police have enough evidence to arrest him for a murder he didn't commit. Series creators: Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell. Episode 4 by Darragh Mortell CAST Mo - Mohamed Elsandel Elli - Maeve Courtier-Lilley Omar - Ali Goolyad Mama - Alaa Taha Amna - Fatima Seedahmed DI Johnson - Kyle Lima Driver - Ben Crowe Rosa - Laura dos Santos Original Music by Tom Tripp Oud Music by Nabra Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris Production Coordinators: Maggie Olgiati and Eleri McAuliffe Script consultant: Majid Hassan Director: John Norton A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production
After an argument, Elli has invited Mo around for food to apologise. He wouldn't have turned up but his mum is mad at him, and the Home Office and the police are out checking papers. He's already inside the house when he finds out the the police have reopened Rosa's case - the duty pathologist was dismissed for negligence and now they are re-examining everything and going through CCTV of the night in question. Mo is bound to be in it. Series creators: Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell Episode 3 by Darragh Mortell Mo - Mohamed Elsandel Elli - Maeve Courtier-Lilley Omar - Ali Goolyad Martin - Matthew Gravelle Mama - Alaa Taha Mr Willis - Daniel Cerqueira Henry Parnell - Rick Yale Ryan Parnell - Callum Lloyd Head Tutor - Laura dos Santos Radio Presenter - Ben Crowe Original Music by Tom Tripp Oud Music by Nabra Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris Production Coordinators: Maggie Olgiati and Eleri McAuliffe Script consultant: Majid Hassan Director: John Norton A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production
Tormented by his conscience, Mo drifted into the dead woman's funeral and now her stepdaughter Elli, who is convinced that it wasn't suicide, has persuaded him to help her solve the mystery of what really happened to Rosa. Elli's pretty certain the death had something to do with the notorious Parnell family. How long can Mo keep lying to her, to his best friend Omar, and his mother? Will he get out of this tangled web before something else goes wrong? Series creators: Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell Episode 2 by Eno Mfon CAST Mo - Mohamed Elsandel Elli - Maeve Courtier-Lilley Omar - Ali Goolyad Mama - Alaa Taha Amna - Fatima Seedahmed Henry Parnell - Rick Yale Mrs Parnell - Zoe Davies Ryan Parnell - Callum Lloyd Rosa - Laura dos Santos Newsreader - Ben Crowe Original Music by Tom Tripp Oud Music by Nabra Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris Production Coordinators: Maggie Olgiati and Eleri McAuliffe Script consultant: Majid Hassan Director: John Norton A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production
When Mo, a Sudanese delivery rider working in Cardiff enters a house to drop off two pizzas, he finds a dead body. Convinced that if he alerts the authorities he will either be suspected of murder or arrested for working illegally and deported, Mo flees the crime scene. When the murder is reported as a suicide, Mo can't stop thinking about the dead woman. He knows what he saw. Series creators Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell Episode 1 by Eno Mfon CAST Mo - Mohamed Elsandel Elli - Maeve Courtier-Lilley Omar - Ali Goolyad Mama - Alaa Taha Amna - Fatima Seedahmed The Priest - Geraint Morgan Alexa - Laura dos Santos Woman - Lisa Greenwood Football commentator - Ben Crowe Original Music by Tom Tripp Oud Music by Nabra. Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris Production Coordinators: Maggie Olgiati and Eleri McAuliffe Script consultant: Majid Hassan Director: John Norton A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production
A pizza delivery rider enters a house and finds something he never should have seen.
A cutting-edge thriller about an Artificial Intelligence takeover, written in consultation with leading AI and cybersecurity experts. In Episode 4, Iain and Mel are forced to run for their lives as military personnel receive deepfaked orders. The AI gains control of internal government communications, and Nisha clashes with cabinet ministers over the right course of action. The London Internet Exchange is compromised, and Iain, Mel and Nisha are forced to consider what price is worth paying for human freedom. Cast: Iain - Edward Bluemel Mel - Corinna Brown Zaina - Fatima Adoum Roland - Philip Bretherton Jess - Alix Wilton Regan Nisha - Seyan Sarvan Sam - Kenneth Omole Andrea - Beth Chalmers Oliver - Sean Rigby Marcus - Wilf Scolding John - Joseph Mydell Susan - Karen Bryson Lyssa - Catriona Stirling Supporting roles - Sean Baker Created by James Dobbyn and Anthony Povah Written by James Dobbyn Original Music by Steven D Griffiths and Isla Noir Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown Director: John Wakefield Story Producer: Sarah Olley Producer: Chris Grezo Executive Producer: John Scott Dryden A Strange Boy production for BBC Radio 4
A cutting-edge thriller about an Artificial Intelligence takeover, written in consultation with leading AI and cybersecurity experts. In Episode 3, the streets of London are in chaos, with traffic and public transport at a standstill and emergency services communications down. Reeling from the killings carried out by the AI, Iain and Mel fall out and decide to go it alone. Nisha realises the AI is trying to hack the London Internet Exchange and spread to the rest of the UK. Despite the patchy communications and ongoing deepfakes, the government manages to send an SAS team to the UT building as Nisha tries to cope with the spiralling situation in Whitehall. Cast: Iain - Edward Bluemel Mel - Corinna Brown Zaina - Fatima Adoum Roland - Philip Bretherton Jess - Alix Wilton Regan Nisha - Seyan Sarvan Sam - Kenneth Omole Andrea - Beth Chalmers Oliver - Sean Rigby Marcus - Wilf Scolding John - Joseph Mydell Susan - Karen Bryson Lyssa - Catriona Stirling Supporting roles - Sean Baker Created by James Dobbyn and Anthony Povah Written by James Dobbyn Original Music by Steven D Griffiths and Isla Noir Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown Director: John Wakefield Story Producer: Sarah Olley Producer: Chris Grezo Executive Producer: John Scott Dryden A Strange Boy production for BBC Radio 4
A cutting-edge thriller about an Artificial Intelligence takeover, written in consultation with leading AI and cybersecurity experts. In Episode 2, chaos breaks out across London as the AI resorts to more extreme measures. Iain, Mel, Roland and Zaina, trapped in the building, struggle to outwit the AI and figure out a way to help the rest of the city. Meanwhile Deputy Director of the National Cyber Security Centre Nisha Khan tries to convince ministers in Whitehall that their best chance is to escalate immediately before it's too late. When the operations team sent to the UT building fails to report back, Nisha sends her close colleague Sam to investigate. Cast: Iain - Edward Bluemel Mel - Corinna Brown Zaina - Fatima Adoum Roland - Philip Bretherton Jess - Alix Wilton Regan Nisha - Seyan Sarvan Sam - Kenneth Omole Andrea - Beth Chalmers Oliver - Sean Rigby Marcus - Wilf Scolding John - Joseph Mydell Susan - Karen Bryson Lyssa - Catriona Stirling Supporting roles - Sean Baker Written by James Dobbyn and Anthony Povah Original Music by Steven D Griffiths and Isla Noir Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown Director: John Wakefield Story Producer: Sarah Olley Producer: Chris Grezo Executive Producer: John Scott Dryden A Strange Boy production for BBC Radio 4
A cutting-edge thriller about an Artificial Intelligence takeover, written in consultation with leading AI and cybersecurity experts. During a routine overnight update at the headquarters of a major UK telecoms giant, two IT workers unknowingly set something terrifying in motion. They've started an LCE - an AI Loss of Control Event. Over the course of one night, a handful of staff race to regain control as forces far beyond the building begin to close in. What’s been unleashed threatens to change everything — and soon there may be no way to put it back. This is a very a real and disastrous phenomenon, and it could happen to us very soon. Starring Edward Bluemel and Corinna Brown. Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang. Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton. Written by James Dobbyn and Anthony Povah. Cast: Iain - Edward Bluemel Mel - Corinna Brown Zaina - Fatima Adoum Roland - Philip Bretherton Jess - Alix Wilton Regan Nisha - Seyan Sarvan Sam - Kenneth Omole Andrea - Beth Chalmers Oliver - Sean Rigby Marcus - Wilf Scolding John - Joseph Mydell Susan - Karen Bryson Lyssa - Catriona Stirling Supporting roles - Sean Baker and members of the cast Original Music by Steven D Griffiths and Isla Noir Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown Director: John Wakefield Story Producer: Sarah Olley Producer: Chris Grezo Executive Producer: John Scott Dryden A Strange Boy production for BBC Radio 4
A cutting-edge thriller about an Artificial Intelligence takeover, written in consultation with leading AI and cybersecurity experts. During a routine overnight update at the headquarters of a major UK telecoms giant, two IT workers unknowingly set something terrifying in motion. They've started an LCE - an AI Loss of Control Event. Over the course of one night, a handful of staff race to regain control as forces far beyond the building begin to close in. What’s been unleashed threatens to change everything — and soon there may be no way to put it back. This is a very a real and disastrous phenomenon, and it could happen to us very soon. Starring Edward Bluemel and Corinna Brown. Artificial Intelligence consultant: Saffron Huang. Cybersecurity consultant: Adam Orton. Written by James Dobbyn and Anthony Povah.
Kerry’s efforts to assume her sister’s identity and pose as a dentist have been disastrous. Between the high body count and a gangster pursuing her for a quarter of a million pounds, the life of quiet desperation she was previously living seems very attractive right now… D.C. Jackson’s darkly comical crime thriller concludes. Cast: DI Hickman … David Ireland Paul Rennie… Jonathan Watson Jaconelli and The Minister… Gavin Mitchell Leanne … Gabriel Quigley Kasia … Leah Byrne Bob … Grant O’Rourke Sapphire … Sylvia Jackson Studio Production: Andy Hay and Gav Murchie Production Coordinator: Ellie Marsh Original music and sound design: Fraser Jackson Additional keyboards: Tony Graham Commissioning Editors: Alison Hindell and Rhian Roberts. A BBC Audio Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams
When Kerry made the snap decision to assume her dead sister’s identity, she didn’t think through the consequences of posing as a dentist. So far those consequences have been pretty fatal. And now, as she digs deeper and deeper into her deception, she finds herself butting up against the criminal underworld. Cast: Kasia … Leah Byrne Leanne … Gabriel Quigley Paul Rennie… Jonathan Watson DI Hickman … David Ireland Bob … Grant O’Rourke Studio Production: Andy Hay and Gav Murchie Production Coordinator: Ellie Marsh Original music and sound design: Fraser Jackson Additional keyboards: Tony Graham A BBC Audio Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams
Darkly comic crime thriller by D.C. Jackson. When Kerry makes the snap decision to assume her dead sister’s identity, she doesn’t think through the consequences of posing as a dentist. And those consequences turn out to be pretty fatal... Cast: Leanne … Gabriel Quigley Kasia … Leah Byrne Bob and Toby… Grant O’Rourke Stewart … Jonathan Watson DI Hickman … David Ireland Jaconelli … Gavin Mitchell Studio Production: Andy Hay and Gav Murchie Production Coordinator: Ellie Marsh Original music and sound design: Fraser Jackson Additional keyboards: Tony Graham A BBC Audio Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams
Darkly comic crime thriller by D.C. Jackson. When Kerry makes the snap decision to assume her dead sister’s identity, she doesn’t think through the consequences of posing as a dentist. Turns out they’re pretty catastrophic… Cast: Leanne … Gabriel Quigley DI Hickman … David Ireland Bob … Grant O’Rourke Stewart … Jonathan Watson Jaconelli … Gavin Mitchell Kasia … Leah Byrne Studio Production: Andy Hay and Gav Murchie Production Coordinator: Ellie Marsh Original music and sound design: Fraser Jackson Additional keyboards: Tony Graham A BBC Audio Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams
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Observed July 31, 2026.
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