

Saturday Live
BBC Radio 4
Join Adrian Chiles for a Saturday morning full of remarkable people with extraordinary stories.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 28, 2026 • 56min
Dilly Carter, Football, Swearing and the Inheritance Tracks Lisa Kudrow
Dr Richard Stephens, psychologist who studies the science of swearing. Neville Southall, former goalkeeper turned community mentor. Dilly Carter, professional organiser and TV personality. They chat about how swearing affects pain and performance. Neville’s football life, mentorship and outreach work. Dilly’s practical decluttering methods, sentimental-item strategies and links between home order and wellbeing.

Mar 21, 2026 • 57min
John Lloyd, Sailing, Punk Rock, and the Inheritance Tracks of Dr Sian Williams
Adrian spends the hour in the company of renowned TV producer John Lloyd, the modest genius mind behind such national institutions as Spitting Image, QI and Blackadder. Also on the porgramme, Kala Subbuswamy who saw no reason why a middle-aged woman couldn't start a punk band, so did just that. And Jazz Turner didn't let her disability stop her sailing solo around the British Isles, and now she plans to take on the world. And the Inheritance Tracks of former presenter of BBC Breakfast and Saturday Live, now a consulting psychologist, and still broadcasting, most notably with the Radio 4 series Life Changing, Dr Sian Williams. Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Lowri Morgan
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell & Alice McKee
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley

Mar 14, 2026 • 55min
Nigel Kennedy, Grief, Red Nose Day and the Inheritance Tracks of Adam Fleming
On Saturday Live this week, a virtuoso violinist, a singer with a powerful story of motherhood, love and grief, and the woman who made her fortune working out how we shop. Adrian spends the hour in great company with Nigel Kennedy, Jess Mills and the hugely influential Edwina Dunn OBE. Also today, we'll be hearing from a somewhat out of breath Greg James, pedalling his way from Weymouth to Edinburgh for Comic Relief. And we are treated to a special performance by Nigel and his band - Alec Dankworth on double bass and Peter Adams on the cello. This week's Inheritance Tracks comes from Adam Fleming. Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Lowri Morgan
Assistant Producer: Alice McKee
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley (The live performance in this programme has been shortened for music rights reasons).

Mar 7, 2026 • 56min
Steve Rosenberg, Cut Flowers, Cancer Care, and the Inheritance Tracks of Mike Wozniak
We’re in the company of an eminent foreign correspondent, a no less eminent expert in the field of flowers, and the woman who’s built the most beautiful spaces for cancer care. Our journalist is our man in Moscow - our last man in Moscow, really - Steve Rosenberg. Bringing colour, fragrance and joy to our studio is the queen of cut flowers, Sarah Raven.And we’ll all be scattering rose petals at the feet of Dame Laura Lee for all her work leading the cancer support charity Maggies.All that, plus the Inheritance Tracks of the comedian Mike Wozniak.Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producers: Lowri Morgan and Alice McKee
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Ed Prendeville

Feb 28, 2026 • 55min
Maggie Aderin, Shipwreck Hunting, Sea Shanties, and the Inheritance Tracks of Andy Zaltzman
On Saturday Live this week we’ll be looking up, down and all over the place.
Dame Maggie Aderin, space scientist, will have us looking to the skies in wonder before David Mearns, shipwreck hunter, takes us down into the ocean deep as we marvel at his life’s work - and a man never short of a sense of wonder is writer, actor, comedian, sailor and lover of alpacas...Griff Rhys Jones.Also today, we’ll rise from the depths to the surface for some sea shantying from The Longest Johns - and we’ll be getting the Inheritance Tracks of Andy Zaltzman. Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producers: Lowri Morgan and Alice McKee
Researcher: Angharad Butler
Editor: Glyn Tansley(The live music performed in this programme has been shortened for music rights reasons)

Feb 21, 2026 • 57min
Jack Thorne, Hostage Negotiation, Family History, and the Inheritance Tracks of Marian Keyes
Today we’re in the company of a billionaire, a hostage negotiator and the most sought after screenwriter in the business.The screenwriter in question is Jack Thorne who’s now turned his considerable talent to a brilliant TV adaptation of Lord of the Flies.Nicky Perfect says hostage negotiation is all about empathy, and less about talking than listening. And we’ll be all ears as she tells us what we can all learn from the techniques police negotiators use.And we’ll certainly be paying close attention to what Welsh born billionaire Michael Moritz has to say to us, about his own story, and his telling of the story of his family which is fascinating, harrowing and inspiring in equal measure. Also today the firefighter who spends his spare time being a Viking - and the Inheritance Tracks of Marian Keyes. Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producers: Catherine Powell, Ribika Moktan, Imy Harper
Researchers: Angharad Butler, Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley

4 snips
Feb 14, 2026 • 56min
Mark Steel, Nun at NASA, Funeral Cosmetics, and the Inheritance Tracks of Matt Edmonsdon
Mark Steel, comedian and author who wrote about his throat cancer, reflects on humour amid illness. Sister Libby Osgood, former NASA systems engineer turned nun from Prince Edward Island, discusses vocation and service. Jane Lowndes, funeral make-up artist who brought high-street beautician skills into her family’s funeral business, talks restorative make-up and funeral planning. Short, lively conversations on career twists, care and resilience.

Feb 7, 2026 • 57min
Alexander Armstrong, Cold Cases, Small Prophets and the Inheritance Tracks of Riz Ahmed
Alexander Armstrong on life as a writer, Professor Patricia Wiltshire explains the role of a forensic botanist, Mackenzie Crook unveils the secrets behind his latest show.

Jan 31, 2026 • 57min
Amanda Owen, Curious Incidents, Brain Rest, and the Inheritance Tracks of Mika.
We have a writer, a shepherdess, and a man in favour of doing more of nothing. Our writer wrote one of the biggest books of the last 25 years. The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-time has brought joy to millions of children, and adults. And now Mark Haddon’s written a memoir just as memorable. Our Shepherdess is almost certainly the only Shepherdess you can name. The Yorkshire Shepherdess herself, Amanda Owen, whose new tv series suggests her love of her farming life burns as brightly as ever. And the man who wants us to give our brains a break is a neuroscientist who’s applied his considerable brain to the importance of giving all our tormented minds a bit more downtime. Dr Joseph Jebelli has a fascinating story to tell. Also, we’ll be asking how many clowns can you fit into a church as we speak to the clown organising the 80th anniversary Joseph Grimaldi Service - and we’ll be enjoying the Inheritance Tracks of Mika. Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Colin Patterson

Jan 24, 2026 • 56min
Anton du Beke, Winter Olympics, Remembering Smells, and the Inheritance Tracks of Claire Foy
Today's programme features a couple of very nice movers. There’s Anton de Beke, fresh from the first night of the Strictly Tour to recount a life of dance and showbiz.Lizzy Yarnold is used to moving at a rather more ferocious speed as our most successful winter Olympian.Picking up on the sweet smell of success, Michael O’Shaugnassey is an expert in scents and uses them to access prisoners memories.Also today, a man considered so dull that he’s won an award for it, and the Inheritance Tracks of Claire Foy.Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley


