Levi Roots, Edwin Apps, Lydia Corbett, Don Ward

Midweek

Libby Purves meets cook and entrepreneur Levi Roots; Edwin Apps, actor and writer; Lydia Corbett, artist and former muse of Picasso and Don Ward, co-founder of the Comedy Store.

Levi Roots is a cook, entrepreneur and musician. Born in Jamaica, he developed his signature sauce from his kitchen in Brixton, south London, selling it out of a bag on his back. He came to fame on the TV series Dragons' Den when he won backing for his Reggae Reggae Sauce brand. His new book, Grill It With Levi - 101 Reggae Recipes For Sunshine and Soul, is published by Ebury.

Edwin Apps is a writer, actor and artist who, with his wife Pauline Devaney, created the popular TV comedy series All Gas and Gaiters about life in the Church of England. Now a painter, he is known for his paintings of bishops in unconventional situations. His memoir, Pursued by Bishops, is published by Durand Peyroles. His first UK art exhibition, also called Pursued by Bishops, is at the Parish Church of Saints Peter & Paul in Tonbridge, Kent.

Lydia Corbett is an artist. As a young girl she posed for Picasso - when her name was Sylvette David - in more than 40 Girl With A Ponytail portraits. An exhibition called Sylvette: Picasso and The Model is showing at the Kunsthalle Bremen museum in Germany next year and the Francis Kyle Gallery is holding an exhibition of Lydia's own work early in 2014.

Don Ward is the CEO of The Comedy Store which he co-founded in 1979 in London's Soho. The company now has clubs in Manchester and Mumbai. He started out as a stand-up himself, hosting rock-n'-roll road shows with the stars of the day including Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, and Billy Fury. He is also co-executive producer of the The Comedy Store series for Paramount Comedy Channel.