SATURDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2013

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (b01qfjxh)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


SAT 00:30 Book of the Week (b01qfk3k)
Benjamin Britten: A Life in the Twentieth Century

Episode 5

Paul Kildea's major biography of the twentieth-century composer, Benjamin Britten, is published in the year that marks his centenary. This vivid portrait of the composer explores the private and creative life of the man who composed operas that have entered the popular consciousness as well as the musical canon. Today, the final years.

Read by Alex Jennings.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton.
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qfjxk)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qfjxm)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at 5.20am.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qfjxp)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (b01qfjxr)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qfmfr)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


SAT 05:45 iPM (b01qfmft)
"I read ALL my daughters' texts." A listener with two young daughters thinks it's her duty as a mother to keep tabs on everything they write, read and watch online. A teenage listener who is trusted by her mum to be responsible in the virtual world disagrees. iPM brings the two together.
With Eddie Mair and Jennifer Tracey. iPM@bbc.co.uk.


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (b01qfjxt)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SAT 06:04 Weather (b01qfjxw)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 06:07 Ramblings (b01qfj3g)
Series 23

The Walking Book Group

Clare Balding is walking for self improvement in this new series of Ramblings; in six weeks time she hopes to be smarter, fitter, calmer and cleverer. In this first programme she joins a walking book group in North London, who find wandering on Hampstead Heath much more conducive to discussing literature than sitting round a coffee table. The walking book group is the brainchild of Emily Rhodes from the local Daunt book shop.Emily explains to Clare how she chooses the books each month and why she thinks the group attracts a growing and enthusiastic following. The book under discussion today is Elizabeth Taylor's Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont. Clare, an English graduate, joins in enthusiastically with her opinions on the novel as well as discussing with fellow group members the issues of aging, loneliness and retirement homes. Archie, her Tibetan Terrier accompanies Clare but is sadly, not improved by the experience.
Producer: Lucy Lunt.


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (b01qgr3x)
Farming Today This Week

Farming Today this week visits a farm in Cheshire and an ancient wood in Staffordshire to see how the new proposed route for HS2 will affect farmers, landowners and wildlife.John Keleher and Pat Mather own a chicken farm and stud in Pickmere, Cheshire, the route for the HS2 will go directly through their farmhouse and land. They say they are completely devastated.One transport economist says the route is necessary for Britain as our infrastructure has reached capacity and in the long term it will balance the North/South economic divide.Meanwhile in Staffordshire, the HS2 will cut through an ancient wood in Whitmore. Its owner Edward Cavenagh-Mainwaring accepts that modern progress must happen but queries whether the planned route is the best one. Farming Today approached the Department of Transport but no one was available for interview.Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Ruth Sanderson.


SAT 06:57 Weather (b01qfjxy)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 07:00 Today (b01qgr3z)
Morning news and current affairs with James Naughtie and Evan Davis, including:

0810
The Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is holding an emergency summit on the horsemeat scandal today. Trading Standards' Andy Foster joins the programme.

0813
Stitchers working on Alderney in the Channel Islands have added the last panels to the Bayeux Tapestry which show the coronation of William the Conqueror on Christmas Day, 1066. Kate Russell, who lives on Alderney, has been coordinating the project.

0817
Government plans for new nuclear power in the UK received more blows this week. Energy expert Malcolm Grimston and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey discuss the issue.

0832
Susan Andrade gave evidence against two sex abusers, who were convicted. As a result of being branded a fantasist and an attention seeker the gifted violinist took her own life. Her family say that the court system let her down. Her son, Oliver Andrade, Vera Baird QC, and Victim Support's Javed Khan discuss how alleged victims are treated by the courts and the police.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (b01qgr41)
Dr Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum and the Inheritance Tracks of singer Katie Melua

Sian Williams and Richard Coles with Dr Michael Dixon, the Director of the Natural History Museum, The Inheritance Tracks of singer Katie Melua, the sounds of a 20 ton Wurlitzer organ in a Chorleywood living room, a trip around the Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent, a ramble up and across Dunkery Beacon on Exmoor, the story of a woman who was abandoned in Hong Kong as a baby in the 1960's and sent to the UK for adoption, a couple with Albinism discussing their condition and JP Devlin talking to a grateful nation.
Producer: Chris Wilson.


SAT 10:30 And the Academy Award Goes To... (b01qgr43)
Series 4

In the Heat of the Night

It makes for uncomfortable viewing. A Southern policeman insolently challenges Sidney Poitier, a detective from 'up North'.
"So, boy, what do they call you in Philadelphia?"
"They call me Mister Tibbs!"
It's one of the great movie lines in history, from Sidney Poitier's favourite of all his films. But was "In The Heat of the Night" a worthy winner of the Best Picture?
Up against tough competition, including "The Graduate" and "Bonnie and Clyde", it has been suggested that this might have been an Oscar vote carried on a tidal wave of outrage during the peak years of the Civil Rights movement.
In 1967, "In The Heat of the Night" seemed to speak out against an America riven with racial tensions. The Watts Riots had just devastated Los Angeles, close to Hollywood. The film was set in Mississippi, but the crew were forced to choose Illinois in the North as a safer location. The murder of Martin Luther King, and his subsequent funeral, delayed the Oscar ceremony in 1968 by several days - enabling the cast and crew of "In The Heat of the Night" to attend his funeral.
All these stories and more are told to Paul Gambaccini, in the second in the Oscar series "And The Academy Award Goes To.", by veteran director - Norman Jewison, and he also hears from his legendary producer - Walter Mirisch - a man who at the age of 91, still makes his way to his film studios in Hollywood, and takes lunch as Spagos. He also hears from one of the world's great cinematographer's Haskell Wexler - who was the first to devise lighting especially for darker skin tones - and sets the scene for Norman Jewison's dramatic reconstruction of a country divided along racial lines that has echoes today.
Producer: Sara Jane Hall.


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (b01qgr45)
Steve Richards of The Independent asks why social reforms like gay marriage generate such heated reactions; how do prime ministers judge the danger from plots against them; and why do some big political figures risk everything for a lie ?

He talks to Conservative MPs Mike Freeer and Tim Loughton; to the Tory peer Norman Fowler and Labour's Bernard Donoughue; and to the author, Richard Davenport-Hines.

Editor: Peter Mulligan.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (b01qgr47)
The Great Nigerian Train Ride

Stories from around the world. Today: Will Grant in Mexico on the night horror descended on a beach holiday on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Why were 21, 000 knives handed out on the streets of Mumbai? Alex Preston was there and has the answer. Chris Morris finds out what the building with the biggest carpet in Europe can tell us about attitudes to the EU. Richard Hamilton senses a swagger of self-confidence on the streets of Nairobi but, he says, the ghosts of an older Kenya are never far away. And high-speed rail it isn't, but Will Ross finds it far from dull on the noon train to Kano in northern Nigeria.
Producer: Tony Grant.


SAT 12:00 Money Box (b01qgr49)
Crooks are stepping up their efforts to trick middle-aged people out of their pension funds. In the last year the amount lost to these scams has doubled to an estimated total of £400 million. The scam is simple. A cold call or text invites someone to 'unlock' money from their pension before they reach 55, normally the earliest age at which they can legally get their hands on any of it. They are asked to transfer their pension fund into one opened by the crooks. That could be the last they see of the money which will disappear in charges and fake investments. If they do get any money out HM Revenue & Customs will take up to 70% of it in an unauthorised payment charge. This week the Pensions Regulator and the police are launching a new campaign to try to stop them. Paul speaks to Bill Galvin, Chief Executive of the Pensions Regulator.

If you have a disagreement with your bank which can't be resolved, you can normally choose to take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service to seek redress. That can get you compensation, but it won't always generally lead to an investigation of how the bank is dealing with other customers over the same issue. At the moment individuals can't ask the regulator - the Financial Services Authority - to do this either. But from April the new Financial Conduct Authority may be able to take such complaints. Bob Howard reports and Paul talks to Adam Phillips, chair of the FSA's Consumer Panel.

The number of people seeking help with water debt is growing. And this week's announcement of an average price rise of 3.5% won't help. We talk to one charity which says debt problems are rising 20% a year and ask what can be done about it.

Money Box has learned that 60,000 people are in a queue to ask the NHS to pay for long term care - either theirs or a relative's. Last year the Department of Health imposed a deadline of 30 September on compensation claims in England which dated back before April 2011. As a result tens of thousands of people put in a claim to get the NHS to pay for past care - and refund the costs they had paid themselves.


SAT 12:30 The News Quiz (b01qfkw5)
Series 79

Episode 8

A satirical review of the week's news, chaired by Sandi Toksvig. Panellists include Jeremy Hardy, Daniel Finkelstein, Mark Steel and Katy Brand.

Produced by Lyndsay Fenner.


SAT 12:57 Weather (b01qfjy0)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 13:00 News (b01qfjy2)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (b01qflzy)
David Davis, Norman Baker, Alan Milburn, Julie Bindel

Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from St Chad's Church, Gateshead. Guests include the former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, conservative MP David Davis, coalition Transport Minister Norman Baker MP and feminist Julie Bindel.
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson.


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (b01qgr4c)
Have your say on the issues discussed in Any Questions? Call Anita Anand on 03700 100 444, email any.answers@bbc.co.uk or tweet using #bbcaq. Trust in the NHS after Stafford Hospital Report, Gay Marriage, Gove U Turn on the EBAC, Page 3 - is it sexist and outdated in today's society?


SAT 14:30 Saturday Drama (b01qgr4f)
Mark Davies Markham - The Liberty of Norton Folgate

London's rich past as a melting pot of cultures is one of the themes of Madness's 2009 album - The Liberty of Norton Folgate, which has inspired Mark Davies Markham's play. Gazi and Sitara have been serving full English breakfasts at the Union Café on London's Norton Folgate for thirty years. But now the council have served a demolition order, and it looks as if their son Aki's girlfriend's father, Ralph Burke, is behind the plan to develop the site. No one is going to let the Union go without a fight, and soon Gazi and Sitara find that they have the support of pop royalty in the form of Suggs, Chas Smith and Mike Barson from Madness.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer

Mark Davies Markham writes scripts for TV, theatre and radio. 'Taboo' the West End musical he wrote for Boy George was nominated for an Olivier Award . 'Eric' his recent play for the Liverpool Everyman was also about the music industry.


SAT 15:30 Soul Music (b01qgr4h)
Series 15

Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is?

Is That All There Is, the Leiber and Stoller song made famous by Peggy Lee, is based upon a short story by Thomas Mann called 'Disillusionment', but those who know and love it feel it's inspirational rather than a cynical, world weary musical take on existentialism and the futility of life.

Soul Music finds the compelling individual stories behind our collective love of music.

Producer: Maggie Ayre.


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (b01qgr4k)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Comic Relief

Jane Garvey reports on Comic Relief projects in Ghana. Teenagers talk about the pressures they come under via social media. Being brought up by parents with learning disabilities.
The struggle to achieve Zero Tolerance to FGM. Plus hat designer Philip Treacy, Eastenders actress Laila Morse, and music from the Grammy nominated Canadian twins Tegan and Sara
Presented by Jane Garvey.
Editor Beverley Purcell.


SAT 17:00 PM (b01qgr4m)
Saturday PM

Full coverage of the day's news presented by Ritula Shah.


SAT 17:30 The Bottom Line (b01qfjdq)
Books

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.

Like the music industry before it, the print book industry has been turned upside down up by the digital revolution. As sales of ebooks continue to grow, bookshop sales are down from a peak in 2007. So what does the future for hold for the bricks and mortar bookstore? Will physical books become a thing of the past? And what role will traditional players like publishers, agents and retailers play in this brave new world? Evan Davis and guests examine what the landscape might look like once the dust settles.

Joining Evan in the studio are Jonny Geller, literary agent and joint CEO Curtis Brown; Victoria Barnsley, CEO of publisher HarperCollins UK & International; Michael Tamblyn, Chief Content Officer at Toronto-based ebook retailer Kobo.

Producer: Ben Crighton
Editor: Innes Bowen.


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b01qfjy4)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 17:57 Weather (b01qfjy6)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qfjy8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (b01qhb84)
Mariel Hemingway; David Baddiel; Mike McShane; Foals; Lord Huron

Clive tames Three Lions with comedian and presenter David Baddiel, who returns to stand-up comedy for the first time in fifteen years. As much a thought-piece as a comedy show, David's trying out material that will become a complete deconstruction of his own fame, and our culture's obsession with celebrities. David Baddiel is at London's Soho Theatre from Monday 11th to Saturday 16th February.

Clive talks to actress Mariel Hemingway, nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Tracy in the Woody Allen film 'Manhattan'. Mariel's attending the World Premiere of the play based on her grandfather, Ernest Hemingway's novel 'The Sun Also Rises' about a man's obsession with bullfighting. 'FIESTA (The Sun Also Rises)' is at London's Trafalgar Studio 2 until Saturday 2nd March.

Clive asks 'Who's Line Is It Anyway?' with actor, singer and improvisational comedian Mike McShane, who's looking sharp as Louis B Mayer in new musical 'The Tailor-Made Man'. It tells the tale of William Haines, the openly gay silent film actor who defied studio pressure to marry and put an end to rumours about his love life. It's at The Arts Theatre, London from 14th to 21st February.

And a welcome return to Foals, who gallop into the studio to perform 'My Number' from their new album 'Holy Fire'. Music also from American Indie-Folk band Lord Huron, who perform the title track from their debut album 'Lonesome Dreams'.

Producer: Jane Thurlow.


SAT 19:00 Profile (b01qhb86)
John Brennan

John Brennan, President Obama's trusted counter terror advisor has been nominated to head the Central Intelligence Agency amidst a storm of controversy. Despite being a career CIA man for more than 25 years, he's now at the centre of American foreign policy dilemmas, including questions about the use of drones, waterboarding techniques and the future of the world's most powerful intelligence agency.

A Catholic basketball player, turned academic and fluent Arabic speaker, Brennan has risen through the CIA ranks and has recently been involved in "virtually all major national security issues" alongside the President. As the Senate asks him to justify some of the agency's most controversial decisions, Jane Deith asks how he will lead the agency as it faces ever new security challenges.

Reporter - Jane Deith
Producer - Gail Champion.


SAT 19:15 Saturday Review (b01qhb88)
Wreck-It Ralph, and Ice Age art at the British Museum

Wreck-It Ralph is the latest Disney offering, arriving in time for children at half-term. Its hero is a wouldbegood bad guy trapped in a destructive role in a video game, voiced by John C Reilly. It's got plenty of retro game nostalgia and jokes that children and adults will enjoy but does it have the longevity of the classic Disney movies?

Ice Age Art at the British Museum aims to show that in surviving figurative art from over 20,000 years ago we can see the arrival of the modern mind. Remarkable figures are on show such as the Swimming Reindeer and the Lion Man, alongside the work of artists closer to our own time such as Matisse and Henry Moore. Are we convinced that the artistic endeavour is the same now?

In the Beginning was the End is a new show from the site-responsive theatre company dreamthinkspeak. They're back at a site they've visited before, Somerset House in London, and venturing into some disused labs at King's College too, with a production apparently inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci, the Book of Revelation and the world of Mechatronics.

Harvest, Jim Crace's new historical novel set in the time of the Enclosures, is an account of seven days that will change a community for ever, narrated by one of the villagers, Walter Thirsk, and it's already won praise.

And Mysteries of Lisbon was one of the last projects of the great Chilean director Raul Ruiz who made his home in France. It was released here as a cut-down film but it's about to be shown as he first intended, as a television mini-series. With moments of surreal invention he is a favourite of critics; will a British television audience take to his work?

David Schneider, Gillian Slovo and Giles Fraser join presenter Tom Sutcliffe to review.

Producer: Sarah Johnson.


SAT 20:00 The Real George Orwell (b01qhb8b)
The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four

What led avowed socialist George Orwell to write a novel beloved of the Right?

David Aaronovitch traces how a decade of political chaos shaped Orwell's vision of a totalitarian future.

He explores how, after the war, the threat of the new atom bomb played a crucial part in the birth of Nineteen Eighty-Four - and how Orwell coined the term 'cold war' in the process.

He traces the impact on the novel of the provocative ideas of an American ex-communist, James Burnham, who predicted a world dominated by three tyrannical superstates.

He finds out why Orwell saw some form of Western European Union as the best way to prevent Britain being swallowed by Big Brother.

And he asks why, if Orwell was an English socialist, the totalitarian party ruling 'Oceania' in Nineteen Eighty-Four is called 'IngSoc' - which is short for 'English Socialists'.

With Peter Davison, Frances Stonor Saunders, DJ Taylor, Hugh Wilford

Producer: Phil Tinline.


SAT 21:00 The Real George Orwell (b01qdr2w)
Homage to Catalonia

Episode 2

The fighting at the front is deadlocked. Freezing temperatures, ancient guns and dud ammunition only add to their woes.

The conclusion of Eric Blair's autobiographical account of the Spanish Civil War adapted by Mike Walker.

Eric's spirits are cheered by a visit from his wife, Eileen, but when they take the train to Barcelona they find the atmosphere changed. Last time there were no class divisions, no masters and servants, only comrades.

Now the waiters are calling their customers 'Sir' again. To add to the confusion the different factions of the Left are all fighting each other. Then Georges Kopp is arrested and imprisoned; others are tortured. The Blairs begin to realise they are in terrible danger and must flee for their lives.

Eric Blair ...... Joseph Millson
Eileen Blair ...... Lyndsey Marshal
Georges Kopp ...... Ewan Bailey
Spanish volunteer ...... Javier Marzan
Jack Hywel ...... John
Henry Miller ...... Richard Laing
John McNair ...... John McAndrew
Benjamin ...... Jon Lolis
Idris ...... Ben McGregor
Tom Gallagher ...... Gareth Pierce
Fascist militiaman ...... Asier Newman

Director: Kate McAll

A BBC/Cymru Wales production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2013.


SAT 22:00 News and Weather (b01qfjyb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SAT 22:15 Moral Maze (b01qdzcb)
The Moral Virtue of Marriage

It doesn't matter which side of the gay marriage debate you are on it seems that both sides agree on one thing - the moral virtue of marriage. The institution of a public declaration of commitment between two individuals is said to be a cornerstone of society promoting stable relationships, commitment and self-sacrifice. The very virtues that traditionalists say make marriage unique are the same ones liberals argue should therefore be made available to all, whatever their sexuality. It's not just an argument here. The French and Americans have also been battling over who should be allowed to marry. But the debate raises some difficult questions. If marriage is such a moral virtue shouldn't the state be actively promoting it? After all, isn't that one of the main purposes of the state - to pursue policies that promote virtue among citizens? So for a start how about tax breaks for those getting married? And if marriage is such a public good, shouldn't all those liberals who want to widen the marriage franchise also be thinking about stigmatising those behaviours and changing those policies that undermine it? Should divorce be made harder? Should lone parents get less financial help from the state? And if marriage is so good, what's the point of civil partnerships? How far should the state encourage marriage?
Combative, provocative and engaging debate chaired by Michael Buerk with Michael Portillo, Melanie Phillips, Matthew Taylor and Kenan Malik. Witnesses: Professor Andrew Samuels - Psychoanalyst, Phillip Blond - Director, ResPublica, Dr Sharon James - Coalition for Marriage, Ruth Hunt, Director of Public Affairs, Stonewall.


SAT 23:00 Brain of Britain (b01qdtpy)
(11/17)
Russell Davies asks the questions in the eleventh heat of the 2013 series of the evergreen general knowledge quiz. IN this episode the competitors come from Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, North Yorkshire and Leeds. At stake is a coveted place in the semi-finals which begin after two more heats.

The contestants will face Russell's questions on everything from music and literature to science, sport, history, mythology, etymology, popular culture and current affairs.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by stumping the assembled brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.


SAT 23:30 Poetry Please (b01qdr32)
Poetry requested by listeners, introduced by Roger McGough, including work by Vernon Scannell and Adrian Mitchell - and an unusual conversation between a cockroach and an Egyptian mummy.
Producer Christine Hall.



SUNDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2013

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmm3)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


SUN 00:30 A Dalmatian Trilogy (b018wb97)
The Lompic Cape

Episode 1 (of 3): The Lompic Cape by James Hopkin
An eccentric writer-explorer leads his bemused amanuensis over the island. But on the rocks, in the sea and in the old town, the two men see very different things.

James Hopkin has lived and travelled widely in Europe, including time spent on the Dalmatian islands off the coast of Croatia. These three specially-commissioned stories explore the history and landscape of the area, as well as providing a colourful journey for the senses.

Hopkin gained a First Class honours degree in English and Philosophy in Manchester, then a Distinction in his MA on modern fiction, followed by a British Academy Award for his PhD. In September 2002, he won an Arts Council short story competition with 'Even the Crows Say Krakow'.

His novel Winter Under Water (2007) was an assured and critically-acclaimed debut marking the arrival of a major new writer. He published a small collection of stories in 2008, along with the paperback of Winter Under Water.

James Hopkin's A Georgian Trilogy, also produced by Sweet Talk, was broadcast in 2010.

Reader: Alan Cox
Producer: Jeremy Osborne
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmm5)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmm7)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmm9)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmmc)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (b01qhd05)
The bells of All Saints Church, Harpole, Northamptonshire.


SUN 05:45 Profile (b01qhb86)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 News Headlines (b01qgmmf)
The latest national and international news.


SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b01qhd07)
The Philosophy of the Mind

In this special edition of Something Understood, Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, considers what we now know about the nature of the mind and how an understanding of the mind is important in everyday life.

He quotes from the teachings of Buddha and the work of the 11th century poet Milarepa, as well as the words of a Tibetan Prayer by Nagarjuna.

The quest for peace of mind is one of the great challenges of our day. Many of us find it easier to achieve than others, but what do the teachings of those cultures who try to embrace the mind's power have to say about our modern dilemma?

John McCarthy applies the Dalai Lama's thoughts to the western experience with additional readings from the American philosopher Daniel Dennett and the work of the ground-breaking neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran.

The programme was recorded in the town of Leh in the Ladakh region of India.

Produced by Anthony Denselow.

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 06:35 Living World (b01qhd09)
Tree Sparrows

Tree sparrows were once so common in Britain they were at best ignored, at worst considered a pest by farmers. In China, Chairman Mao, led to believe it was enough of an agricultural pest to justify a purge that in 1958 he included it in ' the great leap forward' by ordering the nation to kill all sparrows . It was a part of the 'Four pests campaign' against the rat, mosquito, fly and tree sparrow. China went on a peoples campaign to stamp out the Sparrow, many were harassed by people banging pots and pans together, the aim being to keep them airborne until they dropped from exhaustion and could be killed, others were shot, trapped and their nests destroyed.

In Britain the population of this once abundant bird crashed spectacularly between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, by more than 50% due to changes in agricultural practices, and now in western Britain it is a rare bird indeed. It should be remembered that, for every Tree Sparrow today there were perhaps around 30 in the 1970s, and any recovery therefore has a very long way to go.

This programme looks to identify the bird in situ and discuss the history, current population and the future of this most wonderful little bird, which comes in to gregarious winter flocks with other birds at this RSPB reserve.


SUN 06:57 Weather (b01qgmmh)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (b01qgmmk)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (b01qhd0c)
The world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela is taking place in India where millions of pilgrims will wash away their sins in the River Ganges. We hear more on what will be the busiest day of the festival so far.

Midwives could soon be asked to raise the question of female genital mutilation with expectant mothers. William speaks to Dr Comfort Momoh, a specialist midwife in London who is the UK's leading expert in this field.

David Willey reports from Rome as the Knights of Malta celebrate 900 years. The order traces its history to the 11th century with the establishment of an infirmary in Jerusalem that cared for people of all faiths making pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

In light of the changes to Michael Gove's ebacc, Trevor Barnes examines the future of religious education with John Keast from the Religious Education Council, Stephen Lloyd MP and a former government advisor on education.

This week saw the publication of the long awaited report on the Magdalene Laundries. We hear how this experience affected the faith of one of the survivors of the Laundries and delve into the mind of the nuns who ran the Laundries.

In light of the recent decision to allow gay marriage in England but to exempt the Church of England from doing so, we turn to Denmark to learn how our Scandinavian neighbours have handled the issue.

This week Giles Fraser former Dean of St Pauls penned his last column in The Church Times stating: "Partly, this decision has to do with the arrival of a new Archbishop. Justin Welby is a good man, and will, I expect, make a fine leader of the Church. But his moral opposition to homosexuality remains a massive problem for me." We speak to him to find out more.


SUN 07:55 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qhd0f)
APT Action on Poverty

Margaret Sentamu presents the Radio 4 Appeal for APT Action on Poverty. Reg Charity:290836
To Give:
- Freephone 0800 404 8144
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal, mark the back of the envelope APT Action on Poverty.


SUN 07:57 Weather (b01qgmmm)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (b01qgmmp)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (b01qhd0h)
The Beauty of Holiness

"The Beauty of Holiness"

Live from the Chapel of Worcester College, Oxford.

As the University of Oxford begins a week of events celebrating Christianity through the Arts, The Rev Dr Jonathan Arnold, Chaplain of Worcester College, and Professor Ben Quash of King's College, London reflect on how the Arts are being used now, as much as ever, to explore and define experiences of the Christian faith which can often not be expressed in words.

Music director: Edward Turner. Organist: Nicholas Freestone.
Producer: Simon Vivian.


SUN 08:50 A Point of View (b01qfm00)
Grand Central celebration

David Cannadine celebrates the saving of New York's now century old Grand Central Terminal and regrets the destruction of the city's other great beaux-arts station. "Many New Yorkers... had initially opposed, and subsequently regretted, the wanton destruction of Penn station as a deplorable act of civic irresponsibility and cultural philistinism."
Producer: Sheila Cook.


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (b01qhd0k)
After those text messages in the Chris Huhne case, we talk about sons who are estranged from their fathers.

We've found rarely heard Sylvia Plath recordings and we'll listen in as the anniversary of her death approaches.

And after Richard III turned up, Paddy O'Connell has been digging in another car park.

Reviewing the Sunday papers: Michael Portillo, Heather Bell who's bringing Clarrie Grundy back to The Archers, and art supremo Charles Saumarez Smith.


SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (b01qhd0m)
For detailed synopses, see daily episodes

Writer ..... Nawal Gadalla
Director ..... Rosemary Watts
Editor ..... Vanessa Whitburn
Shula Hebden Lloyd ..... Judy Bennett
David Archer ..... Timothy Bentinck
Ruth Archer ..... Felicity Finch
Josh Archer ..... Cian Cheesbrough
Elizabeth Pargetter ..... Alison Dowling
Matt Crawford ..... Kim Durham
Lilian Bellamy ..... Sunny Ormonde
Peggy Woolley ..... June Spencer
William Grundy ..... Philip Molloy
Nic Grundy ..... Becky Wright
Emma Grundy ..... Emerald O'Hanrahan
Edward Grundy ..... Barry Farrimond
Mike Tucker ..... Terry Molloy
Vicky Tucker ..... Rachel Atkins
Hayley Tucker ..... Lorraine Coady
Oliver Sterling ..... Michael Cochrane
Caroline Sterling ..... Sara Coward
Lynda Snell ..... Carole Boyd
Bert Fry ..... Eric Allan
Lewis Carmichael ..... Robert Lister
Jazzer Mccreary ..... Ryan Kelly
Paul Morgan ..... Michael Fenton Stevens
Rhys Williams ..... Scott Arthur
Iftikar Shah ..... Pal Aron
Rob Titchener ..... Timothy Watson
Matthew Watkins ..... Paul Stonehouse
Connie ..... Carolyn Pickles.


SUN 11:15 Desert Island Discs (b01qhd0p)
Julie Burchill

Kirsty Young's guest is the writer Julie Burchill.

As a columnist and author she is a committed non-conformist - daring the world to take issue with her vociferous life and work and depending on whom you ask is either a 'Marxist critic' or 'a right wing columnist'.

As a child she used to hide away when potential playmates came to call, at 17 she was writing for the NME and in the decades since she's plied her trade at The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Mail amongst others. She's also written twenty odd books and her autobiography is entitled "I Knew I Was Right".

Producer: Cathy Drysdale.


SUN 12:00 The Unbelievable Truth (b01qdtq6)
Series 10

Episode 6

David Mitchell hosts the panel game in which four comedians are encouraged to tell lies and compete against one another to see how many items of truth they're able to smuggle past their opponents.

John Finnemore, Henning Wehn, Holly Walsh and Arthur Smith are the panellists obliged to talk with deliberate inaccuracy on subjects as varied as Germany, Beards, Camels and Simon Cowell.

The show is devised by Graeme Garden and Jon Naismith, the team behind Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

Producer: Jon Naismith.
A Random Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (b01qhd0r)
Horsemeat Scandal: A Food Programme Special

Sheila Dillon reports on fresh developments in the horsemeat scandal. As more tests reveal large amounts of horsemeat in beef products, Sheila investigates the supply chain.

Producer: Dan Saladino.


SUN 12:57 Weather (b01qgmmr)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (b01qhd0t)
Norman Smith presents the latest national and international news, including an in-depth look at events around the world. Email: wato@bbc.co.uk; twitter: #theworldthisweekend.


SUN 13:30 Lyrical Journey (b01ngn3q)
Series 2

Sunshine on Leith

On a hill overlooking the Firth of Forth, The Proclaimers perform their song 'Sunshine on Leith', which has become a source of great pride for this Edinburgh district, even becoming the beloved anthem of Hibernian FC.

Leading up to the performance, presenter Jonathan Maitland meets Proclaimers twins Charlie and Craig Reid and discovers the inspiration behind the lyrics and their links to the area. As Maitland reflects on the changes in Leith in the 24 years since the record's release, he also discusses the impact of the song around Edinburgh and beyond.

The journey takes Maitland to Leith Docks to meet Scottish and maritime historian Eric Graham and local expert Susan Morrison, who explain how the docks, once the entry point to the wider world, have now become a symbol of redevelopment and social change in the area.

Jonathan also hears from Hibs FC fans for which the song holds a special meaning, and witnesses the great emotion the song provokes.


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b01qfkvv)
Kirton-in-Lindsey

Join Eric Robson and panelists Anne Swithinbank, Bob Flowerdew and Pippa Greenwood as they visit gardeners in Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire.

Produced by Howard Shannon.
A Somethin' Else Production for BBC Radio 4.

Q: I bought four boxes of dried out, sad looking, cacti at an auction. Some are brown around the base of the plant. Can they be saved?
A: The sample cactus has the potential to come back to life. At this time of the year cacti have been resting anyway so would need to be kept dry, but the brown suggests they were also neglected last summer. From March onwards you can start watering again and you should see it come back to life. However, the brown areas will not disappear.

Q: Bulbs are often described as easy to grow, so why have I had no success with snowdrops? They die off at the end of the year, but never come back again.
A: The snowdrop is not a local British bulb so they prefer a drier climate with quite a hot summer, but total dryness will actually ruin them just as quickly as water-logging. They will grow better on a loamy/sandy soil than on heavy clay.

Q: My children kindly secured a rose with my name, Rosa Frankish, and gave me a hundred of them. About forty are in my garden. They are a yellow floribunda. They flower three times; first time in June it's fantastic, by second flowering in July they have developed black spot and by the third flowering their are no leaves left. I do spray, but how do I stop it getting established?
A: You think about black spot on leaves, but it doesn't just attack the leaves. It can over-winter on stems, so when you are doing early spring pruning it is worth examining the stems for pin-head sized purple/black spots and pruning these out too. Also make sure you clean up fallen leaves as soon as possible.

Q: Our lawn is professionally treated four times a year with fertiliser and when necessary weed and moss killer. Can the grass cuttings be put on a compost heap that is subsequently used on a vegetable plot?
A: No it would be unwise to do so. The sorts of weed killers they are using could be harmful on a vegetable patch, anywhere near where you are going to be sowing, or on bedding plants. You should talk to the people that are applying it to find out exactly what chemicals they are putting on the lawn, and how harmful they are.

Q: When buying our house we inherited a ten by twenty metre outdoor swimming pool, what can we do with it?
A: You could roof it over to create a sunken greenhouse, with steps going down into it. A problem with greenhouses is that they can be quite ugly, but this would be almost unseen. You could create a formal pool and surround with marginal plants in containers, though you would need to be careful with getting the right depth if you are to plant waterlilies. You should make sure that there are easy entry and exit routes incase small animals are to fall in.

Q: What is the cause of big chocolate spots on Dalea leaves, and what will cure it?
A: Daleas do commonly get a fungal leaf spot. They are more likely to suffer from leaf spot after a damp year like we had last year, but on the whole it is not of massive significance if the Dalea is growing well. They do like moist conditions but they also need light which there was not much of last year. It is worth picking off the odd leaf when you see the symptoms. You could also put on some more pot ash to help toughen the Dalea's cells to fight the leaf spot.

Q: How do you get rid of ivy?
A: You should do a combination of digging and mattocking out. If you want to use a chemical you could try a brushwood killer, but you should be careful when choosing a product to find out how long it will linger in the ground after use. Stopping the flowering and fruiting will stop the seedlings, and clipping it so that it restricts growth is a short-term solution.

Q: Can you suggest fragrant, disease-free plants for a herbaceous border that runs alongside an interwoven fence of about six-foot? The North-facing border gets only early morning sun, then shade for the rest of the day. The ground is dry, possibly because of the three silver birch trees the other side of the fence.
A: You could go for shrubs rather than herbaceous plants as they will suit the conditions better, like winter boxes (sarcococcas) because they do not get very big. The daphne family could also do well (with some added leaf-mould). The toughest daphne is Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata'. The Daphne mezereum is a deciduous plant that flowers in February that could also thrive.

Q: I have been trying to grow carrots for thirty years and the results have been embarrassing. Can you help?
A: Do not use compost for carrots, put them straight into the ground. Sow your carrots thinly and you can cover them over with sowing compost, but you must not dig it over beforehand and any fertility is best watered on when they are already growing. If they are not growing very big it could be because they like to germinate in a sandy soil


SUN 14:45 Witness (b01qhd0w)
The plot against Franco

In 1964 a young Scot called Stuart Christie joined a plot to assassinate the Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco. He had become friends with Spanish exiles living in London and was keen to help end Franco's rule. But the plot failed and Christie ended up in jail. He has been telling his story to Mike Lanchin.

Photo: Stuart Christie, in jail in Spain in 1967.


SUN 15:00 George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four (b01qhd0y)
Episode 1

Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth. Sick and separated from his wife, he lives alone in a one-room flat in Victory Mansions in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal.

When Winston finds love, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities.

One of the most influential novels of the 20th century, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four was first published in 1949. Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway.

Winston Smith...Christopher Eccleston
Julia...Pippa Nixon
O'Brien...Tim Pigott-Smith
Parsons...Kim Wall
Charrington ...Robert Blythe
Syme ...Sam Alexander
Prostitute...Susie Riddell

With Christine Absalom, Don Gilet, Joe Sims and Joshua Swinney

Director: Jeremy Mortimer

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.


SUN 16:00 Open Book (b01qhd10)
Ali Smith on the 50th anniversary of The Bell Jar; Alex Preston on innovation in the novel

Mariella Frostrup talks to Ali Smith about Sylvia Plath's ground breaking novel, "The Bell Jar" fifty years after it was first published and shortly before the author's own suicide after she separated from the poet Ted Hughes in circumstances which have continued to cause controversy to this day. In this interview Ali Smith, award winning novelist of The Accidental and Hotel World, celebrates the novel for the witty, beautiful crafted and political literary classic it is, exploring issues at the heart of what it means to be a young woman in mid 20th century America in a uniquely original and highly influential way.And with the announcement of yet another literary prize - the Goldsmiths Prize sponsored by Goldsmiths University and the New Statesman is worth £10,000 and will be awarded to writers of boldly, original fiction - writer and broadcaster Alex Preston and author, poet and Professor of Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths, Blake Morrison, consider what being experimental and innovative means for 21st century novelists. Is the literary novel keeping pace with the explosion of technology in the first decade of the new millennium, the creative potential of the video game and the success of new genres such as Steampunk and Nordic noir?And what better way to counter the challenge posed to literature by the rise of computer games than to set a novel inside one? In his 17th novel Bedlam Scottish crime writer Christopher Brookmyre turns to science fiction for inspiration. The book's protagonist Ross Baker finds himself trapped inside a first person shooter called Starfire, which he himself played as a teenager whilst escaping from his parents' bitter divorce. How did the author's own gaming inspire the novel and what can exploring different forms of consciousness - digital and organic - tell us about what it means to be human?Producer: Hilary Dunn.


SUN 16:30 Poetry Please (b01qhd12)
Poetry marking the winter of 1963, the long season of snow and cold during which the poet Sylvia Plath died. Listeners' requests for her work include Morning Song, Balloons and Wuthering Heights. The readers are Fenella Woolgar and Paul Mundell, with readings of their own work by poets Paul Farley, Eavan Boland, Jacob Polley and MR Peacocke.
Producer Christine Hall.


SUN 17:00 File on 4 (b01qdvtj)
Russian Riches

Surrey police are probing the mystery death of a Russian exile who was helping to locate millions of dollars missing from the Russian treasury. City experts claim London is one of the routes for those laundering the proceeds of Russian crime. Britain is also now a destination of choice for many wealthy Russians. But how much do we know about some of those who choose to settle here? Internationally, there's tension between Washington and Moscow over the Magnitsky Act, in which the US introduced new sanctions for Russian officials suspected of corruption, freezing their assets and barring their entry to America. Prominent MPs are arguing for similar measures here. So is Britain too lax in cases where suspicions are raised?
Reporter: Julian O'Halloran
Producer: David Lewis.


SUN 17:40 Profile (b01qhb86)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmmt)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 17:57 Weather (b01qgmmw)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgmmy)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (b01qhd14)
Liffe, death and the weather - all our favourite talking points this week; Liffe - the stock exchange that transformed city trading 30 years ago, death and those messages from our dearly departed, and proof that the weather makes its own music and that the sun does sometimes shine on Leith. And we couldn't let this week pass without an alternative take on the King in the car park.

Liz Barclay chose:

Lyrical Journey - Sunshine on Leith - Radio 4
The People's Songs - Radio 2
Woman's Hour Drama - More Tales of the City - Radio 4
The Call - Radio 3
Afternoon Drama - Stone - Radio 4
World Cup for Writers - Radio 4
In Living Memory - Radio 4
Ian D Montfort is Unbelievable - Radio 2
Book of the Week - Benjamin Britten - A Life in the 20th Century - Radio 4
The Essay - Air Songs and Moon Bows - Radio 3
It's My Story - My Lover, My Carer - Radio 4
Soul Music - Radio 4
Today - Monday 4 Feb - Reduced Shakespeare Company - Radio 4

If there's something you'd like to suggest for next week's programme, please e-mail potw@bbc.co.uk.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (b01qhd16)
It's Will's 30th birthday and he's delighted with his presents from Nic and George.
However, things are still strained between Will and Ed during his celebratory family lunch at The Bull. Despite everyone's best attempts to ease the tension, Will is critical of Ed's sheep shearing plans with Jazzer, especially of his funding from the farming charity.
Alice is fed up with her job but Chris struggles to see the problem. He suggests she watches him play football but going out for lunch after the match appeals to her more. Alice fancies trying a Thai restaurant in Felpersham but his plan is to pop into the Bull. Alice has a bit too much to drink and complains about her work situation to Nic.
In contrast, Chris and Will agree life is good. They have all they need close at hand.
After Clarrie gives both sons a talking-to, Will graciously accepts when Ed offers to let him have George for the evening, and the two brothers part almost civilly. Clarrie tries to persuade them to give each other a hug but a handshake is as far as they can go. Eddie and Clarrie wonder if the feud will ever end.


SUN 19:15 Valentine's Day (b01qhdjz)
Following on from his very successful John Peel's shed, here is another beautiful story of every day life from the very talented John Osbourne.
A young man starts turning out his junk and comes across a box of memories he has saved, letters, birthday and Valentine's cards he has received over the years, tickets for gigs he's been to. And through these we come to understand the recent events in his life.
Some are from an ex girlfriend. His first love (played by Isy Suttie) - they were together when they were teenagers.
Others are from his mum (played by Suki Webster.) She worries about him. She means well and is trying to make him feel better but it makes him feel worse. John will tell this story in front of an audience in the Radio Theatre.
There are also postcards from his Gran (Ann Beach) mainly moaning about her various seaside trips.
This is recorded in the Radio Theatre in front of an audience.


SUN 19:45 Shorts (b01qhdk1)
Series 11

Light Moves Like Water

By Carol Farrelly.

A lyrical story about a young woman who makes her annual visit to her therapist and reflects on a summer of love affairs in Venice.

Carol Farrelly is from Glasgow and lives and works in Edinburgh. She is currently writing her first novel, This Starling Flock, set in neutral Ireland during the Second World War. The opening to this novel won her the Sceptre Prize. In 2010, the Scottish Book Trust chose her to be one of their New Writers. Her short stories have been published in journals such as Stand, New Writing Scotland and Dream Catcher and have been shortlisted for the Bridport and Asham Prizes. She has a DPhil on the novels of Thomas Hardy and, while an undergraduate, spent one year waking up in beautiful Bologna. One day, she hopes to weave both Italy and Hardy into novels too.

Reader: Victoria Liddelle

Producer: Kirsty Williams.


SUN 20:00 Feedback (b01qfkw1)
Is BBC Radio 4 dancing to the tune of the McCartney family? Many of you wrote to Feedback with complaints after You and Yours welcomed Mary McCartney, daughter of Linda and Sir Paul McCartney, onto the programme to discuss the re-launch of the family's vegetarian food brand - just a few days after Sir Paul joined Sheila Dillon on the Food Programme for an extended interview about his life in food. Was this advertising? Roger speaks to BBC Radio 4's compliance editor Roger Mahony about the rules.

What's the difference between curating a music show and being a DJ? Roger Bolton feels the beat as he puts your questions about specialist music programmes to radio legend Whispering Bob Harris and BBC 6 Music producer Paul Sheehan.

Also this week - is iPlayer radio out of tune with its users? We put your issues about iPlayer, listening online, podcasts and all things on demand to the man in charge, Daniel Danker.

And was the Today programme off the mark when they decided not to broadcast news of a crucial victory by the England Women's cricket team and instead announced that rain had stopped play for the men's team in New Zealand?

Producer: Kate Taylor
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 20:30 Last Word (b01qfkvz)
A New York mayor, a Navy Seal, an anti-apartheid activist, a toymaker, a rock musician and an English king

Matthew Bannister on

Amina Cachalia who campaigned for women's rights and against apartheid in her native South Africa.

Reg Presley, guitarist and singer with the Troggs, who was fascinated by UFOs, alien abductions and crop circles.

Chris Kyle - the US military sniper credited with more kills than any other soldier, mostly during the second Iraq war. He was shot dead at a shooting range in Texas.

Andre Cassagnes who invented the Etch A Sketch

Ed Koch, the abrasive former Mayor of New York, credited with restoring the fortunes of the Big Apple.

And - better late than never - Richard III - a tribute in verse from the UA Fanthorpe archive.


SUN 21:00 Money Box (b01qgr49)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:00 on Saturday]


SUN 21:26 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qhd0f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 today]


SUN 21:30 Analysis (b01qdtql)
The Alawis

The government of President Assad of Syria is under threat. So too is the secretive Shia sect known as the Alawis - or Alawites - to which he and many of the governing party and security officials belong.
Hostility towards the minority Alawi population is such that one leading commentator predicts they are likely to be the victims of the world's next genocide.
Presenter Owen Bennett Jones investigates the Alawis' origins, history and culture and asks how these once marginalised people came to power in a Sunni majority state.
He discovers that for many their fortunes changed fifty years ago when the Baath party seized power in a coup d'etat. Alawis were dominant among the army officers who took control. They set about modernising the country and rolling out a secular agenda.
Now, as Syria's revolution has morphed into a civil war, many Alawis believe their only choice is to kill or be killed.
Are the majority of Alawis right to be convinced that the Assad regime is all that stands between them and a return to second-class status, or worse? If the opposition wins in Syria, are warnings about pogroms against the Alawis alarmist, or inevitable?
Presenter: Owen Bennett Jones
Producer: Damian Quinn.


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (b01qhdk3)
Preview of the week's political agenda at Westminster with MPs, experts and commentators. Discussion of the issues politicians are grappling with in the corridors of power.


SUN 22:45 What the Papers Say (b01qhdk5)
George Parker of the Financial Times analyses how the newspapers are covering the biggest stories in Westminster and beyond.


SUN 23:00 The Film Programme (b01qzkv7)
Bafta results special with new Fellow Alan Parker

Francine Stock is joined by critics Robbie Collin and Catherine Bray to discuss the BAFTA Awards - the winners, shocks, surprises and reaction from the ceremony. Sir Alan Parker, known for films such as Bugsy Malone, Fame and The Commitments looks back at his career as he receives a BAFTA Fellowship. And we go on set with Eve Stewart, production designer of Les Miserables.Producer: Elaine Lester.


SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b01qhd07)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:05 today]



MONDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2013

MON 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmp0)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b01qdzby)
Organised crime in the UK

Organised crime in the UK - how has it changed? Professor Dick Hobbs, joins Laurie Taylor, to discuss his work on 'Lush Life', a rich, ethnographic study into 'Dogtown', a composite of several overlapping neighbourhoods in East London. Looking behind the clichéd notions of criminal firms and underworlds, he finds that activity which was once the preserve of professional criminals has now been normalised. He invites us to consider whether or not the very idea of organised crime has become outdated in a predatory, post industrial world in which many fight, by illegal as well as legal means, to survive on the margins. Also, the presence and activities of Mafia style crime both in Italy, as well as in the UK. Dr Felia Allum, a Lecturer in Italian History and Politics, discusses how Italian organised crime functions outside its territory of origin. Revised repeat.

Producer: Jayne Egerton


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b01qhd05)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmp2)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmp4)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmp6)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmp8)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qhqfn)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (b01qhqfq)
Charlotte Smith hears how racketeering led cheap Irish horsemeat to get into our food chain. Steve Philpotts from the Ulster Society Prevention Cruelty to Animals says that he has two years worth of evidence that passports are being faked. This means that horsemeat containing drugs may be on sale to food manufacturers.And Charlotte visits a farm in Hertfordshire that is diversifying its business so it no longer has to rely on the fickle world of farming.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Emma Weatherill.


MON 05:57 Weather (b01qgmpb)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.


MON 06:00 Today (b01qhqfs)
Morning news and current affairs presented by Sarah Montague and Evan Davis. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (b01qhqfv)
Mathematical modelling with Lisa Jardine

On Start the Week Lisa Jardine discusses how complex maths has broken free of the laboratory and now influences every aspect of our lives. James Owen Weatherall applauds the take-over of the financial world by physicists, Marcus du Sautoy revels in the numbers and Kenneth Cukier explores how big data will change everything from disease control to bargain buys. But the cultural commentator Tiffany Jenkins sounds a note of caution about a world where everything is measurable.

Producer: Katy Hickman.


MON 09:45 Book of the Week (b01qhqfx)
Mad Girl's Love Song

Episode 1

On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter was recorded by Plath in her journal and has fed into the mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship, which has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.

In this new biography of Plath's early life, which considers the years before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson explores the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and best-loved poets. Plath's early years were complex, creative and high-achieving. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime).

Read by Hayley Atwell
Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Wood
Abridged by Miranda Davies
Produced by Emma Harding.


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qhqfz)
Mali musician Fatoumata Diawara

In a response to the current unrest in Mali, the singer Fatoumata Diawara gathered over 40 of the country's most renowned musicians to record a song calling for peace. She'll join Jane Garvey to talk about her the song and perform live.
Every hour, more than three babies in the UK are born to a parent who is dependent on alcohol. To help protect the children of addicts the NSPCC has set up a home visiting service to help them improve their parenting skills and keep their families together. Plus what's being done to encourage women to return to work in science, technology and engineering.
Presented by Jane Garvey
Producer; Emma Wallace.


MON 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qhqg1)
The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles: Series 4

Episode 1

The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Series 4 - Ep1/5
by Esther Wilson
Return of award winning 15' drama series about a young married couple with learning disabilities, starring Donna Lavin and Edmund Davies, actors with learning disabilities. Based on true stories and created in part through improvisation, this comic and heartfelt series explores the possibility of the couple having a baby. Just about everybody is against the idea, including Darleen's partner Jamie.

Produced and directed by Pauline Harris
FURTHER INFO - NB: Using a mixture of fact and fiction, Darleen meets Alex Huntesmith during the series who plays himself; a 17 year old young man studying for his A Levels in Politics, History and Economics, and hoping to go to Oxford, and whose parents both have learning disabilities. The series also features Alex's real mum, Jill, mother of four, and we get an insight into this extraordinary real family.


MON 11:00 Sleepless Night (b01qhqg3)
What keeps you awake at night? Money worries? Your conscience? Traffic? Dogs barking? Or the shrill sound of a stressed robin forced to sing at night to find a mate?

This composed feature by Nina Perry explores the problem of sleeplessness and the crucial relationship between sound and sleep, all set within a soundscape of noises heard during a sleepless night interwoven with specially composed music.

Tinnitus sufferer Helen takes us on a journey through a sleepless night of thought and sounds of ticking clocks, snoring, a restless child, mysterious footsteps and a neighbour's late night party. How are these sounds perceived in a state of sleeplessness? How do we respond to sound emotionally, physiologically and hormonally. Are the sounds of the night changing? Are silent nights a thing of the past?

Answering these questions and elucidating the relationship between sound and sleep are: Professor of Acoustics and Dynamics Andy Moorhouse and Senior Lecturer in Acoustics Bill Davies, from Salford University; David Baguley, Head of Audiology at Cambridge University Hospitals, who discusses sound perception, the meaning of sound and the reaction to sound as elements within Tinnitus treatment; Dr Ken Hume, a sleep researcher specializing in sound and sleep, discussing the physiology and psychology of sleep and sound disturbance; and Rupert Marshall, Lecturer in Animal Behaviour at Aberystwyth University, describing how urban wildlife is changing its behaviour to cope with modern life (for example, robins nesting in urban areas who struggle to be heard during the day are more likely to sing at night than their country cousins).

Producer: Nina Perry
A White Pebble Media production for BBC Radio 4.


MON 11:30 In and Out of the Kitchen (b01qhqg5)
Series 2

The Wedding

Anthony is cock-a-hoop when asked out of the blue to be best man at a friend's wedding.

Problem is, he hasn't seen this friend since they were at school together and Damien isn't entirely convinced that Anthony has been invited purely because of his "excellent presentation skills".

Written by Miles Jupp.

Damien Trench ...... Miles Jupp
Anthony MacIlveny ...... Justin Edwards
Julian, the Groom ...... Ben Crowe
Ian Frobisher ...... Philip Fox
Fran, the Bride ...... Sarah Thom
Lionel ...... Rupert Vansittart
The Bride's Mum ...... Lesley Vickerage

Producer: Sam Michell

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.


MON 12:00 You and Yours (b01qhqg7)
Port wars, food imports, probiotics

95% of what we buy comes through our ports - we look at the battle between Britain's biggest container port and the new "super port" opening this year.
We'll also be cracking open some containers to check if what's inside is horse meat or really fit for human consumption.
Why sales of probiotics are on a downward spiral.
And the thrilling climax to John Waite's struggle to give up smoking. Did Peter White take him for a curry? Or did lonely John go back on the fags?


MON 12:57 Weather (b01qgmpd)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 13:00 World at One (b01qhqg9)
National and international news presented by Shaun Ley. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.


MON 13:45 Tell Me the Truth About Love (b01qhqgc)
Episode 1

For Valentine's week, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, explores the heady world of love poetry from first flush to final parting. She argues that love poems are the poems that continue to have the most profound and lasting impact on the general reader, and examines enduring images and themes across ages and cultures. In conversation with other love poets, Carol Ann celebrates the great poems of love and explores poets' responses to love's mysteries. Each of the five programmes in the series looks at a different stage in the development of a relationship. Today's episode focuses on the excitement of a first meeting and the headiness of early infatuation. Presented by Carol Ann Duffy. Produced by Emma Harding.


MON 14:00 The Archers (b01qhd16)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 The Real George Orwell (b01qhqgf)
Biographical Dramas

Loving

By Jonathan Holloway
The third of four dramas featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair.

Eric Blair's relationship with the opposite sex could be a distraught one; over the course of his lifetime, he made several awkward marriage proposals to different women. But his relationship with Eileen O'Shaugnessy, whom he married in 1935, had a huge influence both on his life and his writing. This drama explores the nine years of their relationship.

Eric Blair . . . Joseph Millson
Eileen O'Shaugnessy/Blair . . . Lyndsey Marshal
Dorothy . . . Isabella Marshall
Lydia Jackson . . . Vera Filatova
Inspector Summerfield . . . Dick Bradnum
Len . . . Alun Raglan

A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll.


MON 15:00 Brain of Britain (b01qhqp2)
(12/17)
What particular time of day is celebrated in the type of poem or song known as an 'aubade'? And which British city was twinned with the German city of Dresden in 1959?

Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair for the twelfth and last of the heats in this sixtieth series of radio's most venerable quiz. The competitors are bidding for the last of the automatic places in the semi-finals which begin next week. In this episode they hail from Sheffield, Anglesey, Devon and Glasgow.

They face Russell's questions on everything from music and literature to science, sport, history, mythology, etymology, popular culture and current affairs.

There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the assembled brains with questions of his or her own devising.

Producer: Paul Bajoria.


MON 15:30 The Food Programme (b01qhd0r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 on Sunday]


MON 16:00 With Great Pleasure (b01qhqp4)
Alexandra Shulman

Favourite pieces of writing chosen by the editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman. The pieces are read by Stella Gonet and Tracy Wiles.

Producer Christine Hall.


MON 16:30 Beyond Belief (b01qhqp6)
Inquisition

"No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition!" The brilliant Monty Python sketch was able to use an historical reference because the very mention of the Inquisition conjured up images of dark dungeons; cruel monks wielding instruments of torture and consigning thousands of alleged heretics to the flames. The Inquisition has had a bad press. But in fact there were several Inquisitions, some more cruel than others. And it is still active. Nowadays it goes under the name of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and in the 1990s it was run by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. So what does it do? How does its present structure relate to its medieval origins? Does it deserve its sinister reputation?

Joining Ernie to discuss the Inquisition are Dr Gemma Simmons, Lecturer in Pastoral and Social Studies at Heythrop College London and a member of the Congregation of Jesus; Dr Christopher Black, Honorary Professor of Italian History at the School of Humanities, at the University of Glasgow; and Cullen Murphy, Editor at Large of Vanity Fair and author of God's Jury, The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World.


MON 17:00 PM (b01qhqp8)
Carolyn Quinn presents coverage and analysis of the day's news.


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgmpg)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 18:30 Just a Minute (b01qhqgh)
Series 65

Episode 1

Nicholas Parsons returns with the popular panel game. The comedian Jason Manford joins regulars Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins as they attempt to speak on a subject without Repetition, hesitation or deviation. Subjects include 'Funny Valentine', 'Karaoke' and 'Getting Your Five a Day'.
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani.


MON 19:00 The Archers (b01qhqpb)
Needing £300k for the conversion plan, Elizabeth enlists Lewis's help to decide what she could sell. They identify some paintings, bits of Julia's jewellery and other pieces.

Peggy wants an update on Tom's ready meals. He's pleased Peggy takes an interest, especially as Brenda's pre-occupied at the moment. All she wants to talk about is Bethany, but Tom thinks it's really sweet to see her so besotted with a baby.

Matt decides to tell Lilian about his Valentine's day surprise - a spa day. She is touched that he is going too, as it's not really his sort of thing.

Lilian congratulates Matt on his handling of the consortium meeting. If their bid is accepted, the management fees for the mill refurbishment should make a big difference to their income. Matt's looking forward to getting back into the big time.

Lilian receives a text, which she passes off as being from her friend Judith in Guernsey. Lilian asks Matt to drop her at Peggy's. Before going in she calls Paul to confirm she'll see him on Friday. Peggy makes a point of telling Lilian that she and Tom have been talking about Bethany. She seems to be bringing joy to a lot of people.


MON 19:15 Front Row (b01qhqpd)
Ben Affleck, Jonathan Miller and Barrie Rutter, This Is 40

With Mark Lawson.

Ben Affleck enjoyed a triumphant night at the Baftas, winning both the best director and best film awards for Argo. He talks about how he approached making a film based on a true story of a secret mission to release hostages from Iran.

This is 40 is Judd Apatow's new film, billed as the 'sort-of sequel' to his hit Knocked Up. It returns to a couple played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, now facing various mid-life crises. Natalie Haynes reviews.

As Jonathan Miller and Barrie Rutter stage a rare revival of Githa Sowerby's Rutherford and Son, opening in Halifax, they discuss why they consider the play to be an overlooked masterpiece. They also reflect on its current relevance, a century after its first performance, as the industrial Rutherford family learn that they are on the brink of financial collapse.

Ben Stephenson, the Controller of Drama commissioning for BBC TV, today announces his new season. He talks about his vision for the future, and considers the current state of TV drama on both sides of the Atlantic.

Producer Penny Murphy.


MON 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qhqg1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


MON 20:00 In Search of the British Dream (b01qhqpg)
Episode 3

In Search of the British Dream travels from the cramped sitting rooms of poor illegal migrants to the plush London homes of the global elite, including a Saudi princess and the son of a Russian billionaire.

There are now 7.5 million foreign-born people in the UK. Almost three million of them have come in the last 10 years. One in eight people England and Wales were born abroad - the same ratio as in the land built on immigration, the United States.

But can anyone with a dream make it in Britain?

Mukul Devichand asks newcomers, some wealthy and others poor, about making money here.

He explores the fear that Britain's welfare state is drawing people in, asking difficult questions of those immigrants who rely on it. And he asks uncomfortable questions of the global wealthy, too, drawn by the tax laws of the UK.

Mukul Devichand was born in a Welsh town as the son of Indian migrants and has explored migration issues around the world for the BBC.


MON 20:30 Analysis (b01qhqpj)
Creative Destruction

In the last few weeks a number of high street names have closed for good. In Analysis Phil Tinline asks whether, amid the gloom, there is a reason to celebrate.
The economist Joseph Schumpeter first coined the phrase "creative destruction" in the 1940s. Innovation he believed causes the death of established businesses and leads to new opportunities.
So, are company failures necessary for future growth? Or is "creative destruction" a comforting delusion, not a saving grace?
Producer : Rosamund Jones.


MON 21:00 Material World (b01qfj3l)
TB vaccine, satellites, Lake Ellsworth, Antarctic station

Failures in science and lessons learnt: Professor Helen McShane, the head of the TB Vaccinations Programme at Oxford University, explains what can be learnt from the only TB vaccine trial in more than 40 years. Professor Martin Siegert, Professor of Geosciences at Bristol University and Chief Scientist on the Lake Ellsworth Project drilling into a pristine lake in Antarctica, explains why the mission had to be abandoned. The latest British satellite will be controlled by a mobile phone. Dr. Chris Bridges, from the Surrey Space Centre and Surrey University, and Stuart Martin, CEO of Satellite Applications Catapult, tell Quentin Cooper how it will all work.

And Dr Anna Jones, Senior Tropospheric Chemist at the British Antarctic Survey, talks about the new moveable Halley research base.


MON 21:30 Start the Week (b01qhqfv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:58 Weather (b01qgmpl)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qhqpl)
Pope Benedict resigns - who could take his place?

Government announces reform of social care;

Republicanism revives in Australia.

With Ritula Shah.


MON 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qhqpn)
Episode 1

Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.

With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.

The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.

Sylvia Plath was born in 1932 in Boston. She studied at Smith College and Cambridge where she met and married Ted Hughes. In 1960 she published The Colossus, a collection of poems. The Bell Jar was published in 1963, under a pseudonym and is Plath's only novel. Her Collected Poems were published in 1981 and won the Pulitizer Prize for poetry. Plath died in 1963.

Read by Lydia Wilson.

Abridged in eight parts by Sally Marmion.

Producer: Di Speirs

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.


MON 23:00 The Spanish Ambassador's Suitcase: Stories from the Diplomatic Bag (b01n0wc4)
Episode 2

Matthew Parris opens the diplomatic bag to reveal some of the funniest, most striking and memorable despatches sent home by British diplomats down the ages.

Diplomats toiling in obscure posts know that by employing a bit of wit and style their reports can end up being read by senior Ministers - even by the Queen.

We hear from the modern-day Ambassador whose despatches made Jack Straw cry with laughter when he was Foreign Secretary.

In other despatches British diplomats hunt down the lost national anthem of Oman, and go hunting for bison with Hermann Goering.

These new programmes follow a previous BBC Radio 4 series Parting Shots, which looked at the last despatches ambassadors sent before quitting a post.

Producer: Andrew Bryson.


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (b01qhqqc)
The Government sets out to MPs its plan to cap at £75,000 the amount elderly people in England have to pay for social care.
David Cameron tells MPs that the deal on a real-terms cut in the European Union's next seven-year budget is a good deal for Britain.
The Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, updates MPs on the contamination of beef products with horse meat.
In the House of Lords, there is criticism of plans to cap increases in welfare benefits.
And the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, faces questions from MPs about his idea for a new airport in the Thames Estuary.
Susan Hulme and team report on today's events in Parliament.



TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2013

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmqf)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


TUE 00:30 Book of the Week (b01qhqfx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmqh)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmqk)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmqm)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmqp)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qhqrl)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b01qhqrn)
The Environment Secretary is calling the horsemeat scandal "outrageous and completely unacceptable", and has promised urgent action. But one industry expert says it could actually be good news for British farmers, as consumers look for increased traceability in their food.

The RSPB and other conservation groups claim the CAP reform agreement reached last week is a disaster for wildlife. Anna Hill meets one farmer who says if she won't be paid for conservation, then she'll use the land to grow food.

New rules on countryside planning mean it will be easier for barns to be converted in to businesses and homes. However, the Campaign to Protect Rural England says it will cause problems for the infrastructure of the countryside.

Presented by Anna Hill. Produced by Ruth Sanderson.


TUE 06:00 Today (b01qhqrq)
Morning news and current affairs with Sarah Montague and Evan Davis, including:

0750
There will be a new Pope in place by Easter. The last pope who was not from Europe was in year 731AD. Professor Diarmaid Macculloch, and Alfred Adewale Martins, discuss whether the new pope could be from Latin America or Africa.

0810
It was 20 years today when two 10-year-old boys murdered the toddler James Bulger in Liverpool. In an interview for Radio 4, James Bulger's father Ralph says the family's loss has been compounded by a deep sense of injustice. Winifred Robinson explains how Ralph Bulger came across.

0817
The man who shot Osama Bin Laden has spoken about the events of that night in Abbottabad in May 2011. Phil Bronstein, who conducted the interview, described "the Shooter's" account of the killing.

0821
Virginia Woolf's last unpublished work is to be released by the British Library this summer. Helen Melody, curator of modern literary manuscripts, and Professor Maggie Humm, of the school of arts and digital industries from the University of East London, analyse the significance of the unpublished work.


TUE 09:00 Remembering James Bulger (b01qmrlk)
The Bulger family still lives on a council estate in Kirkby and on the surface of it very little has changed since Winifred last saw them two decades ago when the children who had abducted and killed two year old James were convicted of murder. But in the intervening years she often reflected on the case and wondered about what had happened to the large extended family and its campaign for justice for James. Meeting Ralph and his brother Jimmy again she is struck by how eager they still are to convey their one unwavering conviction: that a privileged elite has ridden roughshod over James's memory and grief to focus solely on what is best for his killers.

The family trust Winifred to tell their story because she comes from the same sort of background as them, interviewed them shortly after James's murder and also attended the trial. In his summing up the trial judge said the case had changed everyone who'd come into contact with it. The Bulgers have lost a dearly loved child, their peace of mind, privacy and sense of security. They're angry and disgusted about the way the authorities have treated them but perhaps saddest of all, they can't bury the horror of those memories, or even more poignant, forgive themselves for what they see as their failure to protect James and their defeat in their battles to defend his memory by keeping his killers incarcerated.

Ralph describes the waking nightmare he was caught in as the whole country attempted to analyse and probe the case - searching for answers about what made two children act in such a way. Much was made about how the kind of childhood Venables and Thompson had and how this might have been behind the brutal torture of a two year old boy. But as Ralph remarks, he himself grew up in a tough community and knew many children who had awful lives through no fault of their own but who did not go out and murder an innocent child.

He admits to the terrible dilemma he found himself in: wanting James's killers dead at the same time as being a father himself and never wanting to harm or be cruel to a child: "I felt terrible that I had these feelings inside me towards two ten-year-old boys, and I found these emotions so hard to deal with. But my responses were primal. Having these thoughts in my head does not mean that I will ever spill over into being a killer myself."

Following the arrest of Venables and Thompson Ralph describes using alcohol to blot out the pain - drinking heavily and sinking into a very dark place. At one point the pain got so bad that he locked himself away in his bedroom for two weeks. A glimmer of hope, in the form of Denise's pregnancy, was partly overshadowed by the increasing divide between the couple, who were stunned into silence by the enormity of what had happened. Ralph describes the pain of tearing open the wound every time they looked at each other until, in the end, separating seemed the only way to survive the grief.

Winifred explores the family's beliefs that too little is done to include the families of murder victims in the court process and that their suffering bears no influence on the subsequent decisions about release. Their efforts to cope with life were dealt a further blow on June 23rd 2001, when Ralph and Denise were told of the parole board's decision to release Thompson and Venables, who were then both 18. This decision was so difficult to cope with and left a void - all that had been done to seek justice for James appeared to have counted for nothing.

Produced by Sue Mitchell.


TUE 09:30 One to One (b01qhqrv)
John McCarthy meets Afghan refugee Rafi

John McCarthy talks to those who by accident or design, feel they live outside mainstream British society. Today he talks to Rafi, who fled to this country from Afghanistan in 2011, after working as an interpreter for the allied forces. Rafi explains how he took on the role in the hope of improving relations in his country but in fact it left him isolated from his home community and the people he worked for. Threats from the Taliban caused him to flee his homeland and to seek asylum here. After eighteen months of isolation in this country, he has now gained refugee status and can look for work but he explains the loneliness he feels living on the outside and away from his home, his friends and family.
Producer: Lucy Lunt.


TUE 09:45 Book of the Week (b01qjk20)
Mad Girl's Love Song

Episode 2

On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter was recorded by Plath in her journal and has fed into the mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship, which has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.

In this new biography of Plath's early life, which considers the years before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson explores the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and best-loved poets.Plath's early years were complex, creative and high-achieving. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime).In today's episode, Plath is inspired by a charismatic high school teacher who recognises her 'lyric gift'.

Read by Hayley Atwell
Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Wood
Abridged by Miranda Davies
Produced by Emma Harding.


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qj7jd)
Woman's Hour Power List

Eve Pollard, chair of the judging panel, reveals the Woman's Hour Power List in a special programme with an audience at the BBC Radio Theatre, presented by Jenni Murray and Jane Garvey. What does the list tell us and what might a future list look like?
Producer Ruth Watts.


TUE 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qj7jg)
The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles: Series 4

Episode 2

The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Series 4 - 2/5
by Esther Wilson
Award winning Drama Series about a young couple with learning disabilities, starring Donna Lavin and Edmund Davies, actors with learning disabilities. Darleen wants a baby and Jamie is shocked when he thinks she's stolen one. He's not too pleased when he discovers the truth either.

Produced and directed by Pauline Harris
FURTHER INFO - NB: Using a mixture of fact and fiction, Darleen meets Alex Huntesmith during the series who plays himself; a 17 year old young man studying for his A Levels in Politics, History and Economics, and hoping to go to Oxford, and whose parents both have learning disabilities. The series also features Alex's real mum, Jill, mother of four, and we get an insight into this extraordinary real family.


TUE 11:00 Saving Species (b01qj7jj)
Series 3

Rarities and Recordings

In this week's programme species conservation stories reveal the importance of recording both the rarity and the commonplace. The Slender-billed curlew is on the edge of extinction, no official confirmed records of its existence have occurred since 2001 although there have been sightings of it in 2010 but photographic evidence was not taken. Horatio Clare, a writer and journalist, is on a quest, to follow the route of the bird's migration route from its Siberian breeding grounds to the area around the Mediterranean Basin, to hopefully find evidence that it still exists.

Kelvin Boot finds out about the threat facing many species of moths in the southern part of the UK, the recent "State of Britain's Larger Moths Report 2013" with data accumulated over the last 40 years has shown that there has been a 28% decline overall in abundance of larger moth species and in some areas like southern England, the figure is as high as 40%.

While moths have to be trapped and counted, the satellite transmitters attached to the BTO cuckoos allows their movements to be monitored via computer - Kelvin Jones of the BTO in Wales gives the latest movement of the cuckoos still sending signals back from Central Africa as they gear up to begin their migration back to the UK. David is the last Welsh cuckoo that information is still being received from and hopefully too the Saving Species cuckoo, Chris.

The OU and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology report on the value and legacy of wildlife records being received from everyone. iSpot and other methods of collecting information from a broad base of amateur and professional naturalists based all over the country, are amassing a vital valuable amount of data which is aiding other record centres and recording schemes to gain a better picture of the fortunes of many species and groups of animals.

Producer: Sheena Duncan
Presenter: Brett Westwood.


TUE 11:30 Soul Music (b01qlpcg)
Series 15

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony

More than just 'da da da dum': Beethoven's 5th Symphony is this week's Soul Music.

It accompanied Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on the regular Bombay to Basra route he sailed during his early days in the Merchant Navy.

Archaeologist and crime novelist, Dana Cameron, spent many a long day in a dark, lonely basement analysing artefacts from a merchant's house in Salem, Massachusetts. A CD player was often her only companion and Beethoven's 5th buoyed her through these arduous days working towards her PhD

And for conductor, Christopher Gayford, it was the piece which provided a breakthrough in his musical life. Recalling the time he spent rehearsing it with the Sheffield Youth Orchestra - for a tour in East Germany - he describes the build up to one of the most memorable performances of his career.

Producer: Karen Gregor.


TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b01qj7jl)
Call You and Yours: How safe is our food?

Increasing globalisation of the food trade means that grocers and supermarkets now offer us a mystifying choice of affordable products. But the food we eat has often travelled thousands of miles and passed through scores of hands before it reaches our plates.

Despite being told our food supply is safer than ever before, more awareness and knowledge have fed our growing need for answers to questions and concerns about the health and safety of our food supply.

Some of you have already emailed to say that at the moment it seems like we're being lied to all over the place.

How can we be sure where the food we buy has been and what's happened to it in the meantime?

Do you have questions about whether we can trust our food and those that regulate it?

We want to hear from you

03700 100 444 is the number or you can e-mail via the Radio 4 website or text us on 84844. Join Julian Worricker at four minutes past twelve today.


TUE 12:57 Weather (b01qgmqr)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 13:00 World at One (b01qj7jn)
Shaun Ley presents national and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.


TUE 13:45 Tell Me the Truth About Love (b01qj7jq)
Episode 2

For Valentine's week, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, celebrates the long tradition of love poetry, in a series that examines poems from each stage in a relationship. In conversation with other love poets, Carol Ann explores some of the world's greatest love poems, as well as some hidden gems. What makes the perfect love poem? Each of the five programmes in the series examines a different stage in the development of a relationship and today's episode looks at poets' different seduction strategies. Presented by Carol Ann Duffy. Produced by Emma Harding.


TUE 14:00 The Archers (b01qhqpb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama (b01qj92r)
Annie Caulfield - Dusty Won't Play

Charlie Brooks stars as Dusty Springfield in Annie Caulfield's latest play. Dusty Won't Play is a reminder of the tangled paranoia of apartheid and the true story of Dusty Springfield's refusal to play segregated audiences in South Africa.

Shot through with the ozone charge of Dusty's music, leavened with her earthy humour and straight talking, this play looks at the harrowing days of her short South African tour. Drawing on eye witness accounts, this drama recreates the 1964 South Africa that Dusty challenged - Nelson Mandela had just been jailed for life, liberals were spied on, detained and destroyed.

At the height of her fame, young, stylish Dusty Springfield was popular worldwide, having hit records and presenting the television show Ready Steady Go. Glamorous and outspoken, she took a sharp interest in politics but underestimated the trouble her personal stand in South Africa would cause. She had the support of her band and the promoter Dennis Wainer, but much of the press and some of her own profession were against her.

Back in England, Dusty was jeered at for being naïve or publicity seeking, but she was stubbornly determined that Apartheid couldn't be supported.

We follow Dusty through long, lonely nights in South Africa and glimpse a little deeper into the world of a secretive, principled woman.

With Charlie Brooks as Dusty and starring Jack Klaff, Vincent Ebrahim, Jonny Freeman, Danny Lee Wynter and Rasmus Hardiker.

Written by Annie Caulfield
Directed by Marilyn Imrie
Produced by Gordon Kennedy

An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4.


TUE 15:00 Making History (b01qj92t)
Tom Holland is joined in the studio by leading historians and writers to discuss issues from our past that have been raised by new research carried out by listeners, heritage organisations and the academic community.

Among the highlights in this six week series, Tom and his co-presenter Helen Castor will be asking whether the Renaissance began on the 26th April 1336, probably about tea time ... and possibly over a game of cards, investigating how a London conference set up to limit naval fire power in 1930 had the opposite affect, and finding out why you can't necessarily see the wood through the trees in a Royal Forest.

Contact the programme: making.history@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Nick Patrick
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.


TUE 15:30 Costing the Earth (b01qj92w)
When Nettles Attack!

For years we've been warned that invaders from abroad are threatening the quiet majesty of the British countryside. But the latest evidence suggests that the threat from giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam and their foreign friends has been exaggerated. We should really be worried by some more familiar stalwarts of our downs and pastures.Nettles, brambles and ivy are marching across the unmanaged countryside, choking our most sensitive species, stamping out the variety we value in our landscape. In 'Costing the Earth' Tom Heap investigates the march of these domestic invasive species and asks if we should start the fight back.


TUE 16:00 Islam Without God (b01qjk2j)
Is it possible to have religion without God? Thirty years ago, Don Cupitt's Sea of Faith set out "Christian non-realism" - ethics without God - angering the Church and intriguing millions. Philosopher Alain de Botton has recently done the same. But is this just a concept for cynical post-Christians, or could it work for Muslims too?

Reports from the heartland of the Muslim-majority world suggest the ongoing political upheaval has led to a so-called "generation of atheists" - dissatisfied with political Islam and finding few willing to engage with their ideas of modernity.

Abdul-Rehman Malik, a faithful Muslim, isn't convinced: religion for today's Muslim is a complex set of overlapping values wrapped up in belief, culture and politics. |So he goes in search of Muslims at a crossroads of faith.

He meets campaigner Humera Khan who, despite her frustration with male-centred interpretations and out-of-touch religious institutions, thinks the best resistance comes from her faith. He also talks to critic Sara Wajid, a lover of Islamic art and literature, on her rejection of grand narratives and how she came to terms with her father's funeral - at a mosque. Malik walks London's East End with Alom Shaha, one of a new generation of ex-Muslims who have no desire to insult faith, but wish to give those who want to leave a way out. And the programme visits Cairo with Moez Masoud, an influential young preacher - comfortable with the Qur'an and Kant - who is unafraid to confront the doubts of his generation.

What Malik witnesses is a profound tension between belief and rejection - and the grey areas in between. It is a tension that will shape Islam and its place in the modern world.



Producer: Mark Sharman
A TBI Media production for BBC Radio 4.


TUE 16:30 A Good Read (b01qj9fx)
Meg Rosoff and Sara Pascoe

Harriett Gilbert is joined by writer Meg Rosoff and comedian Sara Pascoe to talk about the books they love - which in Sara's case is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Meg's choice is Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata. And Harriett brings along An Education by Lynn Barber, which was made into an acclaimed film starring Carey Mulligan.
Producer Beth O'Dea.


TUE 17:00 PM (b01qj9l5)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgmqt)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 18:30 Elvenquest (b017mwrv)
Series 4

Queen Eleanor

The noble Questers set off once again to find the Sword of Asnagar, the only thing that can rid Lower Earth from the tyranny of the evil Lord Darkness.
Their search brings them to the kingdom of Premenstrua, where they defeat a band of trolls that have been terrorising the land. As a reward for their heroism, they are offered the Sword of Asnagar by its grateful ruler, Queen Eleanor. But before it's placed in their hands, they must first get her a birthday present...
Meanwhile, Kreech tries to convince Lord Darkness that what he needs to help him maintain eternal dominion over Lower Earth is a personal assistant...
Cast:
Vidar - Darren Boyd
Queen Eleanor - Louise Delamere
Dean/Kreech - Kevin Eldon
Amis - Dave Lamb
Sam - Stephen Mangan
Lord Darkness - Alistair McGowan
Penthiselea - Ingrid Oliver
Writers: Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto
Producer: Sam Michell.


TUE 19:00 The Archers (b01qjb1k)
With help from Jim, Jazzer's come up with a name for the shearing team - the Cutty Sarks. Ed's never heard of the ship, so the connection to a famous 'clipper' goes over his head. Jazzer's been turned down for a grant but is still determined to do the course, on the basis that he'll soon make back the cost.

Brenda visits Bethany on her lunch break. Vicky tells her how Mike got up in the early hours to feed Bethany. Mike shows Brenda how to change a nappy - using his special Tucker Technique.

Brenda enthuses about Mike's hands-on parenting but Tom's clearly not listening. He's engrossed in the ready meal projections, and hasn't even sorted out tea. But he realises it's Shrove Tuesday so that means pancakes in The Bull.

At The Bull, Brenda tells Jazzer that Fallon's passed her probationary period and has been confirmed as manager at Jaxx. Jazzer's not surprised. Jazzer senses that Brenda is not in the best of moods, and Tom admits it's his fault. He hopes Jazzer hasn't forgotten he's doing extra hours from tomorrow. With Pat and Tony away, it's all hands to the pump.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (b01qjb1m)
Mea Maxima Culpa, Ray Cooney, Marianne Elliott

With Mark Lawson.

The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI happens to coincide with the release this week of a new cinema documentary Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, which features the departing Pontiff. Alex Gibney's film charts the claims of sexual abuse made by individuals who were in the care of Catholic priests in the US, and how many similar claims from across the world made their way to the highest level in Rome. Kate Saunders reviews.

Writer and director Ray Cooney, who is now 80, talks about creating a film version of his most successful farce, Run for Your Wife, which ran for eight years on the London stage. The film has a host of British stars in cameo roles - including Judi Dench, Cliff Richard and Richard Briers.

Marianne Elliott's credits as a director include War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and most recently Simon Stephens' play Port, all for the National Theatre. She reflects on the process of directing, her theatrical family and whether she wants to run the National Theatre in the future.

Business is the focus of two TV series starting this evening. The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track goes behind the scenes of the UK's rail network, while businesswoman Alex Polizzi aims to turn around the fortunes of small family-run enterprises. The FT's management columnist Lucy Kellaway reviews both series.

Producer Dymphna Flynn.


TUE 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qj7jg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


TUE 20:00 File on 4 (b01qjb1p)
The Bill for Brussels

21 years after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, Britain is trying to cut the cost of the European Union.

As the institution comes of age, Gerry Northam asks whether the EU's spending on itself has become excessive and - if so - whether member states do anything about it.

In Brussels, hundreds of millions of pounds have been found for projects described by Eurosceptics as "self-aggrandisement". An art deco showpiece is being transformed into a new headquarters for the European Council at a cost of around 300 million Euros (£250m). A further 55 million Euros (£46m) is going to create a House of European History - a museum celebrating European integration. A new 20 million Euros (£17m) visitors' centre at the European Parliament, called the Parlamentarium, has been dismissed as a multimedia tribute to itself.

Meanwhile alarm has been raised that money the United Kingdom designates as aid for developing countries is being diverted by Europe to encourage Turkey, Serbia and others to join the Union. MPs claim this money directly disadvantages Britain.

Critics say Europe's expansion comes with an unnecessarily large price tag. Are they right?

Reporter: Gerry Northam
Producer: Chris Doidge.


TUE 20:40 In Touch (b01qjb1r)
How to keep your job if you lose your sight

In a special "Blindness for Beginners", we'll ask how you can keep your job if you suddenly, or progressively, lose your sight. We'll discuss what conversations you need to be having with your manager, and what adjustments you can expect your employer to make so you can carry on in your role. Legal expert Catherine Casserley from law firm Cloisters will outline your legal rights if you encounter resistance, and Barry Toner from the British Computer Association of the Blind will join us to discuss what technology is available for certain tasks. There will be information on benefits and organisations which can support you, and we'll hear some personal stories of people who lost their sight but continue in their jobs. We're keen to hear your stories too; send us an email via the In Touch website.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Katy Takatsuki.


TUE 21:00 Inside Health (b01qjb1t)
Shingles vaccine, Pill colour, First Aid, Contraception, Parkinson's

Dr Mark Porter investigates a new shingles vaccine for the over 70s. Is a chicken pox vaccine for children an alternative? And contraception for the over 35s: can you take the pill until the menopause? Mark Porter finds out why we're so poor at First Aid. And if you're switching to cheaper drugs, does the size and colour influence how you take your medicine. Could changing to a cheaper brand have a hidden cost? And early clues to Parkinson's disease.


TUE 21:30 Remembering James Bulger (b01qmrlk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


TUE 21:58 Weather (b01qgmqw)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qjb1w)
Round-up of the day's news, with Ritula Shah.

There's international condemnation after the latest nuclear test by the North Koreans - but will China now get tough with it's old friend and neighbour ?

New developments tonight on the horsemeat scandal as an abattoir in west Yorkshire and a meat processing firm in west Wales are closed down, after they're suspected of selling horsemeat labelled as beef. We'll hear from the Food Standards Agency.

And President Obama prepares for his State of the Union address - when he's expected to announce another big drawdown of troops from Afghanistan. But what happens when they're all gone ? We'll hear about fears that it will mean a bigger flow of illegal drugs into neighbouring Tajikistan - which will then find their way to western Europe.

Also tonight - the government publishes plans for setting up a new press regulator, backed by a Royal Charter. We'll ask Labour's Deputy Leader Harriet Harman what happened to Lord Leveson's idea of statutory legislation.

And the new boss of Barclays tries to draw a line in the sand after the Libor and PPI mis-selling scandals. But is cutting thousands of jobs in the profitable investment bank the right strategy ? We'll discuss.


TUE 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qklrw)
Episode 2

Things don't go so well after the Ladies Day Lunch - and Esther remembers the first time Buddy Willard kissed her, at the Yale Junior Prom.

Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.

With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.

The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.

Read by Lydia Wilson.

Abridged by Sally Marmion.

Producer: Di Speirs

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.


TUE 23:00 Susan Calman Is Convicted (b01qjb1y)
Series 1

Equal Marriage

Susan Calman explores issues on which she has strong opinions - starting with the hot political topic of Equal Marriage from a personal perspective.

When Susan was younger, she thought marriage was silly. A patriarchal institution which she would never buy into. That was until she grew up, fell in love and wanted more than anything to get married - except she couldn't.

Susan relates her own personal experiences on this matter; including the minutiae of the legislation governing her recent civil partnership ceremony, as well as examining the well-trodden arguments against the issue.

Producer: Lyndsay Fenner.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013 - before new legislation was passed.


TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (b01qjb20)
Sean Curran on plans to clean up the police; MPs consult church leaders over gay marriage; peers hear about the centenary of the First World War; and why good food costs more.



WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2013

WED 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmrq)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b01qjk20)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Tuesday]


WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmrs)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmrv)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmrx)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmrz)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qjbxm)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


WED 05:45 Farming Today (b01qjbxp)
The Somerset Levels, the Cotswolds, the Pennines - these are just a few of the most biodiverse landscapes in England. But there are now fears the look of some of them could soon change. For more than a decade, farmers in environmentally sensitive areas have been paid a grant by the Government to look after the wildlife on their land. But the ESA scheme is coming to an end and there are now concerns some farmers may plough up their fields because switching to other environmental schemes doesn't pay as much. Also on Farming Today, Anna Hill visits a Norfolk farm which has diversified into ice-cream to make the business viable.


WED 06:00 Today (b01qjbxr)
Morning news and current affairs with Evan Davis and Justin Webb, including:

0752
A quarter of home-care services provided to the elderly in England are failing to meet quality and safety standards, inspectors say. David, who relies on these services, explains the standard of treatment that he has received, and David Behan, chief executive of the Care Quality Commission whose work has highlighted the problems, outlines what needs to be done.

0810
The investigation into allegations of horsemeat mislabelling will be "relentless", the Food Standards Agency has said. Andrew Rhodes, director of Operations at the Food Standards Agency, says whether we should we still be eating processed meat.

0818
Yesterday the US broke its record for the longest time without a commercial airline crash. David Spiegelhalter, a professor for the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University, and Jennifer Wild, a consultant clinical psychologist, discuss changing attitudes to flying.

0830
A quarter of the agencies providing care in the home who have been inspected are not meeting the grade. Colin Angel, policy director of the UK Homecare Association, and David Robert, councillor from the Local Government Association, reflect on the findings.


WED 09:00 Midweek (b01qjc0d)
Tenor Toby Spence has performed with the Royal Opera in Covent Garden; the Metropolitan Opera; the English National Opera and the Hamburg Opera. In 2012 he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, returning to singing later that year. He will appear at the Royal Opera House as the Earl of Essex in a new production of Benjamin Britten's 'Gloriana' in June. With his brother he is producing the Wardsbrook Concerts, a new song recital series, at Ticehurst in East Sussex later this year.

Photographer Sonia Audhali's exhibition, 'Little Yemen', captures rare images of the Yemeni community in the West Midlands. It's a collection of photographs showing life in the home, at work, during prayer and at leisure. Sonia's identity as both British and Yemeni influences her approach to celebrating a dual heritage. 'Little Yemen' is at mac Birmingham.

Andrew Solomon is a writer and lecturer on politics, culture and psychology. For his book 'Far From the Tree - A Dozen Kinds of Love' Andrew spoke to 200 families to explore the differences between parents and their children. The book recounts the experiences of parents whose children have a disability or a mental illness, those born out of rape and those who commit crimes. Drawing on his experience as a gay man of straight parents, the book is a tribute to the unconditional love of parents for their children. 'Far From the Tree - A Dozen Kinds of Love is published by Chatto & Windus.

Esther Woolfson's book 'Field Notes from a Hidden City - An Urban Nature Diary' is a record of a year spent observing the natural world from her window in Aberdeen. Esther writes about the animals who live among us - the birds; the rats and squirrels; the spiders and the insects. 'Field Notes from a Hidden City' is published by Granta.

Producer: Paula McGinley.


WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b01qjk1w)
Mad Girl's Love Song

Episode 3

On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter was recorded by Plath in her journal and has fed into the mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship, which has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.In this new biography of Plath's early life, which considers the years before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson explores the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and best-loved poets.

Plath's early years were complex, creative and high-achieving. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime). In today's episode, Plath struggles with the sexual hypocrisy of 'fifties America.

Read by Hayley Atwell
Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Wood
Abridged by Miranda Davies
Produced by Emma Harding.


WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qjc0g)
Sex and relationships education; The Rt Hon Theresa May MP

Stella Creasey and Amber Rudd discuss why sex education should include relationships education. The Right Hon. Theresa May M.P. on being Home Secretary, being a woman and being in power. Lucy Boyd Cooks the Perfect Arrabiata Sauce. Men who are falsely accused of abuse after relationships break down. And we hear from women starting out as stand up comics later on in life.


WED 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjc0j)
The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles: Series 4

Episode 3

The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Series 4 - ep3/5
by Esther Wilson
Comic and heartfelt series about a young couple with learning disabilities. Based on true stories and created in part through improvisation. Darleen and Jamie are exploring the possibility of having a baby. Darleen is shocked and upset after a visit to Social Services and their apparent negative reaction to their plight. However, she feels more optimistic after meeting Alex Huntesmith. Alex is a 17 year old man studying politics and economics for his A Levels, who hopes to go to Oxford. He's also the son of parents with learning disabilities. Alex plays himself in the drama, and his mother Jill features in tomorrow's episode.

Produced and Directed by Pauline Harris.


WED 11:00 In Living Memory (b01qjc0l)
Series 17

Jaws

Chris Ledgard explores how the Spielberg classic Jaws inspired a new generation of marine biologists and conservationists, and invented the concept of the summer blockbuster.

Author Peter Benchley came to regret demonising the shark, and spent much of his life spreading the conservation message. But the film also encouraged a respect and admiration for the animal, and modern-day conservationists explain to Chris what the film means to them. He also talks to film critic Andrew Collins about the cinematic legacy of the film, and the marketing techniques used to spread the fear in the summer of 1975.

Producer John Byrne.


WED 11:30 The Qatar Philharmonic (b01gng58)
The Qatar Philharmonic was established in 2008, the first western symphony orchestra in a Gulf state, and just one of a number of institutions intended to demonstrate the country's cultural ambitions.

Razia Iqbal visits Katar, the official cultural village of Doha, and talks to members of the orchestra, many of whom have been imported from Europe. And she interviews the country's 'culture queen', Sheikha Mayassa Al-Thani, daughter of the Emir of Qatar.

Produced by Francesca Panetta and Lucy Greenwell.
A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4.


WED 12:00 You and Yours (b01qjc0n)
Poorly drafted wills, holiday insurance, and the latest on horsemeat

The family feuds caused by poorly drafted wills. There are calls for will-writing to be more tightly regulated. Should people who suffer from dementia and wander from home, be tagged so they can be tracked down? The Foreign Office issues a warning that all British holidaymakers should take out travel insurance when they to abroad, but what are the risks of doing without? The latest on the horsemeat scandal.
Producer: Jonathan Hallewell
Presenter: Winifred Robinson.


WED 12:57 Weather (b01qgms1)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 13:00 World at One (b01qjc0q)
Shaun Ley presents national and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.


WED 13:45 Tell Me the Truth About Love (b01qjc33)
Episode 3

For Valentine's week, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, explores the heady world of love poetry from first flush to final parting. In conversation with other love poets, Carol Ann celebrates the great poems of love and explores poets' responses to love's mysteries. Each of the five programmes in the series looks at a different stage in the development of a relationship. Today's episode explores poems that commemorate the making of vows, including the world's oldest love poem. Presented by Carol Ann Duffy. Produced by Emma Harding.


WED 14:00 The Archers (b01qjb1k)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Tuesday]


WED 14:15 Drama (b01jqjlk)
Kicking the Air

Facing deportation from the UK, a young Iranian student, Reza Mostafai, claims asylum on the grounds that he is gay, fearing for his safety if he is returned to his homeland. With the help of his barrister Fiona and best friend Lulu, Reza must try and find a way to prove his sexuality in time to halt his removal. Can they find someone to come forward to testify to the truth of Reza's claim?

Christine Murphy's debut radio drama is a powerful and shocking story of one man's desperate attempt to prove his homosexuality.

Starring Jamie Harding, Sophia Myles, and Vicky McClure who won the award for Best Supporting Actress at this year's Audio Drama awards for her portrayal of Lulu: "Kicking the Air".


WED 15:00 Money Box Live (b01qjc35)
Mortgages

Do you have a question about mortgages? Interest rates are at record lows but how do you work out the real cost and what is the best mortgage for you? Call 03700 100 444 between 1pm and 3pm on Wednesday or email moneybox@bbc.co.uk.

With some lenders offering rates as low as 1.89% this may seem like a good time to find a better deal, but why not talk to our experts before you decide which mortgage to buy?

What charges and other fees do you need to add on to?

Should you consider a fix, a tracker or an offset mortgage?

Are there any fee free deals?

Or perhaps you want to ask about guarantor loans or schemes which could help you onto the property ladder?

Whether you are remortgaging or looking for your first home, presenter Ruth Alexander will put your questions to the experts:

Joanne Atkin, Editor, What Mortgage and Mortgage Finance Gazette

Ray Boulger, Senior Technical Manager, John Charcol

Simon Tyler, Managing Director, Tyler Mortgage Management

Call 03 700 100 444 on Wednesday, phone lines are open between 1pm and 3.30pm. Standard geographic charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.


WED 15:30 Inside Health (b01qjb1t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Tuesday]


WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b01qjc37)
Stan Cohen (1942 - 2013)

Stan Cohen - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme which pays tribute to the work and legacy of one of the most significant sociologists of our times. Eminent social scientists, Stuart Hall, Conor Gearty and Howard Becker, highlight his unique personality and contribution. And in the studio, three younger academics, Dr Claire Moon, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Human Rights, Dr Karen Lumsden, Lecturer in Sociology and David Scott, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, discuss Stan Cohen's ongoing influence .

Producer: Jayne Egerton.


WED 16:30 The Media Show (b01qjc39)
In today's programme with Steve Hewlett:

On the paper's 125th anniversary, the Financial Times editor Lionel Barber discusses the paper's recently announced Digital First strategy, whether it's up for sale and what he makes of yesterday's plans for a royal charter to set up a new body to oversee a press regulator.

Brian Cathcart of Hacked Off and Lord Fowler raise their concerns about the new regulator and the royal charter, respectively.

And, after Delia Smith said she's turning from TV to online for her next cookery show, Steve looks at how the role of the TV cook has changed since Delia first cooked her Alpine eggs on Family Fare in 1973. He's joined by Frances Whitaker, who introduced Delia to the BBC as a change to Fanny Craddock and by Pat Llewellyn who brought the Two Fat Ladies and then Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay to TV.

The producer is Simon Tillotson.


WED 17:00 PM (b01qjc3c)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.


WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgms3)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


WED 18:30 Cabin Pressure (b01qjc6k)
Series 4

Yverdon-Les-Bains

Sitcom by John Finnemore about the pilots of a tiny charter airline.

Love is in the air as Douglas and Herc fight it out over the fruit tray, and hope springs eternal as Martin has the interview of his life.

Cabin Pressure is a sitcom about the wing and a prayer world of a tiny, one plane, charter airline staffed by two pilots: one on his way down, and one who was never up to start with. Whether they're flying squaddies to Hamburg, metal sheets to Mozambique, or an oil exec's cat to Abu Dhabi, no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult.

Written by John Finnemore
Produced and directed by David Tyler
A Pozzitive production for the BBC.


WED 19:00 The Archers (b01qjj48)
An antiques valuer comes to Lower Loxley to look at the items that Elizabeth is trying to sell, but she's disappointed when he doesn't give her the high figures she hoped for. And the pieces that excite him the most are too entrenched in Pargetter family history for Elizabeth to be able to part with them.
Elizabeth asks Iftikar about his Valentine's Day plans, only to discover that he and Kirsty are no longer together. He reassures her that he isn't upset. Kirsty wasn't his soulmate, and he's enjoying 'the search'. Elizabeth is dreading spending the day without Nigel, who was a real romantic.
After Iftikar mentions going to Comberley Adventure Park during his maths tuition, Freddie persuades Elizabeth to take him and Lily there during half term.
David and Ruth are exasperated with Pip when she announces a trip to Amsterdam with Spencer at the weekend. She'll be shirking her university and milking work, and cancelling their plans for her birthday lunch at The Bull.
Having forgotten that Pat and Tony are away, Pip rings Tom to break the news that she won't be there for the Monday morning milking.


WED 19:15 Front Row (b01qjj4b)
Duchamp, Mark Ravenhill goes running, and actor David Oyelowo

With Mark Lawson.

The artist Marcel Duchamp is the focus of a new exhibition at the Barbican, London. The Bride and the Bachelors explores his influence on four great modern masters - composer John Cage, choreographer Merce Cunningham, and visual artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. Critic Jackie Wullschlager reviews the exhibition and discusses Duchamp's role in contemporary art.

Spooks star David Oyelowo returns to undercover duty in a new one-off TV drama Complicit. Oyelowo plays Edward, an MI5 officer doggedly on the trail of a suspected terrorist he believes is plotting an atrocity in the UK. On the line from Los Angeles, David Oyelowo discusses the appeal of drama based on the secret service.

While his translation of Brecht's A Life of Galileo opens at the RSC, playwright Mark Ravenhill is training for this year's London Marathon. Mark Lawson puts on his running shoes and joins Ravenhill at an early morning training session. While on the move, Ravenhill explains the parallels between acting and running, and why the Pope's surprise resignation is perfect timing for the production.

And in the week when it was announced that the TV drama The Hour would not be returning for a third series, leaving Freddie's fate undecided, ex-EastEnders supremo and TV producer Mal Young discusses the thorny subject of unresolved cliffhangers.

Producer Jerome Weatherald.


WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjc0j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b01qjj4g)
Blind Justice

The death of Frances Andrade, who killed herself days after testifying against Michael Brewer, the choirmaster who indecently assaulted her, has prompted a debate on how courts handle such cases. Could her suicide have been prevented? Did the defence counsel who cross-examined her, calling her a liar and a fantasist, bear some responsibility for her death? Or is it always important for the defence to challenge prosecution witnesses as robustly as the judge will allow? If so, the duty to protect vulnerable witnesses must rest with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service - and yet their overriding aim is to obtain a conviction. Frances Andrade was persuaded to give evidence (she did not herself initiate the investigation); perhaps she would have been better advised not to?
There is a wider issue here. The criminal justice system depends on the willingness of victims and witnesses to testify. In recent years there have been many new initiatives to make it easier for them (video-interviews, screens etc. and the promise of a revamped witness protection system). And in the wake of this case there have been more calls to protect vulnerable witnesses in court. But in our adversarial judicial system, which depends on testing competing claims to truth, are we in danger of tipping the scales of justice in favour of the prosecution? Should we even consider such reforms in the current climate where the old principle "innocent until proven guilty" seems not to apply in some elements of the press when they feel someone looks guilty - especially in cases of child abuse? And it's not just an issue for the courts, CPS and police. What about our individual responsibility to uphold justice? Many prosecutions still fail because witnesses are unwilling to come to court to face those they accuse or are intimidated against giving evidence (one survey suggested that as many as 40% of witnesses had been threatened). Should the system be harder on witnesses who refuse to give evidence or withdraw their statements? Or should we accept that there are cases where the interests of the victim are best served by letting the guilty go unpunished? How blind do we want our justice system to be?
Combative, provocative and engaging debate chaired by Michael Buerk with Michael Portillo, Anne McElvoy, Giles Fraser and Claire Fox. Witnesses: Pete Saunders - National Association for People Abused in Childhood, Sally O'Neill QC - A former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, Professor Penny Cooper - Kingston University School of Law, Mark Williams Thomas - Former police officer, criminologist and child protection expert.


WED 20:45 Pop-Up Economics (b01qjj4j)
When Geeks Took Over Poker

Tim Harford tells the story of a geek called Jesus.

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson applied game theory to poker and won. Big time.

He became a star, albeit a geek star "whose idea of a trick was to throw a card in a way that sliced through vegetables, whose idea of fun was swing dancing and who even in his forties as a millionaire lived with his mum and dad".

But, as Ferguson would find out, there's always a bigger game.

Producer: Adele Armstrong.


WED 21:00 Costing the Earth (b01qj92w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 15:30 on Tuesday]


WED 21:30 Midweek (b01qjc0d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


WED 21:58 Weather (b01qgms5)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qjj4l)
A special edition discussing the future of Pakistan - a country scarred by poverty and corruption, and accused of nurturing terrorists who plot attacks around the world. Can democracy knit together a Pakistan being pulled in different directions by powerful forces, including the military and extremism? Presented by Ritula Shah.


WED 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qkm09)
Episode 3

Esther Greenwood decides to be seduced - 'when I was nineteen, pureness was the great issue.'

Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.

With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.

The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.

Read by Lydia Wilson.

Abridged by Sally Marmion.

Producer: Di Speirs

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.


WED 23:00 Newsjack Revisited (b01qjj4q)
Ahead of the eighth series, Radio 4 takes a look back at the last run of Newsjack, Radio 4 Extra's topical sketch show that anyone can write for. It will feature all of the best standalong sketches, JackApps (Newsjack's version of a rantline) and corrections from series seven. So don't worry if you didn't keep up with the news in September and October last year, this show will get you 100% up to speed. Sort of.

Newsjack has an open-door policy, which means that anyone can write for it. How open is the show's door? In the last series, the seventh, the production team read 450 emails a week, and broadcast the work of 123 different writers. Newsjack may not be the only way to get started as a comedy writer, but it is definitely a good way; the show is not only trying to deliver a good show each week but also to identify new writers in the way that The News Huddlines or Week Ending did for previous generations of writers. Newsjack writing alumni include James Kettle, now writing on a variety of Radio 4 shows including "It's Not What You Know" and "Can't Tell Nathan Caton Nothing"; Eddie Robson, whose sitcom "Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully" will go out on Radio 2 in March; and Tom Neenan, now one of BBC Radio Comedy's bursary writers.

Presented by Justin Edwards, and featuring Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Pippa Evans, Nadia Kamil, Cariad Lloyd and Lewis Macleod.

Producers: Carl Cooper & Ed Morrish.


WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b01qjj4s)
Susan Hulme and team report on the day's news from Westminster, with the horsemeat scandal and the economy the top stories from Prime Minister's Question Time. Also in the programme: MPs discuss Conservative plans for a new press regulator backed by royal charter in the wake of the Leveson inquiry; and the best of Commons and Lords Committee hearings.
Editor: Rachel Byrne.



THURSDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2013

THU 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmt2)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b01qjk1w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Wednesday]


THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmt4)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmt6)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmt8)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmtb)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qjj93)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


THU 05:45 Farming Today (b01qjj95)
Earlier this week, Farming Today reported on claims from the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that the horse passports and microchipping system in Ireland had been abused - leading to horse meat being illegally traded and ending up in food. Now a leading horse welfare charity says the problem is being compounded by a legal agreement between Britain, France and Ireland. The Tripartite agreement allows almost free movement of horses between the three countries. It was set up 50 years ago to allow racehorses to travel to compete without having to go into quarantine, but in 2005 it was extended to cover more horses, and allows them to travel without health checks. Also on Farming Today, 70 percent of roses bought in the UK are imported from Kenya. Charlotte Smith finds out why growing on this scale has an impact on the environment. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Anna Varle.


THU 06:00 Today (b01qjj97)
Morning news and current affairs with John Humphrys and Justin Webb, including:

0751
Ofsted's director of schools policy, Michael Cladingbowl, explains that the regulator has issued a report that says there is not enough strenuous, physical activity in many of England's school PE lessons. Baroness Sue Campbell, chair of the Youth Sport Trust, outlines what need to be done.

0810
A former NHS manager has broken the terms of his secret compromise agreement to speak out about his concerns over patient safety which he claims led to his dismissal. Former health secretary, Conservative MP Stephen Dorrell, discusses whether there is a climate of fear inside the NHS.

0816
It is two years since protesters occupied the Pearl roundabout in the centre of the capital of Bahrain, Manama, and there are reports this morning that a teenage protester has been shot dead in Bahrain. Frank Gardner, the BBC's security correspondent outlines the current political state in the country.

0819
The BBC's arts correspondent Rebecca Jones reports that the National Theatre's team that created War Horse are reuniting with a version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, in Bristol.

0829
Stephanie Flanders, the BBC's economics editor, and Kate Barker, former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, analyse the Office for National Statistics' findings that the average British worker is nearly 40% less productive than their US counterpart.


THU 09:00 In Our Time (b01qjj99)
Ice Ages

Jane Francis, Richard Corfield and Carrie Lear join Melvyn Bragg to discuss ice ages, periods when a reduction in the surface temperature of the Earth has resulted in ice sheets at the Poles. Although the term 'ice age' is commonly associated with prehistoric eras when much of northern Europe was covered in ice, we are in fact currently in an ice age which began up to 40 million years ago. Geological evidence indicates that there have been several in the Earth's history, although their precise cause is not known. Ice ages have had profound effects on the geography and biology of our planet.

With:

Jane Francis
Professor of Paleoclimatology at the University of Leeds

Richard Corfield
Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Earth Sciences at Oxford University

Carrie Lear
Senior Lecturer in Palaeoceanography at Cardiff University.

Producer: Thomas Morris.


THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b01qjk1y)
Mad Girl's Love Song

Episode 4

On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter - now one of the most famous in all literary history - was recorded by Plath in her journal, where she described Hughes as a 'big, dark, hunky boy'. The mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.

In this new biography of Plath's early life, before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson considers the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and loved poets. Before she met Hughes, Plath had lived a complex, creative and high-achieving life. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime).

In today's episode, Plath starts work at Mademoiselle magazine in New York.

Read by Hayley Atwell

Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Woods

Abridged by Miranda Davies

Produced by Emma Harding.


THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qjjxs)
Tessa Ross; The Fleet Street Fox; Glasgow Girls musical

Tessa Ross, Channel 4's Controller of Film and Drama is our Power List interviewee. Blogger and journalist The Fleet Street Fox reveals her identity to Jenni Murray. We meet the women whose stories about asylum and deportation have been turned into a musical called Glasgow Girls. June Haimoff talks about her campaign to conserve turtles.


THU 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjj4d)
The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles: Series 4

Episode 4

The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Series 4 - ep 4/5
by Esther Wilson
Award winning Drama series about a young couple with learning disabilities. Darleen wants a baby but is facing a lot of opposition. She has met Alex Huntesmith who plays himself in the drama. Alex is hoping to go to Oxford, and his parents have learning disabilities. He's brought a dvd of his real mum - Jill Huntesmith, who we hear speaking about her experience of having four children and who inspires Darleen to pursue her dream. But Darleen is shattered by the news of her mother's pregnancy.

Produced and Directed by Pauline Harris.


THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b01qjjxx)
Was It Worth It?

Reporters worldwide - today: Ruth Sherlock describes how the Free Syrian Army's losing support as people turn to the Islamists for help in getting by during difficult times. Wyre Davies on a plot still unfolding: he's in a bookshop in Tunis looking out on an unfinished revolution. Mark Mardell analyses how experience in the US military is helping to shape the new team around President Obama. Tom Esslemont investigates murder in Corsica - old scores are being settled against a Mediterranean backdrop. And it's like a scene out of 'Spooks' as our Christian Fraser's taken, furtively, into the heart of one of Europe's biggest infrastructure projects.
The producer is Tony Grant.


THU 11:30 Blind Date with Runyon (b01qkmp0)
Peter White goes State-side to find out about one of his favourite all time writers - Damon Runyon - who so colourfully captured the lowlife vibes of jazz era New York. Runyon's comic villains include the gangsters and molls who people The Hot Box night club in 'Guys and Dolls', Frank Loesser's classic musical that was inspired by Runyon's memorable characters.
The Big Apple's preeminent storyteller, newspaperman, and sportswriter, Damon Runyon, will be brought to life as Peter strides down Broadway, celebrating the memorable slang of such colourful characters as Harry the Horse, Bookie Bob, Little Isadore and Spanish John.
Producer: Mark Smalley


THU 12:00 You and Yours (b01qkmp2)
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, insurance fraud and the cut flower trade

The celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's campaigned in favour of free-range chicken and pushed for an end to 'discards' where unwanted dead fish are thrown back into the sea. Now he wants stocks of fish protected all over the world. He explains how he hopes to do it.

A man who made more than half a million pounds from a nationwide car insurance scam has pleaded guilty to fraud. More than 600 drivers were tricked into buying worthless policies with many taking to the road unaware they had no proper cover in place.

And we're behind-the-scenes of the flower industry to discover what goes into making Valentine's Day smell sweet.

Presenter: Winifred Robinson
Producer: Jon Douglas.


THU 12:57 Weather (b01qgmtd)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 13:00 World at One (b01qkmp4)
National and international news with Shaun Ley. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.


THU 13:45 Tell Me the Truth About Love (b01qkmp6)
Episode 4

On Valentine's Day, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, celebrates the long and rich tradition of love poetry. In conversation with other love poets, Carol Ann examines some of the greatest love poems and explores different poetic responses to love's mysteries. Each of the five programmes in the series looks at a different stage in the development of a relationship. Today's episode focuses on poems that explore the highs and lows of a long-term relationship. Presented by Carol Ann Duffy. Produced by Emma Harding. 'John Anderson, my Jo' performed by Cast, from the album, Colours of Lichen (Greentrax Recordings).

Readings by Robert Blythe, Michael Shelford and Nicholas Murchie.


THU 14:00 The Archers (b01qjj48)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Wednesday]


THU 14:15 Drama (b01qkmp8)
Every Seventh Wave

A special treat for Valentines Day! David Tennant and Emilia Fox come together to recreate their original roles from 2012's Love Virtually.

With two million copies sold in Germany to date, and bought by thirty-five publishers around the world, Love Virtually by Austrian novelist Daniel Glattauer, is well on the way to becoming a global publishing phenomenon. It's a thoroughly modern epistolary novel with a difference: its protagonists, Emmi Rothner and Leo Leike, communicate exclusively by e-mail.

They "meet" when Emmi mistakenly sends an e-mail to Leo's inbox. The romance that follows allows them to live out a shared secret life far removed from their day-to-day existences. But to what extent does it rely on fantasy and escapism, and will it survive a real-life meeting?

The problem is - Emmi (a modern Madame Bovary) is married....

Have email, Facebook and texting created a generation of isolated young people who prefer to communicate remotely - who may be in fact afraid to engage in face to face contact to find love? Is it possible to fall in love with someone you've never met? Does a virtual affair 'count' as adultery? What are the implications of the fact that we can pretend to be anyone we want in cyberspace?

Every Seventh Wave sees Leo returning from Boston having cut-off all email communication with Emmi.

Emmi's husband had found out about the relationship and this revelation caused their relationship to implode. After repeated attempts to contact him, Emmi finally receives an answer from Leo.
But it doesn't come with good news.

Can the internet lovers rekindle their romance? Can love survive though emails alone?

And will they ever meet?

Producer: Clive Brill
A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.


THU 15:00 Ramblings (b01qkmpb)
Series 23

Walking for Spiritual Renewal

Clare Balding is walking for self improvement in this series of Ramblings and today she hopes to find a new inner calm with the help of Dr Kate Kirkwood. Kate attempts to lead Clare on a path of spiritual renewal by teaching her to walk silently. Silence is not a state that comes naturally to Clare but as she and Kate walk where the mood takes them, in the Herefordshire countryside just outside Hay on Wye, they discover why walking can be one of the bet forms of stress relief.
Producer: Lucy Lunt.


THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qhd0f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 on Sunday]


THU 15:30 Open Book (b01qhd10)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:00 on Sunday]


THU 16:00 The Film Programme (b01qkmpd)
Francine Stock talks to Judd Apatow

The director Judd Apatow talks to Francine Stock about his new comedy This Is 40. Known for films such as Bridesmaids, Knocked Up and Anchorman, he describes the joys - and challenges - of directing his wife and children in his latest film. Oscar-nominee and supervising sound editor on Bond-movie Skyfall, Karen Baker Landers lays bare some of the techniques of her profession, including intriguing insights into how the sound can affect a film's rating. The documentary maker Alex Gibney explores child abuse in the Catholic Church in his new work Mea Maxima Culpa. And the Australian director Cate Shortland discusses Lore, her film inspired by the book The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert and why she decided to make the film in German, despite not speaking the language fluently herself. Producer Elaine Lester.


THU 16:30 Material World (b01qkmpg)
Coronavirusl: Horsemeat: Blackbirds; DNA

Quentin Cooper looks at the coronavirus that has been transmitted from one individual to another in the UK. Professor Maria Zambon, an expert virologist at the Health Protection Agency, and Ian Jones, Professor of Virology at Reading University, discuss these latest infections, what is being done to find out more and why coronaviruses are being so closely studied. Will science be able to trace the sources of horsemeat that have illegally entered the European food chain? Chris Smart from Leatherhead Food Research explains more about DNA identification of potentially contaminated meat. Another use for DNA could be as a data storage device. Dr. Nick Goldman from the European Bioinformatics Institute in Cambridge tells Quentin Cooper how. And Davide Dominoni from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology has found that city dwelling blackbirds are ready to reproduce earlier than their rural counterparts - and it appears to be because of increased light exposure.


THU 17:00 PM (b01qkmpj)
Eddie Mair presents coverage and analysis of the day's news.


THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgmtg)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


THU 18:30 Life: An Idiot's Guide (b01qkmpl)
Series 2

Midlife Crisis

Stephen K Amos and comedian guests Fred MacAulay, Angela Barnes and Greg Proops compile an Idiot's Guide to having your midlife crisis.


THU 19:00 The Archers (b01qkmpn)
After a thoroughly enjoyable spa day, Lilian and Matt bump into Shula at Grey Gables. Shula's received news that Bunty (Mark's mum) has died. Lilian reminds Matt that Mark was Shula's first husband.
Lilian thanks Matt for everything he's done recently. He's been really thoughtful. Matt tells Lilian he loves her, and she reciprocates.
Tom receives an email. The bank has studied his business plan and wants another meeting. Tom and Brenda call on Mike and Vicky before celebrating his good news with a drink at The Bull. As they reflect on the new baby, Brenda is focussed on her father's delight, while Tom opines that having children is a natural progression for a couple.
Brenda thinks it's a shame Rhys and Fallon both have to work tonight. Brenda hopes Tom's joking when he says he's cooking sausages for their Valentine meal.
Fallon is cashing up after a successful Valentine's evening at Jaxx when Rhys knocks on the window. He's bought her flowers and earrings. He hopes they've got a future together and wonders how she'd feel about moving in with him. Fallon doesn't even need to think about it. She'd love to.


THU 19:15 Front Row (b01qkmpq)
Skyfall title sequence; Picasso show; Nairobi crime fiction

With Kirsty Lang.

Skyfall, the highest-grossing Bond film of all time, is about to appear on DVD. Daniel Kleinman, the designer of the dark opening title sequence with Bond underwater after being shot in the chest, discusses his vision for the classic ingredient of every Bond film, originally established by the late Maurice Binder.

Richard Crompton is a new name in crime fiction. Nairobi, where he lives, provides his location, and his first novel, The Honey Guide, introduces us to his protagonist Mollel, a former Maasai warrior-turned-police detective. He reflects on his approach to writing about crime in Kenya.

Becoming Picasso is a new exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery in London. Its focus is 1901, seen as the painter's breakthrough year, when at the age of just 19 he created the work that formed his first Paris exhibition. Becoming Picasso charts the momentous year and shows the start of many of the themes he developed later in his long career. Art critic Sarah Kent reviews.

The way we watch television is changing forever, as programmes are now being shown on-line before they reach TV screens and sales of DVDs are dwindling as downloads are on the rise. And this has an effect on how and where we watch films and programmes, as the television in the lounge is slowly being usurped by the computer in the bedroom. Naomi Alderman considers the pleasures and dangers of our new bedtime habits.


THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjj4d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


THU 20:00 The Report (b01qkmps)
Construction Industry Blacklisting

Claims have recently re-emerged that thousands of construction workers have been turned down for jobs because of a 'blacklist' secretly run by a company called the Consulting Association and funded by some of the largest construction companies in the country.

In December last year the Consulting Association's Chief Officer gave compelling evidence to an on-going investigation by the Scottish Affairs Committee. During nearly four hours of evidence he revealed how potential employees on projects ranging from Millennium Dome to the Olympics were checked against the blacklist he held. Shortly afterwards he died, raising fears that he has taken secrets to the grave.

In this edition of the Report Simon Cox talks to the bookkeeper of the Consulting Association in her first ever broadcast interview. He examines evidence suggesting that union representatives may have "liaised" with contractors to blacklist workers from construction jobs. And he investigates claims that the Information Commissioner failed to collect all the evidence during a raid in 2009.


THU 20:30 The Bottom Line (b01qkmwl)
Alternative Finance

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion and spin to present a clearer view of the business world through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. This week, Evan meets three pioneers of alternative finance and asks - can they beat the banks at their own game? Giles Andrews is CEO of Zopa, the peer to peer lending website; Anil Stocker is co-founder of Market Invoice , an online finance provider that allows companies to turn invoices into working capital; and Michael Joseph is director of mobile money at Vodafone and former CEO of the Kenyan mobile phone provider Safaricom, where he launched the revolutionary mobile money transfer service, M-Pesa.


THU 21:00 Saving Species (b01qj7jj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:00 on Tuesday]


THU 21:30 In Our Time (b01qjj99)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


THU 21:58 Weather (b01qgmtj)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qkmwn)
The day's news, with Philippa Thomas.

South African Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius - The Bladerunner - is facing a murder charge after his girlfriend is shot dead at his home in Pretoria. We'll find out how South Africans are coming to terms with the news about one of their biggest cultural icons.

Plus - more terrible economic figures from the Eurozone, which has seen the worst slowdown for 4 years. But experts tell us there is better news on the way. So what's the true state of the European economy ? We'll try to find out.

The gang rape and murder of a 23 year old woman in Delhi outraged India and the world. But are
attitudes changing ? We have a powerful interview with another rape victim.

Also tonight - a teenage boy is shot dead in Bahrain on the 2nd anniversary of the uprising. We'll hear what happened - and ask the Justice Minister if talks with the opposition about the country's future can really continue.

and a huge asteroid will miss the earth tomorrow by 21,000 miles. That actually means it will come quite close. Should you be worried ? We'll ask one of Britain's leading space scientists, Professor Monica Grady.


THU 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qkmwq)
Episode 4

Buddy offers something new and Esther meets a woman-hater.

Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.

With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.

The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.

Read by Lydia Wilson.

Abridged by Sally Marmion.

Producer: Di Speirs

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.


THU 23:00 The Guns of Adam Riches (b01qkmws)
Series 1

Timecop

Brand new character comedy from 2011 Edinburgh Award winner, Adam Riches. With fast-paced, offbeat sketches, songs (there are no songs) and a generous dollop of audience interaction. Also starring Cariad Lloyd and Jim Johnson.

This week, Timecops visit the BBC to try and prevent Adam from making an offensive radio programme.

Written by Adam Riches
Produced by Simon Mayhew-Archer and Rupert Majendie.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 February 2013.


THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (b01qkmwv)
Sean Curran reports on a bitter row about horsemeat, appeals to stop violence against women, and doubts about press regulation

Editor: Peter Mulligan.



FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2013

FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b01qgmvf)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.


FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b01qjk1y)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Thursday]


FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmvh)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qgmvk)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qgmvm)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b01qgmvp)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qkpft)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Revd Paul Mathole.


FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b01qkpfw)
Charlotte Smith hears that we could be eating a cocktail of drugs as illegal horsemeat makes its way into food. Professor Josh Slater from the Royal Veterinary College tells Charlotte about the anti-bacterial drugs which could be in illegal horsemeat.

And Poland is still not complying with the new rules on improved cages for battery chickens. Chloe Arnold reports from Chromakowo and hears how farmers are struggling to make the changes.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced in Birmingham from Emma Weatherill.


FRI 06:00 Today (b01qkpfy)
Morning news and current affairs with James Naughtie and John Humphrys, including:

0810
A man who is dying from motor neurone disease is campaigning to get the law on new drugs changed so people in his position would be allowed to take new drugs that might help them even if the drugs have not passed through trials that the law demands. Professor Sir Peter Lachmann ,former president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and Sir Michael Rawlins, president of the Royal Society of Medicine and head of Nice, debate whether patients should be allowed access to new drugs.

0821
Dr Stuart Semple, reader in evolutionary anthropology at Roehampton University in London, and lawyer and businesswoman Margaret Mountford, discuss Dr Semple's research that suggests that fidgeting can be a sign of relaxation and stress.

0841
Manchester University has discovered the original copy of a proclamation calling for the arrest of Machiavelli in the depths of Florence's archives. Professor Stephen Milner, Serena professor of Italian at Manchester University, describes the findings.


FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b01qhd0p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:15 on Sunday]


FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b01qkpg0)
Mad Girl's Love Song

Episode 5

On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter was recorded by Plath in her journal and has fed into the mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship, which has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.

In this new biography of Plath's early life, which considers the years before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson explores the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and best-loved poets.Plath's early years were complex, creative and high-achieving. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime).In today's episode, Plath wins a Fulbright and starts at Cambridge.

Read by Hayley Atwell
Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Wood
Abridged by Miranda Davies
Produced by Emma Harding.


FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qkpg2)
Growing up too quickly; Italian elections; Professor Sue Black; Women Freemasons

The film "Beasts of the Southern Wild" features a young girl who is forced to fend for herself when her father becomes ill and dies. The young actress, Quvenzhane Wallis, is now an Oscar nominee. We examine how children cope when they lose their parents at a young age.

Italian women and how they have fared in the austerity cuts and who they will vote for in the next election?

Professor Sue Black talks about her work as a forensic anthropologist and what it's like to be on the Woman's Hour Power List.

Join Jenni Murray.


FRI 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjjxv)
The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles: Series 4

Episode 5

The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Series 4 - ep 5/5
by Esther Wilson
Award winning series about a young couple with learning disabilities, starring Donna Lavin and Edmund Davies, actors with learning disabilities. Based on true stories and created in part through improvisation. Darleen wants a baby and her and Jamie are taking her step sister, Stacey, out for the day, practising at being parents. But things don't quite to plan and a near disaster strikes.

Produced and Directed by Pauline Harris.


FRI 11:00 Grahame Dangerfield: Back to the Serengeti (b01qkpg4)
Out on the Plains

Grahame Dangerfield, veteran wildlife rescuer and naturalist, revisits the place he thought was Eden.
Programme two of two: Out on the Plains.

In the 1960s Grahame Dangerfield was among the first TV naturalists joining people like David Attenborough and Johnny Morris and rescuing all sorts of English wildlife casualties at his zoo in Hertfordshire. He gave up the show biz life to work as a warden in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Seeing the life of the huge herds of the Great Rift valley and the predators that hunted them was, he says, as close to Eden as he thought it was possible to get. He now lives in Kenya and still is called out regularly to rescue sick hoopoes and remove puff adders from his neighbours' gardens. He has never been back to the Serengeti fearing it altered beyond recognition... until now.

Producer: Tim Dee.


FRI 11:30 When the Dog Dies (b01qkpkm)
Series 3

Mammon and Other Demons

Ronnie Corbett returns to Radio 4 for a third series of his popular sitcom by Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent.

Ronnie plays Sandy Hopper, who is growing old happily along with his dog Henry. His grown up children - both married to people Sandy doesn't approve of at all - would like him to move out of the family home so they can get their hands on their money earlier. But Sandy's not having this. He's not moving until the dog dies. And not just that, how can he move if he's got a lodger? His daughter is convinced that his too-attractive lodger Dolores is after Sandy and his money.

Luckily, Sandy has three grandchildren and sometimes a friendly word, a kindly hand on the shoulder can really help a Granddad in the twenty-first century. Man and dog together face a complicated world. There's every chance they'll make it more so.

Episode Six - Mammon And Other Demons
A moral tale in which Sandy and his family catch the gambling bug. Meanwhile Pompom is missing. Sandy and his son are about to put his Winter Fuel Allowance on a horse when Pompom's whereabouts are revealed.

Cast:
Sandy...........................................Ronnie Corbett
Dolores..........................................Liza Tarbuck
Mrs Pompom.................................Sally Grace
Ellie...............................................Tilly Vosburgh
Lance.............................................Philip Bird
Smollett..........................................Matt Addis
Tyson.............................................Daniel Bridle

Producer: Liz Anstee
A CPL production for BBC Radio 4.


FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b01qkpkp)
We've been following the Trading Standards Officers who have been working flat out to find and test products contaminated with horsemeat.We take a look into the future of shopping on the high street - would you ever be willing to pay just to look around? Food critic Giles Coren will be debating the merits of restaurants with only one dish on the menu. Plus, fans cause problems for Mac Pro users.


FRI 12:57 Weather (b01qgmvr)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 13:00 World at One (b01qkpkr)
Norman Smith presents national and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.


FRI 13:45 Tell Me the Truth About Love (b01qkpmw)
Episode 5

For Valentine's week, the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, explores the heady world of love poetry from first flush to final parting. She argues that love poems are the poems that continue to have the most profound and lasting impact on the general reader, and examines enduring images and themes across ages and cultures. Each of the five programmes in the series looks at a different stage in the development of a relationship and today's episode explores poems of loss and separation. Presented by Carol Ann Duffy. Produced by Emma Harding.


FRI 14:00 The Archers (b01qkmpn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Thursday]


FRI 14:15 Stone (b01qknmh)
Series 4

White Van

Stone: detective series created by Danny Brocklehurst.
White Van by Martin Jameson
DCI Stone finds himself in mortal danger when he is confronted by a desperate man responsible for a string of disturbing crimes. As Stone struggles to rescue the situation he learns more about himself than he bargained for.

Directed by Nadia Molinari.


FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b01qkpmy)
Brighton

This week Eric Robson and the GQT team visit the Seedy Sunday community seed-swap event in Brighton.

As well as sharing seeds with the locals, Bob Flowerdew, Bunny Guinness and Christine Walkden are on the panel taking the audience's questions.

To find out more information about the Seedy Sunday event, visit: http://www.seedysunday.org/

Produced by Howard Shannon.
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.

Questions answered in the programme:

Q: I have a sheltered allotment and can't make up my mind whether to have a polytunnel or a greenhouse. What would you recommend?
A: Polytunnels allow you to cover a large area and are good for growing crops in the ground including pumpkins, cucumbers and melons, but they need to be properly ventilated to avoid mould. In greenhouses airflow is easier to manage and they also allow more light in so are an easier option to start with. You can also look at polycarbonate greenhouses which diffuse the light more than glass - a similar effect to polytunnels.

Q: I have a bin bag full of soot that I'd like to use in the garden. How can I best put it to use?
A: Wood ash tends to be fairly alkaline, so it is good for using on heavy clay and acidic soils. You can also use soot for sprinkling around fruiting or flowering plants to keep the slugs away.

Q: Can the panel recommend any summer-flowering bulbs that would do well in my small but very windy garden, near the sea?
A: Agapanthus does very well in little soil and can stand windy and salty conditions. Try the Blue Storm or White Storm varieties which have impressively big heads. Also look at the smaller varieties of gladioli which can be colourful and have flowers which last all summer.

Q: I planted garlic, not last Autumn but the one before and it didn't come up. Yesterday I spotted a whole row about 6 inches tall in the same place, could that be it finally sprouting?
A: It's not unusual for bulbs to sometimes go dormant if it's been particularly cold, so it's likely that your garlic is only just deciding to brave the weather.

Q: Recently I finally tracked down fresh seed of Persicaria orientalis (or 'kiss me over the garden gate') after several years of searching. What seeds are the panel searching for and what eludes them?
Christine: Adlumia fungosa. It's a climbing plant that has fine grey-greenish foliage and bleeding heart flowers.

Bunny: I'd like to find Carex pendula (or 'Moonraker'). It's similar to the natural sedge that can be a real pest in your garden, but I'm told it is less invasive and features a white line through it.

Bob: Mr Kidner's Regal strain of asparagus. It's related to a giant variety that he produced which would grow astonishing 8oz (227g) asparagus spears.

Q: I recently gained access to a balcony about 2ft (61cm) square, 20ft (6m) up facing north-west. What does the panel recommend I grow?
A: Try getting a deep pot and some hanging baskets to create tiers. To feast the eyes and palette, try planting thyme, climbing French purple beans, purple onions and chilli peppers.

Q: I've got several 12 foot cacti in my conservatory, which are continuing to get even bigger and have broken through the glass roof despite my efforts to prune them with a bread knife. Do you think I could move them outside?
A: Many Epiphyllums, Pachysandras and larger 'organ pipe' cacti manage to survive cold temperatures in places like Mexico, but there the roots generally remain bone dry. If you want to ensure that over here then you might have to consider investing in some heated cables to keep the roots clear of the cold and wet.

Q: We have a fig plant variety called 'Brown Turkey' which after quite a few years is finally starting to fruit quite nicely. The plant is badly-placed visually though. Would it be worth moving it?
A: Fig root systems tend to be pretty big and very deep so they're difficult to move without causing a disturbance. Instead you could try taking cuttings, transplant a sapling, or just plant a new variety and phase the old one out. The 'Desert King' variety is a good option if you want to try something different.

Q: Do the panel have a favourite weed? If so, what and why?
Christine: Ground elder. I grow the variegated form and it makes superb ground cover and bank stabilization. Whilst it's most-often considered a pest it is architecturally stunning planted in the right place and has elegant flowers.
Bunny: Yew, Taxus baccata. I planted my yew hedges from cuttings and love to see it self-generating.
Bob: Stinging nettles because they're great for composting and I like to eat the tips fried with bacon and shallots.


FRI 15:45 I Refuse (b01qkqr3)
My Son, Emmett Till

First in a series of three short stories commissioned to mark the centenary of the birth of the American Civil Rights heroine Rosa Parks, who famously refused to move seats on an Alabama bus to accommodate white passengers. The stories illustrate moments of resistance and are inspired by acts of determination and non-cooperation, committed by ordinary people (real or imagined) fighting against prevailing attitudes and political authority.

Today, writer Fred D'Aguiar focuses upon a true story, a moment of resistance which helped to ignite the American Civil Rights Movement. In August 1955, a fourteen year old black boy, Emmett Till, who was visiting relatives in Mississippi, was murdered by two white men because he had whistled at a white woman. When his badly beaten body was recovered, his mother refused to allow the coffin lid to be closed: she wanted the world to see what had been done to her son.

It was an act that galvanised the emerging civil rights movement. Three months later, in Montgomery Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to relinquish her seat. She is quoted as saying: "I thought about Emmett Till, and I could not go back. My legs and feet were not hurting, that is a stereotype. I paid the same fare as others, and I felt violated. I was not going back."

Read by Adjoa Andoh.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.


FRI 16:00 Last Word (b01qkqr5)
A table tennis champion, a zoo vet, a make-up artist, a radio presenter and a trombonist

Matthew Bannister on the table tennis champion Zhouang Zedong - who played a key role in the ping pong diplomacy between China and the USA.

Also the zoo vet David Taylor who treated killer whales, elephants and other wild animals and inspired the TV series One By One.

The make up artist Stuart Freeborn who brought us the apes at the start of 2001 A Space Odyssey and modelled Yoda's face in Star Wars on his own.

Patricia Hughes - the radio presenter with a warm voice and perfect diction who became associated with Radio 3.

And Paul Tanner - trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra - who played the electro theremin on the Beach Boys' Good Vibrations.


FRI 16:30 Feedback (b01qkqr7)
Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations.

Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio.

This programme's content is entirely directed by you.

Producer: Kate Taylor
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.


FRI 17:00 PM (b01qknmk)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.


FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qgmvt)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


FRI 18:30 The Now Show (b01qkqr9)
Series 39

Episode 1

Papal resignation, food contamination and tortoise fornication. Grainne Maguire joins Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis, Mitch Benn, Jon Holmes and Laura Shavin for the first episode of Now Show series 39.

Written by the cast with additional material from Jane Lamacraft, Andy Wolton, Tom Neenan and Alice Gregg.

Produced by Colin Anderson.


FRI 19:00 The Archers (b01qkqtp)
Emma takes George and Keira to the park to meet Helen and Henry. Ed isn't sure about Emma's new friends, worried that naughty Henry will be a bad influence on the children. Emma is just pleased at the chance to socialise with another adult.
Helen takes Emma for coffee. The two gossip about the village and consider how different their lives are.
Ed sees Jazzer, who has to return to The King's Arms in Fawcett Magna with their forgotten cream order. Ed breaks the news that they can't afford the equipment to start up a shearing business. He wonders if Jazzer could sell his motorbike to help funding, but Jazzer needs it to 'charm the lassies'.
Eager to make up for their last brief encounter, Paul has prepared a Valentine's treat for Lilian in his room at the King's Arms. But after her day with Matt, restrained Lilian is not ready for intimacy.
Paul suggests a walk, but they bump into Jazzer. Paul pretends to be an estate agent showing Lilian around a property. Jazzer is fooled, even by Paul's dodgy Scottish accent. As Jazzer leaves, the previous tension between the couple is broken by their laughter. Lilian feels able to return to Paul's room.
In the afterglow, Paul gives Lilian his gift: he'll take an apartment near her where they can meet safely.


FRI 19:15 Front Row (b01qkqtr)
Simon Beaufoy; Rokia Traore and Salif Keita; novelist John Green

With Kirsty Lang.

Sixteen years ago a small British film, set in Sheffield, about a group of redundant steelworkers who decide that stripping could be a way out of their problems, became an international hit. As The Full Monty makes its stage debut, the writer Simon Beaufoy talks to Kirsty about why he wants to turn a celluloid success into theatre gold.

The first artist to be announced for this year's Glastonbury festival was singer Rokia Traore from Mali. And in an intended act of solidarity with the war-torn country, Malian bands will open the Pyramid stage each day of the festival. Kirsty talks to Rokia Traore, and to Salif Keita, one of the earliest Malian performers to become an international star, about their new albums and the role of musicians in Mali now.

The bestselling New York author John Green's latest novel The Fault In Our Stars has attracted a great deal of attention, because it deals with a young girl suffering advanced stages of cancer yet manages to be a darkly humorous read. John Green discusses the background to the novel, which came to him while working as a chaplain in a children's hospital, and how he found the voice of the protagonist, Hazel.

Producer Ellie Bury.


FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b01qjjxv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b01qkqtt)
Margaret Hodge, John Hayes, Nick Harvey, Ruth Davis

Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Langford Budville in Somerset. Guests include Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Margaret Hodge MP, former Defence Minister Nick Harvey MP, Environment Minister John Hayes MP and chief policy advisor for Greenpeace UK Ruth Davis.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson.


FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b01qkqtw)
In Praise of Birmingham

David Cannadine defends his home city of Birmingham against a slur in Jane Austen's "Emma" as, "not a place to promise much", by celebrating its heritage and its current cultural renaissance.
Producer: Sheila Cook.


FRI 21:00 Friday Drama (b00k4l2l)
Tough Love

By Andrea Gibb

At first, parents Laura and Mark don't see the warning signs: the bottles not taken to the bottle bank, the missing bank card, the tumbling grades at school. Then the terrible realisation dawns - their son, Danny, is an addict. He's always been the golden boy - not like his big brother, Paul, who has been a thorn in their side. Paul is moody and uncommunicative. Danny, on the other hand, has always been sunny and easy. And now he's in trouble.

This is a mother's story and as Danny spirals into drugs counselling and failed rehab treatment, his mum has to make the hardest decision of her life.

Andrea Gibb is the award-winning screenwriter of Dear Frankie and Afterlife and is currently working on a feature film version of Swallows and Amazons for television, an original feature, ATLANTIC BRIDGE, an adaptation of Rose Tremain's MUSIC AND SILENCE for BBC.

Produced and directed by Gaynor Macfarlane.


FRI 21:58 Weather (b01qgmvw)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qkqty)
Horse meat tests - results revealed. We speak to the CEO of the Co-Op. The massive overhaul needed in health & social care in England, and why fish are changing their personality. With Philippa Thomas.


FRI 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qkqv0)
Episode 5

Home from New York, Esther faces a summer in the suburbs and finds herself slipping into lethargy and at a loss.

Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.

With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.

The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.

Read by Lydia Wilson.

Abridged by Sally Marmion.

Producer: Di Speirs

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.


FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b01qj9fx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:30 on Tuesday]


FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (b01qkqv2)
Mark D'Arcy reports from Westminster.