EXCLUSIVE: Hugh Bonneville has narrated a podcast version of Sherlock Holmes story The Hound of the Baskervilles.
The first episode of the nine-part audio series from podcast network Noiser lands on April 27 with Paddington, Downton Abbey and Twenty Twenty-Six actor Bonneville reading from Arthur Conan Doyle’s original story, which first published 125 years ago in The Strand magazine. Each episode will end with a cliffhanger, mirroring the instalments of Conan Soyle book.
“There’s a reason this story has never left us, and Arthur Conan Doyle knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote it to land in nine parts,” said Bonneville. “Getting to bring that structure back, to let listeners feel those cliffhangers the way Victorian readers felt them, is a rare opportunity. I wanted to honour the material and make it feel alive for new audiences today.”
Bonneville has already narrated a series of Sherlock Holmes short stories for Noiser.
The Baskerville series will feature an original score, special artwork and immersive sound design to bring the foggy moors of Dartmouth to life. The story centers on genius detective Holmes’ investigation into the deaths of members of the Baskerville family, supposedly at the hands of a demonic hound that walks the moors.
Katrina Hughes, executive producer at Noiser, said: “One-hundred and twenty-five years on, this story still has the power to stop you cold, which tells you everything about why it’s a classic. We wanted to mark the anniversary of The Hound of the Baskervilles with a production that truly rose to the occasion. Hugh and the whole team have made something that feels genuinely alive, and we can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Noiser+ subscribers will get early access to the show, including episode on April 23. Episodes will drop twice a week on all podcast platforms, with BBC Sounds offering it ad-free.
The announcement of Bonneville comes after Noiser attached Julie Andrews to narrate an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and David Suchet to Charles Dickens Ghosts Stories. Noiser has been building a slate of podcasts such as Real Vikings, Real Dictators, Short History Of, and Real Survival Stories.
