BBC Literary Archive

The Secret Life of Books | An introduction to Charles Dickens and Great Expectations

Great Expectations | BBC Four | 2014 | 3'35''

Tony Jordan introduces Charles Dickens and 'Great Expectations'.

The Charles Dickens Show | 01: The Workhouse

BBC Two | 2012 | 19'37''

Charles Dickens hosts a chat show. He is joined by fundraising virtuoso Doctor Thomas Barnardo to discuss the Victorian phenomen...

Charles Dickens and the Invention of Christmas

A Christmas Carol | BBC One | 2007 | 59'06''

Griff Rhys Jones reveals how Dickens created the idea of a traditional family Christmas through one of his best-known books, A...

The Mystery of Charles Dickens

BBC Four | 2001 | 1'29'42''

Bringing Dickens to life with a host of his colourful characters - Simon Callow's exhilarating one-man show.

English File | New Approaches: Hard Times: Charles Dickens – A Biography

Hard Times | BBC Two | 1994 | 29'03''

Program looking at Dickens' life and work.

World Book Club | Charles Dickens – Great Expectations

Great Expectations | BBC World Service | 2012 | 52'51''

In this special edition of World Book Club, biographer Claire Tomalin talks to Harriett Gilbert about Dickens no...

Armando’s Tale of Charles Dickens

BBC Two | 2012 | 59'25''

Armando Iannucci looks beyond the stature of Dickens as a national institution and instead explores the qualities of his work that ma...

The Charles Dickens Show | 02: Health

BBC Two | 2012 | 19'25''

In this episode, Charles is joined by Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale to discuss Victorian health.

The Charles Dickens Show | 03: Child Labour

BBC Two | 2012 | 18'52''

In this episode, Charles is joined by reforming peer Lord Shaftesbury to discuss child labour.

The Charles Dickens Show | 04: Christmas

BBC Two | 2012 | 19'17''

Charles is joined by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to discuss the Victorian Christmas.

An Audience with Charles Dickens | A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol | BBC Two | 1996 | 29'05''

Simon Callow reads passages from Dickens's Christmas story about Ebenezer Scrooge, who is confronted by the spirit of Ch...

Charles Dickens: Little Dorrit (2001)

Little Dorrit | BBC Radio 4 | 2001 | 56'54''

Arthur Clennam befriends seamstress Amy Dorrit and meets her extraordinary family at a debtor's prison. Stars Ian McKellen.

Sunday Feature | Charles Dickens: Great Expectations

Great Expectations | BBC Radio 3 | 2016 | 43'39''

Sarah Dillon is a literary detective on the hunt for the story behind the story of how great works were written. Dickens...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol | BBC Radio 4 Extra | 2021 | 3'28'59''

The classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, his ghostly visitations and festive redemption. Read by Sean Baker.

The Essay | The Writer’s Dickens: Romesh Gunesekera – The Orphan Eye

David Copperfield | BBC Radio 3 | 2011 | 14'37''

Using David Copperfield as a starting point, novelist Romesh Gunesekera explores how Charles...

Dickens

BBC Two | 2002 | 58'16''

First in a three-part dramatised documentary series that brings the story of Charles Dickens to life, presented by Peter Ackroyd. This week, how the writer's early y...

Dickens in America

BBC Four | 2005 | 58'45''

In 1842, Charles Dickens embarked on a trip across the United States. Armed with his notes from the journey, Miriam Margolyes retraces Dickens's steps, re...

Open Book | Paul Mendez, Class and Society novels, Thomas Keneally on Dickens

BBC Radio 4 | 2020 | 27'42''

Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's Ark and giant of Australian literature, gives an imagina...

The Essay | The Writer’s Dickens: Tessa Hadley – Rooms and Reality

Little Dorrit | BBC Radio 3 | 2011 | 15'00''

Focusing on Little Dorrit, Tessa Hadley explores how Dickens paints the reality of his world t...

The Secret Life of Books | Dickens audience

Great Expectations | BBC Four | 2014 | 3'29''

Tony Jordan discusses why Dickens wrote 'Great Expectations' in instalments and explains the importance of the audience.

The Essay | The Writer’s Dickens: AL Kennedy – No Hope of Return

Nicholas Nickleby | BBC Radio 3 | 2011 | 14'52''

Taking an excerpt from Nicholas Nickleby, novelist AL Kennedy explores Charles Dickens's - and h...

