How to tell England’s story: James Graham, playwright
Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
BBC
4.6 • 2.5K Ratings
🗓️ 6 February 2026
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
James Graham joined Nick in the political thinking studio in late January, ahead of a this year's TV adaptation of his play Dear England.
What did Gareth Southgate get right about national identity?
What advice does the playwright have for Keir Starmer on storytelling?
And why is it important that people continue to go to the theatre?
Senior Producer: Daniel Kraemer Producer: Flora Murray Sound: Ged Sudlow and Hal Haines Editor: Giles Edwards
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.6 | American politics can sometimes feel like a different language. |
| 0:11.1 | But our podcast can help you translate. |
| 0:13.3 | Make sense of what's happening in the US, with new podcast episodes arriving throughout the week. |
| 0:18.1 | AmeriCast, listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:21.2 | Hello, welcome to political thinking. |
| 0:23.3 | What is England? What are its values? |
| 0:25.9 | What does it stand for? |
| 0:27.1 | Is it a good old-fashioned cupper, a bacon sarni? |
| 0:30.1 | The memory of Spitfires? |
| 0:31.6 | A game of cricket. |
| 0:32.9 | The king? |
| 0:34.2 | Or is it Charlie XX, X, Chicken Tika, Baccio Saka? |
| 0:38.1 | What does the flag of St George represent? |
| 0:41.7 | My guest on Political Thinking this week wrestled with those questions |
| 0:44.8 | in his hit play, Dear England, |
| 0:47.3 | inspired by the England football manager Gareth Southgate's letter to his fellow countrymen. |
| 0:52.5 | A TV version will hit our screens this summer just before the World Cup. |
| 0:57.5 | James Graham has a claim to be our national writer, having written plays and TV dramas, |
| 1:02.9 | which explore the deep divides caused by things like the minor strike and the Brexit referendum, |
| 1:08.9 | as well as charting huge moments in the country's life. |
| 1:12.4 | The collapse of the Labour government at the end of the 70s, the beginning of the end of Margaret |
... |
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