SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2025
SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m002mc64)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SAT 00:30 The Punch (m000l2r4)
New Beginnings
Aged 19, Jacob Dunne threw a single punch in a drunken brawl outside a pub in Nottingham. His victim, James Hodgkinson, died in hospital nine days later and Jacob was convicted of manslaughter.
Now 27, Jacob has a young family and has just completed a degree, but it was only after taking part in restorative justice that he began to turn his life around. Meeting face-to-face with James' parents had a profound impact on both Jacob and the Hodgkinsons, and the resulting relationship has changed Jacob’s life in unexpected ways.
With his heart set on a career helping others, Jacob wants to understand his own transformation from angry teenager to a responsible father and respected member of the community. He has travelled the country giving speeches and workshops to students, prisoners, prison officers, hospital staff, educators and young offenders. In February, he gave the keynote speech at a graduation ceremony for trainee prison officers.
In this five part series, he retraces the key moments in his life since he threw the punch. It isn’t a straightforward story of rehabilitation but a complicated, often painful journey. Recording himself at home during lockdown, Jacob makes contact with his former parole officer, a prison officer, mentors, and others who have benefited from similar face-to-face confrontations.
In this final episode, Jacob thinks about his future and the career paths which might be open to him. He speaks to his former parole officer Wendy Flewitt, Inspector Andy Bridgewater (Head of the West Midland's Police Football Unit), and asks Joan and David the hardest question of all.
Produced by Kim Normanton and Victoria Ferran
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mc66)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mc68)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
SAT 05:30 News Summary (m002mc6b)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SAT 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mc6d)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mc6g)
Finding Our Way
Good Morning
Our Jewish ancestors spent many years journeying through the wilderness, 40 years in fact. I quite like hiking the wilderness too. I also love perusing countryside magazines from years ago. A copy from May 1972 caught my eye recently. It contained an excerpt from Wainwright’s ‘Pennine Way Companion’; the part close to where I live now. One phrase stood out ‘The complications of this walk are increased by its invisible footpaths in the fields and meadows and there will be many doubts and much going astray unless this map is properly consulted.’ I recall trudging that walk, book and map in hand, with girl-guiding friends years ago. We got hopelessly lost! We always however respected farm stock and closed gates carefully behind us. On our trek, we asked at farms for the right way and permission to camp. We were careful to leave no trace and respect the countryside.
Now I’ve trodden many separate ways since then, physically and in life itself. Whatever paths we follow, we inevitably leave a mark. We make decisions about uncertain ways before us. If we choose well, others will follow and hopefully take our lead. Walking our beautiful countryside is a metaphor for negotiating life itself. To choose our way well, we need to seek guidance, whether from a book, a map or our Creator in prayer. Let’s walk through this world with respect, improving it if we can but always making sure we do no harm to others.
Lord, we ask you to guide our daily steps through life. Let our footprints inspire others to follow. Where we face choices, help us to choose wisely, taking thought for others.
Amen
SAT 05:45 In the Loop (m001p205)
4. Rollercoaster
…a circle has no beginning and no end. It represents rebirth and regeneration, continuity and infinity. From wedding rings to stone circles, in poetry, music and the trajectories of the planets themselves, circles and loops are embedded in our imaginations.
In this five-part series poet Paul Farley goes walking in circles in five very different ‘loopy’ locations. He visits a stone circle, a roundabout and a particle accelerator to ask why human beings find rings and circles so symbolic, significant and satisfying.
The earliest civilisations were drawn to the idea of closing a circle and creating a loop; in human relationships we’d all rather be within the circle of trust; and in arts and music our eyes, ears and minds are inexorably drawn towards loops and repetitions.
Paul has circular conversations with mathematicians and physicists, composers and poets, each one propelling him into a new loop of enquiry. And that’s because a circle has no beginning and no end…
This week Paul is in the loop at the Grand National rollercoaster which has been drawing thrill-seekers to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for nearly 90 years. He talks to Andy Hine from the Rollercoaster Club of Great Britain to explore this addiction to ‘airtime’. Paul also discovers that the Grand National isn’t just an entertainment. It’s also a mathematical phenomenon: a Möbius Loop. Another rollercoaster fan is composer Anna Meredith. Paul meets her to reflect on the importance of loops and repetition in her music.
SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m002mmhr)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.
SAT 06:07 Ramblings (m002mby4)
The Gower Peninsula to Antarctica
Clare Balding joins Rob Curtis for a walk across the dramatic landscape of Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula. Rob, an electrician with a passion for nature and adventure, has worked with the British Antarctic Survey on five separate expeditions. Now, despite a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes which he was sure would stymie his plans, he’s training for yet another trip to the Halley Research Station.
As they walk from Llangennith to the church memorial of Welsh Antarctic explorer, Edgar Evans, Rob shares stories of life on the ice, the challenges of polar survival, and his determination to stay fit enough to pass the medical required for deployment.
They started their walk at Hillend car park, Llangennith and headed across Rhossili Down (where Rob once broke his leg paragliding), to St. Mary’s Church, then ambled back along the beach to Hillend.
Presenter: Clare Balding
Producer: Karen Gregor
SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m002mmht)
22/11/25 Farming Today This Week: Defra Secretary on agri-environment schemes, farm business income, COP, prison farm
England's biggest agri-environment scheme to be relaunched next year. The latest farm business income figures show this kind of payment makes 30% of average farm income.
Wool prices reach a nine year high, but still don't cover the cost of shearing the sheep.
The inmates who look after pigs at a prison farm in Kent.
Decline in demand for whiskey is being blamed for the closure and suspension of Scottish malting plants. Farmers fear it will also mean a decline in demand for barley.
Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.
SAT 06:57 Weather (m002mmhw)
The latest weather reports and forecast
SAT 07:00 Today (m002mmhy)
Today (Saturday)
SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m002mmj0)
Michael Sheen, Scam Safe, Medieval Combat Sports, and the Inheritance Tracks of Jason Donovan
Michael Sheen is an actor, director and Welshman who describes his vision and impact of the Welsh National Theatre, exploring how the stage can reflect and shape national identity, and what can be learned from football scouts to find the next generation of talent.
Convicted fraudster Alex Wood reveals how he went from a would be child prodigy violinist to defrauding millions of pounds out of people. Now, he is a fraud hunter looking for personal redemption whilst helping the police and presenting Scam Secrets on Radio 4.
Jenny Häbry is a three time world champion and first female armoured MMA champion, she lifts the curtain on the world of armoured mixed martial arts, revealing the grit, discipline, and determination it takes to rise to the level of world champion.
Also, Emma Youell joins us live from Norfolk with her metal detector in hand - will she find anything? Plus we have the Inheritance Tracks of Jason Donovan.
Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producers: Lowri Morgan, Ribika Moktan and Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Colin Paterson
SAT 10:00 Curious Cases (m002mmj2)
Series 24
Immortal Jellies
Could immortality ever be possible for humans?
It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but floating in oceans around the world is a tiny, transparent jellyfish that could hold the answer...
Turritopsis dohrnii, known as 'the immortal jellyfish', isn’t immortal in the true sense of word - it can die - but it has a nifty way of avoiding that fate. In times of stress, this miniscule jelly can biologically reverse its aging process, reverting from 'medusa' (adult jellyfish) to a juvenile form and starting its life-cycle again; potentially ad infinitum.
Abilities like these could hold the key to - if not exactly 'immortality', then at least regenerative or long-life treatments for humans in future. But of course there's a catch: these extremely delicate jellyfish can still easily die from predation, disease, or environmental threats and are extremely difficult to keep healthy in a lab environment.
Hannah and Dara hear about new technology that could change the way we study immortal jellyfish, and discover various other super-abilities in the animal kingdom that could help in our quest for healthier, longer lives.
Contributors:
- Miranda Lowe, Principal Curator of Crustacea and Cnidaria at London’s Natural History Museum
- Alex Cagan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics, Department of Pathology and Department of Vet Medicine at the University of Cambridge
- Maria Pia Miglietta, Associate Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University in Galveston
- Nicole Xu, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Robotics and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder
Producer: Lucy Taylor
Executive Producer: Sasha Feachem
A BBC Studios Production
SAT 10:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m002mmj4)
Series 50
Liverpool
In celebration of World Children’s Day, Jay Rayner and the panel are at the Academy of St Nicholas in Liverpool answering questions from an audience of pupils and teachers. Joining Jay at his school desk are chefs, cooks and food writers Melissa Thompson, Jordan Bourke and Rob Owen Brown and materials expert Dr Zoe Laughlin.
The panellists share their best salt and pepper chicken recipes, explain why some cheeses melt more than others, and answer the most trying of questions - do you call your evening meal tea or dinner?
Encouraged by the Head of Design and Technology, Katie Bell, the students receive helpful tips and recipes from the panel for their upcoming cookery exams.
World Children’s Day has been honoured every year since 1954 and is aimed at improving children's welfare.
Panel: Rob Owen Brown, Dr Zoe Laughlin, Melissa Thompson, Jordan Bourke
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m002mmj6)
With just days to go to Rachel Reeves' Budget, George Parker speaks to her Conservative predecessor at the Treasury, Sir Jeremy Hunt MP. They discuss what it's like for Chancellors in the run-up to a fiscal event and the intense speculation around this Budget.
Following the publication of the Covid Inquiry's second report George interviews former minister, Lord Frost, who resigned from the then Conservative government over pandemic policy, and Prof Stephen Reicher, who advised both the UK and Scottish governments during the pandemic.
To discuss the Home Secretary's overhaul of the asylum system, and the divisions within her party, George speaks to Labour MPs Olivia Blake and Gareth Snell.
And, as the London Aquarium responds to concerns raised by a number of MPs over the welfare of its penguins, George speaks to one of those MPs, Danny Chambers, and New Statesman journalist, Rachel Cunliffe.
SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002mmf8)
The Story of Abdelrahman and the Oud
Kate Adie introduces stories from Jordan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Spain and the Black Sea.
11-year-old Abdelrahman was injured during an Israeli attack in Gaza, which led to the loss of one of his legs. He was selected to travel to Jordan for hospital treatment, to be fitted with a new prosthetic leg. Fergal Keane met him while he was undergoing treatment - and learning to play the traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument, the oud.
The former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was sentenced to death this week for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors accused the former leader of being behind hundreds of killings during anti-government protests last year. Arunoday Mukharji was in the capital, Dhaka, when the verdict was announced.
Russian attacks on Ukraine' energy infrastructure have increased. Among the targets are the country’s nuclear power plants – with Europe’s largest located in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. Vitaliy Shevchenko recounts a recent discovery he made about his childhood home there.
Spain has marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco, whose legacy still divides the country. Linda Pressly recently met the dictator’s great-grandson in Madrid.
And in our age of mass tourism, travel has, for some, gone from being an adventure of self-discovery to a selfie-checklist, with even the most secluded places on full display across social media. But there are still ways to immerse yourself in other cultures through less well-trodden routes. Caroline Eden recently embarked on a new adventure of her own, on a slow boat across the Black Sea.
Producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
SAT 12:00 News Summary (m002mmjb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
SAT 12:04 Money Box (m002mmf6)
Life-changing Scams and Child Benefit
Money Box takes a special look at how victims of fraud are treated by those supposed to help them in the weeks and months afterwards. How are they helped in their fight for justice by the police, their banks and the courts? Or are they all too often left struggling to deal with both the financial and mental impact on their own? We also hear how a small regional charity in the UK has partnered with police to be there for victims when the spotlight of the original crime has faded.
Parents who lost their child benefit because HMRC wrongly believed they had left the country deserved better treatment according to a senior MP. Dame Meg Hillier, the chair of the Treasury Select Committee, made the comments after the tax office stripped payments from almost 24,000 families after it used travel data to conclude they had left the UK permanently. As we previously reported, some of those people had simply been on holiday. HMRC says it took swift action and that, where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, it reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated.
As the Budget draws nearer how do frozen tax thresholds already impact people and how might that change on Wednesday?
Plus, if you've got significant savings in a UK bank or building society or credit union, the level of protection you’d have if one of them goes bust is to rise from £85k to £120k – how will that work?
Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner
Researcher: Eimear Devlin
Editor: Jess Quayle
Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast
12pm Saturday 22nd November 2025)
SAT 12:30 The Naked Week (m002mc5j)
Series 3
Immigration, Espionage, and a game of Guess Who? - Epstein Edition
Immigration, espionage, and a game of Guess Who? - Epstein Edition.
From host Andrew Hunter Murray and The Skewer's Jon Holmes comes Radio 4’s newest Friday night comedy The Naked Week, with a blend of the silly and serious. From satirical stunts to studio set pieces via guest correspondents and investigative journalism, it's a bold, audacious take not only on the week’s news, but also the way it’s packaged and presented.
Host: Andrew Hunter Murray
Guests: Larry Budd, Alan Dedicoat
Investigations Team: Cat Neilan, Cormac Kehoe, Freya Shaw
Written by:
Jon Holmes
Katie Sayer
Gareth Ceredig
Jason Hazeley
James Kettle
Additional Material:
Karl Minns
Sophie Dickson
Helen Brooks
Kevin Smith
Darren Phillips
Joe Topping
Cooper Mawhinny Sweryt
David Riffkin
Live Sound: Jerry Peal
Post Production: Tony Churnside
Clip Assistant: David Riffkin
Production Assistant: Molly Punshon
Assistant Producer: Katie Sayer
Producer and Director: Jon Holmes
Executive Producer: Phil Abrams.
An unusual production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 12:57 Weather (m002mmjh)
The latest weather forecast
SAT 13:00 News (m002mmjl)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m002mc5q)
Hilary Benn MP, Declan Kearney MLA, Peter Martin MLA, Allison Morris
Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Belfast Metropolitan College with the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP; Sinn Féin national chair, Declan Kearney MLA; the Democratic Unionist Party MLA, Peter Martin; and Belfast Telegraph columnist Allison Morris.
Producer: Paul Martin
Lead broadcast engineer: Davy Neill
SAT 14:05 Any Answers? (m002mmjn)
Jon Kay sits in as listeners respond to the issues raised in the preceding edition of Any Questions?
Producer: Lowri Morgan
Second Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse G Edwards
Executive Editor: Colin Paterson
SAT 14:45 The Archers (m002mc5l)
While driving back Lilian tells Tony how miffed she is that Justin had a better time than her this week. She slept through the only exciting things to happen! Though she did spot a frisson between Helen and Finlay, which Tony missed. Tony reckons transformed Leonie might leave James and Lilian promises to think about challenging him on his behaviour.
Kate and Phoebe are doting on baby Peggy before Lilian and Tony arrive. Justin has left them a voucher for afternoon tea at Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Lilian thinks it’s the perfect treat, following in Jack and Peggy’s footsteps from years ago. Brian’s apparently thrilled to share his birthday with the new arrival and Kate promises to behave while staying with Phoebe and Brodie for the next two weeks.
Henry is happy to see Helen, who flew back to Birmingham. Henry still thinks there’s something going on between Tom and Kirsty though. He threatens to tell Natasha, before Helen details the pain that Tom and Kirsty still feel over Wren and Henry agrees to try and give Tom a break.
After tea at the Ballroom Lilian challenges Tony over his suggestion that Peggy favoured her and Jenny. Lilian reckons she just held him to higher standards – not wanting him to end up like their dad, Tony reckons. Tony’s proud he made his own life, despite not feeling the love. Lilian then promises she’ll speak to James, before persuading Tony to join her in a waltz. They extol the virtues of family life, agreeing that there’s nothing more important.
SAT 15:00 Secrets and Lies (m002mmjq)
Scammer
Satinder Kaur Chohan's moving drama 'Scammer' about the ruthless world of scam call centres is part of BBC Radio 4 drama collection, Secrets and Lies.
Moving between a bustling scam call centre in Delhi, India and a house under the Heathrow flight path in British Asian suburbia, Scammer centres on the relationship between two women: Anju, an Indian scam call centre worker and Deesho, a lonely Indian elderly woman, unknowingly suffering the early stages of dementia. When Deesho mistakes Anju for her granddaughter Navi, an unexpected connection begins to form between them. But as pressure mounts on Anju to make more money, she is forced to make a difficult decision.
Scammer explores a surprising intergenerational connection in a disconnected modern world, in which secrets and lies are currency in deceitful global transactions.
DEESHO.....Shelley King
ANJU.....Payal Mistry
VASHU.....Gurjeet Singh
PAPPU.....Esh Alladi
Additional voices by members of the cast, Ben Hollands and Shemiza Rashid.
Written by Satinder Kaur Chohan
Directed by Nadia Molinari
Technical Production and Sound Design by Sharon Hughes
Production Co-ordinator Ben Hollands
Casting Manger Alex Curran
Additional Technical Production by Kelly Young, Elijah Waddington
A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m002mmjs)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Being fired, Boxer Francesca Hennessy, Women in Camps
Former US magazine editors-in-chief Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill were both ‘let go’ from their respective jobs. They felt blindsided, devastated and temporarily lost their identities - until, united, they learnt how to make a comeback. They joined Nuala McGovern to share their experiences as set out in their new book, All the Cool Girls Get Fired, about how they let go of the shame of ‘being fired’, a term they like to use, and how a career setback can become the best thing ever.
Suzanne Edwards is currently taking part in ground-breaking medical trials that involve her learning how to move her legs using neural implants. Suzanne has been a sportswoman for decades, both before and since a life-changing accident 14 years ago, and she explains to Anita Rani how this training has informed her approach to taking part in medical research.
Back in 1995 a call went out looking for women to take part in a landmark scientific study exploring the links between what we eat and our health. Thirty-five thousand middle-aged women signed up to be part of the UK Women’s Cohort Study. It went on to look at the impact our diet can have on our risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases, as well as other areas of women’s health from our bones to the menopause. Professor Janet Cade from the University of Leeds joined Nuala to discuss what it was like launching the study 30 years ago and some of its key takeaways for women.
The Independent Commission on UK Counterterrorism has just published its report after three years. A long and detailed report, it estimates there are up to 70 UK-linked individuals, mostly women and children—most under 10 years old—believed to still be in camps or other detention centres in Iraq and Syria. Professor of Religion, Gender and Global Security, Katherine Brown, is one of the 14 commissioners. She explains why the women and children remaining in these camps is "unsustainable" and why an organised programme of return, rehabilitation, and integration is, they believe, the best long-term option for managing the risk to public safety. They are joined by Frank Gardner, the BBC's Security Correspondent.
Francesca Hennessy is the 21-year-old shaking up women’s boxing. Nicknamed the 'Billion Dollar Baby', she’s unbeaten in her first six professional fights and will be fighting on the bill when boxing returns to BBC primetime TV, free-to-air on a Saturday night for the first time in 20 years later this month. She’ll face former world champion Fabiana Bytyqi, marking the biggest test of her career.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Dianne McGregor
SAT 17:00 PM (m002mmjv)
Full coverage of the day's news
SAT 17:30 Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (m002mmjx)
Shabana Mahmood: Racism, Asylum and Me
Why is the Home Secretary warning against leaving space for "darker forces"?
Shabana Mahmood sits down with Nick off the back of announcing sweeping changes to the asylum system in the UK.
Why did she decide to quote explicit racial abuse in the House of Commons? And how does she intend to avoid "ceding the territory of asylum to the far right"?
The Home Secretary reflects on how her Muslim faith plays a part in her job and sense of public service. And she reflects on the "humiliation" of the Downing Street briefing chaos.
Producer: Daniel Kraemer
Research: Chloe Desave
Sound: Ged Sudlow and Hal Haines
Editor: Jonathan Brunert
SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002mmjz)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SAT 17:57 Weather (m002mmk1)
The latest weather reports and forecast
SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mmk3)
World leaders say the US peace plan for Ukraine needs more work
Sir Keir Starmer has said there is "more to do" on Donald Trump's peace plan for Ukraine, after meetings with other world leaders at the G20 in Johannesburg. The Prime Minister and other allies have raised concerns about proposals to make Kyiv limit its armed forces, give up territory, and abandon its path to NATO membership. Mr Trump has said he expects a Ukrainian response to the proposals - which were drawn up after secret negotiations with Moscow - by Thursday. US, Ukrainian and European security officials are to meet to discuss the plans in Switzerland tomorrow.
SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m002mmk5)
Ben Fogle; Sarah Hall; Terry Deary; Stuart Maconie; Holly Brooke; Smith and Liddle
Loose Ends is cavorting among the snow-caps of Cumbria at the Kendal Mountain Festival this week. Chef d'Equipe Stuart Maconie reaches for the summit of chat with navigation from the adventurer and broadcaster Ben Fogle - celebrating twenty five years since he was Castaway on a remote Scottish island for the BBC reality TV show that he says is more relevant today than ever. The award-winning writer Sarah Hall provides forecasts as she describes the star of her new novel Helm - a personification of Britain's only named wind, the puckish, mercurial, destructive force of the Eden Valley she grew up on. Horrible Histories author Terry Deary confesses to being an inveterate townie, but keeps our spirits up with gruesome tales from his latest book Revolting, which asks what would make you fight the power and how would you do it? He cites the Suffragists and their daring idea to wrap themselves in brown paper and post themselves to Downing Street.
With music from rising Americana band Smith and Liddle who hail from the Northeast and Cumbrian singer-songwriter Holly Brooke.
Producer: Olive Clancy
Assistant producer: Samuel Nixon
Technical producers: Mark Ward and Liam Juniper
Production coordinator: Pete Liggins
SAT 19:00 Profile (m002mmcz)
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Marjorie Taylor Greene is a darling of MAGA. But this week a disagreement with Trump over the Epstein files has seen him brand her as a traitor.
Born in 1974 in the suburbs of Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene had a conventional upbringing. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Business Administration, and later owned her family’s construction business and a stake in a CrossFit gym.
But like so many Americans, Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was a turning point for Marjorie Taylor Greene. In 2020, the newly-styled ‘MTG’ ran for election in her home state, winning a seat to the House of Representatives. Soon she was a recognised name on the national stage, known for her provocative style and endorsement of conspiracy theories.
In the years since, MTG has aligned herself so closely with the president that some called her ‘Trump in heels’. But her campaigning for the release of the Epstein files has caused a rift between her and her one-time hero.
Stephen Smith spoke to Professor Gina Yannitel Reinhardt, senior POLITICO staff writer Michael Kruse, QAnon expert Gabriel Gatehouse, political scientist Andra Gillespie and Atlanta Journal Constitution columnist Patricia Murphy, about career, her life in politics and what this rift could mean for her future.
Production
Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producers: Sally Abrahams, Phoebe Keane, Mhairi MacKenzie
Editor: Justine Lang
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Archive
CNN interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene, 16 November 2025
Bloomberg News: Marjorie Taylor Green speech in the House of Representatives, 4 February 2021
‘Marjorie Taylor Greene Confronts David Hogg’, @marjorietaylorgreene6928, 21 January 2020
The Newsagents interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene, 6 March 2024
SAT 19:15 The Infinite Monkey Cage (m002kjvc)
Series 34
What’s the time? - Marcus Brigstocke, Leon Lobo, Louise Devoy
Robin Ince and Brian Cox wind up at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich – arguably the centre of time – to uncoil the mysteries of what time is and how on Earth (…and on moon) we keep track of it. Taking the time to join them are comedian Marcus Brigstocke, curator of the Royal Observatory Louise Devoy, and Head of the National Timing Centre Leon Lobo.
From ancient Egyptian knuckle counting to sun dials, quartz oscillators and atomic clocks, the panel turns back time to discover how we measured and kept it throughout history. Together, they dial into why Greenwich has become such an important place for time and how time is synchronised and sold across the globe. They explore the flaws and future of accurate astronomical and atomic timekeeping, and Marcus blames the ‘leap second’ for his fry-up failures.
Producer: Olivia Jani
Series Producer: Melanie Brown
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Production
SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m002mmk7)
Forbidden Britain: Brief Encounter Revisited
Nina Wadia presents a rich and emotionally resonant exploration of one of Britain’s most enduring love stories — David Lean’s 1945 classic, Brief Encounter.
Eighty years after its release, the film’s quiet heartbreak, moral restraint and unforgettable music still echo through British storytelling. But why does a tale of emotional repression and romantic sacrifice in a bygone era continue to resonate so deeply? And what does it say about how we deal with these conflicting emotions today?
Nina hears from Celia Johnson’s daughters — Kate Grimond and Lucy Fleming — who reflect on their mother’s iconic performance as Laura Jesson, and the personal cost of portraying such aching restraint. We hear from Margaret Barton, who played the young waitress Beryl, offering rare insight into the atmosphere on set and the film’s post-war reception. We also hear from Henrietta Vincent, Celia Johnson’s niece, who played Laura’s young daughter in the film.
Richard Curtis, writer of some of Britain’s most beloved romantic films — including Four Weddings, Love Actually and Notting Hill — reflects on Brief Encounter’s place in the national storytelling tradition, and why emotional restraint remains a defining trait in how British characters fall in love, hold back, and carry on. Screenwriter Ollie Lyttelton shares the challenges of getting his 2022 comedy Cheaters commissioned, revealing that even today, infidelity remains a difficult subject to tackle with humour.
The programme features archive from down the years, including reflections from Celia Johnson, Noël Coward and others. We also hear about the magnificent score, learn how the train was one of the film’s biggest stars and put Carnforth on the world map.
Nina explores how Brief Encounter shaped the way Britain tells stories about love, guilt and doing what we think is right. With personal reflections, rare archive, and a quietly provocative tone, this documentary invites listeners to revisit a classic — and to ask why its heartbreak still feels so familiar.
Other contributors include actors Lesley Joseph and David Benson (who played Noël Coward in the sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart) offering their own reflections on Coward’s legacy, the film’s emotional power, and the enduring tension between love and duty.
The programme also remembers the many parodies and tributes Brief Encounter has inspired — from Victoria Wood’s sketches to Alan Bennett’s The History Boys. Actors Samuel Barnett and Jamie Parker revisit their own Brief Encounter scene from the film, reflecting on its emotional weight and comic timing. Meanwhile, we hear how Celia Johnson’s letters referencing the film have been brought to life by her two daughters, offering a rare glimpse into the personal reflections behind a national treasure.
There’s also a nod to television drama and comedy that continued the theme of forbidden love — including Carla Lane’s sitcom Butterflies, which brought emotional restraint and romantic yearning into suburban kitchens in the 1970s. Writer Simon Nye reflects on how he even drew on Brief Encounter in an episode of Men Behaving Badly in the 1990s. And Nina remembers starring in a Brief Encounter parody in Goodness Gracious Me.
Often listed as a fans’ favourite romantic film, Professor Thomas Dixon — the so-called “Professor of Emotions” and author of Weeping Britannia - considers how cinema goers of the day connected with Brief Encounter.
Producer: Ashley Byrne
A Made in Manchester production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 21:00 Moral Maze (m002m9m8)
How much should we consider the role of moral luck?
The Channel 4 documentary, ‘Hitler's DNA: Blueprint of a Dictator’ has carried out a controversial genetic analysis of the Nazi leader. The test shows "very high" scores - in the top 1% - for a predisposition to autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This not a diagnosis, however, and there have been concerns about whether such speculation stigmatises these conditions.
While we shouldn’t seek to explain a person’s moral character and actions simply through genetics, there are many other aspects of our lives we can’t control, and which can nevertheless influence our behaviour and the judgements of others. These, include our upbringing and the circumstances we happen to be placed in (war, oppression, abuse) as well as the outcome of our actions (e.g. whether someone happens get away drink-driving, or not). If this is all a question of moral luck, how much should it be taken into consideration in our judgments of others? And where does that leave human agency, responsibility and culpability?
One view is that moral blame should be based solely on someone’s intentions and the choices they make. Moral responsibility, it’s argued, rests on rational will, and unlucky life chances should not excuse bad or criminal behaviour. However, in the criminal justice system, mitigating circumstances, while not excusing bad behaviour, are presented to reduce the severity of a person's culpability.
How do we untangle what is in someone’s control, and what is a matter of luck, when it comes to the combinations of nature and nurture that make up the people we are? If we focus too much the things we can’t control, would we ever be able to make any moral judgments at all? Or should we think more about the presence of moral luck in our everyday lives and work harder to understand rather than blame?
Chair: Michael Buerk
Panel: Matthew Taylor, Sonia Sodha, Jonathan Sumption and Inaya, Folarin-Iman.
Witnesses: Kirsty Brimelow, Peter Bleksley, Susan Blackmore and David Enoch.
Producer: Dan Tierney
SAT 22:00 News (m002mmk9)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SAT 22:15 The Food Programme (m002mc4r)
And the Winner Is... The BBC Food And Farming Awards 2025
The judges have reached their verdicts so who has won the coveted Food Programme chopping boards in 2025's BBC Food and Farming Awards? Sheila Dillon and chair of the judges Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall meet some of the best food and drink producers in the country at this week's ceremony in Bristol.
Produced by Robin Markwell of BBC Audio in Bristol.
SAT 23:00 Time Of The Week (m0020hyr)
Series 1
1. Breastfeeding, Country Music, Forearms
Host Chloe Slack scrutinises the new breastfeeding law, celebrates 50 years of country music legend Stella Tarmac and meets the first woman to fit her whole forearm in her mouthy. Also, who feels the cold more - men or women?
Sian Clifford stars as self-important journalist Chloe Slack in this comedy series parodying women’s current affairs and talk shows, surrounded by an ensemble cast of character comedians.
Chloe Slack - Sian Clifford
Ensemble cast:
Ada Player
Alice Cockayne
Aruhan Galieva
Em Prendergast
Jodie Mitchell
Jonathan Oldfield
Lorna Rose Treen
Mofé Akàndé
Sara Segovia
Additional voices: Etta Treen, Beatrice Walker
Created by Lorna Rose Treen and Jonathan Oldfield
Writing team:
Alice Cockayne
Catherine Brinkworth
Jodie Mitchell
Jonathan Oldfield
Lorna Rose Treen
Priya Hall
Will Hughes
Script Editor - Catherine Brinkworth
Photographer - Will Hearle
Production Coordinator - Katie Sayer
Producer - Ben Walker
A DLT Entertainment production for BBC Radio 4
SAT 23:30 Punt & Dennis: Route Masters (m0023zj5)
Series 1: From Beer to Eternity
4 - From the Ring-Tailed Lemur to Watford Gap Services
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are on a mission to get from the Ring Tailed Lemur to Watford Gap services in the most entertaining way possible with the help of Ken Cheng, in a warm and witty podcast that celebrates new and half remembered trivia as they try to find unlikely links between random places, people and things.
Could you make your way from The Starship Enterprise to the Air Fryer, armed only with A Level Economics and a Geography degree? Hugh Dennis is going to have to. While Steve Punt will have to pick his way across Africa, to find what links Machiavelli and Madagascar. Across the series, they’ll be joined by guests including Ken Cheng, Kiri Pritchard McLean, Isy Suttie and Marcus Brigstocke, on a scenic route which takes in Shampoo, The Gruffalo, Watford Gap Services and Yoghurt.
Written and hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
With Ken Cheng
Produced by Victoria Lloyd
Recorded at Maple St Creative
Mixed by Jonathan Last
A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4
SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2025
SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m002mmkc)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SUN 00:15 Take Four Books (m002m96r)
Olga Ravn
Award-winning Danish author Olga Ravn speaks to Take Four Books about her new novel The Wax Child and together with presenter James Crawford they explore its connections to three other texts. The Wax Child, translated by Martin Aitken, takes readers to 17th century Denmark, fictionalising the true story of a group of women in the town of Aalborg who were put on trial for witchcraft.
For her three influences Olga chose: Ernesto Martino’s Magic – A Theory From The South from 1959; M. R. James’s Martin’s Close from More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary from 1911; and Janet Frame’s Faces In The Water, published in 1961.
Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mmkf)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mmkh)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
SUN 05:30 News Summary (m002mmkk)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SUN 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mmkm)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m002mmfg)
The church of St Mary Magdalene Bildeston in Suffolk
Bells on Sunday comes from the church of St Mary Magdalene Bildeston in Suffolk. Dating from the 15th and 16th centuries the church is mostly constructed of flint and rubble with stone dressings. In 1975 during renovations the west tower collapsed. Fortunately, the bells had been temporarily removed and were reinstalled in a new wooden tower structure. There are six bells, two of which date from the 15th century. The Tenor bell weighs fourteen hundredweight and is tuned to the note of E. We hear them ringing Cambridge Surprise Minor
SUN 05:45 In Touch (m002mbnd)
Screen Readers
When it comes to finding the right screen reader to suit your needs, how do you decide which one to go for? It will depend on your budget, your requirements and familiarity. Earlier in the year, the company behind the leading screen reader made some changes to their pricing structures and another company within the market decided to respond to that with a limited-time discount. In Touch hears about this and provides information on what other options are available for the various computer operating systems.
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.
SUN 06:00 News Summary (m002mmb9)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4
SUN 06:05 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vps)
Finding my true self through Druidry
When Mhara was a teenager, she often felt lost and out of place. But discovering books about witchcraft and Druidry opened a door to another world, one filled with stories of transformation, enchantment, and connection to nature. Those ideas would stay with her for years.
As an adult, Mhara began to explore her identity as a queer, transgender woman and returned to the spiritual path that had first offered her hope. She discovered a thriving Druid community right on her doorstep in Anglesey, Wales - one of the last strongholds of Druidry after the Roman invasion and still considered sacred land today.
Presenter Mora Morrison joins Mhara on the island, visiting sacred rivers, ancient burial sites, and the headquarters of the Anglesey Druid Order. There, Mora meets Mhara’s mentor and friend Kristoffer Hughes, who has led the Order for 25 years.
Presenter / producer: Mora Morrison
Series Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
(Photo: Mhara Starling, a Welsh witch and Druid. Credit: Kat Arnold Photography)
SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (m002mmbf)
Prison Farm
East Sutton Park Prison in Kent has its own farm with pigs, cattle and sheep. The women there learn how to look after livestock, drive tractors and run a farm. They supply prison kitchens with the food they produce and learn skills that help them find work when they leave jail.
Charlotte Smith meets staff and inmates who run the farm and butchery at Sutton Valence in Kent.
Produced by Rebecca Rooney.
SUN 06:57 Weather (m002mmbk)
The latest weather reports and forecast
SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m002mmbp)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
SUN 07:10 Sunday (m002mmbt)
RE in Northern Ireland is unlawful; Pope and Cinema; Nation’s Favourite School Hymn
The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Northern Ireland's Christian-focused RE curriculum is unlawful. Since then, churches, politicians and schools there have been trying to make sense of the possible implications of that ruling, both for RE teaching and for the place of religion in schools more generally.
Pope Leo has revealed his top four favourite films ahead of an event in the Vatican where he welcomed some Hollywood A-Listers: including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen and Monica Bellucci. Alissa Wilkinson, film critic at the New York Times, explores the Pope's passion for cinema.
The UK's favourite school assembly hymn will be revealed today, as the winner of a public poll is announced on Songs of Praise, as part of The Big School Assembly Singalong. We speak to Becky Silver, songwriter of contemporary songs for schools and a former teacher, about the role of hymns in schools.
Presenter: William Crawley.
Producers: Katy Davies and Bara'atu Ibrahim.
SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Appeal (m002mmby)
Village Water Limited
Garden historian and presenter of Gardener's World, Advolly Richmond, makes the BBC Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the charity Village Water.
The Radio 4 Appeal features a new charity every week.
Each appeal then runs on Radio 4 from Sunday 0755 for 7 days.
To Give:
- Freephone 0800 404 8144
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. (That’s the whole address. Please do not write anything else on the front of the envelope). Mark the back of the envelope ‘Village Water'.
- Cheques should be made payable to ‘Village Water’.
- You can donate online at bbc.co.uk/appeal/radio4
- Please ensure you are donating to the correct charity by checking the name of the charity on the donate page.
Registered Charity Number in England & Wales 1117377 and Scotland SC044129. If you’d like to find out more about the charity’s work visit *https://villagewater.org/
*The BBC is not responsible for content on external websites
SUN 07:57 Weather (m002mmc2)
The latest weather reports and forecast
SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m002mmc6)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.
SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m002mmcb)
Sing the Praise of Christ the King!
Todays Sunday worship is led by Fr Marc Pitson and comes from St Joseph’s Catholic Church in central Bradford on the Feast of Christ the King, which Catholic dioceses also celebrate as an annual ‘Youth Day’. This year it’s a triple celebration, as during this Holy ‘Year of Hope’ throughout the Catholic Church, this weekend also marks the Jubilee of Choirs. The music is from the young people of our Bradford Catholic Youth Choir directed by Craig Perkinton and Adam Whitmore.
The organist is Benjamin Newlove.
‘Crown him with Many Crowns’
(CHOIR) Kyrie chant
GOSPEL READING (Luke
23:35-43)
(CHOIR) Psalm 122 (121)
READING: (Colossians
1:12-20)
Jubilee Hymn
(CHOIR) Motet - Let all the world in every corner sing, Vaughan Williams
(CHOIR) Motet - Christus vincit, arr. Martin Baker
Hail, Redeemer, King Divine
Producer Carmel Lonergan
SUN 08:48 Witness History (w3ct74k6)
The Spanish king reclaims his throne
In 1975, the death of General Francisco Franco was announced in Spain, bringing to an end 36 years of dictatorship.
Franco had already chosen his successor: Prince Juan Carlos, grandson of the last monarch, Alphonso XIII. This was the man who - Franco thought - would continue his authoritarian, anti-democratic and deeply conservative regime.
But Juan Carlos defied expectations. In the years that followed, he would lead Spain from a dictatorship to a democracy until, in 1977, the country held its first free elections for 41 years.
Jane Wilkinson tells the story using excerpts from the 1981 BBC and TVE documentary, Juan Carlos: King of Spain. This episode was made in collaboration with BBC Archives.
Eye-witness 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 the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: King Juan Carlos on his proclamation day as king. Credit: Jacques Pavlovsky/Sygma via Getty Images)
SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (m002mmcg)
Mike Dilger on the Long-tailed Duck
The long-tailed duck is a winter visitor to the north of Britain, travelling from its breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle to overwinter at a few special sites, such as Scotland's Moray Coast, where they can be found between November and April.
Male long-tailed have black and white plumage, dusky cheek patches and trademark long, black tail plumes. Female long-tailed ducks tend to have browner plumage. These diving ducks mainly eat shellfish and small fish, and are known for their yodelling calls.
Ecologist and TV presenter Mike Dilger is a big fan of these 'dapper' creatures, and remembers seeing them on a filming trip to Canada's High Arctic, where they were nesting on the high tundra.
Presented by Mike Dilger and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol Production.
SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m002mmcl)
Ukraine 'peace plan' discussed
Key players fly to Geneva to discuss President Trump's plan to end the war in Ukraine. We speak to a woman born in Kherson and a current resident of the city on the front line. Plus: Chris McCausland on the technological breakthroughs improving the lives of blind people.
SUN 10:00 Desert Island Discs (m002mmcq)
Sir Salman Rushdie, writer
Sir Salman Rushdie is a writer who has written over 20 books, seven of which have been nominated for the Booker Prize. In 1981 he won with his novel Midnight’s Children which also topped the polls for the 25th and 40th anniversaries of the prize, making it the most lauded novel in Booker history.
He was born in Bombay in 1947 and educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire. After studying history at the University of Cambridge he worked as a copywriter at various advertising agencies before publishing his first novel Grimus in 1975. His breakthrough came with Midnight’s Children and he was one of 20 writers named on Granta magazine’s inaugural list of Best Young British novelists alongside writers including Martin Amis and AN Wilson.
He attracted considerable controversy with his fourth novel the Satanic Verses which won the Whitbread Award and was shortlisted for the Booker. Some Muslims considered the subject matter blasphemous and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of Salman and the publishers of the book. Salman spent the following decade in hiding under police protection.
In 2022 he was stabbed multiple times while on stage at the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. He had been invited there to talk about keeping writers safe from harm. He survived devasting injuries – including the loss of his right eye – and wrote about the attack and its aftermath in his memoir Knife.
That same year he was awarded a Companion of Honour for services to literature.
Salman is married to the poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths and they live in New York. He has two grown up sons and two grandchildren.
DISC ONE: Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
DISC TWO: Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan - Mohammed Rafi and Geeta Dutt
DISC THREE: Blowin’ in the Wind - Bob Dylan
DISC FOUR: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
DISC FIVE: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston
DISC SIX: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon
DISC SEVEN: Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
DISC EIGHT: For the Love of You, Pts. 1 & 2 - The Isley Brothers
BOOK CHOICE: Homer’s Odyssey (Translated by Emily Wilson)
LUXURY ITEM: A bed with a mosquito net
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: For the Love of You, Pts. 1 & 2 - The Isley Brothers
Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley
SUN 11:00 The Archers Omnibus (m002mmcv)
CAST AND CREW
Writer: Liz John
Director: Rosemary Watts
Editor: Jeremy Howe
Helen Archer … Louiza Patikas
Henry Archer … Blayke Darby
Natasha Archer … Mali Harries
Tony Archer … David Troughton
Tom Archer … William Troughton
Lilian Bellamy ... Sunny Ormonde
Alice Carter … Hollie Chapman
Justin Elliott … Simon Williams
Jakob Hakansson … Paul Venables
Kate Madikane … Perdita Avery
Kirsty Miller … Annabelle Dowler
Leonie Snell … Jasmine Hyde
Phoebe Aldridge … Lucy Morris
Finlay … Mark Bonnar
SUN 12:15 Profile (m002mmcz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
SUN 12:30 I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (m002md22)
Series 84
2. Traffic Jam or Bedroom
The godfather of all panel shows returns to the Mayflower in Southampton. On the panel are Adrian Edmondson, Rachel Parris, Miles Jupp and Marcus Brigstocke, with Jack Dee in the umpire’s chair. Regular listeners will know to expect inspired nonsense, pointless revelry and Colin Sell at the piano.
Producer: Jon Naismith
A Random production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 12:57 Weather (m002mmd3)
The latest weather forecast
SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m002mmd7)
Western splits over Ukraine peace plan
Diplomats gather in Geneva over President Trump's 28 point peace plan. We discuss its implications with: former Ukraine PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk, President Trump's former deputy national security advisor KT McFarland, Bronwen Maddox from Chatham House and Ian Bremmer from the Eurasia Group.
SUN 13:30 Currently (m002l22x)
If at First You Don’t Secede
A lot has happened since the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
The Conservatives have been deposed at Westminster. Labour — the political force that once dominated Scottish politics — is back in power. Reform is eating into both parties' votes.
The SNP has been in government in Scotland for 18 years and is expected to win next year’s Holyrood election. But the last decade has been a trying one for the party.
How has Scotland's appetite for independence changed over the years? And if nothing's changed significantly in the polls why then is independence central to the SNP's electoral campaign strategy for the 2026 Holyrood election?
SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m002mc56)
Chirk: Pickled Onions, Tall Perennials and Picky Pests
Why are my herbaceous perennials growing so tall? What is the best type of onions to grow for pickling? Why do pests prefer my burgundy blooms over the rest?
Kathy Clugston and an esteemed panel of gardening experts are in Wrexham to answer the questions of a green fingered audience.
Joining Kathy on the panel are garden designers, botanists and alotmenteers Marcus Chilton-Jones, Bethan Collerton and James Wong.
Bethan Collerton visits Wales in Bloom winners Nichola Ellis and Craig Youens for some insight on how they’ve achieved such an accolade on behalf of Wrexham.
Senior Producer: Dan Cocker
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 14:45 Opening Lines (m001jbxh)
The Bronze Horseman
John Yorke explores the way the celebrated 19th century writer Alexander Pushkin’s 400-line narrative poem, The Bronze Horseman, gives us an astonishing image of the unequal relationship between ruler and ruled.
This ground breaking poem, which is one of the great landmarks of Russian literature, shows us how the empire building passion of one ruler, the tsar Peter the Great, with his grand design to create the city of St Petersburg in spite of its situation on marshy and inhospitable land, can be seen to lead to tragic consequences for one particular individual, a hundred years later.
We learn how the story becomes mythic when this man, a lowly clerk, descends into madness after losing his beloved to the flood that descends on the city, and then confronts the statue of the tsar. The statue then comes to life and chases the clerk to his death.
Pushkin’s poem changed literature and narrative forever by introducing the idea of this ‘little man’ who embodies us all, and who Is single handedly taking on the legacy of history.
It's also clear to see that the poem speaks to us as forcefully now as it did to its contemporary readers.
John Yorke has worked in television and radio for nearly thirty years, and shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact behind the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in BBC Radio 4’s Sunday/Saturday Drama Series. From EastEnders to the Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless, he has been obsessed with telling big popular stories. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe and has brought together his experience in his bestselling book Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama. As founder of the hugely successful BBC Writers Academy, John has trained a generation of screenwriters - his students have had 17 green lights in the last two years alone.
Contributors:
Masha Karp, translator, author and broadcaster.
Alexandra Smith, reader in Russian studies, University of Edinburgh
Andrew Kahn, professor of Russian literature, St Edmund Hall, the University of Oxford.
Credits:
A Poet’s Library – Biblioteka Poeta (Set of 3 Volumes)
Alexander Pushkin Poems – Volume 2 (Leningrad: Sovetsky Pisatel 1954)
Selected Poetry by Alexander Pushkin, Translated by Antony Wood, Penguin Classics, 2020
Producer: Penny Boreham
Executive Producer: Sara Davies
Researcher: Nina Semple
Sound: Iain Hunter from Iain Hunter Sound Design.
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
SUN 15:00 Drama on 4 (m001jbxk)
The Bronze Horseman
The Bronze Horseman is one of the most important and influential poems of world literature, a 19th Century Russian masterpiece. The central theme of this great poem - the conflict between state power and the individual - is as urgent and resonant as ever today.
Poet Michael Symmons Roberts has brought The Bronze Horseman to life in a fresh new translation. The linking narrative explores Pushkin's own parallel struggles with state power as his wife - amid rumours of infidelity - gets drawn further and further into Tsar Nicholas's social circle and the poet, suspected of sedition, finds his epic,The Bronze Horseman, censored and ultimately banned from publication.
Pushkin's symbolic evocation of the battle between Tsar and citizen, the powerless and the powerful, has real currency for now. In its interweaving of his great poem with the drama and politics of his own life in the 1830s, this play raises questions about power, class, nationalism, racism and identity. Both narratives - the story of the poem and the story of its censorship - speak to urgent contemporary debates about the conflict between state power and individual freedom.
Pushkin's poem on the page is vibrant, furious and alive with the sound of the city; the rush of the river Neva rising; waves, floods, torrential rain, water gushing into cellars as citizens run or swim, struggling to escape the rising waters; boats picked up by the storm and smashed into houses; bridges breached and shattered, and the iconic, macabre chase, when the bronze statue of Peter the Great comes to life, clattering and baying through the streets of St Petersburg in pursuit of the desperate outcast Yevgeny.
Pushkin - Max Irons
Sergey/ Evgeny - Tachia Newall
Anna - Deborah McAndrew
Parasha - Verity-May Henry
BBC North production directed by Susan Roberts
SUN 16:00 Take Four Books (m002mmdc)
Karl Ove Knausgaard
Karl Ove Knausgaard speaks to Take Four Books about his new novel The School Of Night and together with presenter James Crawford they explore its connections to three other texts. The School of Night follows the character of Kristian Hadeland, a young photography student who's seething with ambition and contempt. Newly arrived in London, Kristian feels that his own family back in Norway don't understand him, and his fellow students bore him, but he knows he's destined for greater things.
Karl Ove's three choices were: Dr Faustus by Thomas Mann published in 1947; a non-fiction book examining the murder of the playwright Christopher Marlowe in 1593 called The Reckoning by Charles Nicholl published in l992; and a book of memoir entitled 'Bunnyman' by the Echo & the Bunnymen guitarist, Will Sergeant.
Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
SUN 16:30 Punt & Dennis: Route Masters (m0023zj7)
Series 1: From Beer to Eternity
5 - From Elton John to the Air Fryer
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are on a mission to get from Elton John to the air fryer in the most entertaining way possible, in a warm and witty podcast that celebrates new and half-remembered trivia as they try to find unlikely links between random places, people and things.
Could you make your way from The Starship Enterprise to the air fryer, armed only with A Level Economics and a Geography degree? Hugh Dennis is going to have to. While Steve Punt will have to pick his way across Africa, to find what links Machiavelli and Madagascar. Across the series, they’ll be joined by guests including Ken Cheng, Kiri Pritchard McLean, Isy Suttie and Marcus Brigstocke, on a scenic route which takes in Shampoo, The Gruffalo, Watford Gap Services and Yoghurt.
Written and hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
With Kiri Pritchard-McLean
Produced by Victoria Lloyd
Recorded at Maple St Creative
Mixed by Jonathan Last
A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 17:00 Witness History (w3ct74ms)
The Czech Freedom Train
On 11 September 1951, the
9.55am train from Prague to Aš, in Communist Czechoslovakia was hijacked and driven to freedom in West Germany.
One hundred and eleven people were on board and 34 of them never returned, starting new lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
The remaining 77 returned to Czechoslovakia to face state security, the Státní bezpečnost, and many were jailed.
Rachel Naylor uses an archive interview with Karel Ruml, one of the hijackers, who went on to move to the United States.
Eye-witness 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: A steam train in Czechoslovakia in 1960. Credit: Alamy)
SUN 17:10 Three Ages of Child (m002k384)
Episode 1: The Early Years
Dr Guddi Singh is a paediatrician looking for answers. She’s worried about the patients whose problems can’t be fixed with a prescription – babies who are not thriving because their parents can’t afford to heat their home or children who are obese because they don’t have access to outdoor space. Children in the UK face some of the worst health outcomes in Europe. Dr Singh wants to find solutions.
In a three-part series, she travels across England through the three ages of childhood: the early years, the primary school years and adolescence. She meets people in the community, from health workers to teachers, on a quest to discover what’s going wrong and what it will take to turn things around.
In the first episode, she visits Hartlepool in north-east England, where she grew up, to explore the early years of childhood. It’s one of the most deprived parts of the country. She meets people on the frontline in the voluntary sector and public health, visits a school that is providing social support to families and finds out from parents what’s needed to survive and nurture their children.
Presenter: Guddi Singh
Producer: Jo Glanville
Editor: Kirsten Lass
Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones
Production Executive: Lisa Lipman
Sound Engineers: Dan King and Jon Calver
Photography of Guddi Singh courtesy of Anad Singh
Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002mmdk)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
SUN 17:57 Weather (m002mmdp)
The latest weather reports and forecast
SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mmdt)
Negotiators say there has been progress on US peace plan to end war in Ukraine
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has told reporters in Switzerland that talks about US proposals to end the war in Ukraine have been "very meaningful" - calling it the "best day" for the peace process since President Trump returned to office. American, European and Ukrainian officials have been meeting to go over the plans, which have been criticised as being favourable to Russia. Earlier, Mr Trump posted a message on social media, accusing Ukraine of showing "zero gratitude" for Washington's attempts to end the conflict.
SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m002mmdy)
Jon Kay
Jon's been chasing his tail listening to audio on BBC Sounds, surrounded by the sound of scuttling rodents and scratchy cats. We'll journey with him from a damaged sofa to outer space and from a cave deep underground to a marathon challenge through the north Yorkshire Moors. And if that exhausts you, Matt Edmonds can help lull you to sleep as he explores the world of lullabies.
Presenter: Jon Kay
Producer: Anthony McKee
Production Coordinators: Caoilfhinn McFadden and Caroline Peddle
A BBC Audio Northern Ireland production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 19:00 The Archers (m002mmf2)
Leonard is still being spiky with Ruth about perceived insinuations of infirmity due to his age, and when Ruth probes about his mystery rendezvous at the Farm Supplies café she gets nowhere. Leonard has been making Christmas puddings for Stir-up Sunday, under Jill’s supervision, admitting he loves it despite never baking much before. He tells Ruth he’s nipping out again, but when he returns later Ruth waylays him in the yard and puts it to him that she thinks he might be seeing someone else. Leonard reacts badly to the idea he’s having an affair behind Jill’s back. Jill knows all about him meeting up with Connie - and other women too – and is perfectly happy about it, because they have an open relationship.
Amber is uneasy about George emailing wedding venues and wanting to go to a wedding fayre. He’s sure her parents will come round to them getting married soon enough, but Amber disagrees, fearing the rest of her family won’t come either if they organise it against her parents’ wishes. Besides, Amber thinks they should wait until George is working and they can get some money together. George goes fishing with Brad, but is fractious, admitting something doesn’t feel right with Amber. He thinks she may be going off him. Brad assures George that Amber’s mad about him, but then goes to see Amber while George is out, telling her he’s worried about her, because of what George said. Amber insists she’s fine and that it’s none of Brad’s business what goes on between her and George.
SUN 19:15 Illuminated (m002mmf4)
Hearing Aids
Like so many people at a similar time of life, the poet Paul Farley is facing up to the fact that he might need hearing aids. His wife has been asking him to turn down the volume on the telly for years, and has given up shouting downstairs for him because he never hears.
Out in cafes and pubs, Paul can no longer really follow what people are saying to him, and so he often turns down invitations knowing he can’t turn up the volume. Even worse, for Paul at least, is the fact he can no longer hear the high frequencies of his beloved birdsong.
Now, though, all that could change as he heads for a test at his local opticians to get his own NHS hearing aids fitted. He also speaks with Gabrielle Saunders, Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester, about the past and future of hearing aids, and also the truth about the supposed connection between dementia and hearing loss.
Paul also visits the near total silence of Salford University’s anechoic chamber so that he can hear himself think properly - and looks forward to a time when he might once again be able to listen to the birds.
Presented by Paul Farley
Produced by Geoff Bird
Executive Producers: Eloise Whitmore and Jo Meek
A Naked production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 19:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m000zt7d)
Change Your Mealtimes
Can’t face cutting down on your favourite foods? In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Emily Manoogian from the Salk Institute in California to find out how simply changing when you eat - not what you eat - could help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure and cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes. They reveal what exactly happens when your eating times work against your body’s internal rhythms, and why eating late at night can stop you from going to sleep.
SUN 20:00 Feedback (m002mby6)
Father Figuring, BBC Radio Scotland Cuts, and a Bruce Springsteen VoxBox
There's been a raft of programming out on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live over the past week about fatherhood. Feedback's heard from listeners to one particular series on Radio 4 - Father Figuring, presented by comedian Darren Harriott. In the series, Darren attempts to untangle his feelings about his complicated relationship with his own dad, and work out what makes a good father today. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments to him.
BBC Radio Scotland has seen some big changes in the past week, as the current late night music programming is set to be changed. Veteran presenters Iain Anderson and Billy Sloan are among those seeing their shows wound down, in a move that has caused backlash among some listeners. Brian Ferguson, The Herald's Arts Correspondent, and Norman Paterson, whose music career was changed by an appearance on Iain Anderson's show, weigh in with their thoughts.
And from one music legend to another - a new series of Legend is out on BBC Sounds, and this run is all about Bruce Springsteen. Listeners Christopher and Victoria enter our Feedback VoxBox to discuss whether the series left them blinded by the light, or if compared to other BBC podcasts, they felt it was tougher than the rest...
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4
SUN 20:30 Last Word (m002mc5b)
Baroness Newlove, Zoe Wicomb, Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC, Professor Roland Paxton
Matthew Bannister on:
Baroness Newlove, who turned a tragic event in her own life into a powerful campaign for victims’ rights.
Zoe Wicomb, the South Africa-born author whose novels are set against the backdrop of the apartheid regime.
Sir Geoffrey Bindman, the lawyer who helped to shape equality legislation, represented Labour politicians and fought many human rights cases.
Roland Paxton, the civil engineer who campaigned to preserve the Forth Bridge and other fine examples of historic engineering.
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Colin Paterson
Archive used:
Helen Newlove, Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 22/07/2018; Helen Newlove, Baroness Newlove speech , House of Lords, 15/07/2010; Art Work by Zoe Wicomb, Reader, Janice Acquah , Commonwealth Stories, BBC Radio 3, 11/03/2014; Zoe Wicomb, The Book Café, BBC Radio Scotland, 14/03/2011; Zoe Wicomb, My Life in Five Books, Series 2 BBC Radio 4 Extra, 21/03/2015; Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC - Legal Seminar Preserving the Rule of Law, Uploaded to YouTube 20/05/2013; Sir Geoffrey Bindman interview, Phil Williams: Race Relations special, BBC Radio 5 Live, 07/12/2015; Hardtalk: Geoffrey Bindman, BBC News, 01/06/2000; Law Lords Ruling on Pinochet ruling, BBC News, 25/11/1998; Britain’s Lost Routes, Highland Cattle Droves, BBC One, 14/06/2012; Roland Paxton interview, Good Morning Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland, 01/02/2011; Union Chain Bridge news item, Reporting Scotland, BBC Scotland, 17/04/2023.
SUN 21:00 Money Box (m002mmf6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:04 on Saturday]
SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Appeal (m002mmby)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:54 today]
SUN 21:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002mmf8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:30 on Saturday]
SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m002mmfb)
Nick Eardley looks ahead to the Budget
Radio 4's Sunday night political discussion programme.
SUN 23:00 In Our Time (m000qmnj)
Eclipses
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting In Our Time, five well-known fans of the programme have chosen their favourite episodes. Guy Garvey, lyricist and lead singer of the band Elbow, has selected the episode on eclipses, first broadcast in December 2020. Solar eclipses are some of life’s most extraordinary moments, when day becomes night and the stars come out before day returns either all too soon or not soon enough, depending on what you understand to be happening. In ancient China, for example, there was a story that a dragon was eating the sun and it had to be scared away by banging pots and pans if the sun were to return. Total lunar eclipses are more frequent and last longer, with a blood moon coloured red like a sunrise or sunset. Both events have created the chance for scientists to learn something remarkable, from the speed of light, to the width of the Atlantic, to the roundness of the Earth, to discovering helium and proving Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.
With
Carolin Crawford
Public Astronomer based at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge and a fellow of Emmanuel College
Frank Close
Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford
And
Lucie Green
Professor of Physics and a Royal Society University Research Fellow at Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London
Producers: Simon Tillotson and Julia Johnson
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the people, ideas, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.
In Our Time is a BBC Studios production
SUN 23:45 Short Works (m002mc58)
Red Sky in the Morning
In Chris McQueer’s new short story, the creators of ‘The Computer’ are saying climate change has been reversed - but there’s a catch... As the familiar slips away, a daughter and her father grapple with memories, silence, and something unspoken. A quiet, unsettling tale of transformation—where grief lingers, and nothing is quite as it was.
Written by Chris McQueer
Read by Anna Russell-Martin
Produced by Ellie Marsh
Chris McQueer is an award-winning short story writer, he has published two collections, Hings for which he won the Saboteur Award in 2018 and HWFG, both published by 404 Ink. His debut novel, Hermit, is out now.
MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2025
MON 00:00 Midnight News (m002mmfd)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
MON 00:15 Wokewash (m001vsjq)
Femvertizing
Be it shoe polish, hair curlers or a perfumed douche, brands hail their products as promoting girl power, body positivity and gender equality. Fashion names emblazon T shirts with positive feminist messages, shower gel bottles celebrate all shapes of women, even Monopoly has as Ms version addressing the gender pay gap.
Are companies just jumping on the feminist bandwagon or are they real social justice warriors?
Heydon discusses FKA Twigg’s bottom and the need for repentance with author Ella Whelan. And marketing expert Katie Martell explains faux femvertizing and which ads make her drop her panties.
He hears how fake suffragettes helped flog cigarettes from advertising guru Jean Kilbourne, and comedian Josie Long uncovers ads where women are reduced to a pair of breasts.
Tech journalist Sage Lazzaro tells how Feminist Apparel staff’s revolt backfired, China Labour Watch’s Li Qiang talks factory supply chains, and amongst the bubbles at Lush, Hilary Jones explains how they supported the Spy Cops and why there are no oompa loompa their factories.
Producer: Sarah Bowen
Assistant Producer: Olivia Sopel
MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m002mmfg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:43 on Sunday]
MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mmfj)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mmfl)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
MON 05:00 News Summary (m002mmfn)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
MON 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002mmfq)
News, views and features on yesterday's stories in Parliament
MON 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mmfs)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mmfv)
The Start of a New Day
Good Morning
‘Modeh Ani lefanecha’, ‘I give thanks before you’, is the morning prayer many Jews recite on wakening. It is very simple and often the first one Jewish children learn, myself included. For a girl, it begins Modah Ani. For some of us though, mornings can be tough, Mondays in particular. If you are going through a bad patch and feeling stress, the dawn of yet another working week can be a real low point. Our reactions on waking can be those of bracing ourselves for unexpected challenges, not giving thanks!
In translation the prayer reads: I give thanks before You, eternal and living King, who returns my soul to me with mercy. Great is Your faithfulness. The ancients believed that in sleep, the soul returned to God and only rejoined the body on waking. I used to find it hard to relate to this concept. It took time to understand, that however low you are feeling, each day is a new opportunity as well as a challenge; one in which you can make a difference to someone, no matter how you feel. You were re-made for this day and this day was re-made just for you.
The last line of the prayer, in Hebrew, ‘rabbah emunatecha’ is from the saddest book in the Bible; Eicha – Lamentations. In translation the whole phrase goes: ‘They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness’. It reminds us that even among the bleakest suffering and despair, God promises us support.
Lord, thank you for the opportunities this new day and new week brings. Give us the strength to grasp them and to use them for good.
Amen
MON 05:45 Farming Today (m002mmfx)
24/11/25: Dairy rollercoaster, English farm business incomes, Isle of Man vets
The latest Farm Business Income Survey from DEFRA shows average dairy farm incomes for 2024/25 had doubled year on year. The reality at this moment may feel very different on farms as the milk price rollercoaster is starting to rattle downwards, with some global dairy commodities tumbling. The Chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, Robert Craig, tells Charlotte Smith that the industry is becoming used to a cycle of rise and fall in milk prices but that ultimately there will be fewer people left in the industry at the end of this downturn.
We also dig deeper into what that Farm Business Income survey shows for other types of farming in England. Below the encouraging signs on the surface, for most sectors, incomes were buoyed up by diversification and agri-environment schemes in the last financial year.
And farmers on the Isle of Man are anxious about the future of veterinary care, as a major provider prepares to withdraw from farm animal practice on the Island.
Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Sarah Swadling
MON 05:57 Weather (m002mmfz)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers
MON 06:00 Today (m002mmlg)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
MON 09:00 Start the Week (m002mmlj)
Genes and hands: mapping character and health
What can genetics and palmistry tell us about how we understand identity, character and health? Adam Rutherford is joined by Professor of Zoology Matthew Cobb; the historian Professor Alison Bashford and the geneticist Charlotte Houldcroft.
Matthew Cobb discusses his biography Crick: A Mind in Motion. From the discovery of DNA’s structure to Francis Crick’s later work on consciousness, Cobb reveals a restless thinker whose collaborations — with scientists, artists and poets — shaped some of the most profound ideas of the 20th century.
Alison Bashford turns to palm reading in her new book Decoding the Hand, a history of palmistry and its surprising entanglement with science, medicine and magic.
The geneticist Charlotte Houldcroft's research uses ancient DNA to work out how DNA viruses - such as smallpox and herpes - change over time and the consequences of this evolution for our immune systems.
Producer: Natalia Fernandez
MON 09:45 Café Hope (m002mmll)
Confidence building
Trystan Jones, from The Community Impact Initiative, tells Rachel Burden how teaching communites building skills also improved their confidence and wellbeing. The social enterprise picks empty houses in deprived areas to renovate and make available to the community or vulnerable groups that need them most.
Café Hope is our virtual Radio 4 coffee shop, where guests pop in for a brew and a chat to tell us what they’re doing to make things better in big and small ways. Think of us as sitting in your local café, cooking up plans, hearing the gossip, and celebrating the people making the world a better place.
We’re all about trying to make change. It might be a transformational project that helps an entire community, or it might be about trying to make one life a little bit easier. And the key here is in the trying. This is real life. Not everything works, and there are struggles along the way. But it’s always worth a go.
You can contact us on cafehope@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Rachel Burden
Series Producer: Uma Doraiswamy
Sound Design: Nicky Edwards
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Editor: Clare Fordham
MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002mmln)
Iron deficiency, Malintzin, Budget lookahead, Frida Kahlo self-portrait
Are you excessively tired with your hair falling out, nails always breaking, brain often foggy or sometimes, despite having youth on your side, maybe forgetting how to form a sentence? These are amongst the symptoms of iron deficiency, often underdiagnosed. Nuala McGovern will be speaking to Dr Sue Pavord, Consultant Haematologist and President of the British Society for Haematology, and freelance journalist Rose Stokes.
The Royal College of Pathologists say that a shortage of consultants means that "1 in 5 families are now waiting 6 months or more, and some longer than 12 months" for post mortems. The 'paediatric and perinatal pathology workforce' report said there were no paediatric or perinatal pathology consultants in the South West, the Midlands or Northern Ireland. Dr Clair Evans, the chair of the college’s advisory committee - a Consultant Paediatric and Perinatal pathologist explains the situation further.
At lunchtime on Wednesday the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, will unveil her much anticipated second budget. How could this budget affect the lives of women in 2026? We’re joined by the BBC’s Cost of Living correspondent Colletta Smith, to talk us through what we might see in the red briefcase on Wednesday.
