Saturday Live

Steve Rosenberg joins Adrian for extraordinary stories from remarkable people.

On Saturday Live this week we’ll be looking up, down and all over the place. Dame Maggie Aderin, space scientist, will have us looking to the skies in wonder before David Mearns, shipwreck hunter, takes us down into the ocean deep as we marvel at his life’s work - and a man never short of a sense of wonder is writer, actor, comedian, sailor and lover of alpacas...Griff Rhys Jones. Also today, we’ll rise from the depths to the surface for some sea shantying. And we’ll be getting the Inheritance Tracks of Andy Zaltzman. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producers: Lowri Morgan and Alice McKee Researcher: Angharad Butler Editor: Glyn Tansley

Today we’re in the company of a billionaire, a hostage negotiator and the most sought after screenwriter in the business. The screenwriter in question is Jack Thorne who’s now turned his considerable talent to a brilliant TV adaptation of Lord of the Flies. Nicky Perfect says hostage negotiation is all about empathy, and less about talking than listening. And we’ll be all ears as she tells us what we can all learn from the techniques police negotiators use. And we’ll certainly be paying close attention to what Welsh born billionaire Michael Moritz has to say to us, about his own story, and his telling of the story of his family which is fascinating, harrowing and inspiring in equal measure. Also today the firefighter who spends his spare time being a Viking - and the Inheritance Tracks of Marian Keyes. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producers: Catherine Powell, Ribika Moktan, Imy Harper Researchers: Angharad Butler, Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Today we have a comedian, a nun and an undertaker’s beautician. Mark Steel says that when there’s a crisis afoot, while everyone else is panicking the comedians in the room are busy finding the funny side. This Mark’s done, with a book about what he calls his adventures in cancerland. The remarkable Sister Libby Osgood, worked for NASA before she became a nun. Quite the career path that. And Jayne Lownds - who brought her expertise as a high-street beautician into the family funeral business. Also today the annual pancake race still being run more than 550 years after it started - and the Inheritance Tracks of Radio 1 DJ and boardgame designer Matt Edmondson. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Alexander Armstrong on life as a writer, Professor Patricia Wiltshire explains the role of a forensic botanist, Mackenzie Crook unveils the secrets behind his latest show.

The Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen, Dr Joseph Jebelli on the power of doing nothing, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time author Mark Haddon.

Today's programme features a couple of very nice movers. There’s Anton de Beke, fresh from the first night of the Strictly Tour to recount a life of dance and showbiz. Lizzy Yarnold is used to moving at a rather more ferocious speed as our most successful winter Olympian. Picking up on the sweet smell of success, Michael O’Shaugnassey is an expert in scents and uses them to access prisoners memories. Also today, a man considered so dull that he’s won an award for it, and the Inheritance Tracks of Claire Foy. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Keith Brymer Jones on pottery and restoring a Welsh chapel, Sean Ronayne has recorded the sounds of nearly all of Ireland's birds, Jennie Regan has begun stonemasonry for The King.

Jake Humphrey is a High Performance broadcaster - he's spoken openly about his mental health and what drives him, and in his podcast and new book he uncovers what makes the likes of Sir Chris Hoy and Sarina Wiegman tick. Madelaine Thomas has excelled in not one but two fields. Firstly as a dominatrix and then as a tech entrepreneur helping others protect their privacy. Dr Uy Huang, also has two strings to his bow. As an eminent epidemiologist, he maps the path of diseases. As an enthusiast for waterways, he’s single-handedly photographing thousands of miles of towpaths for Google. Never mind streetview... this is canalview. Also today, the surfer waiting to hear if she’s bagged the world record for riding a bigger wave than any other woman ever - and the Inheritance Tracks of the catsuit wearing, falsetto singing, rock star Justin Hawkins. Presenter: Adrian Charles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Powell

Radio 4's Saturday morning show brings you extraordinary stories and remarkable people.

On this Christmas special edition of Saturday Live, we take a deep-dive into the world of board games. Marcia Lewis’s has board games in her blood - her father was the creator of Cluedo. Neil Scanllan holds not one, not two, but four world records for his remarkable collection of Monopoly sets. Dr Harshan Lamabadusuriya, doctor by day, scrabble assassin by night, has had the best season of his life becoming the UK champion for the second time. Also today, BBC Inside Science presenter Tom Whipple, shares with us the tips and tricks for winning some of Christmas’s classic family games - and the Mammoth star Mike Bubbins adds a sprinkling of 70’s Christmas nostalgia to proceedings. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

The actor and art lover Russell Tovey - who’s not only on a mission to spread his love of art far and wide… but is humanity's best hope in the War between Land and Sea. There’s no hint of CGI in the warzones Sally Becker’s been to - the recipient of a Lifetime achievement award at this year’s Pride of Britain, she’s made it her life’s work to help children in some of the most unimaginable situations. And Vanessa Ruck - who spent seven years recovering from a life-changing car accident… only to then learn to ride a motorbike and race it in extreme endurance events. All that plus, a man who makes a living with his hand, head, and indeed his entire body inside some of the most iconic puppets on stage - and the Inheritance Tracks of the actor Paul Bettany. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Chris McCausland, funny, clever, excellent dancer, widely loved. The list goes on. His new autobiography "Keeping Laughing" charts his life and career across a twenty-five-year journey where he lost his sight but found moments of happiness and laughter along the way. Douglas Roberston, survived being cast adrift in the pacific ocean for 38 days after a killer whale. Just a teenager at the time, he reveals the extremes he had to go to extremes to survive. Another tackler of apparently insurmountable obstacles is Mila Stanzani a record-holding obstacle course racer hear to give us an insight into one of the newest sports at the next Olympics. All that plus, an award-winning pigeon fancier and the Inheritance Tracks of New Zealand’s former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

We’re in the company of Ben Miller, comedian, actor, writer and some time student of physics...here to tell us how Father Christmas can in fact deliver a gift to every child in just one night with his new book "The Night I Met Father Christmas". Someone who has had an early Christmas present already is Lucy Steeds, who this week was crowned the winner of the Waterstones Book of the Year. She reveals the process of how her debut book, "The Artist", has become so successful - and how he channels her synaesthesia. Grace Vella spent her childhood dreaming of becoming a professional footballer, she almost made it playing for Liverpool and Man City, but didn’t quite make the grade, so made football her business instead and has founded the women's sports brand Miss Kick. All that, plus Hollie McRae, daughter of iconic rally driver Colin McCrae, tells us how she has become determined to keep rally driving in the family - and we have the shared Inheritance Tracks of Chris and Xand van Tulleken. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Michael Sheen joins Adrian for extraordinary stories from remarkable people.

On a wet and windy Saturday Live, Hollie Cook joins us to discuss a career that has seen her music streamed millions of times online, as well what it's like to be raised by a Sex Pistol - her dad, Paul Cook is with us too, still drumming up a storm half a century after it all started. The almost indecently talented Jasmine Mitchell - completing a degree in medicine while finding time to win Bake Off by a country mile. Extreme cleaner Ben Giles started out cleaning windows, and moved into cleaning crime scenes and all manner of unspeakable things. Also today we talk to the award-winning TikToker championing the humble bus and we have the Inheritance Tracks of Barbra Streisand obsessive…Richard E Grant. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Lowri Morgan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

The acclaimed illustrator and children’s author Oliver Jeffers discuses the power of fatherhood in both his life and work, from his father's visionary education beliefs during The Troubles, to how his own role as a father feeds into his work - his new book is "I'm Very Busy". Eleanor Thatcher, is a fifth generation cider maker, and the first woman in the family to join the senior leadership of Thatchers, she reveals the wise words that have been passed down the family tree. Lesley Pearse is a prolific storyteller who has written multiple Sunday Times Bestsellers, but her own story is just as gripping as any told in her many well-loved novels. We’ll also be talking to George and Joshua Kohler, the father and son duo setting records by cycling around the world together. Also, another father and son team come together to share their Inheritance Tracks, Peter and Dan Snow. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Lowri Morgan Assistant Producer: Josie Hardy Researcher: Jessie Edwards Editor: Ben Mitchell

Ken Follett has sold 200 million books around the world, in more than 80 countries and into 30 different languages. He made his breakthrough with spy thrillers before working his way back through time, and now we find him telling the story of the building of Stonehenge in his latest book, "Circle of Days". The Macabees musician Felix White wanted to be a footballer, didn’t we all, until it became clear to him aged seven that he wasn’t good enough... so he turned to Football Manager by post. Football became his refuge when his mother became ill with MS, and his part memoir, part football and social history book, "Whatever Will Be Will Be" frames that life story of love and loss around the successive rounds of last year's FA Cup. Sarah Nicolls is a skilled pianist and innovator who has become one of the few people to reinvent the piano, turning it quite literally on its head to create the vertical piano, which is not only being played using the keys but also the strings from within and the wood surround. Also, an orchestra of noise from a parade of classic cars lined up on his front drive along Pall Mall. Plus, the Inheritance Tracks of the comedian and author Miranda Hart. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Lowri Morgan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

David Suchet joins Adrian Chiles for extraordinary stories from remarkable people.

Peter James is one of the UK's bestselling authors who's Detective Grace series now hosts Queen Camila in a staring role, by Royal request, in his latest novel "The Hawk is Dead". But this isn't his first familial involvement with the Royal family, as his mother was the official glovemaker to Queen Elizabeth II. Jim Ashworth-Beaumont was a former army veteran and skilled prosthetics expert - until one day a dramatic crash with a lorry, whilst out cycling, left him needing his own expertise. Elizabeth Ashdown is one of only 4 remaining passementerie artists in the UK – a trade that creates elaborate decorative trimmings, such as tassels and trim for the clothing of Kings and furnishings of stately homes. Also, someone else who is keeping ancient heritage skills alive is Russell Parker who comes to us LIVE from the Cotswold Hedgelaying championships to tell us all about the craft. All that...plus the Inheritance Tracks of Philippa Gregory. Presenter: Adrian Chiles Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producers: Lowri Morgan and Ribika Moktan Editor: Colin Patterson