Storyline

Arena is a British television documentary series, made and broadcast by the BBC. Voted by leading TV executives in Broadcast as one of the top 50 most influential programmes of all time, it has run since 1 October 1975 with over five hundred episodes made, directed by the likes of Martin Scorsese, Alan Yentob, Roly Keating, Frederick Baker, Volker Schlondorff and Vikram Jayanti. Arena's subjects are a roll-call of the world's best known cultural figures from the 20th and 21st centuries, from singers Bob Dylan and Amy Winehouse to academics Edward Said and Eric Hobsbawm, from writers Jean Genet and V S Naipaul to artists Francis Bacon and Louise Bourgeois. The current series editor is Anthony Wall.

First Aired

1975-10-01
Last Aired

2023-04-22
Creator
Genre

Documentary
Seasons

45
Episodes

297
Status

Returning Series
Language

English
Network

BBC Four, BBC Two

Keywords:

documentary filmmaking

Stream and watch Arena

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15

Season 16

Season 17

Season 18

Season 19

Season 20

Season 21

Season 22

Season 23

Season 24

Season 25

Season 26

Season 27

Season 28

Season 29

Season 30

Season 31

Season 32

Season 33

Season 34

Season 35

Season 36

Season 37

Season 38

Season 39

Season 40

Season 41

Season 42

Season 43

Season 44

Season 45

1. Theatre

Premiere. Ronald Eyre reviews what's going on in the theatre, Kenneth Tynan talks to Laurence Olivier ...More

Premiere. Ronald Eyre reviews what's going on in the theatre, Kenneth Tynan talks to Laurence Olivier about Lilian Baylis and The Old Vic, and a film about David Hockney's sets for The Rake's Progress.Less

1975-10-01

2. Art and Design

George Melly looks at how they sold the 70's and a report on the opening of the Space Studios.

George Melly looks at how they sold the 70's and a report on the opening of the Space Studios.Less

1975-10-08

3. Theatre

An interview with Howard Barker, author of 'Stripwell', and an extract from same; commentary by Kennet...More

An interview with Howard Barker, author of 'Stripwell', and an extract from same; commentary by Kenneth Tynan; and an investigation of 'Birds of Paradise'.Less

1975-10-15

4. Art and Design

Cartoonist Mel Caiman on the New Yorker magazine and its artists, Richard Hamilton at the Serpentine G...More

Cartoonist Mel Caiman on the New Yorker magazine and its artists, Richard Hamilton at the Serpentine Gallery, and a new documentary exhibition from Jarrow.Less

1975-10-22

5. Theatre

Peter Hall talks about the history and new South Band location of the National Theater, where he is ar...More

Peter Hall talks about the history and new South Band location of the National Theater, where he is artistic director.Less

90mins 1975-10-29

6. Art and Design

Features Observer critic William Feaver on Painting the End of the World, Bill Brandt's selection of l...More

Features Observer critic William Feaver on Painting the End of the World, Bill Brandt's selection of landscape photography at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the best of science fiction illustration.Less

90mins 1975-11-05

7. Theatre

Extract from a contemporary play and Kenneth Tynan opines.

Extract from a contemporary play and Kenneth Tynan opines.Less

90mins 1975-11-12

8. Art and Design

Shirley Conran is the guest columnist; fashion photographer Barry Lategan is filmed working; and Victo...More

Shirley Conran is the guest columnist; fashion photographer Barry Lategan is filmed working; and Victorian painter Edward Burne-Jones' London exhibition.Less

90mins 1975-11-19

9. Theatre

Deborah Norton reviews British stage events, a play extract, and Kenneth Tynan opines about the theatr...More

Deborah Norton reviews British stage events, a play extract, and Kenneth Tynan opines about the theatre.Less

90mins 1975-11-26

10. Art and Design

Guest columnist Terry Measham; a look into the work of painter and poet Charles Tomlinson.

Guest columnist Terry Measham; a look into the work of painter and poet Charles Tomlinson.Less

1975-12-03

11. Theatre

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalia Makarova rehearse for a BBC New Year Gala Performance; Kenneth Tynan d...More

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalia Makarova rehearse for a BBC New Year Gala Performance; Kenneth Tynan draws a portrait of Albert Finney.Less

1975-12-10

12. Art and Design

Filmmaker Roger Graef and journalist Simon Jenkins discuss the destruction of historical buildings, in...More

Filmmaker Roger Graef and journalist Simon Jenkins discuss the destruction of historical buildings, in light of a recent SAVE campaign report and the conclusion of the European Architectural Heritage Year.Less

1975-12-17

13. Theatre

Deborah Norton returns with reports, interviews and extracts from what is liveliest and best in the Br...More

Deborah Norton returns with reports, interviews and extracts from what is liveliest and best in the British theatrical scene.Less

1976-01-07

14. Art and Design

Less

1976-01-14

15. Theatre

Jonathan Miller introduces this week's look at what is most stimulating and enjoyable on the theatrica...More

Jonathan Miller introduces this week's look at what is most stimulating and enjoyable on the theatrical scene.Less

1976-01-21

16. Art and Design

A look at American photographer Paul Strand and recent trends in British photography.

A look at American photographer Paul Strand and recent trends in British photography.Less

1976-01-28

17. Theatre

Arena goes to Scarborough for the British premiere of a new Alan Ayckbourn play "Just Between Ourselve...More

Arena goes to Scarborough for the British premiere of a new Alan Ayckbourn play "Just Between Ourselves".Less

1976-02-04

18. Art and Design

Arena looks at aspects of community art and the work of painter Keith Grant, artist-in-residence at th...More

Arena looks at aspects of community art and the work of painter Keith Grant, artist-in-residence at the New Charing Cross Hospital.Less

1976-02-11

19. Theatre

Claire Bloom and Kenneth Tynan discuss extracts from Samuel Beckett's 'Happy Days', George Bernard Sha...More

Claire Bloom and Kenneth Tynan discuss extracts from Samuel Beckett's 'Happy Days', George Bernard Shaw's 'Too True to be Good', and Tennessee Williams' 'Sweet Bird of Youth'.Less

1976-02-18

20. Art and Design

Arena talks with Robert Janz and Dante Leonelli about incorporating time into sculpture.

Arena talks with Robert Janz and Dante Leonelli about incorporating time into sculpture.Less

1976-02-25

21. Theatre

Arena brings extracts from Paris' contemporary theatre season, including Frank Wedekind's 'Lulu' and M...More

Arena brings extracts from Paris' contemporary theatre season, including Frank Wedekind's 'Lulu' and Marguerite Duras' 'Days in the Tree', and an interview with Delphine Seyrig.Less

1976-03-03

22. Art and Design

Arena presents the work of British and American video artists.

Arena presents the work of British and American video artists.Less

1976-03-10

23. Theatre

Barbara Jefford, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Kenneth Tynan Billie Whitelaw and many of the peopl...More

Barbara Jefford, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Kenneth Tynan Billie Whitelaw and many of the people behind the scenes say goodbye to the Old Vic building.Less

1976-03-17

24. Art and Design

Liverpool poet and painter Adrian Henry visits 'The Face of Merseyside'; Boyd and Evans use photograph...More

Liverpool poet and painter Adrian Henry visits 'The Face of Merseyside'; Boyd and Evans use photographs as the basis of their explorations of everyday life.Less