New words watch
The Daily Telingraph

Lessons learned from last Wednesday's show

Sarah hates buying petrol...

... she also hates the Russian tennis beauties of today's world...

... as well as the song 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

Sarah's biog
Printed with kind permission of BBC
Sarah Kennedy is a familiar figure both on radio and television. Her television credits include, Game For a Laugh, Holiday and The Animals Roadshow. She began her broadcasting career in Singapore before joining Radio 2 in 1976, where she presented Family Favourites, and other programmes. Sarah has also ventured into writing - the publication of her first novel, Charlotte's Friends, followed the success of Terrible Twos and Terrible Pets, which were based on two collections of listeners' tales.

In 1995 Sarah received a prestigious Sony Gold Radio Award for her breakfast show.

Monday's playlist
'COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE' / DAVID GRANT

'LAY LADY LAY' / BOB DYLAN

'HOLLYWOOD' / MADONNA

'DESTINY' / ZERO 7

'FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN' / NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC

'HEY GIRL DON'T BOTHER ME' / THE TAMS

'WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL' / BOY MEETS GIRL

'YOU'RE THE STORM' / THE CARDIGANS

'WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD' / TONY BENNETT & K.D. LANG

'IT'S ONLY NATURAL' / CROWDED HOUSE

'TIME IS TIGHT' / BOOKER T. & THE MG'S

'WITH A LITTLE LUCK' / PAUL MCCARTNEY

'MY LITTLE TOWN' / SIMON & GARFUNKEL

'WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER' / SADE

'WHERE IS LOVE?' / MARK LESTER

'MAN ON A MISSION' / DARYL HALL

Lessons learned from today's show

Sarah uses baby oil to keep her pins looking great.

SK has a 1930s basin in the bathroom.

Someone was pulling wheelies on a motorcycle last night outside Sarah's window.

SK's enjoying Wimbledon, but not Boris Becker, whose voice she finds 'hard on the ear'. Although Sarah did say that she too 'loves broom cupboards"(!)

The smell of lavender reminds SK of the convent.

New word watch
The Flaming Lippingtons

Huzzah! Playlist now available
Visit the BBC website for Sarah's daily playlist.

Lessons learned from today's show

A listener asked Sarah what Fran Godfrey looks like. "Well," said Sarah (jokingly), "she's hideous. She has warts, lank hair, is three stone overweight, but has a nice personality."

SK came in with a wet T-shirt this morning.

Sarah loves cocker spaniels.

Her view on Simply Red is that one wouldn't want to meet them down a dark alley at night.

Found on the web!
Sarah's signed photo for sale -- only 99p!
"AN OFFICIAL BBC RADIO 2 POST CARD SIZED PHOTO OF SARAH KENNEDY.
SIGNED IN BLUE PEN - UNDEDICATED - REAL SIGNATURE NOT A PREPRINT.
EXCELLENT CONDITION"
As seen on ebay.co.uk.

Book: Brief Encounters: Brushes with the Famous and Infamous
As listeners to her show will know, Sarah has met, dined and slept with many famous people:

"From the grandson of Dr Crippen's cleaner and the little girl who told Al Jolson that he couldn't sing, to the eager punter who knocked over the Queen Mother while rushing to place a bet and the shop assistant who sold anti-wrinkle cream to Gerry Marsden. Don't miss this collection selected by "Bunty" herself and illustrated with cartoons. "

Buy the book from amazon.co.uk.

Book: Cats - Listeners Share Their Favourite Cat Stories with Sarah Kennedy
This wonderful book is available at amazon.co.uk.

Perfect for all animal lovers - as the reviewer says: "So if you want to know how 'Baggy Grey Pants' came about his name and why the entire vets surgery fell into fits of laughter when they heard it, or about the little girl who named her curly tailed cat Kinky and didn't understand for years why her father refused to call the cat indoors at night, or about the cat called Egon because the children kept asking 'Where's 'e gone? when he tried to escape their attentions, then this is the book for you."

Dearly Beloved's job
He's big in horseracing, apparently.
Gleaned from R2 messageboard.

Sarah's kettle broken!
Luckily, one kind listener came to SK's rescue and sent in a replacement. Well done!

Ants in her pants
Sarah is suffering from ants at the moment. They are running amok in her house.

Lessons learned from today's show
A guy's going to come in next week to record a jingle for 'It's showtime, luvvies!'.

He's going to be paid a curry for his work.

Sarah says...
"If I came back in another life I would love to be a wildlife cameraman" (13/06/03)

It's showtime, luvvies!
There's No Business Like Showbusiness (12/06/03)

Sarah says...
"Other shows have such interesting items... and all we have a vicar" (12/06/03)

It's showtime!
Singin' In The Rain

Sarah's back! -- it's showtime!
A tune from the musical 'Brazil' was played in the first ever bout of 'It's Showtime!'.
SK verdict: "You've really taken this new format to your bossoms"
(Sarah will be getting Guy Henry to record a jingle for this new bit of the show)

Sarah Kennedy -- even more from the novel
In Sarah's continued absence, here is some more from Nancy Bellis' new book...

"Sarah's tears fell from her eyes like porridge from a spoon. Her 12th birthday party was ruined by the death of her cat 'Chuglington' . Some say that this was the defining moment of her life, others can but praise one girls strength after enduring such pain.

Chuglington, as usual had been nestling in his favourite tree when Sarah accidently threw a rock toward it's skull - she had, in fact, been aiming for a suspicious looking squirrel.

"The squirrel was giving Chuglington 'that look' and I knew what had to be done" she sobbed, "I aimed, as best I could, but my eyes clenched tightly with angst as I saw my missile hurtle blindly towards my pedigree siamese. It fell from the tree like a sack of potatoes. I'll never forget that squelch."

Sarah had to have over three months away from school due to her constant guilt/tears and spent many years burying the sadness that, to this very day, has resulted in her absolute adoration of all things feline.

Her pain was so extreme that, to this day, if she is questioned about Chuglington she will deny everything.

There are many lessons to be learnt from such extraordinary humility. Lessons that, perhaps, one day, we will all be able to benefit from. Once more, via the remarkable healing powers of Sarah Kennedy, we can all gain an inner strength otherwise unotainable."

Printed by kind permission of Nancy Bellis

Sarah Kennedy -- more from the novel
Following public demand, here is another excerpt from Nancy Bellis' new book...

""My early years at playgroup", Sarah recently commented, "were an absolute squeal! Miss Chasm was my favourite teacher, she gave me a crayon and I drew a picture of a badger. Being only four, my scribbled artwork was simply beastly - but Miss Chasm said it was a work of genius"

If only Miss Chasm knew how prophetic those words were to be...

Childhood sweetheart Keith "Pringlington" Pringle remembers Sarah like it was yesterday. "I remember her like it was yesterday" he said yesterday, "she loved her crayons and was always knocking out pictures of badgers for the teachers. Last count, I think there were over three thousand of the things on the classroom wall. I remember so many good times with Sarah, especially at the school disco when she insisted that she be the deejay. She was excellent and I knew then that one day she would be the number one deejay on the nation's favourite radio station. And I was right.""

Printed by kind permission of Nancy Bellis

Sarah Kennedy -- the novel
Radio 2 message board poster Nancy Bellis has devoted a large amount of her time to researching and writing a novel all about Sarah. It is not a 'bonkbuster', but it promises to be an exciting and factual read - ideal for the beach. Here is an excerpt from chapter one...

"The sun shone that blessed morning in Cambridge as Barbara Kennedy pushed and pushed. "More sweat fell from my head during that birth than with the twins", Barbara later commented.

Ron held on tight to his wifes hand and whispered tenderly words of encouragement - "Push Barbara, push", Barbara followed his words of advice and her heart pounded as the baby was gradually squeezed out.

After a difficult pregnancy in which two midwives were injured, Sarah Elizabeth Felicity Buntington Kennedy finally plopped out and, according to one source, screamed 'like a crazed banshee' The beautiful bouncing baby, golden locks already in place, veritably shimmered like a new born star.

If only the proud Mrs Kennedy was to know quite how bright this particular star was destined to shine..."

Printed by kind permission of Nancy Bellis

Sarah is away this week
So here is a picture for you to enjoy of her with some swans.

From the Swan Sanctuary, Egham.