Loose Ends

BBC Radio 4

Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy

  1. Ben Elton, Sarah Jane Morris & band, Suzi Ruffell, Keith Brymer Jones, Barns Courtney

    23 hr ago

    Ben Elton, Sarah Jane Morris & band, Suzi Ruffell, Keith Brymer Jones, Barns Courtney

    Comedy writer Ben Elton's autobiography What Have I Done? tells the story of a career of comedy firsts, writing hit shows like Blackadder, The Young Ones and Upstart Crow. His love of words is legendary - as a small child his mother wouldn't let him speak til she was on her second cup of tea to braving the "Oxbridge tutorial" vibe of the Blackadder rehearsal room with Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Rowan Atkinson. Great Pottery Throw Down judge Keith Brymer Jones is a man so mad about pots they can move him to tears. He's now on the road with a tour about his renovation of a Welsh church complete with pigeon poo that took £40,000 to remove. But did you know he puts his remarkable resilience down to his ballet training? Comic Suzi Ruffell is also on the road with her stand up show, dressed correctly - 'shirt, tie and mullet', she says - but she's also written a memoir slash how-to-guide, Am I having fun now?, about winning (and laughing) at life in spite of her deep anxiety about it. And music from Sarah Jane Morris's new album paying tribute to the great women singer songwriters and from Anglo-American rocker Barns Courtney. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Olive Clancy Assistant Producer: Sam Nixon Technical Producers: John Cole and Kelly Young

    37 min

  2. 23 May

    Hay Festival, Athena Kugblenu, James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Keith Cameron, Robin Morgan, Georgina Hayden, Cerys Hafna

    Recorded in front of an audience at this year's Hay Festival, Clive Anderson is joined by comedian Athena Kugblenu, celebrating failure with her second history book for children, History's Most Epic Fails. Comedian Robin Morgan bears all in his latest stand-up hour, Let's Overshare. Food writer Georgina Hayden's new book is Medesque: Everyday Recipes with Mediterranean Roots. Keith Cameron is the author of 168 Songs of Hatred and Failure: A History of the Manic Street Preachers, telling their story song by song. Keith is joined by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire from the band. And there's more music from Welsh harpist Cerys Hafana. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

    38 min
  3. Conn Iggulden, Bank of Dave musical, Cally Beaton, Guvna B, Emma Kenny

    16 May

    Conn Iggulden, Bank of Dave musical, Cally Beaton, Guvna B, Emma Kenny

    Best-selling historical novelist Conn Iggulden on influencers in the Roman Empire, why Emperor Nero wasn't entirely a baddie and why we have far more in common with ancient Romans than we think. The stand-up comedian Cally Beaton didn't get into comedy until she was in her 40s, but after a chance conversation with Joan Rivers, she left the boardroom for evenings telling funny stories from sticky stages at the back of pubs. She has plenty to say about career swerves. Emma Kenny is best known as a TV parenting guru, but her dark side hustle is true crime tours - more gristle than toddler grizzle - and audiences love it. Also, music from Rob Madge's joyful Bank of Dave Musical and from MOBO winner Guvna B's new album, The Bed I Made. Presented in Salford by Stuart Maconie Producer: Olive Clancy Assistant producer: Sam Nixon Technical producers: John Cole and Helen Williams

    36 min

  4. 9 May

    Ardal O'Hanlon, Ella Risbridger, Kathy Maniura, Jasmine Jethwa, Jim Moray

    Ardal O'Hanlon's new book 'A Plot to Die For' is the first in a series of crime novels starring Finn O'Leary, the celebrity gardener who comes back to his small home town where it turns out things aren't quite so cosy. Ella Risbridger tells us why the maxim 'never met your heroes' absolutely does not apply to Nigella Lawson and comedian Kathy Maniura skewers a specific kind of male midlfe crisis in her show 'Cycling Man'. Music is from Jasmine Jethwa and Jim Moray. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

    36 min

  5. 2 May

    Tracy Borman, Phil Wang, Anna Haugh, Pulman and Stilgoe, Finn Forster

    Its food, glorious food week on Loose Ends as new Masterchef host - the Irish restaurateur and chef Anna Haugh - joins Clive to talk about her chemistry with co-host Grace Dent, kitchen etiquette and the hierarchy of carbohydrates (spuds on top, of course). Potatoes just don't cut it for the comedian Phil Wang, who will always be a noodles-man. He's going on tour but has a number of foodie side hustles, including hosting the Great British Menu and judging "the slurpies" his award for best chinese restaurant at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. And the historian Tracy Borman has a new novel all about the Boleyn family, its seems Tudor real lives were strange enough to seem made up and yes, foods like marchpane and manchet feature alongside the odd turkducken roast. Plus music from singer songwriter Finn Forster (who loves a Middlesborough chicken parmo) and from the golden era of the Hollywood musical from jazz pianist Joe Stilgoe with singer Liza Pulman (popcorn, anyone?). Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Olive Clancy Assistant Producer: Sam Nixon Technical Producers: Gayl Gordon and Giles Aspen

    35 min

  6. 25 Apr

    Cammy Barnes, Chris Forbes, Edith Bowman, Danielle Jam, Alys Williams, Ant Thomaz

    Comedian Chris Forbes is better known to many as Duncan AKA the other Murray brother, whose sketches with Judy Murray have tickled the nation. And thankfully they seem to have amused his fictional brothers too. Danielle Jam will be telling us what's the story in Balamory - she's joined the cast in the new series and is the nepobaby of the island, following in her dad's footsteps as village's latest resident inventor Ava Potts. From a sunny summer in London, to life as a Benedictine monk, Andrew Meehan's book Hey Man is all about a lifechanging friendship. The Light House is theatre-maker Alys William's touring play which wraps her experience supporting her suicidal partner in to a tale of love and play. Expect tears, and also a clown nose. Plus music from Cammy Barnes, whose musical career has taken him from bagpiping around world, to the stage of Britain's Got Talent, and sell-out solo shows. And Louisiana-born Ant Thomaz will be performing a track from his new album Gaia named after and inspired by his daughter. Presenter: Edith Bowman Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

    37 min

  7. 18 Apr

    Alfie Boe, Paul Black, Hannah Lavery, Clive Anderson, Amanda Dwyer, Alice Faye

    Alfie Boe's album Face Myself is his most personal yet, packed with original songs which let us get to know the man behind the music. He shares one of his new tracks. Comedian Paul Black has become a star of Scottish social media, with his viral videos reminding us that dads on holiday are all much the same no matter where they're from. His tour Cash Cow brings us more of the characters that people have come to love. Hannah Lavery's latest book Everything Everyday is a collection of poems that chart protest, grief and hope through the seasons, from the lament of a mourning whale, to the spark of connection of a message notification. This year's Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award winner was Amanda Dwyer. As a lifelong fan of the Big Yin, this win is propelling her towards her August Fringe run. Plus music from Alice Faye, whose beautiful songwriting has taken her from Waverley Station on Channel 4's The Piano, to recent wins at the Scottish Album of the Year Award and BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

    36 min

  8. 11 Apr

    Ralf Little, Nina Gilligan, Sam Riley, Janet Devlin, Will Brown, Kiri Pritchard-McLean

    Kiri Pritchard-McLean welcomes the actor and writer Ralf Little as he tours the country with the first ever stage adaptation of John le Carré's classic book The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Comedian Nina Gilligan joins us to talk about her new Radio 4 comedy special and her upcoming stand-up tour, Lemoncake. Actor Sam Riley is about to star in the new BBC romantic crime drama Mint. And we've music from Kansas-born preacher's son Will Brown, and Janet Devlin with her new single, co-written with Jack Savoretti. Presenter: Kiri Pritchard-McLean Producer: Elizabeth Foster

    36 min
See All (486)

4.2
out of 5
110 Ratings

About

Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    486
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    Loose Ends

More From BBC

You Might Also Like