The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
On 25 February 1956, 23 year-old Sylvia Plath walked into a party and immediately spotted Ted Hughes. This encounter was recorded by Plath in her journal and has fed into the mythology of the Plath-Hughes relationship, which has arguably cast a long shadow over Plath's life and work.
In this new biography of Plath's early life, which considers the years before the meeting with Hughes, Andrew Wilson explores the childhood and young womanhood of one of the twentieth century's most influential and best-loved poets.Plath's early years were complex, creative and high-achieving. Her father had died when she was only eight, she had watched her mother struggle to put her children through college, had dated a large number of men, had been unofficially engaged, had tried to commit suicide and had written over 200 poems.
Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends and lovers who have never spoken openly about Plath before, and using previously unavailable archives and papers, this new book traces the early literary and emotional development of the author of 'The Bell Jar' (this week's Radio 4 Book at Bedtime).In today's episode, Plath wins a Fulbright and starts at Cambridge.
Sylvia Plath is read by Sasha Pick, Eddie Cohen by Ben Crowe, Richard Sassoon by Will Howard and Aurelia Plath by Hannah Wood
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at
A listener who has taught at university here and is now working on cutting-edge computer programming in Silicon Valley critiques the way Britain educates its young people for the workplace. And in the week when the Pope resigned, Your News is read by Rome correspondent David Willey. With Eddie Mair and Jennifer Tracey. IPM@bbc.co.uk.
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
Clare Balding is walking for self improvement in this series of Ramblings and today she hopes to find a new inner calm with the help of Dr Kate Kirkwood. Kate attempts to lead Clare on a path of spiritual renewal by teaching her to walk silently. Silence is not a state that comes naturally to Clare but as she and Kate walk where the mood takes them, in the Herefordshire countryside just outside Hay on Wye, they discover why walking can be one of the bet forms of stress relief.
With farm incomes falling, and farmers searching for ways to get more out of their businesses, Farming Today This Week takes a look at the many and varied routes for diversification. For some it's meant adding value to the food they already produce, while others are branching out into tourism, retail, energy production or even wedding planning. How far are farmers prepared to move away from their traditional role? Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Emma Campbell.
Morning news and current affairs, with Sarah Montague and James Naughtie, including:
What does the current horsemeat scandal tell us about Britain's diet? The BBC's reporter Tom Bateman, the Daily Telegraph food columnist Rose Prince and author of You Aren't What You Eat, Steven Poole join the debate.
A new recording of a much loved masterpiece is causing a stir because the young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein reveals herself in it as a remarkable artist. She has recorded Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Berlin Staatskapelle and its conductor Daniel Baremboim. The Today presenter James Naughtie interviewed Ms Weilerstein.
The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has written to every NHS Trust in England to say that a culture of "openness and transparency" is essential. He says that any confidentiality agreements with staff and former staff should be in that spirit. The reason for his letter is the furore surrounding Gary Walker who had to sign a "gagging clause" when he stepped down as chief executive of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. Mr Walker comments on the letter.
Billy Bragg, John McCarthy at the Arirang Games, Debbie Wiseman plays snooker, Dawn O'Porter's Inheritance Tracks
Sian Williams & Richard Coles with musician Billy Bragg who also plays live; Bernadette Russell who did a good deed every day for a year and photographer Giles Duley who lost three limbs on assignment in Afghanistan. John McCarthy looks in on the Arirang Games in North Korea, composer Debbie Wiseman plays snooker with JP Devlin; a listener tells us about her discovery of Chicken Spectacles and writer and broadcaster Dawn O'Porter shares her Inheritance Tracks.
In the third episode of "And The Academy Award Goes To." Paul Gambaccini talks to the team behind the rich, musical extravaganza "Amadeus" - which you may remember for its brilliant interpretation of the life and genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or for the shrill giggle of Tom Hulce and the cleavage of his wife.
Director Milos Forman, who had left Czechoslovakia as a political refugee, chose Prague as the best 'double' for Vienna - only to find himself followed by spies for his former homeland as a suspected anti-communist.
Forman recalls how he first met Sir Peter Shaffer backstage at the National Theatre in London where, Sir Peter confirms, Forman promised there and then, to make a film out of Shaffer's masterpiece of the stage.
Simon Callow who played Mozart in the original London stage production was the only actor to appear in the Hollywood version - but probably enjoyed himself more because of it. Gambaccini also talks to Sir Neville Mariner, choreographer Twyla Tharp, producer Ken Tuohy and the actor Elizabeth Berridge, who was told she'd got the part as Mozart's wife as she most resembled an 'landlady's daughter'.
Cold War mystery and the greatest composer on earth - how they brought to screen a musical and cinematic masterpiece.
Peter Oborne of The Daily Telegraph asks Lord Glasman the architect of Blue Labour, and Conservative MP Jesse Norman who has written extensively on David Cameron's Big Society, about the Labour party policy review, and whether Labour and Tories are encroaching on each other's territory.
Shadow Justice Minister Andy Slaughter and Tory MP Julian Brazier discuss the secret courts, which will come into force if the Justice and Security Bill goes through in its present form, plus questions about the blanket coverage of the horsemeat scandal, and the absence of interest so far in the Eastleigh by-election.
A full list of candidates in the by-election is available on the BBC News website at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21418431 .
Reporters' despatches from far and wide: a vegetarian of 37 years' standing, Nick Thorpe, is despatched to ask questions about horse meat and to investigate a slaughter house in Romania; can Japan spend its way out of recession and into prosperity? Economists are thrilled at the idea. But Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Tokyo has his doubts. What's the US military doing in a remote corner of the Philippines? Kate McGeown's gone to find out. Will Ross is in northern Nigeria wondering why so few of those detained, and suspected of militant attacks, are appearing in front of the courts. And Tim Butcher in New York meets up with an old friend with whom he once went to war.
Child Trust Fund charges, Get Cash app re-launches, long-term care, pension liberalisation
Children with Child Trust Funds could find the whole of the money the Government put in has disappeared by the time they can use the money at 18. F&C is just one provider who has begun to charge a flatrate fee of £25 a year to look after a shareholder Child Trust Fund. The initial Government contribution was £250 - so between now and 2020 when the first children reach their maturity at 18, they may find their fund's maturity value is zero. Darius McDermott, Managing Director of Chelsea Financial Services, joins the programme.
Last week Money Box reported that individuals have given illegal "pension liberation" schemes an estimated £400m since 2008. Within hours of broadcasting the warning we were contacted by Martin from West Yorkshire. Martin has lost his job and wanted early access to his pension cash. He received a text from a pension liberation firm and was about to sign on the dotted line. Bob Howard takes up the story.
NatWest has relaunched its Get Cash app which allows customers to withdraw £100 cash without a bank card. GetCash was closed down four months ago after thousands of customers lost hundreds of pounds to sophisticated fraudsters who impersonated them. Head of mobile services at NatWest,
The Government has announced plans to reform long term care funding. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt confirmed that a cap of £75,000 will be introduced alongside an increase in the means testing threshold from £23,250 to £123,000. The Health Minister Norman Lamb speaks to the programme.
Uganda is 4000 miles from the UK but its personal finance issues are very close to home - inflation, interest rates, loans, banks' behaviour, pensions. Paul shares more insights from his trip to the Pearl of Africa.
Papal resignation, food contamination and tortoise fornication. Grainne Maguire joins Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis, Mitch Benn, Jon Holmes and Laura Shavin for the first episode of Now Show series 39.
Written by the cast with additional material from Jane Lamacraft, Andy Wolton, Tom Neenan and Alice Gregg.
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Langford Budville in Somerset. Guests include Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Margaret Hodge MP, former Defence Minister Nick Harvey MP, Environment Minister John Hayes MP and chief policy advisor for Greenpeace UK Ruth Davis.
A chance for Radio 4 listeners to have their say on the issues discussed on Any Questions. Call Anita Anand on 03700 100 444 or email any.answers@bbc.co.uk or tweet using #bbcaq. Topics include the Horsemeat scandal, Gay parenting, selection of a new Pope, Is pride in the NHS misplaced? And fossil fuels versus renewables - has the Government got the balance right?
On the 90th anniversary of the first Radio Drama broadcast on the BBC, a new version of the Classic tale of Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad combining the talents of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a special cast. Recorded before an audience in the legendary Maida Vale Studios.
Music: The BBC Symphony Orchestra, leader Steven Bryant, Conductor Timothy Brock, Producer Ann McKay.
Singers: Genevieve Hamilton, Amanda Morrison, Julia Batchelor-Wlash, Jonathan English, Daniel Auchincloss and William Gaunt.
Ian Sansom can chart his life through his notebooks - he's been writing in them for 20 years.
He used to keep his notebooks in the freezer in case the house burnt down - until the notebooks in the freezer got damp. The current run of notebooks is stacked against the walls in his office and once a year he goes through them, harvesting for ideas and misplaced telephone numbers.
The notebook is - or has traditionally been - the crucible of creativity, a 'commonplace book', the first resort, and the last word in portable technology. They're where writers and artists begin.
In this short, carefully scribbled history, Ian looks at his own and other people's and asks whether their time is now coming to an end.
With the advent of phones, iPads and laptops, is this the end of the notebook as we know it? And how will it change the creative process?
We hear from the women behind the Power List, and talk to the second most powerful woman in Britain, Home Secretary Theresa May, and to power-lister Heather Rabbatts, first female director of the Football Association. Judges Alexandra Shulman, Oona King, Dawn O'Porter and media net-worker Julia Hobsbawm discuss what the list tells us. Getting women back to work in science, technology, engineering and maths jobs (STEM). The false accusations that led to one father's loss of contact with his daughter. Young women whose lives inspired The Glasgow Girls' musical. Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara.
Presented by Jane Garvey.
Producer: Rebecca Myatt.
The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion and spin to present a clearer view of the business world through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. This week, Evan meets three pioneers of alternative finance and asks - can they beat the banks at their own game? Giles Andrews is CEO of Zopa, the peer to peer lending website; Anil Stocker is co-founder of Market Invoice , an online finance provider that allows companies to turn invoices into working capital; and Michael Joseph is director of mobile money at Vodafone and former CEO of the Kenyan mobile phone provider Safaricom, where he launched the revolutionary mobile money transfer service, M-Pesa.
Clive Anderson, Ginger Baker, Sinead O'Connor, Oliver James, Jamie Kilstein, Nikki Bedi, Villagers
Nothing Compares to Irish singer songwriter Sinéad O'Connor, who shot to international fame in 1990 with Prince's smash hit 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. Sinéad talks to Clive about her career, which has occasionally encountered controversy as a result of her strong views on religion, feminism, child abuse and war. Sinéad performs 'V.I.P' from her album 'How About I Be Me (And You Be You)'.
Clive doesn't miss a beat with legendary 'Cream' and 'Blind Faith' drummer and hippy hellraiser Ginger Baker. A new film by Jay Bulger documents Ginger's life, from being influenced by London's jazz scene to the height of his drug-addled rock band fame. Ginger smashes his drums like he smashes through life, even smashing the filmmaker's nose on the last day of filming! 'Beware Of Mr Baker' is released in UK cinemas on Friday 17th May.
Nikki Bedi has Veg Talk with New York comedian Jamie Kilstein. Known for his intelligent, no-holds-barred take on religion, politics, corporate greed and veganism, Jamie's consistently been compared by critics, comedians and audiences to fearless comic icons Bill Hicks and George Carlin. He's on tour throughout February and is performing at London's Soho Theatre until Saturday 23rd.
Clive's on the couch with psychologist, author and broadcaster Oliver James, whose new book 'Office Politics: How to Thrive in a World of Lying, Backstabbing and Dirty Tricks' examines the modern working world, where game-playing, duplicity and sheer malevolence are rife. Oliver examines the not-so-nice practices which propel people to the top, revealing the murky side to office life.
Plus more music from Irish indie folk band Villagers, who perform 'Nothing Arrived' from their album 'Awayland'.
Designer Tom Ford has become a brand in his own right. Running his own label, producing and directing the film 'A Single Man' and dressing the stars are just some of his successes.
Now as he prepares his first full scale catwalk show for London Fashion Week, he's credited with attracting record interest and unprecedented numbers of US buyers to the event.
In the 1990s he turned around the fortunes of Gucci, the luxury fashion house and revolutionised the luxury brand market. Despite controversial advertising campaigns his unique designs attracted celebrity clients and financial success.
With his collections under his own label now eagerly anticipated, James Silver looks for the secret of his success.
A Life of Galileo is Mark Ravenhill's adaptation for the RSC of Brecht's play which has just opened at the Swan at Stratford, directed by Roxana Silbert. The news of the Pope's resignation has given the play an extraordinary timeliness.
Maggie O'Farrell won the Costa Novel Award for The Hand that First Held Mine. Her latest novel, Instructions for a Heatwave, is set in the intense temperatures of summer 1976. The Riordan family, of Irish origin, find themselves torn apart when their father Robert goes out one day to buy a paper and doesn't come back.
The Bride and the Bachelors is the title of an exhibition at the Barbican which combines visual arts, live and recorded performance. It's an exploration of the interaction between Marcel Duchamp and some of those he influenced in America: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns.
V, Tony Harrison's powerful and expletive-heavy poem published in 1985, was inspired by the graffiti he discovered on his parents' gravestones in Beeston, Leeds. It is about to be read by the author on Radio 4. When it was televised on Channel 4 it triggered an early day motion in the House of Commons. What will the reaction be nearly 30 years on?
And Keanu Reeves takes on the role of interviewer in a new documentary about the future of film as it moves from celluloid to digital: Side by Side. Will celluloid survive? And what are the possibilities opened up by the move to digital?
Presenter Tom Sutcliffe is joined by Kit Davis, Kevin Jackson and Bidisha to review. Producer: Sarah Johnson.
The writer, Oliver Burkeman, wanders through the archives, thinking about the pros and cons of idleness.
In these goal obsessed, triple-dip recession conscious days, the merest hint of idleness can send politicians and headline writers into a state of near apoplexy. Front-benchers from all political parties seem to be tripping over themselves in a bid to establish the supremacy of their moral devotion to the 'hard working families' and upstanding citizens of 'alarm clock Britain'.
Oliver Burkeman steps back from the fray to unravel the complications of idleness and even discover some of its merits. As a non-idler who confesses to that feeling of smugness at having achieved tasks before breakfast time, Oliver nonetheless questions whether our target driven culture can ever bring any sense of contentment or happiness. The crux of the conflict seems to be that although idleness may be the dream, we spend most of our lives actively rejecting it.
And so we admire, despise and envy the idler, all at once. Oliver consults a diverse range of characters from the archive to untangle some of the complications. These include Bagpuss, Rab C Nesbitt, Tony Hancock, Waynetta Slob and Ronald Reagan, who all help Oliver examine idleness and its relation to childhood, creativity, boredom, social class and subversion.
There are also wonderful insights from 'real people'. There's the testimony of a schoolboy from 1960s Birmingham, dreaming of the island life. Unbothered by the noise of everyday life (including The Queen chasing him for rates) he is able to compose opera by seeking inspiration from nature. A gloriously grand Colonel's wife flagrantly tells of her life of luxury, being fed and watered by her husband with bath time Brandy and Ginger Ales, iced coffees, only occasionally talking to the children through the intercom if she is particularly bored. Then there's the fisherman who believes that idleness and death go hand in hand and that the introduction of the Welfare State could only turn him into a sluggard. And there's the moving testimony of a former miner, who began work in the pits during his school holidays in 1925, and then paradoxically found the greatest moments of happiness and freedom during the months of idleness brought about by the General Strike.
Oliver also meets with the founder of The Idler magazine, Tom Hodgkinson, for a whistle stop history of idleness and the philosophical debate, to discover how the work ethic became so inculcated. Tom argues that at least part of the reason for this is because, by their very nature, pro-idlers are bound to be less zealous in spreading the idleness word.
There's also an appealing aside, when Oliver observes that in the right person, idleness and that special insouciance that can go with it, is simply 'cool'.
With fantastic music, enquiry, and laughter, join Oliver Burkeman, Embracing Idleness.
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth. Sick and separated from his wife, he lives alone in a one-room flat in Victory Mansions in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal.
When Winston finds love, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities.
One of the most influential novels of the 20th century, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four was first published in 1949. Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway.
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
Not only was Pope Benedict XVI the oldest Pope to take up office but he came with a reputation as the most conservative of Popes and a fierce guardian of the truth. Yet by resigning he's overturned centuries of papal tradition and paved the way for a radical transformation of the Papacy and its relationship with the worldwide Catholic Church. It was a move which has sent shockwaves through the Catholic Church worldwide. For many it seemed so out of character but was it? Edward Stourton has been reassessing Pope Benedict's life and looking for clues as to what's really driven him during his long career. With the help of those who know him well and those who have followed him closely he has painted a somewhat surprising portrait of a Pope who was more radical than many might think.
What particular time of day is celebrated in the type of poem or song known as an 'aubade'? And which British city was twinned with the German city of Dresden in 1959?
Russell Davies is in the questionmaster's chair for the twelfth and last of the heats in this sixtieth series of radio's most venerable quiz. The competitors are bidding for the last of the automatic places in the semi-finals which begin next week. In this episode they hail from Sheffield, Anglesey, Devon and Glasgow.
They face Russell's questions on everything from music and literature to science, sport, history, mythology, etymology, popular culture and current affairs.
There's also a chance for a listener to win a prize by outwitting the assembled brains with questions of his or her own devising.
Poetry marking the winter of 1963, the long season of snow and cold during which the poet Sylvia Plath died. Listeners' requests for her work include Morning Song, Balloons and Wuthering Heights. The readers are Fenella Woolgar and Paul Mundell, with readings of their own work by poets Paul Farley, Eavan Boland, Jacob Polley and MR Peacocke.
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013
SUN 00:00 Midnight News (b01qktql)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
SUN 00:30 A Dalmatian Trilogy (b01946ws)
Dalmatian Muse
Episode 2 (of 3): Dalmatian Muse by James Hopkin
Danko lives in a secluded bay on the island. There is a strip of coast-line which he claims represents the whole of life: the island's illegal dumping site; then, further along, an eco-village of simple living and great food and wine; and finally, on the sea itself, the rusting guns of the old military occupation. At night he takes Polyanna out on his boat in search of phosphorescence.
James Hopkin has lived and travelled widely in Europe, including time spent on the Dalmatian islands off the coast of Croatia. These three specially-commissioned stories explore the history and landscape of the area, as well as providing a colourful journey for the senses.
Hopkin gained a First Class honours degree in English and Philosophy in Manchester, then a Distinction in his MA on modern fiction, followed by a British Academy Award for his PhD. In September 2002, he won an Arts Council short story competition with 'Even the Crows Say Krakow'.
His novel Winter Under Water (2007) was an assured and critically-acclaimed debut marking the arrival of a major new writer. He published a small collection of stories in 2008, along with the paperback of Winter Under Water.
James Hopkin's A Georgian Trilogy, also produced by Sweet Talk, was broadcast in 2010.
