Profile

Beloved Britpop band Pulp have released their first new music in almost a quarter of a century, the single 'Spike Island'.Their talismanic frontman Jarvis Cocker has always been the band's star turn, with his second-hand 70s style, mesmeric stage presence and biting lyrics.Following some difficult early years in his hometown of Sheffield, Cocker formed the band in 1978, but had to wait over a decade before breaking through on the crest of the Britpop wave in the mid-90s. The band released some of the most memorable and well-loved songs of the era, including 'Common People' and 'Disco 2000'.But his very public bottom-baring protest against Michael Jackson at the 1996 Brit Awards thrust him even more firmly into the public's imagination, and the fame he had craved for so long quickly took a darker turn.Mark Coles speaks to some of the most important people in Jarvis's story, including current and former bandmates Candida Doyle, Nick Banks and Richard Hawley, and his sister Saskia.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Chloe Scannapieco Editor: Max Deveson Sound: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Stephen Smith profiles the actor Lesley Manville, winner of a second Olivier theatre award. From growing up in Hove to her long-time collaboration with film-maker Mike Leigh, Manville has a reputation as the complete professional. With contributions from Mike Leigh, Director Rob Icke, Actor Tim McCullan, former teacher Julia Clarey, Observer critic Susannah Clapp and friend Rebecca Blond. Presenter: Stephen Smith Production Team: Bob Howard, Chloe Scannapieco, Devian Maside Editor: Max Deveson Sound Engineer: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Steve Witkoff started out as a New York lawyer, until a late night encounter with Donald Trump in a sandwich shop inspired him to move into real estate. Known as "Smoking Steve", he has amassed a property empire worth millions, become friends and golf buddies with Trump, and has now been appointed as his Middle East Envoy and go-to international negotiator and trouble shooter. To his critics he's dangerously unqualified and out of his depth. To his supporters, he's the straight-talking fresh pair of eyes needed to resolve deeply entrenched conflicts. Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Josephine Casserly, Chloe Scannapieco, Devian Maside Editor: Max Deveson Sound Engineer: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Jack Thorne is co-author of Netflix drama Adolescence. But this is far from his first rodeo, over a 20 year career, his writing has appeared in many iconic British dramas, from Shameless and This is England '86 to His Dark Materials. He started out as a playwright and hasn't lost his love for theatre, having written West End box office hit, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Jack is known in the industry for his compulsive work ethic, political edge and capacity for empathy. Stephen Smith speaks to the people close to Jack, including early collaborator and Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya, actor Morven Christie, and Jack's dad, Mike Thorne. Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Josephine Casserly and Chloe Scannapieco Editor: Max Deveson Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive Adolescence, Plan B, Netflix This is England ‘86, Warp Films and Film4 Production, Channel 4 Skins, Netflix

Jonathan Powell, the UK’s National Security Adviser, is used to operating behind the scenes: he’s spent decades working as a diplomat, negotiator and mediator. Recent events in the US and Ukraine have thrust him into the spotlight. After the fiery Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, Powell has been credited with advising Ukraine and ensuring that lines of communication were kept open. He travelled to Kyiv to meet Zelensky and played a key role in fashioning a plan for a ceasefire and the steps that might follow.Powell began his career in the foreign office before becoming Tony Blair’s chief of staff. He was crucial to the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement which helped bring peace to Northern Ireland. Since then, he’s worked on resolving conflicts and crises all over the world in places like Colombia, Mozambique and Libya.Mark Coles talks to his friends, family and former colleagues to find out how this veteran negotiator became one of the most important figures shaping British foreign policy. Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Viv Jones, Hugh Sheehan, Clare Williamson, Mantej Deol Editor: Bridget Harney Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has one the toughest tasks in Labour’s domestic programme: tackling the burgeoning welfare bill.Next week, the government is expected to announce reforms to the welfare system. There is unease over the plans within the party, with some Labour MPs saying they fear drastic cuts could push vulnerable people into poverty. The move could split the party and put Liz Kendall in a difficult position. A grammar school girl, Kendall went on to study history at Cambridge, where she liked to revise while sunbathing and listening to Wham. She became MP for Leicester West in 2010, and ran for Labour leader in 2015, but came away with just 4.5% of the vote. Now on Keir Starmer’s front bench, her supporters say she’s not afraid of a fight and willing to take on some of the party’s sacred cows. Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Viv Jones, Chloe Scannapieco, Hugh Sheehan, Keiligh Baker Editor: Bridget Harney Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

As the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas is the bloc's top diplomat. So when EU leaders gathered in Brussels this week to thrash out a new defence plan for Ukraine, Kallas was in the thick of things. Before taking up the EU role she was Prime Minister of Estonia, the nation's first female leader. She was born in 1977 in the Estonian capital Tallinn, then part of the Soviet Union, into a family bound up with her country’s centuries-old struggle for independence. A Russia hawk and fierce critic of Putin, she is already on the Kremlin’s wanted list. Mark Coles has been talking with her friends and political allies to understand how Kaja Kallas came to be called "Europe's Iron Lady". Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Viv Jones, Chloe Scannapieco, Keiligh Baker, Hugh Sheehan Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

He’s the former corporate lawyer, who has a pilot's licence and loves music, but has never before been a government minister.Friedrich Merz was born in the west German town of Brilon in 1955 into a prominent conservative, Catholic family. He joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) while still at school, before going on to study law.Merz then worked as a lawyer and judge for a few years, but he always had his eye on politics.He was elected to the European Parliament in 1989, and his journey to the top has been a winding one.Sidelined by Angela Merkel before she became chancellor, he quit parliament entirely to pursue a lucrative series of corporate jobs and was written off as yesterday's man.But with the CDU topping the ballot in Germany's elections earlier this year, he is now on the brink of clinching the job he has coveted for so long. In a programme originally broadcast last month in the aftermath of Merz's election victory, when the prospect of a CDU coalition with the far-right AFD - now off the cards - was still a possibility, and Donald Trump's fiery meeting with President Zelensky was fresh in everyone's memory, Stephen Smith set out to find out how Merz bounced back.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Arlene Gregorius, Caroline Bayley, Chloe Scannapieco Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele, Janet StaplesCredits Audio of Friedrich Merz at the Munich Security Conference by Bayerischer Rundfunk Audio of swearing-in ceremony of Angela Merkel, 2005, by ZDF Audio of French President Macron at the White House courtesy of the White House

His 14 year-stint at the top of European politics has earned him a distinguished record of domestic and international achievements.Mark Rutte, born in The Hague in 1967, embarked on a career in business after leaving university and held several positions at Unilever.His career in Dutch politics started in 2002, and four years later – as leader of the VVD party – he became prime minister.During his tenure, he steered the Netherlands through times of significant national and global upheaval. From economic crisis, to the coronavirus pandemic.And now, as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 14th Secretary General, he faces his next challenge – leading Europe’s response to recent Russia-US talks over Ukraine.Mark Coles takes a closer look at Mark Rutte.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Sally Abrahams, Mantej Deol, Chloe Scannapieco Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte with the President of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, 20 Feb. 2025 Mark Rutte cycles away from his office, on his last day as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, tv47 Yes Minister, BBC TV, Comedy Greats

Having helped mastermind Labour's renewal in the 1980s and 1990s, one of British politics best-known figures has just embarked on his latest role.And, it's a long way from Hartlepool, in the post-industrial North-East of England, where he first became an MP. Born in 1953, Peter Mandelson started on the road to party politics as a researcher at the Trades Union Congress. After a stint as a TV producer, he left to take up the role of Labour's director of communications, but his real ambition was a place in Parliament.Even his sternest critics accept he is a slick political operator and a good networker, but he’s a controversial figure – with a big challenge ahead. Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the UK’s new ambassador to the US, and the man once dubbed the "Prince of Darkness".Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Sally Abrahams, Mantej Deol, Marianna Brain, Chloe Scannapieco Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Jack YoungCredits London Weekend Television station ident 1970s Jon Culshaw, Imposter Syndrome UK tour

Despite just winning a seventh consecutive presidential term, a look at Alexander Lukashenko’s early life reveals rather humbler origins.Brought up by a single mother in a poor village in eastern Belarus, he first made his mark as the manager of a farm in the late 1980s.After moving into politics at the end of that decade, he quickly established his reputation as a man with authoritarian instincts – and by 1994, he was elected president of Belarus for the first time.Ever since, he has managed a balancing act between Russia, his closest economic and political partner, and overtures to the West. But, the country’s faced sanctions following its role in the invasion of Ukraine, while many Western governments have labelled this latest election as a sham.Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the man often referred to as Europe's last dictator.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Sally Abrahams, Charlotte McDonald and Nathan Gower Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Jack Young Credits Animal Farm by George Orwell, recording produced by Ciaran Bermingham Narrated by Roger Ringrose

A mathematician and cyber defence expert, Poppy Gustafsson has been handed an integral role within government, as the prime minister attempts to grow the economy and attract international investment.She was born in 1982, to parents John and Gilly. Her father ran an agricultural sales business, while her mother was a journalist.In her early career, Poppy Gustafsson worked for a venture capital firm before co-founding Darktrace, a cybersecurity company, in 2013. She would go on to take the role of co-CEO in 2016 and became the sole CEO in 2020.Darktrace was among the first companies in its field to use artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning to improve cyber-security.So, as ministers attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, what tricks does this one time CEO of the Year have in store? Mark Coles has been taking a closer look.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Sally Abrahams and Bethan Ashmead Latham Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Jack Young

She is the renowned scientist who studied environmental engineering, and went on to hold the role of mayor of Mexico City during the Coronavirus pandemic.Late last year, Claudia Sheinbaum made further history. "For the first time in the 200 years of the [Mexican] Republic, I will become the first woman president of Mexico," she said before taking office.Born in 1962, Claudia Sheinbaum’s father was a chemical engineer and her mother, a biology professor. Both parents descended from Jewish immigrants from Europe who settled in North America.She’s enjoyed remarkably high poll ratings since taking office, but critics suggest she will live under her mentor’s shadow, and her biggest test is yet to come. As Donald Trump gets ready to enter the White House for a second time, Claudia Sheinbaum has already had to respond to his suggestion to rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America.So what lies ahead? Stephen Smith has been talking to her friends, colleagues and peers to find out more about Mexico’s history-maker.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Sally Abrahams and Bethan Ashmead Latham Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele and Jack Young Credits Emilia Perez, Trailer Director, Jacques Audiard; Production companies: Why Not Productions, Page 114, Pathe, France 2 Cinema, Saint Laurent Productions"Claudia: El Documental", Director: Rodrigo Imaz; @ClaudiaSheinbaumP https://youtu.be/NDuUL-RQvMUThe Nobel Peace Prize, 2007, Nobelprize.org

He's been described as the best connected man in the business world. Allan Leighton’s the arch-moderniser who's led some of the UK's most well-known companies. His career started at Mars Confectionery in the mid-70s, working his way up through the business over nearly two decades. But, it was in the 90s that Allan Leighton really made his name.He moved to Asda in 1992, becoming Chief Executive four years later. There he was credited with a successful turnaround of the supermarket and oversaw its acquisition by Wal-Mart in 1999.By the 2000s, Allan Leighton had left Asda to 'go plural', as he put it, and went on to take prominent positions in companies including Royal Mail, Co-Op, Dyson and lastminute.com. But late last year, the supermarket chain came calling again.Mark Coles has been talking to his friends and peers to understand where Allan Leighton came from and what’s in store for him at Asda.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Nathan Gower and Sally Abrahams Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Jack YoungCredits: Marketing Academy: Rene Carayol interviews Allan Leighton Mars Maltesters, TV advert 1970s Walmart Rollback TV advert 1998 Asda Rollback TV advert

He’s been described by his new bosses at the Football Association as, "one of the best coaches in the world".Thomas Tuchel has also earned a reputation as a “control freak”, with “charming” yet “divisive” attributes.Born in Krumbach, Bavaria in 1973 his football journey began as a youngster when his father coached him at his local club. After growing into a promising defender, a knee injury brought his playing career to an end at the age of 25, but he’d already turned his eye to coaching.Spells at Augsburg, Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich followed. As did the honours, including a Champions League title. But, as he now embarks on the international stage, Mark Coles has been talking with Thomas Tuchel’s friends and colleagues to find out more about the man leading the Three Lions.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Bob Howard and Drew Hyndman Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

Oh! What’s occurrin'? Good question…This week’s Profile, with Stephen Smith, is focusing in on a woman born in Bridgend in south Wales, who loved to participate in musical theatre as a child – and went on to create one of Britain’s best-loved sitcoms.With a degree in drama under her belt from the University of Warwick, Ruth Jones initially found work at BBC Wales in both TV and radio comedy. She soon branched out into theatre, before gaining a role in the popular ITV series Fat Friends.It was there that she would work with James Corden for the first time. But not the last. The pair went onto create BBC Three hit, Gavin & Stacey in 2007. Seventeen years on, the sitcom has just provided us with one last trip to Barry Island and Billericay.So grab a chicken bhuna, lamb bhuna, prawn bhuna, mushroom rice, bag of chips, keema naan, nine poppadoms and listen to this episode of Profile on the woman known for her iconic role as Nessa.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Ben Cooper and Diane Richardson Editors: Ben Mundy and Sarah Wadeson Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Gavin & Stacey 2008 Christmas Special: BBC / Baby Cow Productions Little Britain: BBC Barry Islands In The Stream: BBC / Comic Relief / Mercury Records

Since it was privatised over a decade ago, there's been speculation around the future of the UK's troubled postal service, Royal Mail.Now the government has approved its purchase by the Czech billionaire, Daniel Křetínský, a relative unknown here in the UK.Born in communist Czechoslovakia in 1975, Křetínský was a teenager when the Berlin Wall came down. He started his career as a lawyer, but after taking a job in an investment firm soon acquired a reputation as a financial prodigy. He went on to make his fortune in energy investments, but has since expanded to become a big player in the media scene, as well as buying stakes in businesses in Western Europe, especially France and the UK.In this episode of Profile, Stephen Smith finds out more about the man who's set to take on the challenge of turning around a once cherished national institution.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Sarah Wadeson Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Canal+

Through his passion for stop motion and modelling clay, we have come to love his silent (but wise) dog and well-meaning owner.Wallace and Gromit are Nick Park’s most famous creations, but what more do we know about this Preston born Oscar winner?He would use his mother’s home movie camera to record his early films; he studied animation at the National Film and Television School in Buckinghamshire; and joined Aardman Animations in the mid-80s.Over the last few decades, Nick Park has gained critical acclaim for feature films, Chicken Run and Early Man. So, as we await the latest Wallace and Gromit offering this Christmas, Mark Coles has donned the RIGHT trousers to take a closer look at the multi-award winning animator.Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Bob Howard and Natalie Ktena Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Gareth Jones Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive Credits Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations/National Film and Television School) Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl directed by directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham (Aardman Animations) Creature Comforts directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations) Chicken Run directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park (Aardman Animations/Pathé/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit directed by Nick Park and Steve Box (Aardman Animations/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit Christmas Jumper Ident (Aardman Animations for the BBC) Merlin Crossingham & Nick Park on WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL at AFI Fest 2024 (American Film Institute) The Bike Ride (Collett Dickenson Pearce)

From using a skateboard to baking sourdough, Tom Molnar leads an eclectic life.Born in the United States, he earned a degree in Ecology at Dartmouth College, before going on to gain experience in corporate strategy and client management. It was during those years, that he noticed a gap in the market for quality bread.Tom Molnar joined forces with Ran Avidan and Gail Mejia in 2005, and their Gail’s story began in a small corner of North London. Nearly 20 years later, the chain has become omnipresent on high streets all over the country and looks set to yield a handsome sum amid speculation that its owners have appointed a Wall Street bank to oversee an auction.Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the visionary behind one of Britain’s fastest-growing chains.Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Ben Cooper and Natalie Ktena Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCreditsBBC / Gordon Murray Puppets Gentleman's Journal

She is the self-styled "proud Yorkshirewoman" at the centre of an extraordinary week at Westminster.Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind a bid to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill in England and Wales, was born in West Yorkshire in 1976.Before her life in politics, she worked in furniture sales and as an exercise instructor, before becoming a lecturer in health and exercise in her late 20s. But it was the murder of her sister Jo Cox in 2016 that saw her thrust into the public eye.After years promoting social cohesion with the Jo Cox Foundation and More In Common, in 2021 she became an MP in the same constituency her sister had represented. Mark Coles talks to family, friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped the woman at the centre of an intense, and highly charged debate.Production TeamProducers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele

From television commercials in the 1970s, to today’s toga-ripping, chariot-flipping sequel to Gladiator.Sir Ridley Scott is one of Britain’s greatest film directors.The grammar school boy, born in South Shields, spent part of his childhood in Germany before pursuing his passion for art at school in Hartlepool and then the Royal College of Art.But the camera appealed to Scott as much as the canvas, and Stephen Smith has been talking with the Hollywood titan’s friends, family and peers to find out more about him - and his work.Contributors Jake Scott - Director Arthur Max - Production Designer Francine Stock - Film Critic Michael Broers - Historian David Scarpa - Screenwriter Janty Yates - Costume DesignerProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Credits Alien (1979): 20th Century-Fox, Brandywine Productions Gladiator (2000): DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment Napoleon (2023): Apple Studios, Scott Free Productions, Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) Gladiator II (2024): Scott Free Productions, Lucy Fisher/Douglas Wick Productions, Paramount Pictures

Born in communist East Germany, to a German mother and Iranian father, Sahra Wagenknecht has long been the face of the country’s hard left. But her own breakaway political movement, supporting a higher minimum wage as well as an end to weapons deliveries to Ukraine, appears to be gaining further support.And with Germany set to hold elections early next year, following the collapse of the governing coalition, some think the 54-year-old will play a pivotal role in the future politics of the EU's largest economy.In this edition of Profile, Mark Coles takes a closer look at the leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).Contributors Nina Haase - Chief Political Correspondent at Deustche Welle (DW) Wolfgang Herles - Journalist and Filmmaker James Angelos - Germany News Editor at POLITICO Fabio De Masi - German MEP for BSW political party Amid Rabieh - Deputy Leader of German BSW political partyProduction Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Emma Close, Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Janet StaplesCredits Deutsche Welle (DW)

She is one of the highest-ranking women in the Labour Party, now holding the position of home secretary.Yvette Cooper, born in Inverness in 1969, grew up in Hampshire and went on to forge a career in politics full of firsts. She served as the first female chief secretary to the Treasury. She also became the first minister to take maternity leave, and she was one half of the first married couple in the cabinet - alongside Ed Balls.But not everyone is convinced Yvette Cooper has the answers to the big problems in her in-tray, particularly on the small boats issue.Stephen Smith talks to friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped this veteran Labour politician.Contributors Alan Johnson - former Labour Minister Harriet Harman - Labour Politician Tim Loughton - former Tory MP Stephanie Flanders - Economist and JournalistProduction Team Producers: Emma Close and Nathan Gower Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits 1991 Harvard Commencement Address 1992 Bill Clinton Campaign Speech Tony Blair 1997 Election Victory Speech

From his hilltop glass mansion in ancient Tbilisi, he’s accused of cultivating Georgia’s shift from the west over the past decade.And, with his political party’s recent victory in the parliamentary elections, that trajectory appears set to continue for some time yet.Bidzina Ivanishvili is the guiding force behind the Georgian Dream party, but what else do we know about the mysterious billionaire?In this edition of Profile, Mark Coles takes a closer look at the man who keeps animals, collects rare trees, and who spent much of the 1990s in Russia founding companies.Contributors Tom De Waal - Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Europe think tank Natalia Antelava - Journalist Lincoln Mitchell - Lecturer of International Affairs at Columbia University Tedo Jakaridze - Georgia’s Foreign Minister Neil MacFarlane - Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the University of OxfordProduction Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ben Cooper, Marianna Brain, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits IMEDI TV

The Liverpool-born comedian, known for his razor-sharp wit, has traded in his stand-up routines for some serious dance moves of late.Chris McCausland is the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing - and he's being tipped as a possible winner. In his 20s, Chris lost most of his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa. But that didn’t slow down his career. He's been lighting up the comedy scene since 2003, with regular appearances on hit programmes like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Would I Lie to You. He's also taken to the iconic stage of Live at the Apollo.In this edition of Profile, Stephen Smith talks to some of his closest friends, fellow comedians and former colleagues about his life, Strictly success - and the time he attended a job interview in the wrong trousers.Contributors Kevin Mathews - childhood friend Neil Churchill - childhood friend Justin Moorhouse - Comedian, Radio DJ and Actor Jimmy Tarbuck - Comedian Jane McCarry - Actress Sasha Boback - Producer of You Heard It Here FirstProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Caroline Bayley, Julie Ball, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Live at the Apollo, Open Mike Production, 04/01/2018

He's the man who masterminded Labour's general election campaign, and now holds one of the most important positions in Downing Street.Morgan McSweeney was recently appointed the prime minister's chief of staff, after Sue Gray quit the role. But what do we know about him? Born in Macroom, County Cork, he moved to London aged 17. He soon joined the Labour party under Tony Blair, working in a junior role at their headquarters.He rose through the ranks, forging a reputation as a skilled campaign strategist, and has been credited with being the brains behind this year's landslide victory.Mark Coles speaks to the people who know him - from school friends back home in Ireland, to others who've worked with him.Contributors Jon Cruddas - MP for Dagenham and Rainham. Ann Murphy - Journalist at Irish Examiner Katy Balls - Political Editor at The Spectator Liam O’Brien - childhood friend Nick Forbes - former boss at LGA Patrick Maguire - Journalist at The Times Donal Mulcahy - friendProduction Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Bob Howard, Caroline Bayley, Ellie House, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

She’s a girl from New York's Lower East Side whom grew up to a life of stardom and is now known by just one name.Gaga, a classically trained pianist, has secured Grammy-winning songs like Poker Face and Rain on Me. While her performance in A Star Is Born was Oscar-nominated.Along the way, there’s been a meat dress, a high-profile stance against US military policy, and a collaborative album with Tony Bennett.Her latest work, Harlequin, is a companion album to her new big screen performance in Joker: Folie à Deux.From all-conquering song thrush to screen favourite, Stephen Smith has been find out about the life of Gaga.Contributors Annie Zalesk - Music Journalist Wendy Starland - Singer-Songwriter Giles Hattersley - Features Director at British Vogue Jonathan Van Meter - Journalist writing for US VogueProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson, Kirsteen Knight, Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCredits Joker: Folie à Deux (Official Trailer) - Writer/director/producer Todd Phillips. Warner Bros A Star is Born (Official Trailer) - Director Bradley Cooper. Warner Bros The inauguration of Joe Biden, 2021, CSPAN The Late Show, RTE 2016 Academy Awards

He’s not yet completed a hundred days in his new job, but David Lammy finds himself overseeing the UK’s response to rising tensions in the Middle East.Born to Guyanese parents in north London, and raised by his mother from the age of 12 after his father left them, the foreign secretary is known for his advocacy for social justice, equality, and human rights. His journey to the top of British politics began with a legal career – becoming the first black Briton to study a masters in law at Harvard. At 27, David Lammy became Parliament’s youngest MP when he was elected in Tottenham, and he went on to become a junior minister under Sir Tony Blair.In opposition, he spent some of his time on Labour’s back benches – though now finds himself front and centre, facing countless fast-moving global challenges.Mark Coles meets some of the people who know David Lammy best - from childhood friends, to his beloved 'Aunty May'. Contributors Decca Aitkenhead - Chief Interviewer, The Sunday Times Paul Waugh - Labour MP for Rochdale Ben Rhodes - Political Commentator Mayfield Griffith - David Lammy's godmother Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Di Richardson, Michaela Graichen and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Janet StaplesArchive United Nations General Assembly Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, 11 May 2018 Channel 4 News

It’s a tiny computer with a catchy name: Raspberry Pi. But what's the story behind the man who thought up this affordable device?His name is Eben Upton. He has gone from being a child desperate to make computer games, to the head of a company described as a ‘city darling’.The firm reported higher than expected profits in its first report, after being listed on the London Stock Exchange.Stephen Smith has been speaking to Eben Upton’s childhood friends, former colleagues and some big hitters in tech and business.Contributors Holly Williams - Business Editor, Press Association Hermann Hauser - Co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners Harriet Green - former Chair and CEO of IBM Asia Pacific Pete Thornhill - school friend Victoria Drew - school friend David Cleevely - Entrepreneur and former Raspberry Pi ChairmanProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Julie Ball, Farhana Haider, Ben Morris, Michaela Graichen Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive Centre for Computing History, Cambridge Kerbal Space Program, Take-Two Interactive, publisher Private Division, developer Squad Sensible Soccer, Developer Sensible Software

Some call it one of the trickiest jobs in the country. How do you stop the small boats trying to cross the English Channel and smash the smuggling gangs? The government has appointed Martin Hewitt to the role- he’s leading the UK’s new border security command. It’s a tough job, so can he do it? Martin Hewitt is a former senior police officer and chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. He is also the man who oversaw the policing of Covid lockdowns.Mark Coles has been speaking to some of his colleagues, former colleagues and the journalists who reported on him. Contributors Tim Smith - Chief Constable, Kent Police Danny Shaw - former BBC Correspondent Festus Akinbusoye - former Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire Ruth Turner - Senior Director at the Forward Institute Dal Babu - former Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police Vikram Dodd - Guardian Police and Crime Correspondent Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Farhana Haider, Ben Morris, Ben Cooper, Michaela Graichen Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

This week we delve into the life of the First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan, the first woman to hold the position. Morgan was introduced to politics at a very young age by her parents, who were both councillors. Her early career was spent working in broadcasting before her political career began at the age of 27, elected as the youngest Member of the European Parliament in 1994. She went on to take up a seat in the House of Lords and was Welsh Health Secretary during the Covid pandemic. Stephen Smith talks to friends and political figures, hearing how a girl from a deprived part of Cardiff, became the most powerful person in Wales. Contributors Lord Neil Kinnock - former Labour Leader Gloria Yates - Neighbour Ruth Mosalski - Political Editor of Wales Online Ceri Innes Parry- Childhood Friend Claudia Velez – School Friend Production Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson, Julie Ball, Ben Morris Editors: Ben Mundy, Alex Lewis Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Some of world football's biggest names have been linked to England's top job since Gareth Southgate hung up his waistcoat. But, for now at least, it is Lee Carsley who takes over as England's interim manager.The modest, methodical and quietly spoken coach started his footballing journey at Derby County – before making his name at Everton.Family and charity work are Lee Carsley’s other priorities. He’s a patron of the Solihull Down Syndrome Support Group – after they helped his middle child, Connor following his diagnosis. Lee also volunteers at the Solihull Moors Foundation. Some say this collection bucket rattler has all the attributes required to lead England to glory, so Mark Coles speaks to his friends, and colleagues to find out more.Contributors Becci Fox - CEO, Solihull Moors Foundation Kevin Turner - former PE Teacher, Cockshut Hill School Kevin Kilbane - former footballer, Everton Football Club Jack Gaughan - Northern Football Reporter, Daily MailProduction Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Di Richardson, Farhana Haider, Drew Hyndman and Ben Morris Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: John Scott Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive RAMS TV The Football Association Match of The Day 11/12/04 (BBC) BBC Radio 5 Live

James Graham’s writing obsession started at the age of six in the shadow of Nottinghamshire's former coalmines. Equipped with a typewriter from his mother he created hundreds of stories from the family home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Accelerating through university in Hull and a writing residency in west London, Graham’s work started to attract wider audiences following a break at the National Theatre in 2012. Building on his thrilling political drama This House, he went on to write plays and TV series including Sherwood, Dear England, Quiz, Best of Enemies and Brexit: The Uncivil War.During this year’s MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, he called for more working-class people in TV. But what next for this prolific playwright? Stephen Smith speaks to his family, friends and colleagues to find out more. Contributors Anne Ellis - Mother David Morrissey - Actor Kate Wasserberg - Artistic Director, Theatr Clwyd Dr Sarah Jane Dickenson - Senior Lecturer, University of Hull Martin Humphrey - Former Head of Creative Arts, Ashfield School, Nottingham Susannah Clapp - Theatre Critic for The ObserverProduction Team Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Julie Ball, Ben Cooper, Miriam Quayyam Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: John Scott Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive 2012 National Theatre production of This House written by James Graham and directed by Jeremy Herrin. The cast in the extract features Phil Daniels playing Bob Mellish, Philip Glenister playing Walter Harrison and Lauren O’Neil playing Ann Taylor.Picture BBC/PA Media

From ‘hillbilly’ roots to becoming Donald Trump’s nominee for vice-president. At 39, if JD Vance is elected, he would be one of America’s youngest ever Vice-Presidents. A lot has been laid bare in his own words, in ‘Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis’. He talks about being raised by his grandparents who moved from the Appalachian Mountains area of Kentucky to Ohio, to a Middle America Rust Belt town looking for a better life. His mother struggled with drug addiction and a string of chaotic relationships. So how did he go from a sometimes unstable, sometimes violent, upbringing to being in the running to take one of the highest offices in American politics? There’s another transformation many wonder about too: why did he change his mind on Trump? Only in 2016 JD Vance said ‘I can't stomach Trump. I think that he's noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place.’ Mark Coles finds out.CONTRIBUTORS Jon Husted, Lieutenant Governor of the state of Ohio Hayley Bemiller, Reporter on Ohio newspaper the Columbus Dispatch Josh Glancy, Editor of News Review at The Sunday Times Michael Hartley, President Swing State Strategies Bryan Lanza, former member of Donald Trump's presidential transition teamPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Phoebe Keane, Diane Richardson Editor: Penny Murphy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleCREDIT NPR Fresh Air

Shabana Mahmood is the new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Born in Birmingham in a Kashmiri Pakistani family, she has three siblings, one of whom is her twin. From an early age her father ensured that the children were aware of the world around them, and made them each read five minutes from the Times newspaper every evening. Inspired by the 1990's TV series, 'Kavanagh QC' to become a lawyer, Shabana Mahmood attended Lincoln College, Oxford University, a year below a certain Rishi Sunak. After a few years working in law, she changed career and moved into politics, in 2010 winning the seat of Birmingham Ladywood for Labour, which she has held to date. Stephen Smith talks to those who know her. CONTRIBUTORS William Audland, KC 12 Kings' Bench Walk Chambers David Gauke, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Jane Haynes, Journalist Birmingham Live/Mail Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, former Chair of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio. Lord Tom Watson, former MP West Bromwich East and Deputy Leader of the Labour partyPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson, Julie Ball Editor: Penny Murphy Sound: Hal Haines Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele, Rosie StrawbridgeCREDITS Kavanagh QC - Central TV for ITV productions

Evan Gershkovich is the Wall Street Journal's Moscow reporter. He's been imprisoned in Russia since March last year, and has just gone on trial there - the first American journalist to be jailed in Russia since the Cold War. He's accused of espionage, something he, his employer and his government all strenuously deny. To his friends, like Jeremy Berke, he is "the most extroverted person that I've ever met in my whole life". He loves football and is a dedicated Arsenal fan - so much so that he'd get his flatmates in Brooklyn up at 7am on Sunday mornings - despite them having been out on the town together till the early hours - to watch Arsenal matches with him on TV. The son of Soviet-born, Jewish parents who'd fled to the USA in the late 70s, he grew up speaking Russian at home. Once in Moscow as a reporter, his fellow correspondents - many of whom quickly became friends too - were impressed by his drive, his knowledge of Russia's language and culture, his ease at making contacts, and his willingness to go the extra mile - often literally, to places like the remote Russian republics of Udmurtia and Yakutia. He's now been detained for fifteen months and counting. Gershkovich's friends and family say his release can't come too soon; they're waiting to welcome him home with hugs, and the desire "to never let him leave again". CONTRIBUTORS Joshua Yaffa, Moscow Correspondent of the New Yorker magazine, friend of Evan Gershkovich Jeremy Burke, MBA student at Columbia university, and Editor-in-chief of “Cultivated” media, friend of Evan Gershkovich Deborah Ball, Deputy World Editor of Wall Street Journal Nora Biette-Timmons, friend of Evan Gershkovich Pjotr Sauer, Russia Correspondent of The Guardian, friend and colleague Danielle Gershkovich, sister of EvanPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Arlene Gregorius, Julie Ball Editor: Penny Murphy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Before she became one of the best-selling musicians of all time, Shania Twain worked for the family tree-planting business, singing for tips in lumberjack bars to help make ends meet. Stephen Smith charts the rise of a hard-up Canadian country girl, from a violent family home, to a country-pop crossover superstar. This year's Glastonbury 'Legends' slot will be the first time some will have seen or heard from Shania in decades - we hear about the disease that robbed her of her voice at the peak of her powers in the early 2000s and, along with a devastating divorce, led to a 15-year gap between albums. CONTRIBUTORS John Kim Bell, former producer and boyfriend Lindsay Ell, guitarist Jake Gosling, music producer Marc Bouwer, fashion designerPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Simon Tulett, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Penny Murphy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Sometimes known as the “sultan of swing,” Professor Sir John Curtice has become an institution of election coverage in the UK. But is there more to the man than stats and figures? There might be some broad beans and jam, as Mark Coles finds out.CONTRIBUTORS Rev Dr Lisa Curtice, John’s wife Phil Tremewan, childhood friend John Leston, friend from university David Dimbleby, broadcaster Paddy O’Connell, BBC broadcasterPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ivana Davidovic, Diane Richardson and Julie Ball Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound: James Beard Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Who is National Rally's 28-year-old leader, Jordan Bardella? Stephen Smith looks at the life of the boy from the Paris suburbs who joined the far-right as a teenager and rapidly became the face of National Rally, helping to bring success for the party in the European elections.CCONTRIBUTORS Cécile Alduy, Professor of French Studies, Stanford University, Political Scientist, Sciences PO Paris Aymeric Durox, National Rally Senator Pascal Humeau, Communications Advisor and Media Trainer Bénédicte Paviot, UK Correspondent France 24 Pierre-Stéphane Fort, Jordan Bardella biographerPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson, Ivana Davidovic, Julie Ball Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele, Rosie Strawbridge

Rylan Clark is on the cusp of becoming a national treasure. Having defied the odds of most reality TV stars, he has managed to stay the course, cementing his already steady career rise to the top with his most recent television outing with Rob Rinder 'Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour', which showed the viewing public a whole new side to his talents. Brought up in the East End by his mum, Linda. Rylan or Ross as his family and friends know him, was always performing from a young age, according to his mum. The family moved to Essex when he was around 11 going to school in Upminster, where Ross was a mischievous and talented student. After a few years in retail he started modelling and went off to Ibiza where he was in tribute bands to Take That and Westlife. His big break came when he appeared on X Factor in 2012. Although he didn't win, he did make an impression, and after winning Celebrity Big Brother his career took off. Mark Coles charts the rise of Rylan Clark. CONTRIBUTORS Scott Bryan, TV critic and Broadcaster Linda Clark, Mother Bernice Cole, Make-up artist and friend Nader Dehdashti, Agent and friend Mark Duncan, Deputy Headmaster, Coopers' Company and Coborn School Robert Rinder, Broadcaster and BarristerPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson, Ivana Davidovic Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCREDITS X Factor - Thames and Syco Entertainment Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour - Rex Productions Keeping Up Appearances - BBC Masterchef - Endemol Shine UK How to Be a Man - Mindhouse production for BBC Sounds How to Be in the Spotlight - Mindhouse production for BBC Sounds

Alan Bleasdale, the Liverpudlian screenwriter and playwright, is in the spotlight this week as a stage version of his iconic 1980's TV series 'Boys from the Blackstuff' opened at the National Theatre. Born in Liverpool, an only child who first went into teaching, his first public work was 'Scully' for Radio Merseyside, a kind of Liverpudlian Adrian Mole, which he wrote whilst he was still teaching. But it was 'Boys from the Blackstuff' that made him a household name with one of the characters, Yosser Hughes' line 'Gissa job' providing a chant on the stands of his beloved Liverpool Football Club. His work has courted controversy with successive governments, although he says he's not political, only voting for the first time at the age of 38. Now in his late 70's and 40 years on from the original television series, he's back in the spotlight. Stephen Smith talks to friends and colleagues about his work, phobias and how to tell if you're having a heart attack. CONTRIBUTORS Peter Ansorge, former Script Producer, BBC Drama and Commissioning Editor James Graham, Playwright and Screenwriter Robert Lindsay, Actor Sir Michael Palin, Actor and Author Tony Schumacher, Author and Screenwriter Trevor Stent, former teaching colleague PRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson Researcher: Marianna Brain Editor: Bridget Harney Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCREDITS Boys from the Blackstuff, BBC Drama GBH, Channel 4 Scully's New Years Eve, BBC

Ann-Marie Powell, is the exuberant and colourful, garden designer, whose' Octavia Hill 'Garden was one of the eight main gardens in competition at the Chelsea Flower Show this year. After dropping out of college she spent six months travelling in India, Nepal and New Zealand, which inspired her to take up gardening. Attending Capel Manor horticultural college her first job was working in sales for a large nursery. But Ann-Marie's colourful personal style and outgoing personality led her employer to encourage her to apply for a job as a presenter on a TV gardening show. She soon blossomed into a popular gardening show host working with fellow gardeners like Carol Klein, Joe Swift and gardening supremo, Monty Don. In addition to running her own successful garden design business from the home she shares with her husband and two boys, on the Hampshire borders, she feels it's important that everyone should have access to green spaces, no matter where they live. During lockdown her Instagram page 'My Real Garden' was a big hit broadcasting garden tips and advice everyday. CONTRIBUTORS Julian Bundy, Husband Angela Halksworth, Co-owner of Tendercare Nurseries Janet Morgan, Friend Jane Owen, Garden Designer Mark Straver, Founder of Hortus Loci Cleve West, Award-winning Garden Designer Tamsin Westhorpe, Gardener and Horticulture WriterPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson Editor: Bridget Harney Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound: David CracklesCREDITS Gardens, Weeds and Words Podcast - Presented by Andrew O'Brien Real Gardens - Channel 4 RHS National Trust My Real Garden - Ann-Marie Powell's Instagram

You may know her from Play School, Bafta or the House of Lords, Baroness Floella Benjamin doesn’t sit still, she’s even appeared in panto.Stephen Smith hears about the remarkable life of the Trinidad-born actress, TV presenter and author, who campaigns passionately for children and the Windrush generation.CONTRIBUTORS Colin Webb, Publisher, 'Coming to England' Nero Ughwujabo, Senior Strategy Adviser - Equality Diversity and Inclusion, The Prince's Trust Lord Simon Woolley, Principal at Homerton College, Cambridge University Johnny Ball, Children's TV presenter Paul Nicholas, Actor Linzi Beuselinck, Actress Jeremy Swan, Children's TV producer Ros Edwards, TV producerPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardso, Drew Hyndman Editor: Tom Bigwood Programme Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound: Neil ChurchillCREDITS BAFTA Aladdin and The Forty Thieves, BBC 1984

After over four decades in the SNP and nearly two in government, John Swinney is finally stepping up to the top job for the first time, becoming Scotland’s new First Minister.He’s no stranger to big jobs - it’s actually his second stint as SNP leader - but leading his country and his party is looking tougher than ever, as the SNP finds itself facing formidable challenges.Who is this stalwart of the SNP, and do his life and experiences equip him for the task ahead? Mark Coles talks to friends, colleagues, and those who’ve watched this political operator up close for years.CONTRIBUTORS Rosanna Cunningham, former MSP, Deputy Leader to John Swinney Allan Little, BBC Special Correspondent Glenn Campbell, Political Editor, BBC Scotland News Rev. Neil Glover, Church of Scotland Minister Ian Blackford, Scottish National Party, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber Pam Muir, constituency organiser for Perthshire NorthPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Nathan Gower Assistant Producer: Diane Richardson and Marianna Brain Editor: Tom Bigwood Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Neil ChurchillCREDITS ‘John Swinney (We Salute You)' by Nocturnal Vermin (Isaac Brutal, James ‘Slippyunderfoot‘ McCready, Arnold Bastard)

Isaac Levido has established a formidable reputation as a election strategist, helping to craft wins both in the UK and Australia. Thought of as a protege of the quasi-legendary election guru Sir Lynton Crosby in his early years, he’s rapidly racked up achievements of his own, propelling both Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson back into office with his brand of data-driven analysis.Stephen Smith opens the black box that is electoral strategising and sets out to understand the mind of the man who is set to shape the Conservatives’ impending general election campaign.CONTRIBUTORS Katy Balls, Political Editor of The Spectator Alexander Downer, former leader of the Australian Liberal Party Paul Stephenson, Vote Leave Campaign Director Lord Andrew Feldman, former chair of the Conservative Party David Bold, friend and Australian political advisorPRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producer: Nathan Gower Assistant Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson Editor: Tom Bigwood Programme Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Neil ChurchillCREDITS The Thick of It, BBC Scott Morrison election night speech, ABC News Boris Johnson election victory speech

Paul Sinton-Hewitt, the founder of parkrun, was born in Zimbabwe and moved to South Africa at the age of five, where he was brought up in care with his two siblings. Always a keen middle distance runner, he was a second for a friend in one of South Africa's most gruelling road races. Eventually he moved to the UK to work in IT and raise a family. After a perfect storm of redundancy, marriage breakdown and an injury which prevented him from running with his own club, he decided he'd start a time trial in a local park, for his running club pals. The only proviso that they had to have coffee and cake with him afterwards. Twenty years later, that timed run that he started has outpaced anything he could have envisaged and turned into parkrun. The 5k run around local parks on a Saturday morning, has gone global and the parkrun community has hundreds of thousands of people running or volunteering as stewards every week. Stephen Smith finds out what makes Paul Sinton-Hewitt run. CONTRIBUTORS Roun Barry, School friend Hugh Brasher, Director, London Marathon Bruce Fordyce, Marathon runner Duncan Gaskell, Parkrunner and friend Russ Jeffereys, CEO parkrun Eileen Jones, Author and parkrunner Joanne Sinton-Hewitt, WifePRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Julie Ball, Natasha Fernandes, Farhana Haider Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound: Neil Churchill

Although Simon Harris reportedly describes himself as an 'accidental politician', he has managed to make a career out of it. His interest in politics was sparked at the age of 15 when he set up a support group in his local town to campaign for better secondary education for autistic people after he saw his parents struggle to get help for his younger brother. From then on his path was set. After a brief dalliance with Fianna Fail he joined the youth wing of the Fine Gael party at 17. He gave up his degree studies in year three of a four year course to work as an assistant to the then leader of the opposition in the Irish Parliament. By the age of 24 he was elected to parliament with the nickname 'Baby of the Dail' and was a junior minister by the age of 27. Since then he's held two further ministerial posts. Now, after the shock resignation of former Taioseach, Leo Varadkar in late March, he was elected unopposed as leader of the Fine Gael party and now is expected to be confirmed as the new Taoiseach when the parliament returns after the Easter break. With a new nickname, 'The Tik Tok Taoiseach' because of his use of social media he's on track to break another record, set by his predecessor as the youngest Taoiseach in history to date. Kate Lamble finds out what makes him tick outside of Tik Tok and his rapid rise to the top job in Irish politics. CONTRIBUTORS Frances Fitzgerald, MEP, Dublin, Ireland Councillor Ray McAdam, Fine Gael Alice O'Donnell, Triple A Alliance Jennifer O'Leary, BBC Ireland Correspondent Fionnan Sheahan, Ireland Editor, The Irish Independent PRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Kate Lamble Producers: Julie Ball & Madeleine Drury Researcher: Jay Gardner Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound: Nigel Appleton

Rosemarie Mallett’s star has risen quickly in the Church of England. After a career in academia and a period of disenchantment with the institution, she became a priest in 2005, attracting the attention of senior members of the clergy for her engagement with communities and issues of social justice alike.Bishop Rosemarie was herself born into a situation shaped by slavery, in the then colony Barbados, before coming to the UK as a child. Now a senior cleric, she has co-authored a report on how the Church of England should make amends for its historic financial involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, which has attracted praise from some and criticism from others.Stephen Smith talks to those who know Mallett best, exploring how her life has shaped her approach to music, ministry, and racial justice.Presenter: Stephen Smith Producer: Nathan Gower Production team: Debbie Richford, Drew Hyndman Editor: Tom Bigwood Programme Coordinators: Sabine Schereck, Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Vaughan Gething this week became Wales’ new First Minister, and the leader of Welsh Labour. He’s the fifth person to hold the post and the first black leader of a national government in Europe. No stranger to breaking barriers, this employment lawyer rose apace to the top of student and trades unions alike, before election to the Welsh Senedd and ministerial office, charged with overseeing first health and then the economy.Mark Coles looks back at how a cricket-mad schoolboy became First Minister of the land of his father - a journey from Zambia to Cardiff by way of rural Dorset - and finds out what drives him from those who know him best. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Nathan Gower Production Team: Debbie Richford, Drew Hyndman, Julie Ball Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

The current Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, first joined the cabinet in 2010 and has remained there for most of the past 14 years in various posts. He’s served four prime ministers. During that time he has provoked controversy from many areas - from teachers, lawyers, landlords for the policies he has championed. But he has also attracted friends and enemies in his own party due to his decisions over Brexit, leadership bids and party politics.Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Charlotte McDonald and Debbie Richford Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound Engineer: James BeardCreditsSky News ITV