Baby groups, MI5 and Aberystwyth: Mothercover, a brand-new audio drama series

Rhys John Edwards

Baby groups, MI5 and Aberystwyth – the unlikely trio of ingredients that make up the recipe of Mothercover, a brand-new BBC audio drama series written by Welsh novelist and screenwriter Fflur Dafydd.

Launching on Friday 28 August as part of the BBC’s weekly Limelight podcast, this five-part thriller follows young mum Gwen, who is recruited by MI5 to spy on another mother at her local baby group – a premise that was actually inspired by real-life circumstances.

“I read an article many years ago about how MI5 were specifically recruiting mothers because it would be a flexible job that worked around family life, and also because mothers were seen as trusting and easy to talk to – and therefore they’d be able to get information out of people easily.” Fflur explains.

“It was that clash between the nurturing, grounded world of motherhood and the thrilling, high-stakes world of espionage that appealed to me as rich ground for fiction.”

A series that aims to thrill

At first glance, the baby group setup seems like prime sitcom fodder – decoding encrypted files at soft play? Defusing bombs between nappy changes? – but make no mistake, Mothercover is a series that aims to thrill. While it has a sharp sense of humour, its DNA owes more to Bond and Moneypenny than Gavin and Stacey.

And the tactic isn’t as unlikely as it may seem on the surface. As Fflur puts it: “If you want something done, ask a mum.”

“There’s a play on this in the drama,” she adds. “Gwen feels she may as well become a spy – it’s just one more job on top of everything else she’s doing!”

The series was recorded and edited at Cardiff’s state-of-the-art Dylan Thomas Radio Studio in Central Square, part of an ever-growing slate of ambitious productions from BBC Audio Drama Wales. 

In fact, Wales is one of the busiest hubs in the world for audio drama, producing everything from one-off plays to long-running series that regularly attract talent of a high calibre. 

Mothercover itself boasts an eclectic cast that includes Alexandra Roach, Remy Beasly and Sacha Dhawan.

An intimacy that no other medium can achieve

I spoke with BBC producer Emma Harding about the medium’s enduring appeal. 

“It has an intimacy that no other medium can achieve… you’re right in the listener’s ear. And our imaginations are terrific things, so I think it’s a hugely cinematic medium – and in its way, a hugely visual medium, actually.”

In a landscape that’s oversaturated with talk-radio style podcasts (every z-list comedian and their Dad seem to have one), it’s striking that scripted audio drama and comedy isn’t afforded a bigger slice of the pie.

Emma agrees: “There’s an enormous appetite for audio storytelling, but fiction podcasts and dramas still get far less attention than theatre or film.”

Even so, she argues audio remains the most accessible artform of all: “It’s free. Anyone can listen. You don’t have to live in London or buy tickets. And the quality is astonishing – with top-tier writers, actors and directors.”

Audio’s cultural impact

For Mothercover’s director Fay Lomas, audio’s greatest strength lies in its boundlessness.

“It’s a medium where you can take listeners anywhere. You’re not limited by practicalities – like, ‘Oh, we can’t afford a spaceship.’ In audio, it’s as cheap to be in a car as it is to be in a spaceship, or underwater. That has always excited me.”

While scripted audio may get less critical coverage, Fay rejects the idea that this renders the artform to be ‘niche’.

“The average afternoon drama on Radio 4 can get up to a million listens. On the Olivier stage at the National Theatre, you’ve got about 1000 people in the audience…”

She also points to The Archers as further proof of audio’s underappreciated cultural impact. “In some cases, storylines like the one on coercive control and domestic abuse led to debate in the House of Commons – so audio drama can even drive legal change.”

A very human story

With Mothercover, Fay was first struck by the brilliance of the concept.

 “Motherhood and spies – it was such a joy to bring those two worlds together – and we had to balance the domestic world with the spy world, so there’s a lot of comedy.”

“You know, Gwen is someone who hates baby groups but has ended up at mum-and-baby yoga – just to catch this woman. And all the while, she’s trying to befriend someone she’s meant to be spying on!”

For producer Emma, it’s the underlying themes that give the series its depth.

“It’s a thriller at heart, with a lot of humour – but underneath, it also explores serious themes about surveillance, motherhood and trust. Fflur did a brilliant job of threading those ideas into a very human story.”

It’s Fflur’s hope that listeners will utilise the intimacy of audio drama to feel truly immersed in Mothercover’s setting.

“I would love listeners to get on board with the story and feel like this could be happening in Aberystwyth right now.”

“I’d also love them to fall in love with Aberystwyth itself, which seems to be the canvas I return to time and time again for thriller stories, like in ‘The Library Suicides’.

“The National Library even has a cameo in this!” she adds.

Deserves a wider audience

So, for newcomers to audio drama, Mothercover would appear to be a great jumping on point? Fay certainly thinks the series should serve as a showcase for exactly what audio drama can be.

“Ultimately, it’s one of the oldest forms of storytelling – spoken storytelling – but also it’s incredibly contemporary.”

 “We brought different people together to create something that feels modern, while honouring a very old art form. I just hope it gets people excited about the medium.”

Perhaps audio drama’s real day in the sun is still to come then? As a passionate producer, Emma remains optimistic about its future.

“It always has to evolve to stay relevant, but it’s also always been incredibly flexible and inexpensive compared to screen.”

“I’m completely evangelical about it – and I believe it absolutely deserves a wider audience.”

Mothercover launches this Friday 28 August on Radio 4’s Limelight slot, with episodes released weekly via BBC Sounds and most major podcast platforms.