Saturday Live

BBC Radio 4
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Jun 29, 2019 • 1h 25min

Tony Blackburn

Tony Blackburn talks to Aasmah Mir and Rev. Richard Coles about spending over 50 years as a DJ. He is still working for 4 radio stations, plus touring his Sounds Of The 60s show. Starting at Radio Caroline, the presenter opened Radio 1 and other career highlights include winning I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Listener Red Szell shares his story of getting back into rock climbing after he lost his sight. Mary Hastings explains why her cancer diagnosis gave her the confidence to pursue her passion for singing. Luke Goss shares his Inheritance Tracks: U2, Where The Streets Have No Name and Bob Marley, One Love. Matt Pritchard talks about his journey from Dirty Sanchez stuntman to Dirty Vegan ultra-endurance athlete.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Beverley Purcell
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Jun 22, 2019 • 1h 24min

Gurinder Chadha, Sir Michael Caine

The filmmaker Gurinder Chadha – of Bend it Like Beckham fame - joins Rev. Richard Coles and Luke Jones. She continues her exploration of Britain and India’s intertwined story, this time in late 18th Century Delhi. She also shares her love for Bruce Springsteen songs and the joys of hot tubs. Morris dancer cum morris milliner, Carole Jeffery, talks to us enroute to the National Morris Weekend in Evesham. Academic and pigeon fancier Jon Day describes his passion, the parallels with parenting and notions of home. Listener Caroline Greville-Morris recalls making pop videos, designing pirate shirts for Adam Ant and being rescued by Kylie. And journalist Poorna Bell talks about her search for silence after the death of her husband, strengthening her strengthening her relationship with her parents and finding mental strength through powerlifting. Sir Michael Caine Shares his Inheritance Tracks: - My Old Man’s a Dustman, Lonnie Donegan and Comme D’habitude, Claude Francois.Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell
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Jun 15, 2019 • 1h 24min

Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah talks to Aasmah Mir and Rev. Richard Coles about the origins of his passion for rhyme, music and country living. Marian Newman went from being a forensic scientist to a nail expert whose career highlights include the supermodel nails for the Olympics 2012 Closing Ceremony. A clip of Daniel Alston and his sisters appeared on the Radio 4 programme Rewinder - they recall their memories of Blue Peter coming round to tea. Former World Karate Champion Janice Francis-Irwin on the importance of martial arts and organising Caribbean tea parties. Professor Alice Roberts shares her Inheritance Tracks: A Whiter Shade Of Pale by Procol Harum and Ash, Girl from Mars. Writer Gabriel Bisset-Smith grew up in the 80’s, looking white but having a mixed-race mum. He talks about the impact this had and why drama school saved him.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Beverley Purcell
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Jun 8, 2019 • 1h 25min

Jo Brand

Richard and Aasmah are joined by: Jo Brand, in comedy for over 30 years, trailblazing the way with her edgy humour at a time when there were very few women in standup. She came to comedy from psychiatric nursing and a strict upbringing. Listener and retired accountant Peter Barratt grew up hearing stories about his Great Grandmother Alice Hawkins who was a suffragette. 15 years ago he researched her story and has since completed 500 talks, including at Parliament and he now has one of the most complete collections of suffragette memorabilia in the UK still with descendants. Brought up in a strict religious household Lohani Noor ran away from home aged 15 and ended up in care, which is where her drive and ability to smash stereotypes began - she was a professional bodybuilder, trained as a plumber and now she is a TV psychotherapist. Matthew Walker is a renowned sleep scientist. Originally from Liverpool, his fascination with sleep has taken him from Nottingham University to Harvard and on to the University of California, Berkeley, where he is currently Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology and Director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science. Tractor Fest is the largest outdoor Tractor Festival in the UK. This year it has a 1940s theme, with displays of vintage tractors from the era, including the Fordson N: ‘the tractor that won the war’ and was widely used by the RAF for plane towing, as well as by the Women’s Land Army. Kevin Watson, restorer of more than 20 vintage tractors joins us from there. Singer Bryn Terfel chooses his Inheritance Tracks - Hen Wlad fy Nhadau by James James and Eli Jenkin's Prayer from Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, music by AHD Troyte performed by Dunvant Male Voice Choir.Producer: Corinna Jones Editor: Beverley Purcell
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Jun 1, 2019 • 1h 25min

Anneka Rice, Dustin Lance Black, Paul Young

Guest presenters Shaun Keaveny and Kate Silverton are joined by Anneka Rice. She reveals the story of Clemmie Hart, her fictional agent. Matthew Barley, the internationally renowned cellist, describes how a skiing accident transformed the way he plays. On the 50th anniversary of the John Lennon and Yoko’s Bed-In For Peace in Montreal, Saturday Live listener Gail Renard recalls her front row seat at rock and roll history. Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar winning filmmaker and husband to Tom Daley, talks about fatherhood and how growing up in a strict Mormon household shaped his determination to fight prejudice. And Paul Young shares his Inheritance Tracks. He chooses The Yellow Rose of Texas by Mitch Miller and These Arms of Mine by Otis Redding.Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Beverley Purcell
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May 25, 2019 • 1h 24min

Arlene Phillips

Arlene Phillips talks to presenters Aasmah Mir and Luke Jones about her life and career, which includes choreographing Elton John and founding dance troupe Hot Gossip. Björn Again's founder and Agnetha talk about their life on and off stage. Johnboy Smith explains how an unexpected injury led to him becoming a successful wheelchair racer. Greg James shares his Inheritance Tracks: This is The Sea by The Waterboys and Apply Some Pressure by Maximo Park. Eline van der Velden is a comedian and scientist - whose experiments often involve putting herself through socially awkward situations.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Beverley Purcell
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May 18, 2019 • 1h 24min

Kwame Kwei-Armah

Richard and Aasmah are joined by Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE, who began pursuing a pop career but drama took over with TV and theatre roles. As a writer, his first play won an award and his second transferred to the West End, he’s curated a World Festival of Black Arts and had an artistic directorship in Baltimore. Now he has been appointed Artistic Director of the Young Vic theatre in London. Caroline Crampton grew up sailing with her family at every opportunity, but it's only since a recent trip to sail down the Thames Estuary with her family that she got to really love it. Candice Brathwaite is a parenting blogger, Influencer and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse – an online initiative that aims to encourage a more accurately representative and diverse depiction of motherhood in the media. Edd China, mechanic on TV's Wheeler Dealers and the creator of numerous obscure vehicles including a road legal sofa. He has set Guinness World Records for the fastest furniture, shed, bathroom and bed, largest motorised shopping trolley and fastest electric amphibious vehicle and electric ice cream van. And as well as your thank yous, we have the Inheritance Tracks of Francis Rossi of Status Quo. He chooses the Everley Brothers’ Cathy’s Clown, and In the Army now by Bolland and Bolland.Producer: Corinna Jones Editor: Beverley Purcell
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May 11, 2019 • 1h 25min

David Harewood

David Harewood – actor, snowboarder, Brummie, goalie – joins Aasmah Mir and the Rev. Richard Coles. Best known for roles in Homeland, Blood Diamond, The Night Manager and currently Supergirl, he reveals why he has now made a documentary called ‘Psychosis and Me’. Saturday Live listener Sarah Wyndham Lewis explains why she became a honey sommelier. A calling all the more remarkable because she is allergic to bee stings. Blogger Laura Belbin describes what the sound of laughter means to her. Sindhu Vee started her career as a banker, but an email set her on the path to stand-up comedy. Dr Ranj Singh cast aside his scrubs for sequins for Strictly last year. He talks about his newly found passion for Latin dance and why, having struggled with his weight as a child, he's keen to promote healthy eating. Jodie Kidd shares her Inheritance Tracks: Money for Nothing performed by Dire Straits and No Woman No Cry, by Bob Marley. Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Richard Hooper
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May 4, 2019 • 1h 24min

Gok Wan

Gok Wan talks to Aasmah Mir and Rev. Richard Coles about his latest show Say Yes to the Dress Lancashire, DJ’ing, cooking and his lifelong passion for fashion. Listener Hilary Wynter talks about her experience playing doubles with the Empress of Japan, the wife of the Emperor who has just abdicated. As it's the 4th May - Star Wars Day - we have Star Wars superfan Michael Absalom. Singer-songwriter Nick Lowe shares his Inheritance Tracks. He has chosen Fatback Louisiana USA, by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Harlan County by Jim Ford. Pet Detective Colin Butcher – has just written a book about his working relationship with his rescue dog Molly – the UK (and Europe’s) only cat detection dog.Producer: Claire Bartleet Editor: Beverley Purcell
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Apr 27, 2019 • 1h 24min

Dame Stephanie Shirley and Duff McKagan

Richard and Aasmah are joined by Dame Stephanie Shirley who arrived in the UK aged 5 as a refugee on the Kindertransport. She became a ground breaking IT entrepreneur who has since become a philanthropist and given over £60 million away. Her son inspired her to set up a school for children with Autism, and fund vital research. We also have Duff McKagan who joined Guns N' Roses as bass player aged 19 but only just survived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. He battled addiction by taking up martial arts and studied accountancy, writing books and his own music as well as touring again with the band. and Libby Page, who enjoyed water as a child but had become fearful of donning a swimsuit in her teens. She finally faced her fears and learnt to swim in her 20s and has discovered the meditative and therapeutic benefits of swimming, in particular, outdoors and it helped her get a publishing deal. and Paul Jacobs, a listener whose wife got in touch with us. A PE teacher in the same school for 29 years, he was voted Melton Mowbray’s sports personality of year 2016, and uses sport to inspire young people. We heard how he would “run a marathon, drive home and do the ironing”, so we had to meet him. TV presenter June Sarpong gives us her inheritance tracks which are Superwoman by Stevie Wonder and Love Train performed by The O'Jays. Producer: Corinna Jones Editor: Beverley Purcell

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