Episodes
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Beyoncé recently released her Country album, 'Cowboy Carter' and already it's at the top of the Billboard Country Charts. She's come a long way from the quiet, shy girl singing in school talent competitions and the local church choir. Breaking into the mainstream with the all girl group Destiny's Child and the launch a solo career which would ultimately propel her to the ranks of global superstar.
With contributions including her father, Mathew Knowles and Radio 2 DJ and broadcaster, Trevor Nelson. After breaking the barriers of Country what's next for Queen B and how will she handle it?
PRESENTER: Mark Coles
CONTRIBUTORS
Mathew Knowles, Father, Founder of Music World Entertainment Corp
Trevor Nelson, BBC R2 DJ, Broadcaster and Presenter
Cache McClay, Beyonce Reporter, USA Today
David Lee Brewer, Opera Singer and Vocal Coach
Jon Hetherington, Fan
Tiffany Monique Ryan, Vocalist
PRODUCTION TEAM
Producers: Julie Ball & Madeleine DruryResearcher: Jay GardnerEditor: Tom BigwoodSound: James BeardProduction Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
CREDITS
Coachella, The Homecoming, Netflix Girls Tyme, Star Search, TPE/Rysher Entertainment The People's Workshop BBC R2 Trevor Nelson's Divas - BeyonceBBC R1 Trevor Nelson R & B ShowBarack Obama Inauguration Ball - ABC
MUSIC
Texas Hold 'Em, BeyoncePublisher: Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia
All Night, BeyoncePublisher: WarnerBros Music Corp
Run the World (Girls), Beyonce Publisher: Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia
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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 DruryResearcher: Jay Gardner Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Co-ordinators: Katie Morrison & Sabine Schereck Sound: Nigel Appleton
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Rosemarie Mallett’s star has risen quickly in the Church of England. After a career in academia and a period of disenchantment with the institution, she became a priest in 2005, attracting the attention of senior members of the clergy for her engagement with communities and issues of social justice alike.
Bishop Rosemarie was herself born into a situation shaped by slavery, in the then colony Barbados, before coming to the UK as a child. Now a senior cleric, she has co-authored a report on how the Church of England should make amends for its historic financial involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, which has attracted praise from some and criticism from others.
Stephen Smith talks to those who know Mallett best, exploring how her life has shaped her approach to music, ministry, and racial justice.
Presenter: Stephen SmithProducer: Nathan GowerProduction team: Debbie Richford, Drew HyndmanEditor: Tom BigwoodProgramme Coordinators: Sabine Schereck, Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar
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Vaughan Gething this week became Wales’ new First Minister, and the leader of Welsh Labour. He’s the fifth person to hold the post and the first black leader of a national government in Europe.
No stranger to breaking barriers, this employment lawyer rose apace to the top of student and trades unions alike, before election to the Welsh Senedd and ministerial office, charged with overseeing first health and then the economy.
Mark Coles looks back at how a cricket-mad schoolboy became First Minister of the land of his father - a journey from Zambia to Cardiff by way of rural Dorset - and finds out what drives him from those who know him best. Presenter: Mark ColesProducer: Nathan GowerProduction Team: Debbie Richford, Drew Hyndman, Julie BallProduction Coordinator: Katie MorrisonEditor: Tom BigwoodSound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
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The current Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, first joined the cabinet in 2010 and has remained there for most of the past 14 years in various posts. He’s served four prime ministers.
During that time he has provoked controversy from many areas - from teachers, lawyers, landlords for the policies he has championed. But he has also attracted friends and enemies in his own party due to his decisions over Brexit, leadership bids and party politics.
Presenter: Mark ColesProducers: Charlotte McDonald and Debbie RichfordEditor: Tom BigwoodProduction Co-ordinator: Katie MorrisonSound Engineer: James Beard
Credits
Sky NewsITV
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The millionaire hedge fund manager Sir Paul Marshall has recently hit the headlines, both for his growing media portfolio and controversy over his social media activity.
After an eclectic career spent mostly in the background, from philanthropic work to high-powered finance, Sir Paul seems to be increasingly exerting his influence on the media and politics. He already backs GB News and UnHerd and is reported to be preparing a bid for the Telegraph and Spectator.
Stephen Smith asks what shaped and drives Paul Marshall, by talking to those who know him best.
Presenter: Stephen SmithProducer: Nathan GowerAssistant Producer: Debbie RichfordEditor: Matt WillisProgramme Coordinator: Sabine Schereck Sound Engineer: James Beard
Archive:
Speech by Paul Marshall to the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship Conference 2023Citizen Kane, RKO Radio Pictures
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Mother, widow... and now the face of Russian opposition?
Yulia Navalnaya has risen to the spotlight in recent weeks following her husband's death in a Siberian prison. The wife of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has until now remained in the background. Navalnaya chose to focus on bringing up their children, supporting his political work from behind the scenes. When her husband was poisoned in 2020, she fought the authorities to release him to a German hospital for treatment. Navalny said she saved his life.
Now, Yulia Navalnaya has taken on the role of the defiant widow in their tragic love story. Making speeches to the European Parliament, meeting with world leaders, and launching her social media profile, Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her late husband. Who is the woman taking on Putin?
Presenter: Mark ColesProducers: Ellie House and Madeleine Drury Studio Manager: Hal HainesProduction Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine SchereckEditor: Damon Rose
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Frank Auerbach was sent to Britain from Nazi Germany by his parents at the age of 8. Growing up in a Quaker boarding school in Kent, he developed his artistic talents - later to be inspired by the landscapes of war-torn London in the Blitz. Worrying about how he would afford paint for much of his career, an Auerbach piece now commands a price tag in the millions.
He has developed a reputation as a recluse - rarely giving interviews, or even attending his own exhibitions. Now, his wartime art 'The Charcoal Heads' is on display in London. Who is the 92-year-old artist still working seven days a week? Stephen Smith gets beneath the paint layers to learn more about one of our greatest living artists.
CONTRIBUTORSDale Berning Sawa, Journalist and Commissioning Editor William Feaver, Art Critic, AuthorCatherine Lampert, Curator and Art Historian Barnaby Wright, Deputy Head, The Courtauld Gallery
PRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen SmithProducers: Ellie House and Julie BallStudio Manager: Neil ChurchillEditor: Matt WillisProduction Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck
CREDITS: Omnibus, BBC TV, 2001. Jake Auerbach FilmsThis Cultural Life, BBC R4, January 2024
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Timpson - best known for its key cutting and shoe repair services - has become a household name, with over 1000 stores on town high streets and in local supermarkets. But its current CEO, James Timpson, is probably better known for his pioneering work on prison employment.
After being impressed by a prisoner in 2002, and offering him a job on release, James Timpson has worked to develop employment schemes for ex-offenders and campaigns for prison reform. Now, ten percent of the Timpson workforce is made up of ex-offenders.
He has recently published a new book on his unusual approach to business: 'The Happy Index: Lessons in Upside-Down Management'.
With a passion for dance music and old cars, who is this businessman turned philanthropist?
Presenter: Timandra HarknessProducers: Ellie House and Diane RichardsonStudio Manager: Rod FarquharProduction Coordinator: Maria OgundeleEditors: Richard Vadon and Matt Willis
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With power sharing in Northern Ireland restored after a two year hiatus, the DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly has landed herself a top job - Deputy First Minister. It’s the first time a unionist has been in the role.
Hailing from a border town in Northern Ireland, County Armagh, she grew up during the Troubles. Her house was damaged in a bomb attack. Having held several positions in Stormont and Westminster, Little-Pengelly has now taken up her new role opposite Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill.
Co-opted to the position, rather than elected, she is facing new scrutiny in Northern Ireland. Who is the trained barrister turned DUP rising star?
Presenter: Mark ColesProducers: Ellie House and Madeleine DruryEditor: Richard VadonStudio Manager: James Beard
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General Sir Patrick Sanders has served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, rising through the ranks from Infantry Officer to Head of the Army. It's not a position he expected to reach and says "my first sergeant would never have seen this coming".
He's spoken candidly about experiencing depression following a tour in Iraq, having lost a number of his own infantry regiment, encouraging others to seek help.
Most recently General Sanders has ignited debate about the size of the army, suggesting that the "pre-war generation" should be prepared for the possibility of a potential land war, stating "Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them."
As he prepares to leave the post of Chief of the General Staff (CGS), Mark Coles looks at the life and career of General Sir Patrick Sanders, speaking to some of the family, friends and colleagues who know him best.
CreditsThe Benedictine Monks of Worth AbbeyCentre For Army Leadership PodcastBritish Army Time to TalkBFBS Sitrep PodcastGB News
Presenter: Mark ColesProduction: Ellie House and Diane RichardsonProduction Co-ordinators: Sabine Schereck and Maria OgundeleSound: Neil ChurchillEditors: Richard Vadon and Matt Willis
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He’s led Liverpool Football Club to countless victories and is adored by fans for his touchline antics.
As he announces his departure from Liverpool FC after nine years, Timandra Harkness looks at the life of Jurgen Klopp, from his childhood in the Black Forest to the young player who could run like the wind, before hanging up his boots to become a coach.
Presenter: Timandra Harkness and Becky MilliganProduction: Ellie House, Phoebe Keane, Diane RichardsonProduction Coordinators: Maria OgundeleEditor: Richard Vadon
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Stephen Smith looks at the life of the newly appointed French prime minister.
The child of film producers, at one stage it looked like he was bound for a career in entertainment.
Instead, Gabriel Attal has become the youngest PM in modern French history and he hopes to revive President Macron's government.
One of his first tasks will be to lead the French government into the European Parliament elections in June.
ContributorsMarisol Touraine, former French Minister of Health, chair of Unitaid.Mireille Clapot, National Assembly member for Drôme.Philippe Marliere, Professor of French and European Politics, University College London.Dominic Gould, Actor.Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief, the Economist.
CreditsFrance 24TF1, France.La Belle Personne, directed by Christophe Honoré Institut National de l'Audiovisuel
Presenter: Stephen SmithProduction: Daniel Gordon, Leontine Gallois, Diane RichardsonEditor: Richard VadonSound: Andrew FellProduction Coordinators: Maria Ogundele, Katie Morrison, and Janet Staples
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The ‘New Adult’ romance author topping book charts, and breaking records - she’s even outsold the Bible. Who is Colleen Hoover?
The small-town Texan turned hit novelist is a TikTok sensation. Young women film themselves sobbing as they read her books, and queue for hours to meet her. Her meteoric rise to fame, from a small trailer on the family farm, reads like one of her stories. And now, her hit novel - ‘It Ends With Us’ - is set to hit the silver screen.
Presenter: Mark ColesProducers: Ellie House and Diane RichardsonEditor: Richard VadonStudio Manager: Neil ChurchillProduction Coordinators: Maria Ogundele, Katie Morrison, and Janet Staples
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Reform UK - formerly known as 'The Brexit Party' - has hit 10% in polls for the first time. And its leader, Richard Tice, is gearing up to contest the next general election. In a press conference this week, he vowed that Reform UK candidates would stand in every seat in England, Wales, and Scotland - posing a threat to Conservative candidates across the country.
Dubbed a "bad boy of Brexit", who is the businessman turned politician leading this charge from the right?
Presenter: Paul ConnollyProducers: Ellie House, Diane Richardson, Julie BallEditor: Richard VadonStudio Manager: James BeardProduction Coordinator: Janet Staples
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Sir Mufti Hamid Patel, chief executive of education trust, Star Academies, which runs schools often in deprived areas, many of which have achieved outstanding results. Sir Mufti Hamid Patel left school in Blackburn at 16, without himself excelling academically. Having worked in local government in Blackburn, he then ran a Muslim girls school before starting Star Academies. The trust has grown to include 34 primary and secondary schools mainly in northern England, the Midlands and East London.New government ways of monitoring progress, show almost half the top twenty achieving schools in the country are run by Star.
PRODUCTION TEAMPresenter: Mark ColesProducer: Bob HowardEditor: Richard VadonSound: Neil ChurchillProduction Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
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Polly Neate. CEO of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. Recently rescued in a dramatic cliff top drama, Neate was determined to fight social injustice from an early age. She started life as a journalist and then worked for the charities Action for Children and Women's Aid before taking the top job at Shelter. Her climbing injury has left her on crutches but she continues her professional work campaigning to help the homeless and is still determined to carry on climbing.
PRODUCTION TEAMPresenter: Mark ColesProducer: Bob HowardEditor: Richard VadonSound: Graham PuddifootProduction Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
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Tucker Carlson, the American conservative political commentator and newscaster.
He was born in California and from the age of six was brought up by his father after his mother left the family home. Tucker Carlson followed in his father's footsteps when he left college and took up a career in journalism. He's worked for CNN, MSNBC and Fox News from which he was 'let go' in April this year.
As he launches his own streaming website 'Tucker Carlson Network', Stephen Smith finds out about the man who has been described as one of the most influential people in American media in recent years.
CONTRIBUTORSNeil Patel, Co-founder and CEO of Tucker Carlson NetworkChadwick Moore , Journalist and Author of 'Tucker' a biography of Tucker CarlsonAlex Shephard, Senior Editor, 'The New Republic' Heather Hendershot, Professor of Communications and Journalism, Northwestern University
PRODUCTION TEAM Producers: Diane Richardson, Julie Ball Editor: Bridget HarneySound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
CREDITS Network, MGM 1976, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway- Tucker Carlson Network, Last Country IncAnchorman - The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Dreamworks Pictures
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Olivia Colman, Oscar winning actress. Stephen Smith charts her career from an appearance at the age of 4 in a school nativity play, through to her current project as Mrs. Scrubbit in the new 'Wonka' film.
Olivia Colman first came to public attention as a comedy actress in 'That Mitchell and Webb Look' and then 'Peep Show' but she always felt she could do more. It was being cast in the British film 'Tyrannosaur' that brought her to the attention of Hollywood. Now she's on her way to National Treasure status with the likes of Dame Judi Dench and Dame Helen Mirren.
CONTRIBUTORSPaterson Joseph, Actor, Producer, Writer. Screen Credits, Boat Story, VigilPaul Hands, Former Director of Drama, Gresham's SchoolAnna Smith, Film Critic, Broadcaster and host of 'Girls on Film' podcastCatherine Shoard, Film Critic, The Guardian
PRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Diane Richardson, Julie BallEditor: Bridget HarneySound: Neil ChurchillProduction Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
CREDITSPeep Show, Channel 4 Wonka, Warner Bros. PicturesL'Orchestre Cinematique, Pure Imagination (Newley/Bricusse) Oscars Award Ceremony 2019 - Best Actress AwardThe Crown, Netflix , Writer: Peter MorganLife in Stages, Episode 1 Olivia Colman, National Theatre
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It is only a year since the controversial AI chatbot, ChatGPT was launched by Open AI, the company founded by this week's profilee, Sam Altman. For him the past year may have felt like a roller coaster but surely nothing compares with the last two weeks. Over the course of a week, he lost his job at Open AI and was immediately offered a job by Microsoft who'd invested heavily in the business. Next, Open AI employees threatened to resign in solidarity with their founder if he was not reinstated. The board had no choice but to take him back.
Sam Altman is now back as CEO of Open AI, and those who ousted him are no longer on the board. But who is this relatively young tech entrepreneur who founded an AI company with Elon Musk and ran one of the most successful tech incubators in Silicon Valley? Timandra Harkness finds out.
CONTRIBUTORSAndy Abbott, Head of School, John Burroughs School, St. Louis, MissouriElizabeth Weil, journalist, New York magazine Mike Isaacs, Tech reporter, New York TimesMadhumita Murgia, AI journalist, Financial TimesKate Bevan, Writer and Broadcaster, Technology
PRODUCTION TEAMPresenter: Timandra Harkness Producers: Julie Ball, Diane RichardsonEditor: Bridget Harney Sound: Neil ChurchillProduction Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
CREDITSABC World Tonight CBS News Open AI Development Day Nov 2023CSPAN - 16th May 2023
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