Saturday Live

Presented by Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir.Chris Tarrant has been a household staple since the mid 70s when he shook up Saturday mornings with children's TV series Tiswas. He went on to do Capital Radio breakfast show and was the presenter of ground breaking quiz show Who wants to be a Millionaire, which ran for 15 years, presenting many other programmes along the way. His latest project has been a labour of love - a book about his father's experience in the second world war. But it's a story he only uncovered after his father's death. He'll be talking about writing his father's story, his links with those Millionaire winners and slowing down after a stroke.Listener Glenys Newton won a story telling competition with a story from her childhood, in which her Uncle Meirion's car - with her family inside - was attacked by lions at a Safari Park. She's passionate about family stories, and people's lives. She relives what happened at the Safari park, and how it has inspired her love of storytelling.Dino Martins is a

Presented by Richard Coles and Suzy Klein.DJ and veteran festival-goer Edith Bowman on her love for the sonic boom of Green Man and Glastonbury. For the past twenty years Edith's taken in two or three festivals a year - and after attending more than 80 of them, seeing 1,500 bands and having two children she explains why her passion is as great as ever.Grammy award winning jazz singer Gregory Porter describes how his mother inspired his move of careers, and the music that stirs his soul.Camping fan Phoebe Smith reveals what defines a truly wild night out - and why she decided to set herself the Extreme Sleeps Challenge - from Ben Nevis to the "Middle of Nowhere." And travelling to The National Quiet Zone - photographer Emile Holba on what a world without mobile phones really sounds like.JP Devlin meets Dr. Sandy Saunders one of the last survivors of Archibald McIndoe's Guinea Pig Club.And 'Queen of Shops', Mary Portas shares her Inheritance Tracks: Into the Mystic by Van Morrison and Crazy on the Weekend by Su

Clinical psychologist and broadcaster Professor Tanya Byron joins Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir to talk tales of the clinic, how a family tragedy sparked her interest in psychology and destigmatising vulnerable people.Becoming unexpectedly jobless in 2012 prompted Michelle Thomas to start paying people to tell her their stories. The response was so amazing she's now crowd-funding a book which will feature some of stories.This week marks 70 years since the end of the second world war in Europe. Listener Liesbeth Langford got in touch to share her family's story of growing up in occupied Netherlands and sheltering a young Jewish woman.Professor Greg Whyte is the man behind David Walliams successful channel swim attempt, Davina McCall's challenge to run, swim and cycle from Edinburgh to London in seven days and the person that inspired Dermot O'Leary to dance for 24 hours non-stop all for Comic Relief. As a former Olympic Modern Pentathlete he tells us his secret to motivating others.Violinist Nigel Kennedy share

In the studio with Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles this week is Conchita Wurst winner of Eurovision 2014. Conchita hails from Columbia and is the alter ego of Tom Neuwirth who was born in Austria. When she won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 with her song "Rise Like A Phoenix" she gained international fame - and also became a gay icon to the LGBT community all over the world. Conchita is a Drag Queen - not transgender.Jo Pavey has proved it's never too late to realise your dreams. The veteran mother of two shocked everyone, herself included, to become the oldest female European champion in history aged 40 years and 325 days. Jo has competed in four Olympics and won bronze in the 10,000m at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, and then gold in the European Championships. She is currently focusing on getting to Rio for her fifth Olympics.Jon Frost is an experienced customs officer. In his time as a uniformed officer Jon seized many weird and wonderful things: presidential aircraft, a working tank, cars, lorrie

The comedian, writer and presenter Paul Merton joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles.A regular fixture on our radios and TVs - from Just a Minute to Have I Got News For You? But it's pure improvisation that he loves - starting with the Comedy Store Players back in 1985, a gig that he still does every Sunday. And he's about to start a UK tour improvising with a group of friends.Vanessa Mann on deltiology with a difference - why she buys sets of postcards, with the aim to trace living relatives of the people who wrote and received them.JP Devlin meets Pete Waterman to talk model railways.The sailor and broadcaster Paul Heiney on his voyage from Falmouth to Cape Horn and back, to rediscover his son's voice through the medium of sailing and the poem -'The Silence at the Song's End'.The i-magician Jamie Allan on how he who fuses sleight of hand with modern technology by bringing i-pads to his performance.And Anita Dobson shares her "Inheritance Tracks". She chooses: No One But You, by Billy Eckstine and Young at Hear

