Loose Ends

Clive Anderson hosts a Loose Ends party with some of the many musicians, comedians, writers and stars of the stage lighting up the Edinburgh Festivals.Ruth Jones’ latest book By Your Side is partly set in Scotland, and she’ll be in the capital sharing some of her pet peeves that have found their way on to its pages. Comedian and actor Jordan Gray is having a busy summer, her new sitcom Transaction hit our screens in June and her stage show promises to be her rootin-est, tootin-est, shootin-est hour of musical comedy so far. Stand-up Jamie MacDonald doesn’t want being blind to shut down his opportunities to be loathsome and toxic. Plus comedian Dylan Adler on growing up one half of a pair of identical gay twins. With music from Hot Mess, a musical that rides the highs and lows of Earth and Humanity's passionate love affair, and Nigerian singer-songwriter James Emmanuel shares his love for Edinburgh, the city he now calls home. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Clive Anderson hosts a Loose Ends party with some of the many musicians, comedians, writers and stars of the stage lighting up the Edinburgh Festivals.Tom Rosenthal is a comedian best known as Jonny on Friday Night Dinner, though I suppose you can describe him however you’d like as his new show is Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am. Thanyia Moore is back at the Edinburgh Fringe for her first time since 2022 – a summer that she looks back at in her aptly named August. Switzerland’s answer to John Oliver – Michael Elsener – gives his top tips on How to Live in Paradise, and explains where flooding a leading politician's post box with compression stockings comes in to it. Plus writer and storyteller Niall Moorjani shares how their new show Kanpur: 1857 manages to incorporate gender, an Indian uprising against British colonial forces, and comedy. With music from Karine Polwart and Dave Milligan who are raising a parting glass to a 200-year-old palm tree in Windblown, and Couplet who are spending their Hon

Listen up as Nihal unfolds the Beyoncé/Destiny's Child theme he's spotted in this weeks' Loose Ends. He's humming "Irreplaceable" for the heroine of author Jo Wood’s debut novel - The Resurrection of Flo - who's left her cheating husband Max (“To the left, to the left”). It's "I'm a Survivor" for the actor Bertie Carvel who is playing King Leontes in Shakespeare's intense psychological drama The Winter's Tale at the RSC. Newlywed comedian Rajiv Karia gets a blast of Crazy In Love on his way to performing at the Edinburgh Festival. And the actor and writer Tori Allen-Martin, who plays Cherry in the BBC sitcom Here We Go, won celebrity mastermind with the specialist subject of.....Beyoncé and Destiny's Child! All this with music from the classically trained, Bollywood influenced pop artist RIYA and from Indie folk duo Lost Chimes. Presented by Nihal Arthanayake Produced in Salford by Olive Clancy

Clive Anderson is joined in Salford by a Post-Coital (that's the name of her new show) Tiff Stevenson and by Sam Palladio is finally acting in his own accent in 'The Couple Next Door' after playing Texan Gunnar Scott in 'Nashville' for six seasons. Ella Al-Shamahi has been in search of what makes us 'Human' for her new BBC Two series. American actor and comedian Chris Grace is attempting to write a new show every night of the Edinburgh fringe. And there's music from the former Lush lead singer's new musical project, The Miki Berenyi Trio.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Loose Ends is the guest of Durham Brass Festival this week, providing flugelhorns, euphoniums and an enthusiastic audience at the newly refurbished 110 year old Redhills Miners Hall, once known as "the Pitman's Parliament". Far from brassed off to be with him is the poet laureate Simon Armitage who finds exactly the right words to describe the magic of brass music but then admits to never having won a game of Cluedo. Perhaps unsurprisingly the thriller writer Paula Hawkins tells us she was something of a Cluedo ace in her youth but these days sticks to reconnoitring ideas for places to stash bodies for future novels. And there's laughs aplenty from the comedian Ria Lina who sensibly doesn't enter the Cluedo-debate though one suspects her masters in forensic science might give her an edge. All this with gorgeous music from Bill Ryder Jones with cellist Evelyn Halls and members of the NASUWT Riverside Brass Ensemble.Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Olive Clancy

This week Stuart is joined by comedian and poet Tim Key who takes us to LA Baby in his new book, Lucy Porter who is learning to let go in her new stand up show, and Shabaz Ali: the Tik Tok sensation with his takedowns of the super-rich. Eastenders and Call the Midwife star Leonie Elliott is starring in a new play, Liberation. There's music from Billy Nomates, performing from her new album Metalhorse and Brazilian composer, poet and multi-instrumentalist Bruno Berle.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

It's mostly lollipops, ribbons and cakes for Clive Anderson this week as he meets Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc, Jane Austen improviser Rachel Parris and Romantic Novelist Mike Gayle (the only man to win the Romantic Writers Association's top award). But not all....Mel Giedroyc's new podcast - and she emphasises it's a comedy one - is taking over from Kathy Burke on Where There's a Will There's a Wake - all about death, funerals and everything in between. She reveals how she and Sue Perkins met and unsurprisingly enough it was love-friends at first sight. Rachel Parris is taking Austentacious, her improv show based on Jane Austen, on the road and to Edinburgh Fringe again. She explains why nothing quite hits the spot like Jane. But she's also written a novel based on the romance between Pride and Prejudice character Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins. And reader, Eliza Bennett does not come out of this well. Mike Gayle is the only man the Romantic Writers Association has bestowed its Outstanding Achievement Award up

This week Loose Ends is coming from the Homecoming festival at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. Clive Anderson is joined by comedian, actor and writer Dawn French, who moved to Cornwall to give her more space to write and Fern Britton, who has written eleven novels set in Cornwall, and has lived here on and off since starting her career in regional television here in 1980. He also chats to Edward Rowe, who starred in Mark Jenkin's acclaimed film 'Bait' and who performs comedy as The Kernow King, and there's music from the Welsh-Cornish singer-songwriter Gwenno who will be performing tracks from her upcoming album 'Utopia'.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

It's 20 years since Jenny Colgan became a published author and since then her books have been translated across the globe, from Brazil to Bulgaria. Her latest novel is Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages.Playwright Douglas Maxwell is back at the Tron in Glasgow, a theatre that kickstarted his professional career 25 years ago. His one-man show Man’s Best Friend explores isolation and dogwalking. Zara Gladman might be best known online for her portrayals of her Glasgow West End Mum character, but she has found fans far beyond the realms of her home city. In August, she'll be swapping sketch for stage with her show Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser.Poet Michael Mullen's book Goonie is their debut poetry collection. It tells stories of family, humour and queer identity, from the living room to the hairdresser's chair. Plus music from singer-songwriter James Yorkston ahead of the release of his new album Songs for Nina and Johanna.Award-winning singer, harpist and composer Rachel Newton shares a track from her lat

Ore Oduba switched broadcasting for the stage after his 2016 Strictly win. His latest production is the adaptation of Peter James’ Picture You Dead book which is on tour across the country. Tom Newlands' debut novel Only Here, Only set in a fictional Fife town has received many plaudits in the UK and beyond. It's coming out in paperback later in June. Comedian Kim Blythe continues to go from strength to strength, from online skits to stand-up. Her show Cowboy will be at the Edinburgh Fringe this August. Amy Macdonald has answered her fans' calls for new music with her upcoming album Is This What You've Been Waiting For?. She shares a track. Plus music from jazz quartet Rose Room ahead of their performance at the Glasgow Jazz Festival.

This week Clive Anderson is talking playing with toys, settling scores and saying goodbyes with OG podcaster Adam Buxton. Tanita Tikaram has finally recorded the follow up to her multi-millions selling 1988 album 'Ancient Heart', called 'LIAR'Jimi Famurewa tells us how you go from stuffing mashed potato in your pocket to appearing on Masterchef.Kiran Landa stars in 'Marriage Material', based on the novel by Santham Sangerhera at the Lyric HammersmithSouth London trio Honeyglaze perform a track from their album 'Real Deal'.Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Jason Donovan won the hearts of millions alongside Kylie Minogue in the Australian soap Neighbours; then his debut album was the biggest seller of 1989 and he topped the UK singles chart 4 times. In the 1990s he reinvented himself in musical theatre with acclaimed roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and now he's playing Frank-n-furter in the Rocky Horror Show tour. Its safe to say he knows a thing or two about eye catching costumes, as does Great British Sewing Bee judge and designer to the stars Patrick Grant. His book - Less - is a plea to us to stop buying so much rubbish, buy better, mend more and think about wearing woollen knit swimming costumes or at least cotton running gear. The comedian Sophie McCartney is best known for poking fun at parenting and her viral mum-parody to the tune of Ed Sheeran. But she likes a costume too - thigh high silver boots and leather shorts for her latest show One Foot In the Rave, full of advice on how best to turn 40, how

Clive Anderson brings us Loose Ends from the Hay Festival. Joining Clive in front of a Hay audience are singer Paloma Faith who last year released her most personal album 'The Glorification of Sadness'. She also published her first book 'MILF' (no, not that one), a rousing call to arms for women to take up space, based on her experiences in the music industry, and as a mother. Welsh comedian Mike Bubbins is the star of the sitcom 'Mammoth', in which he plays Tony Mammoth, a PE teacher from the 70's who finds himself in 2024. Writer Frank Cottrell Boyce has an impressively diverse CV, having written films such as 24 Hour Party People, Hilary & Jackie, Code 46 as well as the 2012 London Olympics Ceremony. He's the author of many beloved children's books including Millions, and his latest 'The Blockbusters'. Historian Helen Carr is the author of the best-selling 'The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster and her new book 'Sceptred Isle: A new history of the fourteenth century'And the

The comedian and podcaster Stevie Martin is currently battling it out in the latest series of Channel 4’s award winning show Taskmaster - you might have enjoyed her "most snooty possession" which was a portrait of her pet tortoise in military uniform. She'll be here to tell us all about getting "the call" and her favourite games...sorry... tasks. Its also tricky-book-titles week on Loose Ends. The award winning novelist and screenwriter Emma Jane Unsworth likes a one word name for her books - the best selling Adults and Animals, which went on to become a feature film starring Holliday Grainger, and scooped Emma a British Independent Film Award - for the script. Her new book is called Slags, Stuart'll be finding out why. And travel writer Ben Aitken went to twelve of the least popular spots in the UK and Ireland for his book - Sh**ty Breaks. He'll be explaining the joys of travelling in the opposite direction to everybody else and still managing to get a great instagram photo. Music will be from the Jess Gill

Joining Stuart Maconie in the Salford studio are the actress Phina Oruche who began her career modelling in America. She's best known for playing Liberty Baker in Footballers Wives. Phina is currently on stage at the Liverpool Everyman in Nathan Powell's new play 'Takeaway', where she stars as Carol, the matriach behind Hyltons Caribbean takeaway. Kate Mossman is facinated by 'Men of A Certain Age'. so she's written a book to try to get to the bottom of why she's so enthralled by a certain kind of wrinkly rock star. Drag Race star Divina De Campo has been touring her solo show, a mix of comedy, song and storytelling, and Joe Kent-Walters won best newcomer at this year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards for his show in the guise of Frankie Monroe, the owner of Rotherham's finest working men's club 'The Misty Moon'.And there's music from Gruff Rhys, who has just released a remastered version of his 2014 album 'American Interior'Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Taskmaster star, comic and sitcom actor Alex Horne joins Clive Anderson to talk about season two of his sitcom, to introduce his comedic band The Horne Section and tell us why he's never running out of taskmaster tasks. The lexicographer and broadcaster Susie Dent is now a mystery thriller writer too, she'll be with us to talk about twisty word clues and her all-encompassing love of the English language. Star of Its A Sin, Callum Scott-Howells is currently appearing on stage in Ibsen's Ghosts - he'll tell Clive why this 19th century play still has plenty to tell us today. The historian Kate Williams is often found on our TV screens telling us what's going on during coronations and royal weddings. But she's here to talk about her less sober side hustle - a podcast dishing the gossip from royal history. With music from Anoushka Shankar's latest album, the concluding part of a trilogy which has been orchestrated and will be part of this years' BBC Proms programme.Presented by Clive Anderson Produced by Olive Cla

Rachel Joyce’s debut novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was a bestseller in 30 languages, became a much-loved film with Jim Broadbent and is about to become a stage musical. She's also got a new novel, a sun-soaked family drama called The Homemade God which has already been hailed by one critic as "the perfect holiday read". Levison Wood has travelled to 150 countries but holiday reading probably isn't top of his priorities as an explorer, documentary maker and photographer. He'll join us to talk about a career that's seen him serve in the army in Afghanistan, walk the full length of the Nile, make documentaries about endangered animals and circumnavigate the Arabian Peninsula. The actor and comedian Kiell Smith Bynoe starred in Ghosts and Stath Lets Flats and presented the Great British Sewing Bee but is about to go on tour with the aim of making improv cool again. Kool Story Bro sees him and a cast of comedians and actors pick up stories from audiences and make them into a show. What can he improv

Clive Anderson will be joined by comedian and star of Two Doors Down Kieran Hodgson ahead of his upcoming show Voice Of America.Chef Julie Lin's cookery book Sama Sama celebrates all parts of her Malaysian, Chinese and Scottish identity and mixes tradition with innovation. Lewis Gribben stars in the new series of Charlie Brooker's multi award-winning dystopian drama Black Mirror. Selali Fiamanya's debut novel Before We Hit the Ground is set between Ghana and Glasgow and explores love, grief, family and belonging. With music from Skerryvore and Mike McKenzie.

Stuart Maconie will be joined by comedian Karen Dunbar, star of sketch comedy show Chewin’ The Fat, ahead of her nationwide tour. Restless Natives: The Musical is the new stage adaptation of the Scottish cult classic. Actor Kirsty MacLaren stars in the show which brings some of Big Country's greatest hits to life. Rosco McClelland celebrates his recent win, having taken home the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at Glasgow International Comedy Festival. World-record breaking adventurer Mollie Hughes became the youngest woman to climb both sides of Mount Everest, and the youngest woman to ski solo to the South Pole. Her latest book is called Breathe.With music from NATI. and Lewis McLaughlin.Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Joining Clive Anderson in the Loose Ends studio are the Emmy award-winning actor Billy Porter, currently hanging out in the Kit-Kat club where he is starring as Emcee. Comedian and 'Guilty Feminist' podcaster Deborah Frances White has just published a new book 'Six Conversations We're Scared to Have', about how to ask difficult questions and change minds - including our own.Anna Chancellor stars in April De Angelis's 'Playhouse Creatures', about the first women of theatre at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, London.Music from Lapsley, one of the BBC Radio 1 Sound of... artists in 2025, she is about to release her fourth album 'I'm a Hurricane I'm a Woman in Love', the first on her own record label 'Her Own Recordings', and from poet and musician Anthony Joseph's new album 'Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back' Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen