Made in the Midlands

Henry Normal is anything but normal. A prolific poet and writer, he grew up in a poor part of Nottingham and nearly killed himself, after putting on a World War 2 gas mask he found while playing in the rubble of a city bombsite.Before he became a teenager his mother died, after which he became more introverted, learning to “escape” day-to-day life by reading and watching films. He was set for a prosperous and successful career in the insurance industry but gave it all up to take to the stage. “What have I got to add to the great soap opera of life?” he asked himself, before embarking on his adventure. The world was about to find out.Touring the comedy circuit in the north of England, he met Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash, with whom he was destined to write one of Britain’s best loved comedies – The Royle Family. Normal and Steve Coogan teamed up to form the Baby Cow Production company – which made Gavin and Stacey and the film Philomena. Normal also found time to start annual poetry festivals in Manchester and in Nottingham.He lives on the south coast but continues to support his beloved Nottingham Forest and has recently performed in all 12 of the city’s libraries. “I love coming from Nottingham, there’s lots of brilliant things about the East Midlands.” His journey takes in an iconic record shop in Notts, Seamus Heaney and a cheque for a million pounds, and a man earning a living by eating up a bag of onions on stage.Midlands Hero: Alan Sillitoe. “He was one of the people who made me believe you could write as a working class lad,” says Henry. “It was the world I inhabited that he was doing.” He recalls reading The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and initially being puzzled when the main character stopped running. “And then I understood. He’d rather lose on his own terms than win on somebody else’s.”This episode was recorded in July 2023 in front of a live audience at the Palace Theatre, Newark. Commissioned by Newark Book Festival and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Image of Henry Normal by Richard Davis. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Adrian's mission to find out what defines our region and what makes a Midlander comes to an end, for now... He's spoken to 9 famous folk from central England - five men, four women, one novelist, two musicians, a pair of film directors, a couple of sports stars, one actor, one MP. It’s been quite a journey - so here’s a brief debrief.Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image Credits: Lee Child - Brian Aris Pauline Black - Dean Chalkley Ken Loach - Paul Crowther Nitin Ganatra - Craig Topham Debbie Isitt - eOne Tom Clarke - Robin Pope Steve Ogrizovic - CCFC Jess Phillips - Jess PhillipsEllie Simmonds - Ellie SimmondsWho are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Paralympian Ellie Simmonds is starting a life away from the Midlands but still lives close enough to the motorway to be able to get to the place she will always call home: “To be that poster girl for the Midlands... It makes me so proud because I love the Midlands. I love going back home. I love being able to talk about the Brummie accent and all those amazing things that Birmingham has to offer.” Midlands Hero: Dave Heeley aka “Blind Dave” - a phenomenal charity fund raiser from Birmingham. Ellie met him at a sports award ceremony - “I remember just being in awe of him…”Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Ellie Simmonds courtesy of Ellie Simmonds. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley since 2015, Jess has lived her entire life in the city. She did study at Leeds University. But came home every weekend. “I belong here. I belong in Birmingham,” she says, “ I can feel it when I'm on the train on the way back from London every week. My shoulders start to relax when I get through the Chilterns.”Jess is best known for her campaigning to end violence against women and, as we’ll hear, campaigning is in her DNA. As a child she used to go to Women's Liberation Playgroup and recalls, as an older child, time spent turning the handle on the rudimentary copier in the garage to make Labour Party leaflets. Jess talks about weekly Saturday trips to BMAG - the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - with her grandfather, her Brummie accent accounting for 'at least a third' of her success and how coming from the city means absolutely everything to her. "The most important thing I am is a Brummie, without question."Midlands Heroes:Sara Ward CEO Black Country Women’s Aid and Maureen Connolly CEO Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid.“Between these two women, their efforts have, every year, saved tens of thousands of lives. And we just don't even know who they are.”This episode was recorded with an audience at a sold out event in Draper’s Hall, Coventry. It contains mild language and references to sexual harrassment. Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Jess Phillips courtesy of Jess Phillips. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Coventry City goalkeeping legend Steve Ogrizovic tells the hair-raising wartime story of how his father came to be a miner in Nottinghamshire, the “embarrassment” of queuing for school dinner tokens during a strike, joining the police force and bowling out Viv Richards in a lesser known cricket career. As a footballer he sat on the bench while Liverpool won Europe’s most prestigious trophies, but spent the rest of his life at Midlands clubs - including a remarkable 16 years as Coventry’s number one. Midlands Memory: The Open Top Bus Parade through Coventry after CCFC won the FA Cup in 1987: "It was supposed to take 45 minutes but three and a half hours later we still hadn’t reached the council offices...That particular day, the whole of Coventry, and some more, came out to applaud the team home and it just became absolutely an incredible place.”Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Steve Ogrizovic courtesy of Coventry City Football Club. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

The frontman of The Enemy was born in the heart of the West Midlands. “I grew up in Castle Bromwich, which is Solihull or Birmingham, depending on who you’re trying to impress.” He talks to Adrian about his love of manufacturing, especially cars, and of family plus his determination to offer a leg up to other young Midlands artists.Midlands Masterpiece: “My Land Rover 1966 Series 2A. On the Land Rover badge it says Solihull, Warwickshire. I feel immensely proud of that.”Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Tom Clarke © Robin Pope Instagram: @robinpopephotoWho are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Film director Debbie Isitt played truant after making her mind up at an early age that she wanted to be involved in the arts. A slot on a children's Saturday morning TV show sealed it. “I went on Tiswas as part of my dancing school. I just thought, what do I need school for? I'm on my way, I'm on the telly.” Debbie reveals to Adrian how she could have gone to Hollywood to ply her trade, but instead, she stayed in the Midlands and makes internationally acclaimed films at her house in the city she’s proud to call home.Midlands Hero: “My Dad – a real Peaky Blinder.”Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Debbie Isitt courtesy of eOne. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Actor Nitin Ganatra (EastEnders, Bride & Prejudice, Charlie & the Chocolate Facotry) was a shy, overweight immigrant boy with a stammer and was subjected to horrific bullying and racial abuse while growing up in Coventry. Two teachers persuaded him to audition for a school play, helping him overcome his low confidence and gain a place at Bristol University to study drama.“I opened my mouth, everything started to flow, no stammer, no insecurity, nothing. I just began to speak in character and I sang a solo and I got a standing ovation.”Midlands Manifesto: “To create an environment (in the Midlands) to live in, which is a little bit more colourful and a bit more arty."Content warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions and language relating to racial abuse.Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Nitin Ganatra © Craig Topham. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu

Award-winning film director, Ken Loach, talks to Adrian about his Midlands identity. Recorded at a sold out event in Coventry Cathedral, Ken becomes emotional as he recalls hearing the news from a neighbour that the building had been bombed during the Second World War. “A neighbour came in and said they'd destroyed the cathedral. I remember the smell of the night air and the horror... and, of course, we knew there were many killed as well.”Midlands Masterpiece: Coventry Cathedral. “These two churches together. They speak of tragedy and ultimate hope. And I think we've got to hang on to that.”Commissioned by Coventry City of Culture 2021 and proudly produced by Loftus Media. Music by Maia Miller-Lewis. Image of Ken Loach © Paul Crowther. Who are your Midlands Heroes and what are your Midlands Masterpieces? Tell us at: madeinthemidlands@loftusmedia.co.ukDive into the sound of the Midlands via our 'Made in the Midlands' playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTguCtjyUEMxzGoQYheLu