The BBC has announced that it has a sustainable plan for the future of the BBC Singers, in association with The VOCES8 Foundation.
The threat to reduce the staff of the three English orchestras by 20% has not been lifted, but it is being reconsidered.
See the BBC press release here.

Radio-Lists Home Now on R4 Contact

RADIO-LISTS: BBC RADIO 4
Unofficial Weekly Listings for BBC Radio 4 — supported by bbc.co.uk/programmes/



SATURDAY 06 SEPTEMBER 2008

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (b00d7n9z)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SAT 00:30 Book of the Week (b00d9kk5)
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star

Episode 5

Stuart Milligan reads from Paul Theroux's account of a journey in which he retraces his own steps and follows in the tracks of his classic 1973 travel book The Great Railway Bazaar

Paul sets out from Vladivostock on the Trans-Siberian railway. He alights from the train in Perm, a Siberian city with a recent history of rocket manufacture, slave labour and arbitrary incarceration. Paul explores the grim legacy of Perm 36, one of the most notorious Gulag camps.


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d7nb1)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d7nb3)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at 5.20am.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d7nb5)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (b00d7nb7)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d7nrd)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


SAT 05:45 Fungi: The Fifth Kingdom (b008p84c)
What Lies Beneath

Series featuring scientists and amateur naturalists studying fungi, one of the largest and most fascinating groups of organisms on the planet.

More fungi can be found in woodlands than anywhere else, appearing every autumn as their fruit bodies burst through the ground. Lynne Boddy of Cardiff University reveals the complex struggles which take place underground.


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (b00d7nrg)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SAT 06:04 Weather (b00d7nrj)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 06:07 Open Country (b00d7nrl)
Countryside magazine. Helen Mark visits Tory Island off the coast of Donegal, a tiny isle steeped in Celtic legend and home to some rare wintering birds.


SAT 06:35 Farming Today This Week (b00d7nrn)
News and issues in rural Britain with Mark Holdstock.


SAT 06:57 Weather (b00d7nrq)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 07:00 Today (b00d7nrs)
With John Humphrys and Edward Stourton. Including Sports Desk, Thought for the Day, Weather.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (b00d7nrv)
Real life stories in which listeners talk about the issues that matter to them. Presenter Peter Curran is joined by Rachel Johnson. Featured poet is Murray Lachlan Young.


SAT 10:00 Excess Baggage (b00d7nrx)
Senegal - Madagascar

SENEGAL
Sandi Toksvig is joined by former head teacher Andrew Folker who made good use of his new found leisure time when earlier this year he decided to set off for Senegal in West Africa with the idea of seeing the end of the Dakar car rally. In the event it was cancelled but instead he found a country that was both fascinating and welcoming.

MADAGASCAR
Peter Flynn and Catherine Foulser are two volunteers who went to Madagascar to be involved in very different tasks - one working with animals and the other building latrines and a hospital well. They share their experiences in one of the lushest countries in the world, famous for its unique wildlife but still among the least developed nations.


SAT 10:30 Brel et Moi: Alastair Campbell on Jacques Brel (b00d7nrz)
Alastair Campbell, former director of communications for Tony Blair, reveals his little-known but lifelong passion for the music of Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel.

Campbell happened across Brel's music during the time he spent hitchhiking across France as a student in the late 1970s, and has been hooked ever since. Now, over 30 years after Brel's death, Campbell travels to Paris to delve into the secrets of the singer's life and music. Though he is revered in France, Brel is still little known in Britain. With songs like Ne Me Quitte Pas he was willing to explore much deeper, darker emotions than most pop music. On stage, he was hugely popular for his intense, ferocious live performances. But behind his public image, he led a complicated personal life.

Campbell meets Brel's friends and family to find out more about the personality that produced his powerful, emotional music. The programme includes contributions from Brel's co-writer Jean Corti, journalist and author Olivier Todd and another Brel fanatic, comedian Mel Smith.


SAT 11:00 Beyond Westminster (b00d7pcz)
Series 1

Episode 7

Andrew Rawnsley presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (b00d7pd1)
BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the world's headlines. Introduced by Kate Adie.


SAT 12:00 Money Box (b00d7pd3)
Paul Lewis with the latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.

Including reports on government measures to boost the flagging housing market, a tax rebate for millions and how joining a car club could make financial sense.


SAT 12:30 Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive (b00d7bf5)
Series 4

Episode 4

The comedy strongman wrestles the news into submission with the help of Andy Zaltzman, Matt Kirshen and Will Smith. From September 2008.


SAT 12:57 Weather (b00d7pd5)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 13:00 News Headlines (b00d7pd7)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (b00d7bf7)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate from Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire.

Panellists include author and columnist Simon Jenkins, Heritage Lottery Fund chair Liz Forgan, writer and broadcaster Bea Campbell and American political commentator Charlie Wolf.


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (b00d7pd9)
Jonathan Dimbleby takes listeners' calls and emails in response to this week's edition of Any Questions?


SAT 14:30 Saturday Drama (b00d7pdc)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Mike Walker's adaptation of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's classic portrayal of life in Stalin's prison camps.

With Neil Dudgeon, Philip Jackson, Paul Chan, Jonathan Tafler.

Directed by Ned Chaillet.


SAT 15:30 Music Feature (b00d6zqj)
Musical Comedy Was My Dish

Ben Elton explores a forgotten side of his greatest literary hero. PG Wodehouse wrote lyrics for hundreds of songs which appeared in many musical comedies. He worked with composers such as Jerome Kern and Cole Porter, making an invaluable contribution to the development of musical comedy on Broadway and in the West End.


SAT 16:00 Weekend Woman's Hour (b00d7pdf)
Highlights of this week's Woman's Hour programmes with Jane Garvey.

Including features on Keira Knightley and her new role as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, gang culture and guidance for parents, Carol Thatcher, PD James, the role of pets in the family and the personal in politics.


SAT 17:00 PM (b00d7pdh)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news, plus the sports headlines. With Carolyn Quinn.


SAT 17:30 iPM (b00d7pdk)
Eddie Mair presents the weekly interactive current affairs magazine featuring online conversation and debate.


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b00d7pdm)
The latest shipping forecast.


SAT 17:57 Weather (b00d7pdp)
The latest weather forecast.


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d7pdr)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (b00d7pdt)
Clive Anderson Clive Anderson presents an eclectic mix of conversation, comedy and music.

Guests include Les Dennis, Jimi Mistry and Jeremy Hardy, and Robin Ince talks to ex-government spin doctor Ayesha Hazarika.

With comedy from Jessica Delfino and music from Clare and The Reasons and Geraint Watkins.


SAT 19:00 Profile (b00d7pp6)
Alistair Darling

An insight into the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling. He has kept a relative low profile despite being one of only three people who have remained in the Cabinet continuously since 1997. BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston has gained access to people close to the Chancellor. So who is the real Alistair Darling?


SAT 19:15 Saturday Review (b00d7pp8)
Tom Sutcliffe and guests review the cultural highlights of the week.


SAT 20:00 The Archive Hour (b00d7ppb)
Then Was the Winter of our Discontent

Anne Perkins recalls the causes, impact and significance of the wave of strikes which swept across Britain during the winter of 1978/9.


SAT 21:00 Classic Serial (b00d6432)
Tobias Smollett - The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

Episode 1

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

Squire Bramble and family embark on their whistle-stop tour of Great Britain. They encounter adventure, mayhem and the enigmatic Humphry Clinker.

Mathew Bramble ...... Nigel Anthony
Tabitha Bramble ...... Marcia Warren
Lydia Melford ...... Helen Longworth
Jery Melford ...... Dan Starkey
Winifred Jenkins ...... Joanna Page
Humphry Clinker ...... Stuart McLoughlin
Sir Ulic Mackilligut ...... Sam Dale
John Thomas ...... Ben Crowe
Barton ...... Nyasha Hatendi
Lord Newcastle ...... John Rowe

Other parts played by Stephen Critchlow, Liz Sutherland and Chris Pavlo.

Directed by Marc Beeby.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2008.


SAT 22:00 News and Weather (b00d7ppd)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SAT 22:15 Moral Maze (b00d75ny)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Melanie Phillips, Claire Fox, Clifford Longley and Michael Portillo cross-examine witnesses.


SAT 23:00 Round Britain Quiz (b00d6mjf)
2008

Episode 11

Tom Sutcliffe chairs the latest heat of the cryptic general knowledge quiz. Northern Ireland take on the Midlands.

Question 1
Northern Ireland

If Côte d’Ivoire comes fourteenth and China twentieth, where are Cyprus, Argentina and Ghana?

Question 2
Midlands

What have a bunch of wimps been doing down a mine in North Yorkshire, and why might it matter?

Question 3
Northern Ireland

How much do you have, in old money?

Question 4
Midlands

What connects this music with an exuberant patriotic celebration, and a venerated football stand?

Question 5 – listener question from Lawrence Mayes in Herefordshire
Northern Ireland

How does adding a narrow walkway to: half of a pair of drums; a French pachyderm; and a man associated with law enforcement in the USA, produce: a prestidigitator; a pantomime hero; and a comic creation from Staines?

Question 6 – listener question from Charles Gilman in Egham
Midlands

Why might a subtle shade of Greene, Caine cast as a pilgrim, and a ceramic artist, all feel tormented?

Question 7
Northern Ireland

What connects a pair of atmospheric radiation bands, a towering art-deco masterpiece, and a court procedure offering rapid resolution when it’s six of one and half-a-dozen of the other?

Question 8
Midlands

If you can find the key to the link between Noddy and his companions, the St Custards skool dog, an exclusive address on Piccadilly, and Artemisia absinthium, you’ll realise there’s an odd one out. Which?


SAT 23:30 The ABC of the BBC (b00d6436)
80 years ago, The ABC of the BBC, Eleanor Farjeon's collection of alphabet poems, gave a lively impression of the corporation in its early days. Wendy Cope now offers her own specially commissioned ABC of the BBC, depicting the corporation in a contemporary light. Interspersed readings from both collections offer some humorous insights into how things have changed over 80 years.



SUNDAY 07 SEPTEMBER 2008

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (b00d7q0h)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


SUN 00:30 The Late Story (b00d7q0k)
Confessions of a Failed Grown-Up

Episode 5

Stephanie Calman reads from her new book about the perils of reaching 40. What do you do when your children turn out to be more grown-up than you are?


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d7q0m)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d7q1z)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d7q21)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (b00d7qzy)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (b00d7r00)
The sound of bells from St Michael's Church in Mottram-in-Longdendale, Tameside.


SUN 05:45 Profile (b00d7pp6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 06:00 News Headlines (b00d7r02)
The latest national and international news.


SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b00d7r04)
Resisting the Tug

Mark Tully talks to Simon Small about the importance of rediscovering the lost art of contemplation. How can we find the inner stillness so crucial to living life fully?


SUN 06:35 Living World (b00d7r06)
Isle of Man: Beeflies

Lionel Kelleway enjoys a highly productive day along a coastline full of variety. He finds lobsters and fiddler crabs and learns a great deal about the pressures on the island's shores, including looking after their basking sharks.


SUN 06:57 Weather (b00d7r08)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (b00d7r0b)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (b00d7r0d)
Roger Bolton with the religious and ethical news of the week. Moral arguments and perspectives on stories, both familiar and unfamiliar.


SUN 07:55 Radio 4 Appeal (b00d8gv4)
Multiple Sclerosis Trust

Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen appeals on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. Donations: Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. Credit cards: Freephone 0800 404 8144.


SUN 07:58 Weather (b00d8gv6)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (b00d8gv8)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (b00d8gvb)
A Man of Fearless Faith

Canon Michael Bourdeaux travels to Moscow to reflect on the witness of Father Alexander Men, a Russian Orthodox priest who was murdered on September 9, 1990. With the choir of Holy Trinity Monastery, Sergiev Posad.


SUN 08:50 A Point of View (b00d7bf9)
A weekly reflection on a topical issue from Katharine Whitehorn.


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (b00d8gvd)
News and conversation about the big stories of the week with Paddy O'Connell.


SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (b00d8gvg)
The week's events in Ambridge.


SUN 11:15 The Reunion (b00d8gvj)
Hitler Diaries 1983

Sue MacGregor presents the series which reunites a group of people intimately involved in a moment of modern history.

She brings together some of those involved in the publication of the Hitler Diaries in 1983, which were subsequently shown to be a hoax.

This didn't stop Rupert Murdoch giving it his full backing, or Sir Trevor Roper endorsing it - at least at first. Notorious forger Kujau managed to pull the wool over the eyes of the Western media, even though the factual basis for his hoax withstood even less scrutiny than the so-called Mussolini Diaries of previous years.

Even controversial historian David Irving was not taken in - and along with journalist Gerd Hiedemann, Magnus Linklater and Philip Knightley he discusses how the 'coup' was acquired and how it fell apart. From September 2008.

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 12:00 Just a Minute (b00d6tby)
Series 53

Episode 6

Nicholas Parsons chairs the devious word game from the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames. Panellists include Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Julian Clary and Chris Addison.


SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (b00d8gvl)
Parmesan

Chef Angela Hartnett celebrates the core ingredient on the menu of her new restaurant, parmigiano reggiano, or parmesan cheese.


SUN 12:57 Weather (b00d8gvn)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (b00d8gvq)
A look at events around the world with Brian Hanrahan.


SUN 13:30 British Jews and the Dream of Zion (b00b10yn)
Episode 1

To mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, Jonathan Freedland explores the complex relationship between British Jews and the Jewish homeland.

He traces the history of Anglo-Jewish attitudes to the Zionist project.


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00d8gvs)
Peter Gibbs chairs the popular horticultural forum.

Pippa Greenwood, Anne Swithinbank and Chris Beardshaw answer questions from gardeners in Hampshire.

The series on gardening fundamentals continues with Anne and Chris revealing why no garden is complete without a greenhouse.


SUN 14:45 Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's History of Home (b009mc8w)
Country House

Laurence plots the rise of the country house style in the disquieting years of the '70s and '80s when the past became a consolation and an escape from the present. From March 2008.


SUN 15:00 Classic Serial (b00d8h6p)
Tobias Smollett - The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

Episode 2

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

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

The family is stranded. Bramble is keen to continue their grand tour, but how can they leave London when Humphry is in gaol?

Mathew Bramble ...... Nigel Anthony
Tabitha Bramble ...... Marcia Warren
Lydia Melford ...... Helen Longworth
Jery Melford ...... Dan Starkey
Winifred Jenkins ...... Joanna Page
Humphry Clinker ...... Stuart McLoughlin
Lieutenant Lismahago ...... John Rowe
Mr Martin ...... Chris Pavlo
Mr Micklewhimmen ...... Sam Dale
Dutton/Wilson ...... Nyasha Hatendi
Gaoler ...... Stephen Critchlow

Directed by Marc Beeby.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2008.


SUN 16:00 Bookclub (b00d8h6r)
Gore Vidal - Point to Point Navigation

James Naughtie talks to one of the great American men of letters - novelist, screenwriter, playwright, essayist, raconteur and notorious wit Gore Vidal. Now in his eighties but with his acerbity still intact, Vidal joins an audience of readers to discuss his memoir Point to Point Navigation.


SUN 16:30 The Lament of Swordy Well (b00d8h6t)
Poet Paul Farley celebrates the work of John Clare through his landmark poem The Lament of Swordy Well, written in the 1830s before Clare was committed to an asylum. Swordy Well, a tract of limestone heath near Clare's home in Northamptonshire, is both the subject and the narrator of the piece. The site, now Swaddywell, is one of scientific interest, and has been preserved for its wildlife and habitat after decades of abuse.


SUN 17:00 The Italian Patient (b00d74cs)
Italian journalist Annalisa Piras assesses the state of her nation after the return to power of Silvio Berlusconi in March. For the Italian Right, his victory was a welcome shake-up of a sclerotic economy and political system and a return to a proud Catholic country with strong family values and secure borders. For the Left, however, Italy is now in crisis, a land ridden with xenophobia and political corruption.


SUN 17:40 Profile (b00d7pp6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b00d8h7b)
The latest shipping forecast.


SUN 17:57 Weather (b00d8j9p)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d8j9r)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (b00d8j9t)
Mark Lawson presents a selection of highlights from the past week on BBC radio.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (b00d8j9w)
It's the flower and produce show. Lynda can't see how Phil's astronomical pictures can qualify as village life and is dismayed when her photos are disqualified - especially when Phil gets a highly commended.

Sabrina Thwaite's harvest fruit cake has won but Jill smells a rat. Sabrina exchanged a box of empty jars in exchange for one of Jill's fruit cakes last week. Jennifer wants to tell the judges but Jill thinks Sabrina must have really wanted to be part of the show and decides to let Sabrina have her little moment of glory.

Ed wants Ruth and David to take part in the Grange Farm Open Day. Clarrie hopes it's a success. She knows how much Ed's got riding on it now.

Alice calls Jennifer from Bestival and tells her how she ended up sharing Christopher's tent after hers was stolen. Lynda's surprised to hear about Alice and Christopher's friendship. Jennifer's quick to point out it's nothing serious. Neil's equally quick to point out that Alice may be off to university in three weeks, but three weeks is a long time when you're that age.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


SUN 19:15 Go4it (b00d658p)
Barney Harwood meets dragon enthusiasts, including imaginary pet expert Professor Georgie Blink. He is joined by Gareth P Jones, author of the Dragon Detective Agency series.


SUN 19:45 Last Night I Dreamed (b007gys2)
Half-Sisters

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

In Sally Beauman's tale, Anna lives and works in Rome. She is disturbed by dreams of her childhood and her half-sister Laura, whom she has not seen for two years. Why should the past wrench her back now?

Read by Lucy Briers.


SUN 20:00 For One Night Only (b00d7bdx)
Series 4

Miles Davis and Quincy Jones Live at Montreux

Series in which Paul Gambaccini recalls classic concerts.

For the 25th anniversary of the renowned international jazz festival, Jones coaxed Davis into reprising his collaborations with Gil Evans from the 50s and 60s. A spellbound audience heard such masterpieces as Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain played in public for the first time in decades.


SUN 20:30 Last Word (b00d7bf1)
Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.


SUN 21:00 Money Box (b00d7pd3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:00 on Saturday]


SUN 21:26 Radio 4 Appeal (b00d8gv4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 today]


SUN 21:30 In Business (b00d7b61)
Bring on the Bandwidth

An ever-expanding internet needs more and more bandwidth to provide the services that users are demanding. But can the system cope? Peter Day asks experts including writer George Gilder, who has been predicting what is now happening for over 20 years.


SUN 21:58 Weather (b00d8j9y)
The latest weather forecast.


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (b00d8jb0)
Reports from behind the scenes at Westminster. Including The Condensed History of Political Parties.


SUN 23:00 And the Academy Award Goes To... (b008vd2n)
Series 1

Lawrence of Arabia

In his history of the Oscars, Paul Gambaccini discovers how David Lean's epic won the Best Picture Award in 1963. From February 2008.


SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b00d7r04)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:05 today]



MONDAY 08 SEPTEMBER 2008

MON 00:00 Midnight News (b00d8n1y)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b00d75nt)
Corporate PR - Highrise Living

CORPORATE PR
Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor David Miller, author of a new book entitled Thinker, Faker, Spinner, Spy and Mark Borkowski, PR Practitioner, to discuss the idea that ‘Corporate Spin’ has launched a full scale assault on modern democracy to the point that lies, fakes and ‘dark arts’ are behind a bewildering array of untruths that completely mislead the media and the public.

HIGHRISE LIVING
Could our sense that so many modern cities look alike be the result of looking at them only from the outside – of considering exteriors rather than interiors? Dr Stephen Cairns picks up on some questions raised in last week’s programme about the city and talks about the findings of new research into highrise residential buildings currently being carried out at the University of Edinburgh.


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b00d7r00)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n20)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d8n22)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n24)
The latest shipping forecast.


MON 05:30 News Briefing (b00d8n26)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d8myx)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (b00d8n28)
News and issues in rural Britain with Mark Holdstock.


MON 05:57 Weather (b00d8n2b)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.


MON 06:00 Today (b00d8n2d)
Presented by John Humphrys and Edward Stourton.

Edward Stourton reports from Bath, where 16 years ago the Liberal Democrats had a surprising election victory.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker explains a pilot scheme which will allow parents to check whether those working closely with their children have a record of paedophilia.

Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon, responds to claims that the Church of England will apologise to Charles Darwin.

Tim Franks reports on the return of former childhood concert pianist Elisha Abas.

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

Vince Cable explains how the news about financial markets will affect Lib Dem spending plans.

Jon Moulton of Alchemy Partners and Terry Smith of Tullett Prebon discuss the demise of Lehman Brothers, one of the world's largest investment banks.

Peter Biles reports on the power-sharing deal that has been agreed between Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe and the MDC.

Mark Littlewood, of pressure group Liberal Vision, and Lib Dem spokesman Evan Harris discuss proposals for tax cuts by the Liberal Democrats.

Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie's grandson, and Laura Thompson, author of Christie: An English Mystery, discuss the importance the discovery of 13 hours of Agatha Christie recordings.

Nick Pelling and Dr Sven Dupre discuss the invention of the telescope.

Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize winner and survivor of two German concentration camps, discusses the importance of educating future generations about the Holocaust.


MON 09:00 Fry's English Delight (b00d8p82)
Series 1

Cliche

Stephen Fry explores the highways and byways of the English language.

Stephen looks at how cliche operates for both good and bad. A cliche crisis affected the writing of Flaubert, Joyce and Eliot and helped shape modern language and culture.


MON 09:30 Parkmasters (b00773lw)
James Pennethorne and Victoria Park, London

James Pennethorne created Victoria Park in east London for some of the poorest people in the capital.

The space may have resembled Regent's Park with grand carriageways and vistas, but the workers made it their own as they congregated to discuss politics and to bathe in the grand lakes before the park had even officially opened.

Historian Tristram Hunt continues his history of the people and ideas behind the creation of public parks.

Producer: Erin Riley

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2007.


MON 09:45 Book of the Week (b00d8r1c)
Making Money

Greed

Evan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy. Everyone wants to get rich.


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00d8r28)
Alison Krauss; Caroline Lucas

Award-winning singer Alison Krauss discusses her life in music and her collaboration with Robert Plant. And Caroline Lucas talks about being the first leader of the Green Party.


MON 11:00 Textbook Diplomacy (b00d8t8k)
Last year, final year pupils in French and German schools started using an identical history text book, an example of a trend across Europe towards using the teaching of history to overcome mistrust and conflict between nations. Mark Whitaker reports.


MON 11:30 Dixon of Dock Green (b0076zdv)
Series 2

The Captain

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

A series of burglaries on empty houses bear all the trademarks of one of Dock Green's most colourful characters - but is Andy too keen to make an arrest?

Dixon......David Calder
Crawford......Hamish Clark
Maurie......Jonathan Tafler
Tom Carr......Jonathan Gunning.


MON 12:00 You and Yours (b00d8x80)
Consumer news and issues with Winifred Robinson and Liz Barclay.


MON 12:57 Weather (b00d8x82)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 13:00 World at One (b00d8x84)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


MON 13:30 Round Britain Quiz (b00d8x86)
2008

Episode 12

Tom Sutcliffe chairs the final of the cryptic general knowledge quiz. Wales take on the South of England.


MON 14:00 The Archers (b00d8j9w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Drama (b00770ph)
Books

By Tessa Hadley.

The distinguished novelist Paul Sand died 20 years ago and now his wife has died too. At their seaside home, her daughter and a university researcher meet. She needs to sell up and clear out while he wants to see what papers the great man has left behind.

Mr Lascelles ...... David Collins
Paul Sand ...... Philip Madoc
Chris Elliott ...... Adam Levy
Terry Untermeyer ...... Niamh Cusack

Music composed by Geoff Nichols.
Imogen Triner (oboe)
John Welch (piano)

Directed by Tim Dee.


MON 15:00 Money Box Live (b00d8x88)
Vincent Duggleby and guests answer calls on financial issues.


MON 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00d90lm)
Love of the World

Episode 1

Jim Norton reads from John McGahern's story, abridged by Neville Teller. Kate has fallen for Guard Harkin but her parents are worried about his character.


MON 15:45 Big Bang Day: Five Particles (b00d8yw8)
The Electron

Simon Singh examines the significance of five subatomic particles in five programmes In the first programme he tells the story of the discovery of the electron.

Just over a century ago, British physicist J.J. Thomson experimenting with electric currents and charged particles inside empty glass tubes, showed that atoms are divisible into indivisible elementary particles. But how could atoms be built up of these so called "corpuscles"? An exciting 30 year race ensued, to grasp the planetary model of the atom with its orbiting electrons, and the view inside the atom was born. Whilst the number of electrons around the nucleus of an atom determines the chemistry of all elements, the power of electrons themselves has been harnessed for everyday use: electron beams for welding,cathode ray tubes and radiation therapy.

Producer Adrian Washbourne.


MON 16:00 The Food Programme (b00d8gvl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:32 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 Click On (b00d90pk)
Series 3

Episode 2

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


MON 17:00 PM (b00d90wb)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d90wd)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


MON 18:30 Just a Minute (b00d90xf)
Series 53

Episode 7

Nicholas Parsons chairs the devious word game from the Latitude Festival in Southwold. Panellists include Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Ross Noble and Robin Ince.


MON 19:00 The Archers (b00d97p2)
Lilian praises Matt for voting in favour of Pat and Tony buying Bridge Farm but Pat's still sceptical where Matt's concerned. Lilian's dismayed at Pat's attitude - she thought they could all be friends again now it's sorted. Jennifer points out that it's not all signed and sealed yet

Lilian tells Jennifer that the genealogist has found Matt's mum and now Matt's getting a professional organisation to write her a letter on his behalf

Alice arrives back from Bestival with Christopher, and from their parting kiss it's clear they're more than 'just good friends'. Jenny is shocked but Lilian can see the attraction for Alice. Alice has clearly had a fantastic time and intends to carry on seeing Christopher, despite Jennifer's disapproval. Jennifer reminds her that she's off to university in three weeks but Alice wants a bit of fun before she goes.

Tony's pleased to know that Tom's keen to help out more at Bridge Farm, and Pat wants to celebrate Borchester Land's decision. As they toast their future, Tony thinks they should drink to Matt Crawford. If he hadn't tried to turn their barn into a luxury des res, they wouldn't be doing what they are.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


MON 19:15 Front Row (b00d97q1)
Arts news and reviews with Mark Lawson, including an interview with American comic writer David Sedaris.


MON 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00d97q3)
Balance of Power

Episode 1

Deborah Davis's tale of power struggles in the court of Queen Anne.

For two years, Queen Anne has been happy to have Sarah Jennings, Duchess of Marlborough, rule her court and her heart. But in 1704, the young orphan girl Abigail Hill arrives at St James's Palace.

Abigail Hill ...... Rebecca Callard
Queen Anne ...... Lucy Cohu
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ...... Kelly Hunter
Robert Harley ...... John Rowe
Samuel Masham ...... Chris Pavlo
Mrs Trevor ...... Joan Walker
Lord Godolphin ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Dan Starkey and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.


MON 20:00 Jihad UK (b00dp878)
Why has Britain become such a major centre for al-Qaeda inspired plots? Following the conviction of a group of British born Muslims for a massive conspiracy to murder, journalist Amardeep Bassey traces the evolution of the jihadi network in Britain.


MON 20:30 Crossing Continents (b00d75tz)
Zimbabwe

Julian Pettifer scours the airwaves and the world of blogs to find out what everyday life is like in Zimbabwe today. How are people coping with hyperinflation and food shortages in a land formerly known as the bread basket of Africa? What lengths will they go to feed their families and what kinds of self-help networks have been created?


MON 21:00 Big Bang Day: The Making of CERN (b00d9f7j)
Episode 1

Quentin Cooper explores the fifty-year history of CERN, the European particle physics laboratory in Switzerland.

The institution was created to bring European scientists together after the shattering effects of the Second World War. Quentin talks to some of the founder members who worked with people with whom they had been at war with only a few years previously, and who would help CERN gain its status as one of the greatest physics laboratories in the world.


MON 21:30 Mind Changers (b008fxv9)
The Bobo Doll

Claudia Hammond presents a series looking at the development of the science of psychology during the 20th century.

She revisits the first experiment to broach the subject of how children respond to TV and computer game violence. Albert Bandura's ground-breaking Bobo Doll experiment in 1961 first alerted the world to the dangers of imitative behaviour.


MON 21:58 Weather (b00d9h9q)
The latest weather forecast.


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (b00d9h9s)
National and international news and analysis with Ritula Shah.

Including reports on the major terror bomb plot verdicts, reaction from the US on the plan to save mortgage guarantors and the town in Sussex that's issuing its own currency.


MON 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00d9h8f)
Someone at a Distance

Episode 1

Deborah Findlay reads from Dorothy Whipple's 1953 novel, abridged by Jill Waters.

The North family's comfortable life on the edge of a small country town is about to be disrupted by the arrival of a stranger.


MON 23:00 Word of Mouth (b00d6zwr)
Michael Rosen takes another journey into the world of words, language and the way we speak.


MON 23:30 Tomorrow, Today! (b017071k)
Series 2

Squab is not the Language of Love

Radio writer Hugo defects to TV.

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

Nigel Lavery ...... Peter Bowles
Sylvia Hann ...... Cheryl Campbell
Godfrey Winnard ..... John Fortune
Sir Angus McNairn ...... Gary Waldhorn
Hugo Kellerman ...... Joseph Kloska
Douglas Bennings ...... Jon Glover
Keith Wood ...... Sam Pamphilon
Georgina Barrett ...... Carolyn Pickles
Burton ...... Peter Marinker.

Producer: Liz Webb

First broadcast on Radio 4 in February 2008.



TUESDAY 09 SEPTEMBER 2008

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b00d8myz)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


TUE 00:30 Book of the Week (b00d8r1c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d8mz1)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d8mz3)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d8mz5)
The latest shipping forecast.


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b00d8mz7)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d8mz9)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b00d8mzc)
News and issues in rural Britain with Anna Hill.


TUE 06:00 Today (b00d8mzf)
With John Humphrys and Sarah Montague. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.


TUE 09:00 The Choice (b00d9l4b)
Michael Buerk interviews people who have made life-altering decisions and talks them through the whole process, from the original dilemma to living with the consequences.

Canon Andrew White talks about his decision to work in war-torn Baghdad.


TUE 09:30 I Was a Child Prodigy (b00d9l4d)
Episode 2

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

Jocelyn Lavin shone both academically and musically at primary school. She won a place at the prestigious Chetham's School in Manchester, where she was a classmate of Anna Markland, BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1982. But she can't find a job and doesn't understand why her talents seem to mean nothing to potential employers. Jocelyn and Anna reflect on their fortunes since leaving school.


TUE 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dc9t3)
Making Money

Opportunity

Evan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy. See it and grab it.


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00d8r1f)
The life of Ellen Terry; Perfumes

Michael Holroyd discusses Ellen Terry, the leading actress of the late Victorian era. Plus a guide to perfumes, female scribes and helping vulnerable trade union members.


TUE 11:00 World On The Move: Great Animal Migrations (b00d9n38)
Philippa Forrester and Brett Westwood present the series following the movement and migration of animals across the planet, from the European eel to the African white-eared kob antelope. A team of wildlife specialists are joined by zoologists and conservationists around the world to present regular reports.


TUE 11:30 London's Fashion Spectacular (b00d9nq7)
Episode 1

Bronwyn Cosgrave finds out why London has become the centre of the fashion world.

The capital's creativity and daring young designers will once again draw an eager international audience for London Fashion Week. But can the success be sustained?


TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b00d8tn4)
Consumer news and issues with John Waite and Liz Barclay.


TUE 12:57 Weather (b00d8tn6)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 13:00 World at One (b00d8tn8)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


TUE 13:30 Music Feature (b00d9nq9)
The Life and Times of the Tambourine

Huw Williams traces the history of the tambourine, from the Middle East to Stravinsky, Motown and the Sugababes. Contributors include Craig Reid of The Proclaimers.


TUE 14:00 The Archers (b00d97p2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama (b00d9nqc)
Blue Sky Thinking

A psychological thriller about love and identity by Ben Lewis. Karen's counting down the days to her wedding. But when a scrawny-looking stranger turns up her happy life begins to fall apart.

Karen...........Nicola Stapleton
Vinnie..........Samuel Roukin
Stuart...........Freddy White
Siobhan...........Catherine Shepherd
Jean...........Sandra Voe
Dave................Ben Lewis
Director: Kirsty Williams.


TUE 15:00 Home Planet (b00d9whp)
Richard Daniel and the team discuss listeners' questions about the environment and the natural world.


TUE 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00d8ywb)
Love of the World

Episode 2

Jim Norton reads from John McGahern's story, abridged by Neville Teller. Harkin's ill health and career change prompt Kate to rethink her priorities.


TUE 15:45 Big Bang Day: Five Particles (b00d8ywd)
The Quark

Simon Singh examines the significance of five subatomic particles 2) The Quark.

"Three Quarks for Master Mark! Sure he hasn't got much of a bark." James Joyce's Finnegans Wake left its mark on modern physics when physicist Murray Gell Mann proposed this name for a group of hypothetical subatomic particles that were revealed in 1960 as the fundamental units of matter. Basic particles, such as protons and neutrons, it seems, are made up of even more basic units called quarks that make up 99.9% of visible material in the universe. But why do we know so little about them? Quarks have never been seen as free particles. They are inextricably bound together by the Strong Force that in turn holds the atomic nucleus together. This is the hardest of Nature's fundamental forces to crack, but recent theoretical advances mean that the properties of the quark are at last being revealed.

Producer: Adrian Washbourne.


TUE 16:00 Word of Mouth (b00d9whr)
Michael Rosen takes another journey into the world of words, language and the way we speak.


TUE 16:30 Great Lives (b00d9wht)
Series 16

David Ervine

Series of biographical discussions with Matthew Parris.

Former loyalist paramilitary turned Northern Ireland politician David Ervine is the controversial choice of broadcaster Lesley Riddoch. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and Raymond McCord, whose son was murdered by a Loyalist terror gang, join the discussion with the Guardian's Belfast correspondent Henry McDonald.


TUE 17:00 PM (b00d90vt)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d90vw)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


TUE 18:30 Hut 33 (b00lv795)
Series 1

Don't Bet on It

The Bletchley Park codebreakers must play football against Italian prisoners of war.

Set in Bletchley Park in 1941, three code-breakers are forced to share a draughty wooden hut, as they try to break German ciphers. Unfortunately, they hate each other.

CAST:

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

Written by James Cary.

Producer: Adam Bromley

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2007.


TUE 19:00 The Archers (b00d97p4)
Eric, the dry stone waller, is preparing for rebuilding the ha-ha. It's a big job and Nigel is doubtful they'll do it all in two days. Eric assures him that, once they get the hang of it, the wall will go up surprisingly quickly. There are about eight volunteers today, including Mike and Neil, and Eric gives them a lesson in how to achieve a uniform 'batter line'. Nigel's pleased at how Eric has worked round the badger sett.

Nigel wishes Hayley could be there to help, but she and Roy are preparing to move out when the builders start next week. Nigel's not impressed at the poky little flat Caroline's letting them have at Grey Gables

Mike shows Susan an IOU that Phoebe's been given, and wants to exchange it in the shop. Lynda informs Susan that the swap club is in danger. More and more IOUs are in circulation and it's really embarrassing. Susan refuses to take any responsibility but she's clearly upset, and tells Neil that Lynda's making it out to be her fault. Neil tries to assure her it's simply teething troubles. It'll sort itself out and he doesn't want Susan to let it get her down.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (b00d97p6)
Arts news and reviews with Mark Lawson, including news of the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize and an interview with artist and film maker Steve McQueen.


TUE 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00d97p8)
Balance of Power

Episode 2

Deborah Davis's tale of power struggles in the court of Queen Anne.

Queen Anne takes Abigail into her confidence, and Abigail is rewarded with her own room in the Palace.

Abigail Hill ...... Rebecca Callard
Queen Anne ...... Lucy Cohu
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ...... Kelly Hunter
Robert Harley ...... John Rowe
Samuel Masham ...... Chris Pavlo
Mrs Trevor ...... Joan Walker
Lord Godolphin ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Dan Starkey and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.


TUE 20:00 The Politics of Chinese Meditation (b00d9ykv)
Mukul Devichand explores the practice of Qigong, breathing exercises designed to cultivate and harness the qi or inner energy. After high-profile state confrontations with Qigong groups such as Falun Gong in the 1990s, the practice is now highly sensitive in China and many of its teachers and practitioners have fled to the west.


TUE 20:40 In Touch (b00d9ykx)
Peter White with news and information for the blind and partially sighted.


TUE 21:00 Big Bang Day: The Making of CERN (b00d9yq4)
Episode 2

Quentin Cooper explores the fifty-year history of CERN, the European particle physics laboratory in Switzerland.

He tracks the laboratory's development through the 1970s as it slowly drew alongside and then overtook rival institutions in both the Soviet Union and the United States. He talks to those involved in building the twenty-seven kilometre tunnel in which the latest experiment is to be conducted and discovers some of the additional benefits of CERN's pioneering work, including the development of the World Wide Web and the advancement of cancer treatments using particle beams.


TUE 21:30 The Choice (b00d9l4b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


TUE 21:58 Weather (b00d9h8h)
The latest weather forecast.


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b00d9h8k)
National and international news and analysis with Ritula Shah.

Including reports on the redeployment of US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, Alistair Darling's speech to the TUC, and the mysterious subatomic fragment known as the 'God particle'.


TUE 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00d9h8m)
Someone at a Distance

Episode 2

Deborah Findlay reads from Dorothy Whipple's 1953 novel, abridged by Jill Waters.

Louise Lanier comes to England to act as a companion to old Mrs North over the summer. Louise has her own personal reasons for wanting to absent herself from the small town of Amigny where she grew up.


TUE 23:00 Edge Falls (b00d9yq6)
Series 2

Episode 2

The retail park is licensed for marriage with traumatic results. Stars Mark Benton and Frances Barber. From September 2008.


TUE 23:30 A Smile and a Shoeshine (b0080xpk)
Laurie Taylor explores the world of the travelling salesman, examining the allure of the character for so many writers, film-makers and dramatists.



WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2008

WED 00:00 Midnight News (b00d8mzh)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dc9t3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Tuesday]


WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d8mzk)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d8mzm)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d8mzp)
The latest shipping forecast.


WED 05:30 News Briefing (b00d8mzr)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d8mzt)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


WED 05:45 Farming Today (b00d8mzw)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.


WED 06:00 Today (b00d8mzy)
With John Humphrys and Evan Davis. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.


WED 09:00 Big Bang Day: Engineering Solutions (b00d9yz3)
Adam Hart-Davis follows the construction of one of the most complex experiments ever attempted. The new Large Hadron Collider atom smasher at CERN has 6,000 superconducting magnets to steer the proton beams travelling at the speed of light around its 27-kilometre particle race track. Electronic detectors the size of churches observe new matter created inside the machine, and a hundred thousand computers around the world are standing by to analyse all the data.


WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dc9sk)
Making Money

Bandwagon

Evan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy.

As soon as someone gets rich, everyone else wants the same.


WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00d8r1k)
Women in Science

A special programme discussing how to encourage more women to take up science. With scientists Maggie Aderin, Claire Timlin, Joy Parvin, Carolin Crawford and Clare Thomson.


WED 11:00 Physics Rocks (b00d9yz5)
CERN physicist and science broadcaster Brian Cox meets some of the celebrity enthusiasts of particle physics.

He talks to Alan Alda and John Barrowman about their enthusiasm for the largest, most ambitious science experiment ever undertaken, CERN's Large Hadron Collider. He travels to CERN with former quantum physicist turned comedian Ben Miller, discusses the shape of the universe with ex-cosmologist Dara O Briain and ponders the validity of the big bang with Eddie Izzard.


WED 11:30 Kicking the Habit (b00d9yz7)
Series 2

Yours Sincerely

Comedy drama by Christopher Lee, set in a Carmelite monastery where the brown habit is no protection against the problems and temptations of the modern world.

It seems unlikely that the friars would attend an expensive course on How to Look and Sound Sincere, but appearances can be deceptive.

Father Bertie ...... Alfred Molina
Brother Martin ...... Roy Dotrice
Father Michael ...... Martin Jarvis
Brother Luke ...... Darren Richardson
Mave ...... Rosalind Ayres
Gwynneth ...... Moira Quirk

Friars and pilgrims played by Kenneth Danziger, Matthew Wolf and Alan Shearman.

Directed by Pete Atkin.


WED 12:00 You and Yours (b00d8tnb)
Consumer news and issues with John Waite and Sheila McClennon.


