The Latest Podcasts from BBC Radio 4

Today in Parliament

Today in Parliament

News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament

The World Tonight

The World Tonight

In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and major breaking news from a global perspective

Analysis

Analysis

Programme examining the ideas and forces which shape public policy in Britain and abroad, presented by distinguished writers, journalists and academics.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Reflections from a faith perspective on issues and people in the news.

Front Row

Front Row

Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music

The Archers

The Archers

An intense and gripping week of events unfolds in Ambridge. Listen to all the drama here.

Six O'Clock News

Six O'Clock News

The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4

The Banksy Story

The Banksy Story

The story of Banksy's rise, the stunts, the culture and the story of how the work became so valuable.

The Artificial Human

The Artificial Human

Every day, we read something new about Artificial Intelligence - it'll take our jobs, it'll teach our kids, it knows more about us than we do ourselves... but how much of that is hype, and how much is, or will be reality? Part of our problem with AI is that it feels impenetrable and mysterious, especially when even those building it aren't entirely sure how it works. In a new series, Aleks Krotoski (The Digital Human, Radio 4) and Kevin Fong (13 Minutes to the Moon, BBC World Service) set out to 'solve' AI. Or at the very least, to answer our questions on all things artificial intelligence-related. These are the questions that really matter to us - is AI smarter than me? Could AI make me money? Will AI save my life or make me its slave? These questions predate the current frenzy created by the likes of Chat GPT, BARD and LlaMA. They've been in our collective psyche ever since the very first thinking machines. Now these fears and excitement are a reality. This series arrives at a critical moment.

Quizzes

Quizzes

Intelligent and challenging quiz games on BBC Radio 4. Featuring Round Britain Quiz, Counterpoint and Brain of Britain with Quizmasters including Paul Gambaccini, Kirsty Lang and Russell Davies.

Woman's Hour

Woman's Hour

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Start the Week

Start the Week

Weekly discussion programme, setting the cultural agenda every Monday

The Gatekeepers

The Gatekeepers

Jamie Bartlett traces the story of how and why social media companies have become the new information gatekeepers, and what the decisions they make mean for all of us. It's 20 years since Facebook launched and the social media we know today - but it all started with a crazy idea to realise a hippie dream of building a "global consciousness". The plan was to build a connected world, where everyone could access everyone and everything all the time; to overthrow the old gatekeepers and set information free. But social media didn't turn out that way. Instead of setting information free - a new digital elite conquered the world and turned themselves into the most powerful people on the planet. Now, they get to decide what billions of us see every day. They can amplify you. They can delete you. Their platforms can be used to coordinate social movements and insurrections. A content moderator thousands of miles away can change your life. What does this mean for democracy - and our shared reality? It starts in the summer of love, with a home-made book that taught the counter-culture how to build a new civilisation - and accidentally led to the creation of the first social media platform. But a momentous decision in the mid-2000s would turn social media into giant advertising companies - with dramatic ramifications for everyone. To understand how we arrived here, Jamie tracks down the author of a 1996 law which laid the groundwork for web 2.0; interviews the Twitter employees responsible for banning Donald Trump who explain the reality of 'content moderation'; and speaks to Facebook's most infamous whistle-blower in a dusty room in Oxford. He goes in search of people whose lives have been transformed by the decisions taken by these new gatekeepers: a father whose daughter's death was caused by social media, a Nobel prize winning journalist from the Philippines who decided to stand up to a dictator and the son of an Ethiopian professor determined to avenge his father's murder. Far from being over, Jamie discovers that the battle over who controls the world's information has only just begun.

Farming Today

Farming Today

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

Child

Child

In this new look at the beginnings of life we tell the story of a child from fertilisation to first birthday through the lens of society, history, and science.

Comedy of the Week

Comedy of the Week

Brighten your week with the latest BBC Radio 4 comedy.

Westminster Hour

Westminster Hour

The big political stories with lively discussion and expert comment and analysis from politicians and journalists, 10pm every Sunday on BBC Radio 4.

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

Producer and writer John Yorke has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact behind the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

The Food Programme

The Food Programme

Investigating every aspect of the food we eat

Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

The Archers Omnibus

The Archers Omnibus

The week's events in Ambridge

Broadcasting House

Broadcasting House

The Sunday morning magazine programme with a fresh approach to the news and discussion about the big stories of the week. Presented by Paddy O'Connell.

Sunday

Sunday

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

Profile

Profile

An insight into the character of an influential figure making news headlines

Loose Ends

Loose Ends

Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy

Any Questions? and Any Answers?

Any Questions? and Any Answers?

Alex Forsyth presents topical debate in which guests from politics, business, science, arts and the media answer questions from members of the public. Anita Anand presents listeners' responses to the issues raised.

From Our Own Correspondent

From Our Own Correspondent

Insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents, journalists and writers telling stories beyond the news headlines. Presented by Kate Adie.

Inheritance Tracks

Inheritance Tracks

Celebrating the music that special guests cherish and would like to bestow to future generations.

Saturday Live

Saturday Live

Radio 4's Saturday morning show brings you extraordinary stories and remarkable people.

The Week in Westminster

The Week in Westminster

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

The Kitchen Cabinet

The Kitchen Cabinet

Jay Rayner hosts a culinary panel show packed full of tasty titbits that might change the way we think about food, cooking and eating. An expert panel answers audience questions.

Money Box

Money Box

The latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.

The Covid Inquiry Podcast

The Covid Inquiry Podcast

Hywel Griffith reports from the Welsh Covid Inquiry where they've been hearing from senior civil servants and special advisers about the first few weeks of the pandemic

More or Less: Behind the Stats

More or Less: Behind the Stats

Tim Harford and the More or Less team try to make sense of the statistics which surround us. From BBC Radio 4

Yesterday in Parliament

Yesterday in Parliament

Five-minute reports on the key events in Parliament presented with insight and humour by BBC correspondents.

A Point of View

A Point of View

A weekly reflection on a topical issue.

Add to Playlist

Add to Playlist

Add to Playlist takes us on a musical journey of discovery, exploring the web of connections between tracks across the breadth of all musical styles, from pop, rock, reggae and hip-hop to classical, jazz, folk and country.

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

Download the best satirical comedy from Radio 4, every Friday. Features The News Quiz, The Now Show and Dead Ringers.

Last Word

Last Word

Radio 4's weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

Gardeners' Question Time

Gardeners' Question Time

A panel of horticultural experts answer gardening questions from a live audience. Recorded in a different location each week

AntiSocial

AntiSocial

Peace talks for the culture wars. In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.

Limelight

Limelight

The Limelight podcast - for fiction and drama serials you won't want to miss from Radio 4.

You're Dead to Me

You're Dead to Me

The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Greg Jenner brings together the best names in comedy and history to learn and laugh about the past.

Drama of the Week

Drama of the Week

Every Friday we bring you a new drama from BBC Radio 4 or Radio 3. Exercise your imagination with some of the best writers and actors on radio. Storytelling at its very best.

Seriously...

Seriously...

Seriously is home to the world’s best audio documentaries and podcast recommendations, and host Vanessa Kisuule brings you two fascinating new episodes every week.

BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.

One to One

One to One

Series of interviews in which broadcasters follow their personal passions by talking to the people whose stories interest them most

Young Again

Young Again

Kirsty Young takes her guests back to meet their younger selves and asks the question: if you knew then, what you know now... what would you tell yourself?

Ramblings

Ramblings

Clare Balding joins notable and interesting people for a walk through the countryside

In Our Time

In Our Time

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.

In Our Time: Culture

In Our Time: Culture

Popular culture, poetry, music and visual arts and the roles they play in our society.

The Today Podcast

The Today Podcast

Amol and Nick's take on the biggest stories of the week. With insights from behind the scenes at the UK's most influential radio news programme.

Sliced Bread

Sliced Bread

The series that investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread'? Science presenter Greg Foot finds out. Greg speaks to experts on a bunk-busting mission to test the latest consumer trends chosen by listeners. Do they live up to the hype? Or are they just marketing BS? Greg chats to the experts, dives into the data, performs tests and crunches the numbers before putting his findings back to the listener so they can decide if it’s worth spending their hard earned money on. If you have a suggestion for a product to investigate, you can email the team on sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or send a WhatsApp voice note via the number 07543 306807. Sliced Bread is produced by BBC Audio North for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

The Skewer

The Skewer

A twisted comedy treat. Jon Holmes brings you the week's biggest stories like you've never heard them before. The news remixed. Welcome to The Skewer. Headphones on. The multi-award winning, 'dizzying, dazzling, haunting and moving' satirical comedy returns to twist itself into these turbulent times. With contributions from brand new and diverse audio talent, The Skewer is the sound the abyss makes as it stares back at you through your ears. 'A kind of concept album made of music and news. There's simply nothing else like it.' AWARDS New York Festival 2020 Audio Production Awards 2020 British Podcast Awards 2020 Audio Production Awards 2019 (Sound Design) Audio Production Awards 2020 An Unusual production for BBC Radio 4 To find out more about contributing to The Skewer, read the Unusual Productions: Skewer Contributor Guide here - https://weareunusual.net/skewer-contributor-guide

The Media Show

The Media Show

Social media, anti-social media, breaking news, faking news: this is the programme about a revolution in media.

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

Lucy and a crack team of female detectives investigate the crimes of women from the 19th and 20th Century from a contemporary, feminist perspective.

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

If time is tight, what's the one thing that you should be doing to improve your health and wellbeing? Michael Mosley reveals surprisingly simple top tips that are scientifically proven to change your life.

The Infinite Monkey Cage

The Infinite Monkey Cage

Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists' eyes.

Things Fell Apart

Things Fell Apart

If you've ever yelled at someone on social media about, say, cancel culture or mask-wearing, then you are a soldier in the culture wars - those everyday battles for dominance between conflicting values. In Jon Ronson’s award winning first series of Things Fell Apart, he explored the origin stories of these culture wars which have divided us so toxically for decades. But now new battle lines have been drawn. Many of them are linked by one extraordinary thing: they all snowballed within days of each other, just weeks into lockdown. And so in Season Two of Things Fell Apart, Jon Ronson uncovers intriguing and wholly unexpected origin stories, but this time of the culture wars that ignited during lockdown, and now dominate society.

Sideways

Sideways

Best-selling author Matthew Syed explores the ideas that shape our lives with stories of seeing the world differently.

All in the Mind

All in the Mind

The show on how we think, feel and behave. Claudia Hammond delves into the evidence on mental health, psychology and neuroscience.

In Touch

In Touch

News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted

File on 4

File on 4

Award-winning current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad

When It Hits the Fan

When It Hits the Fan

Inside the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as David Yelland and Simon Lewis watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold. In each episode our hosts go behind the scenes of the latest news stories and find out how, where and when it all began to hit the fan. When It Hits The Fan is hosted by two of the most influential and experienced people in the game; David Yelland is the former editor of the Sun and alongside him is Simon Lewis, former trouble-shooter for the Queen and Gordon Brown, as well as for major corporations like the Nat West, Vodafone and British Gas. Together they bring decades of experience in both creating and managing crises. They'll share all they know about what's keeping those big stories in and out of the news.

Law in Action

Law in Action

Joshua Rozenberg presents Radio 4's long-running legal magazine programme, featuring reports and discussion on matters relating to law

Books and Authors

Books and Authors

This podcast features Open Book and A Good Read. Open Book talks to authors about their work. In A Good Read Harriett Gilbert discusses favourite books.

The Life Scientific

The Life Scientific

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future

A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand

A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken investigate the science of exercise and the dangers of inactivity. Is modern exercise a wellness cult? Or is it a vital cure for a world that's struggling with ill health and stuck on the sofa? Most of us might like to get a bit fitter, but how easy is it to actually start exercising and give up sedentary habits? In this series Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken examine exercise and how best to do it. How much should we be doing? How does it help our bodies? And how does our surrounding environment stand in the way of us getting fitter? Chris is challenged to examine his scepticism towards exercise. Similarly, Xand is asked to look at his new-found exercise evangelism and see what he is really running from. Recently Xand has discovered the joys of physical activity. He's running, cycling, heading to the gym and playing ping pong like never before. It's been a real transformation and a way to keep on top of things after years of unhealthy living. His twin brother Chris, on the other hand, is really feeling the aches and pains of middle age. With a busy job and a young family, he has precious little spare time for exercise. After a very active period in his 20s and 30s, Chris is now embracing his 'Dad bod' and sliding into a creaky middle age. Xand wants to help him turn things around. Can he do it?

Three Million

Three Million

"The best history podcast I've heard in years." - The Sunday Times "Three million is great radio... and needs to be heard." - The Observer. During the Second World War, at least three million Indian people, who were British subjects, died in the Bengal Famine. It was one of the largest losses of civilian life on the Allied side. But there is no memorial to them anywhere in the world - not even a plaque. Can three million people disappear from public memory? From the award-winning creator and presenter of Partition Voices and Three Pounds in My Pocket, this is the story of the 1943 Bengal Famine in British India - the forgotten story of World War Two. For the first time it is told by those who were there - farmers and fishermen, artists and writers, colonial British and everyday citizens. Nearly all of the testimony in the series has never been broadcast before. Eighty years on, those who lived through it are a vanishing generation. Time is running out to record their memories.

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Evan Davis hosts the business conversation show with insights from the people at the top.

Moral Maze

Moral Maze

Combative, provocative and engaging live debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories. #moralmaze

Best of Today

Best of Today

Insight, analysis and expert debate as key policy makers are challenged on the latest news stories.

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.

Jokes

Jokes

The biggest laughs, the freshest faces. Discover your new favourite comedy with box sets from the hottest names in comedy.

The Briefing Room

The Briefing Room

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

The Long View

The Long View

Jonathan Freedland presents the series in which stories from the past are compared with current events.

Bookclub

Bookclub

Led by James Naughtie, a group of readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels

Rare Earth

Rare Earth

Tom Heap and Helen Czerski tackle a major story about our environment, work out how we got here and meet the brave, clever people with fresh ideas to help us - and nature - thrive. They won’t shy away from the big stuff - temperatures rising while wildlife declines - but this won’t be a weekly dose of doom-laden predictions and tortured hand-wringing. Rare Earth is here to celebrate the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderful.

Why Do You Hate Me?

Why Do You Hate Me?

The online world can be a breeding ground for hate. But why do some people behave the way they do on social media? In each episode, the BBC's Disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring - one of the most trolled BBC journalists - dives into her inbox and investigates a different extraordinary case of online hate to find out. She meets the people at the heart of these conflicts, and in some cases brings them together, to see if understanding - even forgiveness - is ever possible.

Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth

Series exploring the world of words and the ways in which we use them

Now You're Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn

Now You're Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn

Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn want to solve your problems. Or try, at the very least. Join Marian and Tara as they dig into their own life experience to find advice for all of us. Marian Keyes is a multi award-winning writer, with a total of over 30 million of her books sold to date in 33 languages. Her close friend Tara Flynn is an actress, comedian, and writer. Together, these two friends have been through a lot, and now want to use their own life experience to help solve your biggest - and smallest - problems. From dilemmas about life, love and grief, to the perils of laundry or knowing what to say at a boring dinner, we'll find out what Marian and Tara would recommend...which might not solve the problem exactly, but will make us all feel a bit better. Got a problem you want Marian and Tara to solve? Email marianandtara@bbc.co.uk. Now You're Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn is produced by Steve Doherty. It is a Giddy Goat Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

The Digital Human

The Digital Human

Aleks Krotoski explores the digital world

Thinking Allowed

Thinking Allowed

New research on how society works

Uncanny

Uncanny

From ghostly phantoms to UFOs, The Battersea Poltergeist's Danny Robins investigates real-life stories of paranormal encounters. Written and presented by Danny Robins Editor and Sound Designer: Charlie Brandon-King Music: Evelyn Sykes Theme Music by Lanterns on the Lake Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard A Bafflegab and Uncanny Media production for BBC Radio 4

Inside Health

Inside Health

Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice.

Short Cuts

Short Cuts

Short documentaries and adventures in sound presented by Josie Long.

This Cultural Life

This Cultural Life

In-depth conversations with some of the world's leading artists and creatives across theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film and more. Hosted by John Wilson.

Open Country

Open Country

Countryside magazine featuring the people and wildlife that shape the landscape of the British Isles

Short Story

Short Story

Brand new stories, from today’s best writers written exclusively for Radio 4 – the home of the Short Story Radio 4 is the world’s leading commissioner of new short stories. Expect excellent writing from the hottest names offering compelling snapshots of the way we live now, produced by the experts behind the BBC National Short Story Award and other in-house readings teams.

In Our Time: Philosophy

In Our Time: Philosophy

From Altruism to Wittgenstein, philosophers, theories and key themes.

The Gift

The Gift

Without us realising, an enormous DNA database has been created online. It holds the secrets of your true identity and promises to reveal untold family connections. But what happens when online ancestry tests reveal more than you had bargained for? Across six episodes, Jenny Kleeman meets the men and women whose lives changed forever after they opened a box that contained a DNA test. Exposing scandals, upending identities, solving mysteries and delivering life-changing news - Jenny investigates what happens when genealogy, technology and identity collide.

Screenshot

Screenshot

Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode guide us through the expanding universe of the moving image revealing fascinating links and hidden gems from cinema and TV to streaming and beyond.

Offstage: Inside The X Factor

Offstage: Inside The X Factor

The fame, fortune and fallout - Chi Chi Izundu looks back at one of Britain's biggest TV shows. The X Factor promised to turn ordinary people into superstars, but at what cost? Inside The X Factor captures the emotion, the excitement and the drama of the show and features some of the captivating characters that led to its enduring success. But it also looks beyond the glitz and glamour revealing how contestants felt, the toll it took on some of them and what really happened behind the scenes.

Crossing Continents

Crossing Continents

Series focusing on foreign affairs issues

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world

Great Lives

Great Lives

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

Costing the Earth

Costing the Earth

Fresh ideas from the sharpest minds working toward a cleaner, greener planet

The Reith Lectures

The Reith Lectures

In this year's lectures, Professor Ben Ansell asks how we can make politics work for all of us as we face the challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to AI.

In Our Time: Religion

In Our Time: Religion

Discussion of religious movements and the theories and individuals behind them.

This Thing of Darkness

This Thing of Darkness

Award-winning drama exploring the psychological impact of murder. Inspired by a real forensic psychologist and her work in secure prisons.

Understand

Understand

A simple guide to the US 2024 election.

Your Place or Mine with Shaun Keaveny

Your Place or Mine with Shaun Keaveny

Shaun Keaveny presents the travel series that isn’t going anywhere. Not until we’re convinced these destinations are worth getting off the sofa for.

Life Changing

Life Changing

In this series Dr Sian Williams talks to people who have lived through extraordinary events that have set their lives on an entirely different course. This podcast is all about the human experience, how people deal with obstacles that turn their lives upside down. The journeys are not always straightforward and there are often some remarkable discoveries along the way. Would you like to appear on the podcast? Do you have an extraordinary story to tell? We'd love to hear from you: lifechanging@bbc.co.uk

Feedback

Feedback

Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations

Intrigue

Intrigue

Million Dollar Lover is an unlikely love story, recorded in real time as the relationship unfolds between a wealthy widow, Carolyn, who is 80 and Dave, 57, a former drug addict who is homeless and has a long criminal history. The story captured the attention of the BBC Journalist Sue Mitchell as it was unfolding on her street. She spends a lot of time in California, she married an American and her award-winning journalism has been about the lives of people like Dave who inhabit the dangerous margins of society. There are so many homeless people in America that the wealthy can no longer avoid contact with them. When Dave arrives in Cayucos, a charming beach town, prosperous and sunny all year round, he goes to church. People there help him find work, recommending him to Carolyn as an odd job man. She falls in love with him and within a fortnight, he's moved in. Dave is a skilled joiner and musician who makes and sells jewellery. With Carolyn’s support, he appears to be thriving. Her daughters fear that he has his sights set on the valuable property portfolio which their parents and grandparents built up over the years and turn to the police for help. Soon everyone is asking whether Dave is really a tender carer or a dangerous interloper who will fleece her – breaking her heart and her family? New episodes will be released on Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts. If you’re in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Intrigue first on BBC Sounds. https://bbc.in/3WEQS5W Million Dollar Lover is produced at BBC Audio by the team behind The Boy in the Woods and is presented by Sue Mitchell. The series is scripted by Winifred Robinson; the producers are Sue Mitchell and Joel Moors; the dramaturg is Flo Dessau and sound design is by Tom Brignell.

