20 Questions With

20 Questions With Nazir Afzal

Now Chancellor of Manchester University, Nazir Afzal was the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West England. In charge of 100,000 prosecutions a year, he became known for prosecuting those who committed sexual violence against women and children. It was he who reopened the Rochdale child sexual abuse case. In this episode of 20 Questions, he talks about his career as a prosecutor, racism, how to combat misogyny, the broken judicial system, his views of this Tory government and his skills as a DJ. Contains graphic content. 

20 Questions With Christina Lamb

Multi award-winning and recently crowned Foreign Correspondent of the Year Christina Lamb talks about her experiences of covering wars from Afghanistan to Ukraine, championing the lives of women in extreme adversity, her time covering homelessness in the UK and calls out injustices across the world. 

20 Questions With Martin O’Neill

Martin O'Neill is one of the great characters in football. He won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest as a player, captained Northern Ireland in a World Cup and brought success to Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester City, Celtic, Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland as a manager. A much loved pundit, too, here he talks about what it's like playing and managing in the game, his highs and lows, his management style, George Best, Bobby Moore, Arsène Wenger, Eric Cantona, Sir Alex Ferguson, the importance of family, growing up in The Troubles, hard work and his perfect day. 

20 Questions With Danny Finkelstein

Danny Finkelstein, the Conservative peer and Times columnist, talks about the process behind his column, his political journey, why he's still a Tory, the debate about austerity, Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman, what he thinks of Keir Starmer, the next General Election, his views on environmental protestors, his love of football, being a Director of Chelsea, the World Cup in Qatar and what makes him happy, 

20 Questions With Deborah Meaden

The businesswoman and Dragons' Den star talks to me about what it's like behind the scenes on the BBC One show, how she made her way in business, why she cares about the environment, what she makes of fame, success, failure, childhood, politics and her perfect day. 

20 Questions With Peter Hain

Peter Hain, a veteran of the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and now a Labour peer, talks to me about what New Labour got right and wrong and how it contributed to Brexit. He discusses his friendship with Nelson Mandela, his own role in the anti-Apartheid struggle, climate change activism, Keir Starmer's leadership, his love of Wales, his new novel about poaching and corruption in South Africa, and what makes for a perfect Peter Hain evening. 

20 Questions With Sir Ian Rankin

Crime writer Sir Ian Rankin is one of the best-selling authors in the UK. Internationally famous for his Rebus books, he talks to me about the latest, A Heart Full Of Headstones, how he writes, his childhood, his mental health, his passions, his advice for aspiring writers and his top tips for a happy marriage. 

20 Questions With Femi

Femi is a political campaigner who made his name while opposing Brexit. In this episode we talk Brexit, the British voting system, Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, racism, social media, social life, how he makes a living, and what the man behind the activist is really like. 

20 Questions With Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson left school at 15 but went on to be a Secretary of State in five departments in the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown: Work and Pensions, Trade, Education, Health and the Home Office. Many think he'd have made a brilliant Prime Minister, but instead he left politics and has become a multiple award-winning author, writing memoirs and now novels. In other lives he was a budding pop star, a postman and a trade unionist. In the first episode of 20 Questions, Johnson talks to me about his life, Labour, Keir Starmer, The Beatles, writing, how he unwinds and why he doesn't hate Tories.