THE READ RETURNS WITH THIRD SERIES ON BBC FOUR, FAMOUS READERS REVEALED

A must-watch for literature lovers of all ages, The Read returns this November with a new series of performance readings from more iconic British novels, including Wuthering Heights, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Nineteen Eighty-Four and A Christmas Carol.

Series three begins with an electrifying performance by Sacha Dhawan, best known for playing renegade Time Lord the Master in the 12th series of Doctor Who, of George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four: a timely examination of the role of truth and facts within societies and the ways in which they can be manipulated. Nineteen Eighty-Four was filmed on location in Bolton.

Sacha Dhawan says: “In an age of advanced technology and social media, Orwell’s warnings about the power of language and propaganda couldn’t be more poignant as we grapple with issues related to fake news and the impact of digital surveillance...

"The Read reimagines the role of the narrator in such an exciting, and bold way, it feels like live theatre. Rural Studios, and the incredible director Rachel Lambert have done a superb job in breathing life into this iconic British novel. It was a huge honour to be a part of it.”

In December, Anne-Marie Duff takes audiences on a spirited journey through Victorian London with Charles Dickens’ timeless seasonal classic, A Christmas Carol.

Filmed in Manchester, Duff brings to life the miserly Scrooge, as he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Duff occupies Dickens’ cast of characters, from Bob Cratchet and his loving family along with party-loving Fezziwig and the well-meaning ghouls.

Anne-Marie Duff says: “A Christmas Carol has actually been a very important part of my family life! My dad introduced me to Dickens (who I love) with this story. Every year around Christmas I try and watch as many adaptations of it as possible and report back to him. My favourites have pretty much been consistently The Muppets (surprisingly the most accurate!) and Scrooge with Albert Finney – Alec Guinness’s Marley is terrifying!”

“The writing is so tasty and soul searching. Not to mention how politically pertinent it remains to this day. There are beautifully philosophical passages which people who’ve only seen adaptations will not realise. The penultimate paragraph in particular contains the perfect credo for living.”

Bradford born actor, Vinette Robinson (Boiling Point), gives a spellbinding performance as the narrator of Wuthering Heights. One of Brontë’s most loved novels Wuthering Heights stands as a timeless classic set against the haunting backdrop of the Yorkshire moors.

Seen through the eyes of housekeeper Nelly Dean, at the heart of the novel beats the intense and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose passionate connection weaves a dark and tumultuous tale of revenge, obsession and the brutal forces of nature. Part filmed in Bradford, to coincide with next year’s Bradford 2025 UK city of Culture.

Vinette Robinson says: “This was actually my first encounter with Wuthering Heights. I was immediately drawn to the complicated and unflinching character of Cathy and her relationships; she is such a force of nature, she lives her life fiercely and passionately with all its complexities and compromises...

"The emotional landscape of those relationships feels just as recognisable now as it did when it was written and it was such a thrill to bring that to life. And of course I’m a Yorkshire lass, so I was very proud to read something so steeped in the place I was born and raised.”

In January, Reece Shearsmith (Inside No.9, The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville), draws us into the strange and eerie world of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the classic gothic novella exploring the duality of human nature. The story of London lawyer Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences involving his friend, Dr Henry Jekyll and a sinister figure named Mr Edward Hyde, it was filmed on location in Bradford to coincide with the city’s stint as City of Culture..

Reece Shearsmith says: “I was very excited to be asked to recount The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde for The Read from BBC Arts. The story is of course iconic and has one of the greatest twists of all time, but the themes are still profoundly relevant. Like A Christmas Carol, it seems impossible to think of a time when this story didn't exist in the world. It was such a treat to perform this turbulent and often horrifying tale and find so much that feels so new and undiscovered in the story.”

Now in its third series, The Read launched to critical acclaim in 2022 with Danielle Vitalis’s performance of The Lonely Londoners. Previous episodes available on BBC iPlayer include Barry Hines’ A Kestrel for a Knave performed by Christopher Eccleston; Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day performed by Steve Pemberton; and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, performed by Alex Kingston.

Stephen James-Yeoman, Commissioning Editor, BBC Arts, says: “We’re thrilled to bring another brilliant collection of classic novels to book lovers and new readers alike, through four more captivating performances from some of our greatest actors...

"Whether it’s Sacha Dhawan reading 1984 or Vinette Robinson on Wuthering Heights, Anne Marie Duff’s A Christmas Carol or Reese Shearsmith’s Jekyll and Hyde, they all offer a new perspective and bold retelling of some of Britain’s best loved stories. There’s nothing more engaging that having a story read to you and The Read brilliantly carries on this tradition creating an emotional connection between narrator and the viewer.”

Series three of The Read airs on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer from November 2024. Watch series one and two on BBC iPlayer