Duncan Leven writes:

Producing the Sunday night Choices programme for Boom Radio must be one of the best radio gigs I could have ever asked for.

Working with the presenter Phil Riley on this weekly hour of music and conversation is a privilege. I don’t just say that because he’s our CEO and he told me to say that - but producing and engineering the show alongside him is a hugely rewarding experience. 

The critical part of the process is identifying the right guests – boomers with a story to tell. Sometimes household names – but also simply people who’ve achieved fascinating things.

If you had told me I’d one day be chatting with people like Sir Tim Rice, Simon May, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mike Batt, PP Arnold, Madeline Bell or Jaki Graham, to name but a few, I'd have thought you were joking. They are people I’ve admired for years, and the opportunity to spend time with them is a true gift.

In practical terms, the first stage is by arranging a date with the guest, whether directly or via their agent or management. In this digital age, we no longer have to journey to a radio studio to record - we just ask them to plonk themself in front of their computer with a decent headset and microphone and then connect online using our special broadcast software.

A real collateral benefit of this is that guests are in their own homes. In those familiar surroundings, I feel they are themselves and they open up in a way they perhaps might not in a glossy studio surrounded by producers with clipboards.

Tony Christie spoke honestly and fully about his dementia diagnosis. We’ve spoken with Tony a few times over the years and, most recently, he revealed movingly how he copes and how his family helps him when he’s away from the spotlight and the music.

Another recent guest was Times journalist Melanie Reid, a truly remarkable woman, who became tetraplegic following a terrible horse-riding accident. The way in which Melanie described her accident and her inner strength in coming to terms with the severity of her injuries moved me. It was one of those conversations which made me realize how fragile we all are.

What I particularly enjoy are those moments around the recording—the ones when we’re not yet into the programme proper but just simply chatting about everyday things. You get to glimpse the person behind the artist—their daily routine, their pursuits, and how they feel.  I recall a wonderful impromptu tour of Sir Tim Rice's house when he had to move to get a better wifi signal with laptop in hand. I won’t reveal any details of what we saw but safe to say if I’d made the same journey in my house I would have to get the bus home.

The music choices of our guests and the stories behind them always impress, particularly great songwriters like Albert Hammond, Roger Greenaway and Don Mclean to name but three. It’s fascinating to witness how certain tracks have shaped their lives from the first record they ever bought to a song that helped them change direction or even an artist that influenced their career. This exclusive peek into their world through the soundtrack of their life never fails to captivate me.

To me, Choices is more than just a radio programme. I’ve worked in professional radio for over 35 years now and have been lucky enough to meet some of the biggest names in the world of entertainment, but Choices is a space for connection and storytelling. It’s more than just an interview; it’s a real chance to get to know the person behind the spotlight.

Hear Choices on Sunday nights at 9pm, with a repeat on Thursdays at 9pm