James Blunt, Rob Beckett and Giles Coren
James Blunt joins Chris to talk about his new album The Afterlove and play live. Rob Beckett chats about Comic Relief and Giles Coren tells us about 鶹Լ Two's Amazing Hotels.
James Blunt is live in the studio playing hits old and new to celebrate the release of his fifth studio album The Afterlove. Comedian Rob Beckett joins us ahead of hosting Comic Relief's big fundraising night on the TV and columnist Giles Coren talks about globetrotting for his new 鶹Լ Two series Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby. Plus there's a ten-minute takeover of music from Chris' wife Tash featuring Naughty By Nature and Kanye West, and Abdul-Rehman Malik provides us with a Pause For Thought.
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Clips
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Giles Coren: "The tumble dryer was the size of my house!"
Duration: 02:47
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Which superstar introduced James Blunt to Ed Sheeran?
Duration: 02:09
Music Played
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Franz Ferdinand
Take Me Out
- Now That's What I Call Music 57.
- Now.
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Gavin James
I Don't Know Why
- (CD Single).
- GS Believe.
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Starship
We Built This City
- Now 1985 (Various Artists).
- Now.
- 1.
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‐TԳ
Set You Free
- (CD Single).
- All Around The World.
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Stevie Wonder
Faith (feat. Ariana Grande)
- Sing O.S.T. (Various Artists).
- Island.
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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
- Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n' Roll.
- Blackheart.
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The Rubettes
Juke Box Jive
- 25 Years Of Rock `n' Roll - 1974.
- Connoisseur Collection.
- 12.
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Adam and the Ants
Antmusic
- Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
- Sony Tv/Columbia.
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Texas
Let's Work It Out
- (CD Single).
- BMG Rights Management (UK).
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Nancy Sinatra
These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
- The Greatest Hits Of Nancy Sinatra.
- Boulevard.
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Emeli Sandé
Highs & Lows
- (CD Single).
- Virgin.
- 014.
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P.M. Dawn
Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
- 100% Pure Love (Various Artists).
- Island.
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Soul II Soul
Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) (feat. Caron Wheeler)
- NOW 100 Hits 80s No.1s (Various Artists).
- NOW.
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A Tribe Called Quest
Can I Kick It?
- (CD Single).
- Jive.
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Naughty by Nature
Hip Hop Hooray
- Hip Hop Hooray (Original Mix).
- 1.
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Ye
Stronger
- (CD Single).
- Roc-A-Fella.
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Ja Rule
Livin' It Up
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The Weeknd
Can't Feel My Face
- Beauty Behind The Madness.
- Republic.
- 7.
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Pratt & McClain
Happy Days
- Television's Greatest Hits Volume 3 70s & 80s.
- Silva Screen Records Ltd.
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Ed Sheeran
Galway Girl
- ÷ Divide.
- Atlantic.
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James Blunt
1973 [Live]
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Katy Perry
Chained To The Rhythm (feat. Skip Marley)
- (CD Single).
- Capitol Records.
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James Blunt
Love Me Better [Live]
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Take That
Giants
- (CD Single).
- Polydor.
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James Blunt
Bonfire Heart [Live]
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James Blunt
Can't Feel My Face [Live]
Pause For Thought
From writer Abdul-Rehman Malik:
It’s hard not to smile today. With red noses popping up everywhere, it’s a chance to celebrate life by laughing and giving together.
I became a bit of an accidental comedian this week. I tried to convince my wife that duvet covers were unnecessary. As ridiculous as it sounds, I find nothing harder that changing the cover of our duvet. There is some foolproof “flip the cover inside-out and then upside-down while gripping the ends whilst pinning them in place” technique that I have not yet mastered. It’s like origami with fabric - and it ends up in a tangle. Every exasperating time. Maybe it’s a flaw in the male genome.
Why can’t the duvet be free, I exclaimed, like a comfy blanket or a wool throw? Why does it need to be covered? Liberate it!
“You’re being ridiculous,” my wife laughed, “and lazy.” I couldn’t really argue with that last part.
“What is laughter?” asked the Persian Muslim mystic Hafiz. “It is God waking up! It is the sun poking it’s sweet head out from behind a cloud you have been carrying too long.”
There are of course those who will find it difficult to laugh – even smile – today. Like the families of the victims of Wednesday’s terror attacks and those in the emergency services who made sure London was safe that night. Yesterday’s vigil at Trafalgar Square brought an entire city together - in all its beautiful colours and creeds.
People held each other, wiped away tears – but they also smiled at seeing the friendship and love around them.
Laughter, the mystic Hafiz concluded, “is happiness applauding itself and then taking flight to embrace everyone and everything in this world. It is the glorious sound of a soul stirring!”
So here’s a challenge: let’s make sure we laugh with people we might not know so well, and crack a joke that embraces a stranger or two. Together we’ll make today’s charitable revels go just a bit further. And if you struggle with being a comedian, just imagine a big, bearded, brown man wrestling with a duvet cover. That’s bound to put anyone in stitches.
Broadcast
- Fri 24 Mar 2017 06:30鶹Լ Radio 2
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