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics

Natalie Haynes takes a fresh look at the ancient world, creating stand-up routines about figures from ancient Greece and Rome.

Mythical Creatures

Mythical Creatures

Fantasy writer Rhianna Pratchett takes us across an enchanted British Isles to discover mythical creatures that lurk in all corners of the land. She uncovers what they can tell us about our history, our world and our lives today.

Fed with Chris van Tulleken

Fed with Chris van Tulleken

Fed with Chris van Tulleken is a new food podcast, investigating the entangled web of forces that shape what ends up on our plates. In the first series, Planet Chicken, Chris digs into the story of one of the most widely eaten meats on earth - to try to get to the truth of why we eat so much of it, and what that means for the birds, for us, and for the planet. If there's one thing Chris knows, it's what he should and shouldn't be eating. He's across the dangers of ultra-processed foods: those nutritionally empty snacks that fill our supermarket shelves and entrance our kids. And at the same time, he's confident he knows what we should be eating: good, old fashioned whole food - recognisable ingredients, no mysterious additives, no harmful rubbish. Something like a nice wholesome roast chicken, perhaps? In fact, in the van Tulleken household that's a family favourite. But recently, Chris has been getting asked more questions - by neighbours, people on the street, even government ministers: and he's realised there's a massive gap in his food knowledge. Sure, he knows what happens in our bodies once that delicious gravy-drenched chicken dinner passes our lips: but what about everything that comes before that? Where it's from, how it was reared, how it was processed? Can he say what toll the process of getting that chicken from farm to plate might've have taken on the animal, the environment, the nutritional content? Because in a world where so much food comes via an industrialised, globalised food system; where we're subtly influenced at every turn by advertising and price tags; and where ALL food choices ultimately come with a cost of some sort - how much do any of us really know or want to know about the consequences of our dinner?

Yeti

Yeti

Tales of a bipedal ape-like creature persist in the myth and legend of the Himalayas. But does the yeti really exist? Two enthusiasts are determined to find out. Andrew Benfield and Richard Horsey travel through India, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan in search of stories of yeti sightings and encounters. Over 10 episodes, they hear from villagers, yak herders, sherpas and mountaineers, who give surprisingly consistent descriptions of a mysterious, large, hairy creature. This series takes us on a journey deep into Himalayan culture as the presenters grapple with their own inner demons to try to make sense of the yeti myth.

In Our Time: History

In Our Time: History

Historical themes, events and key individuals from Akhenaten to Xenophon.

Doctor, Doctor

Doctor, Doctor

We may think we know what a doctor does, but do we really understand what the job entails? Join Dr Phil Hammond as he discovers what drives those who spend their lives saving ours.

Best Medicine

Best Medicine

Award-winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean is joined by funny and fascinating comedians, doctors, scientists, and historians to celebrate medicine's inspiring past, present and future. In each programme, Kiri challenges her guests to make a case for what they think is 'the best medicine', and each of them champions anything from world-changing science to an obscure invention, an every-day treatment, an uplifting worldview, an unsung hero or a futuristic cure. Whether it's micro-robotic surgery, virtual reality syringes, Victorian clockwork surgical saws, more than a few ingenious cures for cancer, world-first lifesaving heart operations, epidurals, therapy, dancing, faith or laughter - it's always something worth celebrating.

The Planet Earth Podcast

The Planet Earth Podcast

Exclusive insights, untold stories and emotional memories from the acclaimed natural history storytellers that brought us the Planet Earth series and Sir David Attenborough himself

Legend

Legend

Joni Mitchell's songs have soundtracked our lives and her pioneering work changed music forever. Jesca Hoop explores her extraordinary story to reveal the life behind the legend.

How to Invent a Country

How to Invent a Country

When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on the borders, the stories and the people of countries worldwide.

Lights Out

Lights Out

Documentary adventures that encourage you to take a closer listen.

Fairy Meadow

Fairy Meadow

In 1970, three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer was taken from an Australian beach. No-one knows what happened. Fifty years on - can the mystery be solved?

The Great Post Office Trial

The Great Post Office Trial

An investigation of the largest miscarriage of justice in UK legal history. It's the story of how the Post Office systematically persecuted honest people, and how a small band of victims fought back in the face of impossible odds.

Soul Music

Soul Music

Series about pieces of music with a powerful emotional impact

Being Roman with Mary Beard

Being Roman with Mary Beard

Beneath the starched togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. Mary Beard uncovers six fascinating stories from the Empire.

In Our Time: Science

In Our Time: Science

Scientific principles, theory, and the role of key figures in the advancement of science.

The Cows Are Mad

The Cows Are Mad

The Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the weirdest things any of us has lived through. But there was another sickness that once stalked the nation and turned things very strange for a while. In the 1990s Britain was hit by an epidemic of a fatal neurological disease in cows that also killed 178 humans. Science was split between government assurances of safety and dissidents warning of disaster. Trust in officials took a battering. Facts became blurred. And the grisly truth about our global industrialised meat industry was revealed. 30 years on, scientists and activists are still searching for answers to two big questions - where did mad cow disease originally come from and how did humans get infected? This crazy tale of cannibal cows, competing origin theories, and scientific dead ends lives on as the madness continues to spread.

The Lovecraft Investigations

The Lovecraft Investigations

An investigation into witchcraft, the occult and secret government operations. From H.P. Lovecraft.

The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry

The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry

Science sleuths Dr Adam Rutherford and Dr Hannah Fry investigate everyday mysteries sent by listeners.

Uncharted with Hannah Fry

Uncharted with Hannah Fry

Behind every line on a graph, there lies an extraordinary human story. Mathematician Hannah Fry is here to tell us ten of them. Uncharted with Hannah Fry will lead us through ten captivating mysteries to reveal the power of numbers behind each one. Along the way we discover the remarkable people who followed the data and unearthed something extraordinary.

Naturebang

Naturebang

Becky Ripley and Emily Knight make sense of what it means to be human by looking to the natural world... Science meets storytelling with a philosophical twist.

All Consuming

All Consuming

Charlotte Stavrou and Amit Katwala explore our culture of consumption through products that have changed the world. They unravel the mysteries of marketing and the formidable forces that drive purchasing habits. From toilet paper to funerals, perfume to package holidays they'll be combing the past to see how landmark innovations have shifted the course of history. And asking what happens next?

BBC National Short Story Award

BBC National Short Story Award

Stories shortlisted for the National Short Story Award

Best Men

Best Men

Jason Manford and Steve Edge’s new podcast all about one of the most important jobs a bloke can face in his lifetime. And like all good best man speeches, it’s full of laughs and heart.

Walt Disney: A Life in Films

Walt Disney: A Life in Films

Mel Giedroyc steps into the magical world of Walt Disney, exploring his extraordinary life through the stories of ten of the much mythologised genius's best-loved works.

Call Jonathan Pie

Call Jonathan Pie

Political journalist Jonathan Pie gets a radio phone-in show and as his personal and professional worlds collide we see why he's so incredibly angry about absolutely everything.

Marianna in Conspiracyland

Marianna in Conspiracyland

What happened to the people who fell down the rabbit hole into a world of conspiracy theories during the pandemic?

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Clinton Years (1997-2000)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Clinton Years (1997-2000)

Bill Clinton’s second term was dominated at home by the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the attempt to impeach him, but there were major events abroad with the al-Qaeda attack on US embassies in east Africa and the war in Kosovo. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

History's Secret Heroes

History's Secret Heroes

Helena Bonham Carter shines light on extraordinary stories from World War Two.

Welcome to the Neighbourhood with Jayde Adams

Welcome to the Neighbourhood with Jayde Adams

Jayde Adams and guests dive into the feisty world of community apps and messageboards, sifting through the angry neighbourhood bins to find disgruntled comedy gold.

Fever: The Hunt for Covid's Origin

Fever: The Hunt for Covid's Origin

Cover-ups, coincidences, and conspiracy theories: where did Covid come from? John Sudworth was the BBC's China correspondent when an unexplained pneumonia started worrying Wuhan doctors in December 2019. Since then, he's been investigating the origin of the virus that would turn into a devastating global pandemic. From the beginning, there have been claims of certainty. Many scientists say the virus that causes Covid came from nature - probably carried from bats to other animals, and then to humans in a Wuhan market. But an alternative possibility - that it leaked from a laboratory - has refused to go away. And other scientists claim there's uncertainty. For them, the mystery of Covid's origin remains unsolved. So, where did Covid come from? For every one of the millions of lives lost, for every long sufferer, for the pain, the isolation, and the incalculable economic cost, the answer matters. It might also help us prevent another - maybe even worse - pandemic. But it's a debate that's become politicised, toxic, and a bit crazy. Presenter: John Sudworth Series Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Richard Vadon Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

Frontlines of Journalism

Frontlines of Journalism

Reflecting on some of the most difficult stories he's reported on, BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen look at the obstacles that stand between journalists and the truth.

Putin

Putin

To understand what Vladimir Putin might do in the future, you need to understand his past; where he's come from, what he's lived through, what he's done. Jonny Dymond tells the extraordinary and revealing story of Vladimir Putin's life with the help of guests who have watched, studied and dealt with the Russian president.

Brexit: A Guide for the Perplexed

Brexit: A Guide for the Perplexed

As the UK prepares to begin leaving the EU, what are the key deals to be done? Chris Morris cuts through the jargon to discover how everyone's lives could change.

