The Interview
BBC World Service
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 the BBC, our journalists interview amazing people every single day. And on The Interview, we bring them to you.
It’s your one-stop-shop to the best conversations coming out of the BBC, with the people shaping our world, from all over the world.
Get in touch with us on emailTheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
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 the BBC, our journalists interview amazing people every single day. And on The Interview, we bring them to you.
It’s your one-stop-shop to the best conversations coming out of the BBC, with the people shaping our world, from all over the world.
Get in touch with us on emailTheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 24, 2024 • 24min
Naomi Alderman: Apocalypse soon?
Stephen Sackur speaks to the writer and computer game creator Naomi Alderman. Her latest novel - The Future - is a techno thriller set at the end of days. Is the apocalypse she imagines all too possible?
Jan 22, 2024 • 24min
Regina Ip: What is Hong Kong's future?
Stephen Sackur speaks to Regina Ip, an influential pro-Beijing lawmaker in Hong Kong. For years China has been tightening its grip on the territory it took back from Britain. Pro-democracy activism, political opposition and press freedom have all been curtailed. So what is Hong Kong’s future?
Jan 18, 2024 • 23min
Mark Regev: Is Israel serving its own best interests?
Stephen Sackur talks to Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel’s prime minister, about Israel's strategy in the ongoing conflict with Hamas, including the impact on Gaza, casualties in the region, criticism of Israel's actions in the occupied territories, and pressure for a two-state solution.
Jan 17, 2024 • 24min
Mohammad Marandi: Is Middle East conflict what Iran really wants?
Stephen Sackur talks to Mohammad Marandi, an Iranian academic who has advised his government during nuclear negotiations. They discuss Iran's regional strategy, the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea and its impact on Israeli ports, Gaza's situation and Iran's role in supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, division among Iranian people and the role of women in Iran, and defending Iran's treatment of women and human rights.
Jan 12, 2024 • 23min
Sir Nicholas Winton: A Holocaust hero
Sir Nicholas Winton, a Holocaust hero, discusses his motivations for saving over 600 children during the Nazi persecution. He reflects on human nature and expresses pessimism for the future, particularly in achieving peace in the Middle East. He shares his journey from religion to embracing ethics and expresses concern over the presence of weapons of mass destruction. The discussion also touches on preaching ethics, fear of death, and an ad-free listening option on Amazon Music.
Jan 10, 2024 • 24min
Alicia Kearns: How much will 2024 test the West?
Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP and chair of the UK’s House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, talks about the threat of authoritarian regimes and upcoming events that may test the West. They discuss the challenges of addressing multiple conflicts simultaneously, the strength of Putin's regime, personal consequences of confronting authoritarian regimes, and the Conservative Party's stance on populism and international norms.
Jan 8, 2024 • 24min
Stephen Cave: Should we want to live forever?
Stephen Cave, philosopher and director of the University of Cambridge Institute for Technology and Humanity, discusses the dangers of extending human longevity, the concept of immortality and afterlife, the fear of mortality, cryogenic freezing and digitizing consciousness as paths to immortality, the philosophical and practical implications of transferring psychological data, and managing AI and its potential impacts on healthcare and society.
Jan 5, 2024 • 24min
Aida Touma-Sliman: What does war mean for Israel's Arab population?
Israeli politician Aida Touma-Slima, a Palestinian Arab member of Israel's parliament, discusses the impact of the Gaza war on Israel's Arab population, including their feelings of being second-class citizens, socioeconomic disparities, racism they face, opposition to civilian killings, challenges of dual citizenship, comparison to McCarthyism, trauma, social media use, accusations against the Israeli government, unlikeliness of a two-state solution, and the need for immediate action.
Dec 29, 2023 • 23min
Past notes
This podcast honors past HARDtalk guests who died in 2023. It discusses Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the US Supreme Court, and covers topics like the U.S. Constitution, abortion, the Holocaust, and Pakistan's governance. The speaker reflects on the importance of research, defends their show against claims of exploitation, and reflects on privilege and remarkable stories.
6 snips
Dec 27, 2023 • 23min
2023 in review
A look back at impactful interviews in 2023, including discussions on the Hamas attack and Israel's response, the UN Relief Agency and US-Israeli relations, challenges faced by South Africa and the threat to ANC's power, impacts of rising sea levels and transitioning from fossil fuels, and the potential threats of widespread technologies and the impact of AI on creatives.
