BBC Radio 5 Live

Headliners with Nihal Arthanayake

Society EN ↓ 621 episodes

Nihal Arthanayake presents in-depth interviews with headline guests across entertainment, sport, culture and politics.

Author

BBC Radio 5 Live

Category

Society

Podcast website

www.bbc.co.uk

Latest episode

Aug 3, 2025

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Episodes

Johnny Marr 28.06.2018

Johnny talks to Nihal about his new album Call the Comet and his career in music

My Dad Wrote a Porno 13.06.2018

Jamie Morton, Alice Levine and James Cooper join Nihal to tell the story behind the global podcast phenomenon, relive some of Belinda Blumenthal’s greatest moments and play Cooper or Flinstone, the erotic literature world’s answer to Every Second Counts. Contains strong language.

Biffy Clyro 07.06.2018

James and Ben Johnston and Simon Neil talk to Nihal about the release of their MTV Unplugged album.

James Bay 31.05.2018

James joins Nihal to talk about the music that has inspired his life, and his new album, Electric Light.

Chvrches 28.05.2018

Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty talk to Nihal about their new album, Love is Dead, why pop can be political and drinking martinis with Dave Stewart.

Ash 24.05.2018

Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray talk to Nihal about their new album, Islands and look back on more than 25 years in the charts.

Akala 17.05.2018

The poet, rapper, and activist talks to Nihal about his new book; Natives - Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire.

Ronan Farrow 10.05.2018

The Pulitzer prize-winning reporter talks to Nihal and guest presenter Dermot O’Leary about his investigation into Harvey Weinstein and his new book, War on Peace, which charts the decline of American diplomacy.

Plan B 02.05.2018

Ben Drew on parenting, politics and the making of his new album Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose.

John Newman 26.04.2018

“I got myself in a bit of a dark place”: John talks to Nihal and Maya Jama about coming back from illness to make new music “in a totally different mindset”.

Brett Anderson 23.04.2018

Suede frontman Brett Anderson on his life, ‘Cool Britannia’ and his autobiography Coal Black Mornings.

Manic Street Preachers 19.04.2018

"There's nothing worse than feeling you are screaming into a void" James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire on Manic Street Preachers’ 13th album Resistance is Futile.

Sir Elton John 12.04.2018

One of the biggest selling artists in music history tells Nihal why he’s focusing on fatherhood, why he wishes some artists would “write better songs” and explains what is was like working with the likes of Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga on his latest album, Revamp.

Ruth Jones 05.04.2018

The ‘Gavin & Stacey’ creator talks to Nihal Arthanayake and Amber Davies about her first novel ‘Never Greener’, the legacy of Nessa and why Wales is a creative powerhouse.

Paddy Considine 29.03.2018

The actor, writer and director talks to Nihal about his latest movie, ‘Journeyman’ and how a late diagnosis of Asperger’s changed his life.

Gary Numan 22.03.2018

Gary tells Nihal and Angellica Bell about how an unfinished novel inspired his latest album, how a song saved his marriage, and how he manages his Asperger Syndrome.

Stacey Dooley 15.03.2018

"I never thought I’d take myself to Iraq.” Documentary maker Stacey Dooley on telling some of the world’s most harrowing stories.

Rudimental 08.03.2018

Piers Agget and DJ Locksmith join Nihal and guest presenter Kimberly Wyatt to talk about their latest single, headlining festivals and why more men should dance.

Chris Ramsey 06.03.2018

Comedian Chris Ramsey talks about cutting his stand-up teeth in Newcastle, his new TV series and what’s in the new tour show.

Example 01.03.2018

Singer, songwriter and producer Example, aka Elliot Gleave, talks to Nihal and Sarah about his latest release “The Answer”.

Kieron Dyer 21.02.2018

The former England and Newcastle footballer talks frankly about his life on and off the pitch, and explains why he stayed silent for twenty years about being subjected to sexual abuse as a child. If you have been affected by sexual abuse you can find the details of organisations offering support via bbc.co.uk/actionline.

will.i.am 15.02.2018

will.i.am and renowned futurist Brian David Johnson talk about technology, data driven society and their novel WaR: Wizards and Robots.

Joel Dommett 08.02.2018

The ‘I’m A Celebrity…’ winner talks to Sarah and Nihal about sex, dating and embarrassing on-screen love scenes with Sienna Miller, plus how he got an entire comedy gig crowd to troll his childhood bully.

Jojo Moyes 05.02.2018

‘Me Before You’ author Jojo Moyes on why her books aren’t ‘Chick Lit’, learning braille and her latest novel. Plus the unusual jobs she did before achieving literary success.

Craig David 01.02.2018

Craig talks to Sarah and Nihal about his new album The Time Is Now, and explains how a broken down Ferrari changed his life.

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