WED 12:57 Weather (b00d8tnd)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 13:00 World at One (b00d8tng)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


WED 13:30 Tracing Your Roots (b00d9zhs)
Series 3

Episode 4

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

With genealogist Nick Barratt, she looks at some myths surrounding Irish family history research.


WED 14:00 The Archers (b00d97p4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Tuesday]


WED 14:15 Drama (b00d9zww)
Torchwood

Lost Souls

By Joseph Lidster.

The Torchwood team go to Geneva, where former time-traveller Martha Jones is now working as a doctor at the world's biggest physics laboratory, CERN. Deep in an underground tunnel, a giant particle accelerator is about to be activated for the first time. But something strange is happening. Scientists are hearing voices and collapsing with a strange illness. Is something lurking in the tunnel? Do the dead ever really stay dead?

Captain Jack Harkness ...... John Barrowman
Gwen Cooper ...... Eve Myles
Ianto Jones ...... Gareth David-Lloyd
Martha Jones ...... Freema Agyeman
Professor Johnson ...... Lucy Montgomery
Dr Oliver Harrington ...... Stephen Crichlow
Leon Foiret ...... Mark Meadows

Music by Murray Gold and Ben Foster.

Directed by Kate McAll.


WED 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00d8gvs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 14:00 on Sunday]


WED 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00d8ywg)
Love of the World

Episode 3

Jim Norton reads from John McGahern's story, abridged by Neville Teller. Harkin's cruelty towards Kate plumbs new depths.


WED 15:45 Big Bang Day: Five Particles (b00d8ywj)
The Antiparticle

Simon Singh looks at the stories behind the discovery of five of the universe's most significant subatomic particles. 3) The Antiparticle.

It appears to be the stuff of science fiction. Associated with every elementary particle is an antiparticle which has the same mass and opposite charge. Should the two meet and combine, the result is annihilation - and a flash of light. Thanks to mysterious processes that occurred after the Big Bang there are a vastly greater number of particles than anti-particles. So how could their elusive existence be proved? At CERN particle physicists are crashing together subatomic particles at incredibly high speeds to create antimatter, which they hope will finally reveal what happened at the precise moment of the Big Bang to create the repertoire of elementary particles and antiparticles in existence today.
Producer: Adrian Washbourne.


WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b00db05m)
Café Culture – Human Waste

CAFÉ CULTURE
Laurie Taylor examines our behaviour in coffee shops with Dr Eric Laurier, author of The Cappuccino Community: cafes and civic life in the contemporary city.

HUMAN WASTE
Simon Winchester wrote that “Few are the writers brave and bold enough to take on so difficult a topic”. Rose George is bold enough, and she talks about her new book The Big Necessity; Adventures in the World of Human Waste with Patrick Wakely, Emeritus Professor of Urban Development at University College London.


WED 16:30 Case Notes (b00db05p)
Hair

Dr Mark Porter explores health issues of the day.

He looks at common problems of hair, from greying to dandruff and baldness. He reports on new genetic studies of the fungus that causes dandruff and on why we lose the colour in our hair as we age. He also explores why chemotherapy changes the structure of hair.


WED 17:00 PM (b00d90vy)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d90w0)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


WED 18:30 Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better (b00db05r)
Series 2

Diligence

The comedian examines the virtue of hard work. Tim Key and Tom Basden pay great attention to detail in their poems and songs. From September 2008.


WED 19:00 The Archers (b00d97pb)
Clarrie takes George to see William. She tells William it's hard for George to understand why he's not there any more. William insists he had to get away - he just didn't trust himself any more, and it's still not over. Clarrie's finding it difficult to keep taking days off in the middle of the week and pleads with William to come to Ambridge. William tells her he'll be back for Abbie's christening.

Eddie and Joe are back at Lower Loxley for day two of the walling course. Hayley turns up and admires the wall and Joe happily takes the credit, even though he's done very little. Hayley wants to have a go, so Joe keeps an eye on Abbie while Hayley gets stuck in.

Nigel has told Elizabeth about Hayley and Roy having to move out of Willow Farm. Elizabeth can't imagine how they'll manage in a staff flat at Grey Gables and suggests that they move in at Lower Loxley while the building work is being done. Hayley's delighted, and knows Roy will be too. Hayley gets back to the wall, knowing that in years to come, Abbie can look at part of it and say 'My mum built that'.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


WED 19:15 Front Row (b00d97pd)
With Mark Lawson. As part of Big Bang Day, the programme includes a probe into how physics has been represented in the arts by Tom Stoppard, John Adams and others.


WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00d97pg)
Balance of Power

Episode 3

Deborah Davis's tale of power struggles in the court of Queen Anne.

Abigail arranges for the Leader of the Opposition to visit Queen Anne in private.

Abigail Hill ...... Rebecca Callard
Queen Anne ...... Lucy Cohu
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ...... Kelly Hunter
Robert Harley ...... John Rowe
Samuel Masham ...... Chris Pavlo
Mrs Trevor ...... Joan Walker
Lord Godolphin ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Dan Starkey and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.


WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b00db05t)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Melanie Phillips, Kenan Malik, Clifford Longley and Michael Portillo cross-examine witnesses.


WED 20:45 The Condensed History of Political Parties (b00db05w)
The Labour Party

Adam Long, co-founder of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, rushes through the history of the Labour Party. Starting with Keir Hardie, his journey takes in the wilderness years and a winter of discontent until things could only get better. He finishes with Gordon Brown, a moral compass and a golden rule.


WED 21:00 The Great Big Particle Adventure (b00db0x1)
Episode 1

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

He looks at the Higgs Particle and how it enables atoms, molecules and our entire world to exist.


WED 21:30 Big Bang Day: Engineering Solutions (b00d9yz3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


WED 21:58 Weather (b00d9h8p)
The latest weather forecast.


WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b00d9h8r)
National and international news and analysis with Julian Worricker.


WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00d9h8t)
Someone at a Distance

Episode 3

Deborah Findlay reads from Dorothy Whipple's 1953 novel, abridged by Jill Waters.

On her return from England, Louise discovers the extent of her mother's social climbing on her behalf. She has committed Louise to assisting the wife of her former lover Paul Devoisy at a charity fete.


WED 23:00 Strangers on Trains (b00db0x3)
Episode 3

Nat Segnit is on a quest to venture inside travellers' minds with tales of doomed dates. With Stewart Wright. From September 2008.


WED 23:15 All Bar Luke (b00db0x5)
Series 3

The Engagement

Poignant comedy drama series by Tim Key.

A harrowing cab journey of the soul - Luke heads home to collect his mum after his brother proposes to Hayley at Newmarket races.

An Angel Eye Media production for BBC Radio 4.


WED 23:30 Big Bang Day: The Genuine Particle (b00db0x7)
Steve Punt's fast-moving comedy, set 100 metres underground in the Large Hadron Collider. A wormhole, an ID card and an electric buggy combine.



THURSDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2008

THU 00:00 Midnight News (b00d8n00)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dc9sk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Wednesday]


THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n02)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d8n04)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n06)
The latest shipping forecast.


THU 05:30 News Briefing (b00d8n08)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d8n0b)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


THU 05:45 Farming Today (b00d8n0d)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.


THU 06:00 Today (b00d8n0g)
With James Naughtie and Evan Davis. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.


THU 09:00 The City (b00db318)
Welcome to the Jungle

Jeff Randall gets behind the scenes in London to meet the money men whose decisions affect all of us.

From the traditional square mile to the gleaming new buildings of Canary Wharf and the boutique fund managers of Mayfair, Jeff finds the streets of London paved not with gold but with equities, futures and vast amounts of cash. He takes the measure of city culture to paint a picture of the metropolis in its own words at work and at play.


THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dc9sn)
Making Money

Crash

Evan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy. What goes up must come down.


THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00d8r1m)
Janette Krankie; Haut de la Garenne children's home

Janette Tough discusses being Jimmy Krankie and her career in variety entertainment. Plus the best ways to motivate children to take responsibility for themselves in the morning.


THU 11:00 Crossing Continents (b00db3b9)
Confessions of an LA Gangster

Michael Montgomery explores some extraordinary recordings made by Rene Enriquez. A former leader in one of America's most violent gangs, the Mexican Mafia, Enriquez is serving 20 years to life in California for murder. Since being incarcerated, however, he has become a police informant.


THU 11:30 150 Years of the Halle (b00db3bc)
A celebration of the 150th anniversary of the feted Manchester-based orchestra. Music Director Mark Elder reflects on the special place Britain's oldest professional ensemble holds in the music world and in the hearts of music lovers.


THU 12:00 You and Yours (b00d8tnj)
Consumer news and issues with Winifred Robinson and Liz Barclay.


THU 12:57 Weather (b00d8tnl)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 13:00 World at One (b00d8tnn)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.


THU 13:30 Open Country (b00d7nrl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:07 on Saturday]


THU 14:00 The Archers (b00d97pb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Wednesday]


THU 14:15 Drama (b00db5bm)
Worktown

Michael Symonds Roberts's play is inspired by Humphrey Spender's photographs of Bolton in the 1930s. Following a funeral procession through the cobbled backstreets, the play dips into pockets of life on its way. Poetry, dialogue, monologue and song combine to create a funny and sometimes poignant picture of the richness of local life at the time.

Narrator ...... Russell Dixon
Gwen/Barmaid ...... Janice Connolly
Jim ...... Bernard Wrigley
Alfie ...... John Henshaw
Policeman ...... Andrew Grose
Angus ...... Oliver Lee
Doorman/Mr Adams ...... Antony Bessick
Driver/Mourner ...... Terence Mann

Directed by Susan Roberts.


THU 15:00 Questions, Questions (b00db5bp)
Stewart Henderson answers those niggling questions from everyday life.


THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b00d8gv4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:55 on Sunday]


THU 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00d8ywl)
Love of the World

Episode 4

Jim Norton reads from John McGahern's story, abridged by Neville Teller. Jerome declares his feelings for Kate, but will she accept his advances?


THU 15:45 Big Bang Day: Five Particles (b00d8ywn)
The Neutrino

Simon Singh looks at the stories behind the discovery of five of the universe's most significant subatomic particles. 4) The Neutrino.
It's the most populous particle in the universe. Millions of these subatomic particles are passing through each one of us. With no charge and virtually no mass they can penetrate vast thicknesses of matter without any interaction - indeed the sun emits huge numbers that pass through earth at the speed of light. Neutrinos are similar to the more familiar electron, with one crucial difference: neutrinos do not carry electric charge. As a result they're extremely difficult to detect . But like HG Wells' invisible man they can give themselves away by bumping into things at high energy and detectors hidden in mines are exploiting this to observe these rare interactions. But they can give themselves away by bumping into things at high energy, and detectors hidden in mines are exploiting this to see inside stars for the very first time
Producer: Adrian Washbourne
Producer Adrian Washbourne.


THU 16:00 Bookclub (b00d8h6r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:00 on Sunday]


THU 16:30 Material World (b00db5br)
Forensic Science in Fact and Fiction - A Musical Memory Tour

Forensic Science in Fact and Fiction

Bookshops and TV schedules are full of it.
From CSI to Silent Witness, forensic science has become a hugely popular part of crime fiction. Advances are also revolutionising real-life detection. Quentin is joined by forensic science expert Lorna Dawson from the Macaulay Institute and crime fiction writer Margaret Murphy to discuss the latest advances and how accurately they are portrayed in fiction. In particular, they hear how soil samples from shoes can reveal regional geology, local vegetation and micro-organisms and even characteristics of an individual garden.

A Musical Memory Tour
Quentin goes on a musical memory tour to the famous Cavern Club, successor to the Beatles' first venue, to find the links between memory and music.

For many of us, songs by the Beatles trigger vivid and specific memories. What's going on in our brains when this happens and what makes a tune 'catchy'? Can music help us to hang on to their cherished memories? University of Leeds psychologist Martin Conway and UCL Neuroscientist Hugo Spiers join Quentin at the Cavern Club along with musician Mehmet Husseyin.


THU 17:00 PM (b00d90w2)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d90w4)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


THU 18:30 Bleak Expectations (b00db5bt)
Series 2

A Happy Life Broken and Then Mended a Bit

You're cordially invited to cower before the terrifying spectacle of the Martian invasion, where only Pip and some geese stand between Mr Benevolent's army of long-eared purple space villains and all that is good and true....

The final chapter of the Victorian comic epic, and the whole planet is in terrible danger when Pip's evil ex-guardian Mr Gently Benevolent summons a massive Martian invasion. Is this the end for Pip, Harry and the rest of the human race? And will Pippa's goose sanctuary be all right? Listeners are cordially invited to cower before the terrifying spectacle of the army of long-eared purple space villains...

Mark Evans's epic comedy in the style of Charles Dickens.

Chapter the Last: A Happy Life Broken and then Mended a Bit

Sir Philip...........................Richard Johnson
Mr Benevolent........................Anthony Head
Harry Biscuit......................James Bachman
Young Pip..................................Tom Allen
Sternbeater...................Geoffrey Whitehead
Ripely Fecund......................Sarah Hadland
Mr Parsimonious...............Laurence Howarth
Pippa........................................Susy Kane
Sundry learned gentlemen...........Mark Evans

Producer: Gareth Edwards

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2008.


THU 19:00 The Archers (b00d97pj)
Neil wants Christopher's opinion on electronic simulators for the bells. It sounds like a good idea but Christopher assumes it'll be expensive.

Matt's having second thoughts about Norcap writing the letter to his mother. It makes him sound like a wimp. Lilian points out he's merely delegating the work. It turns out to be worse than Matt thought. They advise sending a very bland letter, giving his mother the opportunity to deny all knowledge. It hadn't occurred to Matt that his mother might not want to meet him, and it really matters to him, now that he's come this far.

Susan's beginning to think someone is deliberately flooding the market with forged IOUs. Christopher thinks it's funny but Susan's had enough.

The parish council meeting is disrupted by someone who's against the anaerobic digester, even though she has nothing to do with village life, and is hardly ever around. David can see a huge head of steam building up, all based on rumour and misunderstanding. Susan points out there are also some very real concerns. David reminds her that's why they're having a public meeting. But after tonight, he can't help thinking it's going to be utter chaos.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


THU 19:15 Front Row (b00d97pl)
Arts news and reviews with Kirsty Lang, including an interview with author and screenwriter Lynda La Plante.


THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00d97pn)
Balance of Power

Episode 4

Deborah Davis's tale of power struggles in the court of Queen Anne.

Abigail's battle with the Duchess of Marlborough is out in the open. Can she become the Queen's favourite?

Abigail Hill ...... Rebecca Callard
Queen Anne ...... Lucy Cohu
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ...... Kelly Hunter
Robert Harley ...... John Rowe
Samuel Masham ...... Chris Pavlo
Mrs Trevor ...... Joan Walker
Lord Godolphin ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Dan Starkey and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.


THU 20:00 Document (b00db5bw)
The Doomsday Document

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

In May 1974, the Troubles in Northern Ireland were at their height, but all eyes were on a new power-sharing arrangement. The highly controversial Sunningdale Executive had recently taken over administration of the province. Sensing that the Executive would not survive, Prime Minister Harold Wilson drew up a secret plan to cut Northern Ireland adrift from the rest of the UK.


THU 20:30 In Business (b00db64b)
Down on the Farm

What has been the effect of rocketing food prices on British farmers? Peter Day reports.


THU 21:00 Costing the Earth (b00db64d)
Old Bricks, New Tricks

Miriam O'Reilly explores possible solutions to housing problems. According to the government, eco-towns could not only alleviate housing shortages for young families and first-time buyers but also provide the means to cut carbon emissions. But some housing experts suggest that recycling derelict buildings and contaminated land could provide an even better answer.


THU 21:30 The City (b00db318)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


THU 21:58 Weather (b00d9h8w)
The latest weather forecast.


THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b00d9h8y)
A special edition with Owen Bennett-Jones, assessing the impact of 9/11 on Afghanistan and Pakistan, seven years on.


THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00d9h90)
Someone at a Distance

Episode 4

Deborah Findlay reads from Dorothy Whipple's 1953 novel, abridged by Jill Waters.

Having been summoned once more to Mrs North's side, Louise has returned to her parents' home, resigned to making a provincial marriage. But fate is to intervene in the form of a letter from England.


THU 23:00 Jon Ronson On (b00db64g)
Series 4

States of Mind

Jon Ronson looks at how we all exist in different states of reality, according to the balance of our minds.

He talks to ex-Labour spin doctor and psychoanalyst Derek Draper about the sociopathic behaviour in Parliament. Jon also interviews the ex-Norwegian prime minister who resigned after announcing he was depressed and who later went on to be re-elected.

There is also an update on a previous story involving ex-MI5 officer David Shayler, who announced he is the Messiah and invites Jon along to his first press conference.


THU 23:30 The Music Group (b00b529t)
Series 2

Episode 5

Comedian and GP Dr Phil Hammond asks three guests to play the track of their choice. With Nick Clegg, Kate Adie and Robin Denselow.



FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2008

FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b00d8n0j)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.


FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b00dc9sn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Thursday]


FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n0l)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00d8n0n)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00d8n0q)
The latest shipping forecast.


FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b00d8n0s)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.


FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00d8n0v)
Daily prayer and reflection with Fr Nicholas James.


FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b00d8n0x)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.


FRI 06:00 Today (b00d8n0z)
With James Naughtie and Evan Davis. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.


FRI 09:00 The Reunion (b00d8gvj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:15 on Sunday]


FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b00dc9sq)
Making Money

Recovery

Evan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy. Will we ever learn?


FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00d8r1p)
Pianist Helene Grimaud; Mary Beard on Pompeii

French pianist Helene Grimaud discusses her rise to classical music stardom. Plus Mary Beard on life in Pompeii, and how we can engage more women in scientific research and careers.


FRI 11:00 Britain's Teenage Suicides (b00dbcdf)
Episode 1

Penny Marshall investigates the extraordinary suicide rate among young people in the Bridgend area of South Wales.

She asks whether there are any underlying reasons which could help to explain why so many tragic deaths happened so close together in such a short time.


FRI 11:30 Deep Trouble (b00spp7t)
Series 1

Episode 4

A stray astronaut and a rock band spark confusion on board submarine HMS Goliath. Stars Jim Field Smith. From November 2005.


FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b00d8tnq)
Presented by Winifred Robinson and John Waite.

Holiday firm XL goes into administration with all flights cancelled and aircraft grounded leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

Londo's Royal Opera House opened its doors this week exclusively to people who had booked tickets via The Sun newspaper for the opening night of Mozart's Don Giovanni. We speak to Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House.

Feargal Sharkey, former lead singer of The Undertones and now chairman of the government's Live Music Forum and chief executive of British Music Rights tells us how the music industry is capitalising on new technology.

Peter White reports on a host of gold medals for Team GB at the end of the first week of the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Switzerland's Rhaetian railway has been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now over 100 years old, it is the highest and steepest narrow gauge line in Europe and only the third railway line in the world to receive this classification.

The Fleming Cello is to be auctioned online. It is expected to sell for between 900,000 and 1.2 million pounds. We speak to Melissa Phelps, Professor of Cello at the Royal College of Music and Simon Morris of J & A Beare instrument restorers.


FRI 12:57 Weather (b00d8tns)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 13:00 World at One (b00d8tnv)
National and international news with Shaun Ley.


FRI 13:30 For One Night Only (b00dbcdj)
Series 4

Elvis Comes Back

In 1968 Elvis's star was somewhat tarnished; overtaken by the likes of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, he hadn't topped the charts for six years. He'd not played live since 1961 and he'd only been seen in movies that were increasingly awful. But it all changed in December 1968 when his electrifying performance on NBC TV convinced America that he was still 'The King'.

Paul Gambaccini re-lives the event.

Producer: Marya Burgess


FRI 14:00 The Archers (b00d97pj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Thursday]


FRI 14:15 Drama (b00770hp)
RK Narayan - A Tiger for Malgudi

By R K Narayan, dramatised by Ronald Frame.

Now the companion of a Sadu, an ageing tiger looks back on his life. A rich evocation of Indian life in the 1970s, this comic narrative views human absurdities through the eyes of a wild animal.

Directed by Lu Kemp.


FRI 15:00 Costing the Earth (b00db64d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Thursday]


FRI 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00d8ywq)
Love of the World

Episode 5

Jim Norton reads from John McGahern's story, abridged by Neville Teller. Just when things are looking up for Kate, circumstances change dramatically.


FRI 15:45 Big Bang Day: Five Particles (b00d8yws)
The Next Particle

Simon Singh looks at the stories behind the discovery of five of the universe's most significant subatomic particles. 5) The Next Particle.

The "sparticle" - a super symmetric partner to all the known particles could be the answer to uniting all the known particles and their interactions under one grand theoretical pattern of activity. But how do researchers know where to look for such phenomena and how do they know if they find them? A whole repertoire of particles could be detected with the new Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. Simon Singh concludes his series looking at how the discovery of super symmetric particles could rewrite the physics books and help in completing physics' Grand Theory of Everything.

Producer Adrian Washbourne.


FRI 16:00 Last Word (b00dbcdl)
Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.


FRI 16:30 The Film Programme (b00dbcdn)
Morgan Freeman, the veteran actor who has played God twice gives a short master class in perfecting the movie voice-over.

Mark Herman, the director of Brassed Off Mark Herman, on adapting John Boyne's popular children's novel, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for the big screen.

Film maker Richard Jobson pays tribute to Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon, the award winning classic which introduced Western audiences to Japanese cinema in the 1950s.

Director James Watkins on his British horror-thriller Eden Lake which sees a young couple's romantic weekend ruined when they confront a gang of local thugs.


FRI 17:00 PM (b00d90w6)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.


FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00d90w8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.


FRI 18:30 Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive (b00dbcw2)
Series 4

Episode 5

Comic pilot Armando Iannucci flies Air Hilarious. With Marcus Brigstocke, Andy Parsons and Justin Edwards. From September 2008.


FRI 19:00 The Archers (b00d97pq)
After a ruckus over the anaerobic digester at the parish council meeting, David fears there's worse to come at the public meeting. Annabelle believes the outraged protestor has done them a favour. Now they know what they could be up against, they can redouble their effort to counter the rumours. They can win the battle, as long as they stay calm and keep repeating the facts.

Tom's anxious for Tony to make a good impression at the bank. Tony's completely laid back, convinced they'll bite his hand off to offer a mortgage. Tony eventually returns with good news and celebratory champagne; he can't understand why everyone's been making such a fuss. All they need to do now is negotiate a good price with Borchester Land.

Helen is offered an IOU at Ambridge Organics - supposedly signed by Susan. It's the final straw. Susan tells Pat the whole swap club has become a farce. There are now hundreds of IOUs in circulation and she thinks it's time to wind up the club. Pat still thinks it's still a great idea and doesn't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. She's sure there's a way to make this work.

Episode written by Caroline Harrington.


FRI 19:15 Front Row (b00d97ps)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.

Writer Will Self talks about his new collection of short stories, Liver, each of which features the organ in varying states of disease and decay.

Scottish composer Anna Meredith's new piece, Froms, will be premiered at the Last Night of the Proms concert tomorrow. She explains the composition process, from drawing flow charts and stomping around her flat to the element of surprise on the night.

Jonathan Freedland reviews the first night of Christopher Shinn's new play Now or Later, about a soon-to-be-elected American president who has PR problems with the embarrassing antics of his son.

As The Mighty Boosh begin a long tour of the UK, crime writer Denise Mina discusses where the comedy duo sit between cult phenomenon and traditional light entertainment.


FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00d97pv)
Balance of Power

Episode 5

Deborah Davis's tale of power struggles in the court of Queen Anne.

Abigail's ally Mr Harley fails in his bid for power. But Abigail wins her battle with the Duchess of Marlborough.

Abigail Hill ...... Rebecca Callard
Queen Anne ...... Lucy Cohu
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough ...... Kelly Hunter
Robert Harley ...... John Rowe
Samuel Masham ...... Chris Pavlo
Mrs Trevor ...... Joan Walker
Lord Godolphin ...... Stephen Critchlow

Other parts played by Dan Starkey and Ben Crowe.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.


FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b00dbcw4)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate from Worthing.

The panellists are former minister Tony Benn, Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green, columnist and broadcaster David Aaronovitch and author Rachel Johnson.


FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b00dbcw6)
A weekly reflection on a topical issue from Katharine Whitehorn.


FRI 21:00 Friday Drama (b00770l7)
Walking the Line

Taut drama-documentary by Stephen Phelps.

A prison officer finds himself caught between a vulnerable young prisoner and a senior colleague who believes that his job is to discipline and control and no more. The separate worlds of home and work start to overlap.

With Andy Nyman, Ralph Ineson, Saikat Ahamed, Sam Dale.

Directed by Toby Swift.


FRI 21:58 Weather (b00d9h92)
The latest weather forecast.


FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b00d9h94)
News and analysis with Jane Hill. Including reports on a Labour whip's call for a Labour leadership election and the EU's response to news of a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe.


FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00d9h96)
Someone at a Distance

Episode 5

Deborah Findlay reads from Dorothy Whipple's 1953 novel, abridged by Jill Waters.

Ellen and Avery North were happy enough for Louise to return to them in order to collect her legacy from Avery's mother, but Louise is now outstaying her welcome and her presence in the house is causing tensions.


FRI 23:00 Great Lives (b00d9wht)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:30 on Tuesday]


FRI 23:30 Potting On (b00lg8gt)
Something for Me

Pam has a win on the Premium Bonds.

Gordon earmarks the money for a new office computer, but Pam fancies splashing out on a sports car!

Sitcom about a couple at odds over running a garden centre and growing older.

Starring Pam Ayres as Pam and Geoffrey Whitehead as Gordon.

Written by Chris Thompson and Peter Reynolds with Pam Ayres.

With Trevor Bannister, Karl Theobald and Alex Tregear.

Sitcom by Chris Thompson and Peter Reynolds.

Producer Claire Jones

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2008.




LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)

15 Minute Drama 19:45 MON (b00d97q3)

15 Minute Drama 19:45 TUE (b00d97p8)

15 Minute Drama 19:45 WED (b00d97pg)

15 Minute Drama 19:45 THU (b00d97pn)

15 Minute Drama 19:45 FRI (b00d97pv)

150 Years of the Halle 11:30 THU (b00db3bc)

A Point of View 08:50 SUN (b00d7bf9)

A Point of View 20:50 FRI (b00dbcw6)

A Smile and a Shoeshine 23:30 TUE (b0080xpk)

Afternoon Reading 15:30 MON (b00d90lm)

Afternoon Reading 15:30 TUE (b00d8ywb)

Afternoon Reading 15:30 WED (b00d8ywg)

Afternoon Reading 15:30 THU (b00d8ywl)

Afternoon Reading 15:30 FRI (b00d8ywq)

All Bar Luke 23:15 WED (b00db0x5)

And the Academy Award Goes To... 23:00 SUN (b008vd2n)

Any Answers? 14:00 SAT (b00d7pd9)

Any Questions? 13:10 SAT (b00d7bf7)

Any Questions? 20:00 FRI (b00dbcw4)

Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive 12:30 SAT (b00d7bf5)

Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive 18:30 FRI (b00dbcw2)

Bells on Sunday 05:43 SUN (b00d7r00)

Bells on Sunday 00:45 MON (b00d7r00)

Beyond Westminster 11:00 SAT (b00d7pcz)

Big Bang Day: Engineering Solutions 09:00 WED (b00d9yz3)

Big Bang Day: Engineering Solutions 21:30 WED (b00d9yz3)

Big Bang Day: Five Particles 15:45 MON (b00d8yw8)

Big Bang Day: Five Particles 15:45 TUE (b00d8ywd)

Big Bang Day: Five Particles 15:45 WED (b00d8ywj)

Big Bang Day: Five Particles 15:45 THU (b00d8ywn)

Big Bang Day: Five Particles 15:45 FRI (b00d8yws)

Big Bang Day: The Genuine Particle 23:30 WED (b00db0x7)

Big Bang Day: The Making of CERN 21:00 MON (b00d9f7j)

Big Bang Day: The Making of CERN 21:00 TUE (b00d9yq4)

Bleak Expectations 18:30 THU (b00db5bt)

Book at Bedtime 22:45 MON (b00d9h8f)

Book at Bedtime 22:45 TUE (b00d9h8m)

Book at Bedtime 22:45 WED (b00d9h8t)

Book at Bedtime 22:45 THU (b00d9h90)

Book at Bedtime 22:45 FRI (b00d9h96)

Book of the Week 00:30 SAT (b00d9kk5)

Book of the Week 09:45 MON (b00d8r1c)

Book of the Week 00:30 TUE (b00d8r1c)

Book of the Week 09:45 TUE (b00dc9t3)

Book of the Week 00:30 WED (b00dc9t3)

Book of the Week 09:45 WED (b00dc9sk)

Book of the Week 00:30 THU (b00dc9sk)

Book of the Week 09:45 THU (b00dc9sn)

Book of the Week 00:30 FRI (b00dc9sn)

Book of the Week 09:45 FRI (b00dc9sq)

Bookclub 16:00 SUN (b00d8h6r)

Bookclub 16:00 THU (b00d8h6r)

Brel et Moi: Alastair Campbell on Jacques Brel 10:30 SAT (b00d7nrz)

Britain's Teenage Suicides 11:00 FRI (b00dbcdf)

British Jews and the Dream of Zion 13:30 SUN (b00b10yn)

Broadcasting House 09:00 SUN (b00d8gvd)

Case Notes 16:30 WED (b00db05p)

Classic Serial 21:00 SAT (b00d6432)

Classic Serial 15:00 SUN (b00d8h6p)

Click On 16:30 MON (b00d90pk)

Costing the Earth 21:00 THU (b00db64d)

Costing the Earth 15:00 FRI (b00db64d)

Crossing Continents 20:30 MON (b00d75tz)

Crossing Continents 11:00 THU (b00db3b9)

Deep Trouble 11:30 FRI (b00spp7t)

Dixon of Dock Green 11:30 MON (b0076zdv)

Document 20:00 THU (b00db5bw)

Drama 14:15 MON (b00770ph)

Drama 14:15 TUE (b00d9nqc)

Drama 14:15 WED (b00d9zww)

Drama 14:15 THU (b00db5bm)

Drama 14:15 FRI (b00770hp)

Edge Falls 23:00 TUE (b00d9yq6)

Excess Baggage 10:00 SAT (b00d7nrx)

Farming Today This Week 06:35 SAT (b00d7nrn)

Farming Today 05:45 MON (b00d8n28)

Farming Today 05:45 TUE (b00d8mzc)

Farming Today 05:45 WED (b00d8mzw)

Farming Today 05:45 THU (b00d8n0d)

Farming Today 05:45 FRI (b00d8n0x)

For One Night Only 20:00 SUN (b00d7bdx)

For One Night Only 13:30 FRI (b00dbcdj)

Friday Drama 21:00 FRI (b00770l7)

From Our Own Correspondent 11:30 SAT (b00d7pd1)

Front Row 19:15 MON (b00d97q1)

Front Row 19:15 TUE (b00d97p6)

Front Row 19:15 WED (b00d97pd)

Front Row 19:15 THU (b00d97pl)

Front Row 19:15 FRI (b00d97ps)

Fry's English Delight 09:00 MON (b00d8p82)

Fungi: The Fifth Kingdom 05:45 SAT (b008p84c)

Gardeners' Question Time 14:00 SUN (b00d8gvs)

Gardeners' Question Time 15:00 WED (b00d8gvs)

Go4it 19:15 SUN (b00d658p)

Great Lives 16:30 TUE (b00d9wht)

Great Lives 23:00 FRI (b00d9wht)

Home Planet 15:00 TUE (b00d9whp)

Hut 33 18:30 TUE (b00lv795)

I Was a Child Prodigy 09:30 TUE (b00d9l4d)

In Business 21:30 SUN (b00d7b61)

In Business 20:30 THU (b00db64b)

In Touch 20:40 TUE (b00d9ykx)

Jihad UK 20:00 MON (b00dp878)

Jon Ronson On 23:00 THU (b00db64g)

Just a Minute 12:00 SUN (b00d6tby)

Just a Minute 18:30 MON (b00d90xf)

Kicking the Habit 11:30 WED (b00d9yz7)

Last Night I Dreamed 19:45 SUN (b007gys2)

Last Word 20:30 SUN (b00d7bf1)

Last Word 16:00 FRI (b00dbcdl)

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's History of Home 14:45 SUN (b009mc8w)

Living World 06:35 SUN (b00d7r06)

London's Fashion Spectacular 11:30 TUE (b00d9nq7)

Loose Ends 18:15 SAT (b00d7pdt)

Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better 18:30 WED (b00db05r)

Material World 16:30 THU (b00db5br)

Midnight News 00:00 SAT (b00d7n9z)

Midnight News 00:00 SUN (b00d7q0h)

Midnight News 00:00 MON (b00d8n1y)

Midnight News 00:00 TUE (b00d8myz)

Midnight News 00:00 WED (b00d8mzh)

Midnight News 00:00 THU (b00d8n00)

Midnight News 00:00 FRI (b00d8n0j)

Mind Changers 21:30 MON (b008fxv9)

Money Box Live 15:00 MON (b00d8x88)

Money Box 12:00 SAT (b00d7pd3)

Money Box 21:00 SUN (b00d7pd3)

Moral Maze 22:15 SAT (b00d75ny)

Moral Maze 20:00 WED (b00db05t)

Music Feature 15:30 SAT (b00d6zqj)

Music Feature 13:30 TUE (b00d9nq9)

News Briefing 05:30 SAT (b00d7nb7)

News Briefing 05:30 SUN (b00d7qzy)

News Briefing 05:30 MON (b00d8n26)

News Briefing 05:30 TUE (b00d8mz7)

News Briefing 05:30 WED (b00d8mzr)

News Briefing 05:30 THU (b00d8n08)

News Briefing 05:30 FRI (b00d8n0s)

News Headlines 13:00 SAT (b00d7pd7)

News Headlines 06:00 SUN (b00d7r02)

News and Papers 06:00 SAT (b00d7nrg)

News and Papers 07:00 SUN (b00d7r0b)

News and Papers 08:00 SUN (b00d8gv8)

News and Weather 22:00 SAT (b00d7ppd)

Open Country 06:07 SAT (b00d7nrl)

Open Country 13:30 THU (b00d7nrl)

PM 17:00 SAT (b00d7pdh)

PM 17:00 MON (b00d90wb)

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PM 17:00 FRI (b00d90w6)

Parkmasters 09:30 MON (b00773lw)

Physics Rocks 11:00 WED (b00d9yz5)

Pick of the Week 18:15 SUN (b00d8j9t)

Potting On 23:30 FRI (b00lg8gt)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 SAT (b00d7nrd)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 MON (b00d8myx)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 TUE (b00d8mz9)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 WED (b00d8mzt)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 THU (b00d8n0b)

Prayer for the Day 05:43 FRI (b00d8n0v)

Profile 19:00 SAT (b00d7pp6)

Profile 05:45 SUN (b00d7pp6)

Profile 17:40 SUN (b00d7pp6)

Questions, Questions 15:00 THU (b00db5bp)

Radio 4 Appeal 07:55 SUN (b00d8gv4)

Radio 4 Appeal 21:26 SUN (b00d8gv4)

Radio 4 Appeal 15:27 THU (b00d8gv4)

Round Britain Quiz 23:00 SAT (b00d6mjf)

Round Britain Quiz 13:30 MON (b00d8x86)

Saturday Drama 14:30 SAT (b00d7pdc)

Saturday Live 09:00 SAT (b00d7nrv)

Saturday Review 19:15 SAT (b00d7pp8)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 SAT (b00d7nb3)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 SUN (b00d7q1z)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 MON (b00d8n22)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 TUE (b00d8mz3)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 WED (b00d8mzm)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 THU (b00d8n04)

Selection of BBC World Service Programmes 01:00 FRI (b00d8n0n)

Shipping Forecast 00:48 SAT (b00d7nb1)

Shipping Forecast 05:20 SAT (b00d7nb5)

Shipping Forecast 17:54 SAT (b00d7pdm)

Shipping Forecast 00:48 SUN (b00d7q0m)

Shipping Forecast 05:20 SUN (b00d7q21)

Shipping Forecast 17:54 SUN (b00d8h7b)

Shipping Forecast 00:48 MON (b00d8n20)

Shipping Forecast 05:20 MON (b00d8n24)

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Six O'Clock News 18:00 SAT (b00d7pdr)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 SUN (b00d8j9r)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 MON (b00d90wd)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 TUE (b00d90vw)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 WED (b00d90w0)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 THU (b00d90w4)

Six O'Clock News 18:00 FRI (b00d90w8)

Something Understood 06:05 SUN (b00d7r04)

Something Understood 23:30 SUN (b00d7r04)

Strangers on Trains 23:00 WED (b00db0x3)

Sunday Worship 08:10 SUN (b00d8gvb)

Sunday 07:10 SUN (b00d7r0d)

Textbook Diplomacy 11:00 MON (b00d8t8k)

The ABC of the BBC 23:30 SAT (b00d6436)

The Archers Omnibus 10:00 SUN (b00d8gvg)

The Archers 19:00 SUN (b00d8j9w)

The Archers 14:00 MON (b00d8j9w)

The Archers 19:00 MON (b00d97p2)

The Archers 14:00 TUE (b00d97p2)

The Archers 19:00 TUE (b00d97p4)

The Archers 14:00 WED (b00d97p4)

The Archers 19:00 WED (b00d97pb)

The Archers 14:00 THU (b00d97pb)

The Archers 19:00 THU (b00d97pj)

The Archers 14:00 FRI (b00d97pj)

The Archers 19:00 FRI (b00d97pq)

The Archive Hour 20:00 SAT (b00d7ppb)

The Choice 09:00 TUE (b00d9l4b)

The Choice 21:30 TUE (b00d9l4b)

The City 09:00 THU (b00db318)

The City 21:30 THU (b00db318)

The Condensed History of Political Parties 20:45 WED (b00db05w)

The Film Programme 16:30 FRI (b00dbcdn)

The Food Programme 12:32 SUN (b00d8gvl)

The Food Programme 16:00 MON (b00d8gvl)

The Great Big Particle Adventure 21:00 WED (b00db0x1)

The Italian Patient 17:00 SUN (b00d74cs)

The Lament of Swordy Well 16:30 SUN (b00d8h6t)

The Late Story 00:30 SUN (b00d7q0k)

The Music Group 23:30 THU (b00b529t)

The Politics of Chinese Meditation 20:00 TUE (b00d9ykv)

The Reunion 11:15 SUN (b00d8gvj)

The Reunion 09:00 FRI (b00d8gvj)

The World This Weekend 13:00 SUN (b00d8gvq)

The World Tonight 22:00 MON (b00d9h9s)

The World Tonight 22:00 TUE (b00d9h8k)

The World Tonight 22:00 WED (b00d9h8r)

The World Tonight 22:00 THU (b00d9h8y)

The World Tonight 22:00 FRI (b00d9h94)

Thinking Allowed 00:15 MON (b00d75nt)

Thinking Allowed 16:00 WED (b00db05m)

Today 07:00 SAT (b00d7nrs)

Today 06:00 MON (b00d8n2d)

Today 06:00 TUE (b00d8mzf)

Today 06:00 WED (b00d8mzy)

Today 06:00 THU (b00d8n0g)

Today 06:00 FRI (b00d8n0z)

Tomorrow, Today! 23:30 MON (b017071k)

Tracing Your Roots 13:30 WED (b00d9zhs)

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Weekend Woman's Hour 16:00 SAT (b00d7pdf)

Westminster Hour 22:00 SUN (b00d8jb0)

Woman's Hour 10:00 MON (b00d8r28)

Woman's Hour 10:00 TUE (b00d8r1f)

Woman's Hour 10:00 WED (b00d8r1k)

Woman's Hour 10:00 THU (b00d8r1m)

Woman's Hour 10:00 FRI (b00d8r1p)

Word of Mouth 23:00 MON (b00d6zwr)

Word of Mouth 16:00 TUE (b00d9whr)

World On The Move: Great Animal Migrations 11:00 TUE (b00d9n38)

World at One 13:00 MON (b00d8x84)

World at One 13:00 TUE (b00d8tn8)

World at One 13:00 WED (b00d8tng)

World at One 13:00 THU (b00d8tnn)

World at One 13:00 FRI (b00d8tnv)

You and Yours 12:00 MON (b00d8x80)

You and Yours 12:00 TUE (b00d8tn4)

You and Yours 12:00 WED (b00d8tnb)

You and Yours 12:00 THU (b00d8tnj)

You and Yours 12:00 FRI (b00d8tnq)

iPM 17:30 SAT (b00d7pdk)