Saturday Live

Richard Coles and Nikki Bedi are joined by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. Writing for three decades, his first published poem was in 1987 whilst he was working in his day job as a probation officer, a job he followed his father into. A geography graduate who is still based in his home county of Yorkshire, how did he end up a member of the Royal household? Vick Hope is a TV and radio presenter known for her work on the Capital Breakfast Show, I’m a Celebrity Daily Drop and as one of the new presenters on Radio 1’s Life Hacks. She joins us.We are also joined by journalist Catherine Mayer, whose musician husband, Andy Gill from the band Gang of Four, suddenly took ill and died in February 2020. Just 41 days before, her mother Anne had lost her beloved husband John. United in their grief, the two women navigated grief and love together. In June 1987, listener Philip Price and two friends were trapped at the summit of Mont Blanc for nine days with barely any water, food or heating. He recounts his experience and their eventual rescue by the Chamonix Mountain rescue team.Skin from Skunk Anansie chooses her Inheritance Tracks: Stevie Wonder’s Pastime Paradise and Nina Simone singing Strange Fruit. And we have your thank yous.Producer: Corinna Jones Editor: Eleanor Garland

Nikki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by celebrity chef and food campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who talks about changes we can make to our diet to eat and live better. Thriller writer CJ Daugherty talks about her new book, Number 10, in which a fictional prime minister’s daughter battles subterranean intrigue in Whitehall. She also reveals her own chequered past before becoming a writer.Award-winning author Andrew O’Hagan shares his Inheritance Tracks. He’s chosen This Is My Life by Shirley Bassey and Falling And Laughing by Orange Juice.Spoken word poet Isi the Scribe has put together a poem from words and phrases suggested by the audience. He also talks about being a zoologist and voice over actor. And Lynsey Bleakley of Bumble and Goose shares how the pain of four miscarriages ended her career as a health visitor and how baking brownies helped her recover and create a new business. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s book Eat Better Forever is out now. Number 10 by CJ Daugherty is out now. Andrew O’Hagan’s book Mayflies is out now. Producer: Paul Waters

Nikki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by writer and comedian Adam Buxton, who talks about his partnership with schoolfriend Joe Cornish, family relationships and performs a song. Anne Glenconner’s memoir Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown became a bestseller. Now 88, Lady Glenconner has written her first novel Murder on Mustique, set on the island formerly owned by her husband. She discusses her life, dealing with tragedy and why she’s now at her happiest. As a Boxing Day treat, Jools Holland and Sheila Ferguson share their Inheritance Tracks. Jools Holland has chosen Up Above My Head by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Love Made Them Do That by Jools Holland With Ruby Turner. Sheila Ferguson has chosen What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Nancy Wilson and When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees.During lockdown Jay Flynn become known for his Virtual Pub Quiz, which won him a place in the Guinness Book of Records. He’s also been awarded an MBE as he has raised over £750, 000 for charity. But in his 20s, after a relationship breakdown, he spent time sleeping rough in London – calling a bench on Victoria Embankment his home. Adam Buxton's Ramble Book is out now. Murder on Mustique by Anne Glenconner is out now. Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will welcome in 2021 with his annual Hootenanny on BBC 2. Sheila Ferguson is performing in We Need A Little Christmas in support of Shelter & Crisis, which will be streamed from 20th December to 1st January. Jay Flynn's Pub Quiz Book is out now.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Eleanor Garland

Nikki Bedi and Rev Richard Coles are joined by Michel Roux Jr. whose father and uncle were the first in the UK to achieve three Michelin stars for their London restaurant Le Gavroche, where he partly trained in classical French cookery, also doing military service working in the kitchens of the Elysee Palace cooking for two French presidents. He now runs Le Gavroche, and has continued the cooking dynasty as his own daughter has also become a chef. Maria Leijerstam Edy holds the Guinness World Record for being the first person to cycle to the South Pole, in 2013. Navigating avalanches and crevasses, extreme weather conditions and chronic pain, she reached her goal in just 10 days. She joins us. Meriel Larken has spent over 30 years rescuing a ship that lies today on the world’s highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca in Peru. The Yavari, a Victorian steamboat built in a Birmingham shipyard was transported piecemeal through the Andes on mule back. It's now a popular tourist destination and B&B. Rainer Hersch studied economics, but has made his name in orchestral music that has the audience laughing raucously in scenes more expected at a stand-up show. He joins us.Don Black chooses his inheritance tracks: Besame Mucho by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme and The Way You Look Tonight by Fred Astaire and we have your thank you.Producer: Corinna Jones

Dame Katherine Grainger won five medals for rowing in five consecutive Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016, including gold in London 2012. She also has a PhD in criminal law and is chair of UK Sport. She joins Richard Coles and Nikki Bedi to discuss her extraordinary life. Kelly Jones is the frontman of the rock band the Stereophonics. Known for his distinctive gravel-voice, he was born in South Wales and followed his dad into the music industry. He’s just released a solo album Don’t Let the Devil Take Another Day and the recent documentary Don’t Let the Devil Take Another Day follows him through his recovery from throat surgery after which he had to re-learn to sing.Ben Aitken was on the lookout for a budget holiday when he signed up for a five-day coach trip to Scarborough. Through spending time with the often elderly people on the bus, he discovered their fascinating stories and ended up signing up for six coach holidays across the UK which he has written about in his book The Gran Tour.And we hear from Kev who, with help from his support worker Henrietta MacEwen from Buses4Homeless, was given a grant by the Vicar's Relief Fund to help him rent a home. The Vicar's Relief fund is part of the work of St Martin-in-the-Fields does with people who are homeless. To donate to the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields call 0800 082 82 84 now. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles. And we have the Inheritance Tracks of actor Richard Armitage.Producer: Laura Northedge Editor: Eleanor Garland

