HARDtalk

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The HARDtalk programme titles.

HARDtalk is a flagship BBC television programme, consisting of in-depth half-hour one-on-one interviews.

It is broadcast four days a week (Monday to Thursday) on BBC World and BBC News 24. Launched in 1997, much of its world-wide fame is due only to its global reach via BBC World. Until early 2005, the host was Tim Sebastian whose famous, and sometimes controversial, style of tough questioning brought a huge world audience to the show.

As of 2006, the show has been presented by Stephen Sackur, who was previously the BBC's correspondent in Washington and Brussels and who is an experienced interviewer who has grilled U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He is occasionally replaced by several other well-known BBC presenters such as Jon Sopel, Lyse Doucet and Noel Thompson.

HARDtalk has featured some of the best known personalities in the world, who have subjected themselves to Mr Sebastian's or Mr Sackur's grilling. Guests have included the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and popular musician Boy George.

The current HARDtalk studio

HARDtalk Extra, a variant of HARDtalk, was first aired in 2004 and is telecast on Fridays on BBC World and on weekends on BBC News 24. Entirely devoted to the world of arts and culture, with a particular attention to the world of authors, the programme is usually presented by the well-known Gavin Esler and Mishal Husain. Famous guests have included writers Paulo Coelho, Anita Desai, V.S. Naipaul, and Salman Rushdie, actress Angelina Jolie and the late actor Christopher Reeve.

Extratime is another programme from the HARDtalk team, presented by Rob Bonnet and broadcast on both BBC World and BBC News 24, featuring people from the world of sport and has to its credits several guests including professional tennis-players Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick.

There are two South-Asian versions of the above: Hardtalk India (see below) and Hardtalk Pakistan.