Baggage: The Complete Series 1-4

A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Drama

By: Hilary Lyon

Narrated by: Phyllis Logan, Hilary Lyon, Stuart McQuarrie, Peter Capaldi, David Rintoul, full cast, June Watson, Adie Allen, Robin Cameron

All four series of the comedy drama set in Edinburgh, following the lives of three fortysomething best friends

Caroline, Fiona and Ruth are lifelong friends, who've grown up together, laughed and cried together, and stood by each other through thick and thin. They may not always see eye to eye, and they might drive each other crazy, but they can't do without each other.

But life's got a lot more complicated since they were 22, when the only things they carried around were handbags. Now, in midlife, they've got more baggage than the average airport carousel. Caroline's been dumped by her politician husband of 10 years, Alistair; single mother Ruth is struggling with her monosyllabic teenage son; and Fiona's walked out on her husband Roddy - and moved in with Caroline, in her poky top-floor Marchmont flat.

Over the course of several manic Midsummers, crisis-ridden Christmases and hopeful Hogmanays, they grapple with ex-husbands and new lovers; broodiness and babies; divorce, dementia and alcoholism - only to find themselves climbing their biggest mountain yet. Aided by Roddy, Fiona's elderly mum Gladys, and Caroline's larger-than-life dad Hector, they set about forging their own new, strangely shaped, thoroughly 21st Century family...

Written by Hilary Lyon, who also stars as Caroline, this funny, poignant sitcom is a love letter to female friendship - and to one of Europe's loveliest capital cities, Edinburgh. Phyllis Logan and Adie Allen co-star as Fiona and Ruth, with Peter Capaldi and Stuart McQuarrie as Alistair, Robin Cameron as Roddy, June Watson as Gladys and David Rintoul as Hector.

Production credits
Written by Hilary Lyon
Produced by Moray Hunter and Gordon Kennedy
Directed by Marilyn Imrie
Broadcast Assistant: Sarah Tombling
Sound Engineer: Phil Horne
Studio Manager: Alison McKenzie
Theme song by Nusa
An Absolutely Production for BBC Radio 4

Cast
Caroline - Hilary Lyon
Fiona - Phyllis Logan
Ruth - Adie Allen
Roddy - Robin Cameron
Caitlin - Holly Wagner
Mike/Simeon - Stuart McQuarrie
Rev Nicholas/Tax man - Moray Hunter
Alistair - Peter Capaldi/Stuart McQuarrie
Kir - Peter Capaldi
Caitlin - Holly Wagner
Gladys - June Watson
Fats/Waiter - Gordon Kennedy
Janie - Hilary MacLean
Gillian - Carolyn Bonnyman
Trampy little nurse/Miriam/Polly/Wifie - Nicola Grier
Malcolm/Peter - Jack Docherty
Preston - Roger May
Hector - David Rintoul

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 April-11 May 2005 (Series 1), 4 August-1 September 2006 (Series 2), 5 December 2007-9 January 2008 (Series 3), 8 July-12 August 2009 (Series 4)

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Critic reviews

"Warmth, realism, humour...a continuing pleasure." (The Guardian)

Polite storyline for a complex situation

I liked the way the story weaved into something that could be real, complicated and misunderstood by most people around it. The actions of the characters may rattle some nerves but this story is just as real as your neighbors' private lives. That's why it was redeeming, in my opinion.