Saturday Live

Anton du Beke of Strictly Come Dancing joins Aasmah Mir and Suzy Klein.Anton has been with Strictly from the beginning, having famously partnered Ann Widdecombe, Nancy Dell'Olio, and most recently Judy Murray. As he is about to go on tour with his dance partner, Erin Boag, he explains how he became involved in ballroom dancing and why his favourite dance is the Foxtrot.The poet Mr. Gee shares seasonal poems.The award winning broadcaster Stephanie Hirst, formerly Simon Hirst, describes her lifelong passion for radio, her musical influences, the events that have led her to change gender and live as a woman, and how her family have supported her.Vicki Brewer shares the story of her favourite Christmas present - a personalised board game from her daughter and son in law, in which the content was tailored to stories from the family's life.JP Devlin meets John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, lead singer of the iconic 1970s punk band The Sex Pistols. John talks frankly about Christmas, his childhood illness, trains and hi

Journalist Jon Snow joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to discuss 25 years of being the face of Channel 4 News.Also on the programme, Luke Simon was living in Thailand when the 2004 Tsunami struck. He lost his brother when the low lying island of Ko Phi Phi was subsumed by sea water. He tells us how life has moved on, about the power of sibling relationships and the charity he set up in his brother's name. The Oscar-winning song Let It Go (from the animated film Frozen) has captivated millions worldwide. It has already been translated into 41 foreign-language versions but not Welsh. 14 yr old Rebekah West set about righting that wrong. And in this season of goodwill we meet a man who was inspired to carry out one good deed a day for 2014. After losing a close family friend, Luke Cameron has spent the last year helping others which has inspired him to move away from a career in fashion to working for a charity.We also hear from some of the cast of RSC's 'The Christmas Truce' on the football coaching they recei

The BBC's Formula 1 presenter, Suzi Perry, joins Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir to discuss life on the road, her passion for speed, her rock and roll childhood and time spent working backstage at her local theatre.Ben Collins, ex-"The Stig" from the BBC's Top Gear, takes Richard on a circuit of Rockingham Racetrack.With more than 30 years' experience Mark Thompson shares his passion for "amateur astronomy", gives simple steps on how you can get started without spending a fortune and explains what is happening with The Geminid meteor shower this weekend.Hermen, an outreach worker for The Connection at St. Martin's, supported by the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal, recalls his time living on the street.Robin Ollington describes how his suggestion led to Buckingham Palace displaying a welcoming Christmas Tree.Katie Rogers shares her story of how, as a city executive, she followed her childhood passion to run away to become a circus ringmaster.And actress Wendi Peters chooses her Inheritance Tracks - I Won't Last A Day Wi

The choreographer Matthew Bourne and X Factor 2013 winner Sam Bailey join Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles.We meet the friends of Malala Yousafzai who were shot by the Taliban in Pakistan two years ago and are now studying in rural Wales. They will be reunited with Malala this week as she receives the Nobel Peace Prize.Tim Wootton was told he wouldn't live long enough to finish school because of a genetic disease. Now in his 40s he explains what impact that's had on his outlook on life, and what others can learn from him.Listener James Showers also shares lessons from his life, a life spent constantly re-inventing himself; head hunter, carpenter, rain forest resident, hermit, and now undertaker.Plus we have the Inheritance Tracks of Michael Morpurgo.Matthew Bourne's production of 'Edward Scissorhands' is on until January 11th at Sadler's Wells. Sam Bailey's autobiography 'Daring to Dream' is published by Blink Publishing.Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Karen Dalziel.

In a special programme for Saturday Live's Listener Week, wildlife presenter Steve Backshall joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk intricate animal communities, how he earned his nickname 'manure boy' and whether his sequined onesie is to be retired forever.Also with us are listener Simon Digby who got in touch about a series of stories about things he got up to when he was young that he never told his mother. David Heydecker told us that he usually spends his Saturday mornings listening to Saturday Live whilst elbow deep in bread dough. This week he's sharing with us the fruits of his labour and also how his community benefits. Martin Greenough also wrote to us about how his Saturday mornings, evangelising about his local ParkRun meet. We sent reporter Geoff Bird off to see if he would be similarly inspired.JP Devlin has been to visit the extraordinary Pembrokeshire community of Llangwm who have come together to create and perform an opera to celebrate the centenary of WW1. As a military wife Cat Willia

Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles are joined by vocal coach, singer and television presenter, Carrie Grant. Best known for her role as the vocal coach on the hit talent show, Fame Academy, she has also worked on Pop Idol and The One Show, where she conducted 500 viewers in the life-affirming "virtual choir".Rebecca Root explains how she helps transsexual and transgendered people, like herself, to discover their voice.The first photographer to capture on film the incomparable Kate Bush - we hear from her brother John Carder Bush on how he rescued the negatives from a skip to make a collection of photographs.JP Devlin visits a tattoo convention in Bournemouth.Jockie Reid reveals why he has taken up motorcycling at the age of eighty one.The palaeobiologist, Dr. Victoria Herridge, on her passion for Ice Age mammals and the trip of a lifetime - to take part in an autopsy of a 40,000 year old woolly mammoth.And the writer, Jung Chang, chooses her Inheritance Tracks: God Bless the Child, by Billie Holliday and The Sweete

Ade Adepitan - the Paralympian, actor and TV presenter - joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles. As does magician Megan Knowles-Bacon, the first ever female secretary of the Magic Circle, and ghost-writer of resignation letters Matt Potter.JP Devlin wants your stories of resignations, sackings and grand exits (email saturdaylive@bbc.co.uk).BBC Radio 1 presenter Gemma Cairney goes chess boxing.And Dexter Fletcher selects his Inheritance Tracks - 'Round Midnight' by Dexter Gordon and 'Sunshine on Leith' by The Proclaimers.Plus 12 year old William Heath tells us how he's doing his bit for Movember by posting a photo of him dressed up as a different moustachioed famous face every day for a month.Matt Potter talks about his book 'F**k You and Goodbye: The dark and hilarious history of the resignation letter', published by Constable.Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Karen Dalziel.

Mezzo-Soprano Katherine Jenkins joined Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir.Saturday Live hosted a special auction, offering listeners the chance to bid for some amazing prize packages to raise money for BBC Children in Need. LINES ARE NOW CLOSED - PLEASE DO NOT CALL OR TRY TO BID. Jonathan Agnew described the Test Match Special package; Felicity Finch aka Ruth Archer talked about the VIP Archers experience; Alan Smith described life behind the scenes at R4 presentation and Richard, Aasmah and JP Devlin talked about the Saturday Live experience. With Auctioneer, Will Farmer.John Craven shared his Inheritance Tracks - You Are My Sunshine by Gene Autry and The Children in Need single Wake Me Up. We also heard from Jack and Billie who have benefitted from projects supported by Children in Need and from children who say Thank You.Katherine Jenkins has sold more than eight million records and received accolades including two Classical BRITS. She headlined the Queen's Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace and was awarde

The comedian Shappi Khorsandi joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk new shows, shyness and single motherhood. Emmanuel Jal shares his story and some of his music. At just six years old he was recruited to fight in Sudan's civil war and lost more than five years to the conflict. Now the self-described 'peace soldier' says his only weapon is music. Lutz Pfannenstiel is the only person to have played professional football on six continents. The goalkeeper tells us about his time at 25 different clubs in 13 countries, and how he once found a penguin in his gloves. We have the 'Inheritance Tracks' of Dermot O'Leary who , eventually, picks Nat King Cole's 'Nature Boy' and Bruce Springsteen's 'Thunder Road'.And the director of research for the TV programme QI, John Mitchinson, reveals how they decide what's interesting and what's not. Plus we find out who really hangs out at the East London skatepark officially recognised this week as a site of national cultural significance. Producer Joe Kent Editor Karen Dalz

Actor Tom Hollander joins Suzy Klein and Jay Rayner to talk Rev, Dylan Thomas and his attempts at DIY. JP Devlin raises a pint to Dylan Thomas on the centenary of his birth at one of Thomas's old London drinking haunts. Carole Stone has been described as Britain's most connected woman. She reveals her networking secrets and tells us why she doesn't make her connections through social media. He may have had to look up who 'Brad Pitt' was, but that didn't stop D-Day veteran Peter 'Cosy' Comfort from accepting an invite to join him on the red carpet to celebrate the premier of Brad's latest film 'Fury'. Fred and Mary Collingwood are one of Britain's oldest newlywed couples. Their whirlwind romance lasted 4 months before they tied the knot last week at 89. We also meet Henry Patterson, the 10 year old entrepreneur with his own sweetshop. And the Inheritance Tracks of children's author and Purple Ronnie creator Giles Andreae.Giles chooses 'Camelot' from the musical of the same name and 'Anthem' by Leonard Cohen. H

