Issue 1322

Strangers and friends
Wrested from Montserrat after a volcano devastated the island, Kadiff Kirwan relied on the warmth of Preston’s Caribbean community as his family made a new home and he discovered his love of acting. After parts in the West End and Fleabag, he tells Antonia Charlesworth that as a black man who had no friends in jail, his biggest barrier is typecasting.

Suffering squared
Raising funds for a charity helping disadvantaged youngsters in Cumbria, participants in the Brathay
challenge run 10 marathons in 10 days. Giles Brown grabs a few words with them in between gasps for air.

Maxine Peake
In a letter to her younger self the actor reflect on her psychedelic past in Bolton, rues giving up comedy and has no regrets about speaking out about politics.

Plus
News, arts and entertainment, columnist Roger Ratcliffe on the Labour leadership contenders’ lack of the x-factor and academic Karenza Moore asks why we don’t just regulate MDMA.