Frankly Speaking 

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Frankly Speaking

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Probing interviews with some of the arts and entertainment world's most notable figures.

Frankly Speaking: Hugh Cudlipp

Hugh Cudlipp

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Frankly Speaking, Hugh Cudlipp

The Welsh journalist and newspaper editor answers the questions in the interview series.

The Welsh journalist and newspaper editor answers the questions in the BBC Home Service's interview series. From October 1965.

A newspaper editor at just 24, Hugh Cudlipp had left Cardiff aged 14 to become a reporter in Manchester. At 52, when he was the charismatic Chairman of the Mirror Newspaper group, he was interviewed by Joan Yorke and Derek Cooper. 

Joan Yorke was a journalist and went on to present the very first edition of You and Yours in 1971. Derek Cooper was a radio reporter and went on to present Radio 4's long running Food Programme. Hugh Cudlipp died in 1998 aged 85.

Launched in 1952 on the BBC Home Service, Frankly Speaking was a novel, ground breaking series. Unrehearsed and unscripted, the traditional interviewee/interviewer pairing was initially jettisoned for three interviewers firing direct questions. Early critics described it as 'unkempt', 'an inquisition' and described the guest as prey being cornered, quarry being pursued - with calls to axe the unscripted interview. But the format won out and eventually won over its detractors. 

Only 40 or so of the original 100 programmes survive. 

First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in 1965.

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