Loose Ends

Clive Anderson and Emma Freud present Loose Ends from Latitude Festival in Suffolk. They'll talk to the actor-turned-musician Damian Lewis who will discuss his latest album Mission Creep and why he's chosen to go back to his musical roots when he could have rested on his Hollywood laurels as the star of Homeland and Billions. The UK's favourite choirmaster Gareth Malone on a new tour of Sing-Along-A-Gareth and his special connection to Latitude. The director Rachel Ramsay on her Grierson award shortlisted documentary - The Lost Lionesses - about the 1971 unofficial Women's World Cup which was watched by record audiences but subsequently largely erased from sporting history. And the comic Elf Lyons who studied at a Parisian clown school where she learnt the fine art of "bouffon" - a performance style based around mockery - that she works into stand up shows that have been hailed as "unhinged brilliance". Plus, as we're recording at the BBC Introducing stage, we have fresh new music from Indie pop sibling duo Esme Emerson and from Americana led singer-songwriter Gia Ford. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

Clive will talk monkeys, masks and improvisation with comic Nina Conti who is honing a brand new show Whose Face is it Anyway? and about to release her directing debut a feature film called Sunlight; Chef Tom Kerridge's been on a culinary tour of the UK for a new cookbook and TV show and has plenty to say about our food, farming and how to pronounce "scone"; Actress Samantha Spiro stars in an acclaimed new RSC production of "Shakespeare's sitcom" - The Merry Wives of Windsor - where the women get the last laugh; Best selling crime writer Donna Leon on her much-loved detective hero Commissario Brunetti and why she's been moved to become an "eco-detective" herself. With music by Braimah Kanneh-Mason and Plínio Fernandes ahead of their appearance at the BBC Proms and from That Woman, aka Josie from Oh Wonder who is realeasing a solo album. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

The actor, producer and now memoirist Griffin Dunne on growing up in Hollywood in a family of literary stars including his aunt Joan Didion, on his own screen success opposite Madonna in Who's That Girl and in After Hours and the real-life tragedy that changed his life forever. Soft Cell front man Marc Almond on his early days as a subversive performance artist, mellowing into music that showcases his voice and his trip to the palace to get his OBE. In the decade since publishing her first psychological thriller, Ruth Ware's become an international best-seller, with her stories optioned for Hollywood movies and published in 40 languages. Now she's curated Harrogate Crime Writing Festival and has plenty to say about new trends, the enduring popularity of the genre and the forthcoming Netflix movie of her book The Woman in Cabin 10 starring Kiera Knightley. The comedian, Taskmaster champion and Celebrity Mastermind Sophie Duker advocates self delusion in her new show - But Daddy I Love Her - arguing that we should all opt for hot fantasy rather than cold hard reality. How will that work? Plus music from Tyneside singer-songwriter Nadine Shah's album, Filthy Underneath. Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Olive Clancy

Stuart is joined in the Salford Loose Ends studio by the Welsh Sprinter Iwan Thomas, who held the UK 400m record for 25 years. His new memoir 'Brutal', tells his story - one of speed, the drive to succeed and an extremely high tolerance for pain. . Comedian Chloe Petts is gearing up for the Edinburgh Fringe, and in perhaps the ultimate highbrow/lowbrow combination; she's just presented a series on Radio 4 on the history of the toilet. Raghu Dixit is an independent Indian artist, soundtrack composer and former Microbiologist. His new album 'Shakkar' has been inspired by his personal struggles, but spreads a message of joy and kindness. Kiiōtō is the new project by singer songwriter (and former Lamb vocalist) Lou Rhodes and musician and songwriter Rohan Heath, formerly of the Urban Cookie Collective. They are just about to release their debut album 'As Dust We Rise'. Anna Ptaszynski joins us for some sport fact ephemera and Lottie Gross talks about where to take your dog on holiday. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen and Kev Core

An eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy

Joining Stuart in our Salford studio are Charlie Higson. After writing several books in the bestselling 'Young Bond' series, Charlie has written his first Bond for Adults. Stand up Bilal Zafar's new show 'Imposter' is about a once harmonious house-share that goes very wrong and Pravesh Kumar has written 'Frankie Goes to Bollywood', a new musical about an everyday girl from Milton Keynes plucked from obscurity to live the life of a bollywood star.Music this week comes from English Teacher, dubbed 2024's hottest new guitar band, and tik-tok sensation, classical guitarist Alexandra Whittingham.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica TreenCHARLIE HIGSON Charlie Higson is an author, actor, comedian and writer for radio and television. He is the author of five beloved Young Bond books, starting with Silverfin in 2005. He’s also the author of the ‘Enemy’ series of Young adult Zombie adventures and the crime thriller ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night’. He’s also one of the brains behind one of the best comedy series of the 90’s, ‘The Fast Show’, which recently completed a 30th anniversary tour.A New Bond for a new Monarch, Charlie Higson’s first ‘Adult’ Bond – On His Majesty’s Secret Service was written in double quick time for the coronation and is inspired by researching his history podcast. Higson’s Bond is very much a man of 2023 – he’s in tune with his gut biome, but he’s still got the car, the gadgets and the girl.ENGLISH TEACHER Leeds based ‘English Teacher’ have been hailed as 2024’s hottest new guitar band, but they’ve spent time honing their craft - they’ve been playing together since meeting at the University of Leeds at 2018. In April they released their debut album, This Could Be Texas. Fresh from from touring America, they are vocalist Lily Fontaine, guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost, and bassist Nicholas Eden.PRAVESH KUMAR Back in the year 2000 armed with a credit card, Pravesh Kumar started the Rifco theatre company with an aim to tell accessible stories about British Asian communities like the one he grew up in in slough. Rifco’s shows include the musical Britain’s Got Bhangra, The Deranged Marriage and the film Little English. Along the way, Pravesh was awarded an MB for his contribution to British Theatre. His latest musical is ‘Frankie Goes to Bollywood’ – the story of Frankie, played by Laila Zaidi, a normal girl plucked from obscurity in Milton Keynes to be the latest Bollywood star. Frankie is taken in by the glamour, a romance with leading man Raju King and a rivalry with a fellow Bollywood actress no longer deemed young enough.ALEXANDRA WHITTINGHAM Manchester-born Guitarist Alexandra Whittingham started with humble beginnings performing covers of Avril Lavigne and auditioning for Blackpool’s Got Talent. Since then she has become a viral sensation through videos of her performing breathtaking classical arrangements on her guitar.Fresh off of signing with a major music label, Decca, she’s here to tell us about her journey to becoming a revered guitarist and why it’s important that classical music is accessible to everyone.BILAL ZAFARSharing a house can be an unpredictable experience, we’ve all heard about ‘nightmare’ housemates. In Bilal Zafar’s new show ‘Imposter’ he tells the story of his old housemate, a story of compulsive lying, escalating threats and minty hot chocolate. Bilal is a ‘wry storyteller’; his previous shows are ‘Zafarcakes’, about a joke on twitter that got out of hand, and the people who couldn’t take a joke and ‘Care’, about looking after wealthy residents in a care home, for minimum wage. He’s also active on the Twitch streaming platform where he plays a manager from the game Pro Evolution Soccer 5 to an enthusiastic audience of ‘Assistant Managers’. Bilal won the new act of the year award in 2016 and was nominated for best Newcomer at the Edinburgh comedy awards

The comedian Paul Sinha is a man of many careers - from working GP to sucessful stand up to his role as "The Sinnerman" in ITV's quiz show The Chase. He joins Clive to talk about his new autobiogaphy - Once Sinha Lifetime - charting his extraordinary Bengali family background through the peaks and troughs of his own working life to his recent medical diagnosis. Tara Fitzgerald is an actor with a career that encompasses both film classics like Brassed Off and I Capture the Castle as well as new hits like Game of Thrones and Waking the Dead. Now, to celebrate 125 years since the birth of Noel Coward, she stars in a triple bill of his less performed plays – Suite in Three Keys. We'll ask what Coward has to offer today's audiences. And forget about five a day, the TV Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says we should be eating thirty a week and what's more its really not that hard to do. Plus music from singer songwriter Bess Atwell's third album Light Sleeper, produced by The National's Aaron Dresser who also works with Taylor Swift. Plus comedy performance from Jazz Emu, the alter-ego of comedian Archie Henderson and his hilarious band The Cosmique Perfection. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

After a series of best-selling books focussing on girls and women Caitlin Moran turns her attention to the lads in ‘What About Men?’. Find out if comedian Laura Smyth is indeed living her best life on the ‘Living My Best Life’ tour and Alex Lowe tells us what makes his Clinton Baptise character so popular. John Hopkins on playing Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Leeds Playhouse and we have music from Dexys - formely Dexy's Midnight Runners. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Stephen Merchant - the BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor, comedian and writer behind hits like The Office and Extras - joins Clive Anderson and Athena Kugblenu to talk about a new series of The Outlaws, a hugely popular crime caper set on a Bristol community service project; the Vogue journalist and author Plum Sykes will discuss her new novel, Wives Like Us, billed as "desperate housewives in the Cotswalds"; Award-winning actor Adeel Akhtar of Sherwood, Fool Me Once and Four Lions fame on returning to the stage for the first time in almost a decade in Chekov's The Cherry Orchard and the writer and broadcaster Kate Bradbury on taking a stand against climate change in our own back gardens. Plus music by jazz singer songwriter Madeleine Peyroux and Irish pop sensation LYRA - who managed to knock Beyonce off the number one slot in the Irish album charts.Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

Clive is joined by impressionist Jan Ravens (who brings along Liz Truss and Theresa May) chatting about the challenge of developing an impersonation and what happens when the politician who forms part of your act gets the boot... Award-winning novelist Tiffany Murray describes her unusually starry childhood at the residential recording studio Rockfield. It includes a childhood visit from David Bowie and being woken by Freddie Mercury singing "Galileo" - as revealed in her new book My Family and Other Rock Stars. Viv Groskop chats about her One Ukrainian Summer a memoir about falling in love and coming of age in the former USSR. The Will Barnes Quartet and Aleighcia Scott provide the music. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Kevin Core

Joining Stuart Maconie in our Salford studio are the comedians Frank Skinner and Rachael Fairburn. In Frank's latest stand up show '30 years of Dirt' he has his comedic eye firmly on the dirty joke, while Rachel Fairburn's showgirl finds her moving away from boozing and towards crystals - will it last?Maxine Peake stars in Robin/Red/Breast at Manchester's Factory International. Based on John Bowen's cult TV play Robin Redbreast, Maxine plays Norah, a woman who has escaped the city for village life. But it is not exactly the idyll she dreamed off... The movement director is Imogen Knight, the writer is Daisy Johnson, and it is directed by Sarah Frankcom and features music from Gazelle Twin. In her latest book the biographer and historian Kathryn Hughes tells the story of how we fell in love with cats, and illuminates the life of the man who did so much to change their image, the artist Louis Wain.Music is from Willy Vlautin, novelist, songwriter and musician who was the lead singer in Richmond Fontaine. Willy also chats about his new novel 'The Horse', his most personal book yet, it examines the trials of a life on the road. And we also hear from BBC Introducing Rising Star Phoebe Green.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Stuart Maconie is joined by Sacha Lord who offers some Tales from the Dancefloor, Julie Hesmondhalgh talks about the impact of a single punch which is considered in a new play by James Graham at the Nottingham Playhouse. Dr Benji Waterhouse, a frontline NHS psychiatrist, discusses his new book You Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here and there's music and chat from Fairground Attraction and Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand.

The comedian Rhod Gilbert gave up touring and TV appearances last year when he got cancer. Now he's back - a newly focussed man - with a show called 'Rhod Gilbert & The Giant Grapefruit', all about the big bitter diagnosis he had to swallow; the best-selling novelist Kathy Lette's latest book is called The Revenge Club and is based on a real life career setback - we want to hear all; Poet and stand up comic Luke Wright on managing to combine humour and pathos on the page and on the stage and 25 years on from her breakout role in Queer as Folk, the actor Carla Henry tells Stuart about her latest role in the gritty and prescient drama Sweat. Plus music from The Zutons and Bryony Jarman Pinto.

Stuart is joined by multi instrumentalist and singer of hits like Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant; comic-turned-author Natalie Haynes on putting the feminisim into Greek mythology; actress Adelayo Adedayo on her upcoming second series playing the rookie cop in the hit BBC police drama The Responder and Comedian Richard Herring on finding the humour in his testicular cancer diagnosis. Plus performance from the only band fronted by the poet laureate Simon Armitage - LYR and the soul singer Nectar Woode.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Olive Clancy

The astronaut Tim Peake joins Clive to talk about life on and off Earth, and he's joined by the acclaimed guitarist Phil Manzanera who tells us about the astonishing life he led en route to joining Roxy Music.Helen Lederer discusses her new memoir and recalls formative days in The Comedy Store and Jess Fostekew talks footie in her new podcast.We've music from Michele Stodart and Geejay.Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Kevin Core

Stand up comic Al Murray on 30 years of his outspoken stage persona The Pub Landlord and his more recent side-hustle as a history podcaster; Actor Lesley Sharp on playing a spy in her high octane thriller set on a London to Beijing flight and called Red Eye; Historian Bettany Hughes on her new series of Treasures of the World, this time heading along the Silk Route to Estonia, Bulgaria, Georgia and beyond; Restauranteur Nisha Katona on giving up being a barrister only to end up being a judge - on the Great British Menu and Guy Chambers on co-writing some of pop's greatest hits like Angels and Milennium with Robbie Williams and getting back together to record with his band The Lemon Trees. Plus performance from rising stars of British Country The Wandering Hearts.Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Clancy

Ruby Wax defined an interview style which many of us now take for granted. She discusses her hugely popular books on mindfulness and her new book which sees her undertake a series of journeys designed to aid her recovery from depression. Paul Hartnoll of the dance act Orbital is another genre definer, looking back at the history of electronic music - and his soundtrack work - ahead of a new tour marking three decades since the seminal "green album". Anuvab Pal is one of India's top English speaking comics and has some words for Brits who think the Indian language is complicated but have no problem saying Siobhan. Jessica Gunning is known to a host of fans from the series The Outlaws, she talks to us about her role in the new, dark Netflix series Baby Reindeer. We've music from Nerina Pallot ahead of her Palladium show and singer songwriter Tiger Braun-White performs, telling us how he's done with session work... aged 19. Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Kevin Core

Clive Anderson and Emma Freud are joined by Daniel Mays, Cush Jumbo, Janey Godley and Marc Wootton for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Ride and Georgia.

Clive Anderson and Sara Cox are joined by Gemma Whelan, Mark Watson, Shaznay Lewis and Mr Motivator for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from The Mary Wallopers and Sahra.

Clive Anderson and Bidisha Mamata are joined by Jonny Lee Miller, Ade Adepitan, Kimberley Chambers and Gary Stevenson for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Kat Eaton and Blondeting.

Clive Anderson and Arthur Smith are joined by Armistead Maupin, Ophelia Lovibond, Toheeb Jimoh and Emmanuel Sonubi for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Ayanna Witter-Johnson and Amelia Coburn.

Clive Anderson and Rachel Parris are joined by Bruce Dickinson, Noomi Rapace, Siobhán McSweeney and Travis Jay for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from MT Jones and OneDa.

Clive Anderson and Anneka Rice are joined by George Clarke, Lindsay Duncan and Charithra Chandran for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Caity Baser and Ministry of Desire.

Clive Anderson and Jayde Adams are joined by Sylvester McCoy, Peter Lord, Lucy Porter and Nancy Medina for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Diane Birch and Gardna, recorded at Beacon Hall, Bristol.

Clive Anderson and Richie Anderson are joined by Andy Nyman, Stella Graham, Luisa Omielan and Bernie Kavi Pujara for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Liam Bailey and Ffion Rebecca, recorded live at Curve Theatre, Leicester.

Clive Anderson and Athena Kugblenu are joined by Sir David Jason and Jay Blades, Sir Tim Rice, Denise Welch and Jodie Mitchell for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Future Islands and Rosie Frater-Taylor.

Clive Anderson and Richie Anderson are joined by Tracy-Ann Oberman, Daliso Chaponda, Annette Badland and Mathew Baynton for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from BenObi and Gaby Kettle, recorded at Stratford Playhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Clive Anderson and Janey Godley are joined by Stuart Murdoch, Tony Singh and Joanne Clifton for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Belle and Sebastian, Wayward Jane and Joy Dunlop, recorded at BBC Scotland, Glasgow.

