RADIO CHOICE

TOMMIES (RADIO 4, 2.15PM), the excellent series about World War I, returns with a two-part drama covering the real-life events of 100 years ago. As ever, the action follows Mickey Bliss and his fellow signallers from the Lahore Division of the British Indian Army. They find themselves in the shadow of the pyramids, up to their armpits in riots, chaos and political machinations.

THIS week’s edition of LENT TALKS (RADIO 4, 8.45PM) is a shockingly honest piece of radio. Katie Edwards is a lecturer in biblical studies. Despite her beliefs as a Christian, she finds it difficult to accept the silent suffering exemplified by Christ before Pilate. Katie recalls something terrible that happened to her group of school friends. They kept silent about what was done to them, and only

recently has Katie realised that their silence was both wrong and deeply harmful.

MANY comedians claim they had an odd upbringing, but Sophie Willan’s was the

real deal. Her mother was addicted to heroin, and Sophie (pictured) spent much of her childhood in care. In the first instalment of SOPHIE WILLAN’S GUIDE TO NORMALITY

(RADIO 4, 11PM), she gives an account of her family, including an aunt who knits clothes for hamsters and a grandmother who could be either ‘a beauty or a crow’. A tough, darkly funny piece of late-night radio comedy.