Review, BBC 2's weekly arts round-up, is to join Newsnight and run year-round on Friday evenings as Newsnight Review.

Mark Lawson

The first edition on February 23rd, will be presented by Mark Lawson with guest reviewers Germaine Greer, Tom Paulin and Bonnie Greer. Topics of discussion will include Gus van Sant's film "Finding Forrester" staring Sean Connery, the novel "Gabriel's Gift" by Hanif Kureishi and "Port Authority" the new play by Conor McPherson.

Newsnight Review will be on Fridays, from 11.00pm to 11.30pm, with the regular Review critics' panel reflecting on the week in the arts and casting a critical eye over the latest books, exhibitions, films, plays and openings.

Sian Kevill, Editor, Newsnight said: "I'm delighted that Newsnight has been chosen as a home for such a great trademark programme as Review. I think there are some very exciting possibilities in fusing Newsnight's journalism with arts coverage, particularly with the extra time we've been given to do this. Newsnight's remit of intelligent and insightful analysis should combine very well with Review's tradition of enjoyable cultural conversation to produce a stimulating programme."

Roly Keating, Controller of Arts Commissioning, said: "I'm delighted to be able to double the number of Review programmes with the creation of Newsnight Review - a unique collaboration between BBC Arts and BBC News. For the first time ever BBC Television will have a regular, weekly arts round-up as part of its core current affairs programming."