Front Row

42:19

W1A writer John Morton on his new series Twenty...

Front Row ·

2026/04/08

Writer and director John Morton, one of the team behind 2012 and W1A, on the new comedy Twenty Twenty Six, set in the run up to this year's football World Cup.Artist Lachlan Goudie's new book The Secrets of Painting explores the creative big bangs in art over the centuries which have given us artistic movements - from Giotto and Rembrandt's use of oil paint to Berthe Morisot's use of an outdoor easel and Jackson Pollock's use of materials intended for industrial use, Goudie tells us how he has

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42:15

A darker side of a royal marriage

Front Row ·

2026/04/07

Writer Daisy Goodwin on Victoria: A Queen Unbound. Was the marriage between Victoria and Albert as idyllic as it has been portrayed? Her new play explores the idea that Prince Albert exerted coercive control over Queen Victoria. Following the launch of the Official UK Christian & Gospel Singles Chart, we speak to the founder of the chart's partner organisation, O'Neil Dennis, and Mobo winning Christian rapper Guvna B, who's playing live in studio.Tayari Jones, Winner of the Women's Prize for

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42:06

The Birth of Television: A Forgotten History

Front Row ·

2026/04/06

100 years ago, inventor John Logie Baird demonstrated his new 'televisor' to the public for the first time. In this special edition of Front Row, Samira Ahmed and guests explore the origins of television in the UK, charting how those early experimental days set a template for this exciting new medium. Guests:TV producer and historian Professor John Wyver, whose new book Magic Rays of Light tells the story of the early days of TV Lisa Kerrigan, senior curator of TV at the BFI Francis Spufford, whose

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42:29

Review: The Drama starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya

Front Row ·

2026/04/02

Tom Sutcliffe is joined by critics Tim Robey and Nancy Durrant to review:Robert Pattinson and Zendaya's new film The Drama about a young couple in the lead up to their wedding.Life of Pi author Yann Martel's novel Son of Nobody about a newly discovered classic text with the story partly told in footnotes.And from the creator of Mum and Him and Her, Stefan Golaszewski's new BBC drama series Babies which follows one couple's experience of pregnancy loss.Presenter: Tom SutcliffeProducer: Lucy

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42:30

Trash Cinema Icon Mink Stole

Front Row ·

2026/04/01

In venues around the UK and here on BBC Radio 4 and on BBC Sounds, it’s Live Comedy Day today – a celebration of live comedy and grassroots clubs. We’re joined by two of the cast of the new Saturday Night Live UK, Emma Sidi and Hammed Animashaun, and by Amanda Dwyer, who won the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow Comedy Festival this weekend, to discuss the stand-up landscape right now. Mink Stole is an icon of “trash cinema” and has appeared in every one of filmmaker John

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42:21

Robert MacFarlane on the revelations to be found...

Front Row ·

2026/03/31

Writer Robert MacFarlane on the world underground as a new documentary, Underland, inspired by his award-winning book of the same name is released in cinemas.Dancer and choreographer Meryl Tankard on creating a new work, Echoes of '78, which pairs the original dancers of a work created by German choreographer Pina Bausch with their younger selves.Singer Hak Baker and journalist Ludovic Hunter-Tilney on the evolving nature of the protest song plus a live performance from Hak of his song Windrush

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42:16

Lesley Manville, and Art in Space

Front Row ·

2026/03/30

Lesley Manville, on appearing in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at London's National TheatreArt In Space: As Nasa prepares to send people back to the Moon, former astronauts Helen Sharman and Cady Coleman talk us through the books & music they took with them into space. Do classicists underestimate how difficult it is to read Homer's Odyssey? Ahead of Christopher Nolan's new adaption, we'll discuss with Mary Beard and Professor Emily Wilson about reading and translating one of the oldest surviving

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42:18

Review: Riz Ahmed comedy Bait, Schiaparelli at the V&A

Front Row ·

2026/03/26

On this week's review show, critic and broadcaster Rhianna Dhillon and fashion historian and writer Amber Butchart join Tom Sutcliffe to discuss Riz Ahmed's new comedy series Bait, which follows a struggling actor who auditions for the role of James Bond and has to deal with the fallout. They give their verdicts on Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A in London, featuring the work of designer Elsa Schiaparelli. And they review Two Prosecutors, the new film from Ukrainian director Sergei

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42:39

Actor Forbes Masson on the stage production of cult...

Front Row ·

2026/03/25

Actor Forbes Masson on the National Theatre of Scotland's stage musical revival of cult sitcom The High Life in which he starred alongside Alan Cumming as air stewards working the commuter route between London and Scotland. The writers behind the hotly anticipated whodunnit novel The Ending Writes Itself - billed as being by Evelyn Clarke but in fact written by Cat Clarke and VE Schwab - talk about satirising the publishing industry and about the challenges and pleasures of writing collaboratively

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42:17

Noah Wyle on hit hospital drama The Pitt

Front Row ·

2026/03/24

The much anticipated, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning medical drama The Pitt finally hits HBO max screens in the UK this week. Samira talks to lead actor Noah Wyle who plays Dr ‘Robby’ Robinavitch, about being back in a high octane emergency department drama decades after making his name as Dr Carter in ER.The Elizabethan composer John Dowland died 400 years ago this month. Next weekend there will be a celebratory Weekend of his music performed at London's Wigmore Hall. We speak with two

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42:11

Saturday Night Live arrives in the UK

Front Row ·

2026/03/23

The UK now has its own SNL, 50 years after the US original. But is it funny? Culture journalist Natalie Jamieson gives her verdict. As the BFI begins a season of boxing films, we explore why the sport has inspired so much influential cinema, with BFI curator Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka and boxing broadcaster Steve Bunce.Phil Dunster, best known for his role in Ted Lasso, discusses his new comedy Rooster.Folk trio Leveret improvise live in the Front Row studio.Presenter: Tom SutcliffeProducer: Harry

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42:37

Review: La Grazia, the latest film from The Great...

Front Row ·

2026/03/19

Writer Alexander Larman and journalist Zoe Williams join Tom Sutcliffe to discuss the film La Grazia - which was written and directed by The Great Beauty’s Paolo Sorrentino, and stars Toni Servillo as a fictional Italian President. They also review Summerfolk at the National Theatre in London. Brother and sister writers Moses and Nina Raine have adapted this version of Maxim Gorky’s play which centres around a privileged group of friends at a country retreat. Will Page, industry analyst and former

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42:20

The Daffodil Days - Author Helen Bain on her book...

Front Row ·

2026/03/18

From bellringing to beekeeping - Author Helen Bain talks about the highly detailed research she conducted for the writing of her The Daffodil Days, inspired by Ted Hughes and Sylvia Pllath's year in North Tawton in Devon in 1962, and on why she has told the story in reverse, through the observations of the locals who came into contact with them at the time. Hue & Cry, who first made their name in the mid 80s and who won the Outstanding Contribution prize at last year's Scottish Music Awards,

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42:28

17/03/2026

Front Row ·

2026/03/17

Anne Lister, the 19th century landowner and diarist, better known by her nickname, Gentleman Jack, has inspired folksongs, television dramas, and now a ballet. As Northern Ballet begin a UK tour of their new Gentleman Jack production, Belgian-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa explains how she translated Lister's diaries into dance.As K-Pop super band BTS are set to return with a new album on 20th March and a live streamed concert and a documentary on Netflix, we hear from Julie

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42:07

The Oscars, Ryan Gosling, Self Esteem

Front Row ·

2026/03/16

Self Esteem, aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor, performs her new song written for David Hare’s play Teeth 'n' Smiles.We bring you a roundup of the 2026 Academy Awards. Ryan Gosling discusses his new sci-fi adventure film Project Hail Mary.And a look at the BBC's new talk show format, The Claudia Winkleman Show, with Boyd Hilton, entertainment director at Heat Magazine, and Bea Ballard, executive producer on the Jonathan Ross show.Presenter: Samira AhmedProducer: Harry Graham

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42:21

Review: David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some...

Front Row ·

2026/03/12

Art critic Ben Luke and writer Sarah Crompton join Samira Ahmed to review David Hockney’s first exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, which includes new works and a digitally created ninety-metre-long frieze which was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry. They also discuss Hooked by Asako Yuzuki, the author behind the award-winning bestseller Butter. And they review The Tasters, which tells the story of the women who were the food

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42:11

James McAvoy on his directorial debut, California...

Front Row ·

2026/03/11

Actor James McAvoy who has starred in everything from Shameless to X Men talks about turning director for his debut feature, California Schemin'. The film, which is billed as being "based on a true lie", tells the story of two young rappers from Dundee who pretended to be American in order to be taken seriously by the record industry - and ended up touring with Eminem in the 2000s. BBC One's new Sunday evening drama series The Other Bennet Sister tells the story of Pride and Prejudice through the

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42:29

Howard Jacobson's new book, Howl

Front Row ·

2026/03/10

Booker Prize-winning author Howard Jacobson discusses his new novel, Howl.Musician Thea Gilmore talks about her latest project The Echo Line, where she creates music from anonymous messages. Thea also performs the song Silvie live, which is the second track from the project.A book containing 10,000 writers' names entitled Don't Steal This Book is being given out at the London Book Fair as a stand against AI using copyrighted material. Tom talks to bestselling author Philippa Gregory about the book

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42:25

Cillian Murphy, Timothee Chalamet's opera comments,...

Front Row ·

2026/03/09

Cillian Murphy talks to Samira Ahmed about the return of Tommy in new film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Timothee Chalamet's disparaging comments on opera and ballet have caused a stir. Matthew Hemley, editor of the stage, responds to what the Oscar nominee actually said.As London Book Fair begins, and new data suggests adult fiction sales are increasing, we ask why non-fiction seems to be in decline? Toby Mundy, director of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, and Bea Carvalho,

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42:35

Review: The Bride! Maggie Gyllenhaal's film about the...

Front Row ·

2026/03/05

Writer Rebecca Stott and Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin join Tom to discuss The Bride! Maggie Gyllenhaal's film about the bride of Frankenstein, starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale.They also talk about the novel Bad Fiction by Rebecca Sarah Ley which is based around a creative writing course and relationships with the lauded course leader.There’s going to be a new BBC TV documentary about reading and they want your stories about the book that changed your life. Maybe a book bought you

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