If the poets of the past sat in their garrets dipping their quills in ink , waiting for inspiration to strike, our current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has a more mundane and domestic arrangement. From his wooden shed in the garden, surrounded on all sides by the Pennine Hills, he's been working on a new kind of poem he's invented - the Flyku - inspired by the moths and butterflies he sees around him. Any distraction is welcome, even encouraged, to talk about creativity, music, art, sheds,  music, poetry  and the countryside. To kick of the new series, Sir Ian McKellen, whose acting career spans seven decades joins Simon to talk  about everything from his early childhood in Wigan , creating the character of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, remembering Shakespearian lines and getting an Elvish  tattoo  Produced by Susan Roberts

Ian McKellen

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage is a former probation officer, DJ and poet celebrated for his witty and profound take on modern life. He writes in the shed in his garden, and in this podcast he invites guests to join him to talk about poetry, creativity, music, art, sheds, sherry and the countryside.

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Places & Travel

Julie Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington in Lancashire and currently lives within a short drive of Simon Armitage's shed over the hills.  She has won many awards for her acting performances and is well-known for having played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street for years - until something Simon did made her rethink what she was doing and take the bold step to leave. Regular TV roles in series such as Cucumber, Happy Valley and Broadchurch followed along with being able to take on work in theatres such as The Royal Exchange in Manchester. Their lively conversation passes from the business of writing, through a discussion of accents, to treading the boards, and starting a theatre company.  Produced by Susan Roberts

Julie Hesmondhalgh

Glyn Maxwell grew up in Welwyn Garden City, which is where his conversation with Simon Armitage in the shed begins. His mother was in the original stage production of Under Milk Wood, so the young Maxwell was soon staging his own plays in the garden of his parents' house. Simon attended the first of these. They soon found themselves travelling together to make radio programmes and to write new poetry. Iceland came first, followed by the more challenging environment of the Amazon rainforest.  Join them in the shed as they look back on those times and also look forward to what's coming next, including eyeing up the garden around the shed as a possible site for a new drama...  Produced by Susan Roberts

Glyn Maxwell

Olive Senior gets the prize as the guest who has travelled the furthest to join Simon Armitage in his writing shed in West Yorkshire. Born in rural Jamaica in Cockpit County, Olive currently lives in Toronto, Canada. At 19 she joined the staff of the Jamaican Gleaner, the main newspaper, where she interviewed visiting celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor. Poet, novelist, short story and non-fiction writer Olive says she has read everything that comes in front of her all her life. Her latest collection, Hurricane, references a weather hazard that all Jamaicans have to live with. She left Jamaica after Hurricane Gilbert hit the Island in 1988.  Growing up surrounded by books written by British writers, Olive discusses her love-hate relationship with Dickens, and following the death of Queen Elizabeth, a much-loved monarch in Jamaica, ponders the future relationship between the monarchy and Commonwealth countries. Produced by Susan Roberts

Olive Senior

Loyle Carner talks to Simon Armitage in his own creative 'shed'  -  Hackney Road studios in London  where he spend much of lockdown writing  and also recorded his latest acclaimed album Hugo. Their conversation ranges from writing lyrics and poetry, to family and fatherhood , cooking and creating genreless music. Chilli Con Carner is a cooking school Loyle runs for children with ADHD , something close to his heart as he has a diagnosis for both ADHD and dyslexia . 
His debut album Yesterday's Gone released in 2017, was  nominated for the Mercury Prize. He gives his mother Jean airtime here to recite a poem she's written about her eldest son. His second - Not Waving but Drowning - the title of  a poem by Stevie Smith ,  continues to show his love of poetry. 
Becoming a father himself in 2020 comes into the conversation along with the importance of his musician step-father as a guiding influence, and the cultural significance of food growing up especially the cuisine of  Guyana - home to his birth father. Produced by Susan Roberts

Loyle Carner

If the poets of the past sat in their garrets dipping their quills in ink, waiting for inspiration to strike, our current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has a more mundane and domestic arrangement. From his wooden shed in the garden, surrounded on all sides by the Pennine Hills, he's been working on a new kind of poem he's invented - the Flyku - inspired by the moths and butterflies he sees around him. Any distraction is welcome, even encouraged, to talk about creativity, music, art, sheds, music, poetry and the countryside. This week, poet, songwriter, comedienne and TV presenter Pam Ayres joins Simon in the shed. Their conversation ranges from Pam's first TV appearance on Opportunity Knocks in the '70s, to her love of performing to live audiences, writing her latest book of poems, her passion for wildlife and nature and her latest TV series The Cotswolds and Beyond with Pam Ayres. Produced by Susan Roberts

Ian McKellen

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