Nihal Arthanayake gets ready for his new BBC Radio 5 Live show

Nihal Arthanayake will launch his brand-new BBC Radio 5 Live show on Sunday at 8pm with an in-depth interview with comedian Stewart Lee.

Stewart tells all about his long career in comedy, sharing music with his kids, connecting with a new audience during lockdown and his new upcoming UK tour.

In a recorded interview, which will air on Sunday, Stewart also spoke about the importance of an economy that supports creativity: “It’s about creating an economic situation in the country where people can afford to live and have interests, or go to stuff and be influenced by it…

“You can’t really have people forming bands or trying to be a certain sort of stand-up, or the things that take a while to master, if every day they’re worried about how to pay the rent.”

The weekly long-form interviews will also form part of the weekly Headliners podcast on BBC Sounds.

Nihal says: “I’m incredibly excited to have been given my own space on BBC Radio 5 Live to purely do what I love most about broadcasting, in-depth interviews with fascinating people. I want to create something distinct and unique for a new audience on Sunday evenings as well as my podcast. I want both to become a time for my listeners to be inspired and celebrate creativity and culture in all its forms.”

Heidi Dawson, Controller, BBC Radio 5 Live, says: “Nihal is an outstanding broadcaster and interviewer, and this new programme gives him the opportunity to showcase the best long form interviews that he is so good at.

“The brilliant Headliners podcast is also going to be supersized – packed with all the interviews from the show plus exclusive unheard extras from the guests.”