Richard Herring

Published: Aug. 15, 2015, 10:32 a.m.

The prolific podcaster, comedian, writer and blogger Richard Herring joins Kate Silverton and Richard Coles to tell them why, after an unbroken run of performing a different stand-up show at the Edinburgh festival for the last eleven years, he's not going this year. Instead, he's re-enacting all his festival shows, plus creating a twelfth brand new one, in London. Former soldier Hannah Campbell was the first British mother wounded in Iraq in 2007. After years of surgery she decided to have her leg amputated and in her words, hasn't looked back since. She describes the mental and physical transformation she has been through since the attack and why she is now happier than ever. Listener Jonathan Lovett runs 'Tales of the Plague', a walking tour of London with his partner Mary Ann. He tells us about the three-day festival coming up (4th-6th September) to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the Great Plague whilst dressed as a plague doctor and accompanied by his fake pet rat Robert. Noel Smith spent most of his adult life in prison. After the death of his son in 2001, he was inspired to turn his life around. Having already taught himself to read and write while in solitary confinement, he has gone on to have four books published. Noel now spends his time as the commissioning editor of 'Inside Time' newspaper and giving talks to young offenders. Conchita Wurst, Austrian pop star and drag queen who came to international attention for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 shares her Inheritance Tracks. She chooses 'Goldfinger' by Shirley Bassey and 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' by Paloma Faith. Plus listener Emma Clayton tells us about her Saturday's spent volunteering at her local Repair Cafe. Produced by Pete Ross Edited by Alex Lewis.