The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
Series of short stories by writers generally better known for their non-fiction observations on the Westminster scene.
Mark Tully reflects on how family relationships and responsibilities shift between the generations. From becoming a parent to losing your parents, how do we experience these changes and what helps ensure that we manage them well?
Adam Henson visits the Grant family who, in 2004, moved from Scotland to the Massif Central region of France to start a new life in farming. He also learns about how they are dealing with the threat of the bluetongue disease which has become endemic in the area.
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
Roger Bolton with the religious and ethical news of the week. Moral arguments and perspectives on stories, both familiar and unfamiliar.
David Mitchell appeals on behalf of the British Stammering Association. Donations: Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. Credit cards: Freephone 0800 404 8144.
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
On the anniversary of Vaughan Williams' birth, Rev Stephen Shipley visits Down Ampney to explore the depth of understanding and affection the composer had for John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.
In the light of the current mortgage crisis, Lisa Jardine asks if we are too wedded to the idea of owning our own family home.
News and conversation about the big stories of the week with Paddy O'Connell.
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is Sanjeev Bhaskar. A writer, comic and actor, Sanjeev has brought the British Asian experience into mainstream comedy with his television programmes Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42. Despite initial worries from the broadcasters, both attracted a loyal following and great critical acclaim.
This represented a turn-around in Sanjeev's fortunes: aged 30, he had been unemployed, single, depressed and living at home. Now he is enjoying great success professionally and is one half of a golden couple of entertainment - he is married to fellow writer and performer Meera Syal. "At times," he says, "it's felt like living someone else's life. But I'm not going to give it back to whoever owns it legitimately."
[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]
James Walton takes the chair for the game of literary correctness, flanked by captains Sebastian Faulks and John Walsh with guests Lynne Truss and Mark Billingham. The author of the week and subject for pastiche is Raymond Chandler and the reader is Beth Chalmers.
With economic turbulence unfolding around the globe, Sheila Dillon asks if organic food will fall victim to current events.
In an updated version of a series broadcast earlier this year, and in the light of this summer's conflict between Russia and Georgia, Tim Whewell talks to Kremlin insiders and key players in Europe and America about the new chill between East and West.
How Russia recovered the confidence and strength to reassert its power against the West.
Bob Flowerdew, Anne Swithinbank and Chris Beardshaw are guests of Knowbury Golden Jubilee Group, near Ludlow. Tony Russell, one of Europe's leading tree experts, explains the fundamentals of growing deciduous trees.
John Lennon is usually associated with either Liverpool or New York, and few know of his love for Cape Wrath, a wild and beautiful corner of the Scottish Highlands where he holidayed as a child. Sarfraz Manzoor takes a journey to the far north coast to meet those who knew him there.
Christopher Fitz-Simon's two-part adaptation of the comic novels of Somerville and Ross, set in late 19th-century Ireland.
Now a resident magistrate for ten years in west Cork, Major Sinclair Yeates has grown accustomed to the eccentricity of his position and of those around him, except for his nemesis Mr Flurry Knox.
Major Yeates ...... Alex Jennings
Philippa Yeates ...... Rebecca Saire
Anthony Yeates ...... Robbie Gilmore
Flurry Knox ...... Mark Lambert
Sally Knox ...... Ali White
Lieutenant Larpent ...... Anthony Glennon
Peter Cadogan ...... Miche Doherty
Mrs Cadogan ...... Marion O'Dwyer
Dr Frazer ...... Ingrid Craigie
Miss Longmuir ...... Cathy Belton
Mr Cantillon ...... Kevin Flood
Dr Fahy ...... John Hewitt
Misha Glenny is at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where he’s joined by three authors appearing there – the children’s author Mal Peet, first time novelist Isabel Fonseca and comedy producer and writer John Lloyd.
Misha also talks to the American novelist Paul Auster, about his new book Man in the Dark. Auster explains his penchant for fictional games, and reflects on his thirty-four year love affair with a manual typewriter.
To Don Asterio Alarcón, Clocksmith of Valparaíso by Pablo Neruda, translated by Alastair Reid
Hermitage by Wislawa Szymborska, translated by Stanislaw Barańczak and Clare Cavanagh
Series that questions who is winning the global 'war on terror', seven years in.
This programme assesses Al Qaeda's military and financial capabilities. Including interviews with soldiers, spies and scholars on both sides, and rare access inside Pakistan's intelligence agency. Leading officials at the US Treasury and the UN Security Council's Al Qaeda and Taleban Monitoring Committee explain how Al Qaeda continues to raise, move and spend money with relative ease.
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
Joan Bakewell introduces her selection of highlights from the past week on BBC radio.
Tom is struggling to move pig arks when an impatient Brian stops by to see how far he has got with the costings for the Tom Archer brand. Brian is concerned that Tom is concentrating all his efforts on Bridge Farm, but Tom assures him that everything is in place to launch a premium bacon. Meanwhile at Home Farm Brian's getting ready for the shoot whilst Jennifer recounts news from Debbie and Alice.
Lilian's still in a mood with Matt, as clearly he doesn't understand why she's worried about Peggy and Jack and how they're coping. She thinks she'll pop round, but Matt suggests he'll go instead.
Matt arrives at Peggy and Jack's to find all is certainly not well - Jack is in disarray and Peggy looks as if she has had a stroke! Fortunately an anxious Lilian arrives before the ambulance, which seems to take an age in getting there. It finally arrives and Peggy and Lilian go off to Felpersham leaving a compassionate Matt in charge of Jack, reassuring him that Peggy will be back right as rain.
Children's magazine presented by Kirsten O'Brien. Blue Peter, the longest-running children's programme in the world, is soon to celebrate its 50th birthday. Kirsten O'Brien and three inquisitive listeners examine its enduring appeal.
Recovering in the Welsh countryside after working in war-ravaged Grozny, Hazel finds she can't escape. Even the peaceful mountainside contains horror, but through it she finds a way to move on. By Dahlian Kirby.
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.
Reports from behind the scenes at Westminster. Including The Other Heartlands.
Libby Purves presents a guide to the world of learning, with practical advice, features and listeners' views.
MONDAY 13 OCTOBER 2008
MON 00:00 Midnight News (b00dtc45)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b00ds8f0)
Durkheim and Financial Collapse - Obesity
DURKHEIM and FINANCIAL COLLAPSE
In his book Suicide, French sociologist Emile Durkheim discussed the nature and the consequences of economic crisis. Steven Lukes, Professor of Sociology at New York University, debates Durkheim’s contention that the prospects created by economic disaster, like the current financial crisis, leads to an increase in misery and suicide.
OBESITY
Nowadays obesity is spoken in terms of an epidemic, and according to some scientists in the United States, to stay thin one should eat sensibly, exercise, but also wash their hands. Like SARS, or bird flu or even bubonic plague, obesity is treated as a contagion and evidence is produced to support the assertion. But is this disease model of obesity, and talk of the ‘Global Obesity Epidemic’ just the latest in a long line of strategies for shifting responsibility for being over weight away from individuals? And is being fat always a bad thing anyway? Sander L. Gilman is the author of a new book about attitudes towards fat. He joins Laurie Taylor and social anthropologist Henrietta Moore to discuss the cultural history of obesity.
MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b00dtqq1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:43 on Sunday]
MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdjw)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dtdjy)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdk0)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 05:30 News Briefing (b00dtdq5)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dtdw3)
Daily prayer and reflection with Commissioner Betty Matear.
MON 05:45 Farming Today (b00dtdw5)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Anna Hill.
MON 05:57 Weather (b00dtf0w)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.
MON 06:00 Today (b00dtlb6)
Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis.
Hugh Pym and George Magnus, economic advisor to UBS, discuss the future of Britain's banking.
Jim Muir reports on why the government are opening up the Iraqi oil industry to foreign investment.
Sculptor Paul Day and Mick Whelan of ASLEF discuss a controversial frieze at St Pancras station.
The Royal Bank of Scotland RBS is to raise 20 billion pounds of new money, including 5 billion pounds directly from the government. Business Editor Robert Peston reports.
Lord Oakeshott and Paul Coen of the LGA discuss local authorities' investment in Icelandic banks.
Thought for the Day with Canon Dr Alan Billings, an Anglican priest.
Lord Harris and Lord Dear discuss plans to increase the detention time limit for terror suspects to 42 days.
Chancellor Alistair Darling explains why the government is to inject up to 37 billion pounds of new capital into banks.
Rebecca Jones talks to Booker Prize nominee Aravind Adiga, author of The White Tiger.
Business presenter Adam Shaw, Paul Killik of asset managers Killik and Co and Sir George Cox, former senior independent director of Bradford and Bingley, discuss the morning's announcements.
Gordon Brown is due to launch a masterplan to save the world's rainforests. Environment analyst Roger Harrabin reports on whether it will be successful.
Paul Wood speaks to an 18-year-old woman who has decided to become a suicide bomber.
TV explorer Bruce Parry and musician Ian Parton discuss the appeal of indigenous music.
Robert Peston, Sir George Cox and Professor Patrick Minford discuss the 37 billion-pound deal to help banks.
MON 09:00 Start the Week (b00dv01n)
Andrew Marr is joined from the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Simon Schama to talk about his new book and BBC TV series, The American Future. Journalist Christina Lamb discusses the prospects for Pakistan and Afghanistan, correspondent Robert Fox talks about the reliability of the eye witness and writer Jenny Uglow on the relationship between artists and poets in the Romantic period.
The US election of 2008 has been described as ‘historic’ for many reasons – and not just for the presence of an African-American on the Democratic ticket. In his new TV series and book, SIMON SCHAMA explores four key issues of this election - the economy, war, religion and American identity - and finds out what we can learn about today’s election from their role in US history. The American Future: A History is published by Bodley Head and the accompanying television series continues on BBC Two on Fridays.
Foreign correspondent CHRISTINA LAMB first travelled to Afghanistan at the age of 21 and has reported the country’s chronic instability and conflict for almost 20 years. Drawing on her experience, Lamb argues that nothing can be done about the current grim situation unless the West recognises that the conflict against the Taleban is inextricably intertwined with what is happening over the border in Pakistan. She is currently writing a book on Afghanistan and Pakistan called Not A Shot Fired.
For the last 40 years, ROBERT FOX has reported from the Falklands, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Italy. His latest work, however, is an anthology of other people’s reports, ranging from Herodotus’ accounts of Egypt to the Baghdad bloggers writing about the current conflict in Iraq. He debates the crucial role of the eyewitness. Eyewitness to History, a four-volume anthology, is edited by Robert Fox and published by The Folio Society.
The biographer JENNY UGLOW has turned her attention to the relationships between British writers and artists in the Romantic period. She examines the connections between the engraver Bewick and Wordsworth and their contrasting approaches to nature. Words & Pictures: Writers, Artists and a Peculiarly British Tradition is published by Faber and Faber.
MON 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dv0vk)
The Age of Wonder
Episode 1
Douglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes' account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late-18th century.
Joseph Banks, the botanist on Captain Cook's first Endeavour voyage, steps onto a Tahitian beach in 1769, hoping to discover Paradise.
MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dv0vm)
Jackie Collins; Crissy Lee
Novelist Jackie Collins on 'bonkbusters'. Plus drummer Crissy Lee on the challenges facing female drummers, and is it right to criminalise underage sex for girls as well as boys?
MON 11:00 Letters to Myself (b00dx16j)
An insight into the experiences of people who have written letters to themselves to be opened in years to come. Some have sent letters to a website that acts as a temporary library before emailing them back to be read at a later date. The programme also follows a group of young adults as they open letters that they wrote to themselves years ago as school leavers.
MON 11:30 Ed Reardon's Week (b00dv2p1)
Series 5
The CV of Dorian Gray
Comedy series by Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds.
Ed Reardon, author, pipe smoker, consummate fare-dodger and master of the abusive email, attempts to survive in a world where the media seems to be run by idiots and lying charlatans.
It's time for Ed to drag out the old jeans, buy a mobile phone and cut ten years off the CV as the new Head of New Media Development is a genuine 12 year old.
Ed Reardon ...... Christopher Douglas
Olive ...... Stephanie Cole
Felix ...... John Fortune
George ...... Simon Greenall
Copper ...... Martin Hyder
Jaz ...... Philip Jackson
Pearl ...... Rita May
Ping ...... Barunka O'Shaughnessy
Market Researcher ...... Nicola Sanderson
Marcus ...... Richard Smith
Stan ...... Geoffrey Whitehead.
MON 12:00 You and Yours (b00dv36b)
Presented by Julian Worricker.
A former broker confesses to targeting people on benefits and tells us how and why he encouraged them to sign up for home loans that they would struggle to pay.
Steve Punt wonders what working life will be like for the city boys who have had to move on from the Square Mile.
A year after his mother died of dementia, we meet Sir Cliff Richard in an Alzheimer's Society Cafe in Weybridge, Surrey, which he helped fund.
Two NHS Foundation Trusts have a total of eight and a half million pounds at risk in Icelandic banks. Shari Vahl reports from the press conference at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, the Trust with the most to lose.
37 billion pounds of our money is going into three high street banks. In return, the banks are committed to competitively-priced lending to homeowners over the next three years, help for people struggling with mortgage payments and an expectation that no cash bonuses will be paid to senior executives this year, with a review of that remuneration policy in the longer term.
MON 12:57 Weather (b00dtlb8)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 13:00 World at One (b00dv560)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
MON 13:30 Brain of Britain (b00dv562)
Robert Robinson introduces the perennial general knowledge quiz from the BBC Radio Theatre in London.
MON 14:00 The Archers (b00dtzct)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Sunday]
MON 14:15 Drama (b00dv5n2)
Swimming Around Ireland
Steven was badly injured in a traffic accident, his physiotherapy sessions haven't been going well and he has grown depressed and despondent. Keen to motivate him and make some progress his physiotherapist Caet decides to try some hydrotherapy in the pool. But the first session goes badly, Steven can't move his leg and grows increasingly frustrated: 'It's not as if I'll ever swim around Ireland is it?'
But Caet has an idea to prove that Steven can do just that. For every move or kick Steven makes they will travel ten kilometres around Ireland, plotting their progress on a map. So begins an unusual journey of imagination and discovery as Steven and Caet set out to 'swim' around Ireland!
Steven ..... Michael Colgan
Caet..... Dawn Bradfield
Mike..... Kieran Lagan
Porter .....John Hewitt
Tin Whistle was played by John Toal
Voices: Bill Maul, Patrick Watson, Chandrika Nayar, Itsareeya Johnston, Henryk Pieknik, Camilla Carroll and Fiona Woods.
MON 15:00 Money Box Live (b00f5g16)
Paul Lewis and guests answer calls on small business finance.
MON 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dv9y1)
Cheltenham Literature Festival Stories: Booker 40 Selection
Episode 1
Five readings from the stage of the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Man Booker winners to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the prize.
John Banville: Magic Squares.
MON 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dvb1p)
For Jackson and Democracy
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The growth of democracy and political parties in America.
MON 16:00 The Food Programme (b00dtx3h)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:32 on Sunday]
MON 16:30 Traveller's Tree (b00dvb9p)
Series 4
Wellbeing holidays
Katie Derham presents the holiday magazine with insider tips from listeners and travel experts.
Listener Kevin Osborne reports on a life coaching holiday in the Picos mountains of northern Spain and Dr Susan Horsewood-Lee explains what we can expect from holiday spa therapies and detox treatments.
MON 17:00 PM (b00dvbb8)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dtlbb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
MON 18:30 The Write Stuff (b00dvngt)
Series 8
Seamus Heaney
James Walton takes the chair for the game of literary correctness, flanked by captains Sebastian Faulks and John Walsh with guests Sue Limb and Andrew Motion. The author of the week and subject for pastiche is Seamus Heaney and the reader is Beth Chalmers.
MON 19:00 The Archers (b00dtz8b)
Tony's not happy to learn that Tom's getting grief from Brian over Tom Archer bacon, which means plans for Bridge Farm bacon will have to be put on the back burner. All Brian's interested in is the bottom line!
