Who is behind the mysterious advert reading ‘Wife available – what offers?’

What prompted a ‘third girl’ to suddenly pack her bags and leave her flatshare?

And when a newly married couple’s honeymoon period comes to an abrupt end, is the wedding dress to blame?

Conceived by respected writer Philip Levene, whose writing credits include 19 episodes of ITV’s The Avengers, these ten full-cast dramas read between the lines of newspaper personal ads to tell captivating tales of the human condition – each with an unexpected twist.

The stories range from a rookie blackmailer who learns the pitfalls of the business and a husband and wife who get more than they bargain for when they try to sell some old jewellery, to a lonely librarian who hires a personal escort for an important date and a dodgy insurance broker who takes drastic measures to try and avoid exposure.

Written by esteemed TV scriptwriters and starring a host of well-known names including Carole Boyd, Bernard Horsfall, Anne Stallybrass, George Cole and Wendy Craig, this entertaining and varied anthology is a treasure trove from the golden age of radio.

This series of vintage radio plays was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 20 March – 25 September 1967.

Episodes:

Findings Keepings by Philip Levene
Evening Out by Jill Hyem
No Square Deal by Eddie Maguire
Third Girl Wanted by Jill Hyem
Off to a Good Start by Dawn Pavitt & Terry Wale
What Am I Bid? by Eddie Maguire
Home and Away by Dawn Pavitt & Terry Wale
Time for a Coat by Andrew Sachs
This Column Every Friday by Arnold Yarrow
The Companion by Philip Levene

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