Journey into Space: The World in Peril & The Return from Mars

The final series of Charles Chilton’s classic 1950s sci-fi trilogy and the gripping 1981 sequel

Written by veteran radio producer Charles Chilton, Journey into Space kept Light Programme listeners enraptured between 1953 and 1958. Almost eight million people tuned in to the interstellar adventures of Jet Morgan and his intrepid crew, making it the last UK radio drama serial to beat television in the ratings. This audio collection contains the complete Series 3 of the groundbreaking trilogy, as well as the special 90-minute sequel The Return from Mars.

The World in Peril – Continuing the suspenseful story begun in The Red Planet, this 20-part serial, set in 1972, follows Jet and his comrades as they return to Mars with orders to discover all they can about the impending Martian invasion of Britain. Stretched to their limits, they take on the awesome Martian power – and when they discover the astounding secret of the invasion plan, they must race against time to warn a defenceless Earth… Starring Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley-Poynter, Don Sharp and Alfie Bass.

The Return from Mars – It’s an ordinary afternoon at London Landing Control. Suddenly, a voice breaks across another aircraft’s frequency: ‘This is the spaceship Discovery’… To the controller’s astonishment, Jet Morgan and his crew are re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere – more than 30 years after they went missing, presumed dead. What happened to Jet and friends during those years? Consulting his diary, Jet begins to tell their astonishing story… Starring John Pullen, Ed Bishop, Nigel Graham and Anthony Hall.

Production credits
Written and produced by Charles Chilton
Music composed and orchestra conducted by Van Phillips

The World in Peril
Jet Morgan – Andrew Faulds
Lemmy Barnett – Alfie Bass
Doc – Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch – Don Sharp
Other parts played by David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern, John Cazabon, Fred Yule and Pat Campbell

First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 26 September 1955-6 February 1956

The Return from Mars
Jet Morgan – John Pullen
Lemmy – Anthony Hall
Doc – Ed Bishop
Mitch – Nigel Graham
Cassia – Elizabeth Proud
Nichols – Patrick Barr
Wrist radio/Countdown voice – David Bradshawe
Pilot/Talian – Graham Faulkner
Controller/Radio voice – Stephen Garlick
Videophone/Junior officer – John McAndrew
Control/Sotteer 2 – Sion Probert
Sotteer 1/Harry – Christopher Scott
Supervisor/Radio – John Webb

Script by Charles Chilton
Directed by Glyn Dearman

First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 7 March 1981

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