Captain Jim Nicholson: The Dark Island & Return to the Islands

Synopsis

A double serving of thrilling vintage spy drama featuring the tenacious Captain Jim Nicholson"These productions are pure ‘Boys Own'-style entertainment...I found them to be thoroughly engrossing, with the actors conveying earnestness throughout." - Entertainment FocusA treat from the archive: two classic dramas from the writer of Z-Cars, Robert Barr, set during the height of the Cold War.The Dark Island is a thrilling story of espionage set among the remote, mist-veiled islands of the Outer Hebrides. Two Intelligence Officers discover an escape route for defectors from Britain. The route, ending behind the Iron Curtain, involves the use of Russian trawlers plying outside territorial waters. Edward de Souza (Coronation Street, Doctor Who) stars as Jim Nicholson in this full-cast drama packed with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you gripped until the very end.In Return to the Islands, the indefatigable Captain Jim Nicholson heads back to the atmospheric islands of the north when a body is discovered near a secret training base. Things take a sinister turn when an elite trainee is taken hostage. An enemy agent is captured and interrogated but can Nicholson and his team solve the mystery in time? When tragedy strikes, the team are pushed to their limit and embark on a deadly endgame…Former BBC war correspondent Robert Barr is best remembered writing for BBC TV’s police dramas Z-Cars and Softly Softly. He also wrote the long-running radio series Detective. The Dark Island was originally made for TV in 1962 as well as being published as a novel in 1972. This is a gem from the archive, perfect for fans of espionage thrillers and vintage drama performed by a great cast.Please note: due to the age of these vintage recordings, the sound quality may vary.Cast and creditsThe Dark Island Written by Robert BarrProduced by Peter TitheridgeJim Nicholson - Edward De SouzaBill Grant - Geoffrey FrederickIan McLeod - Bryden MurdochLieutenant Ritchie - Roy SpencerMajor Williams - Peter HawkinsBrigadier - Michael KilgarriffMary Somers - Rosemary MillerColonel Jamieson/Hotel Manager - Alaric CotterAlec Thompson - John GrahamMajor Williams - Peter HawkinsFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19th September - 24th October 1969Return to the IslandsWritten by Robert BarrProduced by Peter TitheridgeJim Nicholson - Edward de SouzaIan McLeod - Bryden MurdochMajor Miller - John GrahamPaul O'Donnell - Geoffrey FrederickSergeant Finney - Clive MerrisonAlan Shaw/Landlord - Andrew NeilKaty Evans - Gretta GourietAlec Rogers - Ian DewarDoctor - Gerald CrossPrisoner - David GoodersonMiss Dalgliesh - Eva StuartFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10th October - 14th November 1971©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd