Stephen Sackur Hard Truth: Investigations That Shook the World - and Why They Matter Now

About

What happens when journalists challenge the most powerful people in the world? Can fearless reporting expose corruption, bring down governments and change the course of history? And in an age of disinformation, political polarisation and growing hostility towards the media, is independent journalism itself under threat?For two decades, Stephen Sackur was one of the BBC's most formidable interviewers, holding presidents, prime ministers, dissidents and dictators to account on HARDtalk. In this fascinating and thought-provoking talk, drawing on his powerful new book, Hard Truth, he turns his attention to journalism itself - and to the extraordinary reporters and investigators who have risked everything to expose corruption, challenge power and establish the facts.From Woodward and Bernstein's investigation of Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal to the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Sackur explores ten remarkable cases in which individuals showed exceptional courage in pursuit of the truth. His journey takes him from Washington to the West Bank, Moscow to Manila, examining not only what these reporters uncovered, but the personal and political price they paid. He also considers the Pentagon Papers, which exposed government deception over the Vietnam War, and the investigations into Russian corruption associated with opposition leader Alexei Navalny.But Hard Truth is also a searching examination of journalism at a moment of profound crisis. What does impartiality mean when misinformation can travel around the world in seconds? Is it enough for journalists simply to bear witness, or do they have a responsibility to challenge falsehoods and defend democratic values? In a media environment increasingly shaped by algorithms, social platforms and powerful technology companies, do journalists need to become what Sackur calls "activists for truth"?The book has attracted remarkable praise. Rory Stewart describes Sackur as "a journalist of rare courage and toughness", respected around the world for his "uncompromising and brilliant interviews". Jon Sopel calls Hard Truth "a vital book on the importance of journalism and the insidious threats to it", while the Financial Times' Gideon Rachman praises an investigation that is both "inspiring and elegiac", showing why independent journalism remains essential to democracy and human freedom. Jonathan Freedland calls it "an urgent and rousing case for truth itself".In this timely and compelling talk, Sackur draws on nearly four decades of reporting from some of the world's most turbulent regions, as well as his extraordinary encounters with political leaders on HARDtalk, to examine the changing relationship between journalism, truth and power. At a time when facts are increasingly contested, lies weaponised and public trust in traditional media is under strain, can independent journalism still hold the powerful to account? And what happens to democracy if it cannot?Stephen Sackur is one of Britain's best-known international journalists and broadcasters. He presented the BBC's flagship interview programme HARDtalk from 2005 until its final episode in March 2025, conducting in-depth interviews with many of the world's most influential and controversial political, cultural and intellectual figures. Renowned for his rigorous preparation, persistence and forensic interviewing style, he has established a reputation as one of the most respected political interviewers of his generation.Before presenting HARDtalk, he spent many years as a BBC foreign correspondent, reporting from Cairo, Jerusalem, Washington and Brussels. He covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first Gulf War, the Middle East peace process, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the Clinton impeachment and the attacks of 11 September 2001. In 2010 he was named International TV Personality of the Year by the Association of International Broadcasters. Following the closure of HARDtalk, he joined Times Radio in June 2025 as a regular presenter of The Times at One. His latest book, Hard Truth, was published by Headline Press in October 2026.A Q&A Session will follow.