Clive hosts Loose Ends with an audience in London this week with a set of guests with a serious work ethic and willingness to try new things in the name of entertainment. The chart topping superstar and award winning actor Michael Ball is now also a best selling novelist. Can life backstage really be as chaotic as this page-turner set in theatreland suggests? Hollie McNish is that rare thing, a best-selling poet who also likes to make people laugh. Fresh from entertaining Swiss school children with her work, she'll be discussing her latest collection Lobster (and other things I'm learning to Love), the follow up to Slug (and other things I've been told to hate). And Dr Who and Ballet Shoes actress Pearl Mackie on her new venture - a true crime podcast called Theatre of Crime, investigating famous murder mysteries with a touch of audio drama. Comedian Pierre Novellie also co-hosts podcasts, alongside names like Frank Skinner and Phil Wang. But he's going it alone in a new show - Must We? - a sell out Edinburgh Festival hit that makes comedy out of Cargo Cults, neurodiversity and quirky obsessions. Plus, music from the English folk star Sam Lee, who is Artist-in-residence for a year of environment-themed events - Earth Unwrapped - at Kings Place in London. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

Stuart Maconie is looking on the bright side this week with Dave Gorman who thinks that 'Modern Life is Goodish'. In the latest installment of his TV series, Dave Gorman is back with his trusty powerpoint as he falls down rabbit holes but always with a smile on his face -ish. And just to balance out all that positivity we've got natural worrier Angela Barnes whose new stand up tour is called 'Angst', a very funny catalogue of her failures.And if you are anxiously watching the green shoots emerge awaiting the end of winter, nature writer Simon Barnes is the ideal guide with his new book 'Spring is the Only Season'And there's music from the Hastings band HotWax who are just about to release their debut album Hot Shock and neo-soul vocalist Ni MaxinePresenter: Stuart Maconie Prodcuer: Jessica Treen

Stuart Maconie is joined by the 41st best stand up ever to talk about his new tour 'Stewart Lee Vs The Man-Wulf', and by Philippa Dunne who plays Anne in the school gates sitcom 'Motherland'. Anne is back in the spinoff series 'Amandaland', focusing on Anne's glamorous best friend Amanda. Aysha Kala tells us how she nailed the accent to play Saima in the new Bradford set crime thriller Virdee.Music from song intrepeter Barb Jungr whose new album 'Hallelujah on Desolation Row' sees her back in the company of two songwriters whose music she has spent a lifetime alongside, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen as well as Irish singer and rapper Biig Piig who has just released her debut album '11:11'.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Jack Docherty has entertained audiences in eight series of BBC Scotland’s mockumentary police show Scot Squad, as Chief Commissioner Cameron Miekelson. He returns to our screens in new spin-off The Chief. Writer Kirsty Logan has written on witches, mermaids, and motherhood. Her latest collection of dark tales of love and desire is No & Other Love Stories.Comedian Larry Dean is bringing his acclaimed stand up show Dodger on tour. It explores identity, his grandmother's dementia diagnosis, and a love of Elvis Presley.After big 40th anniversary celebrations last year, Pat and Greg Kane - AKA pop duo Hue and Cry - are set for a year of touring. They share a song fit for Valentine's Day weekend. Cellist Su-a Lee performs a track from her solo album Dialogues which celebrates decades of folk music friendships. She's joined by composer and pianist James Ross.

Kevin Clifton entertained the nation for years on Strictly, now he can often be found treading the boards instead – and is currently starring in Chicago as it tours the country. Poet and former Scots Makar Liz Lochhead talks about her collection of poems A Handsel ahead of her appearance at the Winter Words Festival in Pitlochry. Coinneach MacLeod, best known as The Hebridean Baker, has found a global audience for his Scottish recipes. His latest release is The Hebridean Baker: The Scottish Cookbook. Olivier Award-nominated Dawn Sievewright’s next project is Wild Rose, a stage musical adaptation of the 2018 film. She shares a track from the show ahead of it’s premiere in March. Jazz/soul ensemble Mama Terra perform from their new album Chameleons: Live Interpretations of Herbie Hancock.

