New Storytellers

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New Storytellers: This Ain't My Life

This Ain't My Life

BBC Radio 4 - New Storytellers, This Ain't My Life

The story of Kane Walker and what his sad death means for the homeless of Birmingham.

Alex Morgan explores homelessness on the streets of Birmingham, through the story of Kane Walker who, shortly after they first met, died on the streets of England’s second city.

Homeless man Kane Walker died on the streets of Birmingham in a freezing city underpass. Having met him just weeks before his death, Alex Morgan tells Kane’s story and how homelessness has affected Britain’s second city. 

Alex takes a closer look at the streets she walks through every day, to learn more about the man who called them his home. Hearing from charity outreach workers and other homeless people, and even listening to heart-breaking footage of Kane shortly before he died, Alex learns how Kane’s death could have been prevented, and how to help others in his situation. This Ain’t My Life is not the story of Birmingham’s homeless ‘issue’. It is the story of one man whose death has affected so many.

New Storytellers presents the work of new radio and audio producers, and this series features the five winners of the 2020 Charles Parker Prize for the Best Student Radio Feature.  The award is presented every year in memory of pioneering radio producer Charles Parker who produced the famous series of Radio Ballads with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.

This Ain’t My Life, the work of producer Alex Morgan, won this year’s Gold Charles Parker Prize. Alex has just graduated from Birmingham City University and the judges commented that it was “well-researched, cleverly edited; urgent and important….a producer who knows what they’re doing.”

Picture of Kane Walker by R Gulliford

Producer: Alex Morgan
A Soundscape production for BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Factual: Life Stories

New work from winners of the Charles Parker Prize for the Best Student Radio Feature.

New work by radio and audio producers new to BBC Radio 4 from the five winners of this year's Charles Parker Prize for the Best Student Radio Feature.

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