The Interview Creators & Guests

Sarah Montague is a journalist, radio & television presenter, and co-host of the HARDtalk podcast.

Zeinab Badawi is a television & radio journalist, and host of the HARDtalk podcast.

Stephen Sackur is a journalist, news anchor, and co-host of the HARDtalk podcast.

Yogendra Yadav is an activist, psephologist, and politician.

James Rebanks is the author of The Shepherd’s Life.

Brian Denis Cox is an actor.

Caroline Lucas is a British politician.

Michael Sheen is an actor. He worked mainly in theatre and made notable stage appearances in Romeo and Juliet, Don't Fool With Love, Peer Gynt, The Seagull, The Homecoming, and Henry V.

Andy Burnham is a politician.

Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor is a South African academic, educationist, lecturer, and politician serving as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation since 2019.

Francis Fukuyama is an American political scientist, political economist, and writer.

Zainab Ahmed is a finance and budget minister.

Kenneth Chan is an activist and chairman of the Hong Kong Civic Party.

Naomi Alderman is an English novelist, game writer, professor of creative writing at Bath Spa University, and author of the book, The Power.

Carlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist and writer. He works mainly in the field of quantum gravity and founder of loop quantum gravity theory.

Jack Kingston is a former congressman, conservative activist, and a member of the Republican Party.

Daryl Davis is a blues musician, activist, author, actor, and bandleader.

Michael Stipe is an iconic American singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Formed in 1980, R.E.M. became a pioneering force in the genre, with Stipe's distinctive voice and enigmatic lyrics contributing to the band's unique sound. Key albums include "Murmur" (1983), "Out of Time" (1991), and "Automatic for the People" (1992), with hits like "Losing My Religion" and "Everybody Hurts." Beyond his musical career, Stipe has been active in visual arts, film production, and activism, particularly in environmental and LGBTQ+ rights. With his profound impact on music and culture, Michael Stipe is celebrated as a visionary artist and influential voice in modern rock.

John Nkengasong is a virologist and the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.