Alan Bleasdale

Alan Bleasdale

Author: BBC Radio 4 June 1, 2024 Duration: 15:33

Alan Bleasdale, the Liverpudlian screenwriter and playwright, is in the spotlight this week as a stage version of his iconic 1980's TV series 'Boys from the Blackstuff' opened at the National Theatre. Born in Liverpool, an only child who first went into teaching, his first public work was 'Scully' for Radio Merseyside, a kind of Liverpudlian Adrian Mole, which he wrote whilst he was still teaching.

But it was 'Boys from the Blackstuff' that made him a household name with one of the characters, Yosser Hughes' line 'Gissa job' providing a chant on the stands of his beloved Liverpool Football Club.

His work has courted controversy with successive governments, although he says he's not political, only voting for the first time at the age of 38. Now in his late 70's and 40 years on from the original television series, he's back in the spotlight. Stephen Smith talks to friends and colleagues about his work, phobias and how to tell if you're having a heart attack.

CONTRIBUTORS Peter Ansorge, former Script Producer, BBC Drama and Commissioning Editor James Graham, Playwright and Screenwriter Robert Lindsay, Actor Sir Michael Palin, Actor and Author Tony Schumacher, Author and Screenwriter Trevor Stent, former teaching colleague

PRODUCTION TEAM Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Julie Ball, Diane Richardson Researcher: Marianna Brain Editor: Bridget Harney Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

CREDITS Boys from the Blackstuff, BBC Drama GBH, Channel 4 Scully's New Years Eve, BBC


Each week, Profile from BBC Radio 4 takes a single name from the global conversation and builds a detailed portrait, moving far beyond the headlines. This isn't a simple biography or a news recap. Instead, through careful documentary storytelling and personal journal excerpts where available, the podcast constructs a nuanced examination of character and motive. You’ll hear from colleagues, critics, and sometimes the subjects themselves, piecing together what drives and defines the people shaping our world. The focus rests firmly on influence, whether in politics, the arts, science, or social movements, exploring how an individual's background and choices ripple through society and culture. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining a deeper, more textured understanding of the figures you think you know, revealing the contradictions and convictions behind the public image. It’s a thoughtful half-hour that challenges first impressions, asking what truly lies behind a name in the news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Profile
Podcast Episodes
Dame Sarah Mullally [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:41
Dame Sarah Mullally has been installed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury this week. The former nurse from Woking is the first woman to occupy the role of de facto leader of the Church of England and leader of the globa…
Benjamin Netanyahu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
Benjamin Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv in 1949, the year after the State of Israel was founded. One of three brothers, Netanyahu spent much of his early years in the United States pursuing his education. But following h…
Ed Miliband [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:02
Former Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is now Secretary of State for Energy. A role more important than ever with surging energy costs due to the conflict in Iran. Born in 1969, Ed grew up in London’s Primrose Hill. His fath…
Wunmi Mosaku [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:14
She’s already won a Bafta for her portrayal of a hoodoo healer in the Southern gothic, Sinners. But can British actress Wunmi Mosaku win an Oscar too? Mosaku says her role has helped her connect with her ancestry and fin…
Pete Hegseth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:16
It’s been a busy first year for the US Defense Secretary. From signal chat controversies to Operation Epic Fury, Pete Hegseth has been making headlines. Born in Minneapolis in 1980, Hegseth had what could be described as…
Mackenzie Crook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:31
‘Small Prophets’ has quietly taken the world by storm. A whimsy, magical and gentle show providing a tonic to modern life. Its creator, Mackenzie Crook, could arguably described in a similar way. Born in Sutton-on-hone a…
Gavin Newsom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:15
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has long clashed with US President Donald Trump - filing more than 50 lawsuits against the administration to date.Now, with a new memoir coming out, all signs seem to be pointing at N…
Teyana Taylor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:05
It’s awards season - and one name that keeps cropping up is Teyana Taylor.She’s nominated for her first Oscar, for her role in One Battle After Another, and has already won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress an…
Kirsty Coventry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:01
As the 2026 Winter Olympics kick off in Italy, we look to the most powerful woman in sport - the International Olympics Committee President, Kirsty Coventry.The most decorated African Olympian of all time, the 42-year-ol…
Stephen Miller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:33
The fatal shooting of two Minnesota residents by federal agents has contributed to the fiercest public backlash yet against the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policy. The man widely seen as the driving forc…