Simon Brett, Jeremy Front

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic murder mystery, starring Bill Nighy as the irrepressible Charles Paris. Charles Paris (unsuccessful actor, bad husband, dipsomaniac) is currently appearing as a fork lift operator in a corporate video. It's not prime-time television or a major film, but it seems like easy money - until the fork lift is used to commit a murder. When Charles himself comes under suspicion, he decides to find out for himself who the murderer is. Meanwhile, as ever with Charles, life on the domestic front is not plain sailing. After inflicting damage upon his ex-wife's house, he finds himself offering her a berth on the houseboat he's currently sitting for a friend. However, life on the water proves as tricky as life at work... Suzanne Burden, Tim McInnery and Jon Glover are also among the cast in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front.Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles is out of work again, and to make matters worse his mother has come to stay and he's no way of escaping her. So when he's offered some voiceover work by old friend, Hugo, he's delighted to get out of the house. But Hugo's marriage is in trouble: his much younger wife, Ellie, spends all her time at her Amateur Dramatic Group, and Hugo is drinking too much. When Ellie is found drowned in their swimming pool, it seems Hugo is guilty of murder. It's up to Charles to prove his friend's innocence... Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden and Geraldine McEwan are among the star cast in this entertaining mystery, dramatised by Jeremy Front.Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's entertaining crime novel, starring Bill Nighy. Charles Paris has been 'resting' for quite a while, so he's relieved when he is cast as the Ghost of Hamlet's Father and First Gravedigger in a touring production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are a little tense - the lead roles of Hamlet and Ophelia are played by a reality TV contestant and TV talent show winner respectively, and their opinions on celebrity and the theatre differ somewhat from those of the more experienced members of the cast. The show is barely on the road before tragedy strikes - just before opening night, part of the set collapses, seriously injuring one of the actors. Then anothermember of the cast is found dead. It's up to Charles Paris to turn detective and investigate the mystery: but with almost everyone having a motive for murder, will he ever track down the real killer?Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front.Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel. Charles Paris is understudying in a West End production, whose star Michael Banks seems unable to master the script. Has Charles time to solve a murder, win Frances' heart and make it on stage by the time the curtain goes up?Also featuring; Suzanne Burden, Danny Webb, Jon Glover, Jemima Rooper, Liza Sadovy, Rachel Bavidge, Nitin Gonatra, Tilly Gaunt, Thomas Arnold, Jot Davies, Leslie Philips, Simon Treves, Jasmin Callan and Miranda Colchester.Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy stars as actor and amateur sleuth Charles Paris in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett?s novel

Charles? career is on the up. He?s starring in a revival of a popular (though hackneyed) 70''s farce ? and while his fellow actors aren?t exactly who you?d want to find yourself in bed with, he?s happy to be in work.

But while there may be comedy on stage, offstage it?s rapidly turning into a whodunnit. First the director drops dead, then another premature death follows soon after when an audio producer doing a promo for the show dies in suspicious circumstances.

The cast are hiding some shady secrets, and have plenty of skeletons in their cupboards which they don?t want rattled, but would anyone go as far as murder to protect themselves? Charles is determined to find out, and turns detective in an attempt to find out if foul play is afoot...

This witty, stylish dramatisation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his long-suffering wife Frances.

Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Charles Paris returns in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's humorous theatrical mystery, starring Bill Nighy. A job in pantomime seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but the cast of Cinderella are a motley crew from reality TV and Charles finds himself having to explain the traditions of panto to their baffled American star whose career is on a downward trajectory. When the star is shot dead, and Charles finds the body, he finds himself under suspicion. As the slapstick makes way for a murder investigation, he decides to clear his name by doing some sleuthing of his own. With a host of suspects and the body count rising, the line 'they're behind you' soon begins to take on a very sinister meaning indeed... Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Skylight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) stars as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as his wife Frances, in this funny and fast-paced dramatisation by Jeremy Front. Written by Jeremy Front, based on the novel by Simon Brett.

Bill Nighy stars as the suave thespian sleuth in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Life is good for Charles Paris. He''s moved back in with his estranged wife, and has landed a plum stage role as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. But it can''t last. First his attempts to woo Frances fall flat, then the play''s director is taken ill with gastric trouble. His replacement, Romanian wunderkind Alex Radelescu, is determined to take the play in a radical new direction - with or without Charles.

