Innovations in book clubs, sitcoms by women and a new BBC One prison drama episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 6, 2026 · 42 MIN

Innovations in book clubs, sitcoms by women and a new BBC One prison drama

from Front Row · host BBC Radio 4

We hear from award-winning writer Dennis Kelly, the man behind Matilda the Musical and comedy show Pulling. In his new BBC One series Waiting for the Out he goes behind bars to tell the story of a man who teaches a philosophy class in prison. How do you choose the books you read? The Department of Education has launched the National Year of Reading and continuing Front Row's look at the subject of reading, today we’re looking at the evolution of book clubs. Nick is joined by Guinevere de La Mare, creator of Silent Book Clubs, and Dr. Nicola Wilson whose book Recommended explores the story of Britain's first celebrity book club.The death of distinguished British theatre director Frank Dunlop has been announced today. Dunlop established the Young Vic theatre and directed the first full production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Theatre critic Michael Coveney explores Dunlop’s career.Often cited as a trailblazer Victoria Wood was one of the first women to write and star in a television comedy show, but the path she’s beaten appears difficult to find and women are still in the minority when it comes to sitcom writing. Dr. Laura Minor, a BBC New Generation Thinker and Senior Lecturer in Television Studies at the University of Salford, and comedian Alexandra Haddow discuss. Presenter: Nick Ahad Producer: Ekene Akalawu

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 6, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Innovations in book clubs, sitcoms by women and a new BBC One prison drama

0:00 42:21

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Front Row?

This episode is 42 minutes long.

When was this Front Row episode published?

This episode was published on January 6, 2026.

Can I download this Front Row episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!