Melvyn Bragg has been part of the mainstream arts scene for five decades now. Beginning as a novelist and screenwriter, he achieved television fame initially as presenter of the paperback review program READ ALL ABOUT IT and subsequently as presenter/producer of the long-running SOUTH BANK SHOW, a genuine attempt to create a cultural space in the ITV schedules that ran for nearly three decades and was subsequently revived on Sky Arts. Bragg has also been a frequent radio broadcaster, noted for START THE WEEK and IN OUR TIME, another worthy attempt to bring highbrow subjects to general audiences.
This lengthy profile, including extensive interviews with Bragg himself, looks at his long career. It might seem from the outside to have been a continuous run of success; but like any artist he has had his flops. He also had a turbulent personal life, especially following his first wife's suicide. Although outwardly confident on radio and television, he confesses himself to be nervous at public speaking, a condition traceable back to his childhood.
Love him or loathe him, it's undeniable that Bragg has had a considerable impact on arts broadcasting within the United Kingdom. He was once an object of satire in SPITTING IMAGE, which is testament to his success. Ever-willing to express his opinions in an articulate as well as forthright manner, he remains a highly entertaining presenter as well as a subject for this entertaining documentary.
