Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie's guests in Salford include comedian Josh Jones on his new tour 'I Haven't Won The Lottery So here's Another Show'. We find out what happens if he wins the lottery mid-run. Actor and writer Moira Buffini has just won the YA Book Prize for her debut novel Songlight. George Egg is the Snack Hacker, brining us goodies from his kitchen and Urielle Klein-Mekongo is the author of a new musical, Black Power Desk. And there's music from Black Country, New Road from their critically acclaimed album Forever Howlong.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Clive Anderson is joined by the multi-platinum selling American Jazz singer Curtis Stigers, Rob Webb on Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping, best-selling Irish novelist Cecila Ahern, author of P.S I Love you, on her new book Paper Heart, director Patrick Marber discusses his spin on Mel Brook's musical The Producers and Mercury prize shortlisted rock duo Nova Twins.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Stuart Maconie is joined by his 6Music weekend breakfast co-host Mark Radcliffe who's here to talk about his new book Et Tu, Cavapoo - all about Mark’s springtime sojourn to Rome alongside his dog Arlo. Andi Osho is taking on the role of Tedra in the RSC's production of the Pulitzer Prize winning play Fat Ham and prolific novelist Adele Parks is with us to talk about the twists and turns of family dynamics in her new book A Beautiful Mess. There'll be music from The 7:45s and from the musical comedian Amy Webber, fresh from her Edinburgh Fringe run.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Elizabeth Foster

Stuart is joined by Jon Culshaw, the star of the much loved comedy series Dead Ringers, which is about to hit the road for its 25th anniversary tour. Harriet Dyer is Easily Distra.... so let's hope she doesn't wander off halfway through the show. Jon Watts discovered his love of cooking in custody. After being taken under the wing of Jamie Oliver he's now a culinary star in his own right, about to publish his third book. And there's music from the Manchester based, New Zealand born singer songwriter Nadia Reid from her acclaimed third album Enter Now Brightness and soul singer Yazmin Lacey. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Clive Anderson hosts a Loose Ends party with some of the many musicians, comedians, writers and stars of the stage lighting up the Edinburgh Festivals.Ruth Jones’ latest book By Your Side is partly set in Scotland, and she’ll be in the capital sharing some of her pet peeves that have found their way on to its pages. Comedian and actor Jordan Gray is having a busy summer, her new sitcom Transaction hit our screens in June and her stage show promises to be her rootin-est, tootin-est, shootin-est hour of musical comedy so far. Stand-up Jamie MacDonald doesn’t want being blind to shut down his opportunities to be loathsome and toxic. Plus comedian Dylan Adler on growing up one half of a pair of identical gay twins. With music from Hot Mess, a musical that rides the highs and lows of Earth and Humanity's passionate love affair, and Nigerian singer-songwriter James Emmanuel shares his love for Edinburgh, the city he now calls home. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Clive Anderson hosts a Loose Ends party with some of the many musicians, comedians, writers and stars of the stage lighting up the Edinburgh Festivals.Tom Rosenthal is a comedian best known as Jonny on Friday Night Dinner, though I suppose you can describe him however you’d like as his new show is Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am. Thanyia Moore is back at the Edinburgh Fringe for her first time since 2022 – a summer that she looks back at in her aptly named August. Switzerland’s answer to John Oliver – Michael Elsener – gives his top tips on How to Live in Paradise, and explains where flooding a leading politician's post box with compression stockings comes in to it. Plus writer and storyteller Niall Moorjani shares how their new show Kanpur: 1857 manages to incorporate gender, an Indian uprising against British colonial forces, and comedy. With music from Karine Polwart and Dave Milligan who are raising a parting glass to a 200-year-old palm tree in Windblown, and Couplet who are spending their Honey Honey Moon Moon performing at the festival. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Listen up as Nihal unfolds the Beyoncé/Destiny's Child theme he's spotted in this weeks' Loose Ends. He's humming "Irreplaceable" for the heroine of author Jo Wood’s debut novel - The Resurrection of Flo - who's left her cheating husband Max (“To the left, to the left”). It's "I'm a Survivor" for the actor Bertie Carvel who is playing King Leontes in Shakespeare's intense psychological drama The Winter's Tale at the RSC. Newlywed comedian Rajiv Karia gets a blast of Crazy In Love on his way to performing at the Edinburgh Festival. And the actor and writer Tori Allen-Martin, who plays Cherry in the BBC sitcom Here We Go, won celebrity mastermind with the specialist subject of.....Beyoncé and Destiny's Child! All this with music from the classically trained, Bollywood influenced pop artist RIYA and from Indie folk duo Lost Chimes. Presented by Nihal Arthanayake Produced in Salford by Olive Clancy

Clive Anderson is joined in Salford by a Post-Coital (that's the name of her new show) Tiff Stevenson and by Sam Palladio is finally acting in his own accent in 'The Couple Next Door' after playing Texan Gunnar Scott in 'Nashville' for six seasons. Ella Al-Shamahi has been in search of what makes us 'Human' for her new BBC Two series. American actor and comedian Chris Grace is attempting to write a new show every night of the Edinburgh fringe. And there's music from the former Lush lead singer's new musical project, The Miki Berenyi Trio.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Loose Ends is the guest of Durham Brass Festival this week, providing flugelhorns, euphoniums and an enthusiastic audience at the newly refurbished 110 year old Redhills Miners Hall, once known as "the Pitman's Parliament". Far from brassed off to be with him is the poet laureate Simon Armitage who finds exactly the right words to describe the magic of brass music but then admits to never having won a game of Cluedo. Perhaps unsurprisingly the thriller writer Paula Hawkins tells us she was something of a Cluedo ace in her youth but these days sticks to reconnoitring ideas for places to stash bodies for future novels. And there's laughs aplenty from the comedian Ria Lina who sensibly doesn't enter the Cluedo-debate though one suspects her masters in forensic science might give her an edge. All this with gorgeous music from Bill Ryder Jones with cellist Evelyn Halls and members of the NASUWT Riverside Brass Ensemble.Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Olive Clancy

This week Stuart is joined by comedian and poet Tim Key who takes us to LA Baby in his new book, Lucy Porter who is learning to let go in her new stand up show, and Shabaz Ali: the Tik Tok sensation with his takedowns of the super-rich. Eastenders and Call the Midwife star Leonie Elliott is starring in a new play, Liberation. There's music from Billy Nomates, performing from her new album Metalhorse and Brazilian composer, poet and multi-instrumentalist Bruno Berle.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen