Interview category
1. Robin Taylor (Heart of the Matter) TX: 19/02/2017 Dur: 36’26” Broadcaster: Black Diamond FM Community Radio Station Production Company: David Aird (Heart of the Matter Team)
Interview time codes for Dr Robin Taylor's programme.
I 1 04:49 - 14:47 I 2 20:30 - 30:34 I 3 33:11 - 42:38 I 4 47:52 - 54:47
Total interview time: 36:24
This interview was placed within an edition of "Heart of the Matter" which lasted 58 minutes and was produced by and for community radio in Midlothian.
Each week the team make strenuous efforts to interview someone who has a faith story to tell and this is included in a weekly magazine programme which has been broadcast for over 10 years.
This particular interview brings interviewer Ruth Aird into conversation with Dr. Robin Taylor who shares something of his life and experience. He talks about his profession and shares some moving and occasionally humorous experiences as he grapples with what "The Heart of the Matter " is for us all at some time in our life.
He shared after the interview that there were a couple of questions that he had never previously been asked or addressed. He personally found the experience challenging and extremely thought provoking as did the many who listened to the broadcast.
One of the most moving and honest interviews that we have undertaken recently.
2. Jim Grover (Heart of the Matter) TX: 13/08/2017 Dur: 28’15” Broadcaster: Black Diamond FM Community Radio Station Production Company: David Aird (Heart of the Matter Team)
This modern Christian magazine programme produced for community radio in Midlothian uses the testimony and life experience of the interviewee to find out what the ”Heart of the Matter” really is for them living in a modern society.
The person interviewed in this edition (Jim Grover, an award winning photographer), began his faith journey as a result of photographing and following an English priest for a year. Over this period he collected over 15000 images, selecting only 40 for the exhibition. He discusses his life and faith in the magnificent surroundings of St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh at the start of the exhibition of his remarkable black and white images during the 70th. anniversary of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Ruth Aird brings real warmth and empathy to the interview and as a result Jim is able to share something of how his life has been positively affected by the London priest who shared his own church and life experience with him in a unique way.
3. The Christians in Sport Podcast: Danno meets…Chris Jones TX:02/02/2017 Dur: 33’51” Broadcaster: https://audioboom.com/posts/5563425-danno-meets-chris-jones Production Company: Christians in Sport
In the Christians in Sport podcast, Graham Daniels (Danno), speaks to elite athletes about their sporting career and how it lined up with their faith. In this episode, Danno meets wildman turned inspirational youth coach Chris Jones. Although a Welsh junior international, Chris was soon far better known for his violent antics on off the field, which earned him the dubious honour of being banned for life twice.
Chris, whose story has been well-chronicled in print, was renowned for carrying an axe in his kitbag and prided himself in being among the hardest men in the Rhondda Valley. Here he speaks of how the culture he grew up in led to him seeking to earn admiration in the best way he knew how – as a thug. Chris’ behaviour came to ahead at the most unlikely of places – the Brecon Jazz Festival – after which his life was turned upside down when he came to faith in Jesus.
After his first life ban, a journalist put it to Chris that his influence on the young people of the Rhondda Valley was terrible. Chris’ reply at the time was “I don’t care”. Decades later, he is having a very different impact as he puts his faith into action as Rhondda’s rugby development officer. On becoming a Christian, Chris initially felt rugby was his problem and that he needed to abandon the sport, but then he came to realise how God could use him in the world he once terrorised.
4. Ramadan: In Conversation with Babar Ahmad TX: 21/06/2017 Dur: 37’34” Broadcaster: www.thingsunseen.co.uk Production Company: CTVC
Babar Ahmad spent 8 years in UK prisons fighting extradition to the US on terrorism charges. Having allowed his website to host articles supporting the Taliban, about which he now says he was naive, he was eventually transferred to solitary confinement in the US, before pleading guilty to ‘providing material support to terrorism’. He was released shortly afterwards and returned to the UK.
In conversation with Mark Dowd, Babar Ahmad talks about how he came to set up the website in question, and how he managed to mark Ramadan in the most difficult circumstances. Despite physical and mental challenges he looks back positively on the spiritual side of his incarceration.
5. Nigel Benn speaks with Gareth Cottrell on UCB 1 TX: 14/06/2017 Dur: 78'00" Broadcaster: UCB1 (www.ucb.co.uk) Production Company: United Christian Broadcasters
From the beginning, you're drawn into the conversation between presenter and guest. But, like a good book, you should almost hear how it ends, before it starts, because Gareth always finishes his interviews with the simple question: Why do you believe? And the answers are always very revealing.
