Interviews : 2017

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29th November  :  BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester  :  Tammy Gooding

A most enjoyable chat on BBC Hereford & Worcester yesterday.   First part at 1 hour 20 minutes and the second part at 1 hour 37 minutes.

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28th November  :  BBC Radio Stoke  :  Louise Stones

This is one we didn’t get to know about until Russell himself Tweeted. several days afterwards,
“In case you missed it here is my interview with Louise Stones @BbcStoke http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05m1377 A quick natter just after 12pm & again just after 2pm.“

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24th November  :  UTV Life  :  Pamela Ballantine

Northern Ireland’s UTV chat show ‘UTV Life‘, hosted by Pam Ballantine, featured a good chat with Russell (from around 12 minutes in) followed later by an outstanding version of Caruso to close the programme.

Available to ‘Watch Again‘ but only within the UK viewing area, sorry.  If their website doesn’t immediately recognise your location, you’ll be asked to give a post code.

Apparently there are ways around such geo-blocking. Some are free of charge while others must be paid for but we are not making any recommendations.

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22nd November  :  BBC Radio Northampton  :

Talk of plans for more UK shows next year … roughly 75 in total, along with plans for overseas concerts in New Zealand and Australia (no firm details yet).

To Listen Again, scroll to 2 hours 45 minutes (and about 55 seconds) on BBC iPlayer for the next 29 days

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16th November  :  RTE Lyric FM  :  Marty Whelan

Back on Marty In The Morning and airplays of  “With A Song In My Heart“,  “Nella Fantasia“, “Va, Pensiero” and “Granada“

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16th November  :  U105 FM  :  Frank Mitchell

A telephone interview with U105’s Frank Mitchell, available as a podcast and playing out with “You Raise Me Up“

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16th November  :  BBC Radio Lincolnshire  :  Carla Greene

Another phone-in chat, this time to BBC Lincolnshire’s Carla Greene.

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15th November  :  Culture Hub  :  Anna Wherrett 

Another in-depth interview that’s a particularly good introduction to anyone still unfamiliar with Russell’s story.

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10th November  :  BBC Radio Ulster  :  Gerry Kelly

Russell talks at some length with Gerry Kelly ahead of the concerts in Ireland.  Nice to hear that Margaret Keys will be Russell’s support on this short tour.

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6th November  :  Independent.ie  :  Andrea Smith

Russell talks about his health scares of some years ago for a feature in the Irish ‘Independent‘ newspaper ahead of his concerts there next month.

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2nd November  :  RTE Radio 1  :  Sean O’Rourke

Russell was on Irish radio station RTE 1, talking to Sean O’Rourke and it was a treat to have two live songs on air, opening with ‘Va Pensiero’ and, after a good lively chat, closing with ‘Danny Boy’ … beautiful.

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1st November  :  BBC 1  :  Nolan Live  :  Stephen Nolan

Russell gave a fantastic ‘live’ performance of ‘You Raise Me Up‘ on BBC 1’s  ‘Nolan Live’, Stephen Nolan’s highly acclaimed chat-show.  For those within the UK viewing area, it’s available for the next month on BBC iPlayer  (Series 9 Episode 4)  at the 30 minute mark.

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1st November  :  Belfast Waterfront Hall  :  Facebook Live Video  –

Russell was ‘live’ in a Facebook video stream at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall in an informal conversation ahead of his show there on 6th December.  A lively conversation but no singing, this time … too early in the day.  The clip remains available for the moment on their Facebook Page.

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29th October  :  BBC 1  :  Sunday Morning Live  :  Samanthi Flanagan –

Chatting about Russell’s career, his faith and his (unseen) role in the forthcoming musical “Heaven On Earth”

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23rd September  :  The Sunday Times  :  Me And My Motor  :  Danny Scott –

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7th August  :  BBC Radio Cumbria  :  Harry King _ Part 2 –

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4th August  :  Celebrity Radio  :  Interview  :  Alex Belfield –

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31st July  :  BBC Radio Cumbria  :  Harry King  _  Part 1 –

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30th June  :  Daily Mail  :  Why I’m A Driven Lunatic  :  Jenny Johnston –

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28th June  :  100.7 FM WHUD  :  Mike Bennett –

A brief but humorous interview recorded last week from which it seems clear they want Russell back again.  No arguments here as long as we can get to listen.  Thanks to Mike and Kacey for making the chat available.

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25th June  :  The Sussex Newspaper  :  Star Interview  :  Paul Lucas-Scott –

Russell talks about the forthcoming concert at Tonbridge Castle and the drama of the fire that scuppered the recent date at Glasgow.

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23rd June  :  Channel 5  :  The Story Of Paul O’Grady –

Russell was amongst a large number of well-known names and faces contributing to Channel 5’s biography of Paul O’Grady that’s available to ‘watch again’ on the Channel 5 website, My5, until 23rd July.

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27th May  :  WUSA*9 TV  :  Michael Quander  –

Ahead of the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington DC Russell was interviewed on US TV news about the recent bombing in Manchester.

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24th May  :  Talk Radio Europe  :  Selina MacKenzie  –

Russell was on (English-language) Spanish radio station Talk Radio Europe earlier today and it’s already possible to “Listen Again” on their ‘On Demand’ player (from 30 minutes in).  This is a good, long chat and Russell is totally on form.  New dates to be announced soon for IRELAND in December and a new London concert around Christmas-time; plus a big UK Tour next year (2018).  Russell also paid tribute to the victims (and survivors) of Sunday night’s terrorist attack in Manchester.

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19th April  :  MUTV  :  Celebrity Reds  :  Andy Goldstein  –

Russell was on MUTV, Manchester United FC’s own subscription-based television channel, this evening as a “Celebrity Red”, telling Andy Goldstein about himself and his career, particularly the extraordinary highs and catastrophic health lows. No new perspectives that regular fans would not already know but all told with humour, a lot of vocal mimicry and a few moments close to tears.

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18th April  :  BBC WM  :  Sunny and Shay Grewal  –

A really fun conversation, with a mention of the concert at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 3rd May, plus another air-play for the lovely  Now And Forever.
From 1 hour 12 minutes (01:12:22) into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast

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29th March  :  BBC Radio Jersey  :  Tony Gillham  –
Light-hearted chat, mainly about the release of  Now And Forever  as a single.
From 2 hrs 46 minutes (02:46:23) into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast

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29th March  :  BBC Radio Wales  :  Wynne Evans  –
Another, even more light-hearted, chat about the release of  Now And Forever  as a single with Russell competing in the “20 seconds to answer” quiz … and doing alright.
From  1 hr 11 mins (01:11:30) into the programmeom  into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast

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28th March  :  best Magazine  :  Tony Cowell  –

In a two-page feature, Russell tells Tony Cowell about his early career, his illness and his new lease of life that has allowed him to produce the album, True Stories, and to look ahead to UK and US Tours.

Issue 13 for the week ending Tuesday 4th April 2017 in the shops now (from 28/3/17)
or by post from Newsstand.co.uk

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22nd March  :  Express.co.uk  :  Performing for Presidents  :  Kayleigh Giles  –

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21st March  :  BBC Radio Scotland  :  Janice Forsyth  –

A more sedate conversation than that on Radio Stoke with airplays of  Now And Forever and I’m Alive.
From 1 hour (01:01:10) into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast
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21st March  :  BBC Radio Stoke  :  James Watt  –

A phone-in conversation that went predictably manic very  quickly, with Russell not being fazed at all by an impromptu song request from motorists stuck in traffic on the M6.
From 2 hours 33 minutes (02:33:10) into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast

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21st March  :  ITV  :  This Morning  :  Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby  –

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15th March  :  Express.co.uk  :  “Why me?”  :  Kayleigh Giles

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15th February  :  Potters Resort  :  Preview Interview  :  Danielle

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14th February  :  ITV  :  Loose Women  –

Russell was a guest of ITV’s Loose Women on St. Valentine’s Day and serenaded them with a fabulous a cappella version of Torna A Surriento.  Watch on the  ITV Hub  (UK only for the next 7 days) as Russell delivers the ladies’ Valentine cards and returns after the first commercial break for a chat about his health, his latest album and an ever so brief mention of flying off to Washington this afternoon for  “a memorial” (no details) …

Russell looked particularly fit, prompting compliments from the panel that he didn’t look his fifty years.  National press picked up on this with articles in The Daily Mail and The Sun being widely repeated.  The Sun’s piece includes a video clip of Torna A Surriento  that will possibly remain available after the programme expires from the ITV Hub catch-up.

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19th January  :  MUTV  :  Thursday Focus  :  David May & Helen Evans  –

MUTV is Manchester United FC’s own television channel, available only on subscription, and Russell was their guest on tonight’s Thursday Focus, joining David May and Helen Evans to discuss the team’s fortunes …

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17th January  :  ITV1  :  Good Morning Britain  :  Piers Morgan & Susanna Reid  –

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8th January  :  BBC Radio Merseyside  :  On The Beat  :  Spencer Leigh  –

Russell joins Spencer Leigh on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 82nd birthday for a special programme celebrating the music of ‘The King’ of rock ‘n roll.
From 38 minutes (00:38:22) into the programme
Available on BBC iPlayer Radio for 30 days after broadcast

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