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Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus crime novels, has recently completed a book left unfinished by the father of the ‘tartan noir’ genre William McIlvanney who died in 2015. Ian explains how he pieced together the fragments and notes left by McIlvanney and wrote his own sections of The Dark Remains, a prequel to McIlvanney’s Laidlaw series. He also reveals that the experience of working on the novel may mean a new lease of life for Rebus.With summer music festivals linked to spikes in Covid cases and new pilot data released from the Government’s Events Research Programme, social psychologist Professor John Drury from the University of Sussex explains the risks posed by large crowds and the policy and behaviour changes he believes are needed to ensure live events can continue safely.For the first time in history, 12 violins made by the finest violin maker of all time, Antonio Stradivari, have travelled across the world to feature in a ground-breaking new album with violin player Janine Jansen. She joins Samira Ahmed to discuss the end result, as well as the film she made to accompany it. Operatic tenor Neal Cooper talks about singing both the roles of Tristan and Melot at last night’s Prom performance of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at the Royal Albert Hall, when Simon O’Neill who was cast as Tristan lost his voice after the second act.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Oliver JonesMain image: a crowd at a music festival

The murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and the subsequent police investigations threw up a lot of questions about institutional racism and corruption within the force. Another enquiry which began in 2006 was led by DCI Clive Driscoll, who decided to go right back to basics and investigate the crime anew. In a new three-part drama on ITV, Steve Coogan plays Driscoll and Hugh Quarshie plays Stephen’s father, Neville. We speak with them both about the murder, the trial, the enquiry and what a drama like this can add to our understanding of a tragedy.Conductor Charles Hazlewood created the Paraorchestra 10 years ago, and in their first year of public performances they already ticked off playing at the 2012 Paralympics closing ceremony. It’s the world’s only large-scale ensemble of professional disabled and non-disabled musicians, which tackles the traditional and not-so-traditional. Charles Hazlewood and musician Tilly Chester explain the orchestra’s past and future, and why Paraorchestra is such an important ensemble in today’s musical world.The first series of dramedy Back To Life aired a couple of years ago, to wide spread acclaim. A new series has just begun on BBC3. Conceived, written by, and starring Daisy Haggard it tells of a woman who has just come out of jail after serving an 18 year sentence for murder. She returns to live in the town where the murder happened, trying to get on with her life: reestablishing relationships, suffering the derision of neighbours and avoiding confrontation. The new series launched last night and Daisy joins us to discuss writing a very dark comedy.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Simon Richardson

Liz Carr's role in Silent Witness was a groundbreaking step in the depiction of disability in primetime TV drama. The actor, comedian and broadcaster, who has used a wheelchair since childhood, looks back at her early years, her law degree, and how that led her to life of activism for disability rights.Liz spent six years playing Clarissa Mullery in the BBC drama series, and she discusses the work she has been offered since she left, with latest projects being a major new Jack Thorne TV drama about disability rights, a new stage version of Larry Kramer's classic 1980s AIDS play The Human Heart at the National Theatre, and her first Hollywood film, Infinite, starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor.Presenter Elle Osili-Wood Producer Jerome WeatheraldMain image: Liz Carr Image credit: Charlie Carter