20 Questions With

A legend of stage and screen, Steven Berkoff is an actor, director and playwright, known for his roles in Bond, Beverley Hills Cop and Rambo as well as for having given his name to Berkovian theatre. Here he discusses his techniques, why theatre matters and why he's so passionate about his work. 

How did the East India Company come about and how did it become the largest corporation in the world? How did the English compare to the Spanish and Dutch as a naval power, and how did they manage to gain a foothold in the Indian subcontinent? What were the obstacles to success, and what motivated the mercantile adventurers who risked their lives on the high seas? How did the British Empire in India emerge from the foundations set by the Company? And at what cost? How should we look back at our highly controversial colonial role on the global stage? Historian and Emeritus Professor David Howarth helps to answer these questions at a time when imperialism is under the spotlight like never before. Drawing on his book Adventurers: The Improbable Rise of the East India Company, he takes us back to the 17th and 18th centuries as the English began to establish themselves as a major world force. And he reveals the influence on his career of his own father, Tom Howarth, who was friends with Field Marshal Montgomery and won the Military Cross for bravery in World War II. What was it like being shown round Rommel's caravan by 'Monty' as a young boy?
An unmissable insight into the importance of history, which, as Howarth says, is very far from dead. 

Rochelle "Rocky" Clark won 137 caps for England, making her the second most capped player in the history of English rugby. She took part in four World Cups, winning one of them, and is an icon of the women's game. Here she reveals what it takes to reach the top, shares her highest bench press, discusses weight and fitness, gives her views on how to bridge the gap between the men's and women's games, reviews how the sport has changed since she began playing, and celebrates the progress made by girls and women in team sports. 

Star of Cold Feet, Spooks, Luther, Kingdom, Doctor Who and Silent Witness, Hermione Norris takes us behind the scenes of her craft, describes the differences between stage and screen, discusses the need for more female parts, reveals why the role of spy Ros Myers helped her as a new mum, and explains why she enjoys playing bad people. 

Tom Walker, whose character Jonathan Pie has become a viral sensation, talks about his comedy, causing offence, whether he shares the politics of Pie, how he made the transition from online to on stage, and how he deals with difficult audience members. 

Alexandra Shulman edited British Vogue for a record 25 years. Here she explains why fashion matters, how she became passionate about clothes, reveals her favourite brands, gives her verdict on her successors, describes the ethical issues she had to navigate in the world of fashion and offers her message to those wanting to experiment with what they wear - including my decision to wear white trainers with a jacket and tie. 

Author of 20 novels, including Chocolat, Joanne Harris explains her craft, reveals whether she dreams in English or French, gives her verdict on literary prizes and assesses the good and the bad of social media. A rare insight into the inner world of one of Britain's most successful writers. 

Author and journalist Agnes Poirier takes us on a whirlwind tour of historical and contemporary Paris, illuminating some of its cultural and political landmarks and telling the story of its prominence as one of the great capitals of the world. Along the way we encounter the French Revolution, the building, burning and rebuilding of Notre Dame, the significance of the Eiffel Tower, the French resistance, religion and secularism, the rebirth of the city after the Nazi occupation, Coco Chanel, the Banlieue, the Left Bank and its personalities, the Catacombs, culinary tradition and, of course, a reputation for love. 

One of the most important journalists of his generation, Alan Rusbridger edited the Guardian for two decades, helping to break international mega stories that included Snowden, Wikileaks and phone hacking. Now editor of Prospect magazine, here he reflects on the dangers of misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms, not least on Elon Musk's X, the need to counteract alternative facts, such as those promoted by Donald Trump, the importance of impartiality at the BBC, and what he believes is at the core of good journalism. 

Guy Deacon served in the British Army for over three decades. At the age of 49 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, but in his late fifties and early sixties, having left the military, he drove from the shores of Morocco to Cape Town, taking the western coastal route. On his way he raised awareness about the disease on the African continent and showed the world what can be done in the face of adversity. Here he tells his extraordinary and inspiring story.