Arts & Ideas
Hosted by Matthew Sweet and Anne McElvoy and Shahidha Bari · BBC Radio 4
4.4from 393 ratings
- 2,108
- Episodes
- 133
- Transcribed
- 393
- Ratings
- Monthly
- Cadence
- 2010
- First episode
About Arts & Ideas
Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives - looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Matthew Sweet, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.
- Publisher
- BBC Radio 4
- Category
- society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 10 Sept 2010
- Latest episode
- 9 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
133 of 2,108 episodes have a transcript.
9 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Reading against the grain
2 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
The example of St Francis
25 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Intellectuals
Who has been a guest on Arts & Ideas
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Sally Alexander
- Suzannah Lipscomb
- Adjoa Osei
- Hetta Howes
- Sophie Oliver
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.3 / 5
- 296 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.7 / 5
- 97 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 69 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 98
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 98
Contact Arts & Ideas
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Shows with a similar audience
Questions about Arts & Ideas
Who hosts Arts & Ideas?
Matthew Sweet and Anne McElvoy and Shahidha Bari host the show. Published by BBC Radio 4.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Arts & Ideas take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
133 of 2,108 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
Host of Arts & Ideas?
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