Showing results by author "Holly Newson" in All Categories

Born in London and trained at Lamda, Joseph's acting career began in the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has appeared regularly on television in shows such as Peep Show, Timeless and BBC drama Vigil, and on the big screen in movies such as Æon Flux and The Beach. Joseph wrote and performed in a one man play, titled Sancho: An Act of Remembrance. Now, he has been looking more deeply at the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, the first Black person to vote in Britain, publishing a novel about his life.

Joining us at the Audible studios is Sir Lenny Henry, actor, writer, presenter and comedian. Henry has spent decades in the British public eye on television, on our radios, big screens and as a stand-up comedian, often touring internationally. He co-founded Comic Relief in 1985 and has taken part in almost every year’s show since then, the charity raising over £1 billion so far! Henry has documented his career in his books, and most recently penned Rising to the Surface, which takes a look at his hectic life during the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Joining us in the Audible studios today is former Women's Arsenal captain and broadcaster, Alex Scott. Scott's memoir, How (Not) to Be Strong, shows a different side of Scott altogether. It delves into her childhood, exploring her vulnerable and softer side, and builds a picture of how she became who she is today.

Growing up in Dublin, Biala focused on science, completing an undergraduate and master's degree in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance and Regulation. However, in 2019, she left her job as a professional scientist to take part in reality television series Love Island. Following her departure from the show, Biala became a social media influencer and published articles discussing racial re-naming and the damage it causes. The huge interest in this article led her to write her first book, Reclaiming, which discusses everything from microaggressions, to career choices.

Gaining international recognition for her role as Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter series, Wright has gone on to star on stage, as well as found her own production company, BonBonLumiere, and direct critically acclaimed short films. Wright is now using her platform to inspire and motivate others to reduce waste, change habits, and become more environmentally friendly. She is an ambassador for the charities Greenpeace and Lumos, and has written her own guide on becoming more sustainable titled Go Gently.

Easily one of the most recognisable pop singers from the '90s, thanks to his trademark style, the founder, front man and sole consistent member of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, is deeply ingrained in the world of music. He has written for The Guardian and presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show, Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service, for seven years. So much of his life relates to music, is influenced by it and, in turn, he is influenced by the music surrounding him at any given time.

Joining us at Audible Studios is sleep expert and Professor of Circadian Neuroscience Russell Foster. He’s created a book called Life Time which looks in detail at how sleep and our body clocks are essential in building optimum routines for a healthy body and mind, and why we need to escape the trappings of the 21st century such as high-level stress and artificial light. And there’s no better person to have written it....

Joining us at Audible Studios is actor and writer Obioma Ugoala. Ugoala trained at and graduated from the Drama Centre, London, and spent the beginning of his career touring and performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has played the role of Kristoff in London's West End Frozen show, Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical, and George Washington in Hamilton. Ugoala also provides workshops and outreach programmes to BAME students in Greater London, and has most recently written a book, The Problem With My Normal Penis.

Joining us at Audible Studios is Esme Young, English fashion designer and judge on the BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee. Beginning her career in the 1970s, Young established her brand 'Swanky Modes', opening a shop in Camden Town. Her designs were sought after, and appeared in ID and Nova. She has also designed costumes for films such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Trainspotting, including the iconic bunny outfit for Renée Zellweger. Esme Young has now written Behind the Seams, her memoir looking back over her life and time in fashion.

After working as a creator for the journal Nature for a decade, being a frequent contributor to The Guardian newspaper for years and a regular host on BBC Radio 4, Rutherford realised that at some point he had become a writer and broadcaster on science and genetics. A natural at making the deepest depths of science understandable, Rutherford has again taken up his pen (and microphone) and this time enlightened us on the story of eugenics and study of genetics.

Known for his deadpan humour and sarcasm, Jack Dee is a regular on our screens and airwaves. After his first ever stand-up, Jack Dee was encouraged to tour the circuit, and after winning the Best Stage Newcomer awards in 1991, Dee began to grace our screens with The Jack Dee Show. Since then, Dee has performed sell-out stand-up shows, written and starred in sitcoms such as Lead Balloon and hosted shows such as I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and Have I Got News for You.

Joining us at Audible Studios is Katherine Ryan, Canadian comedian, actress, presenter and writer. Ryan moved to the UK in 2008 and began her career as a comedian with stand-up shows. Her debut television appearance was in 2012 on 8 Out of 10 Cats, and since then, she has been a regular on panel shows such as Mock the Week, Would I Lie To You and Have I Got News for You, as well as touring with her own stand-up routines. Ryan is also an actress, appearing in sitcoms such as Campus and Episodes.

After nearly dying of septic shock after an emergency caesarean section, Candice Brathwaite started speaking about changes needed in the healthcare system when it comes to the treatment of black women, who are five times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. This experience, amongst other things, led to her first book, I Am Not Your Baby Mother, which went on to be a Sunday Times best seller. Brathwaite is also a regular on Lorraine on ITV, known for her on-point beauty and fashion advice, and is a Contributing Editor to Grazia.

After studying English at university, O'Leary had a successful career as a children's editor at the Penguin Random House publisher. Not enjoying living in London, O'Leary moved to the countryside and spent her daily commute working on her novel, The Flatshare. After its astounding success, O'Leary was able to achieve her dream of being a full time writer and released her second novel The Switch.

Fearne Cotton is a familiar voice on our radios, becoming the first regular female presenter of the Radio 1 Chart Show, which she hosted alongside Reggie Yates. She has since presented her own Radio 1 show and on Radio 2. Cotton began her own podcast in 2018, titled Happy Place, following the success of her best-selling book, Happy. The podcast shares advice from experts on how to find joy in the everyday and unlock inner happiness.

Joining us from home is post-doctoral research scientist Dr Tim Gregory, whose book Meteorite brings us not just the story of our planet, but the origins of the solar system in a comprehensible form. Dr Tim Gregory grew up in Yorkshire and has always had a fascination with science, mainly space and rocks.

Tyce, born and raised in Edinburgh, attended Oxford University to study English literature. She then completed a law conversion course at City University, going on to work as a criminal barrister for almost 10 years. After having difficulties juggling childcare for her young children alongside her demanding work life, Tyce decided to leave her job as a barrister. Tyce's desire to write was growing stronger as time passed, and with a manuscript or two on the go, she applied for an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia.

Blue is a Ghanaian Londoner, currently residing in Essex, with a past working in therapy. Her first publication, Psychotherapy, is a collection of poetry exploring the conscious, subconscious and unconscious processes of an ex-therapist trying to leave that world behind. Bad Love, Blue’s novel debut, focuses on Ekuah’s experiences of love, success and the difficult navigation of choices between the two. We chatted to Maame Blue about writing Bad Love, her inclusion in the #TwentyIn2020 initiative and finding her voice as a writer.

Hurwitz is a New York Times number one internationally best-selling author of 21 thrillers. His novels have won many literary awards and have been published in 32 languages worldwide. Hurwitz has written screenplays for major studios, including The Book of Henry, and written and produced television for various networks. Hurwitz's talents don't end there: he is also a New York Times best-selling comic book writer, having written the likes of Wolverine for Marvel, and Batman and Penguin for DC.

Colfer, born and raised in Wexford, Ireland, alongside his four brothers, earned a degree from Dublin University before returning to Wexford to work as a teacher. After releasing some children's books that went down well in Ireland, he wrote the first draft of Artemis Fowl, and, on reading it, his family demanded he get himself an agent. Artemis Fowl allowed Colfer to leave his teaching job to write full time, and he has never looked back, gaining international recognition and regularly appearing in best seller lists.