Love in Recovery: Series 1 & 2

The BBC Radio 4 comedy drama

By: Pete Jackson

Narrated by: Full Cast, John Hannah, Sue Johnston

Sue Johnston, John Hannah and Eddie Marsan are among the stars of this spellbinding, hilarious and uplifting comedy drama.

Set entirely at a series of weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, these 13 episodes also feature Rebecca Front, Paul Kaye, Julia Deakin and Samantha Bond.

Love in Recovery follows the lives of five very different recovering alcoholics. Eddie Marsan is Andy, the sweet but simple group leader. Sue Johnston is Julie, who's been known to have the odd relapse here and there, and everywhere. John Hannah is Simon, a snide journalist with a big secret. Rebecca Front is the snobby and guarded Fiona, who used to be a banker who had it all, and then lost the lot. Paul Kaye is Danno, a dodgy geezer with no front teeth, but a lot of heart.

During the course of two series and a special Christmas episode, we hear them get to know each other, get on each other’s nerves, laugh, argue, fall apart, fall in love and, most importantly, tell their stories.

Written and created by Pete Jackson, Love in Recovery is inspired by his own road to recovery. Duration: 5 hours approx

Critic reviews

It's a credit to Pete Jackson's writing and the cast's acting prowess that the listener can switch from laughing out loud to rapt silence. (Jane Anderson)

Final episode of what has been an astonishingly good new comedy series…The cast is impressive, the acting superb and if Pete Jackson, who wrote it from his own experience, doesn't get a prize there's no justice. (Gillian Reynolds)

…brilliant six-part comedy drama written by Pete Jackson. Each of the 15-minute vignettes unspool like manic Canterbury Tales, offering a set of soliloquies built around the awkward weekly meetings of disparate characters…The series feels sharp and fresh… (Priya Elan)

Inspired and inspiring

Thoughtful, recognisable…seriously funny (Gillian Reynolds)

Brilliantly played by a solid gold cast (Priya Elan)

This series never disappoints…the writing and acting is consistently top notch and it balances dark comedy with human sorrow as expertly as a finely tuned racing car (The Radio Times)

Eloquent, moving and funny (The Observer)

Funny and touching

Although the recovery meetings I have attended do not flow exactly as this production portrays, I still found this production heartwarming as well as hilarious. Some of these characters stories could have been my own.

Funny and sad

Beautifully written and performed the series follows the experiences of an Alcoholics Anonymous group as they come to terms with their lives in their different ways. Highly recommended. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy.

Human beings being human - with underlying humor

This comedy drama was entertaining. For a short time I was drawn into this world, the people, and their stories.

The beginning of the episodes, with the cleaning lady, didn't work so well - and were kind of annoying after a while. It was too much of the same thing.

The voice actors did a great job - maybe I'll listen to this again in the future.