Dame Zandra Rhodes is one of Britain's best-known fashion designers, putting London at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s. Her extensive list of clients has included Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury. Rhodes now lives with her partner, the 94 year old film producer Salah Hassanein and former head of Warner Bros. In 2003 Zandra founded The Fashion and Textile Museum, the only museum in the UK solely dedicated to showcasing developments in contemporary fashion, as well as providing inspiration, support and training for those working in the industry. Since 2000 Zandra's career has diversified into designing sets and costumes for the opera. She first worked for San Diego Opera, who invited her to do costumes for The Magic Flute. After The Magic Flute, she was asked to design both sets and costumes for Pittsburgh Bizet's Pearl Fishers in 2004. Still the woman with the pink hair, Zandra joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles in the studio.Also in the studio is Chilly Gonzales, a classically

On the biggest gardening weekend of the year garden designer and tv presenter Diarmuid Gavin joins Aasmah Mir and Suzy Klein to spill the beans on the highs and lows of taking part in the Chelsea Flower Show, the inspiration behind some of his wackier gardens and the excesses of his overnight propulsion to tv heart throb.Also, York based chocolatier Sophie Jewett will be teaching us how to #bbcgetcreative with chocolate and helping the studio guests decorate their very own Easter Eggs. Writer John-Paul Flintoff will be talking about The Family Project - a manual for people who want to discover their family story but don't know where to start. And then the extreme ornithologists who broke the world record for the number of species identified in a single calendar year. Ruth Miller and Alan Davies talk bush fires, a rescue from a sinking dinghy and an elephant charge. We ask was it worth it?All that with the Inheritance Tracks of Helena Bonham Carter and listener Dale Gibson on how he spends his Saturday's tendi

The actor and singer, Jason Donovan, joins Richard Coles and Suzy Klein. He talks about his life and a career that has seen him move from Neighbours' soapstar to chart pop idol, jungle survivor to Strictly finalist. In musical theatre he's starred as Joseph and Frank N Furter, and now plays Lionel Logue, the speech therapist to a stammering George VI, in a touring production of The King's Speech.The Pulitzer Prize winning photo-journalist Lynsey Addario on her life behind the camera.Saturday Live listener Penny Tomlinson describes how she coped with bereavement by joining the I Can't Sing Choir.The former royal harpist Claire Jones describes her struggle with ME Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the role music played in her recovery.Lloyd Buck is accompanied by his Starling, Arnie. For more than 20 years Lloyd and his wife Rose have been world experts of in-flight and tracking filming with birds. He explains his affinity with birds and why he imprints, rather than trains them.Lulu shares her Inheritance Tracks. Sh

Presenter and health expert, Dr Christian Jessen, joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles.Well known for programmes such as ''Embarrassing Bodies' and 'Supersize Vs Superskinny', Dr Christian also works closely with health charities to educate people in health matters. Most important to him is to raise medical awareness amongst hard to reach groups.Actor Hugh Maynard, currently playing the role of John in the West End's Miss Saigon, has dealt with abandonment and rejection most of his life after being given up by his mother when just a few weeks old. He explains how this spurred him on to the successful career he now enjoys and why it is important to know where you come from.JP Devlin talks with Barbara Taylor Bradford about her collection of vintage bags.Jackie Hagan is a comedian whose trip to hospital with a sore toe back in 2013, ended with her having a leg amputated. The experience forced her to grow up and take control of her life something she now hopes to pass on through school workshop around the country.

The wildlife cameraman and presenter, Gordon Buchanan, joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles. He's spent his life getting close to wild animals - following black bears in Minnesota, travelling to the remote Canadian Arctic to film wolves and coming face to face with a 1000 lb polar bear!Saturday Live listener, Chrissi Kelly, talks about Anosmia: the impact losing her smell has had on her life, the smells that she misses most and how she spends her Saturdays 'smell training'.JP Devlin hears stories from members of the public at Chapelfield Shopping Centre in Norwich.Noel Fitzpatrick is Professor of Orthopaedics and "The Supervet". He describes how growing up on a farm and being unable to save a lamb led to him becoming a vet, how he uses the latest technology to pioneer techniques to save or improve the lives of pets, and some of his handiwork, including building new paws for a cat called Oscar who had an unfortunate encounter with a combine harvester.The actor, Rafe Spall, shares his Inheritance Tracks - Cherry

With Red Nose day fast approaching Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir are joined by tv presenter and property expert Kirstie Allsopp to talk taking part in the Comic Relief Danceathon, our enduring affection for tv property programmes and her problem dog Dandy.Just as well canine behaviourist Rob Alleyne is on hand. As well as being a dog trainer, Rob worked as an animal welfare officer for a local authority for 16 years and tried to start a fast snail breeding programme. He believes that there is no such thing as a problem dog, just problem owners.Billy Gibbons got in touch with Saturday Live to tell us about his home where everything (including him) is from the 1950's - apart from a handful of essentials. Formerly an Elvis impersonator, he now works at a care home for people who have dementia and learning disabilities.We have the Inheritance Tracks of comedian Stewart Lee and a group of friends from Manningtree High School in Essex report on the growing trend for cross bred dogs for BBC News School Report.And we

Radio DJ Scott Mills joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk about being a DJ and how he was the uncoolest kid in the playground. Recently Scott took part in Strictly Come Dancing where he was famously not very good.Mike Farley tried his hand at acting and stand-up comedy before a friend spotted that he looked a bit like Henry VIII and got him involved in re-enactments - and the rest is history. Eleven years later he's appeared as Henry VIII in schools, TV ad campaigns and at corporate events.Would you like to work with your dad? What if you were doing a job that required quite a bit of concentration - like flying a plane? Laura Eliot's dad had been a pilot before she was even born. She took up flying after university. One day she logged onto her rota and noticed that her co-pilot on a flight to Tenerife was none other than her dad.Charles Hill, formerly of the Met's specialist art and antiques squad, works now as a freelance sleuth, recovering stolen art - including one of the very few Vermeers in existen

Ruby Wax joins Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir to talk about how she brings her knowledge of neuroscience, spiked with comedy, to her one woman show.David Reynolds explains how his grandfather's letters, and enthralling childhood stories of the Wild West, inspired him to embark on a road trip along Highway 83 from Canada to the Mexican border. He describes some of the local characters he met, the three different types of cowboys that still exist today and why he thinks Sacagawea should be on US bank notes.Pete Ross meets some of the visitors to the Dragon Café in Borough, London - the UK's first 'mental health café' and creative space.We hear why dancing science teacher Dr. Richard Spencer choreographs his college biology lessons to music, and how this has led to him becoming a top 10 finalist for the $1m (£650,000) Global Teaching Prize.The singer Ray Quinn chooses his Inheritance Tracks: My Special Angel by Malcolm Vaughan and Eye of the Tiger by Survivor.And Josh Carrott - aka 'The Korean Englishman' - tells

TV presenter Rachel Khoo and bestselling author of The Little Paris Kitchen joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk about her new personal cookbook. Kitchen Notebook sees Rachel move on from French cooking to give us a collection of recipes from her around the world travels.Alan Radbourne was about to graduate from University when he found a pound coin on the floor. He had a thought- could he could turn a quid into a salary after he graduated? Two days after his final exam he bought a bottle of washing up liquid and started a year-long challenge. He charged his mates to wash their dishes - every penny he made he re-invested and it snowballed from there. Exactly a year on he had made £20,000. They say you're never too old for love and Colin and Patricia Stevens agree. They were only five years old when they first met at primary school and for Colin, it was love at first sight. But the girl of his dreams moved away when she was fifteen years old and they lost touch. Over the years they thought about each oth

The actress, script-writer and producer Ruth Jones joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles. Known for her role as 'Nessa Jenkins' in the BBC's award-winning sitcom Gavin and Stacey, she's now back on our screens in the comedy drama series Stella. Trend forecaster James Wallman describes why we have more stuff than we could ever need. It's cluttering up our homes and making us feel 'stuffocated'. He explains why, rather than a buy a new watch or another pair of shoes, we should invest in shared experiences. Listener Polly Loxton wrote to Saturday Live about the value of a handwritten letter. She explains why they have been central in her own life. Anna Bailey accompanies Julian Lloyd Webber to a football match at Leyton Orient to find out how he spends his Saturday. A visit to his local launderette inspired Luke Jerram to create the 'Play Me, I'm Yours' project - in which he installed pianos in various locations in 46 cities across the world. An estimated six million people have played or listened to the Street Pia

