Our Friends in the North

Summary

Peter Flannery's adaptation of his own iconic BAFTA award winning TV series - with a brand new final episode by award-winning writer Adam Usden

'A stunning state-of-the-nation social commentary' The Telegraph

First broadcast in 1996, Our Friends in the North was one of the most highly acclaimed TV shows of the 1990s. It launched the careers of Daniel Craig, Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee and Mark Strong, won numerous awards including three BAFTAs, and is widely regarded as a modern classic.

Now, 26 years later, Peter Flannery has recreated his epic saga for radio. Ambitious in scale and scope, the drama follows the fortunes of four friends over three decades, beginning in 1964. Drawing on real-life controversies from the Sixties and Seventies, it tackles corporate, political and police corruption in the 1960s, the Soho porn empires of the 1970s, the nouveau riche and the Miners' Strike of the 1980s and the rise of New Labour in the 1990s. A final episode by Adam Usden brings the story up to the present day, picking up on several characters from 26 years before and showing them dealing with familiar challenges including housing conditions, young people's engagement with politics and father/son relationships.

Starring four talented young actors - Norah Lopez Holden, James Baxter, Luke MacGregor and Philip Correia - this powerful, poignant audio retelling immerses us in the world of Tyneside pals Mary, Nicky, Geordie and Tosker, as they face personal, political and social upheaval, experience triumph and tragedy, and make decisions that will change their lives forever.

Production credits
Written by Peter Flannery
Episode 10 written by Adam Usden and dedicated to the memory of Warren Usden
Produced by Melanie Harris
Executive Producer: Jeremy Mortimer
Trainee Production Co-ordinator: Emma O'Mahoney
Studio Engineer: Paul Clark
Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore, Jon Nicholls, Paul Cargill and Steve Brooke
A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4

Cast
Mary/Julia/Francine - Norah Lopez Holden
Nicky/Young Anthony/Christopher Collins - James Baxter
Geordie/Ray/Anthony - Luke MacGregor
Tosker/DI Salway/Toby Roddy - Philip Correia
Felix - Trevor Fox
Florrie/Sandra/Claudia Seabrook/Psychiatrist/Mrs Wilkinson - Tracey Wilkinson
Austin Donohue/Charlie/Claud Seabrook/DI Cockburn/Colin Butler/Christopher - Tom Goodman-Hill
Eddie Wells/Arthur Watson/Commander Harold Chapple - James Gaddas
Bede Connor/Benny Barratt/Chief Constable Roy Johnson/Alan Roe/The Close Encounterer - Tony Hirst
John Edwards - Maanuv Thiara
DS Conrad/Priest - Andrew Byron
Ernie/Sir Colin Blamire/Asst Commander Fieldson - Des Yankson
Helen/Paula/Lucille/Alison/Elaine/Alice - Eve Shotton
Commissioner Jellicoe/Superintendent - Darren Kuppan
Sean Collins - Alfie Williams
Amy - Bryony Corrigan
Roy - David Leon
Kira - Lucy Aiston
Wazza - Noel Walton
Mike - Tom Machell

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 March-9 June 2022

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