''Citizens'' was a radio drama series, which aired twice a week from 27 October 1987 to 25 July 1991. There were 338 twenty-five-minute episodes and it was broadcast on
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
. It was created by
Marilyn Imrie
Marilyn Elsie Imrie (20 November 1947 – 21 August 2020) was a Scottish theatre and radio drama director and producer.
Career
Marilyn Imrie worked in drama and broadcasting in Scotland and England for over thirty years as a producer and directo ...
and A.J. Quinn.
The series initially focused on the residents of 5 Limerick Road in the fictional South London borough of Ditcham:
* Landlady Alex Parker (
Kate Duchêne), a single parent, originally from Norwich;
* Liverpudlian twins Julia Brennan (
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
) and Michael Brennan (
Russell Boulter);
* merchant banker Hugh Hamilton (
James MacPherson
James Macpherson ( Gaelic: ''Seumas MacMhuirich'' or ''Seumas Mac a' Phearsain''; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector, and politician. He is known for the Ossian cycle of epic poems, which he ...
) from Kilmarnock;
* doctor Anita Sharma (
Seeta Indrani) from Birmingham; and
* Ernest Bond (
Brian Murphy Brian Murphy may refer to:
Sportspeople
* Brian Murphy (Jamaican cricketer) (born 1973), Jamaican cricketer
* Brian Murphy (Zimbabwean cricketer) (born 1976), Zimbabwean cricketer
* Brian Murphy (baseball) (born 1980), American head baseball coac ...
), who lived in the ground floor flat with his Siamese cat Salome.
Alex, Julia, Michael, Hugh and Anita had all met as students in Leicester.
In later years, the series increasingly focused on local bar, The Chariots of Fire, and a crime boss played by John Hollis. Alexei Sayle made a guest appearance as himself in late 89.
References
* Lavalie, John. "Citizens." EpGuides. 21 Jul 2005. 29 Jul 200
* Kingsley, Hilary. "Soap box." Papermac. .
BBC Radio 4 programmes
1987 radio programme debuts
1991 radio programme endings
British radio soap operas
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