Profile

Ruth Jones, an acclaimed actor, comedian, and writer from Bridgend, is known for her role as Nessa in the beloved sitcom Gavin & Stacey. In this engaging conversation, she reminisces about her childhood musical adventures and the deep-rooted family love for performance. Ruth shares the evolution of her friendship with James Corden and how it sparked their collaborative success. She also expresses her delight in returning to musical theater, relishing the thrill of classics like Sweeney Todd, and reflects on her multifaceted career in comedy and writing.

Since it was privatised over a decade ago, there's been speculation around the future of the UK's troubled postal service, Royal Mail.Now the government has approved its purchase by the Czech billionaire, Daniel Křetínský, a relative unknown here in the UK.Born in communist Czechoslovakia in 1975, Křetínský was a teenager when the Berlin Wall came down. He started his career as a lawyer, but after taking a job in an investment firm soon acquired a reputation as a financial prodigy. He went on to make his fortune in energy investments, but has since expanded to become a big player in the media scene, as well as buying stakes in businesses in Western Europe, especially France and the UK.In this episode of Profile, Stephen Smith finds out more about the man who's set to take on the challenge of turning around a once cherished national institution.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Sarah Wadeson Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Canal+

Through his passion for stop motion and modelling clay, we have come to love his silent (but wise) dog and well-meaning owner.Wallace and Gromit are Nick Park’s most famous creations, but what more do we know about this Preston born Oscar winner?He would use his mother’s home movie camera to record his early films; he studied animation at the National Film and Television School in Buckinghamshire; and joined Aardman Animations in the mid-80s.Over the last few decades, Nick Park has gained critical acclaim for feature films, Chicken Run and Early Man. So, as we await the latest Wallace and Gromit offering this Christmas, Mark Coles has donned the RIGHT trousers to take a closer look at the multi-award winning animator.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Bob Howard and Natalie Ktena Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Gareth Jones Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive Credits Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations/National Film and Television School) Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl directed by directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham (Aardman Animations) Creature Comforts directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations) Chicken Run directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park (Aardman Animations/Pathé/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit directed by Nick Park and Steve Box (Aardman Animations/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit Christmas Jumper Ident (Aardman Animations for the BBC) Merlin Crossingham & Nick Park on WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL at AFI Fest 2024 (American Film Institute) The Bike Ride (Collett Dickenson Pearce)

From using a skateboard to baking sourdough, Tom Molnar leads an eclectic life.Born in the United States, he earned a degree in Ecology at Dartmouth College, before going on to gain experience in corporate strategy and client management. It was during those years, that he noticed a gap in the market for quality bread.Tom Molnar joined forces with Ran Avidan and Gail Mejia in 2005, and their Gail’s story began in a small corner of North London. Nearly 20 years later, the chain has become omnipresent on high streets all over the country and looks set to yield a handsome sum amid speculation that its owners have appointed a Wall Street bank to oversee an auction.Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the visionary behind one of Britain’s fastest-growing chains.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Ben Cooper and Natalie Ktena Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCreditsBBC / Gordon Murray Puppets Gentleman's Journal

Kim Leadbeater, a Labour MP and sister of the late Jo Cox, opens up about her pivotal role in the campaign to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill individuals. She shares her journey from a vibrant childhood in West Yorkshire to a powerful political voice shaped by personal tragedy. The podcast delves into the emotional challenges she faced in her new role, navigating complex issues like online safety and social cohesion, all while honoring her sister's legacy. Leadbeater's advocacy reveals the deep connection between personal grief and public service.

From television commercials in the 1970s, to today’s toga-ripping, chariot-flipping sequel to Gladiator.Sir Ridley Scott is one of Britain’s greatest film directors.The grammar school boy, born in South Shields, spent part of his childhood in Germany before pursuing his passion for art at school in Hartlepool and then the Royal College of Art.But the camera appealed to Scott as much as the canvas, and Stephen Smith has been talking with the Hollywood titan’s friends, family and peers to find out more about him - and his work.Contributors Jake Scott - Director Arthur Max - Production Designer Francine Stock - Film Critic Michael Broers - Historian David Scarpa - Screenwriter Janty Yates - Costume DesignerProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Credits Alien (1979): 20th Century-Fox, Brandywine Productions Gladiator (2000): DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment Napoleon (2023): Apple Studios, Scott Free Productions, Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) Gladiator II (2024): Scott Free Productions, Lucy Fisher/Douglas Wick Productions, Paramount Pictures

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), is a key figure in left-wing German politics, known for advocating higher minimum wages while opposing military aid to Ukraine. In this conversation, she discusses her formative years in communist East Germany and the journey to establishing her movement, blending traditional left policies with conservative views on immigration. With upcoming elections on the horizon, Wagenknecht reflects on the potential shifts in Germany's political landscape and the impact of her party in a polarized environment.

She is one of the highest-ranking women in the Labour Party, now holding the position of home secretary.Yvette Cooper, born in Inverness in 1969, grew up in Hampshire and went on to forge a career in politics full of firsts. She served as the first female chief secretary to the Treasury. She also became the first minister to take maternity leave, and she was one half of the first married couple in the cabinet - alongside Ed Balls.But not everyone is convinced Yvette Cooper has the answers to the big problems in her in-tray, particularly on the small boats issue.Stephen Smith talks to friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped this veteran Labour politician.Contributors Alan Johnson - former Labour Minister Harriet Harman - Labour Politician Tim Loughton - former Tory MP Stephanie Flanders - Economist and JournalistProduction Team Producers: Emma Close and Nathan Gower Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits 1991 Harvard Commencement Address 1992 Bill Clinton Campaign Speech Tony Blair 1997 Election Victory Speech

From his hilltop glass mansion in ancient Tbilisi, he’s accused of cultivating Georgia’s shift from the west over the past decade.And, with his political party’s recent victory in the parliamentary elections, that trajectory appears set to continue for some time yet.Bidzina Ivanishvili is the guiding force behind the Georgian Dream party, but what else do we know about the mysterious billionaire?In this edition of Profile, Mark Coles takes a closer look at the man who keeps animals, collects rare trees, and who spent much of the 1990s in Russia founding companies.Contributors Tom De Waal - Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Europe think tank Natalia Antelava - Journalist Lincoln Mitchell - Lecturer of International Affairs at Columbia University Tedo Jakaridze - Georgia’s Foreign Minister Neil MacFarlane - Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the University of OxfordProduction Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ben Cooper, Marianna Brain, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits IMEDI TV

The Liverpool-born comedian, known for his razor-sharp wit, has traded in his stand-up routines for some serious dance moves of late.Chris McCausland is the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing - and he's being tipped as a possible winner. In his 20s, Chris lost most of his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa. But that didn’t slow down his career. He's been lighting up the comedy scene since 2003, with regular appearances on hit programmes like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Would I Lie to You. He's also taken to the iconic stage of Live at the Apollo.In this edition of Profile, Stephen Smith talks to some of his closest friends, fellow comedians and former colleagues about his life, Strictly success - and the time he attended a job interview in the wrong trousers.Contributors Kevin Mathews - childhood friend Neil Churchill - childhood friend Justin Moorhouse - Comedian, Radio DJ and Actor Jimmy Tarbuck - Comedian Jane McCarry - Actress Sasha Boback - Producer of You Heard It Here FirstProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Caroline Bayley, Julie Ball, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Live at the Apollo, Open Mike Production, 04/01/2018