This is an extended interview with Nigel Benn, a British former professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight title from 1992 to 1996. Nigel talks candidly about his upbringing, his life and his faith. And he answers the final question - eventually.
6. Sunday Breakfast with Jon Wright TX: 06/08/2017 Dur: 8'44" Broadcaster: BBC Radio Suffolk Production Company: BBC Radio Suffolk
Voyeurism Rector.
Sunday Breakfast with Jon Wright is BBC Radio Suffolk's faith and ethics programme, broadcast weekly from 6am to 9am.
Earlier on in the programme were interviews with The Venerable Dr David Jenkins is the Archdeacon of Sudbury reacting to the sentence and also the church's safeguarding officer for Suffolk, but I felt the voices of the church members caught up in the story were the most important to hear. It took a significant amount of persuading for them to record an interview, but the result, I feel, is a powerful and sensitive conversation about an issue which has clearly challenged their faith.
CUE: A Suffolk clergyman has been given a suspended jail sentence, ordered to complete a 60-day course to address sex offending behaviour... and a further 30-day rehabilitation course.... after he was caught filming people in public toilets.
The Very Reverend Martin Thrower was the Rector based at St Mary's in Hadleigh - he was arrested last August - after holding his mobile phone over the top of a public toilet cubicle in Ipswich...filming a 17-year-old boy.
Police also found hundreds of other images of different men on his computer.
The 56 year old originally denied two charges of voyeurism, but changed his pleas to guilty after the first witness gave evidence at his trial in June at Norwich crown court.
This week he was given a 4 month suspended sentence for each offence - to run concurrently.
Ahead of this week's sentencing - I spoke to Cannon John Parr - the temporary parish priest placed in Hadleigh after Thrower's arrest... Jim Wilding - the church warden at St Mary's - and Claire Woods the church's administrator.....
7. Heart and Soul: Good Without God? TX: 2/06/2017 Dur: 26’29” Broadcaster: BBC World Service English www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio Production Company: BBC Radio Production North
They were a famous father-son team, perhaps the best known evangelical pastors in America. Tony and Bart Campolo spent decades preaching a gospel focused on serving the poor and the marginalised and Bart built a thriving inner city ministry, doing work for Christ.
And then one day that all changed. He came off his bike at full speed and as he regained his health he realised that his faith had disappeared and he was no longer a Christian, but he still wanted to serve.
Tony tells Jane Little about the actual physical pain he felt when Bart told him he had lost his faith.
He set out to create a 'religion for unbelievers' and to prove that you could be good without God.
Jane brings father and son together for a rich discussion, which often leads to tension between the two about why Bart left his faith, a faith that had played such a big part in their lives and why Tony stayed, and still prays for his own Prodigal Son to return.
8. Sudanese woman who escaped 100 lashes for adultery and death for apostasy, three years on. TX: 23/06/2017 Dur: 18’18” Broadcaster: WorldWatchMonitor.org Production Company: Julia Bicknell/Mortimer Petre (We Art Films)
Three years ago today, a young Sudanese mother was freed from prison after narrowly escaping being hanged, first having been lashed 100 times for adultery. The delay on carrying out Mariam Ibrahim’s double sentence was due only to the fact that she was heavily pregnant: Islamic law (Sharia) required that she first give birth (to her daughter Maya) – while shackled to a prison bed.
Ms Ibrahim’s crime? She had held firm to the faith in which her Christian mother had brought her up – after divorce from her Muslim father when Mariam was six. But under Sudan’s interpretation of Sharia, a daughter’s religion is defined as that of her father: even if he’s largely absent from her life.
So when, in 2011, Ms Ibrahim married a fellow-Christian, Daniel Wani, critics – who claimed to be her father’s family – accused them both first of ‘adultery’, though they’d been married in church. After this false charge was dropped against Mr Wani, Ms Ibrahim was found guilty of ‘apostasy’ for turning her back on the faith of her father.
Her brutal fate brought her to global attention, helped by the fact that she was a woman, a doctor and that – again under Sudan’s Sharia – her toddler son Martin had to stay in prison with her. It also helped that her husband had dual US and South Sudanese citizenship.
Exactly six months after she was first detained – on Christmas Eve 2013 – Ms Ibrahim was freed, on 23 June 2014. Now living in the US, her first trip abroad came this week – to the European Parliament in Brussels, to speak as someone directly affected by the blanket imposition of Sharia, which makes no exception for a country’s ethnic and religious diversity. Julia Bicknell heard her story.
9. BBC Radio York Sunday Breakfast TX: 05/11/2017 Dur: 05’23” Broadcaster: BBC Radio York Production Company: BBC Radio York
This is a montage from the regular Sunday Breakfast show presented by Jonathan Cowap, produced by Richard Staples broadcast on BBC Radio York. First, drama from local York Theatre Company specially written for Radio York.
Archbishop Sentamu published a book of love stories following on from books about faith and hope. At the launch we heard Maureen Greaves powerful story about forgiveness and the death of her husband on Christmas Eve.
Our faith programme is outward looking and brings moral, ethical and faith eyes to national and local issues. Jonathan spoke to the lead bishop of the Church of England about the election and asked who would Jesus vote for?
On Christmas Day we reflected the importance of Jesus in Islam, with an interview and a rendition of the birth of Jesus from the Qur’an by a member of York Mosque.
St Mary’s Tadcaster hosted our carol service, the previous Christmas it had been under water from the floods and collapse of the bridge. This community event involved all three primary and the grammar school and people doing readings and telling their flood survival stories, the final broadcast piece included these stories interwoven into the recording of the service from a packed church.
Through the month of Ramadan we looked at some of the myths and lack of knowledge surrounding the month of fasting in a weekly series called Ramadan Rumours.
After the Manchester bombing, supporting the family of a York couple who were killed, the City Centre vicar spoke of the vigil she held and about forgiveness.
Finally an excerpt from our Carol Service.
10. Interview with Dr Ibrar Majid, Paediatric Trauma Surgeon in Manchester TX: 04/06/2017 Dur: 06’29” Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 Production Company: BBC Radio Religion and Ethics
On 22nd May 2017 Salman Ramadan Abedi detonated a homemade shrapnel bomb in the foyer at the Manchester Evening News Arena. He let off the bomb as young teenagers and their parents were leaving Ariana Grande’s concert. 22 people died and over 500 people were injured. It was the worst terrorist attack since 7th July 2005.
Over the next two weeks the Sunday programme featured some of those from the different faith communities who tried to help the victims and those living in the city come to terms with the terrible events of that night.
Martin Bashir, the BBC’s Religion Editor, interviewed Dr Ibrar Majid. He is the lead trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at Royal Manchester’s Children’s Hospital. This was the only interview he gave and in a very personal way told Martin what happened after he was alerted moments after the bomb went off.
11. Sunday Breakfast With Paul Coia TX: 13/05/2017 Dur: 13’50” Broadcaster: BBC Radio Berkshire Production Company: BBC
This is entered for the Interview Of the Year Award. It is a talk with a local Berkshire man who left Islam for Christianity after years of witnessing family abuse at home. He has had death threats, has to live under a pseudonym, has not seen his family for 28 years, and has not met his brother who was born after he was ostracised.
12. The Sacred (Podcast) - Pippa Evans TX: 10/12/2017 Dur: 57’00” Broadcaster: Public Podcast Production Company: Theos/No Country Media
The Sacred is a podcast about talking to people who believe, belong and behave differently from ourselves, and about what role the thing should we hold sacred might play.
In this episode, Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Pippa Evans, comic, improviser and Co- founder of The Sunday Assembly which has been dubbed the Atheist Church.
13. The Sacred (Podcast) - Tim Farron TX: 14/12/2017 Dur: 21’00” Broadcaster: Public Podcast Production Company: Theos/No Country Media
The sacred is a podcast about talking to those who believe, belong and behave differently from ourselves and what role the things we hold sacred might play in that.
In this episode, Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who led the party until 2017, when he stepped down after claiming he could not be a committed political leader and a committed Christian. This came after a controversial interview in which he was grilled on his position on same-sex relations.
7 months on, Tim reflects back on that moment, as well as British politics as a whole. He talks about the crisis of liberalism, how 'identity politics' can prevent the free exchange of ideas in the public space, and how Christians wanting to enter politics should be willing to exert grace, and embrace humility, if they wish to make a real change.
14. How I divorced Islamic State TX: 27/11/2017 Dur: 07’57” Broadcaster: BBC News and BBC Asian Network Radio Production Company: BBC
After almost a year of negotiations I secured an interview with Tania Joya, the former wife of one of America's most prolific ISIS members, John Georgelas.
Tania described her journey into radicalism while growing up in London. It culminated in her going to Syria in 2013 with her small children. At this point she says that she realised that she'd made a mistake. She returned to America with her children and divorced her husband. She's now an atheist.
A longer radio edit of her interview can be heard here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05pg55h
15. They didn't get back to me TX: 04/06/2017 Dur: 02’00” Broadcaster: BBC Asian Network / BBC Online Production Company: BBC Asian Network
On the morning after the June 2017 London Bridge terror attack I received a call from a source who said he knew who one of the attackers was. He also told me that he'd reported the man, Khuram Butt, to the counter terrorism hotline some two years earlier.
My source was a close associate of Butt. After much persuasion, he agreed to speak to us on the record under condition of anonymity. He outlined Butt's religious views and also told me that he'd been radiaclised by a US based online preacher, Ahmad Musa Jibril.
We were able to obtain all of this information more than 24 hours before the Metropolitan Police released Butt's identity.
16. From child drug dealer to gang campaigner TX: 26/06/2017 Dur: 05’16” Broadcaster: BBC News Website Production Company: BBC Stories
Sephton Henry was once one of south London's most notorious gang members. He started selling drugs at the age of eight, and had been to prison seven times by the time he was 23.
He realised his life was spiralling out of control and decided to make a change after finding God. Sephton now works with charity Gangsline, which helps young people and community staff to tackle gang culture.
17. Why I Changed My Mind - George Carey TX: 18/10/2017 Dur: 13’26” Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 Production Company: Radio Specials, BBC News
Presenter Dominic Lawson asks former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey why he changed his mind from opposition to any euthanasia to support for assisted dying to be made legal in the UK.
A lifelong opponent of euthanasia, George Carey recently changed his mind on an issue which the Church of England has always opposed - assisted dying for those who can decide for themselves that their suffering as a result of very serious medical problems is too much to bear. He explains how he decided to change his views on such a significant issue for the Church.
In "Why I Changed My Mind", Dominic Lawson interviews people who have changed their mind on controversial matters.
Producer: Jonathan Brunert
18. Supporting prodigals TX: 16/12/2017 Dur: 11’31” Broadcaster: Premier Christian Radio Production Company: Premier Youth and Children’s Work Magazine
Every Saturday morning Premier Christian Radio broadcasts a ten minute interview with parents, family life experts and practitioners about various aspects of parenting and faith. We try to tie the content to current affairs such as national adoption week, Remembrance Day and Halloween. This short programme was broadcast on 16th December and was immediately available to listen online at https://www.youthandchildrens.work/Faith-at-Home/Radio2/Radio.
The editor of Premier Youth and Children’s Work, Ruth Jackson, spoke to Rob Parsons from Care for the Family about supporting young prodigals (those who have chosen to leave the church).
19. Remembrance Day TX: 11/11/2017 Dur: 07’47” Broadcaster: Premier Christian Radio Production Company: Premier Youth and Children’s Work Magazine
Every Saturday morning Premier Christian Radio broadcasts a ten minute interview with parents, family life experts and practitioners about various aspects of parenting and faith. We try to tie the content to current affairs such as national adoption week, A Level results and Halloween. This short programme was broadcast on 11th November and was immediately available to listen online at https://www.youthandchildrens.work/Faith-at-Home/Radio2/Radio.
The deputy editor of Premier Youth and Children’s Work, Emily Howarth, spoke to war widow Brenda Hale about the importance of helping children remember
20. Interview Paul Flowers TX: 22/01/2017 Dur: 11’57” Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 Production Company: BBC Radio Religion & Ethics
In January 2017 the Methodist Church decided to stop Paul Flowers, the former Co-op Bank chairman, for being allowed to lead services because he had seriously impaired “the mission, witness or integrity of the Church.”
Paul Flowers had been a Methodist Minister since 1976 but his world fell apart when in 2013 he faced allegations of taking drugs. Along with claims of inappropriate expenses payments, Paul Flowers stepped down from his roles as deputy chairman of the Co-op Group and chairman of its banking arm. He was fined in 2014 for having cocaine, crystal meth and ketamine.
At the time the media focused on his management of the Co-op Bank, which was in financial difficulties, and his drug use. Little time was spent talking to him about how he reconciled his behaviour with his role as a Methodist Minister.
So when the Methodist Church asked Paul Flowers to step down as a minister the Sunday programme approached him for an interview. He agreed and what resulted was a candid retrospective interview with the programme’s presenter, Edward Stourton, about his personal life, his drug taking and his role as a Methodist Minister.
This interview hit the headlines in every national newspaper as Paul Flowers revealed he had been on drugs when he appeared in front of the Select Committee.
Sunday is a weekly religious news and current affairs programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 0710- 0753. It is presented by Edward Stourton and has an audience of 1.4 million. The programme is broadcast to a general audience most of whom are not religious. Sunday covers all faiths, moral and ethical issues and provides news and analysis on the top religious stories. Producers: Carmel Lonergan and David Cook Editor: Amanda Hancox
21. Songs of Praise: Remembrance Enniskillen TX: 12/11/2017 Dur: 35’00” (Programme length) Broadcaster: BBC One Production Company: Avanti & Nine Lives Media
For 2017’s Remembrance Sunday, Songs of Praise recorded a programme, complete with music capture, from Enniskillen, where an IRA bomb exploded during a Remembrance Day ceremony 30 years ago. Claire McCollum’s interview with Joan Wilson, whose daughter Marie was the youngest victim, was particularly strong. Joan recalls how her late husband Gordon’s deep Christian faith inspired his famous words hours after the atrocity – “I bear no ill will to anyone” and talked about how he was praying for the perpetrators – which many believe helped the peace process begin.
22. Songs of Praise: Celebration of Space TX: 01/10/2017 Dur: 35’00” Broadcaster: BBC One Production Company: Avanti & Nine Lives Media
To mark the 60th anniversary of the modern space race, Sean Fletcher presented an episode of Songs of Praise from the National Space Centre in Leicester on 1st October 2017.
The Rev Kate Bottley interviewed one of only 12 astronauts who walked on the moon, Charles Duke, who was part of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. Charles was also the voice of Mission Control for Apollo 11 in 1969 and tells Kate how the famous moon landings came within seconds of aborting. He talks about his experiences in space in a riveting way and describes how they remained pivotal to the rest of his life. However, Charles then goes on to describe the poignant moment he decided to become a Christian, a few years after returning to earth, and describes how walking with Jesus has fulfilled him far more than walking on the moon. It’s very rare to capture such a powerful testimony of Christian faith from such a wonderfully articulate and captivating contributor.
It was through our Songs of Praise Researcher Jessie Bland’s tenacious work that we secured an interview with Charles Duke as an exclusive for national TV in the UK, during what was a very rare and brief visit. Jessie found some sketchy details of the visit on a low-key blog by a space enthusiast. She tracked down elusive blogger who then facilitated direct contact with Charles Duke. We also obtained permission to film at the church where Duke was speaking, one of only two engagements on a whistlestop visit. Our reputation as a trustworthy production sped up the process enormously and opened the door to a truly captivating interview
23. 5 live Daily Vicky Beeching Interview TX: 06/04/2017 Dur: 17’00” Broadcaster: BBC Radio 5 live Production Company: 5 live Daily production team
For many years, Vicky Beeching was the darling of the evangelical world, as a singer and songwriter who expressed the heartbeat of modern charismatic Christianity.
But Vicky was hiding a secret: over the years, she realised that she was gay. Something that was very difficult for her wing of the church to accept.
She came out in 2014. It was something that prompted a backlash that she is still enduring today.
In this revealing interview with 5 live’s Emma Barnett, Vicky describes the motivation that led her to make the announcement – and the journey that she has gone on since.
This interview is part of Emma Barnett’s Eye of the Storm series – also available as a podcast – in which Emma talks to someone who has found themselves in the media spotlight: hearing what really happened at the time; what it was like enduring that spotlight; what happened next; and crucially how they have moved on and adjusted.
Vicky’s story has been told in different ways in the past, but often only in passing or in short bites. This was the best part of half an hour of national radio, devoted to explain at length the religious context of her background and the theological struggles she has wrestled with, in conversation with one of Britain’s most engaging and intelligent young broadcasters.
She reveals the faith dilemmas that she went through, and, with her sympathetic and understanding interviewer, discusses what was really going through her mind at the time.
As the interview was conducted live, it was also a chance for the 5 live audience, younger and more C2DE than most radio audiences, to react to Vicky’s story in real time and give their feelings about what she’d shared honestly about her faith journey.