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And a happy new year to you too
Greetings in this half light of 2006. In a sea of new year's resolutions we have made precisely none. Not because we can't be bothered but simply because we have all been too busy building this remarkable programme for you.
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30th December
Hardeep Singh Kohli was our special guest and Matt Harvey was our poet. Peter Smith grabbed the microphone to be this week's guerilla reporter and he likes nothing more than to splash around in a hot tub in a skip and then make a mad dash to a frozen swimming pool. Martin Lacey told us all about training lions. Philip and Heather Good told us what it what it was like for both of them when Philip was in a coma. This week's podcast was Inner Slim. Michael McCann enlightened us with his philosophy and Nigella Lawson explained the reasons behind her inheritance tracks.
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Hot Tub
Peter Smith likes nothiing more than to splash around in a hot tub in a skip and then make a mad dash to a frozen swimming pool.
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Big Ben Timekeeper
Michael McCann is the man charged with keeping the most important clock in the land ticking.
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Inner Slim
The podcast endeavours to show you how to make the necessary changes in attitude to slim successfully.
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Nigella Lawson
Nigella Lawson chose 'Just The Way You Look Tonight' by and 'No Charge' by Tammy Wynette.
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Coma
Philip Good was hit on the head by the propeller of his microlight aircraft, whilst it was on the tarmac at Le Touquet airport. The injury he sustained put him into a coma for a month a half. Philip and his wife Heather tell us what it was like for both of them.
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Lion Trainer
Martin Lacey is a lion trainer and ring master with over 40 years experience keeping, training and breeding exotic and domesticated animals. Martin is a Government Registered Wild Animal Trainer.
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Matt Harvey
In 1992 began performing poems and is now a veteran of the UK鈥檚 festival circuit.
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Hardeep Singh Kohli
Glaswegian writer and comedian joins Fi this week.
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fog fog fog
looking out over the rooftops of central london there isn't a plane in the sky. this could be for two reasons:
a. all of the planes have been grounded because of the fog
b. we just can't see the planes because of the fog
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23 December: We love sprouts
This week Gregg Wallace joined us to share his tip top sprouts recipe, willingly sampled by our poet Murray Lachlan Young.
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Stranded at the airport
Planes have been grounded and flights cancelled for the last two days, mainly out of London airports 鈥 causing what we like to call 鈥榯ravel chaos鈥. It brings back memories for Roberta Greenhalgh.
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If I can you can
With all the spare time you've probably got right now you're probably wondering what new home craft you could entertain yourself with. Look no further. This week's podcast comes courtesy of David and Andrea from the US, and they are kind enough to tell us how to can fruit and jam. In other episodes they venture into canning meatloaf, but let's not run before we can walk eh.
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Pantomime horse
Carl Parris is a professional dancer who has performed in West End shows and films, but one of his proudest moments was being the back end of a pantomime horse in Cinderella. He shares his unique view of the world with us...
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Ghost hunter
Tom Rannachan has been working as a psychic medium and ghost hunter for 7 years.
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Murray Lachlan Young
This week鈥檚 poet, Murray Lachlan Young, has performed in many diverse situations: Mega festivals (and little ones), TV, film and theatre. From Shakespeare鈥檚 Globe to Speakers Corner via the main stage at Glastonbury. He has won over hostile crowds, been threatened with violence and even had to run for his life.
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Gregg Wallace
Gregg Wallace started out as a London market trader, and now supplies restaurants with fresh local produce. He co-presents Masterchef Goes Large, and has also co-presented Radio 4's Veg Talk.
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Nicholas Parsons
There are very few people who can get away with wearing a neckerchief these days. Even fewer who can carry off a cravat with aplomb - but can.
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Karen Scarborough - Christmas volunteer
Karen Scarborough spends her Christmas period organising the hair dressing department of the centres in London, which provide homeless people with companionship, hot meals and services.
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what do your decorations say about you...?
could it be the ultimate litmus test of your personality? if your christmas decorations do say something about you then this is what our say about us ...
Continue reading "what do your decorations say about you...?"
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16 December: Eel pie, anyone?
Thanks to our guest presenter Louise Rennison, and our poet Lemn Sissay, who summed up this week's goings on in lyrical style.
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Gift wrapper
Professional gift wrapper Annika Bosanquet spends her days creating beautiful parcels for people to give to their loved ones - everything from diamond rings to baked beans. She shares her philosophy of giving...
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Jon Snow
has been the face of Channel 4 News since he became the main presenter in 1989.
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Christmas decorations
John Hutchinson is not one to do things by half when it comes to Christmas. His home in Clanabogan in Northern Ireland is literally covered in Christmas lights, and he has even created a dreamland grotto. 35 thousand people have entered his lifesize walk through crib, raising over 50 thousand pounds for cancer charities in the last 8 years.
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Eel fisherman
Dave Pearce is believed to be the last eel fisherman on the Thames. He fishes the stretch from Deptford to Tower Bridge and his all time favourite fish is鈥..red mullet. He鈥檚 only 38 years old and it might fit with the stereotype if we told you that eels had been in his family for six generations 鈥 but they haven鈥檛. Dave used to be a bricky鈥
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Secret knitting
This week's podcast delves into the twilight world of . No, not knitting for those who are yet to come out of the handicraft closet, but a novel idea from Germany whereby you knit following instructions without knowing exactly what you're creating until it's done. Something to bear in mind should you find yourself at a loose end this Christmas...
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Internet grooming
Sadie had warned her 12 year old daughter of the potential dangers of using internet chatrooms and set out some rules to protect her, such as not giving out personal information or arranging meetings.
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Louise Rennison
is the author of the angst-filled Confessions of Georgia Nicolson books.
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Lemn Sissay
has just returned from a mini residency in Arizona. He writes a regular column for Poetry Review, and will be the writer in residence for 2007 at The Royal Festival hall. He has recently judged the John Lewllyn Rhys Prize for literature for The Book Trust, and presented one of Radio 4鈥檚 Fact to Fiction programmes. He's also included in the Today Programme's online audio advent calendar
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The Curse of Saturday Live
Well not a curse exactly but very strange none the less... Two weeks ago we talk to a tornado-chaser and then blow us down if there isn't an enormous . Last week we talked to Mike Gatehouse about being caught up in the Chilean coup - and that same day died. I think our guests this week should be afraid. Very afraid...
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9 December: Christmas Decorations
It's been a busy old week in the office what with getting everything ready for this week's programme AND putting up the Christmas decorations but we managed to get there in the end on both fronts...
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if only i was karen carpenter
and it's not often that i find myself saying that but i refer to paula's blog suggesting that the karaoke element of our christmas party might have been my idea...if only.
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Young Entrepeneur: Ashley Davison
Ashley Davison set up a company dedicated to the survival of the hoodie, albeit in mini form, and it led him to contact us and ask if he could share his new found business philosophy with us.
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How Not To Be Dreadful
Amanda and Bill explain what makes good elevator etiquette.
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Turkey Farmer: Paul Kelly
Turkey farmer Paul Kelly picks this week's tracks.
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Brian Sewell
Art critic tells us about his passion for his canine companions.
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Gay Priest: Colin Coward
Colin Coward entered the priesthood in 1976 when he was 32. He鈥檇 known he was gay from the age of 11 and growing up in Southwark where there were gay members of the clergy, he didn鈥檛 see his sexuality as a barrier to entering the Church of England.
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Chile Coup: Mike Gatehouse
The coup in Chile took place on September 11 1973. Mike was working for the Chilean Forestry Institute at the time and was also involved in local community work. He was arrested and held in a football stadium with hundreds of others before the British Embassy secured his release.
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Stewart Henderson
Stewart Henderson is a poet, songwriter and broadcaster. The Sunday Times described his children鈥檚 poetry as 鈥榚ssential reading鈥. Widely anthologised, Stewart鈥檚 verse is set for both GCSE and Key Stage in primary schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. His best selling 鈥榃ho Left Grandad At The Chipshop?鈥 and 鈥楢ll Things Weird and Wonderful鈥 alongside his various collections for adults have seen him become a festival favourite at literary events.
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Jon Ronson
Writer and documentary film maker grew up in Cardiff and began his journalistic career as an award-winning columnist for Time Out. He has also written the popular "Human Zoo" and "Out of the Ordinary" columns for The Guardian, where he contributes features.
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Karaoke Nights
Next week is Saturday Live's inaugural Christmas party and we're not talking lukewarm liebfraumilch and Hi Ho Silver Lining 'round our handbags. No, we thought we'd go high end and head off to Soho for some karaoke. I can't remember who came up with this ridiculous idea although I have a sneaking suspician it was Fi which suggests that velvety voice of hers is good for singing too. Why else would she suggest such ritual humiliation for the rest of us if she didn't know she could deliver pitch perfect renditions of the Karen Carpenter songbook?
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2 December: Shut that door
We had a piece on this week's programme about tornado chasing and thought we'd do some chasing of our own with a little bit of help from you. So, have you noticed much wind in your area? Although this is the same question my GP once asked me when I went to see him, complaining of terrible chest pains, our request applies more to tornadoes, gales, gusts or just a bit of a draught blowing under the living room door.
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chocolate eclairs...
it was bad enough that i had east versus west fighting in my belly. i added chocolate filled toffee insult to injury by stuffing at least half a bag of chocolate eclairs sweets into my mouth. now, there's a small point i wish to make. the sweet the "fruit salad" tastes like no fruit salad i have ever eaten; "sherbet lemons" have no more than a passing resemblance to either sherbet or the aformentioned lemon. and chocolate eclairs sweets are nothing at all like the choux pastry filled torpedo's of cream and chocolate love...
why call them chocolate eclairs then?
I also managed to avoid a coffee Revel all afternoon; a first for me. Maria managed to select two of the coffee freak confection and torquil had orange and coffee simultaneous; how i laughed...
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Beaufort Scale
How windy is it where you are today? Use the Beaufort Scale and let us know.
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Bodybuilder
Octogenarian body builder Charles Eugster sets down his dumbbells to tell us his philosophy of life.
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Tom Parker Bowles
selects his two tracks.
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Lunch Based Disaster
What was I thinking? (Always start with a question... that's what Mrs Higgins my old English teacher once said to me and did I not always do so?). Lunch-wise, what was I thinking? Here I am, terribly excited about presenting the show on Saturday. The show I am led to believe is "live". I don't normally work this far north of Soho. Soho is full of luncheon opportunites... Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, that one place nobody's quite sure of...
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Outdoor Swimmers
Kate Rew and friends go swimming in the Thames all year round.
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Tornado Chaser
Self confessed 鈥渢ornado chaser鈥 has spent the last seven years with meteorology as his metiere鈥 having harboured a lifelong love of extreme weather.
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Foundling
Christine Simm is a foundling, discovered in the back of a cab on the 8th of December 1949.
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Attila the Stockbroker
has spent the last 25 years performing his work across the world at literary and music festivals, rock venues, arts centres, pubs, universities, schools, folk clubs and punk squats.
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Justin Cartwright
Novelist was born in South Africa and came to university in the UK when he was 19.
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