SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2008

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (b00djknn)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SAT 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dcy87)
A Strange Eventful History

Episode 5

Eleanor Bron reads from Michael Holroyd's biography of Ellen Terry and Henry Irving, two greats of the Victorian stage.

In his old age, Irving embarked upon a tour of Britain, in which he seemed to literally be dying on stage in front of his public. After a performance of Becket, his end finally came, and the nation mourned the passing of the great tragedian. Ellen, however, was determined to carry on. After an unlikely marriage to an American 30 years her junior, her career continued successfully for another 20 years.


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00djlbx)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00djlbz)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at 5.20am.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00djlc1)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (b00djlc3)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00djlc5)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


SAT 05:45 Fungi: The Fifth Kingdom (b008p7vd)
Anywhere and Everywhere

Series featuring scientists and amateur naturalists studying fungi, one of the largest and most fascinating groups of organisms on the planet. 4/5: Anywhere and Everywhere.


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (b00djlc7)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SAT 06:04 Weather (b00djlc9)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 06:07 Open Country (b00djlcc)
Countryside magazine. Helen Mark sails the length of Lough Foyle to find out how the return of a ferry route has reunited the land.


SAT 06:35 Farming Today This Week (b00djlcf)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.


SAT 06:57 Weather (b00djlch)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 07:00 Today (b00djlck)
Presented by Sarah Montague and Edward Stourton.

Jamie Coomarasamy reports on US promises for a financial rescue package.

Iain Watson reports from Manchester where the Labour Party is gathering for the opening day of the Labour Conference.

South Africa's governing African National Congress is in turmoil over whether to call for President Thabo Mbeki to resign. Peter Biles reports from Johannesburg.

The new president of Pakistan will address the country's parliament. Barbara Plett reports from Islamabad.

Marks and Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose talks to Robert Peston about the problems faced by retailers.

How is the Indian establishment handling the threat of Islamist terrorism? Chris Morris reports from Delhi.

Russell Taylor, the writer of Alex, the cartoon of city life, has written a riposte to James Stewart's speech in It's A Wonderful Life.

Thought For The Day with Rev Joel Edwards, general director of the Evangelical Alliance.

Richard Dowden, director of the Royal Africa Society, and writer William Gumede discuss the difficulties of power sharing in Zimbabwe.

Former Conservative chancellor Ken Clarke talks about the financial crisis.

Susan Blackmore reports on her investigations into futurist memory aids for a BBC documentary.

Australia is suffering from a steep drop in the number of British backpackers heading there. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney.

We speak to James Galbraith, Professor of Economics at the University of Texas and one of Barack Obama's economic advisers.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (b00djlcm)
Real life stories in which listeners talk about the issues that matter to them.

Presenter Katie Derham is joined by Bill Oddie. She also talk to David, a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps who has suffered mentally since returning from Iraq, and Marian Wilkins, one of the first reality TV stars after being featured in the groundbreaking 1974 documentary The Family.

David Simon, writer of the HBO series The Wire, chooses his Inheritance Tracks, and the featured poet is Kate Fox.


SAT 10:00 Excess Baggage (b00djlcp)
Paul Theroux

Sandi Toksvig is in conversation with Paul Theroux, one of the world’s foremost travel writers. Paul talks about his life, some memorable travel experiences and discusses his latest book Ghost Train to the Eastern Star a rerun of a trip he had originally made more than thirty years earlier.


SAT 10:30 Let Me Entertain You (b00djlcr)
Elizabethan London

Elizabethan London, from Bankside theatre to ringside gambling, from merry jigs to brutal bear-baiting.

John Sessions continues his series charting the history of popular entertainment in Britain, from medieval minstrels to Victorian freakshows.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2008.


SAT 11:00 Beyond Westminster (b00djlct)
Series 1

Episode 9

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

With the political tribes gathering in Bournemouth, Birmingham and Manchester, Elinor Goodman considers the purpose of party conferences.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (b00djlcw)
BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the world's headlines. Introduced by Kate Adie.


SAT 12:00 Money Box (b00djn2d)
Paul Lewis with the latest news from the world of personal finance. With the latest on the global banking crisis, the Lloyds TSB-HBOS merger and the deposit protection scheme.


SAT 12:30 Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive (b00dhxn7)
Series 4

Episode 6

The comedy banker awards laughter bonuses. With Chris Addison, Miranda Hart and David Quantick. From September 2008.


SAT 12:57 Weather (b00djn2g)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 13:00 News Headlines (b00djnvy)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (b00dgjw9)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate from Upton-By-Chester, Cheshire.

The panellists are former Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell, Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward, Shadow International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell and economist Bridget Rosewell.


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (b00djnw0)
Jonathan Dimbleby takes listeners' calls and emails in response to this week's edition of Any Questions?


SAT 14:30 Saturday Drama (b00djnw2)
Bora Bora

What happened when Alec appeared as a young boy in a famously and mysteriously suppressed film called Bora Bora?

It appears to have blighted his entire life while his brother went on to fame as an actor. Charlie, invading a painting holiday in Greece led by the older Alec, now an art-historian, is intent on unravelling secrets.

Sir Derek Jacobi takes on the role of Alec in a play specially written for him by Lynne Truss.

Cast:
Alec Bosanquet ..... Derek Jacobi
Tony Bosanquet ..... Corin Redgrave
Margaret ..... Cheryl Campbell
Charlie ..... Adrian Bower
Rosa ..... Eve Pearce
Jean ..... Jill Johnson
With Stephen Critchlow and Rachel Atkins

Producer/Director: Ned Chaillet
A Watershed Production for Radio 4.


SAT 15:30 Pulling out the Stops: The Vienna Court Organist (b00dghmn)
Award-winning violinist Daniel Hope takes an exclusive tour of the city of Vienna, through its back streets, hidden secrets - and lost music - in the company of the Royal Court Organist Martin Haselbock.

It’s a musical detective story, which features an exclusive recording of Choralfantasie BWV 1128, the long-lost recently discovered Bach piece, premiered by Martin Haselbock.


SAT 16:00 Weekend Woman's Hour (b00djnw4)
Highlights of this week's Woman's Hour programmes with Jane Garvey.

Including Pam Ayres talking about her life and work; opera singer Joyce DiDonato on her new role in Don Giovanni; Ann Leslie talks about her life and new autobiography; women in the city; families and debt; Mark Austin on 'auto-cuties'.


SAT 17:00 PM (b00djnw6)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news, plus the sports headlines. With Carolyn Quinn.


SAT 17:30 iPM (b00djnw8)
Eddie Mair presents the weekly interactive current affairs magazine featuring online conversation and debate.


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b00djnwb)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 17:57 Weather (b00djnwd)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00djnwg)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (b00djnwj)
Clive Anderson presents an eclectic mix of conversation, comedy and music.

He is joined by John Sessions, Kathy Lette and Chris Moncrieff. Jon Holmes talks to Richard Wilson. Comedy comes from Topping and Butch while music is provided by Hey Neerita and The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.


SAT 19:00 Profile (b00djnwl)
Henry Paulson

Profile looks at US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, the man with perhaps the single most power and influence over the US economy.

A decisive and forceful former head of investment bank Goldman Sachs, he only took the Treasury job on the condition that he could make his own decisions. He grew up on a farm, and has loved the outdoors and animals ever since. Even though, as his mother reveals, he once had an encounter with a family of baby skunks, that didn't quite go according to plan.


SAT 19:15 Saturday Review (b00djnwn)
Tom Sutcliffe and guests review the cultural highlights of the week.


SAT 20:00 The Archive Hour (b00dk6b9)
The Voices In My head

The actor Julian Rhind-Tutt has always been drawn to particular voices. But why one and not another? Why does one voice sound like 1995 and another like fish and chips? How do we archive our own sound? And how does an actor live with the voice in his head and the voice he knows he sounds like? A personal journey through the archives.


SAT 21:00 Classic Serial (b00dcgdw)
Tobias Smollett - The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

Episode 3

Tobias Smollet's uproarious satire of 18th-century life, dramatised by Yvonne Antrobus.

The Bramble family's adventures continue as they begin the long trip home, a journey full of surprises and unexpected revelations.

Mathew Bramble ...... Nigel Anthony
Tabitha Bramble ...... Marcia Warren
Lydia Melford ...... Helen Longworth
Jery Melford ...... Dan Starkey
Winifred Jenkins ...... Joanna Page
Humphry Clinker ...... Stuart McLoughlin
Lieutenant Lismahago ...... John Rowe
Sir Thomas Bullford ...... Trevor Peacock
Oxmington/Dennison ...... Sam Dale
Wilson/French valet ...... Nyasha Hatendi
Frogmore ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Chris Pavlo, Joan Walker and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Marc Beeby.


SAT 22:00 News and Weather (b00djnwq)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SAT 22:15 Moral Maze (b00dgjg8)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Melanie Phillips, Claire Fox, Clifford Longley and Matthew Taylor cross-examine witnesses.


SAT 23:00 Brain of Britain (b00ddsgy)
Robert Robinson chairs a special contest between the three most recent Brain of Britain champions.


