The Songs The Beatles Gave Away starring BBC Radio 2 broadcaster Bob Harris and former custodian of John Lennon’s childhood home Colin Hall heads to the Villa Marina Arcade this weekend.

Bob and Colin will talk about their love of The Beatles and songs which Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison penned for other artists including Cilla Black’s top 10 hit Step Inside Love, Peter and Gordon’s transatlantic chart-topper A World Without Love and Jackie Lomax’s debut single Sour Milk Sea.

Colin said: ‘First and foremost I hope people will enjoy their evening with us and hopefully discover something new about The Beatles.

‘Our remit is to delve into an often overlooked aspect of the story of the Fab Four.

‘That aspect is, of course, songs John, Paul and George wrote at the time but chose to give to other artists to record rather than record with The Beatles.

‘Bob and I not only trade stories people may not have heard before but along the way we call upon eye-witnesses such as Sir Paul himself, Sir George Martin, Cilla Black and George Harrison together with clips from the songs themselves.’

The stage production was inspired by the Bob-hosted BBC Radio 2 documentary which featured interviews conducted by Colin, and Colin’s latest book of the same name.

Bob said: ‘I am really looking forward to visiting the Isle of Man and presenting this unique show, and also meeting up with old friends and hopefully make some new ones.’

Bob has interviewed all four members of the Fab Four including putting the questions to John for cult BBC2 series The Old Grey Whistle Test.

Colin has also interviewed Sir Paul and for nearly 20 years was custodian of John’s childhood home in Liverpool welcoming the likes of Mark Hamill, Debbie Harry and Yoko Ono.

His BBC Radio 4 featured book The Songs The Beatles Gave Away - with a preface from Bob - was Best of British book of the month earlier this year. Bob and Colin also worked together for Sony-winning BBC Radio 2 programme The Day John Met Paul.

Bob said: ‘Colin is perhaps the world’s greatest Beatle authority’.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has described Bob as a ‘straight-up legend’ while Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant said Bob’s ‘excitement and love of music and his infectious enthusiasm to bring his audience the rhyme, reason and sounds of a new world is a work of heart’.

The Songs The Beatles Gave Away takes place at the Villa Marina Arcade on Saturday (September 30) at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available online at www.villagaiety.com or call 600555.