It's a poptastic week ahead with the Summer Pops kicking off today with Australian Pink Floyd and the Phil's classical summer pops continuing tomorrow with the return of Vasily Petrenko to the podium for an all-Russian programme.

Sir Peter Hall once advised paywright Howard Brenton not to "dine out" on his successes by becoming a regular on the chat show circuit.
Sage advice from the theatrical knight, but what a shame for audiences to be deprived of the thoughts of this genial raconteur.

The final of the Liverpool Comedy Trust's Stand Out competition takes place at St George's Hall this weekend.
Seven young comedians from Merseyside and Glasgow will compete for the top title.

Liverpool's Torrid Star Productions has auditions tonight for a new one act play called Bread for the Table.
The show, written by Kieran Lynn, is part of a showcase evening of entertainment at St Luke's the bombed out church in August 8.

Those of you who revelled in couplets like "forgive me sir, I don't wish to pry....but is that your hand upon my thigh?" take note.
Tartuffe, the McGough version, comes to Radio 3 this weekend.

Fight! Fight! Fight! I can just see the brass scrapping in the street and the strings giving someone a poke in the eye with their bow.
It looks like there's a row brewing between the RLPO and the Halle down the road in Manchester about which is the oldest professional orchestra.

Did anyone see Joe McGann on Celebrity Masterchef the other night?
We seem to have a pretty good track record when it comes to the show.
Joe the chef beat his rivals to get through to the next round - but will he be more winner Liz McClarnon or 'that's it, I'm off' Mark Moraghan?

Motown legends, dancing icons and writing stars of the future are on the cultural radar next week.

THE 'McGoughière' partnership shows no sign of faltering with this latest cross-centuries collaboration between the living Liverpool bard and dead French playwright.

THOSE who hanker for a more innocent time before economic depression and MPs' duckhouses will revel in the frothy feelgood factor of this sing-a-long music-fest.