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Chuma by Lesley Nneka Arimah
In Lesley Nneka Arimah's specially commissioned short story something precious is lost. Read more
now playing
Series 1
In Lesley Nneka Arimah's specially commissioned short story something precious is lost.
The Astonishing Good Fortune of Marigold Castor by Lionel Shriver
Two fame-hungry young film-makers try make it in London.
Craters by Chris Power
A young Australian woman in Cambodia fears she might be out of her depth.
A Century of Results
It is the summer of 1999 and expectation is riding high on GCSE results day.
In Loco Parentis by Jan Carson
A magical story about a doting auntie, face-painting and the importance of wet wipes.
The Woodwose Wedding by Electra Rhodes
When loggers threaten their forest home, Trefor and Alan resort to unconventional means.
MENopause by Karen Quinn
A young manager of a bowling alley struggles to relate to his menopausal employee.
Daisy Daisy
New short fiction by Julie Ma. Read by Ruth Jones.
The Suit by Colin Carberry
Following her wedding, a woman promises to buy her father a new suit.
Gwen's Silver Fox
Gwen's Silver Fox. New short fiction by John Sam Jones. Read by Richard Elfyn.
Motherdaughter Daughtermother by Susannah Dickey
A mother and daughter try to make it through the airport in time to catch their flight.
BBC National Short Story Award 2018
Synsepalum
By Irenosen Okojie. A mysterious tailor makes fantastic frocks for his clients.
Stay the Course by Dima Alzayat
A walk in the park brings back some uncomfortable memories.
Daphne by Lucy Caldwell
The starlings have disappeared from Belfast's sky.
Love Is Mortifying by Gina Donnelly
A late-night call from a wrong number leads to a conversation with a stranger.
Kicha and the Unicorn
Kicha and the Unicorn. New short fiction by Hanan Issa. Read by Nina Wadia.
She Named Us
As a teenager, Jimbo Doyle was a bass player in a punk band destined for fame.
Acousmatic by Manon Steffan Ros
New short fiction from Manon Steffan Ros. Read by Sara McGaughey.
Mister Derek by Alice Malseed
A young woman returns to London to meet an old friend.
Madwoman's Milk by Louise Kennedy
From the award-winning author of Treses, a new story set on Ireland's northwest coast.
Joan Loves Ice Cream by Tara West
A woman in her seventies surprises her children by marrying an ice cream shop.
Goosegrass by Emma Kane
A mother can’t help feeling left behind when her son announces his engagement.
Boy by Clare Watson
A mother struggles to understand her autistic son.
The Bubble Bursts
The Bubble Bursts by Alex Preston. In the future, a man lives through multiple pandemics.
Something Borrowed
A story from Karen Campbell about love, choice and the delicate bonds of family.
Hearing Aids by Roddy Doyle
Misunderstandings and miscommunications on a car journey in Dublin.
The Centaur's Spectacles
A specially commissioned story from the award-winning Katherine Rundell.
Mudlarks
By Sophie Haydock. A junior doctor takes up mudlarking on London's River Thames.
Dancing Ganesh
A frustrated climber seeks enlightenment in Kathmandu in a short work from Alan Spence.
A Man Who Used to Have Friends by João Morais
An original short story from João Morais, read by Dean Rehman.
The Portal in Lisbon
By Baret Magarian. An academic has a strange experience in Portugal.