Nikki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by award winning crime writer Ian Rankin who talks about taking John Rebus out of Edinburgh in his latest novel. Listener Joy France reveals how she became known as the Rapping Granny. Richard Essien's skills as a hip-hop dancer and dazzling illusionist saw him sail to the final of Britain’s Got Talent 2020, using stage persona Magical Bones. Comedian Mark Watson shares his Inheritance Tracks - The Logical Song by Supertramp and In The New Year by The Walkmen. A lifelong dedication to curiosity and problem-solving has led Ella Al-Shamahi not only to a successful career in paleoanthropology, but also in stand-up comedy. The new John Rebus thriller A Song For The Dark Times is out now. Magical Bones will be live in London at the Hippodrome Casino on 13th December. Plus, there will be a UK tour of Black Magic starting in February next year. Mark Watson's latest book Contacts is out now. Ella Al-Shamahi's Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon starts on Saturday 5th December at 6.30pm on Channel 4Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Eleanor Garland

Nikki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by Mica Paris. Hauled up onstage by Prince, fish 'n' chips with Stevie Wonder and footsie with Whitney Houston, and now EastEnders and a Gospel album. John 'Chickie' Donohue joins us from New York - he travelled more than 8,000 miles into the middle of the Vietnam War, to take his buddies some beers. Listener Liza Frank has been looking into folklore of the British Isles and sometimes beyond, and set her self the challenge of doing a ritual or tradition every day of the year and logging it in her blog. Karenjeet Kaur Bains is accountant by day, and a powerlifter the rest of the time - she is Britain’s first female Sikh powerlifter to represent Britain on the World and European stages. We have the inheritance tracks of writer John Lanchester who chooses JS Bach, Partita no. 1 in B flat major, BWV 825 played by Dinu Lipatti and Hong Kong Garden by Siouxsie and the Banshees; and a listener's thank you. Producer: Corinna Jones

Richard Coles and Nikki Bedi are joined by pub-loving celebrity chef Tom Kerridge who has been awarded two Michelin stars since opening The Hand and Flowers in Marlow. The pub celebrates its 15th anniversary with The Hand and Flowers Cookbook. Since opening the pub Tom has been a fixture of British cooking programmes and has famously lost 12st in weight. He has also turned his attention to the plight of British pubs in lockdown with his new BBC series Saving Britain’s Pubs. Comedian and television presenter Tom Allen is currently offering up an Extra Slice of Bake-Off on Channel 4 and has just published his memoir No Shame which describes the stigma of being ‘an outsider’ as a teenager in 90s suburbia. Naomi Riches was hit by a car while on a night out in London and spent months recovering from a head injury. Just four years later, Naomi would compete at the Beijing Paralympics, earning a Bronze medal for Great Britain. With a dogged determination to always do her best, she would eventually go on to net a Gold medal at London 2012. Julie McDowall went ‘viral’ on Twitter in January 2019 when she told her followers that she has synaesthesia and can ‘taste’ names. She is also an expert in nuclear war.And author Ken Follett shares his Inheritance Tracks.Producer: Laura Northedge Editor: Eleanor Garland

Gabriel Byrne joins Richard Coles and Nikki Bedi. The Award-winning actor made his acting debut as a shepherd in a Nativity play and since then has made over 80 films, won a Golden Globe for In Treatment and had a successful stage career. He talks about growing up in Ireland, wanting to be a priest, turning his life around and loving a simple life.Courtney Act talks about her life and career which includes winning Celebrity Big Brother 2018 (UK). The performer also talks about why she's giving a lesson in ‘Kindness’ as part of the Celebrity Supply Teacher series on CBBC. Guitarist Hank Marvin shares his Inheritance Tracks. He has chosen Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line and Allan Holdsworth - Joshua.Listener Matt Flukes was told he has an incurable cancer just ten minutes after his adoption of two children was made official by a judge. He will talk about how he was inspired to write fiction by his experiences of adoption. David Quantick is an Emmy-award winning comedy writer who has worked on Veep, Thick of It, Brass Eye and Spitting Image. But he explains everything might have been very different if he had carried on with his initial career choice in Law. Gabriel Byrne main image credit: Jerome De Perlinghi 1999.Walking With Ghosts by Gabriel Byrne is out now. Courtney’s Act’s lesson is on Thursday 19th November at 10 am on CBBC. Olly and Lilly, the search for a new race is out now Night Train by David Quantick is out now.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Eleanor Garland

Nikki Bedi and Richard Coles are joined by Akram Khan. Winning a disco dance competition as a child encouraged Akram to pursue what he saw as his one talent: dance. Today he is one of the UK’s leading choreographers, has an MBE for services to dance, and tells stories through dance on stages as varied as Sadlers Wells to the 2012 London Olympics stadium. Sarah Beeny has graced our TV screens for the past 20 years as one of the nation’s most loved property experts. She estimates that she’s now been in more than 1,000 homes offering advice on all things remodeling, interior design and extensions. Now, the cameras follow her and her family as they build a house from scratch in Somerset. When Dwayne Fields moved to London from Jamaica aged 6 he wondered where all the trees were. He escaped the city after discovering Epping forest and adventures in nature, becoming the first black Briton to reach the North Pole in 2010. The Scout ambassador and Countryfile contributor is now planning to take 20 disadvantaged youngsters to the Antarctic and has his sights on reaching the South Pole within the next two years. Saturday Live listener Bill Murray's father was the bodyguard and painting companion of Winston Churchill - he contacted us to talk about his memories. Writer Sophie Kinsella chooses her inheritance tracks, Five Hundred Miles by The Seekers and F. Couperin "Les Baricades Mysterieuses" played by Angela Hewitt on Hyperion Records and your "thank you". Producer: Corinna Jones