When a second member of the company falls sick, Charles begins to suspect a poisoner is on the loose - and the next victim could be him. Can he unmask the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy?

Adapted by Jeremy Front, this engaging dramatisation stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances, Jon Glover as Maurice and Julian Rhind-Tutt as Alex Radelescu.

''Always a treat'' Gillian Reynolds, Sunday Times

Production credits
Written by Simon Brett
Adapted by Jeremy Front
Produced and directed by Sally Avens
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 30 August-20 September 2006

Cast
Charles Paris - Bill Nighy
Frances - Suzanne Burden
Maurice - Jon Glover
Ken Carter - Peter Wight
Alex Radelescu - Julian Rhind-Tutt
Vivienne Marlin - Elizabeth Bell
Gavin Scholes - Thomas Wheatley
Jack Bradley - John Cummins
Sally Luther - Tracy Wiles
Ben Ritson - Tom Lawrence
Vasile Bogdan/Scott - Ryan McCluskey
Talya Northcott - Alex Tregear
Inspector Dewar - Kim Wall

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Five full-cast BBC radio dramatisations, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris

Thespian sleuth Charles Paris is his own worst enemy, a louche lush who can resist anything except temptation - especially in the form of women and alcohol. Estranged from his long-suffering wife, Frances, his personal life is shambolic, and as an actor, he''s C-list at best. But he does have a talent for solving murders - which is just as well, because wherever he goes, someone seems to drop dead...

A Series of Murders - Charles has landed a juicy part playing Sergeant Collins in the TV detective series, ''The Stanislaus Braid Mysteries''. But will all the deadly doings be restricted to on-screen?

Sicken and So Die - A suspected poisoner is on the loose in a production of Twelfth Night - can Charles track down the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy?

Murder Unprompted - There''s drama backstage when a murder is discovered in a West End theatre production. Has Charles time to find the killer before the curtain goes up?

The Dead Side of the Mic - A job with the BBC radio rep coincides with the mysterious death of a studio manager in Broadcasting House. Once again, Charles steps in to investigate...

Cast in Order of Disappearance - Playing a middle-management vampire in ''The Wreathing'', Charles finds himself dealing with a blackmailer, a maiden in distress - and a murderer. Has he bitten off more than he can chew?

Written by Jeremy Front
Based on the novels by Simon Brett
Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice

Text copyright © Simon Brett 1975 (Cast in Order of Disappearance), 1980 (The Dead Side of the Mic), 1982 (Murder Unprompted), 1989 (A Series of Murders), 1995 (Sicken and So Die)

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche Charles Paris in this BBC radio dramatisation of Simon Brett's novelWhen Charles Paris' agent rings with the news that he has a part for him in a new musical, Charles is delighted - and somewhat amazed, as he can neither sing nor dance.But Maurice has an ulterior motive: as one of the show's backers, he wants Charles to play detective and investigate a series of accidents that have dogged the production. The pianist has been shot in the hand and another cast member fell downstairs - or was he pushed? Anxious about their investment and their star, Chris Watt, the 'angels' are keen to ensure that nothing else goes wrong.Joining the company, Charles discovers that Chris, although amazingly talented, is a prima donna who has made enemies of almost everyone. When the accidents resume, it begins to look as if anyone who disagrees with him is being targeted. But would the star really sabotage his own show? Charles must find out - before things turn murderous...This thrilling adaptation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances.

Bill Nighy stars as the irrepressible Charles Paris in these five BBC Radio dramatisations

Actor, alcoholic and amateur sleuth Charles Paris returns in another quintet of humorous theatrical thrillers. All Charles asks for is a nice juicy part in a successful play - but wherever he appears on the bill, murder and mystery always play a starring role...

The Cinderella Killer - Panto seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but when the show''s star is found dead, the slapstick must make way for a murder investigation.

Dead Room Farce - Charles is appearing in a revival of a 1970s farce. But when two cast members die in suspicious circumstances, he suspects foul play is afoot.

