Original version

BBC One

BBC One Wales

BBC One is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964. It replaced BBC Television.

BBC 1

BBC1

Wales

Great Welsh Writers

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Documentary series offering portraits of Wales's greatest writers

BBC Two

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Mali Harries

Ian Michael Jones

Paul Islwyn Thomas

Great Welsh Writers: Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

13/09/2016

BBC One - Great Welsh Writers, Roald Dahl

The untold story of Roald Dahl's Welsh childhood.

The untold story of Roald Dahl's Welsh childhood, exploring the losses he suffered and looking at how some of his books were influenced by his schooldays.

Roald Dahl is thought by many to be the greatest children's writer of all time. His books have sold hundreds of millions of copies the world over and are still being made into Hollywood movies and West End musicals. But few people know that Roald Dahl was Welsh: born and raised in and around Cardiff in the 1910s and 20s. These early years were crucial for the man and the writer, helping to shape the course of Roald Dahl's entire life. This programme tells the untold story of the Roald Dahl's Welsh childhood, full of mischief and magic, but also sadness. We discover how books like Matilda and James and the Giant Peach were influenced by their author's schooldays. We delve into the tale of the Great Mouse Plot, and get a taste of a family home described by friends as a madhouse. And we look at the darker side of Roald Dahl's young life - the loss of a sister and a father, and being sent away from the mother he loved. With contributions from Roald Dahl's wife Felicity 'Liccy' Dahl, Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon and biographer Donald Sturrock.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great Welsh Writers

Roald Dahl

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC One Wales

About BBC One