The Verb Podcast
Ian McMillan hosts Radio 4's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance.
Episodes to download
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The Christmas Adverb
Fri 19 Dec 2025
Testament's festive guests are Jackie Kay, Brian Bilston, John Hegley and Sam Lee.
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Simon Armitage, Alistair McGowan, Joelle Taylor
Sun 16 Nov 2025
Ian McMillan's guests include Simon Armitage, Alistair McGowan and Joelle Taylor.
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Train Poetry with Don Paterson, Bella Hardy, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness
Sun 9 Nov 2025
Ian McMillan with Don Paterson, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness & Bella Hardy on trains
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Shaun Usher, Katrina Naomi, Amani Saeed, Fran Edwards and Jennifer Jones
Sun 26 Oct 2025
Ian McMillan hosts Shaun Usher, Katrina Naomi, Amani Saeed, Fran Edwards & Jennifer Jones.
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Poetry by Tony Harrison, US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze, Sinéad Morrissey, David Morley, and Daniel Sluman
Sun 19 Oct 2025
Ian McMillan's guests are Sinéad Morrissey, David Morley, Arthur Sze and Daniel Sluman.
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Maria Popova, Aditya Narayan, Kimberly Campanello, DM Black
Sun 12 Oct 2025
Ian McMillan with Maria Popova, Aditya Narayan, Kimberly Campanello, and DM Black.
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The Verb from Contains Strong Language in Bradford
Sun 5 Oct 2025
Ian McMillan presents The Verb from Contains Strong Language in Bradford.
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The Adverb
Fri 19 Sep 2025
Testament presents poetry from Daljit Nagra, Kate Fox, Andrew McMillan and Kirsty Taylor
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The Adverb from the Ledbury Poetry Festival
Fri 12 Sep 2025
Ian McMillan, Jackie Kay, Hollie McNish & Michael Pedersen at the Ledbury Poetry Festival
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Forrest Gander, Laurie Bolger, SJ Fowler, Rachel Segal Hamilton
Sun 29 Jun 2025
Forrest Gander, Laurie Bolger, SJ Fowler and Rachel Segal Hamilton.
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Harriet Walter, Jason Singh, Gillian Allnutt, Glacier Poetry
Sun 22 Jun 2025
Ian McMillan is joined by Harriet Walter, Jason Singh and Gillian Allnutt.
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Boo Hewerdine, Fiona Benson, Alison Binney, Yvonne Lyon, Eartoon
Sun 15 Jun 2025
Ian McMillan's guests are Boo Hewerdine, Fiona Benson, Alison Binney, and Yvonne Lyon.
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Poetry and performance with Ian McMillan
Sun 8 Jun 2025
Barnsley Bard Ian McMillan is joined by guests for poetry performance and discussion.
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Hedges and poetry
Sun 1 Jun 2025
Ian McMillan's guests are Testament, Michael Symmons Roberts, Sam Lee, Alison Brackenbury.
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Peter Mackay, Tishani Doshi, Scanner, Lorna Goodison
Sun 25 May 2025
Ian McMillan's guests include Scottish Makar Peter Mackay & Jamaican poet Lorna Goodison
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Rebecca Watts, Brian Bilston, Cristina Rivera Garza, Deryn Rees-Jones
Sun 23 Feb 2025
Rebecca Watts, Brian Bilston, Cristina Rivera Garza and Deryn Rees-Jones join Ian McMillan
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Reeta Chakrabarti, Fred D'Aguiar, Ella Frears, Edward Wilson-Lee
Sun 2 Feb 2025
Reeta Chakrabarti, Fred D'Aguiar, Edward Wilson-Lee and Ella Frears.
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Joelle Taylor, Anthony Joseph, Luke Wright, Accents
Sun 26 Jan 2025
Ian McMillan is joined by Joelle Taylor, Anthony Joseph, Luke Wright and Rob Drummond.
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TS Eliot Prize Readings - highlights of a year in poetry
Sun 19 Jan 2025
Highlights of the TS Eliot Prize Readings - extraordinary poetry from 2024.
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Richard Dawkins, Gwyneth Lewis, Kate Fox, Eartoon
Sun 12 Jan 2025
Ian talks to Richard Dawkins, Gwyneth Lewis & Kate Fox - and introduces a new 'eartoon'.
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The Morecambe Poetry Festival
Fri 3 Jan 2025
Pam Ayres, Raymond Antrobus and Henry Normal performing at the Morecambe Poetry Festival.
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A special recording of The AdVerb at The Hackney Empire
Fri 27 Dec 2024
Ian McMillan presents new work from six poets with music from the BBC Symphony Orchestra
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Isy Suttie, Pascale Petit, Deryn Rees Jones, Alan Connor
Sun 3 Nov 2024
Poets Pacale Petit and Deryn Rees Jones join Isy Suttie and Alan Connor for The Verb.
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Wendy Cope, Theresa Lola , Susie Dent, Ira Lightman
Sun 27 Oct 2024
The Verb - Cabaret of the spoken word with Ian McMillan.
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Paul Farley, Malika Booker, Rob Drummond, Kate Fox
Sun 20 Oct 2024
A cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance.
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Margaret Atwood and Alice Oswald
Sun 13 Oct 2024
Ian McMillan talks to Margaret Atwood and Alice Oswald about their poetry.
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The Verb in Australia
Sun 6 Oct 2024
A special edition of The Verb with Ian McMillan recorded as part of CSL in Sydney.
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29/09/2024
Sun 29 Sep 2024
Ian's guests include Toby Litt, Roger Robinson, Hannah Silva and Caleb Femi.
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The Adverb in Australia
Fri 6 Sep 2024
The Adverb brings you the best in poetry & performance from across the country and beyond
The Verb: Something New – The Poems
New poems commissioned by The Verb for the BBC centenary.
35 Years of Spoken Word
A season of Poetry and Performance from Hull.
BBC Arts
Explore the BBC Arts website and discover the best of British art and culture.
The Dylan Thomas Collection
Listen to programmes, poetry readings and commentary from Radio 3's Dylan Thomas Day.