Star Trap - When a series of accidents befalls the cast of a West End musical, Charles steps in to investigate. Who is trying to sabotage the show - and why?

A Doubtful Death - Charles has landed a role in an immersive theatre production of Hamlet. But when an actress goes missing, he must decide if it is to be or not to be a murder case... Also included with this story is an exclusive afterword with scriptwriter Jeremy Front, who adapted it from an unproduced screenplay by Simon Brett. He reveals what it''s like behind the scenes of Charles Paris, and explains the mechanics of recording for radio.

A Deadly Habit - Offered a job in a verbatim theatre piece set in a monastery, Charles has reservations. Then disaster strikes the production - and he smells criminality...

Written by Jeremy Front
Based on the novels and screenplay by Simon Brett
Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice

Text copyright © Simon Brett 1977 (Star Trap), 1998 (Dead Room Farce), 2014 (The Cinderella Killer), 2018 (A Deadly Habit), 2020 (A Doubtful Death)

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A brand new full-cast BBC radio dramatisation, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris

''Charles Paris is Bill Nighy... It''s the role he was born to play.'' The Telegraph

August in Edinburgh, and thousands of performers of all stripes have flocked to the Fringe Festival. Among them is Charles Paris filling in at the last minute after a student actress breaks a leg and has to drop out. Showcasing an earnest one-man show in a sea of stand-up comics is a bit of a gamble, but at least he''s acting, and with a Charles Paris production, what could possibly go wrong?

Charles is sharing a venue with a group of student actors, but when one of the performers dies in a freak stabbing, the actor-cum-amateur sleuth smells a murderous rat and decides to investigate. When the killer sets his sights on him, Charles realises that he must be getting close to the truth - despite not having a clue what''s going on...

Help arrives in the form of his agent, Maurice, in town scouting for talent, and Charles'' ''semi-detached'' wife, Frances, who inadvertently finds herself directing Charles'' show. The three become drawn into the mystery, and find themselves playing detectives. This unlikely trio are way out of their depth, but when has that ever stopped Charles Paris?

Jeremy Front''s witty drama stars Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice.

Written by Jeremy Front
Based on the novel by Simon Brett
Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Cast
Charles Paris - Bill Nighy
Frances - Suzanne Burden
Maurice - Jon Glover
James - Roger Ringrose
Anna - Natasha K Stone
Martin - Connor Curren
Laura - Chloe Sommer
Angus/Sam - Tom Kiteley
Tessa - Joanna Monro
Eilish - Catriona Stirling
Sophie - Fiona Skinner

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9th-30th June 2023

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bill Nighy stars as the lovably louche Charles Paris in these five BBC Radio dramatisations

Charles Paris - unsuccessful actor, bad husband, and dipsomaniac - is back, and getting into trouble once more. As he tries to woo back his semi-detached wife, Frances, and land a few half-decent roles, he finds himself embroiled in murder and mayhem and forced to turn detective. Luckily, his sleuthing is much better than his acting...

Murder in the Title - The thespian sleuth gets a part in a terrible play - but someone wants to kill off the cast. First a series of nasty accidents occur, then Charles is the victim of an attempted stabbing. Can he find the killer, or will he be fired first?

A Reconstructed Corpse - Charles is playing a missing businessman in a crime reconstruction programme. But when severed body parts begin to appear, he must piece together a macabre jigsaw puzzle of murder.

An Amateur Corpse - What starts as a simple voiceover job leads Charles to the discovery of a dead body. Could his old friend Hugo really be a murderer? All the signs are pointing that way...

Corporate Bodies - A corporate video turns into a horror movie when a secretary is killed. As he investigates, Charles uncovers blackmail, sexual intrigue and multiple motives for murder amongst the workforce.

A Decent Interval - Cast as The Ghost and First Gravedigger in Hamlet, Charles is finding rehearsals tense as both the lead roles are being played by reality TV stars. But soon it''s not just Shakespeare''s lines being murdered...

Written by Jeremy Front
Based on the novels by Simon Brett
Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice

Text copyright © Simon Brett 1978 (An Amateur Corpse), 1983 (Murder in the Title), 1991 (Corporate Bodies), 1993 (A Reconstructed Corpse), 2013 (A Decent Interval)

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd