Conversations

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Society & Culture
**Conversations**

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.

Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC’s most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.

Conversations Live is coming to the stage! Join Sarah Kanowski and Richard Fidler for an unmissable night of unforgettable stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprise guests. Australia’s most-loved podcast — live, up close, and in the moment. Find out more at the Conversations website.

Latest Episodes:

How brutal politics and righteous prayers toppled a Prime Minister Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

Niki Savva on the bungled coup which ousted Malcolm Turnbull and installed his surprise successor, Scott Morrison

Actor Bryan Brown’s ticket from Bankstown to Palm Beach Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

Bryan’s played more than 80 roles on stage and screen. Raised in working-class Sydney, his talent, hard work, and unmistakable presence have been his ticket to the world.

From Breaker Morant and Newsfront to Two Hands and Sweet Country, a huge number of classic Australian films feature Bryan, a testament to his talent, popularity and work ethic.

Bryan also spent a period working in America, starring most notably in Cocktail and Gorillas In The Mist, before ultimately choosing Sydney over Hollywood.

In the 1980s, working on the American-made series The Thorn Birds utterly changed Bryan’s life. He and British co-star Rachel Ward fell in love and married soon after.

Their creative partnership has been enduring and they worked on Bryan's latest film Palm Beach together, with Rachel directing and co-writing, and Bryan also co-producing.

Palm Beach was inspired by a reunion of friends in later life, and a health scare that rocked Bryan’s confidence for several years.

Further information

Bryan was awarded the Australian screen industry's top honour, winning the Longford Lyell Award at the 2018 Australian Academy Cinema Television Awards

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Tommy Caldwell: born to climb the Dawn Wall Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

Yosemite’s most punishing climb is the 3000ft sheer face of El Capitan mountain called the Dawn Wall. Tommy grew up exploring Yosemite and in 2015 he and his partner Kevin Jorgeson became the first to free-climb the wall

A heartbreaking, Machiavellian drama: what went on inside the Banking Royal Commission Aug 07, 2019

Show notes

Dan Ziffer had a front row seat for the testimony of victims, financial advisors and bankers offered up to Australia's Banking Royal Commission

Exposing the banks: the journalist who sparked a royal commission Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Adele Ferguson on the dishonest dealings of Australia's banks and financial institutions, and the damage done to customers and whistleblowers

Peter Bell and the singular quest of Kyung Ae Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

Peter's Korean birth mother spent years searching for her son in America. Then she discovered an AFL star living in Perth (R)

The Lumiere brothers, Louise Brooks, and The Humorous Rollerskater Aug 02, 2019

Show notes

Writer Dominic Smith on the glittering, perplexing history of the silent film era

When a strong man broke Aug 01, 2019

Show notes

Grant Edwards won the title of The Strongest Man in Australia for four years in a row by pulling trains, planes, trucks and ships. At work, he fought child exploitation and human trafficking. But while protecting others, Grant forgot to look after himself

The man with five lives Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

Roger Pulvers lived an adventurous life in the Soviet Union, Japan and Poland, before he chose a whole new identity in 1976

The determination of Dr Dinesh Palipana Jul 30, 2019

Show notes

A severe spinal injury could not crush Dinesh Palipana's drive to become a doctor (R)