The big day is nearly here! But with the gifts wrapped and the turkey in the oven, the hardest part of Christmas is yet to come… dealing with family. 

Hell’s Bells is a Christmas-themed dark comedy written by playwright Sally Wood. After a successful run as a stage play, it has now been adapted into a full-cast audio drama, directed and produced by Scott Handcock. 

Bonnie Langford (Doctor Who) and David Calder (Star Cops) star as housewife Joyce and former CEO Robert, whose hopes for a peaceful Christmas are upended by the arrival of their heavily pregnant daughter Lydia (Lu Corfield, Last Tango in Halifax) and her hapless husband Mack (Arthur Darvill, Broadchurch). 

Lydia and Mack’s relationship is plagued by conflict, which only opens up the similar cracks between Joyce and Robert. Will either of these couples still be standing come Boxing Day? 

Hell’s Bells is now available to purchase as a digital download to own for just £8.99, exclusively here. 

The most wonderful time of the year has arrived, and so has the family drama.  

With Robert's career in ruins and Joyce haunted by a past trauma, their fragile family is pushed to the brink when their very pregnant, very bratty daughter Lydia moves back in with her desperate husband Mack.  

Christmas Eve, as secrets and lies unravel faster than the fairy lights, the ghosts of Christmas past come out to play, leaving Joyce to wonder if she'll ever find the freedom she so desperately craves. 

The play has met with great acclaim from many listeners, such as Ian La Frenais, writer of The Likely Lads, Porridge, and Auf Wiedersehen Pet, who said: “Sally Wood’s work reminds me of the early Mike Leigh plays, and that’s a serious compliment. Like his suburban satires, Sally’s play delves into the hollow rituals of family and familiarity; of repression and regret and yearning aspiration that will never be realised. Oh, it’s also extremely funny.” 

And, Imogen Edwards-Jones, author of the Hotel Babylon series, said: “Sally Wood’s Hell’s Bells is a delightful tour de force. Funny, razor sharp, with taut, tight dialogue that pulls on the heartstrings as well as making you laugh out loud. It’s a joy. It also pulls off the major feat of making you appreciate your own family at Christmas!”  

Hell’s Bells contains adult material (specifically, themes of mental health, an age-inappropriate relationship, and the loss of a premature baby) and may not be suitable for younger listeners. 

Hell’s Bells is now available to purchase as a digital download to own for just £8.99, exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. 

All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 28 February 2026.