Read this: Interview of the Year

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts a very special edition of the programme where we reveal the results of our feedback interview of the year.

It's been a long process beginning right back in January I've been asking you to tell us about exceptional interviews anywhere BBC Radio 4 podcasts that had really stopped you in your tracks or perhaps made you think again about something from all your suggestions and comments we compiled a short of 10 which was then handed to a jury made up of feedback listeners to decide on the winners.

They based their scores on insight impact and interview as well.

We will hear extracts from OL10 speak to the top 3 finalist and at the end of the program.

I'll be revealing your choice of the overall winner of the feedback interview of the

We start in the Open Air with a walk through Epping Forest on Radio 4 ramblings Clare Balding was joined by the adventure of Dwayne Fields who's recently been the new Chiefs tight he talked about his tough upbringing on the estates of North London where you felt fearful yes celebrity.

X where you know I genuinely thought my life was a risk.

I have been stabbed and I was shot at as well is one of the moment which I think is the one that had one of the biggest lasting impacts on me.

He walked away and he came back a minute or two later and play loaded gun in his hand and I remember looking at and before I could say you don't have to click.

And any cops the gum back I saw a bullet come up the side click again and it misfired both times did you just said of that interview Claire cheapskate fab1 an inspiration to young boys in general election year there have been plenty of standard political interviews but an encounter back February a flurry of nominations for interview of the year on p.m.

Evan Davis challenge chief secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott about hurricane the national debt was falling is that these to be falling over the Five-Year fiscal forecasts as a percentage of GDP which it is higher in 5-years now?

Guitar at the end of the process 23/4 89% of GDP 28/9 at 93% of GDP as a percentage percentage of GDP in 5-years, I'm amazed that you don't know the debt is writing but you're the one is the landing percentage of GDP and this is I think I need to have the I've got different figures which I just so I think we just need to ok and I just standing interview said the judges ever really knew his facts and stuck by them but he did without unkindness or belligerents an example to us all night in November at the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby came under criticism for failing to act on reports.

Real child abuser John Smyth I'm calling for his resignation was the rev Giles Fraser vicar of St Anne's Kew and regular panelist on the Moral Maze he talks to amol Rajan on the Today programme about his own experience of abuse.

I know what it's like to be in the company of a sadist on your own and the idea that the church has just actually not really doing very much about this is horrendous a lot of victims.

Don't actually tell anyone do they charge they live with this forever and the trailer of haunting them until find final moments I saw a newspaper whisky not looked at it and I cried 2-hours and I find I find it because I'll cry on the program, but it's very very traumatic and

Stays with them in this happened to me when I was 7/8.

I'm over 60 and in a few weeks time and this is over half a century ago in this stuff stays with you.

I'm all interviewed with Russian said the judges and Giles answered with raw honesty and was incredibly brave to talk so publicly about his experiences.

No the comedian Mark Steel is well.

Love by many of you is appearance is on Radio 4 panel shows and his long-running series Mark steels in town, but he's been offer for some time after being diagnosed with throat cancer in October 2023 will in November he returned to the airwaves as a Castaway on Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne I've got to have a romantic song and I chose this one.

It's into my arms by Nick Cave this makes me think of one.

Particular she doesn't really like Nick Cave so you said you have to have a romantic song so are you a romantic person one thing? I think genuine romance is coming through the tricky things and finding the love despite all that isn't it? So he's a dedicated to well.

There's a question so over the last few years me and she's been together and are not together and I don't know what state will be in the tropical sun and will always be in swine in some way or other.

And yeah yeah, yeah, we will always be in finding somewhere other but we've not found it easy but we will in the end.

I don't believe he paced and directed by Lawrence at the judges.

She threw like the complex emotions that Mark felt towards his family and for those closest to him.

In a special edition of woman's are in September nuala McGovern reported from County Galway on the tune baby scandal between 1925 and 1961 close to 800 babies and young children died in a mother and babies Home Run by the sisters of Bond secure, it's believed that the remains of berries on the site of an old septic tank gnula spoke to Paul Ford a survivor of the tumour home whose baby sister's remains may be in at mass grave me to sing a song every night by first appearance before I go to bed and I saw that used to sing was Patsy Fagan song hello Patsy Fagan singers for you.

Hello Patsy Fagan a sister as well tonight.

And she was born in 1940 to 2012 before and she's put into dad's grave and find bones and my DNA matches all I'm going to take up hopefully and I go to bed for a mother and if I don't my family knows and my family do for me the judges says of that interview we felt pulls pain and the difficulty of his early life and Lulu was there for every painful step of the way Sean Williams on life-changing talk to nurse and midwife Agnes Nisbet she came to Britain as part of the generation and is now in her 80s.

She discussed her own experience of losing a child in the final stages of pregnancy so they would take the baby away before them.

Chance to hold or see that they had that was the procedure and it was accepted the woman just had to have nothing at all and he was taken out and it was dealt with by the staff.

It was sad and I wondered how am I going to cope? I didn't and was transferred from the delivery room to reward which had about 30 women and and in the middle of the night I cut up screen.

And you know that experience I said I am not going to allow another woman.

Just goes to that and incredible interview said the judges so much information and insight games in a very sensitive way this year from local radio listeners.

One of them was for Humberside Peter Levy who was nominated for his interview with a victim of a scandal surrounding a funeral parlour in Hull Peter Welburn claimed.

He was given the of his late wife Shirley 4 weeks before her body was actually cremated.

She died on the 25th of November and all Royal Infirmary I am I am so sorry and you have thought that this that surely was in here.

Yeah.

Everybody thought she was in here.

We have the service on the 19th of December and I got the ASA on the 23rd of December since then you've been in here thinking that that surely and now you're not sure no because I've been told I've been told the catman surely because she got cremated on the 16th of January she was cremated a crematorium in l confirmed always a heartbreaking story said the judges and the otter introduce the of the interviewer gave it even more impact and night who are top three finalists one of which will be named at the end of the program as the overall winner of feedbacks interview of the Year the first is an interview that Emma Barnett did.

Aid worker Simon Bowers on the Today programme in July he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer for his local paper about approaching death and at the point.

Where is spoke to Emma he had less than 2 weeks to live.

I'm I'm telling me happy it sounds weird to say I'm as happy as I've ever seen in my life having a very nice is coming as really help me both do the kind of boring deafening and also just too kind of get my thoughts and prepare myself and feel so excited and this is almost certainly my final week actually a bit again.

I just feel so happy and you can sensors.

I know you have a partner and I know you've got my day family and friends that you're very close to you and I was just wondering how they fell somewhere they've got to a similar place.

See you what it's difficult because you know they're about to go through the most difficult thing and their lives might my love you.

My parents and it's not the natural order of things for most people at least in the west.

You know might actually alright chapters are all our lives a little bit but they're not someone else's complete book and they're going to keep writing beautiful chapters, When You're Gone not Simon had given a few in written about his situation in newspapers.

So how did the today interview come abide in the evening post and then the one that was reproduced in The Telegraph and the words through the page to be incredibly moving and I said to my editor please.

Can we have them on and that is what happened? I I really connected with lessons of Life facing health, but I was very boys by him.

It wasn't an interview with someone who is dying who wanted to talk about Sadness

Talk about living and I think he wanted to help people live now better.

You know muscadet cigarettes fantastic.

Cheese, only thing that's some of them.

We could do at the end.

He couldn't eat cheese.

I don't believe it because you know of feeding and issues around and treatment.

Are you really think you enjoyed them today and the morphine that was it.

I just said of you.

The interviewer was sensitive responsive and I felt responded almost as a listener might which may be in more affecting I'm going to take that if I'm allowed to take that I will take that very helpful because you never know who's this thing you never know quite well, how it's going to catch them or reach them and in live radio certainly wouldn't do the interview live you know one of the tests.

