the hitchHiker's guide to the galaxy

8 years in the planning, the remaining books in Douglas Adams’ masterpiece have finally been dramatised on radio, where it first began. For the first time listeners can also hear the complete radio series: the original from the 1970s, the new dramtisations and bonus material, in one handy box set. Buy here.

Twenty-five years after the original radio series of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy exploded into the public consciousness, the further exploits of its bewildered hero Arthur Dent have been brought to life in their original medium. The original Hitchhiker's radio cast returned; Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect, Susan Sheridan as Trillian, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox and Stephen Moore as Marvin The Paranoid Android. Several actors connected with Hitchhiker's from its other radio and television incarnations took part in the dramatisations, including Jonathan Pryce, Bill Paterson, Sandra Dickinson, David Dixon, and Rula Lenska. New stars thumbing a lift include Richard Griffiths, Joanna Lumley, Leslie Philips, Jane Horrocks, June Whitfield, Stephen Fry, Arthur Smith and American superstars Jackie Mason and Christian Slater.

Replacing the late Peter Jones as The Voice of the Book was his great friend, William Franklyn. The series also featured Douglas Adams himself, thanks to the wonders of digital technology. Douglas had always intended to play the part of Agrajag and in fact was recorded in the part a few years ago. Providing the music for the series were Douglas' close friends Paul “Wix” Wickens, Paul McCartney's Musical Director, and Phil Pope (KYTV, Radioactive, Spitting Image). 

The recordings were mixed using the latest digital technology by Paul Deeley at The Soundhouse, where Douglas took much of the audio work for his PC game Starship Titanic. The programmes were adapted and directed by Douglas Adams' original choice for the job, award-winning audio director Dirk Maggs. Using scripts and extensive notes made by Douglas when first planning these sequels, the Hitchhiker's saga evolved on radio exactly as Douglas wanted it. Producing the programmes were Bruce Hyman and Helen Chattwell of Above The Title Productions. (Click on their names for individual credits).

Recently there has been a revival of Hitchhiker-mania. The books came fourth in the BBC’s Big Read top 10 in 2004 and Walt Disney released the feature film in 2005. The movie provided the first instalment of the saga for a new generation, and these long-awaited radio episodes brought the final books back to where the story began, with the original cast.