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Sergei Polunin, David Baddiel, Rankin

Ballet star Sergei Polunin discusses controversy and Coppelia; David Baddiel on his return to stand-up; Juliet Gardiner reassesses artist Laura Knight; Rankin's Cultural Exchange.

With John Wilson.

Sergei Polunin is the youngest dancer ever to be made a principal with the Royal Ballet, a role he unexpectedly quit after two years aged 21. Earlier this year he suddenly left the cast of a new ballet version of Midnight Express, days before its UK premiere. As he takes the lead in a Moscow production of Copp茅lia in London, Polunin discusses this role and his career highs and lows.

David Baddiel's first full stand-up show for over 15 years concentrates on the idea of celebrity. In Fame - Not The Musical, he argues that famous people don't talk about how the level of fame can fluctuate, and suggests that he is no longer as famous as he used to be. He discusses his return to the stage, and also reveals that he feels partly responsible for Sachsgate, the infamous prank calls made by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross to Andrew Sachs.

In 1936 Dame Laura Knight became the first woman to be elected to the Royal Academy since 1769. As a new exhibition of her work opens at the National Portrait Gallery, Juliet Gardiner reassesses an artist who began painting circus scenes and went on to become an official war artist, creating a famous picture of the Nuremberg Trials.

In tonight's Cultural Exchange, the British portrait and fashion photographer Rankin - full name John Rankin Waddell - selects a short poem by Thomas Hardy which had a big influence on his decision to become a photographer while studying at Brighton Polytechnic.

Producer Claire Bartleet.

Available now

30 minutes

David Baddiel

David Baddiel on his return to stand-up

Sergei Polunin

As dancer Sergei Polunin takes the lead in a Moscow production of Copp茅lia in London,聽he discusses this role and his career highs and lows

Dame Laura Knight

Juliet Gardiner reassesses the work of the painter Dame Laura Knight

Cultural Exchange: Rankin

British portrait and fashion photographer Rankin selects a short poem by Thomas Hardy as his Cultural Exchange.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter John Wilson
Interviewed Guest David Baddiel
Interviewed Guest Sergei Polunin
Interviewed Guest Juliet Gardiner
Interviewed Guest Rankin
Producer Claire Bartleet

Broadcast

  • Thu 11 Jul 2013 19:15

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