Richard Ayoade

09/07/19 • 85 min

1 Listener

Richard Ayoade became famous for playing Moss in the IT Crowd and went on to present Gadget Man, Travel Man and The Crystal Maze. He was nominated for a BAFTA for directing his first feature film Submarine and has directed music videos for Artic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend and Radiohead. Despite that, he describes himself primarily as a writer and his third book Ayoade on Top has just been published.

Choreographer, dancer and artistic director Kevin Turner was spotted for his talent as a child. However, as his career soared, his mental health suffered. He describes how he used dance to recover and now coaches other mentally ill people in how to use movement to heal.

When Isabel Vincent was in her 40s and living in New York, her friend Valerie suggested that she meet up with her 91 year-old father for dinner. To Isabel’s surprise they had an immediate spark and became best friends. She went to have dinner with him almost every week for five years until he died at 95-years old.

Actor Amanda Abbington became a national hero when, as Mary Watson, she took a bullet for Sherlock. Her new play, The Son, explores the domestic struggle of divorce and depression and she joins us in the studio.

And singer Marty Wilde shares his Inheritance Tracks.

Producer: Laura Northedge Editor: Eleanor Garland

And singer Marty Wilde shares his Inheritance Tracks.

Producer: Laura Northedge Editor: Eleanor Garland

Previous Episode

Timothy Spall, George Alagiah

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein are joined by the actor Timothy Spall whose latest role is as LS Lowry. He describes his own passion for painting, the relationship between Lowry and his mother, and that with his own mother - who supported his acting ambitions. Footballer, Eniola Aluko won more than 100 caps for England. She explains how she started playing football on an estate in Birmingham as the only girl amongst a team of boys who named her Eddie. The pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason was spotted by Elton John and is now embarking on a brilliant career as a soloist and ensemble player. She describes life as the eldest of seven gifted musicians including brother Sheku who played at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The broadcaster, journalist and writer George Alagaiah, discusses his first thriller, which is set in post-apartheid South Africa from where he once reported. The actor and comedian Doon MacKichan shares her Inheritance Tracks - Parigi o Cara Ah Gran Dio, from La Traviata, performed by Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland and What Is and What Should Never Be by Led Zeppelin.

Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Eleanor Garland

Next Episode

Andy McNab, Axel Scheffler, Veronica 'Fancy Chance' Thompson and Roisin Conaty

Aasmah Mir and Rev Richard Coles talk to former SAS soldier Andy McNab. He was captured in Iraq while leading the Bravo Two Zero mission in 1991. His book on his ordeal became a bestseller - his first of many. His latest book "Get Me Out Of Here" is aimed at young readers. Children's book illustrator Axel Scheffler has given visual form to Julia Donaldson's characters The Gruffalo, Stick Man, Room on the Broom, A Squash and a Squeeze and many more. But if you find the Gruffalo scary, be aware that Axel's original version was even more menacing. His latest books are "Kind" and "The Smeds and the Smoos" - two stories about tolerance and inclusivity. Veronica Thompson goes by the stage name Fancy Chance when she performs aerial burlesque while hanging from her hair. Her show Flights of Fancy explores ideas of beauty and her feelings of alienation at having been abandoned as a baby on the doorstep of a South Korean police station. Actor and comedian Roisin Conaty shares her Inheritance Tracks. And listener Emma Wyatt-Haines talks about overcoming serious spinal injury to compete in an Iron Man contest.

Presenters: Aasmah Mir and Rev Richard Coles Producer: Paul Waters