Private Lives
Private Lives is a simple feature series in which ordinary people talk about themselves and how they experience everyday life in Britain. The series - first broadcast in 1997 - was produced by Amber Barnfather and presented by Sue Waldram.
Part 9
In this last programme of
Private Lives meet Richard Harvey, a pub landlord.
Update as of January 2009: Richard is now married to Joanne. They no longer live above the pub though, as he sold the Ducks Don't Float pub and now owns a pub and a taxi company in Stratford-upon-Avon. He and Martyn are still friends.
Part 8
Meet Matthew Nicholls, a computer science student at Cardiff University.
Update as of January 2009: It wasn't mentioned in the programme but throughout his teenage years, every summer, Matthew's parents sent him to Italy to work in leather workshops and tanneries. After completing his degree in computer science he studied for a Masters in Leather Science. He lived in Vincenza in Italy for a year, learnt to speak Italian fluently, came back to the UK - to the North to work for a leather company.
Part 7
We meet Alan Gowans, the manager of a large supermarket.
Update as of January 2009: Alan's role has changed three times since 1997 but he is still with Sainsbury's, where he now works as a regional manager. Alan enjoys cycling and often takes part in charity bike rides - the latest one he completed went from Bristol to London.
Part 6
Meet Frances Homan, a Schools Officer at The National Gallery in London.
Update as of January 2009: A year after the programme was broadcast, Frances left the National Gallery and moved to San Francisco where she married an architect. They now have 7-year-old twin boys who are half English and half Chinese-American. Frances works for a company called Antenna Audio, who produce museum audio and multimedia tours all over the world. She researches and writes scripts for them, for museums such the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery and Tate Britain in London, and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Part 5
In this edition, meet Anna, a schoolgirl.
Try this quiz about teenagers:
Update as of December 2008: Having completed her GCSEs and A-levels, Anna went on to gain a First Class degree in Sound Arts & Design from University of the Arts, London. Music has remained her passion: she has worked as a music journalist, as well as pursued her own songwriting. She now sings in and writes songs for an up-and-coming indie band and they are releasing their first single and video in early 2009.
Part 4
We meet Angela Simpson, a police officer with special responsibility for recruiting young people from ethnic minorities who are interested in a career in the police service.
Try this quiz about the police:
Update as of December 2008: Angela has worked in many places in England as a front line officer, also as a trainer, teaching Law and Police Procedure. Now she is back with the Force as Community Engagement Officer. She lives with her partner in a small village outside of the West Yorkshire area but regularly visits her family who still live in Leeds. And she's been to Jamaica - in her own words, 'the most beautiful country I have visited - but I guess I am biased'.
Part 3
Meet the British Army Officer Lawrence Kerr.
Try this quiz about serving in the Army:
Update as of December 2008: Since the programme was recorded, Lawrence Kerr has been promoted several times and served in Kenya, Italy (with NATO) and Germany. In 2004 he was honoured by HM Queen in the New Year's honours list and awarded the MBE. At present Lawrence is working as the career manager for the whole of the Household Division managing the careers of all soldiers in the Guards.
Part 2
We meet Debbie Davies, a reporter. We'll hear about Debbie's life, her interests, and how she combines a successful career as a journalist with being a mother.
Try this quiz about reporting the news and journalism:
Update as of November 2008: Eleven years on, Debbie's children have flown the nest and she now lives in Ely, Cambridgeshire, working as the Editor of "The Ely Standard".
Part 1
In this first episode of
Private lives we meet Mo Crow, a show manager at the Royal Albert Hall in London. We apologise for some minor variations in the sound of this archive material.
Try this quiz about the Royal Albert Hall, one of London's most famous attractions:
Update as of November 2008: Mo and Adrian now live together. They have two children. But, contrary to Mo's own prediction of eleven years ago, they haven't moved to live in the countryside; Mo still works at the Royal Albert Hall, but part-time.
Links to other Talk about English series
Talk About English: Academic Listening
Talk About English: Business Language To Go
Talk About English: Insight plus
Talk About English: Who on Earth are we?
Talk About English: Better Speaking
Talk About English discussion programmes
