Life Lines

BBC Radio 4
  • 4.2 (10)
  • Drama

Al Smith's award-winning series set in an ambulance control room.

  1. 7 May

    Episode 2

    Award winning drama set in an Ambulance Control Room. Carrie must deal with the fallout from a car having driven into a crowd of protestors, all the time maintaining her compassion and ability to deal with other people’s emergencies whilst facing face down her own fears that her husband is among those injured. The programme contains scenes of a traumatic nature. Carrie ….. Sarah Ridgeway Will ….. Rick Warden Ian ….. Michael Jibson Jake ….. Sam Swann Policewoman/Operator….. Yasmin Mwanza Jogger/Gareth ….. Stephen Wight John ….. John Hollingworth Med-Reg/Rosie ….. Holli Dempsey Peter/Humphrey ….. Sam Dale Henny ….. Georgie Glen Production Co-ordinator ….. Luke MacGregor Technical Producers ….. Keith Graham, Sam Dickinson Writer ….. Al Smith Director ….. Sally Avens A BBC Studios Production.

    45 min

  2. 6 May

    Episode 1

    Carrie is a call handler for the ambulance service. Every day she makes split-second decisions as she deals with a succession of emergencies; from a young man who has fallen whilst attempting to put up a flag, to a mother dealing with the death of her only son. Carrie is gifted with the knack of calmly helping people through their most vulnerable moments. Each episode is a collage of heart-stopping stories, where Carrie’s indiscriminate acts of kindness can mean the difference between life and death. The programme contains scenes of a traumatic nature. Carrie ….. Sarah Ridgeway Will ….. Rick Warden Ian ….. Michael Jibson Nick ….. Archie Christoph-Allen David/ Æssan ….. Keneth Collard Peter ….. Sam Dale Bella ….. Sadie Gray Natalie ….. Anna Spearpoint Lauren ….. Yasmin Mwanza Gwen ….. Clare Corbett Production Co-ordinator ….. Luke MacGregor Technical Producers ….. Keith Graham, Sam Dickinson Writer ….. Al Smith Director ….. Sally Avens A BBC Studios Production.

    44 min

  3. 24/09/2025

    Part Two

    Carrie ...... Sarah Ridgeway Will .....Rick Warden Ian ..... Michael Jibson Oscar ..... Alex Laurence-Philips Paul ..... Jason Barnett Lindsay ..... Maggie Service James/Luke ....... Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong Maira ..... Aoife Moss Technical Producers ...... Andrew Garratt & Neva Missirian Production Co-ordinator ..... Luke MacGregor Writer ..... Al Smith Director ..... Sally Avens A BBC Studios Audio Production Award winning drama set in an Ambulance Control Room. As Carrie struggles with her own feelings of redundancy at work and loss in her personal life she faces a barrage of calls from members of the public in danger of losing their own loved ones. The series contains scenes of a traumatic nature. For details of organisations which offer advice and support with pregnancy related issues, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline

    44 min

  4. 23/09/2025

    Part One

    The award winning drama set in an Ambulance Control Room. Carrie is a call handler for the ambulance service. Every day she makes split-second decisions as she deals with a succession of emergencies; from a young woman who has been sexually assaulted to a vicious attack on an ambulance crew. Carrie is gifted with the knack of calmly helping people through their most vulnerable moments. Each episode is a collage of heart-stopping stories, where Carrie’s indiscriminate acts of kindness can mean the difference between life and death But how can a newly pregnant Carrie maintain a calm facade when she has to work with an AI system that can listen but doesn't always understand and her own body rebelling against her. For details of organisations which offer advice and support with pregnancy related issues, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline Carrie ..... Sarah Ridgeway Will ..... Rick Warden Ian ..... Michael Jibson Caitlyn ..... Rowan Robinson Dan/Doctor ..... Tom Victor Flo/Holly ..... Abbie Andrews Isaac ....Keenan Munn-Francis Andy ..... Jason Barnett Nina ..... Kitty O'Sullivan Receptionist ..... Maggie Service Technical Producers ..... Andrew Garratt & Neva Missirian Production Co-ordinator ..... Luke MacGregor Writer ..... Al Smith Director ..... Sally Avens A BBC Studios Audio Production

    43 min

  5. 13/08/2024

    Part One

    by Al Smith CARRIE ..... Sarah Ridgeway WILL ..... Rick Warden IAN ..... Michael Jibson DIVYA /CSC CO-ORDINATOR ...... Vineeta Rishi DONALD .... Neil McCaul ELEANOR/PARAMEDIC ..... Emma Handy NIKKI/OPERATOR ...... Gabrielle Scawthorn CALLUM/GARY ...... David Angland BETH ...... Cecilia Appiah SCHOOL GIRL/ NAOMI .... Shreya Lallu ANDY ...... Nuhazet Diaz Cano Production Co-ordinator ...... Maggie Olgiati Technical Producers ...... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig Director ...... Sally Avens The award winning drama set in an Ambulance Control Room. Every day Carrie has to deal with emergencies calmly and with a clear head; from a young boy having to give his father CPR to a woman giving birth in a swimming pool, but when her friend and colleague, Will, asks her to lie on his behalf she is forced to choose between her friendship and her job.

    44 min

  6. 13/08/2024

    Part Two

    CARRIE ..... Sarah Ridgeway WILL ..... Rick Warden IAN ..... Michael Jibson DIVYA ...... Vineeta Rishi UPSTAIRS ANGE/JAN ..... Rebecca Crankshaw ROSS ..... Jonnie Broadbent CLAIRE ..... Gabrielle Scawthorn RONNIE ..... Shreya Lallu VIX ..... Andi Bickers MARK/TONY ..... Nuhazet Diaz Cano Production Co-ordinator ..... Maggie Olgiati Technical Producers ...... Alison Craig, Peter Ringrose Writer ...... Al Smith Director ..... Sally Avens The multi award winning drama set in an ambulance control room. Carrie is always calm under pressure even when dealing with matters of life and death. But when she is asked to lie to save a colleague's skin she finds herself questioning her own judgement and jeopardising her career.

    45 min

  7. 27/06/2022

    Episode 6

    Award winning drama set in an ambulance call centre. When Carrie receives a heart breaking call from Will's wife she knows she must act urgently but there are no ambulances. Written by Al Smith. Carrie ..... Sarah Ridgeway Will ..... Rick Warden Paul ..... Colin Ryan Suz ..... Tracy Wiles Ian ..... Michael Jibson Chloe ..... Mabel Cresswell Directed by Sally Avens Pressure mounts in the call centre as an accident on the motorway eats up all the available ambulances and when Will's wife calls in needing urgent help Carrie is put in an impossible situation.

    15 min

  8. 27/06/2022

    Episode 5

    Award winning drama set in an ambulance call centre. A young girl has a fit in a car on the live lane of the motorway leading to a horrifying series of events. Written by Al Smith. Carrie ..... Sarah Ridgeway Will ..... Rick Warden Leah ..... Katie Redford Polly ..... Jaimi Barbakoff Ian ..... Michael Jibson Dan ..... Lloyd Thomas Paramedic ..... Matthew Durkan Technician ..... Alexandra Hannant Directed by Sally Avens Carrie receives a call from a young mother whose daughter is having a fit in a car on the live lane of a motorway. And she faces pressure at home as she faces up to the fact her own daughter is self-harming.

    15 min
See All (18)

4.2
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Al Smith's award-winning series set in an ambulance control room.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    Life Lines

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