As 2018 begins, the former economic secretary to the Treasury consults with the former speaker of the House of Commons on the subject of a shared interest in musicals. He is, of course, Ed Balls, reborn thanks to terpsichorean fame, she’s the one-time Tiller Girl Betty Boothroyd and the programme is Ed Balls on Musical Theatre (New Year’s Day, 3pm, Radio 2). This two-hour show includes a look at recent politically inspired successes such as Hamilton and The Book of Mormon.
The Conversations from a Long Marriage (New Year’s Day, 11.30am, Radio 4) take place between Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam, who play a couple who have been married for more than 40 years. Topics covered include statins, knees that don’t perform as they once did, the many opportunities modern life affords to be patronised by people half one’s age and the ticklish problem of reconciling the dance you are doing in your head with the one your body appears to be performing of its own accord. This one-off comedy was written by Jan Etherington with Lumley in mind.
50 Years of Just A Minute: Nicholas Parsons in Conversation with Paul Merton (New Year’s Day, 6.15pm, Radio 4) has the irrepressibly perky host quizzed by his unfailingly puzzled guest, and can be relied upon to get to the big questions. Did Parsons sport his trademark cravat back when he worked as an engineering apprentice on the Glasgow docks? And how does it feel to have seen his own fame increase while Arthur Haynes, the TV comic he was once the straight man for, has faded away into obscurity?
Returning to prominence elsewhere is Tudor-era lawyer and PI Matthew Shardlake in a dramatisation of the CJ Sansom novel Heartstone (Weekdays, 7.45pm, Radio 4), set against the background of the war of 1545 and the sinking of the Mary Rose in the Solent. Also, John Finnemore’s ever reliable Souvenir Programme (4 January, 6.30pm, Radio 4) is back with the usual cast for a seventh series. And it’s no less than series 95 of The News Quiz (5 January, 6.30pm, Radio 4) in which Miles Jupp is joined by Jeremy Hardy, Andy Hamilton, Susan Calman and Hugo Rifkind.
The Canon is a film podcast that also has much in common with books podcast Backlisted. Both suggest you can get a lot of pleasure out of things that aren’t new. Recent Backlisted eps have discussed books such as Gordon Burn’s Alma Cogan and RF Delderfield’s To Serve Them All My Days. Meanwhile, The Canon sees film buff Amy Nicholson joined by someone who nominates a favourite film to be included in the titular roll of honour. Recent episodes have looked at Last Tango in Paris, The Philadelphia Story and Back to the Future. Because the films are familiar, the conversation inclines to what they tell us about life rather than cinema, which is a refreshing change.
