Catch up TV
Series 3: 1984
A bleak dystopian future plays out before us as Royal Television Society award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan narrates George Orwell’s profoundly impactful and thought-provoking classic. \n\nNineteen Eighty-Four is Orwell's chilling critique of totalitarianism and the dangers of unchecked power. Despite its bleak tone, the compelling narrative and enduring relevance of its themes make it a must-read for lovers of literature.\n \nThe story follows Winston Smith, who works for the Ministry of Truth, altering historical records. Discontented with the regime, Winston begins a forbidden relationship with Julia. As they secretly rebel against the Party, they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal re-education and ultimate betrayal. \n\nOne of the BBC's '100 novels that shaped our world', Nineteen Eighty-Four is given an electrifying and fresh approach by Sacha Dhawan, who ingeniously taps into this psychological conflict, exploring the dichotomy between the human desire for safety and the equally strong yearning for personal freedom.
Source: BBC 4
Most recent episodes of The Read
The Read
Series 3: 1984
A bleak dystopian future plays out before us as Royal Television Society award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan narrates George Orwell’s profoundly impactful and thought-provoki ...
17-11-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: Frankenstein
Alex Kingston breathes life into Mary Shelley’s timeless gothic horror story.\n\nYoung, gifted scientist Victor Frankenstein unwittingly creates a monster. Written more th ...
27-10-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: The Remains Of The Day: The Read With Steve Pemberton
Heartbreak and longing are centre stage as BAFTA-winning actor Steve Pemberton narrates Kazuo Ishiguro’s contemporary classic. \n\nThe Remains of the Day is Ishiguro's bea ...
12-05-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: A Kestrel For A Knave
Christopher Eccleston narrates Barry Hines’s heartbreaking coming-of-age tale in this fresh take on a classic British novel. It’s the story of teenager Billy Casper, ...
17-09-2023
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 4. A Vision Of Loveliness
Bafta-nominated actor Liv Hill (Three Girls, Jellyfish, The Great, The Serpent Queen) performs A Vision of Loveliness from the novel by Louise Levene, a darkly comic work that r ...
02-04-2023
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 3. The Day Of The Sardine
The Read is a series of four creative performance readings of iconic British novels. Each episode is directed by exciting, emerging talent from BBC Arts’ and Art Council E ...
06-11-2022
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 2. On The Black Hill
Based on the novel published in 1982 by Bruce Chatwin, On the Black Hill is about identical twin brothers who grow up on a farm in rural Wales and never leave home. They till th ...
05-06-2022
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 1. The Lonely Londoners
The Lonely Londoners portrays the experiences of a group of Caribbean immigrants, known as the Windrush Generation, who arrived in London in the late 1940s and 50s searching for ...
11-04-2022
BBC 4
Most popular episodes of The Read
The Read
Series 1: 4. A Vision Of Loveliness
Bafta-nominated actor Liv Hill (Three Girls, Jellyfish, The Great, The Serpent Queen) performs A Vision of Loveliness from the novel by Louise Levene, a darkly comic work that r ...
02-04-2023
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: Frankenstein
Alex Kingston breathes life into Mary Shelley’s timeless gothic horror story.\n\nYoung, gifted scientist Victor Frankenstein unwittingly creates a monster. Written more th ...
27-10-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: The Remains Of The Day: The Read With Steve Pemberton
Heartbreak and longing are centre stage as BAFTA-winning actor Steve Pemberton narrates Kazuo Ishiguro’s contemporary classic. \n\nThe Remains of the Day is Ishiguro's bea ...
12-05-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 1. The Lonely Londoners
The Lonely Londoners portrays the experiences of a group of Caribbean immigrants, known as the Windrush Generation, who arrived in London in the late 1940s and 50s searching for ...
11-04-2022
BBC 4
The Read
Series 2: A Kestrel For A Knave
Christopher Eccleston narrates Barry Hines’s heartbreaking coming-of-age tale in this fresh take on a classic British novel. It’s the story of teenager Billy Casper, ...
17-09-2023
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 3. The Day Of The Sardine
The Read is a series of four creative performance readings of iconic British novels. Each episode is directed by exciting, emerging talent from BBC Arts’ and Art Council E ...
06-11-2022
BBC 4
The Read
Series 3: 1984
A bleak dystopian future plays out before us as Royal Television Society award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan narrates George Orwell’s profoundly impactful and thought-provoki ...
17-11-2024
BBC 4
The Read
Series 1: 2. On The Black Hill
Based on the novel published in 1982 by Bruce Chatwin, On the Black Hill is about identical twin brothers who grow up on a farm in rural Wales and never leave home. They till th ...
05-06-2022
BBC 4