In the two week run-up to World Book Night, Anne Robinson will be hosting a daily new chat show for BBC Two Daytime – My Life In Books, which invites well-known personalities to share their life in books. The programme is being made by BBC Scotland and will be on air in February 2011.
From authors and actors to television presenters and academics, each day two well-known guests will join Anne to discuss the books they love – and why. Through their choices the guests reveal their childhood, tough times and inspiring moments – both personal and professional.
This literary treat takes a journey through the world of books as the guests reveal the five books that mean the most to them, taking in fairytales that fired their imagination, heroes and heroines they dreamed of becoming, new worlds that were opened to them through children’s books, classic or contemporary novels, diaries, biographies, travelogues and perhaps even poetry or annuals.
Among the guests are: the Duchess of Devonshire, actors Larry Lamb and Elizabeth McGovern, comedians Sarah Millican and Hardeep Singh Kohli, authors PD James and Jeanette Winterson, and TV and radio favourites Sue Perkins, Giles Coren, Clare Balding, Richard Bacon and Sir Trevor McDonald.
Liam Keelan, Controller, BBC Daytime, says: “Revealing, informative and inspiring, this entertaining new series aims to celebrate books and those who love them.
“We’re always looking for distinctive programmes for Daytime and this follows in the footsteps of other factual series such as Great British Railways with Michael Portillo and Climbing Great Buildings with Dr Jonathan Foyle.
“Over the whole of 2011 we’ll be bringing viewers even more factual and arts programmes such as Show Me The Monet and Reel Britain with Melvyn Bragg.”
My life In Books is part of Free Your Imagination – Books On The BBC, a pan-BBC initiative that incorporates programming from radio, television and the BBC’s rich archive.
The 10 x 30-minute series is made by BBC Scotland. The commissioning executive is Jo Street, the executive producer is Eileen Herlihy and the series producer is Zoe Tait.