Reader: Raquel Cassidy
Producer: Jeremy Osborne
A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qktqn)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qktqq)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qktqs)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 05:30 News Briefing (b01qktqv)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (b01qkx9r)
The bells of St Margaret's Church, Dunham Massey, Cheshire.
SUN 05:45 Profile (b01qkwh8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
SUN 06:00 News Headlines (b01qktqx)
The latest national and international news.
SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b01qkx9t)
Sisters and Brothers
In Sisters and Brothers Irma Kurtz reflects on sibling relationships. She considers competition for parental approval, the uniting of siblings against oppression and the empathy that can exist between brothers and sisters.
From the time they are born, our brothers and sisters may be our collaborators, our role models and our cautionary tales. Whether they are protectors or tormentors, objects of pride or sources of envy, siblings are with us for life.
In the programme, we hear readings by Seamus Heaney, Jane Austen and Laurie Lee. The music is by Herbert Howells, the composer Engelbert Humperdink, Carly Simon and George Gershwin. The readers are Liza Sadovy, Col Farrell and Frank Stirling.
Producer: Ronni Davis
A Unique production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 06:35 Living World (b01qkx9w)
Birds of the Taiga
In January Sweden can be a cold and inhospitable place. Despite winter temperatures dropping to minus 15 southern Sweden is alive with birdlife which, like in Britain, heads south from the high arctic to the relatively warmer climate of Scandinavia. For this week's Living World, Chris Sperring travels to the Vastmanlan area of Sweden where the huge taiga forests begin, forests that stretch east all the way to Alaska. Travelling 40 km north of the town Vasteras he meets up with Torbjorn Hegedus a local ornithologist and Tom Arnbom from WWF Sweden to head out for the day and see what birds they come across in this snowy wooded landscape.
In the taiga birch woodland pygmy owl is a common species which Torbjorn attempts to lure down with a series of calls. This calling brings down crested tit, coal tit and a whole host of species, feeding in the woods. Penetrating deeper into the woods rewards the trio with a sighting of a hawk owl, a true specialist of the high arctic, but if that wasn't enough excitement for a day, pine grosbeaks come and mob the hawk owl. A wonderful example of the varied birdlife that can be seen in that area of Sweden which is at the same latitude as Shetland.
SUN 06:57 Weather (b01qktqz)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 07:00 News and Papers (b01qktr1)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
SUN 07:10 Sunday (b01qkx9y)
Veteran Vatican watcher David Willey joins the programme to reflect on an unprecedented week of news from Rome.
We put Pope Benedict's record in the area of interfaith relations under the magnifying glass - good and bad. Kevin Bocquet reports.
Looking to the future, we hear from Catholics in four continents about their hopes and aspirations for the future of the Papacy.
With speculation rife about possible runners and riders for the next Pope, we indulge in a spot of crystal-ball gazing with Clifford Longley, contributor to the Tablet, and Madeleine Teahan, Associate Editor at the Catholic Herald.
Elsewhere in the news, a major figure in the Islamic world was appointed this week. Edward discusses the significance of the appointment of Egypt's Grand Mufti with Dr Omar Ashour.
John Laurenson reports from Germany on how Martin Luther, 'the father of Protestantism', brought music into the churches.
And writer, philosopher and broadcaster Alan de Bottan talks about his atheist 10 commandments.
SUN 07:55 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qkxb0)
St Mungo's
Lorna Smith, who has experienced homelessness, presents the Radio 4 Appeal for St. Mungo's.
Reg Charity:1149085
To Give:
- Freephone 0800 404 8144
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal, mark the back of the envelope St. Mungo's.
SUN 07:57 Weather (b01qktr3)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 08:00 News and Papers (b01qktr5)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (b01qkxb2)
This Is Our Story: Rescued Through Water
'This is our story' - Rescued through Water: first in a series for Lent linking stories of faith from the the bible with life today. Live from the ecumenical chaplaincy of Liverpool Hope University. Leader: Rev Dr Peter McGrail; Preacher: The Revd Dr Nicholas Sagovsky; The University Chamber Choir is directed by Philip Duffy. Download Lent resources by today's preacher from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland by logging on to bbc.co.uk/sundayworship; Producer: Philip Billson.
SUN 08:50 A Point of View (b01qkqtw)
In Praise of Birmingham
David Cannadine defends his home city of Birmingham against a slur in Jane Austen's "Emma" as, "not a place to promise much", by celebrating its heritage and its current cultural renaissance.
Producer: Sheila Cook.
SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (b01qkxb4)
With concerns over horse in processed food we're live in the kitchen with two chefs battling to win your favour with their flavours of either meat based or vegetarian breakfasts.
We hear from one of the few children left whose fathers were killed in the First World War.
Reviewing the papers are Peter Kendall of the National Farmers' Union, Megan Murphy of the FT and Angela Rippon of the TV.
SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (b01qkxb6)
For detailed synopses, see daily episodes
Writer ..... Keri Davies
Director ..... Julie Beckett
Editor ..... Vanessa Whitburn
Shula Hebden Lloyd ..... Judy Bennett
David Archer ..... Timothy Bentinck
Ruth Archer ..... Felicity Finch
Pip Archer ..... Helen Monks
Elizabeth Pargetter ..... Alison Dowling
Freddie Pargetter ..... Jack Firth
Helen Archer ..... Louiza Patikas
Tom Archer ..... Tom Graham
Matt Crawford ..... Kim Durham
Lilian Bellamy ..... Sunny Ormonde
Peggy Woolley ..... June Spencer
Fallon Rogers ..... Joanna Van Kampen
Eddie Grundy ..... Trevor Harrison
Clarrie Grundy ..... Heather Bell
William Grundy ..... Philip Molloy
Nic Grundy ..... Becky Wright
Emma Grundy ..... Emerald O'Hanrahan
Edward Grundy ..... Barry Farrimond
Christopher Carter ..... William Sanderson-Thwaite
Alice Carter ..... Hollie Chapman
Mike Tucker ..... Terry Molloy
Vicky Tucker ..... Rachel Atkins
Brenda Tucker ..... Amy Shindler
Lewis Carmichael ..... Robert Lister
Jazzer McCreary ..... Ryan Kelly
Paul Morgan ..... Michael Fenton Stevens
Rhys Williams ..... Scott Arthur
Iftikar Shah ..... Pal Aron.
SUN 11:15 Desert Island Discs (b01qkxb8)
Jonathan Agnew
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew.
Known simply as "Aggers" to the army of fans devoted to Test Match Special, his charm, knowledge and ready wit have gained him a place in the heart of anyone who loves the game.
His own infatuation began as a young boy at boarding school and along with his talent and determination it took him all the way to the top of the sport. He played for Leicestershire and England. His transition from the crease to the commentary box was cemented by one of the most memorable moments in broadcasting history - the notorious "legover" comment that prompted the legendary Brian Johnston to dissolve into helpless, prolonged giggles live on air.
He says "The great thing about our job is that you have no pre-conceived idea about what is going to happen - you have no script - the cricket is the script".
Producer: Cathy Drysdale.
SUN 12:00 Just a Minute (b01qhqgh)
Series 65
Episode 1
Nicholas Parsons returns with the popular panel game. The comedian Jason Manford joins regulars Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins as they attempt to speak on a subject without Repetition, hesitation or deviation. Subjects include 'Funny Valentine', 'Karaoke' and 'Getting Your Five a Day'.
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani.
SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (b01qkxbb)
Garlic, the wonder bulb
It's an ingredient that is key to many cuisines of the world, and has a prominent role in folklore and traditional medical systems- although some people avoid it because of the passions that it is said to arouse. Sheila Dillon explores a bulb which provokes strong feelings - both culinary and otherwise - and is now to be found in most of our kitchens: garlic.
The United Kingdom is importing five times the amount of garlic than twenty-five years ago. Some British growers are smelling an opportunity for home-grown bulbs, but how much have we stopped to think about the way we use this enigmatic 'allium'?
SUN 12:57 Weather (b01qktr7)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (b01qkxbd)
Shaun Ley presents the latest national and international news, including an in-depth look at events around the world. Email: wato@bbc.co.uk; twitter: #theworldthisweekend.
SUN 13:30 Lyrical Journey (b01qkxbn)
Series 2
Patience of Angels
Patience of Angels
Twenty years ago, on a busy road in an otherwise leafy district of Cambridge, songwriter Boo Hewerdine was looking out of his top floor flat and saw a woman on a bus travel by - and from these rather inauspicious beginnings the song Patience of Angels took shape. It later became a hit in 1994 for singer Eddi Reader who'd had previous chart success with the group Fairground Attraction.
In this episode of Lyrical Journey, Jonathan Maitland visits Cambridge to meet Boo and Eddi and, as they prepare for a charity concert, a stone's throw from Boo's old flat, they discuss the origin of the song and what it means to each of them.
As Maitland explores places in Cambridge which influenced the song, he also examines the University town's association with Angels.
The line from 'Patience of Angels': 'there's a door in a wall in a house in a street' could easily have fallen out of the pages of a CS Lewis story; and Lewis expert Dr Michael Ward explains to Maitland the author's fascination with angels inherent in his work.
The journey concludes in the apt surroundings of St Luke's Church in Cambridge, where a packed crowd watch Eddi and Boo perform a unique version of the song especially recorded for the programme.
SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b01qkpmy)
Brighton
This week Eric Robson and the GQT team visit the Seedy Sunday community seed-swap event in Brighton.
As well as sharing seeds with the locals, Bob Flowerdew, Bunny Guinness and Christine Walkden are on the panel taking the audience's questions.
To find out more information about the Seedy Sunday event, visit: http://www.seedysunday.org/
Produced by Howard Shannon.
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
Questions answered in the programme:
Q: I have a sheltered allotment and can't make up my mind whether to have a polytunnel or a greenhouse. What would you recommend?
A: Polytunnels allow you to cover a large area and are good for growing crops in the ground including pumpkins, cucumbers and melons, but they need to be properly ventilated to avoid mould. In greenhouses airflow is easier to manage and they also allow more light in so are an easier option to start with. You can also look at polycarbonate greenhouses which diffuse the light more than glass - a similar effect to polytunnels.
Q: I have a bin bag full of soot that I'd like to use in the garden. How can I best put it to use?
A: Wood ash tends to be fairly alkaline, so it is good for using on heavy clay and acidic soils. You can also use soot for sprinkling around fruiting or flowering plants to keep the slugs away.
Q: Can the panel recommend any summer-flowering bulbs that would do well in my small but very windy garden, near the sea?
A: Agapanthus does very well in little soil and can stand windy and salty conditions. Try the Blue Storm or White Storm varieties which have impressively big heads. Also look at the smaller varieties of gladioli which can be colourful and have flowers which last all summer.
Q: I planted garlic, not last Autumn but the one before and it didn't come up. Yesterday I spotted a whole row about 6 inches tall in the same place, could that be it finally sprouting?
A: It's not unusual for bulbs to sometimes go dormant if it's been particularly cold, so it's likely that your garlic is only just deciding to brave the weather.
Q: Recently I finally tracked down fresh seed of Persicaria orientalis (or 'kiss me over the garden gate') after several years of searching. What seeds are the panel searching for and what eludes them?
Christine: Adlumia fungosa. It's a climbing plant that has fine grey-greenish foliage and bleeding heart flowers.
Bunny: I'd like to find Carex pendula (or 'Moonraker'). It's similar to the natural sedge that can be a real pest in your garden, but I'm told it is less invasive and features a white line through it.
Bob: Mr Kidner's Regal strain of asparagus. It's related to a giant variety that he produced which would grow astonishing 8oz (227g) asparagus spears.
Q: I recently gained access to a balcony about 2ft (61cm) square, 20ft (6m) up facing north-west. What does the panel recommend I grow?
A: Try getting a deep pot and some hanging baskets to create tiers. To feast the eyes and palette, try planting thyme, climbing French purple beans, purple onions and chilli peppers.
Q: I've got several 12 foot cacti in my conservatory, which are continuing to get even bigger and have broken through the glass roof despite my efforts to prune them with a bread knife. Do you think I could move them outside?
A: Many Epiphyllums, Pachysandras and larger 'organ pipe' cacti manage to survive cold temperatures in places like Mexico, but there the roots generally remain bone dry. If you want to ensure that over here then you might have to consider investing in some heated cables to keep the roots clear of the cold and wet.
Q: We have a fig plant variety called 'Brown Turkey' which after quite a few years is finally starting to fruit quite nicely. The plant is badly-placed visually though. Would it be worth moving it?
A: Fig root systems tend to be pretty big and very deep so they're difficult to move without causing a disturbance. Instead you could try taking cuttings, transplant a sapling, or just plant a new variety and phase the old one out. The 'Desert King' variety is a good option if you want to try something different.
Q: Do the panel have a favourite weed? If so, what and why?
Christine: Ground elder. I grow the variegated form and it makes superb ground cover and bank stabilization. Whilst it's most-often considered a pest it is architecturally stunning planted in the right place and has elegant flowers.
Bunny: Yew, Taxus baccata. I planted my yew hedges from cuttings and love to see it self-generating.
Bob: Stinging nettles because they're great for composting and I like to eat the tips fried with bacon and shallots.
SUN 14:45 Witness (b01qldlt)
The Fall of Singapore
In February 1942 when Singapore fell to Japanese forces, tens of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers became prisoners of war. They were sent to work in prison camps across South East Asia. Maurice Naylor was put to work building a railway bridge over a river in Thailand - the River Kwai. After World War Two ended, he typed up his memories of internment.
SUN 15:00 George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four (b01qldly)
Episode 2
Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway
Winston Smith has found love and comfort with Julia, and now they are determined to join the Brotherhood, a secret, counter-revolutionary organisation pledged to destroy The Party. But for The Party's enemies, deep in the Ministry of Love, there is the threat of Room 101.
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer.
SUN 16:00 Open Book (b01qldm0)
Mariella Frostrup talks to stand up comedian, tv presenter and novelist David Baddiel and writer and broadaster Naomi Alderman about what defines a Jewish novel, as Jewish Book week begins in London next week. From the pre-eminence of great American icons like Philip Roth and Saul Bellow - to the revered Europeans Kafka, Joseph Roth and Bruno Schulz - and now an emerging generation of British Jewish writers - what if anything do books by Jewish writers have in common? Does the fusion of their Jewish cultural roots with those of their adoptive countries create a particular literary form and what impact does a writer's Jewish identity have on the way such books are received? David Baddiel's last book The Death of Eli Gold appropriately starts at the death bed of a Philip Roth like figure - and Naomi Alderman's debut noel Disobedience rocked the orthodox Jewish community in North London where she was brought up, whilst her latest novel The Liars Gospel tells an alternative history of Jesus.
Jim Crace talks about his new novel Harvest, which will also be his last as he has announced he is retiring as a novelist. The writer of award winning novels such as Continent, Booker shortlisted Quarantine, The Gift of Stones and most recently All That Follows, Harvest is set in an isolated rural community during an unspecified time which feels like the middle ages but could equally be post apocalytic. Despite its historical setting it resonates strongly with contemporary concerns, exploring as it does the impact of rapid social change on the village in which it is set, in particular the stress it places on relationships with outsiders.
And Indian writer Amit Chaudhuri explains why, after setting three novels in his native Calcutta, he has turned to non-fiction in his new account of the city. Until 1911 Calcutta was the capital of India and a centre for arts and culture, but is now most associated in the public mind with Mother Theresa - and as a city where children return to take care of ageing parents as Chaudhuri himself has done.
Producer: Hilary Dunn.
SUN 16:30 Poetry Please (b01qldm2)
Liz Lochhead was appointed as Makar in January 2011, taking on this role of Scotland's national poet. We find out what it means for this established and highly respected poet and playwright.
We join Liz Lochhead on her tour of duty as she attends the Robert Burns Museum in Ayrshire with Carol Ann Duffy, visits schools across Scotland and speaks out at the Poetry Library in Edinburgh.
This is a personal observation on her life and work in Scotland, and Liz takes us to visit her favourite corner of the country on the wild and unspoilt west coast near Skye.
She reflects on the importance of the job for her, which she accepted as she says, "in grateful recognition of the truth that poetry - the reading of it, the writing of it, the saying it out loud, the learning of it off by heart - all of this matters deeply to ordinary Scottish people everywhere."
With readings of Liz Lochhead's poems and contributions from leading writers and critics across Scotland and beyond.
SUN 17:00 File on 4 (b01qjb1p)
The Bill for Brussels
21 years after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, Britain is trying to cut the cost of the European Union.
As the institution comes of age, Gerry Northam asks whether the EU's spending on itself has become excessive and - if so - whether member states do anything about it.
In Brussels, hundreds of millions of pounds have been found for projects described by Eurosceptics as "self-aggrandisement". An art deco showpiece is being transformed into a new headquarters for the European Council at a cost of around 300 million Euros (£250m). A further 55 million Euros (£46m) is going to create a House of European History - a museum celebrating European integration. A new 20 million Euros (£17m) visitors' centre at the European Parliament, called the Parlamentarium, has been dismissed as a multimedia tribute to itself.
Meanwhile alarm has been raised that money the United Kingdom designates as aid for developing countries is being diverted by Europe to encourage Turkey, Serbia and others to join the Union. MPs claim this money directly disadvantages Britain.
Critics say Europe's expansion comes with an unnecessarily large price tag. Are they right?
Reporter: Gerry Northam
Producer: Chris Doidge.
SUN 17:40 Profile (b01qkwh8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b01qktr9)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 17:57 Weather (b01qktrc)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktrf)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (b01qldm4)
Ernie Rea's Pick of the Week includes programmes marking significant anniversaries. On the 20th anniversary of the death of James Bulger, his father Ralph talks powerfully of the impact on him and his family. A British Prisoner of War who witnessed, first hand, the fire bombing of Dresden describes graphically the horrors he saw. And there's a fictional account of the real life story of a teenage boy murdered by racist thugs in Mississippi. To lighten the mood, the comedienne Susan Calman reflects on the music she simply cannot have at her wedding. And on the week when we celebrated the patron saint of love, we have some suitably romantic poetry.
Ernie Rea's choices:
Susan Calman is Convicted - Radio 4
Tell Me the Truth About Love - Radio 4
Book of the Week - Mad Girl's Love Song - Radio 4
The People's Songs - Radio 2
Afternoon Drama - Dusty Won't Play - Radio 4
I Refuse - My Son, Emmett - Radio 4
Woman's Hour Drama - The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles - Radio 4
Remembering James Bulger - Radio 4
Sunday Feature - The Idea of Sin - Radio 3
Today - Radio 4
Islam Without God - Radio 4
From Our Own Correspondent - Radio 4
Sleepless Night - Radio 4
Blind Date with Runyon - Radio 4
If there's something you'd like to suggest for next week's programme, please e-mail potw@bbc.co.uk.
SUN 19:00 The Archers (b01qldm6)
Upset Lynda has called Alistair in as one of her llamas, Wolfgang, has died suddenly. Alistair recommends sending him for a post mortem to determine the cause of death. Lynda wants to stay with Wolfgang until he's collected. She's having difficulty accepting it. She presses Alistair for a possible reason for his death, but Alistair explains gently there's no point speculating before the post mortem.
Elizabeth finds the latest gallery exhibition at Lower Loxley a little challenging, but overall she's impressed and agrees Lewis was right to bring the artist in. There's a lot of interest in the opening. She's less enthusiastic about her adventure park trip with the children. As a diversion she speaks to Lewis about some ideas she's had for selling parcels of land, but he can see downsides to her suggestions. They'll just have to keep thinking. Neither of them is keen to sell any of it off, but needs must.
Matt and Lilian are looking over the paper mill, admiring its potential for development. Matt hopes their consortium's sealed bid has been pitched right. He'd hate to have put so much work into something only to have it snatched away from him.
SUN 19:15 Tim FitzHigham: The Gambler (b01qldm8)
Pilot episode
Award winning comedian-author-adventurer, Tim FitzHigham and his nemesis Alex Horne recreate a bizarre bet which was originally wagered by the 4th Duke of Queensbury in 1753.
The bet: that Tim can pass a missive over a distance of fifty miles in one hour, using only the means that would have been available to a gentleman in 1753.
Written by Tim FitzHigham and Jon Hunter, with additional material from Paul Byrne.
Produced by Colin Anderson.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013.
SUN 19:45 Shorts (b01qldmb)
Series 11
Sobek Refutes the Plover Theory
By R.A. Martens.
A surreal and funny short story about Oliver Al Sobek, whose exceptional requirements in the field of dentistry - he has the vast jaws of a crocodile - make visits to the dentist hard to come by. His new dentist harbours romantic dreams of tending his incisors with the gentle ministrations of a Plover.
R A Martens moved to Scotland from Cumbria for a couple of years twenty years ago, and has never left. Five years ago, she finally worked out that if she wanted to be a writer, she had better start writing. She has received a new writers award from the Scottish Book Trust, and her short stories have been published in anthologies and literary magazines including 'Gutter' and 'New Writing Scotland'. She is currently working on her first collection of short stories, 'Magnificent Miss M and the Copenhagen Interpretation of Insanity', and has just begun writing her first novel, 'The Strong and Practiced Arms of Mr Friendly'.
Reader: Sandy Grierson
Producer: Allegra McIlroy.
SUN 20:00 Feedback (b01qkqr7)
Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations.
Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio.
This programme's content is entirely directed by you.
Producer: Kate Taylor
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 20:30 Last Word (b01qkqr5)
A table tennis champion, a zoo vet, a make-up artist, a radio presenter and a trombonist
Matthew Bannister on the table tennis champion Zhouang Zedong - who played a key role in the ping pong diplomacy between China and the USA.
Also the zoo vet David Taylor who treated killer whales, elephants and other wild animals and inspired the TV series One By One.
The make up artist Stuart Freeborn who brought us the apes at the start of 2001 A Space Odyssey and modelled Yoda's face in Star Wars on his own.
Patricia Hughes - the radio presenter with a warm voice and perfect diction who became associated with Radio 3.
And Paul Tanner - trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra - who played the electro theremin on the Beach Boys' Good Vibrations.
SUN 21:00 Money Box (b01qkwgh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:00 on Saturday]
SUN 21:26 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qkxb0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 today]
SUN 21:30 Analysis (b01qhqpj)
Creative Destruction
In the last few weeks a number of high street names have closed for good. In Analysis Phil Tinline asks whether, amid the gloom, there is a reason to celebrate.
The economist Joseph Schumpeter first coined the phrase "creative destruction" in the 1940s. Innovation he believed causes the death of established businesses and leads to new opportunities.
So, are company failures necessary for future growth? Or is "creative destruction" a comforting delusion, not a saving grace?
Producer : Rosamund Jones.
SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (b01qldmd)
Preview of the week's political agenda at Westminster with MPs, experts and commentators. Discussion of the issues politicians are grappling with in the corridors of power.
SUN 22:45 What the Papers Say (b01qldmg)
Patrick O'Flynn of The Express analyses how the newspapers are covering the biggest stories in Westminster and beyond.
SUN 23:00 The Film Programme (b01qkmpd)
Francine Stock talks to Judd Apatow
The director Judd Apatow talks to Francine Stock about his new comedy This Is 40. Known for films such as Bridesmaids, Knocked Up and Anchorman, he describes the joys - and challenges - of directing his wife and children in his latest film. Oscar-nominee and supervising sound editor on Bond-movie Skyfall, Karen Baker Landers lays bare some of the techniques of her profession, including intriguing insights into how the sound can affect a film's rating. The documentary maker Alex Gibney explores child abuse in the Catholic Church in his new work Mea Maxima Culpa. And the Australian director Cate Shortland discusses Lore, her film inspired by the book The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert and why she decided to make the film in German, despite not speaking the language fluently herself. Producer Elaine Lester.
SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b01qkx9t)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:05 today]
MONDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2013
MON 00:00 Midnight News (b01qktsc)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b01qjc37)
Stan Cohen (1942 - 2013)
Stan Cohen - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme which pays tribute to the work and legacy of one of the most significant sociologists of our times. Eminent social scientists, Stuart Hall, Conor Gearty and Howard Becker, highlight his unique personality and contribution. And in the studio, three younger academics, Dr Claire Moon, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Human Rights, Dr Karen Lumsden, Lecturer in Sociology and David Scott, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, discuss Stan Cohen's ongoing influence .
Producer: Jayne Egerton.
MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b01qkx9r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:43 on Sunday]
MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qktsf)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qktsh)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
MON 05:30 Shipping Forecast (b01qktsk)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qlhhz)
Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection presented by the Revd Johnston McKay.
MON 05:45 Farming Today (b01qlhj1)
As farmers launch an ad campaign to regain consumers' trust after the horsemeat scandal Charlotte Smith examines how far its cornerstone, the Red Tractor quality assurance label, makes meat more traceable. As testing for horsemeat in beef products continues, the owner of a horse abattoir tells Farming Today he warned the Government in 2005 that the horse passport system wouldn't keep drug residues out of the food chain. And Hogget is en vogue among food writers, we find out what it is and why.
Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Sarah Swadling.
MON 05:57 Weather (b01qktsr)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.
MON 06:00 The Bottom Line (b01qkmwl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
17:30 on Saturday]
MON 06:30 The Report (b01qfjdn)
High Street Closures
With the recent collapse of several top retail brands, Jenny Chryss reports on the behind-the-scenes battles to save some of the High Street's best known names. And she examines the knock-on effects on other businesses. Why does the law allow some creditors to get back millions of pounds, while others will get nothing?
The programme hears from angry workers in one chain who say they were kept in the dark about the state the company was in. It also talks to the owners of one small family business which is owed hundreds of thousands of pounds. They describe how they had to wind up their company because of the debts they've been left with.
The Government has now ordered an inquiry into the demise of one of the major retailers, but how much information will be made public ?
And, with more retailers facing a losing battle against the internet, and more closures expected, experts warn of severe implications for the wider British economy.
Producer: Emma Forde
Reporter: Jenny Chryss.
MON 07:00 In Search of the Real Pope Benedict (b01r2p23)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:15 on Saturday]
MON 07:45 Pop-Up Economics (b01pw1np)
Hotpants v the knockout mouse
A brand new Radio 4 series in which Tim Harford tells an audience short stories about fascinating people and ideas in economics.
The presenter of Radio 4's "More or Less" weaves together economic ideas with remarkable personal histories in some unusual locations.
In a shop window on London's Regent Street Tim turns his attention to heated pants - oh yes! - and the business of innovation. We hear the moving story of Mario Capecchi, whose struggle to get funding for his experiments tells us much about where new ideas come from - and how to foster them.
Producer: Adele Armstrong.
MON 08:00 The Kitchen Cabinet (b01p70pg)
Series 3
Neath
Jay Rayner chairs Radio 4's culinary panel show, this week recorded in Neath, Wales, where the team field questions from the local audience on all aspects of cooking, eating, and drinking.
As well as talking about South Wales culinary traditions including faggots and peas and laverbread, the panel tackle whether it's safe to eat pork if it's pink in the middle, and how eating a lot of chilli could make you a masochist.
On the panel is acclaimed food critic, broadcaster, and proprietor of Cambridge restaurant Fitzbillies, Tim Hayward; Glaswegian born Catalan food specialist Rachel McCormack; the food scientist who is a consultant for Heston Blumenthal and regular to The Kitchen Cabinet, Peter Barham; and for the first time on the programme, originally from the East End of London, the food writer and chef Sophie Wright.
Food Consultant: Anna Colquhoun.
Produced by Robert Abel and Peggy Sutton.
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 08:30 And the Academy Award Goes To... (b01qkwg6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:30 on Saturday]
MON 09:00 Start the Week (b01jggkt)
Grayson Perry at the Charleston Festival
In a specially recorded edition of Start the Week Andrew Marr is at the Charleston Festival with Grayson Perry, Virginia Nicholson, Faramerz Dabhoiwala and Janice Galloway. As the home of Vanessa Bell, Virginia Nicholson's grandmother, Charleston was a by-word for sexual freedom and the Bohemian lifestyle. But Dabhoiwala insists that far from the 1920s being the time of real sexual revolution, that honour goes to the 18th century, the origin of our modern attitudes to sex. Janice Galloway brings the story up-to-date as she relives her adolescence in small town Scotland in the 1970s. And the celebrated potter Grayson Perry explores changing social attitudes in relation to taste: the choices people make in the things they buy and wear, and uses these details of modern life to create six tapestries, called 'The Vanity of Small Differences'.
Producer: Katy Hickman.
MON 09:45 The Real George Orwell (b01qlhj7)
Essays and Journalism
A Hanging
Although most famous for his novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four, George Orwell was also a prolific essayist and journalist.
A selection of Orwell's non-fiction writing begins with the powerful essay, A Hanging, Orwell's account of an execution that he attended while serving in the Indian Imperial Police in Burma during the 1920's:
'It is curious, but til that moment I had never realised what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man.'
Reader: Clive Merrison
Producer: David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b00rqrmj)
Presented by Jane Garvey. In a special Easter Monday programme, Jane Garvey and guests explore the idea of home.
What is home? What does home mean to you? Is it where you come from or where you are now? Just bricks and mortar or something much more significant? Is it a place of sanctuary? Is it where we all want to be?
Former literary agent Jennifer Kavanagh spent a year asking people what home means to them. The answers are collected in her book the 'O' of Home. Jennifer gave up her house and most of her belongings to travel the world. She now lives in her old office. To her, home is not a place but a state of mind.
Lynsey Hanley is a journalist and the author of Estates: An Intimate History. She grew up on a housing estate in Birmingham. Lynsey was very affected by where she grew up.
Being uprooted - have you ever lost your home, or been forced to give it up? Have you ever been told to 'go home' because you don't belong? And what does it take to feel at home in a new place?
We also hear from a Womans Hour listener who has been living in the UK for 18 years but still doesn't feel at home, and Jane is joined by two guests who have experience of being uprooted. Tracie Giles is a Gypsy from the Parkway Crescent travellers site in East London - they were relocated to make way for the Olympics. Zrinka Balo is a refugee from former Yugoslavia and the Head of the Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum.
Living on the farm - most of us live in several different homes throughout our lifetime but for farming families there's often just one place that means home, and that's the hub of the business, the farmhouse.
Eifion Huws is a dairy farmer. He grew up on the family farm, Penn Rhos, on Anglesey, and has spent the last 27 years milking and tending the herd of Ayrshire cattle started by his father. Now it's time to make way for the next generation, and earlier this year he and his wife moved out of the family farmhouse and into a bungalow. Caz Graham visits them to find out how they're all adjusting to the new living arrangements.
Retirement - when you're no longer tied to a job or a school, the world's your oyster - but where to go? And who to live with? Will you take up residence in that granny flat your children offered? Or do you want to enjoy the peace of an empty nest? Stay in town or move to the country?
Ian Whitwham is a retired teacher who abandoned city life for a quiet sea-side retreat. Annie Evans lives in town and shares her home with four generations of her family - she wouldn't have it any other way.
MON 10:45 The Cazalets (b01qlhjc)
Marking Time
Episode 1
by Elizabeth Jane Howard, dramatised by Sarah Daniels
Produced and Directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow.
As the Cazalet family gather for their annual summer holiday the onset of war is about to change everything.
In the hot summer of 1938, Home Place in the beautiful Sussex countryside is frantically being opened up and prepared for another Cazalet family holiday, as siblings Hugh, Edward, Rupert and Rachel - and their respective families - are reunited. Rupert is trying not to think about whether he married the beautiful but rather petulant Zoe too soon after his first wife's death; Hugh and his wife Sybil each try to put the other first, not necessarily to their mutual advantage; Edward is mulling on how he might be able to get away from his wife, Villy, to spend time with his mistress and Rachel is trying to find a private place to read her letter in secret. But the wider world is about to intrude on their lives forever and each is increasingly to wonder what their future may hold - for themselves and their children.
'The Light Years' is the first of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard approaches her 90th Birthday, Radio 4 is dramatising all four novels in 45 episodes, to be broadcast between New Year's Eve and July 2013.
When Elizabeth Jane Howard began writing the first of her four novels featuring the Cazalet family, her aims were simple: . "I wanted to write about my youth, and the ten years that straddled the Second World War. I also wanted to write about what domestic life was like for people at home. A lot has been written about the battles and the war in a more direct sense, but little had been said about the way the whole of England changed. When the war ended, everybody was in a different position from where they were when it started."
Two decades later, Howard's quartet of books -- The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion and Casting Off - charting the family's fortunes between 1937 and 1947 have sold over a million copies.
Martin Amis said of Elizabeth Jane Howard, "She is, with Iris Murdoch, the most interesting woman writer of her generation. An instinctivist, like Muriel Spark, she has a freakish and poetic eye, and a penetrating sanity."
The cast includes: Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Pip Torrens (Silk, Green Wing),
Lisa Dillon (The Knot of The Heart, Cranford), Ruth Gemmell (Fever Pitch, Moving On), Zoe Tapper (Mr Selfridge, Despearte Romantics), Raymond Coulthard (Emma, The English Patient), Dominic Mafham (Our Mutal Friend, Journey's End), Sarah-Jane Holm (A Bit of A Do, My Family and Other Animals), Naomi Frederick (As You Like It, The Trial of Tony Blair), Helen Schlesinger (The Way We Live Now, 24 Hour Party People) Alix Wilton Regan (King Lear, The Symmetry of Love) Flora Spencer-Longhurst (Leonardo, Father Brown), Georgia Groome (Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging)
The dramatists are Sarah Daniels and Lin Coghlan. Sarah is a highly respected theatre, television and radio writer; her play 'Masterpieces' was voted one of the most important of the 20th Century by the National Theatre. Lin Coghlan has written for stage, screen and radio; her recent dramatisations for Radio 4 include 'Ethan Frome' and 'Les Miserables'.
"Marking Time" follows in February.
MON 11:00 The Botanical Vicar (b01qlhjf)
The Reverend Charles Edward Shaw was known by many monikers - The Laughing Vicar, The Weed King of the North or, more popularly, Vicar Shaw.
Whatever the name given, Reverend Shaw was loved by both parishioners and naturalists alike for his unusual botanical rambles and fun loving manner. Every week, friends would climb in his latest jalopy and head off to explore a piece of waste land - that's if they hadn't been kept awake by his home-made speaking clock which boomed hourly from the church tower.
Vicar Shaw was renowned for finding exotic and unusual plants at rubbish tips, factory dumps, sewage treatment sites and other unlikely places. Some of these finds might be plant life unfamiliar to the local area; others botanical foreign invaders, mysteriously appearing from the Middle East, the Americas, or Eurasia.
In a celebration of his life, work and passions, Lancashire born poet Lemn Sissay returns to the North West and joins the priest's former protégé, radio and television gardener Roy Lancaster. Together they visit sites where Roy and the Vicar would scour for exotic plants, catching up with mutual friends along the way, and sharing memories of Roy's friend and mentor. They take in an unlikely set of locations: the ultra modern Reebok Stadium, home to Bolton Wanderers Football Club; a former sulphuric acid works at Nob End near Bolton; Gallery Oldham, where collections and items relating to Vicar Shaw are still held; and Waterhead in Oldham, the last parish and final resting place of Vicar Shaw where his self-designed memorial window can still be enjoyed.
Producer: Russell Crewe
A Like It Is production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 11:30 In and Out of the Kitchen (b01qlhjh)
Series 2
The Literary Festival
Damien and Anthony arrive at a literary festival to promote Damien's book about the culinary habits of the Great Poets. Despite the charming hotel and the peaceful surroundings, the cookery writer can barely disguise his chagrin at his talk being in a tent smaller to other writers he considers lesser than him.
But he soon has the opportunity to get the audience he feels he deserves when a fellow author is knocked unconscious and Damien is asked to fill in. But can he rise to the occasion?
Written by Miles Jupp.
Damien Trench ...... Miles Jupp
Anthony MacIlveny ...... Justin Edwards
Gary McDade ...... Ben Crowe
Sound Man ...... Ben Crowe
Bill Trumpetz ...... Toby Longworth
The Lady ...... Sarah Thom
Marion Duffett ...... Lesley Vickerage
Producer: Sam Michell
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.
MON 12:00 You and Yours (b01qlhjk)
Michael Mosley looks at health advice on diet, drink and exercise, to find out how government messages are formed, and whether the science behind them still holds true.
MON 12:57 Weather (b01qktst)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 13:00 Pop-Up Economics (b01qdzcd)
The Indiana Jones of Economics
"I'd really like to re-model all of your economic systems in plumbing," Bill Phillips said to his incredulous tutor.
The tutor agreed and Phillips set to work on a kind of wardrobe-sized fish gym with sluice gates, floats and trap doors where everything was connected and revenues literally flowed from one place to another. It was the first computer anyone had built of any economy, and it was astonishingly accurate.
Tim Harford tells the extraordinary story of how Phillips - war hero, engineer and crocodile-hunter - became one of the fathers of macroeconomics.
Producer: Adele Armstrong.
MON 13:15 Soul Music (b01qlpcg)
Series 15
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
More than just 'da da da dum': Beethoven's 5th Symphony is this week's Soul Music.
It accompanied Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on the regular Bombay to Basra route he sailed during his early days in the Merchant Navy.
Archaeologist and crime novelist, Dana Cameron, spent many a long day in a dark, lonely basement analysing artefacts from a merchant's house in Salem, Massachusetts. A CD player was often her only companion and Beethoven's 5th buoyed her through these arduous days working towards her PhD
And for conductor, Christopher Gayford, it was the piece which provided a breakthrough in his musical life. Recalling the time he spent rehearsing it with the Sheffield Youth Orchestra - for a tour in East Germany - he describes the build up to one of the most memorable performances of his career.
Producer: Karen Gregor.