A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo has just sold for $55 million in New York. It is the highest price ever paid for a work by a female artist. To illustrate the magnitude of the difference, a painting by Klimt was also sold recently for $236m. Professor Renee Adams is a professor of finance at Oxford Saïd business school and researches the role of gender in the art market, where women’s works generally achieve much lower values. She explains why and what needs to change.
As part of the BBC 2 Civilisations series, tonight’s programme looks at the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire and the part that a young woman played in its demise. She was called Malintzin and acted as translator at the momentous first meeting in 1519 between Montezuma, the ruler of the vast Aztec Empire, and the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. To find out more about Malintzin and her role in Mexican history and culture Nuala is joined by Dr Elizabeth Baquedano, from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London and Dr Jessica Fernández de Lara Harada from the University of Oxford.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Kirsty Starkey
MON 11:00 Behind the Crime (m0019z5b)
Khamran
As a society, we send close to 100,000 people to prison each year. Criminal behaviour costs the country around £60 billion every year, according to Home Office research.
Is it possible to prevent crime by understanding the root causes of offending behaviour?
Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken are forensic psychologists who work in prisons.
Their role is to help people in prison to look at the harm they’ve caused to other people, understand why it happened and work out how to make changes to prevent further harm after they’ve been released.
In Behind the Crime, they take the time to understand the life of someone whose crimes have led to harm and, in some cases, imprisonment.
In this second episode they talk to Khamran, who received a prison sentence as a teenager for a series of aggravated robberies.
Khamran was a boy who learned at school that putting on a cocky attitude was a way of deflecting some of the racist taunts and bullying that came his way. Sally and Kerensa get behind that front to discover what was really making Khamran tick. They pick up the key moments that could have changed the course of his life, and the lives of his victims.
The job of the forensic psychologists is to dig deep into Khamran’s story, to understand the sequence of external influences that got Khamran to the point where he was causing harm to himself, to others and to society as a whole.
Today, Khamran is married with a child and studying business alongside working part-time.
For details of organisations that can provide help and support, visit bbc.co.uk/actionline
Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Editor: Hugh Levinson
Behind the Crime is a co-production between BBC Long Form Audio and the Prison Radio Association.
MON 11:45 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmls)
1. On Tying the Knot
Journalist and commentator Zoe Strimpel asks thought provoking questions about the family in contemporary British life in a specially commissioned series for Radio 4.
In each episode Zoe Strimpel grapples with a different aspect of the role of the family in society, she considers whether the family is dead as some traditionalists would have us think. Over five days, Zoe will look at the enduring appeal of marriage for those couples who have decided to tie the knot, she'll also turn her attention to what happens after the wedding presents have been opened and family life has begun. The gendered case for the family is under the spot light as she assesses the seismic social changes that took place in the wake of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique; later in the series she'll ask about the outcomes for children caught in the crossfire of warring parents who live apart or under the same roof, and lastly she'll consider alternatives to the nuclear family.
Zoe Strimpel is an author, newspaper columnist and broadcaster. She has a PhD in modern British history and the history of feminism, gender and intimacy.
The producer is Elizabeth Allard
MON 12:00 News Summary (m002mmlw)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
MON 12:04 You and Yours (m002mmly)
You & Yours Special: Doorstep Fraud
It's the beginning of BBC Scam Safe week, across all BBC networks we're looking at how you protect yourself from the enormous numbers of fraudulent attacks which can feel all around us
40% of all crime in the UK is fraud, and that rises to 50% if you include cyber crime
On You and Yours, all year we report on fraud and scams and how to spot them, and what to do if you encounter them... most of the scams we've looked at in the past have been either on the phone, or on the computer, or text ..in other words, the criminals are distant, they're may feel close up... but they're not in the room with you.
So we thought we look at the scams where you money is being stolen by the person standing right in front you.
Figures recently released show the amount lost to in person scams has trebled over the last three months in some areas...partly because of new technology being used by the criminals on your doorstep... these are modern approaches to old crime techniques...and they're very effective
We devote the whole programme to showing you how to spot door step fraud, how potentially deadly they can be, and what to do to protect yourself.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: JAY UNGER
MON 12:57 Weather (m002mmm0)
The latest weather forecast
MON 13:00 World at One (m002mmm2)
Nigerian schools shut after mass kidnapping
More than 300 children have been kidnapped from a boarding school, in an attack similar of the seizure of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. Why are Nigeria's students still at risk? Plus, is lifting the child benefit cap the best way to improve children's lives? How orangutans learn what's good to eat, and Levi Roots reflects on the life of the late Jimmy Cliff.
MON 13:45 Materials of State (m002mmm4)
The Union Jack
In his new series, David Cannadine examines the artefacts and emblems that shape the British constitution - their origins, their meanings, and their significance today.
These ‘materials of state’ range from the parliamentary Black Rod to the ancient Stone of Destiny, the ceremonial Sword of State, to the democratic Ballot Box. They're invested with historic meanings and symbolic connotations by those who see these objects as the embodiment of history, identity and tradition. But they also provoke dissent and disagreement from those who view them in a more negative and critical light.
In this first programme, David explores the history of the Union Jack, as one of the UK’s key ‘materials of state’, an object whose significance reflects the nation’s history, identity and political debates. The flag originated in 1606 after the union of the English and Scottish crowns, later incorporating Ireland’s St Patrick’s cross in 1801. Its composite design tells the story of the Union, though modern nationalism has revived separate national flags within the UK.
Over time, the flag’s popularity has surged and waned, and the Union Jack has served variously as an imperial emblem, a commercial brand, a counter-cultural icon, and a fashion motif. Its meanings have shifted from representing empire and Protestantism, to being appropriated by far-right groups, and now symbolising a multicultural society for many citizens. Today, amid debates over Brexit, immigration and national identity, the Union Jack again provokes strong feelings. Whether loved or loathed, the Union Jack remains a contested and symbolically charged national emblem.
Contributors in order of appearance:
Professor Nick Groom, Author of ‘The Union Jack: The Story of the British Flag’
Christopher Taylor, Director of ‘Flying Colours’ Flagmakers
Sunder Katwala, Director of ‘British Future’ and author of ‘How to be a Patriot’
Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford
Presented by Professor Sir David Cannadine
Series Producer: Melissa FitzGerald
Series Researcher: Martin Spychal
Sound Mixing: Tony Churnside
The series has been made in association with the History of Parliament Trust
A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4
MON 14:00 The Archers (m002mmf2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Sunday]
MON 14:15 Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen? (m002mmm7)
Series 3
Episode 1 – A Portrait of Florence
In the first episode of a new series, it’s a wonderful day in the Ransom household as Florence is about to be immortalised in oils by David Hockney - or is it Alan Bennett? Meanwhile Selina proves to be unusually sympathetic to Lucy’s new direction in life as an environmental protester.
The first series of Whatever Happened To Baby Jane Austen? won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best Radio Comedy and the second series won the British Comedy Guide Award for Best Radio Sitcom for the second year in a row.
“Thank you, Mr Quantick – this is nigh on perfect” Radio Times
Florence - Dawn French
Selina - Jennifer Saunders
Mrs Ragnarrok – Rebecca Front
Lucy – Georgia Tennant
All the men - Alistair McGowan
Written by David Quantick
Producer: Liz Anstee
A CPL production for BBC Radio 4
MON 14:45 Scenes from a Childhood by Jon Fosse (m001vlp9)
Episode Five: Little Sister (Part Two)
A selection of connected short stories by the celebrated Norwegian author Jon Fosse, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature - “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”. Minimalist and compelling, these pared-back vignettes take us from infancy to awkward adolescence, skirting the line between fiction and autobiography. Episodes one to three draw stories from the titular story sequence 'Scenes from a Childhood'; episodes four and five are taken from the story 'Little Sister'.
'the Beckett of the twenty-first century' - Le Monde
‘Fosse has been compared to Ibsen and to Beckett, and it is easy to see his work as Ibsen stripped down to its emotional essentials. But it is much more. For one thing, it has a fierce poetic simplicity.’ - New York Times
Translated from the Norwegian by Damion Searls
Read by John Mackay
Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery and Mair Bosworth
Mixed by Ilse Lademann
MON 15:00 A Good Read (m002mmmb)
Roma Agrawal and Kate Lister
WEDLOCK: HOW GEORGIAN BRITAIN'S WORST HUSBAND MET HIS MATCH by Wendy Moore, chosen by Kate Lister
GRAYSON PERRY: PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG GIRL by Wendy Jones, chosen by Harriett Gilbert
PLASTIC EMOTIONS by Shiromi Pinto, chosen by Roma Agrawal
Structural engineer Roma Agrawal, known for her work on buildings such as the Shard in London, and historian Kate Lister, who specialises in the history of sex, join Harriett Gilbert to share their favourite books. Kate's choice is Wedlock: How Georgian Britain's Worst Husband Met His Match by Wendy Moore, a gripping biography that tells the true story of Mary Eleanor Bowes's distrastrous marriage to Andrew Robinson Stoney, one of the wealthiest women in 18th-century Britain. Roma’s pick is Plastic Emotions by Shiromi Pinto, a novel inspired by the life of Minnette de Silva, Sri Lanka’s pioneering modernist architect, exploring love, politics and creativity in a time of upheaval. And Harriett brings Grayson Perry: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl by Wendy Jones, a candid and colourful account of the artist’s early life and identity.
Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Eliza Lomas
Join the conversation on Instagram: agoodreadbbc
Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne
MON 15:30 Curious Cases (m002mmj2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 on Saturday]
MON 16:00 Currently (m002l22x)
[Repeat of broadcast at
13:30 on Sunday]
MON 16:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m002mmj4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:30 on Saturday]
MON 17:00 PM (m002mmmd)
BBC chair to face MPs
Samir Shah prepares to answer the questions of the Culture Select Committee.
MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mmmg)
MPs are told by a former editorial advisor to the BBC that it is not institutionally biased
The former BBC adviser, whose concerns about editorial standards led to the resignation of the Director General, has told MPs the problems he identified were getting worse, and were not being tackled properly. Also: Ukraine's President Zelensky has said any territorial concessions to Russia would be rewarding President Putin "for what he has stolen". And the world-renowned reggae musician, Jimmy Cliff, has died at the age of 81.
MON 18:30 I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (m002mmmj)
Series 84
3. Seafood Film Club
The godfather of all panel shows pays a visit to the Hull New Theatre. On the panel are Rory Bremner, Tony Hawks, Lucy Porter and Henning Wehn, with Jack Dee in the umpire’s chair.
Regular listeners will know to expect inspired nonsense, pointless revelry and Colin Sell at the piano.
Producer: Jon Naismith
A Random production for BBC Radio 4
MON 19:00 The Archers (m002mmml)
Ruth and Pip chat about how relentless things are at Brookfield, before Ruth reveals what Leonard said about his and Jill’s open relationship. Pip doesn’t believe it and when they confront Leonard he admits it was a wind-up, before he and Ruth apologise to each other. Leonard expounds on his frustration at David and Ruth checking up on him and Jill all the time, for which Pip apologises too. Leonard then explains Connie’s an old friend. He offered to decorate her kitchen-diner because she’s got a dodgy hip and they were just meeting to discuss ideas. Leonard only kept it secret because he knew David and Ruth would make a fuss over him climbing ladders and painting walls. Ruth promises to wind in her neck in future.
While George is helping Eddie with the turkeys, Amber tells Ed her dad hasn’t talked her mum round about George, despite giving George the impression he would. Her mum isn’t replying to her messages either. Ed tries seeing it from her parents’ point of view: all they know is that George was in prison. But that’s all they want to know, Amber replies. Ed tells her not to give up hope, then points out the Grundys will soon be her family too. After tea, Eddie helps Amber with the washing-up, asking if she’s seen an envelope he’s missing with some turkey payments in. Later, Amber worries to Ed about the missing money, wondering if George could have taken it to pay for her ring, before asking Ed to forget she said anything.
MON 19:15 Front Row (m002mmmn)
Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers on the show's final season
Show creators Matt and Ross Duffer talk to Samira Ahmed about the final season of Stranger Things.
So how much of the success of a Booker winner comes from the editing? We hear from Hannah Westland and Juliet Mabey, two publishers who have been particularly successful in producing Booker winning books.
It's BBC Scam Safe week – a week of special programming to help keep you aware in the rapidly changing world of hustles and grifts. We focus on a very modern scam, AI generated biographies sold online. We hear from Adam Buxton, the subject of two of these memoirs, and Professor Ryan Abbott, specialist in artificial intelligence and intellectual property at Keystone Law.
Jimmy Cliff has passed away at the age of 81. Music broadcaster and critic Kevin Le Gendre assesses his legacy.
MON 20:00 The Briefing Room (m002mby8)
What can the UK learn from the rest of Europe about asylum reform?
This week the government announced an overhaul of the UK’s asylum system with the stated aim of making Britain look a lot less attractive to those planning to make their way across the Channel on a small boat or outstay their visa if already here. A raft of proposals include ending a refugee’s effective right to stay in the country indefinitely, a quicker way of deporting those who fail in their asylum applications and a less sympathetic approach to refugee families. Denmark has been held up in recent days as an example of a country with much tougher asylum policies. So are we in the UK now part of a wider European trend of clamping down on asylum seekers? And what can we learn from the success or failure of other asylum policies across the continent.
Guests:
Dr Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University
Professor Andrew Geddes, Director of the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute in Florence.
Susi Dennison, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Cordelia Hemming
Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound engineer: James Beard
Editor: Richard Vadon
MON 20:30 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txl)
What’s in the wording of the COP 30 negotiations?
COP 30 delegates from around the globe are about to depart the Amazon city of Belem in Brazil. But not before some very important documents are drawn up. Camilla Born, former advisor to Cop 26 president Alok Sharma speaks to Tom Whipple about the scientific significance of the language negotiators choose to use.
And it’s the eve of The Ashes. As England Men’s Cricket Team line up against their Australian counterparts in Perth, cricket fans on both sides will be hoping for sporting records to fall. But is breaking those records getting increasingly less likely? And can some maths explain all? Tom asks Kit Yates, author and Professor of Mathematical Biology and Public Engagement at the University of Bath.
Plus science broadcaster Caroline Steel is in the studio to discuss this week’s brand new scientific discoveries.
If you want to test your climate change knowledge, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University to take the quiz.
Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Ella Hubber, Tim Dodd, Alex Mansfield and Clare Salisbury
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
MON 21:00 Start the Week (m002mmlj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
MON 21:45 Café Hope (m002mmll)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 today]
MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m002mmmq)
BBC chairman faces MPs after high-profile resignations
The chairman of the BBC, Samir Shah, faced scrutiny in the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee over his handling of the recent crisis over Panorama's edit of US President Donald Trump's speech, as well as other allegations of bias. The chair of the committee told us she's not convinced the BBC is "in safe hands".
Also on the programme: a French government minister says talks over a peace deal for Ukraine are getting closer to an agreement.
And the trombonist who helped define funk music, Fred Wesley, joins us in studio ahead of two live performances in London.
MON 22:45 The Princess Bride (m0012scp)
Bitesize Backstories: The Book
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it”. When Goldman discovers The Princess Bride by S Morgenstern is not the swashbuckling fantasy his father read him as a child, but is in fact a patchy and extensive historical satire, he sets out to create the “Good Parts” version…
A tale of true love and high adventure featuring a fighting giant that loves to rhyme, a swordsman on the ultimate quest for revenge, a pirate in love with a princess, a princess in love with a farm boy and a prince in love with war.
First a novel, then a film, now an audio experience:
The Best Bits of the Good Parts Version by Stephen Keyworth.
A two-part dramatisation of swashbuckling adventure plus five bitesize backstories which can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories or to enhance your experience of the drama.
Bitesize Backstories: The Book
William Goldman’s fictional account of how he came to discover he’d never actually read his favourite book but why you can.
Reader: Grant O’Rourke
Producer: Kirsty Williams
Sound recording: Iain McKinna
Editing: Joanne Willott
MON 23:00 Limelight (m001sm8h)
Spores: Series 1
2. Seed
A psychological horror story set in rural Wales amid the mysterious world of mycelium.
When social worker Cassie discovers mould in the flat of a vulnerable service user she puts it down to poor quality housing. But then she discovers it in her own house and begins to fear for the safety of her family.
For partner Morgan and young son Bryn, it’s not the mould that troubles them but Cassie’s mental health. As the fungus continues to grow and spread, Cassie resorts to more extreme measures to combat it. But why will no one listen to her when she warns of danger? An ethereal “sporing event” forces Cassie to make a desperate decision.
In Greek mythology, Cassandra was condemned to speak the truth yet never be believed. A story of trust and what happens when we lose it. And of a hidden threat attacking the very thing that makes us powerful.
Written and created by Marietta Kirkbride
Cassie …… Kate O’Flynn
Morgan…… Owain Gwynn
Interviewer ….. Laurel Lefkow
Bryn …… Macsen Ovens
Joyce ….. Kezrena James
Huw …… Richard Corgan
Hywel ….. Lloyd Meredith
Other voices played by the cast
Production Manager: Anna de Wolff Evans
Production Assistant: Teresa Milewski
Executive Producer: Sara Davies
Title Music: Ioana Selaru & Melo-Zed
Sound Design: Jon Nicholls
Directed and Produced by Nicolas Jackson
An Afonica production for BBC Radio 4
MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002mmms)
Alicia McCarthy reports as the the BBC chair Samir Shah faces the Culture Committee in the wake of recent troubles.
TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2025
TUE 00:00 Midnight News (m002mmmv)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
TUE 00:30 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmls)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:45 on Monday]
TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mmmx)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mmmz)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
TUE 05:00 News Summary (m002mmn1)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
TUE 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002mmn3)
News, views and features on yesterday's stories in Parliament
TUE 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mmn5)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mmn7)
Celebrating Love
Good Morning
My husband and I have just celebrated our Wedding Anniversary. And this year, for the first time, I was invited to a friend's Pagan hand fasting ceremony. This I understand is one of the most ancient of marriage traditions. Now as a Jew, I’m more used to traditional Synagogue weddings beneath a canopy (a chuppah). They’re sincere and beautiful too, yet I found this day entrancing in its simplicity. Taking place in a stone circle, the couple exchanged vows and bracelets of wild flowers, surrounded by their smiling and informally dressed friends. Some were ‘skyclad’ as were the couple themselves. The term ‘skyclad’ means ‘wearing only the sky’ and refers to simple human nakedness. A binding of their left hands, by the celebrant, symbolised their loving commitment to each other. Barefoot, the happy young couple then progressed the circle, united as one; sharing food and drink with their smiling friends.
I am used to formulaic speeches, hats, shoes, dresses, cakes and elaborate, expensive preparations. Here there were none, just togetherness in a meadow of wild flowers and grasses. The happy pair were in love and we showed our regard for them by simply being there in celebration. In modern society, we tend to complicate things which are essentially simple. We miss the important basics amidst myriad details. Here was a lesson in understanding what is essential to us all; someone else’s wholehearted love.
Lord, who brought us into this world, innocent and naked; help us to appreciate the simple gift of true unselfish love, freely given, with its incalculable value. Encourage us to return that love in like fashion with all our heart and without agendas or expectations.
Amen
TUE 05:45 Farming Today (m002mmn9)
25/11/25 University agriculture courses, bird flu in Wales, dairy farm succession.
Despite a rise in the number of students taking up agriculture degrees over the last couple of years, not all courses are growing. The University of Nottingham is deciding whether to close its agriculture and business course at its Sutton Bonington campus. The University says applications for its farming courses have dropped, making them “less financially viable”. Students have started a petition to save the degree course.
Cases of bird flu are still on the rise across the country, with outbreaks in all four nations of the UK and housing orders for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are in place, meaning all poultry has to now be housed if the flock totals more than fifty birds. We hear from farmers at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells.
All week we're looking at dairy farming. One family farm which has invested heavily in technology for the future is run by Rob Davies and his son Harry. Instead of selling the livestock, the farm in Herefordshire has built an aerobic digester to reduce energy costs, bought robots to milk the cows and grows all its own feed.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
TUE 06:00 Today (m002mmrs)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
TUE 09:00 The Reith Lectures (m002mmrv)
Rutger Bregman - Moral Revolution
1. A Time of Monsters
Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called "Moral Revolution", explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites, drawing historical parallels to past eras of corruption that preceded transformative movements especially the 19th Century campaign to abolish slavery. In his series, he argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and long-term vision.
Bregman advocates for a new "realist utopia" in the face of rapid technological change, promoting ideas like Universal Basic Income, fairer taxation and responsible tech regulation. Finally, he zooms out to reflect on humanity’s strange historical trajectory, warning of the existential risks posed by unchecked AI and urging privileged individuals to take on an active role in shaping a better future.
The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q & A. The programme was recorded in front of an audience in London.
The series is produced by Jim Frank. The Editor is Clare Fordham.
The programmes are mixed by Neil Churchill.
TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002mmrx)
Preventing online abuse, Rage rooms, Puberty and sport, Actor Olivia Williams on AI
What should tech companies be doing to prevent online abuse of women and girls? Ofcom's Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss their new guidance. It's urging tech firms to go much further to prevent the harm caused by misogynistic pile-ons, online stalking and intimate image abuse. They've also teamed up with Sport England to highlight the toll such abuse is taking on women in sport.
Have you heard of rage rooms? Or even visited one? Turns out demand for them is surging, and 90% of the UK customers are women. Believed to have started in Japan in the early 2000s, rage rooms are places where people can smash up items such as electronics, white goods and crockery. Nuala is joined by Jennifer Cox, psychotherapist and author of Women are Angry: Why Your Rage is Hiding and How To Let It Out, and culture journalist Isobel Lewis who has visited a rage retreat.
Isabelle Kyson, 17, is a national-level sprint hurdler and passionate advocate for girls in sport. Today, she releases her documentary, Out of the Race, on YouTube which explores why so many girls drop out of sport during puberty. Research shows that more than two-thirds of teenage girls quit sport by the age of 16 or 17—a trend Issey has been campaigning to change for some time, including lobbying government for action. She has also launched a new toolkit for schools, developed in partnership with the Association for Physical Education. Issey joins Nuala along with Kate Thornton-Bousfield, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Physical Education.
We discuss acting and AI as the actor Olivia Williams discusses why she wants actors to have more control over the data that is obtained from scans of their body. Many actors contracts now include a clause granting producers ownership of an actor’s ‘likeness’ across all platforms, forever. This can cover photos, drawings, figurines, and the full body scans captured with advanced technology. In a recent article in The Guardian, Olivia suggested that something similar to a 'nudity clause' should be added to contracts. She joins Nuala along with consultant solicitor, Kelsey Farish, who advises actors and performers on AI clauses.
Presented by: Nuala McGovern
Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths
TUE 11:00 Add to Playlist (m002mc5n)
Amy Harman and Peter Long cue the bass
Bassoonist Amy Harman and bandleader, jazz man and multi-instrumentalist Peter Long join Anna Phoebe and Jeffrey Boakye to add five more tracks, a journey which starts with a virtual cartoon band and ends up in Colombia, stopping off at Gotham City, Knebworth and the New York jazz scene in 1946.
Producer: Jerome Weatherald
Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe
The five tracks in this week's playlist:
Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz
Main Title Theme from Batman by Danny Elfman
Another One Bites the Dust (live) by Queen
One Bass Hit by Dizzy Gillespie
Posee un Corazón by Leonor Dely
Other music in this episode
Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson
Animal Crackers by Melanie
The Laughing Policeman by Charles Penrose
Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks
Main Title Theme from Superman by John Williams
Main Title Theme from Beetlejuice by Danny Elfman
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Bernard Herrmann
Main Title Theme from The Simpsons by Danny Elfman
Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
TUE 11:45 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmrz)
2. Fantasy and Reality
Journalist and commentator Zoe Strimpel is asking thought provoking questions about the family in contemporary British life. Today, she looks at what happens when societal expectations of married life aren't met, and the fall out for unhappy couples and their children.
In her specially commissioned series for Radio 4, Zoe Strimpel grapples with the role of the family in contemporary British society. Across the five episodes she considers a number of thorny themes. First of all Strimpel looks at the enduring appeal of marriage for those couples who have decided to tie the knot, she then turns her attention to what happens after the wedding presents have been opened and family life begins. The gendered case for the family is under the spot light as she assesses the seismic social changes that have taken place in the wake of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Later in the series she'll ask about the outcomes for children caught in the crossfire of warring parents who live apart, or under the same roof, and lastly she'll consider alternatives to the conventional nuclear family.
Zoe Strimpel is an author, newspaper columnist and broadcaster. She has a PhD in modern British history and the history of feminism, gender and intimacy.
The producer is Elizabeth Allard
TUE 12:00 News Summary (m002mms1)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 12:04 You and Yours (m002mms3)
Call You and Yours - How to spot a scam?
We hear about some devastating scams on You and Yours and we've discovered that it can happen to anyone. So today we're asking:
"How do you spot a scam?"
We want to hear from people who recognised the red flags in time to avoid being scammed. What were key warning signs that made you stop and think?
Scams are becoming ever more sophisticated so if you failed to spot the signs what is the one thing you wish you'd known before and what advice would you give to others?
Joining Shari Vahl will be Simon Miller from fraud prevention service Cifas and criminologist, forensic linguist, and BBC Radio 4's Scam Secrets expert Dr Elisabeth Carter with the latest advice and tips to scam-proof yourself for the future.
"How do you spot a scam?"
You can call 03700 100 444 after
11am.
Or email us: youandyours@bbc.co.uk
PRESENTER - SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER - CATHERINE EARLAM
TUE 12:57 Weather (m002mms5)
The latest weather forecast
TUE 13:00 World at One (m002mms7)
Nigel Farage accused of racism by school contemporary
Fellow school pupil accuses the Reform UK leader of racist behaviour, claiming to have seen him "goosestepping in the playground". Reform UK says the allegations are ''entirely without foundation'' and an attempt ''to smear Reform and mislead the public''. We hear from one of the party's supporters. Also on the programme: Blur's Dave Rowntree on the art of drumming,
TUE 13:45 Materials of State (m002mms9)
The Sword of State
David Cannadine continues examining the origins, symbolism and contemporary significance of the objects and emblems that underpin the British constitution.
In episode 2, David is looking at the history, symbolism and modern resonance of the Sword of State, one of the most striking items of British royal regalia. The Sword of State was made in the 17th century, after the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II, who commissioned new regalia for his reign. It was brought back into the spotlight during the 2023 coronation of King Charles III, where it gained widespread attention largely because it was carried with poise and stamina by Penny Mordaunt, who was Lord President of the Council and the first woman to bear it during a coronation.
The connection between swords and sovereigns dates to the time when monarchs were expected to lead their armies into battle as ‘warrior kings’. David reflects on the tension of bringing a weapon of war into the sacred coronation setting of Westminster Abbey. Although swords have lost their practical purpose in modern warfare, renewed interest following Charles III’s coronation has ensured that the Sword of State remains a potent ceremonial symbol.
Contributors in order of appearance:
Dame Penny Mordaunt
Charles Farris, Curator and Historian at Historic Royal Palaces
Professor Kate Williams
Presented by Professor Sir David Cannadine
Series Producer: Melissa FitzGerald
Series Researcher: Martin Spychal
Sound Mixing: Tony Churnside
The series has been made in association with the History of Parliament Trust
A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4
TUE 14:00 The Archers (m002mmml)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Monday]
TUE 14:15 Drama on 4 (m002mmsc)
Mediation
Leaving Home
by Clara Glynn
At the end of her tether about her teenager's unpredictable and disruptive behaviour, a mother seeks a possible solution in mediation.
Murdo ..... Liam Brennan
Julie ..... Dani Heron
Logan ..... Kyle Gardiner
Ian/Waiter ..... Robin Laing
Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane
Sound by Gav Murchie and Fraser Jackson
Production Coordinator - Bethany Woodhead
As the pressure on the UK’s courts intensifies, more and more cases are going through mediation as an alternative form of conflict resolution. In our new series we present cases in which opposing versions of the truth have hardened into what seems like irreconcilable positions. The mediator has to try to find compromise, agreement and a way forward.
Consultant - Alan Jeffrey
An EcoAudio certified production for BBC Audio Scotland
TUE 15:00 History's Heroes (m002mmsf)
History's Toughest Heroes
The Ballad of Crazy Horse
When European American settlers begin displacing the indigenous Lakota from their ancestral lands, one enigmatic warrior refuses to surrender. He gathers his people for an epic standoff with the military.
In History's Toughest Heroes, Ray Winstone tells ten true stories of adventurers, rebels and survivors who lived life on the edge.
In the depths of the Wild West Crazy, when tensions between Native American tribes and the US military were running high and native people were losing their lives, their land and their heritage, Crazy Horse (along with other notable warriors like Sitting Bull) would become a legend. A stunning horseman, empowered by a vision, he led the Lakota tribe to a rousing victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn against General George Custer.
A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Michael LaPointe
Development Producer: Georgina Leslie
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Written by Imogen Robertson
Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts
TUE 15:30 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vp7)
Gaudí: God’s architect
In one of his final official acts before he died, Pope Francis put Antoni Gaudí, Spain’s most famous architect, onto the path to sainthood.
Gaudí's masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, is a towering basilica, strangely designed and bursting with colour. It stands in the heart of Barcelona and its walls recount the entire story of the Catholic religion. After 140 years, having survived wars, arson attacks and dictatorship, it is still under construction. As Gaudí worked on it throughout his life, he became obsessive and it intensified his devotion. By the end of his life he was living like a monk.
Today, millions come every year to see his work. Some have been so affected by his art and approach they have converted to Catholicism. The process to confirm Gaudí as a saint is secretive and potentially long. But for the creator of the world’s longest ongoing construction, there’s no rush.
The BBC's Max Horberry has been to Barcelona to see Gaudí's work and speak to the people who have been working to finish the Sagrada Familia and campaigning for Gaudí's sainthood. We will find out more about the path to sainthood and how architecture, nature and religion intertwine in Gaudí’s life.
[Credit: Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família]
Producer/Presenter: Max Horberry
Executive Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Editor: Chloe Walker
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
TUE 16:00 Artworks (m002mmsh)
Omid's Tapes: The Afghan Memory Keeper
Based in California, Omid works with a team spread across the globe to find and save Afghan music, radio recordings, films, and TV shows from the past, seeking to preserve the identities and voices of those who have been displaced by war.
Fragments of a once-vibrant cultural heritage that the Taliban seeks to erase, these recordings are not just old tapes - they represent the memories, stories, and sounds of the Afghan people. Their significance goes beyond their musical and historical value - they are a lifeline to a lost world, a bridge between the past and future, and a testament to the resilience of Afghan culture.
Tamana Ayazi, Afghan journalist and Emmy-award-winning filmmaker (In Her Hands, Netflix), joins Omid and his team in their latest rescue mission, to secretly transfer two major collections of Afghan cassettes from Samangan and Kandahar, at opposite ends of the country, via perilous routes into Quetta Pakistan, and finally to Omid in the United States.
Will the tapes - and the people who carry them - make it safely across Afghan security checkpoints and pass through US customs?
Presenter and Director: Tamana Ayazi
Producers: Tamana Ayazi and Meera Kumar
Executive Producer: Charlotte Melén
Sound Design and Mixing: Jeff Emtman
Contributors: Omid, Quetta Mama, Lahore Mama
Quetta Mama's voice: Shuja Noori
An Almost Tangible production for Radio 4
Includes short music excerpts from:
Fawad Ramez - Na Rahat Az Falak
Farid Samim Zolfakayat and Rafti Tu - فرید صمیم - زلفكايت و رفته تو
Rohullah Roheen - Hala Ke Baharam
Wahid Saberi - Dil Tangam
Zahir Howaida - Emshab (امشب)
Nashenas - Zi Pur Lwaru Ghrunu Laila
Yulduz Usmonova - Эрон Халқ Қўшиғи (“Iran People’s Song”)
Farhad Darya (Freedy Rivers) - Baaz Amada
Unknown Artist - Dā də bātorāno kor (Taliban anthem of Afghanistan)
Khosh Naseeb janan - Pashto must Nazam
Unknown Artist - یو لښکر د عمر
Ahmad Zahir - Gole Sangam
Ahmad Zahir - Shaadi Kunaid Ay Dostaan
Ahmad Zahir - Tanha Shudam Tanha
Ustad Mahwash - Dokhtare Kochi Astom
TUE 16:30 What's Up Docs? (m002mmsk)
How should you relieve dry skin?
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.
In this episode, Chris and Xand dive into dry skin and how it can be relieved. Why does dry skin happen? How can your washing and cleansing routine affect your skin? Should you use moisturisers, and how do they work? Can you use too many products? They explore the biology of dry skin, whether it can be prevented, the trends surrounding the care of dry skin, and the science of moisturisers.
Joining them to discuss this is Dr Tess McPherson, Associate Professor of Paediatric and Adolescent Dermatology at the University of Oxford and consultant dermatologist at Oxford University Hospitals.
If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.
Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken
Guest: Dr Tess McPherson
Researcher: Mili Ostojic
Producer: Faye Lyons White
Assistant Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis
Social Media Producer: Leon Gower
Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar
Editor:Jo Rowntree
Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable
Digital Lead: Richard Berry
Composer: Phoebe McFarlane
Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby
At the BBC:
Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4
TUE 17:00 PM (m002mmsm)
Ministers Consider Radical Changes to Jury Trials
It's been called one of the biggest changes to justice for 800 years - the government is considering scrapping jury trials in England and Wales other than for the most serious cases. Also on PM, ahead of the budget we're in Coventry, talking taxes and trade offs with local businesses and a panel of the public. We'll have the latest on Ukraine, and a mission launched to rescue astronauts stuck on the Chinese Space Station.
TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mmsp)
The right to trial by jury may be restricted to only the most serious cases
The Justice Secretary, David Lammy, is proposing to restrict the ancient right to trial by jury in courts in England and Wales to the most serious cases, such as rape and murder. Also: the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced the minimum wage is to go up next year. And scientists find there are five ages of the human brain, including a surprisingly long adolescence.
TUE 18:30 One Person Found This Helpful (m002mmsr)
Series 3
2. Tom Cruise Versus The Flappy Geese!
Frank & guests Dee Allum, Hasan Al-Habib, Marcus Brigstocke & Bella Hull discuss the most fashionable way to wear a pizza, the most unfashionable way to wear a Tam o’Shanter and the tallest swimming trunks in the world
This is the panel game based on what we all sit down and do at least once a day – shop online and leave a review, as an all-star panel celebrate the good, the bad & the baffling
Everyone has an online life, and when the great British public put pen to keyboard to leave a review, they almost always write something hilarious. And our all-star panel have to work out just what they were reviewing – and maybe contribute a few reviews of their own... and more... So if you’re the person who went on Trip Advisor to review Ben Nevis as “Very steep and too high”, this show salutes you!
Written by Frank Skinner, Catherine Brinkworth, Sarah Dempster, Jason Hazeley, Karl Minns, Katie Sayer & Peter Tellouche
Devised by Jason Hazeley and Simon Evans with the producer David Tyler
A Pozzitive Production for BBC Radio 4
TUE 19:00 The Archers (m002mmst)
Joy finds Tony in low spirits at Bridge Farm, dreading the thought of Christmas and what would have been John’s fiftieth birthday on New Year’s Eve. He tells Joy they had a row shortly before Tony’s vintage tractor overturned and killed John. After Tony goes to see the beavers being released at Rewilding Ambridge, Joy tells Ruth and Pip they should cancel her idea for a Christmas village event. It would feel heartless after what Tony’s told her. Ruth suggests asking Pat and Tony what they think first, though. And when they ask Tony he thinks a Christmas Tractor Run through Ambridge sounds wonderful, but gets them to agree to consult Pat before they go ahead and start publicising the event.
Alice catches Rex up with what happened in Blackpool, then says she’s going to film the beaver release for Phoebe. Rex and Kirsty decide to get on with it, even though Justin’s not there. Tony arrives just in time, before the beavers disappear into the woods, and Kirsty and Rex hug each other. Then Alice realises she’s only filmed three seconds, though Kirsty points out there will be footage from the enclosure cameras. Justin finally turns up, in time for cake if not beavers. Later, Kirsty and Rex worry about Justin’s commitment, before he disappoints again by not showing any interest in footage of the release. But Alice is delighted when Rex offers to send her the footage, so Phoebe and Martha can see the beavers. Emotional Alice then hugs Rex, before it gets awkward and he goes.
TUE 19:15 Front Row (m002mmsw)
Sydney Sweeney and Pasolini
Actor Sydney Sweeney on her role in the boxing biopic Christie.
Olivia Laing, author of The Silver Book, and Adrian Wootton discuss Italian film director and writer Pier Paulo Pasolini exactly fifty years after his controversial film Salò and horrific murder.
Rising countertenor star Hugh Cutting performs live.
The Scottish Government's review of Creative Scotland.
Presenter: Samira Ahmed
TUE 20:00 File on 4 Investigates (m002l35m)
Multi-Cancer Testing - Hype or Hope?
Multi cancer detection tests or MCDs can detect many cancers through a simple blood test. Many detect fragments of cancerous DNA that have broken off a tumour and are circulating in the blood. They can often then identify where the cancer may be.
The NHS is currently involved in the words largest trial of one such test. The Galleri test is made by US firm Grail and the company says its mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured. Heavyweight investors include Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.
More than 140,000 volunteers took part in the trial and the results will be known next year. If successful, the test may be rolled out further.
File on 4 Investigates looks at how effective such tests are and whether the trial will show it can save lives.
Medical journalist Deb Cohen speaks to one woman whose cancer was found by the test and successfully treated. But she also hears from firefighters in America - where it's available to the public - who say it missed some cancers and some people who got a positive result were found not to have the disease after undergoing diagnostic procedures - a so called false positive.
With many hospitals trusts missing cancer treatment targets, what is the best way forward for the NHS to improve outcomes.
Reporter: Deb Cohen
Producer: Paul Grant
Technical producer: Craig Boardman
Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Tara McDermott
TUE 20:40 In Touch (m002mmsy)
Parents and the Blatchington Court Trust
What is it like to bring up a child who is blind or visually impaired in 2025? As a parent, how easy is it to find the right support and information and indeed, the correct level of understanding about your child's needs. Fern Lulham meets parents who attended a recent Parents and Professionals Conference hosted by Blatchington Court Trust, a visually impaired children and young person's charity based in Sussex, to discuss those very questions.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Fern Lulham
Production Coordinator: Lydia Depledge-Miller
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 The Law Show (m002m9lr)
The law under fire
Politically motivated attacks on the legal profession in the UK have led to barristers, solicitors, advocates and judges being subjected to violence, death threats and rape threats. Some have faced threats to their family members.
This is according to the The Bar Council of England and Wales, the Law Society of England and Wales, the Law Society of Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates, the Bar of Northern Ireland and the Law Society of Northern Ireland. These organisations represent a quarter of a million lawyers across the UK, and they have come together to warn about an increasing climate of hostility against legal professionals.
They say that law firms have been targeted by protesters, and they point out that lawyers are not their clients. So how bad has the situation become, and is it threatening justice or even democracy?
Also on the programme:
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill after 3 days of debates and almost 400 amendments lodged - so why is the bill so controversial?
And using a dodgy "jailbroken-Firestick" to watch illegally-streamed TV may seem like a victimless crime - but is it?
Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan
Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Contributors:
Charlie Sherrard KC, criminal barrister with 2BR Chambers
Mark Evans, President of the Law Society
James Cook, BBC Scotland Editor
Éamon Chawke, a solicitor who specialises in intellectual property law at Briffa legal
TUE 21:30 Illuminated (m002mmf4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:15 on Sunday]
TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (m002mmt0)
Chancellor announces minimum wage rise ahead of Budget
Millions of people are set to get a pay rise from April due to an increase in the minimum wage, the government has announced ahead of Wednesday's Budget. The hourly rate for over-21s will rise by 50p to £
12.71, with workers aged 18-20 seeing an 85p rise to £
10.85, and under-18s and apprentices getting 45p more to £8 an hour. However, businesses have warned that further increases to the minimum wages could result in hiring freezes. We hear from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Also on the programme: US President Donald Trump is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid continuing talks to end the war in Ukraine.
And a new BBC documentary recounts a little-known water contamination scandal that rocked communities in Cornwall in the 1980s.
TUE 22:45 The Princess Bride (m0012s7q)
Bitesize Backstories: The Bride
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it”. When Goldman discovers The Princess Bride by S Morgenstern is not the swashbuckling fantasy his father read him as a child, but is in fact a patchy and extensive historical satire, he sets out to create the “Good Parts” version…
A tale of true love and high adventure featuring a fighting giant that loves to rhyme, a swordsman on the ultimate quest for revenge, a pirate in love with a princess, a princess in love with a farm boy and a prince in love with war.
First a novel, then a film, now an audio experience:
The Best Bits of the Good Parts Version by Stephen Keyworth.
A two-part dramatisation of swashbuckling adventure plus five bitesize backstories which can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories or to enhance your experience of the drama.
Bitesize Backstories: The Bride
How the most beautiful woman in the world discovers her true love.
Reader: Grant O’Rourke
Producer: Kirsty Williams
Sound recording: Iain McKinna
Editing: Joanne Willott
TUE 23:00 Uncanny (m002mmt2)
Series 5
Case 5: The Goth Poltergeist
1997, and a group of disaffected teenage goths move into a shared house in Newcastle, embracing the macabre and melancholic goth lifestyle. But when you look into the darkness, sometimes it looks back…
Written and presented by Danny Robins
Experts: Alasdair Beckett-King and Evelyn Hollow
Editing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King
Music: Evelyn Sykes
Theme music by Lanterns on the Lake
Commissioning executive: Paula McDonnell
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts
Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard
A Bafflegab and Uncanny Media production for BBC Radio 4
TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002mmt4)
Sean Curran reports from Westminster as the prime minister tells MPs that must be a just and lasting end to the war in Ukraine.
WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2025
WED 00:00 Midnight News (m002mmt6)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
WED 00:30 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmrz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mmt8)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mmtb)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
WED 05:00 News Summary (m002mmtd)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
WED 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002mmtg)
Alicia McCarthy reports from Westminster as the prime minister faces MPs' questions about the UK's support for Ukraine. Also, Members of the Welsh Parliament question the first minister in Cardiff Bay.
WED 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mmtj)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mmtl)
We All Make Mistakes
Good Morning
It’s a new day and a clean slate. Will I get through without messing up? Hmm, I doubt it! Last month the Jewish High Holy Days came to a close with Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). It marked the end of ten days reflection; reviewing the past year and asking forgiveness. ‘Where did I mess up? How could I have done better? Will others forgive me?’ During that time: ‘Avinu Malkeinu, chatanu lefanecha’, (Our Father our King, we have sinned before you) was a familiar daily prayer. It sounds really heavy stuff, but is it?
A moment’s reflection reveals that mistakes are something we all do. I take great comfort that even the great among our biblical ancestors; Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and Miriam for instance, were fallible human beings. They earned their place in history by what they did or sometimes failed to do. There is value in knowing that. They were human just like us. This isn’t a Jewish or a religious thing and it isn’t about beating yourself up, it’s about acknowledging mistakes, spotting ways to avoid them in future and becoming your best self. That also means knowing your strengths too. Asking others to forgive you is important but there’s one important person you mustn’t leave out: yourself!
Lord, kindly forgive our mistakes both in the past and in the future. Grant us clarity to see what we can change and patience to work on what we can’t. Give us the grace to forgive ourselves acknowledging too, what we also do well.
Amen
WED 05:45 Farming Today (m002mmtn)
26/11/25 Planning bill and environmental protections, livestock genetics, robotic dairy.
Conservationists have accused the government of turning its back on nature in the new planning bill which is making its way through parliament. The RSPB says the legislation is creating a new tried and untested process which will put nature and nature markets at risk.
We often talk about exports of produce like beef and dairy but exporting farm animal genetics is also big business. The industry estimates that around 70 per cent of the world's farmed poultry orginates from UK breeding stock, while UK cattle genetics are now exported to 100 countries around the world. A new agreement with Kenya will see sheep and goat genetics exported there. The UK Export Certification Partnership is a public-private grouping which promotes the export of livestock products, breeding stock and genetics.
All this week, we’re checking in with the dairy industry. Over the last 30 years, the size of the UK dairy herd has been gradually falling, while average milk yields, that's the number of litres a cow produces, has been steadily increasing. That increase is partly down to using new technology like on-demand robotic milking machines. We visit a herd of indoor cows in Wiltshire.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
WED 06:00 Today (m002mmww)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
WED 09:00 Life Changing (m002mmx0)
A long wait for justice
When Jess Martinez was just thirteen, she was sexually abused by her sister's much older boyfriend. No charges were brought at the time, but the impact it had on Jess's life was dramatic, causing lasting damage. Many years later, when Jess discovered her abuser had been jailed for another case of child abuse, she took the courageous decision to tell her own story, waiving her right to lifelong anonymity.
Speaking to Dr Sian Williams, Jess describes the challenges of bringing an old case to court and praises the police and lawyers whose efforts provided her longed-for Life Changing moment.
Producer; Tom Alban
WED 09:30 Shadow World (m002mmx2)
Anatomy of a Cancellation
3. The Paper Trail
Katie Razzall considers the internal reaction at publishing house Pan Macmillan during the storm surrounding Kate Clanchy’s memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me.
As online criticism of the book intensifies, Kate Clanchy’s publisher faces mounting pressure from readers, authors, and its own staff. Drawing on a trove of redacted internal emails, the episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how a major publisher grapples with a moment of reputational crisis.
In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.
Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.
Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke
It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002mmx4)
Kids social media ban in Australia, Tracey Emin on Bridget Riley, What your bum says about your health
Australia’s under-16 social media ban comes into force soon. From 10th December, platforms must take 'reasonable steps' to stop under-16s from opening accounts and remove accounts that already belong to them. Companies who fail to comply could face fines of up to £25m. BBC Sydney Correspondent Katy Watson has been talking to teenagers in the state of Victoria. She explains how we got here and updates us on a new legal action being brought to challenge the ban.
Ever wondered what your bottom says about your health? A new study of over 60,000 people reveals that subtle changes in the shape of your buttock muscles can reveal when people are heading towards type two diabetes. The study was carried out by the University of Westminster. Louise Thomas, Professor of Metabolic Imaging who is the senior author of the study, joins us alongside personal trainer Jacqueline Hooton.
We talk to the author of a review of how the justice system treats girls. They can no longer be sent to Young Offenders Institutes as a result of Susannah Hancock's recommendations, but she says there is still plenty of work to be done and much of the remaining custodial accommodation needs improvement. Pippa Goodfellow, Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy at the National Children’s Bureau, who will serve on the government’s new advisory board on these matters, also joins us.
A new exhibition, ‘Learning to See,’ by the abstract artist Bridget Riley has opened at Turner Contemporary in Margate. There are 26 of her most recent works on show - large canvases, studies and works painted directly on the wall. To talk about Bridget’s life so far and the significance of her work, Nuala McGovern is joined by artist Dame Tracey Emin, Melissa Blanchflower, senior curator of the exhibition and Dr Frances Follin, author of Embodied Visions: Bridget Riley, Op Art and The Sixties.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Procuer: Simon Richardson
WED 11:00 File on 4 Investigates (m002l35m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 on Tuesday]
WED 11:40 This Week in History (m002mmx6)
24th to 30th November
Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
This week: 24th to 30th November
28th November 1893 - Women vote for the first time in New Zealand
24th November 1974 - Lucy, the most complete early human skeleton, is discovered
24th November 1852 - Matthew C Perry sets out on a 'diplomatic' mission to Japan.
Presented by Caroline Nicholls and Ron Brown
WED 11:45 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmx8)
3. Gender and the Family.
In Zoe Strimpel's series on family in contemporary Britain, the journalist asks thought provoking questions. Today, she explores the institution through the lens of gender.
In her specially commissioned series for Radio 4, Zoe Strimpel grapples with the role of the family in contemporary British society. Across the five episodes she considers a number of thorny themes. First of all Strimpel looks at the enduring appeal of marriage for those couples who have decided to tie the knot, she then turns her attention to what happens after the wedding presents have been opened and family life begins. The gendered case for the family is under the spot light as she assesses the seismic social changes that have taken place in the wake of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Later in the series she'll ask about the outcomes for children caught in the crossfire of warring parents who live apart, or under the same roof, and lastly she'll consider alternatives to the conventional nuclear family.
Zoe Strimpel is an author, newspaper columnist and broadcaster. She has a PhD in modern British history and the history of feminism, gender and intimacy.
The producer is Elizabeth Allard
WED 12:00 News Summary (m002mmxb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 12:04 Materials of State (m002mmxd)
The Ballot Box
David Cannadine continues examining the origins, symbolism and contemporary significance of the objects and emblems that underpin the British constitution.
In episode 3, he’s looking at the ballot box as a key ‘material of state' which, unlike ceremonial objects of British governance, is used directly by the public in democratic elections.
Despite other countries adopting electronic voting, the UK still relies on paper ballots, sealed and swiftly transported for hand-counting. David traces the ballot box’s origins to the 1872 Pontefract by-election, the first to use the secret ballot. Secret voting marked a major break with corrupt and coercive public voting, though most adults, especially women, remained disenfranchised for decades. The ballot box became a powerful symbol in the women’s suffrage movement until equal voting rights were achieved in 1928. Humble but essential, David argues that the ballot box underpins British democracy because elections are ultimately decided by the votes placed inside it.
Contributors in order of appearance:
James Pack, Head of Electoral Services and Registrars at Royal Borough of Greenwich
Dave Evans, curator of Pontefract Museum
Dr Mari Takayanagi, Historian and Heritage Professional
Presented by Professor Sir David Cannadine
Series Producer: Melissa FitzGerald
Series Researcher: Martin Spychal
Sound Mixing: Tony Churnside
The series has been made in association with the History of Parliament Trust
A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4
WED 12:18 World at One (m002mmxg)
Budget 2025: Record taxes to fund rising welfare bills
Tax thresholds are frozen as Chancellor Rachel Reeves raises taxes by £26bn to help cover the cost of welfare measures, including ending the 2-child benefit cap.
WED 13:57 Weather (m002mmxj)
The latest weather forecast
WED 14:00 The Archers (m002mmst)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama on 4 (m002mmxl)
Mediation
Dream Horse
by Clara Glynn
Murdo has a short time to find common ground between ambitious parents and the person who sold them the "perfect" show jumping horse for their daughter. Who is to blame?
Murdo ..... Liam Brennan
Christine ….. Rosalind Sydney
Paul ….. Stuart McQuarrie
Kate ….. Helen Mackay
Ms Gibb ….. Nalini Chetty
Sheriff ….. Karen Bartke
Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane
Sound by Gav Murchie and Fraser Jackson
Production Coordinator - Bethany Woodhead
As the pressure on the UK’s courts intensifies, more and more cases are going through mediation as an alternative form of conflict resolution. In our new series we present cases in which opposing versions of the truth have hardened into what seems like irreconcilable positions. The mediator has to try to find compromise, agreement and a way forward
Consultant - Charlie Irvine
An EcoAudio certified production for BBC Audio Scotland
WED 15:00 Money Box (m002mmxn)
Money Box Live: Autumn Budget 2025
For months we’ve heard speculation about what the Autumn Budget might bring - now we know. The Chancellor has delivered her statement, setting out plans for taxes, benefits, and spending. But what does it mean for your money? Our panel of experts break down the key announcements and explain how they could affect you.
Felicity Hannah is joined by David Dodgson, a partner at the independent financial advisors, The Private Office; Helen Thornley, a tax expert from the Association of Taxation Technicians; and Sarah Pennells, a consumer finance specialist for the mutual life and pensions company, Royal London.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Helen Ledwick
Researcher: Eimear Devlin
Editor: Jess Quayle
Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(This episode was first broadcast at
3pm on Radio 4 on the 26th of November 2025).
WED 15:30 Child (m002mfj5)
Series 2
4. Anger
India Rakusen reaches the wild storm of toddler anger - once feared as fairy mischief, now often misunderstood by science and society alike.
We move from ancient changeling tales to modern myths of the “lizard brain”, unravelling how culture, gender, and language shape the way we see emotion. Could anger, so often cast as dangerous or shameful, also be a vital force - something to be named, held, and guided, not silenced. A tender look at the fire in every small soul.
Presented by India Rakusen.
Producer: Ellie Sans
Assistant Producer: Charlotte Evans-Young
Executive producer: Alex Hollands
Commissioning Exec: Paula McDonnell
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and Eska Mtungwazi
Sound Design by Charlie Brandon-King
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
WED 16:00 When It Hits the Fan (m002mmxq)
Power, PR and the 'Epstein Class'
Imagine being able to read the private emails sent between some of the most powerful people on the planet.
This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis do exactly that. The release of thousands of pages from the so-called Epstein files shows the ways in which the elite communicate with each other. The exchanges reveal what one New York Times columnist describes as the 'nomadic bat signals' the rich send the rich. Epstein's criminality and cruelty are already crystal clear - but the legacy of these emails tells us so much more about the times we're living in.
On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a scandal threatening the reputation of a very British institution. The former CEO of Lloyd's of London, John Neal, has had his multi-million pound job offer with AIG rescinded - over claims of a workplace affair. Did Lloyd's do enough to investigate the matter - and does the case undo all the positive PR Lloyd's has received for trying to reform behaviour within the company?
Also, insert your own joke about weird handshakes. The Freemasons are making a fresh attempt to become more transparent. The 600 meeting halls of the Grand Lodge of Scotland are throwing open their doors to public guided tours. It's all part of an effort to be more 'inclusive' and 'engaging'. But what if secrecy is part of your selling point? If you lose the mystique, what have you got left?
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
WED 16:15 The Media Show (m002mmxs)
The Reith Lecture row, Telegraph sale & CNN documentary MisinfoNation: White Genocide
Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins on some of the biggest stories shaping the UK and global media. Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair of the Culture Media and Sport Committee, former Financial Times editor Lionel Barber, and Max Goldbart from Deadline discuss the BBC crisis: from Samir Shah’s leadership challenges to Shumeet Banerji’s damning resignation letter, and the controversy over editing Rutger Bregman’s Reith Lecture to remove a line about Donald Trump. We also examine the £500m sale of the Telegraph to the Daily Mail group – one of the biggest consolidations in British media – and ask what it means for press plurality with Dr Alice Enders from Enders Analysis and CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan on his new documentary MisinfoNation: White Genocide
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai
WED 17:00 PM (m002mmxv)
News and current affairs, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mmxx)
The Chancellor defends her Budget tax rises
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced tax rises worth £26-billion in her Budget, which will take the government's overall tax take to record levels by the start of the next decade. Also: There's a hit on pension contributions, cash ISAs and high-value properties in England. And Ms Reeves confirms the abolition of the two-child benefits cap, in an attempt to lift children out of poverty.
WED 18:30 It's a Fair Cop (m002mmxz)
Scam Special
Ever had a text from a non-existent offspring? A call from someone claiming to be from your bank? Or an email from a Nigerian prince….? Cop turned comic Alfie Moore is here to guide you through the modern world of scams.
With him, as always, are his audience of sworn in deputies, who’ll help him pick his way through some true crime conundrums, as part of the BBC’s Scam Safe Week.
Written and presented by Alfie Moore
Script Editor: Will Ing
Production Co-ordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu
Producers: James Robinson and Carl Cooper
A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4
WED 19:00 The Archers (m002mmy1)
While feeding the turkeys with George Eddie mentions Amber helping him look for the missing money the other night – he still can’t think where it’s got to. George then offers to go into Borchester with Eddie, wanting to surprise Amber at Farm Supplies on the way. When they have lunch together though, Amber worries about money, wondering how George could afford to buy her ring. As she pushes him George realises that Amber thinks he stole Eddie’s money to pay for it. George reacts badly and walks out, just as Eddie phones Amber to tell her he’s found the lost money in his jacket pocket. Amber then leaves a message for George, apologising and promising she’ll make it up to him. Later at home, mortified Amber tries explaining how worried she’s been about him, before all George’s anxieties over what Amber really thinks start pouring out. He accuses her of not wanting to marry him after all, before storming out.
Tracy wakes Brad and wants him to come shopping. When they go to the supermarket later Brad seems distracted. Tracy reckons it’s like he’s been off somewhere far away in his head for several weeks. She asks if George has been leaning on him to do stuff he doesn’t want to, but Brad tells her George has been fine. Tracy persists when they get home though, suggesting Brad might be lovesick and encouraging him to talk about his feelings. Evasive Brad reckons he’s just tired, before they end up saying how much they love each other.
WED 19:15 Front Row (m002mmy3)
The lead writer of Grand Theft Auto, Dan Houser, on his debut novel.
Dan Houser, lead writer of Grand Theft Auto, on his debut dystopian novel A Better Paradise, about a video game which goes wrong.
Renowned director Katie Mitchell on why she is stepping back from opera due to a culture of misogyny.
And we hear how Native American artists and musicians are responding to environmental concerns, with artist Neal Ambrose-Smith and Pulitzer Prize winning composer Raven Chacon.
Presenter: Kate Molleson
Producer: Mark Crossan
WED 20:00 Moral Maze (m002mmy5)
Politics: Whose Morality Is It Anyway?
The Dutch historian Rutger Bregman, whose BBC Reith Lectures start this week, is calling for a moral revolution to change our societies for the better, charting how small groups of committed people – abolitionists, suffragettes, and temperance activists – have brought about positive social change.
Politics, Bregman argues, is in trouble in an age of apathy and backsliding democracy: “The moral rot runs deep across elite institutions of every stripe”, he says, “if the right is defined by its shameless corruption, then liberals answer with a paralyzing cowardice”.
So where might our moral salvation come? What are the deep values that underpin our contrasting political worldviews – left and right – and which should we look to prioritise now? Does any part of the political spectrum have the greatest claim to morality?
Chair: Michael Buerk
Panel: Matthew Taylor, James Orr, Mona Siddiqui and Tim Stanley.
Witnesses: Tim Montgomerie, Eleanor Penny, Joanna Williams, Paul Mason
Producer: Dan Tierney.
WED 21:00 The Reith Lectures (m002mmrv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 on Tuesday]
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (m002mmy7)
Chancellor raises taxes by £26 billion in second Budget
The Chancellor announced major tax increases amounting to £26 billion in her second Budget, as well as ending the two-child benefit cap from April next year. We broadcast from the political bellwether town of Northampton, to get local reaction from business and townspeople, as well as the local MP Lucy Rigby, who is also Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
Also on the programme: two national guardsmen have been critically injured after being shot in Washington DC.
WED 22:45 The Princess Bride (m0012qg2)
Bitesize Backstories: The Prince
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it”. When Goldman discovers The Princess Bride by S Morgenstern is not the swashbuckling fantasy his father read him as a child, but is in fact a patchy and extensive historical satire, he sets out to create the “Good Parts” version…
A tale of true love and high adventure featuring a fighting giant that loves to rhyme, a swordsman on the ultimate quest for revenge, a pirate in love with a princess, a princess in love with a farm boy and a prince in love with war.
First a novel, then a film, now an audio experience:
The Best Bits of the Good Parts Version by Stephen Keyworth.
A two-part dramatisation of swashbuckling adventure plus five bitesize backstories which can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories or to enhance your experience of the drama.
Bitesize Backstories: The Prince
Prince Humperdinck loves nothing more fighting and wars. But when he realises his father is dying, it’s time to find him a suitable bride.
Reader: Grant O’Rourke
Producer: Kirsty Williams
Sound recording: Iain McKinna
Editing: Joanne Willott
WED 23:00 Tom & Lauren Are Going OOT (m002mmy9)
Series 2
3. Agatha Quiztie
Desperate to win the £2000 prize at their local pub quiz, Tom and Lauren brush up on their general knowledge. Convinced they have the best team, they dream of how to spend the money. When their friends unexpectedly drop out, they scramble to find an adequate substitute.
In a moment of desperation, Tom turns to Neil, who surprises everyone by being an expert in musical theatre and history. Trouble is, Neil isn't sure Tom and Lauren are good enough to be on his team.
Cast:
Tom Machell as Tom
Lauren Pattison as Lauren
Julian Clary as Neil
Writers: Tom Machell & Lauren Pattison
Director: Katharine Armitage
Recording Engineer: Philip Quinton
Sound Design: Philip Quinton
Theme Music: Scrannabis
Producers: Maria Caruana Galizia & Zahra Zomorrodian
A Candle & Bell production for BBC Radio 4
WED 23:15 Leila Navabi, This Is Your Bank (m002mmyc)
Welsh comedian Leila Navabi takes on the phone scammers, flipping the script on who is fooling who. As she tries different ways to out-improvise the callers, she begins to see a different picture of who they might be. This programme is part of the BBC’s Scam Safe Week.
Written and performed by Leila Navabi, with a guest appearance by Laura Smyth, and other voices by Lynn Hunter, Django Bevan and Sasha McCormack.
Sound: Catherine Robinson and Rhys Morris.
Production Co-ordinator: Eleri McAuliffe.
Director: John Norton
A BBC Audio Wales Production
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002mmyf)
Budget Day - David Cornock and team report.
THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2025
THU 00:00 Midnight News (m002mmyh)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
THU 00:30 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mmx8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mmyk)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mmym)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
THU 05:00 News Summary (m002mmyp)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
THU 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002mmyr)
Sean Curran reports on the budget and the reaction to it in the Commons.
THU 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mmyt)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mmyw)
Keeping Things Simple
Good Morning
It’s long time since (my own) childhood. These days children seem to leave innocence behind quickly. Life gets more complicated as you reach adulthood. It seems an inevitable necessity of growing up. Do you ever stop and wish things could be simpler? I do. A couple of Jewish words spring to mind; 'tamim' and 'heimisch', one Hebrew, one Yiddish. Tamim means, ‘pure’, ‘innocent’ and ‘whole’ - Moses uses the word tamim as he dictates his final thoughts in the book of Deuteronomy. Here’s a man who has ‘been up the mountain’ and spoken to his God almost face to face. Even so, he still hasn’t reached his ‘promised land’. He attempts to pass on wisdom about how to approach belief. The word 'Heimisch' was a favourite of my mother's it means 'homely'; simple, and wholesome like simple homemade chicken soup. To me, a bowl of it solves most problems.
Can you have ‘tamim’ and ‘heimisch’ in our sophisticated world? I like to think, that in spite of growing up, you can still keep things simple. Most of us wonder about life's mysteries without finding definitive answers, even through prayer. The truth is, none of us will ever know everything. In the end, no matter how much you know, belief and faith must be taken on trust. As Moses said, it is best done in a simpler frame of mind.
Lord, in a world of complexities and sophistication, help us to seek out life’s simpler truths. Give us the grace to know the limits of knowledge and the shallowness of human understanding. Where all this fails, give us the courage to leap forward in faith.
Amen
THU 05:45 Farming Today (m002mmyy)
Farmers were in London again to protest about the re-imposition of inheritance tax on farming and business assets of more than a million pounds - something announced last year. In her budget, the Chancellor made a change to transferring inheritance tax allowances between spouses, but farmers said it wasn't enough.
Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney
THU 06:00 Today (m002mp94)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
THU 09:00 In Our Time (b07cyfkg)
Margery Kempe and English Mysticism
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting In Our Time, five well-known fans of the programme have chosen their favourite episodes. Author and columnist Caitlin Moran has picked the episode on the English medieval mystic Margery Kempe and recorded an introduction to it. Margery Kempe (1373-1438) produced an account of her extraordinary life in a book she dictated, "The Book of Margery Kempe." She went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to Rome and Santiago de Compostela, purchasing indulgences on her way, met with the anchoress Julian of Norwich and is honoured by the Church of England each 9th November. She sometimes doubted the authenticity of her mystical conversations with God, as did the authorities who saw her devotional sobbing, wailing and convulsions as a sign of insanity and dissoluteness. Her Book was lost for centuries, before emerging in a private library in 1934.
This In Our Time episode was first broadcast in June 2016. The image (above), of an unknown woman, comes from a pew at Margery Kempe's parish church, St Margaret’s, Kings Lynn and dates from c1375.
With
Miri Rubin
Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History at Queen Mary, University of London
Katherine Lewis
Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Huddersfield
And
Anthony Bale
Professor of Medieval Studies at Birkbeck University of London
Producer: Simon Tillotson
Reading list:
John H. Arnold and Katherine J. Lewis (eds.), A Companion to the Book of Margery Kempe, (D. S. Brewer, 2010)
Anthony Bale (trans.), The Book of Margery Kempe (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Santha Bhattacharji, God is an Earthquake: The Spirituality of Margery Kempe (Darton, Longman and Todd, 1997)
Anthony Goodman, Margery Kempe and her World (Longman, 2002)
Karma Lochrie, Margery Kempe and the Translations of the Flesh (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991)
Gail McMurray Gibson, The Theater of Devotion: East Anglian Drama and Society in the Late Middle Ages (University of Chicago Press, 1989)
Lynn Staley, Margery Kempe’s Dissenting Fictions (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1994)
Jonathan Sumption, Pilgrimage: An Image of Mediaeval Religion (Faber & Faber, 2002)
Brett Whalen, Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages: A Reader (University of Toronto Press, 2011)
Barry Windeatt (ed.), The Book of Margery Kempe: Annotated Edition (D. S. Brewer, 2006)
Barry Windeatt (ed.), The Book of Margery Kempe (Penguin Classics, 2000)
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the people, ideas, events and discoveries that have shaped our world
In Our Time is a BBC Studios production
THU 09:45 Strong Message Here (m002mp98)
Spooking the Markets (with Natalie Haynes and Stewart Lee)
It's budget week, Armando is joined by two members of the Strong Message Here commune, Natalie Haynes and Stewart Lee.
How do markets get 'spooked'? Who has the broadest shoulders? And what does 'a Labour Budget with Labour values' actually mean?
We discuss how taxes get their nicknames, why we know so much about the budget ahead of time these days, and whether Rachel Reeves could've taken inspiration from Taylor Swift to make the budget more exciting.
In the longer edition, we also look at 'the banter defence', and decide a new name for 'the markets' that feels more apt for the way they behave.
Got a strong message for Armando? Email us on strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk
Sound editing: Rich Evans
Production Coordinator: Jodie Charman
Executive Producer: James Robinson
Recorded at The Sound Company
Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios production for Radio 4.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002mp9b)
Femicide, The impact of the Budget on women, Remembering Pam Hogg
The Italian Parliament has voted unanimously to introduce the crime of femicide, the murder of a woman motivated by gender, as a distinct law to be punished with a life sentence. It makes Italy one of very few places in the world to categorise femicide as a distinct crime. The BBC's Senior Reporter Laura Gozzi tells Anita Rani why this has been voted in.
There was a lot of anticipation and debate about what the Budget would include for women and how it would affect them. There has been a close watch on the two-child benefit cap, which it's been announced will be lifted, pensions and of course the cost of living. Now the final numbers are in, Anita discusses the Budget with Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist with the Royal London pensions and investment company, and Erin Mansell from the feminist economics group The Women's Budget.
Pam Hogg, the legendary Scottish fashion designer, known for her eccentric and outlandish designs, has died. She dressed everyone from Rihanna, to Bjork to Lady Gaga. Her family, said in a statement that the trailblazing designer’s creative spirit and body of work has ‘touched the lives of many.’ Anita is joined by journalist Kate Hutchinson to discuss her style and her legacy.
Cassa Pancho founded Ballet Black in 2001. She was 21 at the time and it was in response to the fact that no black or Asian women were performing in any of the UK’s ballet companies. This week Ballet Black conclude their UK tour of SHADOWS at London's Sadler's Wells and features as part of its double bill Cassa's adaptation of Oyinkan Braithwaite’s international bestselling novel, My Sister, The Serial Killer.
Grace Walker is the author of a new speculative dystopian novel, The Merge. It's set at a time when the Earth’s resources have been pushed to breaking point and there’s a new controversial procedure in which two people’s consciousness can be combined to exist in one body. Grace explains to Anita where the idea came from and her love of dystopian fiction.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Andrea Kidd
THU 11:00 The Infinite Monkey Cage (m002kjvd)
Series 34
What’s the deal with eels? – Lucy Porter, David Righton and Caroline Durif
Fishing rods at the ready, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to reel in a creature that has baffled scientists since Aristotle: the eel. Wriggling in to help them uncover the mysteries of one of nature’s slimiest subjects are marine scientists David Righton and Caroline Durif, and comedian Lucy Porter.
How do eels navigate such vast distances so deep under water? Why has no one ever seen them reproduce? And WHY would anyone eat them jellied with pie and mash?! The panel discovers that Spanish eels are always late and that eels from all different countries are thought to meet up somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean for a huge annual orgy.
Producer: Melanie Brown
Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Production
THU 11:45 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mp9f)
4. Together for the Kids
In Zoe Strimpel's series on family in contemporary Britain, the journalist asks some thorny questions. Today, the complexities and outcomes for children when families breakdown is up for discussion.
In her specially commissioned series for Radio 4, Zoe Strimpel grapples with the role family plays in British society. Across the five episodes she considers a number of thorny themes. First of all Strimpel looks at the enduring appeal of marriage for those couples who have decided to tie the knot, she then turns her attention to what happens after the wedding presents have been opened and family life begins. The gendered case for the family is under the spot light as she assesses the seismic social changes that have taken place in the wake of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Later in the series she'll ask about the outcomes for children caught in the crossfire of warring parents who live apart, or under the same roof, and lastly she'll consider alternatives to the conventional nuclear family.
Zoe Strimpel is an author, newspaper columnist and broadcaster. She has a PhD in modern British history and the history of feminism, gender and intimacy.
The producer is Elizabeth Allard
THU 12:00 News Summary (m002mp9h)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 12:04 Scam Secrets (m002mp9k)
How Do I Get My Money Back?
You've just been scammed. The red flags didn't work this time and criminals have stolen your money. Your mind's all over the place. Will you ever see that cash again? In this special episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl and a cast of experts walk you through the process so you know your rights. She'll point out the factors that improve your chances of a refund - as well as the dreaded circumstances that could mean your money is lost forever. And they'll walk you through the crucial steps you should take as soon as you realise what has happened, because the actions you take in the aftermath can have a big impact on getting your money back. For this episode, Shari is joined by David Geale, executive director of the Payment Systems Regulator, Richard Daniels, head of fraud at TSB and Paul Hampson, director at CEL Solicitors.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
THU 12:32 Sliced Bread (m002mp9m)
Toast - Dasani Water
Dasani water, a bottled water from Coca-Cola, proved a big hit in the U.S.A so why did it last for less than 6 weeks in the UK?
The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates how it ended up toast, in the company of resident business expert and entrepreneur, Sam White.
In the early 2000s, Coca-Cola had entered the growing bottled water market and was hoping to turn its hit new brand in America into a global sensation.
But shortly after Dasani water was launched in the UK, things quickly went awry, derailing plans for expansion into Europe.
To help explain what happened, Sean and Sam delve into the BBC archives and hear from expert guests including Graham Hiscott, the journalist whose story shone a new light on to the brand, and Conor Carroll a lecturer and marketing expert who has written about the Dasani debacle.
They also hear from Toast listener, Chris Leversha, who remembers buying Dasani water and suggested we cover it on the show.
At the end, Sam has to come up with her own professional conclusions about the fate of Dasani UK based on what she has just heard.
If you have a good idea for an interesting Toast topic then tell us about it - email toast@bbc.co.uk
Produced by Jon Douglas, Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
THU 12:57 Weather (m002mp9p)
The latest weather forecast
THU 13:00 World at One (m002mp9r)
Net migration drops sharply
ONS figures show a fall in net migration, while record numbers applied for asylum. Also on the programme, we hear from someone who will benefit from the two-child benefit cap being lifted.
THU 13:45 Materials of State (m002mp9t)
Black Rod
David Cannadine continues examining the origins, symbolism and contemporary significance of the objects and emblems that underpin the British constitution.
In episode 4, he’s looking at Black Rod, which is unusual among our ‘materials of state’ for being both a person and an object.
Black Rod refers to both a senior parliamentary officer and the physical ebony staff carried by that officer. The role dates back nearly 600 years to King Edward III and the founding of the Order of the Garter. By the 16th century, the role became a fixture at the Palace of Westminster, responsible for access, order and discipline, functions that continue today. David meets the newly appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, Ed Davis, and a former Black Rod, David Leaky, to discuss what the role entails.
The most public and iconic part of Black Rod's duties is during the State Opening of Parliament. Dressed in ceremonial costume, Black Rod is sent to summon MPs from the House of Commons to listen to the Monarch’s speech in the House of Lords, but the door is traditionally slammed in their face to symbolise the Commons' independence from the Crown. The officer then knocks three times with the base of the rod before being admitted. Despite objections to this pomp and ceremony from people like Dennis Skinner MP, David concludes the role and tradition of both the person, and the object, remains secure for now.
Contributors in order of appearance:
Ed Davis, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
David Leaky, former Usher of the Black Rod
Eloise Donnelly, Curator of Historic Furniture and Decorative Art at the Houses of Parliament
Presented by Professor Sir David Cannadine
Series Producer: Melissa FitzGerald
Series Researcher: Martin Spychal
Sound Mixing: Tony Churnside
The series has been made in association with the History of Parliament Trust
A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4
THU 14:00 The Archers (m002mmy1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Drama on 4 (m002mp9w)
Mediation
Ground Work
by Clara Glynn
Two sisters run into problems while building their dream house on the Island of Mull. Can Murdo help to work out a solution with their builder to ensure the completion of the project? And where's the heat pump?
Murdo ..... Liam Brennan
Letty ..... Madeleine Worrall
Jo ..... Selina Boyack
Ross ..... Simon Donaldson
Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane
Sound by Gav Murchie and Fraser Jackson
Production Coordinator - Bethany Woodhead
As the pressure on the UK’s courts intensifies, more and more cases are going through mediation as an alternative form of conflict resolution. In our new series we present cases in which opposing versions of the truth have hardened into what seems like irreconcilable positions. The mediator has to try to find compromise, agreement and a way forward.
An EcoAudio certified production for BBC Audio Scotland
Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health and self-harm or feelings of despair are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.
THU 15:00 This Natural Life (m002mp9y)
Sarah Perry
The Essex Serpent author Sarah Perry takes Martha Kearney to see the great rook and jackdaw roost at Buckenham Carrs in Norfolk. At dusk thousands of birds descend to settle in the trees for the night, a sight that Sarah finds both magical and comforting. She explains the role that nature plays in her novels, as active as any other character.
Sarah Perry is the author of After Me Comes the Flood, The Essex Serpent, Melmoth, Enlightenment and Death of an Ordinary Man.
Producer: Beth O'Dea
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (m002mmby)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:54 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Feedback (m002mpb0)
Mark Steel's in Town. Materials of State. Test Match Special Podcast - Interview of the Year nomination.
Mark Steel's In Town has just completed it's 14th series, and listeners from Shetland to Rutland and beyond have been tuning in. But what do they make of it? And what goes into putting each episode together? Mark joins presenter Andrea Catherwood on Feedback to answer your questions and unravel how the programme works.
Some listeners also had questions about Radio 4's Materials of State, which is being broadcast this week. The first programme in the series covered the story of the UK's national flag - listeners claimed calling it the Union Jack was wrong. Malcolm Farrow, President of The Flag Institute, weighs in to clear up any confusion.
And there's one final nomination for Feedback's Interview of the Year before nominations close. It comes from a listener who tuned in to Test Match Special Podcast to hear the BBC's Chief Cricket Reporter Stephan Shemilt interviewing veteran cricketer David Larter.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4
THU 16:00 The Briefing Room (m002mpb2)
What's happening with the Ukraine peace plan?
President Trump wants an end to the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainians want peace too - but not at any cost. The past week saw the emergence of a leaked US 28 - point- plan which was wholly unacceptable to President Zelensky and European leaders. But how it originated and why it looked like a Russian wish list has led to intense debate. ( It included Ukraine giving up territory it still holds in the east, as well as the area already occupied by Russia, a cap on the Ukrainian army of 600 thousand, a permanent ban on NATO membership for Ukraine and an amnesty on all war crimes. ) Talks hastily took place in Europe and Abu Dhabi and there’s now a revised version still to be agreed with Russia. President Zelensky wants to meet President Trump to agree the most sensitive issues.. So why did this latest attempt at peace in Ukraine emerge through a leaked document which many assumed had come straight from Russia? How has Europe and Ukraine responded and could it really mean an end to nearly four years of war?
Guests:
Angela Stent, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia.
Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College, London
Christopher Miller, Financial Times’ Chief Ukraine Correspondent
Sir Laurie Bristow, former UK Ambassador to Russia and President of Hughes Hall, Cambridge.
Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Cordelia Hemming, Kirsteen Knight
Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound Engineer: James Beard
Editor: Richard Vadon
THU 16:30 BBC Inside Science (w3ct8txm)
Why aren’t gene therapies more common?
This week, a world first gene therapy treats rare Hunter syndrome. Could these personalised medicines be used more widely? We speak to Claire Booth, professor in Gene Therapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
And high in the Chilean desert, the last bit of 13 billion year old light has hit the mirror of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope for the last time. Dr Jenifer Millard, a science communicator and host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, tells us what it’s been up to for the past 20 years.
And Penny Sarchet, managing editor at New Scientist brings her pick of the latest new discoveries.
Think you know space? Head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science, and follow the links to the Open University to try The Open University Space Quiz.
Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producers: Alex Mansfield, Ella Hubber, Jonathan Blackwell, Tim Dodd and Clare Salisbury
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
THU 17:00 PM (m002mpb5)
Net migration falls dramatically
New figures show net migration to the UK has fallen significantly, while asylum claims have risen. Madeleine Sumption from the Migration Observatory gives us a briefing. We hear about a government U-turn on workers' rights. Green Party leader Zack Polanski gives us his view on the budget - and his plans for the future. Also, we hear from the screenwriter and director of Paddington: The Musical, which has its West End opening this weekend.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mpb7)
The government has U-turned on day-one protection from unfair dismissal
The government has U-turned on a manifesto pledge to offer all workers protection against unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Also: The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has doubled down on his core demands for ending the war in Ukraine. And figures show how homelessness disproportionately affects young people leaving care in England.
THU 18:30 Rum Punch (m002mpb9)
Series 1
1. Dirty Work
Marley wants to join a new gym with a legendary trainer. Unfortunately, he can’t afford the fees. Meanwhile Taylor needs an interesting character to write about – Angie thinks she knows just the person.
Created by Travis Jay, Rum Punch is an award-winning sitcom that follows a multigenerational family as they juggle pursuit of their individual ambitions with their responsibilities to the family business - a Caribbean restaurant in the heart of Lewisham.
Rum Punch cast:
Charlie - Ninia Benjamin
Des - Kevin Garry (KG Tha Comedian)
Taylor - Kyrah Gray
Lydia - Letitia Hector
Marley - Travis Jay
Angie - Angie Le Mar
Delroy - Eddie Nestor
Writer – Travis Jay
Additional Material – Danielle Vitalis
Script Editor – Atlanta Green
Sound Engineer – David Thomas
Editor – David Thomas
Production Assistant – Sahar Malaika Rajabali, Eunice Oshiguwa, Jessica Fatoye
Producers – Daisy Knight and Jules Lom
Executive Producers – Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday
An Avalon Television Production for BBC Radio 4
THU 19:00 The Archers (m002mn0h)
George is in a filthy mood because of Amber’s accusation, but Brad thinks he’s got the wrong end of the stick. Ed then offers George a lift to Grange Farm and they have a similar conversation, before George shuts the conversation down. Later, when Ed drops in on George at No. 1, The Green, George despairs about his life as a known criminal - even Amber thinks he’s a thief. Ed confesses he knew about her suspicions, but he never believed it himself. George though reckons no-one will ever give him a chance and runs up to his room. When Ed follows, trying to get him to talk, George pushes him and Ed falls downstairs, just as Brad appears. Later, Ed tells Brad that he lost his footing, while George suggests Ed slipped on one of Poppy’s books. Brad reckons Ed was lucky - it could have been a lot worse.
Kirsty walks round the beaver enclosure with Justin, pointing out where the animals have started working. Justin still hasn’t watched the beaver footage Kirsty sent him though, admitting he can’t think of anything more boring than watching beavers build a dam. Passionate Kirsty finds this difficult to understand, accusing Justin of having no real interest in what they’re doing at the Rewilding site. Justin assures her that just because he doesn’t respond emotionally that doesn’t mean he isn’t supportive. As a businessman, he’s thrilled at how well it’s going and thinks he should employ a similarly committed manager to Kirsty on his other rewilding project to guarantee its success.
THU 19:15 Front Row (m002mpbf)
Review Show: Blue Moon film plus Turner and Constable at Tate Britain
Nancy Durrant and Michael Donkor join Tom Sutcliffe to review Richard Linklater’s Broadway break up film Blue Moon, starring Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart, whose former writing partner Richard Rodgers had just made Oklahoma with Oscar Hammerstein.
They also discuss Tate Britain’s exhibition about how the lives of Turner and Constable were entwined.
And they talk about Pillion, a surprising award-winning romantic drama starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, adapted from Adam Mars-Jones’ novel Box Hill.
Plus entertainment journalist Al Horner on potential buyers for the Warner Discovery entertainment conglomerate, and why the sale is significant.
Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe
Producer: Claire Bartleet
THU 20:00 When It Hits the Fan (m002mmxq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Wednesday]
THU 20:15 The Media Show (m002mmxs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:15 on Wednesday]
THU 21:00 Loose Ends (m002mmk5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:15 on Saturday]
THU 21:45 Strong Message Here (m002mp98)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 today]
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (m002mpbh)
Government backtracks on day-one unfair dismissal right
The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. Ministers now plan to introduce the right after six months instead, after business groups voiced concerns it would discourage firms from hiring. The government argued it was making the climbdown to stop its employment legislation being delayed in the House of Lords, where it has run into opposition. But Labour MP Andy McDonald, who helped to write the New Deal for Workers on which the legislation is based, told us of his "immense disappointment".
Also on the programme: the US Department of Homeland Security says it's reviewing all asylum cases approved under former president Joe Biden after the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC yesterday was revealed to be an Afghan man who worked alongside the CIA in Afghanistan.
And an Oxford University botanical scientist told us of the moment his colleague broke down at the sight of a rare flower blossoming in Indonesia, in a moment that has now gone viral online.
THU 22:45 The Princess Bride (m0012s9j)
Bitesize Backstories: The Henchman
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it”. When Goldman discovers The Princess Bride by S Morgenstern is not the swashbuckling fantasy his father read him as a child, but is in fact a patchy and extensive historical satire, he sets out to create the “Good Parts” version…
A tale of true love and high adventure featuring a fighting giant that loves to rhyme, a swordsman on the ultimate quest for revenge, a pirate in love with a princess, a princess in love with a farm boy and a prince in love with war.
First a novel, then a film, now an audio experience:
The Best Bits of the Good Parts Version by Stephen Keyworth.
A two-part dramatisation of swashbuckling adventure plus five bitesize backstories which can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories or to enhance your experience of the drama.
Bitesize Backstories: The Henchman
Fezzik was a simple, happy giant...until his parents taught him to fight.
The story of how a giant whose favourite sport was making rhymes became the henchman to a master villain.
Reader: Grant O’Rourke
Producer: Kirsty Williams
Sound recording: Iain McKinna
Editing: Joanne Willott
THU 23:00 Radical with Amol Rajan (m002mpbk)
A War on Climate Change: Are Environmental Activists Losing The Fight? (Chris Packham)
What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done enough to protect nature.
After the COP climate summit in Brazil ended without new targets to reduce the use of fossil fuels, he wants the UK government to lead a global emergency action plan as it did in World War Two and during the 2008 financial crisis to address what he calls climate and nature breakdown.
The Springwatch and Winterwatch presenter also highlights the importance of biodiversity, how carbon emissions affect our health, and the practical steps individuals can take to make a difference.
But ultimately he says we need a policy shift, which makes polluters pay.
Chris also speaks candidly about his neurodiversity, his compulsion to speak truth to power and the personal price he pays for his campaigning.
(
00:06:27) The scale of the climate crisis
(
00:09:22) What he wants the UK government to do
(
00:12:23) Why climate change has fallen down the political agenda
(
00:14:52) Short term vs long term decisions
(
00:20:26) Are net zero policies working?
(
00:33:55) Environmentalism as a form of misanthropy
(
00:40:14) Radical solutions
(
00:44:02) What Chris does to help the environment
(
00:45:40) Why he thinks he and other conservationists have failed
(
00:48:01) What individuals can do
(
00:57:38) The price he’s paid for his campaigning
(
00:59:55) Neurodiversity
(
01:02:38) Amol’s reflections
GET IN TOUCH
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk
Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan
Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.
THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002mpbm)
Will ministers restrict the right to trial by jury? Sean Curran reports. Also, MPs continue to debate the Budget and peers question a delay in issuing guidance on the Supreme Court's ruling on biological sex.
FRIDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2025
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (m002mpbp)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
FRI 00:30 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mp9f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002mpbr)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002mpbt)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:00 News Summary (m002mpbw)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
FRI 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002mpby)
Alicia McCarthy reports from Westminster as the government refuted suggestions that proposals to restrict jury trials in England and Wales would undermine civil liberties.
FRI 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002mpc0)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002mpc2)
The Joy of Baking
Good Morning
Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of baking on Fridays with my mother. It seems like a small thing but baking Sabbath bread is an important thing for a Jewish mother and daughter to do. While kneading dough is the first step, it needs strength and isn’t easy for little children. I watched, fascinated. Later, there was the wonder of peeping beneath the cloth to see how much the dough had risen. Jewish challah (ritual bread) is plaited intricately before baking. It was in that process of learning to plait, that I first felt tradition, quite literally passing through my hands. There was something magical in having my mother’s fingers gently guide mine, teaching me how to layer each strand over the next. One day, she told me that her mother had done exactly the same. When I complete this ritual task now, I can feel a chain of hands linking the generations. This isn’t just a Jewish thing. The same takes place whenever a parent transfers treasured customs on to their children. But as we pass on traditions, we exchange beliefs and values too. I have my own beliefs, based on, but different to my mother’s. I don’t plait bread exactly like her either, but I do thank her. I passed on similar skills and beliefs to my own children.
Lord, teach us to value the traditions of those around us and those who came before. Help us to understand their true meaning while interpreting them new and personal ways. Above all, guide us in using the past to inform our future, passing on to others the wisdom we all hold.
Amen
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (m002mpc4)
28/11/25 Rural depopulation, organic dairy, potato waste skin care, reservoir farm
36 per cent of people who live in rural areas or on islands in Scotland are considering leaving, blaming a range of things from healthcare and ferries to housing shortages. The majority who plan to stay praise the strong community spirit and quality of life. These are the findings of a new study from Scotland's Rural College. Researchers say rural and island areas of Scotland continue to face population decline and have looked at what happens in other countries - Canada, Sweden and Croatia - to see what might change the situation.
