The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
A new report says that British agriculture needs to employ another 60,000 people over the next ten years to maintain current levels of food production. Anna Hill talks to the report's author about the implications.
Labour MP Frank Field discusses why he has put down an amendment that seeks compensation for everyone effected by the scrapping of the 10p tax rate.
Correspondent Quentin Sommerville and China expert Bill Emmott analyse the current state of the protests in Xinjiang.
Peter Hunt reports from Hyde Park where a memorial to the 7/7 London bombings victims is being unveiled.
Rajesh Mirchandani reports from Los Angeles at the Michael Jackson memorial concert.
Lord Patel discusses whether the current policy for the private gene testing industry is up to date.
HSBC Chairman Stephen Green discusses his view that banking regulation alone is not enough and that moral values need to be at play too.
The President of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) Sir Hugh Orde discusses the speech in which he will say that the police forces are showing 'signs of financial strain'.
Claims that immigrants are given unfair access to social housing have been discounted in a new study. EHRC director of policy Andrea Murray and Housing Minister John Healey discuss the report.
Former editor of the Washington Post Ben Bradlee describes some of the moments that defined the career of Robert McNamara, who served as US Defence Secretary during the Vietnam war and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Quentin Sommerville reports from pro-government protests in China. Liu Weimin, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in London, discusses whether there is evidence of outside involvement.
Edward Turner, whose mother travelled to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end her life in 2006, and David Morris, founding director of Independent Living Alternatives, debate the right to die.
Anatoly Utkin, an analyst from the USA and Canada Institute, considers whether relations between Washington and Moscow are likely to improve.
The boss of Formula One Bernie Ecclestone has said he regrets the upset he has caused by praising Adolf Hitler, but he insists he will not be forced to resign. Steve Rosenberg reports on reaction to Ecclestone ahead of the German Grand Prix.
Jonathan Freedland presents the series that looks for the past behind the present.
Jonathan and his guests ask how governments can best help the unemployed and visit the site of a 1930s labour camp set up to 'recondition' unemployed men and prepare them for a return to work.
Japanese singer Yoko Noge became passionate about the blues as a schoolgirl. After her mother's suicide, she set off for Chicago, the capital of blues music. Her first stop was a Westside joint, where master bluesman Willie Kent was playing. When Yoko told him she had come so far just for the music, he asked her to sing.
Nigel Anthony reads from Bertrand M Patenaude's account of the exile and subsequent assassination of Leon Trotsky.
Leon Trotsky, exiled from the Soviet Union and in fear of his life, settles into the Blue House, home of artist Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo, in a Mexican village. Now he faces the hearings which he hopes will clear his name.
Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine on her album Lungs. Plus, biographer Diane Atkinson on two extraordinary women from WWI; and 150 years of district nursing.
Britain's most prestigious agricultural event has been the showcase for the farming industry for 160 years, but the Royal show hasn't made a profit in more than two decades. It's been the victim of foot and mouth, atrocious weather and bluetongue.
Tom has been following the team at its home in Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire as they try to ensure that the 2009 show will once more establish the Royal as a premier event. But in April the plug was pulled and the Royal Agricultural Society announced 2009 would be the last event.
Navid Akhtar examines the influence of Islamic design and values on the life of the Victorian designer, poet, craftsman and socialist radical William Morris.
Morris was inspired by Turkish ceramics and Persian carpets to create a new movement in British design. For him, the Muslim world had managed to preserve the art of the craftsman and avoid the ills of industrial production. He espoused the philosophy that art should be affordable and hand made; this was already a reality in the Islamic world.
Not stopping at arts and crafts, he was a passionate advocate of social utopianism and believed in the rights of the worker. Today, these ideals have profoundly influenced a new generation of British-born Muslim artists, as they rediscover Morris and look to his artistic work and socialist ideas for inspiration.
Rail industry in crisis? Does the rail franchise system need reforming - or scrapping altogether?
As National Express has been stripped of its franchise to run the East Coast rail line, and other train companies facing sharp falls in profit, we'll examine how the franchise system works - and whether it should be maintained, or scrapped.
Should the rail network once more be publicly owned? Or have private operators brought more investment and better services?
What do you think is the most economic strategy to get a punctual and affordable railway system?
Blues musician John Mayall presents a homage to the rhythm and blues scene that exploded in Britain in the early 1960s.
Mo is being relocated under a witness protection scheme, his previous identity totally eradicated. How will a Porsche-driving London drug dealer adapt to life as a vegetarian postman living in a former council semi in Gretna?
Mo ...... Navin Chowdhry
Vadim Andreyev ...... Serge Soric
Charles ...... James Quinn
Shahanah ...... Thushani Weerasekera
Donna Marie ...... Hilary MacLean
Jimmy ...... Glenn Cunningham
Svetlana/MrsC ...... Christine Brennan
Home Planet returns to Radio 4 with answers to another selection of your questions. How do we know how old the Earth is? Why are there no penguins at the North Pole? How do earthworms get into elevated compost bins? Why are there no green mammals? Plus a proposal that we should harvest and eat insect swarms.
Answering these questions are science writer Dr Lynn Dicks, ornithologist Graham Appleton, and environment scientist Professor Philip Stott. As always we want to hear your comments on the topics discussed and any questions you might want addressed in future programmes.
We would like your help in surveying the British house martin population. The British Trust for Ornithology is conducting a house martin survey, and we are also asking listeners for their experiences with these charming summer visitors. Please let us know your sightings and observations by clicking the 'contact us' link.
In the days before electric light and oil lamps most of England was troubled by spirit bears. But one village believed itself to be victim to an especially wicked gang and sought to find an answer.
Adapted by Booker-nominated writer Mick Jackson from his collection 'Bears Of England.'
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
America grapples with new racial realities as new waves of immigration from Latin America change the country's ethnic makeup.
As more evidence emerges of child abuse by religious institutions in Ireland, Clive Coleman examines a scheme set up to provide justice and compensation for victims. What lessons does it offer in dealing with institutional abuse - and why does it insist on protecting the identity of alleged abusers?
Kate Mosse and her guests - actor, Clive Swift and journalist, Indarjit Singh - discuss paperbacks by Angus Wilson, Rajaa Alsanea and Patwant Singh & Jyoti M Rai.
Empire of the Sikhs: The Life and Times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh by Patwant Singh and Jyoti M Rai
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.
From William Hague to Simon Cowell, Jon Culshaw explores the bizarre private lives of famous folk. From May 2009.
Alistair's patience is tried when Jim insists on accompanying him on his farm visits. It soon emerges that Jim really plans on visiting another car showroom today. Alistair is embarrassed when Jim spends ages in the showroom, and insults the salesman. Jim doesn't care. He's more excited about the sports car he's just spotted.
David, Ruth, Phil and Jill all visit the Royal Show. There's lots of nostalgia as they reminisce about shows past, and regret the fact that this will be the last Royal they ever visit. David and Ruth celebrate with a beer. It's not often they get a day off the farm together.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book in the Potter franchise and the film of the book is arriving in cinemas. As she teams up once more with Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, now 19, reflects on ten years of playing Hermione Granger alongside Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
Sky Arts is set to recapture a lost era of live television drama with its Theatre Live! project, where six bestselling writers, including Kate Mosse and Jackie Kay, turn their hands to playwriting. The results will be broadcast live. Artistic director Sandi Toksvig and other key figures discuss the challenges and risks involved in making live TV drama.
Robin Wright Penn stars in The Privates Lives of Pippa Lee as a woman whose past is threatening to overwhelm her present. Playwright Charlotte Keatley reviews the film which was written and directed by Rebecca Miller.
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato explains why she is performing in a wheelchair in the Royal Opera House's production of The Barber of Seville after fracturing her leg onstage.
Dramatisation of the novel by Sarah Dunant, set in a convent in Renaissance Italy, where a young woman has been placed against her will.
The novice Serafina is given penance and starves herself for the host. It seems that all hope is lost.
Abbess ...... Eileen Atkins
Zuana ...... Geraldine James
Serafina ...... Natalie Dormer
Umiliana ...... Sian Thomas
Letizia ...... Ayesha Antoine
The music has been specially recorded by Musica Secreta, available on the CD Sacred Hearts, Secret Music.
Following a series of blunders by the justice authorities, who left a dangerous criminal free to torture and murder two French students in London, Allan Urry asks whether government ministers can still justify their claim that Britain's system of public protection from violent offenders and sex abusers is among the best in the world.
Cath Burchill is the only blind woman to have circumnavigated the globe. So how did she, her partner and her motorbike, Bertha, cope with the travelling life?
For visually-impaired cooks, Ian Macrae tries to avoid shredded fingers as he tests peelers, zesters and graters.
Plus your comments on 'naked streets', where cars and pedestrians are supposed to share the same area.
We don't know the cause, there is no treatment or cure, and it is fatal. Dementia is the health challenge of this generation.
To mark Dementia Awareness Week, Claudia Hammond investigates this complex group of brain diseases that progressively lead to the death of brain cells and affect memory and behaviour.
She finds out how UK scientists are some of the global leaders in the field of dementia research. She talks to Professor Julie Williams about her pioneering work in genetics, to Simon Lovestone about his team's search for a biomarker in blood and finds out about the drugs in the developmental pipeline which could, for the first time, treat the underlying disease itself.
Claudia asks why the quality of dementia care in the UK remains in the bottom third of the whole of Europe and questions what improvements patients and their carers can expect from the new National Dementia Strategy.
Bill Nighy reads from the novel by Justin Cartwright, about a family as they come to terms with the loss of a wife and mother.
Ed and Lucy Cross are concerned about their newly-widowed and retired father. He is too thin, and he has started going to the gym.
Comedian Arthur Smith presents comedy and music from his flat in Balham, south London.
Paul Sinha in the lounge, Milton Jones in the bedroom and Glenn Tilbrook in the kitchen provide music and nourishment in the shape of Welsh rarebit.
WEDNESDAY 08 JULY 2009
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b00lfc08)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b00lk4ly)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00lfc7t)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00lfcfr)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00lfcdv)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b00lfcgq)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00lfcj8)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Dr Craig Gardiner.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b00lfcm7)
Anna Hill reports on what might replace the Royal Show as it closes its gates forever, and finds out that smallholders could benefit. We also speak to farming Minister Jim Fitzpatrick who promises immediate government action for the thousands of farmers who have been sent incorrect maps of their land, which could effect their Single Farm Payment.
WED 06:00 Today (b00lfcs0)
Presented by John Humphrys and Evan Davis.
BBC business editor Robert Peston explains the details of the government's banking White Paper. Vince Cable MP gives his analysis.
The Chinese government blames an organisation called the World Uyghur Congress for orchestrating the violence in Xinjiang. The organisation's president Rebiya Kadeer discusses whether the organisation has played a part.
Karen Allen in Johannesburg and Chris Morris in Delhi report on whether the G8 have delivered on their promises to developing and emerging economies.
David Willis describes how Michael Jackson's commercial legacy may be larger in death than it was in life.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth discusses the purpose of a war in Afghanistan in which six British soldiers have been killed in the past week.
Nick Bryant reports on the Australian cricket team's foray into the world of fashion.
Thought for the Day with The Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool.
The government is considering plans to allow students in England to go to university without paying tuition fees. Wes Streeting of the NUS and Maggie Scott of the Association of Colleges discuss the plans.
UK forces are on a major offensive against the Taliban ahead of presidential elections in Afghanistan. Ian Pannell reports from the front line in Helmand province. Lt Col Nick Richardson discusses whether the offensive has been a success.
Avinash Persaud, a member of the UN commission of experts on financial reform, and former Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Sir Brian Pitman discuss whether banks can be prevented from lending too much in future economic booms.
Scientists in Newcastle say they have achieved a world first by creating human sperm in a laboratory. Professor Karim Nayernia, who has been leading the research, and Dr Allan Pacey discuss the viability of the research.
Conservative MP David Davis has accused MI5 of being involved in torturing a terrorist suspect who was being questioned in Pakistan. Mr Davis discusses his evidence for the allegation.
Cathedral treasurer Canon Martin Warner and installation artist Bill Viola discuss the placement of video art in St Paul's Cathedral.
Sir Christopher Frayling, rector of the Royal College of Art, describes some of the designs on display at the New Designers exhibition in London.
Economists Dambisa Moyo and Paul Collier discuss whether aid is a solution or problem for developing countries.
WED 09:00 Midweek (b00lglr4)
Lively and diverse conversation with Libby Purves and guests Patina Miller, Paddy Lyons, David Crystal and Griff Rhys Jones.
Patina Miller is the American actress who is currently making her West End debut playing the lead role of Deloris Van Cartier in the new musical comedy Sister Act. Born and raised in South Carolina, Patina's previous credits include the critically-acclaimed 2008 production of Hair in New York. The role of Deloris was made famous by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie of the same name. Sister Act is at the London Palladium.
In the early 1960s, after a Jesuit schooling, military service and management training with Unilever, Paddy Lyons renounced the world and became a Cistercian Monk. In his memoir, Try a Little Lowliness, he tells of his years in the Cistercian Order on Caldey Island in the Bristol Channel. In later years he trained as a social worker, married and worked as a journalist for the Financial Times. Try A Little Lowliness: Memoir of a Cistercian Novice is published by Gracewing.
David Crystal is Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor and author of over 100 books. He has been at the forefront of the field of linguistics, making a significant contribution to its development, pioneering new areas from clinical to internet linguistics. His book Just a Phrase I'm Going Through: My Life in Language, published by Routledge, is part autobiography, part introduction to this fascinating and ever-evolving field.
Griff Rhys Jones is an actor and comedian. He is presenting a new five-part series, Rivers, for BBC One, in which he explores how rivers have influenced, nurtured and powered our lives throughout history. From the powerful torrents of Scotland to the flatlands of East Anglia, Griff barges, canoes, swims, walks and sails his way along this often hidden network which has been the lifeblood of the country. Rivers is broadcast on BBC One, and there is also a book to accompany the series published by Hodder.
WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b00lk4dm)
Stalin's Nemesis
Episode 3
Nigel Anthony reads from Bertrand M Patenaude's account of the exile and subsequent assassination of Leon Trotsky.
Trotsky has fallen out with Diego Rivera and has to move to a new house in Mexico City. His staff locate a run-down house in the Avenue Viena and begin to turn it into a fortress.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00lfdlr)
Cycling safety, Salley Vickers; Loneliness
Making cycling safer. Plus, writer Salley Vickers on the cult of the author; coping with loneliness; and artist Pauline Amos on her body.
WED 11:00 The Garden Room Girls (b00lgm1r)
Some of the elite band of secretaries who have worked at Downing Street over the last 50 years reveal their untold stories of life at Number 10 and how it operates. Interviewed for the first time, they talk to Naomi Grimley about working for Prime Ministers since Churchill, and Tony Blair discloses how the PM's office could not work without them.
WED 11:30 Baggage (b00lgm1t)
Series 4
Ashes to Auld Reekie
Comedy series by Hilary Lyon, set in Edinburgh.
It is a year since Caroline's best friend, Fiona, died, but an unexpected visitor, a skinny dip in a Highland loch and an illicit kiss mean that scattering her ashes doesn't quite go according to plan.
Caroline ...... Hilary Lyon
Fiona ...... Phyllis Logan
Ruth ...... Adie Allen
Roddy ...... Robin Cameron
Gladys ...... June Watson
Nicholas ...... Moray Hunter
Directed by Marilyn Imrie.
WED 12:00 You and Yours (b00lff2g)
Consumer news and issues with Winifred Robinson.
WED 12:57 Weather (b00lff6x)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b00lff9h)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
WED 13:30 The Media Show (b00lgm6q)
Sly Bailey, the chief executive of Trinity Mirror, joins Steve to talk about her recent decision to close nine local paper titles and to explain how her company is faring in the current economic climate.
For the first time, live Ashes coverage will not be available on terrestrial TV - but should it?
We find out about the 'hyper-local' sites being launched around the country, allowing ordinary people to write and publish content about their communities. But does hyper-local mean hyper-boring?
And Steve speaks to Zuhair al Jezairy, founder of the news agency Voice of Iraq, about the importance of independent journalism in Iraq.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b00lffyc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama (b00lh1km)
Chameleon in Town
By Vicky Meer. The continuing adventures of witness protection couple Mo and Donna Marie.
Mo is back from the dead, trying to stay out of trouble and build a life with Donna Marie, the woman he fell in love with in his previous witness protection incarnation. But the police require his testimony in another high profile case and the couple are embedded in the bustle of life in East London and the local mosque. Mo has never found it easy to keep a low profile, and when he takes on the gangster Simeon Gideon he puts himself and Donna Marie in grave danger.
Mo ...... Navin Chowdhry
Donna Marie ...... Hilary MacLean
Charles Baldico ...... James Quinn
Ms Assumpta Young/Frieda ...... Kate Layden
Tariq /Simeon Gideon ...... Seamus O'Neill
Aftab ...... Archie Lal
Sgt Adabie ...... Declan Wilson
Directed by Stefan Escreet.
WED 15:00 Money Box Live (b00lh221)
Paul Lewis and a panel of guests answer calls on mortgages.
With:
David Hollingworth, Head of Communications, London & Country.
Katie Tucker, technical manager, Mortgageforce.
Louise Cuming, mortgage expert, moneysupermarket.
WED 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00lgg8y)
Mick Jackson - Bears of England
Circus Bears
Series of three eccentric stories by Mick Jackson, which mix fantasy with folk tale and myth with history.
The circus bears are deeply disgruntled at the extra risks being incorporated into their performance, and things come to a head at the annual circus convention in Bristol.
Read by Ian Holm.
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00lfhjy)
'America is Under Attack'
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The era of relative peace following the Cold War comes to a violent end on September 11, 2001.
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b00lh223)
Darwin and Modernity - Female Voyeurism as Sex Torism in Thailand
Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works.
Darwinian theory has provided a powerful explanation for animal behaviour, but can it be used to explain how humans act? Evolutionary psychologists contend that it can and have brought their critique to bear on many fields including economics, law, anthropology and sociology. Laurie speaks to Lesley Newson about her theory that evolution can explain how societies become modern.
Also on the programme, why western women are increasingly relaxed about attending sex clubs and 'ping pong' bars in Thailand. Erin Sanders tells Laurie about her latest research.
WED 16:30 All in the Mind (b00lgj3m)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 17:00 PM (b00lfnt5)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00lfnyy)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
WED 18:30 Look Away Now (b00lh225)
Series 3
Episode 2
Garry Richardson returns with more topical sports comedy.
With Laurence Howarth, Richie Webb, Dave Lamb, Miles Jupp, Katherine Jakeways and special guest Peter Davison.
A bit of an Ashes special - we have an exclusive interview with Kevin Pietersen and a run down of all the new Aussie players you've never heard of.
Our own team of cricket commentators couldn't make it to the first Test and instead are covering a barbecue.
And Garry's guests include Fernando the bull and the FA man who determines if the people trying to take over our football clubs are 'fit and proper'.
WED 19:00 The Archers (b00lffyf)
Alan and Usha discuss Jim's tenancy at Blossom Hill Cottage, and their argument the previous week. Things are better between them and, inspired by the good weather, Alan suggests that they go camping together. Usha is not so keen.
Lilian is delighted when her son James arrives in Ambridge for her birthday. He takes her to lunch, and surprises her by saying he's booked to stay in Grey Gables all week. Lilian tells him about Matt, and her ordeal in the car. James seems more worried about Matt's financial situation but Lilian does not pick up on his concern.
Shula bites her tongue as she's summoned to Blossom Hill Cottage to help Jim with a leaking washing machine. The damage is minimal, prompting Shula to reprimand Jim gently for calling on her and Alistair too easily. Shula is frosty with Alan and Usha who call in to see Jim, pointing out to Usha that the facilities in Blossom Hill Cottage are her responsibility. Later, she's cool with Alan when he brings Jim to the Stables on his motorbike but Jim doesn't notice.
Episode written by Nawal Gadalla.
WED 19:15 Front Row (b00lfq2q)
Arts news and reviews with John Wilson.
It's been nearly 30 years since the Swedish pop phenomenon ABBA went their separate ways. The group's co-composer Benny Andersson is now releasing a new CD, Story Of A Heart, partly written with former ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus, in which he returns to his Swedish folk roots. Benny Andersson discusses the darkness that lies behind the songs written for ABBA and for his folk band, and responds to reports of ABBA reforming to fill the 50-date hole left by the death of Michael Jackson.
The artistic duo Gilbert and George discuss creating self-portraits using images of the Union Jack, branding and turning their home into a museum after they die.
John Wilson and music critic Robin Denselow review three new music documentaries: Glass: A Portrait Of Philip Glass In Twelve Parts, about the American composer; Echoes Of Home, about yodelling; and Soul Power, about the 1974 music festival in Zaire which accompanied the Rumble In The Jungle fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.
WED 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00lfqkl)
Sarah Dunant - Sacred Hearts
Termites
Dramatisation of the novel by Sarah Dunant, set in a convent in Renaissance Italy, where a young woman has been placed against her will.
The great statue of Christ has fallen, and Zuana receives an unexpected visitor who presents her with a terrible predicament.
Abbess ...... Eileen Atkins
Zuana ...... Geraldine James
Serafina ...... Natalie Dormer
Umiliana ...... Sian Thomas
Appolonia ...... Hannah Waddingham
Dramtised by Rachel Joyce.
The music has been specially recorded by Musica Secreta, available on the CD Sacred Hearts, Secret Music.
A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b00lh227)
Michael Buerk chairs a debate on the moral questions behind the week's news. Claire Fox, Michael Portillo, Clifford Longley and Kenan Malik cross-examine witnesses.
While Conservative and Labour politicians are trading insults with each other in a bid to win over the 'gay vote', the Bishop of Rochester has taken a different tack. With the rainbow bunting from London's Pride festival hardly yet packed away, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said homosexuals should change and repent their sin.
The Church of England has been embroiled in a doctrinal battle over sexuality since the ordination of the first openly homosexual bishop in 2003. The Bishop of Rochester was speaking just before the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, a conservative group in the Church of England. 'We want to hold on to the traditional teachings of the Church. We don't want to be rolled over by culture and trends in the Church.' Well, despite Michael Nazir-Ali's attempts to clarify his position, saying that we all need to repent for straying from God's purpose for us, it hasn't stopped the accusations of homophobia.
The 2008 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act created the criminal offence of 'incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation'. But after lobbying from religious groups, the government was forced to accept a Lords amendment that allowed a freedom of speech defence. Bishops in the Lords are now fighting the government's latest attempts to get that defence dropped.
Where should we draw the line between religious conscience and freedom of speech? Should your faith allow you the freedom to challenge and question the way we live, or is this a thinly-disguised mask for intolerance and prejudice? Anti-discrimination legislation once aimed to ensure that society treated citizens equally. Instead of fighting for equality, are the godly just demanding special treatment for themselves and the social fragmentation that goes with it? Or, with 116 separate pieces of equality legislation in force, have we gone too far in our efforts to legislate against unfairness and to wipe out differences?
WED 20:45 Dave's Friends in the North (b00lh229)
Episode 2
Anne McElvoy examines whether the Conservatives can shake off their southern image in order to win a general election.
As a native north-easterner, Anne remembers the animosity toward the Conservative Party in the north during the Thatcher era. But now the Tories have set their sights on a revival in the north as a means of clinching an election victory.
In this programme, Anne asks why Cameron's Tories need the north. She argues that it goes beyond a blunt electoral need to win back seats held under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. Cameron wants to be a One Nation Tory, so this is also a matter of culture and credibility. But is forging a One Nation party a losing battle, particularly for a leader based firmly in a metropolitan elite? Or could he emulate that other well-heeled public school southerner, Harold Macmillan, who used his Stockton seat as a launchpad to power by identifying with the north?
Interviewees include William Hague, Michael Gove, Alan Duncan, Hazel Blears, Nick Clegg and Professor John Curtice.
WED 21:00 The Mystery of the Marine Strandings (b00lh2dm)
Sue Broom investigates why 26 dolphins were stranded and died in Falmouth Harbour in June 2008, as a report gives details of the autopsies.
Dave Jarvis, of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, received a phone call early on the morning of the 9th of June 2008. The Coast Guard had received a report of a dolphin stranding near St Mawes in Cornwall. As he made his way to save the animal, he heard of more and more dolphins sighted in and around Falmouth Harbour. By the end of the day Dave and his team had saved about 70 dolphins, but 26 died.
Scientists from the Institute of Zoology, as part of the UK Cetacean Stranding Programme, were on site by the end of the day, and over the last year have carried out autopsies on all 26 animals.
At the time of the stranding there was a large international naval exercise going on in the bay, leading many local people to be convinced that sonar could have been a factor in the deaths of the dolphins.
Sue investigates whether or not the science supports the rumours, and asks what could have caused such an unusual and tragic event.
WED 21:30 Midweek (b00lglr4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 21:58 Weather (b00lfqs3)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b00lfrd6)
National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig.
The government promises better regulation of the economy. But has a chance for real change been missed?
The G8 meets in Italy to tackle climate change.
Can Twitter save the world?
The latest from the unrest in China.
Should pets be allowed in old folks' homes?
The battle for water in the West Bank.
WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00lft99)
To Heaven By Water
Episode 3
Bill Nighy reads from the novel by Justin Cartwright, about a family as they come to terms with the loss of a wife and mother.
David meets up with his old friend Robin, senior partner in the law firm where his son Ed now works, and receives some unsettling news.
Abridged by Jane Marshall.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 23:00 Bespoken Word (b00lh2dp)
Mr Gee presents the performance poetry series. Scroobius Pip gives his update on a classic theme with his poem Mr Otis Regrets. Also appearing are Dockers MC and Matthew Duffy.
WED 23:15 Strangers on Trains (b00dkgrx)
Episode 5
Series of character comedies by Nat Segnit and Stewart Wright, in which Nat talks to people sitting alone on trains. He asks strange men about death.
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00lg2v6)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Robert Orchard.
THURSDAY 09 JULY 2009
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b00lfc0b)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b00lk4dm)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00lfc7w)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00lfcft)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00lfcdx)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b00lfcgs)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00lfcjb)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Dr Craig Gardiner.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b00lfcm9)
The final Royal Show. Charlotte Smith hears the memories and hopes of champions and judges, and we find out how the honey from the Farming Today bees has fared.
THU 06:00 Today (b00lfcs2)
Presented by Evan Davis and Sarah Montague.
Nick Davies discusses the Guardian's investigation into allegations of phone hacking by News of the World journalist.
James Robbins reports on the latest from the G8, where there has been disagreement between the industrialised G8 nations and newer economies.
Dr Chris Elliott explains the findings of a new RAC Foundation report involving private clamping companies.
Dr Paul Chirico, senior tutor at Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, discusses poet John Clare's passion for the environment.
London Mayor Boris Johnson says he is worried the EU will strangle the City of London if new directives on regulation within the financial sector are implemented in their current form.
Economists Professor Tim Congdon and Liam Halligan discuss if quantitative easing is good for the UK economy.
Thought for the Day with Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, Vicar of Putney.
Correspondent Ian Pannell reports from Afghanistan where he is with US troops who are fighting in Helmand. Lib Dem Nick Clegg discusses the government's tactics in Afghanistan.
Media correspondent Torin Douglas and broadcaster Andrew Neil discuss whether phone hacking has become commonplace in modern journalism.
Political editor Nick Robinson and former Home Secretary Charles Clarke discuss whether Andy Coulson, who was the News of the World editor at the time of the scandal, should be held responsible.
Environment analyst Roger Harrabin and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband consider whether G8 nations and emerging economies should focus on improving energy efficiency and decarbonising energy supply.
Is the language that politicians and policy makers use clear or confusing? Columnist Matthew Parris and linguistics expert Professor David Crystal discuss.
What is it about gangster films that make them so popular? Editor of Sight & Sound magazine Nick James and Erwin James, a writer and former prisoner, discuss how gangsters would like best to be represented on screen.
Will scientists be able to predict all details of an organism just from understanding the genome? Professor Lewis Wolpert and Dr Rupert Sheldrake, consider the predictive power of genetics.
The World Paper and Comb Championship are to take place at Stonehaven Folk Festival. Previous winner Bob Kibble explains the appeal and shows off the skills that made him a world champion.
THU 09:00 In Our Time (b00lh2s3)
Ediacara Biota
Melvyn Bragg and guests Martin Brasier, Richard Corfield and Rachel Wood discuss the Ediacara Biota, the Precambrian life forms which vanished 542 million years ago, and whose discovery proved Darwin right in a way he never imagined. Darwin was convinced that there must have been life before the Cambrian era, but he didn't think it was possible for fossils like the Ediacara to have been preserved. These sea-bed organisms were first unearthed in the 19th century, but were only recognised as Precambrian in the mid-20th century. This was an astonishing discovery. Ever since, scientists have been working to determine its significance. Were the Ediacara the earliest forms of animal life? Or were they a Darwinian dead end? Either way, it is argued, they reveal some of the secrets of the workings of evolution. Richard Corfield is Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at the Open University; Martin Brasier is Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Oxford; Rachel Wood is Lecturer in Carbonate Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh.
THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b00lk4dp)
Stalin's Nemesis
Episode 4
Nigel Anthony reads from Bertrand M Patenaude's account of the exile and subsequent assassination of Leon Trotsky.
In the early hours of May 24th 1940, Trotsky awakes to the sound of gunfire inside his fortress in Mexico City.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00lfdlt)
Parkinson's Disease care; Laura Dockrill on poetry
The gaps in Parkinson's disease care discussed. Plus, working at Battersea Dogs Home; and writer Laura Dockrill on making poetry cool.
THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b00lh37b)
Kate Adie introduces BBC foreign correspondents with the stories behind the headlines.
Quentin Sommerville visits a hospital in Urumqi and talks to the victims of ethnic violence in China, and Peter Martell gives an inside look at escalating unrest in south Sudan.
Steve Gibbs visits a very quiet foreign ministry in Honduras, where the new government seems to have few friends.
The programme also includes dispatches on tourism in Libya and America's summer tradition of yard sales.
THU 11:30 The Wreck of the Alba (b00lh37d)
Michael Bird, an art historian and surfer, uncovers the universal and local significance of one of the most popular pictures in the Tate, St Ives - The Wreck of the Alba by Alfred Wallis.
He interviews people in St Ives who remember the disaster, when the steamer's crew was wrecked on Porthmeor beach in January 1938. Michael also gains access to many recordings of people who knew Wallis, made in the 1960s by Dr Roger Slack, a St Ives GP, and speaks to Chris Stephens, senior curator at the Tate, and to people looking at the painting and surfers on the beach.
THU 12:00 You and Yours (b00lff2j)
Consumer news and issues with Winifred Robinson.
THU 12:57 Weather (b00lff6z)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b00lff9k)
National and international news with Martha Kearney.
THU 13:30 Off the Page (b00lh453)
You're Fired!
Whether it is dressed up as 'downsizing', 'delayering', 'realigning the business' or simply having to 'let people go', firing or being fired is still a painful process.
Broadcaster Anna Raeburn, writer Jeremy Clarke and psychologist Linda Blair join Dominic Arkwright to discuss the consequences of being sacked.
THU 14:00 The Archers (b00lffyf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Drama (b00lh4yh)
The Night Horse
By Catrin Clarke, set on the outskirts of Cardiff. Tensions grow as a mother and daughter wait for a soldier to come back from Afghanistan.
Sian ...... Eiry Thomas
Dee ...... Carli Hughes
Nansi ...... Catrin Stewart
Riding Instructor ...... Keiron Self
Directed by Polly Thomas.
THU 15:00 Open Country (b00ld815)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:07 on Saturday]
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b00ldxr4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Afternoon Reading (b00lgg90)
Mick Jackson - Bears of England
Sewer Bears
Series of three eccentric stories by Mick Jackson, which mix fantasy with folk tale and myth with history.
For many years in the 19th century, several dozen bears were held in London's sewers, where they served as the city's unpaid flushers and toshers.
Read by Ian Holm.
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00lfhk1)
Iraq and the 'Axis of Evil'
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The September 11 attacks propel President Bush and America in to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
THU 16:00 Bookclub (b00lf0vg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:30 Material World (b00lh4yk)
Quentin Cooper hears about the birth of an ocean - in the Afar triangle off the Horn of Africa, which is breaking away from the mother continent.
Plus the science behind the week's headlines on artificial sperm from Newcastle University; and the Easter Island compound, Rapamycin, which could help us all live to an older age.
THU 17:00 PM (b00lfnt7)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00lfnz1)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
THU 18:30 Shappi Talk (b00lh4yp)
Series 1
Racism
Iranian comedian Shappi Khorsandi was brought to this country as a child and grew up in a very unusual and un British family.
Her father was one of Iran's top satirists and the family were forced to leave their home country as her father was termed a political dissident. As she grew up, it became apparent that the Khorsandi household was a little different from some of the families that Shappi had been friends with.
Shappi Talk takes this alternative background for Shappi to host a four part comedy series where she takes four elements of this upbringing to hilariously reveal what it was like growing up in a non-British family.
Joining Shappi will be comedian Felix Dexter who was born in St Kitts and moved to the UK as a child and each week Shappi also chats to another guest 'on location' and this time she's joined by Meera Syal.
There'll also be a song from comedian Hils Barker.
Producer: Paul Russell
An Open Mike Production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b00lffyh)
While Mike and Vicky look at rings, Vicky drops the bombshell that she'll be going down to two days a week at work. Mike is shaken; but is quickly distracted by the fact that Vicky expects him to have a ring, too.
Later, Vicky shows the rings to Susan. She pretends to approve while Vicky is in the shop but quickly reverts to type when Vicky goes, and tells Neil that Betty would turn in her grave. Neil is more annoyed that Vic, the butcher he was hoping to sell to, doesn't need any orders. Susan tells him not to lose heart; something may come of it in the future.
Brenda is touched when Pat asks her to help the family business by doing some occasional PR for Bridge Farm. Brenda spends the next few minutes being disparaging about Vicky and her wedding dress, prompting Pat to say gently that Vicky might be good for Mike. Roy shares Pat's sentiments, warning Brenda not to do anything to upset Mike on his big day.
After Mike has bought his wedding suit with Roy, Brenda makes his day by agreeing to read a verse at the wedding. Mike is touched and delighted.
Episode written by Nawal Gadalla.
THU 19:15 Front Row (b00lfq2s)
Arts news and reviews with Kirsty Lang.
Lynda Nead reviews the BBC2 drama Desperate Romantics which follows the lives of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood as they struggle against the Establishment for fame and fortune.
MJ Hyland's last novel was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Her latest novel, 'This Is How', is set in a British seaside town and focuses on a young man unable to understand the world and those around him. Hyland talks to Kirsty Lang about why she wanted to answer the question that is invariably asked when a murder is committed: how did this happen?
For his new soundpiece, which was inspired by Darwin, Marcus Coates has used digitally manipulated sounds from everyday life such as the beep of the supermarket checkout, the siren of a police car and the noises of a school playground and mixed them with field recordings of animals and birds.
Forty years after the first manned lunar landing, author Andrew Smith and music journalist Kevin LeGendre reflect on the music which formed the soundtrack to the Apollo missions, from the sometimes surprising recordings astronauts chose to take into space, to the impact cosmic exploration had on musicians back on Earth.
THU 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00lfqkn)
Sarah Dunant - Sacred Hearts
Letter
Dramatisation of the novel by Sarah Dunant, set in a convent in Renaissance Italy, where a young woman has been placed against her will.
Suora Zuana begins her remedy to cure a spiritual disease and solve the convent's greatest problem.
Abbess ...... Eileen Atkins
Zuana ...... Geraldine James
Serafina ...... Natalie Dormer
Umiliana ...... Sian Thomas
Dramtised by Rachel Joyce.
The music has been specially recorded by Musica Secreta, available on the CD Sacred Hearts, Secret Music.
A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 20:00 Law in Action (b00lgj39)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Tuesday]
THU 20:30 The Bottom Line (b00lh4zj)
You're at the top of your company, but you're the person with least control over your time. PAs, PRs, your spouse - all these people are battling over your diary. So can you, when you're a chief executive, carve out a piece of the day for yourself or are you at the mercy of others from the moment you get up?
Evan Davis discusses this with his three big business guests: Nikki King of Isuzu Trucks, Samir Brikho of AMEC and Gavin Slark of the BSS Group.
He also finds out how possible it is to plan for the long term when everyone is pressurising you for short term results.
THU 21:00 Leading Edge (b00lh5gv)
The Future of Gene Sequencing
Geoff Watts explores the world of science and the people, passions and policies behind it.
Hardly a week passes without a mention of new developments in genetics. This editon is all about genetic developments and their implications. Geoff Watts discusses the future of gene sequencing with Jane Rogers, director of the newly created Genome Analysis Centre in Norwich, and Jane Peterson, an associate director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute.
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has just published a report on genomic medicine. This is the use of genomic information in predicting a person's risk of disease, improving diagnosis and prognosis, and selecting the best treatment option: 'personalised' or 'stratified' treatment, as it is described.
Their Lordships compiled a raft of recommendations on research, training, service delivery and much else. They describe genomic medicine as offering 'a real opportunity for medical care'. Geoff discusses the findings of the report with Lord Warner, one of the committee, and Professor Sir John Bell, of Oxford University, one of the UK's leading biomedical scientists.
Geoff also talks about biomedical science with UK government minister for science, Lord Paul Drayson.
THU 21:30 In Our Time (b00lh2s3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 21:58 Weather (b00lfqs5)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b00lfrd8)
The latest revelations over allegations of mobile phone hacking by News of the World journalists.
G8 leaders discuss technology transfer as the way to cut emissions in the developing world.
A report from the Swat valley on Pakistan's war with the Taliban.
Presented by Robin Lustig.
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00lft9c)
To Heaven By Water
Episode 4
Bill Nighy reads from the novel by Justin Cartwright, about a family as they come to terms with the loss of a wife and mother.
David feels constrained by his house, now that he lives there alone, but his children still regard it as the family home.
Abridged by Jane Marshall.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 23:00 Look Away Now (b00lh225)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:30 on Wednesday]
THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00lg2v8)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with David Wilby.
FRIDAY 10 JULY 2009
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b00lfc0d)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b00lk4dp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b00lfc80)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b00lfcfw)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b00lfcdz)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b00lfcgv)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b00lfcjd)
Daily prayer and reflection with Rev Dr Craig Gardiner.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b00lfcmc)
News and issues in rural Britain with Charlotte Smith.
The government says it will trust farmers to voluntarily support and protect wildlife on their land, to make up for the loss of set-aside. Charlotte hears from Hilary Benn, the minister who has introduced the scheme, and farmers at the Royal Show who say that they are unwilling to take land out of production if they don't have to.
FRI 06:00 Today (b00lfcs4)
Presented by James Naughtie and Edward Stourton.
Media law expert Mark Stephens discusses possible legal action against the News of the World by alleged victims of phone hacking.
Professor Gilbert Welch discusses the importance of research that suggests breast cancer is being over-diagnosed.
Professor Alan Wilson explains the techniques researchers use to find out how cheetahs can run so fast.
Adam Brimelow reports on research in India which found that Asians can develop diabetes and heart disease before they reach dangerous levels of obesity.
Quentin Sommerville reports on the latest unrest after several days of ethnic violence between Uighur Muslims and Han Chinese in which at least 156 people have been killed so far.
Professor Nick Shepherd-Barron says a new maths A-level abandons the idea that the subject is creative.
Composer Benjamin Till describes his new work on the theme of the old nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons.
Thought for the Day with Catherine Pepinster, Editor of The Tablet.
Former defence minister Lord Moonie and Sir Jeremy Greenstock discuss whether British troops can maintain their current level of engagement in Afghanistan.
Professor Karsten Jorgensen, Professor Valerie Beral and Dr Paul Pharoah discuss new research on breast cancer screenings.
Reporter Ian Pannell speaks to some of the youngest soldiers in Helmand Province. Major General Patrick Cordingley describes the pressures facing the youngest members of the armed forces.
Arts correspondent Rebecca Jones reports on the life and work of novelist Barbara Pym.
The Pakistani Government is encouraging people displaced by fighting in the Swat Valley to return to their homes. Reporter Zubeida Malik explains the current situation in the Swat and whether it is safe for families to return.
Professor John Mu and author Christopher Beha discuss The Harvard Classics, an anthology of literature with aims to give a 'liberal education' to anyone willing to work through the full 50 volumes.
What happens to the people who die alone without friends or family? Nicola Stanbridge spent a day with Welfare Funerals Officer Elaine Gaston in Brighton to find out.
The military equipment used by British troops in Afghanistan has been criticised following the deaths of British soldiers. David Pickup, former senior lecturer in Defence Studies at Sandhurst, discusses whether British soldiers are being properly equipped.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b00ldxrj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b00lk4dr)
Stalin's Nemesis
Episode 5
Nigel Anthony reads from Bertrand M Patenaude's account of the exile and subsequent assassination of Leon Trotsky.
On August 17th 1940 at
4.35pm, the iron doors of Trotsky's safe haven gave way and a man known to Trotsky as Frank Jacson, a Canadian businessman, was admitted to the patio.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00lfdlw)
Constance Briscoe; Breast cancer screening
Are we forever influenced by our roots, however successful we become? Plus, macho food; the scientific life of Caroline Herschel; and breast cancer screening explained.
FRI 11:00 Three Rivers (b00lh5pb)
The Liffey
Hardeep Singh Kohli travels from source to sea of three major rivers that are being regenerated after years of neglect and industrial use.
The Liffey, a river beloved of Irish writers - particularly James Joyce, winds its way from the Wicklow Mountains into the heart of Dublin and under 14 bridges. It has also provided power and clean water for those along its path, and at its outer edges encouraged trade with the wider world beyond.
FRI 11:30 Electric Ink (b0121pjk)
Series 1
Episode 6
A swathe of job cuts are predicted with circulation dropping, but who will survive the bloodbath?
Old hacks meet new media in Alistair Beaton’s satire set in the changing world of the newspaper industry.
Maddox ...... Robert Lindsay
Oliver ...... Alex Jennings
Amelia ...... Elizabeth Berrington
Tasneem ...... Zita Sattar
Masha ...... Debbie Chazen
Freddy ...... Ben Willbond
Announcer ...... Matt Addis
With additional material by Tom Mitchelson.
Director: Sally Avens
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2009.
FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b00lff2l)
Consumer news and issues with Peter White.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b00lff71)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b00lff9m)
The British military death toll in Afghanistan has risen again - the Ministry of Defence announced further soldiers had died in Helmand province. We hear from the partner of a sergeant from the West Guards who died in Afghanistan - and from the former commander of British troops in Afghanistan.
FRI 13:30 Feedback (b00lh6dy)
BBC Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer faces a panel of listeners and responds to their comments about the station. Coverage of America, Thought For The Day and drama are among the issues raised.
Most people have heard of art preservation and architectural art preservation, but what about sound preservation? Feedback goes behind the scenes of a World Service project to preserve the disappearing sounds of the world.
Plus listener comments on BBC Radio.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b00lffyh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Drama (b0090rcf)
Kathryn Simmonds - Poetry for Beginners
Comedy drama by Kathryn Simmonds.
During a residential writing course deep in the Shropshire countryside, poetry gives rise to lustful urges, ruthless artistic ambition and simmering rivalries.
Celia ...... Joanna Tope
Fran ...... Emma Currie
William ...... Crawford Logan
Moira ...... Ann Scott Jones
Nick ...... Nick Farr
Directed by David Jackson Young.
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b00lj1n5)
Eric Robson chairs the popular horticultural forum.
Anne Swithinbank, Bob Flowerdew and Matthew Biggs answer questions posed by gardeners in Berkshire.
Including Gardening weather forecast.
FRI 15:45 America, Empire of Liberty (b00lfhk4)
'To Shape an Uncertain Destiny'
Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
Economic issues overshadow foreign conflicts as change once again transforms American politics during the 2008 presidential election.
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b00lh4m8)
John Wilson presents the obituaries programme.
FRI 16:30 The Film Programme (b00lj1n7)
Behind the scenes of Blade Runner and The Deer Hunter with producer Michael Deeley. Composer Neil Brand tells us the score about Vangelis's theme for Ridley Scott's cult science fiction opus.
Novelist, screenwriter, director and painter Rebecca Miller discusses her film career, her collaboration with husband Daniel Day-Lewis and life as the daughter of Arthur Miller.
FRI 17:00 PM (b00lfnt9)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair. Plus Weather.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b00lfnz3)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.
FRI 18:30 The Now Show (b00lj1n9)
Series 28
Episode 3
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis present a satirical review of the week's news, with help from Mitch Benn, Laura Shavin, Jon Holmes and Carrie Quinlan.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b00lffyk)
Jim and Joe busy themselves making costumes for their plinth performances. Jim fashions a toga out of a duvet cover, while Joe is constructing a secret outfit; one that he hopes will wow Gormley and win him the prize - which he is convinced Gormley will provide, and which he then intends to sell on-line.
Meanwhile, Nigel and David help with setting up the plinth at the fete site. They discuss the events at the fete, and Nigel is pleased that Elizabeth has got them involved. When Joe and Jim approach, they ask Joe for clues as to his plinth performance but Joe remains tight-lipped.
Lilian clings onto James for as long as possible, thanking him for taking care of her when he finally leaves. James, however, is more worried that Lilian and Matt might get back together, so on his way home to London he stops by the Dower House and warns Matt off.
Episode written by Nawal Gadalla.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b00lfq2w)
The publishing industry like most businesses is struggling in the recession, but one type of book has been selling as quickly as it could be printed - the celebrity memoir.
The autobiographies of Paul O'Grady, Dawn French, Julie Walters, Michael Parkinson and Alan Carr have now sold over two and a half million hard back copies between them. Unusually for this genre, the books are self-written and genuinely revealing.
In a special edition of Front Row, Mark Lawson speaks to these authors - and others - about why they decided to set down their lives.
FRI 19:45 15 Minute Drama (b00lfqkq)
Sarah Dunant - Sacred Hearts
Living Saint
Dramatisation of the novel by Sarah Dunant, set in a convent in Renaissance Italy, where a young woman has been placed against her will.
Serafina has been found senseless, presumed dead. If the convent is to survive, it is time to make sacrifices.
Abbess ...... Eileen Atkins
Zuana ...... Geraldine James
Serafina ...... Natalie Dormer
Umiliana ...... Sian Thomas
Letizia ...... Ayesha Antoine
Dramtised by Rachel Joyce.
The music has been specially recorded by Musica Secreta, available on the CD Sacred Hearts, Secret Music.
A Pacificus production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b00lj1nc)
Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate in Consett, County Durham. The panellists are the former Cabinet minsiter and now independent MP Clare Short, Pat McFadden, minister for business, innovation and skills, Green Party MEP Jean Lambert and former Chancellor Lord Norman Lamont.
FRI 20:50 David Attenborough's Life Stories (b00lj1nf)
Series 1
Bowerbirds
One of the most extraordinary structures in the animal world is constructed by a Bower Bird.
Sir David tells the life story of the Vogelkopf Bower Bird, the one that raises the bar higher than the rest.
Series of talks by Sir David Attenborough on the natural histories of creatures and plants from around the world.
Producer: Julian Hector
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2009.
FRI 21:00 America, Empire of Liberty Omnibus (b00lj1nh)
Pride and Prejudice
Omnibus edition of the series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds.
The post-Cold War promise of peace evaporates as the September 11 attacks lead to foreign wars and the divisive politics of the Clinton and Bush years culminate in the epic 2008 presidential election.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b00lfqs7)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b00lfrdb)
President Obama's first trip to Africa raises hopes. What can he deliver?
More deaths of British soldiers make Afghanistan as costly as Iraq.
Germany is accused of ignoring racism following a courtoom killing.
With Robin Lustig.
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b00lft9f)
To Heaven By Water
Episode 5
Bill Nighy reads from the novel by Justin Cartwright, about a family as they come to terms with the loss of a wife and mother.
Since her mother died and with her brother married and her father showing no sign of filling the breach, Lucy feels as if she has been cast adrift.
Abridged by Jane Marshall.
A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b00lgj3c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (b00lg2vb)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Mark D'Arcy.