WenI have never attended Up Helly Aa, although we did sail up and around Shetland two years ago. But I was reminded by this article and an extremely amusing (he pokes fun at everyone but in a very gentle way) program by Mark Steel from Lerwick, with an accompanying one from Unst. Highly listenable.
TrantionOn Mark Steel's in town today from #Wrexham, someone was complaining about a proposal to restrict cars because "there's been a place of worship there for 800 years!" I'm guessing that people didn't arrive by car for most of those 800 years though.
quangobaudShadow World - the People vs MacDonalds
In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called 'What's Wrong with McDonald's?' It claimed McDonald's was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...
McDonald's said the claims in the leaflet were untrue, harmed its reputation and demanded an apology.
Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.
Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald's Corporation vs Steel & Morris - aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which turned the spotlight on the way big business operates. The case would help bring issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream. It would also - spoiler alert - be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. And if that isn't enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.
Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Archive Research: Emma Betteridge
Production Co-ordinator: Dan Marchini
Music Score: Phil Kieran
Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong's 'McLibel,' reproduced with the kind permission of Spanner Films
Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK. BBC Studios for BBC Radio 4
#BBCRadio4 #BBCShadowWorld
#MarkSteel #McLibel #LondonGreenpeace
episodes are downloadable via podcast tab
Mark Steel's in Town
Blyth, Northumberland
Mark Steel's in Town
Series 11 Episode 1 of 3
The famous Blyth Staithes (created for off-loading coal into ships) were the backdrop for one of the grimmest scenes in the Michael Caine classic Get Carter - the smoggy industrial view at the time described by the director as an "absolute vision of hell". Undaunted, comedian Mark Steel travels to this part of Northumberland and finds a fascinating industrial legacy, a posh pub, a very nice beach and prominent indications of its role in the first and second World Wars. Does a town blighted by so many closures show any evidence of green shoots? Mark presents his findings to a local audience at The Phoenix Theatre and as ever gets away with just the right amount of affection rudeness and we learn more about a very distinctive coastal town in the UK.
The full box set of all episodes (with well over 50 towns visited) is available now wherever you get your podcasts. [edit: that means the episodes are downloadable mp3's]
Written by and starring...Mark Steel
With additional material from Pete Sinclair
Production Coordinator...Beverly Tagg
Producer...Julia McKenzie [edit: the other one]
A BBC Studios Production.
Lyndsay BarwellLooks like an interesting book.
Lifestyle | The Guardian USMark Steel: ‘At 16, I thought I’d help transform the world into a socialist arena of peace and justice. I’m not sure we’ve managed it’ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/feb/01/mark-steel-at-16-i-thought-id-help-transform-the-world-into-a-socialist-arena-of-peace-and-justice-im-not-sure-weve-managed-it #Television&radio #Lifeandstyle #Television #MarkSteel #Culture #Comedy #Stage #Radio #Books
JCheall#MarkSteel just now squeezing laughs from ‘suffering in Gaza’ with his #Malvern audience. Unbearably smug at the best of times. Off.
hesgenThis lovely man has throat cancer. He is hereby instructed to recover fully from it. Oh yes.
bazzarghSorry to hear about #MarkSteel ' s cancer diagnosis - but fortunately the leopard tamers round here are pretty good (it'll make sense when you read it) https://marksteelinfo.com/cancer/
SubtleBlade ⚔️#MarkSteel: ‘I have #cancer and it feels like there’s a leopard in my house’
The comedian was booked in for a biopsy after noticing a neck abnormality. Standups are used to leaving audiences jolly but he could not share his diagnosis without causing worry
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/oct/09/mark-steel-comedian-cancer 🤞 for Mark