Front Row

BBC Radio 4

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

  1. 21 HR AGO

    Actors Matthew McConaughey and Harris Dickinson on their latest films

    Actor Matthew McConaughey talks with Samira about The Lost Bus; a nerve shredding film based on a true story about a school bus driver who rescued 22 children and their teacher from raging wildfires in California Rising British actor Harris Dickinson talks about his debut film as a director; Urchin. It explores homelessness on London’s streets, being in the running to play James Bond and his up-coming role as John Lennon in Sam Mendes' new Beatles biopic out next year. Author of The Rachel Incident and host of Sentimental Garbage podcast Caroline O'Donoghue discusses her new YA novel Skipshock, and why women are turning to time travel fiction. Joining her is the author of The Principle of Moments and numerous Doctor Who novelizations, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage pays tribute to Leeds-born, poet, playwright and translator Tony Harrison Presenter: Samira Ahmed

    42 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Leonardo DiCaprio comes on Front Row to talk about One Battle After Another

    Leonardo DiCaprio and director Paul Thomas Anderson tell Tom about their new film One Battle After Another. Our reviewers tonight are film critic Tim Robey and theatre critic Sarah Crompton. They also review The Land of the Living, David Lan's new play for the National Theatre, directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Juliet Stevenson . And Patricia Lockwood's latest novel Will There Ever Be Another You? Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Eliane Glaser

    42 min

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    Will & Grace star Eric McCormack on his latest TV role.

    Will & Grace star Eric McCormack tells us about his latest screen role – in the new BBC One thriller series Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue. McCormack plays one of nine people who survive a plane crash in the Mexican jungle, and aren't aware that a murderer might be lurking in their midst. We hear the true story of a bear who was adopted from a Highland wildlife park in the 70s and became a star of stage and screen, caddying for Bob Hope on the golf course and playing a cameo role in a Bond film. The much-loved Hercules the Bear is brought back to life in a theatre production which is touring Scotland this month. Countertenor David James and music journalist Andrew Mellor discuss the music of one of the most popular of contemporary composers, Arvo Pärt, who has just turned 90 and whose birthday celebrations include the release of a number of CDs and concerts in London and Oxford. And we pay tribute to Italian cinema legend Claudia Cardinale, who has died at the age of 87. Presenter: Kate Molleson Producer: Mark Crossan

    43 min

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    Stephen Knight on House of Guinness

    Peaky Blinders' screenwriter Stephen Knight on his new TV series, House of Guinness. Indhu Rubasingham talks about her vision as the new Artistic Director for the National Theatre and her first production there - Bacchae Art critic Waldemar Januszczak has been to see the Turner Prize Exhibition for us, which this year is in Bradford. We find out what he makes of it. Former Booker winner Roddy Doyle on the 6 books shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize. Presenter: Samira Ahmed

    42 min

  5. 22 SEPT

    Late-night shows under fire

    Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Jay Leno made the late night talk wildly popular viewing for American audiences for decades, but those days are fading fast thanks to declining ratings and ad revenue. Now, with two of today's biggest late night shows are in trouble after offending President Trump, we speak to the New York Times chief TV critic, James Poniewozik after the future of these show. This weekend the sculptor Martin Jennings was announced as the designer of the statue at the new national memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth in London’s St James Park. In his first broadcast interview since being appointed by Norman Foster Associates, Martin Jennings tells us how he is approaching the task. Today marks the autumn equinox, and according to viewing data, it’s a time when many of us seek out cosy romantic comedy films to watch. Screenwriters and sisters Nora and Delia Ephron made some of the most loved, often set in autumn - When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, all three starring Meg Ryan. Delia Ephron tells us what it was about autumn in NY that made such an irresistible setting. It’s been 10 years since Shamima Begum and her friends left the UK for Syria, having been indoctrinated online by the Islamic State group. While press coverage at the time focused on the horrors of the group, a new fiction film, Brides, seeks to put out a more sympathetic portrayal about similar teenage girls who made that journey. Director Nadia Falls is on to discuss.

    42 min

  6. 18 SEPT

    Front Row at the Contains Strong Language festival in Bradford

    A special edition of Front Row live from the Contains Strong Language Festival, the BBC's annual celebration of poetry, performance and the spoken word. With live music from Antony Szmierek. Jeremy Dyson on his new Radio 4 drama High Cockalorum which spins a new tale out of a visit to Yorkshire made by Hollywood legend James Mason. Poet Emma Conally-Barklem and Kristina Diprose, one of the writers for the Wandering Imaginations project at the Brontë Parsonage, discuss the Brontë sisters as a source of poetic and literary inspiration. Edward Hogan on his shortlisted story, Little Green Man, for this year's BBC National Short Story Award. Presenter: Nick Ahad Producer: Ekene Akalawu

    42 min

  7. 17 SEPT

    Review Show: Ian McEwan's new novel and Small Acts of Love at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre

    In our weekly review show, Kirsty Wark is joined by writer and critic Hannah McGill and writer and journalist Alan Taylor to discuss What Can We Know, the latest novel from Booker Prize winning writer Ian McEwan, an epic story set in a largely underwater Britain a hundred years in the future which touches on themes including climate change and great poetry. They also give their verdicts on Frances Poet's Small Acts of Love, a musical theatre production inspired by relationships formed across the Atlantic between victims of the Lockerbie disaster in December 1988. The production - a collaboration between the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow and the National Theatre of Scotland, and with songs by Deacon Blue's Ricky Ross, is the opening production in the newly refurbished 'Citz', a theatre which has played an important role in the city and also in the careers of the likes of Rupert Everett, Glenda Jackson and Miriam Margolyes, and which has just reopened after a major revamp. They also review The Girlfriend, a new psychological thriller from Amazon Prime, which stars Robin Wright as a possessive mother whose life begins to unravel when her son brings home a new partner she suspects is not all she seems. We also bring you the latest in our series of interviews with authors shortlisted for this year's BBC National Short Story Award, Colwill Brown. Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Mark Crossan

    42 min

  8. 16 SEPT

    Robert Redford remembered, Mark Ronson and Picasso on stage

    As news has broken of the death of Robert Redford aged 89, Front Row looks back over his astonishing career, from roles in iconic films such as All The President's Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, to his environmental activism and his support for independent films through the Sundance Film Festival. Mark Ronson talks about his new memoir, Night People, reflecting on his rise from DJ to superstar producer behind hits such as Uptown Funk and Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. Caoilinn Hughes talks to Tom about being shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award for her story Two Hands. And we explore Picasso's fascination with theatre and performance via a new exhibition at Tate Modern called Theatre Picasso. Artist Wu Tsang and curator Natalia Sidlina are in the studio to discuss Picasso in a new light. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Tim Bano

    43 min
See All (2K)

Hosts & Guests

About

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2025
  • Episodes
    2K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    Front Row

More From BBC

You Might Also Like