Born in London, to Jamaican parents who came to Britain as part of the 1950s Windrush generation, Shirley J. Thompson fell in love with music from a very young age – and it has remained her life’s passion.   She’s created music for film, TV, orchestras and opera.  Mark Coles talks to family and friends to find out what influences her work.   Presenter: Mark Coles
Producers: Sally Abrahams and Georgia Coan
Editor: Simon Watts
Production Co-ordinator: Sabine Schereck
Sound Engineer: James Beard

Shirley J. Thompson

An insight into the character of an influential figure making news headlines

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

You may know her from Play School, Bafta or the House of Lords, Baroness Floella Benjamin doesn’t sit still, she’s even appeared in panto. Stephen Smith hears about the remarkable life of the Trinidad-born actress, TV presenter and author, who campaigns passionately for children and the Windrush generation. Contributors
Colin Webb, Publisher, 'Coming to England'
Nero Ughwujabo, Senior Strategy Adviser - Equality Diversity and Inclusion, The Prince's Trust
Lord Simon Woolley, Principal at Homerton College, Cambridge University
Johnny Ball, Children's TV presenter
Paul Nicholas, Actor
Linzi Beuselinck, Actress
Jeremy Swan, Children's TV producer 
Ros Edwards, TV producer Credits
BAFTA
Aladdin and The Forty Thieves, BBC 1984
Desert Island Discs, Baroness Floella Benjamin, BBC Radio 4, October 2020 Presenter:  Stephen Smith
Producers:  Diane Richardson and Drew Hyndman
Editor:  Tom Bigwood
Sound: Neil Churchill
Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck

Baroness Floella Benjamin

After over four decades in the SNP and nearly two in government, John Swinney is finally stepping up to the top job for the first time, becoming Scotland’s new First Minister. He’s no stranger to big jobs - it’s actually his second stint as SNP leader - but leading his country and his party is looking tougher than ever, as the SNP finds itself facing formidable challenges. Who is this stalwart of the SNP, and do his life and experiences equip him for the task ahead? Mark Coles talks to friends, colleagues, and those who’ve watched this political operator up close for years. Presenter: Mark Coles
Producer: Nathan Gower
Assistant Producer: Diane Richardson and Marianna Brain
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck	
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Music: ‘John Swinney (We Salute You)' by Nocturnal Vermin (Isaac Brutal, James ‘Slippyunderfoot‘ McCready, Arnold Bastard)

John Swinney

Isaac Levido has established a formidable reputation as a election strategist, helping to craft wins both in the UK and Australia. Thought of as a protege of the quasi-legendary election guru Sir Lynton Crosby in his early years, he’s rapidly racked up achievements of his own, propelling both Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson back into office with his brand of data-driven analysis. Stephen Smith opens the black box that is electoral strategising and sets out to understand the mind of the man who is set to shape the Conservatives’ impending general election campaign. Guests:
Katy Balls, Political Editor of The Spectator
Alexander Downer, former leader of the Australian Liberal Party
Paul Stephenson, Vote Leave Campaign Director
Lord Andrew Feldman, former chair of the Conservative Party
David Bold, friend and Australian political advisor Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producer: Nathan Gower
Assistant Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck	
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Archive:
The Thick of It, BBC
Scott Morrison election night speech, ABC News
Boris Johnson election victory speech

Isaac Levido

Paul Sinton-Hewitt, the founder of parkrun, was born in Zimbabwe and moved to South Africa at the age of five, where he was brought up in care with his two siblings.  Always a keen middle distance runner, he was a second for a friend in one of South Africa's most gruelling road races. Eventually he moved to the UK to work in IT and raise a family.  After a perfect storm of redundancy, marriage breakdown and an injury which prevented him from running with his own club, he decided he'd start a time trial in a local park, for his running club pals.  The only proviso that they had to have coffee and cake with him afterwards.    Twenty years later, that timed run that he started has outpaced anything he could have envisaged and turned into parkrun.  The 5k run around local parks on a Saturday morning, has gone global and the parkrun community has hundreds of thousands of people running or volunteering as stewards every week.  Stephen Smith finds out what makes Paul Sinton-Hewitt run.  PRESENTER:  Stephen Smith PRODUCTION TEAM Producers:   Julie Ball, Natasha Fernandes, Farhana Haider
Editor:         Tom Bigwood
Production Co-ordinators:  Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck
Sound:   Neil Churchill CONTRIBUTORS Roun Barry, School friend
Hugh Brasher, Director, London Marathon
Bruce Fordyce, Marathon runner
Duncan Gaskell, parkrunner and friend
Russ Jeffereys - CEO, parkrun
Eileen Jones, Author and parkrunner
Joanne Sinton-Hewitt, Wife

Paul Sinton-Hewitt

Although Simon Harris reportedly describes himself as an 'accidental politician', he has managed to make a career out of it. His interest in politics was sparked at the age of 15 when he set up a support group in his local town to campaign for better secondary education for autistic people after he saw his parents struggle to get help for his younger brother. From then on his path was set. After a brief dalliance with Fianna Fail he joined the youth wing of the Fine Gael party at 17. He gave up his degree studies in year three of a four year course to work as an assistant to the then leader of the opposition in the Irish Parliament. By the age of 24 he was elected to parliament with the nickname 'Baby of the Dail' and was a junior minister by the age of 27. Since then he's held two further ministerial posts.   Now, after the shock resignation of former Taioseach, Leo Varadkar in late March, he was elected unopposed as leader of the Fine Gael party and now is expected to be confirmed as the new Taoiseach when the parliament returns after the Easter break. With a new nickname, 'The Tik Tok Taoiseach' because of his use of social media he's on track to break another record, set by his predecessor as the youngest Taoiseach in history to date.   Kate Lamble finds out what makes him tick outside of Tik Tok and his rapid rise to the top job in Irish politics.  PRESENTER: Kate Lamble CONTRIBUTORS Frances Fitzgerald, MEP, Dublin, Ireland Councillor Ray McAdam, Fine Gael Alice O'Donnell, Triple A Alliance  Jennifer O'Leary, BBC Ireland Correspondent  Fionnan Sheahan, Ireland Editor, The Irish Independent  PRODUCTION TEAM Producers: Julie Ball & Madeleine Drury
Researcher: Jay Gardner 
Editor: Tom Bigwood 
Production Co-ordinators: Katie Morrison & Sabine Schereck 
Sound: Nigel Appleton

Shirley J. Thompson

Download our free app to listen on your phone