Omid Djalili, the British-Iranian stand-up comedian and actor, joins Richard Coles and Suzy Klein to talk his relationship with Iran, comic sensitivities and that dive off the 10m board in Splash!.Also on the programme, a former international hostage and police negotiator Richard Mullender who now works advising business in 'engagement'. He tells us what makes him the Lewis Hamilton of expert listening. Tanya Mai Johnston came to Northern Ireland as part of Operation Babylift, the mercy mission flying orphans out of Vietnam during the 70's. She talks about the difficulties of growing up in Coleraine - in a place she now calls home. Every Saturday morning listener So-jin Holohan sets out to write a letter to one of her friends around the world. She takes her inspiration from the guests and listeners who appear on Saturday Live and after the show ends, shares her thoughts by putting old fashioned ink pen to paper. Alex Noble's friends accused him of shunning a stable career on a whim when he left his full time

"Restoration Man" and Amazing Spaces presenter George Clarke joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk about leaving school at sixteen without any qualifications and his passion for bringing buildings back to life. Find out how a present from his Granddad set him on the road to becoming an architect.Sherika Sherard quit University to get a job. But it took her almost a year to get work and in that time she busked around London to earn some money. Now the song she wrote 'Give Me A Job' has gone viral and touched the hearts of thousands.Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill. The wartime leader's funeral was the largest state funeral in world history up to that point, with representatives from 112 nations present, along with many thousands of people who had camped out overnight to pay their respects. Among them was a 21 year old David Savage, who 50 years on reflects on that bitter cold night and historic day.Chris Bates was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for serv

Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles are joined by Olympic Gold medallist Sally Gunnell. Now an ambassador for Sport England, she discusses how she keeps fit, her role in her local community in Sussex and how her sons now outrun her!Saturday Live listener Alice Munro contacted the programme to tell us about the community in Wirksworth, Derbyshire and why it's a special place to live. Matt Barlow accepted her invitation to visit. Matthew Engel describes his three year journey exploring England afresh by visiting 39 counties and the capital, what he discovered about their individual natures and traditions, and why he's adopted the county of Herefordshire as his home.Vlogger and creator of Vsauce, Michael Stevens, shares his passion for knowledge and how he makes videos relating to various scientific topics for an online community with 8 million subscribers.We hear the wonderful story of Pamela Rose - who gave up acting in her twenties to work at Bletchley Park and returned to the stage in her 80s.Crime writer Peter May

Artistic Director and acclaimed comedian, Viv Groskop joins Aasmah Mir and Suzy Klein to talk about the 'caw' of stand-up comedy and what it's like making tea for famous authors at the Bath Literature Festival.Ten years ago Paul Sinton-Hewitt was fired and then had a bad fall when training for a half marathon which ruptured his stomach. Not knowing what to do with himself and determined not to give up running, he set up a club with the aim of running 5k at 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning. 13 people joined him on his first run. Today, more than 1 million people across the world are part of the phenomenon Paul created that day - it's called Parkrun and it's happening as we speak, in more than 500 parks across the world.Seventy seven year-old Jill Stidever has been teaching children with disabilities to swim for over 50 years. Three of her swimmers have gone on to be paralympians - including her daughter Jane who won five gold medals. In December Jill won the 2014 BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero award at the Sports

Chef, restaurateur and Masterchef judge Marcus Wareing joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles.Actor, presenter and reality TV star Alison Hammond talks celebrity, 'Strictly' and allotments.We hear the extraordinary story of the woman who fell in love with her sperm donor. Aminah Hart's daughter was born two years ago following IVF using an anonymous donor, but she tracked down the donor and is now engaged to dad Scott Anderson.Michael Parker reveals how best to sell yourself. He shares lessons learnt from fifty years as an advertising exec and the two Olympic Games where he competed in the hurdles.JP Devlin meets Des O'Connor.And writer, director, actor and comedian John Waters picks his Inheritance Tracks.Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Alex Lewis'Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America' is published by FSG Macmillan'It's Not What You Say It's The Way You Say It' by Michael Parker is published by Vermilion'Laughter Lines' by Des O'Connor is published Panmacmillan.