Main content

John Cooper Clarke: Punk and poetry

Stephen Sackur speaks to the pioneering performance poet John Cooper Clarke. Where does his word magic come from?

Stephen Sackur speaks to the pioneering performance poet John Cooper Clarke. From his early days as the bard of punk to a decade lost to heroin and then the worldwide success of his poem I Wanna Be Yours and now a new tour, John Cooper Clarke has used words, rhythm and rhyme to find humour and truth in the chaos of everyday life. Where does his word magic come from?

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Fri 21 Mar 2025 23:06GMT
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

More episodes

Previous

Vladimir Kara-Murza: Defying Putin

Next

Baaba Maal: Can the Sahel overcome its challenges?

See all episodes from The Interview

Broadcasts

  • Mon 24 Apr 2023 07:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 24 Apr 2023 14:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 24 Apr 2023 21:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Mon 14 Aug 2023 07:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 14 Aug 2023 14:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Mon 14 Aug 2023 17:06GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Mon 14 Aug 2023 21:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & BBC Afghan Radio
  • Fri 21 Mar 2025 08:06GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Fri 21 Mar 2025 15:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Fri 21 Mar 2025 18:06GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Fri 21 Mar 2025 23:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

Podcast

  • The Interview

    Conversations with people shaping our world. The best interviews from the BBC