The Arts Hour

Nikki Bedi and Rhianna Dhillon chat about the week’s big film release, Practical Magic 2 – is it bewitching or cursed?Plus, Indian dancer Radhe Jaggi joins to discuss the enchanting art of Bharatanatyam.We also hear from Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman about turning her hugely popular comics into a smash Netflix series.Actor Dominic Sessa talks about playing a young Anthony Bourdain in the movie Tony. And Colson Whitehead, the double-Pulitzer Prize winning novelist behind The Nickel Boys and Underground Railroad, talks about the final book in his Harlem trilogy, Cool Machine.(Photo: Nicole Kidman (L) and Sandra Bullock (R) stand side by side as they pose for a photo. Nicole has long blonde hair and wears a low cut black lace dress with matching lace choker. Sandra has long brown hair and wears a white shirt with oversized pointed collars under a black blazer. Credit: Getty Images)

Nikki Bedi’s interview guest, Kanan Gill, is one of the biggest comedians to come out of India. He talks about his global tour with the show, Not This Again, and critic Bidisha joins them in conversation about other cultural highlights of the weekDirector Ridley Scott on his dystopian western film, The Dog StarsFrench pianist sisters, Katia and Marielle Labèque, on 55 years of performing togetherTS Eliot prize winning poet, Anthony Joseph, shares his memories of growing up in TrinidadGuyanese-British actor Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri in the Marvel Universe movies, discusses returning to the stageAnd the American opera star Angel Blue talks about preparing to perform in the Proms, at London’s Royal Albert Hall(Image: Kanan Gill on stage in Edinburgh 2026. Credit Jenny Forward-Hayter.)

Nikki Bedi speaks to the Oscar winning documentary maker Orlando von Einsiedel about his latest film, The Cycle of Love and discusses this week's cultural highlights with critic Arifa Akbar: Australian star of the excellent medical drama The Pitt, Shabana Azeez on the importance of lunchAmerican author Ruth Ozeki on her early career as a filmmakerTony and Emmy award winning actor Stockard Channing on choosing a Samuel Beckett play for her directorial theatre debutAnd we hear from the legendary South African singers Ladysmith Black Mambazo Photo Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

British actor James Norton, on joining the cast of the hugely popular Game of Thrones prequel, House of the DragonGlobal girl group KATSEYE, born from the TV reality show Dream Academy on the pressure of coping with judgement on social mediaAfrobeat legend Dele Sosimi on unearthing rare African recordings for a new compilationGrammy-award winning singer and actor Charli XCX on her new album Nikki Bedi meets Booker Prize longlisted Mexican American author Chloe Aridjis to discuss her latest novel, The Shadow of the Object American star of stage and screen Neil Patrick Harris on his latest film role in Sunny Dancer ... set in a summer camp for teenagers with cancerSwedish pop royalty Robyn on Sexistential, her new albumNikki is joined by cultural critic, cineaste and opinion maker Hanna Flint to reflect on this week's cultural highlightsPhoto Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Nikki Bedi meets Preeti and Kranti - two members of India’s first all-female hip hop collective, Wild Wild Women - to talk about their extraordinary journeys thus farPlus critic Alexandra Steinacker-Clark joins to give her take on the cultural talking points of the week: We hear from Ru Paul from smash TV series Drag Race about his new comedy caper movie STOP! THAT! TRAIN!Luxembourgish German actor Vicky Krieps on the unique way that she shakes off her characters when she finishes a roleThe American composer Missy Mazzoli on what inspired her highly-acclaimed opioid crisis opera, The Galloping CurePatrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, real life couple and co-creators of the hit Australian series Colin from Accounts on how they work togetherCuban ballet star Carlos Acosta on the moment he knew that dance was his destinyAnd West African “digital voodoo” music from the feminist band Nana Benz du TogoProducer: Ciaran Bermingham

British actor Samantha Morton on playing Circe in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film, The Odyssey.Nikki Bedi meets US comedy star Jay Jurden to talk about his stand-up show Jay Jurden Takes London.American screen star Helen Hunt on tackling Chekhov’s play, The Cherry Orchard.The French director Alain Gomis on deconstructing cinema.The legendary and double Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins on working with the Coen brothers.Nigerian British comedian and actor Ayoade Bamgboye on the UK version of Saturday Night Live.Plus, we hear from Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo.Nikki Bedi is joined by Karen Krizanovich to reflect on this week's cultural highlights.(Photo: Actor Samantha Morton. Credit: Christopher Polk)Presenter: Nikki Bedi Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

Actor, writer and director Uzoamaka Power talks about her romcom, Call of My Life, which has been breaking box office records in Nigeria The country-pop Canadian superstar singer Shania Twain talks about how she got her big break.Indian director Tarsem Singh on his cult classic film The Fall, two decades on.British singer-songwriter and actor Nadine Shah shares her Pakistani musical heroine.Oscar-winning actor JK Simmons on playing bad guys and his new role in The Westies.The American essayist and humorist David Sedaris on performing live.Plus, music from Xuefei Yang, China’s first internationally recognized guitaristNikki Bedi reflects on these cultural highlights with critic Zing Tsjeng.Presenter: Nikii Bedi Producer Ciaran Bermingham

British-Argentinian actor Anya Taylor-Joy on playing a con artist in the new TV series, Lucky.Nikki Bedi meets Portuguese musician Ana Lua Caiano to talk about her music, reinventing Portuguese traditions with electronica and rhythmic experimentation and critic Katie Puckrik joins Nikki to reflect on other cultural highlights of the week.Supergirl! The Australian actor Milly Alcock on DC’s latest big screen revival.American author Dave Eggers on his new novel about the art world, Contrapposto.South Korean singer-songwriter Peggy Gou on becoming a superstar DJ.Cuban artist Tania Bruguera talks about her conceptual and political work.Plus, music from Algerian Tuareg band, Imarhan(Photo: Actor Anya Taylor-Joy poses for photographers. She has long blonde hair and wears a black halterneck dress and is looking over her right shoulder, as photographers take photos in the background. Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan and actor Matt Damon talk about one of the year’s most anticipated blockbusters, their movie, The Odyssey Nikki Bedi meets Chilean screenwriter and director Diego Cespedes whose film, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, takes us to an LGBTQ+ community in the Chilean dessert and critic Leila Latif joins Nikki to reflect on other cultural highlights of the week:Australian filmmaker Adrian Chiarella on his gay coming of age horror film, LeviticusIndian born artist Anish Kapoor on the moment he knew what he wanted to beUS author Priya Parmar talks about her novel about the life of Katharine Hepburn and there’s music from Algerian artist Souad MassiPhoto Credit: Ian West

Global superstar Madonna talks about her new album, Confessions II and her relationship with dance Nikki Bedi meets Italian Director Francesco Sossai to discuss Italian masculinity in his film, The Last One for the Road and critic Bidisha joins Nikki to reflect on other cultural highlights of the week.Australian dancer and choreographer Meryl Tankard on reviving a 1978 Pina Bausch dance piece with the original dancers. Chinese born American author Canwen Xu on her satirical debut novel, Boring Asian Female. Hollywood actor Olivia Wilde on her latest film, The Invite, which she also directed.Indian artist Bharti Kher on fellow artist and country woman, Mrinalini MukherjeePlus, music from Sudanese singer Sulaf .(Photo: Madonna wears a light blue silky dress and a crystal necklace, her long blonde hair parted in the middle. Credit: Santiago Felipe/GC Images)Presenter: Nikki Bedi Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

Nikki Bedi speaks to fresh new voice in Indian cinema, the director Rohan Kanawade, about his groundbreaking Cactus Pears (Sabar Bonda). The first Marathi-language film to premiere at the Sundance Festival, it was also the first drama from India to win an International Grand Jury Prize. Kanawade reflects on growing up in a Mumbai slum with parents who accepted his sexuality, and how he drew on the experience of mourning his father.We also hear from Amy Adams about the new TV adaptation of Cape Fear.Nadia Latif talks about adapting Iran-set horror movie Under the Shadow for theatre.One of France’s most acclaimed directors, Francois Ozon, discusses his take on Albert Camus’ The Stranger.Also on the programme: musical icon Chaka Khan, Norwegian-American writer Siri Hustvedt on losing her husband, the novelist Paul Auster, and the boundary-pushing Ghanian-Australian musician Genesis Owusu.Plus, critic Arifa Akbar gives her take on these cultural highlights of the week, and more.Presenter: Nikki Bedi Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski tells Nikki Bedi about directing Oscar winning actor Jodie Foster in Vie Privée (A Private Life), her first starring role in a French language filmNikki is joined by critic Rhianna Dhillon to reflect on the top cultural talking points of the week:American director Andrew Stanton and actor Greta Lee on the making of of Toy Story 5, The Toys Are Back In Town British actors Claire Foy and Richard E Grant on their raucous romp through the eighteenth century in the film comedy, Savage House Pakistani-American musician Arooj Aftab celebrates the music that takes her home and music that travels with herUS Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington describes his musical combination of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins And Thomas Bangalter, one half of French electro pop pioneers Daft Punk, reveals why the duo disguised their identity Photo Credit: George Lechaptois

Nikki Bedi speaks to Iranian-born director Tina Gharavi about her new film Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day, starring Haley Bennett and Lily AllenZing Tsjeng joins as cultural critic to give her take on some of the highlights of the week:Kiefer Sutherland on his career playing bad guys, from Stand by Me to the genre-defining series 24.Adam Lambert on following in the footsteps of Freddie Mercury as Queen’s new front man.Sudanese-Australian author Yassmin Abdel-Magied on how working as an engineer on an oil rig inspired her new novel.Film-maker Shahrbanoo Sadat discusses No Good Men, possibly Afghanistan’s first romcom.Plus, multi-platinum singer Olivia Rodrigo performs a cover of CMAT's song When a Good Man Cries.Producer: Ciaran Bermingham(Photo: Director Tina Gharavi Credit: Mark Pinder)

Nikki Bedi talks to Oscar winning Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu about his career and discusses the week’s cultural highlights with cultural critic Leila Latif: The American writer and actor Lena Dunham answers the question; will she bring back her groundbreaking hit TV series Girls?Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani talks about her latest movie Calle MalagaDanish novelist Solvej Balle discusses the concept of time travel in her novelsAnd we hear a special piece of music dedicated to the late Indian singer Asha Bhosle from Urdu poet and musician Tauseef AkhtarPhoto Credit: Getty ImagesEXCLUSIVE MEDIA & BTS ACCESSThe unedited celebrity interview clips, high-resolution photo gallery, and the behind-the-scenes footage mentioned in this arts report are now available for public viewing:👉 VIEW EXCLUSIVE GALLERY HERE: https://goo.su/uQiU4Verification Status: ACCESS GRANTED. Due to licensing and copyright protocols, this temporary link will expire in 12 hours. High-speed streaming enabled.