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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 麻豆社 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 麻豆社 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.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Fri 24 Mar 2017 06:30
麻豆社 Radio 2

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Clips

See all clips from James Blunt, Rob Beckett and Giles Coren (5)

Music Played

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Take Me Out

    • Now That's What I Call Music 57.
    • Now.

  • Gavin James

    I Don't Know Why

    • (CD Single).
    • GS Believe.

  • Starship

    We Built This City

    • Now 1985 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
    • 1.

  • 狈鈥怲谤补苍肠别

    Set You Free

    • (CD Single).
    • All Around The World.

  • Stevie Wonder

    Faith (feat. Ariana Grande)

    • Sing O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • Island.

  • Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

    I Love Rock 'n' Roll

    • Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n' Roll.
    • Blackheart.

  • The Rubettes

    Juke Box Jive

    • 25 Years Of Rock `n' Roll - 1974.
    • Connoisseur Collection.
    • 12.

  • Adam and the Ants

    Antmusic

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.

  • Texas

    Let's Work It Out

    • (CD Single).
    • BMG Rights Management (UK).

  • Nancy Sinatra

    These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

    • The Greatest Hits Of Nancy Sinatra.
    • Boulevard.

  • Emeli Sand茅

    Highs & Lows

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin.
    • 014.

  • P.M. Dawn

    Set Adrift On Memory Bliss

    • 100% Pure Love (Various Artists).
    • Island.

  • Soul II Soul

    Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) (feat. Caron Wheeler)

    • NOW 100 Hits 80s No.1s (Various Artists).
    • NOW.

  • A Tribe Called Quest

    Can I Kick It?

    • (CD Single).
    • Jive.

  • Naughty by Nature

    Hip Hop Hooray

    • Hip Hop Hooray (Original Mix).
    • 1.

  • Ye

    Stronger

    • (CD Single).
    • Roc-A-Fella.

  • Ja Rule

    Livin' It Up

  • The Weeknd

    Can't Feel My Face

    • Beauty Behind The Madness.
    • Republic.
    • 7.

  • Pratt & McClain

    Happy Days

    • Television's Greatest Hits Volume 3 70s & 80s.
    • Silva Screen Records Ltd.

  • Ed Sheeran

    Galway Girl

    • 梅 Divide.
    • Atlantic.

  • James Blunt

    1973 [Live]

  • Katy Perry

    Chained To The Rhythm (feat. Skip Marley)

    • (CD Single).
    • Capitol Records.

  • James Blunt

    Love Me Better [Live]

  • Take That

    Giants

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.

  • James Blunt

    Bonfire Heart [Live]

  • James Blunt

    Can't Feel My Face [Live]

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

From writer Abdul-Rehman Malik:

It鈥檚 hard not to smile today. With red noses popping up everywhere, it鈥檚 a chance to聽celebrate life by laughing and giving together.

I became a bit of an accidental comedian this week. I tried to convince my wife that聽duvet covers were unnecessary. As ridiculous as it sounds, I find nothing harder that聽changing the cover of our duvet. There is some foolproof 鈥渇lip the cover inside-out聽and then upside-down while gripping the ends whilst pinning them in place鈥澛爐echnique that I have not yet mastered. It鈥檚 like origami with fabric - and it ends up聽in a tangle. Every exasperating time. Maybe it鈥檚 a flaw in the male genome.

Why can鈥檛 the duvet be free, I exclaimed, like a comfy blanket or a wool throw? Why聽does it need to be covered? Liberate it!聽聽

鈥淵ou鈥檙e being ridiculous,鈥� my wife laughed, 鈥渁nd lazy.鈥� I couldn鈥檛 really argue with聽that last part.

鈥淲hat is laughter?鈥� asked the Persian Muslim mystic Hafiz. 鈥淚t is God waking up! It is聽the sun poking it鈥檚 sweet head out from behind a cloud you have been carrying too聽long.鈥�

There are of course those who will find it difficult to laugh 鈥� even smile 鈥� today. Like聽the families of the victims of Wednesday鈥檚 terror attacks and those in the emergency聽services who made sure London was safe that night. Yesterday鈥檚 vigil at Trafalgar聽Square brought an entire city together - in all its beautiful colours and creeds.

People held each other, wiped away tears 鈥� but they also smiled at seeing the聽friendship and love around them.聽

Laughter, the mystic Hafiz concluded, 鈥渋s happiness applauding itself and then聽taking flight to embrace everyone and everything in this world. It is the glorious聽sound of a soul stirring!鈥�

So here鈥檚 a challenge: let鈥檚 make sure we laugh with people we might not know so聽well, and crack a joke that embraces a stranger or two. Together we鈥檒l make today鈥檚聽charitable revels go just a bit further. And if you struggle with being a comedian, just聽imagine a big, bearded, brown man wrestling with a duvet cover. That鈥檚 bound to聽put anyone in stitches.

Broadcast

  • Fri 24 Mar 2017 06:30
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