A sparkling collection of nine witty full-cast comedies from the early Restoration eraRaunchy, risqué and rebellious, early Restoration comedies were a breath of fresh air for 17th century theatregoers. With Charles II restored to the throne in 1660, Oliver Cromwell's ban on stage performances was rescinded, and for the first time, women were invited to tread the boards as actresses. Playwrights developed a new style of social comedy, packed with amorous escapades,...

40 of Aesop's tales, specially adapted for young children. Read by Richard Briers, Jane Horrocks, Jonathan Pryce, Alison Steadman, Richard E. Grant, Lindsay Duncan and Brenda Blethyn. Stories include: The Hare & the Tortoise/The Frogs & the Ox/The Fox & the Crow/The Monkey as King/The Bundle of Sticks/The Gnat & the Lion/The North Wind & the Sun/The Fox & the Grapes/The Dog, the Cockerel & the Fox/The Miller, His Son & the Donkey/The Wolf & the Heron/The Donkey in the Lion's Skin/The Ant &...

Considered too obscene to be staged in its original form for nearly 200 years, William Wycherley’s bawdy comedy tells the tale of Mr Horner - a notorious rake who spreads the false rumour that he is impotent in order to gain free access to other men’s wives. When he meets the young, innocent Margery Pinchwife, the ‘country wife’ of the title, the scene is set for scandal... This sparkling 1985 BBC Radio production stars Maggie Smith as Margery Pinchwife, with an all-star cast including Jon...

Jonathan Pryce and Nicholas le Provost deliver first-class performances in this comedy drama series, which charts the misfortunes of a middle-aged HR officer and his trouble-making colleague.Lazy HR officer Sam (Nicholas le Provost) and his equally useless workmate Peter (Jonathan Pryce) realise they are in trouble: Peter for lateness and abusive phone calls to clients, and Sam for his over-relaxed attitude to errant staff members like Peter. Soon their worst fears are realised whe...

The long-awaited autobiography of legendary singer Tom Jones, following six decades of unparalleled experiences in the spotlight to coincide with his 75th birthday.Across six decades, Sir Tom Jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. With a drive that comes from nothing but the love for what he does, he breaks through and then wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry, the nature of succes...

This extraordinary true story introduces audiences to the unforgettable Waterhouse Hawkins: Victorian artist and visionary who built the world's first life-size models of dinosaurs!Can you fathom a time when almost no one in the world knew what a dinosaur looked like? That was true in the mid-nineteenth century, until Victorian artist Waterhouse Hawkins built the first life-size models of dinosaurs, first in his native England and later in New York City, and dazzled the world with ...

Written and read by the Hairy BikersThe Hairy Bikers are known for their many best-selling cookbooks, including the HAIRY DIETERS, HAIRY BIKERS' PERFECT PIES, GREAT CURRIES and MUMS KNOW BEST, and now they are here to tell you how it all started.Si King and Dave Myers, aka The Hairy Bikers, have lived life to the fullest. They had fantastically rich northern childhoods, laced with food and fun, but of course, with some tragedy too. But we also get to know the early Bikers -...

The reigning queen of Albert Square, Laila Morse shares her incredible story for the first time. This is a book that will shock, humble and inspire.

As England's cricket team compete for the Ashes in Australia, ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell is enjoying life as a retired cricketer and national treasure. When the sporting legend hung up his cricket boots back in 2003, little did he know the dramatic direction his professional life would take next.Yet since being crowned 'King of the Jungle', the ex-England spin bowler has never looked back and has become a much loved television and radio presenter. Cricket's dr...

A true great of British comedy, Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Corbett, is hailed as one of the finest comedians of his generation.Son of an Edinburgh baker, Ronnie rose to fame as one half of the infamous Two Ronnies alongside Ronnie Barker. Known for his versatility, quick-wit, family-friendly dialogue, and meandering monologues, Corbett was a staple of British television for more than 50 years. In his autobiography, he tells the complete story, from his school technique of estimating the heigh...

**Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of *No Regrets,***Coleen Nolan's gripping new memoir about love and heartbreak.As a member of the Nolan sisters, Coleen Nolan was born into the spotlight and has stayed there ever since. She has now become one of the nation's favourite TV presenters and is used to newspapers and magazines claiming to have the inside story of her private life. In No Regrets Coleen finally reveals the truth of...

There is no one quite like Brian Blessed. He's an actor, film star, trained undertaker, unlikely diplomat, secret romantic, martial artist and mountaineer. He's also a brilliant storyteller who will - and you must brace yourself - simply leap out of the pages at you.Ready? Then open Absolute Pandemonium and you'll be taken on a riotous journey from his childhood, growing up the son of a miner in Goldthorpe, to finding fame in Z-Cars. You'll see Brian falling for K...