Midweek: Diverse Conversation

Libby Purves meets tattoo artist Ami James; Lady Pamela Hicks, former Lady in Waiting to the Queen; costume designer Deborah Landis; and chef Fergus Henderson.

Libby Purves meets penguin expert Pablo Borboroglu; Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe; former ballerina Clair Symonds; and human orchestra, Hyperpotamus.

Libby Purves meets street performer Tom Balmont; entrepreneur and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley; former soldier and poet Theo Knell; and opera tenor Bryan Hymel.

This week Libby Purves meets writer Roger Clarke talking about the history of ghosts; Gina Campbell, daughter of Donald, on the Campbell speed dynasty; playwright Jonathan Lewis on his play 'Our Boys'; and Rod Davis of The Quarrymen.

Libby Purves meets solar physicist Dr Helen Mason, former actor Fiona Fullerton, Jemima Dury, daughter of the late Ian Dury and the dog whisperer Cesar Millan.

Libby Purves meets surfer Easkey Britton, Michael Palin, author and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs and singer/songwriter Barb Jungr.

Libby Purves meets spider expert Jan Beccaloni, Mercury Prize nominee Sam Lee, cartoonist Steven Appleby and broadcasters Des Lynam and Christopher Matthew.

Libby meets legendary golfer Sam Torrance who has just published his book Out of Bounds – Legendary tales from the 19th Hole; Richard Ingrams who is editor of the Oldie and former editor of Private Eye. His book, Quips & Quotes - A Journalist’s Commonplace Book is a collection of memories and inspirations from a lifetime in journalism; Bernard Cornwell author of the historical tales of Sharpe who has a new book about the Battle of Poitiers and actor, cake-maker, author and campaigner Jane Asher who is appearing in Charley's Aunt at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Libby Purves meets Sir John Major, Times columnist Caitlin Moran, theatre director Colin Blumenau and former bomb disposal expert turned adventurer, Andy Torbet.

Hardeep Singh Kholi talks to Nadine Mortimer-Smith who is an opera singer and founder of Opera in Colour;acclaimed wildlife film-maker Alan Root; psychologist Dr Pamela Stephenson who is a former actress and comedian plus the fashion designer and founder of Biba Barbara Hulanicki.

Hardeep Singh Kohli meets social historian Dr Pamela Cox; writer and poet Pam Ayres; Duran Duran's John Taylor; and comedian Sean Hughes.

Libby Purves is joined by Felicity Aston, Billy Bragg, Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi and Wayne Phillips.

Libby Purves meets musician Clarence Adoo, a member of the British Paraorchestra; Simon Gough, who talks about his great-uncle, the poet Robert Graves; sports writer Duncan Hamilton talking about his relationship with his dad through their love of football; and poet and rapper Kate Tempest.

Libby Purves is joined by creator of immersive theatre company 'You Me Bum Bum Train' Kate Bond; author and former head of MI5 Stella Rimington; big cat expert Dr Alan Rabinovitz; and foodwriter Claudia Roden.

Libby Purves is joined by long distance motorcyclist Lois Pryce, human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, forensic archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis and Nick Phillips, who is challenging the image of disabled people in dance.