Loose Ends

Nihal Arthanayake presents Loose Ends from the third annual Morecambe Poetry Festival. He's joined by Henry Normal. Henry is a writer, poet, TV and film producer who has been involved with many of our most loved comedies, such as The Mrs Merton Show, The Royal Family, Gavin and Stacey and Alan Partridge. He's a prolific poet, and his latest collection is 'A Moonless Night'. He also presents the occasional 'A Normal...; series for Radio 4 combining stand-up, poetry and stories about his life and family. Henry explains how, prematurely old at 23 he turned his back on a traditional career path and entered the worlrd of comedy and performance. Donna Ashworth's lockdown poetry went viral in 2020 and her popularity has been credited with 2023 being the best year for poetry sales in Britain since records began. Her new collection is 'Growing Brave'. She tells us about her days as a Butlin's red coat, celebrating overlooked kinds of bravery, and her dogs Dave and Brian. Mike Harding is a stand-up comic, musician and poet. He's been performing since the 1970's, and has released over a hundred books and recordings. He presented the Folk show on Radio 2 for 15 years. He's performing alongside Henry Normal at the Morecambe Poetry Festival. His latest poetry collection is 'The Lonely Zoroastrian', and he also tells us about the luck involved in his hit single, 'The Rochdale Cowboy'. Lisa Goodwin-Allen is Morecambe born and bred. She's the executive chef at the nearby Northcote and appears frequently on TV including on The Great British Menu and James Martin's Saturday Kitchen. Lisa's ingredients for success in the kitchen include imagination, being an adreneline junkie and a passion for seasonal and local produce. And we have music from the Lancaster based musical duo The Lovely Eggs, from their seventh album. 'Eggsistentialism'. The album is personal, inspired by their lives, particulary their struggle to save the Lancaster Music Co-op.The Lovely Eggs are Holly Ross and David Blackwell and the show is dedicated to David's mum, Anne Blackwell, who died shortly before this programme was broadcast. A former acress and headteacher, Anne was a was known Morecambe character. A keen member of Morecambe Speaker's Club, she lived and breathed theatre and performing and was much loved within the community. Presenter: Nihal Arthanayake Producer: Jessica Treen

The tenor Russell Watson's remarkable career took him from playing from working mens clubs in Salford to performing at the Vatican. But his life hasn't been completely charmed - he discusses the brain tumour that threatened his life as well as his voice and how he found his way back to centre stage.Jackie Kay is one of the UK's most lauded poets who turned to writing as a child as a sanctuary from the difficulties of life as an adopted, if much loved, half-Nigerian child in Scotland. A new BBC One documentary tells her story "In Her Own Words"; we'll be asking why she wanted to do that. Doctor-turned-comedian-turned-author Adam Kay’s first book This Is Going To Hurt sold over 3 million copies and was adapted into a multi award-winning TV series. Now he's taken another career turn into children's fiction with a new character – Dexter Procter, the ten year old doctor. As an actress Deborah McAndrew played Angie Freeman on Coronation Street in the 1990s. She left the Rovers Return behind long ago for a career as a writer and her latest play tells the story of the night an Unidentified Flying Object landed near Stoke-on-Trent's Bentilee housing estate. The show draws on multiple eyewitness accounts from the time to create a warm and funny depiction of an extraordinary event happening to very ordinary people. Plus music from The Lemon Twigs's latest album A Dream Is All We Know. Presented by Nihal Arthanayake Produced by Olive Clancy

From Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in Stirling. Richard Armitage’s CV is already packed with roles, including a string of stellar acting credits in the likes of The Hobbit, North and South, Robin Hood, and Spooks. Now he’s added author to the list with his debut novel Geneva. Ambrose Parry is not one writer but two – it's the penname of internationally bestselling and multi-award-winning Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience, Dr Marisa Haetzman. The married couple write books inspired by the gory details Marisa uncovered during her History of Medicine degree. One of the writers on this year’s Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year shortlist is Suzy Aspley. She started her writing career at the festival when she won its Pitch Perfect competition, and released her spooky novel Crow Moon earlier this year. With music from Scottish singer-songwriter Rianne Downey, and Chloe Matharu who is both a Merchant Navy Navigational Officer and singer-songwriter and harpist.

Sir Ian Rankin’s much-loved detective Rebus has had a big year, with a fresh BBC TV adaptation in the summer, and now a return to the stage. Clive Anderson hears about new play Rebus: A Game Called Malice which was written by Sir Ian and Simon Reade, it's touring the UK. Michelle McManus chats to poet and women’s rights advocate Len Pennie who rose to fame on social media during the pandemic when she shared her Scots words of the day. Her first book Poyums is a collection of funny and fiercely feminist poems. Northern Irish comedian, actor and podcaster Shane Todd has a loyal fanbase as the host of the Tea with Me podcast and with sell out shows across the world, including opening for the likes of Kevin Hart. He’s currently embarking on his eleventh solo show – Full House. With music from musician and singer Kim Carnie, whose newest project is documentary Kim Carnie Out Loud which explores her experience of hiding a six year same-sex relationship. She meets other LGBTQ+ folk and creates songs around their stories. Plus Bathgate singer and Scottish Music Awards Breakthrough-winner Luke La Volpe.

