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Very Special VE Day Announcement

Chris announces he will be hosting the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's VE Day 70th anniversary concert. He catches up with ACDC's Brian Johnson in Los Angeles and a meditation expert.

Chris announces he will be hosting the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's VE Day 70th anniversary concert starring Gregory Porter, Blue, Katherine Jenkins, Elaine Paige, Status Quo and Alfie Boe amongst loads of other artists! For tickets and more info head to www.bbc.co.uk/vedayconcert.

Plus, ACDC's Brian Johnson calls in from Los Angeles to talk about his new TV show Cars That Rock but denies rumours of headlining Glastonbury Festival this year.

Meditation expert Stephen Adamson calms Chris and tells us how to find our own natural awareness.

And Reverend Sharon Grenhan-Toze makes us Pause for Thought.

Today's show is dedicated to anyone who's getting hot under the collar - but not because of the weather...

And today's show is entitled: Blood pressure high, mood low, then the good's got to get better and the bad's got to go!

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Van Halen

    Jump

    • The All Time Greatest Rock Songs ....
    • Columbia.
  • Jack Savoretti

    The Other Side Of Love

    • (CD Single).
    • BMG Chrysalis.
    • 001.
  • Lulu

    To Sir With Love

    • The Don Black Songbook.
    • Play It Again, Sam.
  • Sheryl Crow

    Everyday Is A Winding Road

    • Top Gear Anthems (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Pretenders

    Talk Of The Town

    • The Pretenders - The Singles.
    • WEA.
  • Yes

    Owner Of A Lonely Heart

    • Top Gear 2 - Various Artists.
    • Columbia.
  • Kodaline

    The One

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.
    • 001.
  • Prince

    The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

    • (CD Single).
    • NPG RECORDS.
  • The Beat

    Hands Off...She's Mine

    • The Beat - Beat This!.
    • Sire.
  • Shirley Bassey

    Big Spender

    • Shirley Bassey - The Singles.
    • EMI.
  • Markus Feehily

    Love Is A Drug

    • (CD Single).
    • Sony Music.
    • 001.
  • Robbie Williams

    Let Me Entertain You

    • Now 39 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • Lionel Richie

    Dancing on the Ceiling

    • Dancing In The Street (Various Artis.
    • Universal Music Tv.
  • Fleetwood Mac

    Never Going Back Again

    • Fleetwood Mac - Rumours.
    • Warner Bros.
    • 10.
  • AC/DC

    Rock The Blues Away

    • Rock Or Bust.
    • Columbia.
    • 003.
  • Katherine Jenkins & Vera Lynn

    We'll Meet Again

    Orchestra: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Concert Orchestra.
  • MAGIC!

    No Way No

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.
    • 001.
  • Aswad

    Shine

    • Now 1994 - The Millennium Series.
    • EMI.
  • Aswad

    Don't Turn Around

    • The Best Summer Ever (Various Artist.
    • Virgin.
  • Aswad

    Give A Little Love

    • Now 12 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • Tears for Fears

    Shout

    • Songs From The Big Chair: Deluxe Edition.
    • Mercury.
  • Orange Juice

    Rip It Up

    • Rip It Up (Various Artists).
    • EMI.
  • Brooke Fraser

    Kings & Queens

    • (CD Single).
    • Vagrant Records.
    • 001.
  • Bud Flanagan & The Band of the Coldstream Guards

    Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler?

  • One Direction

    Story Of My Life

    • (CD Single).
    • Syco Music.

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

From Reverend Sharon Grenham-Toze, Anglican Priest and Prison Chaplain:

One of my earliest memories is of listening to my dad singing in a silly voice Spike Milligan’s poem ‘I’m walking backwards for Christmas’.

It would have been Spike’s birthday today, although sadly he died in 2002. But thanks to him and his crazy companions, and my dad’s equally off the wall sense of humour, I grew up loving madcap comedy and wordplay.

Research seems to show that a good belly-laugh brings all kinds of health benefits - like lowering our blood pressure and giving us natural pain relief; as well as boosting our mental health and our relationships. Chuckling at a seemingly rubbish situation can help us overcome it more easily, and a tense stand-off can sometimes be blown away by a touch of humour – even in prison.

As a priest though, quite often people presume I’m really straight-laced, or I’ll be offended by slightly naughty jokes. Of course, issues about religion and humour can have a very serious side, and there’s a fine line to tread. But I think one of my favourite ‘religious’ pictures is one I once saw called ‘laughing Jesus.’ No idea who painted it, but it was surprising to me because I realised how very rarely we ever see this man with anything other than a serious face or maybe a rather watery smile. I love the idea of him throwing back his head and roaring with laughter at some of the silliness going on around him - and I bet he’d do that even more if he was walking around with us today.

So I think I have my Dad, the Goons, AND that image of a laughing Jesus to thank that I can laugh when my work colleagues call me the ‘God Squad’, and you’ll quite often catch me whistling ‘Always look on the bright side of life’ from The Life of Brian. My faith’s robust enough to take a bit of ribbing, and I hope I give as good as I get!

I’d like to echo the words of Charlie Chaplin, who also had a birthday today – he said ‘a day without laughter is a day wasted.’ÌýÌý A good motto for the Breakfast Show?

Ìý

Broadcast

  • Thu 16 Apr 2015 06:30

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.