Brief Lives: Series 1-6 cover art

Brief Lives: Series 1-6

The BBC Radio 4 Full Cast Psychological Crime Drama

Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 15 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

Brief Lives: Series 1-6

By: Tom Fry, Sharon Kelly
Narrated by: David Schofield, Denise Welch, full cast, Kwame Kwei-Armah
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £15.24

Buy Now for £15.24

The first six series of the popular radio drama set in a Manchester legal practice, starring David Schofield

Frank Twist and Sarah Gold lead a maverick team of freelance paralegals operating in the mean(ish) streets of Manchester. Their agency operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, dispatching legal representatives to set free burglars, muggers and even some innocent people who find themselves on the wrong side of a cell door.

Frank and Sarah have a history, and a child, but now their relationship is purely business, and in these 30 episodes, they and their colleagues deal with cases ranging from shoplifting to attempted murder. Among their clientele are a suspected rapist, a young teacher accused of having an affair with a sixth-former, a girl arrested for assaulting a police officer and a local councillor who’s been caught selling drugs. In addition, Sarah and Frank themselves become the subjects of police interest when they’re called into Manchester Central for questioning – and that’s just the start of their Kafkaesque journey...

Created by Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly, these gripping dramas combine complex crime stories with witty humour. David Schofield stars as Frank Twist, with Gina Bellman, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Kathryn Hunt and Caroline Burns Cooke as Sarah Gold.

Written by Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly, Elizabeth Heery (Series 4 Episode 3, Series 5 Episode 4), Eve Steele and Ed Jones (Series 4 Episode 4), Eve Steele (Series 5 Episode 2), Lizi Patch (Series 6 Episode 2), Nuala O’Sullivan (Series 6 Episode 4)

Produced and directed by Susan Roberts (Series 1), Gary Brown (Series 2-6)

Music by Carl Harms

©2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Crime Fiction Entertainment & Performing Arts Witty
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Continue the series

Brief Lives: Series 7-11 cover art
Brief Lives: Series 7-11 By: Tom Fry, and others
All stars
Most relevant
I’ve been transfixed by the stories in this series. Great performances by all. Truly a series worthy of many repeats.

Totally Engaging

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The early recordings are clearly a work in progress, but as time goes by the episodes get better and better. My only problem is that I listen to audible books at night, as a relaxation before sleep, the episodic music breaks become really annoying.

Great stories and acting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Something a bit different and follows defence legal team in North West. Easy listen and good characters!

Enjoyable Legal Drama

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is an excellent BBC Radio 4 drama, good value for money. I would highly recommend!

Excellent Drama

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

loved this from start to fish, a real shame it had to end. x

loved this, great from start to finish

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews