The Goblin King and Me

Daniel is a quiet kid. He’s bullied at school and lives with his grandparents, who don’t quite understand why he can’t be tougher and more like other boys. But then one day Daniel wins a competition to go to a special screening of a children’s fantasy film called Labyrinth, starring David Bowie as the Goblin King.

He sets off to London with his gran, and when the trip goes wrong Daniel’s journey becomes his own fantasy quest, an epic adventure in which mundane reality and Daniel’s inner fantasy life begin to merge. Can he make it to the centre of the labyrinth, to meet the Goblin King?

A story about a real-life encounter with David Bowie, marking ten years since his passing, starring Frankie Treadaway, Jon Culshaw, Susan Jameson and James Bolam.

Written by Paul Magrs
Sound design by Benji Clifford
Original score by Sophie Cotton
Produced by Simon Barnard
Directed by Ken Bentley

Releases January 2026 on BBC Radio 4