Boswell's Lives

Comedy as James Boswell becomes a time travelling biographer doing for other celebrities what he did for Dr Johnson.

Episodes

SeriesEpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
0101Boswell's Life Of Freud2015022520170317/18 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/22/27 (BBC7)
/22 (BBC7)
Boswell attempts to write a biography of Sigmund Freud but finds it's Freud who is asking all the questions.

Boswell attempts to write a biography of Sigmund Freud, but Freud asks all the questions.

In attempting to write Sigmund Freud's biography, Boswell finds it's Freud asking all the questions. With Miles Jupp. From 2015.

0102Boswell's Life Of Callas2015030420170324/25 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/06 (BBC7)
/29 (BBC7)
When Boswell meets Maria Callas and her poodle, he finds himself in an opera of his own making.

Jon Canter's sitcom sees Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer James Boswell pursue other legends to immortalise.

Maria Callas - Arabella Weir

Director: Sally Avens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.

Boswell meets Maria Callas and her poodle and finds himself in an opera of his own making.

Jon Canter's sitcom sees Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer, James Boswell pursue other legends to immortalise.

Maria Calla - Arabella Weir.

Dr Johnson's famed biographer James Boswell meets Maria Callas and her dog - and stars in an opera. Stars Miles Jupp. From 2015.

0103Boswell's Life Of Pinter2015031120170331 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/08/13 (BBC7)
/07 (BBC7)
James Boswell attempts to write the biography of Harold Pinter but finds himself the victim of a betrayal.

Jon Canter's sitcom sees Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer, James Boswell pursue other legends to immortalise.

Harold Pinter - Harry Enfield

Director: Sally Avens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.

Boswell meets playwright Harold Pinter but finds himself the victim of a betrayal.

Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer meets Harold Pinter, but becomes the victim of a betrayal. Stars Harry Enfield. From 2015.

0104 LASTBoswell's Life Of Johnson2015051720150522/23 (BBC7)
 (BBC7)
/15/20 (BBC7)
/14 (BBC7)
James Boswell attempts to write a biography of another famous Johnson - Boris - when he is Mayor of London.

But he finds him a fiendish opponent especially on the whiff-whaff table.

Jon Canter's sitcom sees Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer, James Boswell pursue other legends to immortalise.

Boris Johnson - Alistair McGowan

Director: Sally Avens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2015.

James Boswell, Dr Johnson's biographer, attempts to write a life of Boris Johnson.

Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer attempts to write about another famous Johnson – Boris. With Alistair McGowan. From 2015.

0201Boswell's Life Of Muhammad Ali2016032120190814 (BBC7)
/09/13 (BBC7)
/07 (BBC7)
Banned from boxing and in the wilderness, can Boswell help Muhammad Ali out of it and make The Greatest - Greatester?

Muhammad Ali - Lenny Henry

Boxing Commentator - Ewan Bailey

James Boswell meets Muhammad Ali, banned from boxing and in the wilderness.

Banned from boxing and in the wilderness, can Boswell help Muhammad Ali out of it and make The Greatest – Greatester?

0202Boswell's Life Of Marx2016032820190821 (BBC7)
/16 (BBC7)
/14 (BBC7)
Boswell attempts to write a biography of Karl Marx, but before he can start must help Marx pen his meisterwerk Das Kapital.

Karl Marx - Julian Rhind-Tutt

Boswell attempts to write a biography of Karl Marx.

0203Boswell's Life Of Madonna2016040420190828 (BBC7)
/23 (BBC7)
/21/23 (BBC7)
Boswell meets Madonna and lives to tell the tale.
0204 LASTBoswell's Life Of Bennett2016041120190904 (BBC7)
/02 (BBC7)
/28 (BBC7)
Boswell attempts to locate the cream cracker under the settee of Mr Alan Bennett.

Jon Canter's sitcom sees James Boswell, Dr Johnson's celebrated biographer, pursue other legends to immortalise.

Alan Bennett - Alistair McGowan

Producer: Sally Avens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2016.

0301Boswell's Life Of Byron2018030720230303 (R4)by Jon Canter

Boswell - Miles Jupp

Lord Byron - Freddie Fox

Directed by Sally Avens

Today he meets Lord Byron at the beginning of his career and Boswell is sure he can help the young man become a celebrated poet but does Byron really need his help?

Jon Canter is an award winning comedy writer for both television and radio. He penned the radio series 'Believe It' starring Richard Wilson but his work goes back to Spitting Image. He is also the author of several books and has been called our greatest living comic novelist.

The first series of Boswell's Lives went on to win the Prix Europa for Drama.

Time-travelling biographer James Boswell meets Lord Byron at the beginning of his career.

0302Boswell's Life Of De Beauvoir2018031420230317 (R4)by Jon Canter

Produced by Sally Avens

Today he meets Simone de Beauvoir and gains several lessons in equality as he helps clean her apartment allowing her to complete her book The Second Sex.

Would radical modern feminism have existed without him?

Time-travelling biographer James Boswell meets Simone de Beauvoir.

0303Boswell's Life Of Christie20180321Today he meets Agatha Christie and soon becomes involved in deception, disappearances and an unnatural death.

Vicki Pepperdine is best known as a co-writer and performer of the award winning 'Getting On'. She recently appeared in 'Goodbye Christopher Robin' and 'My Cousin Rachel'.

0304 LASTBoswell's Life Of Gandhi2018032820240105 (R4)Today he meets Gandhi, and Boswell attempts for not entirely selfless reasons to become a better man under Gandhi's guidance, but abstinence drives Boswell to distraction and worse.

Phaldut Sharma is best known for his role as AJ in EastEnders. He also appeared in Cucumber on C4 and the film Gravity.

He has recently written and starred in his own web series 'I Gotta Be Me' based on his own experience as a Sammy Davis tribute act.

Time-travelling biographer James Boswell meets Gandhi.

Phaldut Sharma stars as Gandhi and Miles Jupp as James Boswell, time-travelling biographer, recalling the lives of legends alive and dead in Jon Canter's comedy series.