Arena Catch up, Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel on BBC 4

Arena

Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel

The arresting sight of Sister Wendy Beckett, all teeth and glasses, burst on to our screens in the 1990s. An instant star, she travelled the world in her habit telling us the story of Christian art and painting but revealing little of her own extraordinary story. Arena goes in search of the 'real' Wendy, who, at 82, talks frankly, humorously, and profoundly about her life and spirituality for the first time.\n\nWendy's story, inseparable from that of the Gospel, is told alongside her selection of paintings by the greatest old masters, revealing the emotional insights they have given her. In this film, we hear for the first time of Wendy's personal journey to God, her insights on prayer and suffering, and her reflections on the contemporary world. Above all, she connects us to the art that has helped her to know herself and her faith.

Source: BBC 4

Most recent episodes of Arena

Arena

Kusama: Infinity

Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama’s work pushed boundaries that often alienated her from her peers and those in power in the art world. Kusama was an underdog with ...

21-09-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Buddy Holly

Documentary looking at the short but brilliant career of legendary rock'n'roll star Buddy Holly. Features interviews with contemporaries and fans including backing band The Cric ...

11-09-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Peggy Sue: Tales Of Rock And Roll

Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham, the inspiration behind Buddy Holly's famous song, is taken back by Arena to Lubbock, Texas, where she went to the same high school as Holly and where h ...

11-09-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Dylan Thomas: From Grave To Cradle

Author and broadcaster Nigel Williams examines the work and the legend of one of the most famous poets of the 20th century, Dylan Thomas.\n\nBorn in 1914, Dylan Thomas was an un ...

06-09-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Rudies Come Back: The Rise And Rise Of 2 Tone

In this Arena film from 1980, Adrian Thrills investigates 2 Tone, an exhilarating new musical blend that was taking the country by storm.\n\nOriginating in Coventry in 1979, 2 T ...

28-08-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Art And Design: The Journey

Singer and writer George Melly takes a walk from his home in north London to the Hayward Gallery, reminiscing along the way about the influence of surrealism on his early life.

17-08-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Harold Pinter - Part 2: Celebration

In part two of this film biography, Arena explores the relationship between the public and private dimensions of the famous playwright and actor's life and work; the intimacy of ...

09-08-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Harold Pinter - Part 1: The Room

Nigel Williams's two-part film biography explores Pinter's life, work, and political passions - from his East End childhood to his work as an actor, his experience of both early ...

09-08-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Tony Bennett’s New York

Once dubbed the 'king of cool', a look at the man behind the silky voice as Tony Bennett - civil rights activist, jazz enthusiast, painter and New Yorker - takes a tour around h ...

07-08-2026

BBC 4

All episodes

Arena

Kim Novak's Vertigo

An intimate portrait of a fiercely independent Hollywood star who left it all behind to live life on her own terms, revealing a haunting, resilient journey of art, identity and ...

16-07-2026

BBC 4

All episodes