Arts & Ideas Episodes Available now
Essex
Looking beyond the stereotypes of the county that's often described as 'much maligned'.
Rocky Horror and camp
Shahidha Bari is joined by Louise Creechan, Joan Passey and Paul Baker
Zimbabwean writing
NoViolet Bulwayo's We Need New Names on stage plus "enfant terrible" Dambudzo Marechera
Agoraphobia
More than just a fear of going out - the history & lived experience of a phobia explored.
Mountaineering, Lizzie Le Blond, sport and science
Rachel Hewitt has been researching the pioneering Irish climber Mrs Aubrey Le Blond.
Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe
Shahidha Bari hears about two inspirational medieval women mystics who wrote about faith
Kingship and ceremony
Anne McElvoy looks at royalty, pomp and glory in opera, ancient Persia and Tudor England.
Sidney Poitier
Matthew Sweet and guests consider the career of the Bahamian-American actor (1927-2022)
Sound, conflict and central heating
Matthew Sweet finds out how extreme temperatures changed Erland Cooper's music
Lady Antonia Fraser
Rana Mitter talks to the author about her life & the art of writing historical biography.