MON 13:45 Head to Head (b01lswck)
Series 4
The Decline of Britain
Edward Stourton revisits broadcast debates from the archives - exploring the ideas, the great minds behind them, and echoes of the arguments today.
When Correlli Barnett, the military historian, came to BBC studios in 1974 to record this debate, Britain was in dire straits. Like many at the time, he wondered why, just a century before, Britain had been the world's most powerful nation in terms of both military and economic strength. For the most part, Barnett blamed the ruling elites for Britain's demise - for creating a political culture that was overly liberal and lacking technological know-how. Had a romantic idealism set in and industrial development been neglected? And where did the roots of the problem reside - in our education system or the empire?
His adversary was historian and journalist Paul Johnson, who agreed that Britain was sick but offered a different diagnosis. Was the collapsing empire a symptom of Britain's decline or was it the cause? Having won two world wars, was Britain's military might real or merely a delusion of grandeur? And what was wrong with our leaders and their schooling?
In the studio dissecting the debate is Will Hutton, who has worked in journalism as an editor, a broadcaster and a commentator. He is author of "The State We're In" and currently the Principal of Hertford College at Oxford University. Joining him is David Edgerton, who is Hans Rausing Professor at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine at Imperial College London. He is also author of "Britain's War Machine".
Producer: Dom Byrne
A Blakeway production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 14:00 The Archers (b01qldm6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Sunday]
MON 14:15 The Real George Orwell (b01qlhjp)
Biographical Dramas
Jura
By Jonathan Holloway
The last of four plays featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. In 1947, the year after Eileen's death, Eric leaves London and moves to Jura, with his sister Avril, and his three year old son. He is suffering from tuberculosis but is determined to try and make a go of living off the land. But most of all he is determined to finish Nineteen Eighty-Four, his final book.
Eric Blair..Joseph Millson
Avril Blair...Liza Sadovy
David Holbrook... Adam Nagaitis
Sonia Orwell ...Stephanie Racine
Ricky Blair...James Foster
Henry...Will Howard
Lucy...Alexandra Guelff
Jane...Lizzie Watts
Directed by Jeremy Mortimer
Of course there is no real George Orwell - it was the pen name of Eric Blair - but he was a writer and political commentator who is very hard to pin down. Ever since his early death in 1950, he has been at one and the same time the darling of some on both the left and the right of British politics - whilst being reviled by others. For all the beautiful simplicity of his writing and storytelling Orwell/Blair is a complex mass of confusions - an anti-establishment, pro-English, ex-Etonian ex-policeman and socialist, who was ardently anti-authoritarian. He was as anti-fascist as he was anti-communist, a former Spanish Civil War soldier who was anti-war but pro the Second World War, and so on and so on.
MON 15:00 Brain of Britain (b01qlhjr)
(13/17)
Russell Davies asks the questions, in the first of this year's semi-finals of the evergreen general knowledge quiz. Today's competitors have all come successfully through the heats, and are vying for a place in the grand Final and the chance to take the title of 'Brain of Britain 2013'.
In addition to the twelve outright heat winners, the four top-scoring runners-up across the series also have another chance to try for a place in the Final.
The questions get tougher as the contest proceeds: so they will need all the knowledge they can muster, as Russell's questions cover every imaginable field from history and mythology through to sport and popular culture.
There will also be the chance for a listener to win a prize by defeating the combined brainpower of the contestants.
Producer: Paul Bajoria.
MON 15:30 The Food Programme (b01qkxbb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:32 on Sunday]
MON 16:00 Who Was Rosalind? (b01qlhjt)
In As You Like It, Shakespeare created one of his greatest and most complicated female roles. At a time when women were not allowed to act on stage, the role would have been taken by a young boy. But who? Actor, Critic and academic Susan Hitch tries to find out
In doing so she looks at how Shakespeare wrote for his actors, the educational culture of Elizabethan England, and the brilliance of the makeup artists of Shakespeare's company. She talks to academic experts, to actor Adrian Lester who has played Rosalind, and to contemporary schoolboys and teachers about boys playing girls, and discovers how radically our ideas of intimacy and desire have changed in the last 400 years and how strong the power of theatre still is today.
MON 16:30 Beyond Belief (b01qlhjw)
Rastafari
To most people the word Rastafarian conjures up images of dreadlocks, the smoking of ganja, and Bob Marley. But Rastafari, as it's more correctly known, is a movement with a complex belief system. It has its origins in Jamaican society in the early 20th century, when black people rose up in protest at oppressive systems imposed by white rulers. But is it just a passing phenomenon? Has it continuing relevance in a fairer, more open society? How does it need to evolve?
Joining Ernie to discuss Rastafari are Tony Tafari, who is a member of the Rastafari Council of Britain; Dr Ellis Cashmore, Professor of Culture, Media and Sport at Staffordshire University; and Marzia Coltri, visiting Lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton.
MON 17:00 The Real George Orwell (b01qhb8b)
The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four
What led avowed socialist George Orwell to write a novel beloved of the Right?
David Aaronovitch traces how a decade of political chaos shaped Orwell's vision of a totalitarian future.
He explores how, after the war, the threat of the new atom bomb played a crucial part in the birth of Nineteen Eighty-Four - and how Orwell coined the term 'cold war' in the process.
He traces the impact on the novel of the provocative ideas of an American ex-communist, James Burnham, who predicted a world dominated by three tyrannical superstates.
He finds out why Orwell saw some form of Western European Union as the best way to prevent Britain being swallowed by Big Brother.
And he asks why, if Orwell was an English socialist, the totalitarian party ruling 'Oceania' in Nineteen Eighty-Four is called 'IngSoc' - which is short for 'English Socialists'.
With Peter Davison, Frances Stonor Saunders, DJ Taylor, Hugh Wilford
Producer: Phil Tinline.
MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktsw)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
MON 18:15 Pop-Up Economics (b01qjj4j)
When Geeks Took Over Poker
Tim Harford tells the story of a geek called Jesus.
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson applied game theory to poker and won. Big time.
He became a star, albeit a geek star "whose idea of a trick was to throw a card in a way that sliced through vegetables, whose idea of fun was swing dancing and who even in his forties as a millionaire lived with his mum and dad".
But, as Ferguson would find out, there's always a bigger game.
Producer: Adele Armstrong.
MON 18:30 Just a Minute (b01qlmlb)
Series 65
Episode 2
Popular comedy panel game hosted by Nicholas Parsons. Regulars Paul Merton and Gyles Brandreth are joined by the comedian Alun Cochrane and the actor Stephen Mangan. Subjects include the literary 'Treasure Island' and the colloquial 'My Mate Dan'.
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani.
MON 19:00 The Archers (b01qlhk0)
At the shop, proud Susan has stocked up on copies of Borsetshire Life, flicking through the in-depth feature on son Chris with the star himself. Alone with Jennifer, Susan gleefully mentions that Borsetshire Life is selling like hotcakes. She also mentions that Fallon has moved in with Rhys.
Jennifer's looking for something nice for Lilian, who's invited her over for a meal tomorrow. Drawn on the article, Jennifer thinks Chris is too modest about his achievements. Susan points out that the article has also given Alice a moment in the spotlight. It's a good thing Alice is level headed and can cope with a step up in the world.
Alice has set up a webcam at home for her job interview. She makes it clear to interviewer Lawrence that she wants more responsibility. She also has no issue with being in a new place. Alice is surprised when Chris comes in. When Chris realises she's being interviewed for the job in Vancouver he controls his anger.
Afterwards, Alice chases after furious Chris and explains herself. But he's upset she went behind his back. Alice tries to change the subject to Chris's magazine feature, but it's lost its gloss now. Subdued Chris has to get back to work.
MON 19:15 Front Row (b01qlhpb)
Paul Abbott; the art of Roy Lichtenstein; tribute to Richard Briers
With Mark Lawson.
The pioneering pop artist Roy Lichtenstein found inspiration in comic books and advertisements. As a major exhibition of his work opens at Tate Modern in London, writer Lionel Shriver re-assesses the art of the painter who brought the comic-strip Whaam! into the gallery.
The writer and producer Paul Abbott reflects on the end of Shameless, his acclaimed TV drama about life on a Manchester estate, which first arrived on our screens in 2004. The final series begins next week. Abbott discusses his approach to the finale, the differences between UK and US television, and why his idea for a Doctor Who episode was turned down.
The death of the actor Richard Briers was announced today. Front Row pays tribute, with an interview from 2010, in which Richard Briers considered the success of The Good Life, and the importance of light comedies in his early career.
MON 19:45 The Cazalets (b01qlhjc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
MON 20:00 The Drowning City (b01qlmld)
In October last year, Hurricane Sandy ripped into New York, taking lives, sparking a huge fire, flooding subways and tunnel connections and leaving thousands without power for days.
Isabel Hilton reports on the aftermath of the hurricane in New York. As sea levels are predicted to keep rising, she looks at what New York and other threatened coastal cities might do to prepare for future storms.
Hurricane Sandy was a wake up call to New York and to many other coastal cities that have to face the reality of rising sea levels and increased chances of hurricanes and storm surges. Much of lower Manhattan was up to ten feet underwater and the storm sent a 14-foot surge into New York's harbour that continued for miles up the Hudson River.
As the city continues to mop up, Isabel looks at the ways in which it might prepare for future storms and flooding, from building great walls and sea defences to sealing the subways and tunnels.
She also considers the lessons that New York has to offer other threatened coastal cities - along the Eastern Seaboard of America and right around the world.
Producer: Anthony Denselow
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 20:30 Analysis (b01qlmlg)
Making the Best of a Bad Job
David Goodhart considers whether the declining status of basic jobs can be halted and even reversed.
Successive governments have prioritised widening access to higher education to try to drive social mobility, without giving much thought to the impact this has on the expectations of young people who, for whatever reason, are not going to take that path.
But even in a knowledge-based economy, the most basic jobs survive. Offices still need to be cleaned, supermarket shelves stacked, and care home residents looked after.
The best employers know how to design these jobs to make them more satisfying. Are politicians finally waking up to the problem?
Contributors in order of appearance:
Caroline Lloyd, professor and industrial relations specialist at the University of Cardiff
Donna Braithwaite, supermarket worker
Bill Mumford, chief executive of care charity MacIntyre
Geoff Dench, sociologist and founder of the charity Men for Tomorrow.
Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust
Andrew Oswald, professor of economics at the University of Warwick
Josie Zerafa, cashier at Iceland supermarket
Tracey Vella, cashier at Iceland supermarket
Sandra McNamara, store manager at Iceland supermarket
Producer: Ruth Alexander.
MON 21:00 Material World (b01qkmpg)
Coronavirusl: Horsemeat: Blackbirds; DNA
Quentin Cooper looks at the coronavirus that has been transmitted from one individual to another in the UK. Professor Maria Zambon, an expert virologist at the Health Protection Agency, and Ian Jones, Professor of Virology at Reading University, discuss these latest infections, what is being done to find out more and why coronaviruses are being so closely studied. Will science be able to trace the sources of horsemeat that have illegally entered the European food chain? Chris Smart from Leatherhead Food Research explains more about DNA identification of potentially contaminated meat. Another use for DNA could be as a data storage device. Dr. Nick Goldman from the European Bioinformatics Institute in Cambridge tells Quentin Cooper how. And Davide Dominoni from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology has found that city dwelling blackbirds are ready to reproduce earlier than their rural counterparts - and it appears to be because of increased light exposure.
MON 21:30 Start the Week (b01jggkt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
MON 21:58 Weather (b01qktsy)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 22:00 Loose Ends (b01qkwh4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
18:15 on Saturday]
MON 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qlmls)
Episode 6
In a dark episode, Doctor Gordon tries a shocking treatment and Esther tries to take matters into her own hands.
Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.
With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.
The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.
Read by Lydia Wilson.
Abridged by Sally Marmion.
Producer: Di Speirs
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.
MON 23:00 v. by Tony Harrison (b017ldlh)
As part of Radio 4's Year of Culture, Tony Harrison, now aged 75, has recorded a new reading of his controversial poem v. - broadcast in this programme alongside a discussion around the poem's significance. This is the first broadcast of v. on British radio.
At the poet's request, the poem is broadcast in its entirety, and as a pure, single-voice recording. It was recorded in his hometown of Leeds.
Harrison wrote the poem in 1985, after being angered by graffiti sprayed on his parent's grave by football fans.
The writer Blake Morrison introduces us to v. and talks to others who were caught up in the storm of controversy around it. Melvyn Bragg, Simon Armitage and Julie Bindell, as well as Gerald Howarth MP, consider its impact.
A filmed version of the poem, directed by Richard Eyre, caused controversy two years later when it was announced that it was to be broadcast on Channel 4. The poem, which includes repeated strong language was denounced by tabloid newspapers as a "torrent of filth". A group of Conservative MPs signed an early day motion to have the programme pulled from the schedules. At that time, Gerald Howarth said that Harrison was "Probably another bolshie poet wishing to impose his frustrations on the rest of us". Harrison retorted that Howarth was "Probably another idiot MP wishing to impose his intellectual limitations on the rest of us".
Others defended the poet's right to use such language to draw attention to the wanton desecration of his family's grave. It was also seen against the backdrop of the Miners' strike and racial intolerance in British cities. Today, Beeston, the poem's setting, is renowned as the home of Mohammad Sidique Khan, one of the 7/7 bombers.
Contains frequent, very strong language.
Poetry Production: Graham Frost
Feature Production: Lucy Dichmont
Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2013
TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b01qkttv)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
TUE 00:20 David Attenborough's Life Stories (b00yjtg4)
Series 2
Canopy
If you walk into a rainforest you are immediately met by quite literally a forest of trees.
All the tree trunks look like cathedral pillars, smooth and wet from the rain. Not a single branch emerges from the trunk for tens of metres - and when they do you see a breath-taking interlocking jungle of branches and leaves, ferns and flowers and all number of creatures great and small. The canopy is a bonanza of tropical forest life, in the bright light and gentle breeze - a far cry from the dark and humid underworld of the forest floor.
Not surprising then that Sir David Attenborough knew this would be a perfect place to film wildlife.
Producer: Julian Hector
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2011.
TUE 00:30 The Real George Orwell (b01qlhj7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Monday]
TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qkttx)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qkttz)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qktv1)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b01qktv3)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qm3yk)
Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection presented by the Revd Johnston McKay.
TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b01pg57f)
Charlotte Smith visits the meadows, ponds and orchards of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to find out how wildlife is faring in the winter.
Presenter: Charlotte Smith. Producer: Angela Frain.
TUE 06:00 Today (b01qm3yp)
Morning news and current affairs with James Naughtie and Evan Davis. Including Sports Desk, Weather, Thought for the Day.
TUE 09:00 The Life Scientific (b01qm3yr)
Alan Watson
Jim Al-Khalili talks to Professor Alan Watson from the University of Leeds who has spent 40 years trying to unravel a mystery at the frontier of physics. Where do cosmic rays, subatomic particles with the highest known energies in the entire Universe, come from? And which violent astronomical events are producing these hugely energetic jets of particles that travel for light years to reach us? As many as a million of them pass through us every night as we sleep, the equivalent of having 2 chest x rays every year.
His quest to find the origins of cosmic rays has taken him from the North York Moors to the South Pole and the pampas grasslands of Argentina where he has been instrumental in creating the largest ever Cosmic ray detector, covering an area bigger than Luxembourg.
TUE 09:30 Roger Law and the Chinese Curiosities (b01k9q6z)
Series 1
Episode 1
In the first in the series, Roger Law travels to China to find out what has brought about museum fever. With new museums opening every month, he wants to know what the Chinese are displaying and why. He begins in Shanghai with a visit to an opera museum, a rather unusual shoe museum in a private house, and a security museum where all the guns of the city's gangsters are on display. It's certainly a whole new world of curiosities.
TUE 09:45 The Real George Orwell (b01qm3yt)
Essays and Journalism
Confessions of a Book Reviewer
A selection of familiar and unfamiliar non-fiction pieces by the author of Animal Farm.
Confessions of a Book Reviewer attempts to tell the terrible truth about writing reviews for a living while one of Orwell's As I Please columns tackles the oddities of the English language.
Reader: Clive Merrison
Producer: David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qm3yw)
Fay Weldon on the Cazalets; Frances O'Grady
Fay Weldon and Lin Coghlan, the adaptor of The Cazalets, discuss depicting intimacy in fiction and drama. Why women in their 50's earn less than their younger counterparts. Samira Ahmed talks to TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady and to Abeer Zeibak Haddad, the director of Duma, a groundbreaking film which looks at the sexual assault of women in Arab and Palestinian society. And are big eyebrows back in fashion?
TUE 10:45 The Cazalets (b01qm3yy)
Marking Time
Episode 2
by Elizabeth Jane Howard, dramatised by Lin Coghlan
With the outbreak of war, all the old certainties seem to be disappearing; Diana finds her position as Edward's mistress leaves her feeling particularly threatened.
Produced and directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow
"Marking Time" is the second of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
In the second series, the families' worst fears are realised as war breaks out. Rupert immediately decides he must join up, Edward will see what military work he can get, whilst Hugh - still suffering from injuries from the first war - has to settle with running the family firm. But it is the children who become the centre of the story, as Louise realises that her parents' marriage is not as happy as she had imagined, Clary is faced with the prospect of losing her beloved father and Polly must deal with her fear of war and a battle much closer to home. If only the adults would realise that they are not really children - but they seem stuck in some awful place where they must simply mark time.
TUE 11:00 The Listeners (b01qm4p7)
Series 1
Episode 1
Listening is about more than hearing as we discover from people who listen for a living, and are trained to interpret the sounds they hear. In the first of two programmes, Julie Ryan a volunteer with the International Rescue Corps, an organisation which specialises in urban search and rescue, explains how listening devices are used to help detect earthquake victims trapped under rubble "It is possibly the most amazing experience." she says, as she describes the process of listening for, and then locating and rescuing victims buried under rubble. Julie describes a process in of training in which the rescuers learn how to listen for something "not normal". Similarly cardiac surgeon Jonathan Pitts Crick listens for the abnormal when he uses a stethoscope to listen to the sounds of human heart. It's the abnormal sounds that can indicate there is something wrong. Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson uses a microphone as his listening device to eavesdrop on the natural world. As he explains, by placing microphones and running long cables back to a hide or recording site, he is able to listen into another world, capturing behaviour and detail which we never normally hear. Such recordings help further our understanding of animal behaviour. "Sound is the most important communication channel underwater" says Acoustic Biologist Katy Payne who began her career studying the evolving songs of Humpback whales, and discovering when and why the songs change. Listening can give us fascinating insights into lives beyond our own. As Katy says, at the end of the series "I suppose for me listening is the most important thing I can do .. I just wish we were as good listeners as elephants are".
Presenter: Patrick Aryee, Producer Sarah Blunt.
TUE 11:30 Soul Music (b01qm2fw)
Series 15
She Moved through the Fair
The Irish traditional song She Moved Through The Fair is well loved and well recorded by many. To some it is a ghost story that tells of unfulfilled longings and of hopes and aspirations cut short. Sinead O' Connor and others talk about the haunting beauty of this ancient song and of why its imagery is carved into their souls.
TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b01qm4p9)
Call You and Yours: Are your children getting PE at school?
Last week an Ofsted report recommended that the Department for Education considers devising a new national strategy for PE and school sport. They want to see more done which would build on the sporting legacy left by the 2012 Olympic Games.
While the elite schools can provide a well defined and well funded physical education programme many state schools are not able to do the same. So what should be done to make sure Physical Education is part of every child's entitlement to a good education. How do we instil a love of sport for life?
Is your child getting enough PE at school?
Did you enjoy PE when you were at school? Were you encouraged or discouraged from taking part? Is the emphasis on being competitive the wrong approach?
03700 100 444 is the phone number - a call will cost you the same as to an 01 or an 02 number - you can e-mail via the Radio 4 website, and you can text to 84844. if you do that we will charge you your standard operator message rate and we may call you back on that number. Or you can tweet @Radio4 using the hashtag Youandyours.
Presenter: Winifred Robinson.
TUE 12:57 Weather (b01qktv5)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 13:00 World at One (b01qm4pc)
Energy prices, Oscar Pistorius, and the 'plastic' Duchess
Rising energy prices, the Oscar Pistorius trial, and does the Duchess of Cambridge have a 'plastic smile'? News, analysis and comment with Martha Kearney. wato@bbc.co.uk, #wato.
TUE 13:45 Head to Head (b01m0kj4)
Series 4
Women's Lib
Edward Stourton continues to revisit broadcast debates from the archives - exploring the ideas, the great minds behind them and echoes of the arguments today.
When the two women in this week's programme met for this head to head in 1974, the Women's Liberation Movement was reaching its heights. They both wanted sexual equality, but they had very different ideas about the means to achieve it.
Sally Oppenheim thought reforming the law could solve the woman question. As a Conservative MP, she was working on further anti-discrimination legislation to add to the Equal Pay Act that had already been passed by that stage.
But for radical feminist and psychoanalyst Juliet Mitchell, gradual reform was not the way forward. She believed the status of women could not be elevated by laws alone because the roots of inequality lay deep, both in the fabric of society and the minds of women. Social structures would need to be torn down, starting with the role of women as wives and mothers.
Oppenheim was sceptical of these "second wave" feminists and their extreme position: how dare they prescribe such a widespread drastic change to the nature of womanhood.
On to today and, with a new brand of Tory feminism and indeed radicalism, on what lines is the equality debate fought now? How has the argument moved on?
In the studio dissecting the debate are Lynne Segal, Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies at Birkbeck, University of London, and Julie Bindel, who is an activist and journalist.
Producer: Dom Byrne
A Blakeway production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 14:00 The Archers (b01qlhk0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Monday]
TUE 14:15 Drama (b01693h1)
On It
A young man joins Tony's boxing ring in an attempt to escape the circle of addiction he has come to inhabit.
Tony Pitts is an exciting and accomplished northern Writer-Performer, now turning his hand to BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play. Tony is also a boxing coach. He conquered some of his own demons through boxing - and has helped others to do so too. This is a story of one of his students, Liam Jones.
Heroin addiction. It's not news. This all-too-familiar story is difficult but not shocking. And that's the shame.
On It, is a play written full of gut-wrenching love, determination and the hope that one day there may be a full stop, instead of another comma in the story of every family with this fight on its hands.
The writer, cast and crew would like to extend their thanks, sympathy and love to the Jones family.
Written and Directed by Tony Pitts
Produced by Sally Harrison
A Woolyback Production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 15:00 Making History (b01qm4pf)
Tom Holland is joined in the Making History studio by the archaeologist Professor Francis Pryor and historian Dr Julia Laite from Birkbeck College University of London.
Today: Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage joins Martin Ellis from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery at Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire which was saved for the nation in 1912 and paved the way for the Ancient Monuments Act of 1913.
Helen Castor examines the history of those on the edge of society by spending a Valentine's evening with the Winchester Geese in Southwark, London.
And, this week's "Making Historians" features the landscape historian Professor Tom Williamson from the University of East Anglia who takes us to Metroland
Contact the programme: making.history@bbc.co.uk
Producer: Nick Patrick
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 15:30 Costing the Earth (b01qm4ph)
Dash for Ash
By 2020 the UK must significantly reduce its landfill habit. A recent government report warned that we would run out of landfill space by 2018 and a European Directive means we must reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill from 48% to 35% or face big fines. Next year landfill tax will hit £80 per tonne. Unsurprisingly there has been a huge rise in planning applications for incinerators. 90 are proposed to add to the 30 currently in operation. Waste is big business. Tom Heap visits existing sites where our rubbish is currently being shipped abroad to create energy and heat in Europe and asks whether it is time we followed suit.
New technologies such as gasification are currently being developed which will provide even more heat and power from our residual waste and they promise to be far cleaner than the mass burn incinerators on the continent, yet opposition remains strong. 'Costing the Earth' hears from local residents who fear the health implications if dioxins formed in the high temperatures are released. Environmental campaigners argue that even if the health risks can be addressed this solution only creates more carbon dioxide emissions when what we really need is more recycling and less initial waste. In his film 'Trashed' actor Jeremy Irons looks at how our waste affects our health and that of the planet. Tom asks if it's time for a national strategy on what goes into our bins and where our rubbish ends up.
Producer: Helen Lennard.
TUE 16:00 Law in Action (b01qm2fy)
The Legal Future of Wales
Joining us this week is Theo Huckle QC, the chief legal officer of Wales who - controversially - says it's "inevitable" that Wales will become a separate legal jurisdiction. Are centuries of legal union with England really coming to an end?
Also in this week's programme: as President Obama raises the problem of the millions of children in the US who have no legal status because they were born to illegal immigrants, we find out what's going on in Britain.
And, amid the national debate about so-called 'gagging clauses', we explain the extent of the existing legal protection for whistleblowers. The law as it stands is, it seems, rather more powerful than many think.
Producer: Mukul Devichand.
TUE 16:30 A Good Read (b01qm4pk)
Francis Spufford and Sarah Moss
Harriet's guests this week are Sarah Moss and Francis Spufford. Sarah suggests The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth and Francis picks Mistress Masham's Repose by T. H. White. Harriet has been reading Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald.
TUE 17:00 PM (b01qm4pm)
The latest on Oscar Pistorius' murder trial, a runway diamond heist and how goal line technology could change the beautiful game
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.
TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktv7)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 18:30 Elvenquest (b01qm4pp)
Series 4
The Magnificent Five
Whilst waiting for news on the whereabouts of the Sword of Asnagar, the Questers stop a pub brawl and in doing so attract the attention of some villagers from the small village of Mexigaroth who are being terrorised by an evil bandit, who goes by the name of "El Maldado".
Never ones to stand by when a wrong can be righted, the Questers promise to help the villagers defeat El Maldado and his hordes.
Meanwhile, Lord Darkness has to make a presentation for an assembly of the Dark Lords. Pretty routine stuff, surely...?
Starring:
Darren Boyd as Vidar
Kevin Eldon as Dean/Kreech
Dave Lamb as Amis
Stephen Mangan as Sam
Alistair McGowan as Lord Darkness
Ingrid Oliver as Penthiselea
and
Chris Pavlo as Hilario
Written by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto.
Producer: Sam Michell.
TUE 19:00 The Archers (b01qm4pr)
As Tom takes delivery of some weaners, he tells Neil that he's rushed off his feet while his parents are on holiday. He's toying with the idea of buying pigs from welfare-friendly suppliers due to a lack of local organic ones. Neil points out that it might ruin the reputation of Tom's brand and bring down the sale price of the ready meals. Tom says he'll talk it through with Pat and Tony when they get back.
Jennifer and Brian prepare to go to the Dower House for dinner. Brian's suspicious; he doesn't think Matt would invite them without an ulterior motive. Jennifer worries about Chris and Alice's relationship. She's noticed an 'atmosphere' between them.
Over dinner, there's agreement that Jim's article about Chris was very positive. When talk turns to the successful paper mill bid, Brian and Jennifer are cautious, saying it's very high risk. But Matt and Lilian defend their decision. Matt thinks that Brian's just jealous that BL didn't bid for it.
When Lilian and Jennifer are alone, Jennifer worries that Lilian's putting her future at risk through this highly speculative venture. Lilian tartly thanks her for her concern, but there's no need to worry. She knows exactly what she's doing.
TUE 19:15 Front Row (b01qm4qj)
Nicole Kidman, Margaret Forster, Cloud Atlas
Nicole Kidman has taken on two emotionally challenging roles in the psychological horror Stoker and the thriller The Paperboy. She talks to Mark Lawson about her decision to take risks with the roles she chooses and why she never googles herself.
David Mitchell's award-winning novel, Cloud Atlas, consists of six interweaving stories set in different times - from a slave on a 19th century ship, to a composer in 1930s England, to a clone in 22nd century Korea, to a tribe in a post-apocalyptic 24th century. It's now been turned into a film, written, produced and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski (of Matrix fame) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). The film version features a set of lead actors including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant, who all play different roles in each of the storylines - and are sometimes almost unrecognisable under heavy make-up. Author and critic Adam Mars-Jones joins Mark to assess how successfully the film captures the spirit of the novel.
Writer Margaret Forster discusses her latest novel, The Unknown Bridesmaid, inspired by a chance discovery in a second-hand bookshop, and explains why she is content to be left behind by advances in technology.
Producer Nicki Paxman.
TUE 19:45 The Cazalets (b01qm3yy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
TUE 20:00 File on 4 (b01qm4pt)
Britain's Plutonium Mountain
The Government is currently deciding what to do with the UK's civilian plutonium stockpile - the largest in the world. Some are concerned that it could become the target of terrorists intent on making a dirty bomb.
The stockpile has come from nuclear waste that was reprocessed to extract plutonium which was to have been used to power a new generation of fast breeder reactors. But that project failed to be finished and now just over 100 tonnes of it is being stored at Sellafield in Cumbria. The stockpile grew even more when the UK received imports from Japan and Germany which it had hoped to convert into fuel - again this project has failed to deliver.
The Government is considering a number of options.
Convert the plutonium into mixed oxide (Mox) fuel and then burn the fuel in conventional, nuclear reactors. This would involve the construction of a second Mox fuel plant at Sellafield despite the fact the first plant failed to produce any significant amount of Mox and was closed in 2011.
Burn the plutonium in a new breed of Prism fast reactors. But critics say the technology is not proven and therefore risky.
Treat it as a deadly waste product and bury the plutonium currently stored at Sellafield deep underground for thousands of years. Again critics say burying waste is risky and even then the plutonium would have to be treated before it could go into the facility. Supporters of plutonium as fuel still claim that would be throwing away a potentially valuable asset. On top of that we are not likely to have a repository for decades and very few local authorities have volunteered to consider having it in their back yard.
Rob Broomby investigates the difficult questions facing the Government whose decision will potentially bring in a bill for the taxpayer of billions of pounds.
And how much of gamble will it be choosing what to do with this most deadly of substances?
Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane.
TUE 20:40 In Touch (b01qm4pw)
BBC iPlayer, the free service that lets you catch up with TV programmes, has been criticised by an In Touch listener who says he's waiting too long for audio description services. Liam O'Carroll claims he has to wait up to a week for the service to be available on some programmes; on others, there's no audio description at all, he says, meaning he's missing out on his favourite series. We'll ask the BBC iPlayer team what its commitment is, and get an insight into how audio described programmes make it onto the iPlayer.
How safe is it to cross the road if you're visually impaired? Road regulations like 'safe to cross', which state that the green man should be on for a minimum of just four seconds, have led to concerns that local councils are putting traffic flow before the safety of pedestrians. We'll hear an example from Leek, where one guide dog user says new traffic layouts are impeding his journey into town. And we'll find out what devices and measures councils are putting in place to ensure that the visually impaired can be confident when they use the roads.
In the next in our series on extreme sports, reporter Tony Sheerman goes speed-boating on the Thames. He meets entrepreneur Paul Nichol whose business arranges leisure activities for visually impaired and disabled people. Paul, who is himself blind, talks to Tony about why and how he started his events business, the challenges he faced and why he thinks he's cornered a gap in the market.
The presenter is Peter White. The producer is Katy Takatsuki.
TUE 21:00 Inside Health (b01qm4py)
Drinking urine, diclofenac, pigeon fancier's lung, hospital food
Is it safe to drink urine, or even sea water in a survival situation? Mark Porter examines calls to withdraw one of the most widely used anti inflammatory drugs, diclofenac, because it increases the risk of heart attacks. And what kinds of health problems can result from living with a parrot, cockatiel or a loft full of pigeons? As guidelines to improve hospital meals are introduced, how will the idea of food as medicine improve patients' experience?
TUE 21:30 The Life Scientific (b01qm3yr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
TUE 21:58 Weather (b01qktv9)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qm4q0)
Bloodshed in Syria - is it time to arms rebels?
Chinese hacking operation on massive scale.
One successful British export - pop music.
With Ritula Shah.
TUE 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qm4q2)
Episode 7
A new hospital and a new doctor - finally Esther finds someone who understands and offers hope.
Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.
With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.
The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.
Read by Lydia Wilson.
Abridged by Sally Marmion.
Producer: Di Speirs
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.
TUE 23:00 Susan Calman Is Convicted (b01qm4q4)
Series 1
Death Penalty
Susan Calman explores issues on which she has strong opinions. This week, she examines the issues surrounding the Death Penalty from the perspective gained whilst working on Death Row.
Susan was always stoically against capital punishment - because that was the expected position for a liberal student to take - and thought that she knew all about it. But it's very easy being so liberal when you're sitting in a country that doesn't have the death penalty. Then, as a law student, she travelled to North Carolina and worked on Death Row for a time. What she experienced whilst there persuaded her absolutely that she thought Capital Punishment was utterly wrong.
This is a story about the transition from casually adopting received opinion to developing your own belief system.
Produced by Lyndsay Fenner.
First broadcast on Radio 4 in 2013.
TUE 23:30 Sketchorama (b01k2h1q)
Series 1
Episode 1
Award-winning character comedian and doyen of sketch comedy Humphrey Ker presents the pick of the best live sketch groups currently performing on the UK comedy circuit in this brand new showcase - with character, improv, broken and musical sketch comedy.
Humphrey Ker is himself an established sketch performer, writer, actor and comedian who won the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh festival in 2011. For five years he was part of the much-loved sketch trio The Penny Dreadfuls, with whom he wrote and performed in a string of Edinburgh festival smashes, two series on BBC7 and two plays for Radio 4.
The sketch groups featured in episode one of Sketchorama are:
Delete the Banjax: Writer/performers Caroline May-Jones, Daniel Cook, Gareth Cooper and Samuel Champion. They've enjoyed three critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, picking up a ThreeWeeks Editors Award at Ed Fringe 2010 and, with their charmingly chaotic performance style, have become one of the most talked about comedy acts on the circuit.
Lady Garden: The all-female group are Beattie Edmondson, Rose Johnson, Eleanor Thom and Camille Ucan. Since their Edinburgh debut in 2008, their fast-paced shows filled with fantastic character creations have received widespread praise from audiences and critics alike.
Idiots of Ants: Andrew Spiers, Elliott Tiney, Benjamin Wilson and James Wrighton. Since forming in 2007, they have gone on to sell-out four Edinburgh festivals and a run in London's prestigious West End. They have attracted a staggeringly large internet following, with their 'Facebook in real life' and 'Wii Breakfast' sketches achieving multi-million hits.
Producer: Gus Beattie
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4.
WEDNESDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2013
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b01qktw4)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
WED 00:30 The Real George Orwell (b01qm3yt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qktw6)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qktw8)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qktwb)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b01qktwd)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qm5hg)
Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection presented by the Revd Johnston McKay.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b01qm5hj)
As the Food Standards Agency extends horse DNA testing to include beef sandwiches, we continue our exploration of meat traceability with a butcher who runs his own abattoir. We also talk to a farmer whose online meat sales have taken off following the horsemeat scandal.
A UN commissioned report warns that inefficient fertiliser use worldwide is damaging the environment. Staying with global crop production Anna Hill visits the UK team leading research to tackle one of wheat's worst enemies, Yellow Rust.
Presented by Anna Hill. Produced by Sarah Swadling.
WED 06:00 Today (b01qm5hl)
Morning news and current affairs with James Naughtie and John Humphrys, including:
0741
While David Cameron has been in India he has visited Amritsar, the scene of a massacre by the British army when Britain was the colonial master nearly a century ago. William Dalrymple, writer and historian, examines whether the British prime minister should have apologised.
0751
The Department of Health has asked Camilla Cavendish to lead an independent review into health care assistants in the NHS and care homes as a result of the Mid Staffordshire revelations. Ms Cavendish, assistant editor of the Times, outlines the role that she will play.
0810
Last week saw the arrest of a senior police officer accused of leaking confidential information to journalists. Danny Shaw, home affairs correspondent, explains the current status quo, Kevin Harley, British Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Police, and Lord Prescott, former deputy prime minister, discuss why some are saying that the police operations that were aimed at rooting out police corruption have gone too far.
0821
Astronomers at Cambridge University have used technology they developed to monitor stars in the deepest part of the universe to help their pathologist colleagues identify breast cancer in the lab. Dr Nicholas Walton, of the Institute of Astronomy at the university, and Dr Elena Provenzano, of the university pathology department, discuss the amalgamation of the technology.
WED 09:00 Midweek (b01qm6kp)
Owen Sheers, Stephen Grady, Michael Ball, Ffion Jones
Libby Purves meets poet and playwright Owen Sheers; Stephen Grady, a former member of the French Resistance; musical star Michael Ball and brewer Ffion Jones.
Owen Sheers is a poet, author and playwright. In 2012 he spent a year as artist-in-residence for the Welsh Rugby Union. His book, Calon - A Journey to the Heart of Welsh Rugby, uses his unprecedented access to players and coaching staff to discover what drives a Welsh rugby player. Calon - A Journey to the Heart of Welsh Rugby is published by Faber and Faber.
Stephen Grady was 14 and living in Northern France when the Second World War began. His English father worked for the Imperial War Graves Commission. At 16, Stephen was recruited by the French Resistance and took part in a series of daring missions for which he was later awarded the Croix de Guerre. His memoir, Gardens of Stone - My boyhood in the French Resistance, is published by Hodder and Stoughton.
Michael Ball is one of Britain's leading musical stars in the West End and on Broadway. He recently appeared in the title role of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He donned a fat suit to play Edna Turnbald in Hairspray for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award. His new album Both Sides Now is released on Union Square Music.
Ffion Jones has just been appointed the first female brewer at SA Brain brewery in Cardiff. The company was founded by Samuel Arthur Brain and his uncle Joseph Benjamin Brain in 1882. After passing her exams earlier this year, Ffion has just brewed her first beer - a braggot flavoured with honey and spices.
Producer: Paula McGinley.
WED 09:45 The Real George Orwell (b01qm6kr)
Essays and Journalism
My Country Right or Left
A selection of familiar and unfamiliar non-fiction pieces by the author of Animal Farm.
In My Country Right or Left, Orwell attempts to reconcile his strong patriotic feelings with his left wing views.
Reader: Clive Merrison
Producer: David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qm79g)
Women in India
Anita Anand has visited Delhi and Jaipur for this special edition hearing from student activists, authors and campaigners two months after the Delhi bus gang rape.
WED 10:45 The Cazalets (b01qm79j)
Marking Time
Episode 3
by Elizabeth Jane Howard, dramatised by Lin Coghlan
Louise is delighted to meet the sophisticated Stella Rose and can't wait for their trip to the theatre. Until she sees her father there, with someone she doesn't know.
Produced and directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow
Marking Time is the second of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
In the second series, the families' worst fears are realised as war breaks out. Rupert immediately decides he must join up, Edward will see what military work he can get, whilst Hugh - still suffering from injuries from the first war - has to settle with running the family firm. But it is the children who become the centre of the story, as Louise realises that her parents' marriage is not as happy as she had imagined, Clary is faced with the prospect of losing her beloved father and Polly must deal with her fear of war and a battle much closer to home. If only the adults would realise that they are not really children - but they seem stuck in some awful place where they must simply mark time.
WED 11:00 Lives in a Landscape (b01qm79l)
Series 12
Zoo for Sale
In a rain sodden valley, close to the fresh winds of the Irish Sea, a leopard marches back and forth through the mud. Close by, capuchin monkeys chuckle as they cling to the bars, and in the warmth of a dark glass tank, a 14 foot python is being moved for feeding.
These are unwanted animals - some born in captivity, some abandoned and some just too big for their owners to keep. They've all found a home with Jean and Alan Mumbray, at The Animalarium, a small private zoo close to the fishing village of Borth, west Wales.
When Jean and Alan bought the property, they were given the keys by the previous owner, who left without a backward glance - throwing them into the world of zoo keeping without training or experience. 12 years later, full of enthusiasm for the place they have created and made their own, they are putting the zoo up for sale.
It will be a hard move to make. Jean has a close relationship with many of the creatures - such as the lynx she calls 'Baby', and who will sit on her shoulder and purr as she strokes him fondly.
Jean and Alan have also fostered 42 children over the past 25 years.
"Animals for love - fostering for income".
They specialised in difficult teenagers - not unlike the 'naughty monkeys' that they have as pets. These are the children most unlikely to find foster homes - but Jean actually prefers them.
'They're more independent, more idealistic, more interesting." She says, "And they don't want love or cuddles. They want respect, and they want approval."
As the zoo goes up for sale, Alan Dein visits in the depths of Winter, to find out why the couple found themselves drawn to both professions - fostering and zoo keeping.
What has the rearing of disturbed children taught them? Can they find the right people to take over their family of animals?
Producer: Sara Jane Hall.
WED 11:30 Agatha Christie (b01qm7p4)
Murder is Easy
1. Encounter on a Train
Ex-policeman Luke Fitzwilliam doesn't believe little old Miss Pinkerton when says she's off to Scotland Yard to report a serial killer on the loose in her quiet English village.
But he's soon forced to reconsider...
Agatha Christie's thriller first published in 1939.
Dramatised in three parts by Joy Wilkinson.
Luke .... Patrick Baladi
Bridget .... Lydia Leonard
Lord Whitfield .... Michael Cochrane
Miss Waynflete .... Marcia Warren
Miss Pinkerton .... Marlene Sidaway
Billy Bones/Rivers .... Patrick Brennan
Reverend Wake .... Thomas Wheatley
Rose .... Lizzy Watts
Abbott .... Paul Stonehouse
Ellsworthy .... Ben Crowe
Dr Thomas .... Will Howard
Major Horton .... Robert Blythe
Director: Mary Peate
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.
WED 12:00 You and Yours (b01qm7p6)
Freeview interference, passport forms, dashboard cameras
We hear if the sale of the 4G spectrum could mean a better service for mobile phone users. Plus, millions of homes could need new kit to stop their Freeview signal being disrupted by the 4G phone network.
Problems on the East Coast network have seen thousands of passengers being advised not to travel.
With a warning from the energy regulator to expect higher fuel costs, we look at why prices are rising.
A meteorite landing was captured from every angle by car dashboard cameras - popular with drivers in Russia. We find out who's using them in the UK.
With the Food Standards Agency extending its tests to other products, we hear how Europe is reacting to the horsemeat scandal.
An update on the scam that tricked jobseekers into applying for non-existent posts.
And the website that charges for starting a passport application - something that's also available for free.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Joel Moors.
WED 12:57 Weather (b01qktwg)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b01qm7p8)
Unemployment, Oscar Pistorius and new IVF guidelines
Unemployment has fallen, the latest from Oscar Pistorius' bail hearing, and what new IVF guidelines mean for women. National and international news with Martha Kearney.
WED 13:45 Head to Head (b01m5dw4)
Series 4
Morality and Freedom
Edward Stourton continues to revisit broadcast debates from the archives - exploring the ideas, the great minds behind them and echoes of the arguments today.
Perhaps better known as a novelist, Iris Murdoch was also a recognised philosopher. By 1972 when she encountered fellow Oxford thinker David Pears for the film Logic Lane, she had already written 14 novels and made valuable contributions to moral philosophy. The dominant school up until that time had used a logic of language to help distinguish right from wrong, almost turning morality into a science. However, a new wave of European thought was bringing the debate away from prescribing meta-ideas and back down to individual choice.
At the heart of the debate was the issue of freedom of action. Could humans actually control their behaviour or were we pre-programmed to act in particular ways in certain situations? In this debate, Pears brings up the age-old debate of determinism versus free will - but further to that was a belief that, through self-knowledge, we could reclaim some control over our actions and therefore act in morally good ways.
So to what extent should we know ourselves in order to become better people - in a deep Freudian sense or simply by noticing our thoughts and reactions? By considering the practical concerns of everyday people and life, and what constitutes a good life, can this knowledge inform a new moral philosophy? Murdoch's ideas are as relevant today as ever.
In the studio dissecting the debate are Galen Strawson, Professor of Philosophy at Reading University, and Justin Broackes, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Brown University in the United States.
Producer: Dom Byrne
A Blakeway production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b01qm4pr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama (b013r2h6)
Do You Like Banana, Comrades?
by Csaba Szekely
It's difficult being young and in love when your Dad is a high ranking official in Ceausescu's communist machine, your mother weeps all the time and your brother is trying to kill you.
This wild and sideways look at life behind the Iron Curtain during Ceausescu's regime is a first play by a young Hungarian writer living in Romania and was shortlisted for the BBC World Service/British Council's International Playwriting Competition.
Director: Marion Nancarrow
The play has just won the prestigious Richard Imison Award for best original script by a writer new to radio in 2012. The judges said of it: 'Do You Like Banana, Comrade? is a deft, witty, and often very moving picture of life under a totalitarian regime. Right from the start we fell in love with the charming, wide-eyed and irrepressible narrator. Growing up in Ceausescu's Romania, Robert only gradually realises the power his father wields as one of the dictator's henchmen. The adroit use of irony allows us to see through his naive logic and imaginative explanations, and through the chinks comes a real and growing sense of horror.... Székely packs a whole world and its politics into his play, whilst retaining a lightness of touch. Do You Like Banana, Comrade? is Csaba Székely's first ever play, written in his second language: a formidable achievement.'
Csaba Székely was born in Targu Mures, Romania. He's a writer, editor and assistant lecturer at his hometown's University of Arts. He writes mostly in his native Hungarian language, and his works frequently deal with social issues, such as unemployment, nationalism, alcoholism and corruption. His first play (Do You Like Banana, Comrades?) has won the regional prize for Europe in the BBC's International Radio Playwriting Competition in 2009. Since then, his dramas and their staged performances have received numerous awards both in Romania and Hungary. His play Mineflowers
has been voted Best Drama of the Year by the Hungarian Theatre Critics' Association.
WED 15:00 Money Box Live (b01qm7pb)
Paying for long-term care
Do you have a question about arranging or funding long term care? What are the options and who qualifies for financial help? Call 03700 100 444 between
1pm and
3pm on Wednesday or email moneybox@bbc.co.uk.
If you, a relative or friend can no longer manage alone, how do find out if you or they are entitled to assistance, whether that is with daily activities, medical needs or adapting the home to make life easier?
What will a care assessment involve and can you challenge a decision if you believe it is wrong?
Moving into a residential home can be daunting, how do you choose and what will it cost?
Who will pay for a care plan once it has been agreed, the Local Authority, the NHS or you?
Can you claim benefits to help with the cost and what are the pros and cons of the financial products on offer?
And there's a deadline looming if you wrongly paid for care between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012. If the NHS should have paid the bill you can recover the costs if you act quickly.
To find out more call 03 700 100 444 on Wednesday, phone lines are open between
1pm and
3.30pm. Standard geographic charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.
Presenter Paul Lewis will put your questions to the experts:
Pat Lacroix and Garry MacDonald, Advisers, Independent Age
Lisa Morgan, Partner, Hugh James solicitors
Brian Tabor, SOLLA, Carematters.
WED 15:30 Inside Health (b01qm4py)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b01qm7pd)
'Ned' Pride in Scotland; Weapon Dogs
Weapon dogs - Laurie Taylor discusses the phenomenon of status dogs with Simon Harding, the author of 'Unleashed..' Also, the growth of 'Ned' pride in Scotland. 'Ned', or non educated delinquent, is the Scottish equivalent of the English term 'Chav'. It refers stereotypically to uneducated and anti social youth. But the sociologist, Robert Young, finds that some young Scots, including middle class teenagers, are proudly adopting the 'Ned' label as a mark of sub cultural rebellion. Stephanie Lawler, who has also studied the 'chav' phenomenon, joins the discussion.
Producer: Jayne Egerton.
WED 16:30 The Media Show (b01qm7pg)
Junk food advertising
Does advertising junk food make children fat? Yes say doctors - so ban it before
9pm. No say advertisers - no evidence. They accuse the medics of "grandstanding". So who's right? New Labour cabinet minister James Purnell is one of the new DG's first appointments and will become the new director of strategy and digital. How's his appointment been received and what will he bring to the Corporation. And what's going on behind the scenes as the BBC prepares to publish the transcripts of the Pollard Review. Presented by Steve Hewlett. Producer Beverley Purcell.
WED 17:00 PM (b01qm7pj)
Are juries up to the job? Why the government has a missing billion and Jenni Murray's fashion secret
Eddie Mair with interviews, context and analysis.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktwl)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 18:30 Dilemma (b01qmb08)
Series 2
Episode 1
Sue Perkins puts Paul Sinha, Lemn Sissay, Margaret Cabourn-Smith and Graeme Garden through the moral and ethical wringer.
The return of the panel show posing finely-balanced dilemmas as Sue cross-examines their answers.
Comic Paul struggles with his sporting loyalties; poet Lemn experiences something new, actor and comic Margaret faces up to some poor parenting; and Graeme contemplates life without one of his favourite Aunties.
There are no "right" answers - but there are some deeply damning ones.
Devised by Danielle Ward.
Producer: Ed Morrish.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2013.
WED 19:00 The Archers (b01qmb0b)
Darrell congratulates Chris on his Borchester Life article, and wishes he was in the same league. With a lovely wife and perfect job, Chris is set up for life, while Darrell's scratching round for work. Chris encourages Darrell to get in touch with Amside. Their consortium will be converting the paper mill in Gilbert's Cross, so there should be plenty of work going.
Darrell mentions his predicament to Neil, who sympathises with Darrell's wish to use his skills rather than do any old labour. But Neil doesn't know of any work, other than the project that Amside is taking on. Darrell accepts it's a possibility if nothing else comes up.
Tom collects rejuvenated Pat and Tony from the airport. They are full of stories about their holiday in Gran Canaria.
When they arrive home, Pat and Tony are impressed by how Tom has handled things. But both are shocked when he suggests using a non-organic supplier for the ready meals. Pat can't believe that Tom is prepared to betray the principles of Bridge Farm. Tom can't understand her unwillingness to move forward. They briefly reference the horsemeat scandal. Both try to hide their conflict from Tony, but he suspects there is more going on.
WED 19:15 Front Row (b01qmb0d)
A Chorus Line: Song for Marion; new play about football pioneer Walter Tull
With Mark Lawson.
A Chorus Line, the musical based on the true stories of aspiring dancers, was the longest running show in the history of New York theatre. Now a major new staging of the musical has opened in London for the first time since the 1970s. Sarah Churchwell considers whether it has stood the test of time.
Song for Marion stars Terence Stamp as a grumpy pensioner persuaded to take part in his dying wife's choir. In common with recent films The Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet, senior citizens are at the heart of the action. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh reviews the film, which also stars Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Arterton.
Walter Tull, the first black outfield player to play in the top division of English football and the first black commissioned infantry officer in the British Army, has inspired a novel, and a television drama. His life is now the subject of a new play - Tull. As well as visiting the memorial to Walter Tull in Northampton, Mark talks to the play's writer Phil Vasili, director David Thacker, and to current Northampton Town player and chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association, Clarke Carlisle.
WED 19:45 The Cazalets (b01qm79j)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
WED 20:00 Moral Maze (b01qmb0g)
Private Education
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said last year that "the overwhelming dominance of privately-educated schoolchildren in Britain is corrosive for society." But, interviewed on radio recently, he said that he would not rule out a private school education for his own son. Is it every parent's duty to get their children the best possible education - even despite their political principles? Or is Nick Clegg just a hypocrite?
Last week Maria Hutchings, the Conservative candidate in the Eastleigh bye-election, said that it would be impossible for her gifted son to become a surgeon if he were to attend a state school. There were cries of outrage - not least from the medical profession. Some studies show that young people do indeed do better in life if they've been to public school. Is it immoral for parents to be able to buy a competitive advantage for their offspring? Should parents sacrifice their children's future on the altar of their principles, or is it the duty of a parent to get their children the best possible education, irrespective of their own opinions about what should be done to reform the system? Are we as a nation becoming increasingly hostile towards private education? Heads of independent schools say the government wants top universities to tip the balance in favour of admitting candidates from state schools, and that's not fair. These heads are also worried about the threat that their schools might lose their charitable status. Is that - as some have called it - just the politics of envy?
Combative, provocative and engaging debate chaired by Michael Buerk with Michael Portillo, Melanie Phillips, Giles Fraser and Matthew Taylor. Witnesses: Francis Gilbert - Local Schools Network, Jan Murray - Guardian writer/contributor, Dr Martin Stephen - Former High Master at Manchester Grammar School and St Paul's School in London, and a former Chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, Dreda Say Mitchell - author, broadcaster and educational consultant.
WED 20:45 Lent Talks (b01qm2jg)
Baroness Helena Kennedy
Leading human rights lawyer, Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC, opens a new series of Lent Talks, where six well known figures from public life, the arts, human rights and religion, reflect on how the Lenten story of Jesus' ministry and Passion continues to interact with contemporary society and culture.
The 2013 Lent Talks consider the theme of "abandonment". In the Lenten story, Jesus is the supreme example of this - he died an outcast, abandoned and rejected by his people, his disciples and (apparently) his Father - God. But how does that theme tie in with today's complex world? There are many ways one can feel abandoned - by family, by society, by war/conflict, but one can also feel abandoned through the loss of something, perhaps power, job or identity.
Speakers in this year's talks include the author Alexander McCall Smith, who explores the sense of being abandoned by society as you grow older; Loretta Minghella, Director of Christian Aid, who considers the abandonment of self and the need to face who we truly are; Imam Asim Hafiz, Muslim Chaplain and Religious Adviser to HM Forces, who has just returned from Afghanistan and who explores the total abandonment experienced by both sides as a result of war; Benjamin Cohen, journalist and broadcaster, who reflects on his own personal story of religious rejection through being gay, and Canon Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James's Piccadilly, who explores the relationship between abandonment and betrayal.
The Christian season of Lent is traditionally a time for self-examination and reflection on universal human conditions such as temptation, betrayal, greed, forgiveness and love.
WED 21:00 Costing the Earth (b01qm4ph)
[Repeat of broadcast at
15:30 on Tuesday]
WED 21:30 Midweek (b01qm6kp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 21:58 Weather (b01qktwn)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qmb0j)
Round up of the day's news, with Ritula Shah. The Vicky Pryce case is going to a re-trial. After stinging comments by the judge, is it time for a re-think on the jury system? We'll hear from one of the country's leading QC's, Michael Mansfield.
Also tonight, why London schools are doing so well in GCSE results in comparison to other parts of the country. Sanchia Berg has been to London and Barnsley to compare and contrast.
The French government said today that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram are responsible for the abduction of a family of seven in Cameroon. Paris has told French citizens to leave the country, and avoid a waste swathe of west and central Africa altogether. We'll ask whether the Hollande government has fully considered the implications of the French intervention in Mali.
In our second report from Kosovo, we hear from Mitrovica, the town which is home to the country's largest remaining ethnic-Serb community. Kosovan Serbs there tell us how they fear they'll be sacrificed in Belgrade's push for EU membership.
And also tonight - it's harder to concentrate if you live in a city. So what, you might say? We'll hear the surprising new evidence from rural Namibia tonight about the extent to which that is true.
WED 22:45 Sylvia Plath - The Bell Jar (b01qmb0l)
Episode 8
With Doctor Nolan's help, Esther can finally fly free...
Sylvia Plath's haunting and only novel tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented girl with a prestigious internship on a magazine in New York in 1953.
With dreams of becoming a writer and an impressive track record of scholarships and prizes, Esther seems to have it all - and knows she should be 'having the time of her life'. But between the cocktail parties and the piles of manuscripts, unsatisfactory men and the choices ahead, she finds herself spiraling into confusion and depression. As she retreats from the world in despair, she will attempt suicide and find herself in the world of the asylum before finding a way through.
The Bell Jar is both darkly funny and acutely observed, capturing in vivid and witty prose the society Plath inhabited in the 1950s. A modern classic, it's a powerful portrait of a clever young woman with great and varied ambitions, confounded by the hurdles the world puts in her way, as relevant today as when it was written.
Concluded by Lydia Wilson.
Abridged by Sally Marmion.
Producer: Di Speirs
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in February 2013.
WED 23:00 What to Do If You're Not Like Everybody Else (b014qnds)
Series 2
Home Making
Andrew Lawrence explores the perils and frustrations of decorating and furnishing our homes and then inviting people round.
More short comedic monologues taking a light-hearted look at various aspects of conventional living and the pressure we feel to conform to social norms and ideals.
Written by Andrew Lawrence.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2011
WED 23:15 Jigsaw (b01qmbk2)
Series 1
Mousetrap
Stand-up comedians Dan Antopolski, Tom Craine and Nat Luurtsema combine their talents to piece together a rapid-fire and surreal sketch show.
Produced by Colin Anderson.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013.
WED 23:30 Sketchorama (b01kbg7m)
Series 1
Episode 2
Award-winning character comedian and doyen of sketch comedy Humphrey Ker presents the pick of the best live sketch groups currently performing on the UK comedy circuit in this brand new showcase - with character, improv, broken and musical sketch comedy.
Humphrey Ker is himself an established sketch performer, writer, actor and comedian who won the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh festival in 2011. For five years he was part of the much-loved sketch trio The Penny Dreadfuls, with whom he wrote and performed in a string of Edinburgh festival smashes, two series on BBC7 and two plays for Radio 4.
The sketch groups featured in episode two of Sketchorama are:
The Noise Next Door: Tom Houghton, Charlie Granville, Matt Grant, Tom Livingstone and Sam Pacelli have been performing their own distinctive brand of off-the-cuff comedy for over six years. They have an uncanny knack of transforming audience suggestions into fantastically funny scenes and songs in the blink of an eye, with a perfect blend of ludicrous characters, witty one-liners and epic stories.
The Boom Jennies: A trio featuring Lizzie Bates, Anna Emerson and Catriona Knox who produce fun, fast-paced, inventive sketch comedy mixed up with some top-notch tunes.
Jigsaw: Dan Antopolski (Triple Perrier Award Nominee, BBC New Comedy Award Winner and Dave's Funniest Joke of the Fringe Award Winner 2009), Tom Craine (BBC National Student Award Winner 2006) and Nat Luurtsema (Chortle Best Newcomer Nominee 2008) have joined forces to create a hydra-headed sketch monster. They enjoyed a self-titled Fringe debut in 2011 featuring well honed, fast paced material.
Producer: Gus Beattie
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4.
THURSDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2013
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b01qktxk)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
THU 00:30 The Real George Orwell (b01qm6kr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qktxm)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qktxp)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qktxr)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b01qktxt)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qmbs5)
Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection presented by the Revd Johnston McKay.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b01qmbs7)
It's emerged one of the most famous restaurants in the Netherlands has been passing off horse steaks as beef for more than 60 years. The owner of Amsterdam's Piet de Leeuw Steakhouse has admitted they'd been serving up the steaks since 1949. Also on Farming Today, Sybil Ruscoe visits the North Cotswolds to find out why the market for rapeseed oil is increasingly popular and it seems farmers could contribute to the growing array of specialist dairy products by feeding their cows on special diets. Presented by Sybil Ruscoe. Produced by Anna Varle.
THU 06:00 Today (b01qmbs9)
Morning news and current affairs with John Humphrys and Evan Davis, including:
0751
The prime minister has said he is open to the idea of using aid money for peacekeeping operations. Max Lawson, head of policy at Oxfam and Patrick Mercer, former army officer, now Conservative MP for Newark, discuss whether this it a back-door way of subsidising the Ministry of Defence.
0810
The jury at the trial of Chris Huhne's ex-wife Vicki Pryce has been discharged after the judge said they exhibited a "fundamental deficit in understanding" of the trial process and the role of the jury. Ken MacDonald, director of public prosecutions, and Lord Woolf, former lord chief justice of England and Wales, give analysis on whether the current jury system is in need of reform.
0821
A Welsh blogger is caught in a legal dispute with her local Carmarthenshire Council. It's after she tried to film council meetings. Jacqui Thompson, the blogger, explains why she is suing the council and the council are suing her back.
0831
The BBC has seen legal advice that casts doubt on one of the key proposals that Lord Justice Leveson made to regulate the press. The BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman reports and Nick Cohen, author, and Hugh Tomlinson QC, chairman of Hacked Off, analyse Leveson recommendations in light of the advice.
THU 09:00 In Our Time (b01qmbsc)
Decline and Fall
David Bradshaw, John Bowen and Ann Pasternak Slater join Melvyn Bragg to discuss Evelyn Waugh's comic novel Decline and Fall. Set partly in a substandard boys' public school, the novel is a vivid, often riotous portrait of 1920s Britain. Its themes, including modernity, religion and fashionable society, came to dominate Waugh's later fiction, but its savage wit and economy of style were entirely new. Published when Waugh was 24, the book was immediately celebrated for its vicious satire and biting humour.
With:
David Bradshaw
Professor of English Literature at Worcester College, Oxford
John Bowen
Professor of Nineteenth-Century Literature at the University of York
Ann Pasternak Slater
Senior Research Fellow at St Anne's College, Oxford.
Producer: Thomas Morris.
THU 09:45 The Real George Orwell (b01qmbsf)
Essays and Journalism
Pleasure Spots
A selection of Orwell's non-fiction.
The author's thoughts on the post-war prospects for the English tourist trade, taken from a 1944 edition of Orwell's regular Tribune column, "As I Please". Before that, an essay written in 1946 from the same publication : Pleasure Spots, which takes as its subject the precursors of today's theme parks - horribly artificial places from which the natural world has been excluded.
Reader: Clive Merrison
Producer: David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qmxf7)
Mia Wasikowska; Helena Rubinstein; Karen Mok
Mia Wasikowska has played Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre and a troubled teenager in TV series In Treatment. She talks to Aasmah Mir about her role in the new pyschological thriller Stoker. We discuss how care proceedings can be made better for children ? There's music from Karen Mok and author Michele Fitoussi charts Helena Rubinstein's cosmetics career. She rose from humble beginnings to become the first self-made female millionaire and famously once said "There are no ugly women, only lazy ones".
THU 10:45 The Cazalets (b01qmxf9)
Marking Time
Episode 4
by Elizabeth Jane Howard, dramatised by Lin Coghlan
Clary begins to write about things she notices people don't talk about - including sex and going to the lavatory - to take her mind off Rupert's imminent departure, little knowing that a new arrival at Home Place is to help things enormously.
Produced and directed by Sally Avens & Marion Nancarrow
Marking Time is the second of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
In the second series, the families' worst fears are realised as war breaks out. Rupert immediately decides he must join up, Edward will see what military work he can get, whilst Hugh - still suffering from injuries from the first war - has to settle with running the family firm. But it is the children who become the centre of the story, as Louise realises that her parents' marriage is not as happy as she had imagined, Clary is faced with the prospect of losing her beloved father and Polly must deal with her fear of war and a battle much closer to home. If only the adults would realise that they are not really children - but they seem stuck in some awful place where they must simply mark time.
THU 11:00 From Our Own Correspondent (b01qmxfc)
Desperate for Tourists
Despatches from around the world: Jonathan Head on a little-reported but long-running conflict in southern Thailand; a rare protest on the streets of Singapore - Karishma Vaswani tells of mounting anger in Asia's richest nation; a new government in Italy, after this weekend's election, seems unlikely to tinker much with the employment laws - Ed Butler believes nepotism in the labour market is set to continue; Paul Lewis talks to Ugandans finding it hard to get by even if official forecasts are upbeat about the country's economic future. And getting around wasn't much of a problem for King Tut -- but Terry Egan finds the going tough in Egypt's Valley of Kings.
THU 11:30 Marseille 2013 (b01qmxff)
Philip Sweeney on music, crime and culture in Marseille, 2013 European City of Culture.
In the year that Marseille and the surrounding region of Provence are enjoying European City of Culture status, Philip Sweeney explores what this means for a city more often in the news for its crime than its culture.
Marseille's spectacular cast of corrupt politicians, smugglers, bank robbers, slot machine overlords and underworld godfathers earned the city the title 'Chicago-sur-Rhone' in the 1930's heyday of organised crime. The city's reputation continues, and recent violence in the housing projects, combined with corruption cases involving police and politicians, have done nothing to dispel the perception of a city mired in crime and corruption. And yet many of the attributes that have for decades contributed to Marseille's status as capital of France's Cote de Crime - its great port, its patchwork of nationalities, its rich musical mix - are the very elements that have contributed to the emergence of its distinctive cultural identity. Philip Sweeney meets musicians, writers and journalists at work in the city today to explore its ambivalent reputation.
Producer: Sara Davies.
THU 12:00 You and Yours (b01qmxfh)
Smart meters, Spotify and unadopted roads
More than a million electricity smart meters have been installed in UK homes, under plans to offer one to every household by 2019. The cost is estimated at £11bn, but some experts think they're already an out-of-date technology.
Some people who pay for Spotify's 'Premium' online music service are having problems using it with Android mobile phones. The adverts say the two are compatible, but the company also says it's working on a fix.
A private road might sound like luxury living, but many homes are on 'unadopted roads' with no real owner or maintenance. Hear about the pitfalls, potholes and effect on property prices.
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: John Neal.
THU 12:57 Weather (b01qktxw)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b01qmxfk)
National and international news with Martha Kearney. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
THU 13:45 Head to Head (b01mbztp)
Series 4
Pornography and censorship
Edward Stourton continues to revisit broadcast debates from the archives - exploring the ideas, the great minds behind them and echoes of the arguments today.
When these two men encountered each other on the BBC programme Late-Night Line-up in 1972, the Longford report on pornography had recently been published. Malcolm Muggeridge had sat on the committee and took a conservative stance, served by his Christian beliefs, that pornography was corrupting and something had to be done about the laws around publishing it.
Bernard Levin was as well-known as Muggeridge as a television personality and member of the cultural and political commentariat. Levin, though, was a libertarian and vehemently against what he saw as potential censorship of literature that he thought did not harm people and society as much as the Longford report suggested.
Was there a limit to the freedoms that the permissive society of the late-60s and early-70s demanded? Or is censorship a sacred cow? On to today and in the view of relatively recent developments in publishing, such as on the internet, how have the arguments around access to pornography changed?
In the studio dissecting the debate is Bel Mooney, broadcaster and journalist; and Christopher Booker, journalist and first editor of Private Eye.
Producer: Dom Byrne
A Blakeway production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 14:00 The Archers (b01qmb0b)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Pilgrim by Sebastian Baczkiewicz (b01qmxfm)
Series 4
Mullerby Fair
By Sebastian Baczkiewicz
Episode 1: Mullerby Fair
In an attempt to settle an age-old dispute, Pilgrim must confront the ruthless Mr Speed. But he has a secret weapon.
William Palmer ..... Paul Hilton
Richie ..... Joe Dempsie
Maxine ..... Rachel Davies
Mr Speed ..... Kim Wall
Carter ..... Paul Copley
Laura ..... Leah Brotherhead
Cassie ..... Sarah Thom
Legend ..... Agnes Bateman
Directed by Marc Beeby
Pilgrim, cursed with immortality by the King of the Greyfolk, is forever forced to walk between the human world and the world of Faerie in a never-ending quest to preserve the uneasy balance between the two. Armed with the Abaeron, a book of incredibly powerful magic that protects its owner above all else, he can finally challenge Mr Speed - who has stolen generations of brides from one family, separate devoted parents from their very strange new changeling baby, put a giant to sleep, and locate Merlin, the figure most feared in all the Faerie world. Hard tasks at the best of times, but Pilgrim must also contend with the relentless malice of the sorceress Mrs Pleasance and the devious cunning of the King of the Greyfolk himself.
THU 15:00 Ramblings (b01qmxfp)
Series 23
Walking with friends
Clare Balding explores the beautiful Longdendale Trail in Derbyshire, joining long -term friends, Tracey Standring and Christine Valentine. They explain the vital role walking has played in their lives, cementing their friendship and keeping them sane and healthy. They've been walking together for over a year now and they explore new places each week. Neither are keen or particularly competent map readers and Clare tries to convert them with her own expertise, although with a gale blowing along the valley, it's not all that easy.
Producer Lucy Lunt.
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b01qkxb0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Open Book (b01qldm0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:00 The Film Programme (b01qmxfr)
Matthew Sweet talks to Tom Tykwer
Matthew Sweet talks to Tom Tykwer, one of the directors of the much-anticipated film Cloud Atlas. The actress Olga Kurylenko discusses her role in the latest offering from director Terrence Malick, To The Wonder. And the composer Neil Brand is at the piano to delve into the scores of children's films from classics like Mary Poppins to more recent films like Happy Feet and Frankenweenie. Producer: Elaine Lester.
THU 16:30 Material World (b01qmxft)
Viruses; DNA: Identical Twins: Dark Energy,
Why does a virus manage to infect us and make us ill so quickly? This week on Material World, Quentin Cooper speaks with structural biologist from the University of Oxford David Stuart who uses special X-rays, created by the Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire, to expose those dirty tricks.
And how on earth do we see the invisible dark energy that makes up most of our universe? Astrophysicist Sarah Bridle from Manchester University joins Quentin in the studio to talk about her involvement in the Dark Energy Survey at an observatory in Chile and whether the Hubble Space Telescope can help in the search for this mysterious phenomenon.
And with the recent case of the French identical twins who have been implicated in serial rape, Quentin asks forensic geneticist Gill Tully from the Principal Forensics Services how DNA helps the police to find perpetrators. On the same topic, Tim Spector, a genetic epidemiologist from King's College London, suggests that identical twins might not actually be as similar in their genes as we previously thought.
THU 17:00 PM (b01qmxfw)
Eddie Mair presents coverage and analysis of the day's news.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktxy)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 18:30 Life: An Idiot's Guide (b01qmxfy)
Series 2
Health and Medicine
Comedian Stephen K Amos is joined by Paul Sinha, Andre Vincent and John Hegley to compile an Idiot's Guide to Health and Medicine. Produced by Colin Anderson.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b01qmxg0)
Clarrie tells Ed that Pat's in a funny mood. She wasn't impressed when Clarrie said that Tom had done a good job while Tony and Pat were on holiday. Clarrie wonders if they've fallen out. Ed says that he and Emma have, over Emma's friendship with Helen. He's worried that they can't reciprocate when Helen pays for Emma.
Jazzer tells Ed that he's found an vintage Ferguson tractor for sale but the owner has no idea of its worth. He reckons they could sell it at a profit to pay for shearing equipment. Ed's reluctant, but agrees to take a look.
When Paul surprises Lilian with the news that they've finally got a place of their own, Lilian can't wait to see it. But Paul keeps the apartment's location a secret. He wants to surprise her when they meet up next week.
Chris is shocked when Alice says she's been offered a second job interview - in Vancouver. She thinks it's a fantastic opportunity for both of them, especially while they're not tied down. But she says if Chris wants her to turn it down, she will. Chris says she's asking a lot and needs to give him time to get his head round it.
THU 19:15 Front Row (b01qmxg2)
Jacksons interview; Banksy auction
With John Wilson.
The Jackson brothers are in the UK for a short concert tour. Jackie, Marlon and Tito talk about performing together for the first time in three decades and the early days of the Jackson five, when Michael was a little boy.
Anders Lustgarten's new play, If You Don't Let Us Dream, We Won't Let You Sleep, considers what could happen if social care and public health were to be put completely into the hands of commercial companies, and run according to market forces. In keeping with the austerity theme, this production - whose stars include Meera Syal, Damien Molony and Susan Brown - is performed on a bare, stripped-down stage, with minimal props. Author Bidisha gives the critical verdict.
Before becoming a novelist, Chris Morgan Jones worked for one of the world's largest business investigations agency, a job he has described as part detective, part spy. He has drawn on his experience of working with Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern governments and New York banks for his new thriller The Jackal's Share. Chris Morgan Jones discusses the rich seam that corporate espionage provides for novelists and how much of the shady underworld in his thriller is based on fact.
Producer: Claire Bartleet
THU 19:45 The Cazalets (b01qmxf9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
THU 20:00 Law in Action (b01qm2fy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Tuesday]
THU 20:30 The Bottom Line (b01qmxg6)
Business in Africa
The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion and spin to present a clearer view of the business world through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.
This week, Evan's three guests discuss the challenges of doing business in and out of Africa. It consists of 54 countries and has more than a billion people but the continent was a sleeping giant for decades. Now it's woken up and could it be on the verge of becoming the economic powerhouse of the 21st Century?
Evan is joined in the studio by Andrew Rugasira, CEO of the Ugandan coffee company Good African Coffee; Herman Chinery-Hesse, co-founder of the Ghanaian software company SOFTtribe and Rupert Soames, CEO of the temporary power specialists Aggreko.
THU 21:00 The Listeners (b01qm4p7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:00 on Tuesday]
THU 21:30 In Our Time (b01qmbsc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 21:58 Weather (b01qkty0)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qmxgl)
The Prime Minister has indicated that he's considering re-allocating some international development money to help fund peace-keeping and other defence-related operations abroad, Italians go to the polls this weekend to vote in an early general election and are French workers lazy? With Carolyn Quinn.
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b01qns5y)
An Artistic Streak
Written exclusively for Book at Bedtime by bestselling author, Deborah Moggach, a story about affairs of the heart in which overheard conversations reveal a surprise connection between two strangers.
Read by Robert Pugh and Alex Tregear
Produced by Gemma Jenkins.
THU 23:00 The Guns of Adam Riches (b01qnrn0)
Series 1
The Ballad of Big Rich
Brand new character comedy from 2011 Edinburgh Award winner, Adam Riches. With fast-paced, offbeat sketches, songs (there are no songs) and a generous dollop of audience interaction. Also starring Cariad Lloyd and Jim Johnson.
This week, Adam Riches takes the listener back to the Wild West to tell the story of Big Rich, a sass-talkin', gun-totin' cowboy who just so happened to have sat on the front row.
Written by Adam Riches
Produced by Simon Mayhew-Archer and Rupert Majendie.
THU 23:30 Sketchorama (b01kjt9h)
Series 1
Episode 3
Humphrey Ker with new sketch group talent from the circuit: The Three Englishmen, Max & Ivan and Frisky & Mannish. From July 2012.
FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2013
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b01qktyv)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
FRI 00:30 The Real George Orwell (b01qmbsf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b01qktyx)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b01qktyz)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b01qktz1)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b01qktz3)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b01qnt5k)
Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection presented by the Revd Johnston McKay.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b01qnt5m)
As more and more horses are being abandoned in England and Wales, the National Farmers Union is calling for ASBOs to be handed out to people who abandon horses on other people's land.
Schmallenberg has been found in European wildlife. A Belgian scientist says the situation should be monitored across the EU. The UK government says it has no plans to test wild animals here for the virus, but the Irish government has ordered tests to prevent the spread of the disease to farm animals.
The wet weather has left farmers with a dilemma as whether to plant or not in sodden ground. Sybil Ruscoe talked to one Warwickshire farmer who is considering abandoning his spring planting.
As lambing season continues, Farming Today talks to a very happy farmer who's ewe has given birth to very noisy quintuplet lambs.
Presenter Sybil Ruscoe. Producer Ruth Sanderson.
FRI 06:00 Today (b01qnt5p)
Morning news and current affairs with John Humphrys and Evan Davis, including:
0743
In a survey the charity Book Trust has found that only one father in eight reads to their children. Matt Haig, children's author and writer in residence at the Book Trust, and Viv Bird, chief executive of the charity, discuss whether fathers have time to read to their children.
0751
Police kept the organs and limbs of 89 dead children or teenagers, sometimes without telling their families for years, the BBC has discovered. Hannah Cheevers, whose baby's brain was retained by Dorset police for over ten years, outlines her experiences.
0810
Three men who planned to become suicide bombers and aspired to eclipse the 7 July and 9/11 atrocities have been found guilty of terrorism charges. The BBC's Midlands correspondent Phil Mackie reports and Jahan Mahmood, who works with young Muslim men in Birmingham on anti-radicalisation projects, and assistant chief constable Marcus Beale examine how the authorities are dealing with the terror threat in Birmingham.
0822
A new book published this week argues that guerrilla warfare is far from a modern development - and is in fact the oldest form of conflict. Max Boot, author of Invisible Armies: An Epic History of Guerrilla Warfare, and Sherard Cowper-coles, former British Ambassador to Afghanistan, discuss how armies are dealing with guerrilla tactics.
0831
The transcripts and annexes of the Pollard review at the BBC are expected to be published today. Dame Elizabeth Forgan, former managing director of BBC network radio, and Sir Gerry Robinson, businessman and former non-executive chairman of Allied Domecq, give analysis on communications between senior BBC figures.
FRI 09:00 Desert Island Discs (b01qkxb8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 The Real George Orwell (b01qnt5r)
Essays and Journalism
As I Please
In this final selection of pieces, Orwell explores gullibility in modern society, ridicules the absurdities of the New Year's Honours List, and recalls a minor incident from his youth which helped to form his socialist outlook.
Reader: Clive Merrison
Producer: David Jackson Young
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2003.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b01qnv2c)
Girl Guiding; Sharon Shannon; Nicola Shindler
The future for girl guiding; World renowned Irish folk musician and accordion player Sharon Shannon; Canadian female politicians; crime writer Cath Staincliffe; Power List member Nicola Shindler. Presenter: Jenni Murray.
FRI 10:45 The Cazalets (b01qnv2f)
Marking Time
Episode 5
by Elizabeth Jane Howard, dramatised by Lin Coghlan
Louise is home from drama school and insufferable, Polly is struggling with her parents being at loggerheads and Clary is about to receive the phone call she never wanted to hear.
Produced and directed by Sally Avens and Marion Nancarrow
Marking Time is the second of four compelling Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which together give a vivid insight into the lives, hopes and loves of three generations.
As Elizabeth Jane Howard enters her 90th Birthday year, Radio 4 are broadcasting dramatisations of all four novels between January and August 2013.
In the second series, the families' worst fears are realised as war breaks out. Rupert immediately decides he must join up, Edward will see what military work he can get, whilst Hugh - still suffering from injuries from the first war - has to settle with running the family firm. But it is the children who become the centre of the story, as Louise realises that her parents' marriage is not as happy as she had imagined, Clary is faced with the prospect of losing her beloved father and Polly must deal with her fear of war and a battle much closer to home. If only the adults would realise that they are not really children - but they seem stuck in some awful place where they must simply mark time.
FRI 11:00 The Crying Game (b01qnv2h)
Geoff Watts investigates why we cry and the peculiar purpose of tears.
Although many animal species cry vocally, the production of tears in response to emotion, both happy or sad, is a trait unique to humans. So why do we cry, and what could the evolutionary advantage be to producing tears in response to joy or despair?
The science on this topic has been surprisingly sparse until very recently, but now new research seems to be shedding some light on some common preconceptions about the effect and consequences of our tears. Does having a good cry make you feel better, for example, or do women really cry more than men? Researchers in Israel have even discovered that our tears may contain hidden messages triggering surprising responses in those who come into contact with them.
Geoff Watts gets the tissues ready as he investigates everything you ever wanted to know about weeping.
Producer: Alexandra Feachem
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013.
FRI 11:30 HR (b01qnv2k)
Series 4
Money
The return of Nigel Williams' hit comedy about an odd-couple of silver surfers. Starring Jonathan Pryce and Nicholas le Prevost. Sam has won the lottery after all. Will their lives change? A visit from the Lottery Man may provide some answers...
Sam ..... Nicholas le Prevost
Peter ..... Jonathan Pryce
Lottery Man ..... Tim McInnerny
Director: Peter Kavanagh.
FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b01qnrzt)
Scams, ski slopes and nuisance calls
The UK tourism industry is fighting to have the rate of VAT it pays reduced - we hear from Ireland and Switzerland to find out what difference the reduced rates paid there makes in attracting holiday-makers.
A chance to invest in a new financial scheme that would help people with learning difficulties looking to live in their own homes.
Why British tour companies will no longer be allowed to employ ski hosts to take customers round French resorts.
Where and on what we'll be watching our TV programmes in future..
And with a free nuisance call-blocking service available - does it make sense to pay for private companies offering something similar?
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Geoff Bird.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b01qktz5)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b01qnv2m)
Shaun Ley presents national and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
FRI 13:45 Head to Head (b01mhwss)
Series 4
Scientific Progress
Edward Stourton continues to revisit broadcast debates from the archives - exploring the ideas, the great minds behind them and echoes of the arguments today.
By 1971, Austrian Sir Karl Popper was already established as perhaps the greatest philosopher of science when he appeared on Dutch television. He sat opposite Nobel-winning neuroscientist Sir John Eccles to discuss the scientific method and its flaws. How did we know if a fact or theory was unquestionably true or not?
As a young man, the discoveries of Albert Einstein, which dislodged many of the basic "truths" of physics according to Newtonian laws, had impressed on him the fallibility of scientific experiments. The scientific community, he asserted, needed to look at problems from a very different perspective - using his theory of falsifiability. Eccles had, in fact, used this way of thinking to disprove his own theories.
So how can we differentiate between pseudo-science and real science? What is the role of science and scientists in the progress of mankind? And on to today - do these arguments still hold sway?
In the studio dissecting the debate is Colin Blakemore, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford; and Anthony O'Hear, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Buckingham.
Producer: Dom Byrne
A Blakeway production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b01qmxg0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Drama (b01qnv2p)
The Spare Room
Michael lives in Stephanie's spare room.
Michael knows everything about Stephanie.
He knows how many pairs of shoes she has. And how often she has sex.
But Stephanie doesn't know anything about Michael.
She doesn't know that he's an asylum seeker from Eritrea.
She doesn't know that Michael has recently had his last asylum claim refused, been evicted from his flat and lives on handout's from the local church.
And she definitely doesn't know that Michael lives in her spare room.
Until today.
Today Stephanie and Michael will meet for the first time.
The Spare Room is a 'Rapid Response' play (commissioned close to transmission) inspired by the Scottish Refugee Council's recent report (October 2012) stating that one in four asylum seekers in Britain will face destitution.
Stephanie Candida Benson
Michael Babou Ceesay
Police Hannah Wood and Michael Shelford
Written by Oliver Emanuel
Directed by Lu Kemp
Executive Producer Toby Swift.
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b01qnv2r)
Milton Keynes
Peter Gibbs chairs Radio 4's horticultural panel programme with gardeners in Milton Keynes. Chris Beardshaw, Bunny Guinness and Pippa Greenwood are on hand to answer the audience's queries.
Produced by Victoria Shepherd.
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
For more information on non-native, invasive species of plants please visit the DEFRA website here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/non-native
Q: Is it possible to grow peas in small window boxes? What type of seed do you need?
A: It's not easy but smaller varieties like Half Pint, Early Onward or Bingo could work. Use a soil-based compost and a potash feed-base, being careful to protect the plants from the wind and pigeons.
Q: Can you recommend some decorative, long-lasting, edible plants that we can use in our beds and planters for a competition?
A: Chards, lettuces, beans and sweet peas will work well and have a variety of fantastic colours and textures. Thinking laterally you could try nasturtiums, which have edible flowers, or amaranths ('Love Lies Bleeding'), which have edible foliage and seeds and can grow to an impressive three feet tall with wonderful red tails. Bigger vegetables such as the Peacock Tails kale variety are also very impressive.
Q: What are some good alternatives to paraffin heaters to heat a greenhouse?
A: Installing an electricity supply and buying an electric heater with a good quality thermostat will work best. It's not a cheap option but well worth the initial cost because it is far more efficient than paraffin heaters. You could also install a fan to help with the air circulation.
Q: I recently moved house leaving behind a Clematis 'Sealand Gem' that I would like in my new garden. I can't take the whole plant, so when is the best time to take cuttings?
A: It's hard to get a good success-rate taking cuttings from Clematis and even nurseries tend to just buy them in. If you take lots of inter-nodal cuttings from the soft growth you might have some success. Otherwise, try layering the plant in May or June and return next season to move the new growth - it takes longer but has a better success rate.
Q: I have a forty-year-old apple tree that has recently developed a strange reddish-orange rusty patch its on trunk. What is it, and how can it be treated?
A: It sounds like it's probably lichen growing on the bark - this is totally harmless.
Q: I have some fine rust-like seeds collected from a native orchid last summer, are they easy to grow?
A: They are often not too difficult to grow and have fairly high germination percentages, but they may take two years before they start to show. Remember: it's not a good idea to collect seeds from wild orchids.
Q: Gardens are often the subject for paintings. Do the panel have any garden-themed paintings on their walls?
Pippa: I have some wonderful pictures of irises that my mother painted. My daughter also does lots of paintings of flowers.
Bunny: My father gave me lots of Redouté prints of botanical drawings for our wedding that I have plastered all over the kitchen walls. We also have lots of posters of Italian gardens in glass frames.
Chris: I'm a fan of 'naive art' so my office is covered with loads of pictures by my children - including lots of flowers.
FRI 15:45 I Refuse (b01qnv2t)
Hamid in the Playhouse
New short story by the award-winning author Helen Dunmore. A woman in her sixties faces a terrible dilemma when she discovers a student from the neighbouring block of flats hiding in her grandson's playhouse: Hamid is wanted for questioning by the anti-terrorist squad.
This is the second in a series of three short stories commissioned to mark the centenary of the birth of the American Civil Rights heroine Rosa Parks, who famously refused to move seats on an Alabama bus to accommodate white passengers. The stories illustrate moments of resistance and are inspired by acts of determination and non-cooperation, committed by ordinary people (real or imagined) fighting against prevailing attitudes and political authority.
Read by Joanna Tope.
Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b01qnv9x)
A sitcom favourite, a philosopher of law, a founder of Scottish skiing and a singer-songwriter
Matthew Bannister on
The actor Richard Briers. We have tributes from the writer of The Good Life Bob Larbey and Richard's fellow actors Penelope Keith, Peter Egan and John Sessions.
Professor of Jurisprudence Ronald Dworkin who argued that judges should take account of morality when applying the law.
Eileen Fuchs who, with her husband Karl, pioneered skiing in Scotland
And Kevin Ayers, the critically acclaimed singer and songwriter who dropped out to live a bohemian life in the South of France. Mike Oldfield and Paul Morley pay tribute.
FRI 16:30 Feedback (b01qnv9z)
Scaremongering or top notch investigative journalism? We hear your views on the BBC's horsemeat coverage. Roger Bolton asks Sheila Dillon, food journalist and presenter of BBC Radio 4's Food Programme, and Jeremy Hayes, the editor of Farming Today and the Food Programme to address your questions and finds out about their approach to covering this complex story.
Also in this week's Feedback, is it ok to make jokes about Jimmy Savile on the BBC anymore, whether they are new jokes or from the BBC archives? Last weekend, BBC Radio 4 Extra aired an impression of Jimmy Savile from the 1980s in an archive programme - twice. We find out how this happened and ask David Jordan, the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, does the BBC censor the past?
7 million of us wake up to it on a weekly basis, so when the Today programme failed to appear last Monday, it's no wonder many Feedback listeners were thrown off kilter. As a result of industrial action, BBC Radio 4 replaced its usual news programmes like Today, The World at One and PM, with a selection of programmes including a 45 minute documentary about Pope Benedict XVI, re-runs of Soul Music and Loose Ends. We ask Radio 4's Head of Scheduling, Tony Pilgrim, how do you (temporarily) replace Humphrys and co.?
And when is bad language ok? Well, according to our inbox, when it's in Radio 4's broadcast of V. by Tony Harrison. The swearword-laden poem received its first ever radio broadcast last Monday, 25 years after it caused a media storm when it was first broadcast on Channel 4.
Plus.we have a listener story to warm the cockles.
Producer: Kate Taylor
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 17:00 PM (b01qnvb1)
Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Eddie Mair.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b01qktz7)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 18:30 The Now Show (b01qnvb3)
Series 39
Episode 2
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are joined by Cariad Lloyd, John Finnemore and Mitch Benn to present a comedic breakdown of the week's news. Produced by Colin Anderson.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b01qnvb5)
David's busy with lambing. Ruth tells him she finally caught up with Pip and tried to talk about her responsibilities to the farm, but it didn't go well. David later receives the same defensive response when he tries talking to Pip.
Lynda's upset to learn that Wolfgang had lesions on his lungs. Alistair recommends they do tests for TB. If positive, it would mean testing the other two llamas. It would also mean that any positive reactors would have to be put down. As Ambridge Hall adjoins Brookfield land, Lynda might want to advise David and Ruth what's happening. Robert thinks they should, but Lynda is reluctant.
Looking for work, Darrell is perturbed to meet Des, an old acquaintance who is now a foreman on a building job. Des tells Darrell there's no work for a chippy at the moment, but asks for Darrell's contact details. He's sure there'll be some work before long.
Neil enjoyed last night's cricket dinner but thinks it's a pity Chris had to miss it. Chris finally confides in Neil about Alice's hopes of moving to Canada. Neil can't believe it and asks what Chris will do if she's offered the job. Chris admits that he's scared. He really doesn't know what he'd do.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b01qnvb7)
Damien Hirst; To the Wonder
With John Wilson
Damien Hirst talks about humour in art, on the day that a limited edition of 50 signed prints of his diamond encrusted skull go on sale for Red Nose Day. Entitled, For The Love Of Comic Relief, the prints show the skull wearing a glittery red nose, and each is priced at £2500. All proceeds go to Comic Relief.
To The Wonder, a new film directed by Terrence Malick and starring Ben Affleck, explores themes of love and separation. Critic Briony Hanson reviews the latest art house film from the director who made his name with Badlands and Days Of Heaven.
American-born painter R.B. Kitaj was one of The School Of London: a group of artists, which included Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, who pioneered a new, figurative art. In 1994 a Tate exhibition of his work provoked a torrent of negative reviews, which Kitaj termed The Tate War. This, coupled with the sudden death of his wife, prompted him to leave London for Los Angeles a couple of years later. He died in 2007. Now, in the first major exhibition since then, two galleries are jointly displaying a retrospective of his paintings. Art critic Richard Cork joins John to consider Kitaj's work, and assess the rights and wrongs of The Tate War.
Director Marc Isaacs takes John down the stretch of the A5 which inspired his documentary The Road: A Story Of Life And Death. It tells the stories of immigrants who seek a better life in London - facing struggles, loneliness and sometimes tragedy. Starting at London's Marble Arch, Isaacs discusses the areas and characters he met, and how he made the film.
Producer Rebecca Nicholson.
FRI 19:45 The Cazalets (b01qnv2f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b01qnvb9)
Jeanette Winterson, Deborah Meaden, Mark Harper MP, Baroness Jan Royall
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from the Guildhall in Gloucester. Guests include Baroness Jan Royall Shadow Leader of the House of Lords, Mark Harper MP, writer Jeanette Winterson and Dragon and businesswoman Deborah Meaden.
FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b01qm2k4)
The Winter Queen
Lisa Jardine celebrates the achievements of Elizabeth of Bohemia, the "Winter Queen", and sees her relegation to the margins of history, "despite the pivotal role she played in international politics throughout much of the seventeenth century", as a reflection of our failure to recognise and value powerful women.
Producer: Sheila Cook.
FRI 21:00 Friday Drama (b00lxsqw)
The Song Thief
By Michael Chaplin
A young composer arrives in Northumberland, looking for an old man reputed to have written a hauntingly beautiful love song. The old man only sang it once - after his wife left him - and says he'll it sing it no more.
The composer embarks on a cold-hearted campaign to make the old man's daughter fall in love with him.
In the long summers of Edwardian England, a stream of educated young men trickled out of London and meandered into the country. Composers and musicologists, they carried with them specially-adapted phonographs and a missionary zeal to excavate their country's unrecorded folk culture - the songs of the mill, market and meadow - and by embellishment turn it into high art. They included men - Vaughan Williams, Delius and Percy Grainger - who became famous for their "discoveries". While with a passion for this lost music, they were also aware it might make their careers. Some might call it homage, others theft.
This play draws on this story to follow one man's quest for his holy grail - a mythically beautiful song written by a Northumbrian shepherd in praise of the wife who abandoned him. It leads him in his turn to other betrayals -of his own values and the shepherd's daughter who tries to help him.
Entwined around two love stories and the beautiful song that joins them, this is a play about music - its capacity to redeem and corrupt - and the vexed question of who owns it.
Concertina/Fiddle Sheena Masson
Directed by Marilyn Imrie
Produced by Catherine Bailey
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b01qktz9)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b01qnvbc)
Round-up of the day's news, with Roger Hearing in London and David Eades at the Italian elections in Rome.
Tonight - will Berlusconi win Italy's "austerity election" ?
Was the judge right to give Oscar Pistorius bail ?
Should the BBC have published the Pollard transcripts ?
- and meet the poet who's the first Briton to be elected into one of the most exclusive clubs in France.
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b01qnvdv)
Take Notice
Adam Thorpe's story appears in a new anthology Beacons, which reflects on a whole host of ecological concerns. At the old house, Gus is confronted by a white suited stanger, intent on bringing up the past - Gus's past, that is..
Reader Oliver Ford Davies
Abridged and produced by Duncan Minshull.
FRI 23:00 A Good Read (b01qm4pk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:30 Sketchorama (b01ks53l)
Series 1
Episode 4
Award-winning character comedian and doyen of sketch comedy Humphrey Ker presents the pick of the best live sketch groups currently performing on the UK comedy circuit in this brand new showcase - with character, improv, broken and musical sketch comedy.
Humphrey Ker is himself an established sketch performer, writer, actor and comedian who won the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh festival in 2011. For five years he was part of the much-loved sketch trio The Penny Dreadfuls, with whom he wrote and performed in a string of Edinburgh festival smashes, two series on BBC7 and two plays for Radio 4.
The sketch groups featured in episode four of Sketchorama are:
How Do I Get Up There? Scotland's fastest rising sketch group heralding a new era for Scottish comedy. In 2010, the boys made the final of the "Take The Mic" competition at the Edinburgh Festival, and in 2011 enjoyed their Fringe debut show. They also progressed to the finals of the prestigious New Act of The Year competition at the Barbican in London.
The Ginge, The Geordie and The Geek. Since making their debut in 2009, this group featuring Graeme Rooney, Paul Charlton and Kevin O'Loughlin have established themselves as Fringe favourites and sold 10,000 tickets for their 2011 show.
Pappy's. A multi award winning sketch team consisting of comedians Ben Clark, Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry. Established in 2004, Pappy's are firm favourites on the UK live comedy circuit with their hyper-energetic, gag filled monster of a stage presence.
Producer: Gus Beattie
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4.