With cultural institutions around the country closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, host Mary Beard gets to grips with the latest technology in her additional role as broadcast engineer as she aims to bring this series from her study each week.

The programme brings culture alive through interviews, discussions and exclusive performances from leading writers, artists, actors and musicians.

Featuring an exclusive puppet production based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, created in confinement in Canada by acclaimed author Margaret Atwood and her sister Ruth.

Actor Emma Thompson reflects on mortality and exclusively reads a John Donne poem while in isolation in Scotland.

And Mary is joined on a video link by writer and critic Shahidha Bari to discuss Titian’s great mythological masterpieces, which are currently off-limits due to the temporary closure of the National Gallery. Show less