Bandwidth Conversations

'Lessons in Chemistry' is a multi-million copy bestselling novel, it's in over 40 countries and has won far too many awards to list here. Such is its success it has been made into a series on Apple Plus, starring Brie Larson.

My aunt sent it to me to cheer me up after I had open heart surgery this Summer. It was one of the best presents I have ever been given and it transformed my recovery. I was devastated when I finished it. I contacted author Bonnie Garmus to tell her how wonderful her book was and she very kindly agreed to let me interview her.

In the episode, Bonnie discusses her journey, inspirations, how she came up with her characters, the struggles of being a writer, tackling sexism & how to use anger constructively. Funny, smart, self-deprecating, full of wisdom, insight and humour, talking to Bonnie was as joyous and compelling as reading her brilliant novel.

Bonnie's Website

Buy 'Lessons in Chemistry'

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What do Cindy Crawford, Bill Nighy and a polar bear have in common? They have all been photographed by David Yarrow, one of the most celebrated photographers in the world.

David Yarrow's photographs are on the walls of celebrities, art collectors and no less than 3 ex-US presidents. He makes and takes photographs of the natural world and captures scenes that tell iconic stories.

In this conversation we talk about how David began, left and returned to photography, the current marketplace for photographers, the pitfalls of conservation and how he took some of his legendary shots. He, like his photographs, is a great story teller and he talks with great humility and humour. I loved talking to David!

Related Links

David Yarrow's Website

Follow David on Instagram

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Santa Montefiore is a no 1 bestselling author on the Sunday Times Best Sellers list and each and every book she publishes immediately shoots into the top ten. She writes sweeping sagas of love, tragedy, trauma, heartbreak and hope. She has written 30 books and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

A friend of hers recently said of her, "She is a candidate for sainthood as a mother, sister, godmother and wife, but somehow also one of the funniest people in London."

Santa talks about her childhood, her love affair with Argentina, her incredible success, how she has honed her craft and her ability to see spirits all with great humility, humour and insight.

Santa has also just released her new book 'Wait for Me'. Based on a true story, this is a tale of enduring love and devastating secrets, sweeping across England during WWII to Australia five decades later.

Related Links:

Santa Montefiore Website

Oogway Ascends - Bing video

Related Books:

Wait for Me

Here and Now

Flappy Entertains

The Deverill Chronicles Collection

Meet Me Under the Ombu Tree

Sir Ivor Roberts KCMG FCIL served in the British Diplomatic Service for nearly forty years. He served his country in Lebanon, France, Luxembourg, Australia, Vanuatu, Spain and served as British Ambassador to Yugoslavia during the Balkans war. He was posted as Ambassador to Ireland immediately following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and also served as Ambassador to Italy. During that time and, among many roles, he was sent to deal with a rebellion, was involved in the complex and delicate negotiation of releasing hostages and served as the Foreign Office's Head of Counter Terrorism.

His memoir of his years in the Balkans, Conversations with Milosevic, was published in 2016. After a glittering career as a diplomat, he became President of Trinity College, Oxford.

In this conversation Ivor shares his experiences and perspectives; from Terry Waite to Milosevic to Silvio Berlusconi to who poses the biggest threat today plus some funny anecdotes and what to expect from a career in the Diplomatic Service.

Related Links

Conversations With Milosevic

Parting Shots

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and managing director of Hat Trick Productions, one of the country's leading producers of comedy, drama and entertainment. He's also a comedian, comedy writer, actor and television presenter.

He has written, produced and acted in countless shows; Alas Smith and Jones, Chelmsford 123, Whose line is it anyway, Have I got News for You, Outnumbered, Drop the Dead Donkey to name but a few.

In 1999 he won the BAFTA Alan Clarke Award for his creative contribution to television. In 2003 he and his then wife Denise O'Donoghue were listed in the Observer as two of the 50 funniest people in Britain.

In this conversation Jimmy talks about many things; among them his journey from comprehensive school to reading Classics and French at Cambridge University to being one of the funniest men in the UK and one of its leading producers. He is an absolute legend and I loved talking to him!

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Jason Watkins is one of the leading actors of our generation. He won the BAFTA for best lead actor in The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries, he played Prime Minister Harold Wilson in The Crown. He played the biographer of a serial killer in Des. He's in McDonald and Dodds, Line of Duty, Trollied, W1A, Are you being served, Taboo, The Golden Compass, A Very English Scandal, Bridget Jones, Nativity – the list is endless.

In this episode, Jason talks about his struggles at school, his time at RADA, how he builds his characters and the tragic loss of his daughter Maudie aged two and a half. He shares advice on the grieving process and information on the often undiagnosed disease that is sepsis.

Related links

Watch Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie

Child Bereavement UK

UK Sepsis Trust

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I had the most fascinating conversation with film director Lucy Walker. Lucy talks about how she became a multi-award-winning documentarian, about the craft of making documentaries, what it was like to climb a peak in the Himalayas with a group of blind Tibetan children, what it was like to create art out of waste in one of the largest landfill sites in the world, how the Amish youth are set free in the hope they return to the community for life and many other extraordinary stories. Her documentaries are outstanding; they shine a spotlight on injustice and ignorance, they celebrate bravery against the odds, they uncover latent dangers, they are thought provoking, they inform and they challenge. She is a genius!

Related Links:

Devil's Playground

Blindsight

Waste Land

Bring Your Own Brigade

How to Change Your Mind

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Sally co-created, wrote and acted in Smack the Pony, a double Emmy Award- winning comedy show, for which she was nominated for best female newcomer at the 1999 British Comedy Awards. She has starred in countless films, television series, comedy shows and radio programmes such as the Bridget Jones films, Miranda, Green Wing, I am Alan Partridge, Rescue Me, Veep, Friday Night Dinner, Clare in the Community, among many others.

In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the funniest acts in British comedy. Sally talks about some of her career highlights and lowlights, the joys and pitfalls of being a female comedian, what it was like to be Shazza in Bridget Jones, and what it is like to live with her son Ollie, dispelling some of the unkind myths surrounding Down's Syndrome.

Related links:

A World Without Down Syndrome

Smack the Pony

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What do you most want to be able to do in your life? What are you longing to achieve or create? Would you like to better understand your character and personality traits, your path in life and discover your true potential? Would you like to find peace within yourself? Would you like to have a healthier, less guilty relationship with food?

Find out how by listening to my podcast with Loretta Ferrucci who has spent her life exploring how we can maximise our potential and create our vision. Full of insights, she is an absolute inspiration and I think you will find her discoveries fascinating.

Related Links:

Visit Loretta's Website

Whole Body Reset Programme

Follow Loretta on FaceBook

Tara Fitzgerald is a star of both the stage and screen. Tara talks about everything from her experiences at drama school to her early roles co-starring with Peter O'Toole, Ewan MacGregor, Hugh Grant, Joseph Fiennes, Ralph Fiennes to name but a few and the heady time in her 20's playing lead roles in plays, films and television series such as 'Hear My Song', 'Brassed Off', 'The Camomile Lawn', 'Sirens', 'Frenchman's Creek', 'Hamlet' and 'Macbeth'. The list is endless!

She talks about her long-standing role in 'Waking The Dead', what it was like to be Selyse Baratheon in 'Game of Thrones' and her current theatre role as Stephanie Abrahams in 'Duet for One'. Self-deprecating, candid, funny and erudite, I loved my time with Tara and you will love this episode.