Bang On It

Bang On It

In this chatty new podcast, comedians Michelle De Swarte and Laura Smyth review their weeks and share what they’re obsessed with, and whether it’s worth your time. Will having cold showers every morning make you a better person? (No, they will make you cold.) Are first class train tickets worth the extra £200 quid? (Sometimes.) Is it possible to upload a selfie to Instagram without looking like a d&*k? (Probably not but won’t stop us trying.) We’re going low brow, we’re going high brow. We’re doing the hard yards so you don’t have to. Producer: Pete Strauss Exec Producer: Rich Morris Production Co-Ordinator: Katie Baum Editor: Calum Sample A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4

Boris

Boris

Adam Fleming explores the life and career of Boris Johnson with people who've known, watched, worked or dealt with him - from boy to man to prime minister.

Rylan: How to Be a Man

Rylan: How to Be a Man

Rylan Clark opens up the fault lines of masculinity at a time when many are struggling to define what it means to be a man in the 2020s - it's never been a more confusing time for the male of the species. Rylan talks to a range of celebrities and prominent figures to gain insights into their unique perspectives. Rylan: How to Be a Man explores toxic masculinity, old-fashioned male stereotypes, gender identity, body image, role models, cultural differences, parenthood and how we educate the next generation. Rylan's unique take makes for lively, revealing and sometimes shocking conversations.

Witch

Witch

The witch has held a place firmly in our imagination for centuries - from whispered warnings in folklore to pop-culture driven heights. But what does it mean to be a witch now? Presenter India Rakusen, creator of the podcast 28ish Days Later, is on a journey to find out.

The New Gurus

The New Gurus

Everywhere you look on the internet, people are giving - and receiving - advice. Advice that promises to transform our lives. How to eat. How to think. How to get rich. How to manage our time. Across 8 episodes, Helen Lewis travels through the strange, powerful and sometimes hidden digital spaces created by these new gurus. Where did they come from? How much power do these charismatic individuals wield? And why are so many of us turning away from the mainstream - mainstream medicine, mainstream politics and the mainstream media - and embracing the power of charismatic individuals instead?

Princess

Princess

Anita Anand and her guests explore princesses - delving into their favourite fictional, or historical, princess. From She Ra to Mesopatamian high priestess Enheduanna we get into what it means to be a princess.

A Very British Cult

A Very British Cult

The sinister life coaching company that takes over your life. Catrin Nye investigates. In early 2019 Jeffrey Leigh-Jones from Portsmouth got a life coach. Someone to mentor him in life and help him realise his business ambitions. Two years later, Jeff had sold his house, his relationship was in pieces, and he had handed over tens of thousands of pounds. And he wasn't the only one. In this eighteen-month investigation for the BBC, journalist Catrin Nye and her team expose control, intimidation and fear at a mysterious life coaching company taking over people's lives and ripping families apart. As the investigation hots up, the group fights back, and there's a surreal final showdown.

Disaster Trolls

Disaster Trolls

What happens when tragedy makes you a target? Why would anybody accuse terrorism survivors of being liars and "crisis actors"? The BBC's disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring investigates how people caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing and other UK terror attacks, are targeted with extreme conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Some are even hunted down offline. It's a phenomenon we might usually associate with the US, and the billion dollar damages ruling against Alex Jones for claiming the Sandy Hook school shootings were faked. But Marianna uncovers shocking evidence that British trolls are also blighting the lives of people right here in the UK, who now want answers and justice.

The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed

The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage is a former probation officer, DJ and poet celebrated for his witty and profound take on modern life. He writes in the shed in his garden, and in this podcast he invites guests to join him to talk about poetry, creativity, music, art, sheds, sherry and the countryside.

Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On

Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On

"Essential listening..." Why the US and UK went to war in Iraq and its legacy. Gordon Corera investigates. Twenty years ago a US-led coalition invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The UK was America's main partner. For many it remains a war based on a lie. So why did it happen? Why was Washington so fixed on regime change in Iraq? And why did the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, commit the UK to taking part? The BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera seeks to find new answers to why the war happened and what it meant. Gordon speaks to those at the centre of the story, including some of the decision-makers and those living with the consequences. Tony Blair explains his thinking and why he promised to support George Bush. Sir Richard Dearlove, who was head of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service (also known as Mi6) at the time, defends the role of the intelligence services. The series also hears from the CIA's head of the Iraqi Operations Group, from weapons inspectors who were under pressure to find Saddam's WMD, and from Washington insiders. Gordon also speaks to Iraqis who experienced the "shock and awe" bombing campaign, the post-war instability and the arrival of ISIS. The series takes a fresh look at what really happened, revealing new information about the decision-making and the failures. And twenty years on, he explores some of the (ongoing) legacies of the invasion.

Breaking Mississippi

Breaking Mississippi

This is the explosive inside story of James Meredith's battle to smash the system of white supremacy in the most racially segregated state in 1960s America. By becoming the first black person to apply to the all-white university of Mississippi - Meredith will draw in the KKK and JFK - and trigger the largest number of troops ever deployed for a single disturbance on US soil. Across 10 episodes and with US public radio journalist Jenn White as our guide - James Meredith takes us from his childhood in rural Mississippi where racism runs deep - to a pivotal flashpoint in US civil rights history that will be described as the last battle of the American Civil War. This could be our last opportunity to hear James Meredith tell this story in his own words and in a way that's never been heard before.

Gaslight

Gaslight

Atmospheric drama from BBC Radio 4 with bonus scenes for BBC Sounds, featuring original music by Imelda May. Have you ever wondered where the term 'gaslighting' comes from? Find out in this dark reimagining of the classic 1938 stage thriller by Patrick Hamilton. Jonathan Holloway's modern adaptation is set in the present, with a deliciously vintage feel. Directed by Johnny Vegas, it stars James Purefoy, Rebecca Night, Lacey Turner and Cathy Tyson.

Nazis: The Road to Power

Nazis: The Road to Power

The story of how in just 13 years, Hitler led a fringe sect with less than a hundred members and outlandish ideas to be the dominant force in German politics.

Four Thought

Four Thought

Series of thought-provoking talks in which the speakers air their thinking on the trends, ideas, interests and passions that affect culture and society

The Flipside with Paris Lees

The Flipside with Paris Lees

Hosted by Paris Lees, this science and storytelling podcast hears two stories from opposite sides of the coin and uses science to ask questions about elements of the human experience we take for granted. From why we forgive or why we devote ourselves to a cause, to what makes someone family and what a new language can reveal about ourselves. With international stories explored through social science, Paris Lees reflects on what makes us human.

The Witch Farm

The Witch Farm

It's 1989, rural Wales, a lonely old farmhouse in the shadow of the imposing Brecon Beacons mountains. Young, pregnant Liz Rich and her artist husband Bill rent an isolated farmhouse in the Welsh countryside, with Bill's teenage son Laurence. They're hoping for a fresh start, but the house holds dark secrets, and the family's new life becomes a terrifying ordeal that will change them forever. Their dream home has become a haunted nightmare - but what is real and what is in their minds? Written and presented by Danny Robins, creator of The Battersea Poltergeist, Uncanny and West End hit 2:22 - A Ghost Story, The Witch Farm stars Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid's Tale) and Alexandra Roach (No Offence), with original theme music by Mercury Prize-nominated Gwenno. This 8-part series interweaves a terrifying supernatural thriller set in the wild Welsh countryside with a fascinating modern-day investigation into the real-life mystery behind what has been called Britain's most haunted house.

Amol Rajan Interviews...

Amol Rajan Interviews...

Amol Rajan interviews the era-defining pioneers, leaders and maverick thinkers who are shaping our rapidly changing 21st-century world.

Nuremberg: The Trial of the Nazi War Criminals

Nuremberg: The Trial of the Nazi War Criminals

The story of the trial of the most notorious Nazi war criminals through dramatic reconstruction, telling it from ground-level up, through the eyes of a Russian interpreter, the American prison psychologist, a French reporter, the British Court Liaison Officer and others from the thousands of individuals tasked with fighting 'the last battle of WWII'. Starring Natalie Dormer, Freddie Fox, Kate Phillips, Alex Kingston, Ed Stoppard and Henry Goodman.

Oti Mabuse's Dancing Legends

Oti Mabuse's Dancing Legends

Professional dancer Oti Mabuse explores the extraordinary people who have changed the course of dance.

Buried

Buried

A trucker's deathbed tape plays out. It's urgent, desperate. "All you have to do... is dig it up." And so begins a deep-dive into one of the worst environment crimes in UK history: the secret dumping of a million tonnes of waste near a city. But when investigative journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor uncover missing documents, fears of toxicity and allegations of organised crime, they realise they've stumbled into something much bigger. As they pick at the threads of one crime, they begin to see others. Could Britain be the home of a new mafia, getting rich on our waste? In this thrilling series, a husband-and-wife duo dive into a criminal underworld, all the time following clues left in a deathbed tape. They're driven by one question: what did the man in the tape know?

Wireless Nights

Wireless Nights

Jarvis Cocker explores the human condition after dark, with stories of night people

Room 5

Room 5

What happens when a diagnosis changes everything? One afternoon, Helena Merriman walked into a doctor's surgery and was given a shock diagnosis. In this series, she interviews people who – like her-were changed by a diagnosis. Told through an immersive sound design, this intimate series shines a light on misunderstood conditions, asking how we cope when our bodies and our minds no longer behave as we want them to.

Dead Competitive

Dead Competitive

Comedian Kerry Godliman takes a journey into the world of dog shows, on the hunt for answers, after the death of an Irish setter in 2015. It’s a playful investigative podcast, which follows all leads into the wondrous world of dog showing, while trying to make sense of the death of a beloved pet.

The Untold

The Untold

A series documenting the untold dramas of 21st-century Britain.

Please Protect Abraham

Please Protect Abraham

In Hackney, 2007, 15-year-old Abraham saves a stranger from a brutal attack. That split-second decision and act of astonishing bravery changes his life forever. Journalist Sam Holder has been following Abraham's story for years. Together with Abraham's friends and family, they retrace how this young boy finds himself in fear of his own life. This multi-award-winning series explores the protections in place for witnesses of violent crimes, the obligations for witnesses to give evidence in court, and what can be done if someone feels their life is at risk.

