SATURDAY 07 JUNE 2025

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m002czqd)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:30 Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth (m002cznv)
Episode 5

In 2011, a young wolf named Slavc set out from Slovenia, only a few months after researchers had trapped and fitted him with a GPS collar. Remarkably, they were able to follow his journey in waypoints transmitted every 190 minutes, as he travelled well over a thousand miles through mountains and wooded valleys, arriving four months later on the Lessinian plateau, north of Verona.

There had been no wolves in northern Italy for a century, but here fate intervened and he met a female wolf on a walkabout of her own. A decade later and there are more than a hundred wolves back in the area, the result of their remarkable meeting.

In Lone Wolf, Adam Weymouth walks Slavc's path, using the GPS route to make the journey as the wolf had made it. Along the way he examines the changes facing these wild corners of Europe. Here, the call to protect and rewild meets the urge to preserve culture and tradition. In local and regional politics, a fierce nationalism has risen up in opposition to globalisation; climate change in Europe and beyond is radically changing lives; and migrants, too, in response to these changes are also on the move.

The result is a multifaceted account of a region caught in a moment of kaleidoscopic flux.

Adam Weymouth’s first book, Kings of the Yukon, tells the story of his 2000-mile canoe trip across Alaska. It won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, the Lonely Planet/ Stanfords Adventure Travel Book of the Year and the Prix Paul-Emile Victor.

Sound Effects Credit: The recording ‘Lone Wolf Howls in Winter Night’ was made in 2024, by the Croatian producer and field recordist Ivo Vicic and used by permission.

Written by Adam Weymouth
Read by Tom Mothersdale
Abridged and produced by Jill Waters
The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002czqg)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002czqj)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


SAT 05:30 News Summary (m002czql)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002czqn)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002czqq)
Desiderata

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Julia Loveless

Good morning.

The desiderata is a piece of prose poetry published by Max Ehrman in 1927. Though it was written almost 100 years ago, it offers incredibly fitting challenges to my life today. It begins: “go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.” In this, I hear echoes of Jesus’ teaching and His way of life; often stealing away to "a quiet place to pray” or in teaching those explosive words: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” How could I, today, take a step towards silence and solitude - despite the constant, enticing call of my phone, to do lists and my self-focussed goals. To breathe in the stillness and allow myself to be invited into a bigger, kinder perspective.

How could I allow my relationships to be challenged - to move my heart towards my enemies and those I find hardest to love? Perhaps it is as simple as taking 10 minutes on the bus-commute to put down the phone and pray for others. Perhaps it involves choosing to walk home instead of getting a taxi or to stand in the longest queue at the supermarket; deliberately allowing my choices to slow my pace and fight the constant need for hustle and haste.

God; lead me in your ways - show me the peace found in silence and the gift of reconciliation with my fellow man. As Paul the apostle commended us; if possible, so far as it depends on me, help me “to live peaceably with all”.

Amen.


SAT 05:45 Child (p0hhrs3x)
Series 1

22. Baby Food

Baby food is about so much more than mashed carrot. It’s another important foundation for the rest of the child’s life. But it isn’t an equal playing field and it’s another minefield of parenting.

India Rakusen talks to feeding specialist Kim Grenawitzke about the importance of learning to eat, and how to introduce solids. Historian Amy Bentley describes how the rise of commercial baby food affected parenting and babies, and Dr Vicky Sibson from First Steps Nutrition takes us down the baby food aisle.

Presented by India Rakusen
Producer: India Rakusen
Series Producer: Ellie Sans
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon
Mix and Mastering by Charlie Brandon-King

A Listen production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m002d9bd)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.


SAT 06:07 Ramblings (m002d1c5)
Living on the Camino de Santiago

Clare meets a man who completely changed his life after walking the Camino de Santiago. Andrea Abbatemarco is originally from Milan, and first completed The Way in 2005 in memory of a friend who died a year earlier in the Indian Ocean tsunami. A few years later, he walked it again with his girlfriend and just a matter of months after returning to Italy, they packed up their lives, bought a house along the Camino, and now run a hostel for pilgrims.

The Camino de Santiago is a network of footpaths that run across western Europe, all converging upon the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. One of these trails is the Sanabrés which begins in Granja de Moreruela and stretches for around 225 miles to Santiago de Compostela.

Clare met Andrea on the Sanabrés, around 30km out of Santiago where he runs Casa Leiras, an Albergue, or hostel, specifically designed for Camino pilgrims.

Joining them is Manni Coe, a guide who leads walks on the Sanabrés, who's known Andrea for years. Manni also featured in episode one of this series which is entirely themed around the Camino.

Presenter: Clare Balding
Producer: Karen Gregor


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m002d9bg)
07/06/25 Farming Today This Week: Farm incomes up, agri-tech innovation, Welsh Agriculture Bill, Open Farm Sunday, Namayasai

Eggs up, wheat down: what’s made the most cash for farmers?

The Welsh government's plan to protect the environment, increase biodiversity and punish polluters.

And warnings of innovation brain drain without more investment in agri-tech.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


SAT 06:57 Weather (m002d9bj)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 07:00 Today (m002d9bl)
Today (Saturday)


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m002d9bn)
David Baddiel, Leyla Kazim, Mikey Please, Suzi Ruffell

A man who serves up laughs and heart in equal measure - teller of stories David Baddiel is a comedian, author, screenwriter and presenter who has most recently taken inspiration from the humble burger.

Mikey Please is the BAFTA winning short film maker. His stop-motion magic with Aardman Studios conjured the Oscar-nominated Robin Robin and has just won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

And fresh from one of her many eating sprees, the globe-trotting foodie and sustainability sage Leyla Kazim joins us. The Food Programme presenter and judge on MasterChef reveals why she is relocating to Portugal for some ‘purposeful living’.

All that plus we have the supreme Inheritance Tracks of comedian - and now memoirist - Suzi Ruffell.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay
Producer: Catherine Powell


SAT 10:00 Curious Cases (m002c71c)
Series 23

Colossal Creatures

How big can animals really get before they collapse under their own weight or run out of snacks? Could a 12-foot comedian survive their first punchline without snapping in half? Listener Andrew sends Hannah and Dara on a deep dive into the science of supersized species.

With evolutionary biologists Ben Garrod and Tori Herridge as their guides, they explore the quirky rules of scaling: why giant bones need air pockets, how pressure stockings aren’t just stylish but essential, and why massive creatures have to choose between inefficient chewing or letting dinner ferment in their cavernous stomachs.

Discover why scaling up a mouse would turn it into a blood-boiling disaster and learn the curious logic behind whether the meat bear should eat the two meat dogs, or vice versa (it’s a maths thing…you’ll have to listen). Oh, and here’s the weird constant: whether you’re a mouse or an elephant, everyone takes roughly the same time to pee!

Join Hannah and Dara for a colossal romp through the wild world of ancient giants and the gross super blobs of the (possible) future.

Contributors:

Tori Herridge - Senior Lecturer in evolutionary biology at the University of Sheffield
Ben Garrod - Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Science Engagement at the University of East Anglia
Martin Sander - Professor of Palaeontology at the University of Bonn

Producer: Ilan Goodman
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Audio Production


SAT 10:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m002d9bq)
Series 48

Shepherd's Bush

Jay Rayner and the panel are in Shepherd's Bush, London answering questions on chilli oil and of course, shepherd's pie. Joining Jay are chefs, cooks and food writers Tim Anderson, Nisha Katona and Jeremy Pang, and materials expert Dr Zoe Laughlin.

The panellists suggest what to cook with six types of aubergine, their methods for making crispy chilli oil at home, and whether purchasing a steam oven is a good idea. They also share their go-to store cupboard recipes and the most fool proof method of constructing the perfect shepherd's pie.

Produced by Dominic Tyerman
Assistant producer: Rahnee Prescod.

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m002d9bs)
George Parker, the political editor of the Financial Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

Following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, George discusses the recommendations made in the Report with its main author, the Labour peer Lord Robertson, who is a former secretary general of NATO and a former Labour defence secretary and with Penny Mordaunt, the former Conservative defence secretary.

Amid mounting concern at Westminster over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, George is joined by Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale and Labour MP Jon Pearce, the chair of Labour Friends of Israel, to discuss the latest.

To discuss the results of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election in Scotland, George brings together Jamie McGuire, who was a Labour councillor until he defected, a few days ago, to Reform UK and Kezia Dugdale, a former leader of the Scottish Labour Party who is now at the Centre for Public Policy at Glasgow University.

And, finally, ahead of next week's Spending Review, George speaks to crossbench peer, Lord Macpherson, who was the Permanent Secretary at the Treasury and to Conservative peer and former Cabinet Minister Michael Gove, who is the editor of the Spectator magazine.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002d88z)
Ukraine's 'Operation Spider's Web'

Kate Adie introduces stories from Ukraine, Chile, Indonesia, and France.

Ukraine’s audacious drone raid on Russian airbases was met with disbelief that such an attack was even possible. Operation ‘Spider’s Web’ was 18 months in the planning, and caused huge damage to Russia's bomber fleet. But as Paul Adams discovered, civilians in Kyiv are uneasy about celebrating this success, fearful of how Russia might respond.

Approximately one fifth of Ukraine is currently under Russian occupation. Russia doesn’t allow foreign journalists to enter the occupied territories, but the BBC’s Olga Malchevska has been corresponding in secret with Ukrainian civilians in Crimea, through which she learned of the risks they face for small acts of resistance.

During the rule of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in the 70s and 80s, thousands of babies were illegally kidnapped and adopted by couples abroad. Today, many of Chile’s ‘stolen children’ are in a race against time to trace their aging mothers. Jane Chambers was there as one mother and daughter reunited.

The coral reefs of Raja Ampat in Indonesia are among the most beautiful on Earth, but last year suffered a mass bleaching event which left reefs in some regions resembling white desert plains. Mark Stratton reports from West Papua where locals are worried that over-tourism is making the reefs even more vulnerable.

And we’re in Normandy in Northern France, where this week the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings was commemorated. Each year, commemorations take on greater significance as the number of war veterans able to attend declines. Ash Bhardwarj visited one village keeping their memory alive.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SAT 12:00 News Summary (m002d9bv)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 12:04 Money Box (m002d88x)
Water Bills and How to Save?

New research, seen exclusively by Money Box, suggests a third of households in England and Wales are trying to cut the amount of water they use to help reduce their bills. The research comes from the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol which worked with the Financial Fairness Trust to speak to 6,000 households about their money situation. On water bills, 34% said they're using less to try to cut their bills with around 30% saying their bills have increased "a lot" over the past 6 months. What can people do to bring their bills down?

Some major mortgage lenders have been relaxing their lending rules to make it easier for people to borrow the money to buy a home. They have been encouraged by a letter from the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, which reminded them that they had flexibility around what is called the stress test, which is supposed to ensure borrowers can meet their monthly payments even if rates rise or their circumstances change. What does that mean for the risks around lending?

The listeners puzzled by a 25p rise in their state pension because of a rule that started back in 1971.

And, how much do you know when it comes to savings? If you don't know your Premium Bonds from your ISA and where to put your money to make the most out of your cash, we'll give you a little bit of help.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporters: Dan Whitworth, Peter Ruddick and Jo Krasner
Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Rob Cave
Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 7th June 2025)


SAT 12:30 The News Quiz (m002czpq)
Series 117

Musk and Trump Break Up

Andy Zaltzman is joined by Glenn Moore, Felicity Ward, Athena Kugblenu and Marie Le Conte to break down the week in news. The panel discuss Musk and Trump's messy break up, getting Britain ready for a war and why children shouldn't be trusted to do town planning.

Written by Andy Zaltzman.

With additional material by: Eve Delaney, Jade Gebbie, Cameron Loxdale and Alexandra Haddow.
Producer: Pete Strauss
Executive Producer: Richard Morris
Production Coordinator: Jodie Charman
Sound Editor: Marc Willcox

A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4


SAT 12:57 Weather (m002d9bx)
The latest weather forecast


SAT 13:00 News (m002d9bz)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m002czpx)
Josh Babarinde MP, Sarah Elliott, Baroness Smith, Dr Ben Spencer MP

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Rogate Village Hall in West Sussex, with Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Josh Babarinde MP; Sarah Elliott, director of the UK-US special relationship unit at the Prosperity Institute and a spokesperson for Republicans Overseas UK; Baroness Smith of Malvern, Jacqui Smith, who is the minister for skills and also minister for women and equalities; and Dr Ben Spencer MP, the Conservatives' shadow minister for science, innovation and technology.

Producer: Paul Martin
Lead broadcast engineer: Rob Dyball


SAT 14:05 Any Answers? (m002d9c1)
Listeners respond to the issues raised in the preceding edition of Any Questions?


SAT 14:45 The Archers (m002czps)
At the Rewilding Justin assures Kirsty that having his expensive Italian shoes ruined is a small price to pay for seeing Lilian laugh again, admitting he can be pretty selfish sometimes. Justin’s pleased the planning for summer rewilding activities is well in hand, but then Tony appears, furious that the Longhorns are being allowed to wander freely without fences, but no-one told him. Kirsty and Justin smooth Tony’s hackles, assuring him they did tell him, then show him the GPS app they’ve had installed to keep track of the cattle. Tony still feels he’s been left out of the loop. Treading on eggshells around Tony’s grief Justin explains it wasn’t deliberate and Kirsty apologises, before Tony heads off to organise the Goat Gymkhana. Justin then admits to Kirsty he’s planning something but won’t say what it is.
Alice turns up at Woodbine Cottage where Fallon tells her Harrison didn’t come back at all, after she told him it wasn’t worth driving all that way for four hours together at most. Fallon then confesses she doesn’t actually miss him. Having the freedom to do whatever she likes is simply too lovely – and in the end Harrison never knew about the party anyway. Fallon feels bad, but everyone who came really enjoyed themselves. Alice tells Fallon her fears about Martha, but Fallon agrees with Chris: Martha is a bright shiny button who’s simply developing at her own pace. Alice thinks her life is too focused on Martha, while Fallon feels she’s drifting away from Harrison and worries about their future together.


SAT 15:00 Secrets and Lies (m002d9c3)
The Final Touch

1970s/1980s, England. West Indians and Africans were treated with much of the same suspicion, anger and bigotry as some would say the Eastern Europeans/Muslim immigrants are now. They had to prove their worth to a country that seemed intent on not giving them a break.

Nowadays, West Indians and Africans are as much part of Great Britain as anyone, thanks in large part to the likes of all the Black footballers and what they had to put up with on the terraces of football grounds up and down the country. But today, racism and homophobia continue to rear their ugly heads. Things have changed, but only on the surface.

The Final Touch explores the present-day lives of warring brothers Robbie and Kevin Bailey, born to West Indian parents, and their experiences growing up in care and being fostered to a white couple. Their burgeoning careers as professional footballers serves as the heartbeat of the entire story.

The brothers clearly love each other, they are extremely talented footballers, so what is going wrong for them? Is Robbie really disgusted at the idea of having a gay brother or merely secretly jealous of the fact that Kevin is the better footballer? Are both obsessed with money, fame and living the high life as much as they claim? Why do they push each other away at times when they clearly need each other?

Robbie ....  Malachi Kirby
Kevin ....  Francis Lovehall
Dad ....  Ariyon Bakare
Al/Detective ....  Colin Hurley
Luke ....  Tom Glenister
Gavin/Salesman .... Finlay Paul
Libby ....  Beth Goddard
Jack/Harry ....  Paul Panting

Sound Engineer: David Thomas
Director: Celia De Wolff
Writer,: Roy Williams
Production Manager: Eleanor Mein
Broadcast Assistant: Samuel Zottola

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m002d9c6)
Weekend Woman’s Hour: Ms Tina Knowles, Tennis at Queens, Dr Grace Spence Green, Bernardine Evaristo

Tina Knowles, the mother of icons Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, has just published her memoir Matriarch. It tells the story of how a resilient little girl, born in difficult times, became a powerhouse, guiding her daughters to their potential. How she, the great-granddaughter of two enslaved women, went from what she describes as a little, two-bedroom “poor house” with seven people in Galveston, Texas, to being the head of one of the most successful and high-profile families in the world. Ms Tina joined Nuala McGovern in the Woman’s Hour studio.

For the first time since 1973 women will walk out to compete at Queen's Club as the Queen's Tennis tournament gets underway. To mark this moment, the Lawn Tennis Association is launching a series of initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of British women's tennis players. Anita Rani spoke to the LTA's Chief Medical Officer Dr Guy Evans and former British Number One and Tournament Director of Queen's, Laura Robson.

Dr Grace Spence Green’s spine was broken when a man fell on her in a shopping centre. At that time, Grace was part-way through her medical degree, and found herself going from being a trainee doctor learning about how to work with patients, to being a patient herself with serious injuries. Ten months after her injury, Grace continued her degree and later qualified as a doctor who is also a wheelchair user. Grace told Anita about her experiences, as described in her new book, To Exist As I Am.

Bernardine Evaristo is the winner of The Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award - a one-off literary honour to mark the 30th anniversary year of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Bernardine joined Nuala to discuss her huge body of work and career highlights including winning the Booker Prize in 2019 for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, and her role as a champion for women and women of colour in the creative industries.

Model Hailey Bieber has sold her make-up company Rhode in a deal worth up to $1 billion. She joins a list of other celebrities earning millions from their cosmetic brand. Nuala was joined by make-up artist to the stars Val Garland and Beauty Editor for the Telegraph, Sonia Haria, to discuss.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Annette Wells
Editor: Rebecca Myatt


SAT 17:00 PM (m002d9c8)
Trump: Ukraine brought Kharkiv air strikes on itself

President Trump says Ukraine gave Russia a reason to 'bomb the hell out of it' with its recent attacks on Russian air bases. General Petraeus analyses the positioning of the White House. Also, a family's 30-year hunt for an audio recording of their piano-playing relative ends in a complete coincidence.


SAT 17:30 Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (m002d9cb)
The Jacinda Ardern One

How does it feel to be held up as the 'anti-Trump' by progressives across the globe?

Jacinda Ardern was prime minister of New Zealand for 6 years and is now committed to promoting empathy and kindness in world leadership.

She joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to reflect on her unexpected rise to power and being described as a 'global pinup for progressive values'.

She also opens up about how growing up in a Mormon family prepared her for politics and reveals what she told Donald Trump in the aftermath of the murder of 51 people in a mosque in New Zealand in 2019.

Producer: Daniel Kraemer


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002d9cd)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 17:57 Weather (m002d9cg)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002d9cj)
Reform UK's chairman returns to the party

Zia Yusuf has announced he will lead Reform UK's efficiency team, just two days after suddenly resigning as the party’s chairman.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m002d8w6)
Adam Buxton, Tanita Tikaram, Jimi Famurewa, Kiran Landa and Honeyglaze

This week Clive Anderson is talking playing with toys, settling scores and saying goodbyes with OG podcaster Adam Buxton.

Tanita Tikaram has finally recorded the follow up to her multi-millions selling 1988 album 'Ancient Heart', called 'LIAR'

Jimi Famurewa tells us how you go from stuffing mashed potato in your pocket to appearing on Masterchef.

Kiran Landa stars in 'Marriage Material', based on the novel by Santham Sangerhera at the Lyric Hammersmith

South London trio Honeyglaze perform a track from their album 'Real Deal'.

Presenter: Clive Anderson
Producer: Jessica Treen


SAT 19:00 Profile (m002d87x)
Susie Wiles

Donald Trump calls Susie Wiles the “ice maiden” for her ability to stay cool under pressure. It’s an invaluable skill in her role as White House Chief of Staff - responsible for who has access to the President.

Aged 68, Susie Wiles has spent more than 40 years in Republican politics – steering powerful men to elected office. She’s worked for US presidents, governors, mayors and Congress members. But she likes to stay out of the limelight.

Most of her experience has been in Florida, where she’s had a string of political success stories. Including big names like Senator Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis – running their campaigns to become governor of the Sunshine State.

Back in 2015, Donald Trump was a long shot for President, so he turned to Wiles for help winning Florida. His victory in the state helped him clinch the White House in 2016.

As Trump’s campaign manager for the 2024 run, Susie Wiles is widely credited with running what many regard as Trump’s most disciplined and strategic campaign.

Susie Wiles grew up in New Jersey. Her father, Pat Summerall, was a professional football player and later a famous sports broadcaster. But, he was an alcoholic and he credits his daughter for helping him overcome his addiction.

Stephen Smith talks to friends, colleagues and commentators to find out how events in Susie Wiles’ life have shaped her to become one of President Trump’s most trusted advisors – doing a job widely considered to be one of the most important in Washington.

Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producers: Bob Howard and Sally Abrahams
Production Co-ordinator: Sabine Scherek
Sound: David Crackles
Editor: Nick Holland

Credits:
Susie Wiles interview with Lara Trump on Fox News, March 2025
The Apprentice, Episode1, Series 1, 2004 on NBC. Produced by Mark Burnett and Donald Trump
CNN Florida Gubernatorial Debate - Ron DeSantis vs Andrew Gillum Oct 21, 2018


SAT 19:15 This Cultural Life (m002d1bk)
Alan Menken

Composer Alan Menken is the winner of more Academy Awards in competitive categories than any other living person. He’s best known for his scores for the animated Disney films including The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. His first big hit was the musical Little Shop Of Horrors - one of several he created with lyricist Howard Ashman, his longtime writing partner. Other stage musicals include Sister Act, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, and Hercules, which recently opened in London's West End. Alan Menken also wrote the scores for Disney films Mirror Mirror, Enchanted and Tangled. As well as eight Academy Awards, he has also won eleven Grammys, seven Golden Globes, two Emmys and a Tony Award.

Alan talks to John Wilson about his childhood in New York and the expectations of his parents that he would follow family tradition and become a dentist like his father. A musical talent from a young age, he recalls how seeing Walt Disney’s Fantasia was the start of thinking about the marriage of music with story and images.
Despite initial ambitions to be a singer-songwriter, enrolling in a workshop in New York for musical theatre composers, lyricists, and librettists led by composer Lehmann Engel taught him how to write for the stage. It is also through Engel that he met lyricist and director Howard Ashman with whom he went on to write many of the hit scores credited as the driving force behind the Disney Renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s. Tragically, Howard Ashman was diagnosed with HIV in 1988 and died at the age of 40 in 1991.

Producer: Edwina Pitman


SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m002d9cl)
Into the Sharkiverse

It’s 50 years since Jaws first surfaced in cinemas in June 1975, creating the phenomenon of the blockbuster, and leaving millions of people scared of getting into the water.

To celebrate the golden anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s marine masterpiece, comedian and writer Jon Harvey presents a hilarious history of shark fiction. From Batman punching a shark, to the Fonz jumping the shark, to Sharknado, Baby Shark and beyond, this is a unique odyssey through quite possibly the maddest genre in all entertainment.

Written, produced and presented by Jon Harvey
Executive Producers: Eloise Whitmore and Jo Meek
Sound Design: Tony Churnside
Research: Louis Blatherwick
Shark movie consultant: Tom Walker

A Naked production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 21:00 Moral Maze (m002d122)
AI: Promise or Peril ? Recorded at the Hay Festival

Almost the first thing the newly chosen Pope Leo XIV did was to warn of the dangers of Artificial intelligence, of technological advance outstripping human wisdom. AI promises unapparelled efficiency, streamlined lives, complex problems solved in milliseconds. But will it make humans redundant literally and metaphorically? Will it hijack creativity? Will it imprison us in our prejudices? Will it destroy the concept of objective truth? AI: Promise or Peril? was recorded at The Hay Literary Festival

Witnesses:
Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, author of Smartphone Nation: Why We're All Addicted to Our Screens and What You and Your Family Can Do About It
Marcus Du Sautoy, author, mathematician and Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford,
Dorian Lynskey
Sir Nigel Shadbolt, longterm researcher of AI, Professor in Computer Science at Oxford University and government advisor.

Panellists:
Anne McElvoy
James Orr
Mona Siddiqui
Matthew Taylor

Presenter: Michael Buerk

Producers: Catherine Murray & Peter Everett
Production Co-ordinators: Brigid Harrison-Draper &Sam Nixon
Thanks to Lucy Newman and the whole team at Hay.


SAT 22:00 News (m002d9cn)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:15 The Food Programme (m002czns)
The BBC Food & Farming Awards 2025 Launch

The BBC Food & Farming Awards are back for 2025!

Jaega Wise visits River Cottage HQ to meet returning head judge Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. They talk about what Hugh is looking for in this year's awards, what makes the West Country a special place for food and farming and some of the history of River Cottage. She also visits previous winners Westcombe Dairy who not only have been thriving since winning in their award, they have been something of an incubation hub sharing a site with other artisanal food businesses like Brickell's Ice Cream, Woodshedding brewery and Landrace Bakery. She also talks to Farming Today's Charlotte Smith and Mali Harries who plays Natasha Archer on the Archers about the Farming for the Future Award.

To nominate in this year's awards go to bbc.co.uk/foodawards where you can also find the terms and privacy notice. You have between 6am on 6th June and midday 30th June 2025 to nominate.

Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced in Bristol by Sam Grist


SAT 23:00 The Matt Forde Focus Group (m002d1ck)
3. The politics of 'Cancellation'

Can political discussion be funny? Er - yes!

Top political comedian Matt Forde convenes his focus group in front of a live theatre audience with guests comedian Kate Cheka, Member of The House of Lords, Daniel Finkelstein and Sky News Political Editor, Beth Rigby

Written and performed by Matt Forde
Additional writing from Karl Minns, Katie Storey and Richard Garvin
Producer: Richard Garvin
Co Producers: Daisy Knight and Jules Lom
Broadcast Assistant: Jenny Recaldin
Sound Design and Editing: David Thomas
An Avalon production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 23:30 Round Britain Quiz (m002cz8g)
Programme 4 - Scotland vs The South of England

(4/12)

Teams from all over the UK will face Kirsty Lang's cryptic questions across the series, with Kirsty offering support and the odd hint where it might be needed.

This fourth contest features Scotland and The South of England.

Teams:

Paul Sinha and Marcus Berkmann - The South of England
Val McDermid and Alan McCredie - Scotland

Questions in today's edition:

Q1 If a former Makar, The Body, and Clara Blandick from Kansas were to take a holiday, which airline might they fly with? And where will they land when they return home?

Q2 Can you unscramble these clues to find the works of someone who is honoured in The Television Academy Hall of Fame. And why wouldn’t he be happy with the way we’ve laid them out.
We have
‘The Lot above’
‘Trashy Tchs & UK’
‘Achilles angers’
‘Andy sty’
And ‘Overly Bill’s Heiress, 01209’

Q3 Music: If you were sharing this playlist, which emoji would you sign off with?

Q4 Despite their differences, why might a megalomaniacal Kryptonian, a Kaleesh cyborg, a chimpanzee full of Roth, the chief of Ef-rafa and the dictator of San Theodoros, all have a shared understanding?

Q5 (from Ivan Whetton) If their respective origins are: a Russian city from a Welsh writer's novel, a famous beach in a bossa nova song, the university city of Wyoming in a 50s western (and song), a juice brand in a commercial, and a father's brother initially on TV – who is the odd one out?

Q6 Music: Have a think about what might connect them with Synsepalum dulcificum.

Q7 (from Maya Davies) What we are looking for in this little rhyme…
Barrow’s and Fleming’s shine golden and bright,
Jekyll, Jessop, and Jill count five in their sight.
De Waal’s glow amber, Hardy’s are blue,
But what of Coppélia’s? What shade holds true?

Q8 Why would Viggo Mortensen, William Shatner, Milla Jovovich, Malcolm McDowell, and Jodie Foster, all be speaking in tongues? And which one would be most widely understood?

Host: Kirsty Lang
Recorded by: Phil Booth
Sound Design: Chris Maclean
Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Carl Cooper

Questions set by:
Lucy Porter, Alan Poulton, Paul Bajoria and public contributors.

SUNDAY 08 JUNE 2025

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m002d9cq)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 00:15 Bookclub (m002cz8d)
Joanne Harris: Chocolat

Led by presenter James Naughtie, the writer Joanne Harris takes questions from a BBC Bookclub audience on her best-selling novel, Chocolat. Published in 1999, the book follows the character of Vianne Rocher, a chocolate-maker and sometime witch, who arrives in the village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with her six-year-old daughter Anouk at the beginning of Lent and opens a chocolaterie opposite the church. Francis Reynaud, the local priest, disapproves of her instantly and Vianne's arrival polarizes the villagers.

The book sold over a million copies in the UK and won the Creative Freedom and Whitaker Gold awards. It was later turned into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

Producer: Dom Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan

This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002d9cs)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002d9cv)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:30 News Summary (m002d9cx)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002d9cz)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m002d895)
The church of St Olave, Hart Street, in London

Bells on Sunday comes from the church of St. Olave, Hart Street, in London. Built in the 15th Century, this church escaped the Great Fire and is famous as being the church where Samuel Pepys worshipped and was buried. Its eight bells were destroyed when the church was bombed in 1941, but a new ring of eight was cast in 1953 by Mears and Stainbank of Whitechapel out of the metal of the old bells. The Tenor bell weighs eleven and three quarter hundredweight and is tuned to G. We hear a band from Egg Buckland in Devon ringing the back six bells in typical Devonshire call-change style.


SUN 05:45 In Touch (m002d0d9)
Visually Impaired People in Space; NASA on SANS

NASA tells In Touch about a condition that affects the vision of around 70% of their astronauts. It is called SANS and although the space agency aren't currently seeing hugely negative affects to their astronaut's vision upon returning to Earth, they are concerned about what could happen once we begin longer-term space exploration, with this being considered a 'red risk' of reaching Mars.
Dr Sheri Wells-Jensen is a huge space enthusiast and within her role as a Linguistics professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, her focus is on welcoming disability as necessary part of future space exploration and potential occupation. Sheri describes the concept of her work and also shares her experience of flying in micro-gravity.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Jack Thomason
Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate white squares house each of the three letters). Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word ‘radio’ in a bold white font, with the number 4 inside of a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right. Both are behind Peter, one is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.


SUN 06:00 News Summary (m002d872)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:05 Thinking Allowed (m002d0cn)
Solidarity

Laurie Taylor is joined by Jennifer Chudy, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wellesley College, Boston, who discusses her pioneering exploration of racial sympathy. She looks at the reasons why racial inequality in America prompts distress amongst some white people, but not others, and why that sympathy does not necessarily translate into solidarity and political action. Andrea Sangiovanni, Professor of Philosophy at King's College, London explores the nature of solidarity and how definitions have changed. Calls for solidarity are heard everywhere but what does it mean, in practice, and how is it distinct from altruism, justice and fellow-feeling?

Producer: Jayne Egerton


SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (m002d874)
Off Grid, On Tables

Robin and Ikuko Williams started Namayasai farm by digging up their Sussex garden and planting it with Japanese produce. It wasn’t long until they were selling their harvest to some of the best restaurants in London and the southeast of England.

The pair have since taken over 60 acres in the shadow of the South Downs national park. The land was completely off-grid when they got to it. By building a track, a barn and two large greenhouses they’ve transformed the land from a few bare fields into a working farm.

Namayasai were early adopters of agroforestry, and grow their crops in alleys lined with an assortment of fruit trees. But their harvest goes beyond what they can get from the field, to what they can forage from their 21 acres of self-seeded woodland. Chefs, they say, can turn almost anything into a delicious meal.

Translated from Japanese the name, Namayasai means “fresh vegetable”. The farm’s core principle is to harvest in the early morning and send their produce out the same day. Their unconventional, hands-on practices have attracted a team of enthusiastic young staff members and volunteers, keen for their first taste of farming life.

Produced and presented by Theo Whyte.


SUN 06:57 Weather (m002d876)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m002d878)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 07:10 Sunday (m002d87b)
New UK ‘blasphemy law’ claims, Syria’s Alawites, Beatboxing nuns

This week, Hamit Coskun was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence after he set fire to a copy of the Qu’ran outside the Turkish Consulate in London. The case has led to some lively debate about whether we are back in the days of blasphemy laws. Edward Stourton speaks to the National Secular Society’s Chief Executive, Stephen Evans, and Imam Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra.

