The Island of Brilliant!

Frank Cottrell Boyce and Nadia Shireen
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The Island of Brilliant!

Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce have been shipwrecked on the Island of Brilliant with nothing but a pair of hammocks, a pile of children’s books and the world’s greatest ukulele band (The Ukulele Uff Trio) to keep them going. Everyone wants the best for their children. Everyone should know that reading for pleasure not only increases educational attainment but also helps build happiness and resilience. If you’re going to read for pleasure you need choice. Nadia and Frank will be chatting about what’s new and brilliant in children’s writing with the help of visitors to the island and reviews delivered via sea-shell from the doyen of children’s literature critics, Emily Drabble. Music: The Ukulele Uff Trio Producer: Geoff Bird

  1. OCT 1

    Louie Stowell

    Frank has been desperate to start up a whole new mythology for the island with stories featuring various characters he's modelled out of seaweed and goggly eyes, so Nadia's relief was positively palpable when Louie Stowell turned up, courtesy of a feathery Loki, with enough Norse tales to sate Frank's ravenous appetite, at least for a little while. They chat about the wild success of Louie's Loki books, the brilliant ways myths can be retold (cue Frank's Elmer Fudd impression) and roll the Sisyphean rock of Katherine Rundell's snackaggedon back up the hill.

    48 min

  2. SEP 1

    Chris Haughton & Spellow Library

    A very special, dare we say unmissable, episode in lots of ways. Not only does Chris Haughton, the genius behind such books as 'Shh!', 'A Bit Lost' and 'Don't Worry, Little Crab' join us on the island and prove himself to be the most charming and brilliant of guests, Frank also shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on  Liverpool's Spellow Library during the riots. It's a letter that is both the story of a life and a testament to the enormous power of public spaces and their capacity to offer a beacon of light in the darkness. We also hear from Alex McCormick, the woman who set up the Go Fund Me page that she hoped would raise £500.00 to help restore Spellow Lane. At the time of writing it has already raised £250,000.  And in case that's not enough, Frank and Nadia get into it over which Simpsons character they most closely resemble. They've been on the island too long, some might say...

    1h 2m

  3. JUL 31

    Festival of Brilliant, with Steven Lenton

    How do you turn an island into a festival?  This month's episode is recorded partly on the island and partly at the magical location that is Biddulph Old Hall in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which played host and provided a magnificent backdrop to the inaugural Festival of Brilliant, staged by the mighty Outside Arts organisation. Moorlands lad Steven Lenton came along with vital local patisserie expertise and charmed the audience with his Swanee whistle playing and tip-top question answering. The Ukelele Uff Trio were even persuaded to come ashore for the first time in years to play along live. If you weren't able to come along in person, here's the next best thing (though you really did miss out on some excellent chips).

    40 min

  4. JUL 20

    Jonny Vegas' Favourite Character

    Nadia and Frank continue in their efforts to work out who their own favourite character from children's books is by asking other people who theirs is in the hope it'll give them inspiration. Fat chance, it takes them three hours to decide which side of their hammocks to get out of in the morning - but still, you never know. Today it's the turn of Jonny Vegas to recall his happy childhood days at Thatto Heath public library, pestering the librarians for new books featuring... well you'll just have to use your noggin and have a listen to find out.

    4 min

  5. JUL 2

    Sophy Henn (& A Coronation)

    A HUGE day on the island as our Frank becomes the new children's laureate! It's been quite the journey from Coronation Street to coronation, but nobody deserves it more. Everyone's delighted though he does seem to want to rub our noses in it just a touch so let's see how long that lasts. It could be a long two years.  Nadia and Frank are joined by the glorious wonder that is Sophy Henn who talks brilliantly about the joy of facts, her circuitous route to the world of children's books - and why some books just wouldn't be quite the same without sugary sweets to light their spark.

    44 min

  6. JUN 1

    Julia Donaldson

    Nadia's been at the papaya juice again, only this time she SWALLOWED THE WORM! 🪱Thus ensues a fever dream in which she imagines her and Frank interviewing JULIA flippin' DONALDSON at @brightfest (never gonna happen obvs).. Frank's efforts to bring Nadia down from her brain-worm trip fail as he gets cross about not being Adam Kay - the only remedy is a blast of the St Trinians Battle Cry. Thank goodness Emily Drabble of Booktrust is on hand to bring everyone back to earth. Or sand.

    48 min

  7. MAY 24

    Julie's Favourite Character

    Who's your favourite character from children's books? Just the question Frank and Nadia have been asking themselves, and to help prompt them they're going to be asking some friendly folk to name theirs. First up is one of the funniest, warmest and most talented women you could hope to meet, that legend of stage and screen, the Accrington Thunderbolt herself, Julie Hesmondhalgh!!!!

    5 min

  8. APR 30

    Rob Biddulph

    Well we've had some talented coves wash up in our coves but never a world record holder, not until now that is. Rob 'Draw With Rob' Biddulph is a triple-threat cubed: a Youtube sensation, a writer, illustrator and not least a snack-mongering champion-of-champions. He tells Nadia and Frank all about his life before children's books, working  for the NME and The Observer among others, and how happy he is to have found his true calling as a storyteller for children - and that, as Frank says, really is something to be.. EMily Drabble from Booktrust is back with more picks from the May bookshelves, and Nadia breaks Frank's heart by telling him in no uncertain terms that there are occasions she just needs a bit of me-that-means-not-you time.

    1 hr
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Trailer

About

Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce have been shipwrecked on the Island of Brilliant with nothing but a pair of hammocks, a pile of children’s books and the world’s greatest ukulele band (The Ukulele Uff Trio) to keep them going. Everyone wants the best for their children. Everyone should know that reading for pleasure not only increases educational attainment but also helps build happiness and resilience. If you’re going to read for pleasure you need choice. Nadia and Frank will be chatting about what’s new and brilliant in children’s writing with the help of visitors to the island and reviews delivered via sea-shell from the doyen of children’s literature critics, Emily Drabble. Music: The Ukulele Uff Trio Producer: Geoff Bird

Information

  • Creator
    Frank Cottrell Boyce and Nadia Shireen
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Island of Brilliant!

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