New Release + Blog Competition

The Bassey Blog are delighted to announce the forthcoming release Shirley Bassey – BBC Archive Voices and we are holding a free prize draw for fans to win one of 6 downloads worth £5.49 each!

This new series is a fascinating collection of archive radio interviews from programmes such as Woman’s Hour, Parkinson, Desert Island Discs, Front Row, Today, Start the Week, Kaleidoscope, Late Night Line-Up and others in which key figures from the world of entertainment, sport, politics and literature talk about their careers and private lives.
 

The Bassey download contains interviews from 1963 to 2009. Other titles available from 1st October include Bette Davis, Brian Clough, Margaret Thatcher, Noel Coward, Paul McCartney and Roald Dahl.

Cover: Shirley Bassey Interviews 1963 to 2009

Leave a comment below to enter the free draw. Closing date 30th Sep 2011 and comments left after this date (GMT) will not be counted.

The Bassey Blog welcomes all new releases of archive material and like every other fan out there hopes that other areas of the BBC will follow suit and release the long overdue 70s BBC TV Series on DVD!

With special thanks to AudioGo for producing this release. For those not lucky enough to win a copy, it can be downloaded here.

Release Date: 1st Oct 2011

‘Shirley’ Biopic on BBC2

Ruth Negga as a young Shirley.

BBC2 are to screen the biopic ‘Shirley’ at 9pm on Thursday 29th September.  Ruth Negga has been cast as the young Shirley, Lesley Sharp is playing the role of her mother and Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Kenneth Hume.  Dame Shirley herself has had nothing at all to do with the biopic but I understand her voice has been used for the singing.

Ruth Negga states she only had 8 days to prepare for the part and is anxious she does not appear as a parody of Shirley.  The programme lasts for 1 hour 10 mins and concentrates on Shirley’s early life and her rise to stardom.  It’s the first time Shirley has been the subject of a biopic and hopefully it will be accurate and interesting.  The critics so far have been very positive and I’ve only heard good reviews.

There has been no comment from Dame Shirley or her representatives about this programme.  I only hope the programme does her justice.

Later at midnight BBC2 are showing a 20 mins ‘slice’  from the Electric Proms.  Why only 20 mins I have no idea.  Following that there will be a repeat of the the ‘Imagine’ programme featuring Dame Shirley.

Dame Shirley at the Electric Proms.