Presented by Suzy Klein and Richard Coles.International rock star Bryan Adams talks about his career as a photographer with the likes of his musical hero Ray Charles and his latest project with wounded soldiers.Change and transformation, too, for Lee Spencer. An Afghanistan and Iraq veteran, he describes how he lost a leg - not on the battlefield but while being a good Samaritan on a British motorway.Turner prize winning artist Martin Creed talks about trousers with JP Devlin.Maths teacher turned stand-up comedian Matt Parker on how to cut a pizza with a mathematical formula so rigorous everyone gets exactly the same amount of topping.Kenny Clark is a football referee who in 2001 took charge of Africa's biggest and arguably most hotly contested derby. He explains how the Cairo showdown between Egyptian sides Al Ahly and Zamalek is so fierce that foreign referees are brought in.Tennis player turned romantic novelist Alice Peterson on how her sporting career was stopped in its tracks when she was diagnosed aged

Alison Lapper joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles. For two years a 12 foot statue of her naked and pregnant body was on display in Trafalgar Square in London and since 2000 - the year her son was born - she has been followed by the BBC TV series 'Child of Our Time'. Despite being born with no arms she is a professional artist.Martha Collison, the Great British Bake Off's youngest ever contestant, takes a break from her A Levels to tell us about her eight weeks on the show and what the future may hold.James Goodfellow explains what it's like to have invented something used by millions of people a day - the cash machine.And ahead of the release of a new film about Northern Soul we explore its resurgence amongst fans young and old.Plus the West End and Broadway star Ruthie Henshall selects her inheritance tracks.And JP Devlin visits the man who claims to have Britain's biggest collection of Barbie dolls - Giovani Madonia.Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Alex Lewis.

Presented by Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir.Kanya King MBE is the founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards, Europe's leading urban music brand, which has played a major role in bringing black music and culture to the mainstream. Now in its 19th year, it reaches in excess of 400 million viewers. Kanya reveals how she started it from a makeshift office in her bedroom, and by re-mortgaging her home.George The Poet describes his dizzying itinerary from Uganda to the Albert Hall via Stonebridge Park, and King's College Cambridge and performs from his latest work about fatherlessness and premature parenthood.Ben Collins is better known as "The Stig" from the BBC's internationally acclaimed Top Gear TV show. He discusses how he has coached hundreds of celebrities from Tom Cruise to Lionel Richie and his twenty year career as one of the best drivers in the world - from Le Mans Series racing to NASCAR, piloting the Batmobile and dodging bullets with James Bond.JP Devlin goes to meet Mike Cobb. As a budding songwriter in the 1

Actor and songwriter Gary Kemp joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles to talk about 'Soul Boys of the Western World', a film documenting the rise, fall and return of 80's band Spandau Ballet.Hilary Bradt is the founder of the Bradt travel guides. To mark 40 years in the business she shares some of her more irresponsible travel stories.Jimmy G is one of Russia's biggest pop stars but unheard of anywhere else. He talks about what it's like to switch between being mobbed and totally unrecognised.Virgin Boss Sir Richard Branson shares his inheritance tracks: 'Tubular Bells' by Mike Oldfield and 'Satisfaction' by the Rolling Stones.We also learn what it takes to be a double world champion stone skimmer with Lucy Wood.And the internationally renowned happiness expert Paul Dolan gives us tips for a better life.'Soul Boys of the Western World' has a special premiere on Tuesday 30 September at the Albert Hall in London, beamed by satellite to cinemas across the UK and Eire. The film goes on general cinema release from 3 O

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein and a live audience at the 2014 Abergavenny Food Festival, with doyenne of the wine world Jancis Robinson, Jay Rayner from Radio 4's Kitchen Cabinet, tree hunter Rob McBride and beekeeper Scott Davies who gave world leaders a taste of honey at the recent NATO summit in Newport. The Today programme's John Humphrys tucks into some Welsh treats with JP Devlin, BBC Introducing star Kizzy Crawford performs and musician and broadcaster Cerys Matthews shares her Inheritance Tracks.Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson write 'The World Atlas of Wine'. The seventh edition is available now.Tree hunter Rob McBride is hosting a talk & walk at Modbury in Devon as part of the HERCULES Cultural Landscape Project at 2pm on September 20th.Kizzy Crawford's new single 'Golden Brown' is out now.Cerys Matthews broadcasts on BBC Radio 6 Music on Sundays from 10am to 1pm. She inherits Snooks Eaglin's 'I'm a Country Boy' and passes on Hozier's 'Take Me To Church'.Beekeeper Scott Davies runs Hilltop Honey

Presented by Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir is at the Invictus Games.The award winning crime writer Val McDermid has written 28 novels, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. She joins Richard to talk about her passion for football, her musical aspirations and where she finds inspiration for her novels.Former Royal Marine and medallist Andy Grant lost his right leg in Afghanistan in 2009. He describes how vital sport has been to his rehabilitation and the amazing feeling of winning Gold for the 1500 metres.JP Devlin talks to R2 Breakfast presenter Chris Evans about the importance of reading with his children and why he finds it so emotional.Award winning photographer Paul Clarke explains how he changed career late in life and reinvented himself, by swapping a bottle of tequila for a camera.Mary Wilson sustained injuries to her cheek, toes and shoulder, while on a Military Horse Riding course with the Royal Artillery. She has since taken part in the US Warrior Games 2013. She talks about the events she's

Impressionist and actor Alistair McGowan joins Aasmah Mir and Suzy Klein to talk sporting passions, finding your roots and the joys of Noel Coward.Also joining us is Katy U'ren, a PE teacher from Glasgow. She discusses what it was like to teach children in Bangladesh how to swim as part of UNICEF's SwimSafe campaign, and what she's doing back home to transform the lives of the children she teaches.Listener Emma got in touch with Saturday Live after tracking down her birth mother on Facebook. She explains how the black hole of her past life has now been filled in â€" all the way back to 1647.Jack Durand is 14 and has just become the first Briton ever to win the World Youth Scrabble Championship. He gives us his tips for winning words.JP Devlin speaks to Jeanette Charles who has been impersonating The Queen for the last 42 years. As she prepares to take things a little easier, we hear what it's been like to live life as someone else.Virtuoso pianist Lang Lang shares his Inheritance Tracks. He chooses Tristesse

Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir are joined by the columnist Katharine Whitehorn, the writer Nina Stibbe, and Nikki King, Honorary Chairman of Isuzu Truck UK, who shares her stories of doing business in Japan. Louise Johncox describes how her baker father inspired her love of the sound of a whisk. Nigel Brazier on four generations of his family business and traditional Black Country recipes. Stephen Evans explains why he learned to ride a bike at the age of 49 and a quarter and the singer Natalie Cole shares her Inheritance Tracks.Man at the Helm, by Nina Stibbe.The Baker's Daughter, by Louise Johncox.Stephen Evans is cycling 100 miles for Joining Jack a Charity that helps fight Duchene's Muscular Dystrophy.Natalie Cole inherits Smile, from her father Nat King Cole and passes on You Gotta Be by Des'ree.Nat King Cole: Afraid Of The Dark is released through Universal Music, and features a brand new, previously unheard Nat King Cole track.Producer: Louise Corley.

Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir are joined by Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney, former engineer Sam King from Jamaica, who served with the RAF during the Second World War. Now 88 years-old he talks to Saturday Live about his life, legacy and the Notting Hill Carnival. Annabel Tellis Tunley emigrated with her family to Australia in 2004 and is running a project where she calls a Facebook friend, old or new every day. Some of them she hasn't spoken to for up to 40 years. Cellist and recovering alcoholic Rachael Lander on how she's rebuilding her career and looking forward to motherhood, Captain Andrew Wilkins who helps people overcome their fear of flying. He has recreated the interior of an aircraft where nervous flyers learn to 'fly' the plane themselves. The actor Anthony Head shares his Inheritance Tracks and JP Devlin will be in the studio reading your emails and waiting to take your calls.Gemma Cairney can be heard BBC Radio 1, Monday to Friday 4:00-6:30amRachael Lander can be seen in Addicts Symphony, Wednesday 27t

Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles are joined by the award-winning singer and composer Laura Mvula, poet Josephine Dickinson who has just regained her hearing after being deaf since she was six, and 'Educating Yorkshire' English teacher Matthew Burton. Plus Carl-Magnus Helgegren who took his two sons, aged ten and eleven, to visit a war zone after they asked to play the computer game 'Call of Duty', Clive and Jane Green who set out on a short sailing trip in 1998 and returned 51,000 nautical miles and 16 years later, and three folk musicians travelling from London to Bristol researching and playing the music of the canals on their way. And the former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss shares his Inheritance Tracks.JP Devlin will read your tweets (#saturdaylive), texts (84844) and emails (saturdaylive@bbc.co.uk).Laura Mvula will perform at the Proms on Tuesday August 19th - #Prom 45: Late Night with ... Laura Mvula'."Educating Yorkshire - One Year On" will be broadcast at 2100 on Channel 4 on August 21st.The fol