Many happy returns, Private Passions
Jon Jacob
Editor, About the BBC Blog
Private Passions at 20
Last night, Radio 3 Controller Alan Davey hosted an event in central London to mark the 20th anniversary of the station's weekly musical discussion programme Private Passions. Joining Alan for the celebration was the programme's presenter, composer Michael Berkeley, and a host of guests, some of whom had themselves appeared on the programme.
Over its twenty year history Private Passions has featured a wide range of guests including Elvis Costello, Sebastian Faulks, Janet Street-Porter, composer Harrison Birtwistle and, in 2006, Suzi Quatro. Joining Janet Street-Porter last night were other former guests Neil Tenannt, Richard Eyre, Deborah Bull, Julia Somerville, and the programme's most recent guest Jane Hawking.
We've included a selection of pictures taken at the event below.
Devotees of Private Passions will be pleased to hear that Radio 3 will broadcast a special edition of the programme this Sunday at midday. The programme will feature clips from ten archive episodes just recently released to the publi. You'll be able to listen to these archive episodes in full over the coming weeks via the programme's podcast feed.
Private Passions presenter Michael Berkeley
Radio 3 Controller, Alan Davey
Jung Chang and Michael Berkeley
John Sergeant
Neil Tennant and Janet Street Porter
Caroline Quentin
Jeremy Dixon and Julia Somerville
Jonathan Hellyer Jones and Jane Hawking
Richard Eyre and Sue Birtwistle
Vanessa Vie and Michael Horovitz
Jon Jacob is Editor, About the BBC Blog
- Private Passions is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at midday on Sundays.
- Michael Berkeley will be sharing his Private Passions on In Tune today (4:30 – 6:30pm) - his unexpected musical pleasures will be made available online from Friday and there will be an anniversary programme this Sunday featuring some of Michael’s most memorable interviews.
- Subscribe to the Private Passions podcast feed and listen to the latest episode of the programme plus especially selected archive editions made available in the next few weeks.
