Last night I told someone on here, who i also know in real life, that i really like her art.
She said she didn't even know I'd seen it.
She's great. So, if I remember, every day I'm going to shout out an artist I've come across in my career -
@yorkshirepost
Arts Editor 2004 -2014
Imagine an industry that made billions for the treasury. Imagine an industry that made billions for the wider economy. An industry that literally existed to make us better humans, to create connections, to show us how to dream and remind us what dreaming looks and feels like.
Born in Keighley. Schooled in Bradford. Came back to live here 20 years ago. Written about arts and culture in the city for
@yorkshirepost
that whole time. The city gave me my first chance as a playwright. It was the first place I saw theatre. Man alive. That's why I'm in bits.
On the bus home through
#Leeds
Sun's out, people all over, different races and types of people everywhere. Looks beautiful. This is my city. My beautiful multicultural city. Not the city of those scumbags marching here yesterday. This is my Leeds. Proud to be
#Yorkshire
again.
The
@yorkshirepost
has turned the comments off on the Facebook post of the story about
#Azeem
#Rafiq
In case you were wondering.
And that's why he's doing what he's doing. Brave, brave man.
I might have done my last show of 2020
@BBCLeeds
but I'm not quite finished yet...
I'm back presenting Front Row
@BBCRadio4
tonight at 7.15pm!
And I'm doing it from Big School!
SO excited to be able to finally share...I'm a writer on this series! Spent the last couple of years working with the Most incredibly talented team led by the generous, inspiring, genius creators Sam and Jon.
It's gonna be amazing!
And I've co-written one of the episodes!
🎬 BAFTA-nominated Leila Farzad and Andrew Buchan lead the cast of new BBC thriller Better. Filming has begun in Leeds on the story of a woman’s epic battle towards redemption, to reclaim the honour and honesty she handed over to a man many years ago
More:
Theatre makes dreamers of us all. We need dreamers now to imagine a way to save them from the effects of Covid.
It's such an important industry, one we're going to lose.
We're going to have to stand and watch it disappear over a cliff edge if nothing is done - now.
#THEATRE
I'm the
@yorkshirepost
theatre correspondent and a playwright. Before I was that, i was a mixed race working class Northern boy. Theatre opened its doors and changed my life. It needs to be there to change the lives of others in future.
Bradford peeps - I recently found out you can edit your location on Twitter. Can I suggest you change it to what I've now got too!
#CityofCulture2025
#Bradford2025
Thank you to all the brilliant writers who entered this year's
#RedPlanetPrize
in partnership with
@ITV
Drama!
We are thrilled to announce
@genevievebarr
as this year’s winner &
@NickAhad
as runner-up. Congratulations!
Find out about the writers here:
I was thinking about Andrew last night and realised that what's now been lost is not just Andrew The Presenter.
It's Andrew the Mentor and the future presenters he would have shaped and guided and to whom he would have been the very best example.
Just look at the replies and see
Happy Sunday and farewell! 👋
Looking forward with mixed emotions to Sunday breakfast 6-10am 📻
My 1st
@BBCLeeds
breakfast show was 12/10/93 🎙️
30 years later, 5/11/23, this guy is going out with a bang …💥
Thank YOU for listening 🙏
Imagine an industry that made us famous across the world, that brought people from around the world to the UK. Imagine an industry that told young people that their stories, their voices, matter, whoever they are.
Imagine an industry that made money and made hearts swell.
What a privilege it's been to share the Radio Leeds airwaves with this - a word not used lightly - legend.
His leaving the building leaves a void that won't be filled. An exemplar of how to do it, with more integrity, honour & kindness than you'll ever find in this industry.
Happy Sunday and farewell! 👋
Looking forward with mixed emotions to Sunday breakfast 6-10am 📻
My 1st
@BBCLeeds
breakfast show was 12/10/93 🎙️
30 years later, 5/11/23, this guy is going out with a bang …💥
Thank YOU for listening 🙏
Imagine an industry that made something that helped children and adults walk taller and believe in themselves. Imagine an industry that allowed you to "walk a mile in another person's shoes", the way Atticus Finch told us to.
Imagine that? It exists. It's dying. It's theatre.
Walking through Bradford with my producer yesterday I said: "Want to see the most beautiful bookshop in the country?"
Her reaction was as expected and the welcome
@WaterstonesBD1
was Yorkshire warm!
