Comedian and activist Mark Thomas has moved back in with his mum for the duration of the pandemic. He’s 57 and she’s 85. He says she’s curmudgeonly; she says he’s the most aggravating person on the planet. In this six-part podcast, he reflects on their lockdown life together while investigating the wider impact of COVID-19.

Every night, Mark calls health and care workers across the country for a chat. Humbling and often heartbreaking, these conversations reveal what life is like on the coronavirus front line.

Episode #1 is out now – https://wellcomecollection.org/series/XwROKRQAAGwR-YMk

“Stop press!” is a fantastically out of date expression and I suppose the modern equivalent is “Don’t press send!” However…

Stop press!

New podcast starts on Thursday 30th July! Mark Thomas’s Lockdown Check-up.

I have spent lockdown in isolation with my 85 year old mother who is a wonderfully cantankerous bloody minded great grandmother, who I am sure has been the muse for more than one Roald Dahl character. 
Throughout this time I have retreated into the guest room (the cell) to record conversations with health and care workers about their lives and experiences working in the pandemic. The results are candid, funny, tender and raw.

Weaving between my experience with my mum and the testimony from health workers I attempt to follow the hopes, fears and frustrations during this f*cking mad time.

The podcasts are commissioned by Wellcome Collection and are published weekly from 30th July at 10am.

This is where to find each episode https://wellcomecollection.org/stories
Also check out their website, it is worth a meander! 

Mark