Emma Willis to host new BBC Radio 2 programme as Zoe Ball steps down
Emma Willis will replace Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Saturday lunchtime programme, as the presenter today announced she will step down later this month. Willis will be on the airwaves from January 2026 each Saturday lunchtime between 1pm and 3pm. The BBC has teased her programme will be jam-packed with special guests. Emma said of the announcement: "I'm a huge fan of Radio 2, so I'm absolutely chuffed to be joining the family - and it's a real honour to follow in the huge footsteps Zoe leaves behind, who's someone I admire and adore. I'm very much looking forward to spending my Saturday lunchtimes with the Radio 2 audience and I’ll happily be the filling to a Romesh and Rylan sandwich!" Willis has spent six years co-presenting Sunday mornings on Heart Radio alongside Stephen Mulhern. And since 2019, she has been a regular voice on Radio 2, often deputising for Sara Cox, and Claudia Winkleman and Romesh Ranganathan. Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, commented: "Emma is one of the UK’s most popular broadcasters, so I’m thrilled that she’s joining the all-star Radio 2 family of presenters. I’m certain that our loyal listeners will welcome her with open arms. "I can’t wait to hear Emma’s new show as a part of our Superstar Saturday weekend schedule, which features Tony Blackburn, Dermot O’Leary, Romesh Ranganathan, Rylan, Liza Tarbuck, Gary Davies and Fearne Cotton." Read more: Rum Punch's Travis Jay: "I've got a right to grab the attention of someone who's like me" BBC Radio Christmas 2025 line-up confirmed – with Hollywood legend set as guest editor for the Today programme Zoe Ball will present her last programme on Saturday 20th December, though she will continue to host specials on the station, which she has done throughout the year. Zoe said: "Spending Saturday lunchtimes with the Radio 2 gang has been an absolute hoot, the listeners, the stories, and of course my weekly giggles with Romesh and Rylan. I’m over the moon for the fabulous Emma to take the reins, she’s pure sunshine and is going to bring all the joy (and tunes!) to your Saturdays." Helen added: "Huge thanks to Zoe for keeping Saturday lunchtimes cheerful and warm. She’s much loved by our audience and amazing team of presenters. Zoe will always be a highly valued member of the Radio 2 family." Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
David Suchet reveals why Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol remains so prescient – and what he'd say to Agatha Christie
As he voices a new Dickens podcast, David Suchet reflects on timeless storytelling and the hope Christmas brings.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Nothing brings us together like a festive ghost story and, since its publication in 1843, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has never been out of print. It is the seasonal chiller. Sir David Suchet is delighted to be narrating it, alongside some of the author’s lesser-known tales, for a new podcast series. “These aren’t merely creepy stories — they’re ghostly reflections of the human soul.” We know about your devotion to Agatha Christie, but how well do you know Dickens? I don’t claim to be a Dickens expert, but he has always held up for me as the master of the English language. Reading these ghost stories has just been one of the most enjoyable and exciting pieces of audio work I’ve done. I’ve been blown away by how he writes. He’s very theatrical. Why do you think Dickens remains so prescient? I would say the same thing about Shakespeare and, if I’m allowed to, Agatha Christie. They all write about the human condition: love, jealousy, greed, hate, envy, crimes. They talk about poverty and society. They have managed to write about various aspects of our lives as human beings and make them into dramatic tales. That’s why they will never date. Why do you think that we enjoy being scared at Christmas? Well, if you go back to when you were a little child and somebody scared you, what was the first thing you did? You screamed and giggled. We love mystery, we love being scared. I mean, look at Doctor Who! We love to be taken outside of ourselves into realms that we don’t quite understand, and being a little bit frightened can be very enjoyable. Is A Christmas Carol the ultimate seasonal ghost story? A Christmas Carol is a work of genius. It’s just got everything. Not only the most extraordinary characters, but Scrooge himself going through that redemption... It’s what Christmas is all about, which is generosity, kindness, family if you have one, friends if you haven’t. Being social, being warm to each other. Ultimately, that’s the world that Ebenezer Scrooge enters and enjoys for the rest of his life. It’s a wonderful story. Would you like to meet Agatha Christie as your ghost of Christmas past? Agatha Christie has been very important in my life, because I never met her and I’ve always wanted to. At the same time, I’ve always wanted not to meet her because she was famously not pleased with any of her Poirots. I’ve often been asked what I would say to her if I met her. I might ask, “How do you think I did?” But I’m not sure whether I’d have the courage. What is a Suchet Christmas like? Our Christmasses have changed over the years. But our great tradition is that I always read the poem The Night before Christmas to the family. When I was filming once in America, I recorded it for my family in England. Wherever I am, down the phone, on Zoom or in person, if it’s possible, I will still do The Night before Christmas. I think I did it from Australia once. Our world today can be a little unkind – does Christmas shine a light of hope? Yes, I think that’s right. When the lights are put up at Christmas, you’re not aware of this heavy, heavy winter blackness. You can walk through London into the early hours and it’s gloriously lit up. I think it makes people feel good. I always feel more nervous when everything comes to an end, when everything is taken down, and people feel lonely again and bereft of this spirit of Christmas. It’s a time to share with family or friends, wherever you are. That’s what Christmas is about. Charles Dickens' Ghost Stories narrated by Sir David Suchet is released weekly on all streaming platforms and Noiser. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The BRITs 2026 confirm British comedy favourite turned Hollywood actor as host
The show is moving north for the first time in its nearly 50-year history.
Jack Whitehall has been announced as host of the BRIT Awards 2026. The comedian and actor, who has appeared in the likes of Jungle Cruise, Clifford the Big Red Dog and the recent Prime Video thriller Malice, will return to present the ceremony for the sixth time. He shared the news in an “Ode to Manchester”, where the show is taking place next year, on his Instagram account. The sketch sees Whitehall moving in front of a green scene that displays many of the city’s landmarks, from the set of Coronation Street to the Curry Mile, while various things associated with Manchester, including barm cakes and rain, are also mentioned. Whitehall said in a statement: “I am so excited to be coming back for this very special BRIT Awards in Manchester, a place that is so important to me. “The city I started my comedy career in, it feels like a real full circle moment returning to host this historic night at the Co-op Live, a venue that is only a stone’s throw away from the comedy club I did my first 10-minute set in all those years ago. Hopefully I get a few more laughs than I did that night. I cannot wait.” Whitehall returned to host the BRITs 2025 earlier this year, having previously presented in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Mo Gilligan took on presenting duties in 2022 and 2023, while Maya Jama, Clara Amfo and Roman Kemp co-hosted in 2024. Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and co-president of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, said: "Jack is absolutely brilliant at his craft so we are thrilled to welcome him back and excited for the fun and mischief he’s bound to bring to the show again this year. "His legacy hosting the awards speaks for itself and as the BRITs enters a new era, in a city familiar to him, there’s nobody better placed to take the helm of the biggest night in music.” The BRIT Awards 2026 will take place on Saturday 28th February 2026. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Mishal Husain talks her new chapter, pressing Nigel Farage on Russia and the recent BBC troubles
Leaving the BBC has been a challenge for Mishal Husain, but at least she now gets to express her opinions – and have a Christmas lie-in!
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. After 26 years at the BBC, Mishal Husain left in 2025 to join Bloomberg. It’s been the greatest challenge of her career. “I have had to reinvent myself and that’s scary because you wonder, ‘Am I going to make a success of it?’” Husain presented the Today programme on Radio 4 for her final 11 years at the Beeb and was my favourite presenter on the show. While others tried to shout down interviewees, she researched meticulously, listened intensely, probed forensically and got results. Husain exposed inconsistencies, hypocrisies and plain old lies, fairly and without fanfare. But now she’s swapped short-form interviews for a weekly 40-minute podcast called The Mishal Husain Show, which started in October. Husain insists they’re worlds apart. “I’m discovering that doing one deep, really thoughtful interview a week is completely different and harder than being in daily news and getting up at 3am.” Harder? “It really is. But I’m loving it.” Off air, she still speaks with that limpid, head-girl voice, but her tone is a bit more sing-song; a bit more fun. What scared her most? “Starting from scratch. Starting from zero viewers and listeners.” The change in job has also meant a change in lifestyle. Workwise, Husain and her husband Meekal Hashmi (who have three sons born 18 months apart – the youngest two are twins – at university) are now in sync. “My husband’s finding it quite curious that for the first time in our married life I have normal office hours and we both have to share the bathroom in the morning. Suddenly we have parallel routines, which we’ve never had.” Does he like that? “I think he’s probably… we’re probably, adjusting to it.” Husain is a ridiculously youthful 52, and petite. With the familiar big bob, and a slight, strong frame, she’s got something of the superhero about her. Today, she’s racing up and down the extremely challenging stairs at Bloomberg, introducing me to the top floor with its magnificent view over St Paul’s and central London, down to the enticing (and free) pantry, then to the highly industrious newsroom. In the first few weeks she’s interviewed a mix of world leaders, aspiring world leaders and global influencers, including Canada’s prime minister and former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado, the recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. She says patterns are beginning to emerge in the show, many of them reflecting the increasing schisms in the world. When we meet, Husain has just interviewed newly retired MI6 chief Richard Moore and she’s still thinking about it. “He said that the world today has never been more contested in his 38 years of intelligence. When I left university in the 90s it was before 9/11, and it was a more settled world order. Economically, it was a better time, too. Making sense of that world is one of those things I want to do. Mark Carney was our launch guest and he talked about a rupture. I thought, you’re a G7 leader, and you’re telling us what we’re going through is not just a blip and trade is possibly never going to go back to how it was.” Her fears for a world in crisis are written all over her face. When she interviewed Farage, she grilled him about his and Reform’s relationship with Russia (before the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, Nathan Gill, was jailed for 10 years for accepting pro-Russian bribes). Farage was so riled he responded, “Listen, love, you’re trying ever so hard.” She let it pass without a flicker. Was she tempted to say something? “No, because we would have stopped talking about Russia and we would have started talking about me and him, and I didn’t want that.” View oEmbed on the source website If that had been pre-recorded for Today, would it have been included in the show? “Probably not. We might have had to cut the interview down to five minutes, and it’s likely it would have been left on the cutting-room floor.” Now she’s left the Beeb she’s free to be more opinionated. But she says she’ll never be an open book. That’s just not her. However, when delivering this year’s prestigious Romanes Lecture she said she is less reluctant these days to talk about being a Muslim or her Anglo-Pakistani background. I ask why? “Because there’s a responsibility that comes with being in the public eye. We’re in a world where prejudice, discrimination and hatred is rising, so I do feel a sense of responsibility. “About eight years ago, there was a young Muslim journalist at the BBC who said to me, ‘I admire that you don’t hide that you’re Muslim’, and I thought how sad that he’s even saying that. That is one of the moments that brought home the sense of responsibility.” She smiles. “And look at my name. How could I hide the fact I’m Muslim?” We’re talking in the week that the BBC’s director-general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness resigned following an edit of one of Donald Trump’s speeches on the Panorama programme. Was she surprised? “I think what they were dealing with became too intense. I understand why it would have come to that.” Whether they should have had to is a different matter. The BBC has been accused of a left-wing bias, but Husain’s not buying that. “They [Davie and Turness] were dealing with a board that has individuals within it who are not impartial. I was always told as a BBC journalist you leave your opinions at the door. You do expect that from the board as well and I don’t think that happened.” She says being director-general is a tough job and she can’t fathom who’d want it. “It’s a brave person whoever they are.” Has she been in touch with former colleagues to offer support? “Yes. Of course. I’d have to be heartless not to be thinking about what it’s like. I saw quite a few serious issues and scandals play out from the inside, but none of them felt existential in the way this one does. It makes me worried for the future.” On a more positive note, she’s looking forward to Christmas. “I don’t know if this sounds weird coming from a Muslim, but I love the religious side of Christmas. I find Midnight Mass or any kind of carol service deeply moving. The story of the birth of Jesus is beautifully told in the Koran, and I find the Christmas story so moving.” Is she religious? “I would say faith is a part of my life.” This Christmas should be more relaxing than previous years when she has often been working on Boxing Day. What will she be watching? “We’ll pick a few films. I’m a member of Bafta so I always have quite a few films to watch over Christmas.” She stops. “Radio Times will hate that because they’ll be wanting me to watch something actually on TV.” She asks if she can have ans go. OK, I say. “I’ll be going through my Christmas issue of Radio Times to find out what to watch!” – and she dissolves into girlish giggles. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
When is Spotify Wrapped 2025? Latest information on annual music streaming report
It's Spotify users' favourite time of the year.
It's that time of year again, where we share our deepest and darkest listening habits and Spotify Wrapped is released. Wrapped provides users with a personalised summary of their music tastes – from most-listened to artists to top podcasts – and shows them how their listening habits have evolved throughout the year. The feature launched in 2015 with the introduction of Year in Music, before being rebranded as Spotify Wrapped in 2016, and has since become a huge annual tradition and cultural phenomenon, with political figures and celebrities even joining the bandwagon. Last year, Miley Cyrus shared that Britney Spears was her top-streamed artist of 2024, which was fitting, as Cyrus shouted Spears out in her 2009 hit Party in the USA, in which she sang: “That’s when the DJ dropped my favourite tune/ And a Britney song was on.” Cyrus referenced the lyrics when sharing her Spotify Wrapped results, writing on her Instagram Stories: “A Britney song was literally on…. all year!” Ready to brag about your most-listened to songs from this year on social media? Here’s everything you need to know about Wrapped. When is Spotify Wrapped 2025 coming out? Spotify Wrapped 2025 launched on Wednesday 3rd December. This is in line with previous years, with the feature typically being released on the platform towards the end of November or in early December. Last year, it came out on Wednesday 4th December, while in 2023 and 2022, it was released on Wednesday 30th November. Where can I find my Spotify Wrapped? Anyone with a Spotify account can access the recap directly from the Spotify app when signed in. The feature should be waiting for you when you open the app. The company has advised users to update their app to the most recent version in advance. Alternatively, users can head to Spotify’s website and the feature should be there. Spotify Wrapped 2025 new features As is the case every year, Spotify Wrapped 2025 has introduced new features for users to analyse their listening habits over the past year. New features this time include Listening Age, which estimates a user's age by comparing their musical tastes to others' in their age group. The new insight has prompted some fans to take offence on social media, while others found the feature amusing. View oEmbed on the source website Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How does Audible work? How much it costs, how to get free books and how to cancel
Audible is an Amazon subscription service offering audiobooks, podcasts and more. Here's how it works.
