Rumpole of the Bailey (radio series) Christmas season in different years Featuring Timothy West as Rumpole. Produced by Pam Fraser Solomon. First broadcast: December 1996 Featuring Leo McKern as Rumpole. Abridged and directed by Bob Sinfield. Produced by Ken Phillips. First broadcast: 30 December 1997 Featuring Desmond Barrit as Rumpole. First broadcast: 25 December 2001 Rumpole of the Bailey (radio series) Rumpole of the Bailey is a radio series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer based on the television series "Rumpole of the Bailey". Five different actors portrayed Horace Rumpole in these episodes: Leo McKern, Maurice Denham, Timothy West, Benedict Cumberbatch,
Rumpole of the Bailey (radio series) were special radio adaptations of stories first published in book format after the end of the final TV series and some were brand-new, purpose-written episodes created for radio. Five different actors – including Leo McKern – portrayed Horace Rumpole in these 40 different episodes. 1980 – One series – a total of thirteen episodes featured Maurice Denham as Horace Rumpole. 2003 – 2012 – In this period there were seven mini-seasons – a total of eighteen episodes featuring Timothy West as Horace Rumpole. West's real-life wife Prunella Scales appeared as Rumpole's wife Hilda. The seven mini-seasons were produced in 2003,