Saturday Live

Monty Don joins presenters Aasmah Mir and Shaun Keaveny to discuss his television gardening career, his new book Down To Earth, and how getting your hands dirty is good for your mental well-being.Tree climber and award-winning documentary cameraman James Aldred shares his love of trees and the adventures he's had with gorillas, leopards, snakes and poisonous frogs in rainforests around the world.Soil scientist Jackie Stroud loves worms. She reveals why.And listener Suzanne Gray explains why, at the age of 49, she joined the Territorial Army to work as an operating theatre nurse in a military field hospital in Afghanistan.We'll also hear the inheritance tracks of TV property presenter Kirstie Allsopp.Presenters: Aasmah Mir & Shaun Keaveny Producer: Paul Waters.

Presented by Aasmah Mir and Shaun Keaveny.The singer Marc Almond talks about his new album of 1960s orchestral pop and his diverse career using world music influences, including Russian folksongs. Saturday Live listener Lisa Cooper tells the fascinating story of her grandmother Pearl, who was born in 1900 in a village near Kiev, in Russia and experienced pogroms, the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War. The 'Poetry Postie', Sally Crabtree, started out as a promising gymnast. However, a TS Eliot poem inspired her to try a career in poetry, and taking it into the community, where her projects have ranged from Poetry Bingo to Edible Poetry.JP Devlin meets Strictly Come Dancing's warm up man, Stuart Holdham, and Aasmah phones Richard, who's preparing for the big night!At 26 Tom Aikens became the youngest British chef to be awarded two Michelin stars. He reveals what spurred him on to succeed, and why he competed in the Marathon des Sables - to run six marathons across the Sahara Desert in five days.Fergal Keane sh

As he prepares to join the forthcoming Living Legends tour, David Essex tells us about his route from blue-eyed East End boy to star of stage, screen and soap via a barrage of screaming fans. The Living Legends tour begins in October.Comedian Katherine Ryan joins the Saturday Live panel show ahead of her stand-up tour. She'll tell us how she's found her move from Canada to the UK has been good for her career and... her skin. Katherine's tour runs from September to March.For Barney Shaw it's all about the attraction of olfaction. The former civil servant sniffs out the biology, psychology and history of our sense of smell. The Smell of Fresh Rain by Barney Shaw is published by Icon.Following a horse riding accident Claire Lomas became paraplegic. She has since become a campaigner, fundraiser and completed the 2012 London Marathon in 17 days using a robotic suit.Dianne Buswell is the Rev's partner for Strictly. She'll tell us about the challenges that lie ahead.Plus, the Inheritance Tracks of guitar hero Wilko

Jeremy Vine recalls his dad-built tree house and hoisting Karen Clifton aloft on Strictly. Sally Goble tells us what it's like to swim the channel. Malachy Tallack spends his time cresting the ocean wave in search of legendary and lost islands of the worldAnd look heavenwards with Penny Thornton, chef-astrologer, for tips on going Virgotarian...Your Thank You and the Inheritance Tracks form Anthea Turner.

Aasmah Mir and the Rev. Richard Coles are joined by Stephen McGann, who plays Dr. Turner in BBC TV series Call the Midwife. He reveals why he has combined his passion for genealogy, with his academic interest in the social dimensions of medicine, to write a personal history of his family. Sarah Walker's father wrote the Countryman's Diary column in a couple of local newspapers until his death earlier this year. Sarah describes how she is now carrying on the tradition by writing her own column, The Countryman's Daughter, using his archive. Grace Savage is two-time UK Female beatbox champion, two-time UK Team Beatbox Champion - she explains how to beat box, record loops and why she used an ironing board in her act. The DJ Jo Whiley is an avid gardener. Anna Bailey visits her in Northamptonshire to discover the natural sounds she enjoys away from music. Despite training for the priesthood, A.N. Wilson left to concentrate on his writing, including biographies of famous figures from Jesus to Tolstoy, and most rec

