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Ed Balls and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson

Broadcaster, writer and Strictly star Ed Balls talks to Zoe about his new memoir, Appetite. Plus Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson looks ahead to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Broadcaster, writer and Strictly star Ed Balls talks to Zoe about his new memoir, Appetite. Ed is Professor of Political Economy at King’s College, London and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, co-Chair of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation and Vice-President and former Chairman of Norwich City Football Club. In his political career, Ed was an MP from 2005 to 2015 and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer between 2011 and 2015. On radio and TV, he is best known for winning the BBC One series Celebrity Best Home Cook and for his appearance on the 2016 series of Strictly Come Dancing. His new memoir Appetite is one with a twist: part autobiography, part cookbook, each chapter is a recipe that tells a story. Taught to cook by his mother, he’s now passing these recipes on to his own children as they start to fly the nest.

One of Britain's greatest Paralympic athletes, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson amassed a remarkable medal haul over 16 years and five Paralympic Games of 11 gold, 4 silver and a bronze. In 2005 she became ‘Dame’ Tanni Grey-Thompson for her services to sport. In March 2010, Tanni was created a life peer and was conferred as Baroness Grey-Thompson, of Eaglescliffe in the County of Durham. Tanni is part of the BBC Radio 5 Live team covering The Paralympics this year.

Along with Adam Porter on news, Richie Anderson on travel and Mike Williams on sport, Zoe and the team have the best start to your morning. With celeb guests, quizzes, headlines, tunes chosen by listeners and more music than you can shake a glitterball at!

There's also a Pause For Thought from Cole Moreton and listeners on the line as Zoe entertains the nation with fun for the family!

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Tue 24 Aug 202106:30
BBC Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Wham!

    Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

    • Fantastic 80's Disc 1 (Various Artis.
    • Columbia.

  • Camila Cabello

    Don't Go Yet

    • Familia.
    • Epic.

  • The Four Seasons

    The Night

    • Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Ve.
    • Polygram Tv.
    • 9.

  • Michael Bublé

    Everything

    • (CD Single).
    • Reprise.

  • Beyoncé

    Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

    • I Am.. Sasha Fierce.
    • Music World Music.
    • 1.

  • Sheena Easton

    Modern Girl

    • More Greatest Hits Of 80's (Various).
    • Disky.

  • ABBA

    Dancing Queen

    • Abba Gold (40th Anniversary Edition).
    • Polar.
    • 001.

  • Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak

    Skate

    • An Evening With Silk Sonic.
    • Atlantic.

  • LeAnn Rimes

    Can't Fight The Moonlight

    • (CD Single).
    • London/Curb Records.

  • Matthew Wilder

    Break My Stride

    • NOW That's What I Call Pop Gold (Various Artists).
    • Now.

  • Harry Styles

    Watermelon Sugar

    • Fine Line.
    • Columbia.

  • Ricky Martin

    She Bangs

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.

  • Sigala & Rita Ora

    You For Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Ministry Of Sound.

  • Donna Summer

    This Time I Know It's For Real

    • Best Of Donna Summer.
    • Warner Bros..

  • Keane

    Dirt

    • CD Single.
    • Island Records ·.

  • Supergrass

    Grace

    • (CD Single).
    • Parlophone.

  • Jimmy Nail

    Ain't No Doubt

    • Now That's What I Call Music Vol.22.
    • Now.

  • Justin Wellington

    Iko Iko (My Bestie) (feat. Small Jam)

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.

  • David Guetta

    Titanium (feat. Sia)

    • (CD Single).
    • Positiva.

  • Chic

    Everybody Dance

    • The Last Days Of Disco (Film Soundtra.
    • Columbia.

  • Bronski Beat

    Smalltown Boy

    • Pop & Wave Vol. 1 - The Hits Of The 80's (Various Artists).
    • Columbia.
    • 2.

  • Steps

    Take Me For A Ride

    • What The Future Holds Pt. 2.
    • BMG Rights Management (UK).

  • The Pussycat Dolls

    Don't Cha (feat. Busta Rhymes)

    • (CD Single).
    • A&M.

  • Sweet Female Attitude

    Flowers

    • (CD Single).
    • WEA.

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers

    Three Little Birds

    • Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend.
    • Island.

  • Booker T. & The M.G.'s

    Green Onions

    • Atlantic Soul (Various Artists).
    • Warner E.S.P..

  • Dean Parrish

    I'm On My Way

    • The Best Northern Soul All-Nighter (V.
    • Virgin.

  • Jack Savoretti

    Secret Life

    • Europiana.
    • UMG.

  • Diana Ross

    I'm Coming Out

    • Diana Ross & The Supremes - 40 Motown.
    • Polygram Tv.

Pause For Thought

Pause For Thought

The Paralympics start today in Tokyo, I’m really looking forward to watching the likes of Hannah Cockroft and Jonnie Peacock compete, but I’m also thinking of a friend from long ago called Sharon.


We were teenagers in the East End of London, before it was full of hipsters. Sharon lived by the railway yard with her Mum, who didn’t let her go far. She had cerebral palsy. She could walk and boy could she talk, but didn’t have much confidence, until the night she was allowed to join us at the local ice rink for a disco, just to watch. We were delighted, But the bouncer on the door said no. “She can’t come in. She’ll put everyone off.” It was outrageous. Sharon was furious. “You can’t do that,” she shouted in his face. “Look at me! I have a right to be here.” She said a lot of other things too fruity to repeat, Zoe, and led us away from that place in protest, suddenly the leader of our little gang. 


Sharon didn’t stop there, either. She took it to the local paper, and was eventually invited back as a VIP. And I thought of her in 2012, when I watched the Paralympics in the stadium just a few miles from that ice rink. Shouting for the British runner in the T38 class, who happened to have cerebral palsy who was being cheered on by tens of thousands of us there, and a huge audience on television. And I hoped that somewhere, that horrible bouncer was watching too.


Because the Paralympics teach us to see differently. So as I wish every member of Team GB great success, I’m also thinking about the athletes who worked so hard but didn’t make the team, or who can’t compete because of Covid or because they’re stuck somewhere, like the Afghans trapped in Kabul; and beyond them, the many men and women like Sharon who face challenges every day of their lives, hurdles in life and in the system that would make me break down and cry. And still they rise. Jesus told his friends that God is intimately aware of each of us, and numbers every hair on every head, or as Sharon would say, and as the Paralympics show, so gloriously: every one of us counts.

Broadcast

  • Tue 24 Aug 202106:30
    BBC Radio 2