Listen up all bookworms, podcast listeners and audio fans – if you're looking for somewhere to source your favourite auditory entertainment, Audible is the perfect platform for you. Audible is an Amazon service offering a huge variety and number of titles, all wrapped up in an affordable subscription package. It's great for those who are struggling to find time to read, or for those on the lookout for a new podcast to get stuck into. Books are either read out to you by a narrator, the title’s author or a well-known celebrity, while podcasts often have famous hosts. The book fanatics at RadioTimes.com have rounded up some of the best audiobooks and best non-fiction audiobooks that you'll find on Audible. If you’ve got little ones looking for a bedtime story, we’ve got a list of the best kids' audiobooks, too. If you’re tempted to sign-up for Audible, we’ve outlined the answers to all the main questions you might have about the service and how it works below. The good news is that, at the very least, the first month will either be free or very cheap, since there's always a promotional offer around to entice potential new subscribers. Head to our piece on how to get an Audible free trial in the UK for the latest information. In our best Audible offers article, we share the top deals each month to help you bag the subscription service for free or for less, and we tell you how to get free audiobooks. And you can also head to our Audible Gift Card piece if you want to treat a loved one to the subscription service this Christmas. Start your 30-day free Audible trial undefined Quality audiobooks deserve quality audio – and if you're looking for something to play your audiobooks through at home, don't miss our best DAB radio recommendations and best Amazon Echo deals. Jump to: What is Audible? How much does Audible cost in the UK? How does Audible work? What are Audible credits? What do you need to use Audible? How to buy books on Audible How to get free books on Audible How to return a book on Audible How do you cancel an Audible membership? What is Audible? Audible is an audiobook service from Amazon, offering the world’s biggest selection of titles ranging from much-loved classics to new releases and original podcasts. Listeners can download or stream their chosen titles with a membership to Audible. Books may be read aloud by a narrator, the authors themselves, well-known stars or even performed by an audio cast. Many podcasts also have famous hosts — for instance, Michael Caine’s podcast Heist is about famous robberies, and then there's From the Oasthouse, Alan Partridge's podcast, which, of course, is read by the East Anglian superstar himself. There are constantly new releases being added to Audible too – new this month includes Fearless by Lauren Roberts. Start your 30-day free Audible trial How much does Audible cost in the UK? The cost for an Audible membership depends on the plan you sign up for, and the Audible tiers have changed slightly in recent weeks. There are two monthly plans and two annual plans, and we've broken them all down below: Standard Monthly | £5.99 per month — Select one audiobook a month from the entire collection, and listen to your selected audiobook as long as you're a member Premium Plus Monthly | £8.99 per month — Get one credit a month to buy any audiobook from the entire collection, the book is yours to keep, even if you cancel, listen to thousands of additional audiobooks and originals from the Plus Catalogue, and enjoy exclusive sales and discounts Premium Plus Annual (12 credits) | £69.99 per year — Get 12 credits a year for any audiobook in the entire collection, listen to thousands of additional audiobooks and originals from the Plus Catalogue, and enjoy member-only deals and discounts Premium Plus Annual (24 credits) | £109.99 per year — Same as the 12 credits option, except with 24 credits a year. To entice you in even more, if you want to test Audible out before you commit, you can also trial the monthly services for free for 30 days. Start your 30-day free Audible trial undefined How does Audible work? By signing up to Audible on the standard membership, you receive one new audiobook every month you are a member. You can choose from a range of membership plans and which one you have will determine how many Audible 'credits' you receive each month, which can be exchanged for audiobooks on the service. You're not limited to one book a month, though, many are available for free and you can buy more. Also, you can listen to all the Audible Original Podcasts with unlimited streaming and there are also a number of exclusive offers and deals throughout the month, including the 'Daily Deals' which offer a different title for up to 80% off each day. What are Audible credits? Audible credits are the service's internal currency, with one credit purchasing one audiobook: nice and simple. But different memberships afford different credits, ranging from one credit per month to 24 credits per year, as we've mentioned above. What's great is that Audible works with a rollover scheme, so that if, say, you have a hectic month and don't get the chance to use your monthly credit, it can be used in the following month instead. But keep in mind that credits will eventually expire after a year of disuse. Have you heard the Nintendo Switch 2 release date has been announced? Plus, here's the up-to-date Nintendo Switch 2 UK stock. What do you need to use Audible? You can access Audible via your internet browser. However, it's easier to install the app on your device of choice; Audible is compatible with nearly every single phone and tablet out there. One thing you'll need to make sure is that you have an Amazon account — Audible is a subsidiary company of the retail giant after all. Plus, if you're an Amazon Prime member, you get more for your 30-day free trial. Instead of picking one audiobook with the free trial, Prime members can pick two! Titles include classics such as JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, or the much-talked about biography The Woman in Me from Britney Spears, and many more. And what's best, they're yours to keep, plus after the trial members will receive one credit per month. Looking at switching music streaming services? Take a look at our what is Amazon Music and Amazon Music vs Spotify, Spotify vs Apple Music and Apple Music vs Amazon Music guides. How to buy books on Audible If you are using a device like a smartphone, you can search and download from the app. If you are on a laptop or computer, you can buy audiobooks through the usual Amazon site, just make sure you're logged in. On the left of the main search bar, select the category 'Audible Audiobooks' from the dropdown menu to search for a title. After clicking on a book title you have searched for in the search bar as normal, you should see boxes with various options including 'Kindle Edition', 'Paperback' and 'Audio Download'. In the 'Audio Download' box, it should list a price or the option to purchase with one credit. By selecting this option you’ll be able to buy the audiobook outright or purchase with any unused credits. You can also do this from the mobile version of the online website. How to get free books on Audible When you sign up to a free 30-day membership with Audible, you’ll receive one free audiobook to get you started. If you continue your membership on one of Audible’s plans, you'll receive regular credits which can be exchanged for a title of your choice. One token entitles you to one audiobook, no matter the price, without having to shell out any extra cost. If you find you don't manage to use a credit every month, it's possible to get in touch with Audible customer services and request to 'freeze' your account for a few months. This allows you to catch up and use the credits you have without paying more and getting swamped, or cancelling your subscription entirely. How to return a book on Audible If you aren’t enjoying a book or have downloaded the wrong one by mistake, you're able to return it and use your credit on something else. To do this, you need to log into your account on the Audible website and click on 'Account Details' from the drop-down menu under your name. From here you can choose 'Purchase History' to see a list of all the audiobooks you've bought. On the right of the title you want to exchange, you should see a button saying 'Return Order' which can simply select to send it back. Start your 30-day free Audible trial We've written great guides on how to read books in order; just take a look at how to read Silo books in order, how to read Heartstopper books in order, and how to read Jacqueline Wilson books in order. How do you cancel an Audible membership? Your Audible membership will automatically renew at the end of your plan. This is includes your free trial period. If you want to cancel your membership, log into the Audible website and go to the 'Account Details' page. Under 'Account Settings' you should see the option, 'cancel my membership'. Select this and follow the instructions on screen to terminate your Audible plan. If you have paid for an audiobook on Amazon, it will remain in your Audible library forever even once your subscription has ended. This should also apply to items purchased during your free trial. Any credits you have not used, however, will disappear, so make sure you use them up before cancelling your membership. Start your 30-day free Audible trial Do you love reading as much as listening? Don't miss our pick of the very best Kindle deals. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Rum Punch's Travis Jay: "I've got a right to grab the attention of someone who's like me"
Having cut his teeth in the world of comedy, Travis Jay chats to Pass the Mic about returning to BBC Radio 4 for a full season of award-winning sitcom Rum Punch.
After the success of his pilot episode of Rum Punch last year, comedian Travis Jay is back for a fully fledged series of his radio sitcom – and it's only set to be the start of something greater, should the stars align for Jay who also has dreams for Rum Punch beyond the airwaves. As we speak before the release of the BBC Radio 4 series and even ahead of the live recording of his second batch of episodes, Jay is admittedly "super excited" for the release of the full season. "I think the response to the pilot was definitely eye opening. It was a real surprise because it's an audience I'm not familiar with, on a platform I'm also not familiar with. While I listen to podcasts, the idea of being on Radio 4 was just like, 'Okay, everybody speaks so positively about this'. It's just something I still didn't know. So, the response has been far bigger than I imagined," he says. And a positive reaction was definitely recieved around Rum Punch's initial episode, with the pilot going on to scoop up the award for Best Comedy Sitcom at BBC's 2025 Audio Drama Awards. Winning that was "something else", Jay beams, with it proving that the positive feedback "is not in my head and it really did connect". "I genuinely didn't know that we'd be in the running for something like that. When you start writing, it's the furthest thing from my mind. Then it's like – bam, nominations are in," he laughs. He continues: "It's my first comedy award, and I've been doing this for 16 years. I'm just grateful the people are enjoying the project. I think it's a powerful story to tell and I think the feeling it leaves is the thing I really aim for. "I'm one of these stand up comics – I do touch on serious things. Previous specials I've done, I've touched on grief, losing my grandfather. It would seem like, how did you make that funny? But I know that there's value in real life and authentic stories. "The comedy will come, I trust my bones to find comedy. But dealing with real subjects is also quite a powerful thing. The fact that a story like this could connect like that and we go to a full series in an audience I'm not familiar with in that way, it made me feel really, really proud." Describing Rum Punch as a "multigenerational family sitcom", the series follows Jay in the lead role as Marley, an aspiring boxer who has dreams outside of working in his family's Caribbean restaurant. Set in Lewisham, the family comedy follows the Campbell family as they come together to keep the business afloat but also, pursue their own individual ambitions. Upon first listening to it, many will likely be warmly reminded of other Black-led sitcoms that have aired alongside many of us growing older. Desmond's, My Wife and Kids and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were all shows that were staple to Jay's experience growing up, he tells me. "It's a nod to the legacy of Black sitcoms," Jay says, with those shows remaining so iconic all these years on for a variety of reasons. The studio sitcom format gives viewers "a deeper connection" to many lead characters, Jay says. "The connection runs so deep, it's that real life experience. You're in the room laughing with them and I really wanted to touch on that because it's just things I grew up loving," he says. In reality, the laughter you hear dotted throughout the episodes is all real, recorded live in front of an audience. It's a part of the series that was special to Jay, he admits, but is was always part of the plan when a stand-up comedian is at the helm of the series. "I think if we're going to call it a comedy, it belongs in front of the audience. I think the fact it's real laughter, it lets you know in the moment whether this worked or it didn't. These are stakes that I like, that I'm used to having." The embracing of Rum Punch as an outright comedy is something that Jay says he's doing unashamedly. "I think sometimes we take a shot at comedy but we might fall a bit short so we might say, 'Hey, it's a comedy drama'. "Whereas, I'm like – nah, it's a comedy. We're going to shoot for comedy and if it doesn't hit, that means I didn't do my job. These are the stakes that I think comedy belongs in so I really embrace that challenge." Having gone to one of the live recordings myself, it seemed far from a challenge for Jay to leave the audience in hysterics. Just like the series itself, the audience was made up of all different ages, with jokes landing seamlessly across the auditorium. Just from the material itself, you wouldn't think that Jay wasn't the biggest consumer of audio dramas or really, a listener of BBC Radio 4 ahead of penning Rum Punch. It's refreshing to hear, I tell the comedian once he admits that, but the lack of a personal connection to the form or the platform was a challenge that Jay wholeheartedly embraced. "I thought that if I'm not familiar with this platform and consuming this type of content like this, I've got a right to grab the attention of someone who's like me. It was a real good challenge as a writer, to write blind," he says. "There's no visual aid, your script is setting the tone of the imagination that you try to capture." Jay describes himself as a "very competitive guy", saying that once he sets a goal then he becomes "laser-focused" on it, which is something that the wider Rum Punch team fully supported him in. When it came to sitting down to writing Rum Punch's full series, Jay said one thing was at the forefront of his mind: "Alright, I've got to write for someone like me." He adds: "Because if we're going to drag these new ears to this space, we've got to do it with a big bang. That's why with the pilot, we went full-fledged into it. It was a nice challenge, I'm glad that the response is positive." Riding that high of positive feedback going into the full series must be a lovely feeling for any writer, with Jay saying that many remarked that listening to the pilot felt like watching a TV show due to the excellent visual storytelling at the heart of it. "A lot of people were just like, 'We need this on TV' or 'I haven't seen a family like this in so long'. So, I'm really grateful for that," Jay smiles. Part of the family appeal of the show comes down to the family at the heart of Rum Punch, a cast that Jay couldn't be more proud to work alongside. As well as his own mother, comedian Angie Le Mar, starring as his mother in Rum Punch, the cast also includes The Real McCoy legend Eddie Nestor, Jay's real-life best friend Kevin 'KG' Harry (Ted Lasso), comedian Kyrah Gray, 3 Non-Blondes star Ninia Benjamin and more. Describing them as "a cast of dreams", Jay says that transferring his stand-up comedy writing skills to Rum Punch really underlined the importance of teamwork, both in the realms of crafting narratives for a group of people and not himself, but also ensuring that every cast member felt supported and as though they can shine on stage. Although his mother couldn't make the pilot, she's now in the series and it's a role that Jay had written for her, describing working with her as a "phenomenal experience". "There's a lifetime of memories with this person and they're side by side with you," he says. He recalls one thing his comedian mother had taught him over the years and that's that if you have to explain the joke, it simply isn't funny. "The rules of comedy have been embedded in me from early," he smiles. When it came to crafting the story at the heart of Rum Punch, Jay also credits another anecdote from his mother, who told him to write what he knows. Simply put, the show is the life that I've lived, Jay remarks. "This is the community that I'm from. So, I know the textures and the nuances like the back of my hand." Jay says that most people can likely think of a cultural community hub, like the restaurant in Rum Punch. While he wanted to touch on those elements of relatability, Jay couldn't shy away from the fact that more serious topics do crop up. "Black sitcom has always been impactful," he says. "There's something that it does that just leaves people with a feeling. I think today, there is a little bit of a gap in terms of where we might see that on TV." When it comes to resonating with so many people, Jay also highlights the important of sticking true to the story you want to tell. "I always like to be in that pocket of authenticity all the time. That's why I'm quite stubborn, I'm quite a difficult person to work with because if I feel like we're straying away from authenticity, I'll dig my heels in," he admits. It's an admirable quality to have for any writer, I tell Jay, with the Rum Punch creator saying: "A lot of time we do focus on – especially when shows come out and it's created by a Black person – it's about, 'Okay, explain the Black experience'. Well no, it doesn't need to be explained actually because if I explain myself, it suggests that I have to explain myself. "With this show, it's not a case of anybody explaining why or how they are. Everybody's just living their lives. That's what I really wanted to capture." When it comes to the future of Rum Punch, Jay – as previously mentioned – is thinking big and would love to take the idea for the show to the screen. "I'm incredibly grateful for the radio opportunity we have, because what it's done for my pen has just been ... writing without visual has made my pen a lot stronger. So I think, if TV was available, I'd be ready for it," he says. No stranger to the screen himself with a recent notable role in Netflix's Supacell, Jay says that starring in such a hit Netflix series and working with Rapman opened up his eyes to how much he "really fought for the authentic capture of South London within a superhero show". It was inspiring to witness and was something that Jay took into Rum Punch, further proving that authenticity really can achieve what people think it does. In terms of what he hopes listeners get from Rum Punch, Jay says first and foremost that he wants people to laugh – it is a comedy, after all. "Outside of that, I hope that you see a family that you can connect with. I would love for somebody in the show to almost speak to your experience in some kind of way." He adds: "It's always nice when you've got somebody fighting for your perspective in a conversation. So, I hope that somebody feels represented in the show. We all come from different families, have different networks. That's really what I hope for – that connection is what comes when you listen to Rum Punch." Rum Punch airs on Thursday 27th November at 6:30pm on Radio 4, and is also available to listen to on BBC Sounds. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bob Geldof talks always being bored of Band Aid, the end of rock 'n' roll and Taylor Swift
"I don’t think there's any more we can do with Band Aid."
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Not many people change the world, but Bob Geldof did. So why is he so ambivalent about his achievements with Live Aid? Geldof and writer Paul Vallely discuss their new book Live Aid: The Definitive 40-Year Story. Let’s start with you, Bob. Or should we call you Bobsy, or Brother Teresa, as the new Live Aid book reveals you’re sometimes known? BOB GELDOF No, Bobsy is just something Freddie Mercury used to call me. He’d get on the phone and go, “Well, Bobsy darling…” And Brother Teresa is a joke I made up for the foreword of this book. Normally I’m just called things like “irritating”. Did you think in 1985 that we’d all still be sitting here talking about Live Aid 40 years later? BG: No. I mean, after seven years I got these silver models of the Band Aid logo made up and inscribed to say thank you to the guys who’d helped, because I thought, “That’s it, there’s no need for us to exist. We’re not going to be Save the Children and go on for ever.” So we had a dinner – everyone was overwhelmed that I was buying dinner, for a start – and I handed them out, and I gave one to myself, which is in the cupboard somewhere. And that was 33 years ago. But the need for us to press on became apparent. People kept supporting us. PAUL VALLELY: £2 million still comes in every year [through the Band Aid Trust]. BG: But I get bored so easily. In this case that’s mitigated by the effect Band Aid’s still having – it’s keeping millions of people going – and by the rage I feel when I see injustice. But, being very honest, often this s**t bores me. You’re bored of Band Aid? BG: It always bored me. So does making records, so does rehearsing. It bores the arse off me. I only did one day’s rehearsal for the current Boomtown Rats tour. Can’t stand it. If I forget the words, I’ll make them up on the hoof. That’s the way I am. PV: Let me contradict you, Bob. You are one of the most sustained, resilient, persistent, driven people that I’ve ever come across. You don’t act like you’re bored, mate. BG: Well I am. I don’t think there’s any more we can do with Band Aid. And I don’t think there’s any more that I can offer, save in the role of chairman or adviser. It’s hard to imagine a Taylor Swift taking up the mantle… BG: It’s not that hard; don’t forget her Trump statements. PV: Bob, you just say what everyone else thinks. You’ve no deference at all, whether to pop stars or presidents. An obvious example is when you told Margaret Thatcher, “Nothing is as simple as dying, Prime Minister.” But you are actually more nervous – and more considered – than you make out sometimes. You rehearsed the quiet tone of voice you’d use to talk to Thatcher, what you wore; it was all very studied. It was the same when you were trying to persuade Paul McCartney to do Live Aid. BG: Well, that was Linda [McCartney], really. Paul’s kids had been on at him to do it, because they were doing a school project on Live Aid, but he hadn’t played live since before John was murdered, and you lose your confidence. So he’s driving up to Wembley, and the radio’s on, and the excitement of it is growing – and he wants to turn back. He says “Look, I can’t, I just can’t do it.” And Linda just tells him to shut up and get on with it. “You’re headlining. It’s one song [Let It Be]. You know it back to front. It’s just you and the piano. What could go wrong?” Then the microphone breaks… Can Band Aid go on without Bob? PV: Now there’s the potential for a new generation – a new Geldof – to galvanise a different group of people in a different way. BG: It’s always evolved. After Live Aid, we wanted to move from charity to justice, to change the global structures of politics and economics. Luckily, Bono – having been this small oik when we started off in Dublin – had become a global megastar. But he was still my mate, and willing to throw his power into the ring and see what could be done with it. And what could be done was to extend Band Aid into a policy arm. PV: Maybe rock’n’roll doesn’t work in this age of digital and social media and so forth, but there will be something else. BG: The age of rock’n’roll is gone. What engages me is what’s coming down the track to replace it. I’m a complete technophobe, but that doesn’t mean I won’t gather people around me who can use tech to make change. It won’t be me because I’m 74. And I don’t want it to be me. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Edith Bowman opens up about replacing Sound of Cinema legend Matthew Sweet: "I hope that it does bring people to Radio 3"
Edith Bowman is now the voice of Radio 3's Sound of Cinema – and insists it's not dumbing down.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Sound of Cinema has a new voice. After 12 years, presenter Matthew Sweet, who devised the show and established it as a bastion of quirky enquiry, has left to be replaced by Edith Bowman. On the evidence of her first few shows, Bowman is less likely to wander down alleyways than Sweet. New features like Harmonising Hollywood and a playlist that, so far, prioritises music like the pulsing electro-scapes of Oppenheimer’s Ludwig Göransson, feel like a turn to the mainstream. “No, I don’t think that’s the case at all,” she objects vigorously. “It’s not a case of dumbing down something, if that’s what you’re implying. It’s about really showing the breadth of what’s out there. And that’s not always necessarily something classical. It can be much more contemporary.” Bowman has fronted Cinematic Sound-tracks at Radio 3 Unwind since 2024 and presents Soundtracking, a film and music podcast that attracts big names, like Steven Spielberg. After talking to him, Bowman says, “I burst into tears and went, ‘I’ve just spoken to Steven Spielberg!’” Now 50, Bowman was brought up in Anstruther on the Fife coast, where her parents had a hotel and, like many people, she discovered scored orchestral music through film. “My dad bought a projector and he ran this little film club on a Saturday morning,” she says. “I would sit with him, be his little assistant and make membership cards for people. He showed things like Bugsy Malone, but the John Williams suites for Star Wars, ET and Raiders of the Lost Ark are the ones that I really remember.” She went on to work at MTV, C4, Virgin Radio, Radio 1, Radio 2, 5Live and Radio 6 Music, her resilience overcoming several setbacks. “We can’t put someone with an accent like yours on the radio,” someone told her during work experience at Radio Forth. “I was swallowing back tears,” she says. “But then with each of these things you build a thicker skin.” Later, Bowman would be disappointed again when she was let go from her 6 Music show in 2013. Undaunted, she used the moment to start Soundtracking, which launched in 2016 with Hans Zimmer as the first guest. There are no reports of Sweet being pushed out, but does Bowman, who was approached by station controller Sam Jackson, feel some sympathy towards her predecessor, leaving a show that he had very much made his own? “One of the first things that I said to Radio 3 was that I’d really like to reach out to Matthew and just drop him a message,” she says. “Whether he reads it or not, we’re all humans and we all have connections to things. I’ve been in that position. It’s not nice.” Few presenters come with Sweet’s intellectual credentials, but Bowman thinks her relative lack of classical knowledge is actually a strength. “I can only talk about music from a place of emotion and how it makes me feel, rather than talking about quavers and semi- quavers and timings.” So, is this iteration of Sound of Cinema a gateway show for people who don’t know much about classical music but, given the opportunity, might be open to discovering it? “Yeah. And how amazing would that be? I mean, that’s how I got into it. From talking about film on Radio 1 back in the day, I really started to get the chance to speak to people about the creative process behind the music and how involved it was in the storytelling.” New elements like Pick of the Flicks allow Bowman to get mainstream stars like Emma Thompson and Graham Norton on the show, talking about the film scores that have stayed with them. This tendency to see film music as biographical, as much a soundtrack to lives as movies, is another departure from the previous show. Dumbing down? As Norton proved when he chose Ryuichi Sakamoto’s evocative electronica Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence music, mainstream can be very interesting. “I have a genuine interest in this art form,” says Bowman. “I hope that it does bring people to Radio 3, brings them into this world and makes them feel part of it.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Listen to Sound of Cinema on Saturday at 4pm on Radio 3. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BBC Radio Christmas 2025 line-up confirmed – with Hollywood legend set as guest editor for the Today programme
Six festive guest editors for BBC Radio 4's Today programme have been announced.
The BBC has unveiled its Christmas 2025 radio line-up, with Cate Blanchett, Baroness Theresa May and acclaimed historian Tom Holland among the celebrities set to guest edit BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this festive season. They will be joined by broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, inventor Sir James Dyson and AI entrepreneur Mustafa Suleyman, and each be curating an episode between 24th December and 31st December. The festive takeover kicks off on Christmas Eve, with a special guest edit from Bragg, where he will be exploring the origins of the nativity story. Dyson will use his episode on Boxing Day to explore how Britain can get its inventive streak back, while Blanchett’s guest edit, which will broadcast on 27th December, will examine a range of topics including the impact of AI technology on women in the film industry and beyond. Suleyman’s guest edit on 29th December will ask how we can navigate the realities of a post-superintelligence world. Holland will edit the programme on 30th December, hosting an early celebration for England’s 1100th birthday and examining the impact of AI on academic research. Finally, May will explore the themes of domestic violence, trust in politics and modern slavery in her guest edit on 31st December. Owenna Griffiths, Editor of the Today programme, said: "Every Christmas on Today, a new set of guest editors take up residence and bring with them a wonderful range of new stories, fresh ideas and, hopefully, a sprinkling of joy." She continued: "This year is no exception. In a rapidly changing world, this year's guest editors will help bring illumination and understanding and I'm enormously grateful to all of them for giving up the time to take part." Elsewhere on the BBC radio Christmas line-up, TV presenter Lorraine Kelly is set to make her Radio 2 debut. Kelly is set to take over Jeremy Vine’s slot during the festive period, while the station will also host a Jane McDonald special and a celebration of the music of Stevie Wonder presented by Trevor Nelson. Over on Radio 4, fans can expect a festive edition of Desert Island Discs with Kate Winslet, as well as a celebration of 75 years of The Archers, a new adaptation of P.G. Wodehouse’s Joy in the Morning, and a new performance of T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral. Radio 1 will present the exclusive reveal of the official Christmas No. 1, while the return of the Presenter Takeover will give brand new DJs an opportunity to front some of the network’s most recognised programmes. Meanwhile, Radio 3 will aim to "blend tradition, reflection and celebration" with Carols Across The Country, live broadcasts from dawn to dusk, and a landmark Advent service from St John’s College, Cambridge. Read more: 'Lust is a great creative force': David Bowie reveals what drove him in exclusive interview Silent Witness star Emilia Fox on new true crime series: 'It's left up to the listener to decide' The BBC’s Orchestras and Choirs will also be presenting concerts on the stations throughout the Christmas period. Over on Radio 5 Live, fans can look forward to a packed schedule of live sport and special shows, including Elis James and John Robins celebrating their 500th episode, Roman Kemp and Tom Grennan’s festive You About?, and The Wayne Rooney Show. On Radio 6 Music, Jarvis Cocker and Bill Nighy sit in for Iggy Pop, Beth Ditto will curate indie disco hits, Nick Grimshaw will look back on the year, and Craig Charles will deliver funk and soul. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Beatles star on this week's Radio Times cover as Anthology returns to screens
RT's exclusive look behind the scenes of their 1995 reunion - but which Beatle said, 'At times each of us went mad, but the other three would bring us back'?
Many years ago, I was working at a now-defunct music magazine and I still remember the buzz in the office when news broke that the Beatles were releasing Anthology. It wasn't just a greatest hits album, it was a full-blown media event: the three remaining Beatles had reunited to reminisce about their time as the world's biggest band and the result was a documentary, a book and three double CDs of unreleased tracks. That was 1995. Fast-forward three decades and our fascination with the four lads from Liverpool is undimmed. To mark the 30th anniversary of Anthology, the two surviving Beatles are releasing a digitally refreshed version of the original documentary as well as previously unseen footage from the time the band spent together 30 years ago. Radio Times' very own Beatles expert, David Hepworth, was invited to Apple Corps' headquarters in London to find out exactly what's in store this time. To see what he discovered, pick up this week's issue. On a more serious note, in light of recent events at the BBC, we asked media expert Mark Lawson for his take on the future of the corporation. It doesn't fill me with a great deal of hope as we are in the midst of what could be the most turbulent year in the BBC's history. Fleet Street editors who seem hellbent on the destruction of our national broadcaster should, I think, be ashamed of themselves. The BBC is by no means perfect but the alternative is too dreadful to contemplate. The BBC belongs to everyone, so we want to hear your opinions, too. Inside this week's issue you can read Mark Lawson's piece and see how you can make your voice heard. We will publish a selection of your views in a future issue of the magazine. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Also in this week's Radio Times: King of the Traitors Alan Carr reflects on his dark deeds and victory. A new drama, Prisoner 951, tells the story of how Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe spent six years in an Iranian prison. Stranger Things, the drama that conquered the world, returns for a fifth and final season. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Add The Beatles Anthology to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Beatles Anthology exclusive behind the scenes with Jools Holland as remastered series with new episode arrives
Three decades after the Fab Four’s history was chronicled in Anthology, there’s now an extra chapter. Theirs is a long and winding road – but an endlessly compelling one.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Because nothing with the Beatles is ever entirely over, 30 years after the three remaining members, Paul, George and Ringo, brought forth their long-threatened Beatles Anthology – an eightpart series of TV documentaries, accompanied by three double CDs of previously unreleased versions of some of their best-known tunes plus, if you were a completist, an enormous book – they are releasing a remastered version. It comes with an additional part nine, made up of footage shot in and around the launch of that Anthology project and featuring the Fab Three, known at the time as “the Threetles”. While it doesn’t offer much in the way of revelation, this film of their reunion provides even more of the one thing Beatles watchers most crave, which is to watch them in the room with each other, just behaving. This will never not be fascinating. Here are three middle-aged men, all at the time over 50, Englishly keen to demonstrate their ordinariness, drinking tea from workmen’s mugs and playing with any toy at hand, while also strongly hinting that decades before, they were bonded for all time by an experience the rest of us cannot possibly understand. “I was 17 in Hamburg,” says George. “By the time I was 23 we had done Sgt Pepper.” Take that, pop stars of today. Like most gentlemen of their generation, born during the Second World War when lips were stiff, they are not natural practitioners of the newly voguish male hug, but they do it. You didn’t catch them collapsing into each other’s arms at the end of marathon performances the way bands do today. “This was partly because they were rarely on for more than half an hour, and partly because Brian Epstein had instructed them in the importance of announcing the show’s end by forming up and executing a smart bow from the waist. A montage shows them performing this same signature move at the end of shows in front of everyone from stiff royals to demented teens. As a three-piece they can never be entirely back in the groove. The cross-talk act, which they practised at press conferences back in the day, is missing John. Interviewed as a trio on two occasions, at Abbey Road and at George Harrison’s place in Henley, Paul appears guarded in the presence of George, who as the youngest member is always alive to perceived slights. They’re more comfortable when they have something to do with their hands. When they gather at George’s house in the summer of 1994, Paul and George play acoustic guitars, Ringo keeps the volume down by taking up his brushes and they sound like nothing so much as a skiffle group, which is where it all began. For repertoire they reach for the songs that come naturally: Ain’t She Sweet, a hit from the Roaring Twenties, Blue Moon of Kentucky, a bluegrass waltz from the 1940s, and Baby What You Want Me to Do, a Jimmy Reed song that was on the rhythm and blues chart long before they first released a record. That’s the kind of hinterland bands had