SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2024

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m0025c17)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:30 You and Yours (m0025bzg)
Five Ways They Get You

Hello Mum

It's one of the most common frauds in the UK - a text from your child saying they've lost their phone.
Shari discovers why it's frighteningly successful by talking to Julie, who lost thousands thinking her son was in trouble. And Shari considers what frauds might be next in a world of AI...

For decades Radio 4's Shari Vahl has been nailing fraudsters, and getting victims’ money back. Now she's opening her casebook… to help you protect yourself.

She's joined by ex-fraudster and poacher-turned-gamekeeper Alex Wood and linguistics expert Elisabeth Carter who help Shari decode the criminals' tactics in a bid to keep you safe.

Presented By Shari Vahl
Produced by Kev Core


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025c19)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025c1c)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025c1f)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (m0025c1h)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025c1k)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


SAT 05:45 Something to Declare (m0025c01)
How to Make Peace With the Past

Jack Boswell delves into saudade, a Portuguese word often described as untranslatable. Saudade captures a complex mix of longing, melancholy, and bittersweet nostalgia - a "pleasant sadness" that simultaneously consoles and aches. Jack unpacks the profound emotional resonance of this concept and how it might help us navigate difficult feelings in our own lives.

Jack begins by speaking with Helder Macedo, a celebrated writer and Emeritus Professor of Portuguese at King’s College London. Helder describes saudade as the paradoxical feeling of longing for something - be it a person, moment, or way of life - that is gone, yet whose absence offers a bittersweet comfort. Rooted in Portugal’s maritime history, where separation and uncertainty were common, saudade shaped the national psyche and found expression in Fado, Portugal’s iconic music. Helder likens it to a pinch of salt - enhancing when balanced but overpowering if excessive.

The episode also features Christina Branco, a renowned Fado singer who shares how her music channels the vulnerability and raw emotion of saudade. For Christina, Fado - a genre deeply intertwined with this feeling - is both a personal catharsis and a mirror for her audience, encouraging them to confront their own emotions. She shares how Fado helps her transform pain into strength and creativity.

Through heartfelt conversations, Jack learns how saudade resonates in art, memory, and even daily life. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own moments of longing and consider how embracing vulnerability can deepen connections, foster resilience, and inspire transformation.

Host: Jack Boswell
Producer: Emma Crampton
Senior Producer: Harry Stott
Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari
Production Coordinator: James Cox
Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle
Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m0025kpj)
The latest news headlines. Including the weather and a look at the papers.


SAT 06:07 This Natural Life (m0025d77)
Cate Blanchett

In the first episode of this new series, Martha Kearney meets Hollywood star Cate Blanchett. She finds out about Cate's relationship with the natural world and explores the significance of nature and wildlife to her, as they walk around the Royal Botanic Gardens at Wakehurst in Sussex - where Cate has recently taken up the role of ambassador. Both Cate and Martha are bee-keeping enthusiasts, and they put on protective bee suits to visit the garden's bee hives together. Cate explains why the wildlife of both the UK and her native Australia are so important to her, and praises the work of the Millennium Seed Bank which is also based at Wakehurst.

Producer: Emma Campbell


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m0025kpl)
30/11/24 Farming Today This Week: UK farmers' concerns about farm policy and budgets; sniffer dog to detect tree pests, broccoli

The Government 'risks creating a culture of fear and resistance' amongst farmers, according to the Nature Friendly Farmers Network. It's highlighting the suspension of grants which help farmers in England invest in infrastructure to improve the environment. That's things like better slurry storage to protect waterways or planting hedges to reduce soil erosion. Defra says the Capital Grants Scheme has been temporarily closed after unprecedented demand.

Farmers and crofters held a rally to lobby the Scottish Government ahead of next week's Scottish budget. They want more money for agriculture, and a guarantee that it's ringfenced.

The Welsh Government has backed down on its policy to insist farmers put 10% of their land into woodland. The decision came after farmers demonstrated against the Government's plans for its Sustainable Farming Scheme, which replaces the payments to farmers under the old EU Common Agricultural Policy.

All week on Farming Today we've been digging into winter veg. Parsnips, carrots and sprouts are all firm favourites but today we visit a farm growing a relative newcomer, tenderstem broccoli. For farmers who grow it, it's labour intensive but high value.

And we hear how Ivor, a detection dog, is sniffing out disease in trees. It’s hoped Ivor and other sniffer dogs could play a key role in maintaining UK biosecurity and reduce the threat of serious pests and diseases that damage woodlands and commercial forestry.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


SAT 06:57 Weather (m0025kpn)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 07:00 Today (m0025kpq)
Including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m0025kps)
Tracy-Ann Oberman, Ben Branson, Laura Henry-Allain, Katarina Johnson-Thompson

The actress Tracy Ann Oberman is back playing Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice: 1936' - a version inspired by the life of her great-grandmother who stood on the frontline against the fascists at the Battle of Cable Street.

Laura Henry-Allain also tells us how she was inspired by her Gran Gran and the stories she shared that helped Laura create the UK’s first animated series about a Black British family…'JoJo and Gran Gran'.

Ben Branson joins, the maverick behind the non-alcoholic spirits company Seedlip, hosts the podcast 'The Hidden 20%' where he shares conversations with fellow neuro-divergent people.

All that, plus we have the I-Ts of K-J-T – that’s the Inheritance Tracks of Olympic medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay
Producer: Ben Mitchell


SAT 10:00 Curious Cases (m0024054)
Series 1

9. A lemon-powered spaceship

Fruit-powered batteries are the ultimate school science experiment, but they’re normally used to power a pocket calculator. This week’s listener wants to know if they could do more, and sends the team on a quest to discover whether they could used to send a rocket into space?

Professor Saiful Islam is the Guinness World Record holder for the highest voltage from a fruit-based battery, but disappoints the team when he reveals they produce very little power. He used 3,000 of them and only managed a measly 2 Watts. Given that spaceships are famously difficult to get off the ground, it seems a lemon battery might just fail the acid test.

Author Randall Munroe is undeterred and suggests alternative ways to get energy from citrus, including burying them to make oil. Then the team discuss the pros and cons of switching to a lemon-based diet.

For battery expert Paul Shearing, all this raises a serious question, about how we will power the planes of the future. He suggests solar power could play a part in short-haul flights and discusses some of the exciting battery materials being tested today.

Contributors:

Randall Munroe, author
Professor Paul Shearing, Oxford University
Professor Saiful Islam, Oxford University

Producer: Marijke Peters
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Audio Production


SAT 10:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m0025kkt)
Series 46

Hitchin

Jay Rayner and the panel are in Hitchin answering questions from an audience of eager home cooks. Joining Jay to discuss risotto rice and rose water are food historian Dr Annie Gray, food writer Melek Erdal2, and chefs Sophie Wright and Tim Anderson.

Melek shares a Persian recipe for crispy saffron rice, while Annie takes us through the history of risotto, and the panel debates the perfect methods of making it. Situated in Hitchin, a town known for its lavender fields, the panellists also discuss how flowers can be used in cooking, including the 17th century dessert, the Pudding of Many Colours’

Senior Producer: Dan Cocker
Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock
Executive Producer: Ollie Wilson

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m0025kpw)
Sonia Sodha of The Observer assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

Following the debate and vote on the Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Commons, Sonia speaks to two MPs with opposing views. Labour MP Anna Dixon voted against the Bill. She has a background in health and social care policy, and specifically in ageing. Former Conservative Cabinet Minister Kit Malthouse is a long-standing proponent of legalising assisted dying.

To explain what happens next with the Assisted Dying Bill Sonia is joined by Dr Hannah White, the Director of the independent think tank The Institute for Government.

To discuss the continued fallout from last month's Budget, Sonia is joined by Labour MP Liam Byrne, who chairs the Business and Trade Select Committee and Karan Bilimoria, a businessman and crossbench peer who is also a recent President of the Confederation of British Industry.

And ahead of the broadcast of the television series which follows the home life of former Conservative Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and his family, Sonia brings together Times and Spectator magazine columnist Matthew Parris, and Observer columnist Gaby Hinsliff, to discuss the pros and cons of politicians appearing on reality TV.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m0025kpy)
The Story of a Russian Deserter

Kate Adie introduces dispatches on Russia, Germany, Hong Kong, India and Sweden.

A Russian soldier who once responsible for guarding Russia's nuclear weapons reveals why he fled the army. In a secret meeting, at an undisclosed location, he tells Will Vernon what he makes of President Vladimir Putin's threats towards the West.

Earlier this month German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s argumentative three-way governing coalition collapsed, triggering snap elections in February. Damien McGuinness ponders what Berlin's Christmas lights can tell us about the political mood in the country.

In Hong Kong, Danny Vincent reports from inside the courtroom where the pro-democracy media mogul, Jimmy Lai, is on trial. Mr Lai is already serving a prison sentence following a separate trial for his involvement in pro-democracy protests in 2019. Since then, China has imposed a sweeping national security law which many fear is being used to dismantle and chill all political opposition.

In Rajasthan, in India, there are efforts underway to rewild vast tracts of degraded land back to its natural state. In one area of Jawai, work has been undertaken to create a wildlife corridor for migrating wildlife. Michelle Jana Chan goes on the trail of a local leopard and her young cubs.

Every home in Sweden recently received updated advice on what to do in the event of war. This isn’t new to Swedes – but the guidance has been updated because of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and ongoing concern that war could escalate across Europe. Miranda Colchester has been gauging public reaction in the Swedish capital.

Series producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SAT 12:00 News Summary (m0025kq0)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 12:04 Money Box (m0025kq2)
FCA Seen as 'Incompetent' and Rare Coins

A new report about the UK’s main financial regulator was published this week, concluding the Financial Conduct Authority is "seen as incompetent at best, dishonest at worst." The report was put together by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Services, which is made up of cross-party MPs and members of the House of Lords. They spoke to victims of financial scandals who lost money in frauds and heard testimony from people who worked, and some who still do work, for the organisation. The FCA has said it sympathises with those who have lost out as a result of wrongdoing in financial services, however it strongly rejects the characterisation of the organisation. We'll hear from the co-author of the report and, in his first interview since its publication, we'll speak to Nikhil Rathi, the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority.

What deals can people expect if they’re re-mortgaging their homes over the next 6 months?  We'll hear from listeners affected and get some advice from a mortgage broker.

And, the 9 year old coin collector who has found a special £2 coin and wants to know whether to spend it or save it.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researcher: Emma Smith
Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 30th November 2024)


SAT 12:30 The Naked Week (m0025c0h)
Series 1

Episode 1: Lobbying, art, soup, and farms

From The Skewer’s Jon Holmes comes The Naked Week, a fresh way of dressing the week’s news in the altogether and parading it around for everyone to laugh at.

Host Andrew Hunter Murray and chief correspondent Amy Hoggart will strip away the curtain and dive into not only the big stories, but also the way the news is packaged and presented.

From award-winning writers and a crack team of contemporary satirists - and recorded in front of a live audience - The Naked Week delivers a topical news nude straight to your ears.

This week - Lobbying, art, soup, and farms.

Written by:
Jon Holmes
Katie Sayer
Sarah Dempster
Gareth Ceredig
Jason Hazeley
Adam Macqueen
Louis Mian

Partial Nudity:
Marc Haynes
Cornelius Mendez

with Additional Material.

Production Team: Laura Grimshaw, Tony Churnside, Jerry Peal, Katie Sayer, Phoebe Butler.

Produced and Directed by Jon Holmes
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams

An unusual production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 12:57 Weather (m0025kq4)
The latest weather forecast


SAT 13:00 News and Weather (m0025kq6)
The latest national and international news and weather reports from BBC Radio 4


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m0025c0r)
Andy Burnham, Nigel Evans, Rt Revd Rose Hudon-Wilkin, Baroness Wheatcroft

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from St Clement's Church in Chorlton, Manchester, with the mayor of Greater Manchester, Labour's Andy Burnham; the former Conservative MP for Ribble Valley and House of Commons deputy speaker, Nigel Evans; the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover; and crossbench peer and former editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal, Baroness Patience Wheatcroft.

Producer: Paul Martin
Lead broadcast engineer: Chris Hardman


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (m0025kq8)
Call Any Answers? to have your say on the big issues in the news this week.


SAT 14:45 The Archers (m0025c0m)
Ellie does some milking for Ruth and is a natural. David invites Ellie and her girls to check on the ewes.
There’s a special Thanksgiving dinner at Brookfield for Faith and Chuck. It was Eddie and Clarrie’s idea and they’ve provided a turkey. And of course Jill’s baking is called on. Ellie opens up to Ruth about splitting from her emotionally abusive husband. She has taken the kids away while he hopefully packs his stuff and leaves.
Despite the problems, Faith has had a wonderful reconnection with Ambridge. Clarrie and Eddie get an open invitation to visit them in America. Eddie feels sorry for Clarrie that he’s just a failed, daft schemer – but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Jakob joins the community effort and catches up with David and Ruth. He admits defeat in tracking down the scammers but learns what a hero Kate has been, looking after everyone. He and Kate finally reunite, and Jakob concedes he has been difficult. Kate is also apologetic, for jumping in and offering up his home. As Jakob admits he could have been more giving, he’s full of admiration for Kate’s natural generosity, and they agree that they are who they are. Having started the week unable to agree about where to go on holiday, Jakob declares he agrees with Kate’s idea of somewhere warm. But now she says she wants to try his suggestion, Finland. Faith interrupts them, as it’s time to pull crackers while Clarrie carves the turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!


SAT 15:00 Drama on 4 (m0025kqb)
Berlin Alexanderplatz

Episode 2

A dramatization by Simon Scardifield from Michael Hofmann's landmark translation of Alfred Döblin's modernist masterpiece set on the streets of Berlin - a novel that exploded into 1929 and changed urban writing forever.

Betrayed by a business partner ex-con, Franz Biberkopf, gives into the siren call of the criminal underworld once more.

Narrator ..... Claes Bang
Franz ..... Lee Ross
Mack ..... Samuel James
Reinhold ….. David Hounslow
Pums ..... Neil McCaul
Herbert ….. Mark Edel Hunt
Eva ….. Clare Corbett
Franzi ..... Ria Marshall
Lina ..... Jasmine Hyde
Slaughterman ..... Justice Ritchie
Cilly ..... Grace Cooper Milton
Keyboard ..... Chris Jack
Alice ..... Christine Kavanagh

Produced by Emma Harding and Marc Beeby
Directed by David Hunter and Gemma Jenkins


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m0025kqd)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Miscarriage, Maggie O'Farrell on stammering, Women and alcohol-related liver disease

Losing a baby in the early stages of pregnancy can be an extremely painful experience. Having to explain to your employer why you can’t come to work only adds to the difficulty. In the UK, there’s currently no entitlement to time off for miscarriage within the first six months of pregnancy. The Women and Equalities Select Committee is hearing evidence on extending the right to bereavement leave to cover losses up to 24 weeks. Sarah Owen MP, Chair of the Committee and someone who has experienced baby loss, joined Nuala McGovern to discuss.

When the Stammer Came to Stay is award-winning author Maggie O’Farrell’s third children’s book. Based on her experience of living with a stammer, it celebrates differences and explores children’s resilience in facing new challenges. She talks to Anita Rani about the book and how her stammer has shaped her life.

Why are more young women dying from alcohol-related liver disease than ever before? BBC journalist Hazel Martin, diagnosed with the condition in her early 30s, has been investigating how her social drinking habits put her life at risk. Hazel joined Nuala along with Professor Debbie Shawcross, Consultant Hepatologist at King’s College Hospital, to explore the growing crisis and its causes.

After writing her Spinal Column for The Times since 2010 —beginning just two weeks after breaking her neck and back in a riding accident—Melanie Reid has decided it’s time to stop. She joined Nuala to discuss why she’s stepping away, her reflections on the journey, and her plans for the future.

Song-writing partnership Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are making history by becoming the youngest and first female songwriting duo to compose for a Disney feature film in Moana 2. The Grammy Award-winning pair joined Nula to discuss their musical partnership.

Kim Cypher, a saxophonist, composer, and vocalist, is a regular on the London and UK jazz circuit. She recently launched her third album, Catching Moments, and joined Anita in the Woman’s Hour studio and performed live.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Dianne McGregor


SAT 17:00 PM (m0025kqg)
Syrian rebels take control of Aleppo

Russia launches strikes on Syrian rebels overrunning Aleppo. Plus, after the assisted dying vote, should police stop investigating people who help a relative go to Dignitas?


SAT 17:30 Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (m0025kqj)
The Husam Zomlot One

The Head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK reflects on a childhood in a Gaza refugee camp and how hope is what keeps him going.


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m0025kql)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 17:57 Weather (m0025kqn)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025kqq)
Aleppo falls to Islamist rebels

Russian warplanes bomb Syria's second biggest city after it falls to Islamist rebels.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m0025kqs)
Charles Spencer, Romy Gill, Ben Hardy, Sarah Mills, New Starts, Clive Anderson

Author and historian Charles Spencer has written many books including The White Ship, To Catch A King and A Very Private School, and now finds himself down a Rabbit Hole – along with his fellow trivia hunters Cat Jarman and Richard Coles - in their podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives. Digging into the past and uncovering weird and wonderful stories, every week the trio discuss the whos, whats, whens and whys and have now turned all this into a book… aptly titled The Rabbit Hole Book. Charles joins us to dig a little deeper…

Romy Gill is a celebrated chef and food writer whose many TV appearances include Ready Steady Cook, Morning Live, Countryfile and Celebrity Masterchef, as well as being a regular voice on Radio 4 on The Food Programme. Her food is inspired by both her West Bengal and Punjab roots, and she tells us all about her new book in which she collects many recipes of home, Romy Gill’s India.

Former EastEnder turned X Man Ben Hardy has left both Albert Square and his superhero wings behind to take on the role of Luke, a single father and a seemingly straight, white, car mechanic, who meets and forms a deep relationship with a south Asian, queer, club dancer called Ayesha in the film Unicorns. Ben joins Clive to talk about the challenges of the role and his leap from the small to the big screen.

Comedian, writer and campaigner Sarah Mills was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2018, or, as she puts it, “my bum tried to kill me”. Since then, she has tried to shine a light on hidden disability and has been breaking taboos in conversations around what would normally be seen as embarrassing bodily functions. She tells us all about her new Radio 4 series Sarah Mills’ Bad Bod Squad, and all things leaky, squeaky, lumpy and wonky.

There's music from New Starts who bring their style of new wave and angular guitar rock with two songs - Don't Need Persuading and Let Me Start Again.

Presenter: Clive Anderson
Producer: Elizabeth Foster
Production Co-ordinator: Lydia Depledge-Miller


SAT 19:00 Profile (m0025kqv)
Kim Leadbeater

She is the self-styled "proud Yorkshirewoman" at the centre of an extraordinary week at Westminster.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind a bid to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill in England and Wales, was born in West Yorkshire in 1976.

Before her life in politics, she worked in furniture sales and as an exercise instructor, before becoming a lecturer in health and exercise in her late 20s. But it was the murder of her sister Jo Cox in 2016 that saw her thrust into the public eye.

After years promoting social cohesion with the Jo Cox Foundation and More In Common, in 2021 she became an MP in the same constituency her sister had represented.

Mark Coles talks to family, friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped the woman at the centre of an intense, and highly charged debate.

Production Team

Producers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper
Editor: Ben Mundy
Sound: James Beard
Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele


SAT 19:15 The Infinite Monkey Cage (m0025d6q)
Series 31

Starless World

Brian Cox and Robin Ince consider how different our understanding of the universe would be without the stars. They are joined by Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Roberto Trotta and comedian John Bishop who illuminate all that we have learnt from the stars and how different life would be without them.

Every culture has looked up at the night sky, but why are we so drawn to the pin pricks of light in the sky above us all and how have they helped shape human civilisation? Roberto Trotta takes us back to the origins of astronomy, to women who he believes were the first astronomers, linking the orbital period of the moon with the length of the menstrual cycle. We continue the historical journey, through the astronomical greats, Galileo, Copernicus and Kepler, who all in part owe their scientific discoveries to the stars. Our panel marvel at how we, an infinitesimally small part of the universe, are able to look up at the stars and comprehend what is beyond and how this stargazing has profoundly shaped our sense of selves as well as underpinned science as we know it.

Producer: Melanie Brown
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
Researcher: Olivia Jani

BBC Studios Audio production


SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m0025kqx)
Shane MacGowan: The Old Main Drag

A year has passed since the world lost one of its great songwriters. Journalist and author Sean O’Hagan explores the lyrical genius of Shane MacGowan, presenting him as a voice of the Irish diaspora.

Throughout, we interweave MacGowan’s songs and interviews with fresh contributions from cultural icons and those who knew him best, seeking to understand his impact. Although Ireland’s population is only 5 million, 70 million people worldwide have Irish ancestry, making the Irish diaspora one of the largest.

The Pogues were a London-Irish band, rather than purely an Irish one - a crucial distinction. This identity is reflected not only in their punk-inflected sound but also in Shane MacGowan’s songwriting style, whether through the gritty urban realism of The Old Main Drag or the bruised romanticism of The Broad Majestic Shannon, a love song filled with longing for home. Through six selected songs, we come to appreciate MacGowan's artistry as that of an exile.

Featuring contributions from Bono, Nick Cave, Victoria Mary Clarke, Sir Bob Geldof, Bobby Gillespie, Siobhan MacGowan, David Simon, Daragh Lynch and Peter Doherty.

Thank you to Linda Dowling Almeida and Richard Balls

Produced by Richard Power

A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 21:00 Moral Maze (m0025csr)
What is a healthy attitude to death?

The debate around assisted dying exposes fundamental questions about our attitudes to death. We will all die. Nothing is more certain. But it’s not something most of us really think about, apart from superficially. We can often think of death as something that happens to other people. There’s a paradox – we are more distanced from death than our ancestors, yet we are exposed to it every day in the news and value it as a key component of art and entertainment. We can have a morbid fascination with death but a fear of confronting our own mortality.

While, fear, anxiety and avoidance are deeply human responses, are they good for us both psychologically and morally? Those advocating a “death positive” approach see honest conversations about death and dying as the cornerstone of a healthy society. In theory, thinking about your death should put your life into perspective and direct your actions towards things that are good for you and others. But is that necessarily the case? Should death ever be seen as anything less than a tragedy? During the pandemic, there were concerns about the subtle messaging around the ‘acceptability’ of some deaths over others. In conflict, repeated exposure to death causes a callus to form, where there may be less empathy for the dead as a survival mechanism for the living.

Does a greater openness and acceptance of death help us to live better lives? Or can losing the fear of death mean we lose something of what it means to be human? What is a healthy attitude to death?

Chair: Michael Buerk
Panel: Matthew Taylor, Ash Sarkar, Konstantin Kisin and Anne McElvoy
Witnesses: Charlotte Haigh, Anton Noble, Victoria Holmes, Teodora Manea.

Producer: Dan Tierney
Assistant producer: Ruth Purser
Editor: Gill Farrington and Chloe Walker.


SAT 22:00 News (m0025kqz)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:15 The Food Programme (m0025bzd)
Nan the Wiser

Sheila Dillon explores how our grannies' cooking can shape who we are—and asks what we lose if we let go of those traditions.

Guests include:

Vicky Bennison, founder of YouTube channel Pasta Grannies.
Food Writer Clare Finney, and her Grandma Joan Fox.
Chet Sharma, chef patron of Bibi, a restaurant named in honour of his grandmothers.
Dr Fiona Lavelle from Kings College London, who is researching cooking skills and how they're passed on.
and Pauline Crosby, a grandma from Norfolk who is shortlisted for the title of "Nan from Del Monte".

Presented by Sheila Dillon
Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Natalie Donovan


SAT 23:00 Parish Matters (m0025kr1)
Series 1

4. 'A financial, legal, humanitarian and ecological disaster'

A brand-new sitcom sketch hybrid made in Belfast and starring voices from all over Ireland. Each week we join the eccentric inhabitants of the Parish in their weekly council meeting to air their problems and grievances.

The Parish attempts to ‘go-green’ have backfired spectacularly, and the council hold an emergency meeting on what to do about the runaway disaster that is their ‘Environmental Awareness Festival’. Who’s to blame for the pollution of the rivers by the festival portapotties? Can the dubious renewable energy proposals really work and the best (and only) cop in town wrestles with the shock death-slash-possible murder of a hometown music hero on the opening night of the festival – on his night off!

PARISH MATTERS is a half hour window into an everlasting argument and an energetic and original comedy show written by Michael McCullagh and Phil Taggart and starring the writers alongside Michael Fry, Ciara Knight, Hannah Mamalis, Mary Flanigan, Michael Stranney and Peter McGann. Produced by Keith Martin and Exec Produced by Sam Michell. A FABEL radio Production for BBC Radio 4.


SAT 23:30 Brain of Britain (m0025cxy)
Semi-final 1, 2024

(13/17)
The quest for the 2024 Brain of Britain champion enters the semi-final stage, with Russell Davies chairing the contest from London's Radio Theatre. Contestants who've come unscathed through the heats now play off in the first of the contests that will decide who goes through to the Final.

Taking their places in the first semi-final are:
Paula Dempsey from south-east London
David Edwards from Denstone in Staffordshire
Andrew Fanko from Market Harborough
Heather Smith from Chichester.

There will also be a chance for a Brain of Britain listener to outwit the Brains with questions of their own, and win a prize if they succeed.

Brain of Britain is a BBC Studios Audio production..

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner
Producer: Paul Bajoria

SUNDAY 01 DECEMBER 2024

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m0025kr3)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 00:15 Take Four Books (m0025cxv)
Graeme Macrae Burnet

Presenter James Crawford talks to Booker Prize-shortlisted writer Graeme Macrae Burnet about his new book, A Case of Matricide, the concluding part of his trilogy of Gorski novels. With the help of crime novelist Louise Welsh, Macrae Burnet explores three other works that have influenced his new book. His choices were: Georges Simenon's The Little Man From Archangel, La Femme de Gilles by Madeleine Bourdouxhe and L’Assommoir by Emile Zola. Presenter: James Crawford Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Annie McGuire A BBC AUDIO SCOTLAND PRODUCTION FOR BBC RADIO FOUR.

Presenter: James Crawford
Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Annie McGuire

A BBC AUDIO SCOTLAND PRODUCTION FOR BBC RADIO FOUR.


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025kr5)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025kr7)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025kr9)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (m0025krc)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m0025krf)
The Cathedral Church of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Andrew, Rochester in Kent.

Bells on Sunday comes from the Cathedral Church of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Andrew, Rochester in Kent. The first bells were probably in the original Saxon cathedral originally founded by St. Augustine in 604. A.D. After various alterations over the years, the tower was rebuilt for the 1300th anniversary in 1904 to include eight bells. In 1921 these bells were recast and augmented to a ring of ten by the Gillett and Johnston foundry of Croydon. The Tenor bell weighs thirty hundredweight and is tuned to D. We now hear them ringing Stedman Caters..


SUN 05:45 In Touch (m0025cnq)
Sexual Assault within the Visually Impaired Community

In Touch discusses sexual assault within the visually impaired community, with people who have experienced it or have witnessed inappropriate behaviours and attitudes. Our contributors describe how inappropriate behaviours can often go unchecked or are deemed as acceptable within parts of the visually impaired community, resulting in victims being afraid to speak out about their experiences. We also hear how in some cases, visually impaired victims have difficulty being believed by other people and the police.

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


SUN 06:00 News Summary (m0025m64)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:05 Surrealism Remixed (m0023ydl)
The Jolt

Today, Russell Tovey, actor and art lover, is following the trail of this mind-bending art movement to see where it’s ended up at a time when the world we live in seems increasingly surreal. Looking at disjoined, discordant, juxtaposed images on our screens - does it mean we’re all Surrealists now?

The concept of Surrealism was dreamt up 100 years ago, after the First World War, when the French poet André Breton published his first ‘Surrealist manifesto’ in October 1924. Breton had big ambitions for Surrealism to tap into the unconscious, via the power of dreams, and reach beyond the narrow realism and destructive rationality he saw around him.

Surrealism first started entering popular culture, when the Surrealist artists began to work in other fields: Rene Magritte had a publicity firm, Salvador Dali advised Hitchcock and Disney and Man Ray was a successful fashion photographer. Understanding and exploring our inner world became fashionable during the mid 20th century, thanks in part to Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, who was a huge influence on the Surrealists. But by now, Surrealist techniques of tapping into the unconscious mind, were also being co-opted by the fast-growing advertising industry. As well as filtering into film, fashion and advertising, Surrealism has thoroughly influenced comedy, especially British comedy.

With Louisa Buck; Martin Creed; Anna María; Hugh Morrison; Lisa Mullen; Mark Polizzotti; Vic Reeves; John Luke Roberts; Laurence Scott; David Shrigley and Rory Sutherland.

Producers: Melissa FitzGerald and Eliane Glaser

Sound Design: Tony Churnside

A Zinc Audio Production

Cover Photo: Martin Creed and Russell Tovey


SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (m0025m66)
BBC Food & Farming Awards finalist: Andrew Howard's On Farm Trials

Andrew Howard has a curious, restless mind. He's always wondering what he can change, and how he can prove whether a change has made a difference.

This curiosity has lead him to invite scientists, conservationists and agri-tech businesses onto his arable farm, in Kent, to test theories in a multitude of on-farm trials. He's currently testing out drones that use AI to analyse crop nutrition, and experimenting with adding compost extract to his soils when planting seeds.

One of his passions is intercropping - the practise of growing more than one crop in the same field. He says it can spread your risk - if one crop fails, the other might still survive.

Andrew and his experiments have been chosen by judges, Charlotte Smith and Lucy Speed, as one of their three finalists in the "Farming for the Future" category of this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards. In this programme, Charlotte and Lucy visit the farm and learn more about his many trials.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and Lucy Speed
Produced by Heather Simons


SUN 06:57 Weather (m0025m68)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m0025m6b)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (m0025m6d)
Religion & assisted dying debate; Helen-Ann Hartley on being 'frozen out' by other bishops

The Bishop of Newcastle who called for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury talks to us about the price she's paid for rocking the boat.

Friday's vote by MPs in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill was certainly historic. But did it also feel like a rejection of traditional religious values? We'll explore that claim on today's Sunday with broadcaster Mark Mardell and Director of Theos Chine McDonald

We'll celebrate the start of Advent with Radio 3 as they fill their schedule with Christmas choirs, live from across the UK.

PRESENTER: WILLIAM CRAWLEY
PRODUCERS: CATHERINE MURRAY & PETER EVERETT
STUDIO MANAGERS: SIMON HIGHFIELD & HELEN WILLIAMS
EDITOR: TIM PEMBERTON


SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025l2g)
The Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields 2024

The Reverend Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, makes the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal for the work of St Martin-in-the-Fields for people experiencing homelessness.

To Give:
- Call 0800 082 82 84 calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
- donate online via the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal website https://www.bbc.co.uk/R4christmasappeal
- write a cheque to "St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal". Address your envelope, ‘Freepost St Martin’s Christmas Appeal.’

If you’d like to find out more about the charity’s work visit *https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/
*The BBC is not responsible for content on external websites


SUN 07:57 Weather (m0025m6g)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m0025m6j)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the Sunday papers


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m0025m6l)
Carols for the Christ Child

Marking the first Sunday of Advent and St Andrewstide, from St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, with the combined choirs of St Giles', Paisley Abbey and St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. With Rev Sigrid Marten, Associate Minister of St Giles' Cathedral, and Rev Neil Gardner, Minister of Canongate Kirk.
Music directed by Michael Harris, George McPhee, Duncan Ferguson. Organist: Jordan English.
Readings: Matthew 4:12-20; Luke 1:39-45
Hymns:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Tune: Veni Emmanuel)
Lo, he comes! (Tune: Helmsley/Descant: Peter Backhouse)
Choral:
Introit: Lift up your heads, O ye gates (Mathias)
Magnificat in C (Stanford)
And the glory of the Lord (Handel)


SUN 08:48 A Point of View (m0025c0t)
House Clearing

Rebecca Stott ponders the task of clearing her Mum's house, and the enormous difficulty of dismantling the things her mother loved and that Rebecca remembers her buying from bric-a-brac and antique shops.

'The beauty of the objects in my mother's house exists in her artistry,' writes Rebecca, 'the way she had placed some of them so that the evening light falls on them, the way that the kooky little Italian lamp sits next to the framed print of the Venetian canal... the way that everything is in the place that she had chosen for it.'

It gets her wondering about how many other people are doing the same with their parents' homes, in towns and cities across the country.

Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Liam Morrey
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (m0025m6n)
Dominic Couzens on the Snow Bunting

A new series of Tweet of the Day for Sunday morning revealing personal and fascinating stories from some fresh voices who have been inspired by birds, their calls and encounters.

On a walk up Ben Nevis with his son, ornithologist and nature writer Dominic Couzens heard a familiar cut-glass perfect song in an unfamiliar setting, a snow bunting at the very top of the mountain. Snow buntings are arguably the toughest songbirds on the Planet and so to find one on the slopes of Ben Nevis was a real treat indeed.

Producer : Andrew Dawes for BBC Audio in Bristol
Studio engineer : Ilse Lademann


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m0025m6q)
The Sunday morning news magazine programme. Presented by Paddy O'Connell


SUN 09:45 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025lbj)
Making a Difference

Hugh Dennis reports on how your donations to last year's Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields have helped change the lives of people who are experiencing, or who are at risk of, homelessness. He meets Carla, who's been supported by The Connection Day Centre in central London and is now off the streets and living in a hostel. In Edinburgh, Elvira, who has been supported by a new in-house psychologist at her hostel, supported by your donations. And John in Coventry has finally got keys to his own front door, thanks to the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal, which is now in its 98th year.
Producer: Katy Takatsuki

To Give:
- Freephone 0800 082 82 84, calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
- Send a cheque to FREEPOST St Martin's Christmas Appeal. Cheques should be made payable to St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal.
- Or donate online via the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal website.

Registered Charity Number: 1156305/261359. If you’d like to find out more about the charity’s work visit *https://www.smitfc.org
*The BBC is not responsible for content on external websites


SUN 10:00 Desert Island Discs (m0025l9s)
Mark Steel, comedian

Mark Steel is a writer, comedian and radio presenter.

His performing career began as a poet in the alternative comedy scene in the early eighties at the Comedy Store. A regular presenter on Radio 4, he began his award winning series, Mark Steel’s in Town in 2009.

Alongside his performing career, he’s been a regular newspaper columnist writing for the Guardian and Independent Newspapers.

Mark was born in 1960 and adopted at ten days old by Doreen and Ernie. He grew up in Swanley, Kent and left home at 18 to live in a squat in Crystal Palace.
After his own son was born, Mark spent many years tracing his birth parents and eventually met up with his genetic father who had been a professional gambler and a friend of Lord Lucan.
Mark has two children and lives in London.
Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor


SUN 11:00 The Archers Omnibus (m0025m6s)
Writer ….. Sarah McDonald Hughes
Director ….. Rosemary Watts
Editor ….. Jeremy Howe

David Archer … Timothy Bentinck
Ruth Archer … Felicity Finch
Clarrie Grundy … Heather Bell
Eddie Grundy … Trevor Harrison
Jakob Hakansson … Paul Venables
Jim Lloyd … John Rowe
Jazzer McCreary … Ryan Kelly
Kate Madikane … Perdita Avery
Faith … Emma Fielding
Chuck … Nathan Osgood
Ellie … Kerry Howard
Joel … Will Close


SUN 12:15 Profile (m0025kqv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 Paul Sinha's Perfect Pub Quiz (m0025d5d)
Series 3

South Norwood - Paul brings up his half-century for Radio 4

Paul celebrates his 50th stand-up show for Radio 4 with questions about anniversaries, 2011 (the year of his first show on the network), and his home borough of Croydon. In return, his audience tests his knowledge of tax years, anagrams, and the Crystal Palace.

Written and performed by Paul Sinha
Additional material: Oliver Levy
Additional questions: The Audience

Original music: Tim Sutton

Recording engineer: David Thomas
Mixed by: Rich Evans
Producer: Ed Morrish

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 12:57 Weather (m0025m6v)
The latest weather forecast


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m0025m6x)
Plastic pollution treaty talks fail

Global talks on how to curb plastic pollution collapse amid a row over whether to cap plastic production. We hear from Fiji's delegation and the oil industry. Plus, Kirstie Allsopp describes her 'embarrassing' encounter with MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace.


SUN 13:30 The Rock That Brexit Forgot (m0025kkr)
Nearly four years ago, the UK and EU agreed a Brexit deal, but it didn't include Gibraltar. Since then, the British Overseas Territory, which shares a land border with Spain, has been operating under ad-hoc arrangements. There have been many rounds of negotiations since 2020 between the UK and EU about a deal for Gibraltar but no deal yet. In recent months, there have been protests and increased border checks.

Journalist Guy Hedgecoe hears reflections from people on both sides of the border, in Gibraltar and the neighbouring Spanish town of La Linea about the current uncertainty. He speaks to people with a long history in the region about how they see current events and explores how Brexit has challenged a territory whose identity is contested.

Presenter: Guy Hedgecoe
Producer: Camellia Sinclair


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m0025c03)
Staffordshire: Dogs, Gradient Gardens and Aphrodisiacs

How can I stop my dog from digging holes in my garden? What conditions do walnut trees grow best in? If you could lose one pest from your garden, what would it be?

Peter Gibbs and a team of experts are in Staffordshire, to solve the gardening conundrums of the audience. Returning to the National Memorial Arboretum with Peter are grow-your-own legend Bob Flowerdew, pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood and garden designer Bunny Guinness.

Later in the programme, is your garden on an gradient? Garden designer Matthew Wilson provides tricks and tips on the best way to effectively garden on an incline.

Producer: Dan Cocker

Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 14:45 The Hank of Black Hair by Sebastian Barry (b07flhlc)
It’s 1922 and in a Dublin park, Matt Kirwan is enjoying his Sunday afternoon painting a landscape when a young woman approaches his easel to watch him work.

He knows from this day forward his life will never be the same.

Liam O'Brien reads Sebastian Barry's short story.

Sebastian Barry is one of Ireland’s finest and most celebrated writers. He's twice been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for his novels A Long Long Way (2005) and The Secret Scripture (2008), the latter of which won the 2008 Costa Book of the Year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. His 2011 novel On Canaan's Side was longlisted for the Booker. Days Without End was published in 2016.

Producer: Gemma McMullan

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2016.


SUN 15:00 Frank Bascombe: An American Life (m0025m6z)
Let Me Be Frank With You

Richard Ford’s Frank Bascombe books are a remarkable literary phenomenon, following the fortunes of his hapless but ever-hopeful hero Frank, and giving us a unique portrait of contemporary American life.

Over the year, we have been checking in with Frank during four weekends of his life, over four decades, stretching from the early 1980's to Christmas 2012.

All four episodes - The Sportswriter, Independence Day, The Lay of the Land, and Let Me Be Frank With You - will be available to listen to on BBC Sounds from 1st December 2024.

Episode 4
Let Me Be Frank With You takes place in the run-up to Christmas 2012, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy - and this isn't the only storm that Frank has to weather. In four very different encounters, he confronts old troubles again, along with some new and shocking revelations. Will Frank be able to maintain his hard-won equilibrium? It doesn’t look good….

