Sting At The BBC

As Sting celebrates his 75th birthday, he talks in depth about his youth, seeing Jimi Hendrix in his hometown of Newcastle upon Tyne, inheriting his first guitar and lots of jobs as a musician in big bands, jazz groups, musicals, on cruise ships and as a teacher. That was before he started the band Last Exit and moved to London to accept an offer of help from Stewart Copeland and the Police were launched with hard work and determination.

Sting also comments on his life-changing hit songs from the Police and his solo career, how he writes, breaking up the biggest band in the world, recording with Dire Straits in Montserrat, going solo with heroes from the jazz world, his love of risk, the Police reunion, inspirations for songs like Fields Of Gold, They Dance Alone and Shape Of My Heart, and his acting career in films like Quadrophenia and Brimstone & Treacle.

Presenters featured include Jo Whiley, Dermot O'Leary, Paul Gambaccini, Jools Holland, Matt Everitt, Richard Skinner, Simon Bates, Tim Smith, Michael Parkinson, Roger Scott, Annie Nightingale, Johnnie Walker and Steve Wright.