Front Row Podcast
Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music
Episodes to download
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Front Row at the Contains Strong Language festival
Thursday
A special edition of Front Row from the BBC's Contains Strong Language festival
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Review Show: Exit Party by Emily St John Mandel, South Korean alien invasion thriller Hope and an adaptation of 1984.
Wednesday
Our critics review three new dystopian thrillers - in novel form, on screen and on stage.
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Comedian Russell Kane on playing an older Romeo
Last Tuesday
John Coltrane's centenary and the Booker Prize shortlist 2026.
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Roger Taylor, drummer from the super band Queen, on his latest album
Last Monday
Plus the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and ex-politicans under pressure in The Wargame.
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Review Show: Rose Tremain’s The Housekeeper, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca
Thu 17 Sep 2026
Plus film Queen at Sea starring Juliette Binoche and Thelma & Louise the musical.
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The Proclaimers on their new album, You May Offend
Wed 16 Sep 2026
Novelist Kate Atkinson on her new novel, Our Noble Selves.
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Hermione Lee on her biography of the notoriously private author Anita Brookner
Tue 15 Sep 2026
Plus Ian McCulloch on Echo & the Bunnymen's new album.
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The Beatles' early days, Juliette Binoche's directorial debut, Jack Thorne
Mon 14 Sep 2026
Samira talks to Hunter Davies, Juliette Binoche, Jack Thorne and Lucy Caldwell.
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Review Show: Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum
Thu 10 Sep 2026
Rebecca F Kuang's new novel, and the BBC National Short Story Award is back.
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Call My Agent's writer and creator Fanny Herrero on bringing the French sitcom to the big screen
Tue 8 Sep 2026
Plus, Maria Friedman on playing a prematurely ageing teenager in her latest musical.
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Helen of Troy - a new play by Ava Pickett
Mon 7 Sep 2026
Plus The Cazalet Chronicles and the latest from the Venice Film Festival.
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Review: Pedro Almodóvar's new film Bitter Christmas
Thu 27 Aug 2026
Plus Ridley Scott's film The Dog Stars and Chloe Benjamin's novel Under Story.
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YouTube's Pedro Pina on the future of television, and celebrating Tim Curry
Wed 26 Aug 2026
Pedro Pina on the continuing evolution of tv, and celebrating the life of Tim Curry.
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Remembering Dolly Parton, Meg Mason and Notting Hill Carnival at 60
Tue 25 Aug 2026
Dolly Parton's last interview on Front Row.
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Review Show: Rachel Cusk's new novel and the return of the Looney Tunes
Thu 20 Aug 2026
Plus a comedy disaster movie from RuPaul's Drag Race universe.
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From the Edinburgh Festivals: Ann Droid and Motherland star Paul Ready; founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales; comedian Rosie Holt
Wed 19 Aug 2026
Paul Ready, star of Motherland and Ann Droid, on his one-man show Little Animals.
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The Light opens in Durham, and Iain Stirling on the art of sandscastles
Tue 18 Aug 2026
New contemporary art venue, The Light, in Durham and comedian Iain Stirling on sandcastles
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Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Mon 17 Aug 2026
Charlotte Higgins on the role of artists in Ukraine, and the rise in poetry sales.
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Review Show: Tony, film about the early life of chef Anthony Bourdain
Thu 13 Aug 2026
Plus reviews of manga musical Death Note and Mario Vargas Llosa’s final novel.
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The best theatre at this year's Edinburgh Festivals
Wed 12 Aug 2026
Hannah Reilly on her much-anticipated show about authenticity, Roleplay.
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Steph McGovern on how to buy art
Tue 11 Aug 2026
Plus actor Sian Clifford on her role in new mockumentary Lady and writer Colin Thubron.
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Game of Thrones at the RSC first night review
Mon 10 Aug 2026
Plus conductor Marin Alsop on what makes American music sound American.
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Review Show: Irvine Welsh's new novel and Glenn Close's new film
Thu 6 Aug 2026
Richard Dadd at the Royal Academy and AI companies shredding rare books.
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Live from the Edinburgh Festivals: Stockard Channing on directing Krapp's Last Tape
Wed 5 Aug 2026
Actress Stockard Channing on her directorial debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
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John Hannah on his new comedy crime drama set in Benidorm
Tue 4 Aug 2026
John Hannah on Benidorm is Murder and a look at Hull's newly refurbished Maritime Museum.
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Magic live in the studio
Mon 3 Aug 2026
Magic live in the studio, author Jacqueline Crooks and French museum security.
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Review show: Childhood in War, Children of Wolves and kids in Luton
Thu 30 Jul 2026
Lawrence Osborne's new cat-and-mouse thriller and a debut British film.
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How the opiod crisis inspired an opera
Wed 29 Jul 2026
Composer Missy Mazzoli on her opera The Galloping Cure.
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The best of British culture live and on demand.
Inspire
A season discovering where artists find inspiration and helping listeners get creative.
