Inheritance Tracks

The Irish writer, Marian Keyes, has sold 35 million novels in 33 languages, and a new BBC series "The Walsh Sisters" is inspired by some of her most famous work. From her debut novel over 30 years ago to last year's "My Favourite Mistake", she’s championed women's stories and never shied away from discussing her own life and addiction to alcohol. Her Inheritance Tracks are both enjoyable and movin...

Radio 1 DJ Matt Edmondson has two passions...music and games. He is the creator of the much played game Obama Lama and co-founded the boardgame company Format Games. Both music and games are important loves that he shares with his daughters… Inherited: I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys Passing on: Green Light by Lorde Producer: Ben Mitchell

The Oscar winning actor Riz Ahmed, whose new film sees him star alongside Timothy Spall as the tragic Prince of Denmark in a modern retelling of Hamlet, is a passionate music aficionado. His most critically acclaimed role perhaps came in the film a Sound of Metal where he played a drummer coming to terms with going deaf, a role which saw him become the first Muslim performer to be nominated for Be...

Our inheritance tracks this week come from the musician and broadcaster Mika, who is back out on tour with his latest album Hyperlove. Mika was born in Lebanon, and raised in Cyprus, Paris and London, all of which feed into his intriguing new album and makes for a fascinating edition of Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana Passing on: Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba Produce...

Claire Foy is an actor who’s enjoyed great success playing two queens, one of whom enjoyed a significantly longer reign than the other, as Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth II. Before going to see her in her new film, an adaptation of Helen Macdonald’s fabulous memoir, H is for Hawk - what better way to understand the woman behind the camera lens that hearing the music most important to her. Inherit...

Mark Heap is one of the funniest actors on television - from Green Wing to Friday Night Dinner and his new series opposite Dawn French - Can You Keep a Secret. Born in India to the son of a Methodist minister Mark's early life featured eclectic and majestic music. Inherited: Were You There? by Tennessee Ernie Ford Passing on: L'Ascension: IV Prière du Christ montant vers son père, composed by Oliv...

Justin Hawkins founded The Darkness, alongside his brother, bursting onto the scene in 2003 with their debut album Permission To Land. He found fame for his massive five octave vocal range, and the "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" singer now hosts his own online series "Justin Hawkins Rides Again" where he shares his love and passion for music. What then will he share as his Inheritance Tracks....

Our Inheritance Tracks this week are the choice of an actor with an astonishing list of theatre, film and television credits to her name, and an array of awards and nominations to match. Here are the Inheritance tracks of Emily Watson. Inherited: Puccini's La Boheme sung by Luciano Pavarotti Passing on: Ghost Town by The Specials Producer: Anna Bailey

You will recognise the BAFTA nominated actor Paul Bettany best as the superhero Vision, the trudging Geoffrey Chaucer in A Knight’s Tale, or maybe as the long suffering surgeon opposite Russell Crow in Master and Commander…a role which saw him learn to play a period accurate cello. But, his familial lineage is full of musical stars and Paul himself was even a busker on the London Underground for a...

Jacinda Ardern, became the Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017 at the age of 37, she was the youngest female head of government in the world. Since her resignation from the role, she has shared her learnings on how to integrate empathy into leadership, written an autobiography and is part of a new documentary film, 'Prime Minister', charting her time in office. But what will she choose as her In...

The identical twins and broadcasting doctors, Chris and Xand van Tulleken, have been helping guide us through the world of medicine for years. From mums and dads on Radio 4's "What's Up Docs?" to children on their hugely popular "Operation Ouch!" What then will they prescribe us to listen to with their Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: Sabre Dance composed by Aram Khachaturian Xand - Passing on: Welc...

Jason Donovan first captured hearts our hearts in Neighbours, becoming a household name worldwide, before breaking into the charts and onto the West End stage. What then will he choose as his Inheritance tracks? Inherited: It's Still Rock and Roll to Me by Billy Joel Passing on: Life’s What You Make It by Talk Talk Producers: Ben Mitchell and Lowri Morgan

Richard E. Grant is an the academy award nominated actor and Barbra Streisand obsessive. Growing up in Southern Africa, he harboured a desire to become and actor having seen a resemblance of himself in Donald Sutherland... ...that is until he first saw Barbra in a cinema in Rome - and she changed his life. Inherited: Who Will Buy performed by Barbra Streisand Passing on: Don't Rain on My Parade by...

Two wonderful broadcasters - the Snows, Peter and Dan. Peter's peerless work on general election nights popularised the infamous swingometer, and Dan's infectious fascination with history has inspired countless others...and together they’ve enjoyed many an adventure. What then will they choose as their shared Inheritance Tracks? Peter: Remember the Alamo by Tex Ritter Dan: Finlandia composed by Je...

Miranda Hart has kept us entertained for several decades, from her hit sitcom Miranda to Call the Midwife. Her new book, "The Christmas Tree that Loved to Dance", tells the story of a Christmas tree that refuses to be discarded and forgotten. In her Inheritance Tracks, Miranda reveals the song that kept her going during one of the lowest points of her life. Inherited: Never Tear us Apart by INXS P...

Clare Balding is a broadcaster, author...and Faithful! From her early career on Grandstand to hosting Olympic and Wimbledon coverage, Clare has been a fixture of our sporting screens for many years. But in her debut fiction novel Clare is experiencing "Pastures New". Sport is in her blood, and one of her choices goes back a long way - long before it became the sporting anthem it is today. Inherite...

Philippa Gregory is the bestselling historical fiction who, amongst other things, has been bringing the Tudor period back to life; through the eyes of the women oft forgotten by the textbooks. In her latest book, The Boleyn Traitor, Philippa tells the story of how Jane Boleyn ​survived watching from the shadows of the Tudor court, using the only weapon she has; her voice. If you’re listening to th...

You may know her best as the icons — Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, Purdey in The New Avengers, or Hester Frump in Wednesday...but away from the stage and screen, Joanna Lumley's life is surrounded by music. Inherited: In the Mood by Glenn Miller Passing on: Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba Producer: Ben Mitchell

Davina McCall is a hugely successful TV presenter who’s hosted some of the biggest shows with the biggest stars. She’s also made her mark, as a broadcaster and writer, in the field of women’s health - all whilst battling a brain tumour. Rarely has anyone talked about their Inheritance Tracks with such passion, eloquence, and sheer raw emotion. Inherited: State of Independence by Donna Summer Passe...

From Swansea to Barry Island Joanna Page has been a friendly face in millions of houses for almost two decades. But by her own admission, despite her Welsh roots, music is not her forte...although it clear plays an important part in her life. Inherited: Northern Sky by Nick Drake Passed on: Chic Mystique by Chic Producer: Ben Mitchell

Mark Kermode is a brilliant Film critic, writer, broadcaster and co-host of podcasts Kermode and Mayo's Take - and Screenshot. In his book, Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music, Mark and fellow author Jenny Nelson, discuss the power that music has on screen. With that in mind, what music will he choose as the soundtrack to his life? Inherited: 2002 Zarathustrevisited by Stan Kenton & His...

The chances of writing a novel which sells more than 80 million copies are about as remote as a lad from Stockport making it to the NBA, but Dan Brown pulled it off with The Da Vinci Code. That book, like his new novel, delves into literature, symbology, secret societies and so on. None of which were his first passion. Dan Brown’s first passion was music - as he reveals in his Inheritance Tracks....

Oti Mabuse was the first professional dancer to win the Strictly Glitterball two years in a row with her partners Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey. But prior to her success on the Stricktly ballroom Oti had already become South African Latin American Champion no fewer than eight times. Music remains massively important to her, both professionally and personally, as she tells us in her Inheritance T...

Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter with the ‘Mad Scene’ from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and ‘Enjoy Yourself’ by Prince Buster.

TV presenter, and Paralympian, Ade Adepitan chooses ‘One Drop’ by Bob Marley and ‘Optimistic’ by Sounds of Blackness.