Why Do We Do That?

Why Do We Do That?

Why Do We Do That? An anthropologist's guide to the modern world. There are lots of everyday things which, when you think about them, are pretty weird. Like kissing, doomscrolling and sitting down to go to the loo. Social media may tell you to blame the latest influencer who went viral. Your therapist might tell you to blame your parents. But palaeoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi is here to tell you to blame your great, great, great, great, great, etc. grandparents. For some stuff at least. In this series, Ella is joined by some wonderful guests to dive into the cultural, historical and evolutionary story of everyday human habits and behaviour. Photo: Sarah Cresswell / The Times / News Licensing

One Dish

One Dish

What's the one dish that holds a special place in your heart? Andi Oliver and her special guests are on a quest to discover the stories and science behind our favourite foods. From jollof rice to rice pudding, they'll unpack its secrets, from its earliest history to the chemical reactions that make it taste so good. With psychologist and nutritionist Kimberley Wilson popping in to give some scientific insight, Andi and her guest will share stories and food memories - and, of course, they'll tuck into the dish itself. All before leaving you with some top tips to perfect your own version.

The Coming Storm

The Coming Storm

QAnon and the plot to break reality. A year on from the Capitol Insurrection in Washington DC on 6 January 2021, Gabriel Gatehouse journeys into the dark undergrowth of modern America. He's looking for the origins of the story that drove the crowds to storm the heart of US democracy. From conspiracy-soaked barrooms in 1990s Arkansas, via spies in hotel rooms in the shadow of the Kremlin, to anarchic chatrooms on the early internet, this is a search for the answer to one big question: did this just happen, or is somebody trying to break reality?

Fortunately... with Fi and Jane

Fortunately... with Fi and Jane

A frank look behind the scenes with broadcasters Jane Garvey and Fi Glover as guests from Radio, TV and podcasting share stories they probably shouldn't. Released every Friday.

Elon Musk vs Twitter

Elon Musk vs Twitter

What happened when Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, tried to buy Twitter? Comedian Bec Hill finds out.

The Battersea Poltergeist

The Battersea Poltergeist

A paranormal cold case, re-investigated through a thrilling blend of drama and documentary. The true story of one of Britain's strangest hauntings, with Dafne Keen and Toby Jones. Presented by Danny Robins.

The Boy in the Woods

The Boy in the Woods

The Boy in the Woods, six-year-old Rikki Neave, had been strangled and left naked. His body was positioned in a distinctive star shape. People on the council estate where he lived told police they had seen his mother, Ruth, hitting and shouting at Rikki. He was on the Social Services Register of children at risk. All the people closest to Rikki were in trouble and all of them were known to the authorities who offered help. It didn't work. The day before he died his mother begged a family aid worker to take him into care, saying she would kill him. Winifred Robinson has been following this case for more than 20 years. She's always felt it held the key to what goes wrong in the lives of society's most vulnerable children. Police built a case against Rikki's mother but this investigation uncovers how crucial evidence was never brought before the court. Ruth Neave was jailed for seven years for child cruelty while Rikki's killer was left at large. The series exposes how this happened and what it took for the truth to emerge. Original police interview tapes, evidence from forensic scientists and others who have never spoken to the media before, help piece together what happened.. Close friends of Rikki, who were themselves vulnerable children, reveal for the first time how his death came to shape all their lives. And as the net closes in on the real killer, who was himself a boy of only 13 at the time, how he goes on the run, taunting police from abroad. We hear from a teacher who alerted police to this boy at the time of Rikki's death, noticing his obsession with the case. We've recorded the first interviews with a family aid worker who was with Rikki, the day before he died and with a troubled teenager who was alongside his mother on the day he was killed. As the verdict is delivered, the jurors share with us how they weighed the evidence that convinced them they had looked into the eyes of a killer. Winifred Robinson, the reporter, and Sue Mitchell, the series producer, are an award-winning BBC documentary team. They have worked together for 20 years on high profile cases, interviewing the father of James Bulger. His son's killing provoked huge interest in Rikki's case.

Mark Steel's in Town

Mark Steel's in Town

Comedian Mark Steel visits towns across the UK, meets the locals, and creates a stand up show for them - and us - about the town.

The Listening Project

The Listening Project

Capturing the nation in conversation, in partnership with the British Library.

The People vs J Edgar Hoover

The People vs J Edgar Hoover

An examination, half a century on from the first director of the FBI's death in office in 1972, of how Hoover's iron grip still permeates contemporary America.

The Queen Remembered

The Queen Remembered

Drawing on archive material, interviews with historians, friends and leading public figures, James Naughtie presents a special podcast marking the life of Her Majesty the Queen.

Torn

Torn

Gus Casely-Hayford unpicks the hidden histories behind what we wear by exploring ten key moments in fashion spanning the globe and five centuries. From the start of the global trade in cotton, to the accidental invention of artificial dyes, to Nike Air Jordans, Casely-Hayford reveals the historical weight we carry through our clothes and the statements we make just by getting dressed in the morning.

No Place But the Water

No Place But the Water

A family run a hotel at the edge of the water. But the food is running out and the water keeps rising. When there is no place but the water, where do you go? A drama series set in a future flooded world. Written by Linda Marshall Griffiths.

The Joe Wicks Podcast

The Joe Wicks Podcast

The UK’s favourite fitness coach is back with series two of his podcast. Joe will be speaking to inspirational friends and some of his favourite people to ask them what's the secret to keeping themselves feeling mentally and physically strong in the face of life’s little challenges. It might be going for a new personal best on the running machine, or cosying up with a good book; every guest will share something that works for them in the hope it might inspire you to try something new. This is sunshine in a podcast. Joe Wicks is here for you, and he won’t stop until you’re feeling fit and happy.

39 Ways to Save the Planet

39 Ways to Save the Planet

BBC Radio Four, in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, presents 39 ideas to relieve the stress that climate change is exerting on the planet.

Life Lines

Life Lines

Al Smith's award-winning series set in an ambulance control room.

Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV

Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV

The dumbest genre in entertainment, or the one that tells us the most about ourselves? Since its conception, reality TV has divided its viewers. Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV is a 10-part audio documentary written and presented by journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale. They've been fans of reality TV since they first watched Big Brother as pre-teens and they've spent a fair amount of time defending reality TV when people are snobby about it, or dismiss its importance in our wider culture. But they've also been troubled by what they've seen in the genre: the exploitation; the lack of aftercare; the impacts of sudden fame. Using interviews with the creators, producers and stars of some of the most iconic reality shows of the last two decades, and leading cultural critics of today, Unreal explores how reality TV has shaped entertainment, fashion, beauty, celebrity and even politics - and some of the ethical issues raised by the format. Producer: Hannah Hufford Executive Producer: Pandora Sykes Executive Editor: James Cook Content Producer: Hannah Robins Technical Producer: Giles Aspen

The Likely Dads

The Likely Dads

Former Blue Peter presenter Tim Vincent hosts a new comedy discussion series about being a dad in the 21st century, featuring regular panellists Russell Kane and Mick Ferry.

Lusus

Lusus

What happens when your neuroses come to life? What shape will they take? Lusus is a brand new psychological horror podcast starring Morfydd Clark and Ncuti Gatwa.

What Really Happened in the Nineties?

What Really Happened in the Nineties?

Cancel culture, Brexit, identity politics. How did we get here? Did we miss something? Robert Carlyle is here to show us that we did. And it happened in the '90s.

War on Truth

War on Truth

What's fake, what's real? Stories from the information war over Ukraine. BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring speaks to people caught up in the battle for the truth.

Pretty Vacant

Pretty Vacant

International money-laundering meets the UK housing crisis in this grittily satirical fable about shady dealing and thorny moral dilemmas.

Scientifically...

Scientifically...

Home of the best science programmes from BBC Radio 4, from the ingenuity behind everyday objects to the biggest questions facing our planet. Released weekly, this podcast is introduced by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.

Made of Stronger Stuff

Made of Stronger Stuff

Our bodies reflect change in the world around us. Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken ask - one body part at a time - how much control do we have?

28ish Days Later

28ish Days Later

What do you really know about the menstrual cycle? In this award-winning podcast India Rakusen explores the whole bloody story, discovering facts that could change your life. Periods are just the beginning.

Death by Conspiracy?

Death by Conspiracy?

Gary Matthews became increasingly entranced by conspiracy theories about the pandemic - until he caught Covid and died. BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates.

Think with Pinker

Think with Pinker

Professor Steven Pinker has spent his life thinking about thinking. Now he wants us to join him. For this series Professor Pinker has created a critical thinking toolkit which he hopes will help all of us make better decisions about - well, everything. Steven will be joined by some big thinkers, and people who have to deal with the consequences of irrationality, as he sets out to steer us away from common fallacies and logical traps set by our own animal brains. Think with Pinker is produced in partnership with The Open University.

Fake Psychic

Fake Psychic

If you wanted to speak to the dead in 1960’s America, there was one man who was ready to help. A showman with big ambitions. A man who before your very eyes could bring back the dead. Vicky Baker investigates the story of Lamar Keene, a renowned psychic who confessed to being part of an underground network that he called the "psychic mafia". From the team who brought you Fake Heiress, this is a story about the art of the con, belief, retribution, and possibly atonement.

The Hackers

The Hackers

Gabriella Coleman, a digital anthropologist most famous for her work with the Hacktivist collective Anonymous, interviews the most influential actors in each era of the evolution of hacking culture from the 1970s to the present day, unveiling how they have moulded the digital world, pop culture and global politics.

Male Order

Male Order

Aleks Krotoski investigates sperm donors and why people put themselves and their future children at risk by going online to find them.

Walking on Jupiter

Walking on Jupiter

A true story about surviving suicide – narrated by Stephen Graham.

DEADHOUSE

DEADHOUSE

The BBC and Darkfield present an unnerving trilogy of immersive binaural experiences. Meet yourself in the DEADHOUSE. DEADHOUSE is a trilogy of immersive audio horror shorts, all for a single listener, lying down, with their eyes closed. Headphones are essential. The listener becomes the subject while the binaural sound surrounds and creeps towards them. Their familiar environments slip away, to be replaced by other, less comfortable, worlds that feel unnervingly real. Each episode is for the cold and the callous amongst us, and takes a look at the separation of mind and body. ‘There is music at the limits of my hearing. There are demons at the edge of my vision. There are ghosts in the machine’ - Edgar Allen Poe

Paul McCartney: Inside the Songs

Paul McCartney: Inside the Songs

Paul McCartney talks about his life and song-writing through the prism of 10 key lyrics, including The Beatles’ classics All My Loving, Eleanor Rigby and Penny Lane. This is a unique insight into the life and art of Paul McCartney from his book The Lyrics, read in an entertaining and intimate way by the man himself. Produced by John Wilson.

A Summer of Swallows

A Summer of Swallows

A regular podcast from Today on Radio 4, following Britain's swallows throughout the summer, and through their breeding season. Emily Knight, plus experts, listeners and swallow-lovers all over the country, get to know these iconic birds. Episodes are occasional – depending on the swallows Produced by Emily Knight and Eliza Lomas This podcast feed also includes episodes from the earlier series, Planet Puffin. All things puffin. Both the silly and the serious; the scientific and the cultural.

The Birthday Cake Game

The Birthday Cake Game

Comedic quiz hosted by Richard Osman posing one question - do you know how old people are? Three guests battle to prove they're the best at working out ages.

The Film Programme

The Film Programme

The latest releases, the hottest stars and the leading directors, plus news and insights from the film world

Front Row: Archive 2012

Front Row: Archive 2012

Magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.

Tricky

Tricky

Four people. One topic. No filter. Tricky is a safe space where important conversations happen with no fear of cancellation - nothing is off limits and no one goes unheard.

Pieces of Britney

Pieces of Britney

Britney Spears: pop icon. Pandora Sykes pieces together what we know about her story, and what it tells us about sex, entertainment, and how we treat women in the public eye. In this eight-part series for BBC Radio 4, Pandora traces Britney's incredible life: from her hardscrabble childhood in rural Louisiana, to her coronation as the inaugural pop princess of the internet, navigating an insatiable celebrity gossip complex; through to a young mother on trial by the paparazzi. Britney is a pop culture phenomenon. Pandora looks behind that mask - and beyond Britney herself - to explore how Britney became the most Googled person in the world, for almost seven years, and what it says, both then and now, about the entertainment industry, politics, sex and how we see women in the public eye. Britney's public struggles saw her placed in a conservatorship, in which she lost the right to control her finances and day to day life. Thirteen years later, and she is in court, pleading for this controversial legal arrangement to end. We will look at how Britney has been transformed from girl-next-door teen sensation to a mute symbol of a supposedly rotten system. Pieces of Britney mixes documentary, archive and interviews to tell Britney's remarkable story. It also features drama, written by playwright Katie Hims, to bring Britney and her extraordinary world to life. Pieces of Britney is a sympathetic portrayal of Britney, during a time of cultural reappraisal about how we treat women - famous, or otherwise. These are some of the stories that have been told about her - but The Narrative is hers to finish. Presenter: Pandora Sykes Dramatist: Katie Hims Sound: Peter Ringrose Producers: Anne Isger & Sasha Yevtushenko A BBC Audio production for BBC Radio 4

Descendants

Descendants

Descendants looks into our lives and our pasts and asks how we are connected to slavery. And, in turn, who does that mean our lives are connected to?

Sneakernomics

Sneakernomics

We follow in the footsteps of mavericks, hustlers and dreamers, who've made, and been made, by trainers. We hear their tales of boom and bust, fame and infamy, hope and heartbreak

The Northern Bank Job

The Northern Bank Job

It was the biggest bank heist in British and Irish criminal history. Belfast writer Glenn Patterson has unfinished business with the 2004 Northern Bank robbery.

Out of the Ordinary

Out of the Ordinary

Documentary series uncovering stories from the left field. Presented by Jolyon Jenkins

How to Vaccinate the World

How to Vaccinate the World

Scientists are racing to create a vaccine to end the Covid-19 pandemic.But creating a workable vaccine is just the start. Tim Harford is your guide to this epic global undertaking.

Homeschool History

Homeschool History

Fun history lessons for all the family, presented by Horrible Histories' Greg Jenner. Full of facts and jokes, the series brings to life a broad range of historical topics, many linked to the school curriculum. Homeschool Histories is made by the producers of the much-loved Radio 4 podcast You're Dead To Me.

The Disrupters

The Disrupters

Kamal Ahmed and Rohan Silva lift the lid on the realities of starting your own business, as leading entrepreneurs reveal their stories of risk, ambition and failure.

Grounded with Louis Theroux

Grounded with Louis Theroux

Stuck at home, Louis is using the lockdown to track down some high-profile people he's been longing to talk to - from all walks of life and on both sides of the Atlantic.

Two Minutes Past Nine

Two Minutes Past Nine

Twenty-five years on from the largest domestic terror incident in American history, journalist Leah Sottile investigates the legacy of the Oklahoma City Bombing.

Don't Log Off

Don't Log Off

Alan Dein connects with strangers across the world via social media, exploring the things that unite people across cultures and borders.

A History of the World in 100 Objects

A History of the World in 100 Objects

Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, narrates 100 programmes that retell humanity's history through the objects we have made.

Cook The Perfect...

Cook The Perfect...

Jenni Murray and Jane Garvey are joined by leading chefs and food writers who share their secrets for perfect home-cooked dishes. From BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

Tracks

Tracks

A multi-award-winning conspiracy thriller, written by Matthew Broughton.

The Orgasm Cult

The Orgasm Cult

This podcast is now the subject of a legal complaint by Nicole Daedone, Rachel Cherwitz, OneTaste Incorporated, the Institute of OM LLC and OM IP Co. In the search for wellness, how far would you go? Nicole Daedone, the charismatic co-founder of wellness company One Taste believed that orgasm would one day sit alongside yoga and meditation as the self-care practice for the modern empowered women. Except that now the FBI is making enquiries in to One Taste over allegations including sex trafficking, prostitution and violations of labour law. How did Orgasmic Meditation go from hippy beginnings to a sleek, million-dollar operation? How did this wellness practise – touted as the next big thing everywhere from Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop to the New York Times – lead to isolation, debt and abuse? Why is women’s health and pain still not taken seriously by conventional medicine? The Orgasm Cult is a story about people desperate for connection and how far they would go to find it. Join Nastaran Tavakoli-Far as she investigates One Taste through exclusive interviews with former employees and asks big questions about the wellness industry.

The Piper

The Piper

When strange music makes a girl vanish, a detective and her daughter uncover a terrifying force. Thriller starring Tamzin Outhwaite. Soundtrack by Bat For Lashes’ Natasha Khan.

The Secret Life of Teachers

The Secret Life of Teachers

Step inside Mehreen Baig’s virtual staffroom to hear what the UK’s teachers really think. As the new term begins amid a global pandemic, we get the uncensored views of what it’s really like behind the school gates from the people who spend more time with our children than we do.

World at One

World at One

Forty-five minutes of news, analysis and comment, with Sarah Montague.

Children of the Stones

Children of the Stones

The Stones are calling you. Do you feel the shiver? Mia Brake and her archaeometrist father Adam move to Milbury, a village framed by an ancient stone circle. But all is not right in Milbury. The stones emit a strange power. Children of the Stones is a new adaptation of the cult 1977 television series - described by comedian Stewart Lee as 'the scariest programme ever made for children.' Producer/director: Simon Barnard Writers: AK Benedict and Guy Adams, based upon the television serial by Jeremy Burnham and Trevor Ray. Sound Designer: Richard Fox Music: Edwin Sykes A Bafflegab Production for BBC Radio 4

Brexit: A Love Story?

Brexit: A Love Story?

You know we’re leaving the EU but this is the story of how the UK got here. Mark Mardell uncovers the fractious yet intriguing story of Britain’s relationship with the EU.

Power Out

Power Out

If this is power, then power out. What happens when the power system we’re hooked up to fails? When things we thought were solid, that we thought would protect us, fail? A new thriller about power and protest on a dying planet. Starring Vinnie Heaven and written by Sarah Woods.

GrownUpLand

GrownUpLand

"Now I’m a grown up… do I have to get married? Do I have to scrimp and save?? Do I have to host a dinner party??? GrownUpLand poses the most frustrating questions. Luckily, Sophie Duker, Heidi Regan and Ned Sedgwick are here to guide you through the bewildering pursuit of adulthood. Through stupid challenges, useful facts and personal stories of rich victory and miserable failure, your guides will ensure you don’t feel alone in your hopeless endeavour to be a legit grown up. Plus, every week a special guest candidly shares their experiences, from failed dates and drunken mistakes to moments of clarity and pet hates. And the very handsome Steve Ali, a refugee from Syria now a writer and silversmith in the UK, helps to put a listener’s dilemma into perspective. Co-created by Deborah Frances-White for The Spontaneity Shop and BBC Radio 4. Produced by Al Riddell."

Go Wild

Go Wild

Nature documentaries to inspire your next outdoors adventure. Introduced by Harriet Noble. Discover the joy of wild swimming, the secrets of outdoor cooking and the tranquillity of canoeing down a river. Whether you’re an intrepid explorer or a weekend micro adventurer we have a Radio 4 programme for you.

How They Made Us Doubt Everything

How They Made Us Doubt Everything

How some of the world's most powerful interests made us doubt the connection between smoking and cancer, and then how the same tactics were used to make us doubt climate change.

Bloodsport

Bloodsport

The story of the systematic doping of the 2012 and 2014 Olympics by the Russian state set against the ongoing attempts to catch the cheats.

Museum of Lost Objects

Museum of Lost Objects

Tracing the histories of antiquities and landmarks that have been destroyed or looted in Iraq and Syria, India and Pakistan.

You'll Do

You'll Do

Comedians and real-life couple Catherine Bohart and Sarah Keyworth want to know what makes relationships work. Forget the idealised romance of Hollywood movies, relationships are complex and unpredictable. And sometimes they're really, really hard. You'll Do is a weekly podcast celebrating the nitty gritty, the ups and the downs, and the peculiarities of building a life with other people.

