Front Row

Stephen Merchant has written and directed the feature film Fighting with my Family, which tells the unlikely true story of a young British woman from Norwich who found fame on the women’s wrestling circuit in America. Merchant discusses going in at the deep end and working alongside former champion wrestler and Hollywood star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Arifa Akbar reviews new books by Leila Aboulela (Bird Summons), Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer) and 2015 Man Booker winner Marlon James (Black Leopard, Red Wolf).Theatre company Clean Break has been working with women with experience of the criminal justice system for 40 years. In their anniversary year, Front Row talks to joint artistic director Roisin McBrinn and Clean Break member Jennifer Joseph. Jennifer co-created and stars in the company’s latest show, Inside Bitch, which challenges the portrayal of women’s prisons on our screens.Presenter: Stig Abell Producer: Timothy Prosser