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Beauty of Britain
Beauty of Britain
Nov 17, 2025 2:54 PM

Author:Christopher Douglas,Nicola Sanderson,Jocelyn Jee Esien,Jenny Agutter,Felix Dexter,Pippa Haywood,Paterson Joseph,Felicity Montagu,Full Cast

Beauty of Britain

The complete series 1-3 of the BBC Radio 4 narrative comedy featuring Beauty Oolonga's adventures as a care worker, starring Jocelyn Jee Esien.

Beauty of Britain breaks the embarrassed silence about what happens to us when we get old and start to lose our faculties. It shows the process in all its chaotic tragi-comedy but it does so from the point of view of a migrant worker, Beauty, whose Zimbabwean Shona background has taught her to respect age. Beauty sees Britain at its best, its worst and also sometimes without its clothes on running the wrong way down the M6 with a toy dog shouting 'Come on!'

In first series Beauty discovers the glories of Weston-super-Mare's charity shops, has a disastrous crush on worship leader Wayne and looks after the elderly Mr Easterby, who has a new girlfriend and is behaving like a love-struck teenager.

In the second series, Beauty’s employer, the Featherdown Agency, sends her to provide care for those who need it - and some who don't, but all of whom have relatives with guilty consciences.

In the third and final series Beauty's mother pays her a visit, finds herself on the receiving end of a surprising proposal and wonders is Stephen, a charming English gent, is just like Hugh Grant in those movies.

Jocelyn Jee Esien heads up a starry cast that includes Jenny Agutter, Felix Dexter, Pippa Haywood, Paterson Joseph, Julia Mackenzie, Felicity Montagu, Geoffrey Palmer and Clive Swift.

Written by Christopher Douglas and Nicola Sanderson,

Produced by Tilusha Ghelani.

Reviews

I was riveted . . . an excellent tale, one of the best re-imaginings of the iconic Arthur myth out there and, for me, James Wilde's best book to date. Highly recommended.

—— Robin Carter , PARMENION BOOKS

Tense, exciting and full of energy

—— Observer

Relentlessly readable

—— The Times

A franchise to eclipse Harry Potter

—— Big Issue

Number Four is a hero for this generation

—— Michael Bay

Wonderful... a beautifully written coming-of-age story

—— Nina Stibbe

Dear Edward made me think, nod in recognition, care about its characters, and cry, and you can't ask more of a novel than that

—— Emma Donoghue

Stunning, life-affirming

—— Vogue

A Good Man slinks into the dark heart of a ripped-from-the-headlines crime fueled by toxic masculinity. As in Leila Slimani’s Lullaby, the slow unpeeling – layer by layer – of the conventions of sanity left me breathless, saddened, and spooked.

—— Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, author of Bittersweet

Think The Shining meets Grey Gardens ... One of the striking things about the book is Thomas’s icky tone, as he constantly romanticises, almost Disneyfies women ... The story slickly slides down its twisting descent. Katz has taken us inside the mind of the sort of man you hear about on the news and wonder about ... Sordidly gripping.

—— Observer

A striking modern tale of violence, sexual abuse and vindictiveness. Katz’s edgy novel examines a dysfunctional family, a failed relationship and a modern culture in which a violent man can see more to worry about in “invading” phone privacy than in violating a woman’s body.

—— Independent

Truly gripping … Ani Katz has created an edgy debut with a disturbingly unforgettable ending.

—— The Skinny

[A]n absorbing tale of shaky domestic balance

—— SHOTS Magazine

Riveting... An American Psycho for the 21st century... Superior psychological noir.

—— Daily Mail

[A] dark study of toxic masculinity ... Deeply atmospheric and morbidly compelling, with a near-total commitment to character that suggests a powerful talent … Accomplished.

—— Guardian

Katz's debut is one that will have readers gripped from the very first words until the last - and a book that will stay with you for a long while afterwards.

—— Her.ie

[A] smart debut, both compelling and disturbing, delivered with the kind of confidence that makes me keen to see what Katz will come up with next.

—— A Life in Books Blog

[G]ripping debut … Here’s a page-turner you’ll devour before the week is out

—— Stylist Daily Newsletter

A razor sharp psychological deconstruction of the motivations, regrets and secrets behind a picture-perfect façade.

—— The Week

White-knuckle ride

—— RTE Guide

I really wanted to just press the book into anyone’s hands and say ‘please read this’! [...] An important read

—— Bookish Chat

Readers hungry for an in-depth study of a man searching for control, power and ownership will find satisfaction in A Good Man. But caveat emptor - this story inevitably hurtles at the end towards a chilling finale

—— Crime Review

This stellar debut from Ani Katz had us gripped from the beginning.

—— That’s Life!
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