Inheritance Tracks
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446 episodes
Born in Paris, Liz Bonnin grew up in Ireland where she studied biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin. She joined an all-girl pop band rather than doing a PhD at Oxford and then came TV, initially on entertainment shows before her real calling pulled her back for a Masters in wild animal biology. When Liz returned to our tv screens it was as a science presenter; Tomorrow’s World, Bang Goes the Theory, Blue Planet Live.... She’s taken viewers from the Galapagos...to the Jurassic Coast and even Arctic...but where will her Inheritance Tracks lead us today? Inherited: Amélia by Malavoi Passed on: I'm Every Woman by Chakka Khan Producer: Ben Mitchell
Broadcaster Lauren Laverne has, arguably, two of the best jobs in radio - 6 Music’s Breakfast Show and Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Her career in entertainment began though as the lead singer and a guitarist in the band Kenickie and her love of performing and sharing music see's her takes Desert Island Discs to the London Palladium for a series of special live shows. As someone who encourages people to share the music that shaped their lives we were fascinated to hear her Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: Now Westlin Winds by Dick Gaughan Passed on: Hit or Miss by Odetta Producer: Ben Mitchell
Natalie Cassidy has grown up in front of the nation. She was only ten years old when she joined the cast of Eastenders. Over the last 30 years, her character - Sonia - has become one of the most popular residents of Albert Square, as she’s dealt with a teenage pregnancy, a cancer scare and bereavements. Natalie had to have music lessons when her character famously took up the trumpet on Eastenders, so let’s see if that has influenced her choices as she selects her Inheritance Tracks. Natalie is the co-host of the podcast, 'Off The Telly' which is available now. Producer: Lowri Morgan
Strictly Come Dancing's longest serving professional dancer Karen Hauer was born in Valencia, Venezula where she lived until the age of eight before moving with her family to the Bronx in New York. Dance allowed Karen to express herself and at the age of nine she won a scholarship to the Martha Graham School of Contempoary Dance. On the show she has danced with the likes of Will Young and Eddie Kadi. Music gives Karen inspiration for her dance routines and will be touring the UK with the 'Strictly Come Dancing the Professionals Tour' from May 2024. Inherited: Don't Speak by No Doubt Pass on: Your Song by Elton John Producer: Lowri Morgan
Alex Horne is the comedian and creator of the BAFTA winning Channel 4’s hit comedy game-show, Taskmaster. On the show Alex is the Taskmaster’s assistant and this week, we’ve given him the task of assisting us with choosing our Inheritance Tracks. He is a musician himself and he will be will be on tour around the country with ‘The Horne Section’ and their brand-new show from March 2024. Inherited: In The Army Now by Status Quo. Passed on: Bang Bang by David Sanborn Producer: Ribika Moktan
Tommy Tiernan is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer and extraordinary talk show host, extraordinary because on The Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE he doesn’t know who his guest is until they walk on, there’s no script or preparation, so the conversation can go anywhere, and it does! As a comedian, he’s won the big award and even though his sense of humour has on occasions been controversial, he maintains there’s never malice intended. Tommy also has a podcast and is famous for playing Da Gerry in Derry Girls Although he was born in Ireland he had a peripatetic early life as you’ll hear in his Inheritance Tracks... Inherited: Amhrán na bhFiann, the national anthem of the Republic of Ireland. Passed on: Maka Hannya Haramitta Producer: Glyn Tansley
Adam Hills is a seriously funny man, and most well known as host of Channel 4’s hugely successful The Last Leg on Friday nights. Born in Sydney without a right foot, he turned his disability to his advantage and often referred to it in his comedy. His first stand up show was in 1997, and he became a hit at the Melbourne International comedy festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Some alternative commentating on the 2012 London Summer Paralympics led to Channel 4 giving him his own series, which has now broadcast its 300th episode. Inherited: Crying by Roy Orbison Passed on: One Day Like This by Elbow Producers: Ben Mitchell and Lowri Morgan
The Grand Tour presenter and lover of high-speed adventures Richard Hammond, was born in Birmingham, the eldest of three boys, and describes himself growing up as ‘a little fella’ in a close-knit family. His first broadcasting experience, and love, was not TV but local radio and as bass guitar player we wondered what his Inheritance Tracks might be. Inherited: Call Me The Breeze by J.J. Cale Passed on: Memphis Soul Stew by King Curtis Producer: Ben Mitchell and Lowri Morgan
Millions of cricket fans all over the world have grown up with Jonathan Agnew’s voice as he’s expertly guided us through the highs and lows of the best sport ever invented. He’s joined Test Match Special in 1991 after a very successful career as a fast bowler for Leicestershire and a slightly less successful career as a fast bowler for England – which he often jokes about on air. He’s a keen flyer (he has a pilot’s licence), a keen dog owner (he has two) and also a lover of music. But what music? Let’s find out... Inherited: You're a Lady by Peter Skellern Pass on: I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free by Nina Simone Producer: Ben Mitchell
Iain Stirling started doing stand-up while studying law at University in Edinburgh and quickly drew the attention of the comedy world. Soon after, his popularity grew, and now sells out venues all over the country. In 2015 he became the voice of ITV2's dating show Love Island. He also clearly loves music so we asked him to share with us the song that have changed his life. Inherited: Africa, Toto Passed on: The Modern Leper, Frightened Rabbit Producer: Ben Mitchell
The London born ceramic artist Keith Brymer-Jones, who regularly wells up when he’s moved by beauty and effort on The Great Pottery Throw Down, was eleven years old when he made his first pottery object. After a brief stint in the punk band The Wigs, he got an apprenticeship at Harefield Pottery in London and learned to make modern ceramics. We asked him to turn his hand to this week's Inheritance Tracks... Inherited: Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire Passed on: I Feel Love by Donna Summer Producer: Ben Mitchell
Owain Wyn Evans has been working in broadcasting since he was 18. He's an accomplished television and radio presenter and shot to superstardom during the pandemic in 2020 as the drumming weather presenter playing along to the BBC News Theme. He became a viral sensation and in 2021 he raised an extraordinary £3million for Children in Need by drumming non-stop for 24 hours. This week he took a break from warming up for Zoe Ball on Radio 2’s Early Breakfast Show to reflect on his inheritance tracks... Inherited: The Masquerade by the Carpenters Passed on: This Hell by Reena Sawayama Producer: Ben Mitchell
When he’s not working on his own gin brand, or his latest book, or guest editing the Today programme former petrol head James May is perhaps best known as the thinking man’s car guy from Top Gear and Grand Tour. His trademark wry humour and self-deprecation make him an interesting TV presenter, no matter what he turns his attention to and he’s an excellent travel guide on the various James May Our Man In... series. Born in Bristol, one of four children, he spent his teenage years in South Yorkshire and as someone who studied music at university and who’s apparently a rather accomplished musician. We asked James what his Inheritance Tracks might be. Inherited: Dream Darling Dream by McGuinness Flint Passed On: Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Producer: Ribika Moktan
Opera singer Wynne Evans was indelibly etched into the UK’s collective TV watching consciousness when he played Gio Compario - the moustachioed opera singer in those famous comparison site adverts. Born in South-West Wales, Wynne is a professionally trained opera star and his operatic roles have seen him onstage at major opera houses here in the UK and across the globe, with his debut album ‘A Song in My Heart’ went to Number 1 in the classical charts. This year, he won Celebrity MasterChef with a starter of Carmarthen-Japanese Tuna Tartare and a main course of Welsh lamb on samphire. We asked Wynne to share his equally delicious Inheritance Tracks with us... Inherited: Be My Love by Mario Lanza Passed on: Laudate Dominum - Vesperae Solennes de Confessore by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Producer: Ben Mitchell
Writer, comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig was born in Denmark to a Danish father and English mother and was brought up in Europe, Africa and the United States. She’s done it all; politics, children's books, theatre plays, the great British Bake Off, and taken part in pretty much every panel show worth its salt, including of course hosting QI, the much loved and quite interesting panel show she’s hosted on television since 2016. She was one of the members of the first all female comedy groups at Cambridge’s Footlights whilst gaining a first class degree, and in 2015 she co founded the Women's Equality Party. President of the Writers Guild of Great Britain, her writing credits take in radio, television and the stage. Inherited: Secret Love by The Oscar Peterson Trio Passed on: Don't Rain on my Parade by Barbara Streisand Producer: Ben Mitchell
Kelvin Fletcher is best known for his portrayal of Andy Sugden in Emmerdale, a role he played for twenty years, and for which he won Best Actor at the British Soap awards for his portrayal. When he was just six years old he went to Oldham Theatre Workshop where, before getting his big break in 1996. He’s a father of four and a keen motor racer, and documented his buying of a 120 acre farm in the Peak District in a BBC documentary and in 2019 he won Strictly Come Dancing with his dancing partner Oti Mabuse. Inherited: Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) by Frank Wilson Passed on: Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and the Wailers Producer: Ben Mitchell
Before Lucy Worsley became a fixture on our TV screens as a trusted architectural and social historian she wanted to be either a spy, a witch or a nun. But her father was a geologist and he wanted Lucy to be a scientist, so when she switched from the sciences to the humanities he was unimpressed and told her she’d never earn a living with a history degree! It was a visit to Mompesson House, a National Trust property in Salisbury, when she was 18 that made her realise that keeping a historical place going was an actual job and one that spoke to her - she’s now Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces with an office in Hampton Court Palace. So who, what and when will her Inheritance Tracks come from? Inherited: Mozart Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major played by Maria João Pires Passed on: Magnificat and Nunc dimittis: The Seventh Service sung by The Choir of HM Chapel Royal Producer: Ben Mitchell
This edition of Inheritance Tracks are chosen by Jonathan Ranganathan – better known, of course, by his middle name, Romesh. The comedian, presenter and DJ was born in West Sussex in the late 1970s to Sri Lankan parents. When he was 11, a friend left a cassette-tape at his house – labelled Public Enemy. Romesh listened – and that day, his love of hip-hop music began. But not just hip-hop. Music has been a huge part of his family’s story...across the generations. Inherited: Love Come Down by Evelyn "Champagne" King Passed on: Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
If farmer, TV presenter and writer Adam Henson was a stick of rock the word Cotswolds would be sweetly written through him. He’s loved by millions of Countryfile viewers and probably a lot of lambs, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Highland cattle and horses too. And he knows a thing or two about how food gets from farm to fork being an ambassador for British farming. But will his Inheritance Tracks be pastorales, reflecting the bucolic nature of his life? Inherited: Too Much Pressure by The Specials Passed on: Pencil Full of Lead by Paolo Nutini Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
The actor, writer, comedian and Radio 4 treasure, Miles Jupp has been delighting audiences for decades; from Balamory to The News Quiz and Rev. Miles recently shared the news that he’d suffered a brain seizure - requiring complex neurosurgery. Happily, he’s has made a good recovery, and he's about to go on tour...no doubt with his favourite music playing in the car as he criss-crosses the country. Inherited: Just an Old Fashioned Girl by Eartha Kit Passing on: Wherever You Roam by The Proclaimers Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
Derren Brown amazes audiences with his extraordinary illusions and showmanship, as a mentalist and magic creator. He captivates with his charm and is also disarmingly forthright and emotionally eloquent which is evident in his writing, podcast Bootcamp and painting. Born in London and brought up in Purley, which he describes as the epitome of middle-class suburbia, Derren studied law and German at Bristol University which is where his Inheritance Tracks begin... Inherited: The Prelude to the 1st Cello Suite by J S Bach Passed on: Debussy's Brier played by Vikingur Olafsson Producer: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
From the moment he became a cub scout in Sussex in the 1970s, Tim Peake wanted to have adventures. He joined the army...became an Apache helicopter pilot...and then set his sights even higher...A LOT higher. As an astronaut, he became the first Brit to walk in space during a voyage to the International Space Station. But what kind of music did he listen to while he was up there? Inherited: It Must be Love by Labi Siffre Passed on: Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses Producer: Ben Mitchell
The Reverend Kate Bottley is a not your run of the mill vicar... ...since rising to fame on Channel 4’s Gogglebox she’s gone on to become a writer and broadcaster on the likes of Songs of Praise, and you can hear her every Sunday with Jason Mohammad (formerly of this parish) on Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday. Kate’s latest book, Have a Little Faith, isn’t out to convert, quite the opposite, it’s a guidebook on how to navigate life’s ups and downs, be kind, and face your own challenges armed with hope...and plenty of lasagne. So, with all that in mind, I’m praying for a miraculous set of Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley Pass on: Come Healing by Leonard Cohen
Simon Farnaby is famed for his parts in Ghosts, Horrible Histories and Detectorists, but it's his starring role in that iconic sketch from the Diamond Jubilee, seen over 30 million times on YouTube, in which he served the late Queen tea with Paddington Bear. Indeed, he was one of the writers of Paddington 2 – and his latest screenplay, Wonka, is actually a musical origin story of Roald Dahl’s eccentric chocolatier. But Simon's Inheritance Tracks are not necessarily the golden ticket he'd have hoped for. Inherited: Little Town by Cliff Richard Passed on: Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
She’s cycled to the South Pole, ran the Namibia ultra-marathon, kayaked the entire length of the River Amazon, solo, yet competing on Strictly made TV presenter and adventurer, Helen Skelton feel most vulnerable. Helen began her presenting career at Newsround and has been a household name since 2008, when she became a Blue Peter presenter and graduated to Countryfile. Her new memoir In My Stride charts her life from being raised on a dairy farm outside Cumbria to becoming a household name on Blue Peter and Countryfile. What then, will she choose for her Inheritance Tracks? Inherited: One Way or Another by Blondie Passing on: Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ribika Moktan
Chef Tom Kerridge is more than just a Michelin-starred foodie – he's a TV presenter, author and entrepreneur. Married to sculptor Beth Cullen-Kerridge, Tom’s new book ‘Pub Kitchen: The Ultimate Modern British Food Bible’ was recently published and we asked him to serve up his Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: English Rose by The Jam Passed on: Proof by I Am Kloot As featured on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live on 07/10/2023. Presented by Olly Mann and Nikki Bedi. Producer: Ben Mitchell/Gareth Nelson-Davies
Casual, fun, yet competent and assuring Alan Fletcher's character, Dr Karl Kennedy, along with his on-screen wife Susan, was a genuine tea-time idol to a generation. What you might not know is that the actor is a country music aficionado, part of a burgeoning Australian Americana scene, and at the age of 65, he's just released his first solo album. As Neighbours returns to our screens we asked him to share his inheritance tracks. Inherited: Going up the Country by Canned Heat Passed on: We are Vampires by Jason Isbell Producer: Ben Mitchell
The actor, comedian and writer Mawaan Rizwan, recently told the NME, “In every job I do, I want to smash the box that people put me in”. Born in Pakistan, Mawaan’s family moved to the UK when he was three, he grew up in East London, with a mother who’d been a child star in Pakistan so if the performance gene were a thing, he very much has it it. As an actor he’s played roles in Simon Amstell’s Benjamin and Carnage, he wrote for the hit Netflix series Sex Education, and you can see his new surreal BBC Three series Juice on iPlayer. What then, will his Inheritance Tracks be? Inherited: Mera Laung Gawacha by Musarrat Nazir Pass on: Paper Planes by MIA Producer: Ben Mitchell
If you type ‘right wing comedian’ into a search engine the top answer will be Geoff Norcott. Amazingly...the second, third and fourth results would also be the comedian and podcaster. He's certainly cornered his niche making us laugh on Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, and his own stand-up special for Radio 4 Geoff-erendum. But, ironically, it seems Geoff doesn't necessarily skew right, when it comes to at least one of his musical heroes – as we discovered, when we asked him to share his Inheritance Tracks. Inherited: Itchycoo Park by Small Faces Pass on: Zoo Station by U2 Producer: Ben Mitchell
Born in Billericay, Richard Osman got his first taste for broadcasting on BBC Radio Sussex, when he was still at school. He read Politics and Sociology at Cambridge and then worked behind the scenes in TV before creating and co-presenting the BBC quiz show, Pointless. His own show, Richard Osman’s House of Games followed, another huge success, and along the way he’s managed to become an international best-selling crime fiction author! It all began with The Thursday Murder Club in 2020 and with the fourth book in the wildly popular series on the horizon we asked him to put down that feather quill and share his Inheritance Tracks with us. Inherited: Life on Mars by David Bowie Pass on: Boring People by Pet Shop Boys Producer: Ben Mitchell
