Q&A with music legend Chaka Khan

Liz Nicholls

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Q&A

Liz Nicholls shares a chat with singer Chaka Khan who will star at Nocturne Live at Blenheim in June & Love Supreme festival in Sussex in July

Q. Hi Chaka, wonderful to talk to you! What’s your first memory of music?

“Hello! I was lucky to be born to parents who are artists. I recall hearing a lot of opera and jazz growing up: Billie, Ella… my father played Max Roach a lot. My mother was a dance instructor, she taught modern and ballet, so we did a lot of dancing around the house. We had a big ol’ Zenith hifi and big ol’ speakers and we all sang, danced and did our chores on Saturdays. I thought everybody did that, haha! We had murals, frescoes on every wall in the house. In our bedroom we had a circus scene. In the kitchen we had flowers, fruit. It was great to grow up with art everywhere.”

Q. You’ve worked some greats in your time, including Prince. Are there any other artists you’d love to collaborate with?

“Well I’ve done some stuff with [the R&B star] H.E.R and Sia and I are doing some stuff together.”

Q. How do you decide who to work with? Do you listen to the radio or stream new music?

“Well they [the collab artists] mostly find me! I’m not on any kind of quest, haha! I don’t listen to the radio, no. I listen to as little music as possible because it’s what I do for a living. I think too much and if I listen to music I have a hard time having fun with it. I don’t go out to clubs any more – when I was younger I did a little bit. For me a fun day is doing absolutely nothing, lying on my chaise lounge watching telly, a movie… passive entertainment!”

“I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl”

Q. Do you feel nostalgic looking back on your 50 years in the biz while curating this year’s Meltdown festival?

“No, I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl! I don’t live in the past, I don’t remember a lot. This is a good thing! The only thing I’m interested in is what’s happening in the moment. All we own is this moment right now. And how it’s going to affect what’s going to happen next. I don’t get caught up in things I can’t do nothing about, like yesterday. But I can influence tomorrow.”

Q. What’s been your personal biggest achievement?

“Getting out of the city and moving; leaving LA is the biggest and best thing I’ve done. I’m communing with nature here in Georgia, with all this beauty here. I truly get rest here, I get silence. And I’ve got my family here with me. My mother lives in the east wing, I’ve got my sisters, my nephews.”

Q. You lived in London for 30 years. Did you like living in the UK?

“I loved it but I’m happy now as my neighbours are miles away! I did a lot of great work in the UK, including with the London Philharmonic and worked with a lot of people I’ve loved for years. I’ve lived in many places; Germany, Switzerland… Why?! Well, I live on Earth, the whole planet, that’s the way I look at it! I’ll be in the UK all summer which will be great.”

Q. So many of your songs have been covered many times. Are there are songs that are so precious you wouldn’t want them covered?

“Well I wouldn’t want any of my songs to be copied or covered if they weren’t done well or with the best of intentions, honorably… I don’t want anybody to do a shlock job! But having said that, music is a free agent unto itself – it doesn’t belong to me, it’s for everybody.”

Q. You’re considered one of the great divas. How do you feel about the term ‘diva’ and do you embrace it?

“I know inside what I am. Whatever everybody wants to say about me, so long as it’s in a positive light, I’m happy. Titles don’t mean a lot to me, they do not define me.”

Q. You’ve achieved so much. Anything you still want to do?

“I can’t think of anything else but believe me that doesn’t stop stuff happening. I’m just very open and willing, that’s all I can do. I’ve been doing a lot of talks with children in schools. We have an open floor and they can talk about anything. I’m looking to start doing some podcasts with younger kids, young adults. That’s half of my job right now as a human being. I love my grandchildren and the focus on young people because they’re our future. We owe them a great deal of our time, energy and respect.”

Q. What advice would you give young performers paving their own way?

“Be true to yourself. Honesty is the best policy, even if it hurts! Especially if it hurts: that means it’s meaningful. This is the best thing you can do for yourself and everyone who’s around you.”

Q. How will you cater to a jazz crowd at Love Supreme festival?

“I’m not doing anything specific! I’m a multifaceted singer, I can sing anything. The best thing I’m doing is getting rid of that Queen of Funk s***. I hate to be boxed in. I do as much as is humanly possible on that stage. And everyone’s happy! I’m going to start implementing strings in my show, so I can do To Sir With Love and Big Spender and all that. I’ll be very happy to be doing shows. And I have my hits. I keep it moving, changing, that’s how you keep it interesting.”

Q. What do you think is most challenging about the music industry today for new singers coming into the industry?

“There is so much that needs to change, it’s horrific. First of all how women are set up to compete with one other. There’s no place for competition in self-expression. But often labels count on us [women] being competitive with each other, which is stupid.”

Q, What advice would you have for younger singers and your younger self?

“I think be honest and faithful with yourself and don’t be afraid. You have to keep yourself clear on what your goals are and stay true to yourself, which is a tough thing to do for young people, I think. I control my life and I’ve never let success run away with me. I’ve taken it and ran. The only thing that could threaten my stability is me. I’m my only threat and my own worst enemy. You’ve gotta follow your own path, trust your heart and listen to the warnings. You can’t argue with the universe. It’s not about that. It’s more about relaxing and knowing that you can handle it and feeling empowered. Knowing you have the power to do whatever the hell you want to do! That’s what it’s about. It really is.”

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Paloma Faith April music star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Musician Paloma Faith tells us about her new break-up album The Glorification of Sadness ahead of her UK tour which starts this month

Q. Hello Paloma; congratulations on your album, your best yet! Are you happy with it?

“Thank you. Well, yes but it’s difficult! I’m the sort of person who takes any sort of success with a pinch of salt… When people say ‘oh it’s really great’ you never know whether that’s going to translate into popularity or streaming figures.”

Q. Do you have imposter syndrome?

“Yeah and I think it’s part of what drives me. We live in a real era of isolation; it’s all internet or social media-led and quite confusing. I’m not quite sure what’s real and what isn’t. I look at my following of 800,000 and then I look at peers of mine, who have 2 milllion and they don’t sell as many records. So I tend to be a bit blinkered and just go: ‘oh I’m gonna give the best show that I can’.”

Q. Do you think women have to play a role to win popularity?

“It’s funny, I didn’t announce my break-up but when the press reported it all the comments underneath were either ‘she’s a bloody handful’ or ‘I’m sorry he cheated on you’. It’s so weird that people think in those two narrow-minded terms and neither one is correct. As a woman either you’re a victim, and if you’ve got kids with them you’re expected to stay and suffer, or you’re perceived as this nightmare femme fatale character. I don’t think I’m either! So it’s wrong on both counts. There’s the expression of sadness [on this album] and remorse and vulnerability but also there’s a lot of empowerment, standing up for myself and saying this isn’t for me. In this way society needs to catch up. Quite often I listen to songs by women and they’re celebrated when they express vulnerability or victimhood but not so much when they express their strength.”

Q. You were moved by something Madonna said…

“Yes, Madonna says the most controversial thing she did was to stick around & I relate! A woman’s longevity is always under attack more than a man’s. I’m lucky; I’ve always looked quite young for my age, partly because I don’t do the injectables that, I think, make people look old. I hope to stick around!”

Q. Who would be your dream collaborators, alive or dead?

“I think I’d like to stick with the people who are still alive, please! I would love to work with SZA and Miley Cyrus.”

“Performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious”

Q. How do you take care of your mental health?

“I do exercise and I go to therapy. I’ve done EMDR [eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing] and think it’s really good. One thing I’m learning more recently in my life is that avoidance or distraction mean your issues just come back to bite you in the bum. You can choose to address & face your issues and own up to who you are or else you’re just prolonging the agony.”

Q. Do you like being on tour and will you take your children on this one?

“I’ll take my youngest but the oldest is in school so she can only come for the dates in the Easter holidays; she’s gutted about it and has real FOMO! I love touring. I get a bit nervous beforehand but performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious.”

Q. Are you looking for love?

“I tried dating for a bit and it just feels difficult to navigate when you’ve got children. The last time I was single I didn’t have any kids and I wouldn’t ever put anyone before my children. And I just don’t have the tolerance I used to have. When we as women are looking to pursue relationships and we don’t have kids, we compromise a lot. People keep talking to me now about compromise but I think ‘oh f***  off with your platitudes, I don’t have to compromise, I’d rather be on my own’. Maybe I am a nightmare woman after all, haha! You know better than you did when you were younger that you can do it without anyone.”

Paloma Faith is on tour including the Hexagon in Reading on 3rd April and New Theatre Oxford on 14th May as well as starring at Southampton Summer Sessions on 28th June. Visit palomafaith.com

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Star Q&A: Ian Botham

Liz Nicholls

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Ian Botham, cricket legend, member of the House of Lords, dad and grandad, 67, chats to us about sport & more.

Q. Hello there – should I call you Lord Botham? Ian…?

“You’re quite welcome to call me Ian, Beefy, whatever you want. The world calls me Beefy.”

Q. Who was your sporting hero growing up?

“Jack Nicklaus. I love golf, I love fishing – those are my main pastimes. I was lucky enough to meet Jack on more than one occasion and I caddied a round of golf where they opened a new golf course that Jackie had signed on the Welsh borders, and I caddied with Ian Woosnam and spent a lot of the evening in the locker room with the great man. I’ve always been a great fan of what he did for golf – he took it to a new level. He’s still right up there, and no one’s caught him yet. Perfect gentlemen, lovely man.”

Q. Did you enjoy school?

“School was a great vehicle to play sport. That’s pretty much all I did. From a very young age sport was ingrained, football as well. I got my obligatory exams at the end – you’d have to be a pretty big numpty not to get some of those right. But sport was the driving force all along. Mr Hibbert at Milford Junior School in Yeovil – that’s where my prowess in sport came to the front. Played football professionally, cricket, obviously, AFL in Australia, I love it. I spent about four to five months of the year in Australia – it’s part of life in Australia. I love rugby union, rugby league… there’s pretty much no sport I don’t like. Not quite sure about equestrian but we’ll move on, horses are a debate.

Q. Can you tells us a bit about your Sliding Doors moment in 1977 and how it led to your involvement with Bloodwise?

“I broke a bone in my foot playing against the Australians at Headingley in ’77. I went to see the club doctor who took me to the physio department through the children’s ward. I remember seeing children who were ill, whether tubes sticking out of them or legs raised in plaster. There were four lads round a table playing Monopoly and I asked the doc are these guys visitors? He said no they’re seriously ill; they’ve got leukaemia. I said what’s that?! I didn’t have a clue in 1977. And he said it’s cancer of the blood and there’s every chance these four won’t be around by the time you’ve finished your eight weeks of treatment for a broken bone. That’s how it started,; it grew into a family charity, my wife Kath & daughter Sarah kept it going.

We raised millions upon millions. We’re always doing golf days and whatever. I’ve heard numbers from 30 to 100 million. What drove us what when we first did the walk in 1985/6 there was a 20% chance of survival for children with the most common form of leukaemia. Before Covid it was announced that figure was 95%. So in a short period of time we’ve gone from 20 to 95 which is a miracle in many ways, and we built this lab outside Glasgow that’s expanded, and they’re the ones who should have the pats on the back because they work in the labs and come up with the remedies. At the end of the day I’ve paid for it – I had to have my spine redone, I had both of my hips removed and fully replaced, and seven months ago I had an open knee replacement… Bionic!”

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Star Q&A: Zoe Lyons

Round & About

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Comedian Zoe Lyons shares her thoughts ahead of her Bald Ambition live comedy tour which visits Aldershot, Banbury, Farnham, Salisbury, Maidenhead & more

Q. How are you?
“Very well thanks. Life is a very pleasant mixture of work and fun so all is well in my world.”

Q. I read your funny quotes about a ‘midlife crisis’…
“Well I had an absolute cracker of a midlife crisis during the pandemic. I turned 50, hit the menopause and bought a sports car, among other things. It was a tricky time but because there was a backdrop of global chaos I managed to hide it quite well. But in this challenging time, there were also a lot of funny moments. And surely the best thing about being a comedian is we can turn personal difficulties into a new show! It’s cathartic to laugh in the face of adversities.”

Q. Who was your comedic inspiration growing up?
“It was always Billy Connolly as a kid. We’d get his videos at Christmas, watch as a family and howl laughing. I remember watching my mum, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks.”

Q. Did you enjoy school?
“I was taught by nuns at my first school in Ireland. I’m afraid I wasn’t a big fan of school, I think largely because I didn’t like reading, especially aloud in class. I found it hard and I was always slightly embarrassed. We moved around quite a bit to and that made things difficult. I went to high school in Glasgow. There I found a love for geography and my teacher Mr Knowles made it so interesting and fun. I can’t look at a U-shaped valley even now without thinking…ahh glacial erosion. Funny what stays with you.”

Q. Loving your bold look… How are you coping with the alopecia?
“The alopecia was another symptom of my midlife blip. It was quite shocking to watch my hair all fall out over the course of the year. Pleased to say it has started to sprout back. I’m currently going through my dodgy growing-out phase… some patches, tufts and some longer bits. I need to get the tour done before it all grows back!”

Q. Who would be your dream dinner party guests?
“Grace Jones, Billy Connolly and David Sedaris… I think it will be a fun night and I know Grace will end up dancing on the table.”

Q. Do you have anything on your rider?
“I need to up my ‘diva’ game. I have such a basic rider; water and a mirror and I’ll be honest I don’t always use the mirror! I try and eat well on tour but sometimes a girl’s just got to have a burger on the road… and fries….and milkshake… and maybe another burger.”

Q. Who is your favourite author?
“George Orwell. When I finally started enjoying reading, Animal Farm changed everything for me.”

Q. What new year resolutions or perhaps cool things or goals do you have planned for this year..?
“I don’t do resolutions. But I do want to keep up my fitness. My goal is to run another sub-two hours half marathon and complete a 100k challenge in 17 hours. I want to carry on enjoying my work. And of course growing a luscious head of hair.”

To find tickets to Zoe’s show click here

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Star Q&A: Craig Revel Horwood

Round & About

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Craig Revel Horwood, 57, is excited about bringing Strictly Ballroom The Musical back to the stage on a UK tour, which includes Reading’s Hexagon, 16th-21st January & Guildford’s G Live, 20th-30th December

Q. Hello Craig! Can you tell us about this show, which you’ve directed and co-choreographed?

“Audiences are in for a night of laughter and comedy, with an insight into the ballroom world. It’s a glimpse backstage, which is very different to the smiles when dancers are performing. Most people see this happy, smiley world of people dancing together but when they come off stage they maybe have family issues to deal with or issues with each other. Strictly Ballroom lifts the curtain on all that whilst also being really funny and having such a strong central love story, plus there’s lots of glitz and glamour and beautiful costumes. I am absolutely delighted to be directing the amazing Kevin Clifton and the sensational Maisie Smith, together with our super talented cast in Strictly Ballroom The Musical – I know that they’ll all be FAB-U-LOUS! Expect some sexy moves, sizzling costumes and a simply sensational evening!”

Q. You left Australia in 1988 to forge a career in the UK, and I’ve read that the film Strictly Ballroom was a pivotal moment for you?

“I hadn’t really been home since leaving and when I saw the movie it made me feel really homesick. I absolutely loved it and it’s become one of those go-to films that I watch every Christmas. It cheers me up. So when the opportunity came up to direct it I didn’t hesitate. I’m passionate about all kinds of dance and this show is the perfect vehicle for me to explore that.”

Q. The show features songs by Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect, I believe?

“You’re going to see huge dance numbers and fantastic duets, with tunes that people know and love, as well as new music written specifically for the show which is equally brilliant. It’s mixing the old and the new.”

Q. How have people’s perceptions of ballroom changed over the years?

“People perhaps didn’t understand the world of ballroom dancing when the film Strictly Ballroom came out. Since the advent of Strictly Come Dancing they get what it’s all about. They realise that it’s full of very strict rules that the dancers all have to adhere to but Scott wants to break those rules, just as Fran wants to break the rules of flamenco. When they come together they also end up falling in love. That’s what makes it such a compelling and uplifting show.”

strictlyballroomtour.co.uk

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Star Q&A: Hayley Mills

Liz Nicholls

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Oscar-winning actress Hayley Mills, 76, talks about life & loves ahead of starring in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre, 15th-19th November

Q. You’ve had such a varied career. What have been your highlights? “The first film I ever made was Tiger Bay with my father [John]; a masterclass in film acting. I didn’t go to drama school, which I probably should have done later, but I was lucky to work with some incredible actors, my father included. I’m also very proud of some of the plays and musicals over the years. I love a challenge because it frightens the life out of me.”

Q. Do you feel enough stories are being told about the older generation? “No. People think ‘old people are boring’. But I’m in my 70s and I don’t feel as if I am that age, and I realise that’s how other old people feel too. We don’t feel old at all. [Laughs] We just look it and that’s why we all avoid the mirror.”

Q. What attracted you to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel? “I loved the script and there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt about wanting to do it. I love the play, the writing, the part and I’m mad about the director Lucy Bailey. It’s a wonderful play and Deborah Moggach is a great writer. Like most people, I had seen the film and there’s something about the story that just gets you. It’s very truthful. It’s a reminder that where there’s life there’s hope.”

There’s something about the story that just gets you. It’s very truthful. It’s a reminder that where there’s life there’s hope.

Q. Can you relate to Evelyn, the character you play? “Absolutely. She’s such a beautifully written character and I can relate to her age, plus the fact we all look back on our lives realising we’ve made mistakes. One of my least favourite songs is Frank Sinatra’s My Way. It’s so smug! Who can really say ‘Regrets, I have a few but then again too few to mention’? You’d have to be in your own very selfish bubble.”

Q. Dame Judi Dench played Evelyn in the film version. Is it daunting in her footsteps? “If I dwelled upon it then yes, but I don’t. I briefly thought about watching the film again but I decided ‘no’. She is such a wonderful actress and I couldn’t begin to play it the way she does. That’s what is so fascinating about this business: everyone brings their own experiences and understanding to a role. But Judi is a consummate actress. I could watch her all day, even reading the telephone directory.”

Q. Can you relate to the theme of starting over or have you had a pretty steady ride? “[Laughs] Come on! Life is not a steady ride for anybody. My goodness, there are peaks and valleys, ups and downs, feast and famine. You have to weather the storms.”

Q. Have you worked with any of your co-stars before? “I haven’t. I’ve known Rula [Lenska] for years from bumping into each other but I’ve never worked with her. I’ve seen Paul Nicholas’ work over the years but not worked with him either. It’s fun meeting people you’ve admired and getting to be in a show together.”

Q. What do you hope audiences take away from seeing the show? “I hope they’ll feel infused with optimism and hope about the future as well as the belief that life really is what you make it. There are so many things dragging us down in the world today. We’re going through dire straits but then when you look back over history you see what people went through in the First and Second World Wars, the Depression, what have you. The world has gone through some very tough times but I believe in the goodness of the human race.”

Get your tickets for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre

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Star Q&A: Tom Kerridge

Liz Nicholls

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Michelin-starred chef & dad Tom Kerridge, 49, chats to Liz about life, loves and his Full Time Meals campaign with Marcus Rashford.

Q. Hi Tom! As this month is our education supplement, I wonder, did you enjoy school? “I loved school but it wasn’t necessarily the right thing for me. I had fun hanging out with mates but the academic system of remembering things and then repeating them wasn’t right for me. I felt much more at home at culinary college, vocational learning. I’m a using my hands, getting things done kind of person. But our son Ace loves school; he’s six so he’s making friends and loving it every day.”

Q. Your charity campaign with Marcus Rashford is very admirable; what’s your mission? “The big thing I’ve been involved in with Marcus is trying to end childhood poverty, trying to make sure kids from disadvantaged backgrounds are given those equal opportunities irrespective of their financial background. It shouldn’t matter where you’re born or what your background – I’ve love people from families who are struggling not to know: don’t be duped into believing you’re part of a system – believe you can achieve anything for yourself. The Full Time Meals campaign that we’ve put together is about using pocket-friendly ingredients and it’s for beginners or people who can’t or haven’t spent lots of time cooking before. It’s about confidence, which means less time cooking.”

Q. What’s the most surprising thing that fatherhood has taught you? “How hard it is! Parental guilt is a massive thing. I never thought I’d feel caught between two worlds, professionally and personally, paying your bills then the guilt of not being at home. Finding that balance is very difficult. Everybody feels that – but as long as the kid’s all right you’re doing all right!”

Q. Did lockdown highlight your love for your community? “We’re very lucky to live in Marlow. It’s quite an affluent town but it’s also very loving and giving, a very supportive environment. But it does also have its share of people who are needy and vulnerable in society. We made 1,000 meals a week for people from all different backgrounds who you wouldn’t normally see. It was incredibly worthwhile.”

Q. How are your dogs getting on? “Really well thanks. We’ve now got a French bulldog rescue called Zee and a puppy Labrador called Diddler. Marlow woods and common are great places for dogs – it’s like dog heaven with rope swings on trees.”

Q. What’s the first meal you cooked that blew your mind? “Spaghetti bolognese is one of those first meals everybody else cooks. I still adore it, especially if it’s been made the day before to allow the flavours to mature. My wife & I constantly argue over whether to put carrots in; I’m in the ‘carrots in’ camp.”

Q. What would you choose as your last meal? “It’s gotta be something brilliantly British like fish and chips or maybe roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.”

Q. What kitchen gadget could you not live without? “It’s always the simplest things that are the best, like a great knife and a good wooden chopping board. Or one of those speed peelers that works really well.”

Q. You look so fit & well – do you have any guilty pleasures? “You’re very kind but I have a daily battle like everybody else. My world is full of food which makes it very very difficult, no matter where I am in different spaces. I feel guilty about eating all of it! I basically try to go to the gym four or five times a week if not more to offset my eating. I give myself specific long-term goals. It used to be swimming a mile or doing heavy deadlifts – I like something to work towards.”

* For more about Tom, his restaurants and the Full Time Meals campaign at tomkerridge.com

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Star Q&A: Ainsley Harriott

Liz Nicholls

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We chat to chef, TV presenter & dad Ainsley Harriott MBE, 65, about love, laughs & living well.

Q. Hello Ainsley! You’ve been cheering the nation up for decades. Do you work hard to take good care of your mental health or are you blessed with being a naturally positive person? “I think people who know me would say that I’m lucky enough to be naturally positive and I genuinely like to have a good laugh whenever possible. I shrug off disappointments fairly easily – it comes from years of following Arsenal…”

Q. What’s the first meal that blew your mind? “I remember my dad regularly taking us all to a Chinese restaurant in Soho when I was a kid. It was a much rarer experience in those days and I loved those meals.”

Q. You’ve had so much success as a writer. Whose books do you love? “Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings has always been an important book to me. As for cookbooks, I’ve always enjoyed anything by Ken Hom.”

Q. We’ve been loving watching your travels on your shows. If you had to pick anywhere in the world, where is your ‘happy place’? “Well, I just returned from a fabulous break at the Coral Reef in Barbados. It’s where I go to really relax, so I guess you could definitely call it my happy place.”

Q. Is there anything you don’t eat? Either because it gives you the ick or you steer clear of? “I’ve no idea why, but the only thing that disagrees with me is cucumber.”

Q. What kitchen gadget could you not do without? “I wouldn’t like to be without my late mum’s dutchie pot.”

Q. What’s your favourite piece of music? And what’s your first memory of music? “Picking one piece of music is impossible, of course, because it completely depends on your mood. I love a bit of Nina Simone – but then again, I often have Classic FM playing throughout the day. My earliest memory of music would be sitting under the piano while my dad, who toured the world as a professional musician, was playing.”

Q. What piece of advice to give to any parent trying to make ends meet in terms of feeding the family? “Plan and stick to a menu for the week. It helps to avoid waste and ought to reduce overbuying.”

Q. Finally, if you could make one wish for the world, what would it be? “The same as everyone else: an end to all the constant conflict and all the human misery that goes along with it.”

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Star Q&A: Lesley Joseph

Liz Nicholls

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Lesley Joseph chats to us about meeting the Pope, Birds Of A Feather, her pal Maureen Lipman and the joy of starring in Sister Act at the Apollo until 28th August

Q. Hello Lesley. Is this show as much fun as it looks? “Oh my God yes! It’s such a feelgood show. The audience have been on their feet going beserk; it’s hard not to get emotional. Everyone on stage is so glad to be there, after the two years we’ve had, and who doesn’t enjoy singing, rapping nuns!? Alan Menken, who has written the songs, is a genius and Sister Act is a story everyone knows, thanks to the film.”

Q. You have so much energy: what’s your secret? “Well my mother died just shy of 104 – she still did yoga and tennis in her nineties – so I hope I’ve got her genes. I walk everywhere. I keep my brain active. And I love what I do – it’s a privilege to be in a show like this.”

Q. Did you expect Birds Of A Feather to be such a hit? “No I didn’t have a clue. It’s a great show and was one of the first, along with The Liver Birds, to celebrate women of a certain age. My father, when we filmed the first one in front of a live audience, asked the writers, ‘do you think this will go anywhere?’, and they said ‘we’ll still be here in ten years’. Well, we kept going 33 years, with a break in the middle, and it’s still well loved, because it was so well written.”

Q. Do people expect you to be Dorien? “In the early days they expected me Dorien-esque, all in leopard print. But we’re so different. I was always very careful to make sure Dorien wasn’t a silly caricature. And I’m nothing like her – if you could see me now in my training clothes, no make-up, hair awry, you’d believe me!”

Q. What was it like meeting the Pope? “Yes, for Pilgrimage [on the BBC] we walked from the Swiss Alps to Rome, and had an audience with the Pope, unexpectedly. I said ‘I’m Lesley Joseph, I’m 72, I’m an actress, and I’ve just walked 100 miles and feel rejuvenated’. He burst out laughing and said ‘you don’t look 72’. We hugged and I came out with ‘oh bless you!’ Haha! One of the highlights of my career.”

Q. Do you enjoy watching your pal Maureen Lipman in Coronation Street? “She’s brilliant in everything she does but no, I don’t watch much television. I am staying with her at the moment, up here in Manchester. We go back 50 years, were at drama school together. So we’re these two ancient flatmates together again!”

Q. Do you have a favourite author? “I love Hilary Mantel; I can read her books again and again. I love reading about Thomas Cromwell.”

Q. If you could make one wish for the world, what would it be? “Peace. I just wish people could live in harmony, believe in what they want, without greed, envy or corruption.”

Book your tickets for Sister Act, which also stars Beverley Knight & Jennifer Saunders, at London’s Eventim Apollo at eventimapollo.com

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Star Q&A: Kim Wilde

Liz Nicholls

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Q&A

Kim Wilde chats to Liz Nicholls about performing at Heritage Live, alongside Boy George, Lulu, Gabrielle & more, including Ardingly on Saturday, 16th July and Englefield House on Saturday, 23rd July.

Q. Hello Kim – where are you chatting from right now? “From home. I’ve got a beautiful garden – it should be after the inordinate time I’ve spent on it! Everything that could be out is out looking amazing. Because of my experience and because of my love of flowers I’ve got lots more flowers to look forward to later in the summer. I don’t have a favourite flower but I have a real soft spot for roses – we called our daughter Rose.”

Q. We’re looking forward to seeing you at Heritage Live. How does it feel to be out on tour again? “Great! I think top of the list of things people really missed over the pandemic was live music; getting together with a crowd of like-minded souls and singing their heart out. Music has a great way of bringing people together in a beautiful way. It does a much better job than most other things in achieving that. I’ve already been doing quite a few gigs and the atmosphere has been noticeably ecstatic. Not just because they’re coming to see me – haha – but we’re all so excited to be back together. These are great days to be a live musician.”

Q. Your dad Marty is on tour right now – do you still enjoy going on stage with him? “Yes! I’ve been hitching a lift in the back of his car, jumping on stage for a few numbers, I just love it! I’ll continue to do that if I’m not working. It’s fantastic being on stage with my dad – his voice is still amazing and his ability to perform is astonishing for his years [83]. I think keeping going, doing what you love keeps you young. He’s no gym bunny, my dad, but he does a lot of golf, a lot of walking, always has done. He doesn’t smoke any more, and he drinks very moderately. I think it’s in the genes.”

Q. Yes – your whole family, including your children, all have musical genes? “It has definitely descended through the generations. Not just in my family but my brother’s family and sister’s family, so it seems to be in the blood.”

Q. Do you have a rider? “I do but I’m very easy to look after before a gig. I don’t really eat much – maybe a few sweeties but I don’t ask anyone to take out different colours for me and I don’t drink alcohol.”

Q. Is it nice to hang out with your old mate Boy George, who is also starring? “It’s great. We’ve done a lot of things together over the years – all kinds of TV and concerts and benefits – we have a real shared history. We recorded a song together which went on my greatest hits album called Shine On. So yeah I can’t wait to see him again. He’s a wonderful person to be around.”

Q. What is it about 1980s music that is so popular – even with younger people now? “It’s very eclectic, you know? Everything was in the 1980s – it wasn’t just sharp haircuts, shoulder pads and synthesisers – there was a lot of prog rock, rock soul, disco, R&B. All kinds of different grooves all happening in parallel. There was something for everybody and it all came under that beautiful umbrella that we call pop.”

Q. What new artists do you like? “I’m listening a lot to Lizzo, really enjoying what she does and how she’s doing it. Thomas Paul, too; I did a bit of work with him over lockdown on his first album Black Country Disco which is awesome! I went to his album launch for Life In Plastic the other night at the Vauxhall Tavern which was fantastic.”

Q. What’s your first memory of music? “I was born in 1960 and the first memories I can trace back are ’67 & ’68 when I was seven and eight. The Beatles – listening to Penny Lane in the back of the car, while my dad was driving us up to Liverpool to see my nan. I remember Cilla Black Anyone Who Had A Heart and Richard Harris MacArthur Park and Gene Pitney 24 Hours from Tulsa. All these beautiful epic songs.”

Q. Thanks Kim we can’t wait to see you. “Thank you! And may I just say that anyone who misses these shows can come to my Pop Won’t Stop Greatest Hits Tour in September when I’ll be up and down the country. There’s a lot of sadness and there are terrible things in the world right now, but there’s a lot of beauty too, so don’t think it’s wrong to focus on that.”

Visit heritagelive.net & kimwilde.com

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