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The Verb

Ian McMillan hosts Radio 4's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance.

Radio 4,268 episodes

Episodes

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26/12/2025
Ian McMillan hosts Simon Armitage, Helen Mort and Katharine Goda, with music from LYR.
26 Dec 2025,57 mins
The Christmas Adverb
Testament's festive guests are Jackie Kay, Brian Bilston, John Hegley and Sam Lee.
19 Dec 2025,57 mins
Simon Armitage, Alistair McGowan, Joelle Taylor
Ian McMillan's guests include Simon Armitage, Alistair McGowan and Joelle Taylor.
16 Nov 2025,42 mins
Train Poetry with Don Paterson, Bella Hardy, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness
Ian McMillan with Don Paterson, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness & Bella Hardy on trains
09 Nov 2025,42 mins
Shaun Usher, Katrina Naomi, Amani Saeed, Fran Edwards and Jennifer Jones
Ian McMillan hosts Shaun Usher, Katrina Naomi, Amani Saeed, Fran Edwards & Jennifer Jones.
26 Oct 2025,42 mins
Poetry by Tony Harrison, US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze, Sinéad Morrissey, David Morley, and Daniel Sluman
Ian McMillan's guests are Sinéad Morrissey, David Morley, Arthur Sze and Daniel Sluman.
19 Oct 2025,41 mins
Maria Popova, Aditya Narayan, Kimberly Campanello, DM Black
Ian McMillan with Maria Popova, Aditya Narayan, Kimberly Campanello, and DM Black.
12 Oct 2025,41 mins
The Verb from Contains Strong Language in Bradford
Ian McMillan presents The Verb from Contains Strong Language in Bradford.
05 Oct 2025,41 mins
The Adverb
Testament presents poetry from Daljit Nagra, Kate Fox, Andrew McMillan and Kirsty Taylor
19 Sep 2025,56 mins
The Adverb from the Ledbury Poetry Festival
Ian McMillan, Jackie Kay, Hollie McNish & Michael Pedersen at the Ledbury Poetry Festival
12 Sep 2025,56 mins
Forrest Gander, Laurie Bolger, SJ Fowler, Rachel Segal Hamilton
Forrest Gander, Laurie Bolger, SJ Fowler and Rachel Segal Hamilton.
29 Jun 2025,41 mins
Harriet Walter, Jason Singh, Gillian Allnutt, Glacier Poetry
Ian McMillan is joined by Harriet Walter, Jason Singh and Gillian Allnutt.
22 Jun 2025,41 mins
Boo Hewerdine, Fiona Benson, Alison Binney, Yvonne Lyon, Eartoon
Ian McMillan's guests are Boo Hewerdine, Fiona Benson, Alison Binney, and Yvonne Lyon.
15 Jun 2025,42 mins
Poetry and performance with Ian McMillan
Barnsley Bard Ian McMillan is joined by guests for poetry performance and discussion.
08 Jun 2025,42 mins
Hedges and poetry
Ian McMillan's guests are Testament, Michael Symmons Roberts, Sam Lee, Alison Brackenbury.
01 Jun 2025,41 mins
Peter Mackay, Tishani Doshi, Scanner, Lorna Goodison
Ian McMillan's guests include Scottish Makar Peter Mackay & Jamaican poet Lorna Goodison
25 May 2025,42 mins
Rebecca Watts, Brian Bilston, Cristina Rivera Garza, Deryn Rees-Jones
Rebecca Watts, Brian Bilston, Cristina Rivera Garza and Deryn Rees-Jones join Ian McMillan
23 Feb 2025,41 mins
Reeta Chakrabarti, Fred D'Aguiar, Ella Frears, Edward Wilson-Lee
Reeta Chakrabarti, Fred D'Aguiar, Edward Wilson-Lee and Ella Frears.
02 Feb 2025,41 mins
Joelle Taylor, Anthony Joseph, Luke Wright, Accents
Ian McMillan is joined by Joelle Taylor, Anthony Joseph, Luke Wright and Rob Drummond.
26 Jan 2025,41 mins
TS Eliot Prize Readings - highlights of a year in poetry
Highlights of the TS Eliot Prize Readings - extraordinary poetry from 2024.
19 Jan 2025,41 mins
Richard Dawkins, Gwyneth Lewis, Kate Fox, Eartoon
Ian talks to Richard Dawkins, Gwyneth Lewis & Kate Fox - and introduces a new 'eartoon'.
12 Jan 2025,41 mins
The Morecambe Poetry Festival
Pam Ayres, Raymond Antrobus and Henry Normal performing at the Morecambe Poetry Festival.
03 Jan 2025,57 mins
A special recording of The AdVerb at The Hackney Empire
Ian McMillan presents new work from six poets with music from the BBC Symphony Orchestra
27 Dec 2024,62 mins
Isy Suttie, Pascale Petit, Deryn Rees Jones, Alan Connor
Poets Pacale Petit and Deryn Rees Jones join Isy Suttie and Alan Connor for The Verb.
03 Nov 2024,42 mins
Wendy Cope, Theresa Lola , Susie Dent, Ira Lightman
The Verb - Cabaret of the spoken word with Ian McMillan.
27 Oct 2024,42 mins
Paul Farley, Malika Booker, Rob Drummond, Kate Fox
A cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance.
20 Oct 2024,42 mins
Margaret Atwood and Alice Oswald
Ian McMillan talks to Margaret Atwood and Alice Oswald about their poetry.
13 Oct 2024,42 mins
The Verb in Australia
A special edition of The Verb with Ian McMillan recorded as part of CSL in Sydney.
06 Oct 2024,51 mins
29/09/2024
Ian's guests include Toby Litt, Roger Robinson, Hannah Silva and Caleb Femi.
29 Sep 2024,42 mins
22/09/2024
Daljit Nagra, Karen McCarthy Woolf, Brian Bilston and Stagedoor Johnny.
22 Sep 2024,42 mins