John Finnemore's guide to The Queen's Speech double act

Well, I have finally finished writing this series of Double Acts - only five weeks after they started going out - and so have time to write something about Double Acts. The first of the series, The Queen's Speech, starring Stephanie Cole and Kerry Godliman, is still available on iPlayer for the next five days.

John Finnemore's Double Acts is back for another series. In the first one his Cabin Pressure co-star Stephanie Cole plays Queen Victoria and Kerry Godliman is Mabel, a commoner sent to Osborne House to amuse the sovereign. Victoria is hoping for a conjuror and is disappointed to find Mabel is actually here to introduce her to her newly invented voice recording apparatus. Furthermore, she hopes to persuade the Empress of India to allow her voice to be heard by her subjects all over the world. Does she cooperate? You'll have to listen to find out.

John Finnemore: Listen to Time Spanner

Simon's been working on it, in one form or another, for at least ten years; and it's been such a pleasure and an education to watch him refine it from a dazzling explosion of ideas and jokes and characters and umbrella-headed monks to this intricate, beautifully plotted half hour with a love story at its heart.

Series 6, Episode 5 production notes

Here are some production notes for episode five of this series...

Series 6, Episode 4 production notes

I have no idea what John's doing with the outro to Barwick Green. Half klezmer, half Swedish chef.

Series Six, Episode Three notes

I do genuinely own all those shirts, and that jumper I bought in the sixth form, which as one of the cast kindly pointed out to me means that it is older now than I was when I bought it.

Series 6, Episode 1 production notes

A scheduler at Radio 4 later asked if we'd like to be considered for an earlier broadcast slot. We politely declined, because of this song.