BBC Radio 4

Saturday Live

Society EN ↓ 818 episodes

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

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.bbc.co.uk

Author

BBC Radio 4

Category

Society

Podcast website

www.bbc.co.uk

Latest episode

Oct 24, 2026

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Episodes

Michael Arditti, Judith Kerr 07.12.2013

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein meet novelist Michael Arditti who talks about faith and the novel, nearly dying after eating goats cheese and his travels around the Philippines researching a book, enjoy the Inheritance Tracks of Judith Kerr who wrote and illustrated, amongst other things, The Tiger Who Came To Tea, talk to Melvyn Evans who fought in Aden in the 1960's and realised, 40 years later, th...

Restaurateur Rick Stein 30.11.2013

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

Camila Batmanghelidjh, Joan Collins, Luke Wright, Charlie Higson, John McCarthy 23.11.2013

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

Owen Sheers, Molly Crabapple, Rose and Douglas Hadfield, Mat Horne 16.11.2013

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

Baroness Greenfield, Gary Barlow 09.11.2013

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

Linda Nolan 02.11.2013

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

Terry Deary, Khaled Hosseini, Mr Mitchell 26.10.2013

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

Maggie Aderin-Pocock 19.10.2013

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

Neil Gaiman 12.10.2013

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

05/10/2013 05.10.2013

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

Nicholas Parsons; the inheritance tracks of Steve Earle 28.09.2013

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

Andi Peters; Aggie MacKenzie's Inheritance Tracks 21.09.2013

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

Bettany Hughes; former SAS soldier Chris Ryan 14.09.2013

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

Philip Pullman 07.09.2013

Richard Coles and Anita Anand are joined by author, Philip Pullman, wildlife rescuer, Trevor Weeks and upcoming young actor, Sarah Gordy who was born with Downs syndrome, and her mother, Jane. Choreographer Richard Alston choses his Inheritance Tracks, there's a visit to Betty's Reading Room on Orkney, a school Bell soundscape and Geoff Baker talks about the bid to break the British record of guit...

Michael Rosen 31.08.2013

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

Anna Chancellor; Judie Tzuke 24.08.2013

Richard Coles and Anita Anand talk to actress Anna Chancellor, sample the delights of Georgian Pleasures with Professor Elaine Chalus, savour the bucolic, car-free life on Sark with restaurateur Elizabeth Perrée, hear the Inheritance Tracks of singer-songwriter Judie Tzuke, discover how glove-makers to the Queen, Andrew and Genevieve James, practice their craft, find out what the thing is about th...

Tom Robinson; Inheritance Tracks of Django Bates 17.08.2013

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

10/08/2013 10.08.2013

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

Nigel Kennedy 03.08.2013

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

Charles Saumarez Smith of the Royal Academy of Arts 27.07.2013

Sian Williams and Richard Coles meet Charles Saumarez Smith of the Royal Academy of Arts.

Lenny Henry, Cyrille Regis, John McCarthy 20.07.2013

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

Michael Palin and the Inheritance Tracks of Arthur Brown 13.07.2013

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with broadcaster, actor and writer Michael Palin, the Inheritance Tracks of Arthur Brown, orchid expert David Lang who explores the Dalai Lama's garden, Antoinette Haselhorst reflecting on her photographs of Nelson Mandela- who also bought her childhood home, JP Devlin out in Worcestershire hunting for moles with Mickey the Mole Catcher, a young Lithuanian accordion...

Composer Debbie Wiseman and Gryff Rhys Jones's Inheritance Tracks 06.07.2013

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with film and television composer Debbie Wiseman and the Inheritance Tracks of Griff Rhys Jones. John McCarthy meets co-operative walkers in the Lake District, twins Marcus and Alex Lewis reveal the effect of an abusive upbringing on their memories, Rosa Rebecka relates the appeal of a hand-me-down guitar and John Viney tells what it's like to be a mystery shopper....

Barb Jungr, John McCarthy, Otis Williams' Inheritance Tracks 29.06.2013

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with singer Barb Jungr, the Inheritance Tracks of Otis Williams the co-founder of Motown wonders the Temptations, a crowdscape from Rochdale, non-operatic sounds from Glyndebourne, a story of survival on a sinking cruise ship, and sussex bats with bat conservationist Jenny Clark. Also, John McCarthy meets a mountain rescue team in the Lake District Producer: Chris W...

Viv Groskop's comedy marathon; Paul Nicholas's Inheritance Tracks 22.06.2013

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with writer and comedian Viv Groskop, the Inheritance Tracks of actor Paul Nicholas, author Sara Wheeler's first attempts to learn Russian and the sounds of a balalaika band. There's Angela's story of a broken family healed, David Chilvers's sighting of the world's first cosmonaut and Professor Carole Hough reveals what our names tell us about our origins. Producer:...

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