Scientists are working on a project to use potato shaws, the green leaves from the top of the seed potato plant, which are currently discarded or ploughed back in. The University of Aberdeen believe they could be put to a more lucrative use: skin creams.
All this week, we've been looking at dairy farming. Farmers are currently dealing with falling prices for milk as the world commodity price slumps. There is an exception to that. The prices organic farmers are getting have remained stable and and sales of organic milk products have increased slightly in the last 12 months.
We visit a Lincolnshire farm with an uncertain future. Hannah Thorogood has spent 15 years building up an organic farm business with cattle, sheep and hens. She now runs the farm and farm shop with her twin daughters. However, Inkpot Farm, along with thousands of acres around it, is in the middle of a proposed site for a giant reservoir.
Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Rebecca Rooney
FRI 06:00 Today (m002mmzx)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (m002mmcq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:00 on Sunday]
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002mmzz)
Adoption, Camille O'Sullivan, Wicked
The complex needs of adopted children are leaving parents at breaking point as they say they are being denied support then blamed by authorities when they can no longer cope, a BBC investigation has found. A BBC Freedom of Information request revealed the scale of the crisis, and the number of families that are returning their children to the care system. Anita Rani is joined by BBC special correspondent Judith Moritz and Fiona Wells who runs PATCH, Passionate Adopters Targeting Change with Hope, a support group for adoptive parents.
For the last two years, the mystery of exactly what happened at Erin Patterson's dining table had gripped the world. And then in September this year, after a nine-week trial, Erin Patterson was jailed for life - with no chance of release for at least 33 years. Her crime: murdering three relatives by intentionally poisoning them with wild mushrooms and trying to kill another. Dubbed the ‘Mushroom Murders’, Anita speaks to Sarah Krasnostein, who wrote a book about Erin’s trial, and Dr Stephanie Brown, a historical criminologist, to understand the public view of women who poison.
Camille O’Sullivan has toured with the Pogues and was chosen by Yoko Ono to perform at Meltdown festival in the Royal Festival Hall. Now the Irish-French singer is bringing her hit show to the Soho Theatre in London. LoveLetter is a personal response to the loss of the artists who inspired her, particularly her late friends Shane McGowan and Sinéad O’Connor.
The second part of the hugely popular film Wicked - called Wicked: For good, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, continues to take the UK and the world by storm. It's already taken over $226m at the global box office. Telling an alternative version of the Wizard of Oz, it explores how our perception of good and evil can be distorted. It's also the story of the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda and the tensions that can be put on that friendship. Anita is joined by the Independent's chief album critic Helen Brown and film critic Leila Latif to discuss why Wicked has been so successful and what it tell us about female friendships today.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Corinna Jones
FRI 11:00 The Food Programme (m002mn01)
The Great Tartan Tea Swindle
When Tam o’ Braan began marketing Scottish Tea from his Wee Tea Plantation, the response was astonishing. Upmarket retailers such as Fortnum and Mason and hotels from the Dorchester in London to the Balmoral in Edinburgh paid top prices for the supplies of this rare treat. Scottish farmers caught the bug and bought tea bushes from Tam's plantation that he promised were bred especially for harsh Scottish conditions. Magazines, national newspapers and even the BBC profiled the entrepreneur behind the innovations that were putting Scotland on the tea map of the world.
The only problem was that Tam’s business was based on lies. His name wasn’t Tam o’ Braan, he wasn’t an award-winning tea grower and his tea certainly wasn’t Scottish. Jaega Wise follows the story of Tam and his tea from the hills of Perthshire through the tea salons of London to Falkirk's Sheriff Court.
Producer: Nina Pullman
FRI 11:45 The End of Family? By Zoe Strimpel (m002mn03)
5. Families of the Future
In Zoe Strimpel's series on family in contemporary Britain, the journalist asks some thought provoking questions. Today, thoughts on alternatives to traditional, nuclear family structures, and what family life could look like in the future.
In her specially commissioned series for Radio 4, Zoe Strimpel grapples with the role family plays in British society. Across the five episodes she considers a number of thorny themes. First of all Strimpel looks at the enduring appeal of marriage for those couples who have decided to tie the knot, she then turns her attention to what happens after the wedding presents have been opened and family life begins. The gendered case for the family is under the spot light as she assesses the seismic social changes that have taken place in the wake of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Later in the series she'll ask about the outcomes for children caught in the crossfire of warring parents who live apart, or under the same roof, and lastly she'll consider alternatives to the conventional nuclear family.
Zoe Strimpel is an author, newspaper columnist and broadcaster. She has a PhD in modern British history and the history of feminism, gender and intimacy.
The producer is Elizabeth Allard
FRI 12:00 News Summary (m002mn05)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 12:04 Rare Earth (m002mn07)
The Evolution of Evolution
190 years ago Charles Darwin stepped ashore in Falmouth at the end of a five year voyage that would transform the way in which we all think about nature. But how does his work and that of his fellow evolutionary theorist, Alfred Russel Wallace stand up in a world of climate change and habitat destruction?
To find out, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski are joined by Sandra Knapp of the Natural History Museum, naturalist and broadcaster Mike Dilger and by Armand Marie Leroi, professor of evolutionary developmental biology at Imperial College, London.
Producer: Alasdair Cross
Assistant Producer: Toby Field
Rare Earth is produced in association with the Open University
FRI 12:57 Weather (m002mn09)
The latest weather forecast
FRI 13:00 World at One (m002mn0c)
Anti-corruption raid on top Zelensky aide
Andriy Yermak, who is one of Ukraine's peace negotiators, says he is co-operating with investigators. Plus, will the rift between Your Party's founders scupper its launch tonight? And veteran diplomat John Kerry on climate change and the wisdom of America's foreign policy.
FRI 13:45 Materials of State (m002mn0f)
The Stone of Destiny
David Cannadine continues examining the origins, symbolism and contemporary significance of the objects and emblems that underpin the British constitution.
In this fifth episode, he’s looking at the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone - an ancient symbol of Scottish monarchy with a complex and contested history intertwined with both Scottish and British identity. The stone's earliest origins are shrouded in myth, but it was certainly used in the inauguration of Scottish kings at Scone Abbey from at least 1249. In 1296, King Edward I of England seized the stone as war booty. It was taken to Westminster Abbey and incorporated into a specially constructed Coronation Chair, which has been used in the coronation ceremonies of English, and later British, monarchs for over 700 years.
On Christmas Day 1950, four Scottish students, who supported an independent Scottish Parliament, removed the stone from Westminster Abbey to draw attention to their nationalist cause. The stone broke in two during the removal and was secretly repaired by stonemason Bertie Gray in Glasgow before being left at Arbroath Abbey and subsequently returned to Westminster. Gray was a keen Scottish nationalist and he kept fragments of the Stone during its repair to give out as relics. The historian Sally Foster has traced the whereabouts of many of these fragments which have travelled far and wide.
In 1996, the Conservative Prime Minister John Major announced the stone's return to Scotland, with the agreement stipulating that the stone must be returned to Westminster Abbey for any future coronation ceremony. The stone was brought to Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. It is now on permanent display at the Perth Museum in Scotland, near its place of origin in Scone. It can rest more easily as a heritage object now Scotland has it's own Parliament, yet David argues it is still a highly charged 'material of state' with a complex and contested history.
Contributors in order of appearance:
Mark Hall, Collections Officer, Perth Museum, Scotland
Dr Fiona Watson, historian
Professor Sally Foster, Professor of Heritage in History at the University of Stirling
Presented by Professor Sir David Cannadine
Series Producer: Melissa FitzGerald
Series Researcher: Martin Spychal
Sound Mixing: Tony Churnside
The series has been made in association with the History of Parliament Trust
A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4
FRI 14:00 The Archers (m002mn0h)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Limelight (m002mn0k)
Murder on Mars
Episode 3
Mars, 2048. The first settlers, a mix of international workers and the super-rich. And the first unexplained death.
When a body turns up in the corridor between a scrappy warehouse and a half-built luxury hotel, no-nonsense Harbourmaster Rita Siddiqui finds herself in charge. With Earth temporarily out of contact and no official law enforcement on Mars, she ropes in Vice Captain Jaz Hickson, a wide-eyed young pilot who’s only just landed.
But murder’s not their only problem. Atmospheric tests have triggered a dangerous storm. Paranoia grows as the power fails. Lights, gravity, oxygen: everything is at risk.
Rita and Jaz must navigate a growing list of suspects, a dwindling supply of patience, and a killer who’s not finished yet.
Because even 140 million miles from Earth, people still have secrets. And someone’s willing to kill to keep them.
Reeling from disaster, Rita’s secrets are revealed.
Written by Tim Foley
CAST
RITA SIDDIQUI ..... NISHA NAYAR
JAZ HICKSON ..... LUKE NEWBERRY
DAN ..... JOANA BORJA
POWELL ..... JASON BARNETT
DR LI ..... CRYSTAL YU
WARD ..... STEFFAN RHODRI
NILS ..... DAVID MENKIN
GRACE ….. ELIZABETH AYODELE
MAX ..... SIDHANT ANAND
Sound: Sharon Hughes, Keith Graham and Neva Missirian
Production Co-ordinator: Luke MacGregor
Director: Anne Isger
Casting Manager: Alex Curran
A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4
FRI 14:45 In the Loop (m001p7f1)
5. Particle Accelerator
…a circle has no beginning and no end. It represents rebirth and regeneration, continuity and infinity. From wedding rings to stone circles, in poetry, music and the trajectories of the planets themselves, circles and loops are embedded in our imaginations.
In this five-part series poet Paul Farley goes walking in circles in five very different ‘loopy’ locations. He visits a stone circle, a roundabout and a rollercoaster to ask why human beings find rings and circles so symbolic, significant and satisfying.
Paul has circular conversations with mathematicians and physicists, composers and poets, each one propelling him into a new loop of enquiry. And that’s because a circle has no beginning and no end…
Paul's final circle is 27 kilometres in circumference and lies deep beneath the Swiss/French border. The Large Hadron Collider is a ring of supercooled magnets which accelerates subatomic particles to unimaginable speeds and smashes them together. Melissa Yexley and Simon Albright from CERN are Paul’s guide to an extraordinary loop which is revealing the secrets of the Universe. Physicist Paddy Regan explains the cosmic forces which keep our planet locked in orbit around the Sun. And we close the loop with dance teacher Karen Michaelsen as we explore the power of linking hands and dancing in circles.
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m002mn0m)
Henley-on-Thames
What’s the strangest thing wildlife has whisked away from your garden? How can I prevent codling moth from spoiling apples? And how do I make reliably nutritious compost using horse manure?
Peter Gibbs and a panel of green-fingered experts return to Henley-on-Thames, where a lively audience of passionate gardeners awaits answers to their most pressing horticultural dilemmas.
Joining Peter are pest and disease specialist Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Matthew Pottage, and the ever-enthusiastic plantswoman Christine Walkden.
Later in the programme, Bunny Guinness offers her expert advice on creating your very own dead hedge.
Senior Producer: Dan Cocker
Junior producer: Rahnee Prescod
Assistant Producer: Suki Glocking
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4
FRI 15:45 Short Works (m002mn0p)
small letters by Louise Kennedy
Dervla Kirwan reads an original story for Radio 4 by the award-winning author of Trespasses, set in the West of Ireland.
A divorced couple do their best to remain civil for the sake of their daughter on a school visit – until a small volume of poetry unleashes powerful memories from their past…
Dervla Kirwan is an award-winning stage and screen actor, best known for her roles in Ballykissangel, and most recently The House of Guinness.
Author: Louise Kennedy is best known for her acclaimed debut novel, Trespasses, a searing story of forbidden love in 1970s Belfast set against the backdrop of the Troubles. It went on to win Eason's Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, Book of the Year: Debut Fiction at the British Book Awards, and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and Barnes and Noble Discover Prize. It has recently been made into a Channel 4 drama. Her short story collection, The End of the World is a Cul de Sac won the John McGahern Prize. Before she started writing, she spent nearly thirty years working as a chef.
Produced by Justine Willett
FRI 16:00 Last Word (m002mn0r)
Jimmy Cliff, Charlotte Bingham, Skye Gyngell, David Bellos
Kirsty Lang on:
Jimmy Cliff, who took reggae music onto the global stage. His former record producer and founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell pays tribute.
Charlotte Bingham, the writer who mined the experience of her upbringing and relationships to pen dozens of novels and screenplays.
Skye Gyngell, the Australian born chef whose devotion to fresh seasonal produce made a lasting impact on modern British cooking.
David Bellos, the award-winning literary translator who revelled in linguistic challenges.
Interviewee: Chris Blackwell
Interviewee: Lloyd Bradley
Interviewee: Candida Brady
Interviewee: Thomasina Miers
Interviewee: Rory O'Connell
Interviewee: Alex Bellos
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Jimmy Cliff interview, The First Time, BBC Radio 6, 26/08/2012; The Harder They Come, Official Film Promo 1972, Director: Perry Henzell, International Films Inc; Charlotte Bingham, If I had A Million, BBC Television, 23/11/1968; Skye Gyngell interview, The Food Programme, BBC Radio 4, 09/09/2007; Skye Gyngell interview, The Conversation, Star Chef, BBC World Service, 23/07/2018; David Bellos, The Verb, BBC Radio 3, 16/09/2011
FRI 16:30 Life Changing (m002mmx0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 on Wednesday]
FRI 17:00 PM (m002mn0t)
No 10 denies Reeves misled public in run-up to Budget
10 Downing Street has denied the chancellor Rachel Reeves misled the public about the state of the public finances. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride wants transparency. Also on PM experts reject proposals to expand prostate testing to all over fifty men in UK. The history of pigeons in warfare and the evolution of the TV dating game show.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002mn0w)
Experts reject calls for prostate cancer mass screening programme
A panel of experts has recommended that screening for prostate cancer should be targeted only at men who are most at risk of developing the disease. Also: Downing Street has denied allegations that the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, misled the public over the state of public finances in the run up to this week's Budget. And the UK has launched a bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup, with 22 stadiums across the country potentially eligible.
FRI 18:30 The Naked Week (m002mn0y)
Series 3
A Budget, A Bombshell, and a Bedtime Story.
This week, The Naked Week fingers some fudge, profits from the spoils of war, and reads everyone a lovely bedtime story with a very special guest.
From host Andrew Hunter Murray and The Skewer's Jon Holmes, Radio 4’s newest Friday night comedy The Naked Week returns with a blend of the silly and serious. From satirical stunts to studio set pieces via guest correspondents and investigative journalism, it's a bold, audacious take not only on the week’s news, but also the way it’s packaged and presented.
Host: Andrew Hunter Murray
Guests: Kate Cheka, Janet Ellis
Investigations Team: Cat Neilan, Cormac Kehoe, Freya Shaw
Written by:
Jon Holmes
Katie Sayer
Gareth Ceredig
Jason Hazeley
James Kettle
Additional Material:
Karl Minns
Molly Punshon
Helen Brooks
Pete Redfern
Cooper Mawhinny Sweryt
Kevin Smith
David Riffkin
Additional Music:
Jake Yapp
Live Sound: Jerry Peal
Post Production: Tony Churnside
Clip Assistant: David Riffkin
Production Assistant: Molly Punshon
Assistant Producer: Katie Sayer
Producer and Director: Jon Holmes
Executive Producer: Phil Abrams.
An unusual production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (m002mn10)
Amber checks in with George at the Pole Barn to see how Ed is doing. She reckons falling down the stairs could’ve led to a far worse injury, before heading off to a nail appointment.
While taking Brad to Felpersham for a dating app date Rex recounts his own mixed experiences of online dating, most of which didn’t work out as he’s still single. Rex still hopes to meet somebody one day, though preferably not through an app. Brad asks Rex to turn round and take him home, having decided he’d prefer to meet someone in real life too. Back in Ambridge Brad bumps into Amber, who tells him how attentive George has been with Ed.
Emma tells Ed about a two-person job she’s lined up, hoping Ed’s better by next week. George texts, offering to make lunch for them, but Emma beats him to it. Ed then repeats to Emma what really happened with George. Ed’s certain George never meant him to fall, but they have to ensure no-one ever has cause to think otherwise. George turns up, feeling guilty and scared in case anyone thinks he intended to hurt Ed, but Ed assures him they don’t.
Brad arrives later, telling Ed and Emma he saw the look on George’s face when Ed fell, suspecting it wasn’t an accident. They admit that George pushed Ed, but didn’t mean to hurt him. However, if the story gets out, George could go back to prison. Brad agrees that if it was an accident there’s no point in making everything worse.
FRI 19:15 Add to Playlist (m002mn12)
Claire Wickes and Vince Pope and plenty of strings
Flautist and composer Claire Wickes and composer Vince Pope join Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe to add five more tracks, taking us from some traditional Irish violins to San Francisco's Kronos Quartet, stopping along the way for some musical Greek mythology.
Producer: Jerome Weatherald
Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe
The five tracks in this week's playlist:
Runaway by The Corrs
La flûte de Pan by Claude Debussy
Cassandra by Florence and the Machine
Stay With Me by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet
Ya Taali’een el-Jabal by Kronos Quartet ft Rim Banna
Other music in this episode
A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins
True Detective: Night Country - Caribou (ft. Tanya Tagaq) by Vince Pope
Posee un Corazón by Leonor Dely
Oyé Oyé (Lumbalú) by Leonor Dely & Millero Congo
Venus by Bananarama
Midas Touch by Midnight Star
Cassandra by ABBA
Cassandra by Taylor Swift
Cole's First Dream from the 12 Monkeys soundtrack by Paul Buckmaster
Theme from Minority Report by John Williams
Lux Aeterna from the Requiem for a Dream soundtrack by Paul Buckmaster
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (m002mn14)
Daisy Cooper MP, Julia Lopez MP, Patrick Maguire, Lucy Rigby MP
Alex Forsyth presents political debate from St Mary's Church in Walthamstow, East London, with the Liberal Democrat deputy leader and Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP; shadow science, innovation and technology secretary, Julia Lopez MP; The Times chief political commentator Patrick Maguire; and the economic secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby MP.
Producer: Paul Martin
Assistant producer: Lowri Morgan
Production co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano
Lead broadcast engineer: Rob Dyball
Editor: Glyn Tansley
FRI 20:55 This Week in History (m002mmx6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:40 on Wednesday]
FRI 21:00 Free Thinking (m002mn16)
Marriage
Why marry? Jane Austen began her novel Pride and Prejudice with the observation "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics show less than half the adult UK population are married or in a legal partnership and predictions are that by 2050, only 3 in 10 people in the UK will marry.
Shahidha Bari hosts Radio 4's round-table discussion programme Free Thinking, which brings together philosophical and historical insights in a conversation about issues resonating in the present day. Her guests this week are:
columnist Zoe Strimpel, who has been considering the history and current state of the family in a 5 part series running on Radio 4 this week
Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, biographer of Thomas Cromwell and author of Lower than Angels: A history of Sex and Christianity
Dr Reetika Subramanian from the University of East Anglia, who hosts a podcast called Climate Brides. Reetika is one of Radio 4's current researchers in residence on the New Generation Thinkers scheme run in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Psychoanalyst and literary scholar Josh Cohen
Philosopher and film scholar Catherine Wheatley
Producer: Luke Mulhall
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (m002mn18)
Why are so many adoptive families being broken apart?
As a BBC investigation reveals how many adoptions break down, we ask whether the system gives adoptive parents enough support.
Also:
We ask a Labour MP whether the Chancellor misled the country over the state of the public finances - and ask our live political panel where her budget has left her authority.
And the composer looking beyond the solar system for inspiration.
FRI 22:45 The Princess Bride (m0012sw8)
Bitesize Backstories: The Swordsman
“This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it”. When Goldman discovers The Princess Bride by S Morgenstern is not the swashbuckling fantasy his father read him as a child, but is in fact a patchy and extensive historical satire, he sets out to create the “Good Parts” version…
A tale of true love and high adventure featuring a fighting giant that loves to rhyme, a swordsman on the ultimate quest for revenge, a pirate in love with a princess, a princess in love with a farm boy and a prince in love with war.
First a novel, then a film, now an audio experience:
The Best Bits of the Good Parts Version by Stephen Keyworth.
A two-part dramatisation of swashbuckling adventure plus five bitesize backstories which can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories or to enhance your experience of the drama.
Bitesize Backstories: The Swordsman
The story of why Inigo Montoya becomes the greatest swordsman in the world and why he uttered the infamous words: “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
Reader: Grant O’Rourke
Producer: Kirsty Williams
Sound recording: Iain McKinna
Editing: Joanne Willott
FRI 23:00 Americast (w3ct8bys)
The Donald Trump v Zohran Mamdani Show
In this episode, Sarah and Anthony unpack one of the most surprising political moments of the year - when New York’s incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani met Donald Trump in the Oval Office. After weeks of insulting each other during the mayoral campaign, Republicans and Democrats are still reacting to what turned out to be a very amicable and friendly meeting.
Trump has promised to help Mamdani make New York City a success, and “great again”, but what does this actually mean, and will the US president do it? We also look at how Mamdani will be navigating the wider politics of being a mayor, particularly with midterm elections in 2026. In New York state, can Mamdani persuade his Democratic governor to put up taxes for the wealthiest? And how will he balance maintaining good relations with both Trump and Demoratic socialists in New York?
Meanwhile, with Trump’s ally Elise Stefanik running for governor, how will the Republican campaign deal with the president’s new attitude towards Mamdani?
Sarah and Anthony are joined by Nick Reisman, POLITICO’s Albany Bureau Chief and New York politics expert.
HOSTS:
- Sarah Smith, North America Editor
- Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
GUEST:
- Nick Reisman, Albany Bureau Chief for Politico
GET IN TOUCH:
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This episode was made by George Dabby with Adriana Urbano. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002mn1c)
Susan Hulme asks whether we need a Budget Speech and looks back to a time when the only way women could watch Parliament was through a ventilation shaft.