BBC Radio Podcasts from The Verb

The Verb

The Claustrophobic Verb

Ian McMillan presents Radio 3's cabaret of the word.

Zadie Smith

Ian McMillan talks to Zadie Smith in a special extended interview.

International Women's Day Verb

Ian McMillan explores poetry as a tool for women's empowerment.

Words on Music

Ian McMillan with Radio 3's cabaret of the word exploring writing about music.

The Cute Verb

Ian McMillan presents Radio 3's Cabaret of Cuteness as we examine all things cute.

The World in Words

The Verb. The World in Words

The Physical Verb

Helen Mort, Victoria Kennefick and Jon Ransom join Ian McMillan.

The Hip Hop Verb

The Verb celebrates rhyme and rap in hip hop.

Tessa Hadley

Ian McMillan presents a special extended interview with Tessa Hadley.

The TS Eliot Prize

Ian McMillan presents poetry from the TS Eliot Prize.

Language

Ian McMillan explores poetry on the page and the stage with dance.

Last Lines

Ian McMillan enjoys last lines with Stuart Maconie, Caroline Bird, and Sinéad Morrissey.

The Verb Christmas Special

Ian McMillan ho ho hosts a special Christmas edition of The Verb from Hebden Bridge.

Writing a Good Future

Ian McMillan asks his guests what a good future looks like and how we can write it.

Joyce Carol Oates

Ian McMillan presents a special extended interview with Joyce Carol Oates.

Colm Tóibín

Ian McMillan talks to Irish novelist Colm Tóibín in a special extended interview.

Shakespeare and the future

Ian McMillan celebrates what Shakespeare can tell future generations.

New International Poetry from the Contains Strong Language Festival 2023

New international poetry from the Contains Strong Language festival 2023.

20/10/2023

Ian McMillan discusses the act of looking and the language of art.

The Verb at Contains Strong Language Festival

Ian McMillan presents The Verb from the Contains Strong Language Festival in Leeds.

Poetry from Contains Strong Language

Ian McMillan hosts a special performance edition of The Verb.

Live from Contains Strong Language 2023

Live from Leeds, Ian McMillan introduces public poets from around the world.

Irish Writing

Ian McMillan explores the boom in Irish writing.

The Verb at the Trades Club

Ian McMillan presents The Verb from Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire.

Confidence: Masterclass

A writing and confidence masterclass. Ian McMillan and guests share tips and experiences.

New Ways of Writing

Ian McMillan explores new futures in Form.

Fathers and Time

Fathers and fathering with Nick Laird, Katherine Rundell and Jude Rogers.

The Verb at Hay Festival: How to write a Novel

From blank page to bestseller, how do you write a novel?

The Verb at Hay Festival

The Verb at Hay with Ian McMillan and guests.

Futures Verb

Ian McMillan presents the first in a series of Verb visits to the future.

The Wicker Man Verb

Ian McMillan presents The Wicker Man Verb - marking 50 years of the iconic film.

Monsters and the Monstrous

Ian McMillan and his guests discuss the metaphor of the monster and the monstrous other.

12/05/2023

Ian McMillan presents a gathering of poets from all over the world.

The Sound Design Verb

Ian McMillan is joined by Benbrick, Hannah Silva and Noah Lawson.

The Interview Verb

Ian McMillan is joined by Steven Moffat, Polly Morland, Arji Manuelpillai and Peter Dong.

Funny Women

Ian McMillan discusses funny fiction by women with guests including Helen Lederer.

Wild Water

Ian McMillan is joined by Ruth Padel, Vik Sharma, Caroline Bergvall and Will Burns.

Something New

Ian McMillan is joined by Michael Symmons Roberts, Kate Fox, and Jacob Polley.

The Sounds between the Words

Testament, poet, and world-record-breaking human beatboxer, explores sounds between words.

Spring Poetry: ambivalence and beauty

Ian McMillan is joined by Paul Farley, Caleb Femi and Penelope Lively to celebrate spring.

The Secret Lives of Women

Ian McMillan's guests explore the stories we tell about women's inner lives.

The Intimacy of Names

Ian McMillan's guests include Jackie Kay, Liz Berry and Christopher Reid.

The Radio Drama Verb

Ian McMillan celebrates 100 years of BBC Radio drama with some brand new commissions.

Seductive Places

Luke Wright's guests are Helen Mort, Kate Fox, Anita Sethi and Martin Rowson.

Writing Childhood

Ian McMillan is joined by Don Paterson, Sally Bayley and Donovan McAbee

The City Verb

Ian McMillan and guests on writing the city.

The Verb TS Eliot Prize

Join Ian McMillan for a celebration of the collections shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize.

Breath

Ian McMillan and his guests take in the literary air.

The Verb with Hilary Mantel

The Verb this week is another chance to hear an interview with novelist Hilary Mantel.

The Festive Verb

Join Ian McMillan and his guests for a festive edition of The Verb.

Ghost Writers

Ian McMillan explores ghostly presences in writing.

Poetry Book Club with Douglas Dunn

Ian McMillan and the Poetry Book Club audience are joined by Douglas Dunn.

First Drafts

Joining Ian at the drawing board are Denise Mina, Toby Litt, Paul Tran and Polly Paulusma.

Playwrighting

This week on The Verb Ian McMillan raises the curtain on playwriting.

BBC Centenary - Radio and Poetry

Celebrating 100 years of poetry on the BBC with Ian McMillan's cabaret of the word.

The Verb Narrators

Ian McMillan and guests explore the voice of the narrator.

Verbatim Speech

Ian McMillan and guests celebrate the rhythms of everyday speech.

Liberation Narratives

What does it mean to be free? Ian McMillan and guests consider Liberation Narratives.

Benjamin Zephaniah

Ian McMillan presents an extended interview with poet and writer Benjamin Zephaniah.

Harvest

An ode to autumn with Melissa Harrison, Amy Jeffs, Rebecca May Johnson and Joelle Taylor.

40 years of Apples and Snakes

The Verb celebrates 40 years of spoken word poetry with Apples and Snakes.

Birmingham Contains Strong Language

Ian McMillan's cabaret of the word, recorded at Birmingham Contains Strong Language.

From Contains Strong Language

with Linton Kwesi Johnson, Isabelle Baafi, Romalyn Ante, Luke Kennard and Linda France

Games Day

Ian McMillan hosts games day with Rhianna Pratchett, Philip Terry and Louise Blain.

Michael Longley

An extended interview with poet Michael Longley at his home in Belfast.

Old Age

Ian McMillan and guests explore the language, poetry and perceptions of old age.

Man Talk

Ian McMillan explores the language and complexities of male friendship.

Music and Words

From Sir Paul McCartney to Fat White Family - when words and music collide.

The Verb at Hay

Ian McMillan is joined by Jennifer Egan, Gurnaik Johal and Allie Esiri.

The Verb at Hay

Ian McMillan's guests are Lemn Sissay, Monica Ali, Tishani Doshi and Daniel Morden.

The Queen's Library, Windsor Castle

Ian McMillan with Simon Armitage, Grace Nichols, Stella Panayotova and Theresa Lola.

Hidden

With Mick Herron, Kayo Chingonyi, Hannah Lowe and Sarah Howe.

Books and Pens

Ian McMillan's guests Emma Smith, Naush Sabah and Gerry Cambridge celebrate books and pens

Margaret Atwood - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan talks to Margaret Atwood about her writing process.

The Sea

Ian McMillan talks to Maggie Gee about her new novel The Red Children.

Ancient and Modern

Ian McMillan is joined Lucy Mercer, Glyn Maxwell, Nick Chater and Tice Cin.

15/04/2022

Ian McMillan's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance

The Twentieth Anniversary Verb

Ian McMillan and guests celebrate 20 years of poetry and performance on The Verb!

Taking Risks

The Verb explores writing and language on the appeal of risk.

After Dark Festival: The Chance to Change

The After Dark Festival at Sage Gateshead.

Mothers and Daughters

Warsan Shire, Ruth Padel, Hollie McNish and Lissa Evans join Ian McMillan.

Adversaries.

Marlon James and Hannah Lowe join Ian McMillan for a discussion of adversaries.

Extremes

Ian McMillan goes to the extremes this week to explore writing on the edge of places.

Writing Travel

Ian McMillan's weekly foray into language and literature explores the well-travelled life.

Couples

Ian McMillan's weekly digest of language and literature with Tessa Hadley and Rommi Smith.

What Kind of Times Are These?

Ian McMillan's regular foray into the world of language and literature

Once More from the Top

Ian McMillan and guests explore the language of conducting.

TS Eliot Prize Verb

Ian McMillan celebrates the poetry collections on the TS Eliot Prize shortlist.

Mermaids and Other Mysterious Sea Creatures

Ian McMillan explores the language and imagery of sea myths and folklore.

The Christmas Dinner Verb

Ian McMillan is joined by John Hegley, Carol Ann Duffy, Kathryn Williams, and Jay Rayner.

The Space Verb

Ian McMillan on space in language and writing.

Repair

With Mona Arshi, Chris McCabe, William Letford and Kate Fox.

The Everyday Verb

Michael Rosen, Lauren Elkin, and Christopher Green talk diaries with Ian McMillan.

The Pretentious Verb

Ian McMillan on pretentious writing.

Bernardine Evaristo

Ian McMillan explores the writing of Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo.

Electricity

Ian McMillan is joined by Ben Okri, Susie Dent, Kerry Shale, and Laura Watts.

Puddings

Ian McMillan on poetry and puddings.

George Mackay Brown and Orkney

Ian McMillan celebrates Orkney and George Mackay Brown's writing in his centenary year.

At Contains Strong Language

With Simon Armitage & LYR, Theresa Lola, Romalyn Ante and Andrea Mbarushimana

Green Places and Haunts - The Verb at Contains Strong Language

Ian McMillan and guests on Coventry's green places and the river that ghosts through it.

Live from Contains Strong Language

With Loyle Carner, John Agard, Siana Bangura and Roy McFarlane.

New Rules for Writing - Manifesto Launch

Ian McMillan reveals the ideas in our new manifesto with guests including Damon Albarn.

The Keepnet Verb - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan is joined by Anita Sethi, Kate Fox, Ira Lightman and Tom Chatfield.

How to Write a Manifesto - Experiments in Living

Greg James, Chris Smith, Kathryn Williams and Malika Booker and Ian McMillan on manifestos

The Politics Verb - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan's guests are Ed Miliband, Jackie Weaver, Emilie Robson and Kate Fox.

Tree Thinking - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan with Sarah Moss, Peter Wohlleben, Jason Allen-Paisant and Sheena Blackhall.

Time Scales - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan on timescales with Danny Dorling, Rachael Boast, Roman Krznaric and Kate Fox

The Hay Verb - Experiments in Living

Hay Festival guests Michael Morpurgo, Caitlin Moran and Imbolo Mbue join Ian McMillan.

Reverie - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan and guests explore the dreamlike experience of 'reverie'.

Family Time - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan talks families with Hollie MicNish, Hadley Freeman and Gillian Clarke.

Collaborations - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan is joined by collaborators Nicci Gerard and Sean French, and Harry and Chris.

Writing Technology - Experiments in Living

Isy Suttie and other writers on how technology shapes our time and thinking.

Pausing and Punctuation - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan punctuates with Kei Miller, Angela Leighton, Eley Williams and Kate Fox.

Determination in Writing - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan is joined by guests including Paula Byrne and Iona Lee.

Planets - Experiments in Living

Planets and poetry with Ian McMillan and guests including Bettany Hughes and JO Morgan.

Writing at Home - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan on 'writing at home' with Maggie O'Farrell and Brian Bilston.

The Great Gatsby

Ian McMillan is joined by Sarah Churchwell, Inua Ellams, LJ Rich and Jonathan Bate.

Gratitude - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan with Michael Symmons Roberts, Leafcutter John, Jack Bernhardt and Kate Fox.

Crime

Ian McMillan and guests explore the challenge of crime writing.

The Walk

Ian McMillan, Testament and Ira Lightman explore words and walking.

T.S. Eliot Prize

Ian McMillan presents readings from poets shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.

Writing the Weather - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan talks to Jenny Offill, Alice Oswald and Wayne Binitie about weather language.

Optimism in Stories for Children - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan with Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Gaia Vince, Smriti Halls and Kate Fox.

Christmas Lights Verb - Experiments in Living

The Christmas Verb, with Floella Benjamin, John Cooper Clarke and Susie Dent.

Brazil - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan’s guests celebrate and explore the writers of Brazil.

Zero-Growth Writing - Experiments in Living

Zero-Growth with Yanis Varoufakis, Patrick McGuinness, Jade Cuttle and Seren Griffiths.

Jan Morris

A special extended interview with travel writer Jan Morris.

Green Memoir - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan and guests on 'green' memoir, our intimacy with landscape and its language.

The Changing Language of Veganism: Experiments in Living

With Benjamin Zephaniah, Jonathan Safran Foer, Agustina Bazterrica and Rachael Allen

Comedy writing in difficult times: Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan is joined by Ben Schott, Kate Fox, Grainne Maguire and Matt Winning

The Poetry of Walls: Inside Out at the Southbank Centre

New poetry inspired by the limestone and concrete walls of London's Southbank Centre.

Oil Stories - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan and guests look at the way poets have written about oil and the oil industry.

Claudia Rankine - Experiments in Living

Ian McMillan is joined by the American poet Claudia Rankine to explore her writing.

Landscape & Language: Experiments in Living

Record at the Contains Strong Language Festival.

Wordsworth: Experiments in Living at Contains Strong Language

The Verb comes from Grasmere to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Wordsworth's birth.

Nature Poetry: Experiments in Living

With Simon Armitage, Moniza Alvi and Jade Cuttle

Salman Rushdie

Ian McMillan talks to Salman Rushdie about his writing process and 'cancel culture'.

Domestic Violence - in language, myths, and fairy stories

Ian McMillan and guests on the language and myths of domestic violence.

The Ledbury Festival

With Carolyn Forché, Kaveh Akbar, Juana Adcock and Sandeep Parmar.

The Octopus Verb

With Peter Godfey Smith, Matthew Welton, Kate Fox, Catherine Ayres and Tania Hershman.

Writers of the Caribbean diaspora

Roger Robinson, Malika Booker, Jacob Sam-La Rose and Ingrid Persaud.

Language Lockdown

With Kate Clanchy, Rob Drummond and Julie Hesmondhalgh

Woods, Weeds and Wildflowers: Nature Poetry

With Alice Oswald and Fiona Sampson

Virtual Hay Festival

With Kapka Kassabova, James Shapiro and Inua Ellams

Birdsong

With Sam Lee, Jen Hadfield and Richard Smyth.

Mirrors

Looking into the mirror with Rebecca Solnit and Ira Lightman.

17/04/2020

Ian McMillan is joined by guests including Alan Titchmarsh and Patience Agbabi.

Social

Boo Hewerdine and Kate Fox on how friendships change in difficult times.

African Writing

With Maaza Mengiste, Ekow Eshun, Jennifer Makumbi and Ellah Wakatama.

Uncertainty

Shaun Usher, Jo Neary and Jude Rogers are in the late-night language lock-in.

Obsolete

With William Gibson, Don Paterson and Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún and Caro C

Poetry and philosophy

Ian McMillan's guests are Raymond Antrobus and Helen Mort.

The Language of Leaving

Ian McMillan explores the language of leaving.

Hotel

With Eimear McBride, Andy Miller and Roger Luckhurst

Native American Writing

Acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier joins Ian McMillan to explore her poetry.

Goodness

With Kelcey Wilson-Lee, Will Harris, Kate Fox and Toby Litt.

Puns and Wordplay

Ian McMillan and his guests explore the power of puns and wordplay

The World of Poetry Publishing

With Michael Schmidt, Peter Sansom, Nell Nelson and Malachi McIntosh

Christmas Nonsense

Ian McMillan celebrates nonsense writing with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Sports Writing

With Frank Skinner, Zaffar Kunial, Rob Drummond and Joseph Bond.

To the Circus

The Verb goes to the circus.

German poetry after the Berlin Wall

Radio 3's weekly exploration of language and literature

Novels that Shaped Our Language

With Tim Minchin, Elif Shafak, Geoff Dyer and Kit de Waal

Alone

The language and literature of loneliness with Kate Carr and DJ Taylor.

The Verb

Ian McMillan and guests, including novelist Jill Dawson on molluscs, slime and writing.

The Moon Verb

With Ocean Vuong, Kate Fox, Rob Drummond, Ira Lightman and Mary Jean Chan.

The Sound of Translation

With Rowan Williams, Adam Thirlwell and Adania Shibli.

The Common or Vulgar Verb

with Philip Gross, Jacqueline Saphra, Cathy Rentzenbrink and Heather Phillipson.

Aldeburgh

Live from The Aldeburgh Festival with Lavinia Greenlaw, Fiona Sampson and Mark Padmore.

The Hay Festival

Ian McMillan is joined by John Lanchester, Hannah Sullivan, Rachel Parris and Nina Stibbe

America

With Tracy K Smith, Terrance Hayes and Sarah Churchwell.

Along The River

With Alan Hollinghurst, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Jude Rogers and MacGillivray

Speaking of Violence

With Mark Haddon, Kate Fox and Rachael Allen.

Insects and Language

Ian McMillan and guests explore writing about insects.

Writing the Gap

Radio 3's weekly exploration of language and literature

Michael Ondaatje

Ian McMillan is joined by Michael Ondaatje for a special edition of The Verb.

Myths Re-imagined

With Richard Scott, Fiona Benson, Jack Bernhardt and Jenny Lewis

How to write out sexism

The Verb on sexism and language with Ann Oakley, Siri Hustvedt, Salena Godden, Ingrid Plum

Between Two Countries

Ian McMillan spends time with Patrick McGuinness, Kate Fox, Basia Howard and Nick Makoha.

Nightclubs

Dave Haslam, Geraldine Quigley, Rachael Young and Chris Green.

John Ruskin

Ian McMillan and guests celebrate writer, artist and critic John Ruskin.

The Subjunctive Verb

With Toby Litt, Holly Pester, Menna Elfyn and Rob Drummond.

Don Paterson

An extended conversation with poet Don Paterson.

W.S. Graham

The Verb visits Cornwall to celebrate the centenary of the poet W.S. Graham.

TS Eliot Prize Readings

Ian McMillan comperes at the annual TS Eliot Prize readings at the Royal Festival Hall.

Synesthesia

Hearing colours and tasting words with Hannah Silva, LJ Rich, Rob Drummond and Ruth Padel

The Christmas Verb

Song and storytelling with Simon Armitage, Joanne Harris and Owen Roberts

Sleepless Nights

With Al Kennedy, Amy Liptrot, Marina Benjamin and Bridget Minamore.

07/12/2018

With Will Eaves, Ben Schott, Selina Nwulu and Jeremy Noel-Tod

What's in a name?

With Iain Sinclair, Kate Fox, Sam Illingworth and Marilyn Hacker

Unwritten Poems - Verb Podcast Extra

A chance to hear the poems from the Unwritten event at 'Contains Strong Language' in full

Unwritten

The Verb presents 'Unwritten: Caribbean Poems After The First World War'

Writing The Midlands

The Verb on The Midlands with Jonathan Coe, Liz Berry, Polar Bear

Instagram Poetry

featuring Yrsa Daley-Ward

Into The Forest

The Verb explores the forest as metaphor with Terry Deary and Pascale Petit

Failure for Writers

The Verb on 'failure' with Kate Fox, Mohammed Hanif, Scanner and Bryony Kimmings

Young Poets

The Verb at the 'Contains Strong Language' festival in Hull with the Foyle Young Poets

Contains Strong Language festival

The Verb at Contains Strong Language with Jackie Kay, Gruff Rhys and Louise Wallwein

Latitude Festival

Join Ian and guests at the Latitude Festival's Speakeasy stage

The Verb at the Proms

Ian McMillan is joined by Michael Palin, Anne Dudley, Jason Singh and Mojdeh Stoakley.

The NHS at 70

The Verb celebrates the NHS at 70.

Northern Rocks

The language and literature of northern rocks and climbing.

The Verb at the Hay Festival.

Ian McMillan talks resilience with The Last Poets, Michael Morpurgo and Helen Mort.

The Festival Verb

Ian McMillan's guests include Murray Lachlan Young, Louise Welsh, and William Letford.

Autism: poetry, language and writing

With Henry Normal, Kate Fox, James McGrath and Alicia Kopf.

Night Meetings - Japan

The Verb meets the language of night-time Japan - in comedy, poetry and 'the blues'.

Algorithms

Getting creative with code with Eugenia Cheng and Helen Arney.

Writing and Psychoanalysis

Ian McMillan visits celebrated psychoanalytic writer and therapist Adam Phillips.

The Local Verb

Sarah Hall, Hollie McNish & Vanessa Kisuule, Ari Eldjarn, and Rob Drummond.

Notes on The Verb

Writer Toby Litt and journalist Jude Rogers take notes with Ian McMillan.

The Verb on Return

Ian McMillan presents the word cabaret, exploring the possibilities of looking back.

Fighting Talk

Willy Vlautin, Ben Crystal and Ross Sutherland get physical with language.

The Wellbeing Verb

Melissa Lee-Houghton, Julie Hesmondhalgh and George Szirtes.

Kerry Andrew, Danez Smith, Hollie McNish and Jenni Fagan

Ian McMillan and Hollie McNish present the best in new poetry.

Lord Fox, David Crystal and Jenny Colgan

Ian McMillan's guests are David Crystal, poet Mike Garry and novelist Jenny Colgan.

Chest of Drawers

Ian McMillan's guests are Ron Padgett, Hollie McNish, Harry Giles, and Laurie Bolger.

The Verb's 'Out of this World' Christmas Special

Carol Ann Duffy, Hollie McNish and Abandoman join Ian McMillan for a sci-fi Christmas.

The Scrolling Verb

Ian McMillan's guests on scrolling and scrolls include David Schneider and Ira Lightman.

How do you choose a mentor?

Guests include Margaret Cho, Sarah Howe, Tim X Atack, Hollie McNish & Rosy Carrick.

The Verb Celebrates 35 Years of Spoken Word

Ian McMillan presents the story of spoken word in the UK - from Hull, with John Hegley.

The Stoic Verb

Guests include Angie Hobbs, Coralie Bickford-Smith, Ned Boulting and John Osborne.

The Tense Verb

Philip Pullman, Hollie McNish, and Francesca Martinez join Ian McMillan.

Tim Minchin

Ian McMillan speaks to comedian, author and composer Tim Minchin.

The Society of the Spectacle

Ian McMillan's guests include Will Self, Nick Harkaway and Paul Harfleet.

The Memory Verb

Ian McMillan presents a 'memorisable' cabaret of the word with Jenny Uglow & Julian Glover

The Verb at the Contains Strong Language Festival of poetry and performance

Ian presents a host of international poets recorded as part of the Hull 2017 Celebrations.

The Verb Live from Contains Strong Language

Ian McMillan broadcasts live from Hull with poetry inspired by the city.