Cast
FRANK: Kyle Soller
SALLY: Melody Grove
ARNIE : Nathan Osgood
ANN : Kelly Burke
CLARISSA: Hannah Genesius
MS PINES: Alana Maria
BUCK : Eric Stroud
EDDIE : Robert G Slade
FINESSE : Amelia Parillon
EZEKIEL : Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong

Dramatised by Robin Brooks from the Frank Bascombe novels by Richard Ford

Sound Design: Joseff Harris and Alisdair McGregor
Broadcast Assistant: Hermione Sylvester

Directed and Produced by Fiona McAlpine
An Allegra production for BBC Radio 4

Picture credit: ‘In the Car’ by Roy Lichtenstein
© Estate of Roy Lichtenstein/DACS 2024.
Photo: National Galleries of Scotland


SUN 16:00 Bookclub (m0025m71)
Alan Warner: Morvern Callar

Award-winning writer Alan Warner takes questions from Radio 4's Bookclub audience about his first-person, pacey novel, Morvern Callar, which was written in 1995 when Warner was in his late twenties. Morvern is a twenty-one year old foster-child whose life takes an irreversible turn when she discovers her boyfriend's dead body. The book was later turned into a critically-acclaimed film, of the same name, in 2002.


SUN 16:30 Brain of Britain (m0025m73)
Semi-final 2, 2024

(14/17)
In the second of the 2024 semi-finals, the competitors will be asked about Scottish football, American stand-up comedy, the Olympics, chemistry, surrealist painters, and classic rock albums of 1984... among many other things. Russell Davies puts the questions to four semi-finalists, each of them hoping their wide general knowledge will be enough to win them a place in the Final.

Today's competitors are:
Jack Bennett, from Lancaster
Alan Gibbs, from St Helens in Lancashire
Helen Lippell, from east London
Hannah Reilly, from Glasgow.

All of them have either won their heats or been notably high-scoring runners-up, so the competition for points is sure to be fierce.

Brain of Britain is a BBC Studios Audio production.

Assistant Producer: Stephen Garner
Producer: Paul Bajoria


SUN 17:00 Witness History (w3ct5yn9)
The Iran-Contra Affair

The Iran-Contra affair was a scandal that went right to the heart of Ronald Reagan’s White House and it became known as one of the most controversial political scandals in modern US history.

In 1986, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was accused of orchestrating the illegal sale of weapons to Iran and using those profits to fund rebel groups in Central America.

Five years after the affair, North spoke to the BBC’s Panorama. Matt Pintus has been through the interview for Witness History.

Eyewitness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Oliver North in full military uniform on his first day of testimony at the Iran Contra hearings. Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 17:10 County Lines (m0025d4q)
Episode 1: Their World

This powerful and highly personal series investigates how criminal networks systematically exploit vulnerable young people, transforming them from ordinary schoolchildren into drug dealers through manipulation, violence, and trauma. An estimated 50,000 children in Britain have been groomed into county lines drug trafficking, yet their stories remain largely hidden.

In this first episode, Phoebe McIndoe hears from those caught in the web of county lines. Between the promise of quick money and the reality of extreme violence, we reveal how Britain's drug trade is being built on the backs of traumatized children, and why the system often fails to protect them.

Presented by Phoebe McIndoe
Produced by Redzi Bernard and Phoebe McIndoe
With original music by Phoebe McIndoe
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m0025m77)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 17:57 Weather (m0025m79)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025m7c)
He says complaints about him are coming from middle class women of a certain age.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m0025m7f)
Sean Rafferty

This week, we're harvesting the cream of the crop when it comes to audio, including musical mushrooms of Mitcham Common, Heaney's "holly" and a Christmas tree fit to deck the halls at Downing Street. Plus, it's Scam Safe Week across the BBC and Shari Vahl investigates whether "voice cloning" could be the latest fraud to keep an ear out for. And it may be an everyday story of country folk, but even the residents of Ambridge find they're not immune to a swindle.

Presenter: Sean Rafferty
Producer: Anthony McKee
Production Co-ordinator: Jack Ferrie

A BBC Audio Northern Ireland production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (m0025kkm)
Robert bumps into Emma and asks if she’ll be at the Parish Council meeting tomorrow. She hasn’t been there for a while. When Emma admits it’s because she can’t face it, Robert gently encourages her to go saying no-one there would judge her. Later, Robert drops by to see Emma at The Tearoom where she tells him that she’s decided to go. But Robert has some unsettling news; someone’s complained about Emma’s role on the Council. Robert doesn’t know who, but it relates to her part in withholding information from the police about George. Upset Emma says she won’t be at the meeting tomorrow after all, even though Robert tries to convince her otherwise.

Kenton and Jolene are concerned about the lack of customers at The Bull with Christmas just around the corner. Mick suggests that they could do a Santa brunch. Kenton reckons it’s a good idea but it’s too late to find a Father Christmas in time. Mick solves the problem by putting himself forward and they decide to do a brunch next Sunday. Although it’ll be tight, they can advertise and Wayne’s had some ideas for the menu. When Jolene says it’s kind of Mick to be Santa for nothing, Kenton points out that his van is parked on the car park. Mick fits the part when he reappears in a Santa outfit that he's borrowed from Tony. But when he tries out his Santa voice, Jolene and Kenton are stunned. When he’s gone they wonder what to do; Mick’s Santa sounds really scary but neither of them want to let Mick down.


SUN 19:15 Illuminated (m0025m7h)
Voices from the Bog

For 2000 years beneath layer upon layer of peat, the remains of two bodies - a man and a woman - lay buried in the earth. Within 12 months of each other, they were discovered on Lindow Moss, the cut-over peat bog in Cheshire.

It's now 40 years since the remains of Lindow Man were found, the best-preserved bog body ever discovered in the UK. A year before that, the skull of Lindow Woman was found, with major ramifications for a modern-day mystery. We still don’t know who these people were or in the case of Lindow Man, why he met his violent death. Was it ritual sacrifice to the gods, private scores settled or a public execution?

Their spirits remain in the place of their burial - a small corner of Cheshire filled with myth, mystery and history. Together with one of the original peat cutters at that time, the first journalist on the site, a professor of pre-history, a conservator and material from archive, we tell the story of this remarkable archaeological discovery.

And a slight twist - listening in on proceedings are Lindow Man and Lindow Woman. What might they make of the celebrations around the anniversary of the bodies in the bog?

Contributors: Melanie Giles Professor in European Prehistory, University of Manchester; Stephen Dooley, former peat cutter; Rachel Pugh, writer and journalist; Velson Horie, conservation consultant and the late Rick Turner (archive) former County Archaeologist, Cheshire. Lindow Man is played by Fisayo Akinawe and Lindow Woman by Eve Shotton.

Produced and written by Geoff Bird
Executive Producer: Mel Harris
Sound Engineer: Eloise Whitmore
Music composed & performed by Laetitia Stott & mixed and mastered by Geoff Southall
A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 19:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m001r1ms)
Cook Tomatoes

Tomatoes are packed full of goodness & cooked tomatoes are even better for you! In this episode, Michael reveals how cooking your tomatoes - sautéed, or in a sauce or soup - can reduce your blood fat levels, help your body recover from exercise, and even protect your skin from damage. It’s all to do with a beneficial compound called lycopene which is released under heat. Michael speaks to Professor Richard van Breemen from Oregon State University who reveals his studies on lycopene and why cooked tomatoes can help protect against prostate cancer.

New episodes will be released on Wednesdays, but if you’re in the UK, listen to new episodes, a week early, first on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/3zqa6BB

Producer: Nija Dalal-Small
Science Producer: Catherine Wyler
Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu
Trainee Assistant Producer: Toni Arenyeka
Executive Producer: Zoe Heron
A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.


SUN 20:00 Feedback (m0025d7b)
Dead Ringers, and listeners respond to BBC news cuts

This year there's been no shortage of material for the latest series of Dead Ringers. Andrea Catherwood is joined by cast member Jan Ravens and Richard Morris, Creative Director of Comedy and Entertainment for BBC Studios, and asks if it's still possible to make light of serious matters.

In a previous episode of Feedback we heard from John McAndrew, Director of Programmes for BBC News, who defended the recent cuts to BBC News including the axing of HARDtalk and Radio 4's 5.30am News Briefing, among others. Following that interview, listeners have had more to say about the decision. We hear their responses on what will be missed, and whether or not the changes are justified.

And as submissions for Feedback's Interview of the Year close, we hear one more pick - from listener Calum, who had high praise for an episode of Desert Island Discs in which Lauren Laverne interviewed Shirine Khoury-Haq, the first woman CEO of the Co-Op.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 20:30 Last Word (m0025c07)
Madeleine Riffaud, Chris Topp, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Dr Julian Litten

Matthew Bannister on

Madeleine Riffaud, the French resistance fighter who was tortured by the Gestapo, became a journalist and was embedded with the Vietcong in Vietnam.

Chris Topp, the blacksmith who restored ironwork at Buckingham Palace, York Minster and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Barbara Taylor Bradford, the best-selling author of A Woman of Substance and many other novels.

Dr Julian Litten, whose fascination for the rituals surrounding death led to him being called “England’s foremost funerary historian”.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive:
General Charles De Gaulle speech, BBC Radio, 22/06/1940; Algerian War: 70 Years On, News Report actuality, France 24, 01/11/2024; Panorama: Vietnam: The Other World ,BBC Television, 31/03/1969; Barbara Taylor Bradford, Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 11/07/2003; Reading: A Woman of Substance, HarperCollins Publishers UK SoundCloud Channel, Audio promo - Release date 25/10/2012; Barbara Taylor Bradford interview, Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, 09/07/1999; Barbara Taylor Bradford interview, Saturday Live, BBC Radio 4, 30/11/2019; Reading: A Woman of Substance, HarperCollins Publishers UK SoundCloud Channel, Audio promo, Released date: 04/05/2017; BLACKSMITH'S CONTRACT: LOOK NORTH, BBC One North East & Cumbria, 14/07/1995; Reading the Past / Writing the Future - Chris Topp (Blacksmith), Uploaded to Youtube 14/05/2014; Songs of Praise: Rite of passage, Bereavement, BBC, 05/11/2002, Red Heaven Oral History Archive, Julian Litten talks with Dr Simon Machin, 14/03/2021; BBC News at One, BBC, 26/03/2015


SUN 21:00 Money Box (m0025kq2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 on Saturday]


SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025l2g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 today]


SUN 21:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m0025kpy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:30 on Saturday]


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m0025m7k)
Ben Wright and guests analyse the assisted dying debate and other topical political stories

Ben Wright's guests are the new Labour MP Yuan Yang; Conservative backbencher Sir Bernard Jenkin; and foreign policy expert Sophia Gaston. They reflect on the recent debate about assisted dying and look ahead to the government's planned "reset" of its missions and priorities. They also discuss the international situation and the programme includes an interview with the historian Professor Margaret MacMillan, about the parallels between now and the Cold War. The political editor of the Financial Times, George Parker, brings additional insight and analysis.


SUN 23:00 In Our Time (m0025d6j)
The Hanoverian Succession

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the intense political activity at the turn of the 18th Century, when many politicians in London went to great lengths to find a Protestant successor to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland and others went to equal lengths to oppose them. Queen Anne had no surviving children and, following the old rules, there were at least 50 Catholic candidates ahead of any Protestant ones and among those by far the most obvious candidate was James, the only son of James II. Yet with the passing of the Act of Settlement in 1701 ahead of Anne's own succession, focus turned to Europe and to Princess Sophia, an Electress of the Holy Roman Empire in Hanover who, as a granddaughter of James I, thus became next in line to be crowned at Westminster Abbey. It was not clear that Hanover would want this role, given its own ambitions and the risks, in Europe, of siding with Protestants, and soon George I was minded to break the rules of succession so that he would be the last Hanoverian monarch as well as the first.

With

Andreas Gestrich
Professor Emeritus at Trier University and Former Director of the German Historical Institute in London

Elaine Chalus
Professor of British History at the University of Liverpool

And

Mark Knights
Professor of History at the University of Warwick

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

J.M. Beattie, The English Court in the Reign of George I (Cambridge University Press, 1967)

Jeremy Black, The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Hambledon Continuum, 2006)

Justin Champion, Republican Learning: John Toland and the Crisis of Christian Culture 1696-1722 (Manchester University Press, 2003), especially his chapter ‘Anglia libera: Protestant liberties and the Hanoverian succession, 1700–14’

Linda Colley, Britons: Forging the Nation 1707 – 1837 (Yale University Press, 2009)

Andreas Gestrich and Michael Schaich (eds), The Hanoverian Succession: Dynastic Politics and Monarchical Culture (‎Ashgate, 2015)

Ragnhild Hatton, George I: Elector and King (Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1979)

Mark Knights, Representation and Misrepresentation in Later Stuart Britain: Partisanship and Political Culture (Oxford University Press, 2005)

Mark Knights, Faction Displayed: Reconsidering the Impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell (Blackwell, 2012)

Joanna Marschner, Queen Caroline: Cultural Politics at the Early Eighteenth-Century Court (Yale University Press, 2014)

Ashley Marshall, ‘Radical Steele: Popular Politics and the Limits of Authority’ (Journal of British Studies 58, 2019)

Paul Monod, Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788 (Cambridge University Press, 1989)

Hannah Smith, Georgian Monarchy: Politics and Culture 1714-1760 (Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Daniel Szechi, 1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion (Yale University Press, 2006)

A.C. Thompson, George II : King and Elector (Yale University Press, 2011)

In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production


SUN 23:45 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025lbj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 today]

MONDAY 02 DECEMBER 2024

MON 00:00 Midnight News (m0025m7m)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


MON 00:15 Crossing Continents (m0025cns)
Our whole life is a secret

The Taliban edict that women's voices should not be heard aloud renders women up and down Afghanistan inaudible as well as invisible in public. Women are already denied most forms of education and employment. They are not allowed to go outside without a male guardian, and have to be completely covered up, including their faces. Now the new rules say they should be quiet too. Women singing together, or even raising their voices in prayer, is forbidden.

But there's more than one way to be heard.

Our Whole Life is a Secret records the day to day life of 'Leila', a lively, energetic Afghan woman aged 23, doing everything she can to navigate the rules. From behind the walls of her home, Leila reveals her vivid interior world, and that of her female friends and relatives. She and her sisters are the first women in their family to read and write, and before the Taliban returned to power in 2021, she was a university student. Now she teaches in a secret school and is part of a dynamic online learning community. From reading Emily Bronte to working out to Zumba, Leila is determined to keep stay sane and busy.

'Leila' is not her real name and all locations are omitted for safety reasons. Her words are read by Asal Latifi.

Producer/Presenter Monica Whitlock
Sound design and mix James Beard
Editor Penny Murphy


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m0025krf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025m7p)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025m7r)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025m7t)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 05:30 News Briefing (m0025m7w)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025m7y)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (m0025m80)
02/12/24 Feed additives to reduce methane, solar farms, agricultural labour

Arla, the farmer run dairy cooperative plans to reduce its emissions by 30% per kilo of milk by 2030. They’ve just started trials using a dietary supplement called Bovaer which is added to cow’s feed to reduce methane emissions. The trial involves around 30 farmers and 3 supermarkets who buy their milk. However, even though the feed supplement has been approved by UK and European food safety bodies there’s been a social media storm of protest, some people calling for the boycott of Arla products because they don’t think it should be used. Some other milk suppliers have been guaranteeing they don’t use it. We ask a dairy analyst what all the fuss is about.

We’re talking agricultural labour all this week on Farming Today. Horticulture relies heavily on the Government’s Seasonal Worker Scheme which means it can recruit overseas workers on short term contracts. We ask British Growers how well the current scheme's working for fruit and veg producers.

Tenant farmers in East Yorkshire say they could be facing eviction to make way for a large solar farm. The BBC has been told that at least eight farms that lease land from The Dalton Estate, north of Beverley, had been notified of the proposals. Farmers said the solar project could cover at least four square miles and would be a "bombshell" to families who've farmed in the area for generations.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney


MON 05:57 Weather (m0025m82)
Weather reports and forecasts for farmers


MON 06:00 Today (m0025kjy)
02/12/24 - Syria civil war reignites

The UK and allies are calling for de-escalation in Syria - after a dramatic few days in which Bashar Al Assad's forces have been routed from the major city of Aleppo by rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group once linked to Al Qaeda. Mishal Husain interviews a film-maker who was in Aleppo after the fall, and speaks to the former head of MI6 Sir Alex Younger.
President Biden has granted a pardon to his son, Hunter, who was to be sentenced this month for gun and tax convictions.
And as MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace hits back at his critics, should action have been taken earlier when women complained about him? Labour MP Rupa Huq, a member of the culture select committee, tells Today the BBC should consider pausing the show while he is investigated. Wallace's lawyers say it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (m0025kk0)
The story of British art - from cave paintings to landscapes

While the great Italian renaissance painters and the Dutch masters are world famous, why are there so few British artists from this period leading the way? It’s one of the questions the art historian Bendor Grosvenor examines in his new history, The Invention of British Art. From prehistoric bone carvings to the landscapes of John Constable, Grosvenor reassesses the contribution British artists have made at home and abroad.

The writer and former curator at the V&A Susan Owens wants to turn our attention to drawing. It is a simpler, more democratic form of art-making, she argues in The Story of Drawing: An Alternative History of Art. And one that is a fundamental part of the creative process. She reveals what can be learnt by looking again at the sketches made by Gainsborough, William Blake and Tacita Dean.

The artist Lucinda Rogers specialises in urban landscapes. She immerses herself in her environment and records straight from eye to paper. Her intimate street views explore the changing nature of cities, from London to New York. During the US Presidential election she travelled to different locations as a reportage illustrator. A reproduction of her first sketchbook, New York Winter 1988, has just been re-released.

Producer: Katy Hickman


MON 09:45 Dementia: Unexpected Stories of the Mind (m001kwvx)
Geraint

In this five-part series, neurologist Jules Montague and William Miller go into the homes of people with rare dementias, to discover that dementia is not what we think it is.

It’s a common misconception that dementia is a condition that only affects memory - but Alzheimer’s is only one form of dementia, there are many more. Because the symptoms of rare dementias can be so atypical, often in younger people, those with rare dementias wait twice as long for a diagnosis and a third are initially misdiagnosed.

The symptoms of these dementias go far beyond memory loss. William and Jules meet a man who hallucinates cats and rabbits in his living room, a novelist who is losing her words, a former teacher who cannot see what’s right in front of her, and a family struggling with a genetic legacy that has defined their past and could determine their future.

Dr Jules Montague is a dementia specialist, and William has personal experience of its impact having cared for his father, theatre director Jonathan Miller, who died of Alzheimer’s in 2019. Together they explore the science behind the symptoms and the poignant and extraordinary ways in which families navigate their lives as a result of these conditions.

In this episode, they meet Geraint and his wife Jacqui. In 2020 Geraint received a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia - or FTD - which results in a profound transformation in behaviour and personal identity.

Details of organisations offering information and support with dementia are available at the BBC Action Line here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1Y8B7y39T07GnTlMsLPJG2S/information-and-support-dementia

Producer: Eve Streeter
Original music: A Brief Encounter by Max Walter
A Raconteur production for BBC Radio 4


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m0025kk2)
Gregg Wallace, Uterine fibroids, Director Kiran Rao

The TV presenter Gregg Wallace has denied behaviour of a sexually harassing nature, after 13 people came forward last week with allegations of inappropriate comments. In a video posted on Instagram, he said the accusations had been made by 'a handful of middle-class women of a certain age'. Nuala McGovern is joined by former head of Channel 4 News Dorothy Byrne and the Chair of the Fawcett Society, Baroness Harriet Harman, to discuss.

When Daniel Wing was a year old, his mother Tina was murdered. 32 years on, the murder still remains unsolved – but a spotlight is thrown on the case in a new documentary: Who Murdered You, Mum? Nuala is joined by Daniel and barrister Harriet Johnson to talk about what the programme shows in terms of change in fighting violence against women and girls, and what needs to happen next to keep women safe.

