Rephonic
Artwork for Front Row

Front Row

BBC Radio 4
Mental Health
BBC National Short Story Award
Booker Prize
Documentary Filmmaking
Brigitte Bardot
David Hockney
A House Of Dynamite
Character Development
One Battle After Another
Catherine Bigelow
Ukraine
Blue Moon
Second World War
David Bowie
John Bishop
Marty Supreme
Heated Rivalry
Robert Plant
House Of Guinness
Poetry

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

PublishesDailyEpisodes2001Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Front Row

Latest Episodes

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh and William Lee Adams join Tom Sutcliffe to review:

The Life of M - the new novel from Rachel Cusk. The book centres on a writer’s attempt to chronicle the life of a globally famous film star, and explores the strangeness of cele... more

Ann Droid and Motherland star Paul Ready on his debut one man show Little Animals, a powerful piece of writing on climate, consumerism and the anxieties of being a Dad in today's world.

The founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales on his book The Seven Rul... more

As contemporary art venue, The Light, prepares to open in Durham, its artistic director Tony Guillan, and the art critic Louisa Buck, discuss the new building and its opening exhibition, Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light.

Comedian Iain Sti... more

The comedian Joe Lycett has long dabbled in art, but it's a serious business now as his first ever solo exhibition ‘Everything Must Go’ has just opened at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. He talks about how this show came together and why its m... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

A Good Read
A Good ReadBBC Radio 4
Take Four Books
Take Four BooksBBC Radio 4
Bookclub
BookclubBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Jess Kidd
Author of Little Spark
Author
Episode: The Light opens in Durham, and Iain Stirling on the art of sandscastles
Tony Guillan
Artistic director of The Light
The Light, Durham
Episode: The Light opens in Durham, and Iain Stirling on the art of sandscastles
Pavlo Markov
Visual artist from Ukraine; advocate for Ukrainian culture
Ukraine (artist)
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Lucas Jones
Poet and performer
Self
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Hetan Shah
President/representative of the British Academy (as mentioned)
British Academy
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Leonid Marischak
Historian and educator aiding artifact evacuation in Ukraine
Ukraine
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Joe Lycett
Comedian turned visual artist presenting Everything Must Go
Self (artist)
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Charlotte Higgins
The Guardian's chief culture writer
The Guardian
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go
Nikita Gill
Poet with a large social media following
Self
Episode: Joe Lycett on his first solo exhibition, Everything Must Go

Hosts

Tom Sutcliffe
Host with long-running involvement in arts criticism and broadcasting
Kirsty Wark
Presenter and journalist contributing literary and arts commentary
Samira Ahmed
Seasoned arts journalist and interview presence

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 669 ratings
  • Take Kirsty Wark off the rota

    I have to turn the sound right down when Wark is presenting. She’s AWFUL on radio - constantly making noises. Often it seems she’s trying to move the guest along but actually I think she just isn’t aware of the microphone - shuffling papers, wet mouth noises, loud breathing, unhelpful gasps and groans and grunts. She’s got nothing to offer as an arts presenter anyway. Why is she on there?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    jennygreensleeves
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Stop interrupting!

    I enjoy Front Row but the listening experience is unfortunately blighted by hosts like Tom Sutcliffe frequently interrupting guests

    - especially women. Just listen to an episode on the Tracey Emin show and I was aghast as his constant interruptions. I’m inclined think it’s quite gendered as he seems more likely to cut in mid-sentence when a female guest is speaking. Infuriating.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    London_lady
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Front Row

    Love this podcast! Varied and up to date.

    All presenters very well prepared! ☺️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Izzyissi
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Let the guests speak

    It's got a good mix of guests on the show but some of the hosts are constantly interrupting the guests which is frustrating to listen to, they often can't finish a sentence without being interrupted by the host giving his answer to his own question. Despite this it's good to have a round up of new films & exhibitions.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Foxtrot Lightning
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Pretty impressive

    Despite a recent drift into the lowbrow with 80s pop nostalgia segments, this is a really useful and enjoyable listen. And the Friday review show takes me back to those happy years when Saturday Review was still being commissioned.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MarkoB1111
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show's breadth sometimes invites polarized reactions to individual reviews or presenter style.
High-quality guests across literature, film, and visual arts are a strong draw for fans.
Hosts are well prepared and knowledgeable, though some listeners feel interruptions can detract from interviews.
Varied guests and topics keep the show fresh and culturally relevant.
Broad mix of criticism, interviews, and live festival coverage is praised for depth and breadth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#151
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#155
Indonesia/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#23
Indonesia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#94
Ireland/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#109
New Zealand/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#157
India/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Live from the Edinburgh Festivals: Stockard Channing on directing Krapp's Last Tape
Q: Stockard, how did you and David hit upon directing Krapp's Last Tape together?
We talked over dinner, he expressed a wish to return to the stage and to direct, and we trusted each other to begin from the basics in a simple, intimate setting rather than a big production.
How the opiod crisis inspired an opera
Q: Tell us about the story line and its foundations.
The story is inspired by a short Kafka tale and developed through collaboration with the librettist Royce Vavrik and Karen Russell, creating a four-way creative dialogue that blends dark fairy-tale elements with a contemporary setting in a town gripped by pain and a magical carousel that promises relief.
Ruth Madeley on new TV drama The Rapture, Nadine Shah on her BBC Prom
Q: What was it like preparing to perform with an orchestra for the BBC Prom, and how did you select the songs?
Nadine talks about choosing songs that suit orchestration, collaborating with arrangers, and the emotional impact of reworking her older material for strings, coupled with the hometown significance of performing in the Northeast.
Diane Morgan on playing a robot in TV comedy Ann Droid.
Q: How did you approach the balance between comedy and emotion in the show?
Morgan describes wanting the show to be funny while also revealing real grief and a thoughtful look at technology's role in care and family dynamics.
Diane Morgan on playing a robot in TV comedy Ann Droid.
Q: What discussions did you have about the voice for the robot?
She discusses concerns about sustaining a robot voice, opting for an old-fashioned, slightly humorous voice rather than the typical Siri-like tone, to fit the character's aging, reconditioned model.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Front Row

What is Front Row about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A live arts-and-cculture magazine that covers literature, film, music, theatre, visual arts, and related media. Episodes center on reviews, author and artist interviews, and in-depth looks at exhibitions, books, and cultural trends, often pairing critical discussion with insider industry context. Notable are long-form conversations with writers, critics, and curators, live festival coverage, and cross-disciplinary segments that blend storytelling with arts history. The show stands out for its breadth across high and popular culture, its guest diversity, and a tendency to connect creative work to broader social and cultural questions. This makes it useful for potential listeners who want thoughtful, well-researched cultural critique and behi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Front Row?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Front Row. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Front Row and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Front Row get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Front Row, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Front Row?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Front Row, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Front Row have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Front Row has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Front Row?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Front Row:

1. This Cultural Life
2. A Good Read
3. Desert Island Discs
4. Take Four Books
5. Bookclub

How many episodes of Front Row are there?

Front Row launched 20 years ago and published 2001 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Front Row?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Front Row?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Front Row from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Front Row?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Front Row. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Front Row?

Recent guests on Front Row include:

1. Jess Kidd
2. Tony Guillan
3. Pavlo Markov
4. Lucas Jones
5. Hetan Shah
6. Leonid Marischak
7. Joe Lycett
8. Charlotte Higgins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days