Tacitus, Byron's fanmail and Bluey
Classicist Mary Beard, historian Helen Carr, sketch writer Tom Peck and screen-writer and former children's TV presenter Konnie Huq join Shahidha Bari to reflect on topical ideas
Classicist Mary Beard picks Tacitus as a figure who still has relevance if we're thinking about satire, power and celebrity. Shahidha Bari is joined by Mary, historian Helen Carr, who co-edited What is History Now? political sketch-writer from The Times newspaper Tom Peck and Konnie Huq, writer and former presenter of the children's TV show Blue Peter. On April 21st 1964, the tv channel ±«Óãtv 2 launched with an episode for children of Play School and programmes like Bluey and Peppa Pig, have been making headlines so what do we want from kids TV? Plus - poet Lord Byron died 200 years ago this week - scholar Dr Corin Throsby has been reading the fan mail he received.
Listen out for Mary Beard and the new series of Being Roman coming to ±«Óãtv Radio 4 in May - and the first series is available on ±«Óãtv Sounds.
And if you're a fan of Oliver Postgate - The Clangers, Bagpuss and Noggin you can find a Free Thinking episode exploring those programmes.
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Podcast
-
Arts & Ideas
Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives.