Episode 1

Dramatised by Archie Scottney

Joyous all-star spring fever, led by Alfred Molina, Patricia Hodge, Jared Harris, Martin Jarvis and Rufus Sewell. A pig-napping romantic thriller! PGW's dialogue dances across the Blandings Castle lawns. Charming Earl of Ickenham (Uncle Fred) has received a plea from affably dotty Lord Emsworth to help foil a plot to steal his prize-winning pig. And to examine the sanity of eccentric Duke of Dunstable.

Delighting in such entertainment, Uncle Fred arrives at Blandings in the guise of "brain specialist" Glossop, with nephew Pongo posing as his secretary. Lively Polly Pott is the third imposter, secretly engaged to Dunstable's nephew Ricky and hoping to charm her prospective uncle-in-law. Emsworth's devious secretary Rupert Baxter (Jared Harris) spots them but can't call their bluff for fear of blackmail. Emsworth's sister Connie suspects they are jewel thieves. Bosham, Emsworth's son, thinks all is above board. But then Polly's detective Dad is called in. Will the pig-napping happen?

Cast:
Uncle Fred ..... Alfred Molina
Lady Constance ..... Patricia Hodge
The Duke of Dunstable ..... Christopher Neame
Rupert Baxter ..... Jared Harris
Ricky Gilpin ..... Rufus Sewell
Horace Davenport ..... Lloyd Owen
Mustard Pott ..... Julian Holloway
Polly Pott ..... Sophie Winkleman
Lord Emsworth ..... Martin Jarvis
P.G. Wodehouse ..... Ian Ogilvy
Lord Bosham ..... Simon Templeman
Pongo Twistleton ..... Matthew Wolf
Beach ..... Kenneth Danziger
Valerie Twistleton ..... Moira Quirk
Webster/Footmen ..... Darren Richardson
Singing Gardener ..... Mark Holden

Director: Martin Jarvis
Producer: Rosalind Ayres

A Jarvis & Ayres Production for BBC Radio 4.