The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Review
On My Wavelength
As the co-founder of the hugely successful Stock Aitken Waterman hit factory, producer Pete Waterman knows more than most what makes a successful pop song. In tonight’s Archive on 4: 7” of Joy: The Single at 75 (Radio 4, 8pm), he celebrates seven-and-a-half decades of pure pop pleasure, looking back at how the arrival of the 45rpm disc in the 1940s revolutionised music recording and kickstarted a global pop culture that persists to this day.
Drama delight of the week is Radio 4’s spellbinding adaptation of The Shell Seekers (Sunday, Radio 4, 3pm). A runaway bestseller in the late 1980s, Rosamunde Pilcher’s sweeping tale of mothers, daughters, sons and lovers is vividly brought to life in Lin Coghlan’s two-part adaptation. Emma Fielding leads a note-perfect cast that also includes Emily Berrington, Jasmine Hyde and Kitty O’Sullivan.
Happily, the latest BBC schedule changes haven’t entirely trampled Radio 4 listeners’ love for gem-like, 15-minute-episode factual series. Airing this week is Glued Up:
The Sticky Story of Humanity (Mon-Fri, Radio 4, 1.45pm), with materials scientist Mark Miodownik entertainingly exploring society’s enduring love of adhesives, beginning with how our use of glues pre-dates the Stone Age.
Ego, addiction, paranoia and unpopular partners are among the reasons cited for rock band break-ups in Kitty Perrin’s enjoyably light-touch Split Ends (Tuesday, Radio 4, 4pm). In her opening episode she looks back at the tangled history and multiple incarnations of Canvey Island rockers Dr Feelgood and the wider challenges of the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. Tuesday also sees the return of Thanks a Lot, Milton
Jones! (Radio 4, 6.30pm), when the surreal comedian finds himself imprisoned for “committing” a true-crime podcast.
On Wednesday there’s another dizzying trip down the social media rabbit-hole in Helen Lewis Has Left the Chat (Radio 4, 9.30am), with a look at how mob dynamics and lockdown cabin-fever saw the group communications platform Slack claim some prominent scalps in the US media. Meanwhile, on How Was It For You?, Rachel Parris and Marcus Brigstocke sound a little more relaxed in the world of comedy power-couple podcasting in this second episode, reviewing such essentials as tinned fish, taking a toddler for their 30-month appraisal and the BBC’s recent revival of Gladiators.
It’s a treat hearing Zeinab Badawi read her fascinating tome in Book of the Week: An African History of Africa (Mon-Fri, Radio 4, 11.45am). Badawi’s many years in journalism guarantee a fresh and engaging approach and Thursday’s edition is typically engrossing, focused on one of the continent’s most tantalising ruins – the medieval complex of Great Zimbabwe, a thriving trading centre of the Shona people for 500 years until the city was abandoned in the 16th century, for reasons that remain mysterious.
On Friday, ahead of Record
Store Day, Huw Stephens (6 Music, 4pm) broadcasts live from the Tangled Parrot record shop in Swansea. He’ll be joined by awardwinning indie band Adwaith, playing a set straight from vinyl. Friday also brings the last-ever episode of The Now Show
(Friday, Radio 4, 6.30pm). After 64 series – that’s 26 years – of topical sketches, waggery and spoofery, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are moving (or being moved) on. The problem for Radio 4 is that, with nothing of comparable quality or ambition to fill the gap, Friday evenings will be poorer for it.