

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

Jul 13, 2019 • 1h 25min
Graeme Swann, Michael Sheen
Aasmah Mir and the Rev. Richard Coles are joined by the former England cricketer and legendary spin bowler Graeme Swann. He discusses his sporting career, waltzing on Strictly and his upcoming tour with Henry Blofeld - Dancing Down the Wicket.
Libby Liburd explains how her shows Muvahood and Fighter were inspired by her own personal life experience as a single mother and a female boxer.
Christine Gould leads 50 volunteers at the Buxton Well Dressing Festival. She describes how these intricate mosaics of natural materials are painstakingly put together.
Sarah Jane Douglas is an artist, and proud Munroist number 5864. She took up walking in the mountains after her mother’s death and scattered her ashes in the Himalayas.
Guy Oliver reveals how a secret took him from a career with the Royal Navy to life as an interior designer – with projects from luxury hotels in Mayfair to adobe houses in Kabul.
And the actor Michael Sheen chooses his Inheritance Tracks: O Superman by Laurie Anderson and A Design for Life by The Manic Street Preachers.Producer: Louise Corley
Editor: Eleanor Garland

Jul 6, 2019 • 1h 25min
Emeli Sandé
Fresh from a neuroscience degree, she burst into our consciousness almost ten years ago with her club anthem track Heaven, and then Read all About it with Professor Green. She was the only artist to perform at the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics. Writing for other artists as well as a successful solo career, she is back with a new single and tour and album to follow. Emeli Sandé joins Richard and Aasmah. They also have Juliet Blaxland, who lives on the easternmost part of England, in a house - known as the Easternmost house - which is slowly getting closer and closer to the sea. Mindful of the end of her life in the house, Juliet wrote a diary of a year in this changing landscape. Lee John Phillips is drawing and logging every item of his late Grandfather's shed. He tells us about his extraordinary project.Alan Johnson grew up with a passion for music, and dreamed of becoming a rock star, but ended up joining the Post Office. He got involved with the Union of Post Office workers, and became their youngest ever general secretary in 1992. Five years later he became the Member of Parliament for Hull West and Hessle and later served in the Blair and Brown governments as work and pensions secretary, Trade and Industry Secretary, Education Secretary, Health Secretary and Home Secretary. And the Inheritance Tracks of Cricketer David Gower who chooses Tchaikovsky: 5th Symphony, 4th movement Andante Maestoso and Candle in the Wind by Elton John.Producer: Corinna Jones
Editor: Eleanor Garland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


