Box 39

'Box 39' is the long-running and unique magazine radio show, originally broadcast on Colne Radio in North East Essex, UK. Fresh, innovative and unexpected, and blending gorgeous music, features, chat and banter, its a show based in the heart of our local, national and international community. What will come out of Box 39 next?

episode 181: BAD DECISIONS with CRAIG BARKER

We make up to 35,000 decisions, every day. – so it’snot surprising that decision fatigue can lead to Bad Decisions. In politics, sport, war and business, such flawed choices have triggered dramatic consequences, and changed our world.Box 39 puts on its lucky pants, and investigates.  With great music too, of course.With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen and Craig Barker.

03-14
01:00:00

episode 180: THE M25 with BILL LAWRANCE

The World's biggest car park? Or the engineering adventure that has boosted the economy, helped the rave scene, and generated its own iconic status?Join Bill as he drives around the second biggest bypass in the world, stopping only for a pasty and a strong coffee. With brilliant music too, of course!With Bill Lawrance

02-27
01:00:01

episode 179: SINGAPORE with BILL LAWRANCE

Bill is in Singapore, in south-east Asia, at Colne Radio listeners’ expense, to discover the history, the people and the places that make up the vibrant City-State that was named from the words Singa meaning Lion and Pura meaning City.  He travels on the driverless trains, gets caught in a rainstorm and visits a comedy club.  And finds out if chewing gum is illegal.And with great music, of course.With Bill Lawrance

02-13
01:00:00

episode 178: THE YORKSHIRE 3 PEAKS with IAIN TALLENTIRE

The Yorkshire 3 Peaks Walk is a demanding trek across rugged terrain, covering 24 miles and summiting three of the highest mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Join Bill, Iain and Adrian, and the outstanding beauty, rolling hills, and scenic valleys of Yorkshire, as they climb Pen-y-ghent, then Whernside, and finally Ingleborough - to try to complete this tough and challenging adventure within 12 hours.  And with great music, of course. With Bill Lawrance,  Adrian Coen and Iain Tallentire.

01-31
01:00:21

episode 177: THE BAHOWO SCHOOL TALES with BAHOWO

Bahowo is a small fishing village, by the South China Sea, on the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi, on the equator, to the east of Borneo and to the north of Java.  It’s a tropical paradise, of rain forest, warm clear seas, mangroves and volcanoes.  Bahowo may be nearly 8000 miles from northeast Essex and Colne Radio Towers but like here in the UK, it is where people work, and play, help each other, are happy and sometimes sad, where they celebrate and mourn, and where they live alongside each other.  At the heart of this community is Bahowo School, from where children of Bahowo have written their tales for us. With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, The Baroness Janet Fookes, Phil Boast, Paula Larcher, Sebastian and Cicha, and the children of Bahowo.

01-16
01:00:00

episode 176: IT’S CHRISTMAS, INNIT with MIKE HARWOOD

Seasonal capers, with live studio guests, including Queen Camilla, Jacob Rees Mogg, Tony Soprano, Michael Portillo, Kylie Minogue, Cameron Diaz, Liz Truss, Dame Edna, Julie Andrews, Rev, Justin Welby and many more.  You don’t get this on Radio 2! Warm, intimate conversation, and great music, and a Happy Christmas, from Box 39! With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Mike Harwood and many more…

12-20
01:00:00

episode 175: ALL PUNS INTENDED with IAN HORNETT

Live from Studio One, our very special guest is the Pun Meister General, author and writer Ian Hornett, who, despite his doubly debilitating conditions of advanced Pun-osis and hyper Pun-itis, delivers the most Dad joke puns possible. It’d the pun-acle of wordplay.  Some say they are cheesy – but we think they are Grate. Pun=compromising groan fodder, with great music too! With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Ian Hornett and Susie Dent

12-07
01:00:00

episode 174: THE BOWIE LETTERS with ADRIAN COEN

In May 1979, David Bowie released his album ‘Lodger’, triggering a series of letters between Adrian, Bowie and other public figures that lasted for over a year.  This correspondence - a fantastic voyage of personal growth and youthful curiosity - has lain hidden in a storage unit in Marks Tey, until now.  And against the background of Bowies music from ‘Lodger’, this remarkable history is now uncovered. With Adrian Coen

11-21
01:00:00

episode 173: ESSEX ISLANDS with BOB MAY & SIMON GRINHAM

Live from Studio One, we investigate those islands that make Essex such a unique and beautiful place. But Simon’s bees are loose in the studio, and Bob's got problems on the Isle of Thanet. With great music too, of course With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Bob May and Simon Grinham

11-09
01:00:01

episode 172: ABANDONED RAILWAYS with ANDREW OLDERSHAW

Live from Studio 1, we take a deep dive into the closures and revivals, and the legacies of Beeching. But why does Bill have a secret stash of red underpants, and where are the invisible trains? And with great music, of course. With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen and Andrew Oldershaw

10-25
01:00:00

episode 171: BLIMEY! IT’S PROFANITY! With TIM MORGAN

In our first live-streamed show, sponsored by The Devil’s Thumb Resurrectional Church of the Holy Superbness, will Tim Morgan steal the freshly odourised Senior Presenter’s Chair?  Adrian smells trouble. Can Fat Terry stop the swears or are on-air sackings inevitable? CAUTION: this show contains Enormous Feet. With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Tim Morgan and Billy Connolly

10-11
01:00:00

episode 170 - YOU ASK, WE ANSWER with BILL LAWRANCE

With this simple, and possibly award-winning concept, Bill is probed deeply by listeners, live in the studio. Where others have merely guessed, we find Truth. And a snake. And the perfect burger. You just don’t get that on Radio 4. With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Susie Cubes and KitKat Keith

09-26
01:00:00

episode 170: YOU ASK, WE ANSWER with BILL LAWRANCE

With this simple, and possibly award-winning concept, Bill is probed deeply by listeners,live in the studio. Where others have guessed, we find Truth.  You just don’t get that on Radio 4.   With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Susie Cubes and KitKat Keith

09-13
01:00:00

episode 169: A SAMPLER OF POWER LISTENING VOLUME 04 with BILL LAWRANCE & ADRIAN COEN

Once again we have assembled a selection of Box 39’s opening monologues from Bill Lawrance, and the opening musicologies that follow from Adrian Coen. There’s deep thought and clever cogitation from Colne Radio’s highest paid and most important Senior Presenter, and questionably a waste of your ear space, from its Junior Presenter. With Bill Lawrance and Adrian Coen

08-29
01:00:00

episode 168: A SAMPLER OF POWER LISTENING VOLUME 03 with BILL LAWRANCE & ADRIAN COEN

A further compilation of Box 39’s opening monologues from Bill Lawrance, and the opening musicologies that follow from Adrian Coen. Award winning higher thinking from Colne Radio’s highest paid and most important Senior Presenter, and morsels of unsubstantial guff and gristle from its Junior Presenter. With Bill Lawrance and Adrian Coen

08-22
01:00:00

episode 167: A SAMPLER OF POWER LISTENING VOLUME 02 with BILL LAWRANCE & ADRIAN COEN

Another collection of Box 39’s opening monologues from Bill Lawrance, and the opening musicologies that follow from Adrian Coen. Intelligent opinion from Colne Radio’s highest paid and most important Senior Presenter, and forgettable nonsense from its Junior Presenter. With Bill Lawrance and Adrian Coen

08-08
01:00:00

episode 166: A SAMPLER OF POWER LISTENING, VOLUME 01 with BILL LAWRANCE & ADRIAN COEN

A collection of Box 39’s opening monologues from Bill Lawrance, and the opening musicologies that follow from Adrian Coen - allowing us the opportunity to revisit the unique mind of Colne Radio’s highest paid and most important Senior Presenter, and the far less important idle witterings of its Junior Presenter. With Bill Lawrance and Adrian Coen

08-01
01:00:00

episode 165: SELF-HELP BOOKS with ADRIAN COEN

Either: This is an odyssey of Adrian’s personal development, through his newly discovered and intimate self-help library. Or:  Adrian lifts the covers on the spurious world of monetised fakery, which exploits weakness and need, as we all seek answers. It’s one or the other.   With Adrian Coen

07-25
01:00:00

episode 164 - INVESTIGATING YOGYAKARTA with ADRIAN COEN

Adrian takes a walk through Yogyakarta, this beautiful city on the Indonesian island of Java, known for its traditional arts and cultural heritage.  It’s a journey in real time, of memories, and of great music. With Adrian Coen

07-11
01:00:00

episode 163 – SPIES with CRAIG BARKER

Actress Madeline Smith, Roger Moore’s Bond Girl, reveals the secrets of Spying.  Adrian is collecting intelligence, Craig is hacking the data, and Bill is staring at goats.  But why is Justin Fashanu so angry, and who’s got his cigarettes? With Bill Lawrance, Adrian Coen, Craig Barker and Madeline Smith

06-28
01:01:11

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