Still is the old stay in the car test will somebody.

A bit longer will we meet them late for the next thing and I know for some of the messages I received about Simon and that's particular conversation that people were late, because they wanted to hear I don't think there are many people who could turn away from that interview Emma Barnett thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

Lots of Praise this year for Radio 4 this cultural life presented by John Wilson you particularly enjoyed the episodes with honey Karachi Margaret Drabble and Bill Nighy but it was John's interview with less well-known figure as finalist for interview of the year the film editor film schoonmaker met the aspiring director Martin Scorsese when they were both at film school, York in the 1960s with she's edited everyone of his films from Raging Bull to killers of the flower moon the most important thing for me as an editor is the

Marty and watch what he feels when he sees his Daly's for the first time and you never for you should never forget how you feel about Thursday later first time that impact is very important to hold onto is completely a partnership.

You are now in your rated yourself down and still working and I'm sure still waiting for the night School from Scorsese to work on 4-year old little be more films on creative well-being and is one of the most creative jobs.

You could ever have in the world.

I think it's the best job in the world.

You're constantly shaping and creating a work of art is just fabulous you can ask for anything what I've had it all.

I've had it all in my life.

Thanks tomorrow John you've interview many famous names and actually some of the word nominated for this award, so I wonder if you're surprised that it was an interview with somebody who is not.

Who ended up in our top 3 that's fantastic to hear Andrea I mean absolutely honoured he's been included in this list not least because of course it's the listeners choice which always means a lot more, but I think what was really fascinating is this is somebody who is in some ways could be regarded as a back room technician, but I think he's an artist in her own right and I think that was probably over the course of the interview said that it sounded like a comfortable conversation between friends and also went on to say that it illustrated the skill of the interviewer as I hardly noticed the movement from one question to another I wonder do you have a technique for putting your gas studies so that they can open up and talk I think they put these from the moment.

They walk into the studio because they are part of the process of making the program.

We always ask the guest in advance to come up with 405.

Key moments formative by the events people Places cultural inspiration Sudafed into their work that have made in the artist that they are so they are kind of there invested in the pro and many of the guests I think when they are relating their work back to their childhood and very often the inspiration rather than a mother or a parent or a teacher that can be sometimes surprisingly profound John Wilson thank you so much.

Thank you Andrea for our third interview from earlier in the year Michelle he's saying on the Today programme talk to the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK he revealed for the first time the true extent of talks to have been going on between Saudi Arabia and Israel prior to the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th April have been thunder also is here in the studio.

Welcome bonus ball on October 7th before the attacks happen, how close were you to a normalisation with Israel going on for quite some time, but it was nice.

There's no question for us the source of the final Endpoint definitely included nothing less than an independent state of Palestine the final Endpoint of the Oslo process and clearly.

Do you acknowledge that it was one of the reasons that have us did what it did on October 7th it fear the Palestinians being sold out.

I don't think it was the reason the events of October 7th would have taken quite a long time of planning.

They would have been or motivation.

Lot of various things that come into it not least of which and probably most important is the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

When is a conflict the first thing you have to recognise the both sides of Lost and when both sides lose both sides unwilling to compromise.

No, compromise is no solution Michelle the judges again and again commended you a calm professional manner.

I wonder if you think it's interesting that with all the highly emotive and rotational interviews that have been on many news programs across BBC Radio including today of course the one that made it to the top 3 in the listeners Pile is actually they said that the heat in the subject was subdued in favour of a careful consideration of the issue it actually means a lot to me to hear those words the interviews that stay they might do so for a variety of reasons and some site sometimes.

It is a punchy line from interview or from interview or it something particularly emotive or it's a big breaking news story and I think perhaps the most underappreciated type of interview is this one it's what's missing from the headlines so much of the time.

It's about the undercurrents and the

Romantic relationships or lack of relationships, it's about people making countries individually does making all kinds of calculations off and behind-the-scenes programmes like today the BBC widely of course there about digesting what you need to know right now, but it's a big wide world out there and in general despite and within the age of mass media to soften an unreported aspects of it and reported to the extent.

They should be the Michelle you probably won't be surprised to know that this isn't the only interview of yours that was nominated for a feedback into the of the year when will confrontational and you have faced some very difficult and counters including an encounter with an Israeli spokesperson.

Hook used your buyer's on air and indeed any more emotional ones when you are dealing with not only statistics, but also of course the very very personal stories that we have had many times since the

October a personal knows how it's been for you conduct and all these countless interviews over the past year and a bit is rolling the palace is such a contentious and emotive and deeply felt issue over decades and decades it has been washed and followed closely by many in the outside world, but at the heart of these two people's and I try to use as much knowledge as I as I have and you know bring it to bear as much as I can.

It's kind of there in the background but but ultimately in in the moment.

There's always something immediate that you're trying to get to the bottom of so it is an historian actually with events in Syria it's it's slipped from international consciousness compared to to where it was so I hope that to the best of the ability of

Broadcasters we continue to try and shadows much of a light on this situation as we can Michelle at times it became quite personal this seems to be quite personal on you know that happens to all journalists.

You're in the public eye but I think they were perhaps a little bit it was a little bit more and I wonder if you thought that at any point that was because of your heritage.

There was certainly times when I felt under a much greater spotlight and scrutiny because I am a Muslim and therefore.

I think they have a perception from some quarters or perhaps she cares more about this conflict than she would about conflicts elsewhere in the world about people elsewhere in the world, but handle my heart.

I have always tried to do the best job I can with the facts at my disposal and to follow the story wherever it leads in one way, I'm connect.

To the Middle East as a region because I grow up there I grew up in the Emirates but I honestly feel that my approach to this conflict has been one of objectivity and it's not about who I am as a person so I think that sense of being under a greater spotlight as I have felt at times because of my background and my heritage and my life is unfair and misplaced is it one of the reasons you're leaving no, I'm I'm leaving because a great opportunity great new opportunity came my way but it has been a hard period and the News agenda certainly and I think I felt that personally as well as as well as professionally, but it's the right time in my life to strikeout.nu ground and I really hope that by this time next year I have something new and good journalistic.

Lee to to show for that.

How many listeners have told us that the BBC should not have let you go? Could they have done more to keep you are and that's that said difficult one.

I really do think that organisations always need to refresh lineups and I think change is hard, but it's also good changes how we grow and develop and how we learn as individuals and in and in my case is jealous.

I could not have imagined what the last 11 years have given me and I mean that he is on the Today programme and I just felt it was the right time to do something new and I am I'm really grateful for the opportunities.

I've had who knows what the future holds will be very excited see what the tools for you and Congratulations Michelle on being in the top 3 for a feedback interview of the year and very very best of luck in the future.

Thank you Andrea thank you feedback team.

So we have our three finalists and now we come to the moment where we reveal the overall winner in the words of one judge.

It was an absolutely beautiful interview which smacked right to the heart conducted with compassion and integrity without any sense of soppy sympathy it was they said one of the best interviews I've ever listened to the feedback interview of the year is Emma Barnett in conversation with Simon Bowers for the Today programme.

Ok? I really wasn't expecting that and how how lovely and and and I'm really grateful that that conversation and effective people like that and I'm really grateful to Simon for making the time and using up precious energy to to talk to me and I'll program and all of you and that's you know just on a personal note.

Wonderful way to end my first 6-months presenting the Today programme.

Thank you so very much congratulations to Emma Barnett and I think Simon boas words of wisdom will stay many of us and of course congratulations to the two runners-up Michelle he's saying and John Wilson and a huge.

Thank you to all of you.

Been nominated interviews across the Year especially to the judges who spent time and care Rankin or entries not an easy task and it never stops.

I can I declare our feedback interview of the year for 25 officially open for nominations.

So if you hear an interview that has that driveway moment George off in revelation or insight then? I want to hear from you.

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