The revered 1997 TV series ‘Brass Eye’ remains a highpoint for British comedy. And ahead of a showing of ‘Oxide Ghosts’ at The Stand in Newcastle, which contains outtakes from the show, Louis Cammell caught up ‘Brass Eye’ director Michael Cumming. In …

Ann Chadwick speaks to the journalist and author, Oliver Burkeman, on the meaning of life as he brings his latest book – Meditations for Mortals – to Durham Book Festival. Writing This Column Will Change Your Life in the Guardian was ultimately more than…

As Andrew McMillan heads to Durham Book Festival, Ann Chadwick spoke to him about finding literature, happiness, and love. Can literature transform lives? “God, yeah, I think so,” Andrew McMillan says. The poet is something of a northern star for New Writ…

In 2018, controversial Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana sent a catwalk collection down the runway with the help of a fleet of miniature drones. A year later, Saudi Arabian stylist Ali Nabil Akbar presented a show in Jeddah which removed human models alt…

North-east set thriller ‘Jackdaw’ is now in cinemas, but ahead of its release Connor Lightbody caught up with its director Jamie Childs to chat about premiering the film in the region, what it’s like to transition from TV to film, and how he got Sam Fende…

On the release of his last film ‘The Old Oak’, Ken Loach talks to David Willoughby about filmmaking, politics and his admiration for the North East. Little moments can be very telling. Ken Loach is ten minutes late for our interview at the film company’s …

The Podfather and double-Taskmaster champion has been described as this generation’s Michael Parkinson, for his longform interviews that allow the seldom-offered gift of time to his showbiz guests. As part of the comedy partnership Lee & Herring in the ni…

With the cost of a night out at an all-time high, Dr Bethany Usher suggests the resurgence of a historic British popular past time – walking the city at night. It is a warm midsummer evening and we have an unexpected offer to babysit. A year ago, we may h…

War has rarely felt so up-close and personal as it does today. Footage of crumbling buildings and horizons being lit up by rocket fire has escaped the evening news and become unremarkable features of our social media feeds as they sit alongside nondescrip…

Claudia Rankine is the author of the acclaimed trilogy on race and whiteness in the US – Don’t Let Me Be Lonely, Citizen and Just Us. Her play The White Card, written before the world turned upside down in 2020, has it’s European premiere at Northern …