HARDtalk

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In-depth, hard-hitting interviews with newsworthy personalities.

BBC World Service


    • Jan 28, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 23m AVG DURATION
    • 1,867 EPISODES

    4.4 from 284 ratings Listeners of HARDtalk that love the show mention: program, interviews, questions, high, guests, show, good, time, great, best, love, stephen sackur, hard talk, hardtalk.


    Ivy Insights

    The HARDtalk podcast is an exceptional show that features in-depth and revealing interviews with a diverse range of guests. Hosted by Stephen Sackur, the level of research put into each episode is unparalleled, resulting in thorough and thought-provoking discussions. It truly stands as a jewel in the crown of the BBC.

    One of the best aspects of The HARDtalk podcast is Stephen Sackur's skillful interviewing style. He conducts thorough and fair interviews, asking probing questions that reveal fascinating insights from his guests. His preparation and knowledge on each topic are evident, making for high-quality conversations that captivate listeners. The tough questions he poses challenge guests to provide meaningful answers, resulting in engaging and enlightening discussions.

    On the downside, there have been instances where technical issues arise, such as incomplete episode uploads or audio glitches. While these occurrences are rare, they can be frustrating for listeners who eagerly anticipate new episodes. However, it is worth noting that these issues do not detract significantly from the overall quality and value of the podcast.

    In conclusion, The HARDtalk podcast is a top-notch program that excels in delivering intelligent and thought-provoking content to its audience. Stephen Sackur's exceptional interviewing skills combined with thorough research make for compelling conversations with a wide range of guests. Despite occasional technical hiccups, this podcast remains a must-listen for those seeking insightful discussions on global issues.



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    Latest episodes from HARDtalk

    Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy: A new era of global power politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 22:59


    “Regardless of whether it's Trump or anybody else in the White House, we should expect something quite significant to be going on in terms of the United States' relationship with the rest of the world.”Amol Rajan speaks to Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University, about a new era of global power play. In this conversation, she traces the roots of the re-birth of US expansionism back to the 19th century, and America's early presidents. She also explains how the dynamics of geopolitics are tied to the control of resources, in particular oil.Professor Thompson is an expert on the history of globalisation who has taught at Britain's Cambridge University for more than 30 years. Her current research looks at the geopolitics of energy, and the long history of this century's global disruptions.Thank you to the Radical team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with the Colombian president Gustavo Petro, New Zealand's former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Anna Budd, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Helen Thompson Credit: Anna Budd/BBC)

    Nicholas Opiyo, human rights lawyer: Ugandans want change

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 23:00


    ‘All they have seen is a 40-year rule that has resulted in high unemployment rates, poor services, and an increased violation of human rights. This young population is yearning to see a different president, a different kind of Uganda.'Catherine Byaruhanga speaks to human rights lawyer and activist Nicholas Opiyo about Ugandan politics, the rule of law, and the impact of 40 years of one leader on the nation.He's taken on multiple cases of national significance, including successfully overturning the country's anti-LGBTQ legislation back in 2014 - although this has since been re-instated, and represented a former rebel commander of the Lord's Resistance Army.Opiyo has also represented Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine, who, despite previously being arrested and charged with treason in 2018, challenged the 81-year-old incumbent President Yoweri Museveni in January's disputed elections.These elections were watched from afar by Opiyo, who was recently forced to flee his home country for his own safety, but still continues his human rights work. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Botswana's President Duma Boko, and Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Foreign Minister of Egypt. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Catherine Byaruhanga Producers: Clare Williamson, Ben Cooper and Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nicholas Opiyo. Credit: Reuters)

    Chloé Zhao, director: I was an outsider

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 22:59


    ‘It's so far from your reality because I didn't know anybody and I was an immigrant'Anita Rani speaks to the Beijing-born director Chloé Zhao about her career and her latest film, Hamnet.Zhao made history in 2021 when, at the age of just 39, she became the first woman of colour - and, at the time, only the second woman ever - to win the best director award at the Oscars.Now, just five years after her Oscars triumph for Nomadland, Zhao is making headlines once again as the director of the critically-acclaimed movie Hamnet, a dramatisation about the son of the English playwright William Shakespeare. It won two Golden Globe awards, including one for ‘Best Drama Movie', and has recently been nominated for 8 Academy Awards too.Thank you to the Woman's Hour team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Indian author Twinkle Khanna, former US Vice President Kamala Harris, and Hollywood legend Sir Anthony Hopkins. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Anita Rani Producers: Emma Pearce, Ben Cooper and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Chloé Zhao. Credit: Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

    Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General: the threat to international law from power

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 23:00


    “There are those that believe the power of law should be replaced by the law of power”Anna Foster speaks to Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, about the threat to international law from states acting through power and influence instead, in particular America. Defending the rule of law is necessary, he says, if we are to have a better world.He also sets out the case for reform of the UN Security Council to allow it to remain effective and relevant in the face of increasingly complex global conflicts. Antonio Guterres has been at the head of the United Nations since 2017, and is now entering his final year in office. Thank you to the Today team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and Mustafa Suleyman, boss of Microsoft AI. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Anna Foster Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Antonio Guterres. Credit: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

    Karol Nawrocki, Polish President: Europe has lost its way

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 23:01


    Nick Robinson speaks to Polish President Karol Nawrocki about Trump, Russia and the future of Europe.A historian and a boxer by background, he was elected in June 2025 with the support of Poland's conservative opposition Law and Justice Party.A social conservative and devout Catholic, he is also an outspoken critic of the European Union and staunch supporter of Donald Trump, believing that the US President is the only person who can stop the threat to Europe from Vladimir Putin's Russia: "Europe for a number of years was involved in not so important things, in ideological issues such as Green Deal for instance, climate policy, migration issues. It was not building its resilience and its security."The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, American singer-songwriter Patti Smith and Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally in France. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Oscar Pearson, Kirsty Mackenzie and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Credit: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP)

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro: US military action is a real threat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 22:59


    I do believe US military action is a real threat, and the prospect of removing it depends on the ongoing conversations. The BBC's South America correspondent Ione Wells speaks to Gusatvo Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president about his fears of US military action against his country. Petro, a former guerrilla fighter turned reformist leader, has been in office since 2022, championing social justice, environmental policies and regional diplomacy.He responds to Donald Trump's recent comments suggesting a military operation against Colombia “sounds good” and accusations that Petro himself is a drug trafficker—claims he strongly denies.Petro warns that the United States risks moving from global leadership to isolation through what he calls “imperial-style behaviour,” following the recent seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. He also expresses his belief that Washington needs a fundamental rethink of power and diplomacy.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and author Sir Salman Rushdie. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Ione Wells Producers: Alba Morgade, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.Image Credit: NurPhoto/Getty Images

    Baroness Arminka Helic: Preventing sexual violence in war

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 23:00


    We are in a new era where human rights have been replaced by trade and big businesses and they have almost entirely depleted our ability to show humanity to people on the other side.Lucy Hockings speaks to Baroness Arminka Helic, Member of the House of Lords and campaigner for refugees and victims of war.A former Bosnian refugee, she saw first hand the legacy of conflict-related sexual violence and the importance of ending impunity for rape and assault committed as a weapon of war. She tells of her warm welcome to the UK in 1992 and wants us always to remember the human beings behind the refugee statistics.Baroness Helic talks about the progress in raising awareness of the crimes and her own work in launching the ‘Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative' in 2012. She says that it's really hard for victims to speak out because of the stigma around rape but when they do, their voices need to be heard and the crimes documented.She also speaks about the plight of asylum seekers and the use of starvation in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan. A Conservative peer, she's keen to take the politics out of immigration and remember our humanity.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Lucy Hockings Producers: Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

    Gabriel Zuchtreigel, Director of Pompeii: archaeology is the most democratic form of history

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 22:59


    ‘Archaeology has this focus on material evidence so it's in a way more democratic, because texts are often written by the powerful and represent their idea of how things should be remembered'Michael Berkeley speaks to Gabriel Zuchtreigel, Director of Pompeii in Southern Italy, one of the world's most important archaeological sites.History, he says, comes alive through archaeology, helping us to appreciate our shared humanity with those who lived thousands of years ago, and providing a more democratic way of learning about the past. Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted and buried Pompeii in ash and pumice, did not distinguish between the wealthy and the poor in its victims. Gabriel Zuchtriegel was appointed Director of Pompeii in 2021, and has since begun a major excavation, and made a number of significant finds. But it is walking around the site at night, emptied of the crowds, that he feels the ancient city come alive. It is as if, he says, the inhabitants only left a few minutes ago.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including with artist Doris Salcedo and author Sir Salman Rushdie. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Michael Berkeley Producers: Clare Walker and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Gabriel Zuchtreigel Credit: Ivan Romano/Getty Images)

    Mustafa Suleyman, Artificial Intelligence pioneer: people should be healthily afraid of AI

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 22:59


    'As somebody who's deeply techno-optimistic, I invite people to be also healthily afraid and sceptical'BBC presenter Amol Rajan speaks to the British artificial intelligence entrepreneur Mustafa Suleyman, Chief Executive of Microsoft AI.He believes in the enormous potential of AI to be a force for good in the world, changing how we live and work for the better. He's committed to developing a humanist superintelligence, one that always works to serve people and never vice versa. But he remains clear about what he sees as the risks, issuing a warning that without the right ethical safeguards, AI could grow powerful enough to overwhelm humanity.The son of a London taxi-driver and a nurse, he dropped out of Oxford University and by his mid-twenties had co-founded DeepMind, the pioneering artificial intelligence research lab. By the time it was sold to Google four years later in 2014, it was worth a reported $400 million.Thank you to the Today team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Kate Collins, Ollie Stone-Lee and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

    Nigel Casey, UK ambassador to Russia: no communication is extremely dangerous

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 23:00


    ‘The embassies in our two countries really are the main remaining thread on which our relationship hangs'Steve Rosenberg, the BBC's Russia editor, speaks to Nigel Casey, the UK's ambassador to Russia, about the challenges of working in Moscow on behalf of a government that views President Putin's Russia as a threat to Britain. He believes this job is one of the most challenging - and important - of his career. In a wide ranging conversation, the ambassador describes his life in Moscow over the last two years: a period of heightened tensions between the UK and Russia after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The number of diplomats in the city has been drastically reduced and, for a British ambassador in Moscow, there are daily challenges to deal with. You're going to hear his experience of being followed wherever he goes in Russia and how, on occasions, his staff face harassment. He sees a key part of his job - defusing potentially dangerous diplomatic misunderstanding with the Russian government. He also reveals the gap between the anti-British rhetoric heard in the country's state media and the genuine curiosity of ordinary Russians towards the UK. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Steve Rosenberg Producers: Ben Tavener, Clare Williamson and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nigel Casey. Credit: UK Gov)

    Actor Diego Calva: Latin America is more than violence, salsa music and food

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 23:00


    “In Latin America, we have way more than violence, we're more than salsa as our music, or food, or culture. It's a pleasure and a responsibility to share it with the world.”BBC presenter Nikki Bedi speaks to Mexican actor Diego Calva about his life and career. Diego Calva first made waves in independent cinema before landing major roles in hit series like Narcos: Mexico and the award-winning Hollywood epic Babylon, where he starred alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. It was his first American film — and it earned him widespread critical acclaim.Raised in Mexico City by a single mother, he originally set out to be a writer and director before fate intervened. One day, when an actor didn't turn up for a college film he was working on, Diego was asked to step in.Since then he's continued to build an impressive international career and has a starring role in the second series of The Night Manager, the acclaimed television drama based on the book by John le Carré.Diego Calva talks about navigating fame, challenging stereotypes, and the power of telling Latin American stories on the global stage. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nikki Bedi Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Diego Calva. Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

    2025 on The Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 23:00


    2025 on The Interview A special episode of The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025.The Archbishop of Canterbury is the symbolic leader of the Anglican Communion, a figurehead for more than 85 million people worldwide. Justin Welby stepped down from the role in late 2024 over his handling of abuse in the Church of England. In this interview, his first since his resignation, he tells BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg he is deeply sorry for his failure, and that of the church, to serve the victims and survivors appropriately.Australia's ground-breaking social media ban for under-16s drew the attention of the world when it was enacted in December. Communications Minister Anika Wells is in charge of the policy, and told the BBC's Australia Correspondent Katy Watson that she is trying to save a generation, with seven out of ten Australian young people suffering harm online. Despite opposition from tech giants, she says she is standing firm on the side of parents not platforms. Music legend Stevie Wonder's career spans seven decades and has brought him numerous awards including Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Oscar as well 100 million record sales. Whilst on tour in the summer, the American Ghanaian musician, who has been blind since birth, spoke to BBC presenter Annie Macmanus about his music and his childhood. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Ben Cooper Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

    2025 on The Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 22:59


    2025 on The Interview A special episode of The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright's controversial challenge to climate orthodoxy was the subject of his conversation with the BBC's climate editor Justin Rowlatt. Like his boss President Trump, Secretary Wright believes the threat from climate change is exaggerated, and the rush to decarbonisation by renewables has been an expensive mistake. In an interview with BBC presenter Paul Njie, Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud defends his efforts to tackle the terrorist insurgency in his country. And he stands firm in the face of demands for independence from the northern region of Somaliland - the unity of Somalia, he says, is sacrosanct. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out her plans for a radical reform of the UK asylum system in a conversation with the BBC's Nick Robinson. It makes for an uncompromising message for those trying to enter Britain illegally. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Lucy Sheppard Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

    2025 on The Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 23:00


    2025 on The Interview A special episode from The Interview, featuring three of the most compelling conversations from 2025. US President Donald Trump spoke to the BBC's Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue in July, in a wide-ranging and frank telephone conversation from the Oval Office. President Trump reflects on the assassination attempt that took place a year previously, and also expresses his frustration at the slow pace of attempts to bring peace to Ukraine.British royal Prince Harry was born into one of the world's most famous families, and grew up in the public eye. In May, he lost a final court appeal to reverse the downgrading of security protection for him and his family since stepping down from royal duties. He gave his reaction to BBC correspondent Nada Tawfik in an emotional and deeply personal conversation.The Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai is known worldwide as the spirited girl who took on the Taliban and nearly lost her life, then went on to win the Nobel Prize and advocate for girls everywhere to go to school. But, as she explains to BBC presenter Madina Maishanu, although her public life defined her to the world, she did not know who she was. Thank you to the all the teams across the BBC who have helped us make The Interview throughout 2025. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Farhana Haider Producers: Ben Cooper, Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider, Lucy Sheppard Editors: Justine Lang and Nick Holland Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

    KPop Demon Hunters' Arden Cho: I was born in America, but wasn't seen as American

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2025 22:59


    ‘Being born in America, feeling American, but having people treat me like I'm not.'Chi Chi Izundu speaks to Korean American actor Arden Cho, star of the hit Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, about her life and career. Cho is the voice of Rumi, a leading character who must come to terms with her own identity as part-human, part-demon.It's a duality that resonated powerfully with her, as the daughter of Korean immigrants who struggled for acceptance, and faced racism while growing up in America.Now, Korean culture is increasingly popular worldwide, and she has become a leading role model for Asian American children, the kind she says she lacked when she was young.And despite KPop Demon Hunters being crowned as Netflix's most-watched film ever, Cho warns that Asian-led film projects are still seen as a risk. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Chi Chi Izundu Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Clare Williamson and Rebecca Thorn Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Arden Cho. Credit: Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

    Audrey Tang: bringing digital diplomacy to the world

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 24:54


    Audrey Tang speaks to BBC Technology editor, Zoe Kleinman about technology, democracy and community. Named one of TIME's “100 Most Influential People in AI”, Audrey Tang was instrumental in shaping Taiwan's acclaimed COVID-19 response and in safeguarding the 2024 elections from foreign cyber interference.A child prodigy, born with a life threatening heart condition, reading, philosophy and the internet were part of her world from an early age. She became involved in Taiwan's sunflower student movement in 2014, laying internet cables so that those occupying government buildings could get their messages out to the people. The exercise was so successful that she was asked to join the government leveraging technology to improve governmental transparency and citizen engagement.Audrey Tang Taiwan's first digital minister and is the world's first openly non-binary cabinet minister. She's on a mission to spread digital diplomacy globally, and in turn protect democracy in her own country of Taiwan. A leading thinker on AI she advises governments and tech companies around the world and is the author of four books.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producers: Farhana Haider & Clare Williamson Editor: Justine Lang & Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Audrey Tang. Credit: Sean Marc Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Jordan Bardella, National Rally leader: France must control immigration

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 22:59


    ‘I do not see France as a country that must be closed. But I believe we must control immigration.'Nick Robinson speaks to National Rally leader Jordan Bardella about his vision for France. The 30-year-old is currently leading the polls to become the country's next President in 2027.He's on a media tour to woo businesses, and to persuade the world his party is now mainstream, despite its history with far right politics. It used to be the National Front - founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen, a convicted racist and Holocaust denier. Le Pen's daughter Marine re-branded the party and led it for many years, but is currently barred from public office after a conviction for embezzling EU funds, a verdict she plans to appeal. In her absence, her protégé Jordan Bardella finds himself in charge. He maintains the party has changed since its formative years. In this interview you'll hear why Mr Bardella rejects challenges on racism. He also says if he becomes president he'll call for a referendum on immigration "to take back control of our borders." Thank you to the Political Thinking with Nick Robinson team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Clare Williamson, Daniel Kraemer and Leela Padmanabhan Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jordan Bardella Credit: Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images)

    Jacinda Ardern: why world leaders need empathy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2025 22:59


    “I wanted to show that you could be human and could also be kind and decisive and a mother, imperfectly but still, I think, do a reasonable job.”BBC presenter Kylie Pentelow speaks to Dame Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's former Prime Minister about the importance of empathetic leadership in the time of populism and strongman politics. In 2017 Ardern became the youngest Prime Minister in the world at the time, and only the second ever to have a baby whilst in office. She was praised for her humane approach and leadership through crises such as the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack that saw 51 killed. She swiftly brought in gun laws and reached out to the Muslim community targeted in the attack.In her 5 years in politics she was a champion of climate change and LGBGTQ and indigenous rights, but she was also criticised for some of the harsh lockdown measures that her government enacted during the pandemic.Since leaving politics, Jacinda Ardern has been engaging in global work focused on empathy in leadership, combatting climate change and the prevention of online extremism.She's written books, including one about being a working mother, and she now stars in a documentary about her life entitled simply, Prime Minister. She's currently a distinguished fellow and part of the World Leaders Circle at Oxford University.Thank you to the Woman's Hour team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producers: Dianne McGregor, Farhana Haider & Clare Williamson Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jacinda Ardern Credit: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

    María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader: ‘our fight for freedom is a fight for peace'

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2025 22:59


    ‘Our fight for freedom is a fight for peace, and an act of love'Lucy Hockings speaks to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado about the fight for democracy in the South American country. She's been in hiding since last year's presidential election in Venezuela, when incumbent Nicolás Maduro declared victory in a contest that was widely dismissed on the international stage as rigged, sparking widespread protests.Around 2,000 people were arrested in the crackdown which followed, among them many members of her opposition coalition. Machado, who had managed to unite the bitterly divided opposition ahead of the election, went into hiding for fear of arrest. She has however continued to give interviews and uploaded videos to social media urging her followers not to give up.The Nobel Institute awarded Machado the 2025 Peace prize for “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy" in Venezuela. She defied a travel ban to reach Oslo, with Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes describing her journey as "a situation of extreme danger". The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Lucy Hockings Producers: Dylan Arzoni, Claire Noble and Ben Cooper Editors: Justine Lang and Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: María Corina Machado. Photo by OLE BERG-RUSTEN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

    Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egyptian Foreign Minister: we're pushing hard to end Sudan conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2025 22:59


    ‘We are pushing very hard to end this and preserve the future of Sudan'Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt's Foreign Minister, during the G20 summit that took place at the end of November in South Africa.Dr. Abdelatty took up the post last year, following a long diplomatic career across Europe, North America and Asia. He's tasked with representing Egypt and the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been in power since 2014 following a military coup the previous year.Egypt is currently facing a number of issues including an economic crisis at home and political instability along its borders.Libya, to the west, is still dealing with the fallout from the collapse of the Gaddafi regime nearly 15 years later. And On Egypt's eastern border, much of Gaza lies in ruins. Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has estimated that over 1.5 million Sudanese people have sought safety in Egypt as a brutal civil war rages across the border to the south.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Waihiga Mwaura Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Badr Abdelatty Credit: AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images)

    Patti Smith: artists have a responsibility to speak up

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 23:00


    ‘A lot of people will say artists need to speak up, it's artists' responsibility to speak. I believe that'Katie Razzall, the BBC's culture and media editor, speaks to American singer-songwriter Patti Smith during her UK tour marking the 50th anniversary of her ground-breaking debut album ‘Horses'.Best-known for her hit ‘Because the Night', she shares the story behind the song, co-written with Bruce Springsteen, and reflects about being at the vanguard of a new wave of artists in the 1970s.Patti also opens up about her new memoir, Bread of Angels, a deeply personal journey through her music, her relationships, and the chance discovery of a devastating secret that changed everything. Thank you to the Culture team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katie Razzall Producers: Melanie Abbott, Roxanne Panthaki and Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Patti Smith. Credit: Stefania D'Alessandro/WireImage)

    Melanie Perkins, Canva CEO: from information to imagination

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2025 22:57


    ‘We've gone from the information era to the imagination era'Zoe Kleinman, the BBC's Technology editor, speaks to Canva CEO Melanie Perkins about the current tech and AI revolution that's transforming the internet and the world. Perkins, who is still only in her late-30s, is well-known for her entrepreneurial drive, having quit university at just 19 years old to launch her first venture.Unlike many of today's Silicon Valley-based big tech companies, Canva started out in the Australian city of Perth with a mission to ‘empower the world to design'.It offers a variety of templates and tools to help users without technical skills or a design background create a range of professional-looking graphics and presentations, from wedding invitations to business pitch decks. Since launching in 2013, it's grown to become a multi-billion dollar business used by around 250 million people every month.The success of Canva has catapulted Perkins into a number of lists ranking the world's most powerful women, compiled by the likes of Forbes and Fortune. But it's a far cry from the very early days, when she was rejected by over one hundred investors as she sought to get it off the ground.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producers: Ben Cooper and Philippa Wain Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Melanie Perkins. Credit: Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Anika Wells, Communications Minister: Australia's social media ban

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 24:32


    “This is giving parents another weapon in their arsenal for their lives and for the happiness and mental wellbeing of their children.”Katy Watson speaks to Australia's Communication Minister Anika Wells about the world's first social media ban for children under 16. Under the new law, social media companies will face fines of up to about US $32 million if they fail to take steps to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts. It has wide public support and comes about after research shows that seven out of ten Australian young people are suffering harm online. However, the law has its opponents too, from those who fear children could be cut off, or driven to darker, unregulated sites to the huge international technology companies and even the US President, but Anika Wells is undaunted. Her government wants to promote the mental health of its young people, and she maintains that even if the law is flawed, ‘Australians will look back and ask, why did that take so long? Not why did they do that?' The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katy Watson Producers: Simon Atkinson, Clare Williamson & Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media(Image: Anika Wells. Credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

    Shabana Mahmood, British Home Secretary: Do not make that boat crossing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2025 24:03


    Nick Robinson speaks to Shabana Mahmood, British Home Secretary, about her far-reaching proposals to shake up the UK immigration system, designed to make asylum seekers think twice before attempting to enter the country illegally.She also shares her own experience of racism as the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, and her belief that ensuring secure borders is the best way to combat this. Under her plans, refugee status will be made temporary, with frequent reviews, meaning people could be returned to their home country if it is deemed safe. Refugees will also need to live in the UK for 20 years before they can apply to stay permanently, a signifcant increase on the current five years. The removal of failed asylum seekers will be speeded up, and Shabana Mahmood is revoking the legal duty to provide them with support such as housing and money.Presenter: Nick Robinson Producer: Lucy Sheppard and Daniel Kraemer Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Shabana Mahmood. Credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Getty Images)

    Maria Ressa: The information apocalypse is threatening democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2025 25:03


    Marianna Spring, the BBC's social media investigations correspondent, speaks to Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa, co-founder of the independent Filipino news outlet Rappler.With over 40 years in journalism, Maria describes today's information landscape as a war zone, where online attacks, including doxxing, misogynistic hashtags, and manipulated images don't just stay online. They spill into real-world intimidation and violence.This conversation explores the rise of online misogyny, the weaponisation of social media by authoritarian regimes, and the global impact on press freedom. Maria draws on her experience in the Philippines to offer insights for resisting digital repression and calls out tech giants for failing to protect democracy.She also shares her vision for accountability and action and what needs to happen to safeguard journalism and democracy in the digital age. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Marianna Spring Producer(s): Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Maria Ressa Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

    Sir Nick Clegg: Social media's power paradox

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 22:59


    Amol Rajan speaks to Sir Nick Clegg - former deputy Prime Minister of the UK and, more recently, former President of Global Affairs at Meta - about big tech, AI and the future of social media.Sir Nick first appeared on the world stage back in 2010, when he became the UK's deputy prime minister after his Liberal Democrats party went into a coalition government with David Cameron's Conservatives.After leaving Westminster in 2017, he surprised many political observers when he was hired by Facebook, now known as Meta, to head up their global affairs and communications. In 2022, Sir Nick was then promoted to become the company's president of global affairs, where he oversaw policy and government relations.Sir Nick subsequently worked closely with Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg for several years, but decided to step down at the beginning of this year.And now, amid growing concerns over the regulation of big tech, the growth of AI and the future of the internet itself, he's drawing on his vast experience from both Westminster and Silicon Valley to offer insight into what could be ahead.Thank you to the Radical with Amol Rajan team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producer: Ben Cooper, Anna Budd and Lewis Vickers Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Nick Clegg. Credit: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

    Twinkle Khanna: Indian women's aspirations have changed

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2025 22:59


    ‘When it comes to women's lives, things have progressed, maybe not always in a linear way.'Devina Gupta speaks to author and columnist Twinkle Khanna about the lives of women in 21st century India. Khanna's column in the Times of India, Mrs Funnybones, captures the contradictions of being a modern Indian woman — one day praying to a cow, the next filing a tax return. It was turned into a book in 2015 that sold over 100,000 copies in its first year alone.Born into a family of Bollywood royalty, Khanna initially followed her parents Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna into acting. However, despite appearing in dozens of films and receiving accolades for her performances, she considers herself to have been a ‘failed actress'.After a short stint as an interior designer, she turned her hand to writing, and soon realised how much she could make people laugh.As a prominent writer, however, Khanna has faced significant backlash - including for comments challenging both traditional roles within marriage and religious customs that label women impure during menstruation. Her outspoken views on gender norms and marital expectations have led to heated debate on social media, and made her the subject of widespread trolling.So with the follow-up Mrs Funnybones book coming out over a decade later, she's now asking the much larger question: what, if anything, has changed for Indian women in that time. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Devina Gupta Producers: Ben Cooper and Clare Williamson Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Twinkle Khanna: Credit: SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Images)

    Sundar Pichai CEO of Google: AI prone to errors

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 22:59


    “The current state of the art AI technology is prone to some errors… you have to learn to use these tools for what they are good at, and not blindly trust everything they say.”Faisal Islam speaks to Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google and its holding company Alphabet, about artificial intelligence and its impact on how we live and work. He tells me that we are at an extraordinary moment in technology, with the potential for enormous benefits but also risks. AI should not be blindly trusted, he says, as it is still prone to errors. And it will disrupt society through its impact on jobs, but also on the climate, thanks to its “immense” energy needs. Trillions are being invested in artificial intelligence, raising fears it could create a bubble reminiscent of the dotcom boom in the 1990s. If it were to burst, Sundar Pichai warns no company, not even his, would be immune. Thank you to Faisal Islam and Priya Patel for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Faisal Islam Producers: Lucy Sheppard and Priya Patel Editor: Justine Lang(Image: Sundar Pichai. Credit: CAMILLE COHEN/AFP via Getty Images)

    Sir Anthony Hopkins: I turn turmoil into energy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 22:59


    ‘So-called turmoil or shortcomings in my life? I turn them into power or energy'Best known for playing the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 thriller ‘The Silence of the Lambs', Sir Anthony's journey to Hollywood stardom started with humble beginnings.Born into a working class family in the Welsh steel town of Port Talbot in 1937, his parents first ran a bakery, and then later a pub. Their strong work ethic was imparted on their son, who, despite struggling socially and educationally in his early years, was determined to make a success of himself. Throwing himself into reading and creative pastimes like music and art, Sir Anthony studied at both the Welsh Royal College of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy for Dramatic Art.His early career saw him working alongside greats including Katharine Hepburn, Lawrence Olivier, Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole across both stage and screen, with his international breakout coming in the 1980 film ‘The Elephant Man', which received multiple Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.It would be another decade before he truly cemented his place as a Hollywood A-lister: playing the infamous serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, regarded by many critics as one of the greatest film villains of all-time. The role won him the first of his two Oscars, with the second coming for his performance in the 2020 film ‘The Father'.But the 87-year-old's long journey to the very top was not only a professional struggle, but at times a personal struggle too, having also battled alcoholism early on in his career - which he says made him a difficult person to work with.Thank you to the Culture team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katie Razzall Producers: Ben Cooper, Roxanne Panthaki and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Anthony Hopkins Credit: Darren Arthur/Getty Images for GEA)

    Noura Erekat, Palestinian-American humans rights lawyer and professor

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 22:59


    I believe in all of humanity, but I think that too little has been done about Palestine.BBC North America Correspondent Nomia Iqbal speaks to Noura Erekat, Palestinian-American human rights attorney and professor at Rutgers University. As well as being a legal scholar she is also an outspoken advocate for justice in Palestine, she went on to become one of the first Palestinian women to address the United Nations Security in October this year where she spoke on the situation of women and girls in GazaNoura Erekat reflects on the global response to the war in Gaza and what international law can and cannot do in times of crisis. We explore what accountability might look like and why, for many Palestinians, the law has so often failed them.She talks about growing up as part of the Palestinian diaspora in the United States and how this has shaped her life. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Nomia Iqbal Producer(s): Alex Lederman, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Noura Erekat Credit: Barbara Monteiro)

    Brandi Carlile, singer-songwriter: I believe in the separation of church and state

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 22:59


    ‘I believe so profoundly in the separation of church and state, and in the dangers of theocracy creeping into the corners of a democracy'BBC Music Correspondent Mark Savage speaks to US singer-songwriter, producer and performer Brandi Carlile about the personal and political stories behind her songs.An LGBTQ icon, she sets out her fears about the threat to same-sex marriage in today's United States, and the impact that has had on her own family. And she shares the strain her own sexuality put on her relationship with her mother while growing up in rural America. It was country music, she says, that brought them together.Brandi Carlile has won eleven Grammy awards, been nominated for an Oscar, and worked with Elton John and Joni Mitchell. Now releasing her eighth album, she reveals she went into the studio with no songs prepared, only feelings and nostalgia, resulting in a deeply personal record reflecting on childhood memories, parenthood and politics. Thank you to Mark Savage for his help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Mark Savage Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Brandi Carlile Credit: Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

    Maria Alyokhina, Russian punk activist: The price of political art was prison

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 22:59


    The goal of political art is to ask uncomfortable questions. The price was prison.Vitaly Shevchenko speaks to Maria Alyokhina, founding member of the Russian punk activist group Pussy Riot, about the power and the price of protest.Pussy Riot came to the world's attention with its Punk Prayer, an angry anti-Putin anthem performed in a Moscow church. Maria Alyokhina spent two years incarcerated in a penal colony as a result. It was worth it, she says, to show the world what life under President Putin was like. She was freed under an amnesty ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but her ongoing activism saw her living under surveillance and then house arrest, eventually fleeing Russia in a dramatic escape. Today, she continues to challenge Putin's regime from outside her home country. Thank you to the Ukrainecast team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Vitaly Shevchenko Producer: Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Maria Alyokhina. Credit: INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

    Sir Salman Rushdie: writing fiction in a time of lies

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 22:59


    Writing fiction in a time of lies. James Coomarasamy speaks to acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie as he publishes his first work of fiction since surviving a near-fatal attack in 2022, by a man armed with a knife, who is now serving twenty five years in prison. The Eleventh Hour, his new collection of novellas and short stories explores mortality, farewells and even the afterlife. They feature a rich cast of characters - a musical prodigy in post-Partition Mumbai, a ghost with a secret at a Cambridge college and a young writer caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare in modern-day America.Sir Salman speaks candidly about the threats to free expression, the rise in book bans across the U.S., and the political climate shaped by figures like Donald Trump. He reflects on the pressures facing writers and readers in a time of disinformation and growing censorship.We discuss fiction's power to illuminate truth and why, after everything, he remains committed to the freedom to imagine.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Coomarasamy Producers: Nigel Doran, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Salman Rushdie Credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

    Nhial Deng Nhial: ‘South Sudan is being run down'

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2025 22:59


    ‘There's basically a total failure of governance. Nothing is working. There is very serious political instability that has actually manifested itself in violence all across the country.'James Copnall speaks to senior South Sudanese politician Nhial Deng Nhial, about the political instability that's threatening the future of the world's youngest country.Nhial, who has served in numerous important roles in, including as South Sudan's Foreign Minister, made headlines last month when he openly criticised the country's president, Salva Kiir, going from former ally to a voice of opposition. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of struggle led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, or SPLM. But just two years into independence, a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his vice-president Riek Machar led to a civil war in which 400,000 lost their lives. The civil war was brought to an end in 2018 through a peace deal that saw the creation of a unity government that was meant to pave the way for elections in 2022. However, these never happened, and following renewed clashes between the army and opposition forces earlier this year. The United Nations is deeply concerned about a possible return to outright war. Amid these growing tensions in the country, even once-staunch allies of the President are now speaking out - including Nhial Deng Nhial who suspended his membership of the ruling SPLM, and accused the government of corruption, fuelling insecurity and refusing to hold long-delayed elections. President Salva is no stranger to public criticism - but there was a sense of shock that the latest to take aim at South Sudan's leader was Nhial Deng Nhial, a prominent figure in the country, and the party, for decades. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Copnall Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Nhial Deng Nhial Credit: HANNAH MCNEISH/AFP/GettyImages)

    Sir Bradley Wiggins: I couldn't see hope or joy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2025 22:59


    There were periods when I couldn't see any hope or joy.Anna Foster speaks to British cycling champion Sir Bradley Wiggins in a deeply personal interview.The first Briton to win the Tour de France, he collected five Olympic gold medals throughout his career. But his stellar reputation came under attack as he faced allegations of doping. What followed was a descent into drug addiction that was fuelled, he says, by the pain of an absent father and the abuse he suffered at the hands of a coach, all while growing up in the public eye.Today he is a “better version of himself”, supported by close family, clean of drugs for a year and in therapy.Thank you to Anna Foster and Jade Lauriston for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Anna Foster Producers: Jade Lauriston and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Bradley Wiggins Credit: Nordin Catic/Getty Images For The Cambridge Union)

    Edward Enninful, former editor of British Vogue: fashion has to be more inclusive

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2025 23:00


    ‘Fashion has to be more inclusive, it has to speak to people outside the normal demographic'BBC presenter Amol Rajan speaks to Ghanaian-born Edward Enninful, who rose to the pinnacle of fashion in Britain as the editor-in-chief of British Vogue.Enninful has dedicated his career to making fashion representative and relevant to all, ignoring the accepted conventions on which type of models will make magazines and clothes sell. Even before I knew what inclusivity was, he says, I knew something wasn't right. But now Enninful warns fashion is at risk of returning to a narrow definition of beauty, where being thin, European and young is the ideal. In this interview, he sets out an alternative vision of fashion where diversity is welcomed, and the beauty of older women is recognised - inspired by the ‘bodacious' African women dressed by his seamstress mother throughout his childhood.Enninful arrived in London from Ghana as a boy, and was fashion director of the influential i-D magazine by the age of 18. After being appointed editor of British Vogue in 2017, he spent six years at the helm before stepping down. He is now launching a new fashion and media platform EE72.Thank you to the Radical podcast team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Amol Rajan Producers: Lucy Sheppard and Grace Reeve Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Edward Enninful Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

    Sir Philip Pullman: fantasy can be unsatisfactory

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2025 22:59


    ‘A lot of the fantasy that I have read is unsatisfactory for me because it's not interested in psychology, it's not interested how people think or feel'Katie Razzall speaks to renowned British author Sir Philip Pullman as he publishes his latest, and final book in the series, The Rose Field. He's best-known for writing the award-winning ‘His Dark Materials' - a series of novels beloved by children and adults alike all over the world. The books follow the adventures of the two main characters - Lyra and Will - across a series of parallel universes, where Pullman blends magical storytelling with physics, philosophy and theology.Pullman was a part-time English lecturer when the first instalment in the series was published thirty years ago. Tens of millions of copies have been sold across multiple continents, and the stories have been translated into 40 languages.The commercial and critical success spawned a follow-up series, The Book of Dust, which came out nearly a decade ago. The 79-year-old has now picked up his pen to publish this latest and final instalment.Although loved all over the world, the stories have also attracted controversy for their criticism of religion. Pullman, who once described himself as a ‘Church of England atheist', is outspoken on a number of modern-day issues - such as politics, free speech, and indeed faith - with his views regularly influencing his writing.Thank you to the Culture team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katie Razzall Producers: Ben Cooper and Roxanne Panthaki Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Sir Philip Pullman. Credit: Massimiliano Donati/Awakening/Getty Images)

    Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia co-founder: We're living in an era of a massive lowering of trust

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 22:59


    ‘We're living in an era of a massive lowering of trust'Shaun Ley speaks to Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world.He talks about how to trust in a digital age, the pressures facing open‑knowledge platforms and his new book The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last, where he shares the lessons that transformed Wikipedia and could transform our relationship with information too.Jimmy Wales co founded Wikipedia in 2001, it was built on the principle that knowledge should be free and created collectively. With over 300 language editions, it's the largest free knowledge resource, relying on donations by online readers. He reflects on how Wikipedia is navigating an era of misinformation, political pressure, and declining public trust in institutions. From accusations of left-leaning bias by conservative voices and scrutiny from authoritarian governments, to the challenge of keeping a global, multilingual platform accurate and inclusive, he explains how Wikipedia's unique open-source model, powered by thousands of volunteer editors, continues to hold the line on transparency and truth. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Shaun Ley Producer: Farhana Haider Researcher: Meaghaen Reid Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jimmy Wales. Credit: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

    Kamala Harris on her 107-day presidential bid

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 22:59


    ‘I am not done. I have lived my entire career a life of service and it's in my bones and there are many ways to serve. I have not decided yet what I will do in the future beyond what I'm doing right now.'Laura Kuenssberg speaks to Kamala Harris about her turbulent 2024 presidential campaign where she ran against Donald Trump. She was thrust into the race just 107 days before the election, after the incumbent President and Democratic Party candidate, Joe Biden, abruptly withdrew following a disastrous debate performance. She has now revealed in a new book the emotional and political turbulence of that whirlwind campaign. She opens up about the sting of electoral defeat, and her candid thoughts on Biden's decision to step aside. When it comes to Donald Trump, she doesn't hold back, calling him a ‘tyrant' and a ‘fascist'. She also shares her vision for the Democratic Party's future - and doesn't rule out running again. Thank you to the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg team for their help in making this programme.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Laura Kuenssberg Producers: Melanie Abbott, Ben Cooper and Joseph Cassidy Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Kamala Harris Credit: Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

    David Grossman: isolating Israel is not the answer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 22:59


    ‘To isolate Israel or to punish Israel will be the most irresponsible and unacceptable step to boycott Israel, for example. I think it's a huge mistake, because what we need is a dialogue.'Tim Franks speaks to Israeli author David Grossman about the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as concerns grow over the increasingly fragile ceasefire. Grossman is one of Israel's most prominent writers, and since publishing his first novel over forty years ago, his works have been translated into 36 languages. He's won numerous literary awards over the years, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2017. Many of his works deal with the issues associated with Israel and Palestine.The 71-year-old is also well-known as a peace activist, and has been a vocal, long-standing critic of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - expressing concern over the direction the country is being led in.In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica in August, Grossman described Israel's actions in Gaza as ‘genocide', lamenting that he had been forced to reach that conclusion by the ongoing military campaign that began following the events of October 7.Thank you to the Newshour team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Tim Franks Producers: Ben Cooper and Jack Hunter Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: David Grossman. Credit Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

    Dr Vivek Murthy: loneliness is public health risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2025 22:59


    ‘There are real consequences to our physical and mental health'Katty Kay speaks to Dr Vivek Murthy, former US Surgeon-General about the challenge posed by loneliness and isolation in the modern world. Dr. Murthy, the first person of Indian descent in the post, was appointed during the second Obama administration. He then returned in 2021, serving until the beginning of this year.The Surgeon-General's job is to provide the American public with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. They also oversee the country's 6,000 public health professionals who respond to national health threats and public health crises.It was during his second term, under the Biden administration, that Dr. Murthy first started expressing concern about the impact of social media on the mental health and wellbeing of young people. He described the loneliness epidemic of social isolation as a risk to public health akin to smoking and diabetes.In this interview, he examines the scale of the challenge posed by loneliness and how artificial intelligence, or AI, on the one hand is being used to tackle it, but may also be simultaneously adding to the problem. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Katty Kay Producers: Ben Cooper, Aiden Johnson and Ilyas Kirmani Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

    Jamie Dimon, head of US bank JP Morgan Chase: I am worried about the global economy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 22:59


    I am worried about the global economySimon Jack, BBC Business Editor speaks to global financial titan Jamie Dimon. He's the Chief Executive and Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, America's largest bank, and one of the biggest banks in the world. He oversees more than $4 trillion of assets, and has the ear of world leaders.He believes we are living in a time of uncertainty, and is concerned about the impact on the global economy. The risk of a serious fall in the US stock market within the next two years is being underestimated, he claims, adding he is far more worried about this than others. But he still puts his faith in the American economy, saying it is the best in the world. And while he says the United States is now a “less reliable” international partner, it is thanks to the actions of President Trump that other NATO members have stepped up their spending on defence. Such investment he believes is essential, in a world more dangerous since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Jamie Dimon has been at the helm of JP Morgan Chase for nearly twenty years. Now he has been tipped as a potential US Treasury Secretary, something he says is not on the cards.Thank you to the Big Boss Interview team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: Simon Jack Producers: Oliver Smith, Lucy Sheppard Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

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