Gelbetia

Brian Gulliver is a seasoned presenter of travel documentaries.

He now finds himself in a hospital's secure unit after claiming to have experienced a succession of bizarre adventures.

His begins with the tale of his travels in Gelbetia - a country run by doctors.

Starring Neil Pearson and Mariah Gale.

Series of satirical adventure stories from Bill Dare.

Brian …… Neil Pearson
Rachel …… Mariah Gale
Brendal …… Katherine Jakeways
Dr Malik …… Paul Bhattacharjee
Nurse Hill …… Sean Baker
Judge …… Sam Dale
Juror …… Nyasha Hatendi
Cliptin …… Jane Whittenshaw
Nurse Suzy …… Sally Orrock

For years Bill Dare wanted to create a satire about different worlds exploring Kipling's idea that we travel, 'not just to explore civilizations, but to better understand our own'. But science-fiction and space ships never interested him, so he put the idea on ice.

Then Brian Gulliver arrived and meant that our hero could be lost in a fictional world without the need for any sci-fi.

Gulliver's Travels is the only book Bill Dare read at university. His father, Peter Jones, narrated a similarly peripatetic radio series: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Producer: Steven Canny

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2011.