The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, Orkney. Picture: Robert Plattner/Getty WHEN writing her novel set in Orkney and inspired by wartime events, Caroline Lea found herself captivated by the story of the Italian Chapel that stands on the small uninhabited island of Lamb Holm. The Metal Heart, published later this month, draws on the real-life history behind the building – famously made from two Nissen huts joined end-to-end – with its distinctive whitewashed facade and highly ornate, hand-painted interior. The chapel, created by the Italian prisoners-of-war brought to Orkney during the Second World War to construct the Churchill Barriers in Scapa Flow, has since become a much-beloved symbol of peace and hope.
th century expedition to discover the shape of the world. The Yorkshire Vet,
Julian Norton, shares the challenges and hilarity of working with animals revealed in his new book
All Creatures, and the Poet Laureate,
Simon Armitage, will be reading from his latest collection.
On the lighter side, the programme includes several comedians. Writer and former
Bake Off presenter,
The Best Things, and
David Baddiel talks to Edward Stourton about the failures of identity politics outlined in his new book
Jews Don’t Count. One half of the
Peep Show comedy duo,
Come Again which follows the huge success of his memoir