The Arts Hour

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Nikki Bedi speaks to German director Joscha Bongard about his film, Babystar and discusses this week’s cultural highlights with critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh:

Australian movie star Hugh Jackman on starring in his latest film, The Death of Robin Hood, a gritty incarnation of the well-known folklore hero

Japanese British Nobel Prize winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro on what makes a good train film

New Zealand Meg Mason on exploring obsession in her novel, Sophie Standing There

American actor Emmy Rossum on her role in the TV series, Furious

And we hear music from Bangladeshi singer Xefer Rahman who is known for her viral song, Jhumka

Photo Credit: Stephanie Augello/Getty Images

Nikki Bedi and Rhianna Dhillon chat about the week’s big film release, Practical Magic 2 – is it bewitching or cursed?

Plus, Indian dancer Radhe Jaggi joins to discuss the enchanting art of Bharatanatyam.

We also hear from Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman about turning her hugely popular comics into a smash Netflix series.

Actor Dominic Sessa talks about playing a young Anthony Bourdain in the movie Tony.

And Colson Whitehead, the double-Pulitzer Prize winning novelist behind The Nickel Boys and Underground Railroad, talks about the final book in his Harlem trilogy, Cool Machine.

(Photo: Nicole Kidman (L) and Sandra Bullock (R) stand side by side as they pose for a photo. Nicole has long blonde hair and wears a low cut black lace dress with matching lace choker. Sandra has long brown hair and wears a white shirt with oversized pointed collars under a black blazer. Credit: Getty Images)

Nikki Bedi’s interview guest, Kanan Gill, is one of the biggest comedians to come out of India. He talks about his global tour with the show, Not This Again, and critic Bidisha joins them in conversation about other cultural highlights of the week

Director Ridley Scott on his dystopian western film, The Dog Stars

French pianist sisters, Katia and Marielle Labèque, on 55 years of performing together

TS Eliot prize winning poet, Anthony Joseph, shares his memories of growing up in Trinidad

Guyanese-British actor Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri in the Marvel Universe movies, discusses returning to the stage

And the American opera star Angel Blue talks about preparing to perform in the Proms, at London’s Royal Albert Hall

(Image: Kanan Gill on stage in Edinburgh 2026. Credit Jenny Forward-Hayter.)

Nikki Bedi introduces the Arts Hour podcast. Your weekly cultural companion, featuring guests and opinions on what's happening in art, theatre, film, TV, music and more. Find us at bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.