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Tameka Empson and The QI Elves!

Tameka Empson chats all things EastEnders, plus The Why Workshop!

Tameka Empson chats to Zoe about the upcoming festive 'EastEnders' episodes.
Tameka is an actress and comedian best known for playing Kim Fox in 鈥楨astEnders鈥 (2009 - present), the half-sister of Denise Fox. She's also well known for her appearance on the 14th series of 'Strictly Come Dancing' and for appearing in: the film 'Beautiful Thing鈥 (1996), the 成人快手 sitcom 鈥楤eautiful People鈥, and the sketch show 鈥3 Non-Blondes鈥.

It鈥檚 The Why Workshop, and Zoe quizzes the QI Elves with more wonders and ponders, including your questions.

Along with Clare Runacres on news, Richie Anderson on travel and Mike Williams on sport, she and the team have the best start to your morning.

There's also a daily Pause For Thought from Jahnavi Harrison, and listeners on the line, as Zoe entertains the nation with fun for the family!

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Wed 8 Dec 2021 06:30

Music Played

  • The Crystals

    Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

    • A Christmas Gift For You (Phil Spector).
    • Phil Spector Int.
    • 7.
  • Sting

    Rushing Water

    • The Bridge.
    • Polydor.
  • The Four Seasons

    December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

    • The Very Best Of.
    • Polygram Tv.
    • 11.
  • Duran Duran

    A View To A Kill (Radio 2 In Concert, 02 Dec 2021)

  • Girls Aloud

    Call The Shots

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.
    • 1.
  • Simon & Garfunkel

    A Hazy Shade Of Winter

    • The Definitive Simon & Garfunkel.
    • Columbia.
  • Slade

    Merry Xmas Everybody

    • (CD Single).
    • EMI.
  • Craig David & MNEK

    Who You Are

    • (CD Single).
    • BMG Rights Management (UK).
  • Jennifer Lopez

    Love Don't Cost A Thing

    • (CD Single).
    • Epic.
  • Beverley Knight

    A Christmas Wish

    • The Loss Adjuster O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • Pink Flamingo Records.
  • Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

    Dancing In The Street

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

    The Look Of Love

    • And Then She Kissed Me Vol.1 (Various.
    • Debutante.
  • Stereophonics

    Do Ya Feel My Love

    • Oochya!.
    • Ignition Records.
  • Coldplay

    Magic (Radio 2 In Concert, 07 Dec 2021)

  • Coldplay

    Christmas Lights (Radio 2 In Concert, 07 Dec 2021)

  • Cerys Matthews & Iwan Rheon

    Christmas Wish

    • CD Single.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Elton John

    Step Into Christmas

    • Caribou.
    • Mercury.
  • Kelly Clarkson

    Santa, Can't You Hear Me (feat. Ariana Grande)

    • When Christmas Comes Around....
    • Atlantic.
  • Destiny鈥檚 Child

    Independent Women, Part I

    • Destiny's Child #1's.
    • Columbia.
  • Kenny Loggins

    Danger Zone

    • Top Gun O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • CBS.
  • Ingrid Michaelson

    Merry Christmas, Happy New Year (feat. Zooey Deschanel)

    • Ingrid Michaelson's Songs For The Season (Deluxe Edition).
    • Cabin 24 Records.
  • The Waitresses

    Christmas Wrapping

    • NOW That's What I Call Christmas (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • Marshmello & Jonas Brothers

    Leave Before You Love Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.
  • EMF

    Unbelievable

    • Awesome 2 - Various Artists.
    • Chrysalis.
  • Beastie Boys

    (You Gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)

    • I Love The 80's (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood

    Relax

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.
  • Joel Corry

    I Wish (feat. Mabel)

    • About Last Night....
    • Polydor.
  • Electric Light Orchestra

    Sweet Talkin' Woman

    • Light Years - The Very Best Of ELO.
    • Epic.

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

I鈥檓 so excited because tomorrow I鈥檓 going to be reunited with my parents for the first time in 18 months!聽聽I signed off an email to my Dad the other day, 鈥渨hen I see you I鈥檒l probably cry鈥. He replied 鈥淚 definitely will鈥, which got me going immediately!聽聽It鈥檚 a typical pandemic story鈥 so many of my friends have been through similar long distance separations in the last two years. But in some ways, we鈥檝e barely been apart. I think of life before video calling and instant messaging.聽聽Years and years ago, I used to call my parents from phone booths with cards and collect calls鈥r think of them while I travelled through foreign landscapes, writing things down on paper to tell them when we鈥檇 next reunite.聽

These days we can eat meals together online and take each other on walks with our phones.聽聽I can be on call for tech support and give my opinion on new furniture. My mum鈥檚 always ready with advice on pie crusts and seed sowing and of course to give long distance hugs when tears fall. But to be finally reunited in person is a gift I鈥檓 thrilled and deeply grateful for. For all the fussing and fighting that can go on in a family, as I get older, I鈥檓 more aware than ever, how investing in these relationships with love and kindness brings strength of heart and mind. I鈥檓 a bit of a word nerd and the other day I heard about the Tamil term 鈥榢attu maram鈥; it means 鈥榯ied wood鈥 and happens to be the origin of the English word 鈥榗atamaran鈥. Typically the kattu maram is a raft made of whole logs bound together with rope 鈥 strong enough to sail on both rivers and ocean.聽

I鈥檓 seeing this raft in my mind, riding the waves as they rise and fall - each log as important as the other鈥ound tightly together with ropes of love and an attitude of service, I see my family, friends, community, more easily navigating the uncertainties and troubles of this world, helping each other stay afloat and find happiness in higher purpose. And I know, more than ever now, we don鈥檛 need to be physically in the same location to be bound together. But I鈥檓 counting down the minutes til those hugs arrive!!!

Broadcast

  • Wed 8 Dec 2021 06:30