Clive Anderson and YolanDa Brown are joined by Matt Lucas & Elis James, Trinny Woodall, Urooj Ashfaq and Martin Jarvis for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Bill Ryder Jones and Marika Hackman.

Clive Anderson and Ellie Simmonds are joined by Helen George, Frances Barber, Kevin McCloud and Dom Joly for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Al Lewis and Laville.

Clive Anderson and Danny Wallace are joined by Timothy Spall, Miles Jupp, Isabella Pappas and Iain Stirling for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Mica Paris and Maiya Quansah-Breed and Rumer.

Clive Anderson and Anneka Rice are joined by Brian Cox, Toby Jones, Mary Beard and Richard Coles for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Katherine Jenkins and Marisha Wallace, recorded in the BBC Radio Theatre in London.

Clive Anderson and Arthur Smith are joined by Janine Harouni, Morfydd Clark and Jared Harris for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Guvna B and Deniece Pearson.

Clive Anderson and Emma Freud are joined by Elvis Costello and Conor McPherson, Suranne Jones, Martin Kemp and Michelle McManus for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Roachford and Ify Iwobi.

Clive Anderson and Kiri Pritchard-McLean are joined by Max Boyce, Non Evans, AJ and Curtis Pritchard and Caryl Lewis for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Angharad Jenkins & Huw Warren and Aisha Kigs, recorded at Swansea Grand Theatre.

Clive Anderson and Athena Kugblenu are joined by Madness, Daisy Haggard, Karen Gibson and Charlie Stemp for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Madness and Soft Lad.

Clive Anderson and Soweto Kinch are joined by Tony Iommi, Steven Knight and Ellie Simmonds for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Emeli Sandé and Nathan Queeley-Dennis, recorded at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham.

Clive Anderson and Sara Cox are joined by Alfie Boe, Paul Rhys, Sabrina Bartlett and Andi Osho for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Passenger and Gaby Moreno.

Clive Anderson and Kofi Smiles are joined by Barrie Rutter, Richard Bean, Leah Brotherhead and Kat Hudson for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Eliza Carthy and Chiedu Oraka, recorded at Wrecking Ball Music & Books in Hull.

Clive Anderson and Anneka Rice are joined by Caroline Quentin, Paul Whitehouse, Tom Walker AKA Jonathan Pie and Sam Quek for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Roberto Cacciapaglia and Gemma Rogers.

Clive Anderson and George Egg are joined by Miriam Margolyes, Beverley Knight, Nick Frost and Paul Sinha for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Emily Breeze and Beverley Knight.

Clive Anderson and Kate Robbins are joined by Jimmy McGovern, Lady Anne Dodd, Ian Broudie and Andy McCluskey for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from OMD and Martha Goddard, recorded at Liverpool Everyman Theatre.

Clive Anderson is joined by Jeremy Dyson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lucy Beaumont and Bob Cryer for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy at The Holbeck in Leeds. With music from Corinne Bailey Rae.

Clive Anderson and Kiri Pritchard-McLean are joined by John Whaite, Henry Normal, Bronté Barbé and Cath Staincliffe for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Swing Out Sister and Badly Drawn Boy.

Danny Wallace and Janey Godley are joined by Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Abir Mukherjee and Jenny Colgan for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Blue Rose Code and Sophie Penman.

Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.

Clive Anderson and Arthur Smith are joined by John Lydon, Jamie Lee O'Donnell, Isabel Adomakoh Young and Simon Reeve for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Polly Paulusma & Kathryn Williams, and Beautiful Landing.

Clive Anderson and Michelle McManus are joined by Eddi Reader, Sumayya Usmani, Ben Hart and Kieran Hodgson for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.

Clive Anderson and Anneka Rice are joined by by comedians Josie Long, Darren Harriott, David O'Doherty and Ria Lina for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Kitti and David O'Doherty.

Clive Anderson and Andrew O' Neill are joined by Paul Merton, Gail Porter, Levi Roots and Anu Vaidyanathan for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Pictish Trail and Leila Navabi.