SATURDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2025

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m002lfk9)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:30 Every Last Fish by Rose George (m002lfhj)
5. Farming Salmon

The journalist Rose George visits a salmon farm in Norway, encounters 'cleaner' fish, and ponders the future of aquaculture more generally as the world's appetite for fish dinners remains. Dorothy Atkinson reads.

Rose George reminds us that Samuel Coleridge thought of fish as nothing more than ‘slimy things’ in the water. In her new book she observes that today, we see fish mostly as food, and she invites us to reconsider, to think beyond our dinner plates and to go out and wonder at this glorious species and the oceans they inhabit. As our appetites for fish grow and the health benefits of these watery dwellers are widely disseminated, George asks where our lunches, pet food, supplements and garden fertilizers in the shape of fishmeal are going to come through. As fish stocks continue to diminish and artisanal fishing practices are dwindling George asks hard questions. We'll hear about the impact of over fishing; the plight of the Senegalese fishing industry; the question of fish farms, and also a celebration of fishwives, along with stories of the heroic fisherman who saved lives during the world wars and continue do so on our most perilous seas.

Dorothy Atkinson is the reader. She is acclaimed for her work in theatre, film and television. She has appeared in several films by Mike Leigh most notably Mr Turner. She is well known for playing Pauline in the sitcom Mum. Recent work includes Ludwig, Joan, Saltburn, Without Sin, Pennyworth, Harlots and Call the Midwife.

Rose George is the author of A Life Removed: Hunting for Refuge in the Modern World (long-listed for the Ulysses Reportage Prize), The Big Necessity: Adventures in the World of Human Waste (Portobello, 2008; shortlisted for the BMA Book Prize) and Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry that Brings You 90% of Everything (Portobello, 2013; winner of a Mountbatten Maritime Award), and Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Mysterious, Miraculous World of Blood (Portobello, 2018).

Rose writes frequently for the Guardian, New Statesman and many other publications, and her two TED talks, on sanitation and seafaring, have had 3 million views.

Abridger: Katrin Williams
Producer: Elizabeth Allard


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002lfkc)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002lfkf)
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 (m002lfkh)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002lfkk)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002lfkm)
Doctor or Deadbeat?

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Daniel Sibthorpe

Good Morning.

I'm currently between jobs or should I more accurately say, unemployed.

So when someone asks that classic question "What do you do?" I'm faced with a dilemma.

Do I refer back to my previous employment creating an easy passage to more questions? Maybe I see this as an opportunity to try out my elevator pitch. Listing my skills and talents? I could throw in something more existential like, “I do nothing". Leaving the questioner struggling.

I wonder if this question is just a device to help people place us into their pecking order of value. Is worth measured largely by what we do rather than who we really are? If I make it into the top half of their list they might well stay and talk, if I don’t make the grade they move onto someone seemingly more deserving of their time.
Is it just me, or do we all do this to a certain extent?

When Jesus met people he seemed to look past status or social standing and speak to the intrinsic worth of the individual. Whether a corrupt tax collector, a socially excluded women or a member of the religious elite. Each one had their world view and lives turned upside down after a short encounter with Jesus.

For those curious to know my previous work was as a church leader for 16 years.

So today, I pray that you may be able to see your real value and worth, not in what you may be able to do or not do, but as a unique individual designed in God's image and likeness.

Amen


SAT 05:45 In the Loop (m001nghz)
1. Stone Circle

…a circle has no beginning and no end. It represents rebirth and regeneration, continuity and infinity. From wedding rings to stone circles, in poetry, music and the trajectories of the planets themselves, circles and loops are embedded in our imaginations.

In this five-part series poet Paul Farley goes walking in circles in five very different ‘loopy’ locations. He visits a traffic roundabout, a rollercoaster and a particle accelerator to ask why human beings find rings and circles so symbolic, significant and satisfying.

The earliest civilisations were drawn to the idea of closing a circle and creating a loop; in human relationships we’d all rather be within the circle of trust; and in arts and music our eyes, ears and minds are inexorably drawn towards – and rebel against - the ‘strange loops’ of Bach, Gödel and Escher.

As he puts himself in the loop – sometimes at the centre and sometimes on the circumference – Paul has circular conversations with mathematicians and physicists, composers and poets. Each one propels him into a new loop of enquiry. And that’s because a circle has no beginning and no end…
.
The first episode brings Paul around to the 5000 year-old stone circle at Castlerigg in Cumbria – a ring of stones within a ring of hills. With archaeologists Gill Hey and Richard Bradley he considers what circles represented to our Neolithic forebears and how sites like Castlerigg informed their view of the Universe. And, with Eugenia Cheng, he discovers what a circle actually means to a mathematician .

Producer: Jeremy Grange


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m002lq8d)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.


SAT 06:07 Ramblings (m002lfdy)
Nick Wilson - the Disabled Adventurer

Clare joins Nick Wilson for a circuit around Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire. A former soldier, Nick now uses a powerchair after a spinal injury and years of chronic pain made walking impossible. He has experienced homelessness and battled depression, yet has found the strength to launch his ‘Disabled Adventurer’ project.
Through this initiative, Nick creates social media videos about the accessibility of natural spaces, leads wheelchair skills workshops, and collaborates with national organisations to make the outdoors more inclusive.

