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Tacitus, Byron's fanmail and Bluey

Classicist Mary Beard, historian Helen Carr, sketch writer Tom Peck and screen-writer and former children's TV presenter Konnie Huq join Shahidha Bari to reflect on topical ideas

Classicist Mary Beard picks Tacitus as a figure who still has relevance if we're thinking about satire, power and celebrity. Shahidha Bari is joined by Mary, historian Helen Carr, who co-edited What is History Now? political sketch-writer from The Times newspaper Tom Peck and Konnie Huq, writer and former presenter of the children's TV show Blue Peter. On April 21st 1964, the tv channel 91热爆 2 launched with an episode for children of Play School and programmes like Bluey and Peppa Pig, have been making headlines so what do we want from kids TV? Plus - poet Lord Byron died 200 years ago this week - scholar Dr Corin Throsby has been reading the fan mail he received.

Listen out for Mary Beard and the new series of Being Roman coming to 91热爆 Radio 4 in May - and the first series is available on 91热爆 Sounds.
And if you're a fan of Oliver Postgate - The Clangers, Bagpuss and Noggin you can find a Free Thinking episode exploring those programmes.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer

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57 minutes

Podcast