In the wake of the Assad regime’s fall in Syria, thousands of Alawites – a minority Shia Muslim sect historically linked to the former regime – have fled to Lebanon. The BBC’s Emily Wither has been to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, close to the Syrian border – where  residents have opened community halls, mosques, and their homes to shelter the Alawite refugees.

And two Brazilian nuns have gone viral after an impromptu beatboxing session on live TV. As beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion associated with hip hop music, it got us thinking about the connection between that genre and Christianity. So we turned to Dr Jamie Broad – a musician and academic researcher, who specialises in UK Christian rap.

Presenter: Edward Stourton
Producers: Dan Tierney and James Leesley
Production co-ordinator: Paul Holloway
Editor: Chloe Walker


SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Appeal (m002d87d)
Carers UK

Tiggy Walker makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Carers UK. The charity supports unpaid carers by providing expert information and advice on its website and through its helpline.

To Give:
- Freephone 0800 404 8144
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. (That’s the whole address. Please do not write anything else on the front of the envelope). Mark the back of the envelope ‘Carers UK’.
- Cheques should be made payable to ‘Carers UK’.
- You can donate online at bbc.co.uk/appeal/radio4

Registered Charity Number: 246329 (England & Wales) and SC039307 (Scotland). If you’d like to find out more about the charity’s work visit *https://www.carersuk.org/
*The BBC is not responsible for content on external websites

Producer: Katy Takatsuki


SUN 07:57 Weather (m002d87g)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m002d87j)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m002d87l)
Leeds Cathedral: Pilgrims of Hope

Pope Francis declared that 2025 would be a Jubilee Year for Catholics around the world choosing "Pilgrims of Hope" as the theme.

In this celebration of Pentecost from Leeds Cathedral, Monsignor Paul Grogan and young people from the Diocese of Leeds, reflect on what this means, theologically and spiritually, in their lives and in the life of the Church. As Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus' followers, focus is given to the Nicene Creed's assertion 'We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son" in the 1700th anniversary year.

Music is provided by the choirs of Leeds Cathedral and a congregation of 600 young people from Catholic schools across Yorkshire who are part of the Diocesan Schools Singing Programme. The choirs are directed by Elizabeth Leather and Roland Mander and the organists are Darius Battiwalla and Frankie Tempest.

Producer: Claire Campbell-Smith


SUN 08:48 Witness History (w3ct74pn)
The Wonder Woman of DC Comics

In 1976, Jenette Kahn took on one of the biggest roles in comic books - publisher of DC Comics, home to superheroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. She was only 28, and the first female boss.

Her first mission was to change the company name. For decades it had been known as National Periodical Publications but, with sales stalling, Jenette reverted back to the original name: DC Comics.

It wasn’t her only shake-up. The illustrator Milton Glaser created a new logo, and rules were brought in to make sure artists kept the rights to their own characters and ideas.

The changes worked, bringing in more comic titles, new characters and a wider readership. Jenette was later promoted to president of the company, and then editor-in-chief, eventually leaving in 2002.

By the time she left, the staff had grown from 35 people to 250, half of whom were women. Jenette tells her story to Jane Wilkinson.

With movie trailer excerpts from the Warner Brothers films: Superman (Dir: Richard Donner, 1978), Batman Forever (Dir: Joel Schumacher, 1995) and Wonder Woman (Dir: Patty Jenkins, 2017).

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: The DC Comics superheroes. Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images)


SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (m002d87n)
Anna Hill on the Sedge Warbler

Every Spring, the sedge warbler travels thousands of miles from the African continent, crossing the Sahara to reach its breeding grounds in the UK. With cream and brown plumage and a distinctive striped brow, this small and inquisitive warbler can often be found in wetland habitats, perched on swaying reeds. Male sedge warblers are also known for their loud, rambling song, which constantly incorporates new phrases.

Broadcaster and Farming Today presenter Anna Hill is very familiar with sedge warblers, often seeing them in the coastal marshes of East Anglia during the summer. In fact, it was a particularly noisy sedge warbler that caused problems for Anna as she attempted to record an interview on the North Norfolk coast - a battle that the sedge warbler won when Anna had to stop the interview, unable to compete with the impressive volume of this small but mighty bird!

Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m002d87q)
The Sunday morning news magazine programme. Presented this week by Simon Jack.


SUN 10:00 Desert Island Discs (m002d87s)
Professor Lucy Easthope, emergency planner

Professor Lucy Easthope is an adviser on disaster recovery and planning.

She’s an expert in planning for and reacting to major incidents: natural disaster, terrorist attacks, pandemics and fires, and is the visiting Professor of Mass Fatalities and Pandemics at the University of Bath.

Born in Merseyside in 1978, Lucy cites the impact of watching the Hillsborough football disaster on TV as a child as one of the driving reasons of her decision to pursue a career in disaster management. Her work has involved working in mortuaries, attending fatal accidents and training teams to react to emergencies.

Alongside her career, Lucy has written two books about emergency planning and disaster recovery.

Lucy lives in Shropshire with her husband and two children.

DISC ONE: Lose Yourself - Eminem
DISC TWO: Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy. Performed by Matthew Steynor (organ) and The Choir of Queens' College Cambridge, conducted by James Weeks
DISC THREE: Overture And A Prisoner Of The Crusades (From Chains To Freedom) Composed by Michael Kamen and performed by Greater Los Angeles Orchestra, conducted by Patti Fidelibus
DISC FOUR: Tender - Blur
DISC FIVE: Trustfall - Pink
DISC SIX: Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
DISC SEVEN: Something’s Missing - Come From Away Company
DISC EIGHT: Thunderstruck - AC/DC

BOOK CHOICE: The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden
LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered torch
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Tender - Blur

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor


SUN 11:00 The Archers Omnibus (m002d87v)
Writer: Katie Hims
Director: Kim Greengrass
Editor: Jeremy Howe

Ben Archer…. Ben Norris
David Archer…. Timothy Bentinck
Jill Archer…. Patricia Greene
Ruth Archer…. Felicity Finch
Tony Archer…. David Troughton
Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde
Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding
Susan Carter…. Charlotte Martin
Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Akram Malik…. Asif Khan
Azra Malik…. Yasmin Wilde
Kirsty Miller…. Annabelle Dowler
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Arthur…. Mark Carey


SUN 12:15 Profile (m002d87x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 It's a Fair Cop (m002d074)
Series 9

2. Freedom of Expression

In this week’s case, Alfie investigates the boundaries of freedom of expression when a dispute develops between a gay couple and their local church.

Join Alfie and his audience of sworn-in deputies in Brighton, as they ask when does prejudice cross the thin blue line?

Written and presented by Alfie Moore
Script Editor: Will Ing
Production Co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Sam Holmes

A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4


SUN 12:57 Weather (m002d87z)
The latest weather forecast


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m002d881)
Reform UK: how other parties react to a changing political landscape

After a closely contested by-election in Scotland, how do the other main parties deal with the emergence of Reform UK? Also the secret tunnels in London that feature in James Bond.


SUN 13:30 Currently (m002d883)
Excluded

Permanent exclusions from schools in England have risen over the last decade. Neil Maggs explores why this might be happening - and what happens to the children who are excluded from the classroom. He visits a pupil referral unit where children are sent if they are excluded from a mainstream school; a school in the North East of England that excluded just one pupil last year to see what it's doing differently, and speaks to experts to see what factors lie behind school exclusions.
Presenter: Neil Maggs.
Producer: Fergus Hewison.
Technical producer: Richard Hannaford.
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith.


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m002czpb)
Crowthorne: Caterpillars, Rusty Spots and Up-Cycled Objects

Why do my ferns have rusty spots? Any tips for stopping caterpillars eating my cabbages? Have you upcycled any objects in the garden?

Peter Gibbs and a panel of plant and gardening experts are in Crowthorne, Berkshire and offer advice to an audience of keen gardeners. Joining Peter are pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Matthew Pottage and proud plantswoman Christine Walkden.

Later in the programme, house plant expert James Wong visits the Of The Oak exhibition at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, which celebrates the Lucombe oak and oak trees as a vital hub of biodiversity. He's joined by visual artist Ersin Han Ersin and arborist Cecily Withall.

Senior Producer: Daniel Cocker
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Plant List
Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – The council have recently cleared a raised flowerbed at the front of the Morgan Centre. It previously had in it a giant prickly pyracantha. What would the panel suggest? (02'02")

Matthew Smith –
Callistemon rigidus, stiff bottlebrush
Alstroemeria Indian Summer ('Tesronto'PBR) (Summer Paradise - Summer Series), Peruvian lily [Indian summer]
Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna', Balkan clary 'Caradonna'
Salvia rosmarinus Prostrata Group (Ro), rosemary Prostrata Group

Q - Why have my ferns developed rusty looking spots – is it caused by a disease? (06'31")

Q – Any tips on growing miss Willmott's ghost? (09'08")

Q – I have a bank of mature Heathers. Can I prune them as they're quite tall now or do I need to replace them as they get straggly? (13'13")

Q- How do I stop caterpillars from eating my cabbages? (17’05")

Feature – James Wong visits the 'Of the Oak' at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, which celebrates the Lucombe oak. He's joined by Ersin Han Ersin and Cecily Withal (21’28”)

Q - How do we encourage our Camellia to flower? (25'56")

Q – I would like to plant some other more interesting climbing plants in a shady spot – what do the panel recommend? (29'13")

Matthew Pottage –
Hydrangea petiolaris, climbing hydrangea
Hydrangea petiolaris 'Silver Lining'PBR hydrangea 'Silver Linng'
Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' (v), ivy 'Dentata Variegata'

Christine Walkden –
Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Virginia creeper
Dactylicapnos scandens, yellow bleeding heart vine

Pippa Greenwood –
Lonicera, honeysuckle

Q – How often do Clematis Clematis’ flower? (34'02")

Q – Can the panel recommend any other ways to repurpose objects? (36'26")

Q – I’d like you to recommend plants for a red hot, south facing gravel garden? (36'25")


SUN 14:45 Opening Lines (m002d885)
King Lear - Episode One

John Yorke looks at King Lear, the brutal tragedy that some claim is Shakespeare’s greatest achievement.

When Lear, the 80 year old king of ancient Britain, decides that the time has come to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, he unwittingly sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events that will tear apart both his family and his realm. In this first of two episodes, the focus is on the fractured relationship between Lear and his daughters – Goneril, Regan and Cordelia – and on the subplot that involves the breakdown of another family. This comprises the Duke of Gloucester and his two sons Edmund and Edgar. In both cases the fathers are incapable of seeing which child is deceiving them and which child is loyal and truly loves them.

John has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatized in BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Drama series. As former Head of Channel Four Drama and Controller of BBC Drama Production he has worked on some of the most popular shows in Britain - from EastEnders to The Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless. As creator of the BBC Writers Academy he's trained a generation of screenwriters - now with over 70 green lights and thousands of hours of television to their names. He is the author of Into the Woods, the bestselling book on narrative, and he writes, teaches and consults on all forms of narrative, including many podcasts for Radio 4.

Contributors:
Sir Richard Eyre, directed an award-winning production of King Lear, starring Ian Holm, at the National Theatre in 1997 and another production for BBC television, with Anthony Hopkins in the lead role, in 2018.
Dr Genevieve von Lob, clinical psychologist who specialises in family therapy.
Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies and Tutorial Fellow at Hertford College, Oxford. She is the author of books including This Is Shakespeare: How to Read the World’s Greatest Playwright.

Excerpt taken from the BBC Radio 3/Renaissance Theatre Company production of King Lear, directed by Glyn Dearman and first broadcast on Radio 3 on 10th April 1994.

Sound: Sean Kerwin
Music: Torquil MacLeod
Researcher: Henry Tydeman
Production Coordinator: Nina Semple
Producer: Torquil MacLeod
Executive Producer: Sara Davies

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 15:00 Drama on 4 (m002d887)
King Lear: Part 1

As he approaches his 89th birthday, Richard Wilson plays King Lear for the first time in his life. Richard will be the oldest-ever British actor to take on the role.

This is Shakespeare's powerful meditation on power, greed and the advancement of old age.

King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between his daughters Goneril and Regan, who flatter him with promises of love and devotion. The King's third daughter, Cordelia, is offered a third of his kingdom also, but refuses to parrot her sisters oleaginous attention. She instead offers the rightful duty and respect of a daughter. Lear is furious and subsequently disowns her.

Regan and Goneril subsequently break promises to host Lear and his entourage, so instead he opts to become homeless and destitute, and gradually loses his mind. Neither his followers or friends (Kent and the Fool) can persuade him to more reasonable actions. Meanwhile, Gloucester is duped by his infamous bastard son, Edmund.

Cast:
King Lear ..... Richard Wilson
Goneril ..... Greta Scacchi
Regan ..... Tamsin Greig
Cordelia ..... Phoebe-Loveday Raymond
Gloucester ..... Toby Jones
Edmund ..... David Tennant
Edgar ..... Jos Vantyler
Kent ..... Matthew Marsh
Fool ..... Trevor Fox
Cornwall ..... Joseph Kloska
Albany ..... Will Harrison-Wallace
Oswald ..... Akbar Kurtha
Burgundy/Doctor ..... Adam Jessop
France/Herald ..... Robin Morrissey
Old Man ..... Hugh Ross

Music played by Steven Isserlis and Irène Duval

Produced and Directed by Clive Brill
A Brill Production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 16:00 Take Four Books (m002d889)
Andrew Miller

Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, speaks to the writer Andrew Miller about his novel, The Land In Winter, and explores its connections to three other literary works. Recorded in front of an audience at the Hay-on-Wye books festival, the supporting contributor for this episode is the writer Joanne Harris. Andrew's new novel centres on two married couples recently relocated to the farmlands of the West Country as the record-breaking British winter, known as The Big Freeze of 1963, takes hold. For his three influencing texts Andrew chose: The Light Years by James Salter (1975); Gerald's Party by Robert Coover (1986); and Daddy's Gone A-Hunting by Penelope Mortimer (1958).

Producer: Dom Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan

This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.


SUN 16:30 Round Britain Quiz (m002d88c)
Programme 5 - Northern Ireland v The North

(5/12)

Teams from all over the UK will face Kirsty Lang's cryptic questions across the series, with Kirsty offering support and the odd hint where it might be needed.

This fifth contest features Northern Ireland and the North of England.

Teams:
Paddy Duffy and Freya McClements - Northern Ireland
Stuart Maconie and Jenny Ryan - The North of England

Questions in today's edition:

Q1 What’s served up when Edwards, Cronenberg, Kramer, and Zeffirelli all share a menu? And why would Berlin round off the day.

Q2 (from Phil Ware) Why would a 14th Century ocean-going sailing ship be relevant to an Ace musician lamenting the duration of an affair, a tempting crush, and a Mechanic singing about filial regret?

Q3 (from Tanja Timmer) Music: What’s the common motivation behind all of these songs, and who is the odd one out?

Q4 The form of this question is quite unusual, but deliberate. And it’s a place we’re asking you to identify. So where would you recite this ditty?

A Rambler who's losing her mane,
Used a bung to keep fresh her champagne,
Her Kitten did croon,
‘It’s a long way’ to this tune,
And her Crystal flute sang Herman’s name.

Q5 (from Mark Wolton) How does Logan's run lead us to this sequence…
The world’s highest-paid model
The second biggest fighter in UFC history (according to Floyd Mayweather)
The third God of the Hindu triad
The fourth child of Al Pacino?

Q6 Music: Listen to these four songs and tell me what links them in a constructive way?

Q7 Your mission, is to decrypt this musical cypher. Intel suggests this sequence reveals the location of two stolen nuclear missiles. Failure is not an option.

Extract half of a Turkish hit covered by Holly Valance, and half a Chris Brown song featuring T-Pain.
Mix with half a 1966 Cher classic, and half of a Jessie J / Ariana Grande / Nicki Minaj collaboration.
Then combine to form a song that was not sung by Dionne Warwick or Shirley Bassey because it didn’t have the right title
Instead, it was replaced by a new song performed by Tom Jones, who famously fainted after holding the final note.

What’s the final song title, and what does it have to do with nuclear weapons?

Q8 Follow the clues and find the hidden word that will lead you to a star sign
A march for hunger and justice sets your course.
Your journey leads to a prestigious seat of learning.
A submarine town lies ahead, its depths hiding more than just secrets.
Songs of the Canaries fill the air at a famous stadium.
An actress playing Rosemary with a telling name points to your desires.
What’s your sign?

Host: Kirsty Lang
Recorded by: Phil Booth
Sound Design: Chris Maclean
Production Coordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Carl Cooper

Questions set by:
Lucy Porter, Alan Poulton, and public contributors.


SUN 17:00 Witness History (w3ct5yqx)
Mary Fisher's 'A Whisper of Aids' speech

When Mary Fisher was diagnosed with HIV in 1991 she did not represent the typical stereotype of someone HIV-positive. She was white, heterosexual and contracted the disease in marriage. She used her platform at the Republican National Convention in Texas in 1992 to try and change people's treatment of those carrying the Aids virus.

The speech was broadcast live to millions of people via the major US TV outlets. She argued that she did not want her sons, aged four and two, to face stigma from the "whisper of Aids" once she had died.

It is ranked as one of the most important speeches in the US in the 20th Century. Mary Fisher recalls the moment she delivered the speech to Josephine McDermott.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Mary Fisher delivers her speech in 1992. Credit: AP)


SUN 17:10 The Verb (m002d88g)
Poetry and performance with Ian McMillan

On this week’s edition of The Verb: Ian McMillan basks in the glow of a Neon Line explained by the celebrated Faroese poet and novelist Carl Jóhan Jensen; Karen Downs-Barton shares poems from her debut collection, Minx, which reflects on her Romani childhood; Cristóbal Bianchi, cofounder of the Casagrande Collective, on their Bombing Of Poems project; and Naz Knight, poet-in-residence at Luton Town FC, on drawing poetic inspiration from the terraces.

Presenter Ian McMillan
Producer: Ekene Akalawu


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002d88j)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 17:57 Weather (m002d88l)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002d88n)
President Trump deploys National Guard in LA

National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m002d88q)
Haroon Rashid

This week, Haroon finds himself engrossed in a world of sounds, whether it's the sound of the summer as offered by listeners of Radio 1, or the sound of Ben Archer riding horseback in Radio 4's Hay Festival tent. We get a history of the classic seaside treat, a 99 ice cream, which no-one seems to be able to agree on, and agreement is dish rarely served on The Kitchen Cabinet, much like a plate of the lukewarm steak that's tearing the panel apart. Plus, mum's the word on Radio 4, although not in a Shakespearean sense; Ashley Walters and Romesh Ranganathan chat about the impact their mothers have had in their lives, whilst 'momager' Tina Knowles talks about the early days of raising music legends Beyoncé and Solange.

Presenter: Haroon Rashid
Producer: Anthony McKee
Production Coordinator: Caroline Peddle

A BBC Audio Northern Ireland production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (m002d88s)
The Brookfield contingent are delighted with the attendance at Open Farm Sunday. It’s great to get such support from the community. Stella’s impressed with Pip’s dairy presentation – they agree it’s important for farms to keep doing this. Even Josh’s ‘silage sniffing’ attraction has a healthy queue. They spot some over-enthusiastic youngsters on the yard but it’s nothing they can’t handle. They worry that quiet David’s rattled, but he explains he was just contemplating the four generations he sees – with Rosie as the future. Pip agrees. She’s heard at least two kids today talking about wanting to go into farming. David acknowledges days like today make it all worthwhile, even though he moans now and again. Pip hears that attendance is well down at Bridge Farm, and David has an idea. He grabs a megaphone and delivers a heartfelt speech about how one unfortunate event can blight a farm.
Bridge Farm is eerily quiet. Helen’s hopes that today would provide an opportunity to show they’ve bounced back from February’s sewage leak seemed to be dashed. They distract themselves with talk of Peggy’s funeral, and the cricket. Tony’s touched that Henry’s decided to support the farm today rather than play. It’s just a shame it’s so quiet. A few turn up for the goat gymkhana but it’s not enough. When Helen hears how busy Brookfield is they’re forced to admit it’s going to be hard to shake off the spectre of the sewage incident. They’re about to pack up when there’s a sudden rush of visitors. Nonplussed Tony declares it a miracle.


SUN 19:15 Illuminated (m002d88v)
You've Got Worms

Worms are everywhere - in our soils, our seas, and our selves. Dive down a worm burrow on this sound-rich odyssey to meet our most numerous and intimate animal companion.

Science writer Jack Monaghan will guide you through gardens and farms, factories and laboratories to look afresh at our wriggling, wonderful world.

Producer and narrator: Jack Monaghan
Sound design and original music: Robert Moutrey
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
A Pronk production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 19:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m001yxkb)
Cook from Scratch

Michael Mosley investigates how cooking from scratch can be a simple way to eat healthier and avoid ultra-processed foods, many of which are associated with an increased risk of diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It doesn’t need to be complicated - simple recipes using tinned and frozen foods can be a great way to get started. Michael speaks to Dr Emily Leeming, a nutrition scientist from King's College London, to find out why cooking your own meals can be so beneficial for your gut microbiome, your waistline and your mental health. Meanwhile, our volunteer Richard cooks up a storm!

Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small
Editor: Zoë Heron
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4


SUN 20:00 Word of Mouth (m002d1c7)
Lists

Most of us make lists in some form or other - from essential groceries to reasons to feel positive about life. In this programme Linguistics Researcher Jo Nolan talks to Michael about her interest in the language we use in their making and their uses in literature and society.
Jo says the language we use in our lists is idiolectal - it reflects our inner selves, whether in our abbreviations, our choice of spelling, in-words, jokes etc. Her interest some would say obsession with lists extends to her collecting other people's shopping lists discarded in supermarket trolleys to gain what Michael and Jo describe as portholes and portals into people's lives.

Producer: Maggie Ayre
Produced in partnership with The Open University


SUN 20:30 Last Word (m002czpg)
Valmik Thapar, Nancy Blaik, Norma Meras Swenson, Dr Stuart Farrimond

Kirsty Lang on

Wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar who spent five decades trying to protect India’s tigers

Nancy Blaik, the driving force behind the creation of Scotland’s first children’s hospice

Norma Meras Swenson, the co-author of the influential book ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves’

Doctor Stuart Farrimond who became a popular science writer after being diagnosed with a brain tumour

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used:
Tony Livesey – Steffan Powell sitting in, BBC Radio 5 Live, 28/04/2025; Tiger Crisis: Update, BBC Two, 08/01/1997; Wild: The Natural World – The Tigers' Fortress, BBC Two, 29/10/2000; Wild: Search for Tigers, BBC Two, 19/10/2003; My Tiger Family, BBC Two, 12/08/2024; Life in a Children's Hospice, BBC Radio Scotland, 20/02/2006; Reporting Scotland, BBC One Scotland, 05/12/1994; Reporting Scotland, BBC One Scotland, 11/03/1996


SUN 21:00 Money Box (m002d88x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 on Saturday]


SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Appeal (m002d87d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 today]


SUN 21:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002d88z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:30 on Saturday]


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m002d891)
Looking ahead to the Spending Review

Ben Wright is joined by the Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti, Shadow Cabinet minister Andrew Bowie MP, and formed government education adviser Sam Freedman. They discuss the Spending Review and the arguments around digital ID cards. Rowena Mason - Whitehall editor of the Guardian - brings additional insight and analysis. The programme also includes an interview with writer and broadcaster Iain Dale, about his new biography of Margaret Thatcher - which is aimed particularly at a younger audience.


SUN 23:00 In Our Time (m002d1b5)
The Vienna Secession

In 1897, Gustav Klimt led a group of radical artists to break free from the cultural establishment of Vienna and found a movement that became known as the Vienna Secession.

In the vibrant atmosphere of coffee houses, Freudian psychoanalysis and the music of Wagner and Mahler, the Secession sought to bring together fine art and music with applied arts such as architecture and design.

The movement was characterized by Klimt’s stylised paintings, richly decorated with gold leaf, and the art nouveau buildings that began to appear in the city, most notably the Secession Building, which housed influential exhibitions of avant-garde art and was a prototype of the modern art gallery. The Secessionists themselves were pioneers in their philosophy and way of life, aiming to immerse audiences in unified artistic experiences that brought together visual arts, design, and architecture.

 With:

Mark Berry, Professor of Music and Intellectual History at Royal Holloway, University of London

Leslie Topp, Professor Emerita in History of Architecture at Birkbeck, University of London

And

Diane Silverthorne, art historian and 'Vienna 1900' scholar

Producer: Eliane Glaser

Reading list:

Mark Berry, Arnold Schoenberg: Critical Lives (Reaktion Books, 2018)

Gemma Blackshaw, Facing the Modern: The Portrait in Vienna 1900 (National Gallery Company, 2013)

Elizabeth Clegg, Art, Design and Architecture in Central Europe, 1890-1920 (Yale University Press, 2006)

Richard Cockett, Vienna: How the City of Ideas Created the Modern World (Yale University Press, 2023)

Stephen Downes, Gustav Mahler (Reaktion Books, 2025)

Peter Gay, Freud, Jews, and Other Germans: Masters and Victims in Modernist Culture (Oxford University Press, 1979)

Tag Gronberg, Vienna: City of Modernity, 1890-1914 (Peter Lang, 2007)

Allan S. Janik and Hans Veigl, Wittgenstein in Vienna: A Biographical Excursion Through the City and its History (Springer/Wien, 1998)

Jill Lloyd and Christian Witt-Dörring (eds.), Vienna 1900: Style and Identity (Hirmer Verlag, 2011)

William J. McGrath, Dionysian Art and Populist Politics in Austria (Yale University Press, 1974)

Tobias Natter and Christoph Grunenberg (eds.), Gustav Klimt: Painting, Design and Modern Life (Tate, 2008)

Carl E. Schorske, Fin-de-siècle Vienna: Politics and Culture (Vintage, 1979)

Elana Shapira, Style and Seduction: Jewish Patrons, Architecture and Design in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna (Brandeis University Press, 2016)

Diane V Silverthorne, Dan Reynolds and Megan Brandow-Faller, Die Fläche: Design and Lettering of the Vienna Secession, 1902-1911 (Letterform Archive, 2023)

Edward Timms, Karl Kraus: Apocalyptic Satirist: Culture & Catastrophe in Habsburg Vienna (Yale University Press, 1989)

Leslie Topp, Architecture and Truth in Fin-de-Siècle Vienna (Cambridge University Press, 2004)

Peter Vergo, Art in Vienna, 1898-1918: Klimt, Kokoschka, Schiele and Their Contemporaries (4th ed., Phaidon, 2015)

Hans-Peter Wipplinger (ed.), Vienna 1900: Birth of Modernism (Walther & Franz König, 2019)

Hans-Peter Wipplinger (ed.), Masterpieces from the Leopold Museum (Walther & Franz König)

Stefan Zweig, The World of Yesterday: An Autobiography (University of Nebraska Press, 1964)

In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.


SUN 23:45 Short Works (m002czpd)
Who is the cello playing? by Tim Pears

A man tells his doctor about his son's strange obsession, while another truth about the family is slowly revealed. An original short story for radio, written by Tim Pears and read by Jasper Britton.

Tim Pears grew up in Devon and is the award-winning author of the West Country trilogy and and the short story collection Chemistry and Other Stories. His novel In a Land of Plenty was made into a 10-part BBC TV series and his latest is Run to the Western Shore.

Writer: Tim Pears
Reader: Jasper Britton
Producer: Beth O'Dea

A BBC Audio Bristol Production for BBC Radio 4.

MONDAY 09 JUNE 2025

MON 00:00 Midnight News (m002d893)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


MON 00:15 Intrigue (m0021j93)
Worse than Murder

2. Alick, Darling

The day after Muriel McKay is snatched from her home, the police gather all the physical evidence they can, and tabloid reporters crowd the pavements outside the house, trying to get a piece of the action.

Muriel’s family are desperately trying to make sense of calls by a mysterious man, M3, who claims he has Muriel, and that he’ll return her if the family delivers him a £1 million ransom. It’s only when he sends them a letter, in Muriel’s own handwriting, that they know for sure he’s the most credible suspect.

Worse Than Murder - A tragic case of mistaken identity that shook Britain and launched a tabloid war.

One winter’s night in 1969, kidnappers targeting Rupert Murdoch’s wife abducted Muriel McKay by mistake. She was never seen again. Jane MacSorley investigates this shocking crime which baffled police and, more than 50 years on, remains unresolved.

Presented by Jane MacSorley with Simon Farquhar
Produced by Nadia Mehdi, with extra production from Paul Russell and Megan Oyinka
Sound design and mixing by Basil Oxtoby
Story editor: Andrew Dickson
Executive producers: Neil Cowling, Michaela Hallam, Jago Lee and Rami Tzabar
Development by Paul Russell
Voice acting by Red Frederick
Original music composed by Richard Atkinson for Mcasso
With special thanks to Simon Farquhar, author of 'A Desperate Business: The Murder of Muriel McKay'

A Fresh Air and Tell Tale production for BBC Radio 4


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m002d895)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002d897)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002d899)
BBC Radio 4 presents a selection of news and current affairs, arts and science programmes from the BBC World Service.


MON 05:00 News Summary (m002d89c)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


MON 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002d89f)
Susan Hulme reports on an emotional debate about babies born too early.


MON 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002d89h)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002d89k)
Desiderata: The Thief of Joy

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Julia Loveless

Good morning.

I recently came across a piece called ‘the desiderata’ by Max Ehrman. Published in 1927, its thoughtful instructions are close to 100 years old, but I find its challenges are still apt for my life today. Take this extract as an example; “if you compare yourself to others, you may become vain or bitter - for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”

It is a well-known sentiment these days that comparison is the thief of joy; it literally steals our joy. The bible addresses this truth when it talks about envy causing disorder - in fact, according to the colourful, metaphorical language of Proverbs; “[it rots] our bones”. To compare ourselves to others is to do a disservice to both ourselves and to the other person. We either belittle their value and inflate ours - or elevate their worth and bludgeon our own.

Surely there is beauty and peace in instead affirming our difference, championing all of our successes and grieving with those who experience loss or failure as we would if they were our own. What could our world, our society look like if we all took the simple instruction of the apostle Paul when he said “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”

God; I know that I have allowed comparison to creep into my heart like a thief in the night and steal away my joy. Forgive me. And help me, I pray, to see myself and others with your heavenly, loving perspective.

Amen.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (m002d89m)
09/06/25 Onshore salmon farm plans, breeding wheat, dual-purpose poultry.

Grimsby could become home to the UK’s first large-scale onshore salmon farm. A judicial review has upheld North East Lincolnshire council’s decision to grant it planning permission. An animal rights group had challenged the development on fish welfare grounds. However a high court judge ruled that animal welfare concerns could be a key planning consideration in future planning cases.

This week we’re following the journey of a loaf of bread, from seed, to the field, to the mill and eventually the shelf in the shop. The wheat used for bread has to be high in protein and have specific qualities to make good dough. It’s known as Group 1 Wheat. We visit a seed breeder in Cambridgeshire where bread-making varieties of wheat are developed.

Most commercial poultry farmers keep chickens for either egg-laying or meat production, and that specialisation is the way modern poultry farming has operated for decades. But does it have to? A group of farmers are now looking into the use of ‘dual-purpose’ heritage poultry breeds that can be used for both eggs and meat. They say that if these birds were farmed more widely it could also stop the cull of the male chicks which aren’t wanted in egg-laying flocks. Six farms are taking part in field trials run by the Innovative Farmers group.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney


MON 05:57 Weather (m002d89p)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers


MON 06:00 Today (m002d9rl)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (m002d9rn)
Hidden spaces and dangerous places

There is a parallel world which operates under different rules and benefits those with money and power. That’s the argument made by the journalist Atossa Araxia Abrahamian in her new book The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the world. She traces the rise of a freeports, charter cities and offshore havens.

Danny Dorling contends that we’re not very good at spotting the real crises we face today. In The Next Crisis: What We Think About the Future, he explains why the most urgent global crises are rarely the ones that hit the headlines. From inequality, immigration and international conflicts to climate change, pandemics and tsunamis, he challenges our assumptions about the threats we face and how we should think about our uncertain future.

It is time to reclaim online spaces, says Adele Zeynep Walton. In her new book Logging Off: The Human Cost of Our Digital World she explores how the price of the connections and conveniences of online life has been the mental health of a generation. She says that social media platforms and digital technology are making us vulnerable and it is time these spaces were governed and regulated.

Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe
Producer: Ruth Watts


MON 09:45 At Your Own Peril (m0027k0v)
The Great Tide

The modern world is full of risks, from natural hazards such as flooding to the existential threat of nuclear war, artificial intelligence and climate change.

With the scientific and technological progress of the past few centuries, we’ve created new hazards that threaten our very survival and in this series, emergency planner and disaster recovery expert Lucy Easthope explores the history of risk to find out how it’s understood, perceived and managed, and to ask how we can become more resilient as individuals, as a society and as a planet.

The North Sea Flood of 1953 - the combination of a high spring tide and a storm surge which swept across the East Coast killing 307 people in England - was described as the worst natural disaster in Britain of the 20th century.

It was also the birth of modern risk management as the state began to recognise its increased responsibility - and accountability - in preventing future disasters.
From cost-benefit analysis and risk assessments to the insurance industry, Lucy Easthope finds out how we protect ourselves from these hazards, and whether there is ever such a thing as a ‘natural’ disaster or if they are always the result of political choices.

Presenter: Lucy Easthope
Producer: Patrick Bernard
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Lucy Easthope is the co-founder of the After Disaster Network in the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience at the University of Durham, Professor in Mass Fatalities and Pandemics at the University of Bath and the author of “When The Dust Settles”.


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002d9rq)
Julianne Moore, Forced adoption in China, Nurses vote on pay deal

Julianne Moore has won countless awards and nominations for films like Boogie Nights, The End of the Affair, The Hours, as well as winning an Oscar for her performance in the film Still Alice. Her latest role sees her play Kate in the upcoming film Echo Valley alongside Sydney Sweeney, who plays her daughter Claire. Julianne tells Nuala McGovern about her character who's coming to terms with a personal tragedy while running her farm and training horses, when her daughter shows up, hysterical and covered in someone else’s blood, flipping Kate’s world upside down.

From today, nursing staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being asked to vote on the government's proposed 3.6% pay increase. This compares to a 5.4% average increase for resident doctors, formally known as junior doctors, and 4% for consultants and other senior doctors. The Scottish government has already agreed a two-year 8% pay offer with health unions. Around 345,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing union will be asked if the pay award is enough in what has been described as the biggest single vote of the profession ever launched in the UK. Nuala speaks to Steve Ford, editor of the Nursing Times.

Turkey has imposed a restriction on elective caesarean sections at small private medical clinics, without a medical justification, under new health ministry regulations.
President Erdogan has declared 2025 to be the ‘Year of the family’ and has been campaigning for women to have vagina births, or 'natural births' as he's calling them, in a bid to encourage women to have more babies. Turkey has one of the highest rates of caesarean section births according to health ministry figures from 2023, where out of all births 61.5% were by c-section. This compares to the UK's 42%, according to the latest NHS data. Nuala talks to Guardian journalist Ruth Michaelson and Dr Irmak Sarac, a gynaecologist and feminist activist in Turkey, to discuss why these restrictions have been brought in and what's happening to women's reproductive health in Turkey.

Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: China’s Stolen Children and a Story of Separated Twins is the real life story of twin girls born in China who were separated as toddlers in 2002. One girl was adopted in good faith by an American couple who believed that the baby’s Chinese birth-parents had given her up. The other remained in China to be raised by her birth parents. The story shone a light on China's one child policy which ran from 1979 to 2015 and China’s involvement in international adoption, a practice that was ended last year. Nuala speaks to the American journalist Barbara Demick, who unravelled the truth of what happened to the twins, eventually broke the story to the world and who has put their story into this book.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Andrea Kidd


MON 11:00 The Invention Of... (m002d9rs)
Hungary

Hungary and Mohacs 500

Misha Glenny and producer Miles Warde travel from Vienna to Budapest and beyond to find out how Hungarian hardman Viktor Orban stays in power. With an election coming up next year, now seemed a good time to find out how he uses history in his campaigns, beginning with a battle his country lost to the Ottoman's back in 1526.

"There are going to be three dates that matter in our series - 1526 and the battle of Mohacs; 1848, when the Hungarians rebelled against their Austrian overlords; and 1956, when anti Soviet protestors stood up to the Russian Bear … and were crushed. Three dates, three defeats, powerful moments in any nation’s history for politicians to exploit."

This is the thirteenth in the international How to Invent a Country series that asks where countries come from, and what are the stories people tell themselves about their past. Misha Glenny is the award-winning author of McMafia and currently head of the IWM in Vienna. With contributions from Paul Lendvai. Reka Kinga Papp, Simon Winder, Kamilla Marosi, Tibor Fischer and Nick Thorpe, plus Norbert Papp on location near Mohacs.

"The actual events of the battle don't matter - history is just raw material for politicians," Papp says.

The producer for BBC Studios Audio is Miles Warde.


MON 11:45 Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick (m002d9rv)
1. Born in the Bamboo

Daughters of the Bamboo Grove is the new book by the award-winning journalist Barbara Demick. Here she tells the extraordinary story of separated twins, their lives in China and the USA, and her own role in reuniting them. Debora Weston reads.

In 2000, a Chinese woman gave birth to twin girls in a hideaway in a remote Chinese village to avoid coming to the notice of the officials who enforced the one child policy. She and her husband already had two daughters and knew there would be hefty fines to pay for the two new additions to their family, but they could not have imagined what would happen next.

Barbara Demick is the author of Eating the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town, and the multi-award winning Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. It was during her time working as the Los Angeles Times Bureau Chief in China that she uncovered the tale of the separated twins. In Daughters of the Bamboo Grove not only does she reveal the story of the what happened to the girls, she also explores the heart-breaking consequences of China's one-child policy and the country's international adoption programme.

Abridged by Julian Wilkinson
Produced by Elizabeth Allard


MON 12:00 News Summary (m002d9rx)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 12:04 You and Yours (m002d9rz)
Bank of Son and Daughter, Trams, Midnight Product Releases

The Bank of Mum and Dad has grown significantly as older people that have made money through rising house prices give to their children. However, financial planning company Saltus have found that wealthier young people are driving growth in the bank of son and daughter. It found that over half of people with more than £250,000 in savings were supporting their parents with living costs.

On Wednesday, the government will announce a £15 billion boost to improve public transport outside of London. Some major cities like Leeds and Bristol have long hoped for tram networks, so could the new very light rail system in Coventry provide some inspiration? The city lost its tram system in the Blitz in 1940 and now small 60-person trams are being trialled in the city. The new trams will be delivered in less time than standard tram systems and at a tenth of the cost, so could this work elsewhere?

When you order flowers, it is usually for an important occasion so it can be extremely distressing if they don’t arrive on time – or at all. However, customers from the website Flower Shops Network report that they haven't been receiving their flowers, or a refund. We ask the company what is going on - as well discussing the red flags to look for when online shopping and how to decipher whether reviews are trustworthy.

Last week the Nintendo Switch 2 was released at midnight in the UK, with many people queuing up outside shops for hours to get their hands on one. In previous decades midnight releases for games consoles and books attracted hundreds of thousands of people. As retailers try and bring people back to the high street, will we see these events make a return?

PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON

PRODUCER: CHARLIE FILMER-COURT


MON 12:57 Weather (m002d9s1)
The latest weather forecast


MON 13:00 World at One (m002d9s3)
Millions have winter fuel payment restored

Chancellor confirms U-turn, saying three-quarters of pensioners are now eligible, some nine million people. We have the details, get political reaction and hear from someone affected. Plus, a 16-year-old Silicon Valley-based British tech whizz tells us what he'll tell the Prime Minister about AI in Downing Street tomorrow.


MON 13:45 Politically (m002d9s5)
Postwar

1. The Rejection

David Runciman tells the story of the 1945 election and the dawn of a new age.

The 1945 general election was one of the biggest shocks in British parliamentary history: a decisive rejection of Winston Churchill and his leadership. The election of Clement Attlee's Labour government in a landslide marked a break with the past and signalled a strong desire on the part of the British people for something new. But it was also a product of Britain's wartime experiences and revealed the many ways in which the country had already changed.

The years that followed -- the postwar years -- would bring about bold and radical reform, the building of a new nation, a 'New Jerusalem'. The Britain of the National Health Service and the welfare state, of nationalised industry and the so-called 'postwar consensus' -- all were ushered into place with this election. This is the Britain that most have us have grown up in and which still shapes an idea of who we think we are.

On 8th May 1945 -- VE Day -- Winston Churchill was triumphant and vindicated. Less than twelve weeks later he was thrown out of office in a crushing electoral defeat. Why did the man who won the war -- the hero of the hour and a hero for the ages -- find himself so decisively rejected by the electorate?

Featuring historian David Kynaston.


MON 14:00 The Archers (m002d88s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Conversations from a Long Marriage (m002d1v8)
Series 6

4. Georgia On My Mind

Joanna and Roger are off to America for Roger’s grandson’s wedding.

Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam star as a long-married couple, in Jan Etherington’s beloved comedy.

This week, they’re off to Savannah, Georgia for the wedding of Roger’s grandson. They are both apprehensive at meeting Roger’s ‘new’ family but are warmly welcomed in true Southern style. Roger impresses the gathering by rustling up a Yorkshire pudding for dinner and his zydeco dancing draws a crowd. Joanna tells him she loves his family and all is going wonderfully well, until Roger’s son, Dustin makes a helpful suggestion.

Conversations from a Long Marriage is written by Jan Etherington and produced by Claire Jones.

Wilfredo Acosta - Sound Engineer
Jon Calver - Sound Designer
Sarah Nicholls - Production Coordinator

An EcoAudio certified production.
A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4


MON 14:45 Dance Move by Wendy Erskine (m001d5l1)
Episode 2 - Dance Move

In Dance Move, the new collection of stories from Wendy Erskine, we meet characters who are looking to wrest control of their lives, only to find themselves defined by the moment in their past that marked them. In these stories – as in real life – the funny, the tender and the devastating go hand in hand. Full of warmth, the familiar and the strange, they are about what it means to live in the world, how far you can end up from where you came from, and what it means to look back.
Shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize 2022.

The Author
Wendy Erskine lives in Belfast. Her fiction and non-fiction have been published by Repeater, Dostoyevsky Wannabe, Faber & Faber, Tangerine Press, No Alibis Press and Rough Trade Books. Sweet Home, her first collection of stories, was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize and the Republic of Consciousness Prize. It was longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and won the 2020 Butler Literary Award.

Reader: Roísín Gallagher
Author: Wendy Erskine
Abridger: Rowan Routh
Producer: Michael Shannon
Executive Editor: Andy Martin

A BBC Northern Ireland Production.


MON 15:00 A Good Read (m002d9s7)
Jack Thorne and Peter Kosminsky

AN INSTANCE OF THE FINGERPOST by Iain Pears, chosen by Peter Kosminsky
HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING by Will Arbery, chosen by Jack Thorne
PERFECTION by Vincenzo Latronico, chosen by Harriett Gilbert

Thorne and Kosminsky are great friends, but don't fully agree on the books discussed. Topics raised by their choices include toxic masculinity, empathy, and whether or not Succession is a great TV series.

Peter has chosen An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears, a restoration murder mystery told by four unreliable narrators. Jack advocates for Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery, a play about four right-wing Catholics meeting at a college reunion. Harriett has gone for Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, a satire telling the tale of a millennial couple living in fashionable Berlin.

Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Heaven
Join the conversation on Instagram: agoodreadbbc
Photo credit Antonio Olmos


MON 15:30 Curious Cases (m002c71c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:00 on Saturday]


MON 16:00 Currently (m002d883)
[Repeat of broadcast at 13:30 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m002d9bq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:30 on Saturday]


MON 17:00 PM (m002d9s9)
News and current affairs, reporting on breaking stories and summing up the day's headlines


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002d9sc)
Millions of pensioners are getting their winter fuel payments back

Just over ten months after the Government withdrew the winter fuel allowance from the vast majority of pensioners in England and Wales, the details of the policy's almost total reversal have been announced. Also: The head of NATO, Mark Rutte, has called on all countries in the alliance to agree to significantly increase defence spending. And Frederick Forsyth has died at the age of 86.


MON 18:30 It's a Fair Cop (m002d9sf)
Series 9

3. Suspicious Death

In this week’s case Alfie must secure the crime scene when the discovery of a dead body leaves him with a mystery to solve.

Join Alfie and his audience of sworn-in deputies as they attempt to piece together what might have happened.

Written and presented by Alfie Moore
Script Editor: Will Ing
Production Co-ordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Sam Holmes

A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4


MON 19:00 The Archers (m002d9sh)
Crispin surprises Alan by arriving unannounced to discuss Peggy’s funeral arrangements. He suggests brightly that Alan should box with him sometime, before pointing out the advantage of him not conducting the funeral is that he’ll be able to immerse himself in the service as a fellow mourner. With the appearance of Kate and Jakob to discuss things further Alan takes his leave – but not before Crispin makes a good natured aside about his motorbike. Crispin familiarises himself with Peggy’s family members before explaining some of the finer points of the service. Kate notices he has a shoulder twinge and offers him a massage to help ease it. Jakob’s dubious but Crispin’s tempted.
Later Kate defends her gran’s choice of vicar to Alan. Alan’s pleased she feels she can work with Crispin. Kate assures him she can. She wonders whether Alan would mind standing at the back for the service, or even outside to marshall mourners if it’s very busy. Afterwards Jakob thinks this was a little nasty of Kate but she feels justified; referring back to the past, she asserts that Alan should have approved Peggy’s window.
Helen’s given David a cheese hamper as a thank you for saving Bridge Farm’s Open Farm Sunday. She notices Tony’s quiet, and he admits he’s worried about carrying his mum’s coffin at the funeral. Henry asks tentatively if he might do it instead of his granddad. Grateful Tony thanks him – it would be a huge weight off his mind. He tells Henry he’s a very special boy.


MON 19:15 Front Row (m002d9sk)
Twin Peaks creator plus Ian Rankin on Frederick Forsyth

Ian Rankin pays tribute to the best-selling thriller author Frederick Forsyth, whose death was announced today.

Samira talks to Twin Peaks' co-creator Mark Frost and podcaster Mike Munser about the show's enduring legacy 35 years on, as Twin Peaks is re-released and celebrated at the BFI Film on Film Festival.

Playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti talks about her new play Marriage Material, which spans decades in the lives of a Sikh family running a corner shop in Wolverhampton.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Harry Graham


MON 20:00 Rethink (m002d1c9)
Rethink...the civil service

Across many countries, civil services, once seen as the backbone of stable governance, are facing growing scrutiny. Long viewed as the impartial and efficient machine of government, the role of civil servants is now being questioned as political polarisation intensifies and trust in traditional institutions declines.

In the UK, the United States and other democracies, critics question its effectiveness, arguing that the civil service has become opaque, unwieldy and inefficient, and process is getting in the way of outcomes.

The modern British civil service emerged in the 19th century, and was designed to carry out the day-to-day tasks of government in an unbiased and professional manner.

However, is a bureaucracy that was created and designed more than a century ago still fit for purpose - or are we witnessing a turning point in its role in modern governance?

Presenter: Ben Ansell
Producer: Eleanor Harrison-Dengate
Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors:
Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary, 2005 - 2011
Jennifer Pahlka, former United States government’s deputy chief technology officer
Aaron Maniam, scholar at the Blavatnik School of Government, and former Singaporean civil servant
Hannah White, Director and CEO of Institute for Government
Joe Hill, Policy Director, Reform

Rethink is a BBC co-production with the Open University


MON 20:30 BBC Inside Science (m002d1cc)
Can science save our oceans?

More than 2,000 marine scientists have come together at the One Ocean Science Congress in Nice, France. It is a gathering that will bring marine experts from all over the world together to share the latest discoveries about the health of our seas and oceans.

It is an issue at the centre of the world’s attention, because from 9th June, leaders and negotiators from 200 countries will arrive in Nice for the crucial United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC3).

Presenter Victoria Gill is joined by Murray Roberts, Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Edinburgh to find out what is at stake when leaders come together to work out a global plan to save our oceans from multiple threats, including climate change, pollution and overfishing.

Professor Amanda Vincent from the University of British Columbia in Canada joins the Inside Science team to reveal her insights into the destruction caused by the controversial fishing practice of bottom trawling, which she explains is devastating marine life.

Victoria also joins a team of acoustic marine scientists on their research boat the “We Explore” off the coast of Nice to listen for whales and dolphins under the surface. Their sound recordings reveal how animals of different species eavesdrop on each other and how to stop boat noise from drowning out whale communication.

We also meet a team from a charity in Plymouth that is helping people who are living with poor mental health by prescribing ocean-based activities. Freyja Thomson-Alberts from the organisation the Ocean Conservation Trust explains why the ocean is central to our physical and mental wellbeing.

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Dan Welsh, Clare Salisbury, Jonathan Blackwell
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 21:00 Start the Week (m002d9rn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:45 The Shipping Postcards (m002d9sm)
Wight

To mark the centenary of broadcasting of the Shipping Forecast, members of the Radio 4 Continuity team, the voices of the on-air forecast, leave the Radio 4 studio behind and travel the UK visiting some of the iconic areas we only know by their official descriptions on the daily forecast. Dogger, Irish Sea, Wight, Lundy and Forth. They meet the residents, sailors, fishermen, radio lovers and many others who live and work on the coastal areas – and who have a connection to the Shipping Forecast.

Episode 3 - Wight

John Hammond returns to the sea area of Wight, visiting the village of Bosham, where he grew up and used to sail. He also visits the local church, and learns about the areas connection to King Cnut, King Harold and a tragedy related to the D-Day landings.

Presenter - John Hammond
Producer - Julian May


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m002d9sp)
Three-quarters of pensioners to get winter fuel payment after U-turn

More than three-quarters of pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment this year after Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirms a major U-turn. We look at the new policy and the politics of the decision.

Who are the Palestinian gunmen shooting at those trying to collect aid parcels in Gaza?

And best-selling author Lee Child pays tribute to The Day of the Jackal author Frederick "Freddie" Forsyth, who has died aged 86.


MON 22:45 Albion by Anna Hope (m002d9sr)
Episode 1

As a glorious burgeoning of new growth bursts into life across the thousand acres that Philip Brooke has left to his eldest daughter Frannie, his two younger children - Milo and Isa (Isabella) - return to the family home. It’s a stunning, golden hued eighteenth-century mansion surrounded by parkland in the heart of the Sussex Downs, built by their ancestor, Oliver Brooke seven generations before our present moment.

The house and estate are also home to ‘The Albion Project’ an ambitious plan conceived by Frannie and implemented alongside her father in his final decade. The rewilding project has catalysed an astonishing regeneration that has already brought back rare birds to the woodland, fish to a previously choked river, and mammals and plants to an estate sucked dry by the agri-business of pheasant shoots. Frannie is fond of saying that everything she does is about looking seven generations ahead: for the future of her seven-year-old daughter
Rowan, and the communities and families that will follow, alongside the bigger responsibility to the eco- system.

However, for Frannie’s younger brother Milo, the house and estate are also the intended home of his own project, ‘The Clearing’ – a radical treatment centre based on monitored use of psilocybin in luxurious treehouse lodges, administered by therapists and ‘ritual managers' (alongside top chefs and other spa retreat necessities).

Their younger sister, Isa, now 38 and a teacher in London, also had a troubled childhood and was damaged, as were her siblings, by having to witness the suffering caused to their mother by their father Philip’s open and continuous philandering. For an entire decade of her childhood he left and went to live with an art dealer/gallerist in New York. Unlike her siblings, Isa never reconciled with her father and the memories of her childhood at the house are dominated by her adolescent affair with the estate keeper’s son, Jack.

Philip’s cruel narcissism casts a shadow over them all, and his wife Grace is longing to move out of the big house and into the cottage where Frannie and Rowan lived. But unexpected news from New York, and the arrival of a stranger leave the entire family unmoored and in shock.

Anna Hope is the author of five novels, three of which (including Albion) are being developed for the screen. She studied at Oxford and trained at RADA.
Jonathan Coe describes Albion as ‘A superb novel deftly woven around themes of class, national identity and environmental collapse. In Albion Anna Hope engages, head-on, with some of the most urgent and challenging issues facing the world today’

Albion by Anna Hope is read by the author
Abridged by Jill Waters and Anna Hope
Produced by Jill Waters and The Waters Company


MON 23:00 Whodunnits (m000j9jw)
A Charles Paris Mystery - A Doubtful Death

1. Method in his Madness

To his horror, actor Charles has landed a role in an immersive theatre production of Hamlet.

So when an actress goes missing, he has to decide whether this is going to be or not to be a murder case..?

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor-cum-sleuth, Charles Paris.

Crime novel by Simon Brett.

Dramatised in four parts by Jeremy Front.

Charles .... Bill Nighy
Frances .... Suzanne Burden
Maurice .... Jon Glover
Vicky .... Jessica Turner
Jenny .... Scarlett Courtney
Tomasz .... Ian Conningham
Tour Guide .... Will Kirk
Waitress .... Lucy Reynolds

Director: Sally Avens

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2020.


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002d9st)
Sean Curran reports from Westminster as the government sets out the details of their U-turn on Winter Fuel payments for pensioners.