Loose Ends

It's mostly lollipops, ribbons and cakes for Clive Anderson this week as he meets Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc, Jane Austen improviser Rachel Parris and Romantic Novelist Mike Gayle (the only man to win the Romantic Writers Association's top award). But not all....Mel Giedroyc's new podcast - and she emphasises it's a comedy one - is taking over from Kathy Burke on Where There's a Will There's a Wake - all about death, funerals and everything in between. She reveals how she and Sue Perkins met and unsurprisingly enough it was love-friends at first sight. Rachel Parris is taking Austentacious, her improv show based on Jane Austen, on the road and to Edinburgh Fringe again. She explains why nothing quite hits the spot like Jane. But she's also written a novel based on the romance between Pride and Prejudice character Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins. And reader, Eliza Bennett does not come out of this well. Mike Gayle is the only man the Romantic Writers Association has bestowed its Outstanding Achievement Award upon and is a bestselling novelist. He describes his favourite reader letter from when he worked as an Agony Uncle for Bliss Magazine back in the day.All accompanied by the glorious sound of Debbie Wiseman's music for the TV series Wolf Hall, played by the composer herself with the Locrian Ensemble of London, soprano Grace Davidson and Alec Harmon on Cor Anglais.Presented by Clive Anderson Producer Olive Clancy

This week Loose Ends is coming from the Homecoming festival at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. Clive Anderson is joined by comedian, actor and writer Dawn French, who moved to Cornwall to give her more space to write and Fern Britton, who has written eleven novels set in Cornwall, and has lived here on and off since starting her career in regional television here in 1980. He also chats to Edward Rowe, who starred in Mark Jenkin's acclaimed film 'Bait' and who performs comedy as The Kernow King, and there's music from the Welsh-Cornish singer-songwriter Gwenno who will be performing tracks from her upcoming album 'Utopia'.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

It's 20 years since Jenny Colgan became a published author and since then her books have been translated across the globe, from Brazil to Bulgaria. Her latest novel is Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages.Playwright Douglas Maxwell is back at the Tron in Glasgow, a theatre that kickstarted his professional career 25 years ago. His one-man show Man’s Best Friend explores isolation and dogwalking. Zara Gladman might be best known online for her portrayals of her Glasgow West End Mum character, but she has found fans far beyond the realms of her home city. In August, she'll be swapping sketch for stage with her show Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser.Poet Michael Mullen's book Goonie is their debut poetry collection. It tells stories of family, humour and queer identity, from the living room to the hairdresser's chair. Plus music from singer-songwriter James Yorkston ahead of the release of his new album Songs for Nina and Johanna.Award-winning singer, harpist and composer Rachel Newton shares a track from her latest solo album Sealladh.Presenter: Nihal Arthanayake Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Ore Oduba switched broadcasting for the stage after his 2016 Strictly win. His latest production is the adaptation of Peter James’ Picture You Dead book which is on tour across the country. Tom Newlands' debut novel Only Here, Only set in a fictional Fife town has received many plaudits in the UK and beyond. It's coming out in paperback later in June. Comedian Kim Blythe continues to go from strength to strength, from online skits to stand-up. Her show Cowboy will be at the Edinburgh Fringe this August. Amy Macdonald has answered her fans' calls for new music with her upcoming album Is This What You've Been Waiting For?. She shares a track. Plus music from jazz quartet Rose Room ahead of their performance at the Glasgow Jazz Festival.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

This week Clive Anderson is talking playing with toys, settling scores and saying goodbyes with OG podcaster Adam Buxton. Tanita Tikaram has finally recorded the follow up to her multi-millions selling 1988 album 'Ancient Heart', called 'LIAR'Jimi Famurewa tells us how you go from stuffing mashed potato in your pocket to appearing on Masterchef.Kiran Landa stars in 'Marriage Material', based on the novel by Santham Sangerhera at the Lyric HammersmithSouth London trio Honeyglaze perform a track from their album 'Real Deal'.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Jason Donovan won the hearts of millions alongside Kylie Minogue in the Australian soap Neighbours; then his debut album was the biggest seller of 1989 and he topped the UK singles chart 4 times. In the 1990s he reinvented himself in musical theatre with acclaimed roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and now he's playing Frank-n-furter in the Rocky Horror Show tour. Its safe to say he knows a thing or two about eye catching costumes, as does Great British Sewing Bee judge and designer to the stars Patrick Grant. His book - Less - is a plea to us to stop buying so much rubbish, buy better, mend more and think about wearing woollen knit swimming costumes or at least cotton running gear. The comedian Sophie McCartney is best known for poking fun at parenting and her viral mum-parody to the tune of Ed Sheeran. But she likes a costume too - thigh high silver boots and leather shorts for her latest show One Foot In the Rave, full of advice on how best to turn 40, how to parent questioning teenagers and say a loud "no thanks" to a midlife crisis. With music from BBC Folk Award winners The Young'Uns and indie-soul singer Mychelle who's supporting Jorja Smith on tour. Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced in Salford by Olive Clancy

