20 Questions With

20 Questions With John Suchet

ITN newscaster turned Classic FM presenter John Suchet takes us on a passion-fuelled tour of Beethoven's life and music. Is the composer, who began to lose his hearing as a young man, the greatest of them all? What about Mozart or Schubert? Suchet's infectious love of his subject provides a must-listen for any listener to classical music - and for those tempted to try it out. He also takes us behind the scenes of his experiences as a reporter on the front line of some of the most dangerous wars of his generation. 

20 Questions With Alastair Campbell

Who better to talk to in General Election year than Tony Blair's former Director of Communications and Strategy, the man who helped drive New Labour to power and keep it there. Here he gives his verdicts on Starmer and Sunak, sets out a blueprint for growth, reveals why he became so involved in the fallout from the Brexit referendum, laments the move towards populist parties in Europe and says that even he might get to the point of queasiness about rejoining the EU, and talks about his mental health and how he is at the moment. 

20 Questions With Bettany Hughes

Classical historian Bettany Hughes takes us on a revelatory journey through the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. From the Great Pyramid at Giza to the Lighthouse of Alexandria via the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Immerse yourself in the beauty and brutality of a world that lives on in us. 

20 Questions With Matthew Taylor

Matthew Taylor is the Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation. Here he gives his take on the challenges facing the NHS, the shortfalls in funding, the need for capital investment, the under-management of the health service, the choices facing politicians, the problems in social care, huge waiting lists, the cost analyses of prevention and innovation, the economics of an ageing population, junior doctors' pay and staff morale. This is a rare opportunity to learn more about a British institution during an election year. 

20 Questions With Liam Byrne MP

Liam Byrne sets out his manifesto for a British wealth-sharing democracy. Linking wealth to freedom, he makes the argument for a fairer society and sets out an optimistic plan for the future. As Labour's outgoing Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown, Byrne left a note for his coalition successor explaining that the money had run out. It's a note that has dogged his party ever since and his new book, The Inequality Of Wealth, Why It Matters And How To Fix It, is in part an answer to his critics. Byrne explains why inequality matters and offers practical steps towards tackling it. 

20 Questions With Richard Tice

The success or otherwise of Richard Tice, leader of Reform UK, could decide the extent of Keir Starmer's majority at the General Election, or whether he even wins a majority. Determined to punish the Tories, whom he once helped fund, Tice is out to bring down Rishi Sunak's government. In this lively and robust encounter, he explains his motivations and outlines some of his key policies, including on tax, immigration and Net Zero. 

20 Questions With Elif Shafak

Multi award-winning British Turkish author Elif Shafak has been translated into 57 languages. Here she speaks about mysticism, technology, story-telling, history, human rights and challenging orthodoxies. 

20 Questions With Sir Vince Cable

Sir Vince Cable led the Liberal Democrats twice and was Business Secretary for the entire five years of the Conservative Lib Dem coalition government under David Cameron. Here he makes his predictions for the next General Election, assesses immigration policy, advocates higher taxes, defends the period of austerity when he was in government, analyses Keir Starmer's leadership of the Labour Party, discusses ethics in foreign policy and encourages engagement with China despite accusations that the Chinese regime has committed genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. 

20 Questions With Peter Hitchens

The author and often outspoken columnist for the Mail On Sunday gives his verdict on both the Tories and Labour as a General Election approaches, describes his faith, explains his method of debating, reveals the nature of his relationship with his late brother, Christopher Hitchens, and talks about the impact of his childhood.

20 Questions With David Baddiel

Jewish comedian, storyteller and public intellectual David Baddiel explains why 'Jews don't count', why human beings have a 'God desire', and what makes him feel joy.