China, 1860. For ten years a bizarre Christian cult - the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom - has been locked in bloody rebellion against China's emperor. Millions have died. When the Taipings march on Shanghai, Mark Falchion will stand alongside the city's desperately outnumbered defenders. But among the Taiping ranks are Mark's true love, a beautiful woman archer, and his nemesis, a cruel and vengeful Taiping warrior.And the Taipings are not Mark Falchion's only enemy. Also pitted against...

Hong Kong in 1970 was the fastest expanding city in the world, a city that lived on three levels - the expatriates, nearly always British who lived in almost complete isolation; the vast mass of Chinese residents struggling to get by and improve their lot; and finally the criminal and corrupt underside which not only fought among itself but also affected the life of everyone else in the Crown Colony through fear and corruption. Fighting to hold this in check - and by and large succeeding -...

Hong Kong -- a Chinese city with British-based law, a unique place with a unique police force. In his latest book, Chris Emmett, best-selling author of "Hong Kong Policeman," puts you on the streets, alongside the Hong Kong police officers who were there during the greatest crises of the past few decades. In the 1960s, China's Cultural Revolution came to Hong Kong and in one crazy summer, ten Hong Kong police officers lost their lives, five of them to a machinegun attack at the border vill...

China - 1860. The Taiping Rebellion, led by a man who claims to be the living brother of Jesus Christ, controls huge swathes of Southern China. Caught in the chaos are Mark Falchion, a young China-born scholar and experienced swordsman; Meng, a vengeful Taiping warrior; and Mei, a beautiful young archer and former house slave now swept up into the Taiping army. Their destinies collide during a battle for the fortress town of Sungkiang, gateway to the rebels' main prize - Shanghai. The Scho...

God Rest You Merry, a daily programme of readings and music for Christmas week, was first broadcast on the BBC Home Service in 1961 and has been repeated in various forms over the years since then. Now, with this recording, listeners can hear again the series of programmes as a whole, including some of their favourite poems and carols. The Saint Martin Singers date back to 1942, and owe their origin to a small band of fire-watchers at the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Among ...

Simon Jones, who played Arthur Dent in ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, presents a look back at the life and work of a writer who has captivated the imagination of millions. When Douglas Adams created ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ for BBC Radio 4, it was the genesis of a science fiction comedy legend. Yet his career at the BBC had begun in Light Entertainment, with contributions to ‘The Burkiss Way’, ‘Week Ending’ and other sketch shows of the time. He went on to script edi...

Five delightful pantomimes featuring musical numbers, silly jokes and fun for all the family!In***Puss In Boots***, young Tom dreams of winning the heart of Princess Rose Petal. Can Puss in Boots help Tom defeat Baron Skinflint and his greedy ogre, and win the princess’ heart?Aladdin is a happy peasant boy. But the wicked Abanazar needs his help, as only Aladdin can enter the secret cave to find a very special lamp…In

A compilation covering June Whitfield's radio career of over half a century, incorporating comedy series such as Take It From Here, The Navy Lark, Round the Horne, Hancock's Half Hour, The Frankie Howerd Show and The News Huddlines, and appearances as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.

Now available together for the first time are all six episodes from the first series of classic comedy from David Renwick (who went on to write One Foot in the Grave), Andrew Marshall (who later wrote 2point4 Children) – and Eric Pode (of Croydon). Includes: 'Peel Bananas The Burkiss Way’, in which you can learn the best techniques for peeling bananas and how to get people off lightly; 'Pass Examinations The Burkiss Way’, which teaches you how to astound your friends by a...

Three charming comedy series starring the dear ladies of a musical bent, Dr Evadne Hinge and Dame Hilda BracketMeet Hinge and Bracket, the delightful double act brought to sublime life by George Logan and Patrick Fyffe. Lifelong companions and musical collaborators, they enjoy nothing more than performing around the piano together, and trading light-hearted banter spiced with comic innuendo and a double entendre or two.Coll...

A hapless elephant keeper must do everything he can to save his failing zooTerry Lyon, assistant head keeper of Southwood Zoo, trusts animals because most people think he’s a waste of space. But as the zoo lurches towards bankruptcy, his future looks bleak. As if managing hungry elephants and contrary polar bears wasn’t complicated enough, the humans in Terry’s life pose their own challenges. Having had to move back in with his parents after his divorce, life becom...

A historical romp with regal trips to the pub, medieval battle toys, and not-so-arranged marriagesIn Jim the Great, Jimmy Edwards stars as the titular medieval chieftain who has more on his plate than whatever the huntsman's brought in...From using the Venerable Bede to research the King's (perhaps questionable) ancestry and attempting to build himself an empire as cheaply as possible, to settling a debt with a Viking by way of a duel and accidenta...