# HARDtalk

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For hard talk, see [harsh language](/source/Harsh_language).

***HARDtalk*** is a [BBC](/source/BBC) [television](/source/Television_show) and [radio programme](/source/Radio_program) which was broadcast on the [British](/source/BBC_News_(British_TV_channel)) and [international](/source/BBC_News_(international_TV_channel)) feeds of the [BBC News](/source/BBC_News) channel, and on the [BBC World Service](/source/BBC_World_Service), from 31 March 1997 to 26 March 2025.

Broadcast times and days varied, depending on broadcasting platform and [geographic location](/source/Location).[1][2][3] *HARDtalk* was also available on [BBC iPlayer](/source/BBC_iPlayer) in the UK only[4] and as a podcast via [BBC Sounds](/source/BBC_Sounds).[5]

On 15 October 2024, the BBC announced that as part of a series of cuts to its news department, *HARDtalk* would no longer be broadcast, along with the tech review show *[Click](/source/Click_(TV_programme))*. Host [Stephen Sackur](/source/Stephen_Sackur) said the news was "depressing" [for the future of in-depth interviews that] "hold to account those who all too often avoid accountability in their own countries".[6] The programme aired its final episode on television on 26 March 2025[7] while its last radio episode was aired two days later on 28 March.[8] The radio version was succeeded by a similar programme titled *The Interview*.

## Format

*HARDtalk* provided "in-depth interviews with hard-hitting questions and sensitive topics being covered as famous personalities from all walks of life talk about the highs and lows in their lives."[9]

## Presenters and interviewees

### Presenters

[Tim Sebastian](/source/Tim_Sebastian) was the original presenter of *HARDtalk* when the programme launched in March 1997.[10] He hosted the show till March 2007.[11] From 2007 until its cancellation, *HARDtalk* was predominantly [presented](/source/Television_presenter) by interviewer [Stephen Sackur](/source/Stephen_Sackur), who joined in 2006. Other presenters included [Zeinab Badawi](/source/Zeinab_Badawi) and [Sarah Montague](/source/Sarah_Montague).[10][12]

### Selected interviewees

*HARDtalk* has interviewed many [public figures](/source/Public_figure) of [historical significance](/source/Historical_significance), including:

- [Maya Angelou](/source/Maya_Angelou)[13]
- [Kofi Annan](/source/Kofi_Annan)[14]
- [Benazir Bhutto](/source/Benazir_Bhutto)[15]
- [Hugo Chávez](/source/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez)[16]
- [Noam Chomsky](/source/Noam_Chomsky)[17]
- [Michael Collins](/source/Michael_Collins_(astronaut))[18]
- [F. W. de Klerk](/source/F._W._de_Klerk)[19]
- [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan](/source/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan)[20]
- [William Frankland](/source/William_Frankland_(allergist))[21]
- [Mikhail Gorbachev](/source/Mikhail_Gorbachev)[22]
- [Bernice King](/source/Bernice_King)[23]
- [Enrico Letta](/source/Enrico_Letta)
- [Nelson Mandela](/source/Nelson_Mandela)[24]
- [Mira Marković](/source/Mirjana_Markovi%C4%87)[25]
- [Mahathir Mohamad](/source/Mahathir_Mohamad)[26][27]
- [Robert Mugabe](/source/Robert_Mugabe)[28]
- [Nadia Murad](/source/Nadia_Murad)[29]
- [Olusegun Obasanjo](/source/Olusegun_Obasanjo)[30]
- [Teodoro Obiang](/source/Teodoro_Obiang_Nguema_Mbasogo)[31]
- [Michel Platini](/source/Michel_Platini)[32]
- [Cyril Ramaphosa](/source/Cyril_Ramaphosa)[33]
- [Thein Sein](/source/Thein_Sein)[34]
- [Nina Simone](/source/Nina_Simone)[35]
- [Hugh Thompson, Jr](/source/Hugh_Thompson_Jr.)[36]
- [Desmond Tutu](/source/Desmond_Tutu)[37]
- [Roger Waters](/source/Roger_Waters)[38]

## Spin-offs

### *HARDtalk Extra*

*HARDtalk Extra*—a series of "interviews with people from [the arts](/source/The_arts) and [culture](/source/Culture)," predominantly presented by [Gavin Esler](/source/Gavin_Esler).

Interviewees include: [Brenda Blethyn](/source/Brenda_Blethyn), [Robin Gibb](/source/Robin_Gibb), [Debbie Harry](/source/Debbie_Harry), [Marie Helvin](/source/Marie_Helvin), [Grayson Perry](/source/Grayson_Perry), [Ian Rankin](/source/Ian_Rankin), [Kristin Scott Thomas](/source/Kristin_Scott_Thomas), and [Patrick Swayze](/source/Patrick_Swayze).[39][40]

### *HARDtalk Extra Time*

*HARDtalk Extra Time*—a spin-off of "in-depth interviews with the athletes, [coaches](/source/Coach_(sport)), and power brokers in the world of sport."

Among those interviewed by [Rob Bonnet](/source/Rob_Bonnet), include: [Nicola Adams](/source/Nicola_Adams), [Roger Bannister](/source/Roger_Bannister), [Jonah Lomu](/source/Jonah_Lomu), [David Rudisha](/source/David_Rudisha), and [Murray Walker](/source/Murray_Walker).[41][42]

## References

1. ["HARDtalk on the BBC News Channel"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg2m). BBC.

1. ["HARDtalk on BBC World News"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdc). BBC.

1. ["HARDtalk on BBC World Service"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004t1s0). BBC.

1. ["HARDtalk available on BBC iPlayer"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg2m). BBC.

1. ["HARDtalk program website via the BBC World Service"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004t1s0). BBC.

1. ["BBC News job losses aim to save £24m"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0m07g49004o). [BBC News](/source/BBC_News)

1. ["BBC News - HARDtalk, Finale: The Interviews"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0029djk). 2025-03-25. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250325204612/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0029djk) 2025-03-25 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-03-25.

1. ["HARDtalk: Coda"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5swl). 2025-03-28. Retrieved 2025-03-28.

1. ["HARDtalk format"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg2m). BBC.

1. Fletcher, Martin (3 April 2017). ["Meet Stephen Sackur – the world famous interviewer who's tougher than Paxman"](https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-04-03/meet-stephen-sackur-the-world-famous-interviewer-whos-tougher-than-paxman). *[Radio Times](/source/Radio_Times)*

1. Tim Sebastian (1 March 2007). ["Final farewell"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/4307489.stm). [BBC News](/source/BBC_News). Retrieved 27 March 2025.

1. ["Two Decades of HARDtalking - BBC'S flagship interview programme celebrates 20th anniversary"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/worldnews/2017/hardtalk-celebrates-20th-anniversary). BBC. 22 March 2017.

1. ["Maya Angelou interview on HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02004dc)

1. ["Kofi Annan talks to Zeinab Badawi"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09zg272). BBC.

1. ["Hardtalk India Benazir Bhutto 6 7 2001"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKhYJt8fJS0). BBC. – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

1. Sackur, Stephen (13 June 2010). ["Hugo Chávez grants rare interview to western media"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/13/hugo-chavez-bbc-hardtalk-interview). *The Guardian*

1. ["Noam Chomsky speaks to Stephen Sackur"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ntgyq). BBC.

1. ["Michael Collins signs up for HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004482). BBC.

1. ["F. W. de Klerk speaks with HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cl6fj). BBC.

1. ["Recep Tayyip Erdoğan talks to Zeinab Badawi"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b4ld6f). BBC.

1. ["William Frankland signs up for HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bxr2bz). BBC.

1. ["Mikhail Gorbachev gives HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04t4bd1). BBC.

1. ["Bernice King interviewed for HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ckdkh). BBC.

1. ["Nelson Mandela speaks with HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03ny23z). BBC.

1. ["Mira Marković interviewed for HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qslxz). BBC.

1. Administrator (2008-05-17). ["BBC 'HardTalk' interview with Dr M"](https://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/05/17/bbc-hardtalk-interview-with-dr-m/). *Malaysia Today*

1. Webmaster, M. T. (2018-10-02). ["MUST WATCH: BBC HARDtalk with Dr Mahathir Mohamad"](https://www.malaysia-today.net/2018/10/02/bbc-hardtalk-02-10-2018-mahathir-mohamad/). *Malaysia Today*

1. ["Robert Mugabe, 1997 - BBC HARDtalk"](https://www.youtube.com/live/Fj3KAV0ZPfI). BBC. – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

1. ["Nadia Murad speaks to Sarah Montague"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0728jkb). BBC.

1. ["Olusegun Obasanjo signs up for HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qlxkw). BBC.

1. ["Teodoro Obiang gives HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pygy5). BBC.

1. ["Stephen Sackur speaks to Michel Platini"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008ct5p). BBC.

1. ["Cyril Ramaphosa speaks to Zeinab Badawi"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09q09ly). BBC.

1. ["Thein Sein gives HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n3s87). BBC.

1. ["Nina Simone gives HARDtalk interview"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08lxqtk). BBC.

1. ["Hugh Thompson Jr talks with HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08lxqhf). BBC.

1. ["Desmond Tutu talks with HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hv4hl). BBC.

1. ["Roger Waters talks with HARDtalk"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n3cstlgh). BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2023.

1. ["About HARDtalk Extra"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t9t1). [BBC](/source/BBC)

1. ["HARDtalk Extra episodes"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007t9t1/episodes/guide). [BBC](/source/BBC)

1. ["About HARDtalk Extra Time"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmd7). [BBC](/source/BBC)

1. ["HARDtalk Extra Time episodes"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmd7/episodes/guide). [BBC](/source/BBC)

## External links

- [HARDTalk website](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004t1s0) via the BBC World Service
- ["Meet Stephen Sackur"](https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-04-03/meet-stephen-sackur-the-world-famous-interviewer-whos-tougher-than-paxman). *[Radio Times](/source/Radio_Times)*
- [HardTalk](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386208/) at IMDb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [HARDtalk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HARDtalk) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HARDtalk?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.