Natural history presenter and cameraman Gordon Buchanan’s new book In The Hide is a look back at some of his greatest adventures across the world, from Mumbai to Mongolia. In 2015 Mhairi Black became the youngest MP elected to the House of Commons since the 1800s. After stepping down at the 2024 General Election, she turned her mind to her tell-all comedy show Politics Isn’t For Me which took last year’s Fringe by storm. She's now taking it on tour. Cal MacAninch is well known for roles in Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge, Vigil and Wild At Heart amongst much else. He plays Banquo in a production of Macbeth that has wowed audiences at the Donmar Warehouse and the West End and can be seen in cinemas in February. Edinburgh’s Makar Michael Pedersen writes about friendship, grief and pretending to be a cat. The newest addition to his expanding body of works is his debut novel, Muckle Flugga.Tunisian singer-songwriter EMEL has performed across the world, and rose to fame with her protest song Kelmti Horra which became an anthem for revolution. She performs from her latest album is MRA. Irish-Scottish contemporary folk duo LÉDA share a new track ahead of their debut album launch later this year.

Clive Anderson celebrates Scotland’s Bard with a special Loose Ends Burns Supper.Comedian Susie McCabe is back with her new show Best Behaviour. The Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow award-winner and host of the smash-hit podcast Here Comes The Guillotine is headed for Glasgow Comedy Festival.Meredith Brook stars in new BBC ALBA drama An t-Eilean (The Island), the UK’s first high-end Gaelic drama series which is set on the Isle of Harris. Franco-Scot poet Paul Malgrati’s book Robert Burns and Scottish Cultural Politics – The Bard of Contention (1914-2014) explores Rabbie’s influences around the world. He shares why the poet still means so much to modern audiences across the world, and what it was like learning Scots as a French-speaker.Carina Contini discusses cooking up the perfect Burns Supper and her showcase of the rich variety of Italian recipes The Contini Cookbook.Plus Isle of Lewis trio Peat and Diesel bring a bit of island spirit to Glasgow.

This year the Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue celebrates 40 years together. Not only is the band going strong – so is the marriage bringing together its lead vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh. They both join Nihal Arthanayake to reflect on four decades of music-making.Paul McKenna’s career has taken him from radio DJ to stage hypnotist to self-help book author. His latest offering – Power Manifesting – explores how he’s used manifesting to achieve his goals. He looks at how super-achievers praise this technique and explains how he uses the toolkit in day to day life.Julie Wilson Nimmo is a star of Scottish TV classics like Balamory, Chewin’ The Fat and Scot Squad. Her current role is slightly different as she and fellow actor and comedian husband Greg Hemphill set off to the Scottish islands to dip in their beautiful seas. Jules and Greg’s Wild Swim sees the couple enjoy the invigoration of cold water swimming, along with chats about mental health, the menopause and much more.Indie-folk pop singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni shares music from her latest release – no way blues. And singer-songwriter Jon Muq who was born in Uganda and has forged a career in Austin, Texas. He performs from his album Flying Away.

Loose Ends is in Hebden Bridge this week, a town made famous by the BBC drama Happy Valley, but you might also recognise the place and its glorious scenery from Last Tango in Halifax, Gentleman Jack or The Gallow's Pole. Clive will talk to local resident and bestselling novelist Joanne Harris, maybe best known for Chocolat which was adapted into an Oscar nominated film of the same name. Her latest book The Moonlight Garden is a fantasy set in a "long ago and far away" version of London and fits right into the wildly popular "romantasy" genre - a good fit for a town renowned for its quirky ways and alternative lifestyles. Also in the show, the acclaimed comedian and actor Richard Blackwood, best known for roles in Hollyoaks and EastEnders as well as on stage, is out on the road and passing through town on a stand up tour promising heavyweight laughs and no messing. TV presenter, GP and host of Europe's most popular wellness podcast Dr Ranjan Chatterjee will be easing us all into the New Year, just about the time when we all begin to fall off the New Year resolutions wagon and we'll be hearing about what happened to his own long held ambition to be Jon Bon Jovi. And award wining stand-up comedian and Hebden resident Nina Gilligan will explain why her new show is called Goldfish. Music from former I am Kloot frontman John Bramwell and band The Full Harmonic Convergence and also from all female Indie-folk band The Deep Blue. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

Loose Ends is kicking off the year with a special recording at the Salford Lad's Club. If your New Year's resolution is to listen to music we've got you covered as Stuart Maconie will be joined by Stockport's finest, Blossoms, performing songs from their fourth UK number one album 'Gary'. We also have the powerhouse vocals of Rowetta, who will also talk about her time with the Happy Mondays and we have Graham Fellows, who celebrates 40 years as John Shuttleworth. Journalist Miranda Sawyer is the author of 'Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in Twenty songs'. She tells us about her 90's, and perhaps finally get to the the bottom of who came up with the term 'britpop'.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen