Paloma Faith

"When I signed up to the police my friends said, 'Why on earth are you joining a corrupt and racist organisation?'" Neil Basu joined the police force as uniformed officer in 1992. He rose through the ranks to become an assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2015, a role he held until 2021. Alongside this, he served as the UK's head of counter terrorism policing and Met assistant commissioner of specialist operations, working closely with MI5. During that time, he led investigations into 12 terror attacks, foiled 29 plots and charged three Russian state assassins in connection with the Salisbury Novichok poisonings. In this rare and candid conversation, Neil doesn't hold back. He talks about the racism he's faced, the barriers he's had to break down and the tough leadership lessons he's learned throughout his career. But perhaps most powerfully, he explains why he firmly believes the Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist and why police chiefs must acknowledge it and apologise. This episode is not suitable to those under 18 and contains sensitive topic discussions including racism and violence. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode and need support, please see the suggested website links below. HOPE not hate SARI Stop Hate UK

23 Elo 20241h 7min

Paul Sinha never really had a life plan and yet, somehow he's ended up with a career that's way beyond anything he could have imagined. He originally pursued a career in medicine, largely to keep his parents happy. But, whilst working as a junior doctor, he decided to give stand-up comedy a try. Now, he's not just a successful comedian but also a professional quizzer, best-known as one of the six Chasers on the ITV quiz show, The Chase. He tells James what it was like to hide his sexuality at school, his unexpected break into comedy and the overwhelming sense of relief he felt when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019. Paul's memoir One Sinha Lifetime is out now.

16 Elo 202457min

Raised in an Irish Catholic family as one of nine siblings, Martin O'Neill was brought up with Gaelic football but he dreamt of becoming a professional English footballer. At 18, he was scouted by Nottingham Forest and quit his law degree to sign for the club. He went on to become an integral part of Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest squad, winning back-to-back European Cups, and made history as the first Catholic player to captain Northern Ireland's national team. After hanging up his boots, Martin achieved remarkable success as a manager, leading Celtic and Leicester City to major titles and taking the Republic of Ireland to the knockout stages of the 2016 Euros. He is now the chairman of the League Managers Association and co-hosts the Global podcast The Football Authorities with Clive Tyldesley. You can listen to The Football Authorities here: https://the-football-authorities.captivate.fm/

9 Elo 202459min

A chance encounter with the director Lindsay Anderson changed Robin Askwith's life forever. It led to his first acting job, playing the schoolboy Keating in Anderson's film if.... which became one of the most popular British films of all time. If.... kickstarted Robin's incredible career that spans an extraordinary period of time. Over the past 50 years, he's appeared in everything from Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales to the Confessions comedies to Inside No. 9, The Madame Blanc Mysteries and even a stint in pantomime that saw him batting bread rolls with Ian Botham. Now he's enjoying something of a renaissance moment. And boy, does he have some stories to tell...

2 Elo 202457min

James Graham is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter for TV and film. His plays include Ink, This House and Dear England, about the struggles and successes of England’s former football manager Gareth Southgate. His acclaimed TV dramas include Quiz and Sherwood, set in the north Nottinghamshire village where he grew up. James was born into the close-knit community of Kirkby-In-Ashfield and witnessed the deep and permanent divisions from the 1980s miners’ strikes. He wrote his first play whilst studying drama at the University of Hull and seeing his words come alive on stage inspired him to keep writing. He’s gone on to establish himself as one of the most influential playwrights of his generation, taking inspiration from moments in history that illuminate a particular social or political anxiety of the moment and telling stories that help us make sense of the world. His adaptation of Alan Bleasdale's TV drama, Boys From The Blackstuff, is currently playing at the West End's Garrick Theatre. Tickets are available at boysfromtheblackstuff.com

26 Heinä 20241h 8min

"I had this inner feeling that something would happen to take me away from my mundane life". The first twenty years of Russell Watson's life were very ordinary. He grew up in Salford, left school at 16 with almost no qualifications and joined the government's Youth Training Scheme. By the age of 20, he was working on the shop floor of a factory, making nuts and bolts. He started singing in local pubs and working men's clubs after winning a local talent competition organised by Manchester Piccadilly Radio. It was tough, and Russell considered giving up - until one night in Wigan changed everything. Russell has gone on to become one of the UK's most popular classical artists, selling over 7 million records and performing for notable figures including Pope John Paul II, members of the Royal Family and the Emperor of Japan. Tickets for his Magnificent Buildings concert tour are available at russellwatson.com

19 Heinä 202456min

When Joe Pasquale was just seven years old, his mum was involved in a car accident that left her with concussion and epilepsy. She struggled to look after Joe and his three siblings and became severely depressed. Determined to try and fix things, Joe made it his mission to make her laugh every single day. Forty years on, he has become a staple in British comedy, bringing joy and laughter to millions. Tickets for his latest show, The New Normal, 40 Years of Cack! are available at joepasquale.com

12 Heinä 202458min

“I’m a Walter Mitty who’s actually done it.” Growing up in a tenement on the outskirts of Glasgow, Midge Ure dreamt of being a rock star, even though it seemed impossible for a working-class kid like him. But he had something special. At just 18, he got his first break as the guitarist for the pop band Slik and went on to be part of several influential bands in the 1970s and 80s, including Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy and Ultravox. Alongside Bob Geldof, he set up Band Aid, collaborating on the 1984 hit Do They Know It's Christmas? With a career spanning over 50 years, he has firmly established himself as a rock legend, making all his dreams come true. Tickets for Midge Ure: Catalogue: The Hits Tour are available at midgeure.co.uk

5 Heinä 202456min