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The Documentary; 14/07/2012

The Documentary: World Service Writers

World Service Writers

14/07/2012

BBC World Service - The Documentary, World Service Writers

Razia Iqbal looks at writers of many nationalities who have worked for the World Service

Razia Iqbal looks at the writers who have worked at the World Service, such as George Orwell, V.S. Naipaul and Georgi Markov.

As the BBC World Service leaves Bush House for a new home, Razia Iqbal takes a look at the writers who have worked there. 

From the 1940s, when George Orwell and V.S. Naipaul were radio producers, to the death of Georgi Markov and the prize-winning novels of Mohammed Hanif and Mirza Waheed, the list of authors who have also made radio programmes for the BBC to broadcast to the rest of the world is long and distinguished. 

Amongst their number are dissidents, political exiles and presenters who are massively popular in their home countries but are completely unknown in the UK. 

So, what was it about Bush House that created and nurtured such talents and how was their writing influenced by their work for the BBC? 

Razia Iqbal talks to a variety of Bush House writers including Annabel Dilke, the widow of Georgi Markov; Bush House writer in residence Hamid Ismailov and Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott.

(Image: A selection of books/novels published by Penguin by the writer George Orwell. The titles shown are A Clergymans Daughter, Burmese Days, Coming Up For Air, The Road To Wigan Pier, Down And Out In Paris And London, Keep The Aspidistra Flying, and Homage To Catalonia)

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