in those days. When they sit around and talk about the past, it’s the simple things they remember. Combing their hair forwards for the first time, getting their boots at Anello & Davide, getting £100 for John’s birthday, realising after a few hits that they were getting away with it. “It was all accidental really,” says George. “The funny haircuts and jackets and boots. We had something together even if it was just an attitude. You get certain people together and you get fire or dynamite.” Paul looks at a picture of them posing in Edwardian bathing suits on the beach at Weston-super-Mare in 1963 and laughs: “Here they are – the hippest group in history!” View oEmbed on the source website When the three of them sit at the mixing desk while George Martin pulls back the faders to deconstruct the mix of Tomorrow Never Knows, they can’t help being amused by the Heath Robinson nature of many of those sounds. Not for them the reverent silence that attends that ceremony today. They know how this particular sausage was made. “Now it’s serious music,” says Paul, smirking as he recalls the days when they were doing the impossible because nobody had said they couldn’t and it was a bit of a laugh. They all have different memories. Ringo says that if he’d made Anthology it would have been different. Because bands talk about anything but the things that are bothering them, Paul is able to say, “I found out stuff about the other guys I never knew from the Anthology.” The variance in their individual recollections doesn’t just relate to things back in the mists of history. Paul says the idea to make Real Love came from a conversation he had with Yoko Ono in which she said she had an old demo cassette featuring John. George reckons it grew out of the Traveling Wilburys’ plan to “replace” the late Roy Orbison with the voice of Elvis Presley, an idea The King’s estate was apparently only too keen on. Jeff Lynne, the other Wilbury who was brought in to supervise the development of Lennon’s demo into a record fit for 1995, describes his thrilled reaction when he first heard Lennon’s voice with Harrison and McCartney’s harmonies. “They sit around bantering and they start singing and it’s the Beatles. That’s that sound.” <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/12/GettyImages-86111792-f95cd1c.jpg" width="5602" height="3641" alt="From left, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon (1940-1980) and George Harrison (1943-2001) of English rock and pop group The Beatles pose together wearing sandwich boards during a press call to promote their performance of the song 'All You Need Is Love' as part of the 'Our World' worldwide satellite broadcast, at Abbey Road Studios in London, 24th June 1967. The band would perform the song live on a global television link up the next day, 25th June. (Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns)" title="The Beatles At Abbey Road" /> The release of the Anthology in 1995 answered the question that had dogged the record business: can anyone be bigger than the Beatles? Apparently the Beatles could. In the year the CDs came out they made more money for EMI than anyone else. Which was going some for a bunch of out-takes that two years earlier George Martin had claimed were not worth releasing. However at the time they had a following wind: 1995 was also the year of Britpop. Oasis’s big song Wonderwall was inspired by a George Harrison record. Here was a new generation of British bands who all seemed to be agreed on one thing. They would never be as good as the Beatles. Within two years Downing Street was occupied by a prime minister who had grown up playing the guitar and was only too keen to promote the Beatles as being, along with Shakespeare and Dickens, examples of British genius. Anthology moved the Beatles up a gear. Following its release, they belonged to the ages. George Harrison died in 2001, just two years after being the victim of a terrible attack at his house in the early morning. It’s one of the more grisly ironies of the story of the band who gave us All You Need Is Love that their level of fame made two of them targets for murderous attacks. Thirty years after Anthology, Paul and Ringo soldier on, in many ways even more famous than they were in the 60s. All they ever wanted to do, they both say, was play in a band. To watch Paul and George sitting opposite each other working out guitar lines during the recording of Real Love is to see that in their case, “bouncing off each other” was the basis of everything they did, and to further note that like most musicians they would rather play than do anything else at all. Teased by the other two for his work ethic, Paul says, “I liked the Beatles. I liked to work with the Beatles. I’m not ashamed of that. It’s what I love in life. All that making music.” Later he says, “When you find someone you can talk to, that’s a very special thing. When you find someone you can play music with, it’s really something. Most musicians spend their whole lives looking for the perfect drummer, the perfect bass player, the perfect guitarist. So I felt kind of privileged.” George says it’s a shame that John never had this experience. “The Beatles went through some turbulent times. When we split up, everybody was fed up with each other. Ringo, Paul and I have had the opportunity to get together in a new light and I feel sorry that John wasn’t able to do that. He would have really enjoyed the opportunity to be with us again.” It’s 30 years since George predicted: “The Beatles has become its own thing now. It will go on without us.” This has turned out to be true but may not be giving sufficient credit to the people at Apple Corps whose job it is to make sure the show remains on the road with an ever-rolling stream of films and other Beatle-related amusements. All over the music business the past is the future. While Oasis perform Wonderwall for millions, Abba entertain in effigy and middleaged boy bands pack stadiums, the Beatles remain the gold standard of the pop past that everybody wishes to share. Jools Holland: The man who put the questions “It’s a fantastic series because it’s them,” says Jools Holland, who conducted interviews for the TV Anthology in the early 90s. “And now George is no longer here and Neil, who was the fifth Beatle really, is no longer here,” he adds, referring to Neil Aspinall, the group’s personal assistant turned CEO of Apple Corps, who died in 2008. “When we did it, George Harrison said to me, ‘The thing about history is, you can’t actually depend on any of it, because you read about a battle or something that happened 200 years ago and one person says this and another says that. And you’ll see, in this, everybody contradicts each other.’ And [the period they are talking about] was only 20 or so years earlier! “It’s very funny... I’d ask them about a specific thing, like a police inspector, and their evidence was completely contrasting. Remembering when they went to meet Elvis, one would say, ‘Priscilla was there looking wonderful in a black dress, with a sort of veil’ and another one says, ‘Oh yeah, she had a red and white gingham dress’ and the third one says, ‘Yeah, we were hoping to meet Priscilla but sadly she wasn’t there.’ The most important thing about the Beatles is that not only did they make incredible music, they also paved the way for the blueprint of what a band is. They were also really funny. You get a taste of that in a dry, English, Lancashire way. But beneath that gentle, fun side, you open the shirt and there’s a bit of steel. You learn a lot about the stuff they all had to do. And because they’re so matter-of-fact about it, it’s great. If it had been an American band, I think it might have been a tear-fest! “The more you see it the more amazing it is because it’s them talking through what the whole thing was. Also, you realise the greatest things aren’t planned, they fall together. The Rubber Soul cover sums that up. Somebody’s showing them slides so they can pick which one they want as a picture, and the slide player falls, so the slide goes all wonky and longways and they all went, ‘Yeah, yeah, we want it like that.’ A lot of that goes on. “I think it’s still the most incredible work about them, because it’s their film and they’re being honest about it.” MARK BRAXTON Read more: Jools Holland on walking back to New Orleans, breaking down barriers and one very big bang The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. The Beatles Anthology will begin streaming on Disney+ with a staggered release schedule. Episodes 1–3 start streaming Wednesday, 26 November Episodes 4–6 start streaming Thursday, 27 November Episodes 7–9 start streaming Friday, 28 November Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Rick Edwards reveals why fatherhood has changed his presenting work for ever - and talks his modelling past
The 5 Live DJ on the joys of fatherhood, the downside of modelling — and crying on air.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. What’s the view from your sofa? It’s a fireplace that I think I like, but I’m not completely sure about. It’s very ornate, with a wooden surround that incorporates a mirror above it. It probably dates from, and hasn’t been changed since, the 1920s. Then there’s the TV, which is small and probably temporary, and keeps tilting backwards because I mounted the little feet on it badly. Sounds like you need a TV upgrade! We left the TV that we loved in our old house because it was wall-mounted, was perfect in the space and it felt like a nice thing to do, to leave it for the next people. My wife Emer [Kenny, Karen Pirie writer and actor] and I really regret that now. You began your career as a model — when did you realise you’re handsome? I was a cute kid, I think, and then, from 10 to 16, which is the worst age for this to be the case, I was not a good-looking boy. At all. I wonder if, in those formative years, it was character-building. Then, around 17 or 18, the proportions of my face sort of settled down, and from that point, it’s been fine. It’s weird to go from being not-good-looking to, a couple of years later, getting scouted for modelling work. I did it when I was at university and just after. That was odd. I didn’t like it one bit. Aside from the models, who seemed fine, it’s an industry of a lot of not very nice people. I found it a bit grubby. What’s the best TV programme you’ve watched recently? Your Friends & Neighbours on Apple TV starring Jon Hamm. He’s great – the whole cast is good – and it has some quite interesting things to say about family. As a fairly new father, with anything that says anything at all about family and fatherhood, I am quite likely to cry. How do you juggle family life and, among other things, 5 Live Breakfast? It’s tricky, because both Emer and I work and I’m very conscious of ensuring that she still has all the time she needs to work. Trying to dovetail it all together is a complicated jigsaw. One good thing is that, although the hours of my job are horrendous, doing a breakfast show does mean I’m home in the day and I get to spend time with my son then. You have to make it work. How ready were you for fatherhood? It was definitely something we wanted to do, and I thought and read about it quite a lot. But there is absolutely no way you can be prepared for what it’s like. There’s a depth of feeling you really can’t get your head around before you experience it. It’s crazy how it’s massively heightened my emotional response to almost everything, because you just see everything through a new lens of: “What is that going to mean for his future?” How has it affected your work? My emotions are much closer to the surface, so when we have people on who have distressing stories, I’m very affected by them. In my first year doing 5 Live Breakfast, Russia invaded Ukraine. In those first few weeks, we were speaking to Ukrainians and it was like nothing I’d ever done before. It was completely overwhelming and I really struggled. I’ve definitely cried on air, and I think the audience kind of get that because it’s quite a human response, but you don’t want someone crying all the time. How’s your relationship with your dad? My dad was and is terrific. The world I live in is probably quite different from the world he lived in and lives in, but I still go to him for advice, even when I know he won’t know much about the thing I’m asking him, because I’m still interested to get his take. He’s a safe person for me. What has surprised you most about becoming a parent? Sometimes, being a parent is hard, sometimes boring, sometimes annoying. But you don’t let those fleeting emotions override the core emotion, which is “this is brilliant, this is special”. What it has made me realise is how much my mum and dad must love me. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Rick Edwards presents 5 Live Breakfast Mon—Fri 6am/Fighting Talk 11am Sat/The Inside Track podcast Mondays. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Harry Potter movies actor returns in new role for new adaptation with epic cast
JK Rowling's seven novels are being brought to life in new audio adaptations.
The full cast for Audible’s adaptation of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books has been revealed, with Bill Nighy among the latest additions to the line-up. Nighy played Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, in the Warner Bros. Harry Potter films but will take on a different role in Harry Potter: The Full Cast Audio Editions, providing the voice of Professor Slughorn. Other new additions to the cast include Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Black Rabbit) as Sirius Black, Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland) as Rita Skeeter, Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls) as Professor Trelawney, Mackenzie Crook (The Office) as Kreacher, Stephen Mangan (The Split) as Nearly Headless Nick and Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders) as Madam Hooch. David Holmes, who was Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double on the Harry Potter movies, will voice Stan Shunpike, the Knight Bus conductor. Meanwhile, Jude Farrant will voice the young Draco Malfoy in the first three audiobooks, with Maximus Evans continuing the part in audiobooks four through seven. Jake Sigsworth will portray Neville Longbottom in the first three audiobooks, while Archie Mountain will voice the character in audiobooks four through seven. “I was pleased to be asked to play the Professor after having already played a Minister for Magic,” said Nighy in a statement. “Is it possible that I’m the only actor who can claim that achievement? It means that my career continues to have meaning for the next couple of generations. "I’m always grateful when asked to play academics having not been further educated myself. I’m hoping to be a significant part of something that will keep children entertained in the car on those long journeys overseas or just on the way to school.” Holmes added: “I’m beyond thrilled and honoured to be voicing Stan Shunpike in the forthcoming Pottermore and Audible Harry Potter full-cast audiobook. Being a part of this is very much full circle for me, considering I was the Harry stunt double inside the Knight Bus as it was whizzing through the streets of London on the Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban movie. "I hope everybody enjoys my performance and both old or new audiences will connect with these magical stories. Tickets please….” They join the previously announced Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape, Cush Jumbo OBE as the narrator, Kit Harington as Professor Lockhart, Keira Knightley as Professor Umbridge, Iwan Rheon as Professor Lupin, Ruth Wilson as Bellatrix Lestrange and Ambika Mod as Nymphadora Tonks. Leo Woodall was also previously announced to be starring as Bill Weasley, Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley, James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody, Gemma Whelan as Professor Sprout, Matt Berry as Sir Cadogan, Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, Mark Addy as Hagrid, Alex Hassell as Lucius Malfoy, Daniel Mays as Dobby, and Sara and Avni Deshmukh as The Patil Twins. Meanwhile, rising stars Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and Arabella Stanton will play the younger versions of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively in the first three audiobooks. Notably, Stanton is also playing Hermione in the upcoming HBO series. Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis will play the older versions of the trio in audiobook four through to the conclusion. The first audiobook, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is scheduled to be released on Audible on 4th November, 2025, with the remaining six English-language audiobooks releasing monthly. The final audiobook is set to arrive one year before the HBO series is expected to premiere, with that series having begun filming, but not set for release until 2027. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on transgender rights. In 2020, she published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall. Rowling has also shared her views on social media, including in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she insisted that “there are no trans kids” and opposed the idea that a child can be “born in the wrong body”. In May 2025, Rowling set up the JK Rowling Women’s Fund, which describes itself as offering legal funding support to “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights”. Harry Potter actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, have distanced themselves from Rowling's views and have issued statements supporting the transgender community. Others, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent, have defended the author from the criticism she has received. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: The Full-Cast Audio Edition is available on Tuesday 4th November. Read our list of the best audiobooks on Audible to listen to right now. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Join our editors Shem Law and Caroline Frost every Friday, for a lively chat about all the latest hits and misses.
The great TV show hunt – we’ve all been there… Endless scrolling, channel hopping, and still nothing to watch? Behold The Radio Times Podcast – your weekly dose of TV wisdom, streaming gold and unfiltered opinions – all packed into one bitesize episode and delivered fresh every Friday. Hosted by entertainment journalist Caroline Frost and Radio Times Editor Shem Law, this is a podcast made by TV enthusiasts, for TV enthusiasts. Think the latest must-see series, wild plot twists, surprise gems and glorious flops – all debated, dissected and served with a side of wit. Whether you’re craving your next costume drama, investigating the latest true crime documentary or in need of a new nail-biting thriller – we’ve taken the guesswork out of what’s worth watching. Bite-sized and binge-worthy New episodes drop every Friday, so you can stay in the know about the latest releases across TV and streaming. Short enough to squeeze into your work commute or lunch time walk, every episode is packed with enough entertainment insight to instantly upgrade your evening viewing. Where to listen Listen to the latest episode every Friday or catch up on previous episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Acast. Make sure to follow our Radio Times Podcast channel so you never miss an episode! Browse our available episodes here! New Alan Partridge and Suranne Jones is everywhere - Friday 3 October Caroline and Shem are back with their weekly rundown of the best TV on the box - kicking off with the anticipated Celebrity Traitors which starts this Wednesday on BBC1. Caroline’s first recommendation How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) on BBC1 – is it a comedic hit? Shem’s pick is new drama Frauds on ITV1 starring Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker, a Thelma and Louise style tale of two con artists. Next on the watch list is the new romcom Film Club on BBC3, created by and starring Aimee Lou Wood. In this week’s Frostbite Caroline discusses ‘Worlds Apart’ bringing contestants of different ages and walks of life together. Lastly Shem dives into the archive with his pick, Robert Redford Night on BBC4. View oEmbed on the source website Blue Lights and Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue - Friday 26 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law have watched the good, the bad, and everything in between - so you don’t have to. Caroline begins with Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue on BBC One, Anthony Horowitz’s modern-day Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. Shem follows with Strictly Come Dancing, fresh from its launch show - but will this year’s celebrity lineup dazzle or disappoint? Caroline also spotlights the BAFTA-winning Blue Lights on BBC One, the tense drama following rookie police officers as they learn the ropes on the streets of Belfast. Shem rounds things off with his archive choice, Banned Music Night on BBC Two, starting with Banned in the 80s: Moments That Shook Music, revisiting the songs that once shocked and stirred the nation. View oEmbed on the source website Slow Horses and Strictly Return - Friday 19 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s top TV picks. Caroline starts with The Hack on ITV1, a gripping drama about the notorious phone hacking scandal starring David Tennant and Toby Jones. Shem’s choice is the eagerly awaited return of Slow Horses on Apple TV+, as the shambolic MI5 team dive into another action-packed mission. Caroline also highlights the glittering return of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One - but can the show steer clear of controversy and keep its sparkle? In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline looks at Amazon Prime Video’s number one hit The Summer I Turned Pretty, asking why so many older viewers are hooked on teen dramas. Shem rounds off with his archive pick, the classic BBC Four documentary series Arena. View oEmbed on the source website Rob and Rylan Return and Twiggy Doc - Friday 12 September Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s best TV to add to your list. First up is Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India on BBC Two, full of the duo’s usual antics - but is Caroline convinced it’s worth the watch? Shem’s pick is Twiggy on BBC Two, Sadie Frost’s documentary exploring the life and legacy of the 60s and 70s fashion icon. Caroline also highlights Michael Palin in Venezuela on Channel 5, capturing both the country’s breathtaking landscapes and its political struggles. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: why is public service broadcasting still so vital when streaming dominates our screens? Shem wraps up with his archive choice, Fawlty Towers: The Play on U&Gold, bringing the beloved sitcom to the stage. View oEmbed on the source website Only Murders in the Building and Freddie Flintoff's Ultimate Test - Friday 5 September This week, Caroline Frost is joined by Gareth McClean for another round of must-watch TV. Caroline’s first pick is Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams: Ultimate Test on BBC One, which sees the former cricketer heading to deprived areas to work with local teens, showing that anyone can play sport - no matter their background. Gareth’s choice is Only Murders in the Building on Disney+, back for its fifth season with Martin Short, Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and some new guest stars. Caroline also spotlights the third series of The Newsreader on BBC Two, continuing its sharp look inside a 1980s Australian newsroom. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: how can a TV show truly end on a high? Gareth rounds things off with his archive pick, tracing the evolution of Robin Wright’s career—from Forrest Gump to House of Cards. View oEmbed on the source website I Fought The Law and Educating Yorkshire Returns - Friday 29 August As Shem says, life’s too short for boring television - so he and Caroline have done the hard work for you. Caroline’s first pick is I Fought the Law on ITV1, with Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming, the mother who fought to overturn the 800-year-old double jeopardy law to secure justice for her daughter. Shem chooses I Am Martin Parr on BBC Four, a documentary on the photographer’s satirical eye, alongside Martin Parr: Think of England. Caroline also highlights Educating Yorkshire on Channel 4, revisiting much-loved teacher Mr Burton - now head at the same school. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks why we should pay closer attention to The Apprentice and its controversial contestants, before Shem rounds off with his archive pick: Arena – The Peter Sellers Story on BBC Four. View oEmbed on the source website Thursday Murder Club and 1066 Drama - Friday 22 August Caroline Frost and Shem Law return with another week of must-watch TV. Caroline begins with the long-awaited Netflix adaptation of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, directed by Steven Spielberg and boasting a star-studded cast including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie. Shem’s pick is BBC One’s King and Conqueror, charting the rivalry between William the Conqueror and Harold II in the lead-up to the Battle of Hastings - but will historians approve of its accuracy? Caroline also highlights The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Disney+, exploring the story of a woman wrongfully imprisoned for murder. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: when it comes to real-life legal dramas, who do they really serve? Shem rounds off with his archive picks on BBC Four - Battlefield Britain and The Mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry - digging into the true story behind 1066. View oEmbed on the source website Life After Lineker for MoTD - Friday 15 August Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with the week’s top TV picks to add to your watchlist. Caroline kicks off with a new Netflix political thriller starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy, while Shem turns to Match of the Day, returning to BBC One with a fresh lineup of presenters stepping into Gary Lineker’s shoes. Caroline’s next highlight is Confessions of a Brain Surgeon on BBC Two, a fascinating look at the highs and lows of the profession. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: why Americans can't get enough of us Brits - as long as it’s their version - with the recent release of Lena Dunham’s Too Much and My Oxford Year. Shem closes the episode with his archive pick, Jasper Carrott Night on BBC Four, celebrating the comedian’s life and career highlights. View oEmbed on the source website Led Zeppelin Doc and Ridley - Friday 8 August Fresh from his holiday, Shem Law rejoins Caroline Frost for another week of standout TV chat. Caroline kicks things off with Ridley on ITV1, starring Adrian Dunbar as a seasoned detective inspector navigating crime in the heart of Lancashire. Shem’s pick is the Antiques Roadshow VJ Day Special on BBC One, uncovering objects that evoke poignant memories of a too-often forgotten chapter of the war. They also spotlight Becoming Led Zeppelin on Now - a brand new documentary tracing the band’s beginnings and their role in creating a whole new genre of music. In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline ponders whether future archives will lose their allure when today’s celebrities share so much - is there any mystery left to uncover? Shem closes the episode with his archive choice, Shooting the Past from 1999 on BBC Four, a drama set in the fascinating world of picture libraries. View oEmbed on the source website Wednesday and Annika - Friday 1 August Caroline Frost is joined once again by journalist Gareth McClean for another week of sharp TV insight. Caroline kicks things off with Annika, the black comedy crime drama back for a second series filled with twists, turns, set in the Scottish highlands. Gareth’s pick is the Netflix hit Wednesday, with Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Joanna Lumley all returning to Nevermore Academy for season two. Caroline also turns to MasterChef—with both presenters recently caught up in controversy, how will the BBC handle it, and will audiences keep tuning in? In this week’s Frost Bite, Caroline asks: when a show moves from TV to YouTube, what do we gain and what do we lose? Looking at the journey of Spitting Image—from prime-time satire to its new, regulation-free life online. Gareth wraps up with his archive choice, The Newsreader, the 80s-set Australian drama charting the professional and personal lives of news anchors Helen and Dale. View oEmbed on the source website The Gone and Bonnie Blue Documentary - Friday 25 July While Shem takes a well-earned holiday, Caroline Frost is joined by her esteemed journalist colleague Gareth McClean for a week of sharp and savvy TV chat. Caroline kicks things off with The Gone on BBC Two, the slow-burn crime drama returning for a gripping second series. Gareth’s pick is Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, a revealing documentary exposing the dark truths behind a corrupt and scandal-ridden religious movement. Caroline also delves into the controversial Bonnie Blue documentary—does it serve genuine public interest, or is Channel 4 simply pandering to male fantasies under the guise of tackling a social issue? In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: from Gregg Wallace to Christian Horner, when the mighty fall, what happens to the show they front? Gareth rounds off the episode with his archive choice—Star Trek: Enterprise, revisiting the early 2000s chapter of the iconic sci-fi saga. View oEmbed on the source website Karen Pirie Series 2 and New Keeley Hawes Thriller - Friday 18 July Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another episode of the Radio Times Podcast, serving up the week’s standout TV. Caroline starts with series 2 of the hit crime drama Karen Pirie, starring Lauren Lyle as the short, sharp, detective inspector. Shem’s choice is The Narrow Road to the Deep North, an adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s prize-winning novel, following the harrowing experiences of prisoners of war in Burma, with Jacob Elordi in the lead. Caroline also spotlights The Assassin on Prime Video, pairing Keeley Hawes with Freddie Highmore in a tense new thriller. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks: from Miss Marple to Superman, how do we decide who gets to be “the definitive version”? Shem closes the episode with his archive pick—Helen Mirren Night on BBC Four, celebrating the career of one of Britain’s finest actors. View oEmbed on the source website Bookish and Shark Reality Show - Friday 11 July RT editor Shem joins Caroline Frost for another week of top-tier TV talk. Caroline kicks things off with Bookish, a cosy crime drama starring Mark Gatiss—but does it pack enough punch to stand out? Shem dives into Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, ITV’s new star-studded adventure that sees famous faces head to a tropical island to confront their fear of sharks. The pair also get into the return of Channel 4’s most-watched scripted drama ever, The Couple Next Door, back with another racy storyline packed with twists and turns. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks whether new BBC drama Mix Tape can capture the charm of a good old-fashioned playlist for a new generation. Shem wraps things up with his archive pick - heading back to 1985 once again with Miss Marple. View oEmbed on the source website Oasis and Live Aid at 40 - Friday 4 July Caroline Frost is joined this week by Preview Editor Frances Taylor and David Brown for another round of smart, snappy TV talk. First up, Caroline dives into Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took On the World, a three-part documentary looking back at the generation-defining music event and its global impact. Frances brings us Too Much, Lena Dunham’s new anti-romcom inspired by her own life - bold, marmite, and already stirring debate. Is it worth the fuss? David’s pick is Supersonic, a deep dive into the chaotic rise of Oasis, as Noel and Liam gear up for their reunion tour. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks why we don’t show enough love to the right female players at Wimbledon. With Serena Williams in focus, has public attitude towards women’s sport finally shifted? David rounds things off with his archive pick: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple from the 1980s. View oEmbed on the source website Glastonbury and Wimbledon - Friday 27th June Caroline Frost and Shem Law have been busy watching the good, the bad and everything in between - so you don't have to. This week, Caroline teases her upcoming magazine interview with comedy great Steve Coogan. She then dives into one of the TV events of the summer: Glastonbury on the BBC, packed with headline acts including Radio Times cover star Rod Stewart in that coveted legends slot. Shem serves up another quintessentially British TV highlight with Wimbledon—who’s set to shine on Centre Court this year? Also in the mix: Hill on Sky Documentaries, a moving deep-dive into the life and career of Formula 1 champ Damon Hill. In Frost Bite, Caroline asks the big question—can you really call yourself part of the TV nation if you’re just not that into sport? Shem wraps up with a nostalgic kick: The Big Match Revisited, reliving football’s golden years. View oEmbed on the source website The Bear and Squid Game - Friday 20 June Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another round of smart TV talk. This week: Caroline heads to Tasmania with her pick Survivors, a moody Aussie mystery now streaming on Netflix, while Shem dives into the opulent world of The Gilded Age—but does this Upper East Side period drama earn its place in your watchlist? Caroline also spotlights two big returns: the final, much-anticipated chapter of Squid Game on Netflix, and Disney+’s kitchen heatwave The Bear, with Jeremy Allen White back in the apron. In Frost Bite, Caroline questions the burden of beauty - do handsome men have it harder on screen? Finally Shem winds the clock back to the 60s and 70s with gritty archive drama Z-Cars. View oEmbed on the source website Outrageous and Noel Edmonds in New Zealand - Friday 13 June Caroline Frost and Shem Law serve up another week of sharp TV and culture chat. This episode: the latest from the French Open, breaking down Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s performances on the clay courts. Caroline’s top pick is the provocative Outrageous, delving into the scandalous lives of the Mitford Sisters, while Shem praises Amol Rajan’s interviewing skills in his sit-down with tennis legend Martina Navratilova. They also spotlight America’s Veterans: The War Within, a powerful exploration of the hidden struggles faced by those serving in the US forces. In Frost Bite, Caroline and Shem debate the baffling news of Noel Edmonds embarking on a Kiwi adventure—what’s that all about? Shem rounds things off with a nostalgic trip to the archives, revisiting Charlie Drake’s classic comedy, Drake’s Progress. View oEmbed on the source website The Gold Season 2 and Jamie Oliver Dyslexia Doc - Friday 6 June Podcast hosts Caroline Frost and Shem Law return with another lively mix of TV, culture, and conversation. This week: Ncuti Gatwa’s Tardis exit and the new Doctor regeneration—what’s next for the iconic sci-fi saga? Caroline’s buzzing about the return of Gold’s gripping Brinks-Mat robbery drama in series 2, while Shem champions Jamie Oliver’s campaign for better dyslexia support in schools. They also pay tribute to presenter Alan Yentob with a look back at his influential music and arts shows, alongside Shem’s personal memories. In Frost Bite, Caroline and Shem debate whether ITV’s cut to its daytime schedule is a misstep, and Shem takes us back to 1974 with Alison Steadman’s powerful performance in Second City Firsts: Girl. View oEmbed on the source website Springsteen and Succession’s Successor – Friday 30 May Podcast hosts Caroline Frost and Shem Law are back with another round of sharp TV talk. This week: Timothy Spall shines in Death Valley, Bruce Springsteen’s UK legacy takes centre stage in the documentary When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain, and Succession creator Jesse Amstrong drops a new one-off feature film, Mountainhead – but does it measure up? In Frost Bite, Caroline dives into the psychedelic haze of Nine Perfect Strangers, while Shem rewinds to the timeless 1995 classic, Pride and Prejudice. View oEmbed on the source website Write to the Radio Times Podcast and let us know your thoughts at: podcast@radiotimes.com If you're looking for something to watch, check out our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door.
Caroline Wyatt gets candid about life with MS - and why she thinks the BBC will endure
A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis disrupted BBC correspondent Caroline Wyatt’s career. But 10 years on she’s unbeaten and still broadcasting.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Caroline Wyatt uses the word “luck” a lot. Lucky to have started out in journalism at a time when the world seemed to be changing for the better. Lucky to still be broadcasting, even though it leaves her exhausted and bed-bound. And, yes, lucky to have only been struck down by what she describes as a “gentler” version of the chronic illness multiple sclerosis. “Some people get it very aggressively from the beginning, so yes, I have been so lucky with the way that my MS has developed.” She’s sunny and speaks with no hint of self-pity, even though she acknowledges, with almost a newsreader’s detachment, that her condition is deteriorating. “I am slowly getting worse and I have got to the stage where I’ve had all the drugs I’m eligible for with the NHS. The thing that I really notice now is the way my brain is changing. I can’t focus and concentrate as much… it’s like accelerated ageing.” She also has to contend with crushing fatigue. “You wake up in the morning feeling as if you haven’t been to bed. And the older I get [she’s 58], the worse it gets.” We last met 10 years ago in her central London flat, where she spoke for the first time about the hospital results confirming she had MS. Today, as that diagnostic anniversary approaches, we’re at the BBC’s HQ, from where she broadcasts a 30-minute version of Radio 4’s PM programme every Saturday. She laughs – as she does frequently – about the support she needs from colleagues in getting the programme on air. “My eyesight is really quite unreliable now, so if I’m nervous or have a lot of adrenaline in my system I find it really hard to read words on a screen. I ask the team to print out a script in big letters, which these days is the equivalent of saying I’m a dinosaur, but it just makes it a lot easier.” Today is also the day that Donald Trump is in town and the world’s broadcast media are in tow. Considering she was the BBC’s woman in Berlin not long after the reunification of East and West Germany, was Moscow correspondent at the time of Putin’s rise to power and the corporation’s first female defence correspondent covering wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, does she miss the cut and thrust of it all? “A bit,” comes the reply, quickly followed by a story – despite self-proclaimed memory failings she’s a wonderfully detailed storyteller – of why she took her leave of the front line. It was 2014, and in northern Iraq Isis was committing a genocide of the Yazidi people. Wyatt was there as religion correspondent and reporting, as she describes it, “appalling stories of rape, murder and retribution”. “I came home after that and decided I really can’t do that again. I think everyone has a limit and I had reached my limit of witnessing other people’s suffering. I just thought I am really pleased that I have these amazing colleagues who are going to carry on reporting wars and extreme situations, but I can’t do it any more.” Part of it, she acknowledges, was also physical. The as-yet undiagnosed MS was taking its toll. “In those situations you need to be fit enough to get out quite quickly. But I thought if they [Isis] did come to kidnap us, or worse, I couldn’t run.” These days she uses a walking stick to get about and admits to episodes of tripping over “because my foot doesn’t lift in the right way”. Her MS is now classified as “secondary, progressive”, so how does she manage the symptoms? “I try not to fight it and just acknowledge that I need a lot more rest and sleep. If I work on a Saturday, I try not to arrange too much on Sunday and Monday and hope that by Tuesday I can go and see friends. Pacing myself has been a massive lesson that I haven’t quite cracked yet. I still try to do too much and then I crash.” Does she ever despair? “Yeah, of course I get down and depressed and despondent.” What lifts her spirits? “I think friends and family… all the normal things. Being able to talk to other people who understand.” Cue more throaty laughter. “There are four of us women near where I live, all with MS. The hospital we go to got us together and we’re supposed to meet once a month, but because we’ve all got MS we cry off at least every other month!” Her Saturday stint on PM is, she agrees, a lifeline. For all its debilitating aftermath, she still enjoys the challenge of live broadcasting, though admits she had to step back from the hour-long show on Fridays because of exhaustion. “By the end of the programme I was gripping the desk to keep focused. I feel so lucky to still be there and still working. But I don’t know how long it’s going to last, because I don’t know what’s going to happen in health terms or in BBC terms.” Her own future health may be as uncertain as the BBC’s, but she has faith in both. “There are lots of people at my stage of the disease where the thing you need most is hope – that something’s going to come along that will halt or slow down the progression. There’s lots of research going on. I just want them to hurry up.” And what of the BBC? Is it robust enough to withstand the body blows it’s receiving from all sides? “I think it is. I hope it is. I can see that the BBC is in the crosshairs a lot of the time – certainly on social media – but we do live in an age of partisan debate, and having something that’s available to everyone in a society that is increasingly atomised is really important.” What’s important to Wyatt is maintaining a sense of perspective and appreciating there’s much in life still to be enjoyed. Though she rarely travels abroad now, she’s enjoying discovering unfamiliar parts of the UK. A study of her social media feed on X reveals daily repostings of beautiful paintings. She explains: “Algorithmically, I was getting war, killing, death, doom and destruction, so to influence the algorithm I went to other stuff, and that way it feeds me beautiful pictures every morning. Going to art galleries is one of the things I’ve started doing a lot more – sitting, looking and contemplating. It’s been a revelation. Although it’s quite knackering, they’ve got really good cafés – so tea and cake at the end!” More laughter. Her motto is simple: “Be glad, be grateful. One of the things the job taught me was how incredibly lucky we are.” There it is again, that word luck. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Taylor Swift albums in order – Taylor's Versions and first albums
Take a deep dive into every era that turned Taylor Swift into a megastar.