Clive Anderson brings us Loose Ends from the Hay Festival. Joining Clive in front of a Hay audience are singer Paloma Faith who last year released her most personal album 'The Glorification of Sadness'. She also published her first book 'MILF' (no, not that one), a rousing call to arms for women to take up space, based on her experiences in the music industry, and as a mother. Welsh comedian Mike Bubbins is the star of the sitcom 'Mammoth', in which he plays Tony Mammoth, a PE teacher from the 70's who finds himself in 2024. Writer Frank Cottrell Boyce has an impressively diverse CV, having written films such as 24 Hour Party People, Hilary & Jackie, Code 46 as well as the 2012 London Olympics Ceremony. He's the author of many beloved children's books including Millions, and his latest 'The Blockbusters'. Historian Helen Carr is the author of the best-selling 'The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster and her new book 'Sceptred Isle: A new history of the fourteenth century'And there's music from Euros Childs and Kizzy CrawfodPresenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

The comedian and podcaster Stevie Martin is currently battling it out in the latest series of Channel 4’s award winning show Taskmaster - you might have enjoyed her "most snooty possession" which was a portrait of her pet tortoise in military uniform. She'll be here to tell us all about getting "the call" and her favourite games...sorry... tasks. Its also tricky-book-titles week on Loose Ends. The award winning novelist and screenwriter Emma Jane Unsworth likes a one word name for her books - the best selling Adults and Animals, which went on to become a feature film starring Holliday Grainger, and scooped Emma a British Independent Film Award - for the script. Her new book is called Slags, Stuart'll be finding out why. And travel writer Ben Aitken went to twelve of the least popular spots in the UK and Ireland for his book - Sh**ty Breaks. He'll be explaining the joys of travelling in the opposite direction to everybody else and still managing to get a great instagram photo. Music will be from the Jess Gillam Trio and former Welsh Music Prize winner Georgia Ruth. Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Olive Clancy

Joining Stuart Maconie in the Salford studio are the actress Phina Oruche who began her career modelling in America. She's best known for playing Liberty Baker in Footballers Wives. Phina is currently on stage at the Liverpool Everyman in Nathan Powell's new play 'Takeaway', where she stars as Carol, the matriach behind Hyltons Caribbean takeaway. Kate Mossman is facinated by 'Men of A Certain Age'. so she's written a book to try to get to the bottom of why she's so enthralled by a certain kind of wrinkly rock star. Drag Race star Divina De Campo has been touring her solo show, a mix of comedy, song and storytelling, and Joe Kent-Walters won best newcomer at this year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards for his show in the guise of Frankie Monroe, the owner of Rotherham's finest working men's club 'The Misty Moon'.And there's music from Gruff Rhys, who has just released a remastered version of his 2014 album 'American Interior'Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Taskmaster star, comic and sitcom actor Alex Horne joins Clive Anderson to talk about season two of his sitcom, to introduce his comedic band The Horne Section and tell us why he's never running out of taskmaster tasks. The lexicographer and broadcaster Susie Dent is now a mystery thriller writer too, she'll be with us to talk about twisty word clues and her all-encompassing love of the English language. Star of Its A Sin, Callum Scott-Howells is currently appearing on stage in Ibsen's Ghosts - he'll tell Clive why this 19th century play still has plenty to tell us today. The historian Kate Williams is often found on our TV screens telling us what's going on during coronations and royal weddings. But she's here to talk about her less sober side hustle - a podcast dishing the gossip from royal history. With music from Anoushka Shankar's latest album, the concluding part of a trilogy which has been orchestrated and will be part of this years' BBC Proms programme.Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy