Talk Media

The Big Light

Broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove and guests bring you Talk Media: a forensic analysis of how the media works, and who works the media. Packed full of candid commentary and informed opinion, Talk Media features a weekly guest commentator from the worlds of journalism, entertainment and politics.

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317 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes317

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Feb 28, 2024 · 6 min
‘Opposition Day Chaos and Broken Promises’, ‘Hate Speech Conservatives’’ and ‘Good Girl’
This week we have filled the boys with cups of tea, chocolate biscuits and sweeties, locked them in to the studio and set them on a two hander across this weeks' stories. At the end of the show a question from David Stark. Recommendations: Stuart 'Never Have I Ever' - Netflix After a traumatic year, an Indian-American teen just wants to spruce up her social status — but friends, family and feelings won’t make it easy on her. https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80179190 Eamonn Thatcher: A Very British Revolution - BBC iplayer The irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher. Her inner circle reveal how a political outsider won power and dominated British life through a turbulent decade. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0005brf/thatcher-a-very-british-revolution Miners' Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain - Ch4 Forty years after, through the eyes of those directly involved, this powerful series explores the bitterly divisive strike that wounded the soul of the nation. https://www.channel4.com/programmes/miners-strike-1984-the-battle-for-britain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 21, 2024 · 6 min
‘The Scottish Labour Party Conference’, ‘The 2nd Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine and the death of Alexei Navalny’, ‘The North East Fife Constituency’ and ‘BBC Scotland gives up on The Nine’ / with Stephen Gethins
At the end of the show a question from Maggie Rankin Recommendations: Eamonn Greyhound Tom Hanks stars as a longtime Navy veteran who, as a first-time captain, is tasked with protecting a convoy of 37 ships carrying thousands of soldiers and much-needed supplies across the treacherous waters of the Atlantic during WWII. For five days with no air cover, the captain and his small force of three escort ships must make their way through an area of the ocean known as “the Black Pit,” battling Nazi U-boats while protecting their invaluable ships and soldiers. https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/greyhound/umc.cmc.o5z5ztufuu3uv8lx7m0jcega Stephen The Empire Podcast How do empires rise? Why do they fall? And how have they shaped the world around us today? William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the stories, personalities and events of empire over the course of history. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/empire/id1639561921 Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar This thrilling biography of Stalin and his entourage during the terrifying decades of his supreme power transforms our understanding of Stalin as Soviet dictator, Marxist leader and Russian tsar. https://www.waterstones.com/book/stalin/simon-sebag-montefiore/9781474614818 Stuart Licking Hitler BBC, 1978. Kate Nelligan, Bill Paterson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbsR7S60hRA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 14, 2024 · 6 min
‘Rafah under Attack’, ‘Too Old for Office’ and ‘Ship the Smugglers to Scotland’ / with David Pratt and Paddy Duffy
At the end of the show a question from Andy McNeil Our apologies for the sound issues we encountered on this episode. Recommendations Paddy Jon Stone There’s been a reassessment of the Blair/Brown government on the Left in recent years: you hear more about its achievements than you used you. that’s good, but it’s also important not to forget that it regularly did things a Tory government would be criticised for https://twitter.com/joncstone/status/1231543272943898626?lang=en Putin Vs The West- Norma Percy A new three-part series from award-winning film-maker Norma Percy tells the inside story of how, through a decade of clashes, the West has struggled to deal with Vladimir Putin as he tries to exert his power on the world stage. https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2023/05/putin-vs-the-west The Fifty Years War- Norma Percy The main decision-makers from Israel, the Arab states, Russia and the US tell the inside story of the Arab-Israel conflict. Made in 1998. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0glc7yp/the-fifty-years-war-israel-and-the-arabs Elusive Peace- Norma Percy As today’s headlines continue to be dominated by the latest news from Israel and Gaza, award-winning film-maker Norma Percy looks back on her 2005 series Elusive Peace, sharing memories of her encounters with key players like Bill Clinton, Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat as she explored the story behind the efforts to end the conflict made around the start of the new millennium. Norma also talks about her experiences securing rare interviews with those behind some of the suicide bombings that destroyed lives and also the chances of peace. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001swsb David The Jazz Loft Project- W Eugene Smith Smith’s Jazz Loft Project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of this book, no one had seen his extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of those who were there and lived to tell the tales. https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-jazz-loft-project/w-eugene-smith/sam-stephenson/9780226824840 W. Eugene Smith’s Warning to the World The Magnum photographer made his last photo essay about industrial mercury poisoning in the Japanese city of Minamata, helping to bring justice and visibility to the victims https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/w-eugene-smith-minamata-warning-to-the-world/ Minimata- Film Revered photojournalist W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) is coaxed out of retirement by a commission from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy). He is sent to Minamata, a Japanese city ravaged by mercury poisoning, the result of decades of gross corporate negligence. There, Smith documents the people living with Minamata Disease, the assignment quickly turning into a life-changing experience https://www.amazon.co.uk/Minamata-Johnny-Depp/dp/B099NBF5H3 Eamonn Slow Horses- Season 3 Spy drama following a dysfunctional team of M15 agent - and their obnoxious boss Jack Lamb - as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces. https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/slow-horses/umc.cmc.2szz3fdt71tl1ulnbp8utgq5o?ctx_brand=tvs.sbd.4000&mttn3pid=Google%20AdWords&mttnagencyid=a5e&mttncc=UK&mttnsiteid=143238&mttnsubad=OUK2019944_1-684757160536-c&mttnsubkw=136907710791__RTZ7DK1w_&mttnsubplmnt=_adext_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 7, 2024 · 6 min
‘Nicola Sturgeon at the Covid Enquiry’, 'History made in Stormont’ and ‘The Week at Westminster’ / with Catriona Stewart and Simon Pia
With Stuart off on his book tour (rock 'n roll), Eamonn is joined by Catriona Stewart and Simon Pia for a great discussion on the week's stories. This week we've included questions by John Nichol and Alex MacDonald. Recommendations: Eamonn The Long Way Up Best friends Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, reunite for Long Way Up, after more than a decade since their last motorbike adventure around the world. Covering 13,000 miles over 100 days through 16 border crossings and 13 countries, starting from the city of Ushuaia at the tip of South America, Ewan and Charley journey through the glorious and underexposed landscapes of South and Central America. Using cutting-edge technology on the back of their prototype electric Harley-Davidsons, the new series follows Ewan and Charley as they journey through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and up through Colombia, Central America, Mexico and the USA. Also joining them are their longtime collaborators, directors David Alexanian and Russ Malkin, following them in their electric Rivians. https://tv.apple.com/us/show/long-way-up/umc.cmc.1nv0tluok21c2f8549mdjqdnh Simon Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry David stars as an over-the-top version of himself in this comedy series the shows how seemingly trivial details of day-to-day life can precipitate a catastrophic chain of events. https://www.nowtv.com/watch/curb-your-enthusiasm/iYEQZ2uDbPiuTXRbUUJCcA?DCMP=knc-google:nc_ents&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8YyuBhBSEiwA5R3-E12wUhtETCYFiZ9J7czZ9lBujNDwaQzL5_xUjTqAFdk4VcjZB3-3MxoCXYwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Catriona A Teen's fatal plunge in to the London Underworld After Zac Brettler mysteriously plummeted into the Thames, his grieving parents discovered that he’d been posing as an oligarch’s son. Would the police help them solve the puzzle of his death? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/02/12/a-teens-fatal-plunge-into-the-london-underworld Electoral Disfunction Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson team up for a new political podcast from Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/electoral-dysfunction-beth-rigby-jess-phillips-and-ruth-davidson-team-up-for-a-new-political-podcast-from-sky-news-13065409 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 31, 2024 · 6 min
‘Crisis at Ch4’, ‘The Media and the Covid Enquiry’ and ‘How the Government Captured the BBC’ / with Ruth Wishart
With questions inspired by Mark Stephenson, Kevin Richey, John Daly, Michelle Shortt and Muriel Cockburn. At the end a question from Grant McLanaghan. Recommendations: Ruth A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America Richly sourced and highly readable . . . Sheds new light on how the 45th president tests the boundaries of the office while trying the patience and dignity of those who work for or with him. It is not just another Trump tell-all or third-party confessional - Guardian https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-very-stable-genius/carol-d-leonnig/philip-rucker/9781526609090 Stuart The New Highland Clearances Time and again local people, impacted by a series of issues surrounding transport, infrastructure and opportunities, have described the region as being in the midst of a 'New Highland Clearances'. Over the coming week we will examine those issues, feature local voices and ask if the viability and very futures of rural communities in Scotland are under threat. Here senior reporter at The Herald, Caroline Wilson, looks ahead to what we will cover. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24075771.new-highland-clearances-herald-series-starts-monday/ Eamonn The Irish Civil War THE IRISH CIVIL WAR tells the epic and often challenging story of the origins, conflict and legacy of the civil war that took place in Ireland in 1922 and 1923. Narrated by Brendan Gleeson https://www.pbsamerica.co.uk/series/the-irish-civil-war/ Brotherhood: The Inner Life of Monks The monks of Mount St Bernard Abbey, a community of 25 men, more than half of whom are over 80 years old, are opening the first Trappist brewery in the UK. For their historic, countercultural lifestyle to survive, the venture must succeed. In the meantime, as the monks reflect on spirituality, ageing and the end of life, the number of burials in the abbey graveyard continues to grow https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000tpzb/brotherhood-the-inner-life-of-monks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 24, 2024 · 6 min
‘WhatsApp Scotland’, ‘Chasing the Youth Audience’ and ‘When a Guest Goes Rogue’ / with Paddy Duffy
At the end of the show a question from Niail Mackay. Recommendations: Eamonn Northern Exposure A recently graduated New York City physician, Dr. Joel Fleischman, is sent to practice in the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska to fulfil his obligation after Alaska paid for his medical education. Early episodes deal with Fleischman's culture shock in the small town. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.c0cbc05a-d575-4808-abff-898c5388461a?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb or https://tv.apple.com/gb/episode/tranquility-base/umc.cmc.3kryqi740nnwawz2z8q5ut96e?action=play Stuart How the Government captured the BBC A right-wing cabal, largely unaccountable, is waging war on the principles that made our public broadcaster great. It must not succeed By Alan Rusbridger https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/64534/how-the-government-captured-the-bbc Paddy Loudermilk Grumpy former music critic Sam Loudermilk grudgingly navigates the world of sobriety with surly rants, even as he guides others in recovery. https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80174074 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 17, 2024 · 6 min
‘A Pre-War World’, ‘Labour Landslide Poll’ and ‘When the Journalist becomes the Story’ / with David Pratt
At the end of the show a question from Andrew Anderson Recommendations Stuart: ‘Poor Things’ From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation. https://www.searchlightpictures.com/poor-things/ Eamonn: Napoleon (Film) Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar®-winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte's relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed. https://www.napoleon.movie/home/ My Rembrandt (Doc) Aristocrats cherish, experts rule, art dealers hunt, collectors crave and museums battle for Rembrandt. 350 years after the grand master of intimacy’s death, entire nations are more than ever obsessed with his paintings. My Rembrandt is an epic art thriller into the super exclusive world of the Old Masters collectors. https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/my-rembrandt/umc.cmc.6fjqvjy45ins0rtvlbas04yst David: The Legacy Of Mark Rothko (Paperback) At the time of Mark Rothko's apparent suicide in 1970, the deeply troubled, pioneering artist of Abstract Expressionism was at the height of fame and financial success yet within months of the funeral, his three trusted friends, acting as executors, relinquished his entire legacy of 800 paintings to the powerful, international Marlborough Galleries (run by Frank Lloyd) for a fraction of their real worth on terms suspiciously unfavourable to the estate. The suit that Rothko's daughter brought against the executors and Marlborough rocked the art world with its shocking revelations of corruption in the international art trade: from the deceptions practiced on Rothko when he was alive to the scandals after his death involving conspiracies and cover-ups, double dealings and betrayals, missing paintings and manipulated markets, phony sales and laundered profits, forgery and fraud. https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-legacy-of-mark-rothko/lee-seldes/9780306807251 MARK ROTHKO Exhibition - Fondation Louis Vuitton The Fondation Louis Vuitton presents the first retrospective in France dedicated to Mark Rothko (1903-1970) since the exhibition held at the Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1999. The retrospective brings together some 115 works from the largest international institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the Tate in London and the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., and from international private collections, including the artist's family collection. https://www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr/en/events/mark-rothko Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 10, 2024 · 6 min
‘Lost in the Post’, ‘Election Fever’ and ‘The Year Ahead in the Media’ / with Catriona Stewart
Our first show of 2024! At the end of the show a question from John Daly Recommendations: Catriona: Priscilla When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a gentle best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla's long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame. https://a24films.com/films/priscilla Eamonn: Nyad Athlete Diana Nyad sets out at 60 to achieve a nearly impossible lifelong dream: to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean. https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81447231 Stuart: Damascus Station A riveting spy thriller that bears comparison with the works of Deighton, le Carré and Herron, Damascus Station revolves around a CIA operative and his latest recruit who find themselves enmeshed in lethal danger in Assad's Syria. https://www.waterstones.com/book/damascus-station/david-mccloskey//9781800752696?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=531573&awc=3787_1704895983_9b6d2b139bd3979c1d62ad9b8d9a84a0&utm_source=531573&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=https%3A%2F%2Fshopforward.nl%2F Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 27, 2023 · 37 min
Talk Media 2023 Reflections
Thanks for lending us your ears in 2023. We'll be back in 2024 full of energy and opinions. Happy New Year from everyone at Talk Media and The Big Light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 20, 2023 · 6 min
‘Dumb and Dumber’, ‘Devolved Budget Day’ and ‘Layla Moran’ / with Catriona Stewart and Paddy Duffy
At the end a question from Denis Maxwell. Recommendations: Eamonn: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Puffin Clothbound Classics are stunning collectable gift editions of some of the best-loved classics in the world - get into the Christmas spirit and celebrate the 180th anniversary of A Christmas Carol with this irresistible clothbound edition. https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-christmas-carol/charles-dickens/9780241411193 A Christmas Carol BBC4 Simon Callow enacts the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, the miserly owner of an old counting house, who is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley, on Christmas Eve. Marley warns Scrooge he is doomed in the afterlife unless he pays heed and learns from three ghosts who will visit him during the night. The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come show Scrooge how his mean, uncaring behaviour has oppressed those around him as they visit episodes from his past, his present and his future life. By the end Scrooge is humbled and redeemed and transforms into a generous, kind-hearted man. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001kwg Paddy: Die Hard A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/movies/die-hard/1NWCEanaAK2b Casablanca BBC2 Saturday Classic romantic drama. Rick's Cafe is a centre for criminals, refugees, resistance fighters and Nazis. Its cynical owner takes risks for no-one - until the arrival of Ilsa. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mmc2 Refugees of Casablanca https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2363302.html Catriona: The Bishop’s Wife An angel in human form enters the life of a bishop in order to help him build a new cathedral and repair his fractured marriage. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bishops-Wife-Cary-Grant/dp/B08CVT7W7H Stuart: Sir Ian Botham's charity handed up to £94,000 to his daughter's PR company last year 'but NOTHING to charitable causes’ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5696579/Sir-Ian-Bothams-charity-handed-94-000-daughters-PR-company.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 13, 2023 · 6 min
‘The Interview’, ‘Back in your Box Scotland’ and ‘Love Bomb’ / with The Wheezy Boys
The Boys are on their own this week getting stuck in to today's topics, albeit with a wheezy soundtrack. At the end of the show a question from Martin O'Donnell. Recommendations: Eamonn Archie: the man who became Cary Grant Young Archie Leach escapes his childhood in Bristol and journeys to America as his older self Cary Grant falls in love with Dyan Cannon. https://www.itv.com/watch/archie-the-man-who-became-cary-grant/7a0170/7a0170a0001 Stuart The Complete Collection of Fyodor Dostoevsky 6 Books Box Set Titles In this Set Notes From The Underground Crime and Punishment The Brothers Karamazov The Devils The Idiot The House of the Dead Link Here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 6, 2023 · 6 min
‘Cleverly in Rwanda’, ‘Starmer Praises Thatcher’ and ‘Cop 28’ / with Joyce McMillan
At the end of the show a question by Michael Heffernan Recommendations: Joyce McMillan Pitlochry Festival Theatre Set to fantastic songs from world-renowned Scottish band The Proclaimers, Sunshine on Leith is both a funny and moving play about Davy and Ally, two Edinburgh natives returning to their hometown after serving in war-torn countries overseas, who are questioning what ‘home’ really means. A fantastic feel-good story from Stephen Greenhorn, with a feature film adaptation in 2013, this is returning to Pitlochry Festival Theatre for 2023 as a fresh new production of an audience favourite which is sure to delight yet again. https://pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/whats-on/sunshine-on-leith-2023/ Eamonn Tweed Valley Blogger Let’s rewind a wee bit, I’m Stewart Wilson. Scottish dad and husband, with two young kids, and a passion for Scotland and sharing stories. I adore writing and am an enthusiastic amateur historian. I love my home patch and the wider countryside around it and hope that comes across in my blogs. In 2023, I decided to take this passion even further and left my job in the corporate world to expand the blog into TVB Tours, offering private, guided tours of the Borderlands, and further afield. If you decide to join me for a tour, you can expect a lot of laughs, a true local insight and a deeper understanding of what makes the area so special. Think of it as the audiobook version of the blogs you can read on the site - with lots of sweets along the way! So head over to the tours page if you are interested in finding out more, or feel free to check out the blog which is and always will be available for all to read. https://tweedvalleyblogger.com/ Reporters sans frontières (RSF) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) defends the right of every human being to have access to free and reliable information. This right is essential to know, understand, form an opinion and take action on vital issues in full awareness, both individually and collectively. Our mission? Act for the freedom, pluralism and independence of journalism and defend those who embody these ideals. Our mandate is in the spirit of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and of the major declarations and charters relating to journalistic ethics, notably the Munich Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists. https://rsf.org/en Stuart THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL PARADE® The Nation’s Springtime Parade was an amazing sight on Constitution Avenue this year! Grand colourful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers burst down the Parade route in a spectacle of music and showmanship celebrating spring in Washington, DC. https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/2024-national-cherry-blossom-festival-parade/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 29, 2023 · 6 min
‘Hostages on the Move, ‘Alex Salmond’ and ‘We’d like our Marbles Back’ / with David Pratt
At the end of the show a question from Gerry Mulvenna. Recommendations: David: The Pigeon Tunnel - Apple TV Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell — better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Constant Gardener. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. "The Pigeon Tunnel" is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré's extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction. https://www.apple.com/uk/tv-pr/originals/the-pigeon-tunnel/ The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life (Paperback) https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-pigeon-tunnel/john-le-carre/9780241976890 Stuart: The Boat Story - BBC Two strangers. One boat. Nothing to lose. An unexpected discovery could mean a second chance - or a bloody end. Dark comic thriller with Paterson Joseph and Daisy Haggard. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0glbknc/boat-story Eamonn: Lockerbie - Sky LOCKERBIE, a new mini-series that will be based on the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and the search for justice by Dr Jim Swire and his wife Jane who lost their beloved daughter, Flora, in the air disaster in 1988. The five-part series will be written by Academy Award nominees Jim Sheridan (In The Name of The Father, My Left Foot) and Kirsten Sheridan (In America, Dollhouse). All 259 passengers and crew were killed when the bomb exploded over Lockerbie 38 minutes after take-off, with a further 11 residents losing their life as the plane came down over the quiet, Scottish town. Thirteen years later, in 2001, Libyan national Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of the crime and later released on compassionate grounds in 2009. Shortly after the Lockerbie bombing, one of the worst terrorist attacks in history, some families of the victims joined together to launch a campaign for truth and justice. Among them was Dr Jim Swire whose campaign has taken him to the sand dunes of Libya to meet face-to-face with Colonel Gaddafi, to 10 Downing Street to meet with successive Prime Ministers and to the corridors of power in the US where he worked with the American victims’ groups to mount pressure on Washington for tighter airport security, well before 9/11. The moving series will explore events from 1988 to the present day, while providing an intimate account of a man, a husband, and a father who pushes his marriage, his health, and his sanity to the edge. https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/8a3430f6-066b-3397-abec-1d72b380ed90 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 22, 2023 · 6 min
‘Let Them Die’, ‘Harry, The Mail and Leveson’ and ‘Ryan Tubridy at Virgin’ / with Paddy Duffy
Stuart is off grid this week so Eamonn is joined by producer and commentator Paddy Duffy to chat over some of the week’s media stories. Please note this show was recording pre Autumn Statement. At the end of the show a question from Kay Springham Recomendations: Eamonn Spymaster book by Helen Fry The dramatic story of a man who stood at the centre of British intelligence operations, the ultimate spymaster of World War II: Thomas Kendrick “A remarkable piece of historical detective work. . . . Now, thanks to this groundbreaking book, the result of years of meticulous research and expert analysis, Kendrick’s role as one of the great spymasters of the twentieth century can be revealed.”—Saul David, Daily Telegraph Thomas Kendrick (1881–1972) was central to the British Secret Service from its beginnings through to the Second World War. Under the guise of “British Passport Officer,” he ran spy networks across Europe, facilitated the escape of Austrian Jews, and later went on to set up the “M Room,” a listening operation which elicited information of the same significance and scope as Bletchley Park. Yet the work of Kendrick, and its full significance, remained largely unknown. Helen Fry draws on extensive original research to tell the story of this remarkable British intelligence officer. Kendrick’s life sheds light on the development of MI6 itself—he was one of the few men to serve Britain across three wars, two of which while working for the British Secret Service. Fry explores the private and public sides of Kendrick, revealing him to be the epitome of the “English gent”—easily able to charm those around him and scrupulously secretive. https://www.waterstones.com/book/spymaster/helen-fry/9780300266979 Paddy Documentaries by Norma Percy Israel and the Arabs Award-winning film-maker Norma Percy looks back on her acclaimed 1998 documentary series The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs. Through interviews and analysis from key players of the time, the series forensically detailed the conflict’s origins and key moments, and here Norma shares how the programme came to life, how she gained the trust of some of the most significant figures of the day and what the lessons from history might be. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001sfvq/the-fifty-years-war-israel-and-the-arabs-eyewitness-to-history-norma-percy-on-the-fifty-years-war The Elusive Peace - Monday 27th Nov BBC4 22.00 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001swsb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 15, 2023 · 6 min
'Poppy Day Reflections’, ‘Tory Reshuffle’, ‘SNP table Ceasefire amendment at Westminster’ / with Catriona Stewart
Please note - This podcast was recorded at noon on Wednesday - before the Ceasefire Amendment in Westminster. At the end a question from John Daly. Recommendations: Stuart: The Pigeon Tunnel Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris pulls back the curtain on the storied life and career of former British spy David Cornwell -- better known as John le Carré, author of such classic espionage novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Constant Gardener. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Cold War leading into present day, the film spans six decades as le Carré delivers his final and most candid interview, punctuated with rare archival footage and dramatized vignettes. "The Pigeon Tunnel" is a deeply human and engaging exploration of le Carré's extraordinary journey and the paper-thin membrane between fact and fiction. https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-pigeon-tunnel/umc.cmc.633pbtki99m7e8lc9ybbyab3 Catriona: The Newsreader Set in 1986, the show follows the unlikely bond between a young TV reporter (Reid) and a 'difficult' female newsreader (Torv), as they cover events such as the shock of the Challenger explosion, the hype of Halley's Comet and complexities of the AIDS crisis. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0cgx4k0/the-newsreader Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 8, 2023 · 6 min
‘Firework Violence’, ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘Michelle Mone changes her story’ / with Jim Spence
At the end of the show a questions from James Robertson Recommendations: The Courier Talking Football Podcast Scottish football is too often dominated by the Old Firm, but the teams across Courier Country deserve a football podcast that’s every bit as informed, every bit as passionate, and every bit as in-depth as anything covering Rangers FC and Celtic FC. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/courier-podcasts/courier-talking-football-podcast/ Stuart Panenka His name was Joseph, but for years they had called him Panenka, a name that was his sadness and his story. Panenka has spent 25 years living with the disastrous mistakes of his past, which have made him an exile in his home town and cost him his dearest relationships. Now aged 50, Panenka begins to rebuild an improvised family life with his estranged daughter and her seven year old son. But at night, Panenka suffers crippling headaches that he calls his Iron Mask. Faced with losing everything, he meets Esther, a woman who has come to live in the town to escape her own disappointments. Together, they find resonance in each other's experiences and learn new ways to let love into their broken lives. Link Here Jim Bosch:Legacy Season 1 Harry Bosch, retired homicide detective turned Private Investigator, fights to work cases without the authority his former job provided. Attorney Honey “Money” Chandler, having survived an attempted murder, struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system. And Maddie Bosch discovers the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop on the streets of Los Angeles. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Legacy-Season-1/dp/B09PQ959KW The Equalizer Ex-assassin Robert McCall confronts his past as he battles the Italian mafia. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Equalizer-3-Bonus-X-Ray/dp/B0B673D7YL Richard Osman The Bullet that Missed The Man who died Twice https://www.waterstones.com/author/richard-osman/53658 Eamonn Sly His love of film began as an escape from a rocky childhood. From underdog to Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone tells his story in this documentary. https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81450717 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 1, 2023 · 6 min
‘Whatsapp Doc’, ‘Baker’s Irish Meddling, ‘Starmer makes Statement’ and ‘Farewell to Chandler Bing' / with Ruth Wishart
At the end of the show a listener question from Ian Mout Recommendations: Eamonn: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent (Hardback) Cavorting naked through the Warwickshire countryside painted green. Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head. These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare. For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O'Hea, she guides us through Shakespeare's plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans. Interspersed with vignettes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, she serves up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare's most famous scenes, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour, striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now. Instructive and witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi's love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent. https://www.waterstones.com/book/shakespeare/judi-dench/9780241632178 Stuart: @historyinmemes Daily history lessons. Education through memes! https://twitter.com/historyinmemes Ruth: Robert Carlyle returns to screens for the third instalment of fan favourite political thriller COBRA: Rebellion with Jane Horrocks joining the cast. Prime Minister Sutherland (Carlyle) remains in office at Number 10 alongside Victoria Hamilton (The Crown), who is back as Chief of Staff, Anna Marshall. Jane Horrocks (Bloods, Absolutely Fabulous) also joins the cast, entering the cabinet as Victoria Dalton, a new populist Defence Secretary. In this season, Prime Minister Robert Sutherland faces more challenges than ever before. Just as his popularity plumets in light of a new, controversial police-protest bill, his administration is plunged into chaos when an environmental demonstration ends with grave consequences. As the inquest into the events at the protest gets underway, the Prime Minister and his government begin to realise that all is not as it seems. And with his daughter potentially embroiled with the group behind it all, his interest in the case isn’t purely political, adding further turmoil to his already strained homelife. The investigation quickly takes them into the dark underbelly of the nation’s power, and the PM starts to doubt whom of his team he can truly trust. The crisis spirals further to encompass not only the urgent threat of environmental destruction but also the malignant corruption of the arms industry, the rise of shadowy corporate security firms and the grim reality of the UK’s relationship with a crucial ally. The rebellion will push Robert Sutherland to the edge and force him to question what he’s personally willing to sacrifice in order to stay in power. https://www.skygroup.sky/en-gb/article/-the-explosive-third-instalment-of-sky-original-drama-cobra-rebellion-coming-to-sky-max-and-now-on-12-october- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 25, 2023 · 6 min
‘Israel/Palestine death toll rises’ ,‘Labour resignations in wake of Starmer gagging order’ and "The Reckoning' / with David Pratt
At the end of the show a question from Gill Blair. Recomendations: David: Simon Murphy 'Govanhill' This major exhibition of Simon Murphy’s photographic document 'Govanhill' brings together his long term project of a place in the southside of the city of Glasgow – a local place which is truly international in the demographics of those who live there. Simon has been documenting people in this locality for several years with the resulting images giving an insight into one of Scotland's most diverse areas. Govanhill is a point of arrival for many. Traditionally it has been a place where immigrants arrive in Glasgow and often move on from. It is estimated that 88 languages are spoken in the densely populated area of only 0.33 square miles. It's a mixing pot of cultures and ethnicities. These differences have contributed to tension within the community but also make Govanhill one of the most diverse and exciting places in the city. Simon’s project consists mainly of street portraiture of individuals who live and pass through the area. https://www.streetlevelphotoworks.org/event/simon_murphy_govanhill My war gone by I miss It so. Anthony Loyd In 1993, Anthony Loyd hitchhiked to the Balkans hoping to become a journalist. Leaving behind him the legends of a distinguished military family, he wanted to see ‘a real war’ for himself. In Bosnia he found one. The cruelty and chaos of the conflict both appalled and embraced him; the adrenalin lure of the action perhaps the loudest siren call of all. In the midst of the daily life-and-death struggle among Bosnia’s Serbs, Croats and Muslims, he was inspired by the extraordinary human fortitude he discovered. But returning home he found the void of peacetime too painful to bear, and so began a longstanding personal battle with drug abuse. This harrowing account shows humanity at its worst and best, and is acknowledged as a classic of the genre. It is a breathtaking feat of reportage; an uncompromising look at the terrifyingly seductive power of war. https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-war-gone-by-i-miss-it-so/anthony-loyd/9781912836048 Stuart: Grayson Perry | Smash Hits This summer, come and see the biggest ever exhibition of Sir Grayson Perry's work, covering his 40-year career. Perry has gone from taking pottery evening classes to winning the Turner Prize, presenting television programmes on Channel 4 and writing acclaimed books. Pottery allowed him the opportunity to indulge his fascination with sex, Punk, and counterculture, amongst other things, in the most unlikely and polite of artforms. Today he is one of Britain's most celebrated artists and cultural figures. Popular and provocative, Perry makes art that deals with difficult and complex ideas in an accessible and often funny way. He loves taking on big issues that are universally human: masculinity, sexuality, class, religion, politics and more. On view will be subversive pots, brilliantly intricate prints, elaborate sculptures, and huge, captivating tapestries - all imbued with Perry's sharp wit and social commentary. Working with traditional artforms, Perry addresses the controversial issues of our times. https://www.nationalgalleries.org/exhibition/grayson-perry-smash-hits Eamonn: Be Useful: Seven tools for life The seven rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life-distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Useful-Seven-tools-life/dp/1529146534/ref=asc_df_1529146534/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=641789777959&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10095737638662757955&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046946&hvtargid=pla-2089799233408&psc=1&th=1&psc=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 18, 2023 · 6 min
‘THE SNP CONFERENCE’ AND ‘SATIRE GETS SACKED’ AND ‘SWEDISH FANS SHOT IN BRUSSELS’ / WITH SHONA CRAVEN AND PADDY DUFFY
At the end of the show a question from Jim Anderson. Recommendations: Stuart: Beckham With never-before-seen footage, this docuseries follows David Beckham's meteoric rise from humble beginnings to global football stardom. https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81223488 Paddy: Cassius X Exploring the life of Cassius Clay as he undergoes his spiritual transformation as well as examining the evolution of his amazing boxing skills, this landmark film is structured around the early years of his boxing career between 1959 and 1964 when he turned professional and pursued his dream of becoming World Heavyweight Champion. From his first contact with the Nation of Islam to the moment when he is given the name Muhammad Ali, we reveal the events in America that would shape his beliefs and examine the figures such as Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X who would become his spiritual advisors. Featuring interviews with people with a direct connection to these moments in Ali’s life, Cassius X: Becoming Ali examines the influences on Ali’s awakenings with regard to owning his own identity - the Nation of Islam, integration vs. separation, and the thoughts and perspectives and beliefs he adopts. It is Ali’s origin story - the definitive observation of the emergence of a hero https://www.screen.scot/film-in-scotland/made-in-scotland/film/cassius-x-becoming-ali The Thief Collector In 1985, Willem de Kooning's "Woman-Ochre," one of the most valuable paintings of the 20th century, was cut from its frame at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. 32 years later, the painting was found hanging in a New Mexico home. https://www.amazon.co.uk/placeholder_title/dp/B0B8HVPLRH Shona: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World: Signed Edition (Hardback) What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired a double? Someone almost like you, and yet not you at all? When Naomi Klein discovered that a woman who shared her first name, but had radically different, harmful views, was getting chronically mistaken for her, it seemed too ridiculous to take seriously. Then suddenly it wasn’t. She started to find herself grappling with a distorted sense of reality, becoming obsessed with reading the threats on social media, the endlessly scrolling insults from the followers of her doppelganger. Why had her shadowy other gone down such an extreme path? Why was identity – all we have to meet the world – so unstable? To find out, Klein decided to follow her double into a bizarre, uncanny mirror world: one of conspiracy theories, anti-vaxxers and demagogue hucksters, where soft-focus wellness influencers make common cause with fire-breathing far right propagandists (all in the name of protecting ‘the children’). In doing so, she lifts the lid on our own culture during this surreal moment in history, as we turn ourselves into polished virtual brands, publicly shame our enemies, watch as deep fakes proliferate and whole nations flip from democracy to something far more sinister. This is a book for our age and for all of us; a deadly serious dark comedy which invites us to view our reflections in the looking glass. It’s for anyone who has lost hours down an internet rabbit hole, who wonders why our politics has become so fatally warped, and who wants a way out of our collective vertigo and back to fighting for what really matters. https://www.waterstones.com/book/doppelganger/naomi-klein/2928377214036 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 13, 2023 · 6 min
Friday the 13th Special ‘The Labour Party Conference’ and ‘Israel at War’ / with David Pratt
Friday the 13th Special ‘The Labour Party Conference’ and ‘Israel at War’ / with David Pratt Thank you for all your questions for David Recommendations: Stuart: The Reckoning Factual drama examining the crimes of Jimmy Savile, with testimony from survivors. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0g4swnr/the-reckoning Eamonn: Race across the World In a frenetic race across the world, travellers can choose any route they like - but no flights or phones are allowed. On the trip of a lifetime, which pair will finish first? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002tvs David: We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir The author and activist Raja Shehadeh reflects on his complex relationship with his late father - fellow activist Aziz - in this searing and emotionally candid memoir that views the Palestinian struggle through the prism of a singular family dynamic. A vocal and fearless opponent, Aziz resists under the British mandatory period, then under Jordan, and, finally, under Israel. As a young man, Raja fails to recognise his father's courage and, in turn, his father does not appreciate Raja's own efforts in campaigning for Palestinian human rights. When Aziz is murdered in 1985, it changes Raja irrevocably. This is not only the story of the battle against the various oppressors of the Palestinians, but a moving portrait of a particular father and son relationship. https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-could-have-been-friends-my-father-and-i/raja-shehadeh/9781788169974 This is the news media and article that David mentioned Israel Can’t Imprison Two Million Gazans Without Paying a Cruel Price https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2023-10-09/ty-article-opinion/.premium/israel-cant-imprison-2-million-gazans-without-paying-a-cruel-price/0000018b-1476-d465-abbb-14f6262a0000 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices