Rural Studios

19/09/2025

The Read is now available to international audiences! 🌎

Big thanks to Marquee TV for making series 1 available to watch on Amazon Prime. Watch here 👇

Step inside the world of some of Britain's most compelling novels with

15/03/2025

Rural Studios has been selected for the BBC Small Indie Fund! 🥳

We'd like to thank an congratulate all the team that have contributed to Rural Studios’ success. Onwards and upwards! 🚀

In total, 50 indies will receive support across three dedicated schemes: the TV Small Indie Fund, the Hot House co-commissioning scheme and the BBC Radio & Music Indie Development Fund

28/02/2025

Bradford-born actor Vinette Robinson gives a spellbinding performance as she narrates Emily Brontë’s groundbreaking novel.

The much-loved work stands as a timeless classic, set against the haunting backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors and seen through the eyes of housekeeper Nelly Dean. At the heart of the story is the intense and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose passionate connection weaves a dark and tumultuous tale of revenge, obsession, and the brutal forces of nature.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer 📺

14/02/2025

About working on our latest episode of The Read: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Reece Shearsmith told us:

“I was very excited to be asked by The Read to recount the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The story is of course iconic and has one of the greatest twists of all time, but the themes are still profoundly relevant. Like "A Christmas Carol" it seems impossible to think of a time when this story didn't exist in the world. It was such a treat to perform this turbulent and often horrifying tale and find so much that feels so new and undiscovered in the story.”

Catch up now on BBC iPlayer 👉 bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0016cc3/the-read

10/02/2025

Catch up now on BBC iPlayer 📺

07/02/2025

Who is the real monster? Robert Louis Stevenson’s defining gothic horror explores alter egos in this captivating narration that reimagines the 19th-century classic. Watch Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde starring Reece Shearsmith on BBC iPlayer now 👇

Who is the real monster? Robert Louis Stevenson’s defining gothic horror explores alter egos in this captivating narration that reimagines the 19th-century classic.

02/02/2025

Watch The Read: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Starring Reece Shearsmith tonight, 9pm on BBC Four & 🕯️

28/01/2025

Filmed on location in Bradford, the 2025 UK City of Culture, the latest episode release of The Read will showcase a stunning new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic novella Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, starring the BAFTA and RTS award winning actor Reece Shearsmith 🕯️

📆 This Sunday 2nd February, 9pm
📺 BBC Four & BBC iPlayer

Watch all available episodes of The Read via 👉 bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0016cc3/the-read

25/01/2025

New episode alert! 🔔

Next Sunday, 2nd Feb you can catch Reece Shearsmith star in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic novella Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 🕯️

This Rural Studios production for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer of The Read, was filmed on location in Bradford, 2025’s UK City of Culture. Directed by Kieran Stringfellow, the Series Producer is Julie Colman, the Executive Producer is Grant Black and the commissioner for BBC Arts is Stephen James-Yeoman.

To watch all available episodes of The Read, visit 👉bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0016cc3/the-read

21/01/2025

We're delighted to have reduced our travel and transport emissions on Series 3 of The Read by continuing to share vehicles and use public transport where we can.

To learn more about our broadcast work, visit ruralstudios.co.uk/our-work

10/01/2025

Did you catch our latest episode of The Read: Wuthering Heights on Sunday? Catch up now on BBC iPlayer 👇

Vinette Robinson gives a spellbinding performance as she narrates Emily Brontë’s groundbreaking novel.

The much-loved work stands as a timeless classic, set against the haunting backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors and seen through the eyes of housekeeper Nelly Dean. At the heart of the story is the intense and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose passionate connection weaves a dark and tumultuous tale of revenge, obsession, and the brutal forces of nature.

05/01/2025

Catch the fantastic Vinette Robinson narrate Emily Bronte's classic novel Wuthering Heights, tonight 7pm on BBC Four & iPlayer 👀