HISTORY IN THE MAKING: TREASURES FROM THE BBC RADIO AND TV ARCHIVES
BBC Archive Voices: a fascinating collection of archive interviews with icons past and present
Who really makes history? Is it political leaders, entertainers, writers or sportsmen and women? An
exciting new series from AudioGO entitled BBC Archive Voices, features interviews with key figures
who have enriched our cultural landscape.
These fascinating insights are taken from programmes such as Woman’s Hour, Parkinson, Desert
Island Discs, Front Row, Today, Start the Week, Late Night Line-Up, Kaleidoscope and many others, in
which the subjects talk about aspects of their professional and private lives. Discover Margaret
Thatcher’s worst moment as Prime Minister, Noel Coward’s thoughts on his remarkable career,
Roald Dahl’s views on the links between cruelty and laughter, Paul McCartney’s thoughts on the
breakup of The Beatles, and why Brian Clough wanted to become an MP rather than a world class
football manager, amongst numerous other intriguing revelations.
Many of these interviews have not been heard since their original transmission, and almost none of
them have previously been made available for purchase. They represent a window into the past, a
chance for us to hear the voices of those who contributed to the richness of our political and cultural
heritage.
Eight titles will be released in October, with new releases every month thereafter.
BBC Archive Voices: Shirley Bassey
BBC Archive Voices: Paul McCartney
BBC Archive Voices: Roald Dahl
BBC Archive Voices: Noel Coward
BBC Archive Voices: Bette Davis
BBC Archive Voices: Alfred Hitchcock
BBC Archive Voices: Margaret Thatcher
BBC Archive Voices: Brian Clough
RRP:
£5.49 each
Release date: 27.09.2011
Duration varies between 1 hour and 2 hours 20 minutes
Produced by AudioGO, the BBC Archive Voices range is available to download from
www.audiogo.co.uk and iTunes from 27th September - just search BBC Archive Voices to see the
whole range.
BBC Archive Voices: Margaret Thatcher will also be available on CD from 8th December, RRP £13.25.
ENDS
For more information please contact the AudioGO press office on 01225 878 000 or e-mail
publicity@audiogo.co.uk A BBC Archive Voices CD sampler is available on request.
Notes to Editors:
Interviews
Limited interview availability with James Moir, also Johnnie Walker (for the Paul McCartney release)
and Sir Jimmy Young (for the Margaret Thatcher release)
Please contact Jackie Gill Associates:
Tel:
02073835550
Mob:
07831625717
e-mail: jackie@jackiegill.co.uk
Margaret Thatcher
Talks about having a product and advertising it; being a woman in politics; managing men and
women; her response to the media attacks she received in the early days of her career; the
importance of wearing the right clothes; her memories of home, including working in her father’s
grocery shop; the radio and TV programmes she enjoyed (including The Two Ronnies); following
sports including cricket and tennis; meeting her husband Denis; her worries about her son Mark
when he went missing in the Sahara desert; food and cooking; celebrating Christmas; working
women and childcare; her interest in science; her love of porcelain and sculpture; stamina; sleep;
her worst moment as Prime Minister (during the Falklands War)
Noel Coward
Talks about being a legend; whether he is a cynical writer; his early days in acting and early
reputation for upsetting fellow actors on stage; acting with Laurence Olivier; his affection for the
Navy; his film making; his knighthood; writing Private Lives for his friend Gertrude Lawrence
Roald Dahl
Talks about writing for children; his medical inventions to aid his ailing son and wife (the actress
Patricia Neal) when they were seriously ill; writing short stories; school days; military service; film
scripting (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang); writing violence and morality; the link between cruelty and
laughter
Bette Davis
Talks about visiting England; her career as a star; the film studio’s attempts to change her name and
image; the Hollywood film system
Paul McCartney
Talks about attending the Maharishi Maheh’s Yogi course; touring the UK with Wings; a mid-70s
offer to reform the Beatles; the early days of the Beatles and their final break-up; his solo albums;
receiving the freedom of the City of Liverpool; how he spent Christmas with his family in the 1980s;
his love of music; his career since the break-up of the Beatles to 2009.
Shirley Bassey
Talks about her childhood in Tiger Bay; being a tomboy; how she began her singing career; clothes;
concerts; controversially performing in Sun City (South Africa); her long career in showbusiness
Brian Clough
Talks about how he is perceived by other people; his bluntness & forceful opinions; ‘the real Brian
Clough’; what makes his a good football manager; the prospect of becoming an MP; Sir Alf Ramsay;
his dream job; football hysteria and hooliganism; his childhood and mother’s death; being imitated
by Mike Yarwood; what people may say of him after death; buying football players and having
managerial ability; sport on TV; leaving Nottingham Forest; his falling out with Peter Taylor.
Alfred Hitchcock
Talks about a childhood experience being locked in a police cell; being typecast as a director of
thrillers; his early films; the advent of ‘talkies’; planning Psycho; American audiences; cinema
technique; horror films; the influence of real crimes; the difference between making films in America
and Britain; the importance of lighting; his female leads; being a practical joker; critics; avoiding
clichés; murder in film; film editing and music; The Birds; the star factor in actors; making comedies
About AudioGO Limited
AudioGO is the new name for BBC Audiobooks, the UK's leading audiobook publisher and
distributor. AudioGO was formed in July 2010 - its new owners, led by Michael Kuhn, have ambitious
and exciting plans for growth and expansion. The company is the UK market leader. It also has a
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stretching back over 20 years based on BBC Radio content, but has built on that with the acquisitions
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