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The House
The House
Jul 8, 2025 8:33 AM

Author:Christopher Lee,Julian Glover,Timothy West,Peter Kelly,Sarah Badel,Isla Blair,Christopher Benjamin,David Ryall,Trevor Peacock,Sheila Reid,Full Cast

The House

All six series of Christopher Lee's enthralling parliamentary drama - plus Christmas Special

Suave, unflappable and ambitious, veteran politician Charles Bannister knows his way around the corridors of power. As Chief Whip, he's adept at keeping MPs in line and squashing potential scandals - aided by his brother-in-law, MI6 agent Henry Colvil, who whispers useful titbits of information in his ear. His position seems invincible - but nothing is forever, and when the tides of politics turn, Charles finds himself under threat...

In these six series, we follow his fortunes and those of his close friend, Home Secretary Dougal Baxter. Together, the duo rise, fall and rise again, as they fight off plots, counter-plots and conspiracies while struggling to secure their political futures. Promoted to Party Chairman, Charles finds himself beset by domestic dramas, dogged by rumours of an affair with glamorous Opposition MP Juliet Cameron, and under increasing pressure at Westminster. Will he stick it out and run for the top job - or decide to spend more time with his family? Meanwhile, Dougal makes no secret of his desire to become PM - but will his potentially explosive relationship with his mistress, Kay, put an end to his dreams of advancement?

Written by award-winning author and historian Christopher Lee, this captivating tale of ministerial manoeuvring and machinations was adapted as a bestselling novel and spawned the spin-off mystery series Colvil & Soames. Julian Glover stars as Charles Bannister, with Timothy West as Dougal Baxter and Christopher Benjamin as Henry Colvil.

Production credits

Written by Christopher Lee

Produced by Pete Atkin and Neil Cargill

Cast

Charles Bannister - Julian Glover

Dougal Baxter - Timothy West/Peter Kelly

Mary Bannister - Sarah Badel/Isla Blair

Henry Colvil - Christopher Benjamin

Denis Wigton - David Ryall/Trevor Peacock

Juliet Cameron - Siobhan Redmond

Rose - Sheila Reid

Arthur - James Garbutt

Polly Bannister - Ruth Gemmell

Gerald Mossman - David Neville

Merffyn Edwards - Ray Smith/Douglas Blackwell

Kay Bennett - Jane Booker

Nick - Julian Dutton

Eamon - Shaun Prendergast

Alex - Caroline Bliss

Sharp - Norman Bird

With Brian Redhead, Laurie Macmillan, Stuart Organ, Graham Blockey, Rupert Baker, Joan Matheson, Ken Cumberlidge, Danny Schiller, John Fortune, Iain Cuthbertson, Dennis Ramsden, Charles Simpson, Christopher Scott, Michael Kilgarriff, Ian Targett, David Goudge, John Bull, David King, Brian Miller, David McAlister, Terence Edmonds, Brett Usher, John Grieve, Richard Caldicot, Bill Wallis, Stephen Greif

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 August-7 October 1989 (Series 1), 25 December 1989 (Christmas Special), 17 September-5 November 1991 (Series 2), 16 March-20 April 1992 (Series 3), 28 October-2 December 1992 (Series 4), 17 June-22 July 1993 (Series 5), 9 June-14 July 1994 (Series 6)

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Reviews

A tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow.

—— Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

Utterly astonishing . . . Juniper & Thorn is the dark fairytale brought to perfection: terrible, and true, and full of teeth.

—— Shelley Parker-Chan, Sunday Times bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun

A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy.

—— Kat Dunn, author of Dangerous Remedy

Reid expertly weaves a dark and delightful tale that packs a sting. Love, betrayal, and a heroine for our time. I absolutely loved this novel.

—— T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead

This is a dark and bloody tale, full of magic both otherworldly and familiar, and despite its monsters, it reads like comfort. After you read it, you'll start saving space on your shelf for Ava Reid.

—— Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

Juniper & Thorn is one of those books that buries itself beneath your skin and refuses to move. It has captured my mind entirely.

—— The Nerd Daily

An utterly compelling read

—— BookPage (starred review)

Striking. In creating a protagonist who is steely against the odds, Delaney shows deftly that our dreams need never abandon us

—— Irish Times

Novel never loses its humanity in portrayal of a troubled life: authentic and complex [...] elegantly paced. [A] warm, truthful, character-driven novel worth a read for its unusual and entirely believable characters

—— Business Post

A delight from beginning to end

—— Good Housekeeping

With exquisitely drawn characters, beautiful writing and a real sense of moral integrity, The Lincoln Highway already feels like an American coming of age classic to sit alongside The Catcher In The Rye and To Kill A Mockingbird

—— Red

CRAMMED full of emotion, madcap escapades and hugely endearing characters, Towles' outstanding third novel criss-crosses 1950s America as three wayward young men, and one sweet kid brother, go in search of fresh starts and family fortunes. Damaged by their pasts and heading into uncertain futures, their unruly ten-day odyssey is a beautiful, bittersweet adventure

—— Daily Mail

Towles's myth-making, masterful storytelling is no humane, uplifting and compelling that I didn't want the journey to end

—— Church Times

This deeply enjoyable read cements Towles' reputation as one of the best of today's historical novelists

—— Express

'[A] gorgeously crafted novel'

—— The Washington Post

A sweet, charming and wonderfully astute take on humanity and its foibles, this is gorgeous storytelling

—— Psychologies, Book of the Month

The Lincoln Highway is a joyride...[a] delightful tour de force .. There's so much to enjoy in this generous novel packed with fantastic characters

—— NPR.org

Following the runaway success of A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles returns with his third major novel, and we're pleased to say it's another stunner... A gem of a book

—— Woman and Home, Book of the Month

[The Lincoln Highway] is reason to rejoice for Towles's millions of fans, who made his first two novels, Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow, runaway international bestsellers

—— The Millions

Towles' third novel is even more entertaining than his much-acclaimed A Gentleman in Moscow (2016)... A remarkable blend of sweetness and doom, Towles' novel is packed with revelations about the American myth, the art of storytelling, and the unrelenting pull of history. An exhilarating ride through Americana.

—— Kirkus starred review

"[The] notion of American openness, of ever-fractalizing free will, coming up against the fickle realities of fate is the tension that powers Towles' exciting, entertaining [...] picaresque . . . Stories can bring us back to ourselves, Towles seems to say, if only we are open to receiving their power . . . Anyone who follows The Lincoln Highway will relish the trip

—— Los Angeles Times

An enthralling odyssey

—— People

Absorbing

—— USA Today

A wild ride through Americana

—— BuzzFeed

History [and] adventure collide in The Lincoln Highway . . . The pace is fast and writing concise, making it a digestible read whether in bed or at a loud coffee shop

—— Associated Press

Magnificent . . . Towles is a supreme storyteller, and this one-of-a-kind kind of novel isn't to be missed

—— Publishers Weekly

[A] playfully thought-provoking novel . . . [Towles] juggles the pieces of his plot deftly, shifting from voice to voice, skirting sentimentality and quirkiness with a touch of wistful regret, and leading up to an ending that is bound to provoke discussion

—— Booklist

A new author to me- but I'll be reading Amor's A Gentlemen in Moscow, as I was blown away by this... A heartfelt read, one that makes me think of coming of age film Stand By Me

—— Prima

A natural storyteller, Towles keeps the plot ticking over nicely in a solid holiday listen destined for the big screen

—— Irish Examiner

A perfect paperback

—— The Herald

A book to lose yourself in

—— Muddy Stilettos

Flannery excels at working that counterpoint of dark and light, comedy in the face of tragedy . . . A brilliant debut

—— Anglo-Celt

Quietly beautiful . . . Flannery's characters are very well drawn, as is her understanding of small-town mores and idle gossip. It's a book that leaves and impression long after the final page

—— Irish Independent

An amazing story

—— Amie McAuley , Belfast Telegraph
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