Robert sails through all his exams, but finding a girlfriend is more testing.

Hugh Bonneville stars as Robert Purcell, QC, a perfect specimen of the British Establishment, who applies faultless legal logic to his disastrous personal life.

Jon Canter's comic novel, first published in 2008.

Adapted in four parts by Robin Brooks.

Robert Purcell ..... Hugh Bonneville
Father ...... James Hayes
Mother ...... Nichola McAuliffe
Young Robert ...... Josef Lindsay
Pilkington ...... Ewan Bailey
Ticky Moxon-Smith ...... Katherine Jakeways
Judy Page ...... Tracy Wiles
Alan Temperley ...... Gerard McDermott

'Brilliant, but for God's sake don't let this book fall into the hands of any women - if they find out what we're really like we'll never hear the end of it.' Charlie Higson

'A witty, accomplished, and highly entertaining warning about the folly of ambition.' Mail on Sunday

'Elegantly written, civilised and genuinely funny.' The Scotsman

'Robert is infectious. You might just catch yourself bringing his loathsome logic to your own domestic dilemmas.' Time Out.

Jon Canter read Law at Cambridge, where he was President of Footlights, then worked as an advertising copywriter before becoming a radio and TV scriptwriter. His comic novels include Seeds of Greatness, A Short Gentleman and Worth.

Director: Jonquil Painting.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in From January 2012. Show less