The singer Loudon Wainwright III, father of Rufus and Martha, discusses his latest album Haven't Got the Blues (Yet). Mad Men star Christina Hendricks talks about her new film, God’s Pocket and Irish singer Sinead O’Connor on her new album and new image… The conductor, Sir Neville Marriner discusses his long and varied career and his return to the BBC Proms and following the success of the Inbetweeners TV sitcom making a successful transfer to the big screen, co-creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris talk about their second Inbetweeners film. And Samira Ahmed talks to writer DBC Pierre about his new novella, Breakfast With The Borgias

Adrian Dunbar known for playing a police chief is doing something completely different. Katie Paterson explains why she’s sending a meteorite back into space and Jonny Greenwood performing his Grammy award winning score live. John Wilson talks to Choir master Gareth Malone and War Horse composer Adrian Sutton, Matt Wolf reviews The Young Vic theatre’s new production of A Streetcar Named desire and Julian Lloyd Webber on his future plans in music.

This week Rebecca Hall talks about working with her father Sir Peter Hall; Long Yu, conductor of the China Philharmonic on their historic Proms debut and newly appointed Master of the Queen’s Music Judith Weir. Novelist Philip Hensher discusses his time travelling novel The Emperor Waltz and Manchester United fan Eamonn Holmes reviews new football film Believe. The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is the subject of a new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Billy Elliott writer Lee Hall talks about taking on Shakespeare in Love from screen to stage and the Giant Puppets return to Liverpool.

Samira Ahmed talks to the self-proclaimed inventors of the selfie Gilbert and George. Laura Clouting and James Taylor discuss the newly refurbished Imperial War Museum and John Fay challenges the cosy nostalgia of period drama. Razia Iqbal asks do architects have a responsibility to ensure the safety of those who make their buildings? John Wilson talks to Nigel Havers who returns to The Importance Of Being Earnest, discusses the life and work of Nadine Gordimer and talks

to Matt Reeves, director of the new Planet Of The Apes movie.

Peter Greenaway talks about his latest film about the 16th Century Dutch painter Goltzius and we take a journey to the National Maritime Museum Maxine Peake discusses her stage debut as a playwright with the premiere of Beryl at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and we hear from writer Fredrik Backman whose debut novel about a Swedish Victor Meldrew has become a word-of-mouth bestseller. John Wilson discusses the value of museums, in today's social and economic climate with some leading museum directors and also to actor Gina McKee about starring in Richard III.

The Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe talk about their world premiere at the BBC Proms. Caitlin Moran discusses her debut novel, How to Make a Girl and Maureen Lipman and Harry Shearer talk about their West End transfer of of Daytona. Tony Hatch takes us on a musical trip from Downtown and beyond. Richard Wilson on one of theatre’s greatest challenges: Samuel Beckett’s “Krapp’s Last Tape”. Actor Mark Ruffalo talks about his latest film Begin Again and we review Monty Python’s first live show in 30 years.

Actress Lesley Manville and director Richard Eyre, bestselling American author James Patterson and a review Scottish Contemporary Art from the past 25 years. The Manic Street Preachers and Metallica talk about playing at Glastonbury this year and Front Row discusses how the art market is being driven by so-called trophy works.

John Wilson talks to one of the great voices of all time, Placido Domingo. Carey Mulligan discusses her return to the stage in David Hare’s Skylight. Pigment is crushed and paint mixed in a new National Gallery exhibition called Making Colour. And artistic interpretations of the battle of Orgreave 30 years on. Samira Ahmed talks to Don Johnson about his new film and Razia Iqbal is joined on stage at the Hay Festival by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison. Kirsty Lang hears from veteran documentary maker Roger Graef and how cubism and optical art were deployed by the British navy in WW1.

Damien Barr talks to Dolly Parton about her love for Harper Lee and how she sees writing as therapy, Kirsty Lang meets the very irreverent Helena Bonham-Carter and talks to three Syrian authors about culture on the front line. Matthew D’Ancona tries to solve the mystery of how to plot a soap opera and hears Prince Buthelezi’s reminiscences on acting with Stanley Baker and Michael Caine on the set of “Zulu”. He also talks to Anne Washburn about her apocalyptic Simpsons themed play and hears how Antonio Pappano will take on Puccini’s first masterpiece, Manon Lescauts. Finally John Wilson meets artist Marina Abramovic in an empty gallery, to create art.

John Wilson is joined on stage at the Hay Festival by one of the biggest selling crime writers in the world – Lee Child and Cerys Matthews sings one of Dylan Thomas’ poems. In a rehearsal room - ballet star Daria Klimentová warms up for her last dance. Artist Cornelia Parker tells John why she’s curated a black and white zone within the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and he talks to Malian musical superstar Toumani Diabaté and his son Sidiki. Kirsty Lang watches a piece of dance theatre in an outdoor car park. She talks to Terry Gilliam about his latest opera and to Bernard Haitink one of the world’s finest conductors as he marks his 85th Birthday.