Short Works

Original short works for radio.

Radio 4,183 episodes

Episodes

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A Whole Giant's Daughter Quest Thing by Jo Lloyd
An original short work for radio by Jo Lloyd. Read by Alexander Vlahos.
23 Jan 2026,14 mins
Series 1
A Century of Results
It is the summer of 1999 and expectation is riding high on GCSE results day.
25 May 2018,15 mins
Series 1
Craters by Chris Power
A young Australian woman in Cambodia fears she might be out of her depth.
04 May 2018,15 mins
Series 1
The Astonishing Good Fortune of Marigold Castor by Lionel Shriver
Two fame-hungry young film-makers try make it in London.
06 Apr 2018,15 mins
Series 1
Chuma by Lesley Nneka Arimah
A woman returns to Nigeria and cannot understand where her brother has got to.
09 Mar 2018,15 mins
Series 1
Lease on Life by Laurie Penny
The things you'll do for a flat in Zone 2. A short story for radio by Laurie Penny.
02 Mar 2018,15 mins
Series 1
Hold Me in Your Light by Harry Baker
Dan is at his own stag do but feels anxious about the marriage.
10 Nov 2017,15 mins
Series 1
The Beautiful Girl by Sophie Townsend
As a teenager, Sophie was bookish, keen, but her daughter is more interested in make-up.
16 Jun 2017,15 mins
Series 1
Pork Cooked with Prunes in Vouvray by Tessa Hadley
In the 1970s, Alison meets Mia - a glamorous and beautiful woman. But is she happy?
14 Apr 2017,15 mins
A Creature of Habit by Joanna Cannon
In this specially commissioned short story Barbara decides to make a new start.
16 Jan 2026,14 mins
Morags
A tourist receives an eerie gift during an off season visit to the Callanish Stones.
09 Jan 2026,14 mins
A New Way to Live by PT McAllister
Kathleen learns that even after years of marriage, her husband John can still surprise her
02 Jan 2026,14 mins
Baltic Christmas by Gerard McKeown
A young man returns home for a charity swim off the north coast of Ireland.
26 Dec 2025,14 mins
Dreaming
A Nottingham lad gets stuck and breaks free in the same afternoon. By Henry Normal.
19 Dec 2025,14 mins
Evening Routine by Natasha Kaeda
Rumour has it the Northern Lights will be seen over Haverfordwest tonight.
05 Dec 2025,14 mins
small letters by Louise Kennedy
Dervla Kirwan reads a new story for Radio 4 by the award-winning author of Trespasses.
28 Nov 2025,14 mins
Red Sky in the Morning
An originally commissioned short work written by Chris McQueer.
21 Nov 2025,14 mins
The Sounder by Jade Angeles Fitton
An original short work for Radio 4 by Jade Angeles Fitton
14 Nov 2025,14 mins
Homing by Marie-Louise McGuinness
A seemingly ordinary day inspires a woman to reflect on what led her to this life.
07 Nov 2025,14 mins
Harry Swithenback's Private Visit by Alan Warner
TV antiques expert Harry Swithenback is hoping for a holiday but the town has other ideas.
24 Oct 2025,14 mins
The Cottage
A young lad helps his dad renovate a cottage in the woods where normal rules don't apply.
17 Oct 2025,14 mins
The Victim
Detective comedy about vigils, victims and vintage coats.
10 Oct 2025,14 mins
This Is the Way I'm Going by Michael Amherst
An original short story for radio, written by Michael Amherst.
03 Oct 2025,14 mins
Shadowing Gordon by Jan Carson
A writer spends a day shadowing an exorcist called Gordon.
26 Sep 2025,14 mins
Fairy Penguin by Rachel Trezise
Original short fiction by Rachel Trezise, read by Georgia Henshaw.
12 Sep 2025,14 mins
Kindnesses by David Constantine
An original story for Radio 4 from the award-winning writer David Constantine.
05 Sep 2025,14 mins
Apis Mellifera by Philip Hensher, read by Mark Heap
Sally is driving through Pimlico with her dog Reggie when a bee flies into her car.
29 Aug 2025,14 mins
The Listener by Louise Farr
A grieving woman is interviewed by the police about the theft of a statue from a church.
15 Aug 2025,14 mins
The Market Photographer by Kamand Kojouri
Swansea market, Iranian poetry and photography collide in a new story from Kamand Kojouri.
08 Aug 2025,14 mins
Flyology by Alison MacLeod
Ada Lovelace takes a liberating flight of fancy and a vision of the future unfurls.
01 Aug 2025,14 mins