Distinct Nostalgia

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She was Max Branning's long suffering wife. She loved him, he loved her but he just couldn't help himself cheating. Jo Joyner joined EastEnders in 2006  - and the chemistry between Jo and Jake as Max and Tanya was instantly electric. They quickly became one of the most popular couples in British soap and it felt like they and their kids had always been in Albert Square. Here Ashley Byrne is joined by our own Soapy Simon to take Jo through her turbulent times as Tanya.

The Distinct Nostalgia theme is owned by MIM Productions and composed by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner.

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He’s starred in several great British sitcoms but playing Spike in Hi-De-Hi is his most famous part. Here Ashley Byrne talks about the birth of one of our best loved sitcoms with Jeffrey Holland. Jeffrey also chats about his connections to Are You Being Served, Dads Army and of course You Rang M’Lord and Oh Dr Beeching.  Oh and also his one man play about comedy legend Stan Laurel.

The Distinct Nostalgia theme is owned by MIM Productions and composed by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner. 

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Let us know what you think of the latest episode of Distinct Nostalgia by clicking here and sending us a message

After a hiatus due to our main host Ashley Byrne going down with Covid-19, we're pleased to announce he's on the way to recovering and Distinct Nostalgia will be back in action from next week. Here's a teaser of just some of the film, soap, comedy and other tv nostalgia interviews, reunions, quiz shows AND new drama in store over the autumn and winter months. Have a LISTEN NOW!

And don't forget to tell your friends to subscribe to Distinct Nostalgia wherever you get your podcasts.

Distinct Nostalgia presenters include Ashley Byrne, Andy Hoyle, Iain Mackness, Caroline Heywood and Simon Zoneblick.

Production is by Ashley Byrne, James Brown and Iain Mackness. 

Research is by Andrew Edwards, Simon Zoneblick, Caroline Heywood and Kurt Brookes.

The Distinct Nostalgia Theme is composed by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner.

Distinct Nostalgia is a Made in Manchester Production www.madeinmanchester.tv

You can follow Distinct Nostalgia all the time plus Distinct Drama and Distinct Comedy at www.distinctnostalgia.com 

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Today we’re marking the 35th anniversary of the death of Hollywood legend Rock Hudson with an award winning drama about how the superstar was manufactured by notorious agent Henry Willson. Bette Bourne plays Willson with Michael Xavier as Rock. It’s not all drama though, Tim Fountain’s wonderful writing and the actors’ performances mean the story is delivered with a degree of comedy throughout. Paul Kendrick plays Dale the publicist with Iain Mackness as Phyllis. Matthew Ganley is the newsreader. 

Adapted for radio by Tim Fountain, the drama was produced by Iain Mackness with Ashley Byrne as the Executive Producer.  The music is by Matthew Ganley. 

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Peter Dean played Ian's dad and Kathy's husband Pete Beale for 8 years. He was one of the original EastEnders cast until his character was killed off in the early 1990s. Here he has a fascinating chat with Ashley about some of the original roots of EastEnders. He's has fond memories of his co-stars including Adam Woodyatt and the late Wendy Richard. And he recalls his time in another British soap.

You can enjoy 4 NEW Distinct Nostalgia shows every single week

We have a specials day where we have docs, comedy, drama and themed interviews and reunions. 

We have a regular weekly Distinct Nostalgia soap day. Loads of retro soap chat with the actual stars who were there ... 

The regular Distinct Nostalgia programme moves to the weekend with a variety of shows celebrating all our tv and film yesterdays 

And then we’ve the Distinct Nostalgia Mind of the Month Quiz with Andy Hoyle on Sundays. (note: the quiz is taking a break during September and will return in October). 

Distinct Nostalgia - 4 Times A Week plus a treasure trove of programmes to listen to any time at DistinctNostalgia.com

Support the show

Let us know what you think of the latest episode of Distinct Nostalgia by clicking here and sending us a message

Sylvia sheds light on the little explored divide in the family at the heart of the suffragette movement in Britain in the early part of the 20th Century. It charts Sylvia Pankhurst’s split with her own family over the issue of class involvement in the struggle for women to get the vote - her belief that the suffrage movement should include working women was put into practice when she founded a toy factory in the East End of London. Here, she employed only women but paid them a man’s wage. Written by Lesley Strachan and directed by Colin Guthrie, Sylvia is a powerful exploration of the relationship between Sylvia, Emmeline and Christabel. 

Distinct Drama by MIM presents a Lesley Strachan Production

Sylvia

Directed by Colin Guthrie
Written by Lesley Strachan

Cast

Sylvia Pankhurst - Helen Corbett
Emmeline Pankhurst -Jill Batty
Norah Smyth - Simona Hughes
Julia Scurr - Sheila Burbidge
Daisy Parsons - Jessica Hammett
Regina Hercbegova - Alina Baczynska
Jessie Payne - Lesley Strachan
Christabel Pankhurst -Louisa Pead
Adela Pankhurst - Jessica Hammett
Herbert Asquith - Ian Recordon
Mr Selfridge - Richard Brent
George Lansbury - Martin South
The Reporter - Jonathan Tilley
Stanley Baldwin - Matthew Flexman

Production

Recording and Editing - Colin Guthrie
Foley - Ruth Sullivan
Original music composed and performed by Tamara Douglas-Morris
Waltham Forest Brass: Claire Cheeter, Laurence Davison, David Easey, Katie Alam, Charlie Simpson, Bill Stockwell, Katie Defoe.
Recorded on location in Islington, London. 

