How do we find fulfilment as we pay the bills? In her podcast Work Interrupted, Christina Patterson talked to people from a range of working backgrounds - business, journalism, the arts, healthcare, music, books, broadcasting, academia - to find out how their work was changing in the light of the pandemic. In The Art of Work she focuses on how we can all build a work life that brings some meaning, fun and even joy.
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Dame Mary Beard is one of Britain’s best known classicists. She’s Cambridge Emerita Professor and Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge. She’s also a trustee of the British Museum and classics editor of the TLS, where for 20 years she has been writing a blog, “A Don’s Life”. Her bestselling books include SPQR: A History of […]
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Sir Ken Olisa is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London. After a career in tech, with IBM and then Wang Labs, Sir Ken is now Founder and Chairman of Restoration Partners, a boutique technology merchant bank. He has chaired and been on many boards, including Thomson Reuters, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and […]
Nicola Williams is a judge, ombudsman and novelist. Called to the bar in 1985, she has been a part-time Crown Court Judge since 2009. She has been Commissioner at the Independent Police Complaints Commission, Complaints Commissioner for the Cayman Islands and the first ever Service Complaints Ombudsman for the UK Armed Forces. She has served on […]
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Sharath Jeevan is one of the world’s leading experts on motivation. After starting off in strategy consulting, Sharath started Ebay’s charity arm and then Teaching Leaders, an organisation that helps school leaders raise life chances for the most disadvantaged children. In 2022, he was awarded an OBE for starting and running STIR Education, which has […]
One of Britain’s leading coaches and coach trainers, Colin Brett has been described as a “gentle bulldozer”. He has worked as a Transactional Analyst and a counsellor as well as an executive coach, helping individuals, leaders and teams flourish, both at work and in their personal lives. He has four masters’ degrees, including one in […]
Theresa Beattie started her career as Education and Community Manager at Sadler’s Wells and has worked as a curator at Southbank Centre, Dance Umbrella, and the Royal Opera House. She was Director of Artist Development at The Place for a decade and has done several stints at Arts Council England, including one as Director of […]
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Joelle Taylor is an award-winning poet, playwright and author. A former UK slam champion, Joelle founded SLAMbassadors, the UK’s youth slam championships in 2001 and was its Artistic Director and National Coach until 2018. She’s host and and co-curator of Out-Spoken, the UK’s premier poetry and music club, currently resident at the Southbank Centre. Her […]
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Steven Isserlis is an internationally renowned cellist and music educator. He appears regularly with the world’s leading orchestras, devises chamber music programmes and performs around the world as a soloist. He has won many awards for his work, including a CBE, and is one of only two living cellists featured in Gramophone‘s Hall of Fame. […]
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Andria Zafirakou is an art and textiles teacher and member of the leadership team at Alperton Community School in Brent. In 2018 she was awarded the Global Teacher Prize, out of more than 37,000 entries. She used the million-dollar prize money to start a charity called Artists in Residence, which aims to improve arts education […]
Josh Babarinde is an award-winning social entrepreneur, Liberal Democrat councillor and parliamentary candidate for Eastbourne. A former youth justice worker, Josh founded Cracked It, a smartphone repair service staffed by young ex-offenders which has won multiple awards. At 26, he was awarded an OBE for services to criminal justice, social enterprise and the economy. He’s […]
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Kathryn Mannix started her medical career in cancer care before working as a palliative care consultant in hospices, hospitals and patients’ homes. She started the UK’s first CBT clinic for palliative care patients and now teaches communication skills to healthcare professionals. She’s the bestselling author of With the End in Mind and Listen: How to Find the Words […]
Bruce Daisley is a writer, consultant, expert in workplace culture and host of the chart-topping podcast Eat Sleep Work Repeat. A former European Vice-President for Twitter, he’s the bestselling author of The Joy of Work and, now, of Fortitude: Unlocking the Secrets of Inner Strength. In this podcast, he discusses toxic myths about resilience, the importance of laughter and […]
Gabriella Braun is the Director of Working Well, a specialist consultancy firm that uses psychoanalytic and systemic thinking to help leaders and teams understand the hidden truths of their behaviour at work. She has worked with organisations ranging from the British Library and Cambridge University to NHS trusts and the Tate. She has just published […]
Daniel Pink is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Drive, To Sell is Human and When. His books have sold millions of copies, have been translated into 42 languages and won multiple awards. His new book, The Power of Regret, draws on research in psychology, neuroscience, economics and biology to explode many of […]
Gaverne Bennett is a teacher, social worker and creator of timelines. He has taught in a number of schools in East London, often working with students with special educational needs and helping children in pupil referral units get back into mainstream education. He has created award-winning timelines for The Guardian, the Institute of Technology and […]
Julie Bindel is a journalist, broadcaster, campaigner and, according to The Times, rock star of feminism. For 40 years, she has campaigned to end violence towards women and children. She is co-founder of Justice for Women and her books include Straight Expectations, The Pimping of Prostitution and, most recently, Feminism for Women. In this podcast, […]
Joe Hildebrand is Managing Director, European Leadership & Culture Lead at Accenture. Joe has held senior leadership positions at BT, has been a management consultant at Accenture and Deloitte and was a Managing Director at ?WhatIf! Innovation before taking on his current role. He has helped to develop leadership and culture in companies across different […]
Johann Hari is the internationally bestselling author of Chasing the Scream and Lost Connections. His books have appeared in 38 languages and his TED talks on addiction and depression have been viewed more than 80 million times. Chasing the Scream was made into an Academy-Award nominated film and an eight-part TV series presented by Samuel […]
Margaret Casely-Hayford is a lawyer, businesswoman and boardroom superstar. Margaret was the first Black female partner of a City law firm and then Company Secretary of John Lewis before taking on a portfolio of boardroom roles. She’s currently Chair of Shakespeare’s Globe, a member of the board of the Co-op Group, Chair of the advisory […]
Anne Alexander is senior political producer for ITV’s flagship programme, Good Morning Britain. Anne has been a political reporter for the BBC’s Daily Politics and political editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post. She’s one of the most highly respected political journalists in Westminster, but as a small child lived in just one room, in West Bromwich, with her sister […]
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Jan Lucassen is one of the world’s top experts on the history of work. His recent book The Story of Work is the first truly global history of work, from the age of the hunter-gatherer to the present day. Jan Lucassen is Emeritus Professor at the free University of Amsterdam and an honorary fellow at […]
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Arifa Akbar is chief theatre critic of The Guardian and author of a memoir, Consumed, which has just been shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award. Arifa has been arts correspondent and literary editor of The Independent. She has written for newspapers and magazines ranging from The Observer to the FT and is a trustee of the […]
Christina Pagel is a mathematician, a member of Independent Sage and Professor of Operational Research at University College, London. The first female director of the Clinical Operational Research Unit at UCL and an honorary researcher at Great Ormond Street Hospital, she has been one of the most prominent scientists in the media during the pandemic. […]
Chris Barez-Brown is an entrepreneur, author and founder of Upping Your Elvis, a business that aims to help people find more energy and fun at work. He has worked with companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Citibank and Nike. His books include How to Have Kick-Ass Ideas, Shine: How to Survive and Thrive at Work, and […]
Gillian Tett is a bestselling writer, journalist and chairman of the US editorial board at the Financial Times. She has a PhD in social anthropology and it’s this anthropological perspective that has played such a key part in her award-winning journalism and inspired her brilliant new book, Anthro Vision. She’s best known for predicting the […]
Robin Ince is a comedian, author, broadcaster and, in his words, “professional idiot”. He’s the co-creator and presenter of the BBC Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage, which has won multiple awards and the author of I’m a Joke and So Are You. He won Celebrity Mastermind, is in the Guinness Book Records for […]
How can we build a work life that brings some meaning, fun and even joy? In this preview of The Art of Work, Christina offers highlights from the two seasons of Work Interrupted. Tech entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan talks about how she livened up a boring project with live rabbits. Artistic Director of English National Ballet […]
Rachel Clarke is a doctor, campaigner and bestselling writer. She started off as a TV journalist, making documentaries about subjects ranging from the Monica Lewinsky scandal to the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She retrained as a doctor in her late twenties and is now a palliative care doctor and a passionate […]
Julia Hobsbawm is an entrepreneur, writer and expert on connectedness in the machine age. She founded the network and media business Editorial Intelligence and the Social Capital Network for BAME professionals and was awarded an OBE for services to business in 2015. Her books include Fully Connected and The Simplicity Principle, which won two awards […]
Douglas Board is a leadership and career coach and a senior research fellow at the former Cass Business School. He was a senior civil servant and a headhunter before embarking on a portfolio career as a writer, coach and board member. He has been Chair of the Refugee Council, treasurer of the Diana, Princess of […]
Guvna B is a multi-award-winning rapper, author and broadcaster. He has released 10 albums, including Secret World, Hands are Made for Working and Everywhere + Nowhere. He has won two MOBO Awards, three Urban Music Awards and presented documentaries on radio and TV. He has also published two books: Unpopular Culture and Unspoken. Guvna B, whose real name is Isaac Borquaye, talks […]
“We’re all freelancers now. It’s just that sometimes you’re freelancing for an organisation and sometimes you’re freelancing as an individual.” Sarah Churchwell talks about the changing face of academia and how to fight falsehood and fascism in a pandemic.
“Whether you want to have a personal brand or not, you have one. And quite often it’s not created by you.” Writer, broadcaster and coach Harriet Minter talks about building a career – and brand – you love while you work from home, the horrors and joys of a “call to action” on LinkedIn, and how to work out what you really want – and get it.
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“I was literally hanging upside down with my ass hanging out when this man comes running into the studio yelling ‘We’re going into lockdown’.” Ayesha Hazarika talks about going feral during lockdown, Zoom gin tastings and the terror and joy of stand up comedy.
“It only counts as being brave if you’re scared. I’m really, really scared.” Daisy Buchanan talks about sexual desire, being broke, envy and how to own your ambition.
“The trick is to make your boring side of the table the best side of the table”. David Bodanis talks about how to write a bestseller, how to spot a toxic workplace and how nice guys (and girls) can win.
“What kind of shit sandwich do you do want to eat?” Viv Groskop talks about money, power, the shock of a blank diary and finding fun at work, even in a pandemic.
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Sarah Connolly talks about rejection, what she learnt about power from playing men’s roles and the “balls of steel” she developed in her childhood.
Guy talks about his journey from wannabe Gordon Gekko to reflective “value investor” via Jungian analysis and some big bumps in the road
Phil talks about his brush with mortality after Covid, broadcasting during a pandemic and fighting the culture wars
Adam talks about an accidental career, dramatic changes in direction and his attempts to help us find a vaccine
Jackie talks about her own emotional struggles during the pandemic, Black Lives Matter and how poetry can help all of us.
In this podcast, she talks about switching medicine to Zoom, Black Lives Matter and what it was like to take part in those Downing Street briefings.
In this podcast, she talks about culture wars, clicktivism, the future of journalism – and how she’s sick of public school lefties telling us all what to think.
In this podcast, she talks about the joy of nursing, the heroism of care workers during Covid, the creativity of academics and how an art exhibition in Stockholm inspired a new vision for the future of care.
In this podcast, he talks about the power of diverse thinking, what immigrants can teach us, adapting to a semi-virtual world – and the joy of putting on a suit and going on the Tube.
In this podcast, she talks about how to cope with losing a job, how to keep hope alive during a pandemic, the joy of kickboxing – and what to do about the “shitty committee”.
In this podcast, he talks about dark money, the future of fashion in a pandemic, life without parties – and why we should all join a union.
In this podcast, she talks about the importance of ambition, the healing power of baking and how the arts can help us deal with AI.
In this podcast, he talks about the myth of authenticity at work, the challenges and rewards of freelance life, and what we’re all learning about ourselves and our values in a pandemic.
Classicist and bestselling writer Dame Mary Beard on what she has learnt about power
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Ken Olisa on the thrill of entrepreneurial life
Judge and novelist Nicola Williams on ambition and the joy of justice
Motivational expert Sharath Jeevan OBE on reigniting our inner drive
Coach and coach trainer Colin Brett on "useful conversations" and the hunger for meaning
Dance consultant Theresa Beattie OBE on the importance of curiosity, mastery - and cheek
Award-winning poet Joelle Taylor on the life-changing power of words
Internationally renowned cellist Steven Isserlis on the power of doing what you love
Winner of the Global Teacher Prize Andria Zafirakou on the transformative power of art
Social entrepreneur and local councillor Josh Babarinde on how to make things happen
Palliative care consultant and bestselling writer Kathryn Mannix on the power of listening
Writer and former Twitter VP Bruce Daisley on fortitude, laughter - and crisps
Consultant and author Gabriella Braun on uncovering the hidden truths at work
Bestselling writer Daniel Pink on the infinite ‘to do’ list and the power of regret
Gaverne Bennett, teacher, social worker and creator of timelines on curiosity and history
Julie Bindel, journalist, author and ‘rock star’ of feminism on the joy of campaigning
Joe Hildebrand, Managing Director at Accenture on work culture and finding joy
Bestselling writer Johann Hari on finding flow and how to get your focus back
Social historian Jan Lucassen on the history of vocation and our need for recognition
Theatre critic and author Arifa Akbar on the power of instinct and deadlines
Entrepreneur Chris Barez-Brown on how to have fun at work - and what to do if you hate it
FT editor-at-large Gillian Tett on "anthro vision", money and power
Robin Ince, comedian and broadcaster on the power of wonder and doubt
Preview of The Art of Work: highlights from Work Interrupted
Rachel Clarke, doctor, campaigner and bestselling writer on truth, beauty and humour
Julia Hobsbawm, entrepreneur and writer on connection, generosity and motivation
Douglas Board, leadership and career coach on how to rise to the top without losing your soul
Guvna B, multi-award-winning rapper, broadcaster and author on rejection and success
Sarah Churchwell, Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities on the return of the expert
Harriet Minter, writer, broadcaster and coach on how to build a career you love as you WFH
Ayesha Hazarika, broadcaster, journalist, comedian and MBE on politics and finding joy at work
Daisy Buchanan, award-winning journalist, author and podcaster on desire, money and owning ambition
David Bodanis, bestselling writer and futurist on how nice guys (and girls) can win
Viv Groskop, writer and stand-up comedian on money, power and finding fun at work
Dame Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano on music, cancer and "balls of steel"
Guy Spier, investor and bestselling writer on money, markets and shame
Phil Jones, editor of the Jeremy Vine Show on broadcasting in the age of Covid
Adam Hamdy, screenwriter and author of bestselling thrillers on adapting to strange times
Jackie Kay, poet, playwright, novelist and Scottish Makar on poetry in dark times
Nikki Kanani, GP and Medical Director of Primary Care, NHS England
Suzanne Moore, award-winning journalist and columnist
Ann Gallagher, Professor of Ethics and Care on caring in a pandemic
Matthew Syed, bestselling author and international speaker
Julia Samuel, psychotherapist and bestselling author
Peter York, author, cultural commentator and management consultant
Tamara Rojo, ballet dancer and Artistic Director of the English National Ballet
Julian Baggini, writer and philosopher
Margaret Heffernan, tech entrepreneur and bestselling author