Conversations from a Long Marriage

Original version

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

Podcasts

Comedy: Sitcoms

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam play a long-married couple trying to keep the passion alive.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam play a long-married couple. Their conversations are practical, passionate, hilarious - and familiar to every couple. Written by Jan Etherington.

BBC Radio 4 Extra

BBC Radio 4 LW

Conversations from a Long Marriage: Series 3: 1. Birthday Blues

1. Birthday Blues

Series 3

BBC Radio 4 - Conversations from a Long Marriage, Series 3, 1. Birthday Blues

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam star as a couple still passionate about life and each other.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam star in Jan Etherington’s award-winning comedy, as a couple in love with life and each other. This week: Roger’s unhappy with his birthday present.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam return with the third series of Jan Etherington’s award-winning comedy about a long-married couple in love with life and each other. Most of the time. This week, it’s a big birthday for Roger.  But he doesn’t want a party and he doesn’t like his present - an electric bike - which he believes is for ‘old geezers’. However, when he starts a healthy diet, whitens his teeth and she catches him using her face cream, Joanna wonders if it is just a big birthday life crisis – or could it be an affair? 

Conversations from a Long Marriage won the Voice of the Listener & Viewer Award for Best Radio Comedy in 2020.

‘Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam have had illustrious acting careers but can they ever have done anything better than Jan Etherington’s two hander? This is a work of supreme craftsmanship.’ RADIO TIMES

‘Peppered with nostalgic 60s hits and especially written for the pair, it’s an endearing portrait of exasperation, laced with hard won tolerance – and something like love.’ THE GUARDIAN

‘The delicious fruit of the writer, Jan Etherington’s experience of writing lots of TV and radio, blessed by being acted by Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam. Treasure this one, produced by Claire Jones. Unlike many a current Radio 4 ‘comedy’, this series makes people laugh’ GILLIAN REYNOLDS. SUNDAY TIMES

‘You’ve been listening at my window, Jan’. JOANNA LUMLEY

‘The writing is spot on and Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam exquisite. So real, so entertaining. Please never stop making such terrific radio’. BBC DUTY LOG

‘Absolutely brilliant!! May it never end!’ BBC DUTY LOG

Conversations from a Long Marriage is written by Jan Etherington and produced by Claire Jones.  It is a BBC Studios Production.

Conversations from a Long Marriage: Series 3

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam return with the third series of this award-winning comedy.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam return with the third series of Jan Etherington's award-winning comedy about a long-married couple in love with life and each other.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Conversations from a Long Marriage

Series 3

1. Birthday Blues

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4