Front Row

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Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.

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Front Row: Simon Russell Beale;  Costa Book Awards shortlists; Guy Garvey

Simon Russell Beale;  Costa Book Awards shortlists; Guy Garvey

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Simon Russell Beale;  Costa Book Awards shortlists; Guy Garvey

Simon Russell Beale on Scrooge; Costa Book Awards shortlists announced; Guy Garvey.

Simon Russell Beale on playing Scrooge twice; Costa Book Awards shortlists announced and assessed; Guy Garvey on the impact upon artists of music streaming.

We exclusively reveal and analyse the 2020 Costa Book Prize shortlists. Critics Alex Clark and Jade Cuttle discuss the books chosen in the five categories: Novel, First Novel, Poetry, Biography and Children's fiction. Category winners will appear on the programme in January and Front Row will announce the overall prize-winner on 26 January 2021.

Guy Garvey from Elbow reports on what he said to MPs earlier today during the DCMS inquiry into the rise of music streaming services and the effect on musicians themselves. Are artists being fairly re-numerated or does the business model of streaming need an urgent overhaul? 

Simon Russell Beale, always a busy actor, gives his voice to Scrooge in a new dance-film version of A Christmas Carol directed by Jacqui and David Morris and will be giving his voice, and the rest of him, playing the epitome of meanness in Nicholas Hytner’s new production – with just three actors – at the Bridge Theatre. He talks to Irenosen about performing the role in the film and in the theatre, navigating the arc from misanthropy to philanthropy – and how to say ‘Bah, humbug’ as if no one has ever said that before.

Presenter: Irenosen Okojie 
Producer: Jerome Weatherald

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Front Row

Simon Russell Beale; Costa Book Awards shortlists; Guy Garvey

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