The Life of a Showgirl is finally here! The highly-anticipated 12th studio album has arrived, with Swifties worldwide sharing their thoughts. The album, which features 12 tracks and a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, has been described by Swift as her "secret passion project". "This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner-life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant," she said. "I’m so proud of it. And it comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life, so that effervescence has come through on this record. So as you said, bangers." Over the years, Taylor Swift has pivoted from a bright-eyed country singer to a global pop music superstar, breaking countless records and winning numerous awards, including 14 Grammys. Looking to revisit her previous albums? Read on for the singer's full discography in chronological order. Get Disney Plus from £4.99 per month Taylor Swift's full album list – including Taylor's Versions re-releases To date, Taylor Swift's albums are: Taylor Swift/Debut (2006) Fearless (2008) - Taylor's Version released in 2021 Speak Now (2010) - Taylor's Version released in 2023 Red (2012) - Taylor's Version released in 2021 1989 (2014) - Taylor's Version released in 2023 Reputation (2017) Lover (2019) Folklore (2020) Evermore (2020) Midnights (2022) The Tortured Poets Department (2024) The Life of a Showgirl (2025) Swift also released the following official live albums: Speak Now World Tour – Live (2011) Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008 (2020) Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, from the Disney+ Special (2020) Lover (Live from Paris) (2023) What are 'Taylor's Versions' of albums and why were they released? To date, Taylor Swift has created 11 studio albums – but has re-recorded and re-released four of them. These releases, known as "Taylor's Versions", were a direct response to a fight for creative rights and control of her songs from her old record label, Big Machine Records. With Big Machine, which she signed up to at age 15, Taylor released her first six albums, but in doing so gave them sole ownership of the recordings. When the label was sold to Scooter Braun in 2019, Swift was not given the opportunity to buy the ownership back, despite her protests against Braun and previous behaviour of his clients towards her (most notably Kanye West, with whom she had a public feud). In a statement, Swift said: "Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy. Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it." Braun would later sell the master recordings to private equity company, Shamrock Capital, in 2020. As a result, at the suggestion of Kelly Clarkson, Swift decided to re-record the albums herself, and release them of her own volition. This allows her to reclaim some level of ownership to her own material without needing ownership of the original album, and update the sound and style to her liking. At the time of writing (June 2025), four out of six Taylor's Versions have been released, with her debut album and sixth album, Reputation still to go. However, on 30th May 2025, Swift released a letter on her website revealing she had managed to finally buy back all six of her original album recordings, as well as their associated music videos, concert shows and more. As part of the lengthy letter, she said: "All I’ve ever wanted was the opportunity to work hard enough to be able to one day purchase my music outright with no strings attached, no partnership, with full autonomy. “I will be forever grateful to everyone at Shamrock Capital for being the first people to ever offer this to me. The way they’ve handled every interaction we’ve had has been honest, fair and respectful. "This was a business deal to them, but I really felt like they saw it for what it was to me: my memories and my sweat and my handwriting and my decades of dreams. I am endlessly thankful. My first tattoo might just be a huge shamrock in the middle of my forehead.” She confirmed later on in the letter that Reputation (Taylor's Version) wasn't even a quarter recorded, noting that she felt like it was the only one out of the six that couldn't be improved upon, making it difficult for her to do more to it. However, she did add that her debut album re-recording had been fully completed. “I really love how it sounds now. Those two albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right, if that would be something you guys would be excited about. But if it happens, it won’t be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.” Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) is available to stream on Disney Plus. Take a look at our Disney Plus deal page for more. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website If you fancy treating yourself to some special edition Taylor vinyls, as well as other gifts and merch, take a look at our roundup of the best gifts for Taylor Swift fans. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emma Thompson stars in Sense and Sensibility sequel – listen now to exclusive clip
Thompson stars opposite Erin Doherty in audio drama Becoming Meg Dashwood.
Emma Thompson leads the cast of new Audible audio drama Becoming Meg Dashwood, a sequel to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, written by Rebecca Humphries. Having previously played Elinor Dashwood in Ang Lee's 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, Thompson will here take on the role of the youngest Dashwood sister, Margaret, who the new story centres around. Meanwhile, Adolescence star Erin Doherty will also play the character, appearing as the younger version of Margaret, known as Meg. Now, RadioTimes.com has got an exclusive clip from the audio drama, which is available to pre-order and will launch on Monday 6th October, which you can listen to now at the top of this article. The Thursday Murder Club's Naomi Ackie will also star in the drama, playing Meg's lover Nelly, while the cast will be filled out by Liz Carr as Mrs Dashwood, Jessica Gunning as Hester, Paterson Joseph as Colonel Brandon, Greg Wise as Dr Keats, Golda Rosheuvel as older Nelly and Imelda Staunton as Mrs Jennings. The synopsis for Becoming Meg Dashwood says: "Marriage is not for Margaret Dashwood. Where others see duty, Margaret sees entrapment and rage. But when an invitation from family friend Mrs Jennings hurls her into the chaotic heart of Covent Garden and Soho, Margaret discovers an intoxicating world beyond afternoon tea and polite society. "Here she meets three women who live unapologetically: Nelly, an impulsive actress; Hester, a witch who works in the textile factory; and Inge, a sex worker who loves money and knows exactly how to get it. Here, Margaret’s rage is celebrated, along with her musical talents, and in their fierce company she is reborn as Meg: artist, and woman of hidden fires. "All four women dare to imagine a life dictated by pleasure, politics, and possibility. But such a life demands sacrifice. Especially when Meg’s feelings for Nelly – tender, electric, terrifying – begin to deepen. How does one fall in love, when that love has no name?" When the audio drama was first announced, Thompson, who is also an executive producer on the project, said: "I am very thrilled and proud to have been a part of bringing Audible and Rebecca Humphries’s extraordinary drama to life. "Their vision for the youngest Dashwood sister takes us from Austen’s world into the more hidden parts of women’s lives, parts that were not written about at the time, at least not openly. "I think Austen would have been fascinated and delighted with the language and with the story, and gladdened by the desire to take one of her characters and give her a future and a big, unexpected voice." This is the second Audible project related to Jane Austen's works to be released in recent weeks, after a new version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Marisa Abela and Harris Dickinson, was added to the platform last month. Becoming Meg Dashwood is available to pre-order at www.audible.co.uk. It will be released on Monday 6th October. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BBC Radio 2 host Sara Cox details key differences between her radio and podcasting work
Sarah Cox spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com about her podcast and radio career.
Sara Cox has been a mainstay on the audio waves for years, having hosted BBC Radio 2's drivetime show since 2019, and she's showing no signs of slowing down! Alongside her radio show, she also hosts The Teen Commandments, a podcast in which she and best friend Clare Hamilton reminisce and commiserate as they attempt to write the 'commandments' of modern teenagedom. Because after all, the best teen advice comes from those who have already been through it. While the outputs of her radio show and podcast are different, there is so much more that differs between the shows that listeners may not realise. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the British Podcast Awards 2025, Cox said: "The difference is that on the radio I've got everyone at the table, so I've got four year olds and teenagers and everything from sort of seven hours old to 107 listen to Radio 2, and I love that about it that you're just speaking to everybody at the table. "But I feel like with podcasting you do have that little bit more freedom to be a little bit wild. And it's exactly like how me and Clare speak to each other in real life, and to have that freedom is really refreshing and quite exciting." Hamilton and Cox launched the podcast back in February and have been having a blast ever since. "Getting to work together with your best mate is the dream," Hamilton told RadioTimes.com. "It's not like work, we forget the microphones are there and we just have a real giggle!" Cox added: "I've got loads of lovely jobs and I've been doing this for nearly 30 years now but without doubt this, creatively, and the heart of it is really the most satisfying thing I've done for a while. "It's just so different to have so much control. And podcasting is so different from radio or any kind of broadcasting that I've done before so I feel like it's really special. "You feel like your listeners are a community that comes together." Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Lola Young issues health update after collapsing on stage during New York gig
Lola Young has spoken out on Instagram after being carried off stage at a festival on Saturday (27th September) night.
Messy and One Thing singer Lola Young was carried off stage at All Things Go festival in New York on Saturday night after collapsing during her performance. The incident occurred while the English pop star was singing Conceited, which is from her second studio album This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway. She later posted on her Instagram story, updating fans on her condition. "For anyone who saw my set at all things go today , i am doing okay now [sic]," she wrote. "Thank you for all your support." Prior to her collapse on stage, Young told the crowd she had "had a tricky couple of days". In a video shared on TikTok, she can be seeing saying: "Before I start this next song, I want to say I’ve had a tricky couple of days. Sometimes life can really make you feel like you can’t continue. But you know what? Today I woke up and I made the decision to come here… And sometimes life can throw you lemons, and you just gotta f***ing make lemonade." One night earlier, Young pulled out of performing at Audacy's We Can Survive concert due to a "sensitive matter", according to Billboard. Radio Times has contacted Young's representatives for comment. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Back to Black's Marisa Abela reveals iconic figures she wants to play after Amy Winehouse performance
Abela has said she wants to play "an artist or a writer" in future.
As well as playing Yasmin Kara-Hanani in Industry, Marisa Abela is best-known for taking on the role of Amy Winehouse in 2024 biopic Back to Black. Now, speaking with Radio Times magazine for View From My Sofa, Abela confirmed she would "definitely" play a real-life figure again – albeit with a caveat. "I might not be interested in playing someone that's quite as high profile as Amy, because there's a level of intensity of getting it right that comes with that," she said. Abela continued: "But I love history, and I love historical fiction as well as non-fiction, so I would be more interested in playing either a historical figure or someone who is known for their work, rather than for who they are. So, an artist or a writer. I would love to play Sylvia Plath. Helen of Troy or Sylvia Plath." Abela can currently be heard as Elizabeth Bennett in Audible's new full-cast adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which also stars Harris Dickinson as Mr Darcy. Also in the cast are Will Poulter as Mr Wickham, Jessie Buckley as Caroline Bingley, Toheeb Jimoh as Mr Bingley and Glenn Close as Lady Catherine de Bourgh, amongst many others. She will also be seen reprising her role as Yasmin in Industry season 4, which has recently finished filming, and which is expected to be released next year. Abela won Leading Actress for her role in the show earlier this year, and teased of season 4: "Season 3 felt like a massive step up for the show and I feel like that is continuing and continuing. "So I am excited to see the response season four gets, which we are filming right now." Pride and Prejudice is available to purchase and listen to now at <a title="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/re0zCK69NS99BkOi3iWF5aHXT?domain=audible.co.uk" href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Pride-and-Prejudice-Audiobook/B0FBS55SLD?eac_link=lDqaGgU4lP3Z&ref=web_search_eac_asin_2&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0FBS55SLD&qid=woaNrg56MZ&eac_id=258-6868121-2582923_woaNrg56MZ&sr=1-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-outlook-id="eeab429c-2181-4603-9076-2be949663e7d">www.audible.co.uk. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
James Bond hopeful's "sensitive" new take on Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice adaptation teased by co-star
Marisa Abela is breathing fresh life into Jane Austen – and would love to be Helen of Troy.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. What’s the view from your sofa? My telly is in a bookshelf. I usually have my legs stretched out on an ottoman, and there’s a fireplace. What have you been watching? I’m in training for a film right now and I’m also planning my wedding [to actor and writer Jamie Bogyo], so I haven’t really been watching that much, but I just finished Love Island and KPop Demon Hunters – it’s crazy, but I really enjoyed it. I get into a bit of a cooking and reality TV-show hole while I’m filming, because otherwise it can feel like work. Who controls the remote in your household? Probably me. If I’m not enjoying something within the first ten minutes, I’ll be like, “Turn it off”. I can be a bit of a tyrant with my attention span. What was your first reaction when you were asked to play Elizabeth Bennet in Audible’s new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? I was so excited. Pride and Prejudice was the first book that I couldn’t put down, so this genuinely does feel like a full-circle moment. Of all the iconic characters in literature, Elizabeth has been a part that I’ve always been drawn to, and there is so much to excavate within her. When I heard about the rest of the cast for this specific production, I couldn’t believe my luck. What did you want to bring to your version of Elizabeth? I was quite specific that I didn’t want to put any kind of spin on it unnecessarily. That’s why it’s so nice to do a version like this, so people get to use their imagination. I’m not telling you what Lizzie looks like or what she’s doing with her face – I’m trying to bring life to her decisions, her relationships and everything that’s going on in the book, but it’s a collaboration with the listener. What kind of Mr Darcy is your co-star Harris Dickinson? He plays the character perfectly true to form. You get everything that you crave from Mr Darcy, but Harris adds a lot of layers to a more modern perspective on why a man might behave in that way. That arrogance, ego and pride come from somewhere. Often in Pride and Prejudice, Mr Darcy’s wound only comes out when it’s necessary for Elizabeth to see, whereas it kind of leaks out of Harris throughout. It’s a really sensitive performance. We last spoke to you before your Bafta leading actress win for Industry. Has your phone been ringing off the hook ever since? I’m pretty sure I got offered the job I’m doing now a couple of days after that win. To have that kind of recognition feels amazing and crazy. I’m incredibly proud that it was for Industry, which I love so much. Without it, I wouldn’t be doing any of this. It was my first job – I was at drama school when I booked it, and I remember going back from filming the first episode to graduate. You’ve just finished filming the fourth series. What makes this one different? There are new characters, so it was really fun to work with those new people. You first met Yasmin when she was an intern, carrying salads, and now she’s in a very different place in her life. I think I’m playing the most grown-up version of her this season, and that’s quite interesting. You played Amy Winehouse in Back to Black. Would you play another real-life figure in the future? Definitely. I might not be interested in playing someone who’s quite as high-profile as Amy, because there’s a level of intensity to getting it right that comes with that. But I love history, and I love historical fiction as well as non-fiction, so I would be more interested in playing either a historical figure or someone who is known for their work, rather than for who they are – an artist or a writer. I would love to play Sylvia Plath or Helen of Troy. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Pride and Prejudice is available to purchase and listen to now at <a title="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/re0zCK69NS99BkOi3iWF5aHXT?domain=audible.co.uk" href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Pride-and-Prejudice-Audiobook/B0FBS55SLD?eac_link=lDqaGgU4lP3Z&ref=web_search_eac_asin_2&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0FBS55SLD&qid=woaNrg56MZ&eac_id=258-6868121-2582923_woaNrg56MZ&sr=1-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-outlook-id="eeab429c-2181-4603-9076-2be949663e7d">www.audible.co.uk. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Melvyn Bragg reveals his exciting new project as he explains 'retirement' decision and whether he's had doubts
Stepping down after 27 years and more than 1,000 episodes, Melvyn Bragg is leaving In Our Time behind – but what does the future hold for the veteran broadcaster?
