Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20100315 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Michael Beard is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist whose best work is behind him, and now finds that his fifth marriage floundering. But this time it is different: she is having the affair, and he is still in love with her. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Physicist Michael Beard finds that his fifth marriage is floundering. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 02 | 20100316 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Michael Beard, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist whose best work is behind him, has been humiliated to discover that his fifth wife, Patrice, is having an affair with their builder, Rodney Tarpin. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Michael Beard has been humiliated to discover that his wife, Patrice, is having an affair. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 03 | 20100317 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Professor Michael Beard, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, has been away for a week on a climate change expedition in the Arctic Circle. He returns home early to find an unexpected visitor - with shocking consequences. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Michael Beard returns early from a climate change expedition to find an unexpected visitor Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 04 | 20100318 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Michael Beard, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, has covered up the accidental death of his young colleague, Tom Aldous, and planted evidence to frame his wife's lover, Rodney Tarpin. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Michael has covered up the accidental death of his colleague and framed his wife's lover. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 05 | 20100319 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. After the accidental death of a colleague, Professor Michael Beard has stolen the young scientist's files on solar energy and framed his ex-wife's lover for murder. It is now five years later. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. It is now five years since Professor Michael Beard framed his ex-wife's lover for murder. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 06 | 20100322 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. After divorcing his fifth wife, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Michael Beard has a new girlfriend, Melissa, but she is behaving differently towards him. Then he receives some unwelcome news. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Michael Beard's new girlfriend, Melissa, is behaving differently towards him. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 07 | 20100323 | Michael's girlfriend tells him she is pregnant. This is not the news he wanted to hear. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 08 | 20100324 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Four more years have passed, and Professor Beard is travelling to New Mexico for the launch of his new solar energy plant. But his plans - and his personal life - begin to unravel. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Four more years have passed, and Michael's plans - and personal life - begin to unravel. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 09 | 20100325 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Professor Michael Beard is driving with his business partner, Toby Hammer, to Lordsburg in New Mexico for the official opening of their new solar energy plant. But events are about to conspire against them. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Events are about to conspire against Michael Beard and his business partner, Toby Hammer. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 10 | 20100326 | Hugh Bonneville reads from Ian McEwan's new novel. Michael Beard is being pursued by a lawyer from Albuquerque and, to make matters worse, his American girlfriend, Darlene, has just told his English girlfriend, Melissa, that they are getting married. Abridged by Barry Johnston. A Heavy Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4. Michael's American girlfriend tells his English girlfriend that they are getting married. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |