Shows / The Interview
The Interview
Conversations with people shaping our world, from all around the globe. Listen to The Interview for the best conversations from the BBC, the world's most trusted international news provider. We hear from titans of business, politics, finance, sport and culture. Global leaders, decision-makers and cultural icons. Politicians, activists and CEOs. Each interview is around 20-minutes, packed full of insight and analysis, covering some of the biggest issues of our time. How does it work? Well, at…
Episodes
- The Interview
Turkish Author - Elif Shafak
Stephen Sackur speaks to Elif Shafak, the Turkish novelist and writer who lives much of her life in London. A dozen years ago Europeans looked at Turkey and…
The InterviewNigeria's Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu
Stephen Sackur speaks to Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu. When President Muhamadu Buhari won the Nigerian presidency…
- The Interview
Speaker of the Venezuelan Parliament Julio Borges
Every day Venezuela seems to get one step closer to economic and political chaos. Mass anti-government protests have swept the country for the past month…
- The Interview
Director of Europol - Rob Wainwright
Are the cyber-crooks several steps ahead of the cyber-cops? Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to Rob Wainwright, head of the European police agency Europol. In…
- The Interview
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade - Charles Flanagan
Ireland has bounced back from the financial crisis of 2008, but now it is being swept by a new wave of apprehension. This time it is all about Brexit. When…
The InterviewEmmaunel Macron advisor Sylvie Goulard MEP
This Sunday, Emmanuel Macron takes office as President of France. His nascent political organisation promises to get France's sluggish economy on the move…
The InterviewFormer US North Korea negotiator Christopher Hill
Stephen Sackur speaks to the American diplomat Christopher Hill who has served under three US Presidents and was a former lead negotiator on North Korea…
- The Interview
Police Minister of South Africa - Fikile Mbalula
As the scandals pile up, are we witnessing the slow death of the ANC? Stephen Sackur speaks to South Africa’s police minister. South Africa's ANC was once seen…
- The Interview
UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Yemen - Jamie McGoldrick
The war in Yemen has killed more than 10,000 civilians but this number may soon be dwarfed by the numbers starving to death. Yemen is experiencing a…
- The Interview
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim
HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi is in Ankara to speak to the Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim in an exclusive BBC interview. Politicians in Turkey from the…
- The Interview
Bishop Angaelos - Coptic Orthodox Church UK
Stephen Sackur speaks to the General Bishop of the Coptic Church in the UK, Bishop Angaelos. In just a few days from now Pope Francis will fly to Egypt to…
- The Interview
Russia's Ambassador to the EU - Vladimir Chizhov
Will Russia promise not to pervert democracy in Europe? There are fears the Russians could meddle in the French elections and other European votes this year…
- The Interview
Philosopher and Writer - Pascal Bruckner
Stephen Sackur speaks to the writer and public intellectual Pascal Bruckner and asks, is something rotten in the Republic of France? As the country prepares to…
- The Interview
Executive Secretary of UN ESCWA 2010-2017 - Rima Khalaf
Why did a UN agency publish a report that categorised Israel as an apartheid state? Rima Khalaf was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and…
- The Interview
Psychologist Jan Kizilhan
HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to psychologist, Jan Kizilhan, a Yazidi Kurd living in Germany who has helped bring over a thousand Yazidi females from camps…
The InterviewEconomist Sir Paul Collier
Sarah Montague speaks to the economist, Professor Sir Paul Collier. The refugee crisis is one of the world's most intractable problems: 60 million people have…
- The Interview
Italy's Europe Minister - Sandro Gozi
How does the EU need to change if it is to win over the next generation of Italians? Hardtalk’s Sarah Montague speaks to Italy’s Under-Secretary for European…
- The Interview
Sir Ian McKellen - Actor
Whether you think of him as Richard III or Gandalf, you will know he has won hearts and accolades around the world - not just for five decades of work on stage…
- The Interview
Former Commissioner of Corrections, Georgia, USA - Allen Ault
Why is a former head of state-sanctioned executions now an opponent of the death penalty? A host of countries around the world still impose the ultimate…
- The Interview
South African Anti-Apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada
He spent 26 years in jail for trying to topple South Africa’s white minority government. Veteran anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada has died. He was 87…
- The Interview
Ben Ferencz, Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Nazi Trials
Looking back, what does the last surviving prosecutor at the Nazi Nuremberg trials think they achieved? 98-year-old Ben Ferencz helped liberate the death camps…
- The Interview
Deputy Leader of the Turkey's Republican People's Party - Selin Sayek Böke
Does Turkey's main opposition party have a credible alternative vision for the country? Zeinab Badawi talks to Selin Sayek Böke, a deputy leader for the CHP…
- The Interview
Joshua Wong, Secretary General of Demosisto political party, Hong Kong
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Joshua Wong, a leader of the so-called umbrella pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2014. He's now the secretary…
The InterviewZimbabwe's Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi
Sarah Montague speaks to Zimbabwe’s Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi. His job is to persuade people to holiday in a country where doctors, nurses and teachers…
The InterviewVladimir Kara-Murza, Vice-Chairman of Open Russia
Sarah Montague speaks to Vladimir Kara-Murza, Vice-Chairman of the pro-democracy movement Open Russia. He was rushed to hospital in Moscow when his organs…
The InterviewFormer US Senator for Florida Bob Graham
Bob Graham is one of the most popular politicians in contemporary American history. He has never lost an election and has served as a state legislator, Florida…
- The Interview
Vice President of Zimbabwe (2004 – 2014) - Joice Mujuru
How tainted is Joice Mujuru by her long association with the ZANU-PF party? Stephen Sackur speaks to Joice Mujuru, former Vice President of Zimbabwe. President…
The InterviewMoise Katumbi, opposition politician from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Zeinab Badawi speaks to the Congolese businessman and politician Moïse Katumbi. The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila has been in…
- The Interview
Adviser to the President of the Palestinian Authority - Husam Zomlot
What does the Trump era mean for the Palestinian dream of statehood? For years the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been stuck, condemned to repeat itself year…
The InterviewUkraine's Former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, former Prime Minister of Ukraine. After three years of fighting in eastern Ukraine, 10,000 dead and…
- The Interview
Prime Minister of Singapore - Lee Hsien Loong
Is the much vaunted Singapore model under threat? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sacker is in Singapore for an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong…
The InterviewHARDtalk: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sacker is in Singapore for an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Singapore represents one of the great economic…
- The Interview
Donald Verrilli, US Solicitor General, 2011-2016
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Donald Verrilli, US Solicitor general under Barack Obama. The Trump presidency promises to be a fascinating test of the…
- The Interview
Professor Mohammad Marandi - University of Tehran, Iran
What is the Iranians' response to criticisms from Trump over its missile testing, and is it fuelling terror and conflicts in the Middle East? Zeinab Badawi…
- The Interview
Joint leader, Zionist Union, Israel - Tzipi Livni
Sarah Montague speaks to Tzipi Livni, the joint leader of the Zionist Union opposition in Israel's parliament and a former Foreign Minister. For decades many…
- The Interview
Chief Sports Writer, Sunday Times, UK - David Walsh
Stephen Sackur speaks to Irish sports journalist David Walsh, who was convinced that cycling’s untouchable champion Lance Armstrong was a drugs cheat long…
- The Interview
Film Director – John Madden
Stephen Sackur speaks to John Madden, an Oscar winning director whose latest film is set in the murky world of Washington politics. The Academy Awards are upon…
- The Interview
Deputy Finance Minister, Germany - Jens Spahn
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Jens Spahn, a rising star in Chancellor Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union. With so much focus on America's new president…
- The Interview
Actor and Humanitarian Activist – Forest Whitaker
Zeinab Badawi speaks to humanitarian activist and one of Hollywood’s best known and versatile actors, Forest Whitaker. One role for which he won numerous…
- The Interview
Director of Competitive Enterprise Institute - Myron Ebell
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Myron Ebell, who led President Trump’s transition team on environment policy and has long been an advocate of radical…
- The Interview
Director of Competitive Enterprise Institute - Myron Ebell
In America's new politics will big business consistently trump environmental concerns?
- The Interview
Former Mexican President 2000 - 2006 - Vicente Fox
Stephen Sackur speaks to the former Mexican president Vicente Fox, whose strongly worded Twitter responses to Donald Trump have caused a storm on social media…
- The Interview
Singer and Actress - Petula Clark
Stephen Sackur speaks to Petula Clark, a much loved child performer during World War Two. Getting to the top in show business is hard - staying there is much…
- The Interview
European Parliament’s Chief Brexit Negotiator - Guy Verhofstadt
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Belgium's former Prime Minister and current MEP Guy Verhofstadt, an EU politician who'll be at the heart of the complex…
- The Interview
Pro-Brexit UK Conservative Member of Parliament - Dominic Raab
The UK Parliament is about to vote on the Government’s plan to trigger the formal process which will end in Britain leaving the EU. There's little doubt MPs…
- The Interview
Secretary General of NATO - Jens Stoltenberg
Is NATO obsolete? Or an organisation that can change and adapt? Jens Stoltenberg is chief of an alliance of 28 nations that's supposed to work by consensus…
- The Interview
Nigerian Agriculture Minister - Audu Ogbeh
Oil-rich with plenty of farmland, why can't Nigeria feed its own people? Zeinab Badawi speaks to one of the delegates at the annual World Economic Forum in…
- The Interview
German Defence Minister - Ursula Von Der Leyen
Does the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House along with Brexit mark a shift in power away from Europe and spell the start of a new world order? Zeinab…
- The Interview
Spokesman for Vladimir Putin - Dmitry Peskov
Stephen Sackur is in Moscow to speak to President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. US intelligence chiefs have accused the Kremlin of authorising a covert…
- The Interview
Russia's Most Prominent Opposition Leader - Alexey Navalny
Despite intimidation, harassment and legal challenges, Russia's most prominent opposition leader Alexey Navalny says that he will fight Vladmir Putin with…
- The Interview
Dancer and Choreographer - Akram Khan
Stephen Sackur speaks to Akram Khan - globally renowned as one of the great contemporary dancers and choreographers. In every culture on earth dance is a…
- The Interview
American Journalist Held Hostage in Syria, 2012 - 2014 - Theo Padnos
Taken hostage in Syria and held by the Nusra Front, which is allied to al-Qaeda, American journalist Theo Padnos was beaten and abused for nearly two years. He…
- The Interview
Sudan People's Liberation Movement in-Opposition - Angelina Teny
Zeinab Badawi speaks to, Angelina Teny, from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in-Opposition. The people of South Sudan have known little peace for many…
- The Interview
President of the Council on Foreign Relations - Richard Haass
We are about to see what kind of impact Donald Trump's presidency will have on the US and the world beyond. From big power diplomacy with Russia and China, to…
- The Interview
Psychologist and Trauma Therapist - Jan Kizilhan
Zeinab Badawi speaks to psychologist Jan Kizilhan who has helped bring over a thousand Yazidi females from camps in Iraq to Germany to start a new life. The…
- The Interview
Syrian Opposition Negotiating Team Member - Bassma Kodmani
Stephen Sackur speaks to Bassma Kodmani, member of the negotiating team of the Syrian opposition. After six years of terrible bloodshed could 2017 dramatically…
- The Interview
Commander UK Joint Forces Command 2013 - 2016 - General Sir Richard Barrons
Stephen Sackur speaks to General Sir Richard Barrons who led the UK’s Joint Forces Command and fought in wars from the Balkans to the Middle East and…
- The Interview
Film Director - Mohamed Diab
Stephen Sackur speaks to Egyptian film director, Mohamed Diab. His new film, Eshtebak, or Clash, paints a remarkable picture of the tumult in Egypt which led…
- The Interview
Homa Hoodfar, recently released after 112 days imprisoned in Iran
HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Homa Hoodfar, a Canadian- Iranian academic recently released after 112 days imprisoned in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. Why…
- The Interview
Paul Beatty - Man Booker Prize Winning Author
Paul Beatty's novel The Sellout won a Man Booker prize. It deploys biting satire to unpick the black American experience. After eight years of a black…