Travels with Radio 4 …..

I can think of no better reflection on David Hockney’s painting “A Bigger Splash” than Paddy O’Connel’s take on the picture and the life of the artist than his short sound broadcast of a diver leaping into a pond which was today’s entry into “Slow Radio”. "Possibly a first on radio and possibly the last".

Brixham days, 2022

Slow Radio is just one of the features I like on his programme Broadcasting House which goes out on a Sunday just after 9 am.

It’s never dull, covers a heap of topics from the topical, to the personal, the gentle and the downright daft, hence “Slow Radio” which is a short piece which can be the noise of a snail eating a lettuce to heavy raindrops before a downpour to the humming of old-fashioned telegraph wire.

And in between, before and after Mr. O‘Connel offers up a mix of reports, conversations and music. 

So, today’s edition included the “Royal Marine Commandos fast rope onto a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel. Scotland win their first World Cup match in 36 years. Radio 4 favourites Mark Steel, Sian Williams, Deborah Meadon and Giles Brandreth describe their secret holiday spots. 

Lemn Sissay returns to his childhood stomping ground Makerfield, who's by election is this week. 

On the news review Neil McIntosh, Cathy Newman and Alexander Dragonetti. Reverend Brian Anderson reflects on a traumatic week in Belfast. The Femmes De La Mer sing a sea shanty to mark the Falmouth sea shanty festival”.*

All of which was followed by the ever-interesting Desert Island Disc with the actor Anna Maxwell Martin who left me with the throw away lines “Get a grip, get on the ship” and “not being a Debbie Downer” which I know will join my collection of much used indeed over used sentence stoppers. And that memorable comment from Michelle Obama’s mum to her kids which was “Come home. We like you”. Simple, full of love and chimes in with me and any parent thinking of their own up children.

And still to come there is a documentary, that much loved comedy series “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue", a bit of news, Drama on Four, when it will still only be 3pm.

So, to quote that line from a 1970s, advert “it’s got the lot”  and makes me reflect that Radio 4 remains one of our gifts to the civilized world.

Location; Radio 4

Pictures; A Bigger Splash it ain’t, Brixham 2022, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Broadcasting House, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002xns2