The Big Interview

Former president of Poland Aleksander Kwaśniewski meets Andrew Mueller in Warsaw to discuss his remarkable political career, why he decided to lead Poland into the EU and Nato, and what it was like to sit across a table from Vladimir Putin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Internationally renowned conductor Marin Alsop sits down with Emma Searle to discuss the joys and challenges of leading an orchestra and how, despite rejections and being told, “Girls can’t do that,” she persisted to become the first woman to lead major orchestras in Europe, South America and the US.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canadian journalist sits down with Emma Nelson to discuss her career as a war correspondent, being abducted on assignment in Afghanistan and how this trauma refuelled her mission to tell the stories of those caught in conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photographer Firooz Zahedi sits down with Rob Bound to discuss his special friendship with Elizabeth Taylor and how he went from growing up in conservative Iran to capturing Hollywood glamour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former prime minister of Finland sits down with Markus Hippi to discuss his remarkable political career, Finland's decision to join NATO, and the war in Ukraine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Design heavyweight Alberto Alessi sits down with Josh Fehnert to discuss the ills and advantages of running a family business and the fine line between art and design. Plus: a few choice tips for success in business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The award-winning photographer has turned his camera on political figures and global superstars, including the Obamas, Prince and Muammar Gaddafi. He sits down with Charlie Filmer-Court to discuss his life’s work and what it was like to be an inch away from Vladimir Putin as he captured his photograph. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Belarusian-American democratic activist and political strategist sits down with Christopher Cermak to discuss what it was like to work on Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns, his imprisonment in Belarus and his lifelong goal to help opposition politicians challenge authoritarian regimes in eastern Europe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The women’s rights attorney and former Nasa engineer speaks to Emma Nelson about working on the male-dominated space programme in the 1960s, what it was like to help retrieve the Apollo 13 astronauts after their mid-flight disaster and why she’s concerned about the threat to Roe vs Wade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vikas Swarup, the Indian author and former diplomat, tells Georgina Godwin about his postings across the world, pivoting to writing after a decades-long diplomatic career and his international best-selling book ‘Q&A’, which was adapted into the hit film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.