Four Thought

The playwright Bola Agbaje on why black women are still under-represented on British TV. "If people don't see people like me, how will they understand me?" she says. "I quit drama school to pursue writing because I wanted to write myself into a script."Producer: Sheila Cook.

In this powerful edition of Four Thought, recorded at the Hay Festival, the writer Matt Haig describes how words helped him live with depression."You have to believe there is a point of there being words, and that they can offer real meaning. Normally this belief is taken for granted, but that is because normally we are taking the world itself for granted. But when your mind crumbles to dust everything you thought you knew suddenly becomes something to question. You have to build reality up again. And the bricks we use to shape our realities are called words." Recorded at the Hay Festival.Producer: Lucy Proctor Editor: Richard Knight.

In the third of four editions from this year's Hay Festival a pregnant Amanda Palmer talks about the prospect of reconciling art and motherhood."And right now, at 24 weeks pregnant, all I can do is look at the female heroes who've preceded me and not descended into crappy boringness, and pray to the holy trinity: Patti Smith. Ani Difranco. Bjork. Hear my prayer: may I not get baby brain."Producer: Lucy Proctor.Image courtesy of Shervin Lainez.

In the second of four editions recorded at the Hay Festival, Caroline Ingraham explains why we should give animals choices. She is the founder of a new approach to animal welfare which gives domestic and captive animals the chance to "self-medicate" as, she says, research shows they would in the wild."Maybe it's time to re-evaluate our relationship with animals, and start perceiving them as active, rather than passive, beings."Producer: Lucy Proctor.

In the first of four editions from this year's Hay Festival, Tim Meek explains why he and his family have left their old life behind them for a year of adventure on the road."We believe that the real measure of modern success is nothing to do with your bank balance or the size of your house, but instead, the amount of free time you have at your disposal."Producer: Lucy Proctor.

Brian Lobel who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 20 says surviving cancer does not mean you have to be heroic. "I thought there must be something for the other 50% or 20% or 90% who would rather watch a box set than run a marathon."Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sheila Cook.

Huda Jawad describes reconciling her deeply-held Islamic faith with her feminism, arguing that the Qur'an does not sanction the oppression of women. "I was enraged to hear that Islam was used in the most perverse ways," she says, "to maintain women's vulnerability and persecution and enable the perpetrators, who are usually men, to coerce and control them."Producer: Sheila Cook.

Baraa Shiban - stranded in London by the conflict in Yemen - describes how the revolution driven by young people in his country changed the course of his life and why he believes a revolution is just the beginning. "Whenever a revolution forces a dictator out of power, a counter revolution will always be next. Revolutions should always have post revolution plans. The actual work should start after removing the dictator. It's a long struggle and it's our duty to keep it alive and never give up." Producer: Sheila Cook.

Comedian John Williams finds unexpected joy in his autistic son's view of life, despite the inevitable struggles. "I have learnt far far more about the human condition, and what it truly means to be alive from just being with those with learning diabilities than I have from any eminent teacher or book." Producer: Sheila Cook.

Agata Pyzik, Polish cultural critic and author of "Poor But Sexy", reflects on divisions between Eastern Europe and the West and the prejudice she sees against Eastern European migrants. "I don't want to feel I have to conceal my history in order to pass for somebody worthwhile in English conversation, or to be ashamed that my country was historically poorer or was a part of the Eastern bloc," she says.Producer: Sheila Cook.