Sixty years in showbiz for Marty Wilde this year. The south London boy was signed by the famously unsentimental pop Svengali Larry Parnes, and rose to fame with the generation that included Sir Cliff and Billy Fury. He co-wrote Kids in America for his daughter, 80s pop star Kim Wilde, and has just produced his granddaughter's cover of the Lulu hit 'I'm a Tiger'. If that were not enough, this autumn he's off tour, the Solid Gold Rock'n'Roll TourLara Jewitt's office is pretty unusual - the Tropical Nursery and the Alpine Nursery at Kew Gardens - where the world's rarest plant life begins. She has travelled widely around South America in search of rare plants and most recently won Gold with her team at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.Sweetpea Slight grew up I suppose unconventionally in Dorset, the daughter of artists, but it was theatre for which she was destined. Event intervened, when just before she went to audition for drama school she got rather annexed by the theatre producer Thelma Holt, as famous for he

Actor Simon Williams; singer Heather Small; writer John Higgs and angler Marina Gibson join Aasmah Mir and the Reverend Richard Coles.The actor Simon Williams got his big break playing James Bellamy in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. He is currently starring as Justin Elliott in the BBC Radio 4 series the Archers and a mysterious property developer - known as "the chairman" - in East Enders on BBC One. He is performing in Posting Letters to the Moon with his wife, the actress Lucy Fleming in which the couple read the wartime letters between Lucy's parents Celia Johnson and her husband Peter Fleming. Posting Letters to the Moon is at the Jermyn Street Theatre on November 19th.Heather Small is a singer and songwriter, best known for her work with the soul band M People who came to attention with hits including Moving on Up, One Night in Heaven and Search for the Hero. Now a solo performer, Heather is a former contestant on the BBC One series Strictly Come Dancing. Heather Small is on tour in 2018.Marina

Aasmah Mir and the Rev. Richard Coles are joined by the chef and musician Levi Roots, whose business success began following an appearance on BBC Two's Dragon's Den. He's performed with James Brown, been nominated for a Best Reggae Act MOBO award and has returned to his musical roots with Reggae Reggae Hits. Alastair Sawday describes the joys of travelling, and travelling slow. Dominic Sewell is a champion jouster. He is at Dover Castle taking part in the first modern day joust, alongside Tobias Capwell against France. The stuntwoman Annabel Wood recalls doubling for Hollywood's leading actresses including stunts for Game of Thrones and the latest Mission Impossible film. JP meets listener Ant Grant, whose father's death inspired him to take up photography. Anoushka Shankar chooses her Inheritance Tracks - Tana Mana and Shanti Mantra - both by her father Ravi Shankar.Levi Roots presents Reggae Reggae Hits. Travelling Light, by Alastair Sawday is out now. Anoushka Shankar is playing at the Proms at the Royal

Good morning from Blenheim, where to the sounds of the xxxx brass band, we join Countryfile Live for an early harvest festival of things rural.We're joined by John Craven, who's been reporting country matters from mad cow disease to morris dancing for nearly thirty years. His co-presenter James Wong, ethnobiologist and man who knows his anise from his edamame joins us too... ....from the Blenheim Palace staff, social historian Antonia Keaney is here to talk parks and gardens, blue blood and green backs, kind hearts and coronets... ....and marriage guidance is available from Rabbi Jonathan Romain, whose new book revisits hijacked weddings, catastrophic funerals, and the various triumphs and disasters that attend the human condition. All these, plus Inheritance Tracks from actor Miranda Richardson; and whiskered men in tweed shouting "get off my land" at JP Devlin to come.Presenters: Aasmah Mir & the Rev Richard Coles Producer: Maire Devine Editor: Eleanor Garland.

Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project; actor and writer John Gordon Sinclair; performer Sophie Willan and confectioner Andy Baxendale join Aasmah Mir and the Reverend Richard Coles.Sir Tim Smit co-founded the Eden Project in Cornwall in 2001. The Dutch born businessman is also known for restoring the Lost Gardens of Heligan with John Nelson. It's 25 years since these gardens were restored to their former glory. This week the Eden Project launched a new company Eden Project International Ltd (EPIL) to establish Eden projects with international partners around the world. Eden Project International is currently working on three projects in China and others in Australia and New Zealand. John Gordon Sinclair is an author and actor, best known for playing Gregory in Bill Forsyth's film Gregory's Girl. In 2012 he turned his attention to writing crime novels and his current book, Walk In Silence, is the story of lawyer Keira Lynch who is caught up in the murky Albanian underworld. As an actor Gordon was nomina

Feargal Sharkey talks about his journey from Undertone to executive.Josette Simon tells us about her career as an actor and current role as Cleopatra at the RSC Stratford.Cat Irving is Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons' Hall Museums which are part of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.Hugh Thomson describes his journey across England accompanied by Jethro, his mule. (One Man and a Mule by Hugh Thomson is out now).Richard and Emily Gottfried have played their way around more than 740 crazy golf courses all over Britain.Poet John Cooper Clarke chooses his Inheritance Tracks: The Spaniard Who Blighted My Life by Bing Crosby & Al Jolson and What's So Funny About Peace, Love And Understanding? by Nick Lowe.

Martine McCutcheon, real life east ender, became famous as a TV Eastender in the 90s playing Tiffany, on off love interest for hi-maintenance Grant Mitchell, until she was squished by Frank Butcher outside the Queen Vic on Christmas Eve. She reinvented herself as a pop star - having a Perfect Moment in 1999 with the chart topping song of that name - and then another perfect moment co-starring with Hugh Grant in the Richard Curtis romcom, Love Actually. Off screen life, however, was complicated and after an award winning but stormy run in My Fair Lady in the West End, things went Pete Tong. Illness, bankruptcy, time to regroup - but now, fighting fit, she's back with a new album. When Benjamin Mee's dad died, he persuaded his mum to buy a zoo so that the whole family could live together. Of course it wasn't as easy as that - there were plenty of challenges along the way. But his story was made into a film starring Matt Damon in 2013.With the thank you slot, when we offer you the opportunity to thank someone fo

Alexei Sayle talks about his Imaginary Sandwich Shop and forthcoming appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.Martine Wright lost both her legs in the 7/7 London bombings and went on to represent Great Britain in the London Paralympics in 2012. Unbroken by Martine Wright is out on the 13th July.Cyrus Todiwala is a chef and restaurateur who has followed the spice route from Bombay to London. Mr Todiwala's Spice Box is out now.Barn the Spoon is an artisan spoon carver, teacher, author and co-founder of Spoonfest. Spon: A Guide to Spoon Carving and the New Wood Culture by Barn the Spoon is out now.JP meets electronic dance music duo Orbital.Plus the Inheritance Tracks of Alan Partridge. Alan chooses Who Put The Bomp by Barry Mann and the theme from Grandstand by Keith Mansfield. A-ha!

Judy Murray talks about her family and their tennis story - and her subsequent projects from dancing the Viennese Waltz at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool, to heading the women's tennis coaching initiative She Rallies. Jamie Chadwick has just become the youngest British female racing driver to sign for a Formula 1 feeder series team. She explains how she got into the sport and became the first female and youngest racing driver to win a British GT championship. Wolfgang Puck has catered to the Oscars for 23 consecutive years. With the 35th anniversary of his flagship restaurant Spago this year, he recalls his culinary career. JP Devlin meets James Shepherd-Barron, the son of the inventor of the ATM, which celebrates it's 50th anniversary this week. The prize-winning author Adam Nicolson describes his childhood at Sissinghurst and how his visits to the Hebridean Islands sparked his fascination with seabirds. And the actress and singer Ute Lemper shares her Inheritance Tracks: Where Have All The Flowers Gone, per

Aasmah Mir and the Rev Richard Coles chat with cricket commentator Henry "Blowers" Blofeld, Keane singer Tom Chaplin on his solo career, comedian Kiri Pritchard-Mclean & British Antarctic winter base commander Jess Walkup. We also hear interior designer Nicky Haslam's inheritance tracks and from the World Egg Throwing Championships in Lincolnshire.Producer: Paul Waters Presenters: Aasmah Mir and Rev Richard Coles.

A Canal Themed Programme with the Rev. Richard Coles on location from Foxton Locks in Leicestershire for the festival. He is joined by the Canal Laureate, Luke Kennard; Lynne Berry of the Canal and River Trust and volunteer and canal enthusiast, Derek Harris, performs from his one man show. Aasmah Mir presents in London where her guests include: the playwright Lee Hall, who recounts his canal adventure and reveals the growing collection that is over-running his basement; and the cookery writer and former winner of Masterchef, Thomasina Miers, who gives her top tips for cooking on canal boats and discusses her passion chillies and street food. JP visits Braunston Marina in Northamptonshire to meet Pete and Karen Flockhart, to hear how they first met on a narrowboat, and now make fenders and other ropework in their workshop overlooking the junction of the Grand Union and Oxford canals. Leicester born singer Englebert Humperdinck shares his Inheritance Tracks, with a rather fitting tribute to his dad for Father'

The Rev. Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir are joined by the wine writer and broadcaster Oz Clarke; TV presenter and author of "The Grief Survival Guide" Jeff Brazier; former England cricketer and Director of Surrey Women's Cricket Ebony Rainsford-Brent and mathematician Dr Hannah Fry. Plus Bron Campbell and Holly Ford who opened a cake shop in a phone box. And garden designer Dan Pearson shares his Inheritance Tracks.Oz and Armonico Drink to Music at Harrogate Festival (1 July), Buxton Festival (10 July) and Lichfield Festival (11 July). The Grief Survival Guide: How to Navigate Loss and All That Comes With It by Jeff Brazier is out now. Dr Hannah Fry and Ant Anstead present 'Britain's Greatest Invention' on BBC Two, 15 June.Producer: Tim Allen. Editor: Eleanor Garland.

Presenter and barrister Robert 'Judge' Rinder; actor Daragh O'Malley; Clare Brant, professor of 18th century literature and culture and ship's captain Amelia Dalton join Aasmah Mir and the Revd Richard Coles.Robert 'Judge' Rinder is a criminal law barrister and television court judge who is best known for his role on the reality courtroom series Judge Rinder - the British version of the American show Judge Judy. He came to widespread attention performing on Strictly come Dancing in 2016. He presents Judge Rinder's Crime Stories on ITV.Daragh O'Malley is an actor who stars in Maxim Gorky's the Last Ones at the Jermyn Street Theatre. He is best known for his role as Patrick Harper opposite Sean Bean in the television series Sharpe from 1992 to 2008. His film and television roles range from Withnail and I to The Long Good Friday and Waking The Dead to Silent Witness while his theatre work includes Dancing at Lughnasa and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The Last Ones is at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London.Clare Brant is

Actor Adrian Lester, star of Sky drama Riviera; TV presenter and author of The Reassembler, James May; record breaking hula hooper and author of The Girl Guide, Marawa Ibrahim; plus cocktail gardener Lottie Muir from the Midnight Apothecary.

Aasmah Mir and Suzy Klein are joined by the boxer and Olympic gold champion Nicola Adams, who talks about her boxing career and work as an extra in programmes including Coronation Street. Actor Les Dennis, spent three years on the Street playing burglar-turned-romeo, Michael Rodwell. He explains why he shaved his head for his latest role as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family. Survival expert, Megan Hine, is the woman who helps keep Bear Grylls safe. She describes how she contracted Lyme disease, was chased through the jungle by an armed drug gang and had to abseil past bears. Rochdale born singer and call centre worker, Jack Randle, is the first Briton to be selected to enter the 'Sinatra Idol Contest' held in Hoboken, New Jersey. He reveals what he'll be singing. Martin Kemp shares his Inheritance Tracks. He chooses Long Distance Love performed by Little Feat and Jumping Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones.Believe - Boxing, Olympics and my life outside the ring, by Nicola Adams, is out now. The Addams Family i