BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Belief

Factual: Life Stories

Religion & Ethics

Programme that talks to artists, scientists and thinkers about what they believe and why

Programme that talks to artists, scientists and thinkers and asks them about what they believe and why

Belief: John Burnside

John Burnside

04/04/2012

BBC Radio 3 - Belief, John Burnside

Joan Bakewell talks to the recent winner of the TS Eliot poetry prize, John Burnside.

Joan Bakewell talks to the recent winner of the TS Eliot poetry prize, John Burnside, about his ideas on religion and spirituality - and especially his interest in Taoism.

The writer John Burnside has had a good year. His latest poetry collection, Black Cat Bone, recently won both the Forward Poetry Prize and the TS Eliot prize. In a new episode of Belief he talks to Joan Bakewell about the influence of spirituality on his life and writing and he explains how he came to his beliefs. Raised a Catholic by a hardworking mother and a hard-drinking father John once thought of becoming a priest but he ended up following in his father's footsteps - drinking heavily and taking drugs until he ended up in a mental hospital. But years of reading and contemplation eventually led John to discover the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism and now he leads an altogether quieter life according to Taoist principles.

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