SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2023

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m001jszf)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 00:30 Travellers to Unimaginable Lands: Dementia, Carers and the Hidden Workings of the Mind by Dasha Kiper (m001jspg)
Episode 5

By Dasha Kiper

Compassionate case studies into dementia disorders that put both the person with dementia and the carer-giver at the centre, drawing on neuroscience and psychology to illuminate this condition and its effects.

Episode 5 looks at the impact of trauma on a mother and son and the hope that’s found in conversation.

Reader: Teresa Gallagher
Abridger: Christine Entwisle
Producer: Kirsty Williams


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001jszr)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001jt02)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001jt0g)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (m001jt0s)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001jt15)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rev Lynne Gibson.


SAT 05:45 Lent Talks (m001jt1h)
The People's Prayer - Thy Will Be Done

Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates experienced the heartache of baby loss five times between 2007 and 2011.

Zoe speaks about their grief, the impact it had on their lives and their faith, and how they turned to God in prayer in their darkest moments. In mourning for their children, they decided that they needed to bring something positive out of the pain and have since worked to shed a light on this issue, to break the taboos that surround it, and to support all those who has suffered baby loss.

Jesus' words in the Garden of Gethsemane, 'Not my will, but yours' have been spoken to people down the ages. He prayed for the suffering to be taken away from him. But then submitted to God's will.

But in the face of such tragedy, how can that be accepted as God's will? When the hand that life has dealt is not as you hoped, can we still pray 'Thy will be done'? Is it the will of God that they should feel such pain and suffering? Is this really all God's plan?

In this series six people reflect on Jesus' ministry, teaching and Passion from a deeply personal perspective focussing on words from The Lord's Prayer. Their life experience is echoed by the words of The Lord's Prayer. These are words shared across Christian denominations but they go further; they are part of our culture and tradition. They express universal themes that speak to the hopes and dreams of humanity, bringing together both spiritual and physical needs.

It could really be thought of as The People’s Prayer.

Producer: Katharine Longworth


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m001k0jh)
The latest news headlines. Including the weather and a look at the papers.


SAT 06:07 Ramblings (m001jsxr)
High Winds & Hail on Orkney

Clare explores the wild and stormy west coast of mainland Orkney in the company of beachcomber, conservationist and former Polar-guide, Martin Gray. Their plan to walk along the cliffs between Yesnaby and Marwick Bay were stymied by consistently high winds of around 60mph. Instead they watched the churning ocean at Yesnaby, drove to the Bay of Skaill for a walk along the rocky beach, then headed up to Birsay for a very slightly more sheltered walk to the Earl's Palace.

This is the first of three consecutive Orkney walks. Next week Clare is with Sandra Miller of Historic Environment Scotland walking from the Stones of Stenness to the Ring of Brodgar.

Presenter: Clare Balding
Producer, for BBC Audio in Bristol: Karen Gregor


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m001k0js)
Imported meat labelled as British has been sold by a retailer which advertises that it sells only British meat. The National Food Crime Unit is investigating after discovering that one of the retailers' suppliers has been selling it what's described as 'large volumes' of pre-packed South American and European beef, labelled as British. Ten years after the horse meat scandal, we ask how this sort of fraud can happen.

Hill farmers describe new government payment scheme as "the greatest catastrophe for nature and farming in a lifetime". New figures from DEFRA show payments for upland farmers will be down 65% under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme or ELMS, compared to previous payments under the old EU system. Author and hill farmer James Rebanks says it will force farmers to increase the number of livestock they keep - the opposite of what the government says it wants. Farming minister Mark Spencer defends DEFRA's plans.

As parts of the country struggle with snow, farmers in the east of England are hoping for more rain. East Anglia has had the driest February since 1959 - the third driest on record. We find out how farms are changing what they grow, to cope with a lack of water.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney


SAT 06:57 Weather (m001k0k3)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 07:00 Today (m001k0kf)
Including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m001k0kp)
Lang Lang

Lang Lang joins Nikki Bedi and Danny Wallace. The internationally renowned pianist has sold millions of albums and performed around the world. He started playing the piano age three and to follow his dreams his family made significant sacrifices. Lang Lang talks about his path to success, and why he wants to encourage others to perform. You can watch Lang Lang on The Piano, Channel 4 and his Disney Book album is out now.

Until recently, Zainab Alema was working as a neonatal nurse. However, in 2021, she decided to follow her dream of becoming the first black Muslim woman to play rugby for England. Since then, she’s been committing to her life on the pitch whilst balancing the raising of three young children at the same time.

Francis Bourgeois aka The Train Guy began making videos on trainspotting in early 2021 and quickly became an internet sensation. Since then he has achieved cult status, and millions of followers, championing unadulterated joy and the importance of embracing your passions. You can read about his adventures in The Trainspotter's Notebook.

George Webster shares his Inheritance Tracks: I Feel by Teddy Thompson and Any Dream Will Do from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Iszi Lawrence is a comedian with a fascination for history, You can hear her on Radio 4’s Your Place or Mine alongside Shaun Keaveny, and she writes children’s historical adventures - the latest books are The Time Machine Next Door: Explorers and Milkshakes and The Time Machine Next Door: Scientists and Stripy Socks.

Producer Claire Bartleet


SAT 10:30 Rewinder (m001k0kz)
Stand By Your Ham

Greg James, host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and self-confessed 'proud radio nerd', is renewing his Access All Areas pass to the BBC Archives, to track down audio gems, using current stories as a launchpad, along with requests from listeners and overlooked anniversaries.

This week, to mark 25 years since mega-blockbuster Titanic was released in cinemas, Greg looks back in the archives for the Oscar-winning superstar Kate Winslet. He finds her very first acting role aged just 15 in children's sci-fi drama Dark Season - which also happened to be the writing debut of Doctor Who's Russell T Davies...Greg talks to Russell about his memories of young Kate. The success of Titanic gave Kate her pick of TV appearances, so naturally she decided she wanted to appear on Ready Steady Cook alongside the inimitable Ainsley Harriott...what will he rustle up with a crab and an iceberg lettuce?

Greg turns the clock back 50 years to 1973, the year when Uri Geller became an instant radio and TV sensation, re-creating drawings sealed in envelopes, and affecting clocks, watches and cutlery, with appearances on the Dimbleby Talk-In, presented by David Dimbleby. Greg's finds includes letters from the BBC archives from listeners happily sharing the transformations they witnessed in their homes - including an irate couple whose electric clock stopped at 11.05pm during the Dimbleby show. They demanded compensation, assuring the BBC 'we are not cranks'. The BBC lawyers soon became involved.

And after Greg offered a Meet and Greet with his dog Barney as a prize during Radio 1's Jan Slam giveaway month (other prizes included FA Cup final and Glastonbury tickets), he takes a look at other unexpected prizes across the decades. Gammon, anyone?

Producer Tim Bano


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m001k0l7)
As the Government unveils its long-awaited plan to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats, Ben Riley-Smith of The Daily Telegraph is joined by the former Home Secretary, Lord Blunkett, and Conservative MP, Danny Kruger. With the civil service in the spotlight following two separate rows involving senior mandarins, Ben speaks to the former Head of the Civil Service, Lord Kerslake. Conservative peer and former pensions minister, Baroness Altmann, and chief executive of the New Economics Foundation and Labour Parliamentary candidate, Miatta Fahnbulleh, discuss the ways in which the Government could encourage more people back in to work. And, following the first Anglo-French summit in five years, Ben brings together former UK Ambassador to Paris and Washington, Sir Peter Westmacott, and French journalist, Agnes Poirier, to examine Rishi Sunak's diplomacy.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m001k0lg)
South Africa's Rolling Blackouts

Kate Adie presents stories from South Africa, Russia, Japan, New York, and Ukraine.

Unprecedented power cuts has seen South Africa's national power company become the butt of jokes, but the continual outages are hitting the country's already struggling economy. Ed Habershon reveals how people adapt when the traffic lights stop working.

Vladimir Putin’s sabre-rattling has become a permanent feature on Russian state-run media, since the invasion of Ukraine began. But a more subtle device the Russian President has employed, is to appeal to Russia’s sense of victim-hood. Francis Scarr reveals the impact this daily narrative has had on his old friends in Russia.

Japan struggles with diversity and female representation in both its commercial and political spheres. Shaimaa Khalil met Tokyo’s first female district mayor, who is breaking through the barriers of tradition, to ensure women are seen and heard.

Puppy ownership saw a surge during the pandemic, as people discovered the joys of a four-legged companion during lockdown. In New York, the dog of choice for many was a doodle – a poodle hybrid. But there is now a growing backlash against the now ubiquitous doodle, as Laura Trevelyan reports from the dog parks of Brooklyn.

Transcarpathia, on the far western edge of Ukraine, is a mosaic of nationalities, languages and religious identities which once made up the Austro-Hungarian empire. But the strains of emigration, war, and displaced populations from elsewhere in the country, are erasing cultural differences, and creating a more uniform Ukraine, reports Nick Thorpe.

Producers: Serena Tarling & Emma Close
Researcher: Bethan Ashmead
Production coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SAT 12:00 News Summary (m001k0lr)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 12:04 Money Box (m001k0m0)
HMRC National Insurance deadline extended

Felicity Hannah hears how HMRC have extended the National Insurance top up deadline after a surge in calls plus a listener asks if a drop in house prices means they should worry about negative equity?

Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Editor: Clare Worden
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researcher: Eimear Devlin
Studio Manager: Olivia Miceli


SAT 12:30 The News Quiz (m001jsw5)
Series 110

Episode 11

Andy Zaltzman quizzes the week's news. For our final episode of this series Andy is joined by panellists Chris McCausland, Andy Hamilton, Anushka Asthana and Ria Lina.

This week, we’ll tackle the Migrant Bill, WhatsAppgate, and The Future (how mysterious).

Hosted and written by Andy Zaltzman with additional material from Alice Fraser, Laura Claxton, Catherine Brinkworth, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, and Cody Dahler.

Producer: Sam Holmes
Executive Producer: James Robinson
Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries
Sound Editor: Marc Willcox

A BBC Studios Production


SAT 12:57 Weather (m001k0mc)
The latest weather forecast


SAT 13:00 News and Weather (m001k0mq)
The latest national and international news and weather reports from BBC Radio 4


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m001jsx4)
Alison McGovern MP, Chris Philp MP, Enver Solomon, Richard Tice

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from the University of Birmingham School with Labour MP and Shadow Employment Minister Alison McGovern, Conservative MP and Minister for Crime, Police and Fire Chris Philp, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council Enver Solomon and the Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice.
Producer: Camellia Sinclair
Lead broadcast engineer: John Cole


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (m001k0my)
Have your say on the issues discussed on Any Questions?


SAT 14:45 Opening Lines (m001k0n4)
Porgy (Episode 1)

The series that takes a look at books, plays and stories and how they work. John Yorke examines Porgy by Edwin DuBose Heyward.

Published in 1925, Porgy was an immediate hit and was later adapted both for the stage and the blockbuster musical Porgy and Bess.

In this first of two episodes about Porgy, John looks at the story at the heart of the original novel and the background of the remarkable man who wrote it. How and why did Edwin DuBose Heyward, the epitome of the intellectual, Southern, white, gentleman write this best-selling classic about a love story set within a poor, African American community in the deep South?

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for nearly 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Drama series.

From EastEnders to the Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless, he has been obsessed with telling big popular stories. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe and has brought together his experience in his bestselling book Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama. As founder of the hugely successful BBC Writers Academy John has trained a generation of screenwriters - his students have had 17 green-lights in the last two years alone.

Contributors:
Dr Kendra Hamilton, Professor of American Literature at Presbyterian College
James M. Hutchisson , biographer of Dubose Heyward.

Produced by Alison Vernon-Smith
Executive Producer: Sara Davies
Sound: Sean Kerwin
Researcher: Nina Semple
Production Manager: Sarah Wright

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 15:00 Drama (m001k0nb)
Bess Loves Porgy

A musical love story for today - radically updating the iconic novella, Porgy by Edwin DuBose Heyward (the basis for Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess), to modern London.

With specially composed music produced by Mercury Prize nominated music producer Swindle with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and from a script by Roy Williams OBE.

With resonant, timeless themes and mythical characters, the story of Porgy and his love for Bess transcends generations and is as heartbreaking today as when it was written.

Its themes resonate - star-crossed lovers, an embattled community, sacrifice and ultimate redemption, during one hot London summer of passion and violence.

In our version, set in South London today, Porgy is an underground, anonymous grime/rap artist whose life and music are changed forever when he meets Bess. Their love, and the musical journey they go on together, gives him the courage to shed his anonymity and perform his music openly. Porgy lives with a disability but this is not a story about disability. It’s about falling in love, finding your voice and being true to yourself.

Cast:
BESS ..... Gabrielle Brooks
ANON/PORGY ...... Reece Pantry
CROWN ..... Fehinti Balogun
SPORTING LIFE ..... Idris Debrand
JACKI ..... Erin Doherty
CARLY ..... Jade Anouka
ROBBIE ..... Ray Fearon
AMIRA ..... Shobna Gulati
DYER ..... Phil Daniels
PASTOR ….. Jumoké Fashola
DJ ….. Jocelyn Jee Esien

SOUND RECORDIST ….. Alisdair McGregor
SOUND DESIGNER ….. Lucinda Mason Brown
SOUND ASSISTANT ….. Makashe Ogbon
LINE PRODUCER ….. Sarah Tombling
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ….. Jacob Tombling
STILLS ….. Kim Lang Studio
MUSIC CONSULTANT ….. Ray Paul / The PMG
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ….. Nick Eziefula
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ….. Polly Thomas

Original Music Produced and Written by Swindle
With lyrics by Eva Lazarus and TEE
Arranged and Orchestrated by Neil Waters
Performed by the Cast with the BBC Concert Orchestra
Conducted by Tom Kelly

Written by Roy Williams
Inspired by ‘Porgy’ by Edwin DuBose Heyward
Produced by Gill Parry
Directed by Michael Buffong

Supported by the PRS Foundation

A feral inc production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m001k0nj)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Malala Yousafzai, Grassroots sport, Talking about not having children

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist and the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Since she was shot by a member of the Taliban at just 15, Malala has spent nearly a decade fighting for the educational rights of girls and women across the globe. Now she’s turning her attention to Hollywood, as Executive Producer of the short documentary film Stranger At The Gate. She shares why she’s made this move into the world of film.

What happens if you and your partner disagree on whether or not to have children? If you have different opinions, do you walk away from an otherwise happy relationship? Relationship counsellor Val Sampson and Woman’s Hour listener Sarah discuss the healthiest ways to navigate the situation.

As the selection of finalists for the Woman's Hour Power List 2023 gets well underway, we speak to one woman who’s been put forward for consideration. Yvette Curtis is the founder of Wave Wahines, a surf club for women and girls. She talks about the power of grassroots sport and the importance of diversity in surfing.

One month after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation. But why are women and girls disproportionately feeling the aftershocks of the disaster? Novelist and political scientist Elif Shafak shares updates on the situation.

Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, wrote the hits ‘Ball N’ Chain’ and ‘Hound Dog’ which won Elvis Presley great acclaim. But why is her contribution to rock and roll rarely recognised? The poet, writer and performer Pamela Sneed discusses the life and legacy of Big Mama Thornton.

Presenter: Krupa Padhy
Producer: Hatty Nash


SAT 17:00 PM (m001k0nw)
Full coverage of the day's news


SAT 17:30 Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (m001k0p7)
The Suella Braverman One

In the week the government introduced tough, controversial new rules on stopping illegal immigrants entering the UK, Nick Robinson talks to the home secretary, Suella Braverman, about her father's journey to Britain while fleeing persecution in Kenya, how her mum's admiration for Margaret Thatcher introduced her to the Conservative Party and how she, as the wife of a Jewish man, feels when people compare her policies with those of 1930s Germany.


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m001k0pl)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SAT 17:57 Weather (m001k0py)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 18:00 Six O' Clock News (m001k0q5)
BBC sport presenters and pundits refuse to take part in programmes throughout the day.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m001k0qg)
Gordon Buchanan, Soweto Kinch, Juliet Cowan, Shamim Sarif, Enny, Athena Kugblenu, Clive Anderson

Clive Anderson and Athena Kugblenu are joined by Gordon Buchanan, Soweto Kinch, Juliet Cowan and Shamim Sarif for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Soweto Kinch and Enny.


SAT 19:00 Profile (m001k0nx)
Lesley Paterson

Scottish screenwriter Lesley Paterson’s debut film, All Quiet on the Western Front, has won seven BAFTAs and has nine Oscar nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay. It took her and co-writer Ian Stokell sixteen years to get their script to screen, with Netflix and German director, Edward Berger.

On the way, Paterson competed in extreme off-road triathlons, winning five world titles and putting the prize money towards the adaptation rights for the novel. Now the movie is winning awards and provoking debate among critics.

Timandra Harkness talks to family, friends and colleagues about Paterson’s childhood going to ballet classes with knees still muddy from rugby, her journey from Stirling to Hollywood, and how her drive to win has got her through every challenge.

Presenter: Timandra Harkness
Production team: Sally Abrahams, Georgia Coan and Nathan Gower
Editor: Simon Watts
Sound engineer: Neva Missirian


SAT 19:15 The Infinite Monkey Cage (p0f1wcp1)
Series 26

How to Commit the Perfect Murder

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Susan Calman, Prof Sue Black and Dr Julia Shaw as they invent Infinite Monkey Cluedo, and discover whether they can commit the perfect murder, or whether the latest forensic science will always be able to piece the clues together. They reveal whether the perfect crime or perfect criminal really exists and how we might spot them, and how the latest forensic techniques have transformed even decades-old murder cases. The panel also discuss how the courtroom has changed with the development of ever-more advanced forensic techniques, but also where the weakness in the science might lie.

Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem


SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m001k0qr)
The Wheeler Century

Born on March 23rd, 1923, Charles Wheeler first joined the BBC as a lowly sub-editor on the Empire Service, and became one of its most revered reporters.

He was known as a disruptor who dared sail close to the wind, but always got the facts right. In the 1990’s, he publicly stood up to Director General John Birt’s idea of constructed news, stating simply that it was the reporter’s job to find the story, then the reporter’s job to tell the story.

While viewers were drawn in by his craggy features and gimlet-eyed pieces to camera, Charles Wheeler became a totemic figure for generations of broadcast journalists. He reported on the aftermath of the end of Empire in India, witnessed the civil rights struggle in America, Watergate and the birth of a European vision, analysed Britain’s struggles with multi-racialism, and human rights excesses around the world.

Long after contemporaries had retired to the comfort of a studio desk job, he maintained a heavy work load, reporting for Newsnight on Kurdish refugees fleeing Saddam Hussain, breaking the news of the existence of Monica Lewinsky’s “stained dress”, and presenting powerful and immersive historical documentary series on Radio 4.

As Berliners celebrated the fall of the Wall, Charles Wheeler berated Jeremy Paxman for “trying to host a serious political discussion in the middle of a fireworks display”. “This is pure Monty Python,” he pronounced as the programme’s presenter floundered.

In this programme, Charles' daughter Shirin Wheeler reflects on her father’s achievements and his legacy in the era of fake news and social media.

Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 21:00 Stone (b09m18rh)
Series 7

Episode 10

Stone - series finale episode 10 written by Vivienne Harvey

A devastated DCI Stone urges his team to bring the truth to light and finally get justice for the victims.

Written by Vivienne Harvey
Created by Danny Brocklehurst
Script Editor Caitlin Crawford
Director Nadia Molinari
Producers: Gary Brown and Nadia Molinari

Series:
DCI John Stone investigates the suspicious death of a man in a fire at a homeless hostel. Stone's enquiries lead him to re-examine a murder he worked on twenty years before in order to solve the case. In doing so he uncovers a web of lies and deceit that make him face past mistakes and lead to personal trauma.


SAT 21:45 The Skewer (m001jt92)
Series 8

Episode 5

Jon Holmes's The Skewer twists itself into current affairs. This week - Refugee Regatta, Rogue Royal Landlords, and the fable of The Frog and the Journalist.

Producer: Jon Holmes

An unusual production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:00 News (m001k0qy)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:15 Moral Maze (m001jt8c)
Breach of Trust

Breach of Trust

When the journalist Isabel Oakeshott broke her promise and passed Matt Hancock's personal WhatsApp messages to the Daily Telegraph, was she morally justified in doing so? She didn't just go back on her word to the former health secretary, but broke a legally-binding Non Disclosure Agreement. She claims that "no journalist worth their salt" would have acted otherwise and insists her obligations to Mr Hancock were outweighed by the public interest served by releasing the messages. But others see it differently. It was, they claim, a decision aimed at promoting her own view that government lockdown measures during the pandemic were excessive. Journalists often cite the "public interest" when it can seem that their actions are more about advancing a particular cause, or about selling their story because the "public are interested".

Aside from journalism, when is a breach of trust justified in any human relationship? For many professionals, there's an understanding that confidentiality does sometimes have to be broken. The police, social workers, doctors, teachers and even the clergy grapple with often difficult judgements about the morality of betraying trust. At times, promises are broken with the justification that it's for "the greater good". But is there really no such a thing as a truly solemn "never to be broken" promise? Or are all our confidences, our shared stories and discreet conversations rather loose arrangements, conditional on other loyalties and pressures? In our personal relationships, should we be less ready to make promises we can't keep, and also avoid asking others to do the same? What are the moral limits to our obligation to keep a secret, and how can we know when it's right to breach someone's trust?

Producer: Jonathan Hallewell
Presenter: William Crawley
Editor: Helen Grady


SAT 23:00 Counterpoint (m001jsbt)
Series 36

Heat 9, 2023

(9/13)
There's only one place left in the semi-finals of this year's series and it will go to the winner of today's contest, which comes from the Radio Theatre in London. There are questions and musical extracts covering the widest possible range of music, from Puccini and Haydn to Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross. The competitors will also have to choose a topic on which to answer a round of individual questions, without having any warning of the topics on offer.

Appearing in the final heat are:
Jo East from Orpington in Kent
Anne Durkin from Elland in West Yorkshire
Gary Nichol from Edinburgh.

Paul Gambaccini brings his impeccable expertise to the questionmaster's chair.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner
Producer: Paul Bajoria


SAT 23:30 The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed (m001jshn)
Loyle Carner

Loyle Carner talks to Simon Armitage in his own creative 'shed' - Hackney Road studios in London where he spend much of lockdown writing and also recorded his latest acclaimed album Hugo. Their conversation ranges from writing lyrics and poetry, to family and fatherhood , cooking and creating genreless music. Chilli Con Carner is a cooking school Loyle runs for children with ADHD , something close to his heart as he has a diagnosis for both ADHD and dyslexia .
His debut album Yesterday's Gone released in 2017, was nominated for the Mercury Prize. He gives his mother Jean airtime here to recite a poem she's written about her eldest son. His second - Not Waving but Drowning - the title of a poem by Stevie Smith , continues to show his love of poetry.
Becoming a father himself in 2020 comes into the conversation along with the importance of his musician step-father as a guiding influence, and the cultural significance of food growing up especially the cuisine of Guyana - home to his birth father.

Produced by Susan Roberts

SUNDAY 12 MARCH 2023

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m001k0r7)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 00:15 Understand: The Economy (m001fxjm)
Series 1

The Economy: 9. International Trade and Currency Markets

The reason we can eat pineapples and sell aeroplane parts. But why might the value of the pound fall and what does that mean if it does? Tim Harford explains who wins and who loses if the pound is cheap against the dollar and economic historian Victoria Bateman tells the story of a trade deal with Portugal that flooded England with wine and Port.

Everything you need to know about the economy and what it means for you. This podcast will cut through the jargon to bring you clarity and ensure you finally understand all those complicated terms and phrases you hear on the news. Inflation, GDP, Interest rates, and bonds, Tim Harford and friends explain them all. We’ll ensure you understand what’s going on today, why your shopping is getting more expensive or why your pay doesn’t cover your bills. We’ll also bring you surprising histories, from the war hungry Kings who have shaped how things are counted today to the greedy merchants flooding Spain with Silver coins. So if your eyes usually glaze over when someone says ‘cutting taxes stimulates growth’, fear no more, we’ve got you covered.

Guest: Professor Richard Davies, The University of Bristol

Producer: Phoebe Keane

Researcher: Drew Hyndman

Editor: Clare Fordham

Theme music: Don’t Fret, Beats Fresh Music

A BBC Long Form Audio Production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 00:30 Bottle Man (b08g3yc2)
Specially commissioned short stories by some of Ireland's most exciting writers.

A darkly comedic tale of failed relationships and golf that answers that age old question: 'Why would a man move into a glass bottle?' As read by Damien Molony (Being Human, Crashing).

Reader, Damien Molony
Writer. Nicole Flattery
Producer, Michael Shannon


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001k0rh)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001k0rs)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001k0s1)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (m001k0s9)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m001k0rk)
The church of St Mary and St Benedict, Buckland Brewer in Devon

Bells on Sunday comes from the church of St Mary and St Benedict, Buckland Brewer in Devon. In 1825, the famous bell founder John Taylor set up a business in the village and recast the ring of six bells. The bells were recast again in 1899, this time by his son at the John Taylor and Company foundry in Loughborough, a foundry which still operates to this day. The tenor bell weighs twelve and three quarter hundredweight and is tuned to G. We hear them ringing Devon style call changes.


SUN 05:45 Profile (m001k0nx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 News Summary (m001k0gm)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b043w5t5)
Labyrinths

John McCarthy makes his way to the centre of the labyrinth.

Labyrinths have been created and used throughout the world in many countries, cultures and spiritual contexts. Carved onto rock, dug into the earth and built into cathedral floors these ancient patterns have been used for meditation, to tell stories and as a metaphor for life's journey.

John McCarthy walks a labyrinth with Jan Sellers, a Quaker and labyrinth facilitator, and discusses the search for peace and stillness as well as the fear that we might encounter a monster at the centre.
The programme includes readings from works by Ellen Meloy, Ted Hughes, Charles Rangley-Wilson and John Ashberry with music from Johnny Cash, The Unthanks, Gluck and Paul Giger.

The readers are Peter Marinker and Emily Taaffe.

Producer: Natalie Steed
A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:35 Natural Histories (b05w99xc)
Giant Squid

Brett Westwood tries to uncover the truth about the elusive giant squid. Is it the monster literature portrays lurking in the deep of the ocean or a timid misunderstood creature?

Tennyson evokes the deep, slumbering Kraken as a monster lurking in the cold, dark depths of the ocean. Twenty Thousand Leagues brings that monster into focus as it tries to drag a ship underwater and devour the terrified crew. Where did these stories come from? The Odyssey was the first known piece of literature to suggest a tentacled beast of the sea and it has never left our imagination. Yet when a giant squid was filmed by Japanese scientists, and then one was fished out of the ocean near the Falklands, we saw that giant squid are extraordinary, rather beautiful creatures.

Far from being a terrifying monster they peck delicately at their food and are afraid of loud noises. For a monster they are remarkably timid. With recent discoveries and increasing knowledge have we vanquished the monster from the deep? Or will our need for monsters mean we create another, even stranger beast? Or perhaps now that our sea-faring days exploring the unknown oceans are over, will our monsters come from outer space, the last frontier? Will we always need a monster to scare us? Many academics say yes - if you want to know what a society is frightened of, look at its monsters.

Originally broadcast in a longer form 23 June 2015
Original producer Sarah Pitt

Archive producer Andrew Dawes for BBC Audio in Bristol


SUN 06:57 Weather (m001k0h7)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m001k0hm)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (m001k0j5)
Live from Rome on a decade of Pope Francis

Edward Stourton is live in Rome reflecting on ten years of Pope Francis. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected in extraordinary circumstances and his first actions a decade ago marked him out as someone with a different style and priorities to many of his predecessors. It was expected to be a period of great change but how much has he actually achieved?

Hear from two men who’ve been training for the priesthood at the Venerable English college in Rome, an institution that has been educating seminarians for hundreds of years. Find out how much Francis influenced their decision to take holy orders, and why they regard him as a great example as a parish priest.

The Synod on Synodality has been called ‘the biggest consultation in human history’. It’s Pope Francis’s attenpt to listen to ordinary Catholics across the world and find out what they think of their Church and how it interacts with the world. We follow the process of the Synod starting with Janet Obeney-Williams, who gathered the thoughts of her parish, to the writer Austen Ivereigh who synthesised feedback at a national and global level and finally to Sister Nathalie Becquart, the Undersecretary of the Synod and the only woman who gets to vote on it.

And Edward is joined by Vatican experts Sylvia Poggioli, Loup Besmond de Senneville and Gerard O’Connell to look at the road ahead for the church

PRESENTER: Edward Stourton
EDITOR: Helen Grady
PRODUCERS: Catherine Murray, Katy Booth, Louise Rowbotham-Clarke
STUDIO MANAGERS: Phil Booth, Jonathan Esp and Simon Highfield
PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: David Baguley


SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Appeal (m001k0jn)
Renewable World

Actor Amita Suman makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Renewable World.

To Give:
- UK Freephone 0800 404 8144
-You can donate online at bbc.co.uk/appeal/radio4
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. (That’s the whole address. Please do not write anything else on the front of the envelope). Mark the back of the envelope ‘Renewable World’.
- Cheques should be made payable to ‘Renewable World’.
Please note that Freephone and online donations for this charity close at 23.59 on the Saturday after the Appeal is first broadcast. However the Freepost option can be used at any time.

Registered charity number: 1119467


SUN 07:57 Weather (m001k0jy)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m001k0kb)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m001k0kl)
Give us this day our daily bread
For the third Sunday in Lent, from Northern Ireland
The Preacher is the Right Rev Ken Clarke, former Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh and the service is led by Susan McKay
With the New Irish Choir directed by Jonathan Rea
Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah (CWM RHONDDA)
Break Thou The Bread of Life (BREAD OF LIFE)
Run to the Father
The Deer’s Cry (Shaun Davey)
All Glory Be To Christ (Scottish traditional)


SUN 08:48 A Point of View (m001jsxg)
Collecting Art

Zoe Strimpel explores what lies behind her new-found impulse to collect art to fill the blank spaces on her walls - and how collecting means something different for men and women.

"It is perhaps no surprise to discover that the greater the instability outside our walls, the more we may want to create a secure and beautiful world inside, or on, them."

Producer: Sheila Cook
Sound engineer: Peter Bosher
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (b09hs3cv)
Fyfe Dangerfield on the Bluethroat

For musician Fyfe Dangerfield seeing a rare bird on his travels is as exciting as seeing a celebrity on the street, and the bluethroat he saw in India is on top of his list.

Producer Mark Ward
Photograph Kevin Mayhew.


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m001k0kv)
The Sunday morning news magazine programme. Presented by Paddy O'Connell


SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (m001k0l4)
Adam makes a discovery that sets his mind racing, and Freddie is excited about Lower Loxley’s new guided tour.

Writer, Daniel Thurman
Director, Julie Beckett
Editor, Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge ….. Charles Collingwood
Ben Archer ….. Ben Norris
Josh Archer ….. Angus Imrie
Helen Archer ….. Louiza Patikas
Tony Archer ….. David Troughton
Alice Carter ….. Hollie Chapman
Susan Carter ….. Charlotte Martin
Ian Craig ….. Stephen Kennedy
Clarrie Grundy ….. Heather Bell
Adam Macy ….. Andrew Wincott
Elizabeth Pargetter ….. Alison Dowling
Freddie Pargetter ….. Toby Laurence
Lily Pargetter ….. Katie Redford
Kate Madikane ….. Perdita Avery
Noluthando Madikane ….. Mogali Masuku


SUN 11:15 Desert Island Discs (m001k0lc)
Amanda Blanc, businesswoman

Amanda Blanc is the group CEO of the insurance company Aviva. She is one of a handful of women at the top of FTSE 100 companies and has spoken out against the sexism and misogyny many – including herself - have encountered during their careers. In 2022 she called out disparaging comments made to her by some of the male shareholders at her company’s own AGM. Her published riposte received some 1.6m views in the space of a few days.

Amanda was born in Treherbert, a former mining village in the Rhondda Valley. Both her grandfathers worked down the mines and she says the miners’ strike of 1984 left a lasting impression on her and taught her the value of community. After studying modern history at Liverpool University, Amanda joined a graduate training scheme at Commercial Union. By the age of 29 she was the company’s youngest and first female branch manager when she took up the post in Leicester.

She joined Aviva in 2020 and the following year she was appointed Women in Finance Charter Champion by HM Treasury. She was named the Sunday Times Business Person of the Year for 2022.

Amanda is married to Ken Blanc, who also worked in insurance but gave up his job to support her career. They have two daughters and live in Hampshire.

DISC ONE: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush
DISC TWO: Town Called Malice - The Jam
DISC THREE: Thank You for the Music - Abba
DISC FOUR: Tainted Love - Soft Cell
DISC FIVE: This is Me - Keala Settle
DISC SIX: Dignity - Deacon Blue
DISC SEVEN: The Man – Taylor Swift
DISC EIGHT: Land of My Fathers - Welsh rugby fans at Six Nations Championship, 2013

BOOK CHOICE: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
LUXURY ITEM: A photo album
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Tainted Love - Soft Cell

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley


SUN 12:00 News Summary (m001k0m5)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 12:04 The Museum of Curiosity (m001jsdr)
Series 17

Episode 3

John Lloyd and Anna Ptaszynski welcome taxidermist Polly Morgan, cartoonist Randall Munroe and impressionist Steve Nallon. On the episode we learn the limits of the human throat, what to do with a snake in a box, and how much soup it would take to destroy a galaxy.

The Museum’s exhibits were catalogued by Mike Turner, Mandy Fenton and Lydia Mizon of QI.

Producer: Sam Holmes & Leying Lee
Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Nicholls
Sound: David Thomas

A BBC Studios production.


SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (m001k0cr)
A Food Rethink: Lessons from a Food Shortage

From energy to seasonality, Dan Saladino explores the big ideas prompted by the recent shortage of fresh produce in supermarkets. Is the now time for a major food rethink?

Produced and presented by Dan Saladino


SUN 12:57 Weather (m001k0m2)
The latest weather forecast


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m001k0mf)
Radio 4's look at the week's big stories from both home and around the world


SUN 13:30 Playing with Fire (m001k0mr)
The journalist Barnie Choudhury has lived in Leicester for decades, and has never witnessed the kind of religious violence which gripped the city in the summer.
But the signs were there.
He's investigating the importation of the fiercely divisive talking points of South Asian politics into already divided communities in the UK. Barnie's asking if politicians on the left and right appreciate the impact appealing to one section of their community can have.
He considers the Conservative MP Bob Blackman's focus on Muslim offenders in the aftermath of the Leicester riots, and the campaign to elect the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in Batley and Spen, which played on divisions over the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Professor Gurharpal Singh of SOAS University of London and Dr Parveen Akhtar of Aston University offer perspectives, while journalist Sunny Hundal considers the radicalising impact of social media. Dr Mukulika Bannerjee of the London School of Economics considers whether the tactic of utilising religious divides for electoral gain has the echoes of Empire.

Presented by Barnie Choudhury
Produced by Kevin Core


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m001jst5)
Ditchling

How do you revive a banana plant? Can you encourage wild orchids to grow in your garden? Would you accept a kitchen sink as the top prize of a gardening competition? 

In Ditchling to answer these questions and more in front of a live audience are Peter Gibbs and this week’s panel - garden designer Juliet Sargeant, pests and diseases expert Pippa Greenwood and Matthew Pottage, Curator at RHS Wisley. 

Beyond the questions, James Wong educates us on the science behind the effects of music on plants.  

Producer: Dominic Tyerman
Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock
Executive Producer: Louisa Field 

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 14:45 Opening Lines (m001k0n0)
Porgy (Episode 2)

The series that takes a look at books, plays and stories and how they work. John Yorke examines Porgy by Edwin DuBose Heyward.

Porgy was published in 1925 and concerns the love affair between Porgy and Bess. Set within the poor black community of Charleston, South Carolina, the book was later adapted into the blockbuster musical Porgy and Bess. The writer Du Bose Heyward was white and, ever since it was published, the book has raised questions about authenticity and cultural appropriation.

In this second of two episodes about the book, John Yorke looks at the controversy that has surrounded the book , how it divided the critics and how the success of Porgy and Bess, the musical, complicated matters still further.

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for nearly 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatized in BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Drama series.

From EastEnders to the Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless, he has been obsessed with telling big popular stories. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe and has brought together his experience in his bestselling book Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama. As founder of the hugely successful BBC Writers Academy John has trained a generation of screenwriters - his students have had 17 green-lights in the last two years alone.

Contributors:
Dr Kendra Hamilton, Professor of American Literature at Presbyterian College
James M. Hutchisson , biographer of Dubose Heyward
Michael Buffong, Director.

Produced by Alison Vernon-Smith
Executive Producer: Sara Davies
Sound: Sean Kerwin
Researcher: Nina Semple
Production Manager: Sarah Wright

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 15:00 Drama (m001k0n5)
Bess Loves Porgy (Part 2)

A musical love story for today - radically updating the iconic novella, Porgy by Edwin DuBose Heyward (the basis for Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess), to modern London.

With specially composed music produced by Mercury Prize nominated music producer Swindle with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and from a script by Roy Williams OBE.

With resonant, timeless themes and mythical characters, the story of Porgy and his love for Bess transcends generations and is as heart breaking today as when it was written.

Its themes resonate - star-crossed lovers, an embattled community, sacrifice and ultimate redemption, during one hot London summer of passion and violence.

In our version, set in South London today, Porgy is an underground, anonymous grime/rap artist whose life and music are changed forever when he meets Bess. Their love, and the musical journey they go on together, gives him the courage to shed his anonymity and perform his music openly. Porgy lives with a disability but this is not a story about disability. It’s about falling in love, finding your voice and being true to yourself.

Cast:
BESS ..... Gabrielle Brooks
ANON/PORGY ...... Reece Pantry
CROWN ..... Fehinti Balogun
SPORTING LIFE ..... Idris Debrand
JACKI ..... Erin Doherty
CARLY ..... Jade Anouka
ROBBIE ..... Ray Fearon
AMIRA ..... Shobna Gulati
DYER ..... Phil Daniels
PASTOR ….. Jumoké Fashola
DJ ….. Jocelyn Jee Esien

SOUND RECORDIST ….. Alisdair McGregor
SOUND DESIGNER ….. Lucinda Mason Brown
SOUND ASSISTANT ….. Makashe Ogbon
LINE PRODUCER ….. Sarah Tombling
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ….. Jacob Tombling
STILLS ….. Kim Lang Studio
MUSIC CONSULTANT ….. Ray Paul / The PMG
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ….. Nick Eziefula
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ….. Polly Thomas

Original Music Produced and Written by Swindle
With lyrics by Eva Lazarus and TEE
Arranged and Orchestrated by Neil Waters
Performed by the Cast with the BBC Concert Orchestra
Conducted by Tom Kelly

Written by Roy Williams
Inspired by ‘Porgy’ by Edwin DuBose Heyward
Produced by Gill Parry
Directed by Michael Buffong

Supported by the PRS Foundation

A feral inc production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3


SUN 16:00 Open Book (m001k0nd)
Margaret Atwood, Sam Selvon

Twice winner of the Booker Prize, Margaret Atwood is best known as the visionary behind The Handmaid's Tale, a dystopia which like all the great has entered a wider social discourse. Johny Pitts talks to the giant of contemporary literature about returning to short fiction following the death of her husband Graeme, attempting to imagine the future and what she would say to George Orwell.

Plus,100 years after the birth of Trinidadian author Sam Selvon's birth, what is the enduring legacy of the Trinidadian author behind The Lonely Londoners? Answering this question is the TS Eliot Prize winning poet, musician and Lecturer at Kings College London, Anthony Joseph along with Founding Editor of Wasafiri magazine, Emeritus Professor at Queen Mary University London and Selvon's literary executer, Susheila Nasta.

Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

Book List
Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon
A Brighter Sun by Sam Selvon
Ways of Sunlight by Sam Selvon
Turn Again Tiger by Sam Selvon
The Housing Lark by Sam Selvon
An Island is a World by Sam Selvon
I Hear Thunder by Sam Selvon
Sonnets for Albert by Anthony Joseph


SUN 16:30 The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed (m001k0nl)
Olive Senior

Olive Senior gets the prize as the guest who has travelled the furthest to join Simon Armitage in his writing shed in West Yorkshire. Born in rural Jamaica in Cockpit County, Olive currently lives in Toronto, Canada. At 19 she joined the staff of the Jamaican Gleaner, the main newspaper, where she interviewed visiting celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor.

Poet, novelist, short story and non-fiction writer Olive says she has read everything that comes in front of her all her life. Her latest collection, Hurricane, references a weather hazard that all Jamaicans have to live with. She left Jamaica after Hurricane Gilbert hit the Island in 1988.

Growing up surrounded by books written by British writers, Olive discusses her love-hate relationship with Dickens, and following the death of Queen Elizabeth, a much-loved monarch in Jamaica, ponders the future relationship between the monarchy and Commonwealth countries.

Produced by Susan Roberts


SUN 17:00 File on 4 (m001jslt)
Missing Migrant Children

200 children have gone missing from hotels used by the Home Office to temporarily house lone asylum seekers.
File on 4 investigates what’s being done to find them and why so many have disappeared.

Reporter: Livvy Haydock
Producer: Kate West
Researcher: Nathan Standley
Editor: Carl Johnston

Image credit: Ben Stansall\Getty


SUN 17:40 Profile (m001k0nx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m001k0p9)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


SUN 17:57 Weather (m001k0pn)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 18:00 Six O' Clock News (m001k0q0)
Silicon Valley Bank had been the lender of choice for many tech startups


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m001k0q8)
Dr John Gallagher

A selection of highlights from the past week on BBC radio


SUN 19:00 The Archers (m001k0ck)
Clarrie has a list of outstanding jobs for Eddie, who protests it’s Sunday. Irritated Clarrie’s weighed down with things to do, and still anxious about the installation of the observation window at the dairy. Later she comments to Susan that maybe she should have a word with Helen about it. Susan points out they’ve agreed the window’s a good thing, but Clarrie still has worries. Susan reckons she’s overthinking it. Reporting this back to Eddie, Clarrie’s frustrated to find he’s only half listening, in a hurry to head off to help a mate, and declaring he might be late home.
Brian knows his children are trying to keep him busy. Lightly denying this, Alice is pleased Adam’s arranged a trip to Cheltenham Festival this week. Suddenly Alice is distracted by something she sees, and heads towards the shop. It’s clear she’s following Joy, but is embarrassed when Joy turns round. Brian later explains to Joy that Alice had caught a glimpse of her scarf and had briefly mistaken Joy for Jennifer. Joy’s mortified. She’s bought the scarf from a WI stall, not realising it had been Jennifer’s. Brian’s kind; he’s just glad to see it being worn. She takes it off, but Susan reassures her – she shouldn’t feel bad about it. Later Brian comforts Alice. She was clearly taken by surprise; he assures her Joy understood. They share the history of the scarf. Brian asserts memories are what matter, not the material stuff. And that’s why he intends to leave Willow Cottage.


SUN 19:15 The Ultimate Choice (m001k077)
Series 1

Episode 4

Steph McGovern is in Newcastle to ask some seriously funny minds for their definitive answers to the great questions of our age. Or not. Welcome to the world's most devious game of Would You Rather? With guests Pippa Evans and Dave Johns.

Host: Steph McGovern
Guests: Pippa Evans and Dave Johns
Devised and written by Jon Harvey & Joseph Morpurgo
With additional material from Laura Major
Researcher: Leah Marks
Recorded and mixed by David Thomas
Producer: Jon Harvey
Executive Producers: Ed Morrish and Polly Thomas

Photo: Carolyn Mendelsohn

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 19:45 The Circus (m001k0qj)
Episode 10 - The Organiser

A former working men’s club in North Belfast called ‘The Circus’ has been refurbished and relaunched with an inaugural talent show – and a massive cash prize for the winner! – inspiring the locals to brush up on some old skills. The new owner, a successful London property developer, has promised to bring a bit of the West End to North Belfast. But can the area really change? Can the people?
Cliftonville Circus is where five roads meet in North Belfast. It is situated in the most deprived part of the city; it is also the most divided. Each road leads to a different area – a different class – a different religion. ‘The Circus’ explores where old Belfast clashes with the new around acceptance, change, class and diversity.

The Author
Born in Belfast, Paul McVeigh has written comedy, essays, flash fiction, a novel, plays and short stories. His work has been performed on radio, stage and television, and published in seven languages. Paul co-founded the London Short Story Festival and is an associate director at Word Factory. His debut novel 'The Good Son' won The Polari First Novel Prize and The McCrea Literary Award. He is also the editor of ‘The 32: Irish Working Class Voices’, ‘Queer Love: An Anthology of Irish Fiction’ and ‘Belfast Stories’.

Writer: Paul McVeigh
Reader: Ian Beattie
Producer: Michael Shannon
Executive Editor: Andy Martin

A BBC Northern Ireland production.


SUN 20:00 Feedback (m001jstv)
Andrea Catherwood is back with a new series of the programme that holds the BBC to account on behalf of the radio audience.

Matt Deegan, Creative Director at Folder Media, gives the lowdown on Ken Bruce’s departure from Radio 2. And Feedback Special Correspondent Rob Crossan takes a look at how Ken’s parting shots compare with DJs of the past.

Simon Webb, BBC Head of Orchestras and Choirs, responds to listeners' comments on plans to scrap the BBC Singers and reduce staff posts with English orchestras.

Presented by Andrea Catherwood
Produced by Gill Davies
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 20:30 Last Word (m001jstk)
Judith Heumann, Brian Tufano, Sir David Elliott KCMG, Elizabeth Foulkes

Matthew Bannister on

Judith Heumann (pictured), the American disability rights campaigner who led the longest non-violent occupation of a Federal building in US history.

Brian Tufano, the cinematographer who shot films like Quadrophenia, Trainspotting and Billy Elliot.

Sir David Elliott, a key figure in the negotiations that created the European single market.

Elizabeth Foulkes, who helped to define common standards for architects in the UK.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Thomas Shakespeare
Interviewed guest: Stuart Harris
Interviewed guest: Franc Roddam
Interviewed guest: Tony Pierce-Roberts
Interviewed guest: Simon Pugsley
Interviewed guest: Lord Hannay GCMG
Interviewed guest: Nick Foulkes

Archive clips used: TEDx talks, Judith Heumann - Our fight for disability rights and why we're not done yet 24/04/2018; BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour 06/08/2021; Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, The Power of 504 (1977); StudioCanal/ Working Title Films/ BBC Films, Billy Elliott (2000) trailer; BBC Two Rogue Male 22/09/1976; BBC TV Archive, All in a Day - The Fight 12/11/1973; The Who Films/ Polytel, Quadrophenia (1979) trailer; Channel Four Films/ Figment Films/ The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company, Trainspotting (1996) trailer; Future Films/ MBP (Germany)/ Scala Productions, Last Orders (2001) trailer; BBC TV Archive, The Evacuees 05/03/1975; Screen and Film School, In memory of cinematographer Brian Tufano (February 2023); BBC Sound Archive, Margaret Thatcher speaks on the future of the European community 20/09/1988; DTI, Europe's Open for Business - UK TV advert (1991-92); Nick Foulkes, personal archive interview with Elizabeth Foulkes (2014); British Pathé, New housing to replace demolished village inspected by Nye Bevan (1946).


SUN 21:00 Money Box (m001k0m0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 on Saturday]


SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Appeal (m001k0jn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 today]


SUN 21:30 Analysis (m001jsfn)
Does it matter who our MPs are?

Classic theories of representative democracy argue that it’s the representation of ideas not our personal characteristics - such as age, gender, race or class - that should matter. But current debates about the diversity of our politicians suggest many of us are interested in who our MPs are and that they represent us.

We have more women and more ethnic minority MPs than ever before, we have had three women Prime Ministers and our first Prime Minister with an Asian heritage and yet attention has been drawn to the fact that the majority of the current cabinet, unlike the British population, attended private schools. Some have never worked outside of politics. Does this matter? Is personal background and history the most critical factor leading to good political representation? Do the backgrounds of our politicians influence voters’ choices at the ballot box? And how do political parties react?

Presenter: Rosie Campbell
Producer: Vicki Broadbent
Editor: Clare Fordham


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m001k0qv)
Nick Watt is joined by the Conservative MP Katherine Fletcher; Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, Helen Hayes; and Torsten Bell - chief executive of the think tank, the Resolution Foundation. They look ahead to the Budget and delve into the row over Gary Lineker's tweets, plus the government's Illegal Immigration Bill. They also consider the UK's stance towards China, on the eve of publication of the updated Defence and Security Review. Natasha Clarke - chief political correspondent at the Sun - provides context and analysis.


SUN 23:00 Loose Ends (m001k0qg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:15 on Saturday]


SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b043w5t5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:05 today]

MONDAY 13 MARCH 2023

MON 00:00 Midnight News (m001k0r8)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


MON 00:15 Sideways (m001jt6j)
42. The Big Reward

When Kevin Burkart dove into a murky lake to find a lost wedding ring, he did it for nothing. But did he really gain something much more?

In this episode of Sideways, Matthew Syed explores our preoccupation with rewards and their impacts.

With author and lecturer Alfie Kohn, Headteacher of Barrowford Primary Rachel Tomlinson, Felicia Schaefer and Kevin Burkart.

Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Leigh Meyer
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix by Naomi Clarke
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m001k0rk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001k0rt)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001k0s4)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001k0sc)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


MON 05:30 News Briefing (m001k0sk)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001k0st)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rev Lynne Gibson.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (m001k0sz)
13/03/23 Fruit growers giving up on apples, the Precision Breeding Act, Wild Isles.

The rising cost of food production is hitting farmers and growers all over the UK, from salad producers to livestock farmers and the fruit growers cancelling orders for new trees. Now some orchard owners say contracts to grow apples for supermarket chains are so uneconomic they're forced to destroy their existing trees.
Later this week it's expected that the law on gene editing will officially change as the Precision Breeding Act gets Royal Assent. The Act allows the use of gene editing technology to create new plant varieties.
Last night the UK got the big glossy nature programme treatment with the first episode of Sir David Attenborough's Wild Isles. With that in mind, all this week here on Farming Today we'll be talking about biodiversity.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


MON 05:56 Weather (m001k0t6)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.


MON 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b04t0sry)
Snail Kite

Michael Palin presents the snail kite from the Florida Everglades. Unlike many birds of prey which are known for their speed and agility, the snail kite hunts at a leisurely pace, one which matches its prey; and here in Florida's swamps, it is on the lookout for the apple snail.

To pick them out of floating vegetation, the kite has evolved long needle-like claws, and its slender, viciously-hooked bill is perfect for snipping the snails' muscles and winkling them out of their shells. Snail kites are common across wetlands in South and Central America, but rare in Florida where there are around one thousand birds. Drainage of these marshes has made them scarce, but popular with bird watchers.

It's easy to see why, because snail kites are striking birds with their orange feet and black and red bill. The males are ash-grey apart from a white band at the base of their tails. Females and young birds are browner and more mottled. In times of drought, they will eat turtles, crabs or rodents, but these avian gourmets always return to their favourite dish of, escargots.

Producer : Andrew Dawes


MON 06:00 Today (m001k0bx)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (m001k0bz)
George Eliot and married life

George Eliot was a leading novelist who scandalised Victorian society by eloping to Germany with a married man and living in unlawful conjugal bliss. She dedicated her books to ‘her husband’ and wrote of 'this double life, which helps me to feel and think with double strength'. The philosopher and writer Clare Carlisle has written a new biography of George Eliot which places The Marriage Question at the centre of her art and life.

The playwright David Eldridge is writing a trilogy of plays about relationships. Beginning, which premiered in 2017, and Middle, from last year, take place overnight in one uninterrupted scene as the couples share their thoughts and feelings on love and loneliness. The final play will be called End.

The prize winning poet Claudia Rankine talks about her collection Plot, published in full for the first time in the UK. In a series of conversations, reflections and dreams Rankine reveals the hopes and fears of Liv and Erland – a couple navigating the birth of their new baby.

Producer: Katy Hickman


MON 09:45 Breaking Mississippi (m001k0c1)
1. Divine Destiny

This is the explosive inside story of James Meredith's battle to smash the system of white supremacy in the most racially segregated state in 1960s America.

By becoming the first black person to apply to the all-white university of Mississippi – Meredith will draw in the KKK and JFK – and trigger the largest number of troops ever deployed for a single disturbance on US soil.

Across 10 episodes and with US public radio journalist Jenn White as our guide - James Meredith takes us from his childhood in rural Mississippi where racism runs deep – to a pivotal flashpoint in US civil rights history that will be described as the last battle of the American Civil War.

This could be our last opportunity to hear James Meredith tell this story in his own words and in a way that's never been heard before.

Episode One: Divine Destiny

Growing up in segregated Mississippi under Jim Crow laws - James Meredith's father tells his son he has a special responsibility in life.

Presenter: Jenn White
Producer: Conor Garrett
Editor: Philip Sellars
Original Music Score: Ashley Beedle and Darren Morris. Recorded @ North Street West
Audio Engineer: Gary Bawden

With special thanks to the University of Mississippi.


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m001k0c4)
Karen Krizanovich and Heidi Ellert-McDermott on the Oscars, new Paula Yates documentary, abortion rights in the US

As a new Channel 4 documentary is released, Nuala McGovern hears more about her life from director Charlie Russell.

Who were the female winners at the Academy Awards last night? What were the surprises and omissions? Who gave the best acceptance speeches? We talk to the film critic Karen Krizanovich and speech writer Heidi Ellert-McDermott.

Five women who say they were denied abortions despite risks to their lives are suing the State of Texas. In June last year the US supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade, the law that had made abortion a constitutional right for Americans for nearly half a century. Since the court’s ruling, a dozen states have made abortion illegal and many others have restricted it. We talk to the BBC’s reporter in Washington Holly Honderich about this issue and also hear the latest on the fallout over access to a widely use abortion pill which is becoming increasingly difficult to get.

And women in Berlin will soon be allowed to swim topless in public pools after a ruling by the city’s authorities. Will it catch on elsewhere?

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Manager: Michael Milham.


MON 11:00 My Name Is... (m001jc2b)
My Name Is Hayley

Hayley is worried about the education that her five-year-old autistic son George is getting at his mainstream primary school. It’s been agreed by the local authority that he needs specialist provision, but the only place on offer is at a school 45 minutes away, where he would need to get a taxi there and back, every day. George is non-verbal and, for Hayley, this is not an option.

She's on a waiting list for the local school, but it could take years for him to get a place there. Over a year, Hayley embarks on a journey to try and get George a place at a local specialist school, and asks why it’s so difficult for parents and carers across England to get their children the right Special Educational Needs (SEN) support.

George's mainstream school is doing the best they can, but he’s excluded from some classes and they are struggling to meet his safety needs. As time goes on George is falling further behind his peers, and not getting the kind of specialist support that could help things like his communication. Hayley decides to embark on an appeal process to get George a place at the local specialist school, which will result in a legal tribunal if her appeal is unsuccessful. It's the most extreme route available to parents.

Hayley's not the only one. Since 2015, the number of parents and carers appealing to the first tier SEND Tribunals has increased year on year. Hayley meets Jen, another parent who has struggled to get her daughter Betty the right educational support. She talks to IPSEA, the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, about the legal issues that parents are facing across the country, and hears from inclusion specialist Rob Webster who explains why the mainstream education system we currently have is unable to meet the needs of ever increasing numbers of pupils with SEN.

We hear first hand how difficult it is for parents to navigate the SEN system, and what is at stake when children don't get the right support they need.

Producer: Emma Barnaby
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Mix engineer: Rob Speight
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4


MON 11:30 The Bottom Line (m001jt06)
Business Books

What makes a great business book and how do you make practical advice on a subject like accounting a riveting read? What makes you more likely to read a business book - a top business leader's journey to the top, like Sheryl Sandberg or Phil Knight of Nike, or one offering simple 'how to' advice. And what is the business model of business books themselves - do they sell loads of copies, or are they more about building up a public brand?

Join Evan Davis and guests , in the final programme of the current series, to learn about some great business reads and how business publishing is thriving.

GUESTS

Margaret Heffernan, Author, Uncharted. Former CEO and Entrepreneur.

Alison Jones, publisher Practical Inspiration Publishing and Presenter, The Extraordinary Business Book Club Podcast

Helen Kogan, Managing Director, Kogan Page, Business Book Publisher

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Producer: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed.


MON 12:00 News Summary (m001k0c6)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 12:04 You and Yours (m001k0c8)
News and discussion of consumer affairs


MON 12:57 Weather (m001k0cb)
The latest weather forecast


MON 13:00 World at One (m001k0cd)
Forty-five minutes of news, analysis and comment, with Sarah Montague.


MON 13:45 Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On (m001k0cg)
1. The Decision

Why did the US want regime change in Iraq? Was it really about the threat of terrorists getting hold of weapons of mass destruction after the September 11th 2001 attacks, or was the desire much deeper? And what was the British government's reaction?

Presenter: Gordon Corera
Series Producer: John Murphy
Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes
Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions
Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown
Series Editor: Penny Murphy


MON 14:00 The Archers (m001k0ck)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Drama (m001k0cm)
Hindsight

by Eileen Horne

Can past trauma rediscovered via EMDR therapy provide the key to Isla's state of mind?

Isla and Marcus escape apparently unhurt from a car accident. Marcus bounces back but Isla remains disturbed by the incident.
She turns to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) specialist Bill Shepherd to discover if a "landmine" of past trauma could hold the key.

Isla ..... Rosalind Eleazar
Bill ..... John Hollingworth
Marcus/Man ..... Bryan Dick
Young Isla ..... Rosie Smith
All other parts ..... Ewan Bailey

Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

Consultant: Dr Martha Ferrito


MON 15:00 Counterpoint (m001k0cp)
Series 36

Semi-final 1, 2023

(10/13)
Paul Gambaccini welcomes back three of this season's heat winners for the first of the 2023 semi-finals.

With a place in the Final at stake, the competition hots up, and the competitors will need to be on their mettle, fielding Paul's questions on everything from Verdi and Leonard Bernstein to will.i.am and Taylor Swift. They'll also have to pick a special musical topic on which to answer individual questions, with no prior warning of the subjects on offer today.

Appearing in the semi-final are:
Claire Barrow from Honiton in Devon,
Anthony Fish from Pontypool,
Dave Workman from London,

The winner will return for the 2023 Final in a few weeks' time.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner
Producer: Paul Bajoria


MON 15:30 The Food Programme (m001k0cr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 on Sunday]


MON 16:00 Rewriting Aeschylus (m001jsvh)
Can playwright, David Greig, recreate a lost Greek play? During his long and successful career, David has written countless original works for the theatre. But now he takes on a new challenge. We follow him over a year as he attempts to rewrite Egyptians by the ancient Greek tragedian, Aeschylus. Along with a team including director Ramin Gray, choreographer Sasha Milavic Davies and composer John Browne, David tries to get as close as possible to what could have been the original storyline, style and sound of the play. The journey starts in January 2022 and ends with the performance at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury in late February 2023.

Producer: Karen Gregor


MON 16:30 The Digital Human (m001k0ct)
Series 28

Salvage

Online and offline, our world is a hugely complex tangle of modern creations and the legacy of the past. As we build upon the shoulders of times gone by, we are in a constant process of assessing what is still useful, what needs to be adapted and what no longer serves us.

Aleks looks at the process of salvaging value from the world around us, looking at the pleasure and pain of sifting through the past, the pressures to preserve, how value can evolve over time, the allure of creating from scratch in the face of complex legacy systems and structures, and how treasure is often in the eye of the beholder.

Michael Feathers is a software architect and author of Working Effectively with Legacy Code. Over the years, he advised many different companies on the strategic reuse and modernisation of their legacy code and systems. He is currently the Chief Architect for Globant, a global organisation helping companies transform their businesses.

Dr James Hunter is a maritime archeologist and curator at the Australian National Maritime Museum. He is also an avid diver. James has excavated sixteenth century Spanish galleons, wrecks from the US civil war and many vessels sunk in World wars.

Kate Macdonald is the director of Handheld Press, which republishes texts from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. She has a particular interest in uncovering works that explore lives lived by women, LGBTQ+ and people with physical impairments.

Founder of the urban planning consultancy Zvidsky Agency in Ukraine, Alexander Shevchenko has a background in civil engineering and spatial and urban planning. Since 2022, he has set up the non-governmental organisation Restart Ukraine, which supports Ukrainian municipalities with recovery from the impact of 2014 and 2022 conflicts and with tackling urban regeneration fit for modern society’s needs.


MON 17:00 PM (m001k0cx)
Afternoon news and current affairs programme, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines


MON 18:00 Six O' Clock News (m001k0d0)
Gary Lineker is to return to presenting sport on the BBC after a deal was struck with management


MON 18:30 The Museum of Curiosity (m001k0d5)
Series 17

Episode 4

John Lloyd and Anna Ptaszynski welcome comedian Alasdair Beckett-King, athlete Dame Sarah Storey and artist Hannah Rose Thomas to the Museum for an episode full of fitness, fantasy and fake moustaches.

The Museum’s exhibits were catalogued by Mike Turner, Mandy Fenton and Lydia Mizon of QI.

Producer: Sam Holmes & Leying Lee
Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Nicholls
Sound: David Thomas

A BBC Studios production.


MON 19:00 The Archers (m001k0d8)
Paul’s delighted to witness his first Brookfield lamb birth. It’s his last week in Ambridge. He’ll miss the farming side of vetting very much, but Denise is due back at the practice. He’s in no hurry to go back to city life. Josh suggests he might like to consider living at The Stables. There’s still a room available in addition to the one Lily’s having, and he’s clearly reliable and clean. Paul admits it would be ideal, but he doesn’t know where he’ll be sent next. Alistair reckons Paul will be an asset wherever he works. He offers him drinks and dinner as a leaving do on Friday. Paul asks if he can organise his own do – watch this space!
Clarrie grumbles to Susan. Eddie’s spending so much time helping his mate Ned, things aren’t getting done – and he just keeps telling her not to worry. Susan admits Eddie was out for a drink with Neil when he claimed to be with Ned. At that moment Helen walks in and declares the window will be done tomorrow – so they’ll need to do all the packing up tonight in readiness. Clarrie’s still not keen, but resigns herself. It’s the lesser of the evils; she’s reluctant to go home and tackle Eddie, so she might as well stay on and work. Helen tries to get her on board with the promise of new uniforms, but Clarrie’s struggling to see the silver lining. Helen adds that they’ll get two days off while the window’s being fitted. Excited Susan wonders what they’ll do?


MON 19:15 Front Row (m001k0df)
Author Percival Everett, director Pravesh Kumar on Little English

Author Percival Everett on his novel Dr No; Director Pravesh Kumar on his film Little English; the new Yeats Smartphones poetry trail in Bedford

Award-winning US novelist Percival Everett on his surreal new book, Dr No – in which unlikely heroes and uber-wealthy super villains chase after a box containing absolutely nothing.

Pravesh Kumar has been running a theatre company for over two decades and last year received an MBE in the New Year Honours List for services to theatre. As he makes his debut as a filmmaker with romantic comedy Little English - centred on a British South Asian family living in Slough - he discusses the importance of nuanced portrayals and overturning stereotypes.

It’s a century this year since W. B. Yeats won the Nobel Prize in literature for his poetry, ‘which…gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.’ This is marked by a new guided, smartphone app trail around places where he lived and that influenced him early in life. It is narrated and with poems read by Oscar nominated actor Ciarán Hinds. But it is not, as you might assume, in Ireland. Front Row reports from the launch.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Julian May

(Picture of Percival Everett. Photographer credit: Nacho Goberna)


MON 20:00 Night Watch (m00139p4)
At night women say goodbye, telling each other "text me when you're home". We carry keys between our knuckles, avoid dark streets, cross the road, then cross back again, keep looking over your shoulder.

In Night Watch, four women from different parts of Britain share stories of street harassment. Woven through this feature is a new, specially commissioned poem by Hollie McNish.

The murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa compounded the perception of city streets as male spaces- unwelcoming and unsafe for women, and other marginalised groups. Is this the way it's always been?

In these raw and unfiltered accounts women will hear their own experiences echoed back in others' words; stories of shouted insults, rejected come-ons, intimidation.

Featuring the voices Nosisa and Alison Majuqwana, Aggie Hewitt, Katie Cuddon, Alice Jackson the co-founder of Strut Safe, author Rebecca Solnit, author and moral philosopher at Cornell University Kate Manne and design activist Jos Boys.

If you've been impacted by any of the issues raised in this documentary contact details for support organisations can be found in this link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2MfW34HqH7tTCtnmx7LVfzp/information-and-support-victims-of-crime

Producer: Caitlin Smith
Poetry: Hollie McNish
Sound Design: Joel Cox
Executive Producer: Peter McManus


MON 20:30 Analysis (m001k0dj)
King Charles' Challenge

The Queen’s funeral appeared a resounding reassertion of our enduring commitment to monarchy, but was it a tribute to her rather than the institution? As the coronation approaches, polls suggest support is at its lowest ever, and the King faces difficult questions on several fronts.
As supreme Governor of the Church of England, congregation numbers are falling and divisions are deepening over its stance on gay marriage.
The union is under threat – what would the monarchy mean if Scotland votes for independence and Northern Ireland joins the Republic?
Commonwealth countries from the Caribbean to the Pacific are asking whether it still makes sense to keep a king in London as their head of state.
The coronation will be a grand reminder of our history, but hanging over everything is a dark chapter in that history; the monarchy’s role in the slave trade. If the King is to represent all his subjects, does he need to say sorry? And what about reparations?

Edward Stourton will unravel the challenges and ask how the King meets them.

Presenter: Edward Stourton
Producer: Jonathan IAnson
Editor: Clare Fordham


MON 21:00 Troubled Water (m001k0dq)
Are We Running Out of Water?

Are we running out of water? Britain may be known for its rain but, as our climate changes, there are warnings we could be closer than we think to our taps running dry. In this episode of Troubled Water, James Gallagher asks why our pipes are being pushed to the brink and what can be done about it, all from the comfort of his bathroom. Huddled in the loo, he talks to Professor Hannah Cloke, OBE, who predicts rainfall events through her work at the University of Reading, Dr Francis Hassard, from the Water Science Institute at Cranfield University, Andrew Tucker who manages water demand at Thames Water and inventor Garry Moore who shows how he's hoping to revolutionise our loos with his air-pressurised Velocity toilet.

Presenter: James Gallagher
Producer: Tom Bonnett


MON 21:30 Start the Week (m001k0bz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m001k0f4)
Aukus leaders meet in San Diego

Also:

Review ordered into collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

And the man who invented the “Fosbury Flop” has died.


MON 22:45 Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry (m001k0fc)
Episode 1

Recently retired policeman Tom Kettle is settling into the quiet of his new home, a lean-to annexed to a Victorian castle overlooking the Irish Sea. For months he has barely seen a soul, catching only glimpses of his eccentric landlord and a nervous young mother who has moved in next door. Occasionally, fond memories return, of his family, his beloved wife June and their two children. But when two former colleagues turn up at his door with questions about a decades-old case, one which Tom never quite came to terms with, he finds himself pulled into the darkest currents of his past.

The Author
Sebastian Barry was born in Dublin in 1955. The 2018-21 Laureate for Irish Fiction, his novels have twice won the Costa Book of the Year award, the Independent Booksellers Award and the Walter Scott Prize. He had two consecutive novels shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, A Long Long Way (2005) and the top ten bestseller The Secret Scripture (2008), and has also won the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Prize, the Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. He lives in County Wicklow.

Reader: Stanley Townsend
Author: Sebastian Barry
Abridger: Rowan Routh
Producer: Michael Shannon
Executive Editor: Andy Martin

A BBC Northern Ireland Production.


MON 23:00 Homesick Planet (m001jl9s)
Much of an astronaut’s leisure time is spent staring back at Earth, they just can’t stop looking back at home. Major Tim Peake journeys into the misunderstood phenomenon of homesickness.

Tim had never experienced it until he found himself looking through the copula window of the space craft, which orbited earth several times before reaching the International Space Station. The British astronaut spent 185 days, 22 hours and 11 minutes in space and during that time, developed a deep longing for home, particularly fresh air, nature and the colour green.

But what is this powerful desire for home? Is homesickness a psychological illness? A cultural phenomenon? Or something else? Psychotherapist Sarah Temple-Smith who works for the Refugee Council believes the condition is widely misunderstood and its impact critically under-appreciated. She believes it’s a deep-rooted condition with existential consequences.

Speaking to those who suffer from it, and those who study it Tim attempts to understand exactly what homesickness is: how it manifests, what it feels like, and the psychological triggers that underpin it.

Produced by Kate Bissell and Gail Tolley
Sound Design by Joel Cox
Developed by BBC Scotland Productions

Photo credited to Tim Peake/ESA


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m001k0fq)
Sean Curran reports as MPs hold their first debate - and vote - on the government's plan to 'stop the boats' with its Illegal Migration Bill.

TUESDAY 14 MARCH 2023

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (m001k0fx)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 00:30 Breaking Mississippi (m001k0c1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001k0g3)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001k0gc)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001k0gq)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (m001k0h5)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001k0hj)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Rev Lynne Gibson.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (m001k0j0)
14/04/23 Nepalese workers exploited; re-introducing sea eagles; new wetlands

An investigation by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, or the GLAA says that hundreds of workers in meat processing, recruited from Nepal, were exploited and found to have paid 12 thousand pounds to find a job. Such fees are illegal in the UK. The company, Adept and Agile, has lost its licence and the two directors - one based in Surrey, the other in Nepal, have been handed an interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order. We speak to Nicola Ray, head of regulation at the GLAA.

Conservationists in Wales hope to reintroduce white-tailed eagles. It's been done in Scotland, but NFU Cymru says farmers in Wales are concerned the birds of prey would hunt newborn lambs.

All week we're looking at biodiversity. Wetlands are precious areas for particular species, and in Buckinghamshire a new project is creating a ten hectare site which will provide a home for wetland plants, aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates, amphibians and fish. Thousands of tonnes of topsoil had to be removed from the site on the Waddeston Estate which is managed by the Rothschild Foundation. The underlying clay will form the base for a series of ponds, and the plan is to allow nature to re-colonise the site.

Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney


TUE 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b04t0hjv)
New Zealand Robin

Tweet of the Day is the voice of birds and our relationship with them, from around the world.

Sir David Attenborough presents the New Zealand robin. The toutouwai or New Zealand robin may share a name with the more familiar European robin, but it is a very different bird to the robin redbreast we know so well. Although about the same size with the same perky upright stance, the New Zealand robin, is appropriately enough nearly all-black, with a pale belly and a white splash just above the bill, but no trace of red. Three subspecies exist; one in north Island, one in South Island, and another in Stewart Island. And like their British counterparts, who they are not closely related to at all, can become quite tame and friendly to humans. The song is very varied and each male has a repertoire of around two dozen different notes.

Producer : Andrew Dawes


TUE 06:00 Today (m001k0j7)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


TUE 09:00 The Life Scientific (m001k0jm)
Marie Johnston on health psychology and the power of behavioural shifts

Marie Johnston is a pioneer in the field of health psychology: the discipline that seeks to understand how psychological, behavioural and cultural factors contribute to our physical and mental health.
Today an emeritus professor in Health Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, her career exploring behavioural interventions has shown that even the subtlest shift in how we act can dramatically change our behaviour and lives for the better – whether that’s in an individual recovering from a stroke, or a nation coming to terms with pandemic safety measures, while her work setting up the UK’s first stress management clinic showed why mental health support needed to come out of psychiatric hospitals and into general practice.
Marie tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili why she believes the right interventions can be a powerful tool in improving public health, and indeed our healthcare system; and how an accident at the hairdresser's many years ago helped her become more approachable...

Produced by Lucy Taylor.


TUE 09:30 One to One (m001k0k1)
Angellica Bell meets Nadiya Hussain

Presenter Angellica Bell approaches life with a mindset of ‘it’s never too late to start something new’. Shaped by personal experiences of bereavement, this mantra has guided her when starting new hobbies and seeking to experience life in a more enhancing, fulfilling way.
In this episode, Angellica talks to chef Nadiya Hussain. Nadiya won The Great British Bake Off competition in 2015 and from that life changing moment, she vowed to never to put boundaries on herself again. Angellica and Nadiya explore her journey to GBBO and how that experience completely changed the trajectory of her life and career.

Producer: Candace Wilson
A BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 09:45 Breaking Mississippi (m001k0kc)
2. JFK and the Boogeyman

This is the explosive inside story of James Meredith's battle to smash the system of white supremacy in the most racially segregated state in 1960s America.

By becoming the first black person to apply to the all-white university of Mississippi – Meredith will draw in the KKK and JFK – and trigger the largest number of troops ever deployed for a single disturbance on US soil.

Across 10 episodes and with US public radio journalist Jenn White as our guide - James Meredith takes us from his childhood in rural Mississippi where racism runs deep – to a pivotal flashpoint in US civil rights history that will be described as the last battle of the American Civil War.

This could be our last opportunity to hear James Meredith tell this story in his own words and in a way that's never been heard before.

Episode Two: JFK and the Boogeyman

After serving nine years in the military, James Meredith has conceived a masterplan and is prepared to risk his life on it.

Presenter: Jenn White
Producer: Conor Garrett
Editor: Philip Sellars
Production Co-ordinator: Anne Smith
Audio Engineer: Gary Bawden
Original Music Score: Ashley Beedle and Darren Morris. Recorded @ North Street West

Archive reproduced with the kind permission of: The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Mississippi State University, JFK Library, Getty Images, Huntley Film Archives, British Pathé Ltd, F.I.L.M Archives, Efootage, Historic Films, The Clarion Ledger – USA Today Network.
With special thanks to the University of Mississippi.


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (m001k0km)
Author and judge Nicola Williams, Abortion in the UK update, Police violence against women

Nicola Williams’ new novel Until Proven Innocent sees the return of Lee Mitchell, a young barrister from a working-class Caribbean background, who is strong-armed into defending a supposedly corrupt racist police officer charged with the death of a 15-year-old pastor's son. Nicola served for many years as a criminal barrister, one of the few black women in that job, and draws on her experience of the criminal justice system in her writing. She joins Nuala to discuss juggling being a part-time Crown Court judge with writing, and how she draws on her legal experience in her books.

Complaints about police officers' treatment of women are highly unlikely to result in action, according to new police data for England and Wales.
The National Police Chiefs' Council says nine in 10 complaints were dropped in the six months to March 2022. We hear from Maggie Blyth, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for violence against women and girls, and Nuala speaks to Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police.

The House of Commons recently approved the introduction of exclusion zones around abortion clinics, and now some experts are recommending that the mandatory authorisation of abortions by two doctors should be dropped. To find out more, Nuala McGovern is joined by Fiona de Londras, Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Birmingham, and Professor Kaye Wellings, co-author of a new London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine abortion study.

Last year, an NHS Digital survey found that 31 per cent of 17 to 24-year-old women had depression and anxiety. What can be done to help them? A new Policy Centre for the Wellbeing of Young Women and Girls is being set up at a Cambridge University college. Dorothy Byrne is the president of all-female Murray Edwards College and the former head of news at Channel 4 Television. She joins Nuala to explain how and why she created this centre.


TUE 11:00 The Spark (m001k0ky)
Stuart Ritchie and open science

Helen Lewis meets science writer Stuart Ritchie to discuss how science has lost its way, and what can be done about it.

Ritchie explains how dubious experiments he spotted as a young academic spurred him to write his book Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science. He tells Helen why he has chosen to leave academia to become a science journalist. And he sets out why he thinks a radically more transparent approach, 'open science', could address the problems he has identified.

Producer: Phil Tinline


TUE 11:30 Rethinking Music (m001k0l6)
Beyond Face Value

What is music education for? Beyond the pursuit of a creative career, we visit providers across the UK who have recognized that music has a wider beneficial impact, and ask if it can be argued for as an end in itself. Feversham Primary Academy in Bradford has seen their pupils’ behaviour and academic achievements skyrocket since they brought a holistic focus on music into their curriculum, taking them in 10 years from a school in special measures to being rated Outstanding by Ofsted. At Supajam, a college in Kent, centring the learning experience around live music and production skills has helped young people who have fallen out of mainstream education to gain key qualifications and transform their wellbeing. And in North Wales, we hear about the rollout of the nation’s brand new Music Service, where every child is offered a free musical instrument. Soweto explores how creative skills are useful in all walks of life, and how we need to rethink the value of music beyond the surface.

In a 3-part series, Soweto Kinch looks at music education across the UK and assesses how policy changes over the years are playing out. What impact is decades of underfunding going to have on our economy, culture, and children's development? How are new National Plans for Music announced last year going to address the situation across the UK? Reflecting on his own route to music, Soweto asks what music education could look like, and how much it matters if we don't get it right. Contributors include Nicola Benedetti, Anna Meredith, Nubya Garcia, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin and a range of music professionals and providers across the UK.

Produced by Megan Jones and Amelia Parker


TUE 12:00 News Summary (m001k0lj)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 12:04 You and Yours (m001k0ls)
Call You and Yours: What have you tried to do to reach a healthy weight?

On today's Call You and Yours, we're asking - what have you tried to do to reach a healthy weight?
Any day now, UK chemists will start supplying the new Wegovy weight loss jab on prescription. You need to be overweight or obese to get it.
It mimics the action of a hormone, called GLP-1, that makes people feel fuller and less hungry, so they eat less.
People on it inject themselves once a week with pre-filled pens. In trials, it's helped obese people lose a tenth of their body weight. That's about two stone (12.7kg) on average.
But researchers have found that once people come off it they might regain most of the weight.
We want to know what you've been doing to reach a healthy weight. What's worked for you and what hasn't? Could this new drug make a difference to you?
Call us now on 03700 100 444. Lines are open at 11 am on Tuesday March 14th. You can also email us now at youandyours@bbc.co.uk
Don't forget to include a phone number so we can call you back.

Presenter: Winifred Robinson
Producer: Tara Holmes


TUE 12:57 Weather (m001k0m3)
The latest weather forecast


TUE 13:00 World at One (m001k0md)
Forty-five minutes of news, analysis and comment, with Sarah Montague.


TUE 13:45 Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On (m001k0mp)
2. The Commitment

The US was set on war with Iraq. But why did Tony Blair commit Britain to joining it? Twenty years on, how does the former Prime Minister reflect on his decision?

Presenter: Gordon Corera
Series Producer: John Murphy
Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes
Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions
Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown
Series Editor: Penny Murphy


TUE 14:00 The Archers (m001k0d8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama (m001k0mz)
Tinsel Girl and the Problem Parent

By Lou Ramsden
Based on the experiences of Cherylee Houston

Uplifting comedy drama about the life, friendships and misadventures of wheelchair user Maz.

Maz has finally found her vocation running a community centre. She's even got funding for a new youth theatre show - things are going great. Until her Dad shows up, and decides he wants to be part of her life again. As Maz navigates a tricky parental relationship in her youth theatre group, she begins to question her own upbringing. Will she ever find a peaceful reconciliation with her own father?

Maz ..... Cherylee Houston
Jim ..... James Quinn
Tom ..... Zak Ford-Williams
Rachel ..... Kathryn Pemberton
Joanne/Doctor ..... Jane Slavin

Directed by Jessica Mitic
Co-Produced by Nadia Molinari & Jessica Mitic
Sound by Tony Wass & Vanessa Nuttall
Sound design by Sharon Hughes
Production co-ordination by Vicky Moseley

A BBC Audio Drama North Production

With thanks to 'Absolute Belters' choir, Altrincham.


TUE 15:00 Short Cuts (m001k0n6)
Series 34

Present Tense

A shared experience of sonic joy crosses over the boundary of a prison wall, a conversation across generations explores being alive to the present moment, and an audio artwork from the archives plunges a listener into the sensation of time speeding up.

Josie Long presents short documentaries and audio adventures that hold you in the present tense.

The Evenings of Certain Lives (two extracts)
Produced by Barry Bermange
Composition by Delia Derbyshire (Radiophonic Workshop)

Listening / Reminiscing
by Lavender Suarez
(via the producer Kalli Anderson)

In The Moment
Produced by Amalie Sortland

Prisoncast!
These sounds were originally recorded for Season 4 of the Motive Podcast from WBEZ, hosted by Shannon Heffernan
WBEZ’s Lauren Frost and Alex Keefe headed up the original Prisoncast! broadcast, which was hosted by Ayana Contreras. But a big team of producers and editors came together to record and mix the sounds.
This Short Cuts edit was created by Shannon Heffernan

Curated by Axel Kacoutié, Eleanor McDowall and Andrea Rangecroft.
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 15:30 Costing the Earth (m001k0ng)
Greening the City

New technologies are vital in the drive to turn our fossil fuel-based economies green and drastically slash carbon emissions. That technology requires investment and an enormous slice of the cash required is controlled by the financial markets of the City of London. Tom Heap meets the City's movers and shakers to find out if they- and the wider financial services industry- are willing and able to finance the revolution.

Producer: Reuben Smith-Burrell


TUE 16:00 Law in Action (m001k0nn)
Strikes Minimum Service Levels

There are strikes again this week, by junior doctors, and train and tube drivers. The government's Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) bill aims to require sectors like health, education and transport to provide a "minimum" of services even on strike days. It would let employers, including government departments, issue "work notices" - lists of which staff have to work on strike days. But how will they decide who should be on the "work notice"?

When someone is seriously ill, they or their family are often faced with other problems, such as a sudden drop in income, or unsuitable housing. Many don't know what help they're entitled to, or how to get it. Joshua Rozenberg visits a "Health Justice Partnership", where doctors and legal advisers are located in the same building, and patients are referred to the advice team. He finds it's making a big difference to families.

When a piece of Artificial Intelligence software learns about images by being fed pre-existing, copyrighted versions of images, and then goes on to produce a new image of its own, is that a breach of copyright? That's what the High Court in London will have to decide, in a case in which Getty Images - a digital picture library - is suing Stability AI, whose artificial intelligence image-generating software was trained with a very large number of images, including (but not only) Getty's. The court's decision will in effect become new law. What impact could it have on the digital, creative sector?

Presenter: Joshua Rozenberg
Producer: Arlene Gregorius
Researcher: Diane Richardson
Editor: Simon Watts


TUE 16:30 A Good Read (m001k0nz)
Sophie Raworth and Patrick Ness

The newsreader and the writer chat about books with Harriett. Sophie and Harriett's choices take on early colonialism on two different continents, in West by Cary Davies and Remembering Babylon by David Malouf respectively, and Patrick's choice of Howard's End by EM Forster brings us back to Blighty.

Producer Sally Heaven


TUE 17:00 PM (m001k0pc)
Afternoon news and current affairs programme, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines


TUE 18:00 Six O' Clock News (m001k0pq)
A woman who concocted a story about being groomed, raped, and trafficked has been jailed.


TUE 18:30 Mark Watson Talks a Bit About Life (m001k0q3)
Series 4

Friday's Child Is...

Multi-award-winning comedian and author Mark Watson continues his probably doomed, but luckily funny quest to make sense of the human experience.

This series is about time - the days of the week, the stages of our existence - and the way we use it to make sense of things. We make our way through the working week. We've got as far as Friday. Friday's child is loving and giving. How do you reconcile that with getting what you want in life? Why does Mark's son think he goes out with Nicole Kidman? And why did he urgently need £35 recently?

Expect jokes, observations and interactions galore as Mark is aided, and sometimes obstructed, by the sardonic musical excellence of Flo & Joan. There's also a hand-picked comedy colleague each week - tonight, we say hello to Felicity Ward.

Producer: Lianne Coop

An Impatient production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 19:00 The Archers (m001k0qc)
Clarrie’s attempting to fix a leaking pipe. Susan suggests escaping to a craft fair. If Eddie thinks she’s at work he’ll be none the wiser, and she can leave him a to do list. Clarrie capitulates. She has a great time, but keeps getting odd texts from Eddie asking about her colour preferences. Susan’s smugness is punctured when Neil too sends a text saying he might be late home. They note wistfully there’s a music festival on tomorrow. Clarrie arrives home to find Eddie’s to do list untouched. Why should she bake him a birthday cake when he can’t be bothered to pitch in? She tells Susan she’ll go to the music festival after all.
At the Cheltenham Festival Adam and Brian happily eye up winning prospects. Brian’s grateful. This was a good idea. They’re amused that Brian was ambushed by Lavinia Rafferty, but at least she didn’t avoid him like most people do just now.
Adam remarks he’s really enjoying working at Bridge Farm. Brian’s pleased to hear it. He’s really proud of what Adam’s achieving there, and of his young family. He’s been a good son, and Brian hasn’t always been the father he ought to be. Touched, Adam says if he’s thought of anyone as his dad, it’s Brian. He confesses he discovered the letter from Paddy and might try to find him. Worried he’s upset Brian he apologises, but Brian’s more taken aback at Jennifer keeping the letter than at Adam looking for Paddy. He thinks it’s sensible, assuring Adam he’s there if he needs him.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (m001k0qn)
Diversity at the Oscars and Baftas; plays and the cost of living; children's books; Phyllida Barlow

The conclusion of the Oscars marks the end of the film awards season, so Front Row took the opportunity to look at the progress made on representation in film and at awards. Tom is joined by the film critic Amon Warmann, Katherine Pieper of LA's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, which looks at equalities at the Oscars, and Marcus Ryder of the Lenny Henry Centre For Media Diversity.

Plus, with a host of new productions exploring the cost of living crisis, we look at how playwrights are tackling this. Writer Emily White talks about her new play, Joseph K and the Cost of Living, being staged as part of a three-part project at the Swansea Grand Theatre, and the writer and critic Sarah Crompton discusses theatre's response to social and political issues on stage.

Bex Lindsay, presenter on Fun Kids Radio and children’s books expert, joins us for a round-up of some of the most interesting and engaging new releases for young independent readers.

Books discussed:
Like A Curse by Elle McNicoll
Montgomery Bonbon: Murder at the Museum by Alasdair Beckett-King
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief/The Phantom Rider by AF Steadman
Jamie by L D Lapinski
Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels by Tola Okogwu
I Spy, A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey
Saving Neverland, by Abi Elphinstone

Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe
Producer: Emma Wallace

Main Image: Michelle Yeoh


TUE 20:00 File on 4 (m001k0qx)
Punished for being mentally ill

Suicide or attempted suicide is not a criminal offence. But, as Adrian Goldberg discovers, mentally ill people are still being punished for attempts to take their own lives. They can be charged with 'intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance,' 'railway trespass' or 'obstruction of highways.' File on 4 hears from people who believe they should have been given care and compassion rather than face criminalisation. The programme also investigates concerns over a scheme called Serenity Integrated Mentoring, or SIM, which was adopted by many NHS mental health trusts in England. It was designed to enable police and hospitals to cope with patients who regularly call the emergency services or arrive at hospitals having self-harmed, attempted suicide, or threatened to take their own life. When tagged under the system, patients can be denied care, prevented from seeing doctors or psychiatrists, and sent home.

Reporter: Adrian Goldberg
Producer: Vicky Carter
Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards
Production Manager: Sarah Payton
Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King
Editor: Carl Johnston

Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health or feelings of despair are available at:
www.bbc.co.uk/actionline


TUE 20:40 In Touch (m001k0r6)
Tactile Paving Completions; An Extant Theatre Pantomime

Network Rail's Rupert Lown gives clarification as to when all tactile paving installation works will be completed across the entire UK train network.

Extant Theatre are a performing arts company that put visual impairment at the heart of all they do. One of their most recent renditions is a pantomime that is touring throughout March: the Super Power Panto. We sent along opera singer Bethan Langford to a performance in Wolverhampton during the first leg of its tour and she joins us to share her thoughts. Extant Theatre is run by visually impaired artistic director, Maria Oshodi. She joins us to give a little insight into her long career as a playwright and what the future looks like for Extant Theatre.

Remaining Super Power Panto dates:
Friday 17th March: Northern Stage, Newcastle
Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th March: Brixton House, London
Tuesday 28 March: Komedia, Brighton

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.


TUE 21:00 Inside Health (m001k0rf)
Parkinson's and Ballet

James meets Ian who has Parkinson's disease and hears how ballet has helped with his symptoms, as a major new review of the evidence shows exercise really does make a difference. And microplastics which can be found in drinking water and food stuffs have now been identified in human vein tissue. James unpicks what this means for our health.
Presenter: James Gallagher
Producer: Erika Wright and Harry Lewis


TUE 21:30 The Life Scientific (m001k0jm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (m001k0rp)
In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspective


TUE 22:45 Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry (m001k0ry)
Episode 2

Recently retired policeman Tom Kettle is settling into the quiet of his new home, a lean-to annexed to a Victorian castle overlooking the Irish Sea. For months he has barely seen a soul, catching only glimpses of his eccentric landlord and a nervous young mother who has moved in next door. Occasionally, fond memories return, of his family, his beloved wife June and their two children. But when two former colleagues turn up at his door with questions about a decades-old case, one which Tom never quite came to terms with, he finds himself pulled into the darkest currents of his past.

The Author
Sebastian Barry was born in Dublin in 1955. The 2018-21 Laureate for Irish Fiction, his novels have twice won the Costa Book of the Year award, the Independent Booksellers Award and the Walter Scott Prize. He had two consecutive novels shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, A Long Long Way (2005) and the top ten bestseller The Secret Scripture (2008), and has also won the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Prize, the Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. He lives in County Wicklow.

Reader: Stanley Townsend
Author: Sebastian Barry
Abridger: Rowan Routh
Producer: Michael Shannon
Executive Editor: Andy Martin

A BBC Northern Ireland Production.


TUE 23:00 Alex Edelman's Peer Group (m0001hx0)
Series 2

Personal

Nominated for this year’s main Edinburgh Comedy Award, and winner of the Newcomer in 2014, American comedian Alex Edelman is back for a second series of his show PEER GROUP in which he takes a comic look at what it’s like being a millennial today.

After episodes about social media, politics and materialism, this episode is all about growing up and how he feels personally; living as a rootless millennial with no home and no family. At 29, is he an adult yet? When will he become an adult? Or indeed feel like one? Is he part of a generation that's increasingly stunted emotionally? And is the intenet responsible? He also looks at modern relationships, both in terms of what one expects from one's parents as well as modern attitudes to picking your partner.

We also hear from Alex's "peer group" - comedians Alfie Brown, Jak Knight, and Brandon Wardell, journalist Rebecca Nicholson and cultural commentator David Burstein.

It is written and presented by Alex Edelman, with additional material by Ivo Graham.

Producer: Sam Michell.

A BBC Studios production.


TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (m001k0s6)
Susan Hulme reports as MPs get their first chance to question ministers about the delay to HS2.