The NHS Front Line

The NHS Front Line

Recordings with frontline staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary, taking you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for the onset of COVID-19 and then cope as the patients arrive.

Now Wash Your Hands

Now Wash Your Hands

Comedy corona-cast as Jon Holmes, Jake Yapp, Salma Shah and Natt Tapley drop in on isolated home-bound guests.

The Californian Century

The Californian Century

Stanley Tucci imagines the story of modern California as a movie screenplay, tracing the dramatic history of the state from Hollywood to Silicon Valley.

Best of Natural History Radio

Best of Natural History Radio

The BBC Natural History Unit produces a wide range of programmes that aim to immerse a listener in the wonder, surprise and importance that nature has to offer.

Saturday Review

Saturday Review

Presenter Tom Sutcliffe and guests offer sharp, critical discussion of the week's cultural events

Girl Taken

Girl Taken

Across the world people were presented with what appeared to be a heart-breaking but straightforward story of a father and his motherless daughter struggling to get to Britain. But behind those headlines lay a far more sinister truth. BBC Journalist Sue Mitchell and former soldier Rob Lawrie discover that the little girl appears to have simply vanished. Can they find her in time?

Smart Consumer

Smart Consumer

Spending and stuff from the team at You and Yours.

Only Artists

Only Artists

Only Artists from BBC Radio 4 brings two artists together to talk about their creative work. The agenda is theirs, the conversation is free-flowing, and there is no presenter. The title derives from the art historian EH Gombrich, who began his highly influential book The Story of Art with the famous line “There really is no such thing as art. There are only artists”. Here are some of them…

Beyond Today

Beyond Today

Beyond Today is the daily podcast from Radio 4 that asks one big question about one big story in the news - and beyond. Tina Daheley, Matthew Price, and a team of curious producers search for answers that change the way we see the world. They speak to the BBC’s unrivalled global network of reporters, plus occasional special guests, to tell stories about identity, technology, and power - where it lies and how that is changing.

Body Horror

Body Horror

What price a new body? Welcome to 2050, where the booming transplant industry can cater for all your wildest desires

Making History

Making History

Popular history series where the past connects with the present.

Fake Heiress

Fake Heiress

The rise and fall of Anna Delvey, who conned New York high society into believing that she was a multi-millionaire heiress. Vicky Baker and Chloe Moss dig deeper into the scandal.

A Point of View: A Point of View: Clive James

A Point of View: A Point of View: Clive James

Clive James presents reflections on topical issues ranging from politics to pop culture in this award-winning series of BBC Radio 4's A Point of View. These programmes were first broadcast between 2007 and 2009.

Muslim Pride

Muslim Pride

Sayeeda Warsi discusses navigating same-sex attraction and faith with five Muslim men and women. The two are often painted as opposites, but the reality is more complicated.

Science Stories

Science Stories

Surprising stories from the history of science told by Naomi Alderman and Philip Ball.

This is Capitalism

This is Capitalism

Capitalism is the hidden economic wiring which puts money and markets at the centre of our lives. This collection of programmes includes David Grossman’s story of the explosive growth of modern capitalist power told in 10 parts - The New Age of Capitalism - plus many others.

The Public Philosopher

The Public Philosopher

Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel examines the thinking behind a current controversy.

Late Night Woman's Hour

Late Night Woman's Hour

Emma Barnett and Lauren Laverne and guests in intimate, frank and funny Late Night Woman’s Hour.

The Voices of...

The Voices of...

Musicians talk about their life and work.

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

Acclaimed writer and journalist Jon Ronson relates his startling journey into the lives of the shamed - people ruined by a badly worded tweet or a work faux pas – in 6 episodes of 15 minutes each.

When Greeks Flew Kites

When Greeks Flew Kites

Monthly series in which historical novelist Sarah Dunant delves into the past for stories and moments that help frame the present, bringing to life worlds that span the centuries.

Forest 404

Forest 404

Can you feel loss for something you've never known? An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. With theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack and directed by Becky Ripley. Each episode comes with its own talk and soundscape. Plus, take part in The Forest 404 Experiment to see how you respond to sounds of nature.

FutureProofing

FutureProofing

Series examining the implications - social and cultural, economic and political - of the big ideas that are set to transform the way society functions

Mastertapes

Mastertapes

John Wilson talks with musicians about a career-defining album, and a live audience also puts questions. Featuring exclusive live performances.

Tweet of the Week

Tweet of the Week

Weekly podcast in which five stories of birds and birdsong are told by the people inspired by them.

Tweet of the Day

Tweet of the Day

Discover birds through their songs and calls. Each Tweet of the Day begins with a call or song, followed by a story of fascinating ornithology inspired by the sound.

iPM: We Start With Your Stories

iPM: We Start With Your Stories

A weekly companion to PM where the expertise and insights of the BBC Radio 4 audience shape a programme that sees news differently. Presented by Luke Jones.

Fatwa

Fatwa

The hidden story of the 1989 fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini against Salman Rushdie.

Tara and George

Tara and George

Series exploring the lives of two people in their late 40s who sleep rough in London's Spitalfields.

New Year Solutions

New Year Solutions

As global warming threatens the future of our society, Jo Fidgen tackles the ways in which ordinary people can make a difference.

We Need to Talk About Death

We Need to Talk About Death

Joan Bakewell and her panel discuss death and dying, exploring the choices open to us and confronting the questions we fear the most.

Voices of the First World War

Voices of the First World War

Dan Snow brings together the sound archive collections of the Imperial War Museums and the BBC to tell the story of World War I through the voices of those who were.

Desert Island Discs: Desert Island Discs Archive: 2016-2018

Desert Island Discs: Desert Island Discs Archive: 2016-2018

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.

How to be a Muslim Woman

How to be a Muslim Woman

British Muslim women speak to Sayeeda Warsi about their lives, revealing some of the many other ways it’s possible to be a British Muslim woman in 2018.

A History of Delusions

A History of Delusions

Experimental psychologist Daniel Freeman explores cases of delusion.

Addicted to Sex

Addicted to Sex

Can you really be addicted to sex or is it just an excuse for bad behaviour? Sangita Myska meets the men and women who suffer from porn and sex addiction.

David Baddiel Tries to Understand

David Baddiel Tries to Understand

David Baddiel tries to make sense of some apparently puzzling topics.

Life Lessons

Life Lessons

Young UK adults talk about the issues that matter most to them - and why they should matter to all of us

TEZ Talks

TEZ Talks

Comedian Tez Ilyas presents a stand-up show about life as a British Muslim.

Home Front - Omnibus

Home Front - Omnibus

Omnibus editions of the epic drama series tracking the fortunes of characters on the home front as they try to maintain normality while Britain is involved in the First World War.

Home Front

Home Front

Drama serial tracking the fortunes of a group of characters on the home front as they try to maintain normality while Britain is involved in the First World War.

The Long Road to Baby

The Long Road to Baby

A post-IVF exploration into the alternative ways to become parents.

Morality in the 21st Century

Morality in the 21st Century

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks explores what morality means in the 21st Century. He speaks to some of the world’s leading thinkers, together with voices from the next generation: groups of British 6th form students.

Sweet Reason

Sweet Reason

Evan Davis presents a series in which he looks for reasonable ways to address the most divisive of issues.

The Home Babies

The Home Babies

Becky Milligan tells the story of how one woman, in her sixties, discovered a secret which lay beneath the ground of an old Mother and Baby Home in the west of Ireland. Standing up to the state, church and local opposition, she doggedly went on until she found out the truth. It is a moving and shocking story which sparked headlines around the world.

National Health Stories

National Health Stories

On 5 July 1948, for the first time anywhere in the world, healthcare in Britain became free for all. Sally Sheard reveals the characters, innovations and heroic standoffs that have shaped the NHS.

Chinese Characters

Chinese Characters

Series of essays exploring Chinese history through the life stories of key personalities.

The Eddie Mair Interview

The Eddie Mair Interview

Eddie Mair speaks at length to people with interesting things to say, for Radio 4's PM.

Will Self's Great British Bus Journey

Will Self's Great British Bus Journey

Will Self takes a 1,000-mile tour of the UK by bus and coach, exploring urban Britain and British identity at a time of flux.

At Lunch With...

At Lunch With...

Politicians and public figures talk candidly and engagingly over lunch with reporter Becky Milligan. This is the off-the-record lunch, on the record. These interviews are broadcast on Radio 4’s PM programme.

Living with the Gods

Living with the Gods

Neil MacGregor explores the role and expression of shared beliefs in communities around the world. Produced in partnership with the British Museum.

The Reservoir Tapes

The Reservoir Tapes

Short story series by Jon McGregor set in the Peak District.

Punt PI

Punt PI

Steve Punt turns private investigator, examining little mysteries that perplex, amuse and beguile

Funny from the Fringe

Funny from the Fringe

A daily podcast full of features, news and interviews with the hottest comedians from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, hosted by award-winning comedian Phil Ellis.

A New Life in Europe: The Dhnie Family

A New Life in Europe: The Dhnie Family

The story of one Syrian family heading for Europe in search of a better life. For the last two years, the Dhnie family has been living as refugees in Jordan. In August, the family decided there was no future for them there and little prospect of returning to Syria. They packed up their lives and set off for the EU. Manveen Rana documents the twists and turns of their journey in a series of reports for BBC Radio 4’s The World at One.

The Invisible College

The Invisible College

Lessons in creative writing from a ghostly array of great novelists, poets and playwrights such as Ted Hughes, W.B. Yeats and Allen Ginsberg. Presented and produced by Cathy FitzGerald.

Quake

Quake

Drama in 12 short parts. Inspired by the digital transformation in disaster response.

Midweek

Midweek

Lively and diverse conversation with weekly guests

Body on the Moor

Body on the Moor

A body is found on the moor, with no clue as to who the man was. And he died from poisoning. Who is he? Why was he there? Jon Manel follows the police inquiry for BBC Radio 4.

Mars

Mars

A season of programmes from Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra exploring the Red Planet of our dreams and, maybe, our futures...

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1976-1980

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1976-1980

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

The High Street Abduction

The High Street Abduction

How a toddler was snatched by two teenage girls in a busy High Street store.

The New World

The New World

Are we at a series of global tipping points? Radio 4 explores the paradigm shifts that are taking place across the globe, from the arrival of the post-truth society to the potential departure of globalisation, taking in shifting demographic sands, the backlash against the political elite and pivot of power to the East along the way.

Shared Experience

Shared Experience

Fi Glover hosts a series in which her guests discuss things they have in common.

Self Drives: The Trabant

Self Drives: The Trabant

Will Self goes on a 700-mile road trip in a Trabant, the iconic East German car.

Recycled Radio

Recycled Radio

Welcome to the chopped-up, looped-up, sped-up world of Recycled Radio, where old programmes are reused to explore a series of weighty subjects.

A History of the Infinite

A History of the Infinite

Adrian Moore journeys through philosophical thought on infinity over the last two and a half thousand years.

The Human Zoo

The Human Zoo

The Human Zoo explores the foibles, quirks and behaviour of that most fascinating of species - us

Natural Histories

Natural Histories

Brett Westwood explores our relationship with nature and its impact on human culture and society, complimented by comedy sketches and the Natural History Heroes series. UK Only.

The Report

The Report

The current affairs series combining original insights into major news stories with topical investigations

Putting Science to Work

Putting Science to Work

Jim Al-Khalili and guests work out how science can best be put to work to solve a pressing problem facing society.

Incarnations: India in 50 Lives

Incarnations: India in 50 Lives

The history of India told through the lives of 50 phenomenal people.

Laura Barton's Notes from a Musical Island

Laura Barton's Notes from a Musical Island

Music writer Laura Barton visits four corners of Britain and listens closely to the music found in different landscapes.

UK Confidential

UK Confidential

Martha Kearney, in conversation with former government ministers, reveals the truth behind the headlines of previously secret government files that have been released to the public

The Educators

The Educators

Sarah Montague interviews the people whose ideas are challenging the future of education.

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.

In Pod We Trust

In Pod We Trust

Miranda Sawyer presents a round-up of the best spoken word audio podcasting from around the world

Self Drives: Maxwell's Equations

Self Drives: Maxwell's Equations

Will Self goes on a 600-mile road trip from Edinburgh to Cambridge on the trail of physicist James Clerk Maxwell, who pioneered the theory of electromagnetic waves

Lives in a Landscape

Lives in a Landscape

Documentary series telling original stories about real lives in Britain today

Computing Britain

Computing Britain

Hannah Fry looks back at 75 years of computing history to reveal the UK's lead role in developing the technologies we rely on today

Who Killed Elsie Frost?

Who Killed Elsie Frost?

Elsie Frost was murdered on 9 October 1965 in Wakefield in the UK. She was 14. The murderer hasn't been caught. iPM investigates this unsolved case.

A History of Ideas

A History of Ideas

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the work of key philosophers and their theories.

The Robert Peston Interview Show (with Eddie Mair)

The Robert Peston Interview Show (with Eddie Mair)

Late-night interview programme. Robert Peston and Eddie Mair join forces to spring surprise guests on each other.

Napoleon: The Man and the Myths

Napoleon: The Man and the Myths

Historian Andrew Roberts presents a series, recorded partly on location in Paris, which dispels some myths about Napoleon Bonaparte.

Across the Board

Across the Board

Dominic Lawson conducts a series of interviews over a game of chess.

Codes that Changed the World

Codes that Changed the World

Aleks Krotoski tells the story of the languages that have been used to talk to machines.

Healthy Visions

Healthy Visions

Five experts set out their ideas for the future of public health in Britain.

Tales from the Ring Road

Tales from the Ring Road

Documentary series. Anne-Marie Duff narrates stories of life and death on the UK's ring roads.

Self Orbits CERN

Self Orbits CERN

Will Self goes on a 50-kilometre walking tour of the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, just outside Geneva.

Front Row: Archive 2014

Front Row: Archive 2014

Magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.

Frontiers

Frontiers

Programme exploring new ideas in science and meeting the scientists and researchers responsible for them, as well as hearing from their critics

The Frequency of Laughter: A History of Radio Comedy

The Frequency of Laughter: A History of Radio Comedy

Grace Dent presents a conversational history of radio comedy, from 1975 to 2005.

Germany: Memories of a Nation

Germany: Memories of a Nation

Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, explores 600 years of Germany's complex and often challenging history using objects, art, landmarks and literature.

Hidden Histories of the Information Age

Hidden Histories of the Information Age

Aleks Krotoski explores technological innovations and cultural events from the age of communication.

21st Century Mythologies

21st Century Mythologies

Peter Conrad dissects the popular culture of his era, as French semiotician Roland Barthes did 60 years earlier in his Mythologies.

Radio 4 on Music

Radio 4 on Music

From Armstrong to Zappa - music documentaries from the Radio 4 archive.

1914: Day by Day

1914: Day by Day

Historian Margaret MacMillan chronicles the road to war in 1914.

Britain at Sea

Britain at Sea

Admiral Lord West tells the story of the Royal Navy during the 20th century.

Intelligence: Born Smart, Born Equal, Born Different

Intelligence: Born Smart, Born Equal, Born Different

Adam Rutherford charts the rise, fall and rise of the genetics of intelligence over the last hundred years

Woman's Hour Power List 2014 – Game Changers

Woman's Hour Power List 2014 – Game Changers

Which ten women in the UK have done most to game-change the way power operates in the UK, whether in culture, business, politics or campaigns? Emma Barnett, chairs our 2014 panel. From BBC Radio 4

Pop-Up Ideas

Pop-Up Ideas

Tim Harford presents a series of talks inspired by ideas in anthropology, culture and the social sciences

Front Row: Archive 2013

Front Row: Archive 2013

Magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.

A History of Britain in Numbers

A History of Britain in Numbers

Andrew Dilnot, chair of the UK Statistics Authority, brings to life the numbers that highlight the patterns and trends that have transformed Britain

Seven Ages of Science

Seven Ages of Science

A history of science in Britain from the Restoration to the present day. Weaving science back into everyday life, Lisa Jardine shows how the concerns of the scientist are the concerns of us all

Cultural Exchange

Cultural Exchange

Creative minds talk about the cultural work that inspires them, an arts project for BBC Radio 4. Each Cultural Exchange podcast contains the curator’s recommendation.

Techno Odyssey

Techno Odyssey

Poet Paul Farley reimagines technology we rely on but take for granted

1913: The Year Before

1913: The Year Before

Michael Portillo explores the cultural, political and economic upheaval forgotten in the familiar images of Edwardian and Georgian calm before the brutal shock of the Great War

Disability: A New History

Disability: A New History

Drawing on new research, Peter White presents a history of disability in the 18th and 19th centuries.

My Own Shakespeare

My Own Shakespeare

Public figures talk about the piece of Shakespeare that inspires them most.The pieces are read by well known actors. From BBC Radio 4

The Value of Culture

The Value of Culture

Melvyn Bragg explores the history of the idea of culture, and its value today.

In Alistair Cooke's Footsteps

In Alistair Cooke's Footsteps

Alvin Hall travels the USA revisiting the insights and observations of Alistair Cooke's Letter from America, on subjects as diverse as jazz, immigration and the American Dream

China: As History Is My Witness

China: As History Is My Witness

Carrie Gracie presents a series exploring what ten great lives from Chinese history reveal about China today

The Reith Lectures: Archive 1976-2012

The Reith Lectures: Archive 1976-2012

Series of annual radio lectures on significant contemporary issues, delivered by leading figures from the relevant fields

Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage

Travel magazine, featuring travellers' tales, experiences and anecdotes

Front Row: Archive 2011

Front Row: Archive 2011

Magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.

Inheritance Tracks: Inheritance Tracks 2008-2011

Inheritance Tracks: Inheritance Tracks 2008-2011

Celebrating the music that special guests cherish and would like to bestow to future generations.

Tracing Your Roots

Tracing Your Roots

Series exploring the practice of researching family history, one of the UK's most rapidly growing pastimes

The House I Grew Up In

The House I Grew Up In

Series revisiting the childhood neighbourhoods of influential Britons

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Bush Jr Years (2001- 2004)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Bush Jr Years (2001- 2004)

The 9/11 attacks, the war on terror and invasion of Iraq defined George W Bush’s first term. A fascinating social, cultural and political look at American life from Alistair Cooke

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Clinton Years (1993-1996)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Clinton Years (1993-1996)

Bill Clinton’s first term encompassed controversies from the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo accords and gays in the military to the North American Free Trade Agreement and an attempt at healthcare reform. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Bush Sr Years (1989-1992)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Bush Sr Years (1989-1992)

George Bush’s presidency, the Panama invasion, the Soviet bloc collapse and the first war in Iraq. Alistair Cooke's fascinating look at American life.

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1986-1991

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1986-1991

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Reagan Years (1981-1988)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Reagan Years (1981-1988)

Ronald Reagan’s presidency, from Reagonomics and the invasion of Grenada in his first term, to the Iran-contra scandal and reconciliation with Soviet leader Mihail Gorbachev in his second. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1981-1985

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1981-1985

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1970-1986

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1970-1986

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: From Nixon to Carter (1969-1980)

From America’s great hope after Nixon’s election victory, to disillusionment after Watergate through to President Carter’s election. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alastair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1971-1975

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1971-1975

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

The Reith Lectures: Archive 1948-1975

The Reith Lectures: Archive 1948-1975

Series of annual radio lectures on significant contemporary issues, delivered by leading figures from the relevant fields. Please note that relatively few recordings survive from this period.

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1966-1970

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1966-1970

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1960-1969

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1960-1969

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Early Years (1940s, 1950s and 1960s)

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Early Years (1940s, 1950s and 1960s)

The assassinations of John F Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy through to Vietnam and America’s shame at the My Lai massacre. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 – 2004).

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1961-1965

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1961-1965

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1956-1960

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1956-1960

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1942-1959

Desert Island Discs: Fragment Archive 1942-1959

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1951-1955

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1951-1955

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island.