Orphans in Waiting & The Children of Witchwood: Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Thrillers

A pair of thriller series from prolific radio writer Wally K. Daly

Award-winning dramatist Wally K. Daly penned numerous plays for BBC Radio across a range of genres, including the beloved sci-fi ‘Scream Trilogy’ and the sitcoms Anything Legal and Give Or Take. Featured here are two of his gripping thriller series: the tense spy serial Orphans in Waiting and the eerie supernatural story The Children of Witchwood.

Orphans in Waiting – Schoolboy Mike Jago wakes from one nightmare only to find he’s living in another. His parents have disappeared overnight, leaving him, his brother Pete and his sister Janey all alone. Reluctant to call the police, the children investigate – and soon notice strange things. Why are there helicopter marks in the garden? Who is the stranger keeping watch on the house through his binoculars? What is in their father’s briefcase? And who – or what – is The Hyena? As they attempt to unravel these mysteries, they find themselves in grave danger, and pursued by a deadly enemy... Starring Judy Bennett, Abigail Docherty and Simon Radford.

The Children of Witchwood – When college student Jackie Lamont disappears from the haunted ‘Burning Field’, only to reappear, just as mysteriously, in possession of strange telepathic powers, it attracts the attention of the Ministry of Defence. Investigator B Q Brown believes there is a possible link between her newfound abilities and sinister events back in the 17th century, when six children were burned as witches. Meanwhile, the Cranford clan, who have carefully guarded a dark secret for hundreds of years, now regard Jackie as a threat. What lengths will they go to protect their birthright? Wendy Baxter and Michael Cochrane star in Wally K. Daly’s last ever radio drama series.

NB: Due to the off-air nature of the recordings, the sound quality may vary.

Production credits Written by Wally K. Daly Audio for Orphans in Waiting from Wally K. Daly's own collection

Orphans in Waiting Mike – Judy Bennett Janey – Abigail Docherty Peter – Simon Radford Headmaster – Peter Jeffrey Store Manager – Danny Schiller Woman – Auriol Smith Uncle Brian – Frank Windsor Auntie Vi – Jo Manning Wilson Grandfather – Edward Kelsey Other parts played by Joanna Myers, Timothy Carlton, Andrew Wincott, Tariq Alibai, John Talbot, Elizabeth Mansfield, Tony Wredden, Bhasker, Fraser Kerr, Amerjit Deu and David Bannerman

Produced by Dan Garrett

First broadcast BBC Radio 5, 27 Aug-1 Oct 1990

The Children of Witchwood Jackie Lamont – Wendy Baxter Mandy Lamont – Emily Chennery Sion Lamont – Scott Gray Jason Cranford – Laurence Saunders Cheever Cranford – Jez Thomas Becky Cranford – Becky Wright DC Danny Sparks – Daniel Settatree WPC Polly Bell – Lorraine Coady Mother/Minister – Jilly Bond Sergeant/B Q Brown – Michael Cochrane Iron Peter/Dentist – Robert Lister

Directed by Jenny Stephens

First broadcast on BBC 7, 3-7 Jan 2005

© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

© 2025 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529959444

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Lydbog: 13. november 2025