5 x 15 Stories; Simon Armitage, Melvyn Bragg discuss Paper Aeroplane, Wilton's Music Hall

Melvyn Bragg and Simon Armitage discuss the poet's new collection, Paper Aeroplane, an anthology detailing the past 25 years of his illustrious career. 

Armitage was born in Huddersfield, brought up in Yorkshire, and currently holds the post of Professor of Poetry at The University of Sheffield. He burst onto the poetry scene with his first full collection, Zoom!, in 1989, and since then has become a cornerstone of the contemporary British canon. Armitage’s translations of the Middle English heavyweights, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (2007) and The Death of King Arthur (2012), have firmly solidified his literary reputation. He will be bringing an exciting spoken word performance of his version of the Gawain poem to The Globe Theatre this November. Armitage has penned two novels and a memoir, All Points North, alongside his poetic accomplishments, as well writing and presenting numerous radio and television programmes. 

Paper Aeroplane will collect Armitage’s work from a career spanning a quarter of a century. The poet has handpicked the anthology to include some of his personal favourites from 1989 to 2014; poems from Kids, Travelling Songs and Seeing Stars all appear in Paper Aeroplane.

Melvyn Bragg  is an experienced interviewer, author and broadcast journalist for radio and television, most famously presenting The Southbank Show and In Our Time. He is a leading figure in arts broadcasting; editing, producing and presenting a number of acclaimed radio and television programmes. He has written screenplays, non-fiction books and novels, three of which have been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Bragg is currently president of The National Campaign for the Arts.