The Read
Series 4
Created by:
Network: BBC Four
Season aired: 2025-12-18
Seasons
Overview
Creative performance readings of iconic British novels.
About This Season
Acclaimed actors combine with classic literature, breathing new life into iconic stories.
Episodes · 4
Persuasion
Bafta and Olivier Award-winning actor Monica Dolan gives a captivating reading of Jane Austen’s much-loved novel.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Steffan Rhodri (Gavin and Stacey, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) gives an enchanting reading performance of CS Lewis’s timeless classic, as we step into the magical world of Narnia, filled with adventure, courage and Turkish Delight.
The 39 Steps: The Read with John Hannah
Murder, conspiracy and espionage are the themes of John Buchan’s gripping novel, set against the backdrop of WWI, that sees Richard Hannay, a bored adventurer, become embroiled in a plot to assassinate a political figure.
The Picture of Dorian Gray with Luke Thompson
Oscar Wilde’s haunting tale of beauty, vanity and moral corruption, where eternal youth comes at a terrible price. Luke Thompson delivers a spellbinding performance of Wilde’s only novel.
