HARDtalk

“I just knew that I wanted to be a mega superstar and I didn't know how…I feel like Africa chose me before I even chose Africa, and I feel music chose me before I chose music.”Nkechi Ogbonna speaks to Nigerian singer and songwriter Yemi Alade about becoming one of Africa's biggest music stars and a trailblazer who has helped take Afrobeats to the world.Alade has collaborated with artists including Beyoncé and became the first female African Afrobeats artist to surpass 100 million views on a single music video. She's now touring the continent to promote her latest album. Alade reflects on the challenges women face in Africa's music industry, myths around success and some of the difficulties she's faced touring on a Nigerian passport.Thank you to the Focus on Africa 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 Gugu Zuma-Ncube and Thuli Zuma, executive producers of South Africa Netflix hit ‘The Polygamist', legendary musician Paul McCartney, and ballet star Carlos Acosta. 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: Nkechi Ogbonna Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Yemi Alade. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images)

“This movement was by young people who had hardly anything to lose. We had no fear and that's what spread across the country and today people are raising their voices. This time it stopped at the education ministry, but if this continues, I think the younger generation may not stop at just education.” Rajini Vaidyanathan speaks to Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose 26-day hunger strike made him a central figure in youth-led protests over leaked exam papers. The anger about leaks broadened into frustration over limited opportunities for young people, and the demonstrations became one of the biggest public displays of dissent against Narendra Modi's BJP government. Sonam ended his fast after receiving assurances on education reform. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan later resigned, one of the key demands from the protestors. He explains his belief that non-violent protest can influence those in power, the physical risk you take if you stage a hunger strike, and why the movement may not stop at education. 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 and author Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Rajini Vaidyanathan Producer: Osman Iqbal Editors: Farhana Haider and Damon Rose(Image: Sonam Wangchuk. Credit: Getty)

“It's very important that we expose this work early on, so that people from different cultures see ballet as a way of a career. But in the 1990s or 2000s, it was pretty much closed, we didn't have - even in school - a lot of black ballet dancers from which to choose from. But now, obviously, things have moved on. Now, diversity is at the top of every director's agenda… it's great that we've seen a big shift and we see the right kind of representation of the world as we have it today, on stage.”Michael Berkeley speaks to ballet star Carlos Acosta about his life and career.Born in 1973, Acosta grew up in a poor part of Havana, where he was the 11th child in a very large family.He began training at the National Ballet School of Cuba at 9 years old, and quickly rose to prominence. At 18, he became the youngest principal dancer at the English National Ballet.After gaining further international experience, Acosta joined the Royal Ballet in 1998 - making it his home for nearly two decades, and performing every major classical role. Such was his impact, in 2014 he received a CBE in Queen Elizabeth's honours list for services to ballet.Now the Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, he's fostered some unexpected collaborations, including a show based on the music of the city's heavy rock legends Black Sabbath, as well as classics like Swan Lake and the Nutcracker.Thank you to the Private Passions 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 Oscar-winning filmmaker Sir Christopher Nolan, music icon Chaka Khan, and artist Tracey Emin. 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: Ben Cooper and Clare Walker Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Carlos Acosta. Credit: Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

‘When it comes to humanitarian crisis, we should not allow children's future to be subject to geopolitics. We can't say that there are politically compulsions as a result of which we are allowing children to die of starvation. We can't say there are political compulsions because of which we are allowing children to die of want of medical aid. So the request before the Security Council was this. Cannot all countries agree on the minimum norms of humanitarian aid?'Jugal Purohit speaks to Srinivasan Muralidhar, a lawyer turned judge in India for over four decades, in November 2025, he was appointed by the UN to lead an independent International Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.The commission examined alleged Israeli violations against Palestinian children from the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023 to October 2025. In June 2026 it published its 94-page report. Israel did not cooperate or provide information to the commission. It rejected the report and disputed its conclusions after publication.The report found that Israel had deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, as well as war crimes in the occupied West Bank.Srinivasan Muralidhar talks about how the commission documented and verified the evidence of violations against children, the challenges it faced in establishing the facts, and the key conclusions it reached in its report. This episode of The Interview contains discussion of the killing of children and other consequences of conflict.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 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, former Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, and the author Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Jugal Purohit Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Srinivasan Muralidhar. Credit: BBC)

“The time has come for the international community to be honest, not to be hypocritical, not be selective, not engage in erasure, but to admit that the gravest crime against humanity took place and it took place on this continent. And that the time to repair what was broken, what undermines our collective humanity, what is a scar on our collective conscience, the time and the only way to repair that is now.”Aleem Maqbool speaks to Ghana's Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, about his country leading a global campaign for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Earlier this year, the United Nations adopted an historic resolution that declared the transatlantic slave trade "the gravest crime against humanity", although every European nation chose to abstain in the vote. Meanwhile, the US was one of three countries to vote against.Between the 16th and 19th centuries, it's estimated that around 12 million people were forcibly trafficked from Africa to European colonies in the Americas, although some historians place this figure even higher.Accra's campaign has been supported by countries all over the world, and although not so much by European nations, it has been recognised by some European institutions, like the Church of England. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa, microfinance pioneer Jennifer Riria, and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation. 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: Aleem Maqbool Producers: Catherine Wyatt 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: Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Credit: Getty)

Leanna Byrne speaks to Sumant Sinha, the founder of ReNew, one of India's largest renewable energy companies about why he thinks green and clean energy will win out.Sinha began his career in finance, working in New York and London, before walking away from the corporate world to make a bet on renewable energy. He founded his company in India, which is one of the world's most polluted countries. It also imports around 85% fossil fuels.Sinha says that moving as quickly as possible to clean energy will also help ensure the country's energy security.Thank you to the Business Daily 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 Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, US journalist Maggie Haberman, and Jim Continenza CEO of Kodak. 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. (Image: Sumant Sinha speaks and gestures with his hands. He has short black hair and wears a blue jacket, a white shirt and light blue tie. Credit: Getty Images)Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Justine Lang

“This is a legitimate concern of South Africans, where there's illegal foreigners, people with no paperwork. No country in the world allows that to happen. Why should we? Our message is very simple. We say, South Africa is open for our brothers on the continent, but come here legitimately. Come here like a civilised human being that wants to come and contribute towards our country.”Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture and leader of the Patriotic Alliance, a party that has built much of its support on a hardline stance on illegal migration.As South Africa is gripped by protests, violence and political division over immigration, McKenzie responds to criticism that his views betray Nelson Mandela's legacy of humanity, social justice and freedom. He rejects accusations that he's blaming migrants for South Africa's wider problems and argues his approach reflects the concerns of many South Africans.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 and author Maggie O'Farrell.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: Osman Iqbal Editor: Justine Lang(Image: Gayton McKenzie. Credit: Reuters)

‘Their love was so innocent, so sweet, so organic and we just wanted them to end up together because even they knew that some of the queer films always end in tragedy and they were worried that something like that's going to happen but that didn't happen and so people were really happy with it.' Nikki Bedi speaks to Rohan Kanawade, the acclaimed director whose debut feature Cactus Pears or Sabar Bonda, made history as the first Marathi-language film to premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. It also became the first Indian drama to win the festival's International Grand Jury Prize. Set in Kanawade's home state of Maharashtra, Cactus Pears is a groundbreaking Marathi-language love story between two men. Drawing on his experience of mourning his father, he reveals how grief, memory and identity found their way into his film. He also talks about growing up in a poor area of Mumbai with parents who accepted and supported his sexuality.Thank you to the Arts 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 director Christopher Nolan, actor Diego Calva and the legendary musician Ringo Starr. 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: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Rohan Kanawade. Credit: Getty)

“Due to geopolitical divides, countries are having second thoughts about non-proliferation or their non-proliferation obligations, in the sense that many countries were relying or are still relying on nuclear umbrellas which they might feel are not so protective as they used to be in the past… Without wishing to exaggerate things, there is a perception that the nuclear factor is back on the table and it is growing in its relevance in terms of decision making, in terms of what nations do.”Rob Young speaks to Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.The IAEA was founded in 1957, and is an autonomous international organisation within the UN system. Its job is to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology, and to check that nuclear material is not used for military purposes, including nuclear weapons. Grossi, a former Argentinian diplomat, was appointed in 2019 and has steered the IAEA through multiple challenges. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, concerns were raised about the prospect of nuclear weapons being used, but also about Ukraine's nuclear power plants coming under attack.The organisation's resources were stretched further still when the recent Middle East conflict began. The US, along with Israel, have had concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions for many years, and reject the country's claim that their nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.Rafael Grossi is considered a front-runner to become the new Secretary General of the UN which he believes should be accepted more as a keeper of the peace.Thank you to the Newsday 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 Russia's nuclear envoy Mikhail Ulyanov, UNICEF chief Catherine Russell, and Artemis 2 astronaut Victor Glover. 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: Rob Young Producers: Sharon Hemans, Farhana Haider, and Ben Cooper Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Rafael Grossi. Credit: Reuters)

“We all need to be speaking up about it. Not just the survivors. And we put so much burden on the people who've actually suffered the most, the most vulnerable among us.”Naga Munchetty speaks to Amy Wallace, co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl. Giuffre accused the then Prince Andrew, and late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, of sexual abuse. The former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, told Newsnight in 2019 that he did not remember meeting Giuffre, and he has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Virginia Giuffre's father has also denied all allegations of abuse.The memoir, published six months after Giuffre took her own life, describes her encounters with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Amy Wallace says she expected to be a ghostwriter in the shadows, but after Giuffre's death, she decided to step forward and speak up for her.If this programme has affected you there are people who can give you support. If you're in the UK search for the BBC's Actionline or befrienders.org Thank you to the team at BBC Radio 5 Live with Naga Munchetty 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 writer Maggie O'Farrell, Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio and head of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros. 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: Naga Munchetty Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Amy Wallace. Credit: Patricia Shields)

“One of the things that's fascinating about him simply as a historical study is the recognition that shamelessness is a superpower, and he refuses to be shamed in almost any action that he takes. He also realised that he doesn't have to abide by the US system, which is primarily norms and not laws. He is testing them in a way they have never been tested before.” Paddy O'Connell speaks to Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times and co-author of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. Maggie gives her take on Trump's second administration, from the influence of Elon Musk to his increasingly fraught dealings with world leaders. She also explains her belief Trump's second presidency is fundamentally different from his first, and how he is testing the limits of presidential power. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and author Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Paddy O'Connell Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Maggie Haberman. Credit: Getty)

“The biggest risk in motion pictures is to not take a risk. You have to be putting it out there and offering people something new, and that's what will get them out of their houses.”Katie Razzall speaks to Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan. The 55-year-old, whose directing credits include Inception, Interstellar and Oppenheimer, is widely considered one of the 21st century's most influential filmmakers.Born in London in 1970, his career began in the mid-1990s, when he would proofread scripts, operate cameras and direct for corporate information films. Barely a decade later, he was chosen to direct Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy, setting a new standard for how superheroes were portrayed on screen.A string of blockbusters followed, making him one of the highest-grossing directors of all time, and was later knighted in 2024 for his services to film.He's now releasing his latest project, The Odyssey - an ambitious adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek story, starring a Hollywood A-List cast, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya.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, including episodes with fellow Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, tennis champion Martina Navratilova, and legendary musician Sir Paul McCartney. 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, Alex Stanger and Steven Wright Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Christopher Nolan. Credit: Reuters)

“We were losing about $160 million a year. We burned through our cash and we had to make some changes. I don't mean a financial restructuring. I mean transformation of the business. It's a skill and an art. I asked, ‘What does Kodak do today?' and I couldn't get an answer. And I thought we had to get our identity back. What are our skills? What do we do?”Leanna Byrne speaks to Jim Continenza, chief executive of Kodak, the company that once dominated photography and became one of the world's most recognisable brands.The rise of digital photography helped trigger one of the most dramatic corporate collapses of its era, leading to Kodak filing for bankruptcy in 2012.Jim joined the company's board during the bankruptcy process, after building a career as a turnaround specialist. He had served on more than 30 boards, often stepping in when struggling businesses needed to be reconstructed.He discusses how he helped to give the company a new identity, rebuild itself as an industrial manufacturer and brought the business back from the brink. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and author Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Leanna Byrne Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider(Image: Jim Continenza. Credit: Getty)

“As there is more drone warfare, more artificial intelligence in the decision making, we're going to have to completely reimagine how we cover [war]”Business presenter Felicity Hannah speaks to Patrick Tiernan, who runs the 337-year-old insurance marketplace, Lloyds of London. He says that autonomous weapons and AI-driven decision-making could change how conflict risk is calculated and insured, because traditional assumptions about how wars escalate may no longer hold. He says the current risk environment is unlike anything in his company's long history, and that a major state-backed cyber-attack remains one of their realistic disaster scenarios.Thank you to the BBC Big Boss team 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 chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, head of the commonwealth games Katie Sadleir and astronaut Victor Glover. 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: Felicity Hannah Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Patrick Tiernan. Credit: Lloyd's)

“It's a subject that I know I've lived, I've seen up close…That includes watching my father. That includes the relationships that I saw him have.” Presenter Anne Soy speaks to Gugu Zuma-Ncube and Thuli Zuma, executive producers of The Polygamist, one of Netflix's biggest new dramas which takes on the topic of polygamy - the practice of having more than one spouse at the same time. They are also the daughters of former South African president Jacob Zuma - a proud polygamist who is greatly respected by his supporters for upholding his cultural and traditional Zulu beliefs. The Zulu language drama was an instant hit, attracting two million views in the first week and becoming number four on Netflix's top 10 list for non-English series globally. Thank you to the Newsday 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 Kenyan businesswoman Jennifer Riria, astronaut Victor Glover, and Hinge dating app CEO Jackie Jantos. 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: Anne Soy Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Thuli Zuma and Gugu Zuma-Ncube. Credit: Stained Glass TV)

“I'm a proud American. I became a citizen in 2021. I feel at home here both in America and actually, in a way I actually have never felt before. I feel like this is where I'm meant to be, and I couldn't be more honoured that people now are putting their faith in me to turn the state around.”Nick Robinson speaks to Steve Hilton, the British-born Republican candidate for governor of California in November's US midterm elections.Once a senior adviser to former UK prime minister David Cameron, Hilton left British politics to build a new life in America. Now endorsed by President Donald Trump, he explains why he believes the Republican Party best represents what he calls “positive populism”.Hilton reflects on his upbringing as the son of Hungarian refugees, the opportunities he says transformed his life, and why he feels a stronger sense of belonging in America than he ever did in Britain.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with former US Secretary of State John Kerry and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.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 Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Steve Hilton. Credit: Reuters)

