BBC RADIO 2: LOVE SONGS WITH MICHAEL BALL
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
I love when life comes full circle, especially when the new adventure presents a challenge. That’s what just happened for Michael Ball. Michael burst onto the West End scene in October of 1985, portraying Marius in LES MISERABLES. And now he is returning to LES MISERABLES in the role of Javert. Yes, he’s played Javert before, but this time it will be in the Touring Arena production of the show, a whole different ballgame. Working on an arena stage is both fun and challenging. Fun because your audience is ‘right there,’ right in front of you, and Michael loves being in close contact with his audience. Challenging because … well … I’ll get into that later. First, let’s enjoy Michael’s radio show …
“Hello, my lovelies. Welcome to LOVE SONGS WITH MICHAEL BALL. Two hours of positivity, celebrations, love, and hopefully tea & biscuits ‘cause it is a Sunday after all, isn’t it? And you can never have too much of them.” A soft giggle from Michael as he plays Luther Vandross ‘Never Too Much.’ Then: “So I made the Chili Arabbiatti sauce (a reference back to last week). Thank you for your interest. It’s not available in the shops but” (and his voice goes into a gravelly whisper “it was DELICIOUS!” Michael has finally gotten the message – we love hearing about what he whips up in his kitchen, about his culinary creations. Keep them coming, Michael. We can’t get enough.
Song Track List: Luther Vandross ‘Never Too Much’; The Police ‘Every Breath You Take’; Taylor Swift ‘I can Do It With A Broken Heart’; Jack Savoretti ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’; Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway ‘Where Is The Love’; Wendy Moten ‘Come In Out Of The Rain’; Sugababes ‘Too Lost In You’; Jim Croce ‘I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song’; Mark Ambor ‘Our Way’; Gladys Knight & the Pips ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’; George Michael ‘A Different Corner’; The Script ‘At Your Feet’; Sister Sledge ‘Thinking Of You’; Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars ‘Die With A Smile’; Julie London ‘Fly Me To The Moon’; Lonestar ‘Amazed’; The Platters ‘Only You’; Kenny Thomas ‘Thinking About Your Love’; Dan Fogelberg ‘Longer’; Stephanie Mills ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’
Your Special Day. Michael speaks with John on the Love Line. In 1999 a song John wrote made it to the finals of BBCWM (West Midlands). John decided to propose to Pam, his girlfriend, after he performed his song, but as the song finished he began to walk off the stage, having forgotten about the proposal. One of the judges stopped him and reminded him that he had something to say. 
John proposed to Pam in front of thousands of people. Backstage the local newspaper interviewed John and Pam, and they ended up on the front page of the paper! Unfortunately, John’s song didn’t win. “Listen,” Michael said, “you didn’t win the competition, but you won in life. You got your Pam. And I’ll tell you what. It was probably a lot easier to get down on your knees 25 years ago than it is now. I know the feeling, mate!” Michael then plays Jack Savoretti’s ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’ for the couple at the end of the segment. (I’m a sucker for this song!)
John proposed to Pam in front of thousands of people. Backstage the local newspaper interviewed John and Pam, and they ended up on the front page of the paper! Unfortunately, John’s song didn’t win. “Listen,” Michael said, “you didn’t win the competition, but you won in life. You got your Pam. And I’ll tell you what. It was probably a lot easier to get down on your knees 25 years ago than it is now. I know the feeling, mate!” Michael then plays Jack Savoretti’s ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’ for the couple at the end of the segment. (I’m a sucker for this song!)Back on the Love Line, Michael speaks with Allen. Yesterday Allen and Helen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They met in a pub when Allen accidentally stepped on Helen’s foot as he made his way from the bar to the men’s room. She was dancing at the time and had just taken her shoes off, her feet tired. It was love at first sight. “She completes me,” Allen tells Michael, who responds before playing ‘A Different Corner’ for them, “Go find her, take her in your arms and have a bit of a smooch like you wanted to do at the disco.” Oh, Michael, you can be such a romantic. Lovely.
After the news break, Michael returns, his voice warm and rich. “Oh, hello, my lovelies. This is LOVE SONGS WITH MICHAEL BALL. So nice to have your company today. We’ve got another hour, filled with love.” Michael reads some messages. I don’t mention these often, but Michael does such a great job conveying what people express in their emails. His years as an actor take over, and he always seems to genuinely feel their words.
Michael moves to the Love Line again, speaking to Julie, celebrating her 10th anniversary with Andy. Sixteen years ago they met in a bar when Julie pushed in front of Andy and he literally picked her up and moved her out of the way. This anecdote releases a string of giggles from our host. And then Julie enchants Michael by saying they have a special celebration planned: they’re taking a road trip to Preston next weekend! When she lists the stars she’s looking forward to seeing Michael says, “Weird you haven’t mentioned any of the DJ sets.” She responds: “Oh, yes, we’re coming to see you.” And we get an enormous blast of laughter from Michael, a wonderful way to end this segment.
Michael gives an unusual warning for the Love Letters segment. “Love Letters is always emotional but this week’s Love Letters contains some sensitive things and you might find it a bit upsetting. But I think it’s really special, so let’s do it, shall we?” Michael speaks with John who’s written a letter for his partner Gwen. “Why do you feel this is the right time for the letter?” Michael asks. John’s response: “I’ve got terminal cancer. I’m past my ‘sell by’ date by quite a while. I’m battling away, Michael. I don’t intend to let go too soon, but the writing is on the wall.” Of course Michael is deeply moved. “And Gwen has been there for you throughout this whole journey?” John says he couldn’t have gotten through it without her. He says he has prostate cancer and sadly he ignored the signs until it was too late. John urges everyone to get checked out, even if you don’t have the signs, go and have a blood test. Michael says from the age of 60 he’s been checked out. “I always call it a PSI, but it’s not a PSI because that’s what you do with your tires!” Both men laugh heartily. “I went into the doctor,” Michael continues, “and said I got to check my PSI. And the doctor said, well, I’m not a mechanic!” John is still laughing. “I like that. I like to laugh.” Michael’s response? “I know, mate, and if I can make you laugh I absolutely will.” This is SO Michael, always wanting people to laugh, to feel joy, and doing his best to make it happen. Michael rings up Gwen, John’s wife, who is clearly surprised to hear Michael Ball on the other end of the phone. She is deeply moved that John has done this, and John reads his heartfelt letter to her. I cannot begin to describe this man’s beautiful words. I sat here listening, my laptop a blur, crying quietly, for this lovely man and his wife and all they’re going through. Afterwards, Michael says, “Here’s what we know. Life is fleeting. And time is precious. And memories are really all we’re left with at the end, and they’re the things that matter. You’ve made such wonderful memories together. John, I think you’re amazing, mate, for doing this. It’s a brave thing to do, to be that open and that honest. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to play a record for you, one you have in mind, John. ‘Only You’ by The Platters. I want you to put the radio up, and I want you to get into each other’s arms, have the biggest clutch and know that you’re there for each other, yeah?” I’m sobbing by now. This Love Letters segment will go down as one of the very best Michael brought to the show, full of meaning and emotion, giving us so much to think about. Thank you, Michael. Thank you.
The Last Dance is for Nora and Cliff, celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. Stephanie Mills ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before.’
And that’s it. Time flies when Michael’s on the radio. He put together a beautiful show and now it’s back to rehearsals for Touring Arena production of LES MIS. I’m sure most of you know the new challenges an arena stage presents for Michael and the cast – the stage is in the center, the audience surrounding it, meaning an actor has to make sure he rotates often enough so as to give everyone an even shot at seeing his face. Entrances and exits are made from various aisles instead of the wings on a proscenium stage. In a way, the theatre becomes three-dimensional, which I love, and I’ll bet Michael does, too. For any of you lucky enough to see this production, I’m sure it will be a memory you won’t easily forget. Now my question is this: Will this production be the end of Michael’s LES MISERABLES road? Will he feel he’s done all he can with the show? Don’t count on it. Not as long as there’s a new Les Mis challenge out there! 
Today’s Love Song of the Week is Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer Than,” a beautiful song.