Welcome to the brightest and boldest of Saturday Lives as fashion-designer Dame Zandra Rhodes arrives. Perhaps as famous as the garments which have adorned the likes of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury as she is for her neon-pink hair - She has now published her memoir through the prism of 50 of her most precious items.Matt Forde has, I think it’s safe to say, had a tough year health-wise, he’ll explain how he’s still able to see the funny side of life – and take inspiration from Taylor Swift as he heads back out on tour for the first time since his cancer treatment. Anyone who dreams of living on a deserted island needs to hear the story of Simon Parker. His island is in the Bristol Channel, it’s owned by the local council, and it used to be home to Vikings and cholera victims. Simon will tell us why he has chosen to call Flat Home “home”. All that, plus the Inheritance Tracks of the musical power couple, Carrie and David Grant. Presenters: Jon Kay and Kiri Pritchard-McLean Producer: Ben Mitchell

A multi tempo show for you today… In ‘allegro’, maverick music programmer, curator, and Head of Classical Music at the Southbank Centre Toks Dada is on a mission to change the face of classical music. We’ll give ‘andante’ to Joseph Cavalli-Price, a pianist and hugely accomplished tenor who embodies the profound power that music can have playing for patients in hospices. Could ‘plucking’ treasures from muddy riverbeds be ‘pizzicato’ or have we overstretched the music vocabulary? Veteran Mudlark Lara Maiklem shares her finds from the last 12 months on the show. And maybe a ‘crescendo’ or two in the Inheritance Tracks of comedian and podcaster Ed Gamble.Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay Producer: Ben Mitchell

The author Joanne Harris, who describes herself as ‘test-driver of experimental dream machines who sometimes writes a bit’, grew up living above her grandparents sweetshop and celebrates the 25th anniversary of Chocolat this year.The multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Jack Garratt shot to fame in 2016 and became one of the UK’s brightest new music stars, toured the world, before taking a step back from public life to protect his mental health. And the mighty comedic classicist Natalie Haynes, who continues to turn the ancient world on its head, championing women of the past, returns to the airwaves with the 10th series of her hit Radio 4 podcast Natalie Haynes Stands up for Classics.Plus the Inheritance Tracks of doctor turned bestselling author Adam Kay...and we promise they’re not going to hurt.Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens Producer: Ben Mitchell

Rob Rinder…barrister, broadcaster, occasional orchestra conductor, lover of Amazing Hotels, currently on our TVs travelling through Italy with Rylan - and now bestselling author with his latest novel The Suspect.Beer sommelier and one of the best brewers in the UK, Jaega Wise reveals how she went from pop star to hop star to judging at this years BBC Food and Farming Awards. And Martin Sixsmith, former BBC foreign correspondent, adviser to both the Labour government under Tony Blair and Armando Iannucci on The Thick of It! Now the author of two novels, famous for the non-fiction book that became the Oscar nominated film Philomena, and has just released a new work about the Dutch resistance during WWII.All that plus I’ve never had a dream come true until the day that Rachel Stevens chooses her Inheritance Tracks. Luckily, today is that day – the singer will be reaching for the stars to share them with us.

Writer Sebastian Faulks, recently described as ‘a state of the species novelist’, famous for his historical stories, he’s now taking us into the future exploring what it means to be human in new book The Seventh Son.The cautious traveller Sarah Brooks, reveals how her life was changed after a vodka fuelled evening in a dining car on the Trans-Siberian Railway.Punch-lines on the touchline...comedian and football podcaster Maisie Adam has torn herself away from the Euros coverage to join us and tell us about her new tour and her recent job appraisal.Plus the Inheritance Tracks of quizmaster extraordinaire Paul Sinha.Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay Producer: Lowri Morgan

The Journalist and presenter Ashley John-Baptiste, who’s written a very moving memoir about growing up in care. The Lahore born poet Imtiaz Dharker will be appearing on the programme. We’ll be talking about what’s made her identify as a Scottish, Pakistani, Calvinist, Muslim who’s been adopted by India and Wales. Plus, landscape and garden designer Miria Harris who has used her own experience of a medical emergency to design a garden to help others with their recovery. All that plus the Inheritance Tracks of writer and presenter Danny Robins. Presenters: Jon Kay and Nikki Bedi. Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Fashion designer, entrepreneur and Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant has put his money where his seams are with his company Community Clothing and new book 'Less' urging us to stop buying so much rubbish and appreciate fewer, better things. We’re taking cheesy to another level with Razan Alsous who came to the UK as a refugee from Syria having lost almost everything. She has since settled in Yorkshire and is now an award-winning maker of squeaky cheese. And Frank Gardner, who twenty years ago was shot six times whilst reporting from Saudi Arabia, remarkably survived and is not only the BBC’s Security Correspondent, he’s also a bestselling novelist having released his latest book Invasion. All that plus the Inheritance Tracks of The Booker Prize winning Jamaican novelist Marlon James.Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens Producer: Ben Mitchell

We’re kicking off the festival season in style, and in the sun, with three very different books… but who’s authors have more in common than you may think. This week’s events haven’t stopped Mishal Husain making her way to us this weekend – for what will surely be the only down time she’ll have over the next 6 weeks. Mishal’s new memoir charts her families experiences through partition and the events which have allowed her to become one of the UK’s most trusted journalists. Stephen and Anita Mangan have promised not to steal each other's pocket money or put bubblegum in each other’s hair and behave for the next hour. The brother and sister writing duo have cracked the code for what it takes to work with your sibling having written 5 books together – but it was their debut work that allowed them to channel familial grief. The emperor of historical fiction, Conn Iggulden, has taken a break from playing his fiddle whilst ancient Rome burns to join us in the Hay-on-Wye countryside. But for someone who has made a living from writing about the history – it's the story of his parents who both lived it and taught it that perhaps should All that plus the Inheritance Tracks of the actor, comedian and new host of the Great British Sewing Bee – Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Presenters: Huw Stephens and Kiri Pritchard-McLean Producer: Ben Mitchell

The bestselling, prolific screenwriter and author of the Hawthorne series Anthony Horowitz… whose creative achievements may be further admired and perhaps understood when he reveals what he’s overcome with the relationship with his father.Possessed with a similar drive, Capt. Preet Chandi is with us, now the fastest woman to cross Antarctica she shares the passion that drives her to keep breaking world records! And BAFTA winning actor Kimberley Nixon, famous for her roles in Fresh Meat and Cranford, but has found new fame thanks to the silly jokes she shares to open up the conversation about her perinatal OCD.All that, plus the Inheritance Tracks from one of the minds behind League of Gentleman and Inside Number 9, Reece Shearsmith. Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens Producer Ben MitchellIf you've been affected by any of the topics discussed in this programme you can find links and information to organisations who can help on the BBC Action Line: www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

Mary Beard uncovers fascinating stories of the Roman Empire, Arthur Hughes shares his unique acting journey, lost love letters bring friends together, and Michael and Hilary Whitehall discuss their entertainment ventures and son's success.