This is a really good piece by @adey70.bsky.social for The Big Issue. An accurate assessment of what to expect of Channel 5's new Play for Today, which mentions some of the less often trumpeted greats from the original strand, like Destiny (1978), Sorry (1981) &, actually, The Spongers (1978).

Power cut in the middle of screening of The Hack (new phone hacking and much more drama coming soon to ITV). Clearly some powerful people don’t want us to watch…

This whole thread. Scary times for the arts. We take our brilliant, innovative, skilled (and lucrative) arts sector for granted at our peril. "These planned cuts mean that by 2029, the government is projected to be spending well over a third less per citizen on Culture, Media & Sport in real terms…"

Was great to talk with Prof Les Back about his new BBC Radio 4 documentary exploring the idea of football chants as folk music. Read all about it in @bigissue.com - on sale now. And listen tonight on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Norm! www.bigissue.com/culture/tv/g...

Fantastic ending to Baroness Kidron's speech in the House of Lords yesterday, which led to the government's defeat on AI & copyright. Speaking the UK's creators: "Their property, their labour, is worthy of your protection - because apart from anything else, it is not ours to give away."

"War is an absolute waste of everything – time, money, lives. It doesn’t improve anything. It just proves you’ve got some egotistical man trying to improve his status. Because men start wars, women don’t." This week's @bigissue.com cover star Dorothea Barron (100)… www.bigissue.com/life/ve-day-...

We’re proudly working with the V&A on an exciting new project that champions grassroots music venues and their cultural legacy - and you can be a part of it. Contribute your artefacts from between 1988-2025 by contacting [email protected] before May 31.

The same Tony Blair has been paid to advise oil rich autocratic states including Azerbaijan, UAE and Kazakhstan This should be included in *every* story about his net zero comments www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Bless my cotton socks, I'm in the news (pages of the Big Issue magazine)… 2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/adrian-lobb

I don't DJ very often. I'm rubbish at it. Way too indecisive. But when I do, I always play Non-Alignment Pact by Pere Ubu, whether anyone wants me to or not. RIP David Thomas… www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leax...

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE etc

“Every sentence flows and dazzles like liquid gold, every paragraph has its own rhythm.” 📘 Big Issue books editor Jane Graham celebrates the centenary of F Scott Fitzgerald’s Great American Novel, first published in April 1925. ⬇️ buff.ly/izT9mWh

Signed...

"I never had a problem with anything other than handling my own obsessions." Really interesting to talk with David James, who I first saw playing for Watford v Derby County in 1992. 3-1 to Derby. He remembered. He remembers every game, every scoreline. www.bigissue.com/culture/engl...

“It’s a classic story - a band from the UK who might have reached seminal levels if only they had been from Chicago.” I interviewed actual Billy Mahonie - whose tour starts tonight - and their old sound engineer, Paul Epworth… www.bigissue.com/culture/musi...

Wet Leg secret gig at the Moth Club last night was ace, playing as ‘Uma Thurman’. Loads of new songs. First new one was great. And one that might be called Pillow Talk. And the one they played after Chaise Longue. And one near the end. Thanks for reading my gig review.

Big Issue's Kids Cover Competition is back for Earth Day – judged by the legendary Chris Packham

EXC: How UK's biggest companies lock autistic people out of jobs with personality tests ➡️Morrison's, John Lewis, McDonald's, Co-op +more using tests ➡️"I just don't stand a chance" say autistic jobseekers, as charities tell @bigissue.com tests may be discriminatory www.bigissue.com/news/employm...

Sense was the only disability charity that supplied evidence to a Public Accounts Committee report, which said the DWP was providing 'unacceptably poor service' to disability benefits claimants. ⛔️ Its policy and public affairs advisor writes about why change is needed. ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4jwxVgV

hello 👋 looking to hear from people working on any sweet photo or art projects in the areas of: social justice and activism; housing and homelessness; nature and climate change; immigration; health; human rights; other cool stuff is this you? hit me up on ryan dot butcher at big issue dot com

He’s reading my interview with Nicola Coughlan about the Doctor Who Christmas special…

In perhaps his most personal column to date, Big Issue editor Paul McNamee writes about how this time last Christmas, his family was standing on the edge of a deep drop. They just didn’t know it yet. ✍️ Read his words on mental health, transporting trees, and hope. ⬇️ https://buff.ly/41ECwHk

It was a thrill to represent @bigissue.com in this match at Kingsmeadow (home of Chelsea FC Women). At 50, I thought I'd hung up my boots (they went to the charity shop in 2015). But I scored in a 7-3 victory over the Mayor and his Politician pals! Now we all join forces to tackle rough sleeping…

Here's an update on our eviction battle. Thanks for all your continued support, it means the world to us ❤️

"I guarantee we will definitely not be coming back." Oh! What's occurring? Only a MASSIVE exclusive Gavin & Stacey interview with Ruth Jones and James Corden across FIVE PAGES in @bigissue.com magazine – on sale from today. Please seek out your local vendor…

Aha. Amazing. This is the picture Steve McQueen told me about when I interviewed him here – the one that unlocked the whole idea for the film Blitz… www.bigissue.com/culture/film...

"Give it to someone special!" Just got my hands on new @bigissue.com, out today, featuring my interview with Andrew Ridgeley celebrating 40 years of Last Christmas, talking about George's marvellous melody and recalling how Wham! made it big in 1984. Please buy a copy from your local vendor…

Dolly Mixture reunion at the Rachel Love & the Loveables afternoon gig at the Betsey Trotwood yesterday. Packed pub on a gloomy afternoon. Was VERY hard to leave…

On the streets of Liverpool, there is a humanitarian crisis A perfect storm of problems means more and more people are finding themselves homeless & sleeping rough & it’s getting worse - it’s a situation playing out across the country A difficult 🧵 on what I’ve found reporting on this situation

Moth Club is one of the very best small venues in the whole of the UK. The fact that it's under threat is appalling. Please sign. www.change.org/p/moth-club-...

Couldn't see an equivalent starter pack, so I brought together the media watchers (journalists, brands, commentators) I respect and admire on both sides of the Atlantic. Will update as others migrate to Bluesky. go.bsky.app/Jz2bwjA

Follow this lot to see why Big Issue was recently described as having "punchy, buccaneering swagger” and "steely campaigning focus" when given an Outstanding Achievement in Journalism award by the Society of Editors…

“Don’t make me sound like a weirdo but….” I interviewed #Strictly favourite Chris McCausland for @bigissue.bsky.social - and he was funny, charming, open and slightly obsessed with toilets. Read on… www.bigissue.com/culture/tv/c...

Hi Bluesky! We've created a (constantly-growing) starter pack for you rounding up all the Quietus editors, writers and contributors who've made the move over here. Go on - give everyone a mass-follow! go.bsky.app/i6DSod

NEW: “i hope we create a world where lgbtq+ people don’t have to ‘edit’ ourselves out of fear” this is the reality of being queer on public transport: choosing between pride and safety powerful piece from @lgbthero.org.uk for @bigissue.bsky.social 👇 www.bigissue.com/opinion/quee...

I've been at @bigissue.bsky.social today covering the latest eviction figures, which revealed that Section 21 "no-fault" eviction claims are at their highest level in eight years Campaigners called no-fault evictions a "gross injustice" that leave renters "living in fear"

Big Issue is here! Give us a follow… @bigissue.bsky.social

This is massive news! Grassroots music venues are vital and so precarious. We could lose so much if there isn’t action. So I am delighted that Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant has brought the weight of government behind the levy. Congrats MVT. Heroes. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Favourite thing about being on here more now is having this song as a constant earworm… www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-36...

I wrote this week’s Big Issue cover story interview with Chris McCausland. Love him on Strictly. Also loved how excited he was to have once done his pre-gig “lucky poo” on a toilet previously used by Eddy Vedder. For all this insight and more, it’s on sale now…

Strong recommend for #Wonka and a bit of song and dance magic this rainy weekend. Chalamet, chocolate and a comic critique of capitalism. What more do we need? I liked it so much I interviewed Simon Farnaby and Mathew Baynton about it for The Big Issue… www.bigissue.com/culture/film...

"It’s like John’s there, you know? It’s far out.” I gather everyone saw this yesterday. Maybe on The One Show. But wow. www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJA...