Ian Fleming - The Complete Man By Nicholas Shakespeare

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

A Stormy Childhood

20231225

Today's episode tips back to Fleming's turbulent and stormy childhood.

Read by multi-Olivia Award winning actor, Alex Jennings.

Fascinating new insight into the creator of James Bond - Ian Fleming. Alex Jennings reads.

More mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote, Fleming's life was shaped by his stormy childhood, living in the shadows of his gifted older brother and extraordinary mother.

A Stormy Childhood

20231225

Today's episode tips back to Fleming's turbulent and stormy childhood.

Read by multi-Olivier Award winning actor, Alex Jennings.

Fascinating new insight into the creator of James Bond - Ian Fleming. Alex Jennings reads.

More mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote, Fleming's life was shaped by his stormy childhood, living in the shadows of his gifted older brother and extraordinary mother.

A Secret Service The War Years

20231226

Today's episode explores Fleming's important and vital work in Naval Intelligence, heading a top secret unit “30 A-U - .stands for Number Thirty Assault Unit... basically, the unit's job is to seize enemy equipment, ciphers, scientific know-how before such material can be destroyed ?. Ian's covert intelligence-gathering unit would grow from twenty-four men in 1942, to 450 in 1945.

Alex Jennings reads.

Intriguing, new and fascinating insight into the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming.

Ian Fleming's work in Naval Intelligence in WWII was at the centre of Churchill's main strategies. His unit managing to infiltrate and acquire key German naval enigma settings

A Secret Service, The War Years

20231226

Alex Jennings reads.

Intriguing, new and fascinating insight into the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming.

Ian Fleming's work in Naval Intelligence in WWII was at the centre of Churchill's main strategies. His unit managing to infiltrate and acquire key German naval enigma settings

Writing Bond

20231227

Today's episode sees how Fleming's bachelorhood was coming to an end, and the fear of his impending marriage, helped spur him to create the supreme, everlasting bachelor 007. He starts writing his world famous thrillers, at Goldeneye, in Jamaica.

Multi Olivia award winning Alex Jennings reads.

Intriguing, new insight into the life of James Bond's creator - Ian Fleming.

All the elements that motivated and inspired Fleming to create Bond conspire at Goldeneye, his Jamaican retreat, where he can at last start writing his novels. Alex Jennings reads.

Writing Bond

20231227

Multi Olivier award winning Alex Jennings reads.

Intriguing, new insight into the life of James Bond's creator - Ian Fleming.

All the elements that motivated and inspired Fleming to create Bond conspire at Goldeneye, his Jamaican retreat, where he can at last start writing his novels. Alex Jennings reads.

Dinner With Jfk

20231228

Today's episode looks at how the future US president, John F. Kennedy, a 007 fan, and Fleming, bonded over dinner, ‘The rapport was instantaneous,' ‘Jack was mesmerised by Ian.' JFK paid attention when Fleming answered his questions about the Castro problem. Also, this episodes touches on British Prime Minister Anthony Eden's ill-conceived stay at Goldeneye at the height of the Suez crisis, and the subsequent effect on sales for Fleming's thrillers.

Alex Jennings reads.

A riveting new look at the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming.

Soon to be President, John F. Kennedy at dinner with Fleming, seeks advice on Fidel Castro, 'What would Bond do?

Fleming's response becomes close to what's deployed by the CIA.

Filming Bond: Fleming's Final Years

20231229

Today's episode looks at Ian Fleming's final years and the transformation of the novels into films. From casting of Connery to filming Dr. No in Jamaica, (Fleming turns up with friends, and is shouted at by the director for nearly ruining an iconic shot of unknown Swedish actress Ursula Andress on the beach with Connery). And where, as Broccoli had learnt, ‘the success and failure of a film often hangs on a question of timing.' World events at the time conspired almost to imitate Bond.

Alex Jennings reads.

Gripping series of readings throwing new light on the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming.

When Fleming signed the film deal, producer Cubby Broccoli called it, ‘the most successful series of movies in motion-picture history', and world events seemed to imitate a Bond .