Professor Nicola Rollock is best known for her academic research and writing on race and society. As a friend of the programme, she approached us to ask to talk about something more personal - her experience of uterine fibroids, something that affects around 70% of women, but this rises to 80% for black women. Nicola joins Nuala alongside Hilary Critchley, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, to discuss more.

Hindi-language film, Laapataa Ladies, also known as Lost Ladies, has just been submitted for Bafta consideration. Set in 2001 in rural India, it follows two separate newlywed brides, Phool and Jaya, whose lives take unexpected turns after a mix-up on a crowded train. It's director, filmmaker Kiran Rao joins Nuala live in the studio to discuss the film and its variety of female characters.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Lottie Garton


MON 11:00 County Lines (m0025kk4)
Episode 2: Cycles

This highly personal series investigates how criminal networks systematically exploit vulnerable young people, transforming them from ordinary schoolchildren into drug dealers through manipulation, violence, and trauma. An estimated 50,000 children in Britain have been groomed into county lines drug trafficking, yet their stories remain largely hidden.

In this powerful second episode, we investigate what keeps young people returning to county lines, even after interventions.

Through intimate stories told from prison cells and family homes, survivors challenge our assumptions about victims and perpetrators, revealing how trauma and shame create cycles that prove devastating to break.

As both journalist and sister to someone caught in these cycles, Phoebe McIndoe weaves her own story of silence and stigma with those of young people trapped between prison and exploitation.

Presented by Phoebe McIndoe
Produced by Redzi Bernard and Phoebe McIndoe
With original music by Phoebe McIndoe
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4


MON 11:45 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025kk6)
Episode One

Acclaimed historian Annie Gray takes us on an immersive journey down the high street through the ages, from the medieval marketplace to the first department stores. Peeking inside the windows of china merchants, chophouses, gin palaces and confectioners, Annie reflects on how people shopped and lived in days gone by.

Episode One
From the medieval marketplace to 1650 and the rise of the high street, Annie Gray takes us on a shopping excursion.

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present. She features regularly on The Kitchen Cabinet. Her other books include The Greedy Queen and Victory in the Kitchen.

Writer: Annie Gray
Reader: Hugh Dennis
Abridger: Karen Rose
Producer: Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


MON 12:00 News Summary (m0025kk9)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 12:04 You and Yours (m0025kkc)
Easylife Clubs, Exploding EVs and Struggling Pubs

When you buy a garden hose, you don't necessarily want to join a car maintenance subscription club - particularly if you've never driven. That's what happened to two You and Yours listeners who have contacted us about the catalogue seller Easylife.

Also - we look at what Megabus cutting its routes means for coach travel.

We hear the story of a woman whose electric car exploded while charging - and that wasn't the end of her problems.

Should struggling pubs diversify or stick with an old school approach?

And we hear from a music fan whose night at a gig was ruined when staff wrongly decided he was drunk.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY


MON 12:57 Weather (m0025kkf)
The latest weather forecast


MON 13:00 World at One (m0025kkh)
Syria: who are the rebels?

Regional powers fight for influence as President Assad's forces are pushed back. Plus should Masterchef be pulled from the BBC One schedule?


MON 13:45 The Bottom Line (m002648r)
The Decisions That Made Me

Decisions That Made Me: Rob Law (Trunki Suitcases, Inventor)

When your business is about making products, and the factory you use gets into trouble, that’s potentially a big problem. Do you try to find another one, or do you try to fix it? Rob Law, entrepreneur and inventor of the Trunki children’s suitcase, had exactly this dilemma, and tells Evan Davis about the risky decision it prompted.

He also discusses the illness and personal loss that have shaped his career, and recalls his infamous appearance on Dragon’s Den almost 20 years ago.

Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison


MON 14:00 The Archers (m0025kkm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Hennikay (m001fwb8)
Series 1

3. The Animo-Expo Pro-Gaming Trade Fair

Bill Bailey stars as Guy Starling, a middle aged man who, after 45 years, and for reasons quite unknown to him, is suddenly revisited by his imaginary childhood friend, Hennikay.

The pressure is on at work. Guy’s company have had their best (only) idea in years (ever) stolen from under their noses by an unscrupulous rival. But luckily Guy has come up with a brilliant new idea, courtesy of his invisible best friend, Hennikay and the race is on for them to develop it before the big trade show.

And even with Guy foolishly introducing his schoolboy mate from 1976 to the wonders of the 21st century internet and the delights of expense account lunching, the friends triumph and, working together at last, they manage to hit the big deadline.

They head triumphantly to the show - where grown-up treachery is afoot and Hennikay has his young, innocent eyes opened to the cheating, lying and general down and dirty bad behaviour that modern adults call business.

Cast:
Guy – Bill Bailey
Tony – Dave Lamb
Marika – Elizabeth Carling
Kallie - Hollie Edwin
Don - Joseph May
TV voices and Pizza Guy - Matt Addis
Hennikay – Max Pattison

Written by David Spicer
Producer: Liz Anstee
A CPL production for BBC Radio 4


MON 14:45 Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (m00174lm)
Episode Ten

Helen Fielding's iconic 1996 novel of life as a single thirty-something woman in London.

"Cannot help but feel sad about the brutal trampling on the first shoots of romance between me and Mark Darcy by Marco Pierre White and my mother, but trying to be philosophical about it. Maybe Mark Darcy is too perfect, clean and finished off at the edges for me, with his capability, intelligence, lack of smoking, freedom from alcoholism, and his chauffeur-driven cars."

Bridget Jones begins the new year full of resolutions. She pledges in her diary to drink less, smoke less, lose weight, find a new job, stay away from unsuitable men and learn to programme the VCR. But her resolve is tested by the horrors of attending dinner parties with the "smug marrieds", the confusing behaviour of her charming rogue of a boss Daniel Cleaver, and her increasingly embarrassing encounters with Human Rights lawyer Mark Darcy.

Bridget Jones's Diary started life as a weekly column in the pages of The Independent in 1995, when Fielding worked on the news desk. Helen’s column chronicled the life and antics of fictional Bridget Jones as a thirty-something single woman in London trying to make sense of life and love. It was first published as a novel in 1996 and has gone on to sell more than 15 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into a series of films.

Read by Sally Phillips
Abridged by Sara Davies
Produced by Mair Bosworth and Mary Ward-Lowery


MON 15:00 A Good Read (m0025kkp)
Professor Ben Garrod and Lucy Jones

A PRIMATE'S MEMOIR (Love, Death and Baboons) by Robert Sapolsky, chosen by Professor Ben Garrod
SOLDIER SAILOR by Claire Kilroy, chosen by Harriett Gilbert
THE ABUNDANCE by Annie Dillard, chosen by Lucy Jones

Evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod (Professor at the University of East Anglia) chooses a book which he's read and gifted countless times, a book which inspired him to go out in the field and study chimpanzees himself: A Primate's Memoir by Robert Sapolsky. Robert is one of the leading primatologists and scientists today and this is his gripping, at times heartbreaking account of leaving the United States age twenty-one to study wild baboons in the Kenyan savannah.

Lucy Jones (author of Matrescence and Losing Eden) picks an author she has consistently loved for her child-like gift of wonder and close, detailed attention to the natural world. Lucy brings Annie Dillard's collection of essays, The Abundance, for the others to read.

And Harriett Gilbert recommends a fictional tale of early motherhood. A vivid, immersive monologue of a woman on the brink that keeps readers on the edge of their seats to the very end.

Producer: Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio in Bristol
Join the conversation @agoodreadbbc Instagram


MON 15:30 Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley (m0023jlb)
Lady Swindlers with Lucy Worsley

40. By Hook or by Crook

Lucy Worsle digs into the lives of bold women who choose - by hook or by crook - to escape a life of poverty, misfortune and hardship.
This episode highlights the fascinating tales of four invincible women. Sophie Lyons, a bank robber who, by the power of the American Dream, turns into a philanthropist. Madam Rachel, a beautician who combines fraudulent treatments with a deep understanding of women's insecurities to dupe an elite clientele. Ann Mary Provis, a bright artist who deceives the Royal Academicians, no less. And Fanny Davies, a cunning thief who uses her wit and charm to rob unsuspecting victims.
Lucy is joined by in-house historian, Professor Rosalind Crone, and guest detective Baroness Ayesha Hazarika MBE, to discuss the motivations behind these women's choices and explore the broader implications of their swindles.
We see them as mothers, as businesswomen, and simply as humans with faults, desires and dreams and we ask, does crime pay?

Producer: Riham Moussa
Readers: Clare Corbett and Jonathan Keeble
Sound Design: Chris Maclean
Executive producer: Kirsty Hunter

A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4

If you're in the UK, listen to the newest episodes of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/3M2pT0K


MON 16:00 The Rock That Brexit Forgot (m0025kkr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 13:30 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m0025kkt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:30 on Saturday]


MON 17:00 PM (m0025kkw)
Syria's civil war reignites

More than 500 people have been killed as Syria's civil war re-ignites. We look at the impact on the wider region. Also, thousands take to the streets in Georgia for pro-EU protests


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025kky)
The French Prime Minister forced through his budget without parliamentary approval


MON 18:30 Paul Sinha's Perfect Pub Quiz (m0025kl0)
Series 3

Merthyr - home of Welsh heroes

Paul Sinha tests his audience in Methyr Tydfil on their knowledge of Wales's 100 Greatest Heroes, which manages to completely overlook some Welsh icons and place some less well-remembered names alarmingly high.

Before that, though, there are questions about the events of 2024, and a section on national anthems. And, of course, the audience get to test Paul on his general knowledge.

Written and performed by Paul Sinha
Additional material: Oliver Levy
Additional questions: The Audience

Original music: Tim Sutton

Recording engineer: Steve Martin
Mixed by: Rich Evans
Producer: Ed Morrish

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4


MON 19:00 The Archers (m0025kl2)
Ruth and David comment on the massive parcel that’s arrived at Brookfield for Leonard, which they discover contains an electric bike. Leonard thinks it will make a real difference to his life and the planet. After charging it, he heads off for a spin around the village.

Later Lynda turns up at Brookfield explaining to Ruth and David that she’s just seen Leonard in the village, travelling at excessive speed. They agree to have a word with him about his dangerous driving. But Ben thinks Leonard’s an experienced cyclist and Lynda was probably exaggerating. Nonetheless David points out that Leonard’s no spring chicken and so more at risk from injury. Later Leonard returns from his ride, excited for his next one. When David mentions that Lynda was concerned about his speed, Leonard’s unrepentant saying that if Lynda comes around telling tales again, he’ll speak to her himself.

Kenton catches up with Mick about next Sunday’s Santa brunch. Kenton wonders if there’s perhaps another direction that Mick’s Santa delivery could go in, suggesting that Mick might use a different voice. But when Mick does, his delivery is flat and emotionless. Later Lynda gets a call from Kenton who explains his dilemma; Mick either sounds wooden and robotic or absolutely terrifying. Kenton wonders if Lynda could give Mick a few pointers. However, later she explains how impressed she was with Mick’s performance. It’s highly original and conjures up ‘Christmas darkness’. Lynda suggests having a Creepy Christmas with festive tales instead. But Kenton’s adamant – all he wants is a traditional, non-terrifying Santa with a boring old brunch and grotto.


MON 19:15 Front Row (m0025kl4)
Reopening of Notre-Dame, Jacob Collier, Marshall Brickman, King Winter's Birthday

In 2019 fire destroyed the much of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. As the restoration is completed, Agnes Poirier describes the work of skilled artisans that she has watched over the past five years. Her documentary series for the World Service In the Studio programmes can be heard on BBC Sounds. Jacob Collier discusses and plays from his new Grammy nominated album, Djesse, Volume 4. The novelist Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz was interned as an "enemy alien" on the Isle of Man during World War Two, where he wrote a children's story recently unearthed in archive 80 years later. Writer Jonathan Freedland and illustrator Emily Sutton discuss breathing new life into King Winter's Birthday. And we remember the late screenwriter, Marshall Brickman, who worked with Woody Allen on Annie Hall.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Ruth Watts


MON 20:00 The Briefing Room (m0025d7d)
Ukraine - what’s next?

North Korean troops are fighting Ukrainians in Russia, while Ukraine has finally been permitted to use US missiles deep into Russian territory.

It’s over 1000 days since Vladimir Putin’s full scale invasion of his neighbour and the circle of those involved in the conflict seems to widen. But though the situation changes the central question doesn’t. That question being which side can best stay the bloody course of this war? Ukraine and the West or Russia and its allies? Where do things stand now?

Michael Clarke, Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies, King’s College, London and former Director of the Royal United Services Institute
Elina Ribakova, Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington DC
Defence Editor of the Economist, Shashank Joshi

Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman


MON 20:30 BBC Inside Science (m0025d7g)
Is flood forecasting failing?

The south Wales town of Pontypridd saw cars submerged, people bailing floodwater out of their homes using bins, and the beautiful park and lido transformed into a brown mess, as parts of the UK were flooded.

But, it's nothing new. Pontypridd was severely flooded just four and a half years ago – and these are scenes that play out around the UK every winter.

So, is the way we warn people about floods failing?

We’re going to unpick exactly how floods are forecast – and what went wrong – with natural hazards researcher and hydrologist, Professor Hannah Cloke.

Also this week, sharing your microbiome with friends, alternative plastics, and was the most recent climate summit good COP or bad COP?

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Gerry Holt, Sophie Ormiston & Ella Hubber
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth 

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.


MON 21:00 Start the Week (m0025kk0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:45 Mythical Creatures (m001tgp0)
1. Black Dogs

Fantasy writer Rhianna Pratchett takes us across an enchanted British Isles to discover mythical creatures that lurk in all corners of the land. She uncovers what they can tell us about our history, our world and our lives today.

In the first episode of the series, Rhianna is on the trail of Black Dogs. She visits Suffolk, to hear a tale of a hellhound that left its mark on the small town of Bungay. It’s one of many spectral black dogs that are said to stalk coastal paths and lonely crossroads. Rhianna explores why Black Dogs appear so often in folklore, and their psychological link to fear and negative emotions.

Storyteller: Michael Lambourne
Other Contributors: Helen Bruce, Mark Norman

Presenter: Rhianna Pratchett
Producers: Lorna Skingley and Sarah Harrison
Executive Producer: Mel Harris
Production Manager: Nikki Cannon
Original Music by Ben MacDougall
Sound Design and Mixing: John Scott

A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m0025kl6)
French government on the brink after budget forced through

French opposition parties say they'll back a no-confidence motion in the government of Michel Barnier, after the Prime Minister forced through a social-security budget without a parliamentary vote. Barnier was appointed less than three months ago by President Macron, but his government relies on votes from both the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen as well as a coalition of left-wing parties.

In Syria, there are signs the government of Bashar al-Assad is gathering forces to push back a rebel offensive that captured the city of Aleppo. Russian and Syrian jets have launched air strikes against rebel-held areas and there are reports of Iranian-backed militias from Iraq crossing the border into Syria.

And a new absurdist comedy set at the G7 summit stars Cate Blanchett as a Merkel-like German Chancellor, we spoke to the Oscar-winning actress about her new film alongside director Guy Maddin.


MON 22:45 Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (m0025kl8)
1: 'I've had it with you, Winny.'

The new novel from the internationally acclaimed winner of the Booker Prize, Alan Hollinghurst.

Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met, is thirteen when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. With the doors of elite English society cracked open for him, heady new possibilities lie ahead, despite the vicious bullying of his wealthy classmates. Worst of these is the brutish Giles Hadlow, whose parents sponsored the scholarship.

Our Evenings follows Dave from the 1960s through to the Pandemic: as a working-class brown child in a decidedly white institution; a young man discovering queer culture and his first love affairs; as a talented but often overlooked actor on the road with an experimental theatre company; and as an older Londoner whose late-in-life marriage fills his days with an unexpected sense of happiness and security.

Moving in and out of Dave’s orbit are the Hadlows. Estranged from his parents, Giles directs his privilege into a career as a powerful right-wing politician, whose reactionary vision for England threatens Dave’s own stability. And finally, as Covid hits, the two men’s lives and values will collide in a cruel shock of violence.

Today: With the death of his great benefactor, Dave Win looks back on the day he met Mark Hadlow, and his son Giles - both of whom would both change his life, in very different ways.

Reader: Steve John Shepherd is an actor of English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry. He is best known for his TV roles in This Life and East Enders.
Writer: Alan Hollinghurst is an acclaimed English novelist, who won the 2004 Booker Prize for his novel The Line of Beauty.
Abridger: Richard Hamilton
Producer: Justine Willett
Music: On an Overgrown Path No. 1, Our Evenings, Leos Janacek


MON 23:00 Limelight (p0clfh4t)
English Rose - Series 1

English Rose - Episode 4: Life Support

By Helen Cross.

Gulliver is in the hospital and Rose wants to know why. There is danger everywhere and she must protect him.

Eighteen-year-old Rose has come from Whitby to Manhattan to work as nanny to a glittering but secretive family. She's not like the other girls. And Gulliver is no ordinary baby. This is a world not just of champagne, but shadows, where all is definitely not as it seems.

Stylish and surprising fantasy horror with a comic twist, starring Alexandra Mardell (Coronation Street) and Demetri Goritsas (Ten Percent). With music by Dana Margolin and Sam Yardley of Mercury-nominated band, Porridge Radio.

Helen Cross wrote ‘My Summer of Love’ which won a Betty Trask award and was made into a Bafta-winning film with Emily Blunt (recently rated her best film in The Guardian top ten Emily Blunt films). Mary Ward-Lowery won Best Director in 2020 Audio Drama Awards.

Rose ... Alexandra Mardell
Maya ... Miranda Braun
Austin ... Demetri Goritsas
Siobhan ... Deirdre Mullins
Delphine ... Yasemin Özdemir
Randy ... Michael Begley
Art Guy ... Mathew Durkan
Beatrice ... Alexandra Hannant
Newsreader ...Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong
Jason ... Joseph Tweedale
Mam ... Jane Thornton

Including the voices of Jo Makel, Paul Murphy, James Hoggarth, Freya Pollaidh, Augusta Chapman, Becky Ripley and Ben Casswell.
Original music written and performed by Dana Margolin and Sam Yardley of Porridge Radio, and produced, mixed and engineered by Sam Yardley.

Sound design by Ilse Lademann
Producer Mary Ward-Lowery


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m0025klc)
Sean Curran reports as the home secretary promises to restore order to the migration system but the Conservatives call for a cap on the numbers allowed to come to the UK.

TUESDAY 03 DECEMBER 2024

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (m0025klf)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 00:30 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025kk6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025klh)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025klk)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025klm)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (m0025klp)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025klr)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (m0025klt)
03/12/24 - Belfast Lough pollution, neonic legal allegations, raw milk testing and poultry supply chain jobs

An investigation by BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight programme has found that untreated sewage is spilling into Belfast Lough from the Government owned company, Northern Ireland water. That’s having a devastating impact on those who use the lough, particularly its shellfish industry.

The Office for Environmental Protection has said it believes DEFRA may have broken environmental laws when allowing the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, in 2023 and 2024. Neonic seed treatments were banned because they are harmful to bees...but the Government has issued emergency authorisation allowing their use on sugar beet, for the last 4 years.

A daily on-farm test for milk safety is being trialled by six dairy farms selling unpasteurised, or raw milk, direct to consumers. Un-pasteurised milk can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning... At the moment, raw milk is tested, but often the results aren't available until AFTER it's been sold and drunk. We visit one of the farms involved in the trial.

And not all the people who work in food and farming are farmers... As part of our focus on labour in the food supply chain, we meet members of the "Young Women in Poultry Production" group.

Presented by Anna Hill
Produced by Rebecca Rooney


TUE 06:00 Today (m0025l4b)
03/12/24 - Nick Robinson in Salford and Mishal Husain in London

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


TUE 09:00 The Reith Lectures (m0025l4d)
Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence

Aren't they all evil?

In her second Reith Lecture, Dr Gwen Adshead asks if there’s such a thing as “evil.”?
In a career spanning nearly 40 years the forensic psychiatrist has heard many of her patients ask: “ I have done evil things but does that make me evil.”?
Dr Adshead says that we have often confused “evil” with mental illness. She argues that we all have capacity for “evil” and says we need to find ways to cultivate societal and individual “goodness.”
The programme is recorded at the V&A in Dundee in front of an audience.
The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand.
Producer: Jim Frank
Editor: Clare Fordham


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (m0025l4g)
Keira Knightley and Sarah Lancashire, Raye, Stalking

Powerhouse actors Keira Knightley and Sarah Lancashire are starring alongside Ben Wishaw in new Netflix spy drama Black Doves. It follows the story of a female spy seeking revenge for the murder of her lover – whilst outwardly being married to a high-ranking politician. Keira and Sarah speak to Nuala McGovern about the drama, their careers and their experiences as women in the film industry.

Victims of stalking could be given more protection from their abusers under new government proposals. The Home Office has today revealed six new measures to tackle the problem of stalking which is so prolific - official figures show that one in five women aged 16 and over in England and Wales have been a victim of stalking at least once. The new rules would include the right for victims to know the identity of online stalkers much sooner, and a wider use of stalking protection orders, as well as a review of current stalking legislation. Emma Lingley-Clark interim CEO at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust responds to the announcement.

73-year-old Jane Rubens from Edinburgh was enjoying a holiday in the US when the worst thing happened. Whilst crossing a walkway in St Louis, Missouri she was hit by an SUV. She suffered a serious brain injury, broken ribs and a fractured collarbone. After multiple brain surgeries, she is now in an induced coma in a US hospital. Against medical advice, the insurance provider AXA Partners gave her family an ultimatum, fly her home to Scotland immediately, or they'll remove funding for her hospital care. Her daughter, Cat Rubens, tells Nuala how she used social media to fight the company’s decision.

Raye has been named as one of the people on this year's BBC 100 Women list, which celebrates 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world every year.
This year she won six Brit awards including songwriter of the year - the first time a woman has been given that particular accolade. We hear her speaking to BBC 100 Women’s Kirsty Grant about her huge success and the pressure she feels female artists are under.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Kirsty Starkey


TUE 11:00 Add to Playlist (m0025c0p)
Sam Amidon and Heidi Fardell with music to make you dance

American folk musician and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon and recorder player and baroque flautist Heidi Fardell take us on a global musical journey, from Salzburg to Soweto, with Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe. The history of the humble tambourine, the challenge of being a left-handed musician, and a little-known controversial involvement in slavery all feature as the next five tracks are added to the playlist.

Producer: Jerome Weatherald
Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe

The five tracks in this week's playlist:

Ballet Intermezzo: Tambourin by Mozart
Ril Gan Ainm (No Name)/Cinnte Le Dia (Ah Surely)/The Union Reel by Mary Bergin
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix
Eternal Source of Light Divine by Handel
Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) by Hugh Masekela

Other music in this episode:

Million Voices by Otto Knows
Walkin' Boss by Sam Amidon
Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan
Down in the Valley by Bessie Jones
Wilson Rag by Elizabeth Cotten
Grazing in the Grass by Hugh Masekela


TUE 11:45 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025l4j)
Episode Two

Acclaimed historian Annie Gray takes us on an immersive journey down the high street through the ages, from the medieval marketplace to the first department stores. Peeking inside the windows of china merchants, chophouses, gin palaces and confectioners, Annie reflects on how people shopped and lived in days gone by.

Episode Two
1750 – 1815: china and confectionery are on the shopping-list .

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present. She features regularly on The Kitchen Cabinet. Her other books include The Greedy Queen and Victory in the Kitchen.

Writer: Annie Gray
Reader: Hugh Dennis
Abridger: Karen Rose
Producer: Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 12:00 News Summary (m0025l4l)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 12:04 You and Yours (m0025l4n)
Call You and Yours: Bin Collection and Recycling

In this week's Call You and Yours we want to talk bins. What's your experience of bin collection and recycling in your area? Do you have a lot of bins or too few? Are you happy with your recycling system or confused? The Government says it wants to simplify recycling. It's bringing in legislation which would see most households moving to a standardised system with 4 containers covering the same materials across England. There are different rules for Scotland and Wales. But will a standardised system help? Some councils are cutting collections from once every 2 to every 3 or even 4 weeks. Are you living in an area where bin collections are being cut and how has that impacted you?

What's your experience of bin collection and recycling?

You can email us - youandyours@bbc.co.uk. Please leave a number so we can give you a call back. And after 11am on Tuesday 26 November you can call us on 03700 100 444.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: CATHERINE EARLAM


TUE 12:57 Weather (m0025l4q)
The latest weather forecast


TUE 13:00 World at One (m0025l4s)
Taliban stops women studying midwifery

Female students studying midwifery in Afghanistan told to stay away from classes. And Lord Frost’s experience of face blindness.


TUE 13:45 The Bottom Line (m002648w)
The Decisions That Made Me

Decisions That Made Me: Jordan Brompton (Myenergi, Co-founder)

When your background differs from the people working with and around you, it’s easy to feel judged by the assumptions people make about you from class to gender. Whatever your upbringing, it’s something we all deal with - our backgrounds are always with us, either to be embraced, accepted, or fled from. Jordan Brompton, entrepreneur and co-founder of the smart energy tech company Myenergi, shares her experience as a working class woman and her love of solar panels.

Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison


TUE 14:00 The Archers (m0025kl2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama on 4 (m0025l4x)
Precious Blood

A Tender Voice

A Welsh Noir thriller by Philip Palmer about a tight-knit community with dark secrets at its heart. The death of revered choirmaster, Ifor Hopkins, unlocks deep-seated resentments and violence threatens to break out when his disgraced son attends the funeral.

Ifor ….. Owen Teale
Michael ….. Oliver Ryan
Eddie ….. Richard Corgan
DI Montgomery ….. Elen Rhys
Detective Superintendent Sanderson ….. Pooky Quesnel
Kayla ….. Amy Morgan
Mair ….. Sian Rees-Williams

Singing Direction by Jonathan Manners
Directed by Gemma Jenkins


TUE 15:00 Short Cuts (m0025l4z)
Into the Night

Siren song, lunar eavesdroppers and the gathering dark - Josie Long presents short documentaries about venturing into the night.

Siren Song
Featuring melancholydi
Produced by Kalli Anderson

Lunar Eavesdroppers
An extract from Space Ham, first broadcast in BBC Radio 3's Between the Ears
Produced by Rose de Larrabeiti and Caroline Devine
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 3

Beneath
Produced by Sami El-Enany

Brücke
Featuring Stephen Jenkinson
Produced by Phil Smith

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


TUE 15:30 Beyond Belief (m0025l51)
Religious Freedom

Giles Fraser meets Stephen Schneck, Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, to explore the impact of globalisation on religious freedom.

Restrictions on religious freedom are increasing. What impact has the spread of religious traditions had on freedom of belief? How does the secularisation of religion contribute? Should states be forced to adopt norms of religious rights and freedoms to meet international pressure? And what can be done about the perceived threat communities feel when they are exposed to other religions?

To discuss Giles is joined by HRH Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the UK, Dr Nazila Ghanea, an Iranian-born Professor in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford and UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and, Juan Sebastián Chamorro, an exiled Nicaraguan politician and economist.

Producer: Alexa Good
Assistant Producer: Linda Walker
Editors: Chloe Walker


TUE 16:00 Poetry Please (m0025l53)
Charlotte Shevchenko Knight

Roger is joined by the British-Ukrainian poet Charlotte Shevchenko Knight whose book FOOD FOR THE DEAD has just won the Laurel Prize for a debut collection and last year it won the Eric Gregory award. It’s described as a howl of anguish and an elegant counter-song against totalitarianism.
Charlotte's choices from our listener requests include poems by Warsan Shire, Emily Berry, Gerald Manley Hopkins and Rachael Allen.

Producer: Maggie Ayre


TUE 16:30 When It Hits the Fan (m0025l55)
Gregg Wallace, ‘casting doubt’ PR and Ed Davey’s Christmas single

David Yelland and Simon Lewis take a 360 degree look at the Gregg Wallace/MasterChef crisis. They examine the errors of Wallace’s ways after one particularly ill-advised – or possibly unadvised – social media video post. What are the implications of the surfacing allegations for Banijay, the low-profile but hugely wealthy production company behind MasterChef, and the BBC?

Also, following Australia's ban on social media for the under 16s, how big tech is using ‘cynicism PR’ in an attempt to stop a worldwide trend.

And, is Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey a PR genius or is he damaging his political image? David and Simon debate the merits of the politician’s social media presence as he releases his debut Christmas single.

Producer: Eve Streeter
Assistant Producer: Ella Blaxill
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: William Miller
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 17:00 PM (m0025l57)
South Korea imposes martial law

Protests in Seoul as South Korea's president announces martial law. Analysis and reports from the scene of protests. Also Nigel Farage on whether Elon Musk will fund his party.


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025l59)
Yoon Suk Yeol accused the main opposition party of being criminals and anti-state forces


TUE 18:30 Best Medicine (m0025l5c)
Series 2

3. Sleep, FMTs, Dr Charles Drew, Stem Cell Transplantation

Joining Kiri this week is comedian Laura Smyth who discovered the importance of sleep as she underwent cancer treatment. Historian Subhadra Das celebrates the incredible medical pioneer of blood transfusion Dr Charles Drew, Professor Lindsay Hall uses golden poo donors to cure serious infections, and Professor Nicholas Embleton’s life is saved by a stem cell transplant.

Best Medicine is your weekly dose of laughter, hope and incredible medicine. Award-winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean is joined by a funny and fascinating panel of comedians, doctors, scientists, and historians to celebrate medicine’s inspiring past, present and future.

Each week, Kiri challenges a panel of medical experts and a comedian to make a case for what they think is 'the best medicine', and each guest champions anything from world-changing science or an obscure invention, to an everyday treatment, an uplifting worldview, an unsung hero or a futuristic cure.

Whether it’s origami surgical robots, life-changing pineapple UTI vaccines, Victorian scandal mags, denial, sleep, tiny beating organoid hearts, lifesaving stem cell transplants, gold poo donors or even crying - it’s always something worth celebrating.

Hosted by Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Featuring: Subhadra Das, Professor Nicholas Embleton, Professor Lindsay Hall and Laura Smyth

Written by Laura Claxton, Edward Easton, Charlie George, Mel Owen, Pravanya Pillay, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Nicky Roberts and Ben Rowse

Producers: Tashi Radha and Ben Worsfield

Theme tune composed by Andrew Jones

A Large Time production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 19:00 The Archers (m0025kz4)
As Ruth and David mend a fence someone whizzes past them in the lane. David reckons it was Leonard on his electric bike, as the person was wearing the same high viz gear. The roads are icy and David worries that Leonard might come off his bike, so he jumps into his car to catch up with him. But when David returns, he sheepishly admits that he mistakenly followed a scooter. Then Zainab appears demanding to know what David was doing. When David explains why, she calms down. Zainab reckons that she saw Leonard driving erratically near the village. Later Leonard’s upset when David and Ruth have a word with him. He wonders if they think he’s past it and likely to wobble off his bike into a ditch. Leonard may be less mobile than he was, but there’s plenty of adventure left in him yet.

Ed visits Emma at the Tearoom on his way to sort a tree job with Brian. Emma admits that every time a customer comes in, she wonders if they’re the one who complained about her being on the Parish Council. Ed suggests that she resigns as it might not be worth the the hassle. But Emma’s defensive; she’s good at it and she enjoys it. Later Emma wonders if it was Brian who made the complaint and Ed reluctantly agrees to see what he can find out. Later Brian explains that he can’t countenance the way Emma covered up a crime. And that does call into question her judgement justifying a complaint to the Parish Council. But it wasn’t him.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (m0025l5f)
Richard Curtis's new film, Purple Heart Warriors audio drama, Turner Prize announcement

Tom Sutcliffe hears from the Love Actually writer and director Richard Curtis about how much he's obsessed by Christmas - and how he's now moved into animation for his latest film That Christmas, based on his trilogy of children’s books.

There's advice on the best books to buy this Christmas from the literary critic Alex Clarke and Toby Lichtig, Fiction and Politics editor at the Times Literary Supplement.

Tom also talks to the Oscar-nominated screenwriter Iris Yamashita about her new audio drama Purple Heart Warriors, which tells the extraordinary story of a Japanese-American unit in World War Two.

And art critic Zarina Muhammad is in the studio to assess this year's Turner Prize artists, just as the winner is announced this evening.

Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe
Producer: Paula McGrath


TUE 20:00 File on 4 (m0025kyp)
The International Student Scandal

Universities in the UK are facing a financial crisis, and with fears some may become bankrupt many institutions are making savings by cutting courses and staff numbers. Falling numbers of international students, who pay higher fees than their domestic counterparts, is partly to blame for the funding gap. File on 4 investigates if universities have become too reliant on overseas students, in some cases favouring the ability to pay over academic ability and overlooking the poor English language skills of some of those they enrol - even ignoring concerns over cheating. It also hears from a whistleblower about the multi-million-pound recruitment industry that feeds students from abroad into universities here – all at a cost.

Reporter: Paul Kenyon
Producer: Fergus Hewison
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Carl Johnston


TUE 20:40 In Touch (m0025l5j)
Disability Minister: Sir Stephen Timms

Sir Stephen Timms is the new Labour government's Minister for Social Security and Disability. He answers your questions about issues such as benefits, access to medical information, digital accessibility legislation and more.

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


TUE 21:00 Crossing Continents (m0025l5l)
France: trouble on the vine

Low harvests, economic and climate batterings, changing tastes - is French wine in crisis? The French wine harvest has dropped 18% in one year. For some famous French wine-making regions the reduction has been much more. A combination of factors, including climate, finances and changing drinking habits has brought some wine-makers to the brink. Thousands of hectares of vineyards are being pulled up. Others are struggling to survive. For Crossing Continents John Murphy travels to Bordeaux and Languedoc - the world’s biggest wine-making region - to find out what is going on with wine, France’s most symbolic of products.

Producer: Alex Last
Studio Mix: Rod Farquhar
Programme Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series Editor: Penny Murphy


TUE 21:30 The Law Show (m0025crz)
Joint enterprise - what is it and why is it controversial?

A parliamentary inquiry has just started work into the law around Joint enterprise.

Joint enterprise is contentious because if a person is seen to be involved in a crime, from knowing about it, to egging someone on, being present, or even being able to predict that someone is likely to use a weapon like a gun - then they could be considered as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger.

It has a long history, but in recent times, it has been used as a way of prosecuting murder, especially in cases involving groups of people, when it's not known who carried out a killing.

But is it being applied fairly?

The CPS says “We choose the right charges for the right people based on the evidence in front of us. We look objectively at the evidence before making our own decisions.

and they add that “The CPS carefully monitors joint enterprise prosecutions, with senior legal oversight over every case to ensure that our approach is fair and proportionate.”

But campaigners say joint enterprise disproportionately results in working-class and black youths being prosecuted and convicted.

Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan
Producers: Ravi Naik, Arlene Gregorius and Bob Howard
Editor Tara McDermott

Contributors:
Alexander Hughes, Head Judicial Assistant at The Supreme Court
"Cleeshay" who was convicted of murder under joint enterprise
Jan Cunliffe, co-founder of Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA)
Tracey Moloney, solicitor, Moloney family Law
Dr Sam Fowles, a barrister and author
David Duncan, solicitor and Director of the legal firm Duncan & McConnell in Dundee


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (m0025l5n)
A night of chaos in South Korea

There's been a night of chaos - and confusion - in South Korea. Over the space of a few hours, the country's president declared - then lifted - martial law. We're live in Seoul with the latest.

Also tonight:

The French prime minister has insisted he can survive tomorrow's no-confidence vote. We ask a former European Central Bank chief how serious the crisis is for the French economy - and what it means for Europe.

We hear some rare voices of Israeli soldiers who are refusing to serve in Gaza.

And a teacher-turned-TikTok star on the platform's pedagogical strengths.


TUE 22:45 Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (m0025l5q)
2: 'I've brought Mrs Croft.'

The new novel from the internationally acclaimed winner of the Booker Prize, Alan Hollinghurst.

Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met, is thirteen when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. With the doors of elite English society cracked open for him, heady new possibilities lie ahead, despite the vicious bullying of his wealthy classmates. Worst of these is the brutish Giles Hadlow, whose parents sponsored the scholarship and who seem to prefer Dave to their ruthless son.

Our Evenings follows Dave from the 1960s through to the Pandemic: as a working-class brown child in a decidedly white institution; a young man discovering queer culture; a talented actor on the road with an experimental theatre company; and an older Londoner whose late-in-life marriage fills his days with an unexpected sense of happiness and security.

Moving in and out of Dave’s orbit are the Hadlows. Estranged from his parents, Giles directs his privilege into a career as a powerful right-wing politician, whose reactionary vision for England threatens Dave’s own stability. And finally, as the Covid Pandemic hits, the two men’s lives and values will collide in a cruel shock of violence.

Today: as Dave continues to negotiate life at boarding school, his mother seems to have found a rather dazzling new friend in Esme Croft...

Reader: Steve John Shepherd is an actor of English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry. He is best known for his TV roles in This Life and East Enders.
Writer: Alan Hollinghurst is an acclaimed English novelist, who won the 2004 Booker Prize for his novel The Line of Beauty.
Abridger: Richard Hamilton
Producer: Justine Willett


TUE 23:00 Now You're Asking with Marian Keyes and Tara Flynn (m0025l5s)
The Breastfeeding Problem

This week's first 'ask' doesn't get more serious - a listener wants to know if she should tell her family about having been groomed for sexual abuse as a teenager. Marian and Tara draw on their wisdom to do their best to offer counsel.

They also tackle the topic of breastfeeding in public and help a listener deal with a husband who unrepentantly returns from a park run bringing half the park with him on the soles of his shoes. Talk about a wide-ranging programme...

Marian Keyes is a multi award-winning writer, with a total of over 30 million of her books sold to date in 33 languages. Her close friend Tara Flynn is an actress, comedian and writer. Together, these two friends have been through a lot, and now want to use their considerable life experience to help solve the biggest - and smallest - of the things that keep us awake at night.

We have been inundated with emails since the last series - thank you, everyone - but everything gets read and we're always on the lookout for new questions, queries and conundrums to include on the show.

Got a problem you want Marian and Tara to solve? Email: marianandtara@bbc.co.uk.

Producer: Steve Doherty.
A Giddy Goat production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds


TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (m0025l5v)
Alicia McCarthy reports as the Safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, announces new measures that will allow the police to reveal the identities of online stalkers.

WEDNESDAY 04 DECEMBER 2024

WED 00:00 Midnight News (m0025l5x)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


WED 00:30 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025l4j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:45 on Tuesday]


WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025l5z)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025l61)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025l63)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


WED 05:30 News Briefing (m0025l65)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025l67)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


WED 05:45 Farming Today (m0025l69)
04/12/24 - Farming in Protected Landscapes, Lake District tweeds, dairy recruitment challenges

The future is uncertain for the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme - which funds projects like nature recovery, historic building maintenance and community projects. The deadline for applications for the original scheme is in March next year, and as that time gets closer, people are worrying about what comes next. DEFRA have told us, “Decisions on the future of the scheme have not yet been made,” but says there will be an update “in due course”.

Back in 2021, we reported on an ambitious project to create a collection of different tweeds representing each of the major Lake District Valleys. They’d be woven from wool provided by sheep farmers in those valleys, who’d be paid a premium. The idea was not only produce some beautiful fabrics but also raise the profile of wool as valuable product in its own right, not just as a by product of meat. Now they've been completed, and we've been along to take a look.

The Government is buying more than 5 million doses of a vaccine to protect against bird flu spreading in humans. The H5N1 flu virus has killed millions of birds across the world over the last few years, and in the USA it has been passed onto dairy cows and some people. At the moment, the Government says there is no evidence of the virus being spread from human to human. These vaccines would only be used if the virus did start passing between humans.

And recruiting farm workers has become more difficult in recent years, with Brexit, an aging demographic and competition from other industries all contributing to the problem. We find out how The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture is offering advice and training to try to make the farming industry more attractive to new recruits.

Presented by Caz Graham
Produced by Heather Simons


WED 06:00 Today (m0025kyh)
04/12/24 - Emma Barnett and Amol Rajan

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


WED 09:00 Life Changing (m0025kyk)
Everything and nothing

Dr Sian Williams talks to Paul Mason. Formally a scientist with Ordnance Survey, he's now a teaching assistant, but the journey from one career to another was impossible to anticipate when he married his German wife Isabel.
After a whirlwind romance the two were in no doubt that they wanted to start a family. It wasn't easy. But eventually that ordinary miracle happened. And yet it was a little more than ordinary, because they discovered they were to be parents to triplets.
Paul tells Sian both the joyful and harrowing Life Changing events when the children were born, and how the family have since discovered the extraordinary generosity of strangers.

Producer: Tom Alban


WED 09:30 The Gift (m00255x1)
Series 2

5. Donor

When testing your DNA becomes an obsession.

It’s the perfect gift for the person who already has everything. It promises to tell you who you really are, and how you’re connected to the world. A present that will reveal your genetic past – but could also disrupt your future.

In the first series of The Gift, Jenny Kleeman looked at the extraordinary truths that can unravel when people take at-home DNA tests like Ancestry and 23andMe.

For the second series, Jenny is going deeper into the unintended consequences - the aftershocks - set in motion when people link up to the enormous global DNA database.

Reconnecting and rupturing families, uprooting identities, unearthing long-buried secrets - what happens after technology, genealogy and identity collide?

Presenter: Jenny Kleeman
Producer: Conor Garrett
Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett
Editor: Philip Sellars
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

The Gift is a BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4


WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (m0025kym)
Pumeza Matshikiza, Josie Lloyd, CensHERship

South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza has performed at many of the leading opera houses across Europe and the United States and released her debut album Voice of Hope, combining well-known arias with traditional and popular African songs. She has won critical acclaim in the title role of Aida at the State Opera Hannover, as the Fox in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen at the English National Opera and this summer performed at London’s Classical Pride. She is about to accompany Bryn Terfel on a Christmas tour around the UK and joins Nuala in the studio to sing live.

CensHERship is an organisation that looks into ways in which women’s health companies are censored across both online and financial platforms. A new report from them sets out how even including a word like ‘vagina’ in the launch of a sexual health product can mean that product is blocked. Co-founder of CensHERship Clio Wood joins Nuala to discuss what needs to be done and the findings of the report, alongside Tess Cosad, CEO and co-founder of Bea Fertility, and Farah Kabir, co-founder of Hanx – both of whom have experienced censorship of their business.

Author Josie Lloyd joins Nuala to discuss her new novel featuring fictional Alice Beeton, the prim and organised owner of The Good Household Management Agency and distant relative of the real-life Victorian cookery and household writer Mrs Beeton. Alice and her ancestor share a love of recipes and an eye for detail, which comes in handy when Alice becomes involved in a cosy, Christmassy crime in Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Laura Northedge


WED 11:00 File on 4 (m0025kyp)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Tuesday]


WED 11:45 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025kyr)
Episode Three

Acclaimed historian Annie Gray takes us on an immersive journey down the high street through the ages, from the medieval marketplace to the first department stores. Peeking inside the windows of china merchants, chophouses, gin palaces and confectioners, Annie reflects on how people shopped and lived in days gone by.

Episode Three
1850– 1870 : The butcher and the gin palace

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present. She features regularly on The Kitchen Cabinet. Her other books include The Greedy Queen and Victory in the Kitchen.

Writer: Annie Gray
Reader: Hugh Dennis
Abridger: Karen Rose
Producer: Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


WED 12:00 News Summary (m0025kyt)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


WED 12:04 You and Yours (m0025kyw)
Black Friday Statistics, Wearables and Christmas Parties

Did Black Friday boost a slack Christmas shopping season? Fitness bands that measure wellness and exercise are popular, but should we be wary of these so-called wearables?


WED 12:57 Weather (m0025kyy)
The latest weather forecast


WED 13:00 World at One (m0025kz0)
PM accused of abandoning growth target

The Conservatives accuse Sir Keir Starmer of downgrading his growth target from the fastest growth in the G7 to the best growth "in Europe". Also: it's judgement day for the French prime minister - we hear from a left-wing MP planning to vote against Michel Barnier. As many as 300,000 children may be missing from school records in England, and as starlings take flight across the country, we hear from a twitcher at Brighton Pier about the "aurora borealis of the bird world".


WED 13:45 The Bottom Line (m002648t)
The Decisions That Made Me

Decisions That Made Me: Julian Douglas (VCCP, Global CEO)

When do you start that side hustle you've always talked about doing? What if it gets you fired from work? And even if you do leave, make your success and build your hustle into a successful business, can you ever decide to step away and go back to your career? Julian Douglas, global CEO of advertising agency VCCP, talks to Evan Davis about his decision to go in to advertising, being fired for his night life start up, and then walking away from the company he founded to go back to his former career.

Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison


WED 14:00 The Archers (m0025kz4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Tuesday]


WED 14:15 Drama on 4 (m0025kz6)
Precious Blood

A Pure Heart

The continuation of Philip Palmer’s Welsh Noir thriller about a tight-knit community with dark secrets at its heart. The discovery of a diary calls into question the saintly nature of a pillar of the community and leads to the re-opening of a cold case.

Michael ….. Oliver Ryan
DI Montgomery ….. Elen Rhys
Detective Superintendent Sanderson ….. Pooky Quesnel
Ifor ….. Owen Teale
Eddie ….. Richard Corgan
Kayla ….. Amy Morgan
Mair ….. Sian Rees-Williams

Singing Direction by Jonathan Manners
Directed by Gemma Jenkins


WED 15:00 Money Box (m0025kz9)
Money Box Live: Escaping Economic Abuse

Almost a million women are trapped in dangerous relationships because of economic abuse, figures from a dedicated charity suggest.

Economic abuse is now a legally recognised form of domestic abuse. It could include not allowing access to cash or bank accounts or the things money buys like food and clothing.

The charity Surviving Economic Abuse reports that 1 in 7 women in the UK have experienced this kind of control and coercion at the hands of a partner and we know that men can face it too.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Sam Smethers the CEO of Charity Surviving Economic Abuse and also solicitor Gary Rycroft.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Sarah Rogers
Researcher: Emma Smith
Editor: Jess Quayle

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this programme then details of help are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 155 947.

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday the 4th of December 2024)


WED 15:30 The Brain Op Controversy (m0025kzc)
Deep in the centre of the brain lies a small area of tissue called the pineal gland, which helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm.

In some cases, small cysts can form there - though they’re usually completely benign.

Some people, though, believe they’re to blame for debilitating symptoms that stop them from living a normal life, and choose to undergo a controversial new operation to remove them - even crowdfunding the costs themselves.

The Brain Op Controversy investigates the debate surrounding the procedure to try to unravel the mysteries of the least understood organ in the body.

Health correspondent Matthew Hill speaks to patients who have undergone the operation, the surgeons that have carried them out, and members of the medical community who say there is little evidence the procedures should take place.

Presented by Matthew Hill
Produced by Dan Welsh and Lyndon Jones


WED 16:00 The Media Show (m0025kzf)
How to interview Anna Wintour, welfare on TV sets, where to start with Reddit

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour talks to Katie about her career and the new exhibition, VOGUE: Inventing the Runway. As more allegations emerge about the conduct of Master Chef host Gregg Wallace, we hear about the on-set rules supposed to protect participants in reality TV. The civil war in Syria has a sophisticated social media front. We get a briefing now the conflict is back in the headlines. Plus we've a guide to getting started on Reddit, the fastest-growing social media platform in the UK.

Guests: Jo Hemmings, Duty of Care Psychologist; James Ball, Political editor, The New European; Robert H Peck, Associate Professor, The University of Iowa; Charlie Winter, Associate Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism; Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue; Hadley Freeman, Columnist, Sunday Times

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Simon Richardson
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai


WED 17:00 PM (m0025kzh)
French PM faces vote of no confidence

Left and right wing French parties are attempting to topple Michel Barnier's 3-month-old government. Plus, Scotland's Finance Minister Shona Robison unveils her budget proposals.


WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025kzk)
The network allowed organised crime groups across 30 countries to move dirty money


WED 18:30 You Heard It Here First (m001yz5n)
Series 2

'I never heard a cow!'

Chris McCausland asks Steph McGovern and Jarred Christmas to take on Hugh Dennis and Thanyia Moore. Can guests work out where in the UK Chris is from audio alone? The teams must figure out what on earth is being advertised on TV, guess what famous objects or locations children are trying to describe.
Producer: Sasha Bobak
Assistant Producer: Becky Carewe-Jeffries
Executive Producer: Richard Morris
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini

A BBC Studios Production

An EcoAudio certified production


WED 19:00 The Archers (m0025kzm)
Ben’s working at the GP surgery where he bumps into Azra, who’s concerned about Zainab. Azra thinks Zainab thinks should be putting in applications for university. Otherwise her gap year could end up being permanent. Zainab arrives and Azra seizes her opportunity to turn the conversation back to university, encouraging Ben to say he’s enjoying his course. In fact she’ll pay for Ben and Azra to discuss it over a hot chocolate. Zainab’s not keen until Azra throws in a take-away later. Zainab explains to Ben that she’s not sure she wants to go to university, but her mum shouldn’t worry - she just needs a bit of time to work things out.

Lynda notices that Mick’s looking a bit below par. He explains that ticket sales for the Christmas Brunch at The Bull are very slow. He talked Jolene and Kenton into doing it, because he was really keen to be Father Christmas. But it’s back-fired on him now.

Meanwhile Jolene tells Kenton that she bumped into Helen in the shop. Apparently Jack’s really excited about ‘Creepy Christmas’. When Kenton’s incredulous that Helen actually think’s it’s on, Jolene confirms that Helen was hoping to buy some tickets. And there’s some other parents who want to book too. Kenton wonders if Creepy Christmas has got legs after all. Later he tells Lynda and Mick that it’s actually a really good idea. The Bull will do it as well as the Santa Brunch. Kenton’s happy that Lynda and Mick are going to rehearse, but less so when Lynda wants to sort the financial terms first.


WED 19:15 Front Row (m0025kzp)
New Makar, future of musical theatre, arts funding in Scotland

Scotland's new Makar (National Poet) Peter Mackay, whose appointment was announced this week, talks about how he intends to shape the role over the next three years.

Elizabeth Newman of Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Jon Gilchrist of Birmingham Hippodrome discuss new initiatives to boost the production of musical theatre around the UK.

Plus Jacob Rees-Mogg on his reality TV series Meet the Rees-Moggs.

And as the Scottish Budget is delivered, will arts organisations finally get some clarity on their funding?

Presenter: Kirsty Wark
Producer: Mark Crossan


WED 20:00 Moral Maze (m0025kzr)
Who and what is 'toxic'?

The allegations about Gregg Wallace’s behaviour on set have been described as being part of a "toxic environment". Once primarily used in the domain of plants, arrows and chemicals, “toxic” - which is defined as “poisonous” – only relatively recently started being applied to workplaces and people: parents, siblings, neighbours, exes and co-workers.

Those who have experienced a toxic work culture or colleague might describe a deterioration in their personal and professional well-being – the causes of which may be difficult to define – or prove – on their own. While sexual harassment, racism, and bullying should be clearly understood, a toxic environment may involve more subtle things at play: a lack of trust, favouritism, unrealistic expectations or an atmosphere of negativity.

But what are we to make of a concept which hinges on how an aggrieved person feels rather than the defined behaviour of the perpetrator? Is it an important redress for those who have for too long suffered in silence – or an over-compensation which irredeemably labels the wrongdoers? What should – and shouldn’t – we be prepared to accept in a workplace or in a relationship? If a boss sets a negative tone in an office, due to their own pressures and stresses, does that make them “toxic”? When does an off-colour joke become “toxic”? Is it possible to detoxify cultures like the entertainment industry, which thrives on the egos of the “talent”? And when is it OK to cut off a “toxic” relative?

Chair: Michael Buerk
Panel: Sonia Sodha, Konstantin Kisin, Matthew Taylor and Anne McElvoy
Witnesses: Ben Askins, Joanna Williams, Becca Bland and Donald Robertson.

Producer: Dan Tierney
Assistant producer: Ruth Purser
Editor: Tim Pemberton


WED 21:00 Rory Stewart: The Long History of... (m0021bct)
Ignorance

Ignorance: 3. Ignorance and Inspiration

We prize knowledge, and rightly so. We think of ignorance as a bad thing. But ignorance is inseparable from what we know.

Knowledge can distract us, mislead us and endanger us. While ignorance is often the most fundamental insight about our human condition. Ignorance is not simply the opposite of knowledge, but a positive force with its own momentum that gives meaning to our lives. It drives scientific discovery, fosters creativity and can be psychologically helpful.

That’s why Rory Stewart wants to make a radical case for embracing ignorance. He wants to encourage a way of knowing in which knowledge and ignorance exist in a relationship with each other.

With a cast of global thinkers, drawing on Western and Eastern ideas from the ancient world to the present day, Rory explores how a greater awareness and appreciation of ignorance can help us become more clear-thinking, humble, empathetic and wise.

Writer and presenter: Rory Stewart
Producer: Dan Tierney
Mixing: Tony Churnside
Editor: Tim Pemberton
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

Readings by Rhiannon Neads

Contributions across the series from:

Alex Edmans - Professor of Finance at London Business School.
Ani Rinchen Khandro - a life ordained nun in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Annette Martin - Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Antony Gormley - sculptor.
Carlo Rovelli - Theoretical physicist and Professor in the Department of Physics at Aix-Marseille University.
Daniel DeNicola - Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania – and author of ‘Understanding Ignorance: The Surprising Impact of What We Don't Know’ (2018).
Daniel Whiteson - Professor of Physics at The University of California, Irvine.
Derek Black - Author of ‘The Klansman’s Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism’ (2024).
Edith Hall - Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, at Durham University.
Fabienne Peter - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick.
Felix Martin - economist and fund manager.
Iain McGilchrist - Psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher and literary scholar.
James C. Scott - Anthropologist and Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Yale University.
Jay Owens - Author of ‘Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Particles’ (2023).
John Lloyd - Television and radio comedy producer and writer.
Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale - Former Director General of MI5.
Karen Douglas - Professor of social psychology at the University of Kent.
Mark Lilla - professor of humanities at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know’ (2024).
Martin Palmer - Theologian, sinologist and translator of Daoist and Confucian texts.
Mary Beard - Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge.
Michael Ignatieff - Professor in the Department of History at Central European University in Budapest and former Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Neil Hannon - singer-songwriter and frontman of The Divine Comedy.
Nicholas Gruen - policy economist and social commentator.
Rik Peels - Professor of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and author of ‘Ignorance: A Philosophical Study (2023)’.
Robert Beckford - Theologian and Professor of Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester.
Rowan Williams - Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury.
Sandrine Parageau - Professor of Early Modern British History at Sorbonne University and author of ‘The Paradoxes of Ignorance in Early Modern England and France’ (2023).
Stuart Firestein - Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, New York City and author of ‘Ignorance: How It Drives Science’ (2012).
Tom Forth - data scientist, Head of Data at ‘Open Innovations’ and co-founder of ‘The Data City’.


WED 21:30 The Conflict (m0025kzt)
Middle East

Middle East Leaders: What Is Yasser Arafat’s Legacy?

We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future.

Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully assembled panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region.

What has happened in history to lead us to this point? And, what can history teach us about what might happen next?

This week, Jonny is joined by Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at RUSI, and BBC correspondent and Middle East expert Jane Corbin.

In the first of two special episodes, they focus in on the former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Next week, attention will turn to another leader who bestrode the modern Middle East, Israel’s military and political leader Ariel Sharon.

This episode was made by Keiligh Baker. The technical producers were Dan Ehrlich and David Crackles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

This episode is part of a BBC Sounds series. It was recorded at 10:00 on Monday 2 December 2024.


WED 22:00 The World Tonight (m0025kzw)
French government collapses after no-confidence vote

French MPs have voted to oust the government of Michel Barnier. The left-wing coalition of parties labelled the New Popular Front joined forces with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally to vote through a motion of no-confidence. It follows Prime Minister Barnier forcing through a social security budget without a vote earlier in the week.

Here in the UK, the Scottish government pledged to end the two-child benefit cap north of the border in a move that would require coordination with the Labour government in London.

And we explore the rise of “trad wives” in the egalitarian culture of Sweden.


WED 22:45 Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (m0025kzy)
3: 'Ovaltini.'

The stunning new novel from the internationally acclaimed winner of the Booker Prize, Alan Hollinghurst.

Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met, is thirteen when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. With the doors of elite English society cracked open for him, heady new possibilities lie ahead, despite the vicious bullying of his wealthy classmates. Worst of these is the brutish Giles Hadlow, whose parents sponsored the scholarship and who seem to prefer Dave to their ruthless son.

Our Evenings follows Dave from the 1960s through to the Pandemic: as a working-class brown child in a decidedly white institution; a young man discovering queer culture; a talented actor on the road with an experimental theatre company; and an older Londoner whose late-in-life marriage fills his days with an unexpected sense of happiness and security.

Moving in and out of Dave’s orbit are the Hadlows. Estranged from his parents, Giles directs his privilege into a career as a powerful right-wing politician, whose reactionary vision for England threatens Dave’s own stability. And finally, as the Covid Pandemic hits, the two men’s lives and values will collide in a cruel shock of violence.

Today: on holiday in Devon with Mum and Esme, Dave's thoughts wander to the barely-clad men on the beach...

Reader: Steve John Shepherd is an actor of English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry. He is best known for his TV roles in This Life and East Enders.
Writer: Alan Hollinghurst
Abridger: Richard Hamilton
Producer: Justine Willett


WED 23:00 Sarah Mills' Bad Bod Squad (m0025l00)
Episode 3- Lumpy

Sarah Mills' comedy guide to dealing with a fallible and embarrassing body.

Since losing part of her bowel, comedian Sarah Mills has used a stoma bag. She might tell you that having a bag attached to her belly to collect her poo has made her unembarrassable, but the truth is she has always been completely shameless. Now, with the assistance of her outrageously candid celebrity guests, she wants to smash the taboos around bodily malfunctions and help us all banish bodily embarrassment for good.

Recorded in her home town of Stevenage, in this this week’s episode, Lumpy, Sarah explores bodily topography, with writer and influencer Hannah Witton.

Created and written by Sarah Mills
Starring Sarah Mills with special guest Hannah Witton

Recording Engineer and Editor: Jerry Peal
Recording Assistant: Guy Thomas
Script Editor: Zoe Tomalin
Associate Producer: Antonia Gospel
Executive Producer: Alan Nixon
Production Manager:
Co- Producers: Gordon Kennedy and Sarah Mills
Recording in front of a live audience at Stevenage Lytton Players Theatre

An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4

Additional information on issue in this episode:
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk


WED 23:15 Bunk Bed (m000s2lh)
Series 7

Ep6 Patrick Marber and Peter Curran in the dark with life's woes and wonders, joined by Guy Garvey and Rachael Stirling

The slapstick comedy surrounding an end-of-life order of spring rolls from a takeaway for Dame Diana Rigg, polished off instead by her son-in-law to the beloved Dame's outrage.

