March 5th, 2010
Frederick Rapahel’s latest drama begins this week on Radio 4. Final Demands is the third part of a story following a group of 1950s Cambridge friends and their progress through the latter part of the last Century, and the beginning of the new millennium.
The 6-part series is a continuation of the radio adaptation of 1970’s television drama, The Glittering Prizes. The same central characters, Adam and Barbara, played by tom Conti and Barbara Kellerman, have appeared throughout.
The series has already received critical acclaim. According to the Radio Times, Frederick Raphael’s script “sparkles”, with characters whom, “utter witticisms that we lesser mortals wouldn’t think of until 3 minutes later”. Whilst Gillian Reynolds wishes, “let it rain, let it snow, let gales rattle the windows [so that we can] Stay at home with Frederick Raphael’s continuation of his chronicle…”
It will be broadcast Thursdays and Fridays at 14.15 on BBC Radio 4.
February 18th, 2010
Above The Title (ATT) announces that it has been acquired by UBC Media Group Plc. www.ubcmedia.com
Simon Clegg, chief executive commented, “This is a great move for ATT and its clients. The company’s 12+ year journey as an independent producer of award-winning content for key partners including the BBC and other content publishers enters a new phase this week as we become part of UBC Media Group. We’re joining sister content production companies Unique Broadcasting, Smooth Operations and Lynx Content. Our creative teams will continue to operate autonomously, from our existing premises, and we will be able to take advantage of synergies and opportunities arising from enhanced business infrastructure and economies of scale. This will enable us to bring even better programming to our clients at compelling value.”
ATT will continue to be led by Simon Clegg, chief executive, and Adam Bromley, creative director, who will work with the same creative team. Contact details remain unchanged.
Further new business wins are being announced during February and March.
January 27th, 2010
Comic duo Alistair McGowan and Stephan Mangan join the cast this week to record their parts in ATT’s Radio 4 drama, Final Demands.
They join Tom Conti and Barbara Kellermann in one episode each of the 6 part series chronicling English social life and public and private values in the last decade of the brutal 20th century.
It’s now the 1990s, and for all of those friends from the fifties life has moved on. Frederic Raphael once again brings his all wit and invention and insight to his diverse, vivid, and utterly convincing group of characters.
Final Demands comes to BBC Radio 4 in March 2010.
January 22nd, 2010
Oscar-winning writer Frederic Raphael’s TV drama series The Glittering Prizes was the great success of the late seventies. Starring Tom Conti, it followed the fortunes of a group of undergraduates in the early 1950s, watching how their hopes and ambitions were fulfilled – or not in the next twenty-five years.
After the success of the Radio 4 adaptation, and its Radio 4 sequel Fame and Fortune, Final Demands continues the story - chronicling English social life and public and private values in the last decade of the brutal 20th century.
It’s now the 1990s, and for all of those friends from the fifties life has moved on. Frederic Raphael once again brings his all wit and invention and insight to his diverse, vivid, and utterly convincing group of characters.
The series is produced by Jo Wheeler and directed by Pete Atkin.
Final Demands comes to BBC Radio 4 in 2010.
January 22nd, 2010
Above the Title have been comissioned to bring a documentary explore the motivations and consequences for ‘have a go heroes’ who step in to deal with all manner of street fracas.
More than a million people became victim of a violent attack by a stranger last year. Unprovoked attacks are up by 11 per cent - occurring, on average, once every 30 seconds according to the latest Home Office figures. And there are concerns that a growing “walk-on-by” culture is developing.
The Government’s own “crime Csar” Louise Case warns that Britain is becoming a walk-on-by society. She says people are terrified that they will either be attacked themselves or face being arrested by the police themselves.
We look at the conflicting signals given by police and politicians, who warn of the dangers of intervention one minute, and praise and reward “have-a-go heroes” the next, and explore the neurology and psychology of human behaviour in such situations, examining the actions and re-actions of bystanders. What genetic instincts are at work? What brain chemistry dictates how people respond?
The programme will be produced by Brian King. Walk on By comes to BBC Radio 4 in 2010.
January 8th, 2010
Clive Anderson will return to the Radio 4 airwaves this April with the 13th series of Unreliable Evidence,
bringing together some of the country’s most eminent legal minds.
Government ministers, senior judges and lawyers, academics and other experts discuss important legal issues behind national and international events.
The series will continue where it left off: looking in detail at key legal issues, examining issues beyond the headlines.
The series is produced by Brian King.
January 8th, 2010
Radio 2 have commissioned a 2 part series about legendary entertainer Val Doonican.
Packed with archive and interviews (he could sing and play with anyone), this feature will trace his 60 year career from its humble beginnings in Waterford to prime time television. At its height, 20 million viewers a week tuned into watch the Val Doonican show.
ATT are delighted to build upon the success of their recent Nana Mouskouri and Charles Aznavour documentaries in producing another exploration of a musical legend.
Rocking, But Gently will come to BBC Radio 2 in 2010
January 8th, 2010
A terrifying event has occurred, 
a shocking new dawn has broken in the world of Andrew Glasgow… he has been disowned by his mother. At the tender age of 38 the war-gaming blogger faces the biggest battle of his life so far: he needs to find a job.
The critically-acclaimed sitcom starring Caroline Quentin (Men Behaving Badly), Simon Greenall (I’m Alan Partridge), Andy Taylor (My Family) with DeNica Fairman, Kris Dyer and Dave Marks, makes a welcome return.
On the Blog will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 from Thursday 14 January.
January 8th, 2010
Above the Title have been comissioned to bring a two-part legal series to BBC World Service.
The Legal World will take us into the heart of legal battles being fought both inside and outside courtrooms around the world. We meet lawyers battling with issues of immense local importance, but which also have resounding international implications.
ATT Senior Producer, Brian King, will present and produce the series.
The Legal World (working title) comes to BBC World Service in 2010.
January 6th, 2010
Above the Title have been comissioned to bring pilot of Fare Trade to BBC Radio 2 this year.
Fare Trade is an audience sitcom starring Richard Wilson, chronicling the adventures of a suburban taxi driver with too much time on his hands.
After years of devoted service to middle management, Frank Ross (Richard Wilson) took his redundancy on the chin and, with his unquenchable desire to ‘do something useful’, is now driving for Town and Country Cars. And there’s nothing he likes more than meeting people and sharing his views - of which he has no shortage.
Fare Trade will come to BBC Radio 2 later this Spring.
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