SAT 23:30 Poetry Please (b00dcn3n)
Ballade de la vie joyeuse by Max Beerbohm
From: Rhymes and Parodies
Puibl: Heinemann

i carry your heart by ee cummings
From: Complete Poems
Publ: Liveright

Joys of the World by Christophe Plantin

Maude Clare by Christina Rossetti
From: Everyman’s Book of Victorian Verse

Cats are Otherwise by Katherine Pierpoint
From: Truffle Beds
Publ: faber

here’s a little mouse by ee cummings
From: Complete Poems
Publ: Liveright

A Tragic Tale by William Makepeace Thackeray
From: The Home Book of Verse
Publ: Holt

Ballad of the Army Carts by Tu Fu, translated by David Hawkes
From: A Little Primer of Tu Fu
Publ: Oxford

The Many Faces of Jazz by Billy Collins
From: Taking off Emily Dickinson’s Clothes
Publ: Picador

Song by Edwin Muir
From: Collected Poems
Publ: Faber



SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2008

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (b00djtpk)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SUN 00:30 The Late Story (b00775mj)
More Tales from Westminster

Miss Washington's Day Out

Series of short stories by writers generally better known for their non-fiction observations on the Westminster scene.

Quentin Letts's story follows an idealistic retired history teacher on a special trip to London, who gets to see the workings of Westminster at first hand. It isn't quite what she expected.

Read by Crawford Logan.


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00djtpm)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00djtpp)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00djtpr)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (b00djtpt)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (b00djtpw)
The sound of bells from the Parish Church of St Thomas in Hazel Grove, Stockport.


SUN 05:45 Profile (b00djnwl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 News Headlines (b00djtpy)
The latest national and international news.


SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b00djtq0)
Harvest Festival

Mark Tully talks to Prof Michael Northcott about the broken relationship between food production and consumption. At this harvest-tide, why will so many of us feel only guilt amid the cornucopia of cheap industrial foods in our supermarkets? How can we recover our sense of food as an elemental collaboration between humanity and the Creator?


SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (b00djtq2)
Topical farming magazine. Ten years ago, the National Trust bought the farm on the top of Snowdon. Adam Henson finds out how new ownership has changed the mountain landscape.


SUN 06:57 Weather (b00djtq4)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (b00djtq6)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (b00djtq8)
Roger Bolton and guests discuss the religious and ethical news of the week.


SUN 07:55 Radio 4 Appeal (b00djtqb)
Rainbow Children's Trust

Alan Titchmarsh appeals on behalf of Rainbow Children's Trust. Donations: Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. Credit cards: Freephone 0800 404 8144.


SUN 07:58 Weather (b00djtqd)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (b00djtqg)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (b00djtqj)
John L Bell, one of the most popular living hymn writers, explores women's contribution to the scriptures in a service from the Memorial Chapel, University of Glasgow, with the Chapel Choir directed by Prof John Butt. Organist: Kevin Bowyer.


SUN 08:50 A Point of View (b00dj0wx)
A weekly reflection on a topical issue from Lisa Jardine.


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (b00djtql)
News and conversation about the big stories of the week with Paddy O'Connell.


SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (b00djtqn)
The week's events in Ambridge.


SUN 11:15 The Reunion (b00djtqq)
Sue MacGregor presents the series which reunites a group of people intimately involved in a moment of modern history.

She brings together some of the key players involved in the construction of the Channel Tunnel.


SUN 12:00 Just a Minute (b00df6n9)
Series 53

Episode 8

Nicholas Parsons chairs the devious word game from the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye. Panellists include Clement Freud, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke and Owen O'Neill.


SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (b00djtvw)
Slow Food UK

Slow Food UK: Simon Parkes looks at the work of the Slow Food movement in the US, Italy and the UK.


SUN 12:57 Weather (b00djtvy)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (b00djtw0)
A look at events around the world with Shaun Ley.


SUN 13:30 The Original (b00bz4ch)
Alkarim Jivani asks why we value originality, from Roman villas to so-called original features beloved of estate agents. He visits Warsaw to discuss the beautiful fake that is the town centre, flattened by the Germans in the Second World War and painstakingly reconstructed in the 1950s. But should the reconstruction have taken the form of the 18th-century original, the 19th or even the 1939 version? Along the way, Jivani considers homage, tributes, remakes, restorations and renovations.


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00djvtj)
Eric Robson chairs the popular horticultural forum.

John Cushnie, Anne Swithinbank and Matthew Biggs answer questions from gardeners in the West Midlands.

The series on gardening fundamentals concludes with Pippa Greenwood and Craig Baldwin looking at ponds.


SUN 14:45 Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's History of Home (b009mc94)
Retail

A history of shopping for the home from imports from India during colonial times to the Conran-fuelled passion for European design. From April 2008.


SUN 15:00 Classic Serial (b00djvtl)
Apsley Cherry-Garrard - The Worst Journey in the World

Episode 1

The Worst Journey in the World

Apsley Cherry-Garrard's gripping account of his experiences as the youngest member of Captain Scott's polar expedition team, adapted by Stef Penney.

In the austerely beautiful icescapes of Antarctica, things go disastrously wrong.

Apsley Cherry-Garrard ...... Matt Green
Captain Robert Falcon Scott ...... John McAndrew
Dr Atkinson ...... Carl Prekopp
Captain Oates ...... Mark Meadows
Lieutenant Bowers ...... Peter Callaghan
Charles Wright ...... Simon Lee Phillips
Dr Edward Wilson ...... Richard Mitchley
PO Tom Crean ...... Jack Reynolds
Taff Evans ...... Huw Davies

Specially composed music by Will Gregory of Goldfrapp, orchestrated by Ian Gardiner and performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Grant Llewellyn.

Directed by Kate McAll.


SUN 16:00 Open Book (b00djvtn)
Marilynne Robinson, David Foster Wallace, Book Collecting, and Irene Nemirovsky

Marilynne Robinson
Mariella Frostrup talks to the American writer Marilynne Robinson, whose Pulitzer prize-winning novel Gilead, about an elderly priest in small-town Iowa, had critics reaching for the superlatives. She explains why she's chosen to return to the same events in her new book, Home - and also reveals the reasons for the twenty-five year silence which followed the publication of her rapturously-received first book Housekeeping.

David Foster Wallace
The book critic John Freeman joins Mariella to pay tribute to the work and lasting influence of the novelist David Foster Wallace, who died this week, aged 46.

Book Collecting
Margaret Willes, the author of a new history of book culture, and the novelist Iain Sinclair discuss the history and quirks of book collectors, from 16th-century aristocrats to modern-day bibliomanes.

Irene Nemirovsky
The writer and founder of Virago Carmen Callil joins Mariella to give a reader's guide to the work of Irene Nemirovsky, whose rediscovered 1942 novel Suite Francaise caused a literary sensation when first published a few years ago.


SUN 16:30 Poetry Please (b00djvzn)
Robert W Service, was by turns a bank clerk and a proto-Beat who commemorated the hardships and drama of the Yukon Gold Rush. Roger marks the fiftieth anniversary of his death, with Jimmy Yuill reading the classics.

The Shooting of Dan McGrew
The Spell of the Yukon
The Quitter
Funk
The Cremation of Sam McGee

All poems in this week’s programme are by Robert Service and are taken from ‘The Best of Robert Service’ published by A&C Black


SUN 17:00 File on 4 (b00dhb27)
While Britain's hospitals struggle to contain the spread of MRSA, Jenny Cuffe reports on a new and potentially fatal strain of the bacteria which attacks children and young people in the community. Experts warn that the death toll will continue to rise unless the government takes decisive action.


SUN 17:40 Profile (b00djnwl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b00dk3j8)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 17:57 Weather (b00dk3jb)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dk3jd)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (b00dk3jg)
John McCarthy presents a selection of highlights from the past week on BBC radio.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (b00dk3jj)
David's frustrated to see yet another anti-digester poster. Even though Lilian doesn't think anyone takes any notice of them, her solution is to tear it off the lamppost. David tells her just how much opposition he knows there is but they're both aware that Matt doesn't seem at all bothered about it.

Ruth takes Pip to Izzy's, who is in quite an emotional state. Ruth's pleased that Pip's worrying about a normal teenage problem, rather than mass starvation and the population explosion. Ruth also calls on Usha and tells David what a fantastic job they've done of decorating their bedroom.

Lilian tells Jennifer that Matt sees no point in meeting his mother again. Jennifer sympathises but is puzzled by Louise's attitude.

Alice wants to know how Chris is going to feel when she goes off to university. He plays it cool but soon admits just how much he's going to miss her. Alice feels the same way, and wants Christopher to drive down with her next weekend and help her move in. Jennifer insists it would be simpler if she went with Alice but Chris assures her it's what he wants to do. As Alice is clearly delighted, Jennifer accepts defeat.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


SUN 19:15 Go4it (b00dk3jl)
Natalie Barrass presents the children's magazine.

She goes for a walk in the woods with an unusual book club for fans of Life in the Wood with Joni-pip, a time-travel adventure starring a talking teddy-bear and a very silly pigeon, written by Carrie King for her niece Joni.

Also featured is an interview with Sally Nicholls, award-winning author of Ways To Live Forever.


SUN 19:45 Last Night I Dreamed (b007h6pf)
Fugue

Stories celebrating the centenary of Daphne du Maurier's birth.

In Michele Roberts's tale, Marie, broken by sadness, is on her way to the place where she was immensely happy in the past. What lies ahead?

Read by Barbara Kellermann.


SUN 20:00 Feedback (b00dhxn2)
Roger Bolton airs listeners' views on BBC radio programmes and policy.


SUN 20:30 Last Word (b00dhxn4)
Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.


SUN 21:00 Money Box (b00djn2d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:00 on Saturday]


SUN 21:26 Radio 4 Appeal (b00djtqb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 today]


SUN 21:30 In Business (b00dgjn8)
Casino Capitalism

What can financiers learn about risk management from gambling and the casinos who do it every day of the week? Peter Day asks the experts.


SUN 21:58 Weather (b00dk3jn)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (b00dk3jq)
Reports from behind the scenes at Westminster. Including In the Think Tanks.


SUN 23:00 And the Academy Award Goes To... (b008yj95)
Series 1

The Silence of the Lambs

Paul Gambaccini traces the history of the Oscars and tells the stories behind award-winning films.

Jodie Foster recalls the experience of working with Anthony Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme. Screenwriter Ted Tally considers the extent to which The Silence of the Lambs reveals more about celebrity culture than serial killers.


SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b00djtq0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:05 today]



MONDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2008

MON 00:00 Midnight News (b00dh2hg)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b00dhg7h)
Class and Reality TV - Balti Britain

CLASS and REALITY TV
According to new research around 78% of our free to air tv schedules is now comprised of reality TV advising us, chastising us, humiliating us and surprising us – but what is the underlying message about the kind of people we are supposed to think we are? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Beverley Skeggs, co-author of a recent ESRC research project entitled Making Class and Self Through Televised Ethical Scenarios. They discuss the sub-text of reality TV make-over programmes and the manner in which they portray working class people.

BALTI BRITAIN
Ziauddin Sardar talks about his new book Balti Britain – A Journey through the British Asian experience and discusses the nature of the relationship between Britain and the Indian Sub-continent.


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b00djtpw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2ln)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dh2lq)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2ls)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 05:30 News Briefing (b00dh2lv)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dh2sg)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (b00dh2vd)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Mark Holdstock.


MON 05:57 Weather (b00dh2vg)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.


MON 06:00 Today (b00dh3dk)
Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis.

Dr Farzana Shaikh says that Pakistan is still reeling from shock after the bomb attacks in Islamabad.

Norman Smith reports on the stirrings on the left of the Labour Party.

Professor Daryl Glaser gives his analysis of the future of the ANC.

Martin Narey of Barnardo's says the number of children given custodial sentences is 'astounding'.

James Naughtie reports on life behind the stage at the Labour Party Conference.

Professor Geoff Wainwright says that Stonehenge was once a place of healing.

Thought For The Day with Professor Mona Siddiqui of the University of Glasgow.

Chris Morris interviews Pakistani Interior Ministry adviser Rehman Malik about how the government will deal with militants.

Chancellor Alistair Darling says that he will take whatever steps are necessary to tackle the problems in the financial system.

Robert Peston and Justin Webb explain why Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley will be allowed to raise more funds by opening commercial banks.

Elaine Higgleton and Andrew Motion discuss the campaign to keep some unusual words in the Collins English Dictionary.

John Hodgson of Manchester University discusses medieval manuscripts that are to be put online.

Irwin Stelzer, economist and commentator, and Independent columnist Steve Richards discuss the future of economic policy.


MON 09:00 Inside Stories (b00dh4sv)
Series 3

Episode 1

Investigative series that looks at the progress of different news stories, talking to journalists and editors about the decisions and choices they made.

Steve Hewlett and a panel of journalists and editors analyse the coverage of Princes William and Harry, with particular focus on the news blackout around Prince Harry's service in Afghanistan.


MON 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dh7cs)
This Is Not About Me

Episode 1

Award-winning novelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her impoverished upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire.

A family photograph is the starting-point for memories of the author's turbulent start in life.


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dh7cv)
Twiggy; Favourite children; Women in Rwandan politics

Twiggy gives tips for looking and feeling fabulous in one's forties and beyond. And why women are doing so well in Rwandan politics, and whether all parents have a favourite child.


MON 11:00 Where Scotland Meets England (b00dh8cb)
Episode 1

Hardeep Singh Kholi traces the history of the border country between England and Scotland.

Scottish devolution and the promise of a referendum on independence has brought renewed attention to the borderline. Beginning at its most easterly point just north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hardeep meets those who live and work on both sides of the border, including politicians, walkers, cooks and football supporters to explore the area's history and countryside.


MON 11:30 Dixon of Dock Green (b0076zmk)
Series 2

Give a Dog a Good Name

Ted Willis's classic TV series, dramatised for radio by Sue Rodwell.

George helps the newly promoted DI Crawford trap a particularly vicious criminal, a man with an Achilles heel in the shape of a small dog called Shirley.

George Dixon ...... David Calder
Andy Crawford ...... Hamish Clark
Mary Crawford ...... Charlie Brooks
D I Cherry ...... Christian Rodska
Mrs Hoskins ...... June Barrie
Mickey Gordon ...... Stuart Crossman
Pug Ryan ...... Roland Oliver.


MON 12:00 You and Yours (b00dh8cd)
Presented by Liz Barclay and Winifred Robinson.

Chinese authorities now say an estimated 50,000 children have received medical treatment after drinking contaminated milk.

EC Commissioner Viviane Reding has already reduced roaming charges for mobile phone calls across the EU and now wants to extend that to texts and downloads. What impact will it have on the industry?

We look at the shortage of piano tuners in Britain.

If you think you have problems selling your house then spare a thought for Anwar Rashid, a self-made millionaire who bought a 52-room mansion in Nottinghamshire, only to have to hand the keys back to his mortgage lender seven months later because he believes the house is haunted.

Assessing the impact that the banking crisis and stock market volatility could have on British pensions, and how it could affect the gap between private and public sector pensions.

Another skincare ad has been stopped by the ASA for making unsubstantiated claims.

How protests in India are halting production of the world's cheapest car.


MON 12:57 Weather (b00dh8cg)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 13:00 World at One (b00dh8cj)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


MON 13:30 Top Brain 2008 (b00dh8cl)
Robert Robinson chairs the prestigious 'champion of champions' quiz.


MON 14:00 The Archers (b00dk3jj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Drama (b00dh8cn)
David Nobbs - Silent Nights

By David Nobbs

Gordon's hatred of noise is threatening his marriage. But will his attempts to foist silence on the world just make matters worse? Another great comic obsessive from the creator of Reginald Perrin.

Directed by Peter Kavanagh

A story that will resonate - or hopefully not! - with many R4 listeners

Gordon Flitch's life is bombarded with noise from every direction. But while his manic complaints about noise were hard enough for wife Alison (Doon Mackichan) to bear, his efforts to combat it really begin to grate!

For example, retreating to the silence of the Scottish Highlands, he decides on a whim to record the blissful noise-lessness to share with friends. This recording 'solution' quickly becomes a mania with him and Gordon sets about marketing silent CD's that can be played in pubs to spare oneself the raucousiness of pop music. He soon finds that he has hit a chord with the nation's consciousness. Gordon's fanatical obsession with silence has made him famous - but at what cost to his marriage?

Another cracking yarn from this top television, stage, film and now radio writer.


MON 15:00 Money Box Live (b00dhfn1)
Vincent Duggleby and guests answer calls on financial issues.


MON 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dhfn3)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

Offbeat love stories from a variety of writers.

In Kathryn Simmonds's tale, a brief encounter at a party leads to a date and the first awkward kiss, followed by the agony of waiting for the all-important next phone call.

Read by Isabel Brook.


MON 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dhfps)
Faith and Freedom in New England

Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds. The Puritan founders of New England sowed the seeds of modern democracy.


MON 16:00 The Food Programme (b00djtvw)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 Click On (b00dhg0f)
Series 3

Episode 4

Simon Cox presents the topical magazine series covering the latest developments and issues in the world of IT.


MON 17:00 PM (b00dhg46)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dhg5w)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


MON 18:30 Just a Minute (b00dhh35)
Series 53

Episode 9

Nicholas Parsons chairs the devious word game from the Opera House in Manchester. The panellists are Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi and Ian McMillan.


MON 19:00 The Archers (b00dhh37)
Last night's Gamblers Anonymous meeting has left Alistair's head buzzing. He tells Shula about a new member of the group. After two years, Alistair feels ready to show someone else the way.

The building officer wants the footings for Willow Farm dug deeper, which Roy reckons is half a day's work. Eddie's got another job to go to this afternoon but Roy's offer to up the rate does the trick. Eddie gets to work but soon digs into the side of an old well, bang in line with the footings. Eddie tells Roy he'll need to talk to Jason. It's going to have to be dug out and filled in properly.

Ed and Emma have still had no luck in finding somewhere to live, and now Ed's time seems to be taken up in planning the farm open day. Alistair's doing the latest TB test, and suggests Ed tries to get a free plug on Radio Borsetshire. Ed agrees it's worth a phone call, and is delighted to be offered a live interview on the drive-time show next week. It's just the kind of publicity they need. Ed can't wait to tell Oliver.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


MON 19:15 Front Row (b00dhh39)
John le Carré

Presented by Mark Lawson.

In a special interview Mark talks to writer David Cornwell, pen name John Le Carre, whose latest novel A Most Wanted Man examines Hamburg's role in the War on Terror.

David Cornwell talks about the new novel and how it fits into a career spanning his days working as a young official in the British Consul, to when he crossed over from being a spy to become a writer of books about espionage - including A Perfect Spy, his most autobiographical work revealing how the experience of having a con-man father prepared him for life in the secret service.


MON 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00dhkqs)
Shattered

Johna

Monologues by Richard Monks, inspired by the 2007 Cumbrian train crash, examining the profound effects on the lives of local residents one year on from the accident.

Johna is a middle-aged bachelor who has spent his whole life on the family farm. But the train crash forces him into contact with new people and into a new world of possibilities.

Johna ...... Gerard McDermott.


MON 20:00 Postcards From the White City (b00b71dq)
4 Extra Debut. Using original postcards, local-born Robert Elms discovers how the 1908 exhibition gave the area of London its name. From May 2008.


MON 20:30 Crossing Continents (b00dhhcn)
Northern Uganda

Callum Macrae reports from a devastated region.

The conflict in northern Uganda is one of Africa's longest running and most brutal civil wars. Now, after more than 20 years, a delicate peace reigns, but could this be under threat? The International Criminal Court has issued warrants of arrest against rebel leader Joseph Kony and some of his commanders, but many Ugandans fear that intervention may actually prolong the conflict. On the other hand, international pressure is growing for a military solution to the war, which is now seen to threaten the strategic interests of the west in the region.

Callum investigates the risks of the west's new interest in this war and to examine claims that traditional processes of reconciliation, focusing on forgiveness rather than punishment, may hold the key to bringing a lasting peace to this unhappy land.


MON 21:00 Inflamed Response (b00dj3sk)
Claudia Hammond investigates inflammation, the body's first line of defence against injury and infection. Researchers now realise that when it fails to switch off, the process is responsible for a host of unrelated medical conditions from cardiovascular disease to cancer.

Claudia examines how research into chronic inflammation is giving new insights into the relationship between mind and body and how interventions such as diet and exercise are proving effective in breaking the damage of an inflamed response.


MON 21:30 Inside Stories (b00dh4sv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:58 Weather (b00dhl2r)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dhl2t)
National and international news and analysis with Ritula Shah and Carolyn Quinn. Including reports on how Japanese financiers are buying stakes in American banks, the changing face of Wall Street and how politicians are getting to grips with it, the Labour Party conference in Manchester and Belarus, which has been called 'the last dictatorship in Europe'.


MON 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dhld6)
Out of a Clear Sky

Episode 1

Nicola Walker reads from Sally Hinchcliffe's psychological thriller.

Manda is driven to confronting her stalker on a lonely mountainside in Scotland. But what brought her to this moment?


MON 23:00 Word of Mouth (b00dghms)
Michael Rosen takes another journey into the world of words, language and the way we speak.


MON 23:30 Tomorrow, Today! (b017gzj8)
Series 2

Countess Natasha and the Red Menace

Prime Minister Harold Macmillan guest stars in the same week that the programme is infiltrated by a spy.

Series two of Christopher William Hill's sitcom set in 1962. A BBC producer struggles to make a radio soap set in the unimaginably futuristic world of 2008.

Nigel Lavery ...... Peter Bowles
Sylvia Hann ...... Cheryl Campbell
Godfrey Winnard ..... John Fortune
Sir Angus McNairn ...... Gary Waldhorn
Hugo Kellerman ...... Joseph Kloska
Douglas Bennings/Harold Macmillan ...... Jon Glover
Keith Wood ...... Sam Pamphilon
Roger Aspinall ...... Simon Treves
Secretary ...... Laura Molyneux
Miss Thurwell ...... Anna Bengo.

Producer: Liz Webb

First broadcast on Radio 4 in February 2008.



TUESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2008

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b00dh2h4)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


TUE 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dh7cs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00djc0l)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00djc0n)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00djc0q)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b00djc0s)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00djc0v)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b00dh2sj)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Anna Hill.


TUE 06:00 Today (b00dh39z)
Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis.

Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley, says he would be surprised if there was not a leadership challenge by next summer.

Chris Morris reports on whether a conflict between the United States and Pakistan is inevitable.

Dr Andrew Wadge of the Food Standards Agency says that no dairy products from China are allowed into the EU.

Paul Myners of investment managers GLG Partners says that central banks are to blame for the current economic troubles.

Lord Kinnock, former Labour leader, describes the speeches that have stuck in the mind of Labour supporters, from Harold Wilson to Denis Healey.

Thought For The Day with the Right Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark.

Green activist Mark Lynas discusses pro-nuclear environmentalism with Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw discusses what Gordon Brown's Conference speech will contain and whether the Prime Minister can captivate Labour's core support.

Gordon Corera discusses the increasing tension in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Robert Peston has the latest on the unstable global markets.

What exactly is a kilt? In Perth, kilt makers are gathering to try to work it out and to decide and what skills are needed to make one. Huw Williams, in Blairgowrie, finds out why.

Andrew Feinstein, author and former ANC MP, discusses whether Thabo Mbeki's resignation will bring stability to the country.

Ben Brogan, political editor of the Daily Mail, and Jackie Ashley, of the Guardian discuss the first 48 hours of the Labour Party Conference.


TUE 09:00 The Choice (b00djcc7)
Michael Buerk interviews people who have made life-altering decisions and talks them through the whole process, from the original dilemma to living with the consequences.

Football manager Mike Newell talks about his decision to blow the whistle on illegal payments in football.


TUE 09:30 I Was a Child Prodigy (b00dghmg)
Episode 4

Chris Ledgard presents a series looking at the lives of people who were labelled child prodigies.

Jonathan Cocking could read Shakespeare and remember long sequences of numbers at the age of three. In 1950, he featured in the national press. But Jonathan firmly denies that he was a prodigy and has been living down the label ever since.


TUE 09:45 Book of the Week (b00drs52)
This Is Not About Me

Episode 2

Award-winning novelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her impoverished upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire.

Janice's mother has made the difficult decision to leave her drunken husband and start afresh with her young daughter.


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00djsf4)
Sheila Hancock; Harriet Harman; Tattoos

Actress Sheila Hancock explains how she has dealt with life since the death of her husband, John Thaw. Plus Harriet Harman on female Labour voters, and why women have tattoos.


TUE 11:00 World On The Move: Great Animal Migrations (b00djshx)
Philippa Forrester and Brett Westwood present the series following the movement and migration of animals across the planet, from the European eel to the African white-eared kob antelope. A team of wildlife specialists are joined by zoologists and conservationists around the world to present regular reports.


TUE 11:30 O Lucky Man! (b00djtj2)
John Harris presents a documentary investigating the life and work of the film director Lindsay Anderson. The programme focuses on If..., O Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital, the trilogy of films Anderson made with Malcolm McDowell featuring the character Mick Travis.

With contributions from McDowell himself, Stephen Frears, Helen Mirren and writer David Sherwin, Harris examines Anderson's vision of Britain and his contradictory character.

A Unique production for BBC Radio 4.


TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b00dhy78)
Call You and Yours

Presented by John Waite and Peter White.

NHS Top Ups

Asking whether people should pay for all of their NHS care if they choose to pay privately for drugs that their local hospital trust won't fund. Are top-up fees really compatible with the founding principles of the NHS and are they leading us towards a two-tier system where only the rich can afford new and expensive medicines?

With guests Jo Webber, Deputy Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation, Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of the BMA, Niall Dixon of the King's Fund and the campaigner Kate Spall.


TUE 12:57 Weather (b00dlbld)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 13:00 World at One (b00djtj6)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


TUE 13:30 Soul Music (b00djtj8)
Series 7

Swan Lake

Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.

1/4. Swan Lake

The story behind Tchaikovsky's ballet and the impact it has had on those who have heard and danced to it.


TUE 14:00 The Archers (b00dhh37)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama (b00djtvh)
Elephant and Castle

by Robin Baker

It's Ian's 35th birthday and we're in the middle of a row with his girlfriend from which there's no going back. Fast rewind 9 months to the Tibetan cafe where they meet. In a series of short scenes the play follows the full trajectory of their relationship.

Ian...........................Rory Kinnear
Kat..........................Lyndsey Marshal
Jude........................Olivia Colman
Janet........................Carolyn Pickles
Other parts played by Manjeet Mann, Jill Cardo
and Gunnar Cauthery.

Producer Steven Canny.


TUE 15:00 Home Planet (b00djv0l)
Richard Daniel and the team discuss listeners' questions about the environment and the natural world.


TUE 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dhfr0)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

Ha Ha Ha

Offbeat love stories from a variety of writers.

Joan Osbaldeston's tale features Suzy, who has collected interesting words since her childhood. However, she has forgotten the glamour of the word 'epiglottis' for 43 years, until she meets the inimitable Stanley Manley. And Stanley has an interest of his own.

Read by Jenny Coverack.


TUE 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dhy7b)
The Middle Colonies and the Melting Pot

Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds. Dutch settlers in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey pioneered a spirit of religious tolerance.


TUE 16:00 Law in Action (b00djv0n)
Did Islam Influence English Common Law?

Clive Coleman takes his weekly look at legal issues. Reporter Mukul Devichand investigates the plausibility of the claim that the medieval Islamic world influenced the 13th-century foundations of English common law.


TUE 16:30 Great Lives (b00djvgk)
Series 16

Lady Hester Stanhope

Series of biographical discussions with Matthew Parris.

Georgian political hostess, traveller, diplomat and spy Lady Hester Stanhope is nominated by businesswoman and Dragon's Den investor Deborah Meaden. Stanhope's biographer Kirsten Ellis lends her expert knowledge to the discussion.


TUE 17:00 PM (b00dhg3y)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dhg5k)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


TUE 18:30 Hut 33 (b00m0ld0)
Series 1

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Bletchley Park codebreakers grapple with the complexities of religion.

CAST:

Charles …. Robert Bathurst
Archie …. Tom Goodman-Hill
Minka …. Olivia Colman
Gordon …. Fergus Craig
Mrs Best …. Lill Roughley
Joshua …. Alex MacQueen.

Written by James Carey.

Producer: Adam Bromley

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2007.


TUE 19:00 The Archers (b00djvgp)
Emma's desperate to find somewhere to live. She drags Ed round to see Ruth, where Emma comes right out with it and asks if they can move into Rickyard Cottage. Ruth's taken aback but agrees to talk to David.

Matt assures Lilian she doesn't have to worry about him. He's got no regrets about last week and has got over the disappointment of his mother not wanting to see him.

Brian's pleased that Tom's sausages are doing well but thinks they should cut back on the pork meat sales and build up a market for other products such as premium bacon. Tom's not happy with the idea but Brian suggests he talks to Adam. Tom grits his teeth and agrees to do so.

Matt informs the Borchester Land meeting of a proposed rival anaerobic digester at Loxley Norton, which is about to tie up an agreement to handle waste from a major supermarket chain. Loxley Norton are looking for new partners. As there's no room in Borsetshire for two big AD plants, Matt thinks they should pull out of Ambridge Heat and Power and go in with Loxley Norton. It's time to face the facts. The Ambridge plant is dead in the water.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (b00djvgr)
Presented by Mark Lawson.

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are back in their comfort zone - the mean streets of New York - playing cops who are on the hunt for a serial killer. Does critic Jason Solomons feel a case of deja-vu in the film Righteous Kill?

Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies leads a cast of 13 and a live band in his new musical, Come Dancing, set in and around the Ilford Palais in the 1950s.

One of the great successes at the National Theatre in London was their initial run of War Horse - an adaptation of the World War One novel by Michael Morpurgo. With an updated second run of the play underway, Mark takes a closer look at the star of the show, the lead horse, Joey. He heads backstage to meet him and the puppeteers who bring the tragic cane-and-plywood animal to life.


TUE 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00djvgt)
Shattered

Kerry

Monologues by Richard Monks, inspired by the 2007 Cumbrian train crash, examining the profound effects on the lives of local residents one year on from the accident.

Kerry is a typical 15-year-old girl, fighting with her parents and dealing with boys, schoolwork and peer pressure. But on the night of the crash, something terrible happens that not only transforms her relationships with people but also shows her an unexpected path into the future.

Kerry ...... Rachel Brogan.


TUE 20:00 File on 4 (b00djvnw)
Allan Urry examines the case for linking animal cruelty with child abuse, amid concerns expressed by the RSPCA and the NSPCC that offenders may be more likely to commit both crimes.


TUE 20:40 In Touch (b00djvny)
Peter White with news and information for the blind and partially sighted.


TUE 21:00 Case Notes (b00djw8p)
Abortion

Dr Mark Porter explores health issues of the day.

He investigates the medical and psychological aspects of abortion. He talks to Dr John Spencer of Marie Stopes International and finds out about a counselling phone line for women who have had abortions.


TUE 21:30 The Choice (b00djcc7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


TUE 21:58 Weather (b00djw8r)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b00djw8t)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig and Carolyn Quinn. Gordon Brown received a standing ovation for his speech at the Labour Party conference, but will it convince voters? Financiers and politicians meet in Washington to discuss the economy. And do countries have a responsibility to protect each other?


TUE 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00djwdc)
Out of a Clear Sky

Episode 2

Nicola Walker reads from Sally Hinchcliffe's psychological thriller.

Manda is desolate when Gareth, her lover of ten years, leaves her for another woman. He introduced her to bird-watching, a hobby which provides Manda with an escape from her troubled past. But she is unsettled by the attentions of David, another twitcher.


TUE 23:00 Edge Falls (b00djwdf)
Series 2

Episode 4

A new pet shop is set to open at Edge Falls retail park, but where are all the pets? Stars Frances Barber. From September 2008.


TUE 23:30 Material Girls (b00cpl3k)
As Barbie and Madonna both turn 50, Emily Maitlis asks which is the original Material Girl. She takes a look at the marketing, promotion and parallel development of two of the best-known brands of the last half-century.



WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2008

WED 00:00 Midnight News (b00dh2h6)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b00drs52)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Tuesday]


WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2sl)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dh2sn)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2sq)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 05:30 News Briefing (b00dh2ss)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dh2sv)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


WED 05:45 Farming Today (b00dh2sx)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Anna Hill.


WED 06:00 Today (b00dh3b1)
Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis.

Tony Woodley, of Britain's largest union Unite, discusses whether Gordon Brown has persuaded the unions to stay onside.

Sir Adrian Montague, chairman of the British Energy Group, discusses the sale of the company to the French company EDF.

James Reynolds reports on the opinion of the government after the contaminated milk scandal in China.

Iain Watson explains Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's decision to leave the government.

Dr Tim Kendall and Andrea Bilbow discuss whether there is an over-reliance on medicines to treat ADHD.

Philip Glass, the minimalist American classical music composer, discusses how he has sustained his career for nearly half a century.

Thought For The Day with Rev Angela Tilby, Vicar of St Bene't's Church in Cambridge.

Hendrik du Toit and Peter Bruce discuss the financial implications of the political unrest in South Africa.

The Prime Minister's highly personal speech has been seen as a success by the Labour ranks. Gordon Brown discusses whether the good mood will last and if the idea of 'a fair society' will win Labour a fourth term in office.

Jim O'Neill, chief economist of Goldman Sachs, discusses whether emerging markets can offset the slowdown in the US.

Professor Brian Cox, a professor at CERN and Manchester University, discusses the problems faced with fixing the Large Hadron Collider.

Nick Robinson discusses the reaction to Gordon Brown's Conference speech.

Suliman Baldo and Lord Michael Jay discuss how achieving international targets such as the Millennium Development Goals should help countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.


WED 09:00 Midweek (b00dkff1)
Lively and diverse conversation with Libby Purves and guests.


WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b00drt0v)
This Is Not About Me

Episode 3

Award-winning novelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her impoverished upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire.

Rocked by the return of her older sister Cora, Janice faces another hurdle as she starts primary school.


WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dk5z9)
Queen Victoria's ascension; Childhood epilepsy

Historian Kate Williams on how Queen Victoria came to power. Plus the latest developments in the treatment of childhood epilepsy, and the impact of tourism on The Galapagos Islands.


WED 11:00 Lifeboats on the Thames (b00dkff3)
Episode 1

Horatio Clare joins the crews of lifeboats based on the river Thames. Established in 2002 in response to the inquiries into the Marchioness disaster, the four lifeboats are permanently manned and have to respond to a distress call within 30 seconds. The boats are not like familiar sea-going lifeboats but are jet-propelled, capable of travelling at 40 knots.

Horatio attends a night shift with the full-time and volunteer crew at Tower Station, near Waterloo Bridge. He witnesses rescue training and gets a call-out. Moving on to Gravesend, he joins the crew on a melancholy mission, searching for someone feared drowned.


WED 11:30 Inspector Steine (b00773d8)
His Last Review

Comedy drama series by Lynne Truss, set in 1950s Brighton.

A famous London theatre critic is found dead in his seat at the Theatre Royal after a performance of the kitchen-sink drama, A Shilling in the Meter.

Inspector Steine ...... Michael Fenton Stevens
Mrs Groynes ...... Jan Ravens
Brunswick ...... John Ramm
Twitten ...... Matt Green
Cook ...... Allan Corduner
BBC Announcer ...... David Holt.


WED 12:00 You and Yours (b00dk6g8)
Consumer news and issues with John Waite and Sheila McClennon.


WED 12:57 Weather (b00dhy7g)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 13:00 World at One (b00dk6gb)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


WED 13:30 Tracing Your Roots (b00dkff5)
Series 3

Episode 6

Sally Magnusson presents a series exploring the practice of researching family history, one of the UK's most rapidly growing pastimes.

With genealogist Nick Barratt, she looks at how the manner of an ancestor's death can offer clues to the life they led and open up new avenues for the amateur sleuth to explore.


WED 14:00 The Archers (b00djvgp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Tuesday]


WED 14:15 Drama (b00dkff7)
Nick Warburton - Last Days of Grace

By Nick Warburton

Easter Monday, 1908. And there's snow on the ground. An aging icon, W.G. Grace, contemplates another day in his life-long cricketing obsession. He arrives at the Oval and can't quite bear to sit in the clubhouse to meet the usual people. Instead he trudges out in to the cold to face a different type of questioning.

W.G.Grace ..... Kenneth Cranham
GF ..... Benedict Cumberbatch
Voice of Cricket ..... Christopher Martin-Jenkins

Produced by Steven Canny

Nick Warburton is a writer of great significance in audio drama. In 2007 he won the Peter Tinniswood Award for the Best New Play on Radio. He was thrilled to be a guest interviewee on Test Match Special during their 50th Anniversary celebrations.

"To his contemporaries Grace was supreme and, in words used of Aristotle, the master of those who know. For longevity, for his effect on the game, for performances with bat and ball, for his place in history, William Gilbert Grace stands alone." Sir John Major.


WED 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00djvtj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:00 on Sunday]


WED 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dhfr4)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

After the Snow Queen

Offbeat love stories from a variety of writers

Diana Hendry's modern conclusion to the famous fairy story reveals what happened next for Gerda and her true love Kay after his release from the Snow Queen's spell.

Read by Phyllida Nash.


WED 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dhfw5)
Awakenings and Nightmares

Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.

Religious revivals challenge the authority of the formal hierarchical churches. Meanwhile, slavery is now a vital part of the colonial economy.


WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b00dkff9)
Crime and Consumerism - Meaning of Marriage

CRIME AND CONSUMERISM
According to Steve Hall, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Northumbria University and co-author of a new book entitled Criminal Identity and Consumer Culture, many young people turn to crime as the most efficient means to get hold of the material possessions they desire. But they do not desire these consumer goods solely for their practical uses – they want to adorn their lives with the symbols of success, to set themselves apart from society. Laurie Taylor is joined by Steve Hall and Paddy Rawlinson, Lecturer in Sociology at the London School of Economics to explore the darker side of consumer culture. They debate how our immersion in consumer culture prevents individuals from reflecting critically upon themselves and their actions.

MEANING OF MARRIAGE
Fifties style traditional marriage is thought to be unequal and not very intimate; described in sociological terms as ‘companionate’. Nowadays, however, marriage is imagined as more intimate and more egalitarian. But does it really meet these expectations? Has marriage really changed? Andrew Bell from Edinburgh University discusses the notion of modern marriage and talks about his research which challenges Anthony Giddens’ model of the intimate marriage and suggests that the traditional notion of the ‘companionable marriage’ endures.


WED 16:30 Case Notes (b00djw8p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Tuesday]


WED 17:00 PM (b00dhg40)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dhg5m)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


WED 18:30 The Castle (b012mzvp)
Series 1

Episode 1

Sitcom by Kim Fuller, set in a medieval castle with some remarkably modern trappings.

Sir John Woodstock ...... James Fleet
Sir William De Warenne ...... Neil Dudgeon
Lady Anne Woodstock ...... Susan Earl
Cardinal Duncan ...... Jonathan Kydd
Lady Charlotte ...... Ingrid Oliver
Master Henry Woodstock ...... Steven Kynman
Sam Tree ...... Toby Ross-Bryant.


WED 19:00 The Archers (b00dhy7j)
Nic turns up at Ambridge Organics. She feels awkward but Helen seems pleased to see her so Nic enquires about Will. Helen tells her about Will's showdown with Ed and his job in Gloucestershire. She suggest Nic gives him a call but Nic thinks it's best not to interfere.

Jack's having a bad day. He doesn't recognise Jennifer and accuses her of stealing his golf clubs. Peggy is over-protective and puts it down to being tired.

Brian tells Jennifer about Matt wanting Borchester Land to pull out of the biodigester scheme. Jennifer thinks it's a disaster but Brian points out it's highly confidential so they can't tell Adam or Debbie. Their conversation is cut short when Peggy calls. Jack's now forgotten who she is and has shut her out of the house. Brian alerts Tom to Peggy's situation, and he too rushes round to help.

Peggy's upset but Brian gets in with the spare key and manages to talk Jack down. Soon Jack's tucked up in bed but when Peggy overhears Jennifer saying things can't go on like this, Peggy insists there's nothing to worry about. A good night's sleep is all Jack needs.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


WED 19:15 Front Row (b00dkgrl)
Presented by Mark Lawson.

Writer Lionel Shriver and artist John Keane review a new exhibition at Tate Modern of late works by Mark Rothko.

Novelist Justin Cartwright reviews two politically-charged cultural events. Leaving, a play by Václav Havel, addresses the themes of change and the passage of power from one generation to the next amidst the chaos of leaving office. Kevin Costner stars in Swing Vote, which imagines an entire US presidential election determined by the vote of just one man.

Emmy, Grammy and Tony award-winning composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, Charles Strouse, discusses his memoirs about a lifetime in showbusiness.


WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00dkgrn)
Shattered

Tyler

Monologues by Richard Monks, inspired by the 2007 Cumbrian train crash, examining the profound effects on the lives of local residents one year on from the accident.

Volunteer fireman Tyler was one of the first to reach the crash site. But by helping save others' lives, he has damaged his own. Unable to forget what he has seen, he becomes clinically depressed. Now, involvement in an organic growing project is helping him to find a way forward.

Tyler ...... Bryan Dick.


WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b00dkgrq)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Melanie Phillips, Michael Portillo, Clifford Longley and Kenan Malik cross-examine witnesses.


WED 20:45 In the Think Tanks (b00dkgrs)
Dennis Sewell considers the influence of think tanks in the current political debate.


WED 21:00 The Great Big Particle Adventure (b00dkgrv)
Episode 3

Comedian and physicist Ben Miller explores the workings of the new LHC atom smasher at CERN in Switzerland and what it is designed to discover.

He looks at black holes and the beginning of time. The creation of miniature black holes could help scientists explain the nature of the force of gravity and open the way to parallel universes. Ben also learns about the critical moments during the Big Bang when matter was created and how it turned into atoms.


WED 21:30 Midweek (b00dkff1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


WED 21:58 Weather (b00dhy9n)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dhy9q)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig.


WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dlcr3)
Out of a Clear Sky

Episode 3

Nicola Walker reads from Sally Hinchcliffe's psychological thriller.

David seems to know more about Manda than he ought to and his attentions are becoming unsettling.


WED 23:00 Strangers on Trains (b00dkgrx)
Episode 5

Series of character comedies by Nat Segnit and Stewart Wright, in which Nat talks to people sitting alone on trains. He asks strange men about death.


WED 23:15 All Bar Luke (b00dkgrz)
Series 3

The Cruise

Poignant comedy drama series by Tim Key.

Luke gets stranded on his way home from Calais with a people-carrier full of wedding booze and a comatose groom-to-be.

An Angel Eye Media production for BBC Radio 4.


WED 23:30 Turned out Nice Again! (b009ybxy)
Episode 1

Allan Beswick tells the remarkable story of two George Formbys, father and son.

The first George Formby was a singing entertainer from the north west of England, but he was totally eclipsed by his son, who used the same stage name and went on to become the most succesful British entertainer of his day, going from poverty in Wigan to stardom in Hollywood.

Archive clips and interviews with fans and family members paint an intimate and revealing picture.



THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2008

THU 00:00 Midnight News (b00dh2h8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b00drt0v)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Wednesday]


THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2sz)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dh2t1)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2t3)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 05:30 News Briefing (b00dh2t5)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dh2t7)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


THU 05:45 Farming Today (b00dh2t9)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Charlotte Smith.


THU 06:00 Today (b00dh3b3)
Presented by John Humphrys and Sarah Montague.

Dennis Berman of the Wall Street Journal discusses what he made of George Bush's address to the nation.

Simon Reed, vice chairman of the Police Federation, discusses whether police misuse their powers to stop and search.

Luke Walton reports on the opposition to the proposed merger of Border TV with Tyne Tees.

British Ambassador in Yangon Mark Canning describes the current situation in Burma.

Barbara Stocking from Oxfam explains why money needs to be found to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are met.

Writer William Fiennes and sixth form student Esther Nicholls discuss whether creativity can really be taught in schools.

Thought For The Day with Dom Antony Sutch, a Benedictine Monk.

Ofcom's chief executive Ed Richards discusses whether ITV will have its PSB remit reduced.

President Bush has warned of dire consequences for the US economy if Congress rejects a rescue package for Wall Street. US Congressman John Spratt discusses the chances of a deal being agreed.

Sculptor Anish Kapoor describes what is so brilliant about the artist Mark Rothko.

James Reynolds and Andrew Coates, of UCL, discuss whether the space programme is a way for China to prove that it is a true world power.

David Mepham of Save the Children UK discusses the progress of the Middle East Quartet.

Mike Thomson reports on Britain's role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Vice president of Google Vint Cerf thinks broadcasters need to look at the wider issues approaching visual entertainment in the future.

Rev Giles Fraser, Vicar of Putney, and Nick Baines, Bishop of Croydon, discuss the behaviour of City traders.


THU 09:00 In Our Time (b00dkh78)
Miracles

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the parting of the Red Sea, the feeding of the five thousand and the general subject of miracles. Miracles have been part of human culture for thousands of years. From St Augustine in the 4th century through the medieval cult of saints to David Hume in the 18th, miracles have captured the imaginations of believers and sceptics alike. The way they have been celebrated, interpreted, dissected and refuted is a whole history of arguments between philosophy, science and religion. They have also been used by the corrupt and the powerful to gain their perverse ends. Miracles have been derided and proved to be fraudulent and yet, for many, the miraculous maintain a grip on our imagination, our language and our belief to this day. With Martin Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture;Janet Soskice, Reader in Philosophical Theology at Cambridge University; Justin Champion, Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London.


THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b00ds8hj)
This Is Not About Me

Episode 4

Award-winning novelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her impoverished upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire.

After Eddie's death, the Galloway women have been able to move back into the family home. Things should be looking up, but the constant pressure to be good is beginning to tell on Janice.


THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dk5zc)
False allegations of rape; Swing out Sister

How false allegations of rape impact on the lives of the accused and their families; how to wear a headscarf; Swing Out Sister performing live.


THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b00dkh7b)
BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the world's headlines. Introduced by Kate Adie.


THU 11:30 Arthur Mee - Encyclopaedist (b00dkh7d)
Enthusiast Ian Sansom explores the life and work of the prolific journalist, historian, polemicist and children's educator.


THU 12:00 You and Yours (b00dhy7n)
Presented by John Waite and Winifred Robinson.

Ian McMillan offers his unique insights for parents whose children are flying the nest.

A man called Abdul Musa from Blackburn has admitted responsibility in court for more than 170 speeding offences when he wasn't guilty of any of them. We speak to Jeanette Miller, chief executive of the Association of Motor Offences.

Brecon Beacons National Park has suspended its chief executive after an investigation over a planning consent.

A report from the Chartered Institute of Marketing says that the regulations surrounding using the Olympics in advertising are too restrictive and penalise small companies. We speak to its Head of Research, Mark Stuart.

How will we cope in a world that can no longer rely on cheap and plentiful supplies of oil?

The European Commission has said that it is planning to ban certain Chinese food products for children following the milk contamination scandal in China. We talk to Simon Calder, travel writer for The Independent.

Discussing the new ID cards, the first of which has been unveiled by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.


THU 12:57 Weather (b00dhy7q)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 13:00 World at One (b00dk6gd)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


THU 13:30 Open Country (b00djlcc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:07 on Saturday]


THU 14:00 The Archers (b00dhy7j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Wednesday]


THU 14:15 Drama (b00dkhnf)
Unseen Austen

By Judith French.

Impertinent young Lydia Bennet discovers that it is her sister Elizabeth who is the heroine of Pride and Prejudice and that her own love life is all offstage. She sets about putting matters right.

Lydia Bennet ...... Jodie Whittaker
Elizabeth Bennet ...... Clare Corbett
Mr Darcy ...... Gunnar Cauthery
Kitty Bennet ...... Jill Cardo
George Wickham/Mr Collins ...... Chris Pavlo
Mr Bennet ...... Stephen Critchlow
Mrs Bennet ...... Janice Acquah.


THU 15:00 Questions, Questions (b00dkhnh)
Stewart Henderson answers those niggling questions from everyday life.


THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b00djtqb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 on Sunday]


THU 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dqwp2)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

You're Not Ann Laurenson, Are You?

Offbeat love stories from a variety of writers.

Frank Dunne's tale is set on a train out of Waterloo. A middle-aged man becomes fascinated by the woman sitting opposite him. As the train rattles through the countryside, he is trying to devise a way of introducing himself which cannot fail to intrigue her.

Read by Philip Franks.


THU 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dhfw7)
The Battle for Empire

Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds. North America becomes part of the conflict between Britain and France.


THU 16:00 Open Book (b00djvtn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:00 on Sunday]


THU 16:30 Material World (b00dkzlq)
Lobster Hotels - Hair Biomarkers

Lobster Hotels
An adult female lobster can lay twenty thousand eggs, yet, in the wild, only one of those is likely to develop to maturity and even that may end up on a plate. Quentin hears how science is giving lobsters a helping hand – or perhaps a helping claw – in protected hatcheries and providing lobster hotels in artificial reefs.

In the UK, lobster fisheries contribute £1.8 million to the local economy, yet declining stocks threaten the industry with collapse. Already, stocks in Norway have crashed. The National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow, Cornwall is hatching thousands of eggs in the safety of special tanks and releasing them into selected habitats to continue development in the wild. Hatchery General Manager Dominic Boothroyd says they even have an ‘adopt a lobster’ scheme to engage the public.

Meanwhile, Dr Tom Wilding from the Scottish Association for Marine Science’s Duffstaffnage Marine Laboratory near Oban is working on the Loch Linnhe Artificial Reef, a sort of high-rise hotel for marine creatures such as lobsters. It’s made of a pile of blocks with spaces between and within the blocks that are just right to get lobsters started on the property ladder. In the future, new habitats are possible around the bases of offshore wind farms.

Hair Biomarkers
What can someone’s hair tell us about them?A single fibre of hair can give a valuable chronological record of a person’s activities and lifestyle – whether it is used by a biochemist testing for drug abuse, or by an archaeologist looking at specimens hundreds of years old.

These ‘biochemical signatures’ can be utilised in such diverse areas as archaeology, forensics, law enforcement and sports science.

Quentin is joined by Dr Andrew Wilson, University of Bradford and Dr Richard Paul, University of Glamorgan who both use the biochemical signatures of hair in their work, but with two very different applications.

It is revealing new insights into human diet in ancient past – and the very recent past – with new tests for hair which can reveal the alcoholic drinking habits of a person over the last six months. Hair raising revelations on Material World….


THU 17:00 PM (b00dhg42)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dhg5p)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


THU 18:30 I've Never Seen Star Wars (b00dkzls)
Series 1

Paul Daniels

Marcus Brigstocke invites Paul Daniels to try new experiences.


THU 19:00 The Archers (b00dhy7s)
After a good result from the latest TB test - only one reactor - Ed's ready to put everything into promoting the open day. Oliver buys him a lunchtime drink to thank him for his hard work.

Jennifer's surprised but pleased that Jazzer's interested in the display from the dig, until she realises that he's heard there's a mummified body on display. Jazzer's mad with Ed for winding him up.

Lilian calls on Peggy and Jack but there's nobody at home. No-one's seen them all day and Lilian and Jennifer are concerned. When Jack and Peggy eventually return, Peggy can't understand all the fuss and insists there was no need to send out a search party. Despite this, Lilian and Jennifer think Peggy looks exhausted.

Tom offers Jazzer a full-time job with the pigs, saying he'll make it worth his while. Jazzer thinks about it but decides it's not the right career move. If Tom needs more help at Home Farm, he'll have to find himself another pigman.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


THU 19:15 Front Row (b00dkzlv)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.

The Irish actor Liam Neeson makes a departure from his usual gentler film roles by playing an all-action hero in the new film Taken. He discusses this new role and his reasons for taking it on.

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the WW1 Armistice, the Imperial War Museum in London is staging a major new exhibition which considers the global impact of the war on the individuals who lived, fought and died in it. 90 different stories are told, with artefacts and illustration. Jean Moorcroft Wilson, biographer of WW1 poets Siegfried Sassoon and Isaac Rosenberg, and Geoff Dyer, author of The Missing of the Somme, reflect on these personal histories.

Diane Roberts, Professor of American Literature at Florida State University reviews the HBO drama John Adams, which tells the story of one of the Founding Fathers and the second President of the United States.

John Wilson reports on King's Place, the new £100m commercial development alongside the Regent's Canal in King's Cross, housing London's first new classical concert venue since The Barbican opened in 1982. It will provide a new home for the London Sinfonietta and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, as well as housing two new music venues and an art gallery.


THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00dkzlx)
Shattered

Heather

Monologues by Richard Monks, inspired by the 2007 Cumbrian train crash, examining the profound effects on the lives of local residents one year on from the accident.

Heather is a divorcee who recently moved to the village, eager to make a new life for herself as the village shopkeeper. But the locals resented her intrusion and boycotted the business - until the crash changed everything.

Heather ...... Deborah Findlay.


THU 20:00 Document (b00dkzlz)
Britain's Cuban Missile Crisis

Mike Thomson presents the series using documentary evidence to throw new light on past events.

In the last week of October 1962, the world famously held its breath as two superpowers teetered on the precipice of nuclear war. The incident has gone down in history as a war of nerves between the Kremlin and the White House, but what role was the British Government playing, and what decisions was Prime Minister Harold Macmillan making on behalf of his people? How close did he bring Britain to all out nuclear war?


THU 20:30 In Business (b00dkzm1)
Brand Wagon

Companies are obsessed with creating and nurturing their brands, but what is the business of branding all about? Peter Day visits a museum of brands that failed and talks to the people trying to revive old brands from the dead.


THU 21:00 Costing the Earth (b00dkzm3)
Hurrah for the Eco Car

Politicians tell us that the future of motoring is electric, and several of the major car companies are launching a new generation of greener vehicles using hydrogen fuel technology. All are being trumpeted as the salvation of the motor car in a world without oil. But despite being promised green cars as long ago as the 90s, very few have yet to materialise on our roads. Tom Heap investigates.


THU 21:30 In Our Time (b00dkh78)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


THU 21:58 Weather (b00dhy9s)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dhy9v)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig. Presidential candidates go to the White House to discuss financial bail-out bill.


THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dlcr5)
Out of a Clear Sky

Episode 4

Nicola Walker reads from Sally Hinchcliffe's psychological thriller.

Someone is hacking into Manda's computer and David is stepping up the harassment. When Tom invites Manda down to Kent to check out the sighting of a firecrest, it seems a perfect escape.


THU 23:00 Jon Ronson On (b00dkzm5)
Series 4

Anything for Love

Jon explores the silly things we sometimes do to prove our devotion to loved ones.

He visits the perimeter fence at Stonehenge, which he once almost jumped over in an attempt to curry favour with his girlfriend. He talks to comic writer Jane Bussman about the time she decided to drop her well-paid job in the media to seek out a man who worked in Africa for a charity. Her story has some remarkable twists, not least that he never materialised.


THU 23:30 Turned out Nice Again! (b00b1cql)
Episode 2

Allan Beswick tells the remarkable story of George Formby. He recalls Formby's role in the war effort, his relationship with his wife Beryl and the couple's unlikely role in South African politics. Formby's death in 1961 brought a hundred thousand mourners onto the streets of Warrington, including a young Allan Beswick.



FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2008

FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b00dh2hb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b00ds8hj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Thursday]


FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2tc)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dh2tf)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dh2th)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b00dh2tk)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dh2tm)
Daily prayer and reflection with Claire Campbell Smith.


FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b00dh2tp)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Charlotte Smith.


FRI 06:00 Today (b00dh3b5)
Presented by John Humphrys and Sarah Montague.

Democrat Congressman Jim McDermott discusses how long it could take to reach an agreement on President Bush's proposed multi-billion dollar rescue package for America's troubled financial institutions.

Robert Peston reports that the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, the Swiss National Bank and the Federal Reserve are to lend out money for a week.

Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell argues for a review of defence capability.

Anna Walker, chief executive of The Healthcare Commission, says patients need to be able to rely on out-of-hours GPs rather than A and E.

Sir David Attenborough says that Europe's amphibians are in danger of being wiped out.

Thought For The Day with the Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks.

Professor Colin Blakemore and Dr Philip Murphy discuss the classification of ecstasy.

Vincent Reinhart, former Director of Monetary Affairs at the Federal Reserve, says that the US bail-out plan was flawed from the outset.

Wyre Davies reports on Paul McCartney's first gig in Israel.

Antoine Sabbhag and Barbara Mellor discuss the wartime diaries of Agnes Humbert.

American troops have exchanged fire with Pakistani forces on the Afghan border. General Ehsan ul Haq and John Simpson discuss what this means for foreign diplomacy.

A Europe-wide ban on all childrens food imported from China has come into force. Chris Mason reports from Brussels on the European Commission's decision.

Poet Seamus Heaney's translation of The Burial at Thebes: Sophocles' Antigone into verse has now been transformed into an opera. Nicola Stanbridge reports.

Economist Jon Kay explains why the banks need help from the US Treasury.


FRI 09:00 The Reunion (b00djtqq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:15 on Sunday]


FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b00ds8j7)
This Is Not About Me

Episode 5

Award-winning novelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her impoverished upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire.

Janice is beginning to see potential in her future, but first she must escape the familiar patterns and secrets from the past that threaten to drag her down.


FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dk5zf)
Xanthe Clay on recipes; ADHD

Author Xanthe Clay explains the difference between recipes on the page and in our heads. Plus the role parents play in treating ADHD, and 'queen bee syndrome' discussed.


FRI 11:00 Follow the Money (b00dl0jv)
Alkarim Jivani investigates the human stories behind the flow of money across the world. In the UK, money transfer shops are doing a roaring trade. Money transfer is big business and speaks volumes about migration, inner city culture and the ebb and flow of cash across continents.


FRI 11:30 Psmith in the City by PG Wodehouse (b00dl0jx)
The Haunting of Mr Bickersdyke

The indomitable Psmith hatches a plan to take revenge on bullying manager Mr Bickersdyke.

PG Wodehouse’s comic adventures of the extraordinary Psmith and his friend Mike in the world of Edwardian finance.

Dramatised by Marcy Kahan

PG Wodehouse ..... Simon Williams
Psmith ..... Nick Caldecott
Mike Jackson ..... Inam Mirza
John Bickersdyke ..... Stephen Critchlow
Mr Rossiter ..... Chris Pavlo
Mr Waller ..... Jonathan Tafler
Pleasure Seeker ..... Dan Starkey
Bannister ..... Robert Lonsdale

Producer: Abigail le Fleming

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2008.


FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b00dhy7x)
Presented by Liz Barclay and Winifred Robinson.

Speaking to a man whose holiday has doubled in price in recent weeks.

Actor and comedian Liz Carr shares her experiences of disabled travel.

Stand-up comedian and broadcaster Mark Thomas talks about his book investigating the conduct of the company behind the most famous brand in the world, Coca-Cola.

Martha Lane Fox talks about her work in prison reform, travel and her latest business venture: karaoke.

Bookmakers' pitch positions, which have been bought and sold since the late 1990s, will not be recognised by racecourses from 2012. We speak to Stephen Atkins, Chief Executive of the Racecourse Association.

Barclaycard has received the maximum fine of 50,000 pounds for making too many silent calls through their automated call centre.


FRI 12:57 Weather (b00dhy7z)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 13:00 World at One (b00dhy81)
National and international news with Shaun Ley.


FRI 13:30 Feedback (b00dl0jz)
Roger Bolton airs listeners' views on BBC radio programmes and policy.


FRI 14:00 The Archers (b00dhy7s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Thursday]


FRI 14:15 Drama (b00dl0k1)
Caesar Price our Lord

By Fin Kennedy

Illusionist Caesar Price has reproduced nearly all of the miracles of Jesus and built a massive cult following but is he prepared for what will happen when he decides to stage the crucifixion?

In a near-future London, society is in distress. In the midst of climate chaos, people are seeking solace in the promises of new strains of religion. Illusionist Caesar Price has already walked on water; resurrected people from the dead and fed thousands from one tin of sardines. When he announces that his next 'miracle' will be the crucifixion and eventual resurrection a media frenzy erupts. Is Caesar Price merely an illusionist or is there something more?

Caesar.....Lee Ingleby
Sam.....Aidan Parsons
Lois.....Emma Cunniffe
Mum.....Joanne Mitchell
Dad/Ben.....Conrad Nelson
Alan/Pastor.....Robert Pickavance
Barry.....David Fleeshman
Judy.....Carla Henry

Original music by Jon Nicholls
Directed by Nadia Molinari.


FRI 15:00 Costing the Earth (b00dkzm3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Thursday]


FRI 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dhfr6)
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

Echo

Offbeat love stories from a variety of writers.

Rosie Jackson's tale is a modern take on the old myth of Echo and Narcissus. When a woman finds herself in love with a busy executive, her initial subservience turns to self-preservation and quiet revenge.

Read by Bonnie Hurren.


FRI 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dhfw9)
Taxes, Tea and Rights

Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.

Colonists throw thousands of pounds of tea into Boston Harbour as a protest against a tax imposed by the British.


FRI 16:00 Last Word (b00dl0k3)
Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.


FRI 16:30 The Film Programme (b00dl0k5)
The latest movie news and reviews. Francine Stock talks to Alexander Sokurov, director of Russian Ark, about his new film Alexandra, which is set in an army camp in Chechnya.


FRI 17:00 PM (b00dhg44)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Carolyn Quinn. Plus Weather.


FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dhg5r)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


FRI 18:30 The News Quiz (b00dl0k7)
Series 66

Episode 1

Sandi Toksvig chairs the topical comedy quiz. Panellists include Andy Hamilton, Francis Wheen and Jeremy Hardy.


FRI 19:00 The Archers (b00dhy83)
Jennifer tells Clarrie that the launch of the new Tea notes was a great success at last night's swap club meeting. Clarrie agrees they look very professional.

Clarrie's suspicious when she receives a call from Nic and is very defensive but Nic knows how it feels to be isolated, and just wants to send William a note. Clarrie relents, and gives her William's address.

David and Adam have heard nothing from Matt or Annabelle. Adam agrees to have a word with Brian to see if he knows anything. When he mentions the situation to Jennifer, she bites her tongue and says nothing.

Lilian agrees with Matt that Peggy's an independent woman, but Lilian doesn't want to risk another crisis and isn't as sure as Matt that Peggy knows best. She talks with Adam and Jennifer, and they all agree there's a need for a proper carer to come in and help. The problem will be getting Peggy to agree. Lilian's plan is to do the research and then arrange for Peggy to meet a good, professional, private carer. They know Peggy's not going to like it but Lilian insists they'll just have to see if they can change her mind.

Episode written by Simon Frith.


FRI 19:15 Front Row (b00dl0k9)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.

Critic and writer Agnes Poirier reviews the new French film I've Loved You So Long, starring Kristin Scott Thomas who plays a mother with a shocking secret.

All around the country events will be taking place to launch the Cultural Olympiad - the 28 million pound festival designed to showcase British artistic talent in the run-up to the 2012 Games. Kirsty Lang catches up with Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and with Olympic gold medal winner Sebastian Coe as he runs round Tate Britain, and reports on other plans from around the country.

Bette Midler talks to Kirsty about alternating between Elton John and Cher on the Vegas circuit, her stage persona, and why the film industry has sidelined her demographic.

Oscar-winning film producer Michael Deeley, who produced films as diverse as the sci-fi classic Blade Runner, the Vietnam war film The Deer Hunter, and the British comedy caper The Italian Job, discusses the highs and lows of being a producer.


FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00dl0kc)
Shattered

Jackie

Monologues by Richard Monks, inspired by the 2007 Cumbrian train crash, examining the profound effects on the lives of local residents one year on from the accident.

Former drug abuser Jackie is a blacksmith, recently returned to the village in an attempt to provide some stability for Sean, her wayward teenage son. She is commissioned to create the memorial to the victims of the crash. As she puts the finishing touches to the memorial, she relates how she believed Sean was responsible for the disaster.

Jackie ...... Katy Cavanagh.


FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b00dl0kf)
Eddie Mair chairs the topical debate from Reigate, Surrey. The panellists are Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne, author Jeanette Winterson, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling and Labour Parliamentary aide Chris Bryant.


FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b00dl0kh)
A weekly reflection on a topical issue from Lisa Jardine. She argues that if society were more ready to celebrate the ingenious then we would all become more interested in science.


FRI 21:00 America, Empire of Liberty Omnibus (b00dl0kk)
Empire and Liberties

Omnibus edition of the series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.

The New England colonists sow the seeds of modern democracy, while the Dutch settlers in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey pioneer a spirit of religious toleration. But slavery is a vital part of the colonial economy.


FRI 21:58 Weather (b00dhy9x)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dhy9z)
National and international news and analysis with Ritula Shah.


FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dlcr7)
Out of a Clear Sky

Episode 5

Nicola Walker reads from Sally Hinchcliffe's psychological thriller.

Events in Manda's life take a sinister turn and memories of her troubled childhood return to haunt her. The university gives her time off work on condition that she seeks help for her depression.


FRI 23:00 Great Lives (b00djvgk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:30 on Tuesday]


FRI 23:30 The Brits in Bollywood (b00bqp4l)
Sarfraz Manzoor reports on a new wave of talent reaching the screens of Bollywood. British Asians are retracing their roots and pursuing careers in the huge Indian cinema industry. There is even a Bollywood acting school opening in west London. Sarfraz visits Mumbai to meet some established stars and hopefuls, finding that the British influence spreads beyond the stage into screenwriting and production.