Elaine C. Smith has delighted audiences for decades, including work on TV shows like BBC Scotland’s Two Doors Down. In her latest project she joins the touring cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and takes on a character that used to terrify her - The Childcatcher. Claire Love Wilson is a Scottish-Canadian theatre-maker, actor, and singer-songwriter whose semi-autobiographical show Morag, You’re A Long Time Deid is inspired by the story of a grandmother she never met, and explores queer history from fragments of a recently forgotten past. Glaswegian stand-up Christopher Macarthur-Boyd had a total sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 and 2024, and is about to take his Scary Times show on tour across the UK and Ireland. With music from Irish country sensation Nathan Carter, and soul and pop singer Becky Sikasa.

Actress and singer Su Pollard’s new tour Still Fully Charged celebrates her 50 years in showbiz – she catches up with Michelle McManus about what keeps her hooked, and being beaten by a dog in a talent competition. Clive Anderson chats to comedian and actor Chris Grace. He’s returned to Edinburgh after his sold-out 2023 run, this time with a packed out performance schedule including his new show Sardines (A Comedy About Death). Award-winning non-fiction writer Sinéad Gleeson’s debut novel Hagstone sees an artist discover a commune of women on a remote island – she discusses the inspirations behind it. With music from comedian and actor Catherine Cohen, and Irish singer and musician Camille O’ Sullivan. Presented by Clive Anderson Co-host: Michelle McManus Produced by Caitlin Sneddon

Clive Anderson is joined by comedian Jason Byrne who returns to Edinburgh for his 28th consecutive Fringe with No Show, a performance that will be totally new each night. Playwright and actor David Ireland’s award-winning plays Cyprus Avenue and Ulster American have had success across the world. His latest play The Fifth Step stars Jack Lowden and Sean Gilder as they navigate the road to recovery. Shetland comedian Marjolein Robertson’s show titled O is full to the brim with blood as she explores her fascination with her own funeral and her near death experience. My English Persian Kitchen is the true story of losing a homeland, and building a new life and community around the tastes and aromas of an Iranian kitchen. Isabella Nefar chats about starring in the play, and cooking on stage. With music from Scottish violinist and composer Catriona Price and Two Hearts, AKA New Zealand's hottest comedy pop-music duo Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Caitlin Sneddon

From the Edinburgh Festivals, Clive Anderson and Michelle McManus talk to actor, comedian and family favourite Bobby Davro about his beginnings in TV entertainment, his acting journey and finding comedy through tough times – something he explores in his show Everything is Funny...If You Can Laugh at It. Lara Ricote, a former winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer prize, chats about her Fringe run of Little Tiny Wet Show (Baptism) which looks at the complexities of relationships. Plus Australian actor, writer, and director Virginia Gay – she's a familiar face on the small screen down under, and makes a return to Edinburgh with her gender-flipped version of Cyrano. With music from critically-acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk, and a performance from gig-theatre production A Giant on the Bridge – featuring Jo Mango and Louis Abbott (of Admiral Fallow), alongside fellow Scottish musicians Raveloe, Solareye and Goodnight Louisa. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Caitlin Sneddon

This week Stuart is joined by Jon Holmes who's producing a new play at the Edinburgh Festival - which explores what happens when the camera moves on from a relationship forged on a Love Island-style reality show.And there are definitely some strained relationships in the second series of House of the Dragon - but they're more the kind that result in being run through with a sword. Breakout star Ewan Mitchell tells us about working on the blockbusting Game of Thrones spin-off. Julia Fordham joins to perform for us and share some of her insights into the relationships that are meant to last - and Kym Marsh talks about bringing a classic Disney villain to the stage in a touring production of 101 Dalmations. Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Kev Core

Clive Anderson and Emma Freud present Loose Ends from Latitude Festival in Suffolk. They'll talk to the actor-turned-musician Damian Lewis who will discuss his latest album Mission Creep and why he's chosen to go back to his musical roots when he could have rested on his Hollywood laurels as the star of Homeland and Billions. The UK's favourite choirmaster Gareth Malone on a new tour of Sing-Along-A-Gareth and his special connection to Latitude. The director Rachel Ramsay on her Grierson award shortlisted documentary - The Lost Lionesses - about the 1971 unofficial Women's World Cup which was watched by record audiences but subsequently largely erased from sporting history. And the comic Elf Lyons who studied at a Parisian clown school where she learnt the fine art of "bouffon" - a performance style based around mockery - that she works into stand up shows that have been hailed as "unhinged brilliance". Plus, as we're recording at the BBC Introducing stage, we have fresh new music from Indie pop sibling duo Esme Emerson and from Americana led singer-songwriter Gia Ford. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy