TUESDAY 15 DECEMBER 2020

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (m000qbn0)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 00:30 A Promised Land by Barack Obama (m000qh4t)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m000qbn2)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m000qbn4)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m000qbn6)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (m000qbn8)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m000qbnb)
Good morning – and it’s now ten shopping days before Christmas, so I hope your plans and purchases are well in hand. But many of us already know this Christmas isn’t going to be the kind of shopping bonanza most retailers were hoping for after all the recent restrictions. Lots of people simply don’t have the money to go out spending, whatever the bargains currently on offer, while others are asking themselves what’s the point of buying new things which they don’t need or new clothes which they’re not going to be able to go out and wear. There’s already evidence of reduced levels of borrowing reflecting a lack of confidence as people look to build up savings to be ready for whatever the future may bring.

But maybe there’s also a brighter side to this. Alongside our coronavirus fears there’s a growing awareness and concern about climate change. This week marks 5 years since the Paris climate agreement at which governments and businesses committed themselves to binding targets to reduce carbon emissions. Sadly, the planned COP26 Conference in Glasgow has had to be postponed for a year, but the pressure to reduce carbon emissions has only increased. One of the key factors driving this is the growth of ethical investment, the commitment of individual savers and fund managers to put their money not just where they can get the best return, but where socially engaged businesses can best preserve the earth’s resources. It’s about investing not just for a financial future but in the future of the planet. And investing in the future is a present we can all share this Christmas – and indeed anytime.

Heavenly Father, In our Christmas services we hear how you so loved the world that you spared not your only Son; help us in our planning not to lose sight of just how precious is the world he came to share and to save; for Christ’s sake, Amen.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (m000qbnd)
The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.


TUE 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b08yn32k)
Eleanor Matthews on the Magpie

Writer Eleanor Matthews recalls how the magpie came into her life at a time of change for Tweet of the Day.

Tweet of the Day has captivated the Radio 4 audience with its daily 90 seconds of birdsong. But what of the listener to this avian chorus? In this new series of Tweet of the Day, we bring to the airwaves the conversational voices of those who listen to and are inspired by birds. Building on the previous series, a more informal approach to learning alongside a renewed emphasis on encounter with nature and reflection in our relationship with the natural world.

Producer Eliza Lomas.


TUE 06:00 Today (m000q9f1)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


TUE 09:00 Soul Music (m000q9f5)
Sunshine on Leith

"While I'm worth my room on this earth......"

Sunshine on Leith was released in 1988 but didn't become the big hit The Proclaimers had hoped for. However it has endured and become an anthem of love and a celebration of life. It is the song played at Hibs FC matches and has come to symbolise the sense of community felt by supporters. Margaret Alcorn recalls how she and her husband were involved in the Hibs Supporters Club organising and taking part in social events for local people in Leith. When their club came under threat from a merger with rival Edinburgh team Hearts she and her husband worked tirelessly to preserve it. Craig and Charlie Reid played a benefit concert for the Club. Sunshine on Leith became the song that expressed the emotions of the fans during that time and has remained the song they still sing at the football ground. When her husband passed away the song played at his funeral was Sunshine on Leith.
Musician Ross Wilson grew up in Leith and is also a passionate Hibs Supporter. The feelings of comfort and solidarity he experiences at home games led him to create his own version of the song which he performed with a choir to celebrate one of his favourite songs that reminds him of home and that he calls true soul music.
Melinda Tetley's family would always sing Proclaimers songs at home in Edinburgh while her three children were growing up. But when her teenage son fell ill with leukemia Sunshine on Leith took on a special significance for them culminating in a spontaneous joyful singalong on a walk along a lochside.
The human rights lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith is a big fan of The Proclaimers and remembers seeing them perform Sunshine on Leith in New Orleans just days after 9/11 to an audience of exactly eight people - half of whom were the prosecuting team in a Death Row murder case he was defending. And musicologist Dave Robb who toured with The Proclaimers explains the song's lasting emotional appeal and spiritual beauty.

Producer: Maggie Ayre


TUE 09:30 In Their Element (m000ckvj)
Series 4

Silver

Andrea Sella, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at University College London, explores the art and science of silver. Nina Gilbey at the London Jewellery Workshop teaches him how to work the metal and make a silver ring, and at the Science Museum he admires the handiwork of silversmiths who fashioned an elaborate microscope for King George the Third.