The Distinct Drama theme was composed by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner.

For more information about Sylvia go to distinctnostalgia.com 

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All Creatures Great and Small is currently enjoying something of a revival on Channel 5 but what was it like to work on the original iconic series? Carol Drinkwater played Helen, James Herriot's wife alongside Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy and Peter Davidson. The show became a huge hit around the world and together with other shows like Emmerdale Farm and Last of the Summer Wine, helped to put the beautiful county of Yorkshire on the world map. Carol's been reminiscing with Ashley and telling him what she makes of the successful Channel 5/PBS re-boot which is made by production company Playground Entertainment.

Distinct Nostalgia is produced by MIM - www.madeinmanchester.tv

You can enjoy 4 NEW Distinct Nostalgia shows every single week

We have a specials day where we have docs, comedy, drama and themed interviews and reunions. 

We have a regular weekly Distinct Nostalgia soap day. Loads of retro soap chat with the actual stars who were there ... 

The regular Distinct Nostalgia programme moves to the weekend with a variety of shows celebrating all our tv and film yesterdays 

And then we’ve the Distinct Nostalgia Mind of the Month Quiz with Andy Hoyle on Sundays. (note: the quiz is taking a break during September and will return in October). 

Distinct Nostalgia - 4 Times A Week plus a treasure trove of programmes to listen to any time at DistinctNostalgia.com

Support the show

Let us know what you think of the latest episode of Distinct Nostalgia by clicking here and sending us a message

Jean Rogers became a regular in Emmerdale Farm exactly 40 years ago this year as the second person to play Dolly, the wife of Matt Skilbeck played by Emmerdale original actor Frederick Pyne. The audience took to Jean's portrayal of Dolly very quickly and she soon became a household name. In this interview with Ashley she takes an affectionate trip down memory lane and compares the Emmerdale she joined in 1980 with the one she left a decade or so later.

You can enjoy 4 NEW Distinct Nostalgia shows every single week

We have a specials day where we have docs, comedy, drama and themed interviews and reunions. 

We have a regular weekly Distinct Nostalgia soap day. Loads of retro soap chat with the actual stars who were there ... 

The regular Distinct Nostalgia programme moves to the weekend with a variety of shows celebrating all our tv and film yesterdays 

And then we’ve the Distinct Nostalgia Mind of the Month Quiz with Andy Hoyle on Sundays. (note: the quiz is taking a break during September and will return in October). 

Distinct Nostalgia - 4 Times A Week plus a treasure trove of programmes to listen to any time at DistinctNostalgia.com

Support the show

Let us know what you think of the latest episode of Distinct Nostalgia by clicking here and sending us a message

WARNING: AS WE FORGIVE THEM CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES

America, November 2008: the new President is elected amidst an ‘audacity of hope’. For newly elected Democrat Congressman, John Daniels, this should be a time of celebration. Instead he must decide the fate of his daughter’s murderer: should he exact revenge or grant redemption... or both?

As We Forgive Them is a thriller with a twist. Written by celebrated playwright Richard Vergette, it stars award-winning actor Joe Sims as Lee Fenton and Richard Vergette as John Daniels. Andy Pearson is the newsreader.

Directed by Andy Pearson and Mike Heath.
Produced by Ashley Byrne and Iain Mackness/

As We Forgive Them is a Made in Manchester/Dark Smile Co-Production in association with Ensemble 52 and was originally produced for The Independent Online in 2010.

The programme is a Distinct Drama Presentation.

And listen afterwards to Richard and Joe discuss the inspiration for the drama.

For further information, contact the team via the contact us page on www.DistinctNostalgia.com

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Let us know what you think of the latest episode of Distinct Nostalgia by clicking here and sending us a message

He's one of Britain's big success stories. From This Life to Hollywood, Jack Davenport has had a fabulous acting career. Here he gives an exclusive and very candid interview to Ashley for Distinct Nostalgia. Known for Pirates of the Caribbean films to sitcom Coupling, Jack reserves a particularly special place in his heart for two projects - playing Miles in seminal BBC 2 drama 'This Life' (which launched his career) and his role in the classic Anthony Minghella movie thriller 'The Talented Mr Ripley' which also starred Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. He pays special tribute to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

You can enjoy 4 NEW Distinct Nostalgia shows every single week

We have specials where we showcase occasional docs, comedy, drama and themed interviews and reunions. 

Thursday is now Distinct Nostalgia soap day. Loads of retro soap chat with the actual stars who were there ... 

Meanwhile the regular Distinct Nostalgia programme moves to the weekend with a variety of shows celebrating all our tv and film yesterdays 

And then we’ve the Distinct Nostalgia Mind of the Month Quiz with Andy Hoyle on Sundays. (Returning in October).

Distinct Nostalgia - 4 Times A Week plus a treasure trove of programmes to listen to any time at DistinctNostalgia.com

NOTE: The Distinct Nostalgia theme is owned by MIM Productions and composed by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner. 

Support the show