The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
Agriculture Secretary Elizabeth Truss talks about her 25 year plan to boost UK food and farming which was part of the Conservative Party Manifesto at the General Election. Is it just a talking shop or a plan of action to make the UK one of the leading food innovators in the world?
Farming Today joins 5,500 under 11s at the East of England Showground in Peterborough where the agriculture industry is hoping to inspire the next generation to become farmers.
And - would you eat green and slimy seaweed? One harvester collecting seaweed on the shores of the Firth of Forth in Scotland says it's 'the ancient superfood for modern thinkers'!
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
John Aitchison presents the golden pheasant. Golden pheasants are native to the mountains of China where they live in thick bamboo forest. The males are brightly-coloured; gold and scarlet, with a long tail and a cape of black and orange which they use to woo the much duller brown females. From the late 1800's Golden Pheasants were introduced to many bird collections and shooting estates around the UK. Today the strongest colonies are in East Anglia.
Morning news and current affairs. Includes Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather, Thought for the Day.
Forensic chemist Niamh Nic Daeid talks to Jim Al-Khalili about investigating fires and analysing legal highs.
Her team were involved in studying the infamous Philpott case in Derby when six children tragically died in a fire set by their parents, Mick and Mairead. They devised experiments to find out why, despite having smoke alarms fitted inside the house, none of the children woke up.
Chemistry has also been pushed to the limits to identify 'legal highs', or Novel Psychoactive Substances. Around 350 new drugs are released on to the market every month, with Europe a hotspot for buyers.
Plus, Niamh talks about the serious problems facing the world of forensic science. The field, she says, is in crisis. With rock-bottom research budgets, and the list of miscarriages of justice growing, how can we fix forensic science?
Selina Scott is intrigued and fascinated by ghosts and believes she has one of her own, which resides in the kitchen of her home, an 15th century farmhouse in rural North Yorkshire.
In the final of her three programmes for One to One, Selina talks to ghostbuster Hayley Stevens who doesn't believe in ghosts.
She offers Selina a rational explanation for the ghostly presence in her house.
In his candid memoir, the physician and best-selling author, Oliver Sacks recalls the start of his work as a clinician. First of all he turns to his days as a power lifter and reflects on a personal struggle.
Read by Oliver Ford Davies.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton.
Bollywood star Kanika Kapoor on her singing career. Professor John Studd and Dr Pratibha Nirodi on the links between depression and the menopause. Sarah Moss on her new book 'Signs for Lost Children'. And, as the women's Ashes series kicks off with a one day match in Taunton, former England Captain Clare Connor on the development of women's cricket. Jane Garvey presents.
Unlikely allies Rachel and Marilyn begin to bond - until Rachel accuses Marilyn of stealing.
Glasgow lawyer Rachel is dealing with the wayward relatives she's been brought up to ignore after discovering they share the BRCA2 cancer gene.
Rachel..............................................................TAMARA KENNEDY
Marilyn.............................................................GABRIEL QUIGLEY
Josie.....................................................................KAREN BARTKE
Shirley.................. ............................................ SARAH McCARDIE
Bobby....................................... ............................ALAN McHUGH
Alex ........................................ ...............................ROBIN LAING
Kevin .................................................................STEVIE HANNAN
Becca...............................................................NICOLA JO CULLY
Carol...................................................................VERONICA LEER
Coral can take on many forms from branching, tree like structures to flat table tops. They are colourful and bright, often described as underwater gardens. Yet they are double edged beauties.
Their ragged structure tore the hulls from wooden ships, causing the death of many sailors. Poisonous fish lurk amidst the beauty and sharks patrol the edges.
Charles Darwin's ship The Beagle had the task of mapping coral reefs, so dangerous were they to shipping, and they formed the topic of his first book. Darwin couldn't see the reefs underwater, but he still managed to work out how they formed, leaping from top to top with the aid of a "leaping stick".
Coral has entered our literature with tales of paradise islands, from Ballantyne's The Coral Island in the 19th century, where three young boys create paradise, to the flip side in Golding's Lord of the Flies. Paradise though was shattered between 1946 and 1958. This was the dawn of the nuclear age when deep wells were sunk into tropical reefs in the Pacific and bombs detonated. But it was the drilling cores that proved Darwin was right, over 100 years after he proposed his theory.
More recently coral reefs were the setting for the film Finding Nemo, a film so popular it set off a craze for clown fish as pets, causing real concern for the future of clown fish on many tropical reefs. According to National Geographic, demand for clown fish in aquaria tripled after the film was released. In response to the concern some aquarium owners decided to release their fish back into the wild, but unfortunately in the wrong place, causing the clown fish to become an invasive alien species.
But no matter the reality, we seem to crave the vision of paradise that coral reefs provide. They will always be glorious places in our hearts and minds.
France's popular music legacy is vast and diverse. Cerys Matthews travels to Paris in search of some of the key classic songs that constitute the French songbook, and talks to a panel of guests including musicologist Catherine Rudent, writer and commentator Catherine Guilyardi and popular music journalist Bertrand Dicale. Whilst some French songs have been chart successes in the UK, and others have become jazz standards, Cerys uncovers a patrimony that ranges from the seductive to the salacious, but which is always delivered with wit and panache. And with some 3,000 French songs including 'Paris' in their titles, the city itself acts as muse as well as backdrop to many of France's greatest popular classics.
Professor Justin Champion examines Locke's theory of Toleration through the inhabitants of Spitalfields past and present. He goes to Brick Lane whose famous mosque was built as a Huguenot Church and became a synagogue before becoming the centre of Bengali life in London. He meets the Bishop of London, himself of Huguenot descent and local politician Abdal Ullah to discuss religious tolerance then and now
On Call You & Yours we're asking if doctors should be able to assume that you'd be happy to donate your organs when you die.
A new report from the NHS Blood and Transplant Service found that the number of people donating organs in the UK has fallen for the first time in a decade. They're calling for a 'revolution' in attitudes towards organ donation. What might bring about that revolution?
What would have persuaded the one hundred and twenty families who denied a relative's stated wish to donate? Were you one of them, would you be willing to tell us how you made your decision?
Perhaps you or someone you love is on a waiting list, willing families to donate to you. Or perhaps you are a grateful recipient who might tell us the affect it has had on your life.
Email us now please youandyours@bbc.co.uk and leave a contact number so we can call you back.
Rigorous analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Edward Stourton.
There are so many retired Brits in the South West of France that it has been dubbed 'little England'. Sarfraz Manzoor meets British builders and tradespeople who are meeting the needs of Brits renovating retirement and second homes.
As well as seeing business opportunities, many come to secure a better life for their children with small village schools and a safe rural environment.
They come for a better life but often don't speak French and stick together in English speaking cliques. So how different are they from the immigrants in Britain who are often criticised for not integrating?
Are they under-cutting French builders or offering different skills? And why is that the Brits prefer British builders - and even British hairdressers?
Boxer turned businessman Joe Stein wouldn't normally get involved with mafia money but he's on his uppers; when he invests the money in a Ghanaian gold mine he sets off a macabre series of murders and Joe finds himself in the biggest fight of his life - a fight to stay alive.
Tom Holland is joined by Andrea Wulf and Dr Paul Warde to discuss issues from environmental history.
Helen Castor meets up with Professor Tom Williamson in south Norfolk to hear how our understanding of what makes a wood 'ancient' is changing - and why it matters.
Conservationist Graham White is in Dunbar, the home of John Muir - the father of American conservation.
Paul Warde discusses his work on the history of sustainability and Andrea Wulf previews her up-coming biography of Alexander von Humboldt.
A series which encourages guests to "think with the heart and feel with the intellect". In this first programme, Murray Lachlan Young invites writer Hugh Aldersey-Williams to combine his favourite sounds and his most passionately held ideas in unexpected ways - by feeding them into an electronic device. Murray has not prepared an interview but, instead, he and Hugh respond spontaneously to what the device returns to them in the form of short audio snippets. Neither of them knows which of the sounds, music and speech the device will select, nor how it will combine them. The idea is to throw up connections that might not otherwise have occurred to guests, and to encourage them to think and feel about their concerns and passions in a different way. Hugh's list of sounds include evocations of a childhood spent in central London listening to Guards bands playing marches on their way to Buckingham Palace, and the children's literature he was read by his American mother. From later life, there's the flocking of coastal birds in Norfolk where he now lives and writes. These, and Hugh's other sounds, are knitted together with audio suggested by his passion for linking science and the arts, and for breaking down the barriers between the 'Two Cultures' as expressed by C.P. Snow in the year of Hugh's birth. The unpredictability increases as the device introduces some audio of its own, drawn from the BBC Radio archives, to create even more unusual associations between apparently disparate material, and to alter perspectives on familiar issues. Producer: Adam Fowler An Overtone production for BBC Radio 4.
Dominic Streatfeild tells the story of The Strange Voyage of the 'Blonde Angel'. Captain Alfredo Astiz had waged a very dirty part of Argentina's 'Dirty War'. As part of the notorious ESMA he had kidnapped and disappeared mothers, daughters, sons - even nuns. As part of 'Operation Alpha' Astiz led a detachment of Argentine commandos to seize South Georgia island, raising the Argentine flag on 2 April 1982, a crucial act in the escalation of the Falklands conflict. His surrender and capture quickly became a problem for the British. Both the French and Swedish governments were under public pressure to discover the fate of their own nationals who Astiz had disappeared, but Britain, anxious over the fate of its own P.O.Ws in Argentine hands and bound by the Geneva convention, felt it could do little to help. What happened next was an extraordinary voyage to Britain for Astiz, the first P.O.W. to be held on British soil since World War Two.
Using newly declassified documents, the writer and historian Dominic Streatfeild explores the dilemmas that Astiz posed and finds those who dealt with the 'Blonde Angel of Death'.
Harriett Gilbert is joined by psychologist Sue Blackmore and her husband the broadcaster and historian of inventions Adam Hart-Davis to discuss favourite books.
These include 'Inventions of The Middle Ages' by Chiara Frugoni, 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' by Rachel Joyce and 'Somewhere Towards the End' by Diana Athill.
The Chancellor has asked some Whitehall departments to consider how to make cuts of up to forty per cent in their budgets over the next four years.
What's Lucy Porter's least favourite town to perform in? Has Cornelius's pal Jonathan ever won any money as a result of a tip from Cornelius? Who is Tom Wrigglesworth's all time hero?
All these burning questions, and more, will be answered in the show hosted by Miles Jupp, where panellists are tested on how well they know their nearest and dearest.
In this case, comedian Lucy Porter picks her agent, comedian Tom Wrigglesworth picks his father, and Cornelius Lysaght picks an old school friend.
Jim and Susan discuss the village shop - Susan's keen on a new layout, to make it more customer-friendly. They remember Martha Woodford and Jack Woolley laying the original, now outdated floor plans. Discussing it with Pat and Tony, Susan says it'll be a real destination store.
Kate goes out riding with Alice and Debbie - Kate's a bit rusty at first but comes into her own. They discuss Chris and his work. They also discuss Charlie - Alice thinks he's 'fit'. Kate can't read him at all. Debbie's intrigued when Kate mentions Adam being the only person allowed to get close to Charlie.
Kate talks to Debbie about feeling miserable lately. Kate opens up about why her marriage to Lucas fell apart. Debbie offers advice to Kate to keep in touch with her kids in South Africa. Debbie seems unhappy that she'll never have kids herself. She supports Kate's idea for a rural retreat - she may even invest in the idea.
DJ, songwriter and producer Naughty Boy on the Late Night Prom that marks the 50th anniversary this year of Asian Programmes on the BBC.
Bellowhead, one of the UK's most successful folk bands, announced last month that they are going to split up after eleven years together. As they prepare to play at The WOMAD Festival, two of the band's original members, John Spiers and Jon Boden, reflect on more than a decade of music making and the state of contemporary folk music.
A new film documentary Best of Enemies charts the explosive series of televised debates between the liberal writer Gore Vidal and the conservative and Republican William F Buckley when they were broadcast during the 1968 Democratic and Republican conventions in the US. Guardian writer Jonathan Freedland reviews the film about the clashing egos and their mutual distrust and enmity.
And this year marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Elizabeth Gaskell. The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection at the John Rylands Library, Manchester University, has just been digitised. Archivist Fran Baker talks about the collection's treasures that can now be seen online.
John Ware investigates plans to counter the activities of those classed as non-violent extremists. Glorifying terrorism is already a crime. In future, expressing views deemed contrary to British values could be illegal too. A new bill would allow police to impose prevention orders aimed at silencing those who preach an extremist message. The law could be used to shut down the premises used to host such speakers. It is part of the "muscular liberal" approach set out by David Cameron in 2011. But does it risk compromising the liberal values it is designed to protect?
Peter White is joined by experienced blind travellers Hazel Dudley, Julie Smethurst and Mani Djazmi, who share their experiences and advice for getting the best from a holiday if you have little or no sight.
Julie explains why she plans in great detail, Mani gives tips on the key items needed for a stress free break and Hazel explains how her technique of making descriptive videos - with the help of complete strangers - gives her a clearer picture of her immediate surroundings and an audio-described memory to show to friends back home.
Asthma inhalers, Knee arthroscopy, Pelvic girdle pain, Medically unexplained symptoms
Elite athletes are far more likely to use asthma inhalers than the general population. Do the stresses and strains of competition bring on asthma-type symptoms or does an inhaler give a performance advantage to individual sportsmen and women? Dr Mark Porter talks to sports physician Dr Babette Pluim about her review of the use of inhalers in sport.
One hundred and fifty thousand knee arthroscopies are performed every year in the NHS with most of them involving surgery to smooth, remove or repair damaged cartilage, the meniscus. But there are concerns that we do too many arthroscopies in the light of evidence that intervention isn't always required. Andrew Price, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences at the University of Oxford, tells Mark when surgery is useful and Inside Health's Dr Margaret McCartney reviews the mounting body of evidence that has called into question some knee surgery. Dr Annabel Bentley, former Medical Director of Insurance at the private health insurers, BUPA, describes how, back in 2011, there was an instant (and subsequently sustained) reduction of 9% in knee arthroscopy claims. The drop came weeks before a new checking process, to confirm the surgery was in line with best practice, was introduced.
Pelvic Girdle Pain is a condition that affects one in five pregnant women. It causes discomfort in the pubic region, the hips and lower back and gets worse as the pregnancy progresses. Some cases can be mild but more severe forms can leave a woman needing crutches, or even a wheelchair, to get around. But there is help out there and official advice is for women to get help early and not to suffer in silence. Mark visits the Rosie Maternity Hospital in Cambridge, and speaks to new mum Joanna Welham and Women's and Men's Health Physiotherapist, Claire Brown, about what treatment is available.
Medically unexplained symptoms, sometimes known as MUS, cause problems for both patient and doctor, and they're common, up to a fifth of a GP's workload, and around half of all specialist referrals, costing the NHS more than £3 billion a year. Rona Moss Morris is Professor of Psychology as Applied to Medicine at King's College London and she believes the NHS fails such patients. She tells Mark what she thinks needs to change, starting with the name, MUS.
Chancellor launches Spending Review - govt wants savings of £20 billion by 2019/20
Paula Hawkins' international bestseller comes to BBC Radio 4 in this thrilling multi-voice narration starring Sally Hawkins, Lyndsey Marshal and Zoe Tapper.
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see: she's much more than just the girl on the train...
Rachel ..... Sally Hawkins
Megan ..... Lyndsey Marshal
Anna ..... Zoe Tapper
Abridger ..... Neville Teller
Producer ..... Jenny Thompson.
Susan Hulme reports from Westminster where the Chancellor launches a review of government spending with a view to cutting £20 billion pounds from the budget over the next four years.
The House of Lords backs a call for a joint committee of MPs and peers to look at the Government's plans for English Votes for English Laws.
The Government says that data showing how many people die while claiming out-of-work disability benefits will be published "no later than the autumn".
And the Home Secretary faces questions from MPs about the problems at Calais and on immigration policy.
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY 2015
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b062hbgj)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b062kb03)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b062hbgl)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b062hbgn)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b062hbgq)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b062hbgs)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b0630q6c)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Sarah Joseph.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b062kphp)
Welsh cockle fishing, Maize and soil quality
Why are the cockle fishermen in Wales facing an unprofitable year this season? There are unexplained issues surrounding early deaths of cockles in South Wales, whilst on the River Dee, over-fishing and illegal fishing have forced the closure of the beds there. Also how does the growing of maize impact on our soil? We look at the arguments for and against this controversial crop. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Trish Campbell.
WED 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b03thwdy)
White-fronted Goose
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
John Aitchison presents the white-fronted goose. Flocks of White-Fronted Geese return each year to their favourite wintering areas, the bogs and and saltmarshes of Ireland and the Severn Estuary as well as western Scotland, although smaller flocks are found elsewhere. John Aitchison recorded the musical yapping of white-fronted geese for Tweet listeners as they flew over his home in western Scotland.
WED 06:00 Today (b062kpqj)
Morning news and current affairs. Includes Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather, Thought for the Day.
WED 09:00 No Triumph, No Tragedy (b062kqyl)
Melanie Reid
Before her accident Melanie Reid says she lived life at 10 million miles an hour - a working mother, keen horse rider and award winning journalist. That all changed in an instant when her horse refused to go over a jump at a cross country training practice. She fell face first, her body contorted, and realized almost immediately that something terrible had happened:"Everything went bright red and my whole body was suffused by this intense feeling of warmth and I knew I'd done something catastrophic."
She started writing Spinal Column three weeks later - the thought of documenting her experiences coming as she lay in an MRI scanner. It was, she tells Peter, her way of chronicling the war zone that was now her body: "'I remember lying there thinking I've got to tell people how weird and frightening this is. And it was great therapy for me. Being a journalist helped; it helped to process the shock, superficially. And it helped to process the suddenness of the change. Because from being someone who was busy, busy, busy, I was precipitated into the life of someone who's 30 years older than I am."
Producer Susan Mitchell.
WED 09:30 Witness (b0639lr4)
The Death of Walter Rodney
It is 35 years since the Guyanese opposition leader and academic, Dr Walter Rodney, was killed in a bomb explosion. He was one of the leaders of a movement trying to bridge the racial divide in Guyana's politics. His supporters said he had been assassinated on the orders of the government. We hear from his widow, Patricia Rodney, and from Wazir Mohamed who was a young activist at the time.
(Photo: Walter Rodney. Credit: the Walter Rodney Family).
WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b062kqyn)
On the Move
Uncovering Forgotten Lives
In his vivid and honest memoir, the neurologist and writer, Oliver Sacks reflects on love and loss. First of all he recalls the extraordinary lives of the patients who inspired his bestselling book, Awakenings.
Read by Oliver Ford Davies
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b062kqyq)
Joely Richardson, Apprenticeships, Leaving after school care
Joely Richardson talks about her latest projects on screen in Maggie and on stage in The Wars of the Roses.
Jane hears about new figures which examine where FGM is happening in England in Wales.
The two contenders in Taiwan's presidential elections are women - so what will this mean for women living in the only Chinese democracy?
Leaving primary school also means leaving after school care-givers. Child minders talk about saying goodbye.
And, with more funding available, will we see more girls taking up higher level apprenticeships? One engineering apprentice talks about her working life and what other girls would get out of joining her.
Presenter: Jane Garvey
Producer: Ruth Watts.
WED 10:41 15 Minute Drama (b062ktl9)
Rachel's Cousins
Episode 3
Josie seeks advice from Rachel when she admits she's been lying to the rest of the family.
Glasgow lawyer Rachel is dealing with the wayward relatives she's been brought up to ignore after discovering they share the BRCA2 cancer gene.
By Ann Marie Di Mambro
Rachel..............................................................TAMARA KENNEDY
Marilyn.............................................................GABRIEL QUIGLEY
Josie.....................................................................KAREN BARTKE
Shirley.................. ............................................ SARAH McCARDIE
Bobby....................................... ............................ALAN McHUGH
Alex ........................................ ...............................ROBIN LAING
Kevin .................................................................STEVIE HANNAN
Becca...............................................................NICOLA JO CULLY
Carol...................................................................VERONICA LEER
Other parts are played by the cast.
Directed at BBC Scotland by Bruce Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
WED 10:55 The Listening Project (b062ktlc)
Kevin and Derek - In the Line of Fire
Fi Glover introduces a conversation between a former soldier and a war photographer, both of them artists, about an incident in Bosnia. Another in the series that proves it's surprising what you hear when you listen.
The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation with someone close to them about a subject they've never discussed intimately before. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation - they're not BBC interviews, and that's an important difference - lasts up to an hour, and is then edited to extract the key moment of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in the second decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject
Producer: Marya Burgess.
WED 11:00 The Bletchley Girls (b062ktlf)
For decades it was Britain's best kept secret, the huge codebreaking operation centred around a Victorian mansion in Buckinghamshire, Bletchley Park. Despite the fact that at least 8000 people worked at Bletchley, and many others in listening and codebreaking centres across the country, no-one gave the secret away. And when the story did eventually begin to emerge, the star-studded heroes of Bletchley's narrative were men, led by the most famous cryptanalyst of them all, Alan Turing. In recent years, Hollywood blockbusters have cemented the reputation of those clever boffins, who have been credited with shortening the Second World War by many months.
However, if you walked through the gates of Bletchley seventy years ago, you would have been struck not by the number of men working there but the number of young women. That's because by 1944 three quarters of Bletchley's workforce was made up of very young women, or girls, often just out of school.
Tessa Dunlop speaks to some of those Bletchley girls, now in their late 80s and 90s, about their stories. Who were they and what did they do? Why were they selected to work in Britain's most secret organisation and what impact did Bletchley have on the rest of their lives?
Producer: John Murphy.
WED 11:30 John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme (b03brkf1)
Series 3
Episode 5
John Finnemore, the writer and star of Cabin Pressure, regular guest on The Now Show and popper-upper in things like Miranda, presents a third series series of his hit sketch show.
The first series was described as "sparklingly clever" by The Daily Telegraph and "one of the most consistently funny sketch shows for quite some time" by The Guardian. The second series won Best Radio Comedy at both the Chortle and Comedy.co.uk awards, and was nominated for a Sony award.
This time around, John promises to stop doing silly sketches about nonsense like Winnie the Pooh's honey addiction or how goldfish invented computer programming, and concentrate instead on the the big, serious issues.
This fifth episode of the series reveals the truth behind some famous anecdotes and a curious tale of a hard-bitten dame. Part of this show are in 3-D. Unfortunately, it's a horrible part.
Written by and starring John Finnemore, with Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Simon Kane, Lawry Lewin and Carrie Quinlan.
Producer: Ed Morrish.
WED 12:00 News Summary (b062hbgv)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 12:04 A History of Ideas (b062ktlh)
Economist Kate Barker on the Free Market
Is a Free Market the vital foundation of a fair, dynamic and creative society? The father of economics, Adam Smith certainly thought so. Since the publication of 'The Wealth of Nations' in 1776 Smith's thoughts on trade and money-making have come to be seen as the theoretical foundations of a rational and rather uncaring form of pure capitalism.
Economist, Dame Kate Barker is keen to put the soul back into Smith, revealing the staunch moral principles that underlined his view of a fair and just capitalist society. She wants to measure today's markets against the standards set by the sage of the Scottish Enlightenment. Would Britain's markets in groceries, homes or financial services bring a smile to Smith's stern visage?
Kate is joined in her quest by Smith's latest biographer Jesse Norman, by housing market analyst Yolande Barnes and by Christine Tacon, the government's grocery market regulator.
This is part of a week of programmes examining how we should live together.
WED 12:15 You and Yours (b062ktrq)
Counterfeit cigarettes, Make-up tutorials, Energy bills
We speak to Julie Grant who's recently won a Trading Standards Award for her campaigning work against the sale of illicit cigarettes. Her mother died in a house fire caused by a cigarette that didn't extinguish. Regulated cigarettes are designed to go out if they're not being smoked.
Dentists tell us that poor dental health is down to the NHS's pricing structure. It's not worth their while carrying out some jobs because they only get paid for one filling even if patients need a dozen.
A council in Cheshire wants to get rid of out of tune buskers - but the musicians and shoppers are worried it will ruin their city centre. We look at other town centres that wanted to get rid of street musicians.
Talk Talk and BT have been voted as having bad customer service, but what's it like being caught between both firms? Our listeners tell us about the double trouble they've been having.
And online make up tutorials - they're so popular even Kim Kardashian is starting one. Nic Chapman from Pixiwoo tells us why beauty news is changing.
WED 12:57 Weather (b062hbgx)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b062ktrs)
Rigorous analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Edward Stourton.
WED 13:45 Brits Abroad (b0645548)
Ibiza
Ibiza has long been associated with clubbing and Brits behaving badly, but it has a very different side - one of tranquil beauty which is increasingly attracting the rich and famous, as well as Brits who live on the island and commute to UK.
In the 1950s, Ibiza was a poor island where locals made a meagre living through farming and fishing. Now many have become rich through tourism and selling their land and farms. And while mainland Spain has high unemployment, Ibiza has seasonal jobs and a service industry supporting those living there all year round.
What will be the long-term impact of the new influx of Brits searching for peace - ranging from Cathal Smyth (Chas Smash) from the very London band Madness, to a single mother with her teenage son starting a new life.
Producer:Sara Parker
A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b062kcyx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Curious Under the Stars (b062kx4b)
Series 1
Gathering Storm
By Meic Povey
The last in the series set in Glan Don, a wild and mysterious village perched on the Welsh coast.
When a violent storm brings down the Great Oak of Glan Don, legend suggests that the survival of the village is threatened. So the villagers come together to attempt to save the tree. But as the weather worsens, Gareth and Bethan get trapped in the rising floodwaters and the truth of their tempestuous past is laid bare.
Starring Elis James (Crims), Louise Ford (Chickens) and Ifan Huw Dafydd (Gavin and Stacey), Curious Under the Stars takes us deep into a Welsh landscape of myth, magic and mayhem.
Directed by James Robinson
A BBC Cymru Wales Production.
WED 15:00 Money Box (b062kx4d)
Money Box Live: Your Pension
What would you like to do with your pension pot, leave it invested, take some cash or is an annuity a good idea? Call 03700 100 444 from
1pm to
3.30pm on Wednesday or e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk with your questions.
The way we access our pension funds has changed dramatically but how do you and should you take advantage of pension freedom?
Before cashing in or switching out of a pension scheme, you need to find out whether you would lose any valuable guaranteed annuity rates (GARs). Offered by some older-style pensions, these rates can be double those available now.
Have you considered the tax you may have to pay when taking income from your pension, how can you manage this sensibly?
If you want income certainty, should you consider buying an annuity, what are the best options at the moment and can you enhance potential payments?
There have also been changes to the way pensions can be inherited.
Or perhaps you have a question about saving into a pension scheme?
Whatever you want to do with your pension, Paul Lewis and guests will be waiting to help with your questions. Joining Paul will be:
Billy Burrows from retirement options website williamburrows.com
Michelle Cracknell, Chief Executive, The Pensions Advisory Service.
Tom McPhail, Head of Pensions Research, Hargreaves Lansdown.
Call 03700 100 444 from
1pm to
3.30pm on Wednesday or e-mail your question to moneybox@bbc.co.uk now. Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply.
WED 15:30 Inside Health (b062khlm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b062kx4g)
The colour black, Mixed-race people
Black: the cultural and historical meaning of the darkest colour. From the 'little black dress' which epitomises chic, to its links to death, depression and evil, 'black' embodies many contrasting values. White Europeans exploited the negative associations of 'black' in enslaving millions of Africans whilst artists & designers have endlessly deployed the colour in their creative work. Laurie Taylor talks to John Harvey, Life Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, about his new book which explores how 'black' came to have such ambiguous and varied meanings. They're joined by Bidisha, the writer and broadcaster.
Also, the last 20 years has seen a major growth in the number of people of mixed racial heritage. Miri Song, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, talks about her research into the ways that multiracial parents with white partners talk to their their children about race and identity.
Producer: Jayne Egerton.
WED 16:30 The Media Show (b062kx4j)
The chair of the BBC Trust, Digital news providers, Ofcom's review of BT Openreach
The BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC, has published its response to last week's government green paper on the BBC Charter Review. The review will look at, amongst other things, how the BBC should be governed and regulated - with many thinking the new charter will spell the end of the Trust. In her first interview for The Media Show, Trust Chair Rona Fairhead discusses her vision for the future of the BBC, her involvement in the recent licence fee deal, and the legitimacy of the BBC's governance system.
A new book, Innovators in Digital News, looks at how some news organisations - some old, some new - are succeeding with digital news. Drawing on first-hand research inside organisations, it explores how The Guardian, The New York Times, Quartz, BuzzFeed and Vice approach the field. Steve Hewlett talks to author Lucy Kung about how clear strategies and strong leaders are winning combinations that are enabling new digital brands to take on 'old stalwarts' to win the attention of online news audiences.
As part of its once in a decade review of the UK digital communications market, OFCOM is considering whether BT should be completely separated from Openreach. Openreach, currently an infrastructure division of the BT Group, is responsible for looking after the fibres, wires and cables, providing wholesale access to broadband and telephone lines. Other providers like Sky and TalkTalk claim it provides poor service and that it gives BT an unfair advantage. BT is strongly opposed to a split saying it would threaten further investment in the network. Steve is joined by Matthew Howett, telecoms and technology analyst from independent consultancy Ovum.
WED 17:00 PM (b062kx4l)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b062hbgz)
The former Prime Minister Tony Blair says Labour has "rediscovered losing".
WED 18:30 Simon Evans Goes to Market (b062kx4n)
Series 2
Coffee
Comedian Simon Evans continues his series about the economics of some of the goods - or bads - we are addicted to.
If you crave your daily coffee, can't get by without a cigarette, feel that mid-afternoon slump without your sugar-fix, or can't face an evening without a glass of wine, you are definitely not alone. But have you ever thought about the economics that has made your addiction possible? Who does it profit? And would you want to make some canny investments that take advantage of our human weaknesses?
In this series, Simon Evans looks at the economics, history and health issues behind these oh-so-addictive commodities.
This time it's coffee.
How much are we now drinking as a nation? And how much of the price of a cup of coffee is actually the coffee beans? Are we giving coffee growers the best deal when we buy Fairtrade coffee or should we be seeking out Direct trade coffee? And could this be the least harmful of all addictions? Perhaps even a positive addiction, with the coffee shop being, as Steven Johnson said (in his recent 'Where good ideas come from' TED talk), 'a place where ideas can have sex'?
Simon speaks to specialist coffee experts Onny Loisel and Michael Cleland. He is also joined by economics guru, More Or Less host Tim Harford and the Queen of investment know-how, Merryn Somerset-Webb, as he walks us around the economics of this very familiar commodity and pokes fun at our relationship with it.
Presented by Simon Evans, with Onny Loisel and Michael Cleland, Tim Harford and Merryn Somerset Webb.
Written by Simon Evans, Benjamin Partridge and Andy Wolton.
Producer: Claire Jones
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.
WED 19:00 The Archers (b062kc9x)
Josh has a 'brilliant' new scheme, having spoken to Toby about the geese - he wants to go in with them and buy in quail.
Pip is prepping to start her new job - heading to Brazil in October - she can't wait to get started. David hasn't found someone to replace Pip yet - she'll take some replacing.
Usha's going to Newcastle tomorrow with work, so is also meeting Ruth to cheer her up. Heather's going into interim care tomorrow.
Adam's busy sorting out his strawberry pickers. Debbie's helping. Debbie advises some compromise with Brian over further plans for his herbal leys - maybe he should suggest 100 hectares for next year. Adam worries what he'll do if Brian doesn't want to come along with him on the journey, now Adam's effectively farm manager. Debbie tells Adam to be true to his word - and be prepared to walk away if after a few months it doesn't work out. Debbie's company would snap him up.
Debbie points out to Brian how the ley in Broad Bank is saving them money on fertilisers. She presses the point that Brian needs to trust Adam - does he really want to drive Adam away? (she's ready to poach him).
WED 19:15 Front Row (b062kx4q)
Leif Ove Andsnes, Mack & Mabel, Choman Hardi, EL Doctorow remembered
Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes comes to the end of a long journey at the Proms - he's travelled around the world performing and conducting Beethoven's five Piano Concertos with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. The performances and recordings have won praise and awards including Recording of the Year from BBC Music Magazine. Andsnes discusses devoting himself to one composer for four years.
Michael Ball plays Mack Sennett, a silent-movie director in a revival of the 1974 musical Mack & Mabel at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Based on a true story, Mack is so struck by Mabel Normand, the girl delivering the studio lunch sandwiches, that he puts her in the movies. Matt Wolf reviews.
The American author E. L. Doctorow has died aged 84. In an extract from a 2014 interview he explains why he never liked the label of historical novelist, and the writer Michael Carlson discusses Doctorow's work.
Iraqi Kurdistan poet Choman Hardi explores statelessness, genocide, conflict and Kurdish identity in her poetry. She talks to Samira about the challenges of capturing the complexities of war in verse and the insights that poetry can give into conflict.
Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Ellie Bury.
WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b062ktl9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:41 today]
WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b062kx4s)
Public Interest and the Press
The home movie footage of the Queen giving a Nazi salute may have been grainy and over eighty years old, but it's brought into sharp focus the issue of public interest. The publication of the clip by the Sun has been widely condemned. Buckingham Palace said the Sun was exploiting a private family film. The paper says it provides a fascinating insight in to the warped prejudices of Edward VIII and that it's the job of journalists is to bring to light things that happened. Whether publishing the film was in the public interest or just of interest to the public is a moot point, but it highlights what is becoming an increasingly contentious area - what the public has a right to know and who should decide? Operation Elveden, a three year, twenty million pound investigation in to journalists and their sources has been left in what some people have described as in tatters after convictions were overturned in the court of appeal. A former head of the Crown Prosecutions Service is now arguing that we need tougher laws to defend journalists and that phone-hacking, bribery of public officials, "sting" operations, refusal to name sources should all have a public interest defence in law. At the same time the government has launched a review of the Freedom of Information Act amid claims that it is stifling discussion on policy and encouraging politicians and civil servants to be more secretive. The Act was introduced in 2000. Tony Blair described himself as an "irresponsible nincompoop" for bringing it in. This week an FoI request revealed that British military pilots were involved in Syrian air strikes and activists believe that any changes will lead to more secrecy, more mistakes and bad decisions. What should we, the public, have a right to know and who ought to decide?
WED 20:45 Four Thought (b062kx4v)
Pirates and Puritans
Tom Feiling tells a story about the relationship between pirates and puritans on the small Caribbean island of Old Providence.
Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton.
WED 21:00 Past Imperfect (b062kx4x)
Startling new research shows how false memories can be artificially generated and used to change behaviour - with implications for advertising, military intelligence and the treatment of addictions.
Memory is more of a creative than a mechanical process. Like a Wikipedia entry, we can make changes to our autobiographical history - but so can other people.
Martin Plimmer meets experts and observes experiments demonstrating the fragility of memory and the ease with which false memories can be implanted.
At Warwick University, Prof Kimberley Wade has implanted false memories of childhood experiences such as taking a hot air balloon ride. Martin follows an experiment in which participants form vivid memories of activities they have not actually experienced.
At Hull University, Prof Giuliana Mazzoni reveals how implanted false memories can change people's behaviour. Working with unsuspecting volunteers, she explores whether she can alter their food preferences by creating false memory of an adverse reaction to eating turkey sandwiches.
Martin discusses the implications of this research with US psychologist Prof Elizabeth Loftus who believes it could be used to treat obesity and addictions by introducing false memories of disliking fatty foods, alcohol or drugs.
Professor Loftus has also worked with the US military on ways of implanting false memories of their interrogator in enemy prisoners - raising admitted ethical issues and concerns about the abuse of these techniques.
And Martin Plimmer learns how our memories are all being subtly altered by advertising - as certain types of adverts can create false memories of experiencing and liking a product.
An Above The Title production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 21:30 No Triumph, No Tragedy (b062kqyl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b062kx4z)
Kurdish armed group the PKK says it murdered two Turkish policemen
PKK says murders were in retaliation for suicide bomb attack close to the Syrian border.
WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b062kx51)
The Girl on the Train
Episode 8
Paula Hawkins' international bestseller comes to BBC Radio 4 in this thrilling multi-voice narration starring Sally Hawkins, Lyndsey Marshal and Zoe Tapper.
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see: she's much more than just the girl on the train...
Readers:
Rachel ..... Sally Hawkins
Anna ..... Zoe Tapper
Abridger ..... Neville Teller
Producer ..... Jenny Thompson.
WED 23:00 Bunk Bed (b062kx53)
Series 2
Episode 6
Two men in darkness, sharing a bunk bed and a stream of semi-consciousness about family, relationships, work and imagined life.
We all crave a place where our mind and body are not applied to a particular task. The nearest faraway place from daily life. Somewhere for drifting and lighting upon strange thoughts which don't have to be shooed into context, but which can be followed like balloons escaping onto the air. Late at night, in the dark and in a bunk bed, the restless mind can wander.
After an acclaimed reception by The Independent, The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer and Radio 4 listeners, Bunk Bed returns with its late night stream of semi-concsciousness.
In this episode, toe-curling accounts of professional blunders, the meaning of hackneyed, writing Alan Partridge, the sadness of Chas and Dave and Peter Curran's horror at his tally of 7,000 interviews.
Elsewhere in the series, Patrick and Peter deal with Therapy, children's happiness, JRR Tolkien, Babycham, Aldous Huxley, and correction fluid - among a ragbag of subjects.
Written and performed by Patrick Marber and Peter Curran
Producer: Peter Curran
A Foghorn production for BBC Radio 4
WED 23:15 I, Regress (b01s0dlz)
Series 2
Mirrors
Matt Berry plays a a corrupt and bizarre regression therapist in this dark, Lynch-meets-Kaufman-style comedy.
Unsuspecting clients are taken on twisted, misleading journeys through their subconscious.
Each episode sees the doctor dealing with a different client who has come to him for a different phobia. As the patient is put under hypnosis, we 'enter' their mind, and all the various situations the hypnotherapist takes them through are played out for us to hear. The result is a dream (or nightmare-like) trip through the patient's mind, as funny as it is disturbing.
With:
Daisy Beaumon
Sally Okafor
Julia Deakin : Acting (adult)
Michael Shelford
A compelling late night listen: tune in and occupy someone else's head!
Producer: Sam Bryant.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2013.
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b062kx55)
Peers debate the government's policies on renewable energy and a committee takes evidence about the factors driving tens of thousands of migrants out of Africa and towards Europe.
THURSDAY 23 JULY 2015
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b062hbhw)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b062kqyn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b062hbhy)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b062hbj0)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b062hbj2)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b062hbj4)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b0630g5w)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Sarah Joseph.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b062mf8r)
Royal Welsh Show
Farming Today is at the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd near Builth Wells, for a special edition of the programme. Felicity Evans asks farmers what's on their minds, and puts their concerns to the Welsh Government's Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans. She also finds out about a new scheme to help small-scale pig farmers, and learns the best way to prepare a joint of pork.
Presented by Felicity Evans and produced by Emma Campbell.
THU 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b03thwxg)
Black-throated Diver
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
John Aitchison presents the black-throated diver. Black-throated divers are strong contenders for our most beautiful bird. Their breeding plumage with a neck barcoded in white, an ebony bib and a plush grey head, is dramatic. The black dagger-like bill and broad lobed feet are perfect for catching and pursuing fish which the divers bring to their chicks in nests on the shoreline of the Scottish Lochs on which they breed.
THU 06:00 Today (b062mfqv)
Morning news and current affairs. Includes Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather, Thought for the Day.
THU 09:00 Inside the Ethics Committee (b062mhnl)
Series 11
Suicide
Samantha is coping with the recent death of her mother. It's been a turbulent few years - drug binges in her teens, then bulimia. She's now twenty two and is finding it difficult to cope.
She's prescribed antidepressants but stops taking them when she's plagued by terrifying thoughts and images of killing herself. These persist and, over the coming months, she makes two serious suicide attempts and is admitted to hospital several times.
Samantha is detained under the Mental Health Act for her own safety and is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The recommended treatment is psychotherapy. She's also offered antidepressants but the team don't think she's overtly depressed.
Samantha refuses all treatment - she's terrified of antidepressants and doesn't want to talk.
Three months on, she's discharged as the team don't think being in hospital is helping her. But her family believe it's the safest place for her.
When Samantha gets home she spends most of her time online on suicide chatrooms. The family monitor her activity and their concerns about her suicidal thoughts trigger further admissions to hospital.
However, the team are reluctant to keep her in hospital for long. They want to encourage her to take control of her life and engage with treatment, which she is still refusing. In contrast to most patients who are suicidal, Samantha seems to have the capacity to refuse treatment.
The senior psychiatrist on the team feels uneasy about the pattern that's emerging. He consults the clinical ethics committee to consider the best course of action. He also wants to know what constitutes capacity in this suicidal young woman.
Joan Bakewell and her panel discuss the issues.
Producer: Beth Eastwood.
Photo credit: Chris McGrath/ Getty Images
THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b062mhnn)
On the Move
The Leg Incident
In his vivid memoir, the neurologist and writer, Oliver Sacks explores how breaking his own leg led to new insights into how the brain works. He also recalls the difficulties that followed when he decided to write a book about this disquieting experience.
Read by Oliver Ford Davies.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton.
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b062mhnq)
Commonwealth Games 2014 - Two volunteers on how it changed their lives
A year ago today the Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow. It was the largest sporting event ever held in Scotland with nearly 5 thousand athletes from 71 countries and territories competing in 18 different sports. The success of the games relied on thousands of volunteers to help the events go smoothly Two of the volunteers Rebecca Smith and Jane McLaughlin tell us how volunteering twelve months ago for the Games has given them a whole new perspective on their lives.
What would you do if your teenager became violent towards you? Aggression and physical abuse are hidden issues that many parents are afraid to talk about for fear of being labelled bad parents. Advice on how to cope with angry and aggressive teenagers.
Who are the Queens of Crime fiction? Kicking off a new series looking at some of the top women writers, we talk about the Golden Age of crime fiction and its influence today
Plus as the Insolvency Service's annual figures show that for the first time the individual insolvency rate for women is higher than for men. We hear one woman's experience of filing for bankruptcy and look at what's behind the increase.
Presenter Jenni Murray
Producer Beverley Purcell.
THU 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b062mxfg)
Rachel's Cousins
Episode 4
Bobby seeks out his ex-wife and daughter to explain the risks of the BRCA2 gene.
Glasgow lawyer Rachel is dealing with the wayward relatives she's been brought up to ignore after discovering they share the BRCA2 cancer gene.
By Ann Marie Di Mambro.
Rachel..............................................................TAMARA KENNEDY
Marilyn.............................................................GABRIEL QUIGLEY
Josie.....................................................................KAREN BARTKE
Shirley.................. ............................................ SARAH McCARDIE
Bobby....................................... ............................ALAN McHUGH
Alex ........................................ ...............................ROBIN LAING
Kevin .................................................................STEVIE HANNAN
Becca...............................................................NICOLA JO CULLY
Carol...................................................................VERONICA LEER
Other parts are played by the cast.
Directed at BBC Scotland by Bruce Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
THU 11:00 Crossing Continents (b062mxfj)
South Africa Unplugged
South Africa is in crisis as the national electricity generator, Eskom, struggles to provide an adequate power supply and rolling blackouts hit the country on a regular basis. As Neal Razzell reports, there's now concern that jobs and growth are at risk from the power cuts, and the ruling ANC - which blames the problem on inheriting an apartheid-era network designed only for the white population - stands accused of complacency and incompetence.
Michael Gallagher producing.
THU 11:30 Time Noodles (b062mxfl)
In the West we are used to stand-up comics but in Japan they have sit-down comedy.
In Time Noodles, Chie Kobayashi introduces Radio 4 to the ancient comic story-telling art of Rakugo which dates back to the 18th Century and has changed little over the centuries. The comedian sits on his knees wearing traditional Kimono and performs entertaining dialogues between characters, taking on the different voices, expressions and mannerisms. Time Noodles is the title of a classic Rakugo tale based on two noodle-shop owners and their customers.
The style, structure and rich tradition of Rakugo has been handed down from generation to generation and from master to student - known as Deshi - over a number of years. Traditionally there were no female Rakugo-ka (performers) but now, thanks to Kimie Oshima that's changing fast. She's determined to translate and export this ancient art of laughter to English speaking audiences and poke fun at the stereotypical image of the humourless Japanese. English language Rakugo is inevitably different from the original, she says, but her ultimate goal is to make Rakugo as internationally popular as an art form as sushi is in global cuisine. Will she succeed - or is too much simply lost in translation?
Producer: Ruth Evans
A Ruth Evans production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 12:00 News Summary (b062hbj6)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 12:04 A History of Ideas (b062mxfp)
Philosopher Angie Hobbs on Plato's Philosopher Kings
Professor Angie Hobbs asks if the key to harmonious living could be found in Plato's Republic where he proposes that the ideal state be run by philosophers and not by those who seek power for their own ends.
Producer: Maggie Ayre.
THU 12:15 You and Yours (b06301g8)
Missed flight connections, Wine ingredients, Narcolepsy drugs
Airlines are being accused of deliberately selling flights with connections that customers are likely to miss. One company which acts on behalf of delayed air passengers says it has seen a rise in the number of complaints about exactly that. EUClaim has told You & Yours the same flights are regularly responsible for missed connections, and has come up with a "Top 10" of problem flights.
A really effective drug for treating narcolepsy, the condition where people fall asleep involuntarily, has been ruled as too expensive for the NHS. Only the most severe cases qualify, aside from a group of 80 people who developed the condition after taking the vaccine for swine flu. Others with the condition, who do not qualify, say that is unfair. Winifred Robinson hears from a woman whose daughter has the condition.
Plus, the You & Yours team has been studying the ingredients in a bottle of wine. We had heard about sulphites, but eggs and milk? We ask a regular vineyard visitor to explain.
Presented by Winifred Robinson
Produced by Natalie Donovan.
THU 12:57 Weather (b062hbj8)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b06301gb)
Rigorous analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Edward Stourton.
Rise of death in police custody; Labour leadership woes; America's cup returns to UK.
THU 13:45 Brits Abroad (b0645fwv)
Warsaw
Poland's growing economy is attracting an increasing number of Brits to Warsaw in search of business opportunities. Sarfraz Manzoor meets them and compares their experience with the half a million or so Poles who have settled in the UK.
Some, like the Cowen brothers, have brought British expertise to the Poland through business clubs - and an expanding chain of fitness gyms. Two other brothers also teach English, which is seen by Poles
as a passport to success and even a job requirement in Warsaw. Other Brits have left family and friends behind in UK to develop themselves and their careers.
Whatever the reason, the Polish offer a much warmer welcome to Brits than many Poles get in Britain.
Producer: Sara Parker
A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 14:00 The Archers (b062kc9x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Drama (b036twsz)
Alistair McGowan - Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear
Alistair McGowan's witty and poignant drama about his musical hero - the visionary and eccentric French composer Erik Satie and the three key relationships in his life.
Starring Alistair McGowan as Erik Satie, Nathaniel Parker as Claude Debussy, Imogen Stubbs as Suzanne Valadon and Charlotte Page as Paulette Darty.
Satie is now most famous for his delicate and dreamlike 'Gymnopedies', but he was a man ahead of his time - turning his back on the musical conventions of his day and composing spare, 'white' pieces with strange titles, such as 'Flabby Preludes for a Dog' and 'Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear'
But he was also a complex and solitary man. McGowan's drama looks at three key figures in Satie's life - his friend and rival, Claude Debussy; his first love, the artist Suzanne Valadon and the society soprano, Paulette Darty, for whom he nurtured a long, but undeclared, devotion.
But despite the poignancy of Satie's romantic life, this is a fresh and funny portrayal of an engagingly eccentric figure - a man who saved time deciding what to wear by buying seven, identical, yellow, corduroy suits (one for every day of the week) and who, for a time, consumed only white foods in the hope of instilling that simplicity and purity into his own body and music.
All other parts played by members of the company.
Directed by Emma Harding.
THU 15:00 Open Country (b062n1f5)
The North Antrim Coast
Helen Mark takes to the seas to explore the North Antrim Coastline, taking in Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede from the water.
She meets Robin Ruddock who teaches people to kayak along this coast and is joined by experts from Ulster Wildlife who tell her about the Living Seas project and the richness and diversity of marine life found in the waters off the North Antrim Coast.
Presenter: Helen Mark
Producer: martin Poyntz-Roberts.
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b062hn6q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:54 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Open Book (b062hx63)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:00 The Film Programme (b062n1f7)
Robert Carlyle, Pete Docter on Inside Out, Joseph Losey
With Francine Stock
The Full Monty and Trainspotting star Robert Carlyle discusses the challenges of directing himself in The Legend Of Barney Thomson and reveals which part of the job made him want to stick a fork in his eye.
Up director and producer Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera delve into the mind of a 11 year old for their latest animation, Inside Out, and discuss the research they conducted into human emotions, and the surprising conclusions they came to.
Joseph Losey, the director of The Servant and Modesty Blaise, is remembered by his wife Patricia who tells Francine what it was like on board Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's super-yacht. 'Mes Annees Avec Joseph Losey' by Patricia Losey is available now, in French.
THU 16:30 BBC Inside Science (b062n1f9)
Pluto's surface, Increased Arctic ice in 2013, Linking brains together, Signals of fertility
The New Horizons probe is now millions of miles past Pluto, journeying throgh the Kuiper Belt, but still sending back gigabytes of data coming in via the Deep Space Network. Its latest image of Pluto's surface was released by NASA on Wednesday, of huge mountains emerging from an otherwise flat plain, Dr John Spencer one of the lead scientists on New Horizons, a planetary geologist, discusses what's to be read into the surface images captured over the last week
A new paper just published in Nature Geoscience shows that in 2013, which was a slightly cooler summer than average, arctic ice had grown, by 41% on the previous year. The study, uses data from ESA's Cryosat 2, which incorporates not just the surface area of ice, but the all-important number - the volume Adam examines the results with Rachel Tilling from University College London.
Computing has taken a Sci fI step forward this month. Professor Miguel Nicollelis of Duke University, a specialist in brain machine interface experiments, has linked together the brains of four individual rats in order to use the computational power of their brains to carry out tasks including image processing, data retrieval, and even weather predictions. But could this have a therapeutic use in brain damage? Professor Andrew Jackson from Newcastle University, an expert in called 'neural prosthetics' examines the potential.
Across the animal kingdom, signals advertising when females are at their most fertile can be pretty striking. Humans are more subtle, though plenty of studies have shown that female behaviour and physiology does change during the menstrual cycle. A new study by Dr Robert Burriss from Northumbria University suggests that faces may be advertising a woman's most fertile time of the month. But are the traits too subtle for most people to notice?
Producer Adrian Washbourne.
THU 17:00 PM (b06301gd)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b062hbjb)
23/07/15 Discord in Labour leadership battle escalates
The discord and recriminations in the Labour leadership contest have intensified with one of Jeremy Corbyn's opponents saying it would be a disaster if he won.
THU 18:30 It's a Fair Cop (b062n1fc)
Series 2
Property Predicament
Policeman turned comic Alfie Moore gives himself a headache seizing items from a real-life Bob the Builder.
Series in which the audience makes the policing decisions as Alfie takes them through a real-life crime scenario.
Written and performed by Alfie Moore.
Script Editor: Will Ing
Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b062kcdv)
Ruth's up in Prudhoe as Pip updates her on farm progress over the phone. Ruth won't leave her mum Heather until she can get her to understand her situation - Heather needs proper care and will need to move into a home permanently. Ruth confides in Usha, who has travelled up with work and uses the trip for a catch up. Ruth feels guilty for sneaking around looking at places.
Toby invites Pip to join him round at Hollowtree for curry and a few beers. She teases him for his lack of knowledge about feed. Pip spells out her plans with the new job, which takes her to Brazil. Toby says that's terrible that she's going so soon. He flirtily thanks her for all her help in getting his business off the ground and they end up kissing.
Brian and Charlie agree details for some important shoots in November and December - Justin's inviting important guests to these ones and Brian says he and Will will be very accommodating. Brian asks Charlie for his advice - talking confidentially about Adam. Charlie says it was a mistake for Adam to give up on the maize, but tells Brian he should support Adam all the way. What's the alternative - getting a complete stranger in to run the farm?
THU 19:15 Front Row (b062n1ff)
Handel's Saul, Paul Murray, The Monkees, Life in squares
Samira Ahmed talks to opera director Barrie Kosky about his Glyndebourne production of Handel's Saul.
Irish writer Paul Murray talks about the follow-up to his hugely successful novel Skippy Dies. The Mark and The Void is a timely satire about the European financial crisis.
Priya Parmar reviews the BBC's new drama series about the Bloomsbury group, Life in Squares.
Plus Monkees fan Iain Lee, who has tracked down original mastertapes of Micky Dolenz's unreleased songs, and is now releasing them as a vinyl-only album.
THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b062mxfg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
THU 20:00 The Report (b0612hjs)
Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Sexual Abuse
In June, the High Court ruled that the Jehovah's Witnesses organisation was liable for sexual abuse committed by one of its members.
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain - to give the group its official name - had failed to take adequate safeguarding steps when senior members of the organisation were aware that a fellow Witness was a known paedophile.
It was the first civil case in the UK of historical sexual abuse brought against the Christian-based religious movement.
The BBC's Religious Affairs Correspondent, Caroline Wyatt, explores the implications of the Court's decision and investigates the Jehovah's Witnesses explicit policy of attempting to deal with all allegations of sexual abuse in-house.
The Report has gained access to confidential internal documents, sent out only to those who are senior in the Jehovah's Witnesses. These reveal the organisation's reluctance to involve the secular authorities in cases where a crime has been committed by one Witness against another.
Caroline Wyatt hears from former Witnesses who have suffered abuse and who claim that the organisation's doctrine and procedures have allowed offenders within the congregation to avoid prosecution.
Presenter: Caroline Wyatt
Producer: Hannah Barnes.
THU 20:30 The Bottom Line (b062n1fk)
Supermarkets
Food deflation, the rise of the discount grocers and continuing price wars. Evan Davis and guests discuss who are the long-term winners in the supermarkets' battle to gain market share.
Guests:
Mark Price, Managing Director, Waitrose
Steve Murrells, CEO, Co-operative Foods
Kevin Gunter, Chairman, Fulton's Foods
Producer:
Sally Abrahams.
THU 21:00 BBC Inside Science (b062n1f9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 today]
THU 21:30 Punt PI (b049p9yp)
Series 7
The Baker Street Bank Robbery
Steve Punt turns gumshoe, investigating curious rumours surrounding the Baker Street bank robbery of 1971.
Quite possibly the most audacious heist in British history, the robbers tunnelled into the bank's vault from the basement of a shop two doors down. They escaped with a haul worth an estimated £30 million today.
Though four robbers were convicted, intriguing claims persist - most notably that the security services mounted the heist to secure compromising photographs of a senior public figure.
Punt sifts the evidence, calls in the experts and attempts to establish fact from fiction.
Producer: Laurence Grissell.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b0630hf8)
Obama tells BBC his biggest disappointment is lack of progress on gun control.
President speaks exclusively to BBC's North America editor on eve of visit to Kenya
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b062n1fm)
The Girl on the Train
Episode 9
Paula Hawkins' international bestseller comes to BBC Radio 4 in this thrilling multi-voice narration starring Sally Hawkins, Lyndsey Marshal and Zoe Tapper.
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see: she's much more than just the girl on the train...
Readers:
Rachel ..... Sally Hawkins
Megan ..... Lyndsey Marshal
Anna ..... Zoe Tapper
Abridger ..... Neville Teller
Producer ..... Jenny Thompson.
THU 23:00 Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation (b04hyy1f)
Series 10
How to Define Oneself in Terms of Regional, Cultural and Geopolitical Identity Without Tears
Jeremy Hardy dispassionately examines the questions of nationality, identity and accents. The noo.
Helping him get to grips with the new world will be stand-up comedian Susan Murray and, broadly speaking, Scotsman Moray Hunter (Absolutely).
Few can forget where they were when they first heard "Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation". The show was an immediate smash-hit success, causing pubs to empty on a Saturday night, which was particularly astonishing since the show went out on Thursdays. The Light Entertainment department was besieged, questions were asked in the House and Jeremy Hardy himself became known as the man responsible for the funniest show on radio since Money Box Live with Paul Lewis.
Since that fateful first series, Jeremy went on to win Sony Awards, Writers Guild nominations and a Nobel Prize for Chemistry. He was a much-loved regular on both The News Quiz and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.
Written by Jeremy Hardy
Produced by David Tyler
A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2014. .
THU 23:30 China's Football Revolution (b05wz0kh)
Episode 1
China may be the most populous country in the world with growing importance on the global stage but, as football fan Clive Anderson discovers, international success at the world's most popular sport has eluded this vast country.
In Beijing and Guangzhou, Clive explores why China ranks only 82nd in the world and has only qualified for one World Cup, despite the huge popularity of football among fans.
Football in China has been plagued by years of corruption scandals, match fixing and bribery, and over 50 football officials were imprisoned in a crackdown in 2012. Clive speaks to a former Chinese player who found himself involved in the scandal, discussing how it has affected the game.
Does football really matter when the country is becoming so successful economically? The country's President Xi Jinping thinks it does. A football fan himself, he's issued a major reform to try and turn the game around and put China on a course to win the World Cup. He's even invited stars such as David Beckham to become an ambassador for the game.
Clive visits clubs, matches, and the largest football academy in the world, built by a multi-billion dollar property tycoon, to find out whether efforts to improve the national game are paying off.
The European leagues are also keen to get in on the Chinese game by training coaches. In the second programme, Clive considers what impact China's desire for football success has had on its relationship with the rest of the footballing world.
Produced by Jo Wheeler
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4.
FRIDAY 24 JULY 2015
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b062hbk8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b062mhnn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b062hbkb)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b062hbkd)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b062hbkj)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b062hbkl)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b062ztc0)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Sarah Joseph.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b062ncyj)
Neonics, Badger vaccines
Farming Minister George Eustice gives more details on Defra's decision to allow farmers to use controversial neonicotinoid seed treatments on 5% of the oilseed rape crop area. The pesticide has been linked to declines in bee populations and there's a two year ban on their use at EU level. Mr Eustice tells Charlotte Smith the ban is still in place - but emergency use has been granted for farmers in Suffolk. It's area worst hit by damage from flea beetles, which they claim has increased in number since the ban was put in place.
Also - why there's a shortage of badger vaccine for some vaccination programmes in England.
The producer is Sally Challoner.
FRI 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b03tj99h)
Wigeon
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
John Aitchison presents the wigeon. Wigeon are dabbling ducks and related to mallards and teal but unlike these birds Wigeon spend much of their time out of the water grazing waterside pastures with their short blue-grey bills. The drakes are handsome-looking birds with chestnut heads and a cream forehead which contrasts well with their pale grey bodies.
John Aitchison recorded a flock of wigeon, for Tweet listeners, on a pool in Norfolk where they had found a safe place to roost on an island.
FRI 06:00 Today (b062n4n2)
Morning news and current affairs. Includes Sports Desk, Weather, Thought for the Day.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b062hplj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b062n4n4)
On the Move
Ill Health and Love
The writer and physician Oliver Sacks finds love in today's episode of his candid memoir. First of all he confronts his own ill health and the effects on his eyesight which are disabling but also "enthralling".
Read by Oliver Ford Davies
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b062ncyl)
Abortion clinics and protest, Power List influencer Zanny Minton Beddoes, Prom composers
Tansy Davies joins fellow composer Shiori Usui to talk about the inspiration behind two very different pieces of work they've created for the Proms. Are protests outside abortion clinics having an impact on the provision of services to women? Labour MP Diane Abbott and Genevieve Edwards of Marie Stopes UK discuss. Power List influencer Zanny Minton Beddoes on reaching the eyes and ears of world leaders as editor-in-chief of The Economist. With hard working families high on the political agenda, we ask whether the needs of the traditional family - often with a stay at home parent - are being overlooked.
Presenter: Jenni Murray
Producer: Anne Peacock.
FRI 10:45 15 Minute Drama (b062n4n6)
Rachel's Cousins
Episode 5
When her boss offers her a promotion Rachel has to decide where her loyalties lie.
Glasgow lawyer Rachel is dealing with the wayward relatives she's been brought up to ignore after discovering they share the BRCA2 cancer gene.
Conclusion of Ann Marie Di Mambro's five-part drama.
Rachel..............................................................TAMARA KENNEDY
Marilyn.............................................................GABRIEL QUIGLEY
Josie.....................................................................KAREN BARTKE
Shirley.................. ............................................ SARAH McCARDIE
Bobby....................................... ............................ALAN McHUGH
Alex ........................................ ...............................ROBIN LAING
Kevin .................................................................STEVIE HANNAN
Becca...............................................................NICOLA JO CULLY
Carol...................................................................VERONICA LEER
Other parts are played by the cast.
Directed at BBC Scotland by Bruce Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
FRI 11:00 Who Wants to Be a Nurse? (b062n4n8)
Episode 2
Professional nursing bodies have long debated how best to train our nurses so that they have the mix of skills they need to serve patients well. Jenny Clayton follows a variety of nurses in training, to explore the purpose and future of nursing in the modern NHS.
In this second programme, Jenny meets nurses at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, who have carried on their training since they first qualified. She follows them as they reflect on their roles, from treating patients in A&E, to managing a complex care ward.
Ruth Palmer is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, which means she's trained to diagnose and treat a range of injuries and illnesses - someone with a broken arm, for example, might be assessed, put in plaster and discharged by Ruth, without ever seeing a doctor. "Some people don't want to be seen by 'just a nurse', but that's fine, that's their choice. Quite often the queue for the doctor's twice as long, but that's fine if that patient wants to see a doctor. But that very rarely happens."
Caroline Ashton is Ward Manager of a Complex Care Ward, which deals with patients with long term chronic conditions. "I'm probably known on the ward as the person that baths the most patients, because I think that's the time you have the opportunity to find out how the patient is."
Meanwhile, there's a shortage of nurses across the country. In the year to March 2014, hospitals in Essex spent £18 million on agency staff. We hear from a former nurse who left Princess Alexandra ten years ago, but who's now completed a Return to Practice course - part of an initiative to draw on the pool of nursing talent not currently working in the field.
Producer: Hannah Marshall
A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 11:30 Clare in the Community (b062n4nb)
Series 10
Sisters
Clare and her estranged sister are forced to co-operate with one another, in between some Sparrowhawk team lead self-defence training.
Sally Phillips is Clare Barker the social worker who has all the right jargon but never a practical solution.
A control freak, Clare likes nothing better than interfering in other people's lives on both a professional and personal basis. Clare is in her thirties, white, middle class and heterosexual, all of which are occasional causes of discomfort to her.
Clare continually struggles to control both her professional and private life In today's Big Society there are plenty of challenges out there for an involved, caring social worker. Or even Clare.
Written by Harry Venning and David Ramsden.
Clare ...... Sally Phillips
Brian ...... Alex Lowe
Nali/ Megan ...... Nina Conti
Ray ...... Richard Lumsden
Helen ...... Pippa Haywood
Simon ...... Andrew Wincott
Libby ...... Sarah Kendall
Joan/ Sarah Barker ...... Sarah Thom
Scarlett ...... Eleanor Curry
Stine Wetzel ...... Amelia Lowdell
Hunter ...... Neet Mohan
Dylan ...... Elliot Steel
Producer Alexandra Smith.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.
FRI 12:00 News Summary (b062hbkn)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 12:04 A History of Ideas (b062n4nd)
Philosopher Timothy Secret on Ancestor Worship
If we're to live well together we must first learn to live well with the dead, says Timothy Secret.
At traditional Chinese funerals money, and sometimes paper effigies of goods like washing machines and aeroplanes are burned so that the dead might be adequately equipped in the afterlife. To the Western onlooker this can feel strange but Timothy Secret believes we have something to learn.
For Confucius, the Chinese teacher and thinker, respect for and obedience to your parents is one of the most important rules to follow in life and Frances Wood, an expert in Chinese history and society explains why this applies even after their death: observing proper mourning rituals and then honouring your ancestors through twice yearly grave tending.
Darian Leader, a psychoanalyst, sets out how Western attitudes towards mourning and the dead have become disrupted veering between the two extremes of determined "closure" and "moving on" on the one hand and excessive obsession with the dead on the other.
Producer: Natalie Steed.
FRI 12:15 You and Yours (b062ncyn)
Bothies, Rail passenger assistance, Choose what you pay
Bothies: the beautiful places where you can stay for free. It's fifty years since a charity was set up to maintain basic shelters in remote parts of Britain. We spend the night at one in Kielder Forest in Northumberland and head to the Isle of Skye where the charity's first new-build bothy is about to open.
Passengers who need help getting on and off trains can book assistance in advance. But how reliable is the service?
As the Halle Orchestra becomes the latest outfit to let audiences choose what they pay we assess the success of similar schemes.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Jon Douglas.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b062hbkq)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b062ncyq)
As Turkish military aircraft have for the first time carried out air strikes inside Syria on the group that calls itself Islamic State, what does this mean for IS, and the Kurdish population of Syria and Turkey, who so far have led the fightback against IS?
We've the latest on plans to deal with Operation Stack, which is causing widespread disruption in Kent.
A report on why stress is causing a recruitment crisis amongst head teachers.
Former Environment Secretary Lord Deben passes the slide rule across the Government's Green credentials.
And...how much does motherhood damage careers?With Shaun Ley.
FRI 13:45 Brits Abroad (b0645fz0)
Bulgaria
Sarfraz Manzoor meets the British retirees who are moving to rural villages in Bulgaria and can have a good life on their UK pensions.
They can buy a house for as little as the cost of a 'second hand car', as younger Bulgarians abandon their homes for the city lights or opportunities in the cities or other countries like Britain.
Despite the fact that life is hard for Bulgarians, they welcome the Brits, recognising the benefits they bring to village life and the local economy. Retired Brits also benefit from the reciprocal health care and, when Sally Rickard had breast cancer, all her treatment was free and there were no waiting lists.
By contrast, Bulgarians often have to pay for medication and towards treatment. Such is the plight
of some of their Bulgarian neighbours that a group of Brits have set up a charity to help them.
None want to go back to UK and are worried that, if Britain left the EU, they wouldn't be able to afford to continue living in Bulgaria.
Producer: Sara Parker
A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b062kcdv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Drama (b062n4ng)
Rumpole
Rumpole and the Tap End
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Rumpole in a story written by John Mortimer and adapted by Richard Stoneman.
Tony Timson finds himself in hot water when charged with the attempted drowning of his wife April, while sharing a bath with her. Rumpole not only defends Tony but also protects Judge Guthrie Featherstone QC as he upsets women everywhere with sexist pronouncements about their proper place in the tub.
Rumpole and Tony Timson have a conference in Brixton Prison where Timson explains that April had been planning to wear outrageous clothes to a party on the night in question. The party was at the home of a friend, Chrissie. One of the party guests would be Peter ‘Peanuts’ Molloy. Molloys vs Timsons equals Montagues vs Capulets. Tony Timson says that April wound him up by suggesting Peanuts was more virile than he was.
Cast:
Horace Rumpole ….. Benedict Cumberbatch
Hilda Rumpole ….. Jasmine Hyde
Claude Erskine-Brown ..… Nigel Anthony
Tony Timson ..... Stephen Critchlow
Guthrie Featherstone ..... Julian Rhind-Tutt
Charles Hearthstoke ….. David Shaw-Parker
Phillida Erskine-Brown ….. Cathy Sara
Directed by Marilyn Imrie
Produced by Catherine Bailey
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b062n4nj)
Summer Garden Party
Eric Robson hosts the GQT Summer Garden Party from the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
Chris Beardshaw, Bob Flowerdew, Pippa Greenwood and Bunny Guinness answer questions from the marquee, Terry Walton provides the ultimate guide to running a greenhouse, and we listen in to some top tips from the Potting Shed.
Produced by Howard Shannon
Assistant Producer: Hannah Newton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 15:45 The Computer Speaks (b062n4nl)
Secondary Memory
An original short story for radio by Danielle McLaughlin.
Our relationship with computers is an intimate one. What do they know of our lives? And what would they say about us if they could speak? The second of three stories about computers finding their voice.
Danielle McLaughlin's stories have appeared in newspapers and magazines such as The Stinging Fly, The Irish Times, The Penny Dreadful, Long Story, Short and The New Yorker. She is currently Editor for Short Stories in English at Southword Journal. Her debut collection of short stories, Dinosaurs on Other Planets, will be published in Ireland in October 2015 by The Stinging Fly Press, and in the UK (John Murray), US (Random House) and Germany (Luchterhand) in 2016.
Producer: Mair Bosworth
Reader: Samuel Barnett.
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b062ndjr)
Scot Breithaupt, E. L. Doctorow, Claudia Alexander, Ron Pollard, Magali Noel
Matthew Bannister on space scientist Claudia Alexander, bookie Ron Pollard, author E.L. Doctorow, BMX pioneer Scot Breithaupt, actress Magali Noel.
FRI 16:30 Feedback (b062ndjt)
The Government has opened the public consultation period on the future of the BBC - but how much impact will your views have on their decision? The BBC Trust has also launched its own public consultation. Some Feedback listeners say they're confused about the process and what they're being consulted on. Roger Bolton sheds some light on the process.
For the last three weeks, Radio 4's One to One interview has featured Selina Scott looking at the world of ghostly apparitions. The series has drawn criticism from some listeners, who felt that a more scientific and challenging approach was needed. Series Producer Lucy Lunt discusses whether there is a place on Radio 4 for the spiritual and non-scientific.
Feedback about the quality of science reporting often appears in our inbox - some listeners cry 'oversimplification' and 'sensationalism'. But in this week's programme we hear from a listener with cautious praise for a Today Programme report on a possible link between tobacco and psychosis. Journalists dealing with health and science have to report in a world of competitive academia and commercial pharmaceuticals, with reports and studies vying for influence and publicity. Roger speaks to the BBC's Health Correspondent Jane Dreaper, to find out how she approaches reporting scientific research and potential medical breakthroughs.
And finally, Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher sat down with Kirtsy Young to choose his Desert Island Discs this week. While some listeners thought that the Britpop Mancunian wasn't really Desert Island Discs material, many others praised the programme for revealing Gallagher's softer side.
Producer: Katherine Godfrey
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 16:55 The Listening Project (b062n4nn)
Jo and Louis - Dream School
Fi Glover with a conversation between a mother and her nine-year old son. Being home-schooled is preferable to his experience at school, but he knows what would suit him better. Another in the series that proves it's surprising what you hear when you listen.
The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation with someone close to them about a subject they've never discussed intimately before. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation - they're not BBC interviews, and that's an important difference - lasts up to an hour, and is then edited to extract the key moment of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in the second decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject
Producer: Marya Burgess.
FRI 17:00 PM (b062ndjw)
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b062hbks)
24/07/15: Aylesbury child sex ring convicted
Six men found guilty of repeatedly abusing two schoolgirls over several years
Turkey to continue attacks against Islamic State
And the new bomb-proof "flybag" for planes
FRI 18:30 The Now Show (b062n4nq)
Series 46
Episode 4
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with Gemma Whelan, Jon Holmes and Mitch Benn present the week's news through stand-up and sketches. This week the cast are joined by Elis James and BBC Technology Correspondant Rory Cellan-Jones.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b062kcpf)
Debbie's heading home. Jennifer wonders why Kate is meeting up with a friend who did Business studies. (Debbie knows about Kate's business idea but says nothing).
Jim grapples with his crossword - something he usually does with Christine. Kenton says he can always pop round to see her at the Lodge. Jim's clearly a bit down. He admits he's nervous about Susan's plans for the village shop - it could lose all its character. Kenton's planning the renovation for The Bull, eagerly showing Jim the ground plans.
Brian's considering bringing someone in to Home Farm to work with Adam and oversee him. Debbie can't believe it and warns Brian not to drive Adam away. Debbie worries about going back to Hungary and leaving her family in 'melt down'. After some persuasion from Debbie, Brian accepts that Adam has earned the right to fail. Brian admits that David has been raving about Adam's ability. Charlie seems to think he's God's gift!
Debbie senses that something went on between Charlie and Adam and asks him about it - he just seems different around Charlie. She points out that he and Ian still haven't set a date for their wedding. Adam assures Debbie there's nothing going on. Debbie accepts this, but not without pointing out what a bad idea casual flings are.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b062ndjy)
The Legend of Barney Thomson, Annie Nightingale and Pete Tong, Michael Morpurgo, York galleries
Robert Carlyle's directorial debut The Legend of Barney Thomson, in which he stars alongside Emma Thompson, is reviewed by Hannah McGill.
As DJ Pete Tong prepares to host the first Radio 1 Prom at the Albert Hall next week, he and Annie Nightingale reflect on the rise and rise of dance music.
Writer Michael Morpurgo and Cornwall-based Kneehigh Theatre's artistic director Emma Rice discuss 946, a new stage adaptation of his book The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, set amid the secretive and tragic Second World War D-Day landing rehearsals in South Devon.
Yorkshire Art Gallery re-opens next week after a £8m redevelopment. Janet Barnes, CEO of Yorkshire Museums Trust, discusses the new space and the gallery's controversial decision to charge an entry fee.
Presenter John Wilson
Producer Jerome Weatherald.
FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b062n4n6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b062n4ns)
Frank Field MP, Claire Fox, Robert Halfon MP, Michael Morpurgo
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Exeter Further Education College with a panel including the new Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee Frank Field MP, the founder and director of the think tank the Institute of Ideas, the Minister without Portfolio and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Robert Halfon MP, and the former Children's Laureate, writer and founder of Farms for City Children Michael Morpurgo.
FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b062n4nv)
Peter Aspden: In Love with Greece
Peter Aspden thinks the powerful influence of Greece, both ancient and modern, on European sensibilities makes the current economic crisis full of emotionally charged symbolism.
"I often think that the hostility between Greece and its harshest current antagonist Germany, for example, is best seen as a furious tiff between former lovers."
Producer: Sheila Cook.
FRI 21:00 A History of Ideas (b062n4nx)
Omnibus
How Should We Live Together?
A new history of ideas presented by Melvyn Bragg but told in many voices. An opportunity to hear all this week's programmes in this Omnibus edition.
Melvyn is joined by four guests with different backgrounds to discuss a really big question. This week he's asking 'How should we live together?'
Helping him answer it are the historian Justin Champion, economist Kate Barker, and the philosophers Angie Hobbs and Timothy Secret.
Across the week Justin, Kate, Angie and Timothy took us further into the question, with programmes of their own. They examined ideas about tolerating others, respecting our ancestors, the morality of the Free Market, and Plato's ideas about the importance of philosopher rulers.
This omnibus edition has all five programmes together.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b062hbkv)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b062ndk0)
Amber Rudd: I'm no climate change denier
New Climate Secretary says Conservatives committed to taking action
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b062n4nz)
The Girl on the Train
Episode 10
Paula Hawkins' international bestseller comes to BBC Radio 4 in this thrilling multi-voice narration starring Sally Hawkins, Lyndsey Marshal and Zoe Tapper.
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see: she's much more than just the girl on the train...
Readers:
Rachel ..... Sally Hawkins
Megan ..... Lyndsey Marshal
Anna ..... Zoe Tapper
Abridger ..... Neville Teller
Producer ..... Jenny Thompson.
FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b062kg74)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:27 China's Football Revolution (b05xj1ql)
Episode 2
China, a country of over 1.3 billion people, is riding high on the global stage. But success at the world's most popular sport is eluding the nation.
In the second part of his series on the growth of football in China, Clive Anderson explores the relationship between Britain and China as President Xi Jinping embarks on a massive football reform programme.
Clive visits a school in Beijing where PE teachers are being trained by Premier League coaches, and he explores how foreign players are being imported to improve the Chinese game. Even David Beckham has been hired as a Chinese football Ambassador.
But can China achieve the same success at football as it has in Olympic sports - and what impact might this have on its relationship with the rest of the world?
Produced by Jo Wheeler
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 23:55 The Listening Project (b062n4p1)
Nabbs and Maria - The Relapse and the Relationship
Fi Glover with a couple whose happy relationship was put at risk by his relapse into addiction, but who are making tentative steps to re-build what was lost. Another in the series that proves it's surprising what you hear when you listen.
The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation with someone close to them about a subject they've never discussed intimately before. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation - they're not BBC interviews, and that's an important difference - lasts up to an hour, and is then edited to extract the key moment of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in the second decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject
Producer: Marya Burgess.