Rupert Cole, Curator of Chemistry at the Science Museum, shows Andrea a silver thimble that was used (with some zinc and a few drops of an acid) to generate an electric current that was sent through a transatlantic telegraph cable in 1866. And Andrea finds out about silver's antibacterial properties from Jean-Yves Maillard, Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at Cardiff University.


TUE 09:45 A Promised Land by Barack Obama (m000qh4w)
Ep 2 - Hard Times on the Campaign Trail

Former President Barack Obama reads from the first volume of his presidential memoirs. Today in Springfield Illinois he announces his candidacy for presidency eleven months before the final Democratic nominations take place. Up against Hillary Clinton he has to confront the sheer magnitude of the grind, sixteen hour days, life on the road and endless motels. But the results in Iowa are ‘seismic’ as he has mobilised the Black vote. His rallies take on ‘rock star’ proportions which also means his security detail is now round the clock. He becomes aware of the pitfalls of his increasing popularity, but the notion of getting into the White House is now within his grasp.

Elected in 2008, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States and the first African American to sit in the Oval Office. A Promised Land offers a unique and deeply personal account of his campaign to get elected and some of the landmarks of his first term. From the grind of campaigning to the Inauguration, through the financial crisis and fight for the Affordable Care Act, to his place on the world stage, Obama also reveals the private moments of self-doubt.

This book charts the unrelenting demands on the President of the USA, and threaded through it all he gives tantalising glimpses of family life with Michelle, Malia and Sasha at one of the world’s most famous addresses.

Abridged by Katrin Williams.
Produced by Julian Wilkinson; the editor is Di Speirs.


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (m000q9f9)
The programme that offers a female perspective on the world


TUE 10:45 Curious Under the Stars (m000q9fc)
The Writer

The Writer, Part 2

By Annamaria Murphy

Second in the final series of the magical drama set in Glan Don, a mysterious village perched on the wild Welsh coast.

Preparations are made for the re-opening of the Druid's Rest, but what's wrong with Matty?

Starring Elis James (Josh), Emma Sidi (Pls Like) and Ifan Huw Dafydd (Gavin and Stacey).

Curious Under the Stars was created in 2015 by writer Meic Povey, who breathed life into the magical village of Glan Don. After his death in 2017, writers Annamaria Murphy and Alan Harris have continued to chart the courses of Gareth, Diane and a host of mythic characters. Now, eleven series later, the story of Curious Under the Stars is coming to an end.

All series of Curious Under the Stars are available on BBC Sounds.

Gareth.... Elis James
Diane.... Emma Sidi
Emlyn..... Ifan Huw Dafydd
Megan.... Aimee Ffion Edwards
Matty.... Siw Hughes
Anwen.... Juno Robinson

Series created by Meic Povey
Directed by James Robinson
A BBC Cymru Wales Production


TUE 11:00 Don't Log Off (m000q9ff)
Series 12

Searching For Hope

Alan Dein searches for the stories that connect us in a changed world. Inspiring and moving accounts of how the pandemic has changed people's lives on every continent.

Today, Liana in Armenia celebrates her 30th birthday as her country finds itself at war with Azerbaijan - as well as covid-19.

We also catch up with 25 year old entrepreneur Fahad in Bangladesh, who Alan first spoke to in March when it looked like he might lose his hard-earned fortune.

Plus, Ugandan midwife Marion faces the toughest year of her career and Fish in China describes how lockdown is affecting her fellow students’ mental health.

Producers: Sarah Shebbeare & Laurence Grissell


TUE 11:30 When Will Theatre Come Black? (m000q9fh)
As the sector rebuilds in the wake of Covid-19, theatre critic and poet Bridget Minamore imagines a new future for Black British theatre.

Setting out her vision, Bridget asks if the confluence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the devastating impact of the pandemic on the theatre industry might be an opportunity to build a more egalitarian theatre sector with greater opportunity for black makers, performers, backstage workers, and audiences - and, as a consequence, for other marginalised groups.

For over 100 years, Black theatre groups have worked on the periphery of the industry, while making work that moved the conversation around race and representation forward. What can this history of creating in the face of adversity tell us now about the future of theatre?

Talking to those working on the frontiers of the contemporary scene, Bridget explores whether black theatre workers could be empowered to build alternatives to the establishment, and end the uneasy and often gestural culture of diversity schemes that many feel stand in place of genuine change and opportunity.

Right now, the fear in the industry is that the panic to save venues and companies will lead to a new conservatism, and risk-averse programming (for 'safe' read 'white'), reversing some of the hard won gains made by black and minority ethnic professionals in theatre in recent years - not to mention those from queer, disabled and other identities deemed peripheral.

So - Bridget asks - could this response be countered with a fresh attitude to what is 'safe' to attract audiences?

With reflections from voices across theatre including, Tobi Kyeremateng, Kwame Kwei Armah, Lynette Gordon, Paulette Randall MBE and Roy Alexander Weise MBE, Jasmine Lee Jones and more.

A Boom Shakalaka production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 12:00 News Summary (m000q9w0)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 12:04 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (m000q9fm)
Episode 7

Between life and death there is a library - The Midnight Library.

Nora Seed finds herself there and discovers that each book in the Midnight Library is an opportunity - to explore the lives she might now lead if she had acted differently, and to undo her regrets (of which she has many).

None of these lives is what she imagined.

As the librarian in The Midnight Library tells her, ‘Sometimes the only way to learn is to live.’ But what is the best way for Nora to live?

Episode Seven
Nora explores the life in which she sings and writes songs for the best-selling rock band The Labyrinths.

Matt Haig is the bestselling author of Reasons To Stay Alive and Notes On A Nervous Planet. An award-winning writer of books for children and young adults, he has written seven novels for adults. The Midnight Library was published in July 2017.

Writer: Matt Haig
Reader: Bryony Hannah
Abridger: Jeremy Osborne
Producer: Jeremy Osborne

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 12:18 You and Yours (m000q9fp)
News and discussion of consumer affairs


TUE 12:57 Weather (m000q9fr)
The latest weather forecast


TUE 13:00 World at One (m000q9ft)
Mon-Thurs: Analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Sarah Montague. Fri: Analysis of news and current affairs, presented by Mark Mardell.


TUE 13:45 Arthur Cares (m000q9fw)
Kash

You are not the work you do, you are the person you are. For Kash, this year has been one of reflection, and he's ready for a change in direction. But how does he tell his dad? Maybe Arthur can help....

In 2019, in a documentary for Radio 4, 11-year-old Arthur tried to fix his dad’s life. We heard how Arthur likes dinosaurs and plays the cello. His dad, Babak, avoids the gym, drinks and has panic attacks. For three weeks, Arthur set about trying to improve his dad’s life, tackling health, a messy flat and the biggest challenge - how to ride a bike.

Arthur now 12, about to turn 13, wants to help more people. He is still wise beyond his years, his self-deprecating comedic humility balances the seriousness of life. Five people, with minor problems, are looking for Arthur’s advice.

Perhaps there has never been a greater need for guidance. Self-help fills bookshops, conference rooms, gyms and therapist offices - telling people to help themselves is big business. And yet, somehow, this doesn't seem to work.

Perhaps the real guidance can come from the idealistic mind of Arthur? Welcome to Arthur Cares!

Produced by Barney Rowntree
Research by Tess Davidson
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 14:00 The Archers (m000q9fy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama (m000q9g0)
Dot and the Russian Dossier

By Ed Harris

May, 1941. The future of the war hangs in the balance, and Dot has been selected for a most perilous mission. Ed Harris' witty wartime comedy sees Dot casting off the shackles of her desk job in the personnel department in Whitehall's War Rooms and entering the field of conflict. Disguise, deception and dastardly doings await.

Dot . . . . . Fenella Woolgar
Myrtle . . . . . Kate O'Flynn
Peabody . . . . . David Acton
Archie . . . . . Carl Prekopp
Sister Frances . . . . . Clare Corbett

Editing . . . . . Peter Ringrose

Director . . . . . Sasha Yevtushenko


TUE 15:00 Short Cuts (m000q9g2)
The Caretakers

Short documentaries and audio adventures on considering parenthood, modern caretakers and re-imagining the places we love. With Josie Long.

Production team: Andrea Rangecroft
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 15:30 The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry (m000q9g4)
Series 17

The Martian Mission

What would it take for humans to live permanently on Mars? asks Martin in Weston-super-Mare, UK. The doctors dig into requirements and possibilities of a long-term Martian outpost.

We know that many missions to Mars have failed, for a range of reasons – malfunctions, crashes and even a mix-up between imperial and metric units. Getting to Mars – let alone decelerating from 30,000 miles per hour to a safe landing speed in about seven minutes – is not straightforward. Aerospace engineer Anita Sengupta helped land NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. She knows first-hand the challenges of putting a robot on the red planet.

But getting robots to Mars is an easier proposition than doing the same for humans. Even if we work out how to survive the radiation exposure on the eight-month journey and the pulverising descent, Mars’ surface isn’t easily habitable. Principal investigator for NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) Bruce Jakosky describes the conditions on Mars: Freezing, with an atmosphere containing mostly carbon dioxide and very little water, and subject to annual global dust storms.

However, this isn’t deterring space agencies and private companies from researching the challenge. The European Space Agency and Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems focussed on finding out the physiological and psychological tolls by selecting six candidates to spend 520 days in a simulated spacecraft and landing module. Diego Urbina explains the personal challenge of taking part in the Mars500 experiment.

Some private company owners have gone even further. As well as making technology based on the current physical conditions, could those constraints themselves be altered? Could Mars be terraformed, or warmed, for easier human survival? Bruce Jakosky shares just what that would take – and compares these requirements with what’s actually available.

Presenters: Hannah Fry & Adam Rutherford
Producer: Jen Whyntie
A BBC Audio Science Unit production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 16:00 Living British (m000q9g6)
Adrian Chiles tries to eat, drink, wear and travel British for a week. As the UK prepares for the end of the transition period with the EU and during a global pandemic, what we consume and where it comes from has never felt so relevant. So how self-sufficient are we and does it matter?

As a vegetarian, Adrian is hoping food will be the least challenging tasks of the week. But many of the staples in his cupboards and fridge have to go and there’s a long list of produce where the provenance is unclear. He heads to his local shops and one of the big supermarkets to find out what actually is British and plan his week’s menu. He also talks to other consumers about what’s in their totes and trolleys. Traditionally brand allegiance, quality and price have been more of a motivator than provenance. Will Brexit and a global pandemic change our buying habits?

Getting dressed poses further problems. Adrian buys most of his clothes from high street British retailers but practically nothing in his closet is made in the UK. Adrian speaks to industry insiders to find out what’s left of Britain’s clothing industry. And does buying British mean buying ethically?

Travelling brings new obstacles and he’s got to get to work in Manchester, Bradford and central London. Adrian’s Yamaha bike, BMX and German car aren’t an option. He looks at public transport and asks if there is a wholly British car left to drive. Where can we legitimately stamp ‘Made in Britain’?

The British industry of today is not as big, simple or as visible as it once was. Much of what we export is less tangible, like financial and IT services, or not vital to a daily existence - as Adrian discovers in his avocado-free week. Does that matter? Should focus stay on the service industry or do we need to boost domestic production in these unprecedented and uncertain times.

It’s not just a week of denial and gloom and doom. Throughout the week, Adrian’s diet improves as he makes new home-grown culinary discoveries. And glossing over the fact that his electronic devices are made in China, there’s no shortage of home-grown music and TV. All of which can be consumed with a whisky, beer, cider or even wine.

Producer: Henrietta Harrison
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 16:30 Great Lives (m000q8pq)
David Spiegelhalter on Frank Ramsey

Frank Plumpton Ramsey contributed original ideas to the fields of logic, mathematics, economics and philosophy. He was a friend and respected interlocutor of Keynes, Wittgenstein, Russell and Moore, who considered him to be one of the sharpest minds around. His contributions are all the more remarkable given that he only lived to be 26.

Matthew Parris and David Spiegelhalter are joined by Cheryl Misak, author of "Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers".

Producer: Ellie Richold


TUE 17:00 PM (m000q9g8)
Afternoon news and current affairs programme, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m000q9gd)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 18:30 Help! My Head's in Wookey Hole (m000gc4l)
Anneka Rice goes on the hunt for her Madame Tussaud's waxwork head. This leads her into a hilarious and honest look back at her own life and career.

It's time to ask some tough questions. Why did she even have a waxwork in the first place? Is it because she was once famous? And does that mean she is now 'unfamous'?

Producer: Harriet Jaine
A Talkback production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 19:00 The Archers (m000q8z3)
Philip’s making plans and Kirsty’s looking forward to Christmas.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (m000q9gg)
Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music


TUE 19:45 Curious Under the Stars (m000q9fc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:45 today]


TUE 20:00 Scientists in the Spotlight (m000q9gj)
Since the pandemic hit, scientists have been in the media spotlight and generating headlines daily. Never before have so many of us been exposed to so much science and, a year on, our insatiable appetite for science shows no sign of diminishing. Clinical trials for different vaccines are reported as if they were matches in the football Premier League, with live updates every time a particular vaccine makes it through to the next round; and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer talks about penalty shoot outs to describe the state of play. Epidemiology, immunity and the molecular mechanics of different vaccines are widely discussed. New words have entered the general lexicon: R numbers, T-cells and even, mRNA.

Not so long ago, most scientists struggled to get any media attention. In 2020, everyone wants to know what ‘the scientists’ know. Jim Al-Khalili looks back on a year when more scientists than ever have become public figures and explores how the relationship between science and the media has changed during the pandemic. He talks to scientists about some of the personal challenges they have faced, working harder than ever to further our understanding of the virus and being bombarded by the media for interviews or comments. Some have been caught in the headlights. Others have stepped into the footlights. All have been caught up in a highly politicised set of conversations, often with commercial implications. And the fact that everyone is now an expert has created a new set of challenges.

What does it feel like to see yourself, as a scientist, quoted on the front page of a newspaper saying ‘I haven’t got the foggiest notion’. Or be hounded by abusive trolls on Twitter? Even seasoned science communicators have had to learn new skills. In the words of one: “when a presenter asks on live TV, ‘so that’s good news’ isn’t it?’ and it is broadly true, do you just say ‘yes’? Or do you launch into a long list of caveats and conditions?”. How can our chronic desire for certainty be reconciled with the cautious way in which science proceeds?

Scientific knowledge is always provisional and uncertain and this is particularly true with a virus that has never been seen before and an evolving epidemic. Science self-corrects and weeds out findings that don’t stand up. The evidence base grows and, it’s hoped, crystallizes into a consensus over time. We may look to science for certainty (all the more so during uncertain times) but there is no magic moment when scientists can announce with absolute certainty that ‘this is how it is’.

During the pandemic, science is being reported in real time, revealing all the ups and downs on the bumpy road to discovery. Papers shared on pre-print servers are now breaking news, before they have been peer-reviewed. Does this risk undermining our faith in science? Or could the lasting legacy of the pandemic be a much greater appreciation of the true nature of scientific knowledge and how it’s formed? Can good journalism help science to progress by synthesising scientific findings and interpreting what they mean? The narratives that are created in the media can help us all to understand what’s going on, scientists included.

Amid all the frustration and misunderstanding on both sides perhaps a new way of scientists engaging with the public has been forged. Jim Al-Khalili asks researchers, journalists and editors if, during these difficult times, the relationship between science and the media has finally come of age.

Producer: Anna Buckley


TUE 20:40 In Touch (m000q9gl)
News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted


TUE 21:00 All in the Mind (m000q8z7)
Programme exploring the limits and potential of the human mind


TUE 21:30 Soul Music (m000q9f5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (m000q9gn)
In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspective


TUE 22:45 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (m000q9fm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 today]


TUE 23:00 Date Night (m00035wh)
Episode 2

Semi-improvised comedy show written and performed by Marc Wootton with Catherine Tate, Monica Dolan, Katherine Parkinson, Hammed Animashaun, Ellie White and Jamie Demetriou. Together they portray a series of couples all embracing the modern phenomenon of date night.

DATE NIGHT, noun: A pre-arranged occasion when a couple who have been together for a long time commit to a regular night out in order to keep their relationship alive.

The series follows a collection of couples who are desperately trying to keep their relationship functioning by creating a weekly date night intervention. For some, the relationship is already broken, for others it's their pre-emptive strike in the hope of new-found longevity. More often than not, the stakes are high, involving children, careers and homes.

Date Night is written and created by Marc Wootton whose previous credits include High & Dry (Ch4), La La Land (Showtime), Shirley Ghostman (BBC) and My New Best Friend (Ch4).

Cast:
Terry/Richard/Fiona/Rob ….. Marc Wootton
Terri ….. Catherine Tate
Maddy ….. Katherine Parkinson
Jamali ….. Hammed Animashaun
Rita ….. Ellie White
Gary ….. Jamie Demetriou
Narrator ...... Fi Glover

Sound Designers: David Chilton and Lucinda Mason Brown
Assistant Producer: James Peak
Producer: Anna Madley

A Black Hat production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (m000q9gq)
News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament