Radio Times: Review by:; Mark Braxton

Ask most fans to name their favourite Fab Four album and chances are Please Please Me wouldn’t be among them. But the moptoppers 1963 debut – the one with them looking down the stairwell of EMI’s London HQ on the cover – undeniably changed pop for ever.

To mark the 50th anniversary (on 11 February) of the one-day recording session at Abbey Road, this harmonica-tooting celebration invites artists including Squeeze’s Difford and Tilbrook, Stereophonics and acoustic songstress Gabrielle Aplin into the studio to re-create that head-shaking feat.

Engineer Richard Langham and Beatles press officer Tony Barrow are among those with recollections of that hard day’s night including, we hope, the story of the cold-afflicted Lennon and the decision to leave his rasping vocal for Twist and Shout till the very end.

About this programme

Stereophonics, Joss Stone, Graham Coxon, Gabrielle Aplin, Chris Difford and Mick Hucknall recreate the band's 12-hour recording session at Abbey Road Studios for Please Please Me - their first album. With contributions from Burt Bacharach and Guy Chambers, as well as people who witnessed the original event 50 years ago, including engineer Richard Langham and Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow. Presented by Stuart Maconie.