Episodes
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With Glastonbury in full swing this weekend from the Sommerset countryside and across the BBC on Sounds and iPlayer... who better than 6 Music’s Nick Grimshaw, to share his Inheritance Tracks.
Born and brought up in Oldham, the music scene of Manchester has always been his veins. Renowned for his infectious energy, wit and authenticity, Grimmy, rose to fame as the host of BBC Radio 1’s Breakfast Show and earlier this year he officially took up the reigns of the 6 Music breakfast show from Lauren Laverne.
His Inheritance Tracks are sure to be a musical education...
Inherited: Joy Division - She's Lost Control Pass On: David Bowie - Subterraneans
Producer: Jesse Edwards
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After a short spell as a punk rocker, Limahl found fame with the band Kajagoogoo after responding to an advert in a music magazine in 1982, where the then named Art Noveau were looking for a new lead singer.
The following year he left the band – but quickly went onto find his own success as a solo artist with his hit “The Never Ending Story”.
His early ambitions, growing up in Wigan, were for a career as an actor and he even toured in production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
What then will he choose as his Inheritance Tracks...
Inherited: Move Over Darling by Doris DayPassed on: Four Brothers by Manhattan Transfer
Producers: Catherine Powell and Anna Bailey
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Fearne Cotton began her presenting career at the age of 15. Since then, she has become a familiar presence on both TV and radio, currently fronting the nostalgic celebration of pop culture, “Sound of the 90’s” on BBC Radio 2. She is also a passionate advocate for improving mental health, from her Happy Place podcast to her books, which encourage us all to live better lives. Now she has written her debut fictional novel "Scripted" about a woman with a chaotic family life trying to create a happily ever after....
Inherited: Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"Passed on:Ludovico Einaudi "Campfire Day Four"
Producer: Anna Bailey
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The oft suited and booted Portsmouth-born comedian Suzi Ruffell went from aspiring actor to standout stand-up.
She’s had five sell-out runs at The Edinburgh Fringe, has appeared on all the big comedy TV and panel shows….and is a regular voice on radio and with her women’s football podcast ‘Big Kick Energy’.
Her debut memoir, Am I Having Fun Now? is a funny and hopeful exploration of her life, battle with anxiety, therapy and becoming a mother.
Inherited: You Can’t Hurry Love by The SupremesPassed on: Heart's Content by Brandi Carlile
Producer: Catherine Powell
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The broadcaster and writer Georgia Mann has been making and presenting arts programmes at the BBC since 2008.
After studying English Literature at Cambridge University, she began her career as a local BBC radio reporter before entering the arts arena of broadcasting.
She has presented the BBC Proms and has said that she’s “committed to getting classical music out of its traditional locations and into the lives of those who might not have experienced it before”.
So with that in mind we wondered what her Inheritance Tracks would be…and, to start with, she’s taking us back to school.
Inherited: Pie Jesu by Gabriel Fauré
Pass on: Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
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The comedian and writer Ivo Graham was born in Tokyo. In his early years he attended school in Australia before moving to England because his family moved around due to his father’s work.
He went on to study French and Russian at Oxford University but in his first term he began his adventures as a stand-up comedian. He’s since gone onto to become an established name on the circuit.
Aside from live comedy, Ivo once said that “I’m a better writer than a performer. Everyone wants to feel like they’re a bit of a polymath, and I certainly feel that.”
So with that in mind we asked Ivo to share his Inheritance Track with us.
Presenter: Kiri Pritchard-McLeanProducer: Catherine Powell
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The actor Rory Kinnear has won two Olivier Awards, played Bill Tanner (M’s chief of staff) in four Bond Movies and his wide acting range has also seen him play Frankenstein’s monster and a fictional British Prime Minister.
Born in London, educated at Oxford and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, if there is such a thing as an inherited performer’s gene, Rory got it.
Both his parents were actors…his father was Roy Kinnear and his mother is Carmel Cryan.
With that kind of lineage - what then will he have chosen as his Inheritance Tracks?
Inherited: Little Green Apples by Roger MillerPass on: I Will (Take You Forever) by Christopher Cross
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Minnie Harrop
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Comedian, actor, screen-writer, voice-artist, podcaster - Jason Mantzoukas can do it all.
He’s gone from improvised stand-up to starring in films and shows including Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The League.
Born into a family of Greek-Americans in the early 1970s, he studied religion at college, drummed in a marching band, riffed in jazz clubs and moved to Morrocco to immerse himself in local rhythms.
So, what will this self-confessed music obsessive select as his Inheritance Tracks....
Inherited: When Problems Arise by FishbonePassed on: Vocalise My Love by Florence Adooni
Producer: Ben Mitchell
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The actor and presenter Nigel Havers was born in Middlesex in 1951 to a barrister father and an author mother.
His screen roles have been varied, from His portrayal of Lord Andrew Lindsay in the film Chariots of Fire in 1981 which earned him a BAFTA nomination, to Lewis Archer in Coronation Street for over a decade and a guest spot in Downton Abbey amongst other.
He was the face of Nescafe for many years, and is now seen presenting The Bidding Room on BBC television.
With such a varied life and career – what then will he choose for his Inheritance Tracks?
Inherited: I've Got You Under My Skin by Mel TorméPass on: Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Anna Bailey
This programme has been changed for music rights reasons.
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The stand-up comedian and writer Sophie Duker has appeared in venues around the UK and she’s also been seen on TV, popping up on the likes of 'Taskmaster', ‘Live at the Apollo’ and 'Celebrity Mastermind'.
She has also hosted programmes for BBC Sounds including the ‘Obsessed’ strands – which accompany hit television shows – ‘I May Destroy You’ and ‘Everything I Know About Love.’
And there’s still a chance to see Sophie on her current stand up tour “But Daddy I Love Her” - including a date at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre in May 2025.
Born in London, her foray in comedy began during her time as an undergraduate studying French and English at university. Following her love of language and laughter – we wondered what her musical inspirations would be in this week’s Inheritance Tracks?
Inherited: Nelson Mandela by The Specials Pass on: Gansta by Kojey Radical
Producers: Ribika Moktan and Gareth Nelson-Davies
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The BAFTA award winning actor Gina McKee, in a career spanning over three decades, has showcased her range in dramas, comedies and thrillers.
Born in Durham, she grew up the daughter of a coal miner, but has gone onto become perhaps best known for her work in The Lost Prince, Our Friends in the North, Brass Eye and Notting Hill.
Gina focuses on the craft rather than the fame and that’s so evident in her body of stage work…most recently in The Children’s Hour, Dear England and The Years.
Inherited: I’ll Be There by The Four TopsPass on: Mae Velha by Cesaria Evora
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Rachel Burden is a familiar voice on the BBC airwaves, she’s been a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Breakfast programme, regularly brings us the news on the television, and hosts Cafe Hope - Radio 4’s virtual coffee shop where guests pop in for a brew and a chat to tell us what they're doing to make the world a better place.
Born in Buckinghamshire, she graduated from Trinity College Dublin and studied broadcast journalism at Cardiff University.
One of five children and a mother of four herself, music has always been something they’ve shared, what then has she chosen for her Inheritance Tracks...
Inherited: "Overture" from The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartPass on: "Days" by Kirsty MacColl
Producers: Catherine Powell and Ben Mitchell
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Time for some radio gold...or silver?
Christina Trevanion is an internationally-recognised jewellery expert whose work as an auctioneer has led her to a sparkling role presenting TV antiques shows like Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt and Flog It.
After studying Fine Art at University, Christina worked at Christies in London before setting up her own auction house in her home county of Shropshire.
So, let’s see what musical treasures she can offer us in today’s Inheritance Tracks...
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Carrie Hope Fletcher is a true triple threat: a powerhouse performer, a bestselling writer and an inspiring voice off stage too.
She’s been in the spotlight since she was seven years old and has made her name as a West End star playing iconic roles…Éponine and Fantine in Les Misérables, Veronica Sawyer in the original West End production of Heathers: The Musical, and she originated the role of Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella.
Beyond the theatre, Carrie’s a big social media personality and has a massive YouTube following and she’s also a bestselling author.
Her older brother Tom Fletcher is lead vocalist and guitarist of the band McFly but will any of their hits make it into her Inheritance Tracks?
Inherited: Sophia by Nerina PalloPassed on: Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
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From playing Lane Price in Mad Men to King George VI in the Crown, and now Claudius in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet, performing is in Jared Harris' blood.
His earliest memory is being in Hawaii while his late father – the actor Richard Harris – was filming a movie with Julie Andrews.
But as a child, he wanted to be an astronaut...which might explain his Inheritance Tracks.
Inherited: Fly Me to the Moon by Tony BennettPassed on: The Galaxy Song by Monty Python
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Jack Lee
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The journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern is one of the most recognisable faces and voices and is currently on the run from Bear Grylls in new Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt.
She grew up in Middlesbrough and went to a truly egalitarian school which believed that all children have skills, whatever their family’s background. A classic swot but also the class clown, she just wanted people to like her; ‘standard TV presenter syndrome’ - her words, not ours!
Steph began her career as an engineer before moving into financial journalism, becoming a business correspondent for BBC News, and has always been discreet about her private life...but we do know that she’s a former champion Irish dancer and still keeps her foot in.
Will there be a flavour of that dance heritage in her Inheritance Tracks?
Inherited: Starman by David BowiePass on: C'est La Vie by B*Witched
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Anna Bailey
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Musician Olly Alexander was born in Harrogate, and discovered a love of acting at school, where tread the boards in Guys and Dolls and the bug had bitten.
His role as Ritchie in Russel T Davies' acclaimed Channel 4 drama It's a Sin, bringing to life the horrors of HIV/Aids in the Gay community in the 1980's, brought him serious attention and plaudits, earning him a Bafta TV nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category amongst others.
But it was as a musician where he originally made his mark as the vocalist for the band Years and Years, reaching number one in the UK album charts twice, and releasing a series of super catchy singles that made series dents in the mainstream charts.
He went solo in 2024 in a big way by representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest last year and his debut solo album is Polari, recently released to rave reviews.
Inherited: Both Sides Now by Joni MitchellPassed on: Honey by Robyn
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Catherine Powell
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The acclaimed actor Jesse Eisenberg was born in New York, and raised in New Jersey, in a secular Jewish home, by his parents and two sisters.
His latest film A Real Pain, honours that heritage, and alongside Succession's Kieran Culkin they play Jewish American cousins who travel to former Nazi German-occupied Poland to honour their late grandmother.
The film is tipped to do well at this years Oscars and Baftas, but it was his big break playing Mark Zuckerburg in the 2010 film The Social Network that brought him his first taste of fame and accolades, a role he recently told The Today Programme he’s keen to distance himself from.
He’s gone onto use magic to perform an audacious heist, killed Bill Murray during a zombie apocalypse and even fought Superman.
And his Inheritance Tracks are a charmingly unique insight into the man behind the roles.
Inherited: Variations by Andrew Lloyd WebberPassed on: Étude Op. 25, No. 1 "Aeolian Harp" by Chopin
Producers: Anna Bailey and Minnie Harrop
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For some of you, before Wicked's Elphaba and Glinda entered our consciousness...there was Felicity Jones in the TV series The Worst Witch...the double Oscar nominee's first starring role before spending a decade as Emma Carter in The Archers.
Born in Birmingham, down the road from Ambridge, it was in a galaxy far, far, away that she cemented her place in Hollywood in Rogue One: A Stars War Story
Her most recent role in The Brutalist has earned her a supporting actress BAFTA and Oscar nomination and she credits her drive to being raised by a working single mother.
As a mother herself now...her Inheritance Tracks have charmingly familial feel.
Inherited: Love and Affection by Joan ArmatradingPassed on: Pressure Drop by Toots and the Maytals
Producer: Ben Mitchell and Anna Bailey
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Jonathan Joseph, DJ Spoony to his friends, is someone who spends his life selecting music – and has just taken over the late-night slot on Radio 2.
Born in Hackney in the early 1970s to British West Indian parents, he loved music from an early age and quickly moved from underground pirate radio stations in the 90's before bringing garage music to Radio 1.
At Christmas he revealed that he’d recently undergone emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain. He says music helped him recover.
So what then has he chosen as his Inheritance Tracks.
Inherited: Time is the Master by John HoltPass on: Gabriel by Roy Davis Jr.
Producers: Ben Mitchell and Catherine Powell
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