Charles Paris: A Deadly Habit: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

I love Bill Nighy’s voice and he IS Charles Paris. The characters are so real and amusing, though the story line is a little lightweight. Every time I listen to it, I laugh at something new. The highlight of my year is when the next Charles Paris cd comes out.

I normally love the Charles Paris CDs, but this particular CD was lacking in story content, it felt as though the story had been abridged leaving very little to be enjoyed.

Brilliant stories

This is the latest BBC Radio adaptation of the Simon Brett series featuring the boozing and womanising actor Charles Paris. I have never read the actual novels, but I think I have listened to every Radio 4 drama adaptation because I adore Bill Nighy's sleuthing Charles Paris, no-one does louche and cynical quite like him. As usual, this is structured into 4 parts, each 30 minutes long, with a full cast, easy to listen to, with Paris once again falling into his role as detective. It all begins with Charles spending lockdown with Frances, scandalised with a quote she gets for work she wants done on the house. With no acting work in sight, Charles becomes a handyman, creating the persona of Dave to fit the role he takes to like a duck to water, so good that he is developing muscles, cutting down on the drink and the smoking.All this comes to an end when Maurice rings him up about a West End play in which he has been offered a part by an old acquaintance, Justin Grover, whom he has never liked. Charles has a small part in the play set in a monastery, he is not keen on the script, but it is work and a regular paycheck. Falling back into bad habits, a drunk Charles falls asleep in the theatre, only to stumble over a dead body, panic and hide, and he finds himself lying to the police. It turns out that the actress, Lydia, had apparently fallen down accidentally on the stairs and died. A guilt ridden Charles investigates, unconvinced that it was an accident and before long there is another death.With Frances carving out a new career as a writer, Maurice helping to secure a publisher, Charles does what he does best as he hunts for a killer. This is entertaining and great fun, and will be broadcast later this year on BBC Radio 4. Fans of the radio dramatisations are likely to love this, and I have no doubt for many, like me, the draw will be the great Bill Nighy. Many thanks to BBC audio for this radio drama.

Charles Paris is out of lockdown, back in rehearsals and soon investigating yet another murder. I’ve never read one of the original books but have loved these Radio 4 adaptations for years (I don’t think I’d gone to uni when the first one aired).As ever, the murder is less of a draw than the gossipy parody of an actor’s life. It’s all affectionately done but with enough self awareness and cynicism to prevent it becoming a luv-in (Kit, the posh, chiseled, but talentless star of a hit sword and sorcery TV series is impressively close to the bone).The odd line aside this isn’t the Charles Paris COVID tale the blurb might have you believe, but after the last 18 months it’s nice to know some things haven’t changed – least of all Charles Paris’s diet.

This radio adaptation is such very easy listening that I got through all 4 episodes whilst shopping for and then cooking, dinner. Bill Nighy plays the louche luvvy, Charles Paris, a character you always feel isn’t very far from his own persona. For those familiar with the set up you will know that where Charles goes, so does trouble and sure enough, dastardly deeds are soon afoot in a new production “Faith” (no it isn’t anything to do with George Michael)!This was great fun and the central character is much more likeable than the Feathering duo of Carole and Jude, neither of whom I’ve ever really taken to. Definitely the kind of radio drama you set aside time for - thank goodness for BBC Sounds which makes that so much easier!

Another great BBC radio production. Charles Paris always ends up in trouble, this story is no exception. Charles stumbles across a dead body but having lied to the police has to once again turn detective to extricate himself from a tricky situation. Bill Nighy is excellent as ever and the tale is most entertaining.

Well that was a little bit different to other audiobooks that I have listened to.It kept my attention and I was happy to listen along.Good actors/narrators which definitely helped my interest levels