Antonia Quirke is an author and journalist. She is a presenter on The Film Programme and Pick of the Week (Radio 4) and Film 2015 and The One Show (BBC 1). She writes a column on radio for the New Statesman.
While the English can’t resist Football’s-Coming-Home triumphalism, the Scots have a more realistic view.
Some of the material dredged up from the archives is glorious.
Woodland music, masques, legends, fairytales, outlaws and fables – it had it all.
As a young player he would super-companionably shake hands with the opposing team, even if they had just crucified his side, inviting them back to the pub for pies and pints.
Episodes consider the sex appeal of Tom Hardy, Colin Farrell and Tom Hiddleston.
Perhaps the parting of a great contributor to civilisation would not be sidelined by a 1970s argument that claimed he only ever talked about his dick, adultery and seduction.
The show is strikingly and joyously like something from an earlier time, when less offence was taken and given.
“Woman says bollocks near Cheadle” is funnier than “Woman says bollocks in Cheadle”.
On a website “filled with the detritus and ephemera of great artists”, there’s a wonderful hunk of little-heard pieces for radio.
Now in its 26th series, the show takes a song or a piece of music and looks at its impact.
