The creation of Inspector Montalbano and Australia's first Big Thing

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Giuliana Pieri, an expert in Italian noir from Royal Holloway, University of London. We start with the author Andrea Camilleri on the creation of his fictional detective Inspector Montalbano in 1994, and his influence on Italian noir. Then we explore the tapes recorded in the 1950s with Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. We hear about the Chinese protests in 1989 that led up to the Tiananmen Square massacre. Plus, the launch of Ireland's first Irish language television channel in 1996. Next, when Diana Ross missed a penalty at the World Cup in 1994. Finally, we hear from the artist behind the first of Australia's 'Big Things', the giant novelty sculptures that became a national phenomenon. Contributors: Professor Giuliana Pieri - an expert in Italian noir from Royal Holloway, University of London Andrea Camilleri - Italian crime-writer (archive) Saskia Sassen - daughter of Dutch journalist Willem Sassen, who recorded interviews with Adolf Eichmann Wu'er Kaixi - Chinese student organiser of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir - first live presenter to speak on Teilifís na Gaeilge: Ireland's first television channel broadcasting exclusively in the Irish language Alan Rothenberg - former president of the US Soccer Federation Paul Kelly - Australian artist behind both the Big Scotsman and the equally iconic Big Lobster Christobel Kelly - daughter of Paul Kelly (Photo: Italian writer Andrea Camilleri, Rome, Italy, 2011. Credit: Luciano Viti/Getty Images)

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The creation of Inspector Montalbano and Australia's first Big Thing is an episode from The History Hour by BBC.

This episode is 60:47 long.

This episode was published on Jun 6, 2026.

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