Borchester Land has rejected Tony and Pat's offer of 750,000 pounds. Tom wants to up the offer, but Tony knows they can't really afford to.
To Neil's dismay, Tom halves his order for weaners. Tom decides its time to take on an assistant. Neil's not surprised that Tom is finding things difficult.
Tom asks after Christopher and Alice. Neil thinks Christopher has more fun with Alice than doing up the flat. No work will be done this weekend, as Neil's on the hunt for a bell-simulator for St. Stephen's.
Pat, Lilian and Jennifer arrive at Felpersham Hospital. Peggy is asleep and looking fragile. Jack's staying with Lilian and Matt, which they agree is an awful situation, but their options are limited. Lilian can manage for another day or two until they know how badly Peggy has been affected by the stroke. At the moment Lilian can't focus on anything else except hoping Peggy will pull through.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
MON 19:15 Front Row (b00dvbhz)
Presented by Mark Lawson.
Adam Mars Jones reviews Burn After Reading, the latest film from the Coen Brothers, a comic thriller, which centres around two unscrupulous gym employees who find themselves in a possession of a disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent.
Historian Dr David Starkey talks us through the complexities of and influences over, the virtuous and intelligent young Renaissance prince who turned tyrant, Henry VIII.
Times art critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston reviews two exhibitions. TH.2058 opens in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London tomorrow. Cildo Meireles runs until January 11 2009.
Comedian and television presenter Alan Carr talks to Mark about not coming out to his parents and the amount of exaggeration he permitted himself when writing his autobiography.
MON 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00f15vj)
The Color Purple
Episode 6
Dramatisation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, set in the Deep South in the interwar years.
Celie's sister, Nettie, is in Africa and Celie discovers the truth about the man she knows as Pa.
Celie ...... Nadine Marshall
Nettie ...... Nikki Amuka-Bird
Shug Avery ...... Nina Sosanya
Corrinne ...... Lorraine Burroughs
Samuel ...... Ray Shell
Pa ...... Colin McFarlane
Daisy ...... Lisa Livingstone
Dramatised by Pat Cumper
Directed by Pauline Harris.
MON 20:00 Life After Tom (b00dwjd9)
Charting Claire Prosser's first year without her teenage son, Tom, who died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition, and exploring the process of rebuilding after the unimaginable has happened.
MON 20:30 The Learning Curve (b00dvngw)
Libby Purves presents a guide to the world of learning, with practical advice, features and listeners' views.
MON 21:00 Through the Looking Glass (b00dvnrc)
Edi Stark finds out why a little-known eye condition is going undiagnosed and untreated, and blighting the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults and children in Britain. Called binocular instability or visual stress, the problem can easily be detected and treated, but it continues to be overlooked by the Departments of Health and Education.
MON 21:30 Start the Week (b00dv01n)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
MON 21:58 Weather (b00dvnvf)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dvnvt)
National and international news and analysis with Ritulah Shah.
Including reports on the government bailouts of banks across Europe and the stock market reaction, whether there will be more global co-operation in the future and what's so special about Mary Queen of Scots.
MON 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dvp2n)
Sentimental Education
Episode 6
Alex Jennings reads from Flaubert's novel, set amid the turbulence and glamour of mid-nineteenth century Parisian high society.
Frederic is torn between his love for his friend's wife, Mme Arnoux, and his increasing interest in the charming Rosanette.
MON 23:00 Freedom Pass (b00dx0k8)
Episode 1
Alan Coren and Christopher Matthew utilise their newly-acquired freedom passes, allowing free travel for the over-60s. They hop onto a bus and see where it takes them - geographically, historically and conversationally.
Part of a series marking the first anniversary of the death of Alan Coren.
MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00dvq11)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Sean Curran.
TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2008
TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b00dtc47)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
TUE 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dv0vk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Monday]
TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdk2)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dtdk4)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdk6)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b00dtdq7)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dtdq9)
Daily prayer and reflection with Commissioner Betty Matear.
TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b00dtdrm)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Anna Hill.
TUE 06:00 Today (b00dtlbd)
Presented by James Naughtie and Evan Davis.
Robert Reich, Labor Secretary under Bill Clinton, says that buying shares in banks had always been part of the Paulson plan.
Richard Dowden, Director of the Royal African Society, discusses the power sharing deal in Zimbabwe.
Colette Hume reports on Powys Council's plan to switch off some of their street lights to save costs.
Robert Walker reports on the plight of suspects detained 'unlawfully' in Pakistan.
Mike Thomson reports on the ongoing struggle of a young mother he met last year in eastern Congo who suffered appalling abuse after being abducted by rebel soldiers.
Rebecca Jones talks to Booker Prize nominee Sebastian Barry, author of The Secret Scripture.
Thought for the Day with Dr Injarit Singh, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith says that she will push on with the Counter-Terrorism Bill minus the 42 days proposal.
Robert Peston, Martin Taylor and economist Charles Goodhart discuss how governments are acting to restore confidence to financial markets.
Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore and journalist Dame Ann Leslie discuss a new list of the most evil men and women in history.
Foreign Office minsiter Bill Rammell outlines how the 'fundamental change of mission' in Iraq is being received in the area.
Mark Coles talks to US guitarist Ry Cooder about the Buena Vista Social Club concert at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1998.
Thomas Friedman of the New York Times and Stryker McGuire of Newsweek discuss what can be done to retain America's position as 'the world power'.
Nick Robinson and David Davis discuss the government's decision to shelve plans to extend pre-charge detention to 42 days after its defeat in the House of Lords.
TUE 09:00 Between Ourselves (b00dvql5)
Episode 1
Olivia O'Leary presents the series which brings together two people who have had profound and similar experiences, to hear their individual stories and compare the long-term effects on each of their lives.
Tony Little, the headteacher of Eton and Michael Wilkins, headteacher of Outwood Grange, a huge comprehensive school, offer an illuminating comparison between two very different institutions.
TUE 09:30 Phill Jupitus' Strips (b00dvqpr)
Episode 2
Phill Jupitus meets the creators of some of the comic strips that he has loved to read since childhood.
Phill meets a group of young, ambitious, political cartoonists in New York who are struggling to make ends meet in a world where the newspaper industry is shrinking and the internet doesn't pay.
TUE 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dy1jh)
The Age of Wonder
Episode 2
Douglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes' account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late-18th century.
The invention of the hot air balloon by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783 led to a spate of crowd-pulling spectacles, and the fierce rivalry of the first cross-Channel 'aeronauts'.
TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dv0hx)
Margaret Atwood; Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster
Prize-winning author Margaret Atwood on debt. Plus pioneering breast cancer surgeon Mohammed Keshtgar, and French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster.
TUE 11:00 World On The Move: Great Animal Migrations (b00dvsnd)
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 Hamish Henderson: A Various Man (b00dvsng)
Fred Freeman profiles the extraordinary life and work of the Scottish poet and songwriter Hamish Henderson, who died in 2002.
Henderson has been called 'the most important Scottish poet since Burns', yet he is better known overseas than elsewhere in Britain. Nelson Mandela sought him out after his release from Robben Island, Pete Seeger gamely attempted some of his Scots dialect poetry and the historian EP Thompson called him 'that rare man, a poet'
Featuring recordings of Henderson's own performances and contributions from those who knew and worked with him.
TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b00dv4wj)
Call You and Yours
Presented by Julian Worricker.
Has America had its day as a world super power? Is it time that Great Britian looked elsewhere for a special relationship?
In three weeks time Americans will vote for their next president. Whether they choose John McCain or Barack Obama, they may have to get used to the idea that their country has lost a little of its gloss. Against a backdrop of a financial crisis which has seen 700 billion dollars being pledged for a bailout plan, we consider whether America has had its day as a world superpower and if it is time that Britain looked elsewhere for a 'special relationship'.
TUE 12:57 Weather (b00dtlbg)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 13:00 World at One (b00dv4wl)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
TUE 13:30 Soul Music (b00dvtpn)
Series 7
What a Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong recorded the classic 'What a Wonderful World' in 1967 amidst civil rights demonstrations and protests against the Vietnam War.
It was a song written for him. Was it naive or a powerful anthem for peace?
Featuring:
Prof Peter Ling
Laurence Bergreen
Simon Weston
Katie Melua
Troy Andrews
Milan Bertosa
Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.
Producer: Sara Conkey
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2008.
TUE 14:00 The Archers (b00dtz8b)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Monday]
TUE 14:15 Drama (b00dvw0v)
Number 10 - Series 2
Episode 3
Series of plays by Jonathan Myerson depicting life inside Downing Street.
The Prime Minister finds himself embroiled in unexpected complications on a trip to Gibraltar, and his wife drawns media attention by meeting a former party worker who has just been released from prison.
Adam ...... Antony Sher
Steve ...... Julian Rhind-Tutt
Monica ...... Sasha Behar
Colin ...... Colin McFarlane
Hannah ...... Kelly Hunter
Admiral ...... Sean Baker
George ...... Nicholas Murchie
Ernest ...... Nigel Cooke
Jackie ...... Ellie Haddington
Esme ...... Charlotte Lucas
Barbara ...... Nicholas Murchie
Directed by Clive Brill.
TUE 15:00 Making History (b00dvw1q)
Eyemouth, Scotland
Vanessa Collingridge presents the popular history programme in which listeners' questions and research help offer new insights into the past.
This programme was recorded in Eyemouth, Scotland in October 2008.
Listener Derek Janes wrote to the programme wanting to find out more about some local features and stories which he felt have wider importance: a sixteenth century fort, witchcraft, smuggling and a terrible fishing disaster back in the 1880s.
You can send us questions or an outline of your own research.
Email: making.history@bbc.co.uk
Write to Making History. BBC Radio 4. PO Box 3096. Brighton BN1 1PL
Join the conversation on our Facebook page or find out more from the Radio 4 website: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/makinghistory
Producer: Nick Patrick
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dv9wt)
Cheltenham Literature Festival Stories: Booker 40 Selection
Episode 2
Five readings from the stage of the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Man Booker winners to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the prize.
Graham Swift on becoming a writer.
TUE 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dvb1c)
A Christian Republic?
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
Religious revivals transform American society in the early 19th century.
TUE 16:00 Law in Action (b00dvwpz)
Clive Coleman takes his weekly look at legal issues.
TUE 16:30 A Good Read (b00dvwq1)
Terry Jones and Mark Borkowski
Monty Python star Terry Jones and PR guru Mark Borkowski join Sue MacGregor to discuss favourite books by Ronald Wright, Alan Bennett and Jim Steinmeyer.
Special edition from the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright
Publisher: Canongate
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Publisher: Profile Books / Faber and Faber
Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer
Publisher: Arrow
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2008.
TUE 17:00 PM (b00dvbd2)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dtlbj)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
TUE 18:30 The Party Line (b00dvwrd)
Series 3
Episode 2
Topical sitcom by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis.
Backbench MP Duncan Stonebridge loves the excitement, intrigue and power of Westminster life. It's just his constituency that he finds tricky.
With James Fleet, Geoff McGivern, Simon Greenall, Geraldine McNulty.
TUE 19:00 The Archers (b00dtz8d)
There's panic at The Dower House - the fire alarm has gone off. Matt tells Jack that someone had left toast under the grill.
After Matt's ineffective efforts that morning, Lilian is getting a confused Jack ready for his visit to hospital. He refuses to wear Matt's gaudy tie, saying he looks like a spiv.
Peggy is delighted to see Jack looking so smart, but she's worried about him and wants to come home. Lilian reassures her that Matt has been marvellous and Jack's no trouble.
Recently dumped Izzy is staying with Pip overnight. She's bored traipsing across a field checking cows with Pip, and can't understand why they're there.
That evening in Pip's bedroom, Izzy drops her bombshell. She's convinced she's pregnant. Pip can't believe what she's hearing. She insists that Izzy doesn't keep the baby, as it will ruin her life and result in a dead end job. Realising how harsh she has been she offers to go with Izzy to the clinic for an abortion.
Izzy's appalled. She plugs in her MP3 player and sticks on her headphones. She might be stuck at Brookfield for the night, but it doesn't mean she has to talk to Pip ... ever again.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
TUE 19:15 Front Row (b00dvbgp)
Presented by Mark Lawson.
Al Murray, The Pub Landlord, talks to Mark about his anger-management issues, not being a Radio 4 listener, what he thinks of the Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and why he doesn't need subtitles on his DVDs.
Artist Steve McQueen discusses the background to his latest film, Hunger, based on the story of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
A new reality TV competition judged by Jonathan Dimbleby marks the latest attempt to get more young people interested in politics. Clare Short MP reviews Election, which sees ambitious youngsters compete to demonstrate their leadership skills and win a chat with the Prime Minister.
As Sam Taylor-Wood releases a single produced by the Pet Shop Boys, Front Row counts down the chart of visual artists who have tried to make their mark in the recording studio.
TUE 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00f15vl)
The Color Purple
Episode 7
Dramatisation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, set in the Deep South in the interwar years.
Celie leaves Mister to live with Shug in Memphis.
Celie ...... Nadine Marshall
Nettie ...... Nikki Amuka-Bird
Mister ...... Eammon Walker
Harpo ...... OT Fagbenle
Sofia ...... Petra Letang
Shug Avery ...... Nina Sosanya
Samuel ...... Ray Shell
Eleanor Jane ...... Madeleine Potter
Dramatised by Pat Cumper
Directed by Pauline Harris.
TUE 20:00 File on 4 (b00dvwx9)
Michael Robinson investigates the hundreds of lawsuits that are being filed in the US by banks and financial institutions arguing over who is to blame for the crisis in the global financial markets. He reveals what those legal documents tell us about the banking system and the effectiveness of regulators.
TUE 20:40 In Touch (b00dvwxc)
Peter White with news and information for the blind and partially sighted.
TUE 21:00 Am I Normal? (b00dvwxw)
Series 5
Blood Pressure
Vivienne Parry continues her quest to find out what is normal. She discovers what doctors think is normal blood pressure and considers whether the food industry has a role to play in helping us reduce our chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
TUE 21:30 Between Ourselves (b00dvql5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
TUE 21:58 Weather (b00dvntd)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dvnvh)
National and international news and analysis with Ritulah Shah. Including reaction from a Republican Congressman following President Bush's announcement that the US government is buying bank shares, a report on anti-Christian violence in India and the winner of the Man Booker Prize.
TUE 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dvp26)
Sentimental Education
Episode 7
Alex Jennings reads from Flaubert's novel, set amid the turbulence and glamour of mid-nineteenth century Parisian high society.
Frederic is drawn into the tensions of the Arnoux household and comes to the rescue when the bailiffs threaten them.
TUE 23:00 Fabulous (b00dy23d)
Series 2
Episode 1
Faye is anxious. She knows that today's women are Fabulous; they have it all, the job, the house, the colour co-ordinated capsule wardrobe and they cope with the pressures modern life brings effortlessly, with nothing more than a copy of Prima and a poem by Pam Ayres to guide them. So why can't she pull it off? With the builders in to build her a brand new kitchen and an award ceremony to go to, life should be glorious...
Starring Daisy Haggard with Katy Brand, Stephen Critchlow, Justin Edwards, Mel Hudson, Joanna Neary, John Rowe, Jo Scanlan, Dan Starkey and Ann Reid
Written by Lucy Clarke
Music by Osymyso
Producer Simon Nicholls
TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00dvq0q)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Susan Hulme.
WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2008
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b00dtc49)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dy1jh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdk8)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dtdkb)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdkd)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b00dtdqc)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dtdqf)
Daily prayer and reflection with Commissioner Betty Matear.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b00dtdrp)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Charlotte Smith.
WED 06:00 Today (b00dtlbl)
Presented by James Naughtie and Sarah Montague.
Nick Bloom of Stanford University and Heather Alexander discuss Wall Street's reaction to the US financial bail-out plan.
Roger Harrabin reports on whether the target of 20 per cent greenhouse gas cuts by 2020 will still be hit.
Simon Reed of the Police Federation and Gavin Partington of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association discuss whether police resources are being stretched to breaking point.
Poet Laureate Andrew Motion and Rachel Foss of the British Library discuss the Ted Hughes collection.
Thought for the Day with the Right Rev James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls explains why national tests for 14-year-old school pupils in England are to be scrapped.
Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, discusses what the effects of the financial crisis will be on UK businesses.
Author Aravind Adiga discusses his Man Booker Prize-winning novel The White Tiger.
Anna Holligan reports on allegations that the music industry is still unwilling to give black artists the same opportunities available to white acts.
A group of shareholders is seeking legal advice over the rights issues earlier this year by HBOS, RBS and Bradford and Bingley. Roger Lawson, from the UK Shareholders Association, and Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman, discuss what this means for investors.
Chloe Palfreman of interview coaching firm Oxbridge Applications and author Elfi Pallis discuss how to prepare for Oxbridge college interviews.
Lord Donoghue and journalist Steve Richards discuss how the solutions of the 1970s have influenced the way the current financial crisis is dealt with.
WED 09:00 Midweek (b00dw474)
Lively and diverse conversation with Libby Purves and guests.
WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dy1jk)
The Age of Wonder
Episode 3
Douglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes' account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late-18th century.
The impact of the discovery of electricity and how it affected the debate about the nature of life's vitality and the force of the soul.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dv0j1)
Women's political engagement; Dervla Murphy
Why do women underestimate their knowledge of politics? Plus, travel writer Dervla Murphy on Cuba; female genital cutting in Kenya; and women in the economic crisis.
WED 11:00 Byzantium Unearthed (b00dxdd3)
Episode 2
Historian Bettany Hughes presents a series that uses the latest archaeological evidence to learn more about the empire of Byzantium and the people who ruled it.
Bettany examines the public and private life of the Byzantines. Women had unprecedented power in the Empire, as did the mysterious 'third sex' of eunuchs. But in this part-Roman, part-fundamentalist Christian state, dangerous political factions would keep the blood of political dynasties flowing.
WED 11:30 Inspector Steine (b00dw4c6)
The Woman
Comedy drama series by Lynne Truss, set in 1950s Brighton.
Steine falls in love for the very first time when he bumps into Adelaide Vine, the beautiful owner of a fish and chip shop in Oriental Place. But is there more to Adelaide than meets the eye? Brunswick thinks so.
Inspector Steine ...... Michael Fenton Stevens
Mrs Groynes ...... Jan Ravens
Brunswick ...... John Ramm
Twitten ...... Matt Green
Adelaide ...... Janet Ellis
Music by Anthony May.
Directed by Karen Rose.
WED 12:00 You and Yours (b00dv37w)
Presented by Winifred Robinson.
Paul Lewis, presenter of Radio 4's Money Box, examines the security of offshore accounts with Icelandic banks.
Cheap wine is now a regular feature of supermarket price wars, but most of what we are tempted to buy is just cheap rubbish according to wine writer Malcolm Gluck.
Winifred interviews Digby Jones, the former head of the CBI and advisor to Gordon Brown, on selling Britain abroad.
Actor Matt Fraser and artist Kathryn Rennie, both Thalidomide impaired, discuss an exhibition of portraits of Thalidomide victims.
Corinne Sweet, psychologist and eating disorder counsellor, discusses the adverts for Maltesers and Jaffa Cakes that have been banned for making misleading claims.
Radio stations in the Thames Valley area have been advertising the services of Speed and Son solicitors. Their claim to reduce prison sentences and provide guilt counselling for drivers caught speeding is really a road safety campaign in a very different guise. We speak to Dan Campsall of the Safer Roads Partnership.
WED 12:57 Weather (b00dtlbn)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b00dv4wn)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
WED 13:30 The Media Show (b00dw4vd)
Steve Hewlett presents a new topical programme about the fast-changing media world.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b00dtz8d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama (b00dw4vl)
The Letter
A letter turns up fifty years after it was first posted, and the revelations it contains threaten to shake the bedrock of a marriage.
WED 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00dtx53)
[Repeat of broadcast at
14:00 on Sunday]
WED 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dv9ww)
Cheltenham Literature Festival Stories: Booker 40 Selection
Episode 3
Five readings from the stage of the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Man Booker winners to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the prize.
Penelope Lively.
WED 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dvb1f)
The Indian Trail of Tears
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
Indian tribes are forced to either assimilate or move west of the Mississippi.
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b00dw7wd)
Predicting the Financial Crisis - Work/Life Balance
PREDICTING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
Laurie Taylor is joined by Richard Dale, Emeritus Professor of International Banking at Southampton University, one of the very few professional economists who predicted the present crisis. They discuss his recipe for crisis.
WORK/LIFE BALANCE
Dr Ben Fincham, Lecturer in the School of Social Science at the University of Brighton claims to have found a group – cycle couriers – for whom a clear distinction between work and leisure is virtually meaningless. Dr Ben Fincham and Richard Reeves, author of Happy Mondays: Putting the Pleasure back into Work debate the meaning of the ‘work life balance’.
WED 16:30 Am I Normal? (b00dvwxw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 17:00 PM (b00dvbck)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dtlbq)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
WED 18:30 The Castle (b007zpfz)
Series 1
Episode 4
Sitcom by Kim Fuller, set in a medieval castle with some remarkably modern trappings.
Sir John decides to open a theme castle and Sam Tree decides to save Unicorn Forest. Meanwhile, Anne and Charlotte are looking out for flying sheep.
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 (b00dtz8g)
Adam delivers the bad news to David that Ambridge Heat & Power is unlikely to get a food handling licence. Ruth agrees with them that it's time to wind up their plans.
Tony wants Jennifer to ask Brian to make sure Borchester Land look fairly on their increased offer for the farm. Jennifer points out that Brian doesn't have much to do with the property portfolio.
Ruth tells David that Izzy might be pregnant. Pip's disapproval has caused a huge falling out and Pip's really upset. David's more concerned at the realisation that Pip's growing up fast - what if the same thing happened to her?
Emma's done a great cleaning job at Brookfield. David and Ruth are pleased that she and Ed have settled in well at Rickyard Cottage.
Peggy's having trouble seeing on her right side, and Jack's having trouble settling in at the Dower House. The family appreciates how difficult it's been for Peggy all this time, but are in agreement that they need to find somewhere that can offer respite care. They know this will worry Peggy, so agree that the kindest thing to do is say nothing until they've found a suitable place.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
WED 19:15 Front Row (b00dvbgy)
Presented by Mark Lawson.
Photographer Jillian Edelstein and critic Ann Leslie review the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life 1990-2005.
Mark enters an online chat room to get a rare interview with Belle de Jour, the former call girl who rose to prominence through her blog about working in the high-class sex industry in London.
Included in the British Library's acquisition of archive material of the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes is audio footage of him reading his own poems. The poet Jo Shapcott listens to the voices of both Ted Hughes and Philip Larkin and discusses what can be learned by hearing a poet read their own work.
As shows including Eurobeat - Almost Eurovision, the eXtra Factor and The Quiz Show in Glasgow ask audiences to vote, critic David Benedict and theatrical producer Nica Burns reflect on the difference an audience can make to a performance.
WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00f15vn)
The Color Purple
Episode 8
Dramatisation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, set in the Deep South in the interwar years.
Celie's stepfather dies and she inherits more than she ever imagined. But Celie's happiness is short-lived.
Celie ...... Nadine Marshall
Mister ...... Eammon Walker
Harpo ...... OT Fagbenle
Shug Avery ...... Nina Sosanya
Sofia ...... Petra Letang
Daisy ...... Lisa Livingstone
Dramatised by Pat Cumper
Directed by Pauline Harris.
WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b00dw808)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Claire Fox, Kenan Malik, Clifford Longley and Melanie Phillips cross-examine witnesses.
WED 20:45 The Other Heartlands (b00dymrm)
Episode 2
How history and landscape have shaped political allegiances in some of Britain's most remote constituencies.
