10 years ago Marlon James published 'A Brief History of Seven Killings' his bestselling novel which would go onto be awarded the Booker Prize. Born in Jamaica in 1970 his parents shared with him their passion for poetry and Shakespeare – but Marlon preferred to be in his room reading comics like X-Men...the mutant group who went onto inspire him to write his 'Black Leopard, Red Wolf' trilogy. For those who haven’t already read it, A Brief History of Seven Killings' is broken up into 5...

Actor Kiell Smith-Bynoe is perhaps best known for playing the non-clairvoyant husband Mike in the BBC One series, Ghosts. Kiell grew up in East London and his future as a thespian was set in stone when at the age of five he began acting in nativity plays. He studied acting at East 15 Acting School, and he honed his skills by making musical skits in the early years of YouTube, and can now be seen on stage in 'The Government Inspector' and on our screens as the new host of The Great British...

Reece Shearsmith rose to fame with the darkly comic League of Gentleman. Since then his fascination with the macabre has led to starring roles on TV and stage, as well as to an enduring writing and acting partnership with Steve Pemberton. He is currently on our screens with his latest and last series of the genius Inside No9 - and these are his Inheritance tracks. Inherited: White Christmas by Darlene Love Passing on: Tonight we Fly by The Divine Comedy Producers: Catherine Powell and...

Hilary and Michael are an entertainment power-couple. Having worked as a leading theatrical agent and producer for many years, with clients including Nigel Havers, Judi Dench and Colin Firth – it was at a glitzy party that Michael first set his eyes on the then actress Hilary Gish Hilary says of that night...“I was looking for an agent, he was looking for a wife.” They’ve gone on to have three children together, including the actor and comedian Jack Whitehall, and in recent years they’ve...

Jamie Laing found fame in the second series of Made in Chelsea in 2011, and has gone on to rebrand himself several times. First as a veritable Willy Wonka, as the great great grandson of biscuit mogul Sir Alexander Grant, it is perhaps no surprise that he has created his own line of incredibly successful sweets. These days he is just as at home in the audio studio as he is on the factory floor, having just been named the new co-host of BBC Radio 1’s Going Home programme, and has been a...

Star of TV and radio, Vernon Kay comes from a Northern working-class family. His first job, at 14, was putting stickers on boxes of bananas at a ripening factory…and he also worked as caretaker, deep cleaning schools before his break came as a model. TV came next with stints on T4 and All-Star Family Fortunes and has recently taken over the mid-morning show on Radio 2. Last November Vernon ran an Ultra Marathon for Radio 2’s BBC Children in Need fundraiser, 115 miles in just four days, and...

Marcus Brigstocke and Rachel Parris are a funny couple. Quite literally! The comedians have been regulars on comedy quiz panels, with Parris one of the hosts on the Mash Report, and Brigstocke appearing on many programmes here on Radio 4, including the popular I’ve Never Seen Star Wars amongst countless other shows. They're new podcast ‘How was it for you?’, offers a peek into the joyful mess that ensues when two comedians live together. So we were fascinated to see what there joint...

The Michelin starred chef and restaurateur Angela Hartnett likes crisps, prefers cheese to dessert, and her favourite pasta is spaghetti in a tomato sauce. Simple tastes for someone who’s famous for giving people fine dining experiences. A protegee of Gordon Ramsay, Angela cheffed in some of the best restaurants in the world before opening her own Murano in Mayfair. She’s famous and in demand for her TV appearances and hosts the excellent and entertaining podcast Dish along with Nick...

The comedian, podcaster and self described Vibe-Magnet John Robins is an Edinburgh Comedy Award winner whose dry stand up has taken him on several sold out tours, a BBC 5 Live programme with Elis James, and the latest series of Taskmaster. He openly talks about all aspects of his life, from the ridiculous to the sublime, and has been praised for the way he has discussed the way he has dealt with mental health and his sobriety. A lover of games and music - what then will he chose for his...

Born in Paris, Liz Bonnin grew up in Ireland where she studied biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin. She joined an all-girl pop band rather than doing a PhD at Oxford and then came TV, initially on entertainment shows before her real calling pulled her back for a Masters in wild animal biology. When Liz returned to our tv screens it was as a science presenter; Tomorrow’s World, Bang Goes the Theory, Blue Planet Live.... She’s taken viewers from the Galapagos...to the Jurassic Coast and...

Broadcaster Lauren Laverne has, arguably, two of the best jobs in radio - 6 Music’s Breakfast Show and Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Her career in entertainment began though as the lead singer and a guitarist in the band Kenickie and her love of performing and sharing music see's her takes Desert Island Discs to the London Palladium for a series of special live shows. As someone who encourages people to share the music that shaped their lives we were fascinated to hear her Inheritance...

Natalie Cassidy has grown up in front of the nation. She was only ten years old when she joined the cast of Eastenders. Over the last 30 years, her character - Sonia - has become one of the most popular residents of Albert Square, as she’s dealt with a teenage pregnancy, a cancer scare and bereavements. Natalie had to have music lessons when her character famously took up the trumpet on Eastenders, so let’s see if that has influenced her choices as she selects her Inheritance...

Strictly Come Dancing's longest serving professional dancer Karen Hauer was born in Valencia, Venezula where she lived until the age of eight before moving with her family to the Bronx in New York. Dance allowed Karen to express herself and at the age of nine she won a scholarship to the Martha Graham School of Contempoary Dance. On the show she has danced with the likes of Will Young and Eddie Kadi. Music gives Karen inspiration for her dance routines and will be touring the UK with the...

Alex Horne is the comedian and creator of the BAFTA winning Channel 4’s hit comedy game-show, Taskmaster. On the show Alex is the Taskmaster’s assistant and this week, we’ve given him the task of assisting us with choosing our Inheritance Tracks. He is a musician himself and he will be will be on tour around the country with ‘The Horne Section’ and their brand-new show from March 2024. Inherited: In The Army Now by Status Quo. Passed on: Bang Bang by David Sanborn Producer: Ribika...

Tommy Tiernan is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer and extraordinary talk show host, extraordinary because on The Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE he doesn’t know who his guest is until they walk on, there’s no script or preparation, so the conversation can go anywhere, and it does! As a comedian, he’s won the big award and even though his sense of humour has on occasions been controversial, he maintains there’s never malice intended. Tommy also has a podcast and is famous for playing Da Gerry in...

Adam Hills is a seriously funny man, and most well known as host of Channel 4’s hugely successful The Last Leg on Friday nights. Born in Sydney without a right foot, he turned his disability to his advantage and often referred to it in his comedy. His first stand up show was in 1997, and he became a hit at the Melbourne International comedy festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Some alternative commentating on the 2012 London Summer Paralympics led to Channel 4 giving him his own series, which...

The Grand Tour presenter and lover of high-speed adventures Richard Hammond, was born in Birmingham, the eldest of three boys, and describes himself growing up as ‘a little fella’ in a close-knit family. His first broadcasting experience, and love, was not TV but local radio and as bass guitar player we wondered what his Inheritance Tracks might be. Inherited: Call Me The Breeze by J.J. Cale Passed on: Memphis Soul Stew by King Curtis Producer: Ben Mitchell and Lowri Morgan

Millions of cricket fans all over the world have grown up with Jonathan Agnew’s voice as he’s expertly guided us through the highs and lows of the best sport ever invented. He’s joined Test Match Special in 1991 after a very successful career as a fast bowler for Leicestershire and a slightly less successful career as a fast bowler for England – which he often jokes about on air. He’s a keen flyer (he has a pilot’s licence), a keen dog owner (he has two) and also a lover of music. But what...

Iain Stirling started doing stand-up while studying law at University in Edinburgh and quickly drew the attention of the comedy world. Soon after, his popularity grew, and now sells out venues all over the country. In 2015 he became the voice of ITV2's dating show Love Island. He also clearly loves music so we asked him to share with us the song that have changed his life. Inherited: Africa, Toto Passed on: The Modern Leper, Frightened Rabbit Producer: Ben Mitchell

The London born ceramic artist Keith Brymer-Jones, who regularly wells up when he’s moved by beauty and effort on The Great Pottery Throw Down, was eleven years old when he made his first pottery object. After a brief stint in the punk band The Wigs, he got an apprenticeship at Harefield Pottery in London and learned to make modern ceramics. We asked him to turn his hand to this week's Inheritance Tracks... Inherited: Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire Passed on: I Feel Love by Donna...

Owain Wyn Evans has been working in broadcasting since he was 18. He's an accomplished television and radio presenter and shot to superstardom during the pandemic in 2020 as the drumming weather presenter playing along to the BBC News Theme. He became a viral sensation and in 2021 he raised an extraordinary £3million for Children in Need by drumming non-stop for 24 hours. This week he took a break from warming up for Zoe Ball on Radio 2’s Early Breakfast Show to reflect on his inheritance...

When he’s not working on his own gin brand, or his latest book, or guest editing the Today programme former petrol head James May is perhaps best known as the thinking man’s car guy from Top Gear and Grand Tour. His trademark wry humour and self-deprecation make him an interesting TV presenter, no matter what he turns his attention to and he’s an excellent travel guide on the various James May Our Man In... series. Born in Bristol, one of four children, he spent his teenage years in South...

Opera singer Wynne Evans was indelibly etched into the UK’s collective TV watching consciousness when he played Gio Compario - the moustachioed opera singer in those famous comparison site adverts. Born in South-West Wales, Wynne is a professionally trained opera star and his operatic roles have seen him onstage at major opera houses here in the UK and across the globe, with his debut album ‘A Song in My Heart’ went to Number 1 in the classical charts. This year, he won Celebrity MasterChef...

Writer, comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig was born in Denmark to a Danish father and English mother and was brought up in Europe, Africa and the United States. She’s done it all; politics, children's books, theatre plays, the great British Bake Off, and taken part in pretty much every panel show worth its salt, including of course hosting QI, the much loved and quite interesting panel show she’s hosted on television since 2016. She was one of the members of the first all female comedy...