A Foghorn Company production for BBC Radio 4
Produced by Peter Curran


WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (m0025l02)
Sean Curran reports on Prime Minister's Questions - and more.

THURSDAY 05 DECEMBER 2024

THU 00:00 Midnight News (m0025l04)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


THU 00:30 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025kyr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:45 on Wednesday]


THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025l06)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025l08)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025l0b)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


THU 05:30 News Briefing (m0025l0d)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025l0g)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


THU 05:45 Farming Today (m0025l0j)
05/12/24 Scottish budget for agriculture, vote on agricultural inheritance tax, fishing crew shortages

Farmers in Scotland have given a cautious welcome to the increase in the agriculture budget to £660 million. It's up from £620 million but falls short of the £776 million that the National Farmers' Union Scotland had wanted.

MPs have voted in support of the Government's change to inheritance tax on farms. In an opposition debate yesterday the Conservatives proposed the tax be scrapped, but the motion was defeated.

We continue our week focusing on workers on farms. Today we hear about the shortage of people in the fishing industry. The lack of people means some older skippers are now giving up early as they can't find a crew.  

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


THU 06:00 Today (m0025l1n)
05/12/24 - Nick Robinson and Justin Webb

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


THU 09:00 In Our Time (m0025l1q)
Nizami Ganjavi

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the greatest romantic poets in Persian literature. Nizami Ganjavi (c1141–1209) is was born in the city of Ganja in what is now Azerbaijan and his popularity soon spread throughout the Persian-speaking lands and beyond. Nizami is best known for his Khamsa, a set of five epic poems that contains a famous retelling of the tragic love story of King Khosrow II (c570-628) and the Christian princess Shirin (unknown-628) and the legend of Layla and Majnun. Not only did he write romances: his poetry also displays a dazzling knowledge of philosophy, astronomy, botany and the life of Alexander the Great.

With

Christine van Ruymbeke
Professor of Persian Literature and Culture at the University of Cambridge

Narguess Farzad
Senior Lecturer in Persian Studies at SOAS, University of London

And

Dominic Parviz Brookshaw
Professor of Persian Literature and Iranian Culture at the University of Oxford

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

Laurence Binyon, The Poems of Nizami (The Studio Limited, 1928)

Barbara Brend, Treasures of Herat: Two Manuscripts of the Khamsah of Nizami in the British Library (Gingko, 2020)

Barbara Brend, The Emperor Akbar’s Khamsa of Nizami (British Library, 1995)

J-C. Burgel and C. van Ruymbeke, A Key to the Treasure of the Hakim: Artistic and Humanistic Aspects of Nizami Ganjavi’s Khamsa (Leiden University Press, 2011)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. P.J. Chelkowski), Mirror of the Invisible World: Tales from the Khamseh of Nizami (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1975)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. Dick Davis), Layli and Majnun (Penguin Books, 2021)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. Rudolf Gelpke), The Story of Layla and Majnun (first published 1966: Omega Publications, 1997)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. Rudolf Gelpke), The Story of the Seven Princesses (Bruno Cassirer Ltd, 1976)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. Julie Scott Meisami, The Haft Paykar: A Medieval Persian Romance (Oxford University Press, 1995)

Nizami Ganjavi (trans. Colin Turner), Layla and Majnun (Blake Publishing, 1997)

Dominic Parviz Brookshaw, Hafiz and His Contemporaries: Poetry, Performance and Patronage in Fourteenth-Century Iran (Bloomsbury, 2019)

Julie Scott Meisami, Medieval Persian Court Poetry (Princeton University Press, 2014)

Asghar Seyed-Gohrab, Layli and Majnun: Love, Madness and Mystic Longing in Nizami’s Epic Romance (Brill, 2003)

Kamran Talattof, Jerome W. Clinton, and K. Allin Luther, The Poetry of Nizami Ganjavi: Knowledge, Love, and Rhetoric (Palgrave, 2000)

C. van Ruymbeke, Science and Poetry in Medieval Persia: The Botany of Nizami's Khamsa (Cambridge University Press, 2007)

In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production


THU 09:45 Strong Message Here (m0025l1s)
Becoming a Distraction

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.

Following Louise Haigh's resignation and Matt Gaetz's withdrawal from his Attorney General nomination, both said they were 'becoming a distraction', so Helen and Armando dig into the language of the political resignation. Looking at interesting resignations through history, Helen also codifies the archetypes of political resignations, and Armando tells us about seeing a high-profile sacking in real time.

Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.

We have a listener mailbag special coming up, so if you have any correspondence for Helen and Armando, email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk

Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King
Production Coordinator - Katie Baum
Executive Producer - Pete Strauss

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.
An EcoAudio Certified Production.


THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (m0025l1v)
Afghan midwives, DJ Annie Mac, Artist Chila Burman, Surviving grief

There have been reports that Afghan women are being banned from midwife and nursing courses in the latest blow to their rights. Women training as midwives and nurses in Afghanistan have told the BBC they were ordered not to return to classes, and five separate institutions across Afghanistan have also confirmed to the BBC that the Taliban had instructed them to close until further notice, with videos shared online showing students crying at the news. The BBC has yet to confirm the order officially with the Taliban government's health ministry. Anita Rani discusses what is potentially happening with BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Caroline Hawley.

After the actor Anna Maxwell Martin spoke on the programme about the grief she experienced after her husband died suddenly in 2021, we were inundated with listeners sharing their stories. Two of them, Giselle De Hasse and Heather Ashley, join Anita to talk about how they manage their grief day to day, along with Dr Shelley Gilbert, the founder and president of Grief Encounter and a consultant psychotherapist.

Daytime clubbing is a thing. All over the country, events are taking place, where you party early - and finish early - with plenty of time to be in your bed at a reasonable hour. So, whatever happened to the big night out? Is 3pm the new 9pm? And why are these early evening finishes becoming so popular? Anita is joined by DJ Annie Mac, the broadcaster, author, and events curator. Annie started her own version of an early finishing club event Before Midnight in 2022, with her 'nights' now running UK-wide.

The artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman creates kaleidoscopic paintings, prints, etchings and moving images inspired by her Indian heritage. Chila was born in Toxteth in Merseyside and use materials like bindis and ice cream cones in her installations to represent her Asian identity as well as her working-class Liverpudlian childhood. She says she aims to challenge stereotypes and create an alternative perspective of Britishness. Chila joins Anita to talk about her eponymous book which brings together work from four decades and Neon Dreams, her exhibition at The Holburne Museum in Bath, which includes a life-size neon tiger in the ballroom and a giant multi-coloured neon lightshow on the façade of the museum building.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Rebecca Myatt


THU 11:00 The Infinite Monkey Cage (m0025dvs)
Series 31

The Science of Baby Making

Brian Cox and Robin Ince investigate the science of baby making - don’t worry, all theory no practice! They are joined by Professor Joyce Harper, Dr Ben Steventon and comedian Sara Pascoe to discuss how just two cells can turn into trillions, or in other words, how an embryo can turn into an embryologist. The embryo building processes across species are remarkably similar, yet there is still so much we don’t know about the beginning of life. Our panel discuss these unknowns, the latest in fertility treatments and what new capabilities might be available to future parents. It seems that artificial wombs may not be science fiction for much longer and scientists are closing in on being able to make egg and sperm cells out of stem cells. So yes, Brian and Robin could one day have a baby!

Producer: Melanie Brown
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
Researcher: Olivia Jani

BBC Studios Audio Production


THU 11:45 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025l1x)
Episode Four

Acclaimed historian Annie Gray takes us on an immersive journey down the high street through the ages, from the medieval marketplace to the first department stores. Peeking inside the windows of china merchants, chophouses, gin palaces and confectioners, Annie reflects on how people shopped and lived in days gone by.

Episode Four
1914 - 1965: The wars and after

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present. She features regularly on The Kitchen Cabinet. Her other books include The Greedy Queen and Victory in the Kitchen.

Writer: Annie Gray
Reader: Hugh Dennis
Abridger: Karen Rose
Producer: Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


THU 12:00 News Summary (m0025l1z)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


THU 12:04 You and Yours (m0025l21)
Gap Finders: Fiona Macrae

Fiona Macrae was diagnosed with breast cancer in the mid 2000’s, and after going through treatment she wanted to go away on holiday to recuperate. However, when she tried to get travel insurance she was told she was uninsurable.
Having worked in insurance for two decades it sparked an idea to change the way travel insurance is screened, with the aim of offered fairer and more affordable policies for people with heath issues, and after many years of research and development she created InsuranceWith.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Dave James


THU 12:32 Sliced Bread (m0025l23)
Hair Loss Products

Can wonder products halt hair loss and grow back luscious locks?

We're back with a new series of Sliced Bread and a fresh batch of investigations into your suggested wonder products. First up this time are lotions and pills that promise to stop hair loss - and even grow it back. For this episode Greg is joined at our Salford studios by two listeners, Ian and Kimberley.

Ian got in touch about two products he's seen - Minoxidil and Finasteride - which he hopes can help with male pattern baldness. And listener Kimberley is keen to know whether there's anything she can do about hair loss which is caused by menopause. To get the answers Greg speaks to one of the most cited researchers in the hair loss world - Ralf Paus - as they deep-dive into the studies to separate the science fact from the marketing claims.

As ever this series it's YOUR suggestions that are the start of all our investigations. If you've seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voicenote to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807

PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Simon Hoban


THU 12:57 Weather (m0025l25)
The latest weather forecast


THU 13:00 World at One (m0025l27)
Starmer: Judge me by my milestones

The Prime Minister sets 6 'milestones' including getting more kids 'school-ready'. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson explains. Plus, why did Bitcoin become so valuable?


THU 13:45 The Bottom Line (m00264b5)
The Decisions That Made Me

Decisions That Made Me: Elmarie Marais (GoCrisis, Founder)

What do you do when you’re unhappy at work? Maybe you’re burnt out from long hours? Or you see the way your employer does things and think to yourself “surely there’s a better way?” For many founders and CEO's, it's a familiar experience, and one that can spur them into the decision of starting their own business. Evan Davis talks to Elmarie Marais about her experience of crisis management, and how a crisis of her own led to the founding of her own company, GoCrisis.

Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison


THU 14:00 The Archers (m0025kzm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Wednesday]


THU 14:15 Drama on 4 (m0025l2b)
Precious Blood

Sweet Beginning

The conclusion of Philip Palmer’s Welsh Noir thriller about a tight-knit community with dark secrets at its heart. Despite uncovering a miscarriage of justice, police investigators are no closer to solving the murder of Michael Hopkins.

Detective Superintendent Sanderson ….. Pooky Quesnel
Ifor ….. Owen Teale
Mair ….. Sian Rees-Williams
Michael ….. Oliver Ryan
DI Montgomery ….. Elen Rhys
Eddie ….. Richard Corgan
Kayla ….. Amy Morgan

Singing Direction by Jonathan Manners
Directed by Gemma Jenkins


THU 15:00 This Natural Life (m0025l2d)
Richard Mabey

Richard Mabey has been described as the godfather of British nature writing. Over the last half-century, he has written more than thirty books. His first, 'Food for Free', was published in 1972 and has never been out of print since; the most recent, 'The Accidental Garden', came out earlier this year. Martha Kearney joins Richard and his partner Polly on their beloved boat on the Norfolk Broads. She hears about Richard's childhood in the Chilterns and finds out how he first became fascinated by the natural world. Together they spot grebes, terns, and even see a bittern in flight.

Producer: Emma Campbell


THU 15:27 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025l2g)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 on Sunday]


THU 15:30 Feedback (m0025l2j)
The Archers scam week. The End of Short Cuts. The Naked Week

A raft of scam-themed programming went out across BBC channels last week, with the aim of raising awareness about the hoaxes often found hidden in plain sight. Long running drama The Archers fulfilled the brief wholeheartedly as visitors to Ambridge found themselves hoodwinked into buying fake holiday lets online, with unpleasant consequences. But did listeners think it was believable?

Short Cuts, Radio 4's experimental programme showcasing short documentaries is being taken off the airwaves after the end of the current series. There's been an outcry from the audio production community as it is how many programme makers get their Radio 4 debut. Andrea talks to Talia Augustidis, one of the audio makers behind a petition pushing back on the changes, and Charlotte Petts, a listener and freelance audio producer.

The Naked Week, the new Friday evening comedy, has been launched, and presenter Andrew Hunter Murray joked about Feedback listeners getting in touch about the programme's debut. That's exactly what they did, and here's what they said.

Finally, veteran broadcaster Mishal Husain announced that she will be leaving the Today Programme this month. Listeners contacted us to wish Mishal well, after almost 25 years at the BBC.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4


THU 16:00 The Briefing Room (m0025l2l)
What’s going on in Syria?

Syrian rebels launched an offensive taking most of a major city - Aleppo - from the forces of the government. Suddenly there has been talk about the possible collapse of the regime that rules most of a country that borders Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, and in which Iran and Russia take the most active of interests.

So who now are the rebels, might they topple the government of President Assad, and if they did, what then?

Charles Lister, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC.
Lina Khatib, Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute.
Chris Phillips, professor of international relations at queen Mary’s university, an associate at Chatham House and author of The Battle for Syria.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman


THU 16:30 BBC Inside Science (m0025l2n)
Fact-checking the Bovaer backlash

Some social media users have been pouring milk down the drain and chucking their butter in the bin in protest over a new additive in cow feed that claims to reduce methane emissions.

The online posts, attacking Arla Food’s trial of Bovaer with three big supermarkets and 30 farms in the UK, have had millions of views.

So, what do we know – what is this additive and how is it going to tackle burpy cows? And what is the evidence it is safe?

We interrogate the science with Sharon Huws, professor in animal science, and food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond...

Also this week, are billionaires really deserting Earth for space? What is the upshot for our plastic waste problem after global talks on a treaty ended in failure? And why, just why, are orcas being spotted wearing salmon hats?

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hubber & Gerry Holt
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth 

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.


THU 17:00 PM (m0025l2q)
Starmer's "plan for change"

The prime minister commits to improving living standards. Is it easier said than done? Plus, romantasy: the cross between romance and fantasy taking the book charts by storm.


THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025l2s)
He said he would also focus on the NHS, house-building, education and clean power.


THU 18:30 Unspeakable (m0025l2v)
Series 1

6. Meet Phal Wing and Sesie Dunt

Stephen Fry invents a surreptitious insult, Lucy Beaumont presents a word that describes a state between two extremes, and Sunil Patel encapsulates a feeling we've all had on a trip to a gallery.

Ever struggled to find the right word for a feeling or sensation? Unspeakable sees comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent invite celebrity guests to invent new linguistic creations, to solve those all-too-relatable moments when we're lost for words.

Hosts: Phil Wang and Susie Dent
Guests: Lucy Beaumont, Stephen Fry and Sunil Patel
Created by Joe Varley
Writer: Matt Crosby
Recorded by Jerry Peal
Producer: Jon Harvey
Executive Producers: Joe Varley and Akash Lockmun

A Brown Bred production for BBC Radio 4


THU 19:00 The Archers (m0025l2x)
Robert tidies up the garden at Ambridge Hall in preparation for some tricky regular guests. When Lynda surveys the garden later she thinks they should rewild it, upsetting Robert. He’s spent all morning getting it into shape and thinks if Lynda wants to rewild it, she can do it herself. Later when Lynda apologises for being thoughtless, Robert just wishes she’d had her rewilding epiphany earlier!

Emma nervously asks Fallon whether she or Harrison made a complaint about her to the Parish Council. Shocked Fallon confirms they didn’t, but is interrupted by Mick piping up to say that he was the one who complained. Emma’s son caused the car crash and she covered it up. Joy and Fallon could’ve died in it. Emma points out that she handed her own son in to the police, and hopes Mick never finds himself in an impossible situation, damned whichever way he turns. Because Mick might be surprised by what he finds himself doing.

Later Mick tells Fallon that he feels terrible about upsetting Emma. He wonders if he was wrong to complain about her, but just wanted to do something. He’s felt useless since the crash. Fallon says it’s complicated and Emma only did what she did because she was desperate. They both admit they still have nightmares about the crash and Fallon suggests telling Joy how he feels. Joy’s sympathetic when Mick opens up later, but says that in order to truly come to terms with the crash, he’s got to find forgiveness, otherwise how will any of them move on?


THU 19:15 Front Row (m0025l2z)
Review: Rumours, The Importance of Being Earnest, Grand Theft Hamlet

Tom Sutcliffe is joined by Naomi Alderman and Mark Ravenhill to review a new production of The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre, starring the current Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa, W1A’s Hugh Skinner and Sharon D Clarke. Plus comedy horror Rumours starring Cate Blanchett, and Grand Theft Hamlet – a documentary film which was shot inside the GTA game during the 2021 lockdown.

Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe
Producer: Claire Bartleet


THU 20:00 The Media Show (m0025kzf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 16:00 on Wednesday]


THU 21:00 Loose Ends (m0025kqs)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:15 on Saturday]


THU 21:45 Mythical Creatures (m001tgrh)
2. Dragons

Fantasy writer Rhianna Pratchett takes us across an enchanted British Isles to discover mythical creatures that lurk in all corners of the land. She uncovers what they can tell us about our history, our world and our lives today.

In this episode, Rhianna seeks out dragons, and heads up to Sunderland, to meet one such specimen, The Lambton Worm.

Rhianna explores how these powerful creatures reflect human power struggles, symbolise changing threats, and how they are used to justify who has rights over the land.

Storyteller: Stuart Miller
Other Contributors: Dr. Jamie Beckett, Natalie Lawrence

Presenter: Rhianna Pratchett
Producers: Lorna Skingley and Sarah Harrison
Executive Producer: Mel Harris
Production Manager: Nikki Cannon
Original Music by Ben MacDougall
Sound Design and Mixing: John Scott

A 7digital production for BBC Radio 4


THU 22:00 The World Tonight (m0025l31)
President Macron refuses to step down

A defiant President Emmanuel Macron has told the French people that he won't stand down - and has blamed an "anti-republican front" for toppling the government. We're live in Paris with reaction to the his prime-time TV address.

Also tonight:

Rebels in Syria have been celebrating the capture of the key city of Hama, in a fresh blow to President Assad. We ask whether the rebels are one step closer to bringing down his regime.

After Sir Keir Starmer accuses Whitehall of becoming comfortable with failure - we hear how his comments are going down with civil servants.

And we talk to the amateur fossil hunter who's made a remarkable discovery - which has shown that a cousin of the T-rex roamed southern England more than 100 million years ago.


THU 22:45 Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (m0025l33)
4: 'She's disgraced our name.'

The eagerly awaited new novel from Booker Prize-winning author, Alan Hollinghurst.

Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met, is thirteen when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. With the doors of elite English society cracked open for him, heady new possibilities lie ahead, despite the vicious bullying of his wealthy classmates. Worst of these is the brutish Giles Hadlow, whose parents sponsored the scholarship and who seem to prefer Dave to their ruthless son.

Our Evenings follows Dave from the 1960s through to the Pandemic: as a working-class brown child in a decidedly white institution; a young man discovering queer culture; a talented actor on the road with an experimental theatre company; and an older Londoner whose late-in-life marriage fills his days with an unexpected sense of happiness and security.

Moving in and out of Dave’s orbit are the Hadlows. Estranged from his parents, Giles directs his privilege into a career as a powerful right-wing politician, whose reactionary vision for England threatens Dave’s own stability. And finally, as the Covid Pandemic hits, the two men’s lives and values will collide in a cruel shock of violence.

Today: Sparks and recriminations fly at the family Christmas table...

