David Hockney

David Hockney

Author: BBC Radio 4 November 15, 2025 Duration: 15:05

David Hockney has died aged 88. This programme was broadcast in 2025.

David Hockney is arguably Britain’s most loved living artist. He's known as a colourful character, not only because of his vibrant, colour rich paintings of Californian landscapes, glittering blue pools, and thick Yorkshire woodlands, but also his own carefully curated image from the 1960s- bright blond hair and oversized thick black round glasses. He was born in Bradford in 1937, and knew by the age of 10 he wanted to be an artist. He studied at the Royal College of Art, and by his mid 20s he was key player in London’s bohemian pop-art scene. He then moved to LA in pursuit of sunshine and inspiration.

He delights in using new technology to create; from the polaroid, to the fax machine, and his iPad.

Now, more than 60 years into his career, aged 88, David Hockney is not slowing down.

His image has recently been depicted by drones in a light-show in the skies above Bradford, in a colourful tribute to the city’s most famous son.

Becky Milligan speaks to his muse, the textile designer Celia Birtwell, art historian Marco Livingstone, dancer and contemporary Wayne Sleep and art critic Waldemar Januszczak.

Production Presenter: Becky Milligan Producers: Ben Crighton, Mhairi MacKenzie and Marie Lennon Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Editor: Justine Lang Sound Editor: Gareth Jones

Archive BBC Imagine…Summer 2009: David Hockney – A Bigger Picture (Coluga Pictures) BBC The Interview: David Hockney - A Life in Art (2025) “Joie de Vivre” clip courtesy of Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (2011)


Each week, Profile from BBC Radio 4 takes a single name from the global conversation and builds a detailed portrait, moving far beyond the headlines. This isn't a simple biography or a news recap. Instead, through careful documentary storytelling and personal journal excerpts where available, the podcast constructs a nuanced examination of character and motive. You’ll hear from colleagues, critics, and sometimes the subjects themselves, piecing together what drives and defines the people shaping our world. The focus rests firmly on influence, whether in politics, the arts, science, or social movements, exploring how an individual's background and choices ripple through society and culture. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining a deeper, more textured understanding of the figures you think you know, revealing the contradictions and convictions behind the public image. It’s a thoughtful half-hour that challenges first impressions, asking what truly lies behind a name in the news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Profile
Podcast Episodes
Amy Hunt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:04
Amy Hunt, 24, was born and grew up in Newark, Nottinghamshire. In the classroom, on the sports field, playing cello or tap dancing, she excelled at whatever she did.She wasn't always a quick runner though. Her teacher, P…
Richard Osman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:41
The writer, presenter and podcaster Richard Osman has released his latest novel – We Chase Shadows, the second book in his We Solve Murders series. The release follows the success of his Thursday Murder Club novels which…
Jon Ossoff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:42
The Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff is suddenly the name on everyone's lips. With his careful oratory and intangible 'it factor' comparisons have been made with a young Barack Obama. But who is the 39-year-old from Atlanta?…
Anneliese Midgley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:39
Labour's new chief whip is a Liverpudlian with a broad cultural hinterland. Anneliese Midgley grew up in Knowsley on a housing estate. Her family struggled financially when she was growing up but their fortunes changed w…
James Purnell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:48
The New Labour old boy was at one time a front runner to lead his Party. But after a scandalous resignation from Gordon Brown’s Cabinet, it seemed his political career was over…until now. James Purnell grew up between Fr…
Gianni Infantino [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:06
The FIFA president grew up in Switzerland as part of an Italian migrant family, and fell in love with football and its administration when he was just a teenager. Having qualified as a football lawyer and making a name f…
Donna Ockenden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:40
Donna Ockenden is a senior midwife and healthcare leader who has spent more than 35 years reforming patient safety in UK maternity services. Born in South Wales, she overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty, fami…
Harry Styles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:52
The former boyband member and teen heartthrob, Harry Styles, is going into the final week of his sold-out residency at Wembley before continuing his world tour. After winning music competitions while at school in Cheshir…
Rupert Lowe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:27
Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe is the newest disruptor in right-wing politics but the path he has taken to get there is a familiar one. Born in Oxford in 1957 Lowe attended an elite all boys boarding school before studyin…
Harry Kane [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
Next week, Harry Kane will lead the England men’s squad into their first game of the 2026 World Cup.Kane has a wealth of experience behind him - he is England’s all-time record goalscorer and has also racked up an extrao…