My Time Capsule is a new, weekly podcast which asks one simple question of its famous guests – “What are the five things from your life that you would put into a time capsule?”
The podcast is hosted by the actor, Michael Fenton Stevens (Benidorm, My Family, Only Fools and Horses, Nighty Night, The Crown)
Fenton Stevens asks guests to select five things from their lives that they would put into a time capsule,
Future episodes include interviews with star guests, actors, comedians and musicians such as Mark Gatiss, Rebecca Front, the Rev. Richard Coles, Richard Herring, Rufus Hound, Chris Addison, Miles Jupp, Griff Rhys-Jones, Anna Ptaszynski, Andy Hamilton, Lucy Porter, Tony Hawks, Rick Wakeman, Shane Richie, John Lloyd and Anthony Head .
“It’s been a fascinating thing to put together,” says Michael, “a real journey of discovery. The items my guests choose are all personal. Seemingly insignificant to others, but highly important to them.”
Each week, a guest on “My Time Capsule” will choose anything, a person, a place, a possession, even a smell; large or small; tangible or intangible, but always specific to them. “The one rule” says Michael, “is that four of the items are things that they treasure and wish to preserve, but one is something they would like to be rid of, to bury in the ground, literally, and never have to think about again.”
This has led to some fascinating choices, from an old pair of grey school shorts, chosen by comedian Arthur Smith, to the whole of the USA, chosen by Craig Ferguson, the former presenter of The Late, Late Show.
Michael says, “It’s an opportunity for people to talk about areas of their lives that they wouldn’t normally discuss. People have revealed things about their childhood and family; some funny and some very moving. Occasionally both my guest and I have had to fight back tears and not always of laughter. I’m touched that people have been so open with me.”
Stephen Fry launches “My Time Capsule” on the 27th April. In his inimitable style, he talks of the joy of listening to music as a child on a wind-up gramophone, his school and University years when he first started writing and performing with Hugh Laurie and his previous love and consequent hatred of smoking; among a whole kaleidoscope of other subjects.
“People seem to have little trouble thinking of four things they cherish. In fact, British actor Anthony Head kept trying to sneak extra things into his time capsule. In the end he had to broaden his choices so that they included all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and his two daughters’ entire lives!” says Michael. “The thing that they struggle with is the item that they want to get rid of. Sometimes it’s an embarrassing thing. Often something unjust, usually from their school days. But occasionally it’s something really momentous and shocking. One of my guests chose his mother’s suicide. I offered them the chance to change their mind, but they said they wanted to talk about it.”
“My Time Capsule” will be a continuous podcast with a new episode every week. Most episodes are between 45 minutes and an hour long and you can subscribe to the podcast on Acast or through any podcast app or here.
