Inheritance Tracks

Actor, writer and stand-up comedian Guz Khan was born in Birmingham and raised in Coventry.

He went on to create the hit BBC television series Man Like Mobeen, and the fourth series is currently streaming via the BBC iPlayer.

Inherited: Tumhein Dillagi Bhool Jani Paray Gi by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Producer: Ben Mitchell and Melanie Pearson

On her Instagram profile, actor Tanya Moodie describes herself as Buddhist, actor, Willow’s mum, Mini Bull terrier mum.

Born in Canada to Jamaican parents Tanya came to England at the age of 17 and got a place at RADA.

She’s since worked with the RSC and The National Theatre and on TV is known for her award-winning work on the BBC series Motherland and for the RTE show The Clinic

Inherited: Duppy Gunman by Ernie Smith

Producer: Ben Mitchell

You might know Ben Bailey Smith better as Doc Brown, an actor, comedian, rapper and screen writer. Ben was born to a Jamaican mother and English father in Willesden, north west London, his older sister is the celebrated writer Zadie Smith.

He started rapping when he was 15, competing in Rap Battles in the early 2000’s, and became a successful stand up comedian. His acting talents have appeared in huge tv series like Channel 4’s Inbetweeners and Derek, to BBC’s Doctor Who, The Split and Damilola, Our Loved Boy to name but a handful. Often his comedy, music and acting talents overlap; he’s very good at all of these things so why wouldn’t he often combine them.

In his podcast Shrink the Box, Ben and psychotherapist Sasha Bates analyse fictional tv characters like Omar from the Wire and Ross from Friends, trying to figure out why they are as they are.

Inherited: Looks is Deceiving by The Gladiators

Producer: Ben Mitchell

The frontman of one of the biggest music acts of the 90’s, Supergrass, Gaz was born in Oxford to a food scientist father and an English teaching mother.

The family moved to San Francisco for a few of Gaz’s formative years, before returning to Oxford and at 13, he met 15-year-old Danny Goffey on the school playing field and that was the beginning of musical history.

Supergrass released six studio albums in their 17 years and famously turned down an offer from Stephen Spielberg for the band to do a Monkees style TV series.

The band broke up in 2010 and although they reformed, and played Glastonbury last year, Gaz has been making critically acclaimed solo records and has just released his fourth album Turn the Car Around.

Inherited: My Father’s Name Is Dad by Fire

Producer: Ben Mitchell

Sadiq Khan was born in 1970 in Tooting, south London. He became a solicitor in the early 90’s specializing in Human rights issues, and an MP in 2005. He was first elected as London Mayor in 2016, becoming the third mayor of the city and its first Muslim mayor. In his new book 'Breathe: Tackling the Climate Emergency' he describes his reaction to being diagnosed with adult-onset asthma.

He reveals the music that was the soundtrack to the mad house he grew up in - and the inspirational song that politicised him.

Inherited: Our House by Madness

Producer: Ben Mitchell

Alex George was an A & E doctor in London when he entered the nation’s consciousness by appearing on the fourth series of Love Island.

Although he initially returned to work on the ward, the media clamour for his talent eventually lured him away. Using his medical expertise, he hosted a podcast, made appearances on many of the nation’s favourite TV shows and then, in 2020, his youngest brother took his own life.

Alex then launched a campaign requesting the UK Government prioritise mental health amongst children and adolescents and he’s been focusing on Youth Mental Health ever since, writing two books and using his huge social media following to affect change.

He describes how he remembers his mother singing and dancing to Elton John, and reveals how the power of listening Ben Howard helped him through grief.

Inherited: Your Song by Elton John

Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan

Mathew Baynton is an actor, writer, comedian and musician – who shot to fame as part of the troop who brought us the historical and hysterical sketch show Horrible Histories on CBBC.

Since then, along with his fellow co-stars, he has gone on to create, write and star in the critically acclaimed BBC series – Ghosts.

He describes how he finds inspiration in both the light and shade of Leonard Cohen's songs, and takes great solace in Big Thief's lyrics when thinking of his children.

Music

Producer: Ben Mitchell

Douglas Stuart’s debut novel Shuggie Bain won him The Booker Prize in 2020.

It centres around an alcoholic single mother and her gay son navigating life on a Glasgow estate and it reflects Douglas’ own troubled upbringing.

After near homelessness he earned a place at The Royal College of Art…and went on to land in the epicentre of New York fashion, working for huge brands.

In this edition of the podcast Douglas discusses how the music of Nick Drake helped spark romance between him and his now husband, and why Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" keeps the spirit of his late brother alive.

Music

Producers: Ben Mitchell and Catherine Powell

Alex Jones, is a broadcaster possibly best known and host of The One Show on BBC One.

But her new show Reunion Hotel sees her give people a unique chance to reunite with one person from your past in one-of-a-kind hotel.

In this edition of the podcast Alex reunites with the sound of Elton John playing on vinyl in the woodchip walls of her childhood home, and remembers the joy of the birth of her son thanks to Jason Mraz.

Music:

Producers: Ben Mitchell and Lowri Rhiannon Morgan

Sir Tony Robinson is a multi-hyphenate; an actor, comedian, broadcaster and author whose career has, so far, spanned 50 years.

He’s probably best-known for playing turnip-brained Baldrick (who always had 'a cunning plan) in the iconic TV show Blackadder, and his twenty-year stint fronting Channel 4’s Time Team, a series inspired by own his passion for digging deep into the past, to understand the present.

His new podcast series “Cunningcast”, which sees him take the long view on the big stories of the day, is available now.

Music:

Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan