The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by weather.
Correspondent Mark Devenport gauges the political reaction to the shooting dead of a policeman in Northern Ireland.
Chancellor Alistair Darling discusses if rich countries have a 'moral imperative' to help new EU countries facing funding gaps.
Chris Morris reports on the 50th anniversary of a failed uprising by Tibet against Chinese rule.
DUP MP David Simpson discusses who could be responsible for the murder of the policeman in County Armagh.
How stable is the current situation in Afghanistan? Gordon Corera reports on how narcotics, the insurgency and the government are interlinked.
Schools minister Jim Knight and Christine Blower of the NUT discuss plans to offer fast-track teacher training.
Northern Ireland secretary Shaun Woodward, John O'Dowd of Sinn Fein and Conservative MP Patrick Mercer discuss if the murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland could damage the peace process.
Psychology lecturer Dr Joan Harvey and marketing director Matt Close discuss how the recession affects consumer habits.
Allan Gibson of the ACPO drugs committee discusses a big increase in the number of 'cannabis factories' discovered by police over the past five years.
Robin Evans of the British Waterways Association and environmentalist Paul Kingsnorth discuss the Industrial Revolution and the role played by the canal system.
A chimpanzee who gathers rocks to use against zoo visitors could teach us about the way primates think, according to researcher Mathias Osvath.
Academic Dr Peter Shirlow says that anti-Sinn Fein rhetoric is key to dissident groups.
Josette Sheeran of the UN World Food Programme and economics professor Paul Collier discuss the global food crisis.
Historian Bettany Hughes presents the first in a series of three discussions tracing the development of feminist ideas from the 1960s onwards.
A panel of guests explore the issues which motivated women to join together under the banner of feminism. While activists pursued campaigns involving street protests and fighting through the courts, other women were alienated by their arguments. Both feminists and non-feminists join Bettany to recall key events.
Bettany's guests are journalist Ann Leslie, American academic Elaine Showalter, activist and historian Sally Alexander and co-founder of the US National Organisation of Women, Sonia Fuentes.
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson explores how Britain's prime ministers have used their power, responded to the challenges of their time and made the job what it is today.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown reads her memoir of her childhood in Uganda and move to Britain in the 1970s.
Yasmin recalls her family history, from her parents' meeting to her unconventional childhood in exotic Kampala, where pythons made unexpected intrusions at lavish family picnics.
She looks at the history of the Asians in Uganda, many of whom arrived as slaves but went on to become successful entrepreneurs, and in doing so assumed a rather uneasy position between the Europeans and the Africans that would later prove to be their downfall.
How to make sense of your child's friendships. Plus the health and development of the population of Gaza discussed, and singer-songwriter Laura Izibor performs live.
Alan Dein discovers the surprising history of the adventure playground. The very first adventure playground opened in Emdrup, Denmark in 1943. As resistance grew against the Nazi occupation, two men pioneered a unique space, the children's world turned upside down.
They were forged in the ideas of modernist and radical architects and exported to a postwar Britain by the campaigning Lady Allen of Hurtwood. The rubble and rubbish of the nation's shattered cities were now reimagined as spaces for all sorts of adventures.
Chris Addison explores the links between modern-day text-speak and the language of the 18th-Century Literary Enlightenment. He examines the expressive elements of text language, or 'textese', and how it can be seen to echo a ludic art form that became popular in the Romantic era, via insights found in the letters of Jonathan Swift and later works by Lewis Carroll and James Joyce.
Featuring contributions from authors Will Self and Ian Rankin, poet Scott Tyrell and Professors Jeremy Tambling, John Sutherland and David Crystal.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown takes calls on your experiences of the recession and the Government's response to the downturn.
Ken talks to British jazz musician Soweto Kinch about saxophonist Charlie Parker, one of the founding fathers of the bebop movement. After moving to New York in 1939, he worked with Dizzy Gillespie and helped to push the boundaries of the form. However, his life and career were blighted by a heroin addiction which killed him at the age of just 34.
By Richard Holmes. Drawing on original documents and notebooks, the story of the time in 1799 when, in a town house on the banks of the River Avon in Bristol, Humphry Davy, later celebrated for his miners lamp, came within a breath of discovering the anaesthetic powers of nitrous oxide.
Humphry Davy ...... Paul Mundell
Dr Thomas Beddoes ...... Richard McCabe
Mrs Anna Beddoes ...... Eleanor Tremaine
The Ostler ...... David Collins
The Journalist ...... Kenneth Cranham
Mr Coleridge ...... Stephen Noonan
Mr Southey ...... Richard Holmes.
Richard Daniel and the team discuss listeners' questions about the environment and the natural world.
A husband on holiday with his wife is tested to the limit by the tantrums of a young boy he just cannot help being annoyed by. When the boy gets into difficulties one evening in the pool, the husband's hesitancy to rush to his aid forces his wife to look at him in a new light. Read by Philip Jackson.
Kelvin Boot explores how plants, animals and sand habitats around Britain could benefit from the proposed new Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
The impact that the Bill could have on our declining fish stocks. Could the proposed new conservation zones replenish the numbers of cod, plaice and other fish which have declined by over 90 per cent in the last century? Marine scientists and fishermen give their opinions.
Reporting on the problems faced by governments prosecuting pirates captured at sea. The world's navies have joined forces to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia but cannot agree what to do with the pirates they catch.
Film reviewer Angie Errigo and television comedy writer Jesse Armstrong join Sue MacGregor to discuss their paperback recommendations, which include books by William Boyd, John Steinbeck and Lorrie Moore.
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
Sitcom about the pilots of a tiny charter airline for whom no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult.
Arthur is struck dumb when a film star joins the flight, and Douglas has to disguise 30 knights of Camelot in a hurry.
Carolyn Knapp-Shappey ...... Stephanie Cole
1st Officer Douglas Richardson ...... Roger Allam
Captain Martin Crieff ...... Benedict Cumberbatch
Arthur Shappey ...... John Finnemore
Hester Macaulay ...... Helen Baxendale
Percival ...... Rufus Jones
Gawain ...... Robert Harley
Lancelot ...... Ali Amadi
Ed and Emma's tenancy on Rickyard Cottage has been renewed. Ruth would be lost without Emma's help, and Ed's spent more time making the assault course for Ben's birthday party than David has!
The chairman of the parish council agrees that Lynda can spearhead an Ambridge initiative to find an appropriate person to apply for the Antony Gormley project.
Eddie's chocolate has sent Jazzer's ladyfriend running to the loo, and out of Jazzer's life. Eddie claims she might be allergic to one of the ingredients but Jazzer points out the ingredients are in an unidentifiable language on the wrapper. He wants a refund and an extra tenner as compensation for a broken heart - before he spreads word that Eddie's peddling rat poison. Hearing raised voices, David intervenes and Eddie agrees to Jazzer's demands. Lynda also overhears and senses a potential scandal, so Eddie offers to cease trading while he investigates the chocolate's contents.
Having helped Tom move Harry into his new paddock, Jazzer later notices that Harry's disappeared. Tom realises that his earlier heated words with Brian wound him up so much, he forgot to switch the electric fence on. There's no sign of Harry anywhere and Tom wonders where on earth he's got to.
Before his death in August last year, diarist and playwright Simon Gray completed a dramatisation of his memoirs in collaboration with fellow writer Hugh Whitemore. Hugh talks about the challenges of bringing The Last Cigarette, Gray's dramatic monologue, to the stage.
Grayson Perry has exhibited his ceramics, sculptures, prints and textiles widely for 25 years. Now he is judging other people's exhibitions as one of the judges for the 2009 Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries and has agreed to record an audio diary for Front Row.
Screenwriter Tony Gilroy has returned to the director's chair with another of his own scripts: Duplicity, a sleek thriller starring Clive Owen and Julia Roberts as ex- spies out to con two rival corporations but hamstrung by their own clandestine affair.
The latest example of a long broadcasting tradition - the undercover reporter - will be broadcast next week. The reporter Jonathan Maitland joins a long line of reporters from Roger Cook to Donal MacIntyre to play the incognito reporter rooting round a story without the subject's knowledge. Stephen Armstrong looks back over the highs and lows of those who have tried it.
Series exploring the 20th Century through diaries and correspondence of real people, dramatised by Peter Roberts.
The story of Hazel Taylor, a young woman from Huddersfield who dreams of becoming a freelance writer, as England struggles through the postwar period of rationing and rebuilding.
After hearing some devastating news, Hazel waits with her brother Philip for the return of their mother, unaware that her life is about to be turned upside down.
Hazel ...... Amy Humphreys
Hilda ...... Olwen May
Joe ...... David Fleeshman
Stan/Policeman ...... James Quinn
Sylvia ...... Lucy Jo Hudson
Philip ...... Luke Walker
Mrs Brook ...... Kate Layden
Simon Cox examines the record of the Royal Military Police in dealing with alleged crimes by British forces both during operations and in peacetime.
As increasing numbers of women delay trying for a baby, will early menopause be recognised more? Vivienne explores the stigma that has surrounded the menopause, from the Greeks to Virginia Woolf, and asks if it still exists today.
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig. Including reports on the new Irish Republicans behind recent killings in Northern Ireland, claims that Christopher Columbus was Scottish and that climate change is happening faster that previously thought.
Hannah Gordon reads Nina Bawden's psychological thriller which tells the story of recently-widowed Fanny Pye, and how her life is changed when she intervenes to stop a street brawl.
When Fanny is discharged from hospital, her children Harry and Isabel are concerned about how she will cope at home on her own.
Comedy series starring Dawn French as Professor Joy Klamp, a specialist in the art of spoiling other people's pleasure.
Investigating the fun that can be had, at other people's expense, through the gift of children.
WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH 2009
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b00hycnk)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by weather.
WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b00hz01t)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00hycq3)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00hyct2)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00hycrq)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b00hycv3)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00hycx7)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Sharon Grenham-Toze.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b00hycyz)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.
WED 06:00 Today (b00hyd1b)
Presented by Edward Stourton and James Naughtie.
Abdul Malik, a member of Luton town's Race Advisory Forum, says protests against soldiers returning from Iraq are justified.
John Slaughter, director of policy at the Home Builders Federation, discusses the lack of lending available for construction companies.
Andrew Hosken visits a school in Milton Keynes to investigate the claims that pupils have been the victims of excessive restraint by teachers and even locked in their classrooms.
Correspondent Chris Buckler reports from Craigavon on how people have been reacting to recent attacks by Republican dissidents on police in Northern Ireland. Dr Martyn Frampton discusses the likelihood of further disturbances.
Former Woolworths manager Claire Robertson discusses why she has decided to re-open her store - under the new name of Wellworths.
Thought for the day with Brian Draper, associate lecturer at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity.
Kim Bromley-Derry of Newham Council and Professor Ray Jones discuss the state of social care.
Environment analyst Roger Harrabin and Dr Vicky Pope, of the Hadley Centre at the Met Office, discuss the fears for ocean ecosystems.
Labour MP Chris Mullin and author Giles Brandreth discuss the best political diaries.
Antonio Maria Costa, of the UN, and Mike Reid, of the Economist, discuss how the UN deals with the drugs trade.
Conservative education spokesman Michael Gove and historian Tristram Hunt discuss if students have a joined up idea of British history.
Margaret Moran, Labour MP for Luton South, discusses the Anti-war protests in Bedfordshire against a march by soldiers returning from Iraq.
Should the United States talk to the Taliban? Gordon Corera reports from Kabul on the possibility of President Obama entering diplomatic negotiations as the US undertakes its major policy review.
Sheila Brown, of Ofsted, discusses accusations that pupils in a Milton Keynes school were bruised when restrained by staff and sometimes locked into classrooms.
WED 09:00 Midweek (b00j0h03)
Lively and diverse conversation with Libby Purves and guests.
WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b00hz01w)
The Settler's Cookbook
Episode 3
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown reads her memoir of her childhood in Uganda and move to Britain in the 1970s.
Yasmin recalls her happy schooldays, despite turbulence at home. Now that the Asians seem to have secured their position in Uganda, life is good, and food in particular is plentiful and sumptuous. Happiness is measured by the thickness of the ghee on their curries.
But as independence for the Africans looms, and Harold Macmillan predicts that a 'wind of change' will blow through the continent, the atmosphere begins to darken for the Ugandan Asians.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00j3hqz)
Catherine the Great; Cosmetic surgery backlash
Historian Simon Dixon on Catherine the Great, plus the backlash against cosmetic surgery, and remembering Susan Tsvangirai, wife of Zimbabwe's prime minister.
WED 11:00 Tin Men (b00j0h05)
Jolyon Jenkins explores the story of the last working tin mine in Cornwall, South Crofty near Redruth, which has re-opened for business but is not yet producing ore.
He meets the businessmen who are committed to once again raising tin from Cornish ground, hears from the Cornishmen divided on where Cornwall's future lies and why tin remains at the heart of Cornish politics.
WED 11:30 Clare in the Community (b00j0h07)
Series 5
It's Good to Talk
An old university friend visits Clare and has a confession to make. Whilst at work Clare has to deal with Tibetan Singing Bowls and a team leader seeking brutal and honest feedback.
Sally Phillips plays Clare Barker the social worker with all the politically correct jargon but none of the practical solutions.
Clare ..... Sally Phillips
Brian ..... Alex Lowe
Helen ..... Liza Tarbuck
Ray ..... Richard Lumsden
Megan/Nali ..... Nina Conti
Irene ..... Ellen Thomas
Simon ..... Andrew Wincott
Michael ..... Chris Pavlo
Carol ..... Donnla Hughes
Written By Harry Venning And David Ramsden
Producer: Katie Tyrrell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
WED 12:00 You and Yours (b00hz0dr)
Presented by Winifred Robinson.
Comedian Steve Punt takes a wry look at low cost flying: how budget airlines cut prices and charge extra for 'extras'.
In 2007 MENCAP published a report 'Death by Indifference' which highlighted how learning disabled people were receiving inadequate treatment from the NHS, sometimes resulting in death. The ombudsman's report is due out soon - but will it go far enough?
Why do Bramley apples account for nine out of ten cooking apples? The 80,000-plus tonnes grown annually account for over 90 per cent of all cooking apples sales.
Examining the impact of new e-border regulations. Will the new consumer watchdog for plane users improve the airport and flying experience?
Tata, the Indian business conglomerate that owns Jaguar Landrover, has developed what it calls 'the world's cheapest car'.
Pre-sale tickets for Michael Jackson's O2 concerts have gone on sale but already websites are offering them for resale at a huge mark-up. One website was offering two tickets for over 7000 pounds when the face value of the tickets is between 50 and 75 pounds.
Boiler room update: We hear about an investigation into a alleged 'boiler room' in Marbella.
WED 12:57 Weather (b00hz0gf)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b00hz0jh)
National and international news with Shaun Ley.
WED 13:30 The Media Show (b00j0h09)
Steve Hewlett presents a topical programme about the fast-changing media world.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b00hz0qw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama (b00j0h0c)
Anita Sullivan - Homesick
Comedy by Anita Sullivan. Jeff's mundane life changes when he is struck by an actual bolt from the blue. He starts hearing a voice in another language and his perspective changes. Then he meets a girl and falls in love. But does she love him, or the voice in his ear?
Alien ...... Mark Heap
Jeff ...... Paul Ritter
Nicole ...... Maxine Peake
Pat ...... Susan Jameson
Hopper ...... Ewan Bailey
Other parts played by Mia Soteriou
Directed by Anita Sullivan.
WED 15:00 Money Box Live (b00j0h0f)
Vincent Duggleby takes listeners' questions on tax and tax planning. He is joined by John Whiting, tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Jane Moore, tax faculty technical manager for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
WED 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00j18p9)
Virginia Gilbert - Abroad
Sisters
Series of three edgy tales of people abroad, by Virginia Gilbert.
When two sisters take a holiday together, the memory of a childhood incident causes older sister May to gradually recognise the truth of her standing with her younger sister. Read by Sorcha Cusack.
WED 15:45 Wildlife and the Marine Bill (b00j3t9j)
Episode 3
Kelvin Boot explores how plants, animals and sand habitats around Britain could benefit from the proposed new Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
How wildlife values can be measured against other socio-economic services. Kelvin visits the site of a wind farm on the Lancashire coast, where the discovery of a huge flock of sea-duck has both underlined the potential conflicts between users of the seas and offered solutions for a way forward.
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b00j0h9g)
American West - Garden Love
AMERICAN WEST
The great American West where ‘savagery met civilisation and boys became men’. To find out how the myth was made, Laurie Taylor is joined by Karen Jones and John Wills, Lecturers in American History at the University of Kent and co-authors The American West: Competing Visions.
GARDEN LOVE
A new article in the journal of the Royal Anthropological Society reveals the enduring relationships that exist between plants and human beings. Its author, Cathrine Degnen, lecturer in Social anthropology at Newcastle University, talks about the findings of her research on “Vegetable Love” in the north of England, and its implications for ideas about the human relationship to nature.
WED 16:30 Am I Normal? (b00j0gj7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 17:00 PM (b00hz1tx)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00hz1w6)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
WED 18:30 I've Never Seen Star Wars (b00j0h9n)
Series 2
Sandi Toksvig
Marcus Brigstocke gets Sandi Toksvig to try some new experiences, seeing the world from a whole new level. From March 2009.
WED 19:00 The Archers (b00hz0r4)
David goes to Bridge Farm to borrow a tarpaulin for Ben's birthday assault course. Pat and Tony tell him about their visit to the lagoon waste treatment system. They're going to ask a consultant to visit.
Eddie and Joe go to the Bull, with one of the chocolate bar wrappers. They look on a language identification website for clues to the ingredients, but the site only offers Latin as a possibility.
Pat calls at the Dower House to ask Lilian to look after Jack for a few hours. Pat thinks Lilian doesn't seem herself. Lilian tells her she's caught Matt's cold, so Pat thinks she probably shouldn't look after Jack in that case. Matt appears, looking for the power drill. Pat goes and Matt tells Lilian he's keeping busy, putting up shelves. Lilian says Matt has plenty to do, like telling Russell to approach the SFO. Matt says he needs to speak to Chalkman. If he rats on Chalky, he'll have to plead guilty himself.
Later, Matt says Chalkman's PA has promised that Chalky will phone. Lilian doesn't believe this. Maybe Chalky's talking to the SFO himself. Matt says he knows Chalky. He's lying low, thinking of a way out. Matt needs to stay in the game for now.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
WED 19:15 Front Row (b00hz1ym)
Presented by Mark Lawson.
The play Deep Cut concerns the deaths of four trainees from gunshot wounds at Deepcut army barracks in Surrey between 1995 and 2002. Writer Philip Ralph and the father of one of the recruits, Des James, discuss the case and what they hope the play will achieve.
Two new films have just been released featuring canine co-stars: Hollywood dramedy Marley and Me, based on the best-selling memoir by John Grogan, and Wendy and Lucy, a road movie exposing life on the American fringe. Critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh judges their pedigree and performance.
Marcus Brigstocke, Dave Gorman and director of digital content for Guardian News and Media Emily Bell discuss what it takes for a show to make the transfer from radio to television. Brigstocke's I've Never Seen Star Wars and Gorman's Genius are both crossing over from Radio 4 to BBC 4 and 2 respectively
To mark the tercentenary year of Samuel Johnson's birth, his biographer Peter Martin has been re-enacting the hundred-mile walk that Johnson and his friend David Garrick took from Lichfield to London in 1737. Martin updates Mark about what he and his modern day travelling companion 'Garrick' have encountered on the way.
WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00j3hzm)
Writing the Century 1948-1953: Starting From Scratch
Episode 3
Series exploring the 20th Century through diaries and correspondence of real people, dramatised by Peter Roberts.
The story of Hazel Taylor, a young woman from Huddersfield who dreams of becoming a freelance writer, as England struggles through the postwar period of rationing and rebuilding.
Just when she thinks that things cannot get much worse, Hazel meets a knight in shining armour at a bus stop. Granville Wheeler rescues her from an unpleasant fate, and she takes Sylvia to see him in an amateur production of Merrie England. But Granville is sent off on Army Reserve training, and Hazel finds herself alone again.
Hazel ...... Amy Humphreys
Sylvia ...... Lucy Jo Hudson
Granville ...... Adrian Grove
Philip ...... Luke Walker
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild.
WED 20:00 Decision Time (b00j0hbw)
The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall. With a panel of inside experts, he examines the problems that future governments will face and hear the arguments about how they might be resolved.
WED 20:45 Lent Talks (b00j0ndf)
Crave for Less
Six well-known figures explore ideas of the absence of God from their own perspective. Richard Holloway searches for the reality of God's presence in absence.
WED 21:00 Chi-Chi: Panda Ambassador (b00j0pp6)
Naturalist and journalist Henry Nicholls traces the story of Chi-Chi the panda, now stuffed and displayed at the Natural History Museum in London, but once celebrated in global headlines.
He learns more from zoologist Desmond Morris, the man responsible for bringing the baby panda Chi Chi to London Zoo. Henry also travels to Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna to see how pandas are bred today in captivity, and discovers that the events of Chi-Chi's life have had global implications that go far beyond the panda world.
Featuring contributions from Polly Parry of the Natural History Museum, David Norman of the World Wildlife Fund, Eveline Dungl, curator of Schonbrunn Zoo and Wang Tiejun of the Chinese panda breeding programme.
WED 21:30 Midweek (b00j0h03)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 21:58 Weather (b00hz3cy)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b00hz3sq)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig. Including reports on the prospects for Opel and Vauxhall as jobs go in Europe's car industry, civil rights leaders' opinions of the Pakistani president and the billionaires disappearing from the Forbes rich list.
WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00hz44d)
Family Money
Episode 3
Hannah Gordon reads Nina Bawden's psychological thriller which tells the story of recently-widowed Fanny Pye, and how her life is changed when she intervenes to stop a street brawl.
Harry and Isabel are concerned for Fanny's future when she decides to sell up and give some of the proceeds to her good friend, and home help, Ivy Trench. Meanwhile, is someone watching her?
WED 23:00 Josie Long: All of the Planet's Wonders (b00j0pp8)
Propriety, Plants, Grandparents and Growing Your Own
In her continuing quest to better herself through learning and discovering things in reference books, comedian Josie Long presents a show about propriety, plants, grandparents, being connected to the world around you and growing your own.
With Josie's comedic cohort Maeve Higgins
And guest Isy Suttie.
Producer Colin Anderson
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
WED 23:15 One (b00771mt)
Series 1
Episode 4
The sketch show where no sketch features more than one voice.
Written by David Quantick and starring Dan Maier, Lizzie Roper, Graeme Garden, Deborah Norton, Andrew Crawford, Dan Antopolski, Simon Greenall and Kate Gielgud, with Bill Oddie and Jeremy Clarkson as themselves.
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00hzcy0)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Sean Curran.
THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2009
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b00hycnm)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by weather.
THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b00hz01w)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00hycq5)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00hyct4)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00hycrs)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b00hycv5)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00hycx9)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Sharon Grenham-Toze.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b00hycz1)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.
THU 06:00 Today (b00hyd1d)
Presented by James Naughtie and Sarah Montague.
John Dunford, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, says councils are struggling with the huge responsibilities of social work.
Science correspondent Tom Feilden visits the Science Museum and reports on an exhibition demonstrating how technology from Formula One racing influences more pedestrian pursuits.
Edward Leigh, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, discusses how plans for a multi-million pound central database on offenders failed because of poor management and a lack of budget control.
Thomas Kielinger, of German newspaper Die Welt, discusses the reaction to a shooting spree by a 17 year old student on pupils and teachers at his former school.
Economics editor Stephanie Flanders speaks to some of the officials involved in the G20 summit to examine what sort of preparations are needed for such a meeting.
Dr David Walker and Professor Roger Corder discuss if chocolate should be taxed.
China has sealed off Tibet to foreigners but correspondent James Reynolds, who has managed to get onto the Tibetan plateau without being arrested, reports on the situation in the region.
Thought for the day with Professor Mona Siddiqui, of the University of Glasgow.
Babar Sattar, a lawyer based in Islamabad, discusses why lawyers and politicians are protesting in Pakistan.
Reporter Sanchia Berg, Deputy Children's Commissioner for England Sue Berelowitz and Dr Eileen Munro discuss if reforms to child protection have been properly implemented.
Columnists Liz Jones and Minette Marrin discuss the merits of personal newspaper columns.
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and lawyer Tony Kelly discuss payouts for human rights offences.
Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot is being taken on tour by four of the UK's greatest actors. Jim Naughtie visits acting stars Sir Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Simon Callow and Ronald Pickup and discuss how this partnership had come about.
Sir Christopher Meyer, former British Ambassador to Washington, and columnist Anatole Kaletsky, discuss if the G20 meeting will meet expectations.
THU 09:00 In Our Time (b00j0q53)
The Library of Alexandria
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Library at Alexandria. Founded by King Ptolemy in the 3rd century BC the library was the first attempt to collect all the knowledge of the ancient world in one place. Scholars including Archimedes and Euclid came to study its grand array of papyri. the legacy of the library is with us today, not just in the ideas it stored and the ideas it seeded but also in the way it organised knowledge and the tools developed for dealing with it. It still influences the things we know and the way we know them to this day.With Simon Goldhill, Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge; Matthew Nicholls, Lecturer in Classics at the University of Reading; Serafina Cuomo, Reader in Roman History at Birkbeck College, University of London.
THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b00hz01y)
The Settler's Cookbook
Episode 4
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown reads her memoir of her childhood in Uganda and move to Britain in the 1970s.
Yasmin recounts her tumultuous teenage years, in the wake of independence in Uganda. After being disowned by her father for playing Juliet alongside a black Romeo in her high school play, Yasmin finds herself at a political bootcamp where she comes face to face with the country's future leader, the ruthless Idi Amin.
Trying to ignore the darkening political situation, Yasmin enrols at Makerere University, but when the night raids by Amin's henchmen begin and students start to disappear, Yasmin realises that life for the Ugandan Asians is becoming more precarious than ever.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00j3hr1)
Epidurals; The life of Elisabeth Welch
Jenni Murray debates the place of epidurals in childbirth, plus the life of American singer and actor Elisabeth Welch, and the Pakistani children being recruited by the Taliban.
THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b00j0q55)
BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the world's headlines. Introduced by Kate Adie.
THU 11:30 With Great Pleasure (b00j0q57)
Les Dennis
The comedian and actor Les Dennis shares literary favourites, including Pygmalion, Wuthering Heights, Brideshead Revisited and Winnie the Pooh.
Les reads some of the passages, with actors Christopher Cazenove and Jodie McNee.
Producer: Christine Hall
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
THU 12:00 You and Yours (b00hz0dt)
Presented by Winifred Robinson.
Failed investors fear they may have been fleeced by European Mediation Ltd, registered in Rochdale, which promised to help them get their lost money back.
Some councils are arming crossing wardens with cameras in order to catch dangerous drivers on film. This has prompted the poet Ian McMillan to wonder where our 'surveillance society' will end.
An advisory group called the Fat Panel says that lots of recipes produced by celebrity chefs are full of saturated fat and are contributing to the obesity epidemic.
The watchdog Passenger Focus could be given the power to scrutinise the performance of our airports. So does it want the job and would it make much difference to passengers themselves?
Delays at the Office of the Public Guardian are causing problems for some people trying to obtain lasting power of attorney - the legal ability to look after the financial affairs of loved ones who are incapacitated by illness such as dementia.
The cost of seeing Michael Jackson play live in London soars even higher as those claiming to have got their hands on tickets try to cash in by selling them on. And even the concert promoters themselves are cashing in on the secondary market.
THU 12:57 Weather (b00hz0gh)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b00hz0jk)
National and international news with Shaun Ley.
THU 13:30 Off the Page (b00j16kr)
Imposter Syndrome
Imposter Syndrome: Dominic Arkwright, Julian Baggini, Kathy Sykes and Xanthe Clay discuss feeling insecure. From December 2009.
THU 14:00 The Archers (b00hz0r4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Drama (b00j16kt)
Getting to Zero
GETTING TO ZERO
By Sarah Woods
With George Monbiot, Paul Allen and Peter Harper.
Have you got what it takes to get to zero carbon? Our expert panel set one average family the task of eliminating their carbon footprint... and living with the consequences. Originally broadcast in March 2009.
Sue ..... Kate Ashfield
Ian ..... Don Gilet
Chloe ..... Poppy Lee Friar
Jack ..... Ryan Watson
Bill ..... Malcolm Tierney
Meter ..... Jonathan Tafler
Narrator ..... Janice Acquah
Delivery Man ..... Stephen Hogan
Producer/Director: Jonquil Panting.
THU 15:02 Open Country (b00hxns3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:07 on Saturday]
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b00hy5cf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00j18pc)
Virginia Gilbert - Abroad
The Conversation
Series of three edgy tales of people abroad, by Virginia Gilbert.
In bed, a husband is disturbed from his sleep by the couple in the next room, who are having a conversation which gives him pause for thought. His wife is uninterested and unaware, wrapped up as she is in her own needs. Read by Brian Gilbert.
THU 15:45 Wildlife and the Marine Bill (b00j3t9l)
Episode 4
Kelvin Boot explores how plants, animals and sand habitats around Britain could benefit from the proposed new Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
The Bill promises the public the chance to walk around the coasts of England, Wales and Scotland. Kelvin assesses the potential impact on wildlife and explores the crumbling Dorset Heritage Coast, where the Bill will offer solutions to the problems of coastal erosion. He also hears from landowners and conservationists about the advantages and possible drawbacks for wildlife along the route.
THU 16:00 Open Book (b00hy5yw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:30 Material World (b00j16kw)
Nature’s Best Kept Secret
Nature’s Best Kept Secret
Quentin Cooper hears about nature's best kept secret - the factory of life. It is well known that genes written in DNA are the code of life, carrying information from generation to generation. But without a code-reading machine, our DNA would be useless.
Quentin learns about the biological machine that does just that in every cell in our bodies, indeed in every cell in every living organism - a machine called the ribosome. This single, extraordinarily adaptable device manufactures every protein in our body, constantly working to keep our metabolism and life processes going. When we take antibiotics, it is usually to block the ribosomes in infectious bacteria. Tiny variations mean that those in our cells can keep going.
Because the ribosome is built out of DNA's simpler cousin RNA, this biological constructor provides the strongest clue that life developed out of a primordial soup of simple reacting RNA molecules.
THU 17:00 PM (b00hz1tz)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00hz1w8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
THU 18:30 Old Harry's Game (b00j16ky)
Series 7
Episode 4
Why is a baby in Hell? Only God can bring people back to life, but can God be persuaded?
Stars Andy Hamilton as Satan, Annette Crosbie as Edith, Robert Duncan as Scumspawn, Jimmy Mulville as Thomas and Timothy West as God.
Other roles played by Felicity Montagu
Written by Andy Hamilton.
Producer: Paul Mayhew-Archer
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b00hz0rb)
Joe and Clarrie are at Keeper's Cottage. Clarrie says there's a message for Eddie from Jazzer, wanting money he's owed. When Eddie returns, Clarrie wants the full story. Eddie tells her that he and Joe have been to Jaxx, to ask Ottie about the chocolate wrapper. The writing wasn't in Polish, but she recognised enough words to tell them the chocolate is a mild laxative! Clarrie's furious. He'll throw the lot away or she'll be reporting him.
At Bridge Farm, Tom asks Eddie if he's seen his boar Harry, who's gone missing. Eddie says he'll keep an eye out. Tom's phone rings. It's Matt. Tom's delighted to hear from him but Matt stops him mid-flow. Matt tells him their deal's off. Circumstances have changed.
Tom goes straight to the Dower House. Matt hands over Tom's paperwork, but Tom says that's not why he's there. Why has Matt changed his mind - he's stabbed him in the back. Matt admits they had an understanding, but they had nothing in writing.
Later, Tom tells Brenda what's happened. She's very sympathetic. Tom can't work out what's changed or what he's going to say to Brian. Tom asks Brenda if she knows why Matt's backed out, but she says she has no idea.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
THU 19:15 Front Row (b00hz1yp)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.
The Burning Plain, written by Guillermo Arriaga, is also his first film as a director. It stars Charlize Theron as a woman damaged by tragic incidents in her early life and, like earlier Arriaga films, multiple time-shifts feature heavily. Could the critic Gaylene Gould keep up?
Marianne Faithfull has collaborated with a host of star names on her new album Easy Come Easy Go, including Jarvis Cocker and Keith Richards. She discusses making music at the age of 62, working with Keith Richards again, and what she makes of her contemporaries.
After decades of war and the Taliban's repression, a Pop Idol-style TV show has taken Afghanistan by storm. In a new documentary, Afghan Star, director Havana Marking follows four of the final contestants including two women who risk their lives by appearing on the show. She talks to Kirsty about how the makers of the show hope the programme will encourage people to swap guns for music, and the challenges of filming on the streets of Kabul.
Kirsty examines two new editions of Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat, one of the best-selling poetry books of all time. Tony Briggs and Daniel Karlin, editors of the new editions, explore translator Edward FitzGerald's contribution to English literature and the Rubaiyat's place within it.
THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00j3j26)
Writing the Century 1948-1953: Starting From Scratch
Episode 4
Series exploring the 20th Century through diaries and correspondence of real people, dramatised by Peter Roberts.
The story of Hazel Wheeler, a young woman from Huddersfield who dreams of becoming a freelance writer, as England struggles through the postwar period of rationing and rebuilding.
Hazel becomes Mrs Wheeler, and the happy couple struggle to make ends meet. Hazel joins the ranks of temporary postal workers at Christmas, and she and Granville go on an eventful holiday to Southport. All good material for her, so far, unsuccessful writing career. But she returns from holiday to find a letter from the BBC.
Hazel ...... Amy Humphreys
Sylvia ...... Lucy Jo Hudson
Mr Bellinger/Cook ...... Luke Walker
Mrs Jowett ...... Kate Layden
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild.
THU 20:00 Seven Days (b00j17xr)
Jenny Cuffe spends seven days at a children's hospice, as it supports youngsters with life limiting conditions. Like many charities, funding has been hit in the downturn.
THU 20:30 Analysis (b00j17xt)
Clever.com
Kenan explores the reality behind the stereotype of the 'Google generation', the young people who have become so hooked on the web and computer games that they are unable to think, study and concentrate.
This characterisation is motivated by genuine concerns that heavy use of the internet and computer games are actually rewiring the brains of young people. They are learning and thinking differently to their forebears in a massive technological and social experiment. Kenan investigates these concerns and asks Stephen Fry, among others, whether the rise of the digital generation should be a cause for celebration or concern.
THU 21:00 Oceans: What Lies Beneath (b00j1819)
Episode 1
Gabrielle Walker explores why we know so little about the oceans that make up nearly 80 per cent of our planet. From strange new creatures that are only now being discovered to the treasures lying hidden in the inky depths, it is no wonder that oceanographers are calling this a golden age of oceanic discovery.
THU 21:30 In Our Time (b00j0q53)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 21:58 Weather (b00hz3d0)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b00hz3ss)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig. Including reports on proposals to change the architecture of Paris, child protection services come under scrutiny, the potential impact of rechargeable batteries and, as protests take place against the government in Pakistan, we look at the country's history and why it is so important today.
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00hz44g)
Family Money
Episode 4
Hannah Gordon reads Nina Bawden's psychological thriller which tells the story of recently-widowed Fanny Pye, and how her life is changed when she intervenes to stop a street brawl.
After her house catches fire, Fanny's plans to sell up are put on hold. As her neighbours gather in the street as the fire is put out, she sees the man from the canal boat in the crowd - but why is he there?
THU 23:00 Inside Alan Francis (b00j17xy)
Episode 4
Comedy series in which comedian Alan Francis explores the workings of his own mind in relation to his life, friends and long-suffering girlfriend Jane.
Alan leaves home.
With Julian Dutton, Barnaby Power, Kali Peacock. Written by Alan Francis, Richard Turner and Anthony Neilson with additional material by Julian Dutton and Barnaby Power.
Producer: Julia McKenzie
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00hzcy2)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Sean Curran.
FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2009
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b00hycnp)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by weather.
FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b00hz01y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00hycq7)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00hyct6)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00hycrv)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b00hycv7)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00hycxc)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Sharon Grenham-Toze.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b00hycz3)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.
FRI 06:00 Today (b00hyd1g)
Presented by Edward Stourton and Sarah Montague.
James Reynolds reports on the expectation of China's Premier, Wen Jiabao, that the world economy will recover in 2010.
Ed Stourton reports on the younger generation in Northern Ireland that has grown up in a time of ceasefire.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey discusses how the government made the case for going to war in Iraq.
Aviation expert David Gleave discusses the steps that will be taken to try to ensure that future Boeing 777 flights are safe.
Ed Stourton talks to people on the streets of Londonderry and discovers a nervous public, fearful of a return to the past.
Nicholas Jones, who covered the miners strike for the BBC, returns to Conway Hall in Red Lion Square in London - the scene of many past strike meetings and rallies - to listen to former NUM leader Arthur Scargill speak.
Thought for the day with Lord Harries of Pentregarth, the Gresham Professor of Divinity.
Reporter Jon Manel talks to the former Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed about whether he had any involvement in terrorist activity.
Retired Chief Superintendent Brian McCargo discusses his friendship with Constable Stephen Carroll, who was murdered by dissident republicans in County Armagh.
Stuart Levine, of Variety magazine, and British TV and film director Tom Hooper, discuss the final ever episode of the television medical drama ER.
Journalist Mark Seal and lawyer Jeremy Cole discuss the charges against Bernie Madoff for financial fraud.
Tim Franks reports on the campaign to free Gilad Shalit, a young Israeli soldier captured by Hamas on the Gaza border.
Authors Toby Litt and Brian Aldiss discuss the future of sci-fi novels.
Robert Hall reports on the discovery of records which may help identify thousands of British soldiers killed during World War I.
A memorial service has been held at Massereene barracks in Antrim in honour of the two soldiers murdered by dissident republicans at the weekend. Irish journalists Eamonn McCann and Roy Garland discuss the week's events.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b00hy5yh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b00hz020)
The Settler's Cookbook
Episode 5
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown reads her memoir of her childhood in Uganda and move to Britain in the 1970s.
Yasmin arrives in London in 1972 and finds a country rife with industrial unrest and casual racism. Terrified by stories of Amin's reprisals back home and shocked by the sights of fellow Ugandans arriving penniless and bewildered at British ariports, Yasmin hopes to find refuge in the ivory towers of Oxford University.
Instead she encounters further prejudice, albeit of a less overt nature. Finally, when her fragile marriage buckles under the hedonistic pressures of the hippy revolution, Yasmin retreats to her cookery books and the recipes that were handed down by her beloved mother.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00j3hr3)
Breast cancer predisposition; Eyelashes
Should you tell close family members if you have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer? Plus the history of women in brass bands, and the quest for longer, thicker eyelashes.
FRI 11:00 The Counterfeiter's Tale (b00j1dvs)
Adolf Burger's role in the Nazi's failed 'Operation Bernhard' to flood Britain with forged cash. With Tristram Hunt. From 2009.
FRI 11:30 HR (b00j1dvv)
Series 1
A Leaving Party
Peter meets Sam on his way to a leaving party. But they suffer a mishap...
Nigel Williams’ comedy drama series charting the misfortunes of a middle-aged HR officer and his trouble-making colleague.
Peter ...... Jonathan Pryce
Sam ...... Nicholas le Prevost
Elevator voice ...... Sam Dale
Director: Peter Cavanagh
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009.
FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b00hz0dw)
Presented by Peter White.
The operator First Group is facing criticism over plans to cut back services across the UK. It blames poor passenger numbers and the economic downturn for the move.
Who will provide the millions needed to fund legacy projects for the 2014 Commonwealth Games?
We hear about the UK's first one-stop divorce fair.
A report on the fraudsters who sell non-existent tickets to Premier League matches or other events at almost four times the legal price.
The closure of ITV's Yorkshire studio could mean the end of Heartbeat, but what else will change on television?
As recession bites, many companies are reconsidering just how much they can spend on entertaining.
The Australian wine market is focussing on its top end products after forest fires and a bad harvest hit them badly.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b00hz0gk)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b00hz0jm)
National and international news with James Robbins.
FRI 13:30 Feedback (b00j1dvx)
Roger Bolton airs listeners' views on BBC radio programmes and policy.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b00hz0rb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Drama (b00j1dvz)
Mayflies
By Mike Maddox. Douglas Scofield has retired from the world of astronomy and, following the death of his wife, now runs a fish farm with his daughter, who is expecting her first child. All he wants is peace and quiet and a chance to write his book about fishing.
However, a visit from an old colleague brings news of a message from a distant world, the very sign of life Douglas spent his career searching for. Is it safe to reply? Indeed, should they reply at all - and to what purpose?
Douglas Scofield ...... Derek Jacobi
Dave ...... Jason Isaacs
Lucy ...... Catherine McCormack
Mole ...... Danny Webb
Moira ...... Sarah Douglas
Rob ...... Steven Cree
Directed by Neil Gardner.
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00j1f9c)
Eric Robson chairs the popular horticultural forum.
John Cushnie, Chris Beardshaw and Bunny Guinness answer questions posed by gardeners at Chapel-en-le-Frith Gardening Club in Derbyshire.
Including the Gardeners' Question Time gardening weather forecast.
FRI 15:45 Wildlife and the Marine Bill (b00j3t9n)
Episode 5
Kelvin Boot explores how plants, animals and sand habitats around Britain could benefit from the proposed new Marine and Coastal Access Bill.
How the new Bill promises to conserve British coastal wildlife. Should there be quotas for protected areas, and how should we balance the interests of all the other stakeholders in our seas?
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b00j1f9f)
Matthew Bannister presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.
FRI 16:30 The Film Programme (b00j1f9h)
Francine Stock talks to Julia Roberts about her new espionage comedy, Duplicity. Plus Shirley Anne Field recalls her role in the ground-breaking 1960 British movie, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
FRI 17:00 PM (b00hz1v1)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00hz1wb)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
FRI 18:30 The Now Show (b00j1f9k)
Series 27
Episode 2
Comedy sketches and satirical comments from Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis and the team including Mitch Benn, Laura Shavin, Jon Holmes and Nick Doody.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b00hz0rg)
Oliver and Caroline are going for a ride. Caroline asks about Oliver's meeting with the man from the CLA, about setting up a farm tenancy for Ed. Oliver says they'd lose money and would be better off selling. Oliver agrees with Caroline that, if they sold, they'd lose the stress connected with the farm.
Oliver and Caroline suddenly come across David, Tony and Jazzer in the woods. They're looking for Harry, the missing boar. Tony says he hadn't realised how upset Tom and Brenda were about it until he saw them last night.
Oliver and Caroline continue their ride. Economically, selling makes sense. But Oliver wants to stay in the house, surrounded by a working farm. Ed's become a reliable employee and a friend. Ed mightn't be interested in renting, but maybe Oliver will sketch out a few figures.
Lilian tells Matt he can't carry on skulking at home. Matt says he's getting things sorted. He's just called Chalkman's PA, saying if he hasn't heard from Chalky by the afternoon, all bets are off. Later, Matt's surprised by a text from Chalkman. It says he's 'sorting it - don't say anything'. Matt's furious. What the hell's Chalky playing at? Lilian says it's obvious - Chalky's stitching him up.
Episode written by Adrian Flynn.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b00hz1yr)
Presented by Kirsty Lang.
The Lost World of Communism, a three-part documentary series, focuses on the legacy of the Soviet Union in Eastern and Central Europe through individuals who give their own personal accounts of life behind the Iron Curtain until its collapse in 1989. Writer John Kampfner, a former correspondent in Moscow and Berlin, reviews the series.
Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House Tony Hall responds to the publication by the Arts Council of a report into the proposal for a Royal Opera House in Manchester.
Jazz writer Kevin Le Gendre looks beyond the image to reassess saxophonist Lester Young's musical legacy, and award-winning British saxophonist Iain Ballamy plays his own choice of tribute to the musician nicknamed Prez - the President.
Whatever happened to the femme fatale? Writer and novelist Bidisha and film writer and Chief Executive of Film London Adrian Wootton discuss how and why the true femme fatale has disappeared from mainstream cinema today.
FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00j3j2z)
Writing the Century 1948-1953: Starting From Scratch
Episode 5
Series exploring the 20th Century through diaries and correspondence of real people, dramatised by Peter Roberts.
The story of Hazel Wheeler, a young woman from Huddersfield who dreams of becoming a freelance writer, as England struggles through the postwar period of rationing and rebuilding.
After hearing good news from the BBC, Hazel travels to the Woman's Hour studio in Leeds with her mother - unaware that there is good news of a different kind on the way.
Hazel ...... Amy Humphreys
Hilda ...... Olwen May
Granville ...... Adrian Grove
Stan ...... James Quinn
Sylvia ...... Lucy Jo Hudson
Ray Lakeland/Announcer ...... Stuart Richman
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild.
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b00j1f9m)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate in Londonderry. The panel are Professor Monica McWilliams, chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Lord Paul Bew, Professor of Irish Politics at Queen's University, Belfast, political commentator and author Eamonn McCann and editor-in-chief of The Economist, John Micklethwait.
FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b00j1f9p)
Katharine Whitehorn reflects on the aged and the part they have to play in mainstream society.
FRI 21:00 Stone (b00j1fdm)
Series 1
The Ties That Bind
By Damian Wayling.
When a body dredged up from a lake implicates an ex-police officer and a respected headteacher, DCI Stone has a difficult decision to make as he discovers the real truth that lies behind the murder.
Stone ...... Hugo Speer
Catriona ...... Zoe Henry
Thomas ...... Rob Pickavance
Sally ...... Danielle Henry
Tanner ...... Craig Cheetham
Chloe/DS Addison ...... Maxine Burth
Tyler ...... Reece Noi
Wise ...... James Nickerson
Piotra/Lawler ...... Greg Wood
Directed by Nadia Molinari.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b00hz3d6)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b00hz3sv)
National and international news and analysis with Ritula Shah. Including a report on the Sussex meeting of the finance ministers of the 20 richest nations, being held to discuss the global crisis.
Plus reports on missing children in India; the paint which can repair itself; and does the British economy rely too much on the middle class?
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00hz44j)
Family Money
Episode 5
Hannah Gordon reads Nina Bawden's psychological thriller which tells the story of recently-widowed Fanny Pye, and how her life is changed when she intervenes to stop a street brawl.
A conversation with Isabel about what happened the night she witnessed the murder of Andrew Hobbes leaves Fanny perturbed. Are her recollections of that night returning?
FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b00j0gdc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00hzcy4)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Mark D'Arcy.