June: Voice of a Silent Twin BBC Radio Wales

The story of identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons, growing up in the 1970s, speaking only to each other and isolated from the outside world. After a short infatuation with some boys, they’re driven by heartache and a quest for revenge to a five-week crime spree. Aged just 19, they become the youngest women in Broadmoor Secure Psychiatric Hospital. The day of their release ends in tragedy.
Credits:
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound Design: Cathy Robinson
Original Music: Kizzy Crawford
Exec Producer: Karen Voisey
A BBC Wales Production for BBC Sounds

June and Jennifer’s elective mutism and slow synchronised movements lead to bullying and isolation at school. Teachers and experts try to help, but with little success. The twins leave school more isolated than ever, with few prospects, wondering what will become of them and fearing for their future. June now looks back on how these early experiences contributed to the tragic outcomes later in their lives.
Credits:
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producer: Karen Voisey
Voice director: John Norton
Original title music: Kizzy Crawford
Voice of young June: Bethan Mary-James
Voice of young Jennifer: Olivia Forrest
Production manager: Andrea Deere
With thanks to Marjorie Wallace

June and Jennifer have left school and shut themselves away in their room, living their lives through their dolls. They record their innermost thoughts in their diaries – feelings they felt unable to communicate to those around them. The twins dream of becoming famous authors and write vividly imagined stories, plays and novels. After some publishing success, they fear they’re wasting their youth and yearn for more teenage adventure – but at what cost?
Credits:
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producer: Karen Voisey
Voice director: John Norton
Original title music: Kizzy Crawford
Voice of young June: Bethan Mary-James
Voice of young Jennifer: Olivia Forrest
Production manager: Andrea Deere
With thanks to Marjorie Wallace

Fed up with being shut away in their room and with frustrations boiling over, June and Jennifer venture out in search of love and excitement. They’ve become obsessed with some American brothers and are determined to find them. June recounts how she and her sister started to turn against each other as they competed for the brothers’ affections, taking risks to impress the boys. When the brothers leave suddenly, the twins are bereft and take revenge on the world, with disastrous consequences.
Credits;
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producer: Karen Voisey
Voice director: John Norton
Original title music: Kizzy Crawford
Voice of young June: Bethan Mary-James
Voice of young Jennifer: Olivia Forrest
Production manager: Andrea Deere
With thanks to Marjorie Wallace

June and Jennifer’s crime spree comes to an end after their biggest and most dangerous crime leads to arrest. Life behind bars is unbearable – the twins can’t cope when they’re apart and fight when they’re together. A visit from a journalist will change their lives forever. With insights from the twins’ diaries, and her own recollections, June takes us through their time in Pucklechurch Remand Centre as their big day in court approaches when their future will be decided.
Credits:
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producer: Karen Voisey
Voice director: John Norton
Original title music: Kizzy Crawford
Voice of young June: Bethan Mary-James
Voice of young Jennifer: Olivia Forrest
Production manager: Andrea Deere
With thanks to Marjorie Wallace

Aged just 19, June and Jennifer are given an indefinite sentence to Broadmoor Secure Psychiatric Hospital. They’d hoped for a short sentence to get the help they needed, and they have a childish excitement about going to Broadmoor. The reality of living alongside serial killers and rapists turns out to be a far cry from their idealistic expectation.
Credits:
Narrator: Linda Mitchell
Producer: Beccy Leach
Assistant Producer: Jessica Gunasekara
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producer: Karen Voisey
Voice director: John Norton
Original title music: Kizzy Crawford
Voice of young June: Bethan Mary-James
Voice of young Jennifer: Olivia Forrest
Production manager: Andrea Deere
With thanks to Marjorie Wallace