The Essay | The Writer’s Dickens: Alexander McCall Smith – Episodic Writing

BBC Radio 3 | 2011 | 14'58''

Writer Alexander McCall Smith salutes Charles Dickens's mastery of the episodic form,...

The Essay | The Writer’s Dickens: Justin Cartwright – Christmas

A Christmas Carol | BBC Radio 3 | 2011 | 14'04''

Justin Cartwright reflects on the significant place that Christmas occupies in Charles Dickens's ...

The Big Read: Battle of the Books | Great Expectations

Great Expectations | BBC Four | 2003 | 26'33''

David Dimbleby argues the case for Dickens' Great Expectations, tracing the novel's events from the marshlands of Kent...

Mrs Dickens’s Family Christmas

BBC Two | 2011 | 59'02''

Looking at the marriage of Charles Dickens through the eyes of his wife Catherine, Sue Perkins exposes the lesser-known reality of the D...

A Christmas Carol (1982)

A Christmas Carol | BBC Two | 1982 | 14'32''

Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale as told by Michael Bryant. Ebenezer Scrooge encounters the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley. Adapted i...

Book at Bedtime – A Christmas Carol (1985)

A Christmas Carol | BBC Radio 4 | 1985 | 13'49''

A Ghost Story for Christmas by Charles Dickens, abridged in eight episodes by Derek Parker and told by Martin Jarvis and Den...

David Copperfield (1999)

David Copperfield | BBC One | 1999 | 1'26'43''

First part of the adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel. Starring a young Daniel Radcliffe.

Hard Times (2003)

Hard Times | BBC Radio 4 | 2003 | 56'52''

Charles Dickens' 1854 classic about struggles in the industrial north, dramatised for radio in four parts by Doug Lucie. Stars Kenneth Cranham and Philip J...

Oliver Twist (1962)

Oliver Twist | BBC Television | 1962 | 25'35''

A 1962 BBC TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1838 novel Oliver Twist, serialised in thirteen episodes. Due in part to its transmission at Sunday teatimes...

A Christmas Carol (2018)

A Christmas Carol | BBC Four | 2018 | 1'11'56''

Simon Callow's acclaimed one-man adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic for the small screen.

Beyond Belief | A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol | BBC Radio 4 | 2017 | 27'45''

Tiny Tim's 'God bless us, every one!' is the rousing conclusion to Charles Dickens' festive fable A Christmas Carol. But what is the Christ...

In Our Time | A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol | BBC Radio 4 | 2021 | 27'49''

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Charles Dickens' celebrated story of Scrooge's redemption.

A Good Read | Rebecca Abrams and Matt Ridley

BBC Radio 4 | 2011 | 27'40''

Kate Saunders, Matt Ridley and Rebecca Abrams on books by Elizabeth Taylor, Gerald Durrell and Charles Dickens.

A Good Read | Miriam Margolyes and Mark Haddon

Great Expectations | BBC Radio 4 | 2015 | 27'14''

Miriam Margolyes, Mark Haddon and Harriett Gilbert on books by Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and Truman Capote.

The Invisible Woman (2013)

BBC Two | 2016 | 1'41'17''

At the peak of his career, Charles Dickens meets a young actress who soon becomes his muse and mistress. With Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas ...

Novels That Shaped Our World | Class in Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist | BBC Two | 2019 | 6'12''

An exploration of how Charles Dickens wove the stories of people from different class backgrounds into his novels.

The Secret Life of Books | The plot of Great Expectations

Great Expectations | BBC Four | 2014 | 2'42''

A plot summary of Charles Dickens' 'Great Expectations'.

Great Expectations (1967)

Great Expectations | BBC One | 1967 | 25'12''

Ten-part television series adapted from Dickens' novel, written by Hugh Leonard and directed by Alan Bridges.

Great Expectations (1981)

Great Expectations | BBC One | 1981 | 52'21''

Twelve-part dramatisation of Dickens' classic novel about a young boy, Pip, who is launched on a journey that takes him from being a blacksmith's a...

Great Expectations (1991)

Great Expectations | BBC Radio 5 | 1991 | 29'26''

Starring Maggie Steed and Douglas Hodge in a twelve-part radio dramatisation of Dickens' classic tale about the turbulent childhood of orphan Pip.

Great Expectations (2011)

Great Expectations | BBC One | 2011 | 58'19''

Sarah Phelps' lavish three part adaptation of the classic Dickens tale of a life changed in a heartbeat. Starring Gillian Anderson, Douglas Booth, ...