When you think about Liverpool, something cultural will surely come to mind – music, football, events, shopping... So, it’s not surprising to find out that the leisure, creative and cultural sector makes up 38% of the city’s economy and brings in around a massive £270 million to the council which is then invested in core services such as social care, health and education. With the exceptional challenges the pandemic has posed over the past 24 months, how has the city’s cultural sector fared and ...
Mar 10, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 39
He may not be a household name but local lad John Murphy is a major player in the Hollywood film world. After beginning his career playing guitar in local bands John moved into making music for film and is now amongst the most respected film composers in the world. In this fascinating podcast Kevin McManus (Culture Liverpool) and Olly Cooke (Liverpool Film Office) catch up with John in his LA studio to talk about his Liverpool roots, his path to Hollywood, and his work on blockbuster films like ...
Oct 01, 2021•59 min•Ep. 38
Liverpool has a proud theatre history dating back over 150 years. The Playhouse is the oldest repertory theatre in England while the Everyman has a huge history helping launch the careers of the likes of Julie Walters, Jonathan Pryce, Pete Postlethwaite and Alison Steadman through to the likes of Bill Nighy, Alan Bleasdale, Willy Russell, David Morrissey and Stephen Graham. The city is also home to other much loved venues ranging from the Royal Court through to the Empire and the Unity. For this...
Sep 26, 2021•28 min•Ep. 37
Liverpool is to headquarter the Pandemic Institute, committed to helping the world prevent, prepare, and respond more effectively to pandemics. The Pandemic Institute is a medical, academic and civic partnership between the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool). The ...
Sep 14, 2021•37 min•Ep. 36
A draft recommendation has been made to UNESCO’s annual World Heritage committee to delete Liverpool of its World Heritage status. The committee will make its decision next month in mid-July, with the focus on proposed plans around the £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme. Listen to this podcast where Cllr Sarah Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Development; Ian Wray, vice chair of World Heritage UK; and Pete Swift, co-founder of place-making consultancy firm Planit-IE, which advises on...
Jun 21, 2021•42 min•Ep. 35
We sat down with legendary award-winning TV writer Jimmy McGovern who talked openly about what inspired him to write his latest drama, Time, and what fuels his creative process. With Tom Sherry producer of the show. The Liverpool writer also reveals how much of his personal life he brought to the script, and goes on to talk about his views on law and justice, Hillsborough and his award-winning dramatisation of the 1989 tragedy, as well as his take on diversity in TV and his hopes for the city’s ...
Jun 13, 2021•56 min•Ep. 34
Liverpool is no stranger to being the star of major motion pictures and television shows; Netflix’s THE IRREGULARS is the latest production that was made in Liverpool. The show follows a gang of troubled street teens, solving crimes for the sinister Doctor Watson & his mysterious business partner. We sat down with the shows creator and writer Tom Bidwell to discuss making the series and why they chose to film in Liverpool.
Apr 01, 2021•31 min•Ep. 33
Scott Beeland, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, was recently reconnected with Graham Smith, a patient he helped save from Covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic and a member of our Liverpool Street Scene Services team. Graham surprised Scott when he gave him an army medal for services in Bosnia to say thank you.
Feb 16, 2021•25 min•Ep. 32
Liverpool played a key role in the trials of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca jab through the city’s world-famous School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).
Feb 04, 2021•23 min•Ep. 31
In our latest episode, we talk to Ashleigh about her teenage battle with anorexia and body dysmorphia, and how she overcame her issues and is strong enough now to help others.
Jan 29, 2021•26 min•Ep. 30
We talk to Cllr Wendy Simon who was made Acting Mayor of Liverpool in December 2020, to find out more about the woman leading Liverpool.
Jan 12, 2021•16 min•Ep. 29
Liverpool is no stranger to being the star of major motion pictures and television shows and this December we’re taking centre stage in the Sky original drama, Tin Star: Liverpool - We sat down with Alison Jackson, who is the Executive Producer for Tin Star, to talk about why they choose move to Liverpool for series 3 and how they found it.
Dec 18, 2020•28 min•Ep. 28
Graham’s been to some scary places, but this is the scariest place he’s ever been.
Oct 27, 2020•16 min•Ep. 27
Liverpool has entered tier-3 of the new coronavirus restrictions. Mayor Anderson was joined by health experts and business leaders in a special live Q&A to find out what the new restrictions will mean for residents and businesses in Liverpool ahead of the restrictions kicking in.
Oct 14, 2020•57 min•Ep. 26
After 42 years at Radio Merseyside, legendary phone-in presenter Roger Phillips turned off his mic for the last time on 28 August. In this episode, Roger shares his memorable guests, explains how the phone-in works behind the scenes, and tells us how he felt about the reaction to this retirement announcement.
Sep 11, 2020•37 min•Ep. 25
Around 10 million workers in the UK have been unable to do their jobs because of covid-19 and they have so far benefited from the furlough scheme, which essentially means the government is paying the majority of their wages and redundancies can be avoided but with the scheme set to end on the 31st of October, what does that mean for workers? And what does it mean for employers who have real concerns about covering the costs when it's anything but business as usual at the moment.
Sep 01, 2020•27 min•Ep. 24
We talk to two fitness professionals who embraced lockdown and went virtual with their classes. Leading Liverpool personal trainer Richie Swan and Natalie Butler who spotted a gap in the market and opened the city’s first over barre studio talk about how it has changed their profession, how physical and mental wellbeing go hand in hand and whether gyms reopening signal the end of this new normal.
Jul 24, 2020•24 min•Ep. 23
As lockdown restrictions continue to be eased, the latest relaxation means parts of the hospitality sector can reopen their doors. We caught up with two award winning restaurant and deli owners who talk frankly about their lockdown experience and the stark reality they now face as a result of the health pandemic.
Jul 03, 2020•28 min•Ep. 22
In this episode Liverpool’s first black Lord Mayor, Councillor Anna Rothery, joins Bristol City Council’s Deputy Mayor Councillor Asher Craig to talk about the response their respective cities have shown to the Black Lives Matter campaign, their own personal experiences of racism and what plans are in place for each city to tackle racial inequality.
Jun 26, 2020•33 min•Ep. 21
In this episode, we speak to Cllr Barbara Murray, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for education employment and skills, and the driving force behind #Liverpoolreads.
Jun 05, 2020•26 min•Ep. 20
It’s been ten weeks since the UK went in to full lockdown, but with the easing of restrictions there is a glimmer of light at the end of the long Covid-19 tunnel....
May 26, 2020•28 min•Ep. 19
This episode gives you the inside story from those on the frontline of fighting Covid-19. We hear from two nurses who have been caring for coronavirus patients as the pandemic reached Liverpool and the dark, difficult days that followed.
May 12, 2020•23 min•Ep. 18
We talk to Professor Michael Parkinson who has chartered Liverpool's history to find out how he thinks a post-coronavirus Liverpool will look like for residents and businesses.
May 08, 2020•20 min•Ep. 17
2020 is also Liverpool’s Year of Reading so as well as speaking to Roger about reading and writing he gives us advice on how to get reluctant readers to pick up a book.
Apr 13, 2020•38 min•Ep. 16
Liverpool’s community spirit is in full force with 3,000 volunteers committed to tackling the coronavirus challenge but who is doing all the work behind the scenes? What will the volunteers really do for our communities and does this new initiative contradict national guidance to stay at home?
Apr 05, 2020•18 min•Ep. 15
Following the Government’s announcement that the country is now in the delay phase, we look at the updated guidance and what people should do to keep themselves safe.
Mar 13, 2020•11 min•Ep. 14
This episode looks at what it really means for the city, what plans are being put in place to keep people healthy and how organisations are working together to keep the city running.
Mar 04, 2020•14 min•Ep. 13
Liverpool is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe, dating back to 1834 when Chinese immigrants arrived at the port but what does it mean today and is the relationship standing the test of time?
Feb 21, 2020•23 min•Ep. 12
As a city that decisively voted to remain in the EU, Liverpool is coming to terms with being part of a post-Brexit UK. What does this new era mean for the city, and was Liverpool ever really that reliant on Europe and the EU in the first place?
Feb 11, 2020•36 min•Ep. 11
It’s a new year and the time when we set our intentions for the year ahead. But should our main resolutions be to look after and be kinder to ourselves?
Jan 10, 2020•21 min•Ep. 10