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Speaking to Melvyn Bragg the day after the announcement that he will be calling time on In Our Time, the much-celebrated Radio 4 ideas programme that he has presented since its creation in 1998, I don’t know whether to congratulate him on a sensational innings or plead that he reconsider. “I feel the same myself,” the 85-year-old broadcaster says. “But, one way or another, we’ve all got to go sometime. And I just thought, I’ll go now. I’ll go before I’m pushed, I suppose.” Hopefully, there were no plans to push Lord Bragg out. Certainly, Radio 4 controller Mohit Bakaya was lavish in his praise after Bragg announced his departure, saying, “His fierce intellect, coupled with a wonderful curiosity and extraordinary passion for knowledge, marks him out as one of the broadcasting greats.” Bakaya is right; Bragg’s show, where leading academics are brought together to discuss a wide spread of subjects – episodes have included explorations of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, the evolution of crocodiles and Ovid’s Metamorphoses – in ways ordinary listeners can understand, is the epitome of the Reithian ideal. “So many people have written in, saying, ‘I went to a state school, I didn’t know this, I didn’t know that, but this is providing education,’” says Bragg. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am about that. It’s immeasurable; it’s worth my whole broadcasting career.” In Our Time has also offered the BBC much-needed credibility when it has often been accused of dumbing down. In an age of anti-science conspiracy theories on social media and campaigns against “experts”, it has been a counterbalance to the sidelining of genuine intellectual curiosity. “I hope so,” says Bragg. “Because that is disastrous, utterly stupid and destructive. It’s disappointing that quite a bit of our public life is ignorant – but we’re not ignorant.” Back in 1998, the BBC told Bragg – who had been obliged to leave his berth at Start the Week when he entered the House of Lords as a Labour peer – that the new show could have six months and they would see how it went. “They offered me what was cheerfully called ‘the death slot’,” he says, of the Thursday 9am broadcast time. The very first episode was called War in the 20th Century. Executives had no idea what would happen but then, as he admits, neither did Bragg. “I had not the slightest inkling. It was just a sort of shot in the dark.” It turned out that ordinary listeners were hungry for knowledge. Within a year, the show was getting an audience of 1.5 million and today it is heard by more than two million people a week. The premise of In Our Time is disarmingly simple. Bragg is the everyman asking three academics, leaders in their field, questions on our behalf. A key part of the show’s continuing success has been Bragg’s unflagging curiosity and delight in finding things out. “I’ve been surprised, enchanted and baffled,” he says. “I hope that I’ve had the nerve to ask them what they really mean by that. In other words, can they say it in simpler terms, so ignorant people like me can understand.” This approach reached a wider audience than expected partly, says Bragg, because people missed things at school and regret it. “I missed science because I stopped doing it at 14, so the science episodes are a wonderland for me. Then you discover that people all over the country feel the same way, they want to learn about science. So, we all go away with a real increase in our knowledge, in our comprehension of what’s going on in the world.” All those thousands of questions have been delivered in that unmistakeable quizzical, northern, working-class accent – Bragg’s parents ran a pub in Wigton in Cumberland – albeit one tempered by six decades in London. Bragg was part of the 1960s generation that headed south, broke down class barriers and re-energised broadcasting, most notably with his long-running ITV/Sky Arts programme, The South Bank Show. Did he ever think of taking In Our Time on to TV? “I did think about it in the early days, for about five minutes. And I thought what would happen would be everybody taking part would become self-conscious, and it wouldn’t work as well, so I dropped the idea.” Instead, In Our Time was at the forefront of the corporation’s entry into podcasting, first on the BBC website and iTunes in 2004. “Some people wondered whether In Our Time was good enough, or grand enough, or important enough,” says Bragg of the switch to online that would attract a global audience. “But we just did it, and the audience came to us in millions, and it came to us from around the world. Though, obviously, I’m very surprised.” When the last series’ final episode, on civility, was broadcast in July, had he already made up his mind to leave? “No, I hadn’t. I found it quite a tricky one to do and later in the summer I had one of those moments where you think, ‘Well, which path do you take through the woods?’ Then you take one, and that’s it,” says Bragg, who has had several health issues recently. Has he regretted his decision? “Sometimes I’ve thought, ‘What a stupid thing to do,’ but mostly I think this is the right path for me.” Now there is the question of who can possibly replace him. It has been reported that the job was offered to Mishal Husain (who spoke to Bragg for the 1,000th edition of In Our Time, in 2023) to try to persuade her to stay at the BBC. Does he think it matters if it’s a woman? “No, not in the slightest.” So, who would Bragg want to see in the role? “It’s a good question,” he laughs. “I haven’t thought because it’s none of my business any more.” Bragg laughs again when I ask if he has a favourite episode. “Well, we’re talking about more than 1,000 shows. That’s not so much a sprinkle of shows as a shower, a downpour, a storm. I just can’t answer that, I wish I could.” Perhaps he can decide over the coming months, because rather than retiring he will be marshalling his energy for one more project around In Our Time, building on the work of the last 27 years. “Mohit very generously said, ‘Well, we’re going to do more stuff.’ I hope it’s going to be based on the archive, which is extraordinary,” Bragg reveals. “There is nothing like it in the world. It’s an oral encyclopaedia, the like of which exists nowhere else. “A lot of young people now prefer to listen than to read, so I’m going to devote myself to doing something special with that. I hope it will be a contemporary encyclopaedia.” An exciting prospect for Bragg? “Oh, it’s going to be great fun.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BBC launches three new radio stations: "It's all about the audience"
The Radio 1 and Radio 3 spin-offs were approved while Radio 2 and 5 Sports Extra proposals were dismissed.
Twenty-three years since it last launched new national radio stations – BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra and Asian Network – the BBC has three starting on the same day. Previously available since November 2024 as live streams on BBC Sounds, Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 1 Dance (which has been on Sounds since 2020) and Radio 3 Unwind passed full competition assessments undertaken by the industry’s regulatory body Ofcom in July of this year and will start broadcasting on DAB+ on Friday 12 September. The three stations were part of wider proposals from the BBC, which also included the launch of a Radio 2 spin-off and the extension of the broadcasting hours of 5 Sports Extra. Both the Radio 2 spin-off and the extension of 5 Sports Extra were refused by Ofcom for the negative impact it was deemed they would have on commercial competitors. Sam Jackson, the controller of Radio 3, says that while he couldn’t be certain that Unwind would get approval, “I wasn't surprised, because I think we made a very, very strong case. I was very proud of the submission that we made, I felt we did a good job of arguing why this was distinctive and why it would be welcomed.” He points out that around 8,000 different pieces of music will be played on Unwind each year, from a broad repertoire but with a focus on recordings from the past 10 years – even of Baroque or classical pieces – and a mission to introduce new contemporary works, including from performers or composers who aren’t signed to record labels. Radio 1 controller Aled Haydn Jones is similarly robust in his defence of why we need two new stations: “It’s all about the audience. Ofcom has pointed out that the BBC needs to be doing better with young audiences. Having services for young people is a public service. Radio 1 is the biggest radio station for youth audiences in the UK, so having stations with the Radio 1 brand offering more is a pretty special thing.” Both men are keen to stress the differences between what their stations are offering and what can be found on commercial radio, with Haydn Jones claiming that Radio 1 plays more tracks in a week than its nearest commercial competitor does in a year, though he understands the commercial imperative that may account for that disparity. “Commercial stations are going to pick the songs that work best for their audience and play them as frequently as they want to play them. Whereas Radio 1 are about new artists coming through; over 50 per cent of Radio 1 tracks are within the last six weeks of release and Radio 1 Dance will do the same for UK dance DJs and producers coming through.” On the back of that he expects Radio 1 Dance to play around 3,000 unique tracks a year – in previous years on BBC Sounds it has averaged around 3,200. Sam Jackson takes an additional angle in his argument as to how Radio 3 Unwind is distinct from its competitors, saying: “If you compare what we do with Classic FM Calm where, I believe, there are no presenters, we have programmes that are presented by experts in their field.” He points to mid-morning presenter Sian Williams, who as well as being a respected broadcaster also has now an NHS practice in the field of trauma mental health, working with first responders. “She brings with her this other side to what she does. She's a broadcaster, she loves classical music but she's also trained professionally in mental health and wellbeing.” Continuing in the comparison with Classic FM Calm, he’s at pains to point out he’s highlighting differences not setting out to denigrate the competition: “This isn't meant to be a slight on what they do. They do what they do, they do that very well, but they have a kind of jukebox of music that is played with no presenters. There's an audience for that, there's an audience for a version of that on Spotify as well and I think anything that introduces more people to classical music is a good thing. “But I think we have to collectively have the confidence to say there's room for everybody and then let the audience decide what they want to listen to.” Haydn Jones also points to the breadth of presenting talent on Radio 1 Dance, which includes many big cheeses from the dance music world, from veterans like Pete Tong to newer names such as Charlie Hedges and the Blessed Madonna. Defending Radio 1 Anthems, which has a stated mission of serving up nostalgia for young people with a playlist of “bangers” from the Noughties to now, against accusations that it’s just like any number of commercial “decades” stations (Absolute 90s, Heart 80s, etc etc) is a bit tougher but Haydn Jones remains staunch. “The people who are presenting it are in some of the first presenting jobs, they've had out of university. We work with the Student Radio Association, where we had a panel of students playlist our shows, but also inform the Radio 1 team about songs they grew up with or remember. “But then also we add our curation with our knowledge of young people under 24 to find out which pockets of eras or genres we could delve a bit deeper into to give them ‘new to me’ music; things that they might not have discovered as they were growing up. For us, it's about the target audience and trying to ensure that they have a service that's dedicated to them.” He also points to the fact that getting Ofcom approval is recognition from the broadcast industry that there needs to be a focus on young audiences, and that the BBC is better placed than any to serve that audience. “It may not be where the easiest money is for our commercial friends, there are going to be more affluent age demographics that can pay bills. The fact that we are able to say we want to make sure that young audiences do not move away from DAB or from broadcast media and drift to streaming, I think is an important one. "So, I think the fact that we were successful with these is great. It won't be the full answer to our problems of ensuring that young audiences get what they need from broadcast media and BBC specifically but it's a brilliant step.” Asked whether there could be any more spin-offs from their stations, Sam Jackson is cautiously optimistic, saying: “Could there be a Radio 3 jazz station, a Radio 3 live music station? I love the idea of launching some new services that introduce Radio 3 to even more people so long as we keep the main network as healthy and as strong as ever.” Everything would, of course, be subject to the same lengthy Ofcom approvals process that the new stations have already gone through and it’s this that makes Haydn Jones more reluctant to say yes to more Radio 1 stations: “No one is asking for that right now. And I'm imagining at the pace these things take, if there ever is in the future, I'll be long gone by then.” Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
'Lust is a great creative force': David Bowie reveals what drove him in exclusive interview
A new BBC podcast presented by Kate Moss features Bowie and stars like Elton John, Lady Gaga, Robbie Williams and Tilda Swinton reflecting on his life and legacy – plus, Radio Times has acquired exclusive extracts from interviews not used.
The chameleon figure of David Bowie is one of the most scrutinised personas in rock and pop, as commentators continue to attempt to capture his essence, like bottling lightning. The subject of innumerable books and documentaries, Bowie has also had a touring exhibition that ran, appropriately enough, for five years, and now the Victoria & Albert Museum in London is opening on 13 September a David Bowie Centre at its new Storehouse facility in the east of the city, to house a wealth of material from his archive, including notes on his uncompleted final project – a musical set in 18th-century London. Given all that, it seems unfeasible that there is anything new to learn about Mr David Jones from Brixton. Yet the BBC 6 Music podcast Music Uncovered, David Bowie: Changeling has unearthed a previously unheard interview the Starman gave to producer Des Shaw in 2001, in which he looks back at his progression from wannabe rock star to global superstar in the early 70s, often guffawing at the absurdity of it all with a cackle to rival Grayson Perry’s. In the interview, the Starman reflected on how he reacted to the fame and success he enjoyed in the early 70s, telling Shaw: "I think that throughout the 60s and most of the 70s I was driven by lust, as much as anything. It's a great creative force. That in turn is replaced by anger, when you ask where the money is. And then you get depression, and then you go to Berlin and write really moody instrumental stuff. It’s the triptych of the 70s. Lust, anger, moody." Bowie also reflected on the differing views on what he was doing – his fusing of music, fashion, performance and art – “I think people are split into two very separate attitudes. One was that I was just this charlatan and other that I was, sort of, this rock god. There was no halfway measure. And I was rather scared of both sides!” There’s no doubting on which side the contributors to the podcast fall, including its presenter Kate Moss, who became friends with Bowie through his deep interest in fashion. She recalls how their friendship began in the sweetest manner, “David, whose nickname for me by the way was Smasher, started phoning me on my birthday. I didn’t need any other presents after that.” They formed a close relationship, to the extent that when Bowie won a lifetime achievement award at the Brits in 2014, he asked his friend Kate to collect it for him. She agreed, on one condition, that she could wear something from his archive: “I wore the original Kansai Yamamoto bodysuit that David had worn for his [Ziggy Stardust] Rainbow Theatre gigs in 1972 - it fit me like a glove. It was a very surreal experience.” But then the surreal is part of the appeal of the Bowie legend and that otherworldliness is summed up rather well by an entertainer many would consider a down-to-earth chap, Robbie Williams: “He was basically a celestial, angelic member of a fraternity that exists outside of this planet and this ‘normie’ realm and there are very few that are sent to teach us, love us, show us the way, but he was one of them.” There are quotes in the podcast from so many stars – across music, film, art, fashion – who felt taught, loved and shown the way by Bowie that his legacy comes through loud and clear. Actor Tilda Swinton, for one, sees it clearly: “I think that what Bowie contributed and contributes still - and presumably always will contribute to the culture - is a model of flexibility, curiosity. [He] was clearly a deeply experimental spirit, so dedicated to not repeating himself and very healthily not invested in minding when other people didn’t like what he was up to.” That single focus on doing what he wanted proved influential worldwide. Fashionista Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue who grew up in Ghana, says, “I was always obsessed with music. I was always obsessed with imagery and I remember I would see images of David Bowie in magazines and I knew how he looked was something that was just mind-blowing for a kid from Africa. “That fact that he was not scared of his sexuality, the fact that there were so many young people in small towns who would go out in their ‘Bowieness’ - dressed like him, probably getting beat up every night in night clubs - but he was bold and he was unafraid and there was something that always sort of attracted me to him.” A pop star who made a similar splash with his look in the 1980s, Boy George saw that Bowie’s impact was more profound than perhaps widening what music fans were able to wear: “[He] was unique because he was so contradictory in every way. He wasn’t the archetypal homosexual – or bisexual, I don’t think he was even that — and we were part of a new breed of gay people who weren’t apologetic. We weren’t going to apologise for being gay.” Lady Gaga, who treads a similar path to Bowie in the way she encompasses the worlds of music, art, fashion and theatrics, and who pays a huge debt to his Aladdin Sane persona, makes the point that what people found so moving and profound always came wrapped in pure entertainment: “I always felt that his glamour was something he was using to express a message to people that was very healing. You can use the theatre of your imagination to entertain people beyond their wildest dreams.” Yet it’s left to a superstar peer of Bowie’s to sum up everything in the simplest of terms. Elton John, who amazingly said at the time that Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust gigs were “too camp” (though he did later recant and admit the influence Ziggy had on him), now states clearly, “His music speaks for itself - he’s a giant, a ground-breaking artist, songwriter, performer, actor - and his legacy will be there for ever.” Radio Times has exclusive access to some extracts from the interviews conducted for the podcast, but which didn’t make the final cut and which we can share with you now. First up we find that Bowie laugh well deployed in the 2001 interview as he reflected on the wealth of online commentary about his early work: “The great thing about the internet these days is that there are some brilliant sites that stoke the myth and mystique about the early period stuff. “It’s mostly wrong and kind of irrelevant, but what it does do is - they have got amazing photographs that they’ve collected over the years and what they do write actually prompts me and then I can remember from what they’ve said whether it’s mistake or reality. It doesn’t matter really because it all becomes nonsense anyway in the end [laughing]!” That willingness to laugh about what many think is an important and enduring legacy is something that actor Tilda Swinton will always hold dear as she revealed to Shaw: “I think probably the most important, the most resonant thing that I managed to kind of ‘download’ from David, knowing him as a person, was just glorying in how happy he was.” “He was certainly happy at the time of his life when I was fortunate enough to know him and I know - because he told me - there had been times in his life when he hadn’t been as happy, but by the time we met he was so incandescent with appreciation for life and that, I would say, is the most important base note of what he meant to me as a friend. Curious in every way and engaged and up for it - and full of mischief, vim and vigour - and all the good stuff.” Another close friend, and collaborator, who admits to being influenced by working with Bowie is his Berlin flat-mate, Iggy Pop. He told Shaw: “We were visually absolutely influenced and pressured by what was going on in Britain at the time - and David would come around in his gigantic lavender platform heels with a new hair colour every week and we’d all go off and drink tea [...] this led to all sorts of ramifications within the group and you can see on the back of [the 1973 Iggy Pop and the Stooges album co-produced by Bowie] Raw Power album - the kabuki make-up and my black lipstick - absolutely in reaction to what was happening. Very human reaction - 'The guys down the street are doing it then we’ll do that too'.” Ground-breaking 60s model Twiggy was also struck by the Bowie look: “Visually he was stunning. I do remember seeing him on Top of the Pops for the first time and just being bowled over by how he looked - no one in the pop scene had ever dressed like that. I’d seen [Marc] Bolan wear make-up but Bowie had the amazing costumes. I just thought he was extraordinary and to me, David’s music was so new and different. He was so bright and sweet and lovely. I just thought he was gorgeous and I loved his clothes and his music and bought his albums.” There’s one album that is more dear to her than any others, as she features in the lyric, “His name was always Buddy, And he'd shrug and ask to stay. She'd sigh like Twig the Wonder Kid, And turn her face away”. She told Shaw about the first time she heard it: “I was in my little kitchen and I heard [Drive-in Saturday] on the radio and thought I heard my name, so I went to my local record shop and told the guy behind the counter I thought I’d heard my name in a song and he said, it was the new David Bowie album, so I bought Aladdin Sane.” What these quotes and all the interviews used in the podcast make clear is that Bowie touched and guided the lives of so many people, from those he made music with to his fans and friends, that his legacy continues to burn bright in contemporary culture, however much he might think the myth-making is nonsense. Music Uncovered, David Bowie: Changeling is available now on BBC Sounds and broadcasts on 6 Music at 12 midnight Sunday 21 September. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
New Harry Potter adaptation adds Game of Thrones legends to huge A-list cast
Kit Harington and Iwan Rheon will join more stars including Keira Knightley and Ruth Wilson in the new full cast Harry Potter audio dramas.
As fans wait patiently for the new Harry Potter TV show, we've just got a big update regarding another adaptation of JK Rowling's novels - Audible's full-cast audio editions. A large number of central cast members for the audio editions were announced last month, with Cush Jumbo, Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Gomez, Mark Addy, Alex Hassell and Daniel Mays all playing key roles. Now, new additions to the cast have been confirmed, with some more A-listers also joining the line-up. Amongst those who have been cast are Keira Knightley, who will play Dolores Umbridge, while Game of Thrones legends Kit Harington and Iwan Rheon will both be playing Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, with Harington playing Gilderoy Lockhart and Rheon taking on the role of Remus Lupin. Other new additions include Ruth Wilson as Bellatrix Lestrange, Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley, James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody, Gemma Whelan as Professor Sprout and Matt Berry as Sir Cadogan. There will also be a One Day reunion, as the stars of that Netflix series, Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, play Nymphadora Tonks and Bill Weasley. On the announcement, McAvoy said: "I am absolutely thrilled to bring the fiercely determined Mad-Eye Moody to life in these dynamic audio editions from Pottermore and Audible. He's a layered character, constantly shifting between battle-hardened intensity and unexpected moments of wisdom. Capturing his commanding presence was incredibly fun." Meanwhile, Woodall added: "In creating Bill Weasley's adventures through voice, it is genuinely special to be part of bringing this world to life in a new way for listeners. "From the stellar cast to the immersive sound world that Pottermore and Audible have put together, listeners everywhere will be given a new way to be transported directly into these celebrated stories." As was previously confirmed, the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione will be played by a different set of actors in the first three books to the latter four. The actor playing Hermione in the first three, Arabella Stanton, has also been cast as Hermione in HBO's new TV version of Harry Potter. The first of the audio dramas, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will be released on 4th November 2025, with each following release arriving monthly. The final instalment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will arrive on 12th May 2026. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on transgender rights. In 2020, she published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall. Rowling has also shared her views on social media, including in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she insisted that “there are no trans kids” and opposed the idea that a child can be “born in the wrong body”. In May 2025, Rowling set up the JK Rowling Women’s Fund, which describes itself as offering legal funding support to “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights”. Harry Potter actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, have distanced themselves from Rowling's views and have issued statements supporting the transgender community. Others, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent, have defended the author from the criticism she has received. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: The Full-Cast Audio Edition will be released on Tuesday 4th November and is available to pre-order here. Read our list of the best audiobooks on Audible to listen to right now. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Pride and Prejudice's latest adaptation has 'stubborn, vulnerable' Elizabeth Bennet, reveals BAFTA winner
Marisa Abela is playing Elizabeth Bennet in Audible's new version of Jane Austen's masterwork.
Audible's new full-cast audio drama version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is now available to listen to in full, starring Marisa Abela as Elizabeth Bennet and Harris Dickinson as Mr Darcy. Abela, who won a BAFTA for her role in Industry earlier this year, spoke exclusively with Radio Times about her version of Elizabeth, and what she wanted to bring to the character. "She's a very wilful character, a very stubborn character, especially at the beginning, so that was incredibly fun to play," Abela said. "Her wit is the thing that I found most compelling about her, even when I was first introduced to the book, so I knew that she needed to feel quick and smart. "But there's a softness that's there throughout, and a vulnerability that's there throughout. I'm very excited to be added to the list of people that have given it a go." View oEmbed on the source website Abela also spoke about why she thinks Jane Austen's works are so adaptable, with Pride and Prejudice having been brought to so many different mediums so many times and counting (there's new Netflix version also on the way). "She speaks to the human experience, which is often about falling in love, conflict, getting over yourself, getting over your own insecurities and your own flaws, and meeting another person," Abela said. "I think she's just brilliant at situational romance, and I think that we can all sort of put ourselves in those moments. "It's so easy to place yourself inside her world. I think she's also an incredibly smart woman, and everything feels very modern. It's kind of shocking when you read Pride and Prejudice and they feel like characters that you could go and meet today. I think that kind of classic romance really just does stand the test of time, clearly." Amongst the other stars to feature in Audible's new Pride and Prejudice are Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Mrs Bennet, Bill Nighy as Mr Bennet and Glenn Close as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Pride and Prejudice is available to purchase and listen to now at <a title="https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/re0zCK69NS99BkOi3iWF5aHXT?domain=audible.co.uk" href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Pride-and-Prejudice-Audiobook/B0FBS55SLD?eac_link=lDqaGgU4lP3Z&ref=web_search_eac_asin_2&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0FBS55SLD&qid=woaNrg56MZ&eac_id=258-6868121-2582923_woaNrg56MZ&sr=1-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-outlook-id="eeab429c-2181-4603-9076-2be949663e7d">www.audible.co.uk. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jeremy Dyson shares "pure joy" of reuniting The League of Gentlemen stars for brand new project
The cast of The League of Gentlemen team up again in a new radio comedy drama written by Jeremy Dyson.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. There is a picture on the wall of Jeremy Dyson’s office, and he is gazing at it as we speak: “It’s the four of us riding the log flume at Blackpool Pleasure Beach after the end of our first big tour. We’re all screaming with joy, and it sums up the miracle of the journey – an absolute thrill-ride that we went on together.” Now, 24 years on, the quartet – Dyson and fellow The League of Gentlemen stars Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Mark Gatiss – is reuniting for High Cockalorum, a gentle Radio 4 comedy drama penned by Dyson and inspired by his uncle’s brush with stardom. Commissioned as part of the BBC’s Contains Strong Language festival (there’s a live playout and Q&A at St George’s Hall, Bradford, on 20 September), Dyson describes the 1978-set story as “a mini road movie about an encounter between a humble lad from West Yorkshire and a Hollywood film star”. In real life, Dyson’s uncle worked for a record label, where he was occasionally called on to look after actors working on soundtrack albums – which is how he once came to spend time with James Mason, star of such films as A Star Is Born and Lolita. Dyson says: “When I told Mark this story, he joked, ‘You write it, I’ll play it.’ Eighteen months later, here we are.” As well as the charm of two very different people brought together by circumstance, High Cockalorum explores how fame can change people. It’s a subject Dyson has long had opportunity to witness first hand, as he and his League friends reached dizzying heights after winning the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1997. Unlike the other three, Dyson has opted to stay mostly behind the camera, giving him what he says is “the best of both worlds”. On the pros and cons of the instantly recognisable celebrity experienced by his colleagues, Dyson muses: “The inconveniences strike me more. You get hassled everywhere and there’s not much upside to that. I don’t feel deprived.” He continues: “I have a love-hate relationship with what Alan Bennett calls ‘the tinsel’. “There’s a lot I struggle with – the insincerity, the manipulation. A party full of famous people is not conventional. All the social cues that operate normally disappear, it’s highly status-driven and who’s where in the pecking order governs how much attention they get. You need a thick skin to navigate all that, which I don’t have. But I’m fascinated by it all, and the tinsel remains. It’s a simultaneous fascination and repulsion.” If the public side of The League of Gentlemen’s success tested Dyson, the friendships at its heart have brought him nothing but delight. “Up to when I met Mark, I had a particular set of interests that I’d had since I was seven years old, from Doctor Who to horror movies, plus TV comedy. I had friends who covered bits of that, but then a mutual friend, Gordon, met Mark, and within five minutes, he was on the phone: ‘There’s someone you have to meet…’” Through Gatiss, Dyson met Shearsmith and Pemberton – and the troupe was born. What did each of them bring? Dyson can’t pin it down, saying instead they were united in temperament and commitment. “Nobody was looking to go off to Hollywood; we just wanted to do good work. It was all pleasure. It’s strange looking back on it, but I guess it’s the story of any successful group endeavour, the gravity that pulls people together.” It’s a pull that has remained strong, most recently when an episode of Good Omens two years ago was conceived as a League reunion, and now High Cockalorum. Dyson is freshly appreciative: “It’s pure joy. In the first two minutes, we all collapse crying with laughter and it continues in that vein, in pure hysteria from start to finish. That’s what it’s like and why whenever we get the opportunity, we grab it. The older you get the more you become aware of the preciousness of it all.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Silent Witness star Emilia Fox on new true crime series: 'It's left up to the listener to decide'
"You're creating the picture of what happened in the case."
Without meaning to, Emilia Fox has largely become synonymous with crime, both through BBC drama Silent Witness, which will return to screens for season 29 in the new year, and through her true crime work, the latest of which is Audible's Crime Scenes. The podcast series explores five extraordinary cases from around the world that are, in Fox's own words, often "stranger than fiction". It opens with a 2019 case from a Florida town near Walt Disney World Resort where an "unimaginable nightmare" unfolded for one family, and concludes with the 1931 murder of a housewife in Anfield, Liverpool, which asks: is all really as it seems? "With Silent Witness, there's the added element because it's not just detective stories and solving mysteries, there's the medical and scientific side of it, which I find personally fascinating," Fox told RadioTimes.com. "But I'm very clear on the delineation between working on fictional crime series and working on documentaries. And obviously, the two things are defined by the fact that these are tragedies which have happened to people in real life, which is what this podcast series is. "It's dealing with real lives and real tragedies so obviously, one feels differently about them. And I think in the portrayal of them, that is very important too." Fox then went on to talk about ensuring that the victim or victims are front and centre in her true crime work, rather than the perpetrator. "Explaining who the people were that it happened to, and that that is not forgotten or buried by an interest in who the person is who did it," she added. "That should not be the focus of it. This is the difference for me with what happens in fiction, which very often, you follow the perpetrator. "And people have an interest in why people have done these unthinkable things, but I think there is a massive awareness now of telling these stories and being victim-focused and victim-led in the right way, and being focused on the people who are left behind." Fox also said that "in a couple of these stories, it's left up to the listener to decide what they feel about who did it and whether justice was served correctly". "It's about hearing about what happened with the crime, but also following the investigation and the outcome," Fox continued. "The listener is allowed to, I think, imagine the world where these cases exist and the locations in which they exist. You're not being shown it and told it. You're creating the picture of what happened in the case. Read more: Fred and Rose West detective recalls what it took to solve the case – and get confession What happened to JonBenét Ramsey? True story behind Netflix's Cold Case "It was quite a different way of telling the story because it was using the archives and documentation and mixing that with the narrative voice, which I think gives a very realistic picture of what happened in these cases." Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
BBC Radio 1 confirms Love Island: Aftersun favourite and more fresh faces to join presenting line-up
The presenting line-up is expanding this autumn.
BBC Radio 1 has announced a dazzling new line-up of presenters joining the Friday Early Breakfast monthly rotation and the station's Life Hacks this autumn. Beth Wallace, Jack Remmington and Ash Holme have been confirmed as the next wave of presenters set to host Fridays 5am - 7am. Wallace, who has been part of the Radio 1 family since last Christmas, will kick off the rotation in September. She also presents a show on the Scottish-based local Forth 1 and was nominated for Best New Presenter at the 2025 ARIAS. "I'm absolutely buzzing to be part of the Radio 1 team for the next few weeks," said Wallace. "Radio 1 is a station I’ve always adored and it’s gonna be an absolute pleasure to kick start Fridays, get folk in the weekend mood early. Laughs, good vibes and fun times coming your way." Presenting duo Jack Remmington and Ash Holme will be taking the October slot, with both of them known for their hilarious videos on social media. Holme has built a following of over two million on social media, and was part of this year's Love Island: Aftersun panel. Remmington is known for his pop culture commentary and hosting red carpets, as well as his work on the podcast Famously... In Love. The duo said: "We're sooo excited to be back at BBC Radio 1 and this time soundtracking your Fridays through October - tune in to liven up your mornings and enjoy the energy and chaos we’re bringing your way." And while Shanequa Paris is on maternity leave, Charley Marlowe and Lina Nielsen will join Lauren Layfield to co-host Radio 1's Life Hacks, with Marlowe taking over in September and Nielsen in October. The pair will also co-host The Official Chart: First Look alongside Lauren Layfield. Nielsen said: "I’m thrilled to have this opportunity with Radio 1 and the Life Hacks team. Having been a guest on the show before the Olympics, I’ve always loved catching up with them live on air. Now, I can’t wait to join as a co-host throughout October." Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, commented on the new presenter signing: "Supporting and developing new presenting talent is at the heart of what we do at Radio 1, and the schedule this autumn is a great example of that. "I’m excited to welcome Beth, Jack, Ash, Charley and Lina to the station and can’t wait to see the energy and creativity they bring to their shows." Check out more of our Audio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.