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	A Stormy Childhood	20231225	Today's episode tips back to Fleming's turbulent and stormy childhood. Read by multi-Olivia Award winning actor, Alex Jennings. Fascinating new insight into the creator of James Bond - Ian Fleming. Alex Jennings reads. More mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote, Fleming's life was shaped by his stormy childhood, living in the shadows of his gifted older brother and extraordinary mother.
01	A Stormy Childhood	20231225	Today's episode tips back to Fleming's turbulent and stormy childhood. Read by multi-Olivier Award winning actor, Alex Jennings. Fascinating new insight into the creator of James Bond - Ian Fleming. Alex Jennings reads. More mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote, Fleming's life was shaped by his stormy childhood, living in the shadows of his gifted older brother and extraordinary mother.
02	A Secret Service The War Years	20231226	Today's episode explores Fleming's important and vital work in Naval Intelligence, heading a top secret unit “30 A-U - .stands for Number Thirty Assault Unit... basically, the unit's job is to seize enemy equipment, ciphers, scientific know-how before such material can be destroyed ?. Ian's covert intelligence-gathering unit would grow from twenty-four men in 1942, to 450 in 1945. Alex Jennings reads. Intriguing, new and fascinating insight into the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming. Ian Fleming's work in Naval Intelligence in WWII was at the centre of Churchill's main strategies. His unit managing to infiltrate and acquire key German naval enigma settings
02	A Secret Service, The War Years	20231226	Today's episode explores Fleming's important and vital work in Naval Intelligence, heading a top secret unit “30 A-U - .stands for Number Thirty Assault Unit... basically, the unit's job is to seize enemy equipment, ciphers, scientific know-how before such material can be destroyed ?. Ian's covert intelligence-gathering unit would grow from twenty-four men in 1942, to 450 in 1945. Alex Jennings reads. Intriguing, new and fascinating insight into the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming. Ian Fleming's work in Naval Intelligence in WWII was at the centre of Churchill's main strategies. His unit managing to infiltrate and acquire key German naval enigma settings
03	Writing Bond	20231227	Today's episode sees how Fleming's bachelorhood was coming to an end, and the fear of his impending marriage, helped spur him to create the supreme, everlasting bachelor 007. He starts writing his world famous thrillers, at Goldeneye, in Jamaica. Multi Olivia award winning Alex Jennings reads. Intriguing, new insight into the life of James Bond's creator - Ian Fleming. All the elements that motivated and inspired Fleming to create Bond conspire at Goldeneye, his Jamaican retreat, where he can at last start writing his novels. Alex Jennings reads.
03	Writing Bond	20231227	Today's episode sees how Fleming's bachelorhood was coming to an end, and the fear of his impending marriage, helped spur him to create the supreme, everlasting bachelor 007. He starts writing his world famous thrillers, at Goldeneye, in Jamaica. Multi Olivier award winning Alex Jennings reads. Intriguing, new insight into the life of James Bond's creator - Ian Fleming. All the elements that motivated and inspired Fleming to create Bond conspire at Goldeneye, his Jamaican retreat, where he can at last start writing his novels. Alex Jennings reads.
04	Dinner With Jfk	20231228	Today's episode looks at how the future US president, John F. Kennedy, a 007 fan, and Fleming, bonded over dinner, ‘The rapport was instantaneous,' ‘Jack was mesmerised by Ian.' JFK paid attention when Fleming answered his questions about the Castro problem. Also, this episodes touches on British Prime Minister Anthony Eden's ill-conceived stay at Goldeneye at the height of the Suez crisis, and the subsequent effect on sales for Fleming's thrillers. Alex Jennings reads. A riveting new look at the life of James Bond creator, Ian Fleming. Soon to be President, John F. Kennedy at dinner with Fleming, seeks advice on Fidel Castro, 'What would Bond do? Fleming's response becomes close to what's deployed by the CIA.
05	Filming Bond: Fleming's Final Years	20231229	Today's episode looks at Ian Fleming's final years and the transformation of the novels into films. From casting of Connery to filming Dr. No in Jamaica, (Fleming turns up with friends, and is shouted at by the director for nearly ruining an iconic shot of unknown Swedish actress Ursula Andress on the beach with Connery). And where, as Broccoli had learnt, ‘the success and failure of a film often hangs on a question of timing.' World events at the time conspired almost to imitate Bond. Alex Jennings reads. Gripping series of readings throwing new light on the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming. When Fleming signed the film deal, producer Cubby Broccoli called it, ‘the most successful series of movies in motion-picture history', and world events seemed to imitate a Bond .