1. The Storyteller

Author of several plays, television dramas, works of non-fiction, letters to the BBC about the pitiful decline in standards of literature and grammar, and master of the abusive email – Ed Reardon is back.

Ed is still living in his superb, stylish capsule urban living unit (i.e., small office conversion), and conducting his part-time relationship with Maggie. However, the means to finance a decent living as always eludes him. His agent, Ping, is not forthcoming with any major offers of work but his nemesis and best friend, Jaz, is keen for Ed to ghost-write his new memoir, ‘I, Jaz’.

Ed would rather focus on trying to secure a spot on local radio and is busy ‘self-taping’ his audition piece berating the art of ‘Storytelling’, which proves a little difficult as his daughter, Eli, has decided she is going to pursue a new career as a ‘Storyteller’ and asks Ed to support her.

And with Pearl having gone to join the silver workforce as a store detective, Ed has a new student in his University of the 3rd Age writing class which allows him the opportunity to introduce a superior command of the narrative art to a new audience in the form of his classic ‘Tenko’ episode.

The series is dedicated to writer Andrew Nickolds, who sadly passed away mid-way through writing the series in 2022.

Written by Andrew Nickolds and Christopher Douglas.

Ed Reardon …. Christopher Douglas
Ping …. Barunka O’Shaughnessy
Jaz Milvain …. Philip Jackson
Eli …. Lisa Coleman
Stan …. Geoffrey Whitehead
Olive …. Sally Grace
Winnie …. Ellen Thomas

Producer: Dawn Ellis

A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2023.