Explore every episode of the podcast Front Row Weekly

Kirsty Lang talks to John Kander, composer of the hit musicals Cabaret, Chicago and now The Scottsboro Boys; actor Michael Sheen discusses performing Under Milk Wood to celebrate Dylan Thomas's centenary; Lynda Nead reviews the new Egon Schiele exhibition The Radical Nude at London's Courtauld Gallery; Brad Pitt on his latest film role in WWII drama, Fury; film director David Cronenberg discusses penning his first novel, Consumed; Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmmy Page on remastering the band's legendary rock song, Stairway to Heaven; actor Robert Downey Jr talks about his latest role as hotshot lawyer Hank Palmer in The Judge; and Boris Johnson considers Churchill's legacy on the 50th anniversary of his death.

John Wilson talks to the godfather of punk, Iggy Pop, ahead of this year's BBC Music John Peel Lecture; Simon Schama reviews the National Gallery's new blockbuster exhibition Rembrandt: The Late Works; Bob Geldof talks about re-forming The Boomtown Rats; Gillian Anderson discusses her debut sci-fi novel, A Vision of Fire; Disney chief Thomas Schumacher on creating The Lion King and a stage version of Frozen; Rachel Joyce on how to follow a Booker-nominated, bestselling novel; and Cat Stevens on his newest album, Tell 'Em I'm Gone.

The singer Loudon Wainwright III, father of Rufus and Martha, discusses his latest album Haven't Got the Blues (Yet). Mad Men star Christina Hendricks talks about her new film, God’s Pocket and Irish singer Sinead O’Connor on her new album and new image… The conductor, Sir Neville Marriner discusses his long and varied career and his return to the BBC Proms and following the success of the Inbetweeners TV sitcom making a successful transfer to the big screen, co-creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris talk about their second Inbetweeners film. And Samira Ahmed talks to writer DBC Pierre about his new novella, Breakfast With The Borgias

Booker prize-winning author Thomas Keneally; Downton actor Dan Stevens on Broadway; poet Sharon Olds; Skyfall director Sam Mendes; cartoonists Posy Simmonds and Ralph Steadman.

Rod Stewart talks about his life in rock and roll; Graham Norton on his new chat show and David Walliams and Peter Hook reflect on their careers in entertainment and music respectively. The Wilson Twins discuss their photographic work around the abandoned Chernobyl Nuclear reactor

Peep Show's David Mitchell; playwright Roy Williams; musician Pete Townshend; Norwegian crime-writer Jo Nesbo; Matt Thorne on his biography of Prince; actress Anne-Marie Duff.

Playwright Howard Barker talks about his debut at the National Theatre after 40 years and German writer, Bernard Schlink on his new book, Summer Lies. Northern Broadsides theatre company celebrates 20 years in the business and Nicholas Hytner talks about the importance of regional theatre. John Wilson meets Mumford & Sons to discuss their eagerly awaiting third album and Kirsty Lang on the new season of The Thick of It.

J K Rowling talks about her new novel; Matt Bellamy and Dom Howard from Muse; three playwrights on how they have adapted Shakespeare, Moliere and Ibsen to an Indian setting; actress Ashley Jensen; reporter Ryszard Kapuscinski discussed.

Film directors Oliver Stone and Ol Parker talk about their new movies. Actor Rupert Everett on his new book, film and play and comedian Greg Davies on starring in two new sitcoms. Caryl Churchill's new play reviwed and Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles on starring in Jesus Christ Superstar. And musician John Cale talks about The Velvet Underground and after.

Las Vegas band The Killers; Thomas Heatherwick on his Olympic cauldron; Talking Heads front-man David Byrne; Booker Prize shortlist; a review of Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones in Hope Springs; Mercury Music Prize contenders discussed.

Ballerina Darcey Bussell reflects on her career; tenor Alfie Boe; actress Hermione Norris; singer Donny Osmond; actor Damian Lewis; refurbishment at the Bristol Old Vic and novelist Howard Jacobson.

Crime-writer Anne Cleves; Adrian Lester takes questions from young actors; John Wilson talks to soul survivor Bobby Womack; novelist Joyce Carol Oates; Mark Lawson chairs a debate on whether e-books are a threat or a new chance for publishers.

John Wilson talks to Booker T, and meets members of the Author's Cricket team at Lords. Writer James Meek discusses his latest novel The Heart Broke In. Mark Lawson talks to Sir Tom Stoppard about Parade's End and Anna Karenina and meets Ian McEwan at the Edinburgh Book Festival to discuss his new novel, Sweet Tooth. Kirsty Lang talks to Philippa Gregory about her latest book, The Kingmaker's Daughter.

Adrian Dunbar known for playing a police chief is doing something completely different. Katie Paterson explains why she’s sending a meteorite back into space and Jonny Greenwood performing his Grammy award winning score live. John Wilson talks to Choir master Gareth Malone and War Horse composer Adrian Sutton, Matt Wolf reviews The Young Vic theatre’s new production of A Streetcar Named desire and Julian Lloyd Webber on his future plans in music.

Actor Clive Owen; rock star Alice Cooper; singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette; violinist Nicola Benedetti; author Jeanette Winterson on witch trials; highlights from the Edinburgh Festival fringe.

TV Comedian Alan Davies returns to stand-up – a theatrical experiment to find out how much audiences value culture. John Wilson talks to Tony Gilroy – creator the Bourne films and remembers film composer Marvin Hamlisch who composed scores for The Sting and The Way We Were

Mark Thomas on an operatic tribute to his father and Booker Prize winning author James Kelman discusses his new novel. Marilyn Monroe is remembered in a new exhibition and director Lynn Alleway discusses her experiences of making a documentary about the Amish in America

Writer Colin Dexter; comedian Ruby Wax; Terry Jones and Anne Dudley on turning The Owl and the Pussycat into an opera; a review of David Starkey on the Churchills; the latest commission for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall; a review of Mark Rylance in Richard III; director Fernando Meirelles.

Rapper Ice-T talks about his film, Something for Nothing: The Art of Rap and poet Julia Copus discusses her new collection of poetry; the ballerina Monica Mason talks about her career at the Royal Ballet. Actors Hattie Morahan and Domonic Rowan on hissing and booing in the theare. Children's author Eoin Colfer discusses the infamous Artemis Fowl. And director Asif Kapadia on his film Odyssey which is a portrait of London since it won its bid to host the Olympic Games

Poet James Fenton; John Morton, creator of the TV comedy Twenty Twelve; Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis; author Nicola Barker; William Fiennes on Joseph Mitchell; crime writer Andrea Camilleri.

Bryn Terfel; Richard Wilson’s Italian Job recreation; novelist Monique Roffey; soul singer Bobby Womack; Nick Hewer moves from The Apprentice to agriculture; new scores for Hitchcock’s silent films and keeping on track with Chariots of Fire.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter on writing together; classical guitarist Milos Karadaglic; playwright Joe Penhall; the new Edvard Munch exhibition reviewed; singer Macy Gray; TV writer Jed Mercurio; Simon Armitage on The Poetry Parnassus.

Director Sam Mendes on TV Shakespeare; Ed Stoppard on wartime codebreaker Alan Turing; Prunella Scales on turning 80; the British Paraorchestra; actor Adrian Lester takes questions from would-be actors and author Helene Hegelmann on her prizewinning novel Axolotl Roadkill.

Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young; Janet Suzman and Alan Howard on the art of acting; author Jon McGregor, winner of the lucrative International Impac Dublin Literary Award; and artist Rachel Whiteread.

This week Rebecca Hall talks about working with her father Sir Peter Hall; Long Yu, conductor of the China Philharmonic on their historic Proms debut and newly appointed Master of the Queen’s Music Judith Weir. Novelist Philip Hensher discusses his time travelling novel The Emperor Waltz and Manchester United fan Eamonn Holmes reviews new football film Believe. The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is the subject of a new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Billy Elliott writer Lee Hall talks about taking on Shakespeare in Love from screen to stage and the Giant Puppets return to Liverpool.

Harry Belafonte talks about his music and his work as a civil activist. Hilary Mantel on her new book, Bring up the Bodies; Richard Ford discusses his latest book, Canada and rapper Professor Green on life in the limelight. And an appreciation of Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt.

Writers John Irving and Michael Morpurgo talk about their new novels. Singer and songwriter Rumer discusses her new album. The rapper Plan B aka Ben Drew talks about his feature film debut and the artist Tracey Emin discusses her exhibition of new works at the Turner Contemporary in Margate. And Singer Patti Smith reveals what inspired the songs on her new album Banga

Rolf Harris on his art; novelist Joanne Harris; John Simm talks about his return to the stage; Game of Thrones author George RR Martin; actors on how to convincingly play drunk and writers of high-profile TV series discuss how to write a final episode.

Danny De Vito discusses his comedy double-act with Richard Griffiths; Sacha Baron Cohen's new film The Dictator is reviewed. Writers Paul Abbott and Sean Conway discuss their new TV series Hit & Miss. John Wilson meets singer Kevin Rowland and reviews ball-gowns at the V&A and Kirsty Lang goes down to the Brighton Festival and up a towering Olympic art-work.

Hilary Mantel on her new novel Bringing Up the Bodies; director Tim Burton; pianist Mitsuko Uchida; Damon Albarn in his studio; actress Maxine Peake; Trainspotting screenwriter and playwright John Hodge & comedian and actress Isy Suttie.

Mark Haddon on new novel The Red House; violinist Maxim Vengerov; Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical drawings; British actress Tracie Bennett plays Judy Garland on Broadway; actor Jason Isaacs and the South Sudan Theatre Company.

Actress Barbara Windsor reflects on her career; Michael Frayn discusses his new novel Skios and Playwright Mark Ravenhill reads his new sonnet commissioned to mark Shakespeare’s birthday; playwright Enda Walsh and actor Cillian Murphy talk about Misterman; The Brodsky Quartet celebrate their 40th birthday this year and Harry Shearer on Nixon.

Lyricist Tim Rice, therapist and TV personality Pamela Stephenson, actor David Suchet, dancer Tamara Rojo, writer Irvine Welsh on his Trainspotting prequel and journalist Stanley Booth on touring with the Rolling Stones.

John Wilson talks to comedian Dara O Briain about his new mathematical TV series and to Whit Stillman about his new film, Damsels in Distress. Mark Lawson talks to Clive James about his new collection of poems and reports on how the life of Anne Frank has inspired a range of new writing. He also talks to West End theatre producers about the economimcs of putting on a show

Damien Hirst at the Tate Modern; Michael Grade on broadcasting; TV series Undateables; rapper Labrinth; Graham Coxon on Blur's Olympic gig in August author Tom Holland and Thomas Campbell, British director of the Metropolitan Museum.

Samira Ahmed talks to the self-proclaimed inventors of the selfie Gilbert and George. Laura Clouting and James Taylor discuss the newly refurbished Imperial War Museum and John Fay challenges the cosy nostalgia of period drama. Razia Iqbal asks do architects have a responsibility to ensure the safety of those who make their buildings? John Wilson talks to Nigel Havers who returns to The Importance Of Being Earnest, discusses the life and work of Nadine Gordimer and talks to Matt Reeves, director of the new Planet Of The Apes movie.

Best selling author Jodi Picoult on her latest book and Brendan O'Carroll discusses his hit creation, TV show, Mrs Brown's Boys. Mark Lawson takes a tour of the newly opened 'The Harry Potter Experience' and talks to conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner. John Wilson meets singer and songwriter Dr John and talks to the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki about his work with Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood

Imelda Staunton & Michael Ball talk about starring in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeny Todd; Neil Cross on creating the character Luther and Russell Banks on his more controversial creation in The Lost Memory of Skin. Singer Esperanza Spalding and John Wilson asks are looks increasingly important in the music biz?

The new Jerwood Gallery in Hastings; author Tobias Jones; Joan Miró's grandsons on his sculptures; Ken Russell's The Devils on DVD; Irving Berlin's three daughters; tenor Noah Stewart; Kirsty Lang reports on art for healthcare in New York.

Oscar-winning film-maker Andrew Stanton; Andrew Carwood on performing music by the Elizabethan composer William Byrd; Therapy in fiction, film and TV drama; director Michael Winterbottom; Andrew Lloyd Webber on Love Never Dies; Gilbert and George.

Playwright Errol John re-assessed; comedian Sarah Millican; Caitlin Moran and Antonia Fraser on recording audio versions of their books; author Shalom Auslander; screenwriter Paula Milne on new TV show White Heat; Naomi Alderman focuses on video games.

Including interviews with actress Olivia Colman and writers Peter Ackroyd, Sue Townsend and Charlotte Keatley. Also John Wilson explores why so many of this year's BRIT nominees take literature as their inspiration and we examine why there is no UK e-book chart.

Daniel Radcliffe on life after Harry Potter; AS Byatt on Picasso; tenor Vittorio Grigolo; Paul McCartney; Mad Men's Jon Hamm and new director at the Donmar Warehouse Josie Rourke.

Stephen Daldry discusses his latest film, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close; Beth & Emma Kilcoyne on writing the second series of Roger & Val Have Just Got In. Syrian poet Adonis talks about his work and theatre producers Howard Panter & Rosemary Squire discuss how they run 36 venues in the UK. We celebrate the centenary of the neglected composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and John Wilson talks to singer Don McLean about American Pie and to Julie Totman who trains dogs to become Hollywood stars

Anne Rice on her new werewolf novel; why Heygate and Aylesbury estates have banned film-makers; the enduring appeal of The Singing Detective; Australian author Kate Grenville; Ashley Walters on acting after prison; mezzo-soprano Alice Coote.

Kenneth Branagh dicusses his Oscar nomination and Edmund White talks about his new book. Novelist Andrew Miller on winning the 2011 Costa Book Prize and poet Paul Farley reviews a film on rhyming couplets. Film maker Norma Percy discusses the story of Vladimir Putin’s secretive Russia. And a review of the exhibition Hajj: A Journey to Islam.

Peter Greenaway talks about his latest film about the 16th Century Dutch painter Goltzius and we take a journey to the National Maritime Museum Maxine Peake discusses her stage debut as a playwright with the premiere of Beryl at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and we hear from writer Fredrik Backman whose debut novel about a Swedish Victor Meldrew has become a word-of-mouth bestseller. John Wilson discusses the value of museums, in today's social and economic climate with some leading museum directors and also to actor Gina McKee about starring in Richard III.

Mark Lawson talks to screen writer Abi Morgan and to Leonard Cohen about his new album. The Carolina Chocolate Drops discuss their own brand of music and John Wilson talks to rising soul star Michael Kiwanuka and to writer Heidi Thomas about her new series, Call The Midwife. William Boyd reviews David Hockney at the Royal Academy and Ian Rankin and Frances Fyfield discuss their first novels.

This week's highlights - Stephen Spielberg on War Horse, singer-songwriter Emile Sande on her new album, two artists discuss painting Tony Blair & Antony Gormley & Hofesh Schecter talk about their dance piece & Anna Meredith on ceating music from clapping hands

Michael Fassbender on shooting 6 films in 20 months, Tom Hooper on following the success of The King's Speech, Julian Lloyd Webber and Tasmin Little on Delius, Tony Marchant on Public Enemies and a report on the hidden gems that can emerge from record company vaults.