Advertise on podcast: Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie is joined by performer, panto star and all round beam of joy Su Pollard, who has summed up her varied career in a memoir, 'Fully Charged'. Lloyd Griffith is a comedian, presenter and choirister, but today he's here as one of the stars of 'Return To Paradise. Naomi Katiyo stars as Sylvia Pankhurst in 'Sylvia: A Musical Revolution'. Actor, writer and theatre maker Emily Woof's latest novel 'Ecstatic' is inspired by the practise of Ecstatic dance and there's music from The Mary Wallopers, who are touring their new album 'Paddywhackery'. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Clive Anderson is joined by writer Alexander McCall Smith whose latest novel The Isle of Good Karma takes us on a life-changing trip from the Isle of Lewis to the Himalayas. Comedian Marc Jennings is on tour with If & When, diving in to some of the headlines that have kept us busy over the last year. A new production of Scottish classic The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is bringing the drama of Marcia Blaine School for Girls to audiences across Scotland - director Vicky Featherstone sheds a light on the production. Plus music from Big Country Redux and Zoe Graham. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon

Craig Revel Horwood on how his Strictly baddie persona earned him his pantomime villain break as well as being rammed by a trolley at the supermarket. Comedian and Taskmaster competitor Chloe Petts on how playing in goal as a teenager set her up for a life in stand-up and how bean-eating is her superpower. Si King on writing his first ever cookery book without his Hairy Biker partner and what Dave Myers might make of his meatball recipe. Plus music from Roachford, 90s star out on the road this winter with Jools Holland and Mike and the Mechanics as well as Hue and Cry. Presenter Stuart Maconie Producer Olive Clancy Assistant Producer Lizzie Foster Content Assistant Sam Nixon Technical Producers John Cole and Jack Morris

Clive Anderson is joined by 'Modern Family' star Jesse Tyler Ferguson who is taking on the role of Truman Capote in Tru by Jay Presson Allen at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Tim Minchin on the 15th anniversary of the hit musical Matilda, novelist Kate Mosse on her new book celebrating the wonders of Autumn and comedian Harriet Kemsley who is currently on tour with her stand-up show Floozy. There's also music from cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson's new album 'New Roots' Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Stuart Maconie and guests are at the BBC's Contains Strong Language Festival in Salford. Baudelaire of the bus stop, local man made poetic, John Cooper Clarke reveals where he goes for inspiration. Multi-award winning poet and novelist Jackie Kay who began writing as a pre-teen and hasn't stopped since. Hannah Maxwell's acclaimed Edinburgh show is called Turn Your F**king Phones Off, but she's having to tone it down for her forthcoming tour. And music and poetry from the "alt-pop poet" Antony Szmierek's new album Decoding Birdsong - the musician who went from playing at Glastonbury to his day-job as a teacher. Presented by Stuart Maconie Produced by Olive Clancy Assistant Producer Lizzie Foster Production Coordinator Mica Nepomuceno Technical Producers: Mike Smith, Phil Booth, Jonathan Esp

Stuart Maconie is joined by comedian Simon Brodkin, known for his character Lee Nelson and his stunts, slipping past security to prank the likes of Donald Trump, Seb Blatter and Theresa May. He's out on tour with a new show, Unleashed. Ahir Shah won the Edinburgh Comedy award in 2023 for his show Ends. His new show, Golden is inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche and Gerald Manley Hopkins. Best Selling Crime Author Elly Griffith's The Killing Time is the second in her new Ali Dawson series. And there's music from Cara Dillon and Truthpaste. Presester: Stuart Maconie Producer: Jessica Treen

Stuart Maconie is joined in the Salford studio by the food critic and broadcaster Jay Rayner, who tells us about the worst thing he's ever done for money. Helen Rebanks, author of the best-selling book The Farmer's Wife, on not discussing bluetongue and Herdwicks with Whoopi Goldberg, and comedian Sindhu Vee on the perils of a four-a-day mango habit. There's music from Portland-based singer-songwriter Laura Veirs and Falkirk's own Arab Strap. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Elizabeth Foster

Clive Anderson's guests include the broadcaster and journalist Janet Street-Porter who is celebrating her 80th birthday by hitting the road. In 'Janet Street Porter is Still of The Leash at 80', Street-Porter is revisiting the highs and lows of her long and unusual life and career, settling scores and telling truths. Comedian writer and actress Isy Suttie is the latest to take on the Taskmaster. As she tells Clive, she's no stranger to a dare - was this good training for the TV show? Christopher Chung is best known for playing the deluded MI5 tech specialist Roddy Ho in Slow Horses. As the acclaimed spy drama returns for a sixth series, Chung is also starring as the romantic lead Roddy Ho wishes he was in a new adaptation of Miles Franklin's 'My Brilliant Career' And music is from Altered Images who are on tour playing their hit 1981 debut album 'Happy Birthday'. Clare Grogan tells us why now is the right time to look back. Looking forward is Jordan Rakei, whose new album 'A Safe Place to Be Wild' is out in October. He joins us in the studio to perform a track. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Jessica Treen

Join Clive Anderson for a party at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Taskmaster winner Sophie Duker spins great comedy from terrible encounters in her latest show Hot Beef Injection. Comedian John Kearns brings Tilting at Windmills to the Fringe - monk cap, false teeth and all. One of India's biggest stand-ups Kanan Gill will be chatting about how his show Not This Again changes during worldwide tours. Writer and poet Jenni Fagan makes satire out of life after death in her book The Delusions. Plus music from poet Len Pennie and composer Paul Leonard-Morgan who've collaborated on an album called Delusions, and the cast of The Real Kyle McCarren. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon Production Co-ordinator: Lauren Stewart

Join Clive Anderson for a party at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Rosie Jones will be chatting about some of her favourite things (like gravy) and her least favourite things (like internet trolls called Darren) in I Can't Tell What She's Saying. Garry Starr: Classic Penguins sees clown Damien Warren-Smith attempt to bring every single book in the collection to life like never before. And comedian Kirsty Mann shares how buying a derelict house changed everything she believes in, in her very own real-life ghost story Corpse. Plus music from One Man Musical which turns the spotlight on a musical theatre icon, and Legendary which explores Chinese mythology and queer legacy. Presenter: Clive Anderson Producer: Caitlin Sneddon Production Co-ordinator: Lauren Stewart

Kiri Pritchard-McLean presents Loose Ends from the Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield. She's joined by author and broadcaster Andrew Hunter Murray who tells us how to write novels with the aid of a spreadsheet. Professional organiser Dilly Carter on unboxing a skull, comedian and Traitors star Hannah Byczkowski on crying into Claudia Winkleman's arms, and comedian David Eagle on negotiating a climate change protest at his wedding. There's music from Yorkshire singer-songwriter Chris Brain and Sheffield's own Daisy Peacock. Presenter: Kiri Pritchard-McLean Producer: Elizabeth Foster

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time. The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus. Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition. Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome. And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster. Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Anthony McKee Technical Producer: Davy Neill Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

TV presenter and wine expert Olly Smith's written a novel - Death by Noir - a crisp murder mystery set among the vineyards of Sussex. Smack the Pony star Fiona Allen's taking a solo show - White Lies - to the Edinburgh Fringe, all about the fibs people tell to get out of socialising...and their dire consequences. Tristan Gooley, author of The Hidden Seasons, tells us about 'shooting star' season, what to learn from a single tree and how to navigate using grass as a compass. Music from Mari Wilson who sang Just What I Always Wanted in the 1980s and has her first new music out for a decade. Plus a song from rising star of lo-fi folk Natalie Wildgoose. Presenter: Stuart Maconie Producer: Olive Clancy Assistant Producer: Lizzie Foster Technical Producers: John Cole and Kelly Young Content Assistant: Sam Nixon

Kiri Pritchard-McLean is joined in Salford by writer and Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall who has turned his hand to crime novels, first with Death at the White Hart and now The Parkwood Murders. Comedian Ayoade Bamgboye is fresh off the first season of Saturday Night Live UK and she's wrapping up the tour of her hit Edinburgh show Swings and Roundabouts, which earned her the best newcomer award at the festival in 2025, before heading back to the festival this year with a work in progress show. Wendi Peters played Cilla Battersby-Brown in Eastenders and Dr Nina Bulsara in Doctors. Her latest role is in the new BBC One crime drama series The Hairdresser Mysteries. Music is from The Anchoress, AKA Catherine Ann Davies who is soon to release a new album As We Once Were, her much anticipated follow up to her critically acclaimed 2021 album The Art of Losing, and Later Youth AKA Joe Dudderidge. Presenter: Kiri Pritchard-McLean Producer: Jessica Treen

West End star and Olivier Award winner Ruthie Henshall has a new memoir and as you might expect it's very glamorous and full of tales about the cast of Cats, Les Mis and Crazy for You. It also tells the story of her secret five year relationship with a young Prince Edward, how the now-King of England mixed her first martini and Princess Diana encouraged her to belt out a show tune after dinner. Performer and all-round master entertainer Joe Pasquale is making his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year - before now he's always been too busy presenting The Price Is Right or competing in Dancing on Ice or winning I'm a Celebrity. Find out about his show - 11 and a half Angry Men. The comedian Tez Ilyas, star of Man Like Mobeen and The Tez'O Clock Show is also heading for Edinburgh and then out on tour with his new show - Tez Things I Hate About You. He's entered his "uncle stage", he says, and thrives on deinfluencing. Plus music from soul singer Mica Millar and from The Zutons front man Dave McCabe, now solo. Presenter Kiri Pritchard-Mclean Producer Olive Clancy Assistant producer Lizzie Foster Production co-ordinator Pete Liggins Technical producers Amy Brennan and Kelly Young