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A wronged woman plans diabolical punishments for her husband and his mistress. Darkly comic fairy tale starring Hattie Morahan.

**** 4 Extra marks 40 years since the first BBC TV broadcast of 'The Life and Loves of a She Devil' on 8th October 1986.

Ruth discovers her husband is sleeping with a prettier, richer woman.

So she starts planning ingenious and diabolical ways to punish them both…

Starring Hattie Morahan.

Fay Weldon's gleefully bawdy satire on the war of the sexes, is a fable about the rewards and dangers of our capacity for transformation.

A darkly comic fairy tale about revenge, sex and power, first published in 1983.

Dramatised in two parts by Joy Wilkinson.

Ruth ...... Hattie Morahan
Bobbo ...... Barnaby Kay
Mary Fisher ...... Lyndsey Marshal
Nurse Hopkins ...... Rosie Cavaliero
Mrs Fisher ...... Susan Jameson
Nicola ...... Evie Killip
Andy ...... Leo Wan
Garcia ...... Chris Pavlo
Angus ...... Gerard McDermott
Insurance Man ...... Gerard McDermott
Brenda ...... Debra Baker
Mrs Trumper ...... Debra Baker
Elsie Flower ...... Katie Redford
Girl in Job Centre ...... Rebecca Hamilton

Director: Abigail le Fleming

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2016.

7 days left to listen

1 hour

Last on

Thu 1 Oct 2026 05:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra

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2. Transformation

See all episodes from The Life and Loves of a She Devil by Fay Weldon

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Credits

Ruth Hattie Morahan
Bobbo Barnaby Kay
Mary Fisher Lyndsey Marshal
Nurse Hopkins Rosie Cavaliero
Mrs Fisher Susan Jameson
Nicola Evie Killip
Andy Leo Wan
Garcia Chris Pavlo
Angus Gerard McDermott
Insurance Man Gerard McDermott
Brenda Debra Baker
Mrs Trumper Debra Baker
Elsie Flower Katie Redford
Girl in Job Centre Rebecca Hamilton
Author Fay Weldon
Adaptor Joy Wilkinson
Director Abigail le Fleming

Broadcasts

  • Sun 21 Feb 2016 15:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sat 27 Feb 2016 21:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Mon 4 Dec 2023 05:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Mon 4 Dec 2023 10:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Mon 4 Dec 2023 15:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 5 Dec 2023 00:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 30 Sep 2026 15:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 1 Oct 2026 05:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra