Episodes
1. Episode 1
May 20, 2006
60 min
Andrew Graham-Dixon goes behind the hype to reveal the true genius of Leonardo da Vinci. The Pet Shop Boys discuss the future of pop, and viewers get to nominate the parts of British culture they can live without.
Guest Stars:
Verity Sharp
2. Episode 2
May 27, 2006
60 min
An interview with director Ken Loach at the Cannes film festival as he waits to see whether he has won the coveted Palme d'Or. Plus Mark Kermode reflects on disaster movies as United 93 hits our cinema screens.
Guest Stars:
Verity Sharp
3. Episode 3
June 3, 2006
60 min
What brought New York punk icon Patti Smith to Charleston, the rural retreat of the Bloomsbury group. Plus, the ingredients of the perfect pop song according to Paul Weller, and the naturally curly actor Alan Davies laments the demise of the perm.
Guest Stars:
Alan Davies, Verity Sharp, Patti Smith, Paul Weller
4. Episode 4
June 10, 2006
60 min
A visit to Nottingham, currently home to the biggest showcase of contemporary art in Britain. Plus Zina Saro-Wiwa meets the puppets and stars of Broadway hit Avenue Q, author Elmore Leonard gives tips on how to write a novel, Matthew Sweet explores the booming subculture of the paranormal, and Perrier Award-winning comedian Laura Solon hits the road.
Guest Stars:
Laura Solon, Karine Polwart, Verity Sharp, Elmore Leonard, Zina Saro-Wiwa
5. Episode 5
June 17, 2006
Acclaimed British film actress Charlotte Rampling discusses her revitalised career as one of European cinema's most glamorous grandes dames; Studs Terkel, arguably America's greatest recorder of oral history, relives his encounters with Bob Dylan , Dizzy Gillespie and Martin Luther King ; celebrating 25 years of hip music channel MTV; and the dirtier side of architecture - yes, incinerators and sewage farms can be beautiful, too. Presented by Verity Sharp.
Guest Stars:
Charlotte Rampling, Studs Terkel
6. Episode 6
June 24, 2006
Sir Simon Rattle talks about the production of Wagner's Ring cycle he's conducting next month at the Aix-en-Provence festival, renowned artists Bill Viola and Gillian Wearing unveil their latest video installations, and Inspector Lynley creator Elizabeth George discusses researching her next novel. Plus, the conclusion of Danny Robins ' quest to see all of Shakespeare's plays in a month, views from viewers on the bits of contemporary culture they wish to avoid, and, as the series ends, recommendations from the critics of what to look out for over the summer months. Presented by Andrew Graham -Dixon. The series is set to return in September.
Guest Stars:
Elizabeth George, Simon Rattle
