Southbank Centre's Book Podcast

Can classical music be protest? Can it make you laugh? Or is it just one big remix? In So Hear Me Out , hosts Gillian Moore and Linton Stephens dig into the big questions, uncovering unexpected stories, surprising connections, and the hidden humour behind the music you thought you knew. This is classical music without the clichés — and with plenty to say about the world today. 👉 Subscribe now to...

British author Hilary Mantel reveals the eagerly awaited third novel in her thrilling Thomas Cromwell trilogy, The Mirror and the Light. The book offers a defining portrait of predator and prey, of a ferocious contest between present and past, between royal will and a common man’s vision. It’s the story of a modern nation making itself through conflict, passion and courage. In this podcast, chaire...

In this podcast, recorded live at Southbank Centre, author and journalist Will Self joins Alex Bilmes, to discuss his newly released, and typically funny and frenzied memoir, Will. In an entertaining half hour, Self discusses why he wrote Will, the challenges of memoir writing and how it can lead to criticism that is much more ad hominem. Will, perhaps inevitably, is also a book about drugs and dr...

Ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins joins David Freeman to discuss his latest book Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide. In this podcast recorded as part of our 2019 autumn literature season, the pair take Dawkins’ book as a cue to discuss a broad range of topics including the ‘tribalism’ of religion, Dawkins preference for truth over symbolism and whether you can be good w...

At the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Phoebe Waller-Bridge stepped on stage to debut her new one-woman show, Fleabag. Now, six years on, that character has grown into a full-on phenomenon, with a sell-out runs in London’s West End and off-Broadway, and two critically acclaimed award-winning television series. In this podcast, Waller-Bridge joins host of The Guilty Feminist, Deborah Frances-White,...

Malcolm Gladwell is the author of five international bestsellers and was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine. In this podcast, recorded from a London exclusive live appearance here at Southbank Centre, Gladwell discusses his latest book, Talking to Strangers, with broadcaster and former barrister Afua Hirsch. In this fascinating and entertaining talk, the author examines...

Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels joins puppeteer and actor Brian Herring to reflect on his time playing one of the most famous droids in cinematic history. Recorded at London Literature Festival, this podcast sees Daniels discuss his new book I Am C-3PO - The Inside Story, a memoir of both himself and his best known role. Daniels talks of his approach to writing the book and his childhood want to b...

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton join the scholar Mary Beard to discuss their new book The Book of Gutsy Women: Favourite Stories of Courage and Resilience. In this UK-exclusive event, introduced by Southbank Centre Chief Executive, Elaine Bedell, the pair discuss how and why they chose to write this book. In this podcast recorded from their talk you’ll hear the stories of some of the wo...

The poet and activist Nikki Giovanni discusses the power of literature as she joins us for Poetry International and London Literature Festival. An undeniable cultural icon, Giovanni is the winner of numerous awards, including the Langston Hughes Medal and NAACP Image Award, as well as a Grammy Award nomination for her album The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. She appears here at Southbank Centre...

The much-loved comedian, actor and writer Sir Lenny Henry joins comedian Romesh Ranganathan in this special edition of our Book Podcast, as the two talk about Henry’s remarkable career and his new memoir Who Am I, Again? Henry explains why and how he chose to write a truthful book about his life, rather than a ‘lying book’, and details his experiences growing up, from his mum’s infamous ‘Saturday...

Documentary-maker Louis Theroux joins his schoolfriend Adam Buxton to discuss his new book Gotta Get Theroux This and his two decades of investigating the weirder, more outlandish sides of human life. In this live discussion, Theroux and Buxton discuss the value of puns, Theroux's distinctive interview techniques and styles, and the worth of silence, as well as revisiting some of his most notable...

Comedian Sara Pascoe joins Deborah Frances-White in conversation to discuss her new book Sex, Power, Money. In this live discussion, Pascoe examines blind spots in relationships and skewers sexual inequalities, taking a comedic and educational hopscotch over anatomy, the history of sexual representation and the sticky way all human interactions are underwritten by wealth.

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman joins Tobi Kyeremateng in conversation to discuss 'Crossfire', the latest novel in her popular Noughts & Crosses series. Enjoy highlights of their Queen Elizabeth Hall discussion, and a reading from the novel, in this exclusive podcast, recorded live at the event on 8 September 2019.

In this episode of Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast we have an excerpt from writer and director Richard Ayoade in conversation with Adam Buxton, as he reflects on his award-winning films and comedy. As well as reading extracts from his latest book 'Ayoade on Top', the author explains how he drew inspiration from the unlikely source of cabin crew rom-com 'View From the Top' starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

The bestselling author of The Hate U Give presented an homage to hip-hop and the power of storytelling in a discussion of her second novel, with Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff. She talked about On the Come Up, the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities faced b...

In December, US writer Roxane Gay made her first ever appearance in the UK at Southbank Centre. Author of the New York Times bestselling Bad Feminist, as well as An Untamed State, the short story collection Ayiti and the Marvel comic series Black Panther: World of Wakanda. Roxane was in conversation with editor-in-chief of gal-dem, Liv Little, as well as having a meet and greet with Octavia Poetry...

In this special episode, Southbank Centre literature team's Ted Hodgkinson and Debo Amon turn their focus to the TS Eliot Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the poetry calendar. Listen to extracts from the nominated poets’ collections read by the nominees, and, fresh from the 2019 ceremony, Debo shares reaction from the event, including an interview with the winner, Hannah Sullivan. Plus...

Author Mohsin Hamid and actor, writer and musician Riz Ahmed reflect on why stories of migration have captivated our imaginations. From the Ancient Greeks to Hamid's most recent novel, Exit West, stories of migration and displacement, love and hope are necessary in dark times. Ahmed, who starred in the film adaptation of Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist, joins the author to discuss how a...

Sue Perkins made a rare appearance at Southbank Centre's London Literature Festival. The evening was packed full of crackling wit and dubious puns. She was interviewed by her partner, Anna Richardson.

Ted Hodgkinson examines the different ways in which literature has interpreted the past, dissected the present and shaped the future of American politics. Guests feature authors Salman Rushdie and Marilynne Robinson, poet Terrence Hayes and academic Sarah Churchwell. "The thing that is weirdest about this book is that, when I started writing it, nobody was thinking about Trump. And then when thing...

Celebrated actor Sally Field tells her extraordinary story in a candid conversation with Elizabeth Day, Field reveals how she discovered her craft and used it as a tool to escape from a lonely early life. An actor of remarkable range whose roles tell the story of a changing America, Field won her first television role at just 17, starring on the sitcoms Gidget and The Flying Nun. For more informat...

Dissect the making and unmaking of civilisations and cultures at a conversation between MOBO award-winning hip-hop poet Akala and historian David Olusoga. Chaired by television broadcaster June Sarpong MBE. This timely discussion explores everything from empire and race to culture and class, retracing and contextualising the roots of modern British society. For more information and other events, g...

Hear Roger Daltrey in conversation with writer and presenter Will Hodgkinson. He tells the inside story of the rise of British rock, becoming the vocalist in one of rock music’s era-defining bands and he separates myth from reality, reflects on his wild journey with the band through chart-topping hits, in-fighting, drugs, mayhem, trashed hotel rooms and the premature death of Keith Moon, and a lif...

Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2018, Anna Burns talks to Ted Hodgkinson about how she went about creating a story that won one of the most prestigious prizes in literature, why her characters don't need names and when her writing makes her feel 'angel shivers'. "You only get the first step and then you have to trust and have faith that more steps will come, and it will all make sense in the end."...

This episode looks at migration, civil war, and the power of stories and poetry to take us beyond the headlines. Three years ago, the body of three-year-old Syrian refugee, Alan Kurdi was found on the beach in Turkey. This provoked Khaled Hosseini, best-selling author and Afghan refugee, to write the illustrated story, Sea Prayer. Ted Hodgkinson had poet Nick Makola in the studio where they talked...