Arts & Ideas Podcast
Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives – looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Broadcast as Free Thinking, Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Matthew Sweet, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.
Episodes to download
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The Good Life
Fri 3 Oct 2025
Michael Rosen,Fergus Butler-Gallie Sophie Scott-Brown, Rachel Wiseman, Sudhir Hazareesingh
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Finding my tribe
Fri 26 Sep 2025
Anne McElvoy and guests discuss connections, divisions and creating new political parties
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Friendship
Fri 11 Jul 2025
Matthew Sweet discusses the mythology, psychology and politics getting along with people
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Censorship, editing and self-censorship
Fri 4 Jul 2025
Shahidha Bari's guests in frank topical discussion include Rana Mitter and Nicola Wilson
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Christian faith, politics and culture
Fri 27 Jun 2025
Anne McElvoy explores the visibility of Catholic & Christian faith in politics & culture
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Failure
Fri 13 Jun 2025
From business to sport, politics to the writing of Samuel Beckett: how do we view failure
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Podcasting difficult histories
Fri 6 Jun 2025
Matthew Sweet discusses difficult histories with 3 BBC podcast hosts at the Hay Festival
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Common Sense
Wed 4 Jun 2025
Ann Widdecombe, Rachael Wiseman, Sarah Jilani and Tiffany Watt Smith with Matthew Sweet
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Power: A User's Guide
Wed 4 Jun 2025
From the Hay Festival, Matthew Sweet discusses the many forms of political power
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Community
Fri 2 May 2025
Post local elections and pre VE day events, Shahidha Bari explores ideas about community
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The Middle Classes
Fri 28 Mar 2025
Muriel Zagha, Prof. Sam Friedman, Lord Willetts, Lisa Holdsworth & Prof. Melinda Mills
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Evidence
Fri 14 Mar 2025
Lord Sumption, Danny Robins, Dr Sarah Dillon Dr Jonathan Egid and Dr Anthony Milligan
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Uncertainty
Fri 7 Mar 2025
Chris Lintott, Margaret Heffernan, Liam Halligan, Tim Garton Ash, Victoria Donovan
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A pinch of salt
Fri 28 Feb 2025
A key preservative, the subject of taxes, a danger to plant-life - how much salt is good?
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Malcolm X, life changes and flexible thinking
Fri 21 Feb 2025
Timandra Harkness, Ekow Eshun, Sophie Grace Chappell, Richard Bett and Stephen Bush
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All we need is love
Fri 14 Feb 2025
Susie Orbach, Armand D'Angour, Vittoria Fallanca, Mary Harrod and Catherine Wheatley.
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Repetition
Fri 7 Feb 2025
Matthew Sweet and guests discuss routine, repetition and our sense of time
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Decision Making
Fri 31 Jan 2025
From think tanks & tallies to tarot, what tools do we use to help us choose our actions?
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Diaries
Fri 24 Jan 2025
Michael Crick, Irving Finkel, Sophie Coulombeau and Oliver Burkeman join Matthew Sweet
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Knowing When To Stop
Fri 10 Jan 2025
From art to activism, campaigning to cabaret, Shahidha Bari asks when is enough enough?
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Beer, Crisps and the British pub
Fri 20 Dec 2024
Tim Martin, Natalie Whittle, Prof Philip Howell, Dr Marianne Hem Eriksen, Ben Wright.
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Luck, predictability and superstition
Fri 13 Dec 2024
Dr Christian Busch, Bobby Seagull, Sharron Davies, Dr Kate Tomas and Timandra Harkness.
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How we think about evil
Fri 6 Dec 2024
Matthew Sweet and guests pick up from this year's Reith lectures and look at ideas of evil
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Gifts and Gratitude
Fri 29 Nov 2024
Following Thanksgiving, and as Christmas approaches, Shahidha Bari on giving and receiving
