Nikki Bedi speaks to film-maker Neeraj Ghaywan about his film Homebound, which is India’s entry for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars.

She also talks to the director Shih-Ching Tsou about Taiwan’s entry for the same category, the Taipei-set film Left-Handed Girl.

Plus a chance to hear about Australia’s entry, The Wolves Always Come at Night from the film-maker Gabrielle Brady.

The creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers talk about the series genesis and the 1980s themes. And Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence reveals how the late great comedy actor John Candy was a formative influence.

Nikki Bedi is joined by cultural critic Zing Tsjeng to discuss all of this and more.

(Photo: Neeraj Ghaywan. Credit: Dharma Productions)

Nikki Bedi talks to director Nia DaCosta about her film Hedda starring Tessa Thompson and is joined by cultural critic Hanna Flint.

Oscar winning British actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his director son Ronan, discuss working together on their film Anemone. Spanish superstar Rosalia reveals why, and how, she chooses different languages to sing in. Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston tackles a classic Arthur Miller play with actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Australian actor Sarah Snook, of Succession fame, talks about her latest series All Her Fault.

And Puerto Rican guitarist Carlos Alomar on collaborating with David Bowie.

Main image: Tessa Thompson as Hedda Photo credit: Amazon MGM Studios

Audio for this episode was updated on 2nd December 2025.

Director Jon M Chu talks about Wicked: For Good - the themes, working with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and he reveals his favourite scene in the film.

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan and star Rhea Seehorn discuss their new series Pluribus.

British actor Riz Ahmed on being a man of few words in the thriller Relay.

And Nikki Bedi is joined by cultural critic, Larushka Ivan- Zadeh

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

In a special edition of The Arts Hour, Nikki Bedi talks to two of the judges on this year's Booker Prize for Fiction, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ and Chris Power, before Roddy Doyle announces the winner. We hear from fellow judges Sarah Jessica Parker and all of the writers on the shortlist:

Flashlight by Susan Choi The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Audition by Katie Kitamura The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller Flesh by David Szalay

Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

Photo Credit: David Parry for the Booker Prize Foundation

Nikki Bedi introduces the Arts Hour podcast. Your weekly cultural companion, featuring guests and opinions on what's happening in art, theatre, film, TV, music and more. Find us at bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.