Susan Hulme visits Caernarfon and sees how Welsh language and culture are at the core of local people's sense of identity, and how this has made Plaid Cymru the party of the establishment.
WED 21:00 World On The Move: Great Animal Migrations (b00dvsnd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:00 on Tuesday]
WED 21:30 Midweek (b00dw474)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 21:58 Weather (b00dvntg)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dvnvk)
With Robin Lustig. Including reports on the future of international regulation as EU leaders discuss the economy, a flare-up on the Thailand-Cambodia border and red squirrels.
WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dvp28)
Sentimental Education
Episode 8
Alex Jennings reads from Flaubert's novel, set amid the turbulence and glamour of mid-nineteenth century Parisian high society.
A day at the races with Rosanette leaves Frederic compromised and an insult to a lady leads to fighting talk.
WED 23:00 Tina C Goes Down Under: The Aborogynal Monologues (b00dw881)
The Gold Coast
Country singer and US presidential hopeful Tina C, the comic creation of Christopher Green, looks at the Australian obsession with country music.
Tina explores Brisbane, where developers have built so many skyscraper hotels that the beach is in shade for most of the day. She sings her version of Waltzing Matilda on a local breakfast TV show and parties at a redneck bar.
WED 23:15 The Exterminating Angels (b007773r)
The Squirrels
Sitcom by Martin Shea, Eamonn O'Neill and James O'Neill, set in a pest control agency where the pests answer back.
With Karl Theobald, Dan Antopolski, Astrid Azurdia, Greg McHugh.
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00dvq0s)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with David Wilby.
THURSDAY 16 OCTOBER 2008
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b00dtc4c)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dy1jk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdkg)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dtdkj)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdkl)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b00dtdqh)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dtdqk)
Daily prayer and reflection with Commissioner Betty Matear.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b00dtdrr)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Charlotte Smith.
THU 06:00 Today (b00dtlbs)
Presented by John Humphrys and Sarah Montague.
Fund manager Mark Konyn of RCM Asia Pacific and business editor Robert Peston discuss the latest falls in the global markets.
Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, explains that some GPs are missing appointment targets.
Justin Webb reports on the third and final US Presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.
MPs John Redwood and Jim Cousins debate how the government should respond to the economic slowdown.
Survivors of a failed WW2 bombing mission remember the day their Halifax bomber was shot down over Berlin.
Thought for the Day with Rev Rosemary Lain-Priestley.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson responds to the Healthcare Commission's report on the NHS in England.
Former vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs International Antonio Borges discusses whether anything can be done to restore confidence to the markets.
Ian Morley, chairman of Corazon Capital, and Terry Smith, chief executive of Tullet Prebon, debate the future of hedge funds.
Jan Ravens reads author Sue Townsend's vision of the Queen online.
Jonny Dymond reports on whether EU leaders will continue to back Gordon Brown's proposals on global financial institutions.
Chris Morris reports from India, where an estimated eight million children are in immediate danger of starvation.
Professor Ofer Lahav of UCL discusses dark matter, one of the biggest mysteries of modern science.
Daily Mail sketch writer Quentin Letts and Times columnist Alice Miles discuss what it might be about Lord Mandelson that inspires such fascination for political commentators.
Professor Jim Horne, Director of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, debunks the myths surrounding sleep deprivation.=.
THU 09:00 In Our Time (b00dwhwt)
Vitalism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Vitalism, an 18th and 19th century quest for the spark of life. On a dreary night in November 1818, a young doctor called Frankenstein completed an experiment and described it in his diary: “I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet…By the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…”Frankenstein may seem an outlandish tale, but Mary Shelley wrote it when science was alive with ideas about what differentiated the living from the dead. This was Vitalism, a belief that living things possessed some spark of life, some vital principle, perhaps even a soul, that distinguished the quick from the dead and lifted them above dull matter. Electricity was a very real candidate; when an Italian scientist called Luigi Galvani made dead frogs twitch by applying electricity he thought he had found it. Vitalists aimed at unlocking the secret of life itself and they raised questions about what life is that are unresolved to this day. With Patricia Fara, Fellow of Clare College and Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University; Andrew Mendelsohn, Senior Lecturer in the History of Science and Medicine at Imperial College, University of London and Pietro Corsi, Professor of the History of Science at the University of Oxford.
THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dy1jm)
The Age of Wonder
Episode 4
Douglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes's account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late-18th century.
Sir Humphry Davy's application of chemistry to solving the problem of deadly gas explosions in mines.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dv0j5)
Elizabeth Jane Howard; Compulsive hoarding; Dirty hands
Author Elizabeth Jane Howard on eighty years of writing. Plus, the issue of abortion in the US elections; dirty hands; and the dangers of compulsive hoarding.
THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b00dwhww)
BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the world's headlines. Introduced by Kate Adie.
THU 11:30 With Great Pleasure (b00dwhwy)
Diana Athill
Literary editor and memoirist Diana Athill, shares the rich pickings of a life spent among books.
Her favourites include: Coleridge's Kubla Khan, PG Wodehouse's inimitable Jeeves, and Jane Austen's unfinished novel The Watsons.
From the 2008 Cheltenham Literature Festival.
Readers: Pauline Munro and William Hope.
Producer: Mark Smalley
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2008.
THU 12:00 You and Yours (b00dv37y)
Presented by Winifred Robinson.
Some hospices have funds at risk in collapsed Icelandic banks, others are struggling with a sudden drop in income from legacies and donations.
Northern Rock admits that the difficult market conditions mean that it has had to step up repossessions.
Winifred talks to Charlie Mayfield, Chairman of The John Lewis Partnership, about the prospects for retail in an economic downturn.
A Strasbourg ceiling collapse has reopened the debate about whether it's sensible for MEPs to move between the two European Parliament buildings in Strasbourg and Brussels.
Why proposals to protect wildlife and the environment in the New Forest National Park have caused outrage among the local population.
THU 12:57 Weather (b00dtlbv)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b00dv4wq)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
THU 13:30 Open Country (b00dtlfv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:07 on Saturday]
THU 14:00 The Archers (b00dtz8g)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Drama (b00776vk)
The Price of a Fish Supper
By Catherine Czerkawska.
Rab is a fisherman, like his father and grandfather before him. The decline of the Scottish fishing industry and the loss of his brother at sea have hit him hard.
Rab ...... Paul Morrow
Directed by Gerda Stevenson.
THU 15:00 Questions, Questions (b00dwj77)
Stewart Henderson answers those niggling questions from everyday life.
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b00dtr7q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dv9wy)
Cheltenham Literature Festival Stories: Booker 40 Selection
Episode 4
Five readings from the stage of the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Man Booker winners to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the prize.
DBC Pierre.
THU 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dvb1h)
Frontier Values
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The government sells off vast tracts of land and thousands of people migrate westward in search of a better life.
THU 16:00 Open Book (b00dtxbf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:30 Material World (b00dwj79)
Stonehenge & Durrington Walls - Worms, Bonemeal & Green Rust
Stonehenge & Durrington Walls
Stonehenge's massive stone pillars have long been a tourist magnet, attracting nearly a million people a year.
Now new archaeological evidence shows that the iconic monument was a place of pilgrimage even in prehistoric times.
Cattle teeth found at Durrington Walls, a massive circular earthwork near to Stonehenge, suggest that the animals were herded from distant parts of Britain.
The results add to increasing evidence that people may have visited Stonehenge periodically.
But what drew them to the site? It is a controversial subject - did they congregate during episodes of feasting at the summer and winter solstices or permanently live at the sites?
Quentin Cooper is joined by Jane Evans of the Natural Environment Research Council’s Isotope Geosciences Laboratory in Nottingham and Michael Parker Pearson, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. Are the iconic monuments at Durrington Walls and Stonehenge related? And could the two sites be part of a single ‘ritual landscape’?
Worms, Bonemeal & Green Rust
What do earthworms, green rust and bonemeal have in common? The answer is that they are all pointing the way to new techniques for cleaning up contaminated land. And the scientists concerned are finding out how they might do so using x-rays from the brightest light in Britain, the new Diamond Light Source at the Rutherford Appleton Lab near Oxford.
Quentin Cooper hears from Dr Mark Hodson of the University of Reading how some earthworms are developing resistance to the metals that contaminate soil and might help to release them so that plants can absorb them and be removed – or even used to recover the metals.
Dr Paul Schofield of London’s Natural History Museum is using bonemeal to try to lock pollutants up in safe, insoluble phosphates.
And Dr Sam Shaw of the University of Leeds is looking at the potential of what he calls green rust to form a sort of filter around waste sites that will absorb metals if they try to cross it.
THU 17:00 PM (b00dvbcm)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dtlbx)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
THU 18:30 I've Never Seen Star Wars (b00dwjd7)
Series 1
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Marcus Brigstocke invites Tim Brooke-Taylor to try new experiences.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b00dtz8j)
Alan and Usha will spend their first Diwali as man and wife in Wolverhampton. Ruth's pleased that Usha's family are so relaxed about Alan now. Having seen Annabelle looking sensational while out training, Usha's bought some state-of-the-art running shoes and intends to run the full Felpersham marathon next March.
At the Gamblers Anonymous meeting, Alistair discovers why Ryan's in such a state. He confesses to extortionate debt. Maurice remarks on how far Alistair's come, and Alistair thanks Maurice for his support. Alistair wants to offer the same level of support to Ryan.
Pip's horrified when Ruth asks if she's sleeping with Jonathan. She assures Ruth she's not - and even if she was, she wouldn't be stupid enough to get pregnant.
Tom's still looking for a decent quote for bacon curing, and Brian's still looking for some decent figures from Tom.
Borchester Land turns down Tony and Pat's increased offer of 775,000 pounds, saying it's completely unacceptable. Pat doesn't think it's worth trying to reach a compromise - they are obviously out of their depth. Tom's dismayed. After being so proud of Tom and Helen wanting to take the place on, Pat's biggest disappointment is that one phone call can burst their whole damn bubble.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
THU 19:15 Front Row (b00dvbh6)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.
Actor Roger Moore talks about his memoirs, with recollections of his childhood in South London, his early screen roles and his seven films as 007.
Ralph Fiennes takes the title role in Frank McGuinness' new version of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus. Classics Professor Edith Hall joins Kirsty for a review.
Renowned for screen roles such as his Oscar-winning performance as Hannibal Lecter, actor Anthony Hopkins also writes music. Hopkins talks to Kirsty about his early exposure to music, his interest in composing, and how music informs his work as an actor.
A pioneer of photojournalism, Robert Capa (1913 - 1954) captured war as it unfolded on the front line of the Spanish Civil War, as well as the Sino-Japanese conflict and Second World War. David Leland, who wrote and directed an episode of the TV drama Band of Brothers, reviews a new exhibition of his work.
THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00f15vq)
The Color Purple
Episode 9
Dramatisation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, set in the Deep South in the interwar years.
Celie has returned home and she and Mister become friends.
Celie ...... Nadine Marshall
Nettie ...... Nikki Amuka-Bird
Mister ...... Eammon Walker
Samuel ...... Ray Shell
Tashi ...... Lisa Livingstone
Adam ...... OT Fagbenle
Olivia ...... Lorraine Burroughs
Dramatised by Pat Cumper
Directed by Pauline Harris.
THU 20:00 Britain's Teenage Suicides (b00dbcdf)
Episode 1
Penny Marshall investigates the extraordinary suicide rate among young people in the Bridgend area of South Wales.
She asks whether there are any underlying reasons which could help to explain why so many tragic deaths happened so close together in such a short time.
THU 20:30 In Business (b00dwjkl)
Whistling in the Dark
Peter Day finds out what happens when co-workers blow the whistle on what appear to be dirty dealings by companies and organisations, and whether they ought to be rewarded for their activities.
THU 21:00 Leading Edge (b00dwkhr)
Alarming Decline in West African Chimpanzees
Alarming Decline in West African Chimpanzees
As Genevieve Campbell and Christophe Boesche report in this week’s Current Biology, a study in the nesting habits of chimpanzees became almost impossible due to a surprising lack of nests. Only 10% of the expected population could be located. Geoff Watts discovers whether the chimps can be saved from extinction.
Invisible Islands
What did the Big Bang look like? Using scientifically correct equations and inspired by the chandeliers of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, artist Josiah McElheny and cosmologist David Weinberg set out to represent our galaxy in sculptural form.
Efficient Electricity
The planned coal-burning power station at Kingsnorth continues to fuel a fierce row about the carbon dioxide that it should or should not be allowed to emit. Chemist Andrea Sella from University College, London, thinks we should respect the laws of thermodynamics and return to the drawing board.
Space Junk
Our planet is surrounded by a cloud of junk ranging from discarded rockets to flecks of paint. There’s even an astronaut's glove in orbit. Although the problem is getting worse, Richard Hollingham reports on a solution.
Routes Out of Africa
It is generally agreed that early humans did evolve in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover there’s fossil evidence that they reached what is now Israel some 90-130,000 years ago – and the obvious way of getting from the one to the other would be along the Nile Valley. But new research from the University of Bristol suggests that there were alternative routes.
THU 21:30 In Our Time (b00dwhwt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 21:58 Weather (b00dvntj)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dvnvm)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig.
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dvp2b)
Sentimental Education
Episode 9
Alex Jennings reads from Flaubert's novel, set amid the turbulence and glamour of mid-19th century Parisian high society.
Frederic's fortunes go into sharp decline. Will returning home to Nogent and the girl next door bring him solace?
THU 23:00 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul (b00dwkp8)
Episode 3
Douglas Adams's comic fantasy, dramatised by Dirk Maggs and John Langdon.
Dirk buys a nifty gadget and Kate visits an iffy clinic.
Dirk Gently ...... Harry Enfield
Kate ...... Laurel Lefkow
Simon Draycott ...... Peter Davison
Cynthia Draycott ...... Jan Ravens
Janice Pearce ...... Olivia Colman
Thor ...... Rupert Degas
Toe Rag ...... Michael Roberts
Odin ...... Stephen Moore
Nobby ...... Mike Fenton-Stevens
Nurse Sally ...... Morwenna Banks
Sister Bailey ...... Sally Grace
Dr Standish ...... John Fortune
Announcer ...... John Marsh
Music by Philip Pope.
Directed by Dirk Maggs.
THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00dvq0w)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Robert Orchard.
FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER 2008
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b00dtc4f)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dy1jm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdkn)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00dtdkq)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00dtdks)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b00dtdqm)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00dtdqp)
Daily prayer and reflection with Commissioner Betty Matear.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b00dtdrt)
News and issues in rural Britain, with Charlotte Smith.
FRI 06:00 Today (b00dtlbz)
Presented by John Humphrys and Sarah Montague.
Head of the British Bankers' Association Angela Knight discusses whether the industry has stabilised since the government intervened.
Chairman Sir Michael Rawlins, of NICE, says that the way new drugs are tested needs to be reappraised.
Chris Huhne, justice spokesman for the Lib Dems, and Gerald Butler, a retired judge, discuss whether 'mandatory' means judges should be forced to imposed tougher sentences.
Nicola Stanbridge interviews film director Franco Rosso and Trevor Laird, one of the stars of the film Babylon.
Thought for the day with the Right Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth.
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne says the 'burnt wreckage of economic policy' is Gordon Brown's fault.
Pensioner Bill George and Ros Altmann, independent expert on pension policy, discuss how the credit crunch has affected those about to retire.
War photographer Geert Van Kesteren, John Morris, picture editor of Life magazine in the 1940s, and author Philip Knightly discuss the lasting impact of Robert Capa's work.
Sports editor Mihir Bose and Richard Caborn, former sports minister, discuss whether football has become too much of a business.
Robin Oakley, head of climate and energy policy at Greenpeace, says the government has misled the public over nuclear power.
Robert Pigott reports on the Bible Society's translation of the New Testament of The Bible into Jamaican Patois.
Justice Minister David Hanson says the UK has some of the toughest firearms laws in the world.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b00dtw41)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dy1jp)
The Age of Wonder
Episode 5
Douglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes's account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late 18th century.
By the turn of the 19th century, the developments made in the fields of physics and chemistry had led to a growing debate about the role of science and the question of what to call those who practised it.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00dv0j9)
Children's database; Umbilical cord blood banking
Should all children's details be held on a national database? Plus the risks and benefits of umbilical cord blood banking discussed, and husband hunting in the days of the Raj.
FRI 11:00 Women in Uniform (b00dy4b3)
Episode 1
Former BBC correspondent Martin Bell travels to Afghanistan to investigate the growing numbers of women in the British military and how their jobs are increasingly taking them into the front line.
FRI 11:30 Agatha Christie (b008w5wm)
Crooked House
Episode 1
Joy Wilkinson's adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel.
Returning home from WWII, Charles Hayward is finally free to marry Sophia Leonides. However, the suspicious death of her grandfather has thrown everything into confusion.
Charles ...... Rory Kinnear
Sophia ...... Anna Maxwell Martin
Taverner ...... Phil Davis
Josephine ...... Grianne Dromgoole
Aunt Edith ...... Judy Parfitt
Philip/Passerby ...... Ben Crowe
Magda ...... Anna Chancellor
Roger/Consul General ...... Simon Treves
Clemency ...... Rachel Sanders
Brenda ...... Margaret Cabourn-Smith
Laurence/Lamb ...... Colin Hoult
Directed by Sam Hoyle.
FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b00dv380)
Presented by Peter White.
The O2 arena says it will not be renewing a contract with a company run by Mike Ashley, the chairman of Newcastle United, and has launched an investigation into alleged ticket touting.
Peter joins one of the judges at The British Invention Show, which is taking place at the Alexandra Palace in North London.
Investigating the abuse of personal information stored on old mobile phone SIM cards.
Peter talks to Catherine Sear, whose son Daniel paid just under 3,000 pounds to travel to Tanzania with the Frontier development organisation in 1998 and never returned.
Kane Kramer, the former Inventor Of The Year who now runs the British Invention Show, talks to Peter about his work and how it could have made his fortune but for a boardroom coup.
Comedian and political activist Mark Thomas launches a new feature in which famous people reveal what they get up to at the weekend.
A 150 million-pound hole has been left in the budget for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Organisers say that money they had relied on for legacy projects for the Games has now been re-allocated to pay for the 2012 Olympics. Stuart Maxwell, Scotland's Sports Minister, gives his views.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b00dtlc1)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b00dv4ws)
National and international news with Brian Hanrahan.
FRI 13:30 Feedback (b00dx251)
Roger Bolton airs listeners' views on BBC radio programmes and policy.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b00dtz8j)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Drama (b00dx253)
Owls
A fictional story written and narrated by Paul Evans and based on an island legend about a brother and sister who were bound by a wish sworn on a barn owl feather, which in turn became a curse that proved fatal. Recorded on location in Scotland; isolation, human desire and the supernatural are explored in this unsettling drama about the relationship between hope and desire, Man and Nature.
Old man / young boy .. Jimmy Yuill / David McLellan
Old sister / young girl .. Alyth McCormack / Michaela Sweeney
WILDLIFE SOUND RECORDIST: Chris Watson, SOUND ENGINEER : Michael Burgess
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR: Sarah Blunt.
FRI 15:00 Ramblings (b00dx29k)
Sheffield
Clare Balding joins a group of refugees and asylum seekers in Sheffield as they improve their English and discover more about their new homeland while walking with local residents through the city's many green spaces.
FRI 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00dv9x0)
Cheltenham Literature Festival Stories: Booker 40 Selection
Episode 5
Five readings from the stage of the Cheltenham Literature Festival by Man Booker winners to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the prize.
Ben Okri.
FRI 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00dvb1k)
Let Us Conquer Space
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The building of the Erie Canal and the railway boom.
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b00dx29m)
John Wilson 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 (b00dx2c0)
The Coen Brothers discuss violence, the importance of posture and reveal their alternative ending to No Country For Old Men.
Neil Brand discusses the 1928 sci-fi movie High Treason about an attack on the Channel Tunnel.
Kevin Brownlow discusses his 1975 civil war movie Winstanleythat's been restored for the LFF.
Decasia, Bill Morrisson's montage of decaying silent films is Matthew Sweet's reel find.
FRI 17:00 PM (b00dvbcp)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00dtlc3)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
FRI 18:30 The News Quiz (b00dx2mz)
Series 66
Episode 4
Sandi Toksvig chairs the topical comedy quiz, recorded at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. The panellists are Jeremy Hardy, Phill Jupitus, Fred MacAulay and Sue Perkins.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b00dtz8l)
Eddie's pleased to learn that William's in better spirits since getting back in touch with Nic, even though it's nothing more than a friendship.
Joe tells Eddie that Oliver said they can take all Grange Farm's cider apples for nothing. Clarrie's agreed to do the food for the Halloween ghost walk. Joe and Eddie have planned their ghost stories and Eddie wants Kenton and Fat Paul as cavalier and roundhead for 'The Tale of the Screaming Skull'. At £10 a head, Joe's looking forward to some good, honest money-making.
Lilian and Jennifer are grateful for everything Matt's done for Jack - it even looks like he's found a suitable care home. Matt's PA has arranged for the manager of The Willows to meet Jack on Sunday.
Lilian and Jennifer are taking Jack to see Peggy but agree not to mention The Willows until it's definite. Peggy's voice has improved but she still can't see properly. Peggy's concerned about Jack. Jennifer assures her he's fine, but Peggy knows how difficult Jack can be and feels guilty. Lilian almost tells her about The Willows but Jennifer interrupts. Lilian bites her lip and insists they're coping beautifully. Peggy must just concentrate on getting better.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b00dvbhj)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.
80 year old Mexican author Carlos Fuentes discusses writing about anger and giving a voice to the dispossessed in society, his interest in politics and the effects of the shadow of death on his writing.
Oliver Stone's new film, W, about the life of George W Bush from adolescence to the war in Iraq, is his third film about American presidents after JFK in 1991 and Nixon in 1995. Tom Brook reviews the film from New York and discusses how well it has been received by American critics.
Corinne Julius, who writes on applied arts for the Evening Standard, joins Kirsty to talk about the way artists are now crossing the divide between art and crafts.
Canadian author Andrew Davidson talks about the tenacity required to get an agent and how his first novel, The Gargoyle, mixes a love story with his interest in medieval history and modern medical techniques.
FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00f15vs)
The Color Purple
Episode 10
Dramatisation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, set in the Deep South in the interwar years.
Shug is back, and Celie is finally reunited with her sister Nettie and her children Olivia and Adam.
Celie ...... Nadine Marshall
Nettie ...... Nikki Amuka-Bird
Mister ...... Eammon Walker
Harpo/Adam ...... OT Fagbenle
Shug Avery ...... Nina Sosanya
Pa ...... Colin McFarlane
Samuel ...... Ray Shell
Olivia ...... Lorraine Burroughs
Dramatised by Pat Cumper.
Directed by Pauline Harris.
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b00dx2n1)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate from Accrington, Lancashire. Panellists include Justice Secretary Jack Straw, artistic director of the Southbank Centre Jude Kelly, physicist Professor Brian Cox and Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps.
FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b00dx3wx)
Lisa Jardine considers why this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature is particularly relevant.
FRI 21:00 America, Empire of Liberty Omnibus (b00dx3wz)
East and West
Omnibus edition of the series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
Thousands migrate west in search of a better life, while Indian tribes who do not assimilate are forced on to land west of the Mississippi.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b00dvntl)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b00dvnvp)
In a special edition, Robin Lustig speaks to a worldwide panel of guests on the future direction of Afghanistan.
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00dvp2d)
Sentimental Education
Episode 10
Alex Jennings reads from Flaubert's novel, set amid the turbulence and glamour of mid-nineteenth century Parisian high society.
Revolution is in the air, but Frederic only has eyes for Mme Arnoux.
FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b00dvwq1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00dvq0y)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Mark D'Arcy.