Also showed off this stand with Bradford talent
@aadhand
@SaimaMir
@itsanitarani
Can you imagine letting that industry just die? Just letting it go? Why would you do that? Let it die? In Manchester
@rxtheatre
is in immediate danger. Today it's Manchester. In recent weeks it's been Northampton, Plymouth, Newcastle - it's coming to a theatre near you.
Hearing
@LeedsPlayhouse
name checked on
@BBCBreakfast
by Culture secretary making me cheer a little from the sofa! Still cautious and concerned about the industry...but just hearing a Yorkshire theatre mentioned sounds good.
Well. I said it
@BBCLeeds
this morning. Build it and they will come and all that.
#Bradford
putting culture at its heart...and smashing it out of the (City) park. Even the weather couldn't ruin it!
#BradfordIsLit
Nine years ago today I presented a radio show for the first time ever
@BBCLeeds
!
Celebrating by presenting Front Row
@BBCRadio4
tonight live from big school!
#Howitstarted
It doesn't have to die.
It doesn't make sense to let it die.
To let it disappear is an act of the most horrific, wanton neglect that will make us all so, so much poorer.
On the train heading to That London for Day One of rehearsals for my stage adaptation
#TheBoyAtTheBackOfTheClass
After spending two years on the script cannot wait to see the talented cast bring it to life!!
This Blackpool bus seems excited too.
Tickets:
I don't be sharing opinions so much here these days.
But.
People who've been on the receiving end of racism... get to comment on who and what is racist.
And guess what? We don't have to explain. If we say it is, it is.
Anyone else? In your box, trap shut, lugholes open.
I once interview Brian Blessed for
@yorkshirepost
I asked two questions in 28 minutes.
My first question came 19 minutes in. He spoke for 19 minutes before I asked my first question.
The most Brian Blessed person I've ever met. Nobody is more Brian Blessed than him.
WATCH: As England's Lionesses prepare for their World Cup semi final clash against Australia, actor Brian Blessed delivers a rousing - and LOUD - rendition of Three Lions to stir the squad into action
#Newsnight
#ItsComingHome
#England
|
It's always exciting to be able to share that I'm presenting Front Row on Radio 4 - which I am this Wednesday - but get this
#Yorkshire
and
#Bradford
folk - the programme will include my postcard from Bradford which we're recording today! So..
@bradford2025
Just had a lovely chat with Shane Meadows and Michael Socha about
#TheGallowsPole
for tonight's Front Row.
Delighted to be able to share with them that the first 14 minutes of Ep2 are 14 of the funniest, most endearing minutes of British TV I've seen in ages.
People don't queue in the rain to watch people work in "cyber". People don't hit refresh on a website over and over hoping to buy tickets to see a computer programmer.
Tourists from around the world don't come to the UK to witness people working in IT.
Dance, Fatima, dance.
This is massive. There have been several - ignored - canaries in the mine so far. This is one of the most significant yet. Theatres are going to die unless the Government steps in and saves them, now.
I got to work with them and discovered they're also inspiring, generous and as generally brilliant as their scripts would suggest.
And tonight it comes to an end! (The show - hopefully not our working relationship).
#Better
the final ep* BBC One, 9pm. See you there!
*..series 1.
Last week I teased I'd have a story in this weekend
@yorkshirepost
that would lift the spirits.
Here it is. Do please Buy a Paper.
Barrie Rutter talking about the mighty
@SlungLow
#buyapaper
Match 2013
@RozieBreen
@KatrinaBunker
took a punt on a new presenter from Keighley who sounded like...a lad from Keighley.
A year later I had my own show on BBC Radio Leeds and, thanks to their punt, tonight I'm presenting Front Row on Radio 4. Huge big up to them!!
I'll tell you what.
When my train due into Shipley at midnight last night deposited me in Doncaster at 3.30am, I didn't expect to be staring down the barrel of this
@BBCLeeds
tinselly mic this morning.
But here we are.
Radio's Happiest Hour + 4 hours of radio, on 2 hours sleep.
So I had a gig at the weekend. I got heckled.
A guy asked if I: "Came here on a raft."
I'm mixed race - so to this dude, I guess I looked "Ethnic".
The audience reaction was pretty nice.
Been on a little break from my shows at BBC Radio Leeds, but if you're missing my dulcets you can hear me on Radio 4 tonight!
I'm presenting Front Row, tonight at 7.15pm. Talking Bryan Cranston's new series, plus loads more!
5.30am walking to the station - wi' my little legs! Up to my ears it was.
Honestly, the dedication to bringing stories from the arts world to the airwaves/newspaper pages...
The exceptional staff
@LeedsPlayhouse
doing a brilliant job and in good spirits. Temperature check. Socially distant queueing....almost as though the theatre is a really responsible safe place to be (I say that as a vulnerable person who has definitely not felt safe going out!)
I've interviewed Patrick Stewart in front of a thousand people, had fish and chips with Ian McKellen, sat on stage with Dawn French, had Brian Blessed bellow in my face...but yesterday I did an interview I've waited my whole career for.
Hear it
@BBCFrontRow
@BBCRadio4
tonight!
I've got to know the M1, M69, M6 A46 pretty well the last few months..here's why.
Tonight I'm presenting a Front Row special following Greg Doran as he directs his final Shakespeare as Artistic Director Emeritus
@TheRSC
Can't wait to share
@BBCRadio4
@BBCFrontRow
7.15pm tonight!
In a turn of events that would be Very surprising to my secondary school teachers and university lecturers (though not Mrs Goodgridge from St Anne's who always believed in me)... I'm heading to York University today to be a guest lecturer for the next month.
Surprises me too tbf.
'It's the slow, quiet creep in the middle of the night.’
Julia Roberts tells Front Row's
@nickahad
it was tough filming new psychological thriller
#LeavetheWorldBehind
with director Sam Esmail, as she scares so easily. Listen tonight from 7.15pm on
@bbcradio4
or
@bbcsounds
📻🎧
Not making a big deal, but I did just mention
@BBCLeeds
that today is my last Sunday show!
I'm not disappearing - I'll be doing the regional Saturday morning show across Yorkshire soon, but this is my last Sunday show.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for Saturday breakfast.
Well well well. I just had a chat with someone who told me something about someone
@SlungLow
The story (exclusive, so can't go into detail now) will be in the
@yorkshirepost
a week on Saturday. It is a story of such beauty and passion and sums up why Yorkshire theatre will go on.
When I started in journalism all I wanted to do was work for
@yorkshirepost
Spending 10 years as arts editor there was a huge privilege.
Even though I do lots of other stuff I love still being the paper's theatre correspondent - one of very few regional papers to still have one.
Looking forward to sharing the story of the pandemic and a theatre company
@SlungLow
tonight
@BBCFrontRow
Hear about
@slunglowalan
and his book charting the story of a theatre company becoming a food bank during lockdown
@BBCRadio4
with me at 7.15pm!
There is a QUEUE AROUND THE BUILDING FOR AN ART EXHIBITION ON A MONDAY MORNING in Sheffield.
I've never seen anything like it.
More on
@PeteMcKee
and his exhibition at the Buffer's Rest
@BBCFrontRow
on Thursday...
Right then.
Let's do this.
I've been presenting Saturday Morning Radio
@BBCLeeds
since 2014.
But not today.
For today...we go regional!
See you all over Yorkshire from 10am!
I'm running a workshop for the lovely
@bdproducinghub
today on theatre reviewing and it's my first time properly working
@assemblybd
- what a space!
Us in the arts in Bradford have seen a lot of false dawns over the years, but i reckon the sun is ready to shine
#Bradford
So great to hear Craig David about being the victim of racist bullying - along with Mel B - by that talentless, appalling 'comedian' Leigh Francis on
@BBCBreakfast
And calling out what Francis did as Blackfacing and questioning the sincerity of his 'apology'. Powerful, brave.
In more positive news, I had the privilege yesterday of being in a room with some extraordinary professionals for the model box presentation of
#TheBoyAtTheBackOfTheClass
the play I'm adapting for the Rose at Kingston.
Man alive there's some incredible talent in British Theatre.
I Fully appreciate how lucky I am to be able to tweet this: joyful to be in a workshop for a new project with the awesome
@LeedsPlayhouse
and some amazing actors this week!!
After a bit of online bashing last night over an article I wrote in the Guardian, I was feeling pretty battered to be honest. Then i saw this on my way into work and it cheered me right up!
Partition
@LeedsPlayhouse
and
@BradfordTheatre
This November!
I'm in That London for work and I'll never understand many things about these people. Why don't they just move to Yorkshire? Why do they pay that much for a pint?
But the thing I'll never fathom: why don't they sit in the best seat on the bus? I Awlays get this seat.
I think my favourite thing is when you get on a train in Bradford to London at 8am. And the two blokes opposite open their first cans of Stella before the train sets off. Always bodes well for the journey that.
8am.
Happy Monday everyone! The sun is shining and we've just launched a book club, but for theatre!
I KNOW! The thing you didn't even realise you were waiting for.
Oh, and it's hosted by the fabulous
@NickAhad
...and it's FREE!
Check it out!
BREAKING: Channel 4 have confirmed Leeds will be the home of their new Northern Headquarters. The city has beaten competition from Birmingham and Salford.
If you've booked tickets for a performance which may be affected by the PM’s latest lockdown announcement, we’ll be in touch. Please bear with us as we work through this. Thanks for your patience.
Increasingly impressed with the calibre of new(er) directors we have springing out of Yorkshire at the minute. Sameena,
@dermot_daly
@kasharshad
- and loads more. Theatre's future looking good. And as the saying goes, when Yorkshire's strong, England's strong.
Come join me and the beautiful, kind and amazing Director
@JZorenti_Nakhid
let's play/talk/learn/come together and imagine a rehearsal room with kindness at its heart.
In the last four days I've relied on
#NorthernRail
trains.
Three were cancelled. Which meant.
1: a child in tears because I was late to collect them from nursery.
2: I almost missed my colleague's final radio show.
3: this morning I'm late for an interview.
Not okay is it?
"You need to get your haircut, you look mad.
Alright...I like it long like this. But okay.
What have you done?
Had my hair cut.
Why?
You said...
Not short like that. I meant a trim."
Things I've learned today:
I need to ask more questions.
I need to listen.
A cut is not a trim.
I'm in the presenter's chair
@BBCFrontRow
tonight.
Just had a lovely chat with
@laurynredding
for the programme (she's on stage when we're live) - and she sang The Most Beautiful song from her show
@rxtheatre
Seriously, don't miss it! 7.15pm
@BBCRadio4
Nah, anything i and my ethnic brothers and sisters in arms achieve is cos we're shit hot - also, we've learned how to work twice as hard as privileged gammons who are served careers on a plate.
Ethnic *and* working class?
My work ethic would bury your pale ass.
Delivered with my
@yorkshirepost
the new season brochure for
@BradfordTheatre
this morning - the place where my amazing primary school teacher Mrs Goodridge took me to see theatre for the first time.
In the brochure: tickets now on sale for my play Partition.
Proper moment.
Big day. Normally I look like I get dressed in the dark. Not today. Today I had to think carefully about what to wear. The perfect outfit came in a flash of inspiration.
#vaccinated
#getinmyarm
#sweetvaccine
Heading to that London to interview a LEGEND of Hip Hop.
My research is basically listening to All the music that raised me as a teenager.
Tune in to Front Row tomorrow to find out if I can stay cool when meeting this icon.
Big week for me...finally heard the special programme I've been working on for Front Row about the RSC and, for the first time in about 20 years... I'VE GONE BEARDLESS
My face got bald!
See how it looks this morning
@BBCLeeds
- putting in a full shift this morning through 'til 2!
Belive it or not, this is my *quite* excited face.
Early train to That London to head, for the last time, to the rehearsal room for
#TheBoyAtTheBackOfTheClass
!
Next week the team goes into tech and the week after that... the show opens
@Rosetheatre
Tix:
I've been writing profiles of theatres and arts companies in Yorkshire since we went into lockdown in March...and there's still plenty to come. Bit embarrassing to admit this level of ignorance of the arts in the North, no?
This is the finest example of unconscious bias towards northerners. It sums up Whitehall perfectly. They think Kes is a documentary. They think that donning a flat cap and uttering hackneyed tropes will placate us. Well, it won't. We're fed up of living downstairs.
Regardless of what happens later: everyone who booed our national team for taking a knee, right wing grifters and cynical bandwagon-jumping politicians, those who told the socially conscious footballer trying to feed kids to stay in his lane, Laurence Fox and all of his ilk...
This morning I was talking on the radio about being the same height as Tom Hollander. Having read this, would that we had more in common.
This is, and I can't think of a better word to describe it, delightful. A truly delightful read.
This is a bit special. I'm
@UAK1
for the final performance of
#Partition
on the
@LeedsPlayhouse
schools tour.
This is the school in Keighley where my mum and dad met. It was called Greenhead Grammar then. A mixed race couple in 1960s Keighley. Now I'm here. Amazing.