“The last thing to come into view was this blue glow, and we could see craters and the surface of the Moon. But the Sun is on the other side, so what was lighting the Moon? It was ‘Earthshine', the light of the Earth reflecting off the near side of the Moon. I don't think our brains are evolved to understand what we were seeing. I called Houston and said, ‘I think we've just gone into sci-fi.'”Paddy O'Connell speaks to Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover, who was part of the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.Glover and his crewmates travelled further from Earth than any humans before them, witnessing sights no one had ever seen before.He explains why humanity may be closer to reaching Mars than many think, and reflects on how travelling into space changed his perspective on life.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard.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: Paddy O'Connell Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Victor Glover. Credit: Josh Valcarcel/NASA)

Sean Farrington speaks to Jackie Jantos, CEO of popular mobile dating app Hinge, about finding romance in today's rapidly-changing digital world.Launched back in 2013, US-based Hinge has steadily grown to become one of the world's biggest mobile dating apps. As of 2025, there were 30 million users on the platform looking for romance all over the world - up from half a million just 10 years before.Hinge encouragingly bills itself as the ‘app to be deleted', and unlike many competitor apps, its focus is on creating real interactions - for example, encouraging users to like photos or prompts - rather than quickly swiping left or right.In a crowded industry worth billions of dollars, the app, owned by the American dating giant Match Group, has a difficult balancing act to maintain. It has to innovate to attract new users and make a profit, while also ensuring their users find romance and so do not have to keep using the app.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, including episodes with music icon Chaka Khan, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark, and entrepreneur Emma Grede. 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: Sean Farrington Producer: Jeevan Nerwan and Ben Cooper Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jackie Jantos smiles as she looks to the side. She has brown hair and glasses and wears a black jumper. Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

“It had grown to be quite an expensive event. Our members wanted to host the games, and because of the size and the scale of the event that was not possible.”Mani Djazmi speaks to Katie Sadleir, CEO of the Commonwealth Games about how hosting the event had become unaffordable for many Commonwealth countries. This summer's games were to be held in Victoria, Australia, but they withdrew due to expanding costs.Speaking ahead of the Games which now take place in Glasgow, Scotland from the end of July, she talks about the new strategy she launched to make them more sustainable. Despite having fewer sports now, she says the event is still important.Sadleir started her sporting career in artistic swimming, competing in major events such as the 1984 LA Olympics, and the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games soon after. You'll hear about her journey from the water to the boardroom, and then to head of the Commonwealth Games. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with legendary musician Paul McCartney, AI entrepreneur Kate Kallot, and acclaimed writer Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Mani Djazmi Producers: Cordelia Hemming and Farhana Haider Editor: Damon Rose(Image: Katie Sadleir. Credit: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Waihiga Mwaura speaks to former US Secretary of State John Kerry about why he thinks governments are retreating from efforts to deal with climate change. He spoke to the BBC during this year's Our Ocean Conference, an international forum which Kerry launched in 2014 to help protect the world's oceans.He was the first US special presidential envoy for climate from 2021 to 2024, and since then has continued his work in climate solutions.With other world events in mind, Kerry helped negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran as President Barack Obama's secretary of state and we get his take on the current US-Iran conflict and subsequent peace plan. Thank you to the Focus on Africa 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 one of Africa's youngest billionaires Mohammed Dewji, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and Sierra Leone's First Lady Fatima Bio. 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: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose(Image: John Kerry smiles and wears a black jacket, white shirt and bow tie. Credit: Reuters)

“I don't want to give any lessons to British people, and it's difficult for us to receive lessons from outside, because nobody is able to give lessons to others... But we also have to take into account what happens around us in Europe, Russia and Ukraine, and outside the world in the Middle East. The world is more and more dangerous, unstable and fragile - and in facing this world, we need to be together.”Katya Adler speaks to Michel Barnier who served as the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, on the 10th anniversary of the highly consequential referendum.On 23 June 2016, the British public went to the polls to decide its future with the European Union. An unusually high number of people voted, and by 52% to 48%, the decision was to leave the bloc.Barnier, then a European Commissioner who had served as a minister in a number of French governments, represented the EU at negotiations to help agree the terms of the UK's departure and future relationship.It was a long, hard process, with the UK seeing three different prime ministers from 10 Downing Street before formally leaving the Union in January 2020.Monsieur Barnier reflects on the UK's decision and how both European and international politics have changed since. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño, and Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv. 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: Katya Adler Producers: Ben Cooper and Kathy Long Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Michel Barnier. Credit: PA.)

“I escaped into my imagination. That is what I did from the earliest time that I can remember. I was writing stories, and when the world was too difficult, I would just make up one of my own and I would spend my time there. That was a power that I developed out of survival instinct, but it's also made it possible for me to spend so much time alone writing books.” Jamie Coomarasamy speaks to Patricia Cornwell, one of the world's best-selling crime writers, whose books have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide. She reflects on a childhood marked by trauma, instability and family mental illness, and the lasting impact those experiences have had on her life. Her imagination became a refuge during difficult years, shaping the stories and characters she would later create. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews coming from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and 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: Jamie Coomarasamy Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Patricia Cornwell. Credit: Getty)

“The most vulnerable are almost always children, because they don't have any ability to change their circumstance. They don't start these wars. They are powerless to stop them, but they suffer so much in these situations.”Nada Tawfik speaks to Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF, the United Nations agency responsible for protecting and supporting children.Before taking up the role in 2022, she spent decades in government and diplomacy, including as assistant to President Joe Biden as well as serving in senior roles at the US State Department focused on global women's issues and international development. Now leading UNICEF at a time of unprecedented conflict, displacement and humanitarian need, she talks about the impact of aid cuts and the challenges facing children around the world. 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 World Health Organisation's Hanan Balkhy, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and musical icon Sir Paul McCartney. 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: Nada Tawfik Producer(s): Cordelia Hemming, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Catherine Russell. Credit: UNICEF/UN0795033/Deeb)

“Right now, it's like the AI industry has a gas pedal, but it doesn't have a brake pedal in the car. And what we're saying is we want to build that brake pedal so we in the world have an option. In the future, you might say: ‘Let's get all of the benefits we can for, say, biology and medical research, and let's take a pause on AI research, where we can absorb the societal changes.'” Faisal Islam speaks to Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic, one of the companies at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution and the maker of the Claude chatbot. Jack says AI systems are becoming dramatically more capable, changing how work happens even inside Anthropic itself. He argues that artificial intelligence could accelerate scientific discovery, reshape industries and transform economies. But he also warns that increasingly powerful AI systems will require new forms of oversight and control. As these technologies become more capable, he argues that governments and society need mechanisms to slow development if it moves too far, too fast. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard. 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 Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang(Image:Jack Clark. Credit: Getty)

“The state of Lebanon needs to have an exclusivity of arms. And definitely, Hezbollah needs to be disarmed… Disarming a group or a community is not possible by force, it's possible by conviction. You put pressure, but you cannot eliminate a whole society, a whole community. We need to have an exclusivity of arms in the hand of the state, an exclusivity of decision through a political process, pressuring Hezbollah to disarm, but getting also in parallel a full withdrawal of the Israelis from occupied Lebanese territories and a full cessation of hostilities.”Jeremy Bowen speaks to Gebran Bassil, the Lebanese politician who served as the country's Foreign Minister between 2014 and 2020.Mr. Bassil, who is from the country's Maronite Christian ethnic group, leads the right-wing Free Patriotic Movement political party. The party was founded over 30 years ago by the former President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, who is also Bassil's father-in-law.In October 2024, a year after the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October started the current Middle East conflict, the Free Patriotic Movement party announced that it was cutting ties with Hezbollah. Bassil slammed the Iranian-backed militant group for threatening the safety and stability of Lebanon when it launched its own attacks on Israel in support of Hamas.As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues in southern Lebanon, Bassil and his party are part of growing calls for the country to take a new direction. 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 World Health Organisation's Hanan Balkhy; Ali Bahreini, Iranian ambassador to the UN; and Syrian Minister, Hind Kabawat. 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: Jeremy Bowen Producers: Samantha Granville 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: Gebran Bassil. Credit: Getty)

“There is more spending in defence and less spending in global health or in public health or health security, which makes us vulnerable...Because the invisible enemy could be more impactful. Imagine, have you ever seen a war in recent memory that killed 20 million people? Why can't we come to our senses?”Justin Webb speaks to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, about the invisible threat of viruses and the rapid spread of a new strain of Ebola.Tedros recently visited the Democratic Republic of Congo where this latest outbreak started. It is particularly challenging because it involves a rare species of Ebola for which there is no vaccine, and the epicentre is in an area affected by conflict. There are also cases in neighbouring Uganda.The WHO General-Director claims governments are focusing too much on defence spending, and he makes an impassioned plea for countries to allocate more money to global health, and to prevent future pandemics.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 with President of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband, Former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa and writer Maggie O'Farrell. 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: Justin Webb Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Credit: Reuters)

“I do live here and now, but I often think about the past. But then again, I think a lot of people do. So I think writers, what are they going to draw on?”Mark Savage speaks to musician Paul McCartney.Born in Liverpool, England, during the Second World War, he found fame as a member of the legendary British band The Beatles in the 1960s, widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in music history.McCartney shared primary singing and songwriting duties with bandmate John Lennon, and along with George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the four-piece became a global pop music sensation with hits such as Twist and Shout, Yesterday and Hey Jude.They remain one of the best-selling musical acts of all time alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.McCartney was knighted for his services to music in 1997, but despite his huge achievements, the 83-year-old seems to be showing no interest in retirement — he's releasing his 19th solo album.The Boys of Dungeon Lane is inspired by his experiences growing up in post-war Liverpool, during which a young McCartney, carrying a guitar and wearing a bowler hat to catch attention, would hitchhike with John Lennon to places as far away as Paris. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Chaka Khan, Pete Townshend and, Paul McCartney's bandmate, Ringo Starr. 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: Mark Savage Producers: Steven Wright and Ben Cooper Editors: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Paul McCartney. Credit: Getty)

“I do want to make money, but I want to make money in the right way, ethically. But more importantly, I want use this money to be able to give back.”Charles Gitonga speaks to entrepreneur and businessman Mohammed Dewji about becoming one of Africa's youngest billionaires and how he wants to use his wealth.Mohammed Dewji is a Tanzanian businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who has primarily accumulated his wealth from his family business, an East African conglomerate founded by his grandparents and expanded by his father in the 1970s. It deals with textile manufacturing, flour milling, beverages and edible oils. About twenty-five years ago, Africa had no dollar billionaires. Today, there are still only 23, not a huge number for a continent rich in mineral wealth and an abundance of relatively cheap labour. Their combined wealth has grown to more than 100 billion US dollars.Dewji signed the Giving Pledge in 2016 promising to donate at least half his fortune to philanthropic causes. He explains why he believes billionaires have a responsibility to give back.Thank you to the Focus on Africa 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 Sierra Leone's first lady Fatima Bio, former Sudanese leader Aisha Musa, and SungAh Lee from the International Organisation for Migration. 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: Charles Gitonga Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Mohammed Dewji. Credit: Getty)

‘We are transforming feelings of revenge into reconciliation. We are transforming despair into hope, trauma into healing. So the future is peace is also like a manual, like a guide, not just for a shared journey across the holy land, but a guide for human conscience.'Rajan Datar speaks to Palestinian and Israeli authors and peace activists Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon.Maoz Inon‘s parents were killed during the Hamas attacks of October 7th. Aziz Abu Sarah's brother died after being detained for nearly a year in an Israeli military prison. Together, they have forged an unlikely friendship across the Israeli Palestine divide, become leading voices for reconciliation, arguing that peace can only be built through empathy, dialogue and a recognition of each other's humanity.Their new book, The Future Is Peace, chronicles their eight day drive across Israel and Palestine. They talk about loss, forgiveness, and why they remain hopeful despite the devastation of war. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. 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: Rajan Datar Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon. Credit: Getty)

“It's what we call a new world disorder: 60 wars, 120 million people - refugees and displaced, 300 million people hungry, plus another 45 million according to the World Food Program as a result of the constrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. That's a disordered world. And people can inveigh against international institutions as much as they like, but the problem we're facing is not that there's too strong an international system - it's too weak.”Caitríona Perry speaks to David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee.Miliband, who was previously British Foreign Secretary, first took up the post in 2013, overseeing the New York-headquartered organisation whose humanitarian relief operations are active in over 40 war-affected countries.As the world navigates multiple conflicts across the Middle East and Africa, in places such as Sudan, Lebanon and Gaza, humanitarian crises continue to grow.They are further compounded by cuts to international aid, the breakdown of the rules-based order, plus trade and shipping difficulties due to the conflict in Iran.This means aid organisations like the IRC are increasingly having to adapt how they respond.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 World Health Organisation's Hanan Balkhy; former US Ambassador to the UN, Samanthan Power; and humanitarian chef José Andrés. 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: Caitríona Perry Producers: Ben Cooper and Chloe Ross Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: David Miliband. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

“The change that we're going to see happen with AI does mean that there's going to be some really difficult challenges and times ahead. But the question is, how do we get to both navigating those challenges as humanly and as gracefully as possible, and how do we get to the same kind of benefits of the amplification we got with the Industrial Revolution?“Amol Rajan speaks to tech billionaire Reid Hoffman, about why he thinks artificial intelligence could transform the future of work.Reid Hoffman is best known for co-founding LinkedIn, the largest professional networking platform in the world, and revolutionising the world of work. He wants to do it again with a rapid adoption of AI in the workplace in a way he says is safe and ethical. As one of the world's richest men he also gives his thoughts on tech billionaires and his former relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Thank you to the Radical with Amol Rajan 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 entrepreneur Emma Grede, CEO of Otter.ai Sam Liang, and First Lady of Sierra Leone Fatima Bio. 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: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Reid Hoffman Credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Historically, as a region, we've been extracted at two levels. If you look at the AI value chain, a lot of our youth, some who have studied computer science, are left at data labelling roles at the bottom of the value chain, where the least value is created. In a different way, a lot of our data is being extracted for free to train those systems. We want to make sure we don't go into similar models that we had during colonisation.” Leanna Byrne speaks to Kate Kallot, founder of the Kenyan artificial intelligence company Amini, which is building AI infrastructure across Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.She warns that billions of people risk being left out of the artificial intelligence systems shaping modern life, with languages, cultures and knowledge from large parts of the world underrepresented in the technology being built today.Kate argues that AI risks repeating old patterns of global inequality, with poorer countries supplying valuable data while richer nations reap the rewards.She explains why the Global South should help shape the future of AI, rather than simply supply the data behind it.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Sundar Pichai and Julia Gillard. 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: Leanne Byrne Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider and Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Kate Kallot. Credit: Getty)

“I was born in Coleraine, then I moved to Wales and then I moved to Ireland. It's very complicated and I feel there's a strange sense if you grow up somewhere different from where you were born. That's just true of everyone. If your accent doesn't match your name - as in my case - I think you walk alongside all your life a kind of ghost-self in that there's always a sense of ‘who would I have been if we'd stayed?'”Katie Razzall speaks to acclaimed writer Maggie O'Farrell. The 54-year-old has been a published author for more than 25 years, with her books translated into more than 40 languages.O'Farrell shot to wider international fame following the award-winning screen adaptation of her 2020 novel Hamnet, a story about the son of the English playwright William Shakespeare. She's now publishing Land, her sweeping new tale centred around an Irish map-maker working for the British army at the time of the Great Famine in Ireland in the mid-19th century. Between 1845 and 1852, at least one million people died due to starvation and disease, with a further two million people fleeing Ireland to escape the famine.The book is about colonisation and devastation, set against a backdrop of families left to die of starvation on estates owned by British aristocrats and landowners. Drawing on her own family history during that period, it's O'Farrell's most political work yet - and as she explains, its themes still resonate with the world today. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao, author Sir Salman Rushdie, and comedian Eric Idle. 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 and Roxanne Panthaki Editors: Farhana Haider and Justine LangGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Maggie O'Farrell. Credit: Getty)

“I feel numb. It feels unreal to me, having been in Sudan all my life. I have never imagined that it will turn into a war field, it looks like a nightmare. At first that it is just days or months or even a year, but it went on and it kept escalating. Even our homes are no longer habitable. One of my sons went back to have a look and he said you wouldn't even find a spoon for your tea.” James Copnall speaks to Aisha Musa, one of the civilian figures who helped lead Sudan after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in 2019.After popular protests led to Bashir's fall, Sudan's presidency was replaced by a Sovereign Council made up of military and civilian representatives. Aisha Musa was one of only two women appointed to the body, an unprecedented position of influence for a woman in Sudan.But hopes of democratic change collapsed with the outbreak of civil war in 2023 between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.Aisha reflects on working alongside the generals responsible for Sudan's civil war, what it would take to rebuild democracy and her frustration at UK visa restrictions for Sudanese refugees.The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Volodymyr Zelensky and António Guterres. 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: James Copnall Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Aisha Musa Credit: Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“This is a calling. It's bigger than anything in your life as an individual. If you found the thing that you were put on this planet to do, and a lot of people are put on this planet and they don't know, it's such a gift to find it.”Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus speak to global music icon Chaka Khan about her life and career.Born Yvette Marie Stevens in the US city of Chicago in 1953, her big break came at the age of 20 when her band Rufus signed its first record deal. With her powerful vocals and striking stage presence, she quickly caught the public's attention.The band enjoyed commercial and critical success in the years that followed, before Chaka decided to go it alone around a decade later… a decision which transformed her life and career.Worldwide hits such as I'm Every Woman and I Feel For You followed, as well as collaborations with legends like Whitney Houston and Prince, multiple Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Rock ‘n' Roll Hall of Fame.As a new musical telling her story begins its run, the 73-year-old has a lot to reflect on.Thank you to the Sidetracked 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 Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, and artist Tracey Emin. 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. Presenters: Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus Producers: Ben Cooper, Gráinne Morrison and Christine Czerniec Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Chaka Khan. Credit: Getty)

“Most of Africa is rural, and although urbanisation is taking root now, the systems that deliver financial services to women are still eluding them.” Leanna Byrne speaks to microfinance pioneer Dr Jennifer Riria about her life, career, and personal mission to improve the lives of women in some of Africa's poorest communities. Having started life in a poor, rural village in Kenya, Dr Riria worked her way up to develop and run one of the biggest microfinance institutions for women in Africa. Microfinance is a banking service providing small loans and more, to people with low income who might lack access to traditional banking. It's aimed at fostering self-sufficiency, financial education, and entrepreneurship in developing areas. Her focus is not limited to finance. She also draws on her experiences of teaching at university, and consulting for UNICEF, the UN children's aid agency, in order to progress women's development in education and leadership. Thank you to the Business Daily 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 Botswana's president Duma Boko, entrepreneur Emma Grede, and astronaut Jeremy Hansen. 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: Leanna Byrne Producers: Ben Cooper, Ahmed Adan and Amber Mehmood Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Jennifer Riria. Credit: Getty)

“This is a war. We will treat it as a war, and first thing that we want is the war to end. We want peace. We want a better life for our people, especially for our youth.”Caitriona Perry speaks to Ecuador President Daniel Noboa about his hard-line military crackdown on violent criminal gangs, which has involved measures that human rights groups warn could pose a risk to civil liberties.President Noboa, who is one of the world's youngest leaders, has warned about the levels of crime faced in Ecuador. He claims that due to its location between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest producers of cocaine, it has become a major location for drug-trafficking gangs.He talks about the attempts that have been made on his life, and the threats his family have faced. He calls on the cooperation from other countries to help fight international crime organisations. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Volodymyr Zelensky, Azar Nafisi and Julia Gillard. 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: Caitriona Perry Producer: Ellyn Duncan, Chloe Ross and Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Daniel Noboa. Credit: Getty)

“The person who has always been my uncle, and whenever he comes to the house, I'm running to him. He buys me sweets, this is like my uncle. And then one day they said, oh, this your husband. I'm like, what? At that point I hated myself, I hated my mum because I wanted an adult to fight for me but she just did not have it to fight because she was so scared of my dad.” BBC journalist Megha Mohan speaks to Sierra Leone's first lady, Fatima Bio, about escaping child marriage at the age of 13, rebuilding her life as a refugee in London, and her rise to become one of the country's most outspoken public figures. Since becoming first lady, Bio has transformed the role in Sierra Leone, campaigning publicly on issues including child marriage, sexual violence and period poverty. To supporters, she is a refreshing voice in politics, who speaks up for women and girls, while others say she has overstepped her remit and that she is too vocal and too involved in the running of her husband's party. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. 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: Megha Mohan Producers: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Fatima Bio. Credit: Getty)

“Our best reply to the regime is that they didn't make us bad people. That we remain focused on our dream of seeing a free Venezuela. I have seen other people become very bitter and angry and resentful. And I think they lose. Because when you become angry you become, in a way, a prisoner of a sentiment that doesn't allow you to go forward.” James Menendez speaks to Leopoldo Lopez, once the most prominent face of Venezuela's opposition, he is now living in exile in Spain. He spent more than a decade attempting to unseat Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian government and was imprisoned for over three years, accused of inciting the 2014 anti-government protests. Following the capture and arrest of Maduro by US forces in January, the country has entered a new and uncertain phase, with Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez now acting as interim leader. Leopoldo Lopez talks to us about the prospect of elections in Venezuela and the personal cost of standing up for political change. 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 and Nobel prize winner Maria Corina Machado, director Chloe Zhao and musical icon Ringo Starr. 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: James Menendez Producer: Farhana HaiderGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Leopoldo Lopez. Credit: Reuters)

“Russians collected all Kenyans and did everything for them to go to the front line, to go to the death zone.”Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Yurii Tokar the Ukraine ambassador to Kenya. The Ukrainian claims Russia deliberately deployed many conscripted Kenyans to the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war shortly before the Kenyan foreign minister arrived in Moscow with the intention of stopping recruitment of his countrymen.The Russian embassy in Kenya did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment. It has previously denied any Government involvement in the illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens. A representative of Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the BBC that "the government is not aware of such allegations and treats them as possible rumours and propaganda.”Thank you to the Focus on Africa 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 John Healey, Nadia Calviño and Volodymyr Zelensky. 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: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon RoseGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Yurii Tokar. Credit: Getty Images)

“It's outrageous because these nuclear plant facilities were certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency as purely peaceful facilities. The inspectors, they spent, there, a lot of time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Iran is the most verifiable country, thousands of inspections. The agency knows everything about what is going on.” BBC journalist Farnaz Ghazizadeh speaks to Mikhail Ivanovich Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, about the collapse of diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme and whether negotiations can still be rescued. With decades of experience in disarmament and nuclear negotiations, Ulyanov insists Iran's nuclear programme is already among the most heavily monitored in the world, and argues concerns over the programme have been exaggerated. Now, as conflict in the region intensifies, Russia is offering to act as a mediator. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. 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: Farnaz Ghazizadeh Producers: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Mikhail Ulyanov. Credit: Reuters)

“During the recent conflict [in Iran], there was a pause, not a full stop or halt of the functions. Once the airspace opened up again, we reprioritized the delivery of those life-saving kits to the member states, and we came back on track… We still find hope in the communication between the different member states, between the different partners to secure some of these supplies, or keep supply chains alive.” Daniel Dadzie speaks to Hanan Balkhy, the World Health Organisation's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, about navigating the challenges posed by recent conflicts in Sudan and Iran. It's one of six regional WHO offices around the world, covering a total population of nearly 745 million people from Morocco in the west to Pakistan in the east, and as far south as Sudan. The WHO works with governments and local authorities to improve access to basic healthcare and provide support during humanitarian emergencies. Global supply chains were severely disrupted when the conflict in Iran began just over two months ago. Although much of the focus of this disruption has been on oil and trade, crucial medical supplies have also been delayed in reaching where they're needed most. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with entrepreneur Isaac Larian, African politics professor Simukai Chikudu, and campaigner Baroness Arminka Helic. 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: Daniel Dadzie Producers: Ben Cooper and Simon Mbai Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: Hanan Balkhy. Credit: Getty)