Across:
8 Take to half of those characters in 12 across (take to half the characters in 'BEDlam' = bed = take to bed = RETIRE) or give up working (RETIRE),
9 Secretary (PA-) gets temporary lease (-RENTAL) (PARENTAL) of life – support you’d associate from The Elders (PARENTAL support),
10 Check (STEM) all around (= reverse indicator) cuts from butchers (meats) without the heart (a) (‘meAts’ without ‘a’ = mets = STEM),
11 Music (ROCK music) for bass (bass) sounds like (= homophone indicator) (‘bass’ = ‘base’ = BOTTOM) (ROCK BOTTOM) something you’d experience at The Point in the lowest sense (ROCK BOTTOM),
12 It’s admirable dismissing the air (‘admirable’ dismissing the ‘air’ = dmable = BEDLAM) of chaos (BEDLAM),
14 Crucial (crucial) problem (= anagram indicator) (crucial = CIRCULA-) at the end of war (end of ‘waR’ = -R) (CIRCULAR) for flyer (CIRCULAR),
15 Whistling in the galley (whistling in the galley/kettle boiling in the galley kitchen = LETTING OFF STEAM) is releasing the tension (LETTING OFF STEAM),
18 Careless (= anagram indicator) dissent (dissent = DEN-ISTS) overshadows trouble starting (‘Trouble’ starting = -T-) (DENTISTS) with those working on the bridge (DENTISTS),
20 A French article (‘a’ French article = une = UN-E) about jerk (jerk/tear = -RIP-) (UNRIPE) is not fit for consumption (UNRIPE),
22 Strips down (PULLS APART) as Yank’s (yanks = PULLS) got a (A-) role to play (-PART) (PULLS APART),
24 Be brave enough (DARE) to raise (= reverse indicator) content from The Radio (content from ‘thE RADio’ = erad = DARE).
25 Vetted an (vetted an) order (= anagram indicator) (vetted an = VENDETTA) for bad blood (VENDETTA),
26 Character (LETTER) risked a removal from Kildare Street (‘risked a’ removal from ‘Kildare Street’ = ltreet = LETTER),
Down:
1 Beat (beat) on the radio (= homophone indicator) ('beat' = 'beet' = BEET-) doing the rounds of Lake Tahoe (doing the rounds of 'Lake tahoE' = -LE) (BEETLE) produced by one of The Cars (BEETLE),
2 Bank’s fixed term (banks ‘FIxed teRM’ = FIRM) is not yielding (FIRM),
3 One of those in a row (FERRYMAN) upsets (= reverse indicator) whistle-blower (ref = FER-) writing (from the 3Rs = -R-) to many (many) showing off (= anagram indicator) (many = -YMAN) (FERRYMAN),
4 Larger than life (EPIC) grape picker locked up (‘grapE PICker’ locked up = EPIC),
5 One greasing palms (BRIBER) for a piece of meat (-RIB-) in Belgium (BE = B-E-) for recipe (-R) (BRIBER),
6 New (= anagram indicator) unit cost (unit cost = INST-UCTO-) includes arithmetic (from the 3Rs = -R-) to run (-R) (INSTRUCTOR) by advisor (INSTRUCTOR),
7 Nora (-NORA-) is overwhelmed by parent’s (parents PA-MA) (PANORAMA) view (PANORAMA),
13 Don’t mention (LET IT SLIDE) accommodation (LET) – it’s (IT S-) near Cork (-LID-) and close to Kinsale (close to ‘kinsalE’ = -E) (LET IT SLIDE),
14 Considers abandoning Enid (‘considers’ abandoning ‘Enid’ = cosrs = CROSS) Bridge (bridge/span = CROSS),
16 Puts the plan into action (EXECUTES) for directors (executives) getting rid of four from Rome (Roman four = IV) (‘executives’ without ‘iv’ = executes = EXECUTES),
17 Olive (FRUIT) gets to pilot (pilot = FLY) (FRUIT FLY) – the type that’s a pest on a date (FRUIT FLY is a pest on a date/fruit)
19 Sailor (-TAR-) has time (-T-) in boat (S-S) (STARTS) for the new jobs (STARTS),
21 Wad is removed from top drawer (‘wad’ is removed from ‘top drawer’ = toprer = PORTER) by one carrying baggage (PORTER),
23 Part of the seaweed (AGAR) served up (= reversal indicator) in sample? Never again! (in sample ‘neveR AGAin’ = raga = AGAR),
24 Anniversary (DATE) of some revolutionary (= reversal indicator) secret administration (some revolutionary ‘secrET ADministration’ = etad = DATE).