Clair is a writer and audio producer. She has developed and produced radio documentaries, music series, comedy shows and associated animations for the BBC (see key credits below). Clair has a Diploma in Script Development from the NFTS and has a number of writing projects in development in addition to on going work for the BBC. Twitter: @CLWordsworth
KEY BBC RADIO CREDITS:
5 SERIES of ‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ for BBC Radio 2 (2016-2021) presented by Barry Humphries. Described as:
“One of the best made, most thoughtful and entertaining shows on radio…Humphries makes the airwaves glow” by The Sunday Times
“Truly beautiful radio” by the Radio Times
“Humphries mines that seam of old popular music thatlives on the corner of comfy andweird” by the Guardian
“The show is marvellous and truly connects some very old music into a contemporary world with colour, humour and relevance. It is excellent” Lewis Carnie, Head of BBC Radio 2
The series has also frequently been selected by BBC Radio 4’s, ‘Pick of the Week’
Four series have been broadcast between 2016-2020, with another series due to be released in 2021.
‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Christmas’ presented by Barry Humphries was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Day 2016 from 6pm-8pm. This follows a successful three part series of ‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ broadcast in January 2016 (more below). This Christmas Day programme features music from the likes of Jack Hylton, Billy Williams, Gracie Fields, Leslie Sarony, Ronnie Ronalde, Tessie O’Shea, Vera Lynn and Max Miller among others. Chosen as pick of the day by The Guardian and Mail on Sunday.
‘The Sheila Tracy Tapes’ for BBC Radio 2 (broadcast on 21st September 2016 at 10pm). Introduced by Ken Bruce, the programme celebrates Sheila Tracy’s long commitment to swing, big band and jazz music. Sheila Tracy presented Big Band Special on BBC Radio 2 for 21 years from 1979 until 2000. When she passed away in 2014, Sheila left behind a treasure trove of interviews with great jazz and big band musicians. These tapes provide unique insights, not only into the development of swing music, but also into the lives and attitudes of the musicians who played it. Sheila’s interviewees include: Artie Shaw, Nelson Riddle, Chris Barber, Helen Forrest, Bill Finnegan and George Shearing… (Strauss House Productions). The programme was featured by Helen Lederer on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Pick of the Week’. The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph and The Radio Times also wrote nice things about ‘The Sheila Tracy Tapes’.
In January 2016 Clair produced the BBC Radio 2 music series ‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ presented by Barry Humphries. It won praise from The Radio Times, Telegraph, New Statesman, The Times, Observer, Independent, Guardian and Mail.
“The best Radio 2 series in this, or any month for as long as I can remember”
The New Statesman, Antonia Quirke
In this three part series, Barry Humphries recalls his musical memories and transports listeners to a bygone era with a selection of the finest vintage recordings by artists who made their name during the age of the wireless.
“Humphries weighs every word in his script, switching between what a child would hear in a record and what time has since taught him about it. He speaks lightly, firmly, allusively, letting the listener make connections to the music and its context…a wonderful trio of programmes”
The Telegraph, Gillian Reynolds
9th March 2015 – BBC Radio 2 Documentary
‘Sax Appeal: Ivy Benson’s All Girl Band’ presented by Melanie C of The Spice Girls. This programme was the second documentary produced by Clair about the oft-forgotten British Band Leader Ivy Benson. This programme for Radio 2 picks up Ivy’s story from 1950 and brings it right up-to-date.
“The music is lovely, the interviewees fun and the story worth telling” – The Times.
The above documentary was the follow up to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Ivy Benson: Original Girl Power’, also presented by Melanice C – see below.
18th October 2014 – BBC Radio 4 documentary
‘Ivy Benson: Original Girl Power’ presented by Melanie C of The Spice Girls the documentary celebrated the lasting musical legacy of British Band Leader Ivy Benson, who rose to fame in the 1940s will her all girl dance band. It featured interviews with six women who were all members of Ivy’s band during the 1940s.
“A captivating and thoughtful documentary” – The Telegraph.
&
No. 1 radio highlight – The Radio Times.
- Link to BBC News Online Article.
- Link to Radio Times Article written by Melanie C.
- Link to Spectator Review.
2013 – Co-producer of the commercial release of the Sony Award Winning radio documentary ‘Feeling Good: The Nina Simone Story’. The documentary was presented by Nina’s daughter Simone. Since the success of the radio documentary Simone is now in the process of adapting her Mother’s story into a feature film documentary.
2009-2012 – Producer of radio comedy ‘Two Episodes of Mash’ (original pilot & two series) for BBC Radio 4 & BBC Radio 2 (the show transferred to R4 when R2 cut its comedy strand in 2012). You can watch two animations in association with the show – A Fishy Tale – and – What Spiders Think. As well as Diane Morgan & Joe Wilkinson the shows featured David O’Doherty & brief appearances from Graham Norton, Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, Ken Bruce and Aled Jones.
“I really love this show – Jack Dee
“brilliant radio” – Telegraph
“surreal genius” – Radio Times
2004/2005 – In producing the pilot and first two series of ‘Two Episodes of Mash’, Clair drew on her experience of working behind the scenes of the Sony Award Winning radio comedy series ‘Flight of the Conchords’ and also ‘The Day the Music Died’ with Jon Holmes, Andrew Collins and Robin Ince, both for BBC Radio 2.
Prior to going freelance, Clair was a BBC member of staff for over 10 years working across much of Radio 2’s output: ‘Elaine Paige on Sunday’, Janice Long, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Children In Need (auction with Terry Wogan)… as well as large scale orchestral concerts ‘Friday Nights is Music Night’ and ‘Proms in the Park’ with world-class musical artists and hosted by Terry Wogan. Clair has also produced and presented programmes for local radio and was a Reporter for BBC Radio 4 (‘Open Country’ and ‘On Your Farm’) and BBC Radio 5-Live (‘Late Night Currie’ with Edwina Currie and ‘Movie It’). Clair has completed the BBC’s intensive journalism training course, has a thorough grounding in media law and has dealt with tough editorial issues.