Reader: Steve John Shepherd is an actor of English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry. He is best known for his TV roles in This Life and East Enders.
Writer: Alan Hollinghurst
Abridger: Richard Hamilton
Producer: Justine Willett


THU 23:00 The Today Podcast (m0025l35)
Keir Starmer's Reset

After a bumpy first few months in power Keir Starmer is giving a speech to outline his milestones for the next five years, so in this episode Amol and Nick are joined by the former Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth to discuss the prime minister’s approach to politics and whether the speech should be seen as a reset moment for his government.

Since winning the election in July, Keir Starmer chief of staff Sue Gray and transport secretary Louise Haigh have both resigned. He’s also faced a backlash over the decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners, there was a row over senior Labour figures receiving freebies and Rachel Reeves’ first budget got a frosty reception from some business leaders. But Jonathan Ashworth, who now runs the think tank Labour Together, insists the speech is not a reset for the government and is instead a moment for Keir Starmer to explain to the country how he will achieve his five missions.

To get Amol and Nick's take on the biggest stories and insights from behind the scenes at the UK's most influential radio news programme make sure you hit subscribe on BBC Sounds. That way you’ll get an alert every time we release a new episode, and you won’t miss our extra bonus episodes either.

GET IN TOUCH:

* Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 4346
* Email today@bbc.co.uk

The Today Podcast is hosted by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson who are both presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Amol was the BBC’s media editor for six years and is the former editor of the Independent, he’s also the current presenter of University Challenge. Nick has presented the Today programme since 2015, he was the BBC’s political editor for ten years before that and also previously worked as ITV’s political editor.

This episode was made by Lewis Vickers with Nadia Gyane and Joe Wilkinson. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The editor is Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.


THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (m0025l37)
Alicia McCarthy reports as MPs consider the government's milestones.

FRIDAY 06 DECEMBER 2024

FRI 00:00 Midnight News (m0025l39)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


FRI 00:30 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025l1x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:45 on Thursday]


FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m0025l3c)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m0025l3f)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m0025l3h)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


FRI 05:30 News Briefing (m0025l3k)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m0025l3m)
A reflection and prayer to start the day with the Very Rev Dr David Bruce.


FRI 05:45 Farming Today (m0025l3p)
06/12/24 Labour exploitation, seasonal workers, a life changing experience.

With few British people wanting to pick fruit and veg, for many many years now workers have come from abroad to work the season. It's been something of a vexed issue, with complaints about the way the system works and the number of people allowed to use it, as well as concerns about the exploitation of workers. After Brexit a new seasonal workers visa scheme was introduced. The Government has confirmed that next year 43,000 such visas will be available for people in horticulture, with a further 2,000 for the poultry industry. But when you rely on the company that has brought you over, it can be hard to then complain to them. Dr Natalie Sedacca from Durham University discusses the issues facing some migrant workers, and what can be done to protect them.

For this Sunday's edition of Radio 4's On Your Farm Charlotte Smith went to meet the Taylor-Davies family who farm near Ross On Wye. This was a fairly usual cereals farm which Ben Taylor Davies took on from his father. He was running it in a fairly conventional way, until things changed radically, and his life changed forever.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


FRI 06:00 Today (m0025l9q)
06/12/24 - Justin Webb and Mishal Husain

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (m0025l9s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:00 on Sunday]


FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (m0025l9v)
PCOS misinformation, Sutara Gayle, Raving

Influencers on TikTok and Instagram are selling fake ‘cures’ for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition, according to a new BBC investigation. The BBC World Service tracked the most-watched videos with a #PCOS hashtag on TikTok and Instagram and found that half of them spread false information. Jacqui Wakefield, a BBC 100 Women reporter, has been investigating and joins Anita Rani to discuss.

Sutara Gayle is an actor and reggae artist. She fuses music with memories of her eventful life in a new show: The Legends of Them. From hearing her radio debut whilst in Holloway Prison on remand, to the Brixton uprisings in 1985 that were sparked by the shooting of her sister, the show explores a hugely varied and at times deeply moving portrayal of her life, and the women who have shaped it. Sutara joins Anita in the studio.

This year’s Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields to support those who are experiencing, or who are at risk of, homelessness across the UK is now underway. One of the charities your donations have helped this year is called Rowan Alba and it runs residential services in Edinburgh. We hear from resident Elvira, psychologist Sarah Phillips and Anita speaks to Tracey Stewart from Rowan Alba. To find out more, visit the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal website.

A judge has ruled that MMA fighter Conor McGregor must pay the legal costs of Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. We explore the impact the ruling has had in Ireland with BBC journalist Aoife Walsh.

On yesterday’s programme, the DJ Annie Mac spoke about the healing power of raving. Milly Day was listening and got in touch to tell us about her thesis on the subject. She joins Anita.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Emma Pearce


FRI 11:00 The Food Programme (m0025l9x)
BBC Food and Farming Awards 2024

Join Sheila Dillon at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow for the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2024.

The awards honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food and drink. Our judging panel this year is chaired by chef and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Presented by Sheila Dillon and produced by Robin Markwell for BBC Audio in Bristol.


FRI 11:45 The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street by Annie Gray (m0025l9z)
Episode Five

Acclaimed historian Annie Gray takes us on an immersive journey down the high street through the ages, from the medieval marketplace to the first department stores. Peeking inside the windows of china merchants, chophouses, gin palaces and confectioners, Annie reflects on how people shopped and lived in days gone by.

Episode Five
Post war clothes shopping and the rise of the department store.

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present. She features regularly on The Kitchen Cabinet. Her other books include The Greedy Queen and Victory in the Kitchen.

Writer: Annie Gray
Reader: Hugh Dennis
Abridger: Karen Rose
Producer: Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


FRI 12:00 News Summary (m0025lb1)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


FRI 12:04 Rare Earth (m0025lb3)
Amazon Future

It's been a hard year for the Amazon rainforest. The toughest drought on record has helped spread fires that have been the worst in two decades. That combination has hit the local people. “If these fires continue, we indigenous people will die,” says Raimundinha Rodrigues Da Sousa who runs the voluntary fire service for the Caititu indigenous community in the Brazilian Amazon. Her land is supposed to be protected but outsiders come in and set fires so that they can clear the land for agriculture.

For Rare Earth, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski take a look at the state of the Amazon rainforest, analyse its role in the global climate and consider the political battle over its future. They're joined by BBC South America correspondent, Ione Wells and by Angela Maldonado who has worked for 25 years in the Amazon, protecting night monkeys that are stolen and traded for medical research. Based on the Colombia-Peru-Brazil border, Angela has a unique perspective on the long-running war between development and conservation in the region.

Patricia Medici explains her work to conserve the extraordinary tapir, South America's largest land mammal and Niki Mardas reveals the latest results from Global Canopy's Forest 500 campaign which examines the involvement of 500 major companies in the supply chains which hasten the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Producer: Alasdair Cross

Assistant Producer: Ellie Richold

Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University


FRI 12:57 Weather (m0025lb5)
The latest weather forecast


FRI 13:00 World at One (m0025lb7)
Syria rebels advance on Homs

Inside the city of Homs, where Syrian rebels aim to push out President Assad's troops. Plus the Observer newspaper is sold, and the modern questions children ask about Santa.


FRI 13:45 The Bottom Line (m00264vl)
The Decisions That Made Me

Decisions That Made Me: Tom Pellereau (Stylideas, Inventor)

When inventor Tom Pellereau was on the verge of launching his latest invention for his fashion company, Stylideas, he couldn't have known what a key decision was about to face him. The Apprentice winner talks to Evan Davis about his business relationship with Alan Sugar, his passion for design and his experience of dyslexia that all led to a stand off over pricing that would make or break his company.

Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison


FRI 14:00 The Archers (m0025l2x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Thursday]


FRI 14:15 Limelight (m0025dvx)
Aldrich Kemp and The Rose of Pamir

Aldrich Kemp and The Rose of Pamir - Chapter Three: American Cryptography

Aldrich Kemp and the gang are back with some new faces as the race for the mysterious and elusive Rose of Pamir moves from London to Paris, New York to Amsterdam and the Maldives to Tajikistan.

Chapter Three: American Cryptography

Clara Page and Aldrich Kemp travel to New York and call in a favour, but who else is lurking in Manhattan? Meanwhile, Mrs Bartholomew and Mrs Boone are facing challenges of their own back in Blighty.

Clara Page - Phoebe Fox
Aldrich Kemp – Ferdinand Kingsley
Mrs Boone – Nicola Walker
Nakesha – Karla Crome
Sebastian Harcourt – Kyle Soller
Aunt Lily – Susan Jameson
The Underwood Sisters & Forsaken McTeague – Jana Carpenter
Mrs Bartholomew – Kate Isitt
Lionel – Steven Mackintosh
Selina – Catherine Kanter
Vartan - Ben Crowe

Written and directed by Julian Simpson
Music composed by Tim Elsenburg.

Sound Design: David Thomas
Producer: Sarah Tombling
Production Assistant: Ethan Elsenburg
Executive Producer: Karen Rose

New episodes available on Fridays. Listen first on BBC Sounds

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


FRI 14:45 Something to Declare (m0025lb9)
How to Nurture Community

Jack Boswell explores the South African philosophy of Ubuntu, a profound perspective on humanity that emphasises the interconnectedness of all people and the transformative power of community.

Joining Jack is Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu, a South African-born priest and daughter of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She explains how Ubuntu - the belief that "I am because we are" - is rooted in recognizing our shared humanity. Nontombi reflects on how this philosophy shaped her father’s work as a key figure in South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, grounding his fight for justice in compassion and dignity for all, even his oppressors. She shares practical ways to embody Ubuntu in daily life, from acknowledging others with a simple greeting to cultivating gratitude for small acts of kindness.

Also joining Jack is Refiloe Moahloli, a South African children’s author whose book We Are One introduces Ubuntu to a global audience. Refiloe explains how this philosophy celebrates diversity and encourages individuals to embrace their unique gifts while contributing to the greater good. She reflects on the ripple effect of self-respect and kindness, likening it to a single flower blooming and inspiring growth in its surroundings.

This episode unpacks how Ubuntu invites us to rethink our relationships, not just with others but with ourselves. It’s a reminder that by recognising our own worth, we can foster deeper connections and help create a more compassionate world. Jack learns how this ancient African philosophy continues to resonate across cultures, offering lessons on healing, resilience, and hope in an increasingly divided world.

Host: Jack Boswell
Producer: Emma Crampton
Senior Producer: Harry Stott
Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari
Production Coordinator: James Cox
Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle
Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4


FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m0025lbd)
Rosewell: Plant Names, Reflection and Perlite

What would the panel plant in a garden for reflection? Are there any alternatives to perlite and vermiculite? Is the weather to blame for my shamefully small brassicas and tiny potatoes?

Kathy Clugston and a team of experts are in Rosewell, Midlothian, to solve the gardening questions of the audience. Joining Kathy are ethnobotanist James Wong, garden designer Neil Porteous and Head of Gardens at Balmoral Kirsty Wilson.

Later in the programme, James Wong meets researchers Dr Hannah Atkins and Sadie Barber to discuss the extensive process of naming plants.

Producer: Bethany Hocken
Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


FRI 15:45 Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (m0025lbj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Sunday]


FRI 16:00 Last Word (m0025lbq)
Vicky Stone, Penny Chuter, Clifton Wharton Junior, Peter Sinfield

Matthew Bannister on

Vicky Stone, the film maker who travelled to the remotest parts of Africa to make her award winning wildlife documentaries.

Penny Chuter the medal winning rower who became coach of the GB team.

Clifton Wharton Junior, the first black chancellor of a primarily white US university, the first African American to run a Fortune 500 company and the first to become Deputy Secretary of State.

Peter Sinfield who wrote lyrics for King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Leo Sayer, Bucks Fizz and Celine Dion.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: Art in the Board Room: Honoring the Wharton Legacy, Dr. Judith Stoddart, MSU Research, 1971; How America's Involvement In The Vietnam War Led To Protests | Our History, Our History, ITV, 1991; The Queen of Trees OFFICIAL, Narrated by Ian Holm, Deeble & Stone, Uploaded to Youtube, 3.05.2014; THE ELEPHANT QUEEN Official Trailer HD (2019) Documentary, Apple TV+ | Future Movies Starring : Chiwetel Ejiofor Directed By : Mark Deeble, Victoria Stone, Uploaded to Youtube 11.10.2019; Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble on The Elephant Queen, Apple TV+'s documentary feat Chiwetel Ejiofor The Upcoming. Interviewer: Ezelle Alblas Editor: Filippo L'Astorina, uploaded to Youtube, 11.11.2019; Wildlife on Two : Devilfish, BBC 1, 06.10.1991; Rowing Chat with Penny Chuter, Rowing Chat, 8.10.2017; Don't Call Me Shirley - Airplane! (9/10) Movie CLIP (1980); THE GREAT MATCH 1979:TERRY GRIFFITHS WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPION 23.04.2004


FRI 16:30 Life Changing (m0025kyk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 on Wednesday]


FRI 17:00 PM (m0025lbx)
Afternoon news and current affairs programme, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines.


FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m0025lc3)
Rebel forces are closing in on the strategically important city of Homs


FRI 18:30 The Naked Week (m0025lc9)
Series 1

Episode 2: Spin, Milestones, and Monopoly (Qatar edition)

Host Andrew Hunter Murray, Chief Correspondent Amy Hoggart, The Skewer's Jon Holmes and The Naked Week team deliver a topical news-nude straight to your ears. This week - Spin, Milestones, and Monopoly (Qatar edition).

The Naked Week team will strip away the curtain and dive into not only the big stories, but also the way in which the news is packaged and presented.

Written by:
Jon Holmes
Katie Sayer
Sarah Dempster
Gareth Ceredig
Jason Hazeley
Adam Macqueen
Louis Mian

Production Team: Laura Grimshaw, Tony Churnside, Jerry Peal, Katie Sayer

Produced and Directed by Jon Holmes
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams

An unusual production for BBC Radio 4


FRI 19:00 The Archers (m0025lch)
Writer: Sarah McDonald Hughes
Director: Pip Swallow
Editor: Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Ben Archer…. Ben Norris
David Archer…. Timothy Bentick
Jolene Archer…. Buffy Davis
Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee
Ruth Archer…. Felicity Finch
Leonard Berry…. Paul Copley
Mick Fadmoor…. Martin Barrass
Ed Grundy…. Barry Farrimond
Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Azra Malik…. Yasmin Wilde
Zainab Malik…. Priyasasha Kumari
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Lynda Snell…. Carole Boyd
Robert Snell…. Michael Bertenshaw


FRI 19:15 Add to Playlist (m0025lcp)
Rhodri Marsden and Yazz Ahmed head from Bahrain to Japan

British-Bahraini Flugelhorn and trumpet player Yazz Ahmed and writer and musician Rhodri Marsden bring their instruments to the studio to add the next five tracks with Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe. The musical patch will lead them from the Caribbean to Springfield, Bahrain, Japan and a controversial optimistic slice of British humour.

Producer: Jerome Weatherald
Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe

The five tracks in this week's playlist:

Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte
The Simpsons Theme by Danny Elfman
Ala Wain by Majaz
Ue o Muite Arukō (Sukiyaki) by Kyu Sakamoto
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle

Other music in this episode:

Money (That's What I Want) by Barrett Strong
Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) by Hugh Masekela
Jump In the Line by Woody Herman
Labor Day by Lord Invader
Banana Boat (Day-O) by Harry Belafonte
Midnight Special by Harry Belafonte
Main Titles from Beetlejuice soundtrack by Danny Elfman
Magic Moments by Perry Como
Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
Give a Little Whistle from Pinocchio by Cliff Edwards and Dickie Jones


FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (m0025lcx)
Seamus Logan MP, Douglas Lumsden MSP, Michael Marra MSP and Laura Webster

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Daviot Village Hall in Aberdeenshire, with the SNP's MP for Aberdeenshire North & Moray East, Seamus Logan; Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for energy and net zero, Douglas Lumsden MSP; Michael Marra MSP, Scottish Labour's shadow cabinet secretary for finance; and the editor of The National, Laura Webster.

Producer: Paul Martin
Lead broadcast engineer: Sean Mullervy


FRI 20:50 A Point of View (m0025ld4)
A baby's-eye view of the world

Zoe Strimpel on the joys of seeing the world through the eyes of her 9 month old daughter.

'Where previously I would barely have noticed them,' Zoe writes, 'I now size up trees from below in terms of buds, leaves, colour, height - and how all of these may look to my little lady viewed from her pram or carrier in which her neck swivels constantly like a periscope, or an owl.'

Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


FRI 21:00 Free Thinking (m0025ld8)
How we think about evil

Matthew Sweet is joined by guests including Dr Jack Symes, philosopher at Durham University; Professor Lyndsey Stonebridge, Interdisciplinary Chair of Humanities & Human Rights at the University of Birmingham; novelist Ruth Ware; Dr Oliver Scott Curry, Chief Science Officer at Kindness.org and Research Affiliate in the Anthropology Department at the University of Oxford; and campaigner Zrinka Bralo, Director of Migrants Organize.

Topics include the classical philosophical problem of evil, the psychology of evil, Hannah Arendt's concept of the banality of evil, and the question of why the Devil gets the best lines in literature.
Plus, we look at t6he work and legacy of social psychologist Philip Zimbardo, who devised the controversial Stanford Prison Experiment in 1971, and who died in October 2024.

Producer: Luke Mulhall


FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (m0025ldc)
In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspective.


FRI 22:45 Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst (m0025ldf)
5: 'I'm in love with him.'

The eagerly awaited new novel from Booker Prize-winning author, Alan Hollinghurst.

Dave Win, the son of a British dressmaker and a Burmese man he’s never met, is thirteen when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. With the doors of elite English society cracked open for him, heady new possibilities lie ahead, despite the vicious bullying of his wealthy classmates. Worst of these is the brutish Giles Hadlow, whose parents sponsored the scholarship and who seem to prefer Dave to their ruthless son.

Our Evenings follows Dave from the 1960s through to the Pandemic: as a working-class brown child in a decidedly white institution; a young man discovering queer culture; a talented actor on the road with an experimental theatre company; and an older Londoner whose late-in-life marriage fills his days with an unexpected sense of happiness and security.

Moving in and out of Dave’s orbit are the Hadlows. Estranged from his parents, Giles directs his privilege into a career as a powerful right-wing politician, whose reactionary vision for England threatens Dave’s own stability. And finally, as the Covid Pandemic hits, the two men’s lives and values will collide in a cruel shock of violence.

Today: Unrequited love at Oxford floors Dave, but leads to a long-awaited moment of honesty with Mum and Esme...

Reader: Steve John Shepherd is an actor of English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry. He is best known for his TV roles in This Life and East Enders.
Writer: Alan Hollinghurst
Abridger: Richard Hamilton
Producer: Justine Willett


FRI 23:00 Americast (m0025ldh)
Donald Trump vs the media...Round 2!

Key figures in Donald Trump’s transition team have suggested changing which journalists have access to the White House press briefing room, and who is allowed to put questions to Trump’s new administration. The influence of ‘new media’ platforms - streamers and podcasters - helped win the election for Trump, so could content-creators such as Joe Rogan be included?

Also, how will Trump deal with the media in his second term? And how will the media deal with him this time? Sarah and Marianna are joined by Peter Hamby, Host of ‘Good Luck America’ on Snapchat, to discuss the future of the news media in America.

HOSTS:
• Sarah Smith, North America Editor
• Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Correspondent

GUEST:
• Peter Hamby, Host of ‘Good Luck America’ on Snapchat and Founding Partner at Puck News

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This episode was made by Catherine Fusillo, Rufus Gray, Claire Betzer and Purvee Pattni. The technical producers were Michael Regaard and Ben Andrews. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (m0025ldk)
Susan Hulme reports as MPs discuss a bill to recast Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trading rules.