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Saturday Live

BBC Radio 4www.bbc.co.uk

Join Adrian Chiles for a Saturday morning full of remarkable people with extraordinary stories.

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Episodes

Simon Reeve

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with adventurer and TV presenter Simon Reeve. Judith Keppel, the first person to hit the jackpot on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, contemplates luck; food and travel writer Michael Booth explores Scandinavia; cricketer and columnist Ed Smith reflects on managing maverick talent; Andrew Cotton describes the thrill and skill of surfing a big wave; toxinologist Dr Zoltan Takacs explains why he's charmed by snakes and their venom; Marjorie Wallace shares her Inheritance ...

Feb 08, 20141 hr 25 min

Actress and writer Natascha McElhone

Richard Coles & Anita Anand with special guest actress, writer and Costa Book award judge Natascha McElhone on her unthespian roots and the sudden death of her husband. They hear the Inheritance Tracks of singer Graham Nash and Ron Moody's Secret Life of 'ombrage'. Flood victim Trixie Webber tells them how she recovered from the Boscastle flood of 2004 and Louise Ashley and Jason Liostatos reflect on how their relationship fared with no fixed abode. Peter Caton revisits the train journeys of...

Feb 01, 20141 hr 25 min

Tracey Thorn

The Reverend Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir talk to singer/songwriter Tracey Thorn.

Jan 25, 20141 hr 25 min

Will Gompertz

Suzy Klein and JP Devlin with BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz who talks about his unpromising beginnings in the arts and a project to find the Art of the Nation. Appropriately they also hear the Inheritance Tracks of popular artist Jack Vettriano and why the mandolin is so widespread from musician Simon Mayor. Zoe Lemon tells what happened to a message in a bottle she threw into the sea twenty three years ago and Brian Conaghan explains how the late diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome affected his li...

Jan 18, 20141 hr 25 min

Rob Newman and the Inheritance Tracks of Kate Adie

Writer and comedian Rob Newman joins Richard Coles and Suzy Klein to talk about his return to comedy. His latest show - Rob Newman's New Theory of Evolution - looks at the controversies surrounding evolutionary biology and is his first complete show in 7 years. Also on the programme, forget the 7.39am, we meet two commuters who met and fell in love on the 5.35am from Gillingham, Dorset to London Waterloo. As a memento of the moment when lightning struck they have the train seats they were sittin...

Jan 11, 20141 hr 25 min

Ian Rosenblatt and the Inheritance Tracks of Jennifer Saunders

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with lawyer and founder of the Rosenblatt Opera Recitals Ian Rosenblatt, the Inheritance Tracks of comedian Jennifer Saunders, the story of Roger Mason who along with a friend and fellow veterinary surgeon, took much needed animals to the Falkland Islands after the 1982 War in an old converted fishing boat, the delights of Riga in Latvia with travel writer Adrian Mourby, one of Britain's leading forensic scientists, Mike Silverman, talking about a life in forensics, ...

Jan 04, 20141 hr 25 min

Philosopher Angie Hobbs

Anita Anand and JP Devlin with philosopher Angie Hobbs, poet Murray Lachlan Young, 11 year old popster Fynnjan Leach-Verhoeven and his mum Su, Saturday Live listener Ted Chance who made it into the Culture Club Christmas video in 1983, international football coach Paul Watson, 4th generation Salvation Army member Janet Martin, Andy Miller who's just finished a song he started 35 years ago, and the Inheritance Tracks of Boycie from Only Fools and Horses. Producer Dixi Stewart.

Dec 28, 20131 hr 25 min

Lyricist Don Black and Sir Cliff Richard's Inheritance Tracks

Richard Coles and Anita Anand meet Britain's leading lyricist Don Black who has worked with most of the top songwriters and composers including John Barry and Andrew Lloyd Webber and put words in the mouths of everyone from Matt Monro to Michael Jackson. 'Lost' actor Jeff Fahey tells about his work with refugees in Syria, the woman who invented the phrase explains why a dog is for life not just for Christmas, and we hear how the world's wackiest records are checked out in South America. Plus you...

Dec 21, 20131 hr 25 min

Dreda Say Mitchell, Ed Smith, Doreen Lawrence

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with author, journalist and educational adviser Dreda Say Mitchell. They are also joined by listeners Sarah and Mark Horsburgh on their experience of offering respite foster care. We travel to Nottingham with John McCarthy on the trail of Alan Sillitoe, meet two lads who tell of a chance encounter with Nelson Mandela and Doreen Lawrence's Inheritance Tracks. Producer Alex Lewis.

Dec 14, 20131 hr 25 min

Michael Arditti, Judith Kerr

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein meet novelist Michael Arditti who talks about faith and the novel, nearly dying after eating goats cheese and his travels around the Philippines researching a book, enjoy the Inheritance Tracks of Judith Kerr who wrote and illustrated, amongst other things, The Tiger Who Came To Tea, talk to Melvyn Evans who fought in Aden in the 1960's and realised, 40 years later, that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and hear from Joe Glackin, a former priest w...

Dec 07, 20131 hr 25 min

Restaurateur Rick Stein

Richard Coles and Anita Anand with chef and restaurateur Rick Stein who tells of the ups and downs of his life, the Inheritance Tracks of Canadian author Margaret Atwood and traveller Tim Cope's tales of his journey on the trail of Genghis Khan. Teacher Guy Tarrant talks about the items that teachers have confiscated from pupils and Steve Rodgers, a fourth generation fisherman from Devon, joins Richard and Anita with his personal recollections of life on the sea and the future of fishing and we ...

Nov 30, 20131 hr 25 min

Camila Batmanghelidjh, Joan Collins, Luke Wright, Charlie Higson, John McCarthy

Richard Coles and Anita Anand with Kids Company Founder Camila Batmanghelidjh, The Inheritance Tracks of Charlie Higson, JP Devlin waxing lyrical with actress Joan Collins, the willowy sound of a cricket bat being fashioned, Ben Markus who was given, maybe, 12 months to live in January 2012 on finding love and the strength to KBO ( keep battling on ), topical poetry from Luke Wright and John McCarthy is joined by London writer Travis Elborough on a trail through the capital to see the sites of s...

Nov 23, 20131 hr 25 min

Owen Sheers, Molly Crabapple, Rose and Douglas Hadfield, Mat Horne

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with poet Owen Sheers, Guantanamo artist Molly Crabapple, South Seas travellers Rosemary and Douglas Hadfield, 17 year old Lauren who found herself without a home, Elisa Berry who found herself looking after JFK's nieces on the day he was assassinated, and actor Mat Horne's Inheritance Tracks. Producer: Dixi Stewart.

Nov 16, 20131 hr 25 min

Baroness Greenfield, Gary Barlow

Richard Coles and Anita Anand with neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield talking about her life and work, Julie Bailey who campaigned for reform after her Mother died at Stafford Hospital and who has been hounded from her Stafford home and business, 'Lorna' who lives in Belfast, was in care from around 14 years of age and now volunteers with a Children in Need project that helps others in care, and Diccon Bewes who has followed in the diary footsteps of Miss Jemima Morrell from Selby in Yorks...

Nov 09, 20131 hr 25 min

Linda Nolan

Richard Coles and Anita Anand meet singer Linda Nolan who talks about how she turned to the Samaritans at low points in her life. They hear the Inheritance Tracks of Richard Eyre and the meditative sound of singing bowls. A refugee from Afghanistan explains how he got to Britain and a father and son tell of their adventures all over Britain. A daughter reveals her parent's surprising secret and we get a glimpse behind the scenes at a peace camp. Producer: Harry Parker.

Nov 02, 20131 hr 25 min

Terry Deary, Khaled Hosseini, Mr Mitchell

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with Horrible Histories author Terry Deary whose new adult history book is about the Roman Empire and whose play, Barmy Britain Part Two!, is on at the Garrick Theatre in London. They also talk to Jonny Mitchell, Head Teacher at the Thornhill Academy in Dewsbury and the subject of Channel 4's series 'Educating Yorkshire', Henry and Ingrid Wuga, Kindertransport refugees in 1939 who met and married in Glasgow and still live there together aged 89 and Barnaby Rogerson w...

Oct 26, 20131 hr 25 min

Maggie Aderin-Pocock

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein meet space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a female trainee astronaut from the early 1960s, Jerri Truhill, and amateur rocketeer John Jacomb. Matt Eagles explains what is like to have had Parkinson's disease since the age of eight, Matthew Baylis tells the story of the cult religions of Vanuatu and June Lady Chichester enthuses about camels. MOBO founder Kanya King picks her Inheritance Tracks.

Oct 19, 20131 hr 25 min

Neil Gaiman

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with writer Neil Gaiman, Matilda Tristram who discovered she had cancer when she was 17 weeks pregnant and decided to tell her story in a comic strip, Jazz Summers who spent 10 years trying to get out of the army, and John Levene who played the Yeti in the newly rediscovered episodes of Doctor Who. Musician Tori Amos reveals her Secret Life, The Comic Strip's Lana Pillay shares Inheritance Tracks, and John McCarthy goes to Cornwall to meet the Germans on the trail of...

Oct 12, 20131 hr 25 min

05/10/2013

Richard Coles and Anita Anand with guest Richard Osman, John McCarthy taking a trip on the sleeper train to Cornwall, writer and quiz lover Stevyn Colgan on his time as a member of Scotland Yard's 'Problem Solving Unit', Ian Tibbets on pioneering surgery that saved his sight and enabled him to see his two sons for the first time, sisters June Smith and April Scott on the Devon dialect, Neville Hume who still uses his Grandfather's 130 year old gardening tools and The Inheritance Tracks of actres...

Oct 05, 20131 hr 25 min

Nicholas Parsons; the inheritance tracks of Steve Earle

Richard Coles and Anita Anand's guest's have a wide age range with one aged 89 and another aged 12 . They meet panel game chairman extraordinaire Nicholas Parsons and take a look at some lesser known aspects of his life. We hear the Inheritance Tracks of country singer Steve Earle, trace the fate of a GI bride, explore off-limits cityscapes with an urban explorer and discover what it's like to be a young woman in an old man's industry. Plus there's a glimpse of into how a young boy came to play ...

Sep 28, 20131 hr 25 min

Andi Peters; Aggie MacKenzie's Inheritance Tracks

Anita Anand and JP Devlin talk to Andi Peters, television presenter, voice actor and media executive, puppeteer Nigel Plaskitt who has worked on Spitting Image, Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet and is the man behind the PG Tips Monkey, Robin Mackness, one of the first people to import, in significant numbers, duvets to the UK, thus helping to change the bedroom habits of millions, John Ironmonger whose travels have deepened a love of leeches and rhinos, revel in the Inheritance Tracks of Agg...

Sep 21, 20131 hr 25 min

Bettany Hughes; former SAS soldier Chris Ryan

Richard Coles and Anita Anand are joined by historian and broadcaster, Bettany Hughes who talks about her love of history, cricket and Istanbul, Dr Robert Poole who explains what happened on September 14th 1752 when Britain changed from a Julian calendar to a Gregorian calendar and Jess Herman who tells us about her work with Nicaraguan street children. They also hear a 'Sound Sculpture' of a Spitfire's Merlin engine described by Britain's only female Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace, explore Andrew...

Sep 14, 20131 hr 25 min

Philip Pullman

Richard Coles and Anita Anand are joined by author, Philip Pullman, wildlife rescuer, Trevor Weeks and upcoming young actor, Sarah Gordy who was born with Downs syndrome, and her mother, Jane. Choreographer Richard Alston choses his Inheritance Tracks, there's a visit to Betty's Reading Room on Orkney, a school Bell soundscape and Geoff Baker talks about the bid to break the British record of guitars playing in unison on the beach at Lyme Regis. JP Devlin fields your calls and emails. Producer: ...

Sep 07, 20131 hr 25 min

Michael Rosen

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein are joined by writer and broadcaster, Michael Rosen, former SOE operative Noreen Riols and senior surgeon David Nott who talks about working in war and disaster zones. They hear the Inheritance Tracks of cook, writer and broadcaster Simon Hopkinson, the soothing sounds of a chess clock and share the memories of Edith Lee-Payne who was 12 and present when Martin Luther King made his famous speech. Producer: Chris Wilson.

Aug 31, 20131 hr 25 min

Anna Chancellor; Judie Tzuke

Richard Coles and Anita Anand talk to actress Anna Chancellor, sample the delights of Georgian Pleasures with Professor Elaine Chalus, savour the bucolic, car-free life on Sark with restaurateur Elizabeth Perrée, hear the Inheritance Tracks of singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, discover how glove-makers to the Queen, Andrew and Genevieve James, practice their craft, find out what the thing is about the "real" Paddy O'Connell from Skibbereen, County Cork and that other irrepressible Irishman, JP Devl...

Aug 24, 20131 hr 25 min

Tom Robinson; Inheritance Tracks of Django Bates

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein entertain musician and broadcaster, Tom Robinson, hear the Inheritance Tracks of Django Bates, meet Simon Hood who cycled to every York City Football Club match over a whole season and Nina Wilson who cycled to every town and village in Norfolk, examine the allure of beer with beer sommelier Jane Peyton, talk to the last surviving British 'Dam Buster' George 'Johnny' Johnson and immerse themselves in the genteel atmosphere of Morecambe as JP Devlin meets people from ...

Aug 17, 20131 hr 25 min

10/08/2013

Richard Coles and J P Devlin with actor Robin Ellis aka Poldark. He talks about his former role as the dashing Ross Poldark and about his newer-found role as a cookery writer. We have the Inheritance Tracks of KT Tunstall. John McCarthy meets cartoonist, novelist, and jazz musician Barry Fantoni in his home town of Calais. Rory McPhee savours the joys of seaweed, and Angelique Todd talks about her extraordinary life amongst the mountain gorillas of central Africa.

Aug 10, 20131 hr 25 min

Nigel Kennedy

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with violinist Nigel Kennedy, Lindsey Davis' Inheritance Tracks, cloud spotter Gavin Pretor-Pinney, beatboxer Shlomo and mouth-painter Barry West. Adrenalin junky pensioners Sylvia and Dennis Bloor on their love of rollercoasters and a mum who turned to the Beano to help her daughter's dyslexia. Producer: Debbie Sheringham.

Aug 03, 20131 hr 25 min

Lenny Henry, Cyrille Regis, John McCarthy

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with actor and comedian Lenny Henry, The Inheritance Tracks of former footballer Cyrille Regis, forensic anthropologist Heather Bonney, The Queen of Yorkshire Comedy, Jo Little on Cromer Pier, John McCarthy travels round the Lake District in Mike Hardings camper van and JP Devlin with a crowdscape from Dudley. Producer: Chris Wilson.

Jul 20, 20131 hr 25 min
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