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On the 23rd February, 2023 is was announced the football commentating legend John “Motty” Motson had died at the age of 77.

He started working on Match Of The Day in 1971, and covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships and 29 FA Cup finals for BBC Sport before retiring from the organisation in 2018.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing him in 2005 when he was promoting his latest book, Motsons FA Cup Odyssey which gave me a chance to sample first his incredible footballing knowledge and great love of the game.

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I’m a bit short of time this week so I’m just going to okay you the interview without all the preamble that usually comes with my weekly podcast.

As you’re well aware I’m sure the World Cup has started and this week you can hear an interview I did with Uri Geller, the spoon bending physic who back in 2002 asked the whole nation to collectively try and heal David Beckham’s famous metatarsal injury which threatened his participation in that year’s World Cup competition.

England captain David Beckham suffered a broken foot playing for Manchester United in the Champions League on this day in 2002, sparking fears he would not be fit for that summer’s World Cup.

The United midfielder, whose stoppage-time free-kick in the last qualifier against Greece had taken the Three Lions to the finals, was on the end of a tough tackle from Deportivo La Coruna’s Aldo Duscher in a quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford.

Not only did the injury end Beckham’s domestic campaign, it also introduced most of the nation to the word metatarsal.

His recovery from that broken metatarsal was the source of daily interest, but Beckham eventually was passed fit and led England out against Sweden in their group stage opener on June 2……but did Uri Geller’s physic healing intervention have a part to play?

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Hi everyone, and welcome to episode 7 of this new season of Tales From a very minor celebrity, a delve into my celebrity archive a look back at some of my very favourite interviews from my career in radio and TV….

This week you’ll hear an interview I did with a woman who has a handbag named after her and recorded one of the most iconic love songs of all time, Je t’aime…she is Jane Birkin.

Born in London Birkin began her career as an actress, appearing in minor roles until she met Serge Gainsbourg while co-starring with him in Slogan, which marked the beginning of their long working and personal relationship.

The duo released their debut album Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg (1969), and Birkin also appeared in the controversial film Je t'aime moi non plus (1976) under Gainsbourg's direction.

Birkin would attain further acting credits in the Agatha Christie adaptations Death on the Nile (1978), and Evil Under the Sun (1982).

After separating from Gainsbourg in 1980, Birkin continued to work as both an actress and a singer, appearing in various independent films and recording numerous solo albums.

Birkin has lived mainly in France since the 1970s. She has three grown up children and In addition to her acting and musical credits, she lent her name to the famous Hermès Birkin handbag.

When we met in 2004 she was promoting her latest album rendezvous but it was that song Je t’aime that I started by asking her about….does she ever get fed up talking about it?