Libby Purves meets Si King and Dave Myers - also known as the Hairy Bikers; illustrator Michael Foreman; The Honorable Lady Alexandra Shackleton, granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton and George Hinchcliffe with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.
Lady Alexandra Shackleton is the granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Sir Ernest set up the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, a cross-continent trek that came to be known as the Endurance mission. Endurance departed in August 1914 and by January 1915 it had already become trapped in the Antarctic ice. Two exhibitions document the story - Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley is at the Royal Geographical Society and By Endurance We Conquer: Shackleton and his Men is at the Polar Museum which is part of The Scott Polar Research Institute. The Royal Geographical Society is in Kensington, London and the Polar Museum is based in Cambridge.
Michael Foreman is an illustrator and storyteller. His book A Life In Pictures contains previously unseen illustrations from his sketchbooks which give an insight into his inspiration and methodology. Beginning with his childhood in wartime Suffolk, through his early career as a young artist and culminating with his collaborations with authors including Terry Jones and Michael Morpurgo, the book celebrates the places, stories and people that inspired his output. A Life In Pictures is published by Pavilion Children's Books. Painting With Rainbows - A Michael Foreman Exhibition is at Seven Stories - the National Centre for Children's Books in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Si King and Dave Myers are known as The Hairy Bikers. They have written 14 books and celebrated their love of food, travel and motorbikes in a number of TV series. Their latest book, Blood, Sweat and Tyres, tells how two lads from the North East had their childhood challenges and how they met over a curry and a pint on the set of a Catherine Cookson drama. Blood, Sweat and Tyres - The Autobiography is published by Orion Books.
George Hinchcliffe is a founder member of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. He is also its musical director and arranger. A multi-instrumentalist, he has been playing the ukulele since 1960 and
has also played with Mary Wells, Michael Nyman and Brian Eno. The Orchestra has re-released the album (Ever Such) Pretty Girls: 20th Century Punk Classics.
Producer: Paula McGinley. Show less