Nick and his support worker, Matthew, brought along a spare powerchair for Clare. With their guidance, she navigated a stretch of the reservoir’s wide, accessible paths. As Nick explained, having access to outdoor spaces and continuing to pursue his love of adventure - albeit in a different way - has helped him rediscover a sense of enjoyment, achievement, and purpose.

Map: OS Explorer 223 Northampton and Market Harborough Map Ref: (car park) SP 752 694

Presenter: Clare Balding
Producer: Karen Gregor

A BBC Studios Production for Radio 4


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m002lq8g)
The government's Drought Group has warned of ongoing problems in the year ahead unless reservoirs and rivers get enough rain in the next few months. The hot dry summer has pushed many farmers to re-evaluate how they use water. We speak to an expert who works with farmers and landowners to plan and manage water use.
This week on Farming Today we've been looking at invasive species - from the Asian hornet which is killing our native honey bees, to Himalayan Balsam which spreads quickly and can choke waterways. We hear from people and groups trying innovative ways to control or eradicate non-native invasive flora and fauna.
And the environment agency and police are criticised in a new report from the House of Lords Climate Change Committee. It says 38 million tonnes of illegal waste is dumped each year, yet few successful convictions are achieved.
Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.


SAT 06:57 Weather (m002lq8j)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 07:00 Today (m002lq8l)
Today (Saturday)


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m002lq8n)
Ken Follett, The FA Cup, Piano Reinvention, and Miranda Hart's Inheritance Tracks

Ken Follett has sold 200 million books around the world, in more than 80 countries and into 30 different languages. He made his breakthrough with spy thrillers before working his way back through time, and now we find him telling the story of the building of Stonehenge in his latest book, "Circle of Days".

The Macabees musician Felix White wanted to be a footballer, didn’t we all, until it became clear to him aged seven that he wasn’t good enough... so he turned to Football Manager by post. Football became his refuge when his mother became ill with MS, and his part memoir, part football and social history book, "Whatever Will Be Will Be" frames that life story of love and loss around the successive rounds of last year's FA Cup.

Sarah Nicolls is a skilled pianist and innovator who has become one of the few people to reinvent the piano, turning it quite literally on its head to create the vertical piano, which is not only being played using the keys but also the strings from within and the wood surround.

Also, an orchestra of noise from a parade of classic cars lined up on his front drive along Pall Mall.

Plus, the Inheritance Tracks of the comedian and author Miranda Hart.

Presenter: Adrian Chiles
Producer: Ben Mitchell
Assistant Producer: Lowri Morgan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley


SAT 10:00 Curious Cases (m002lpfc)
Series 24

Going Viral

Cold and flu season is well and truly upon us, and whilst most of us are busy bemoaning the pesky viruses behind our sniffles and chesty coughs – one of our listeners has other ideas. Elizabeth wants to know whether we’re too hard on these oft-maligned microbes? We’ve all heard that some bacteria can be good for us, but what about viruses? Could they have a softer side too?
Hannah and Dara explore the virome, from prehistoric placental proteins to ultra-precise disease fighting phages to find out if Viruses truly are the villains of the microscopic world or whether they just need a better PR team.

Contributors
Jonathan Ball - Professor of Molecular Virology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Martha Clokie - Professor of Microbiology at the University of Leicester.
Marylin Roosinck - Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at Penn State University US.

Producer: Emily Bird
Executive Producer: Sasha Feachem
A BBC Studios Production


SAT 10:30 Legend (m002lpfh)
The Bruce Springsteen Story

4. The Promise

How did Bruce become The Boss, and what did it cost him to get there? Laura Barton explores the extraordinary life story of Bruce Springsteen, taking a front-row seat at five important gigs to reveal the life behind the legend.

Bruce is living in Hollywood, L.A, making music without his long-time bandmates. It's a time of Bruce being far away from his roots - and from some of his most loyal fans. But a homecoming concert in his school gym in Freehold, New Jersey marks a turning point.

~~~

“I'm here tonight to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable, particularly these days, us. That's my magic trick.”

In Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, we uncover the magic trick to discover how a scrawny, long-haired introvert from small-town New Jersey became the iconic, muscular, and oft-misunderstood rock star of the 1980s, to the eloquent elder statesmen he is now. What can his story tell us about America today?

In each episode, Laura takes us to the front row of a live performance that reveals a different side of The Boss, and hears him across the decades in his own words from the archive. We'll also hear from fellow worshippers in the Church of Springsteen and disciples from the E Street Band, including drummer Max Weinberg, tributes from those influenced by Bruce, such as Bryce Dessner from The National, as well as Freehold town historian Kevin Coyne, former Asbury Park Press music critic Kelly Jane Cotter, and biographers such as Eric Alterman, Steven Hyden and Warren Zanes.

The Bruce Springsteen Story comes from the production team behind BBC Radio 4’s award-winning Joni Mitchell Story, and the podcast Soul Music – “… the gold standard for music podcasts…” (Esquire).

Producer: Eliza Lomas
Series Development: Mair Bosworth
Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown
Production Coordinator: Stuart Laws
Research: Sarah Goodman
Series Editor: Emma Harding
Commissioning Editors: Daniel Clarke and Matthew Dodd


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m002lq8q)
Ben Riley-Smith, the political editor of the Daily Telegraph, assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

Ben discusses the troubles at the Home Office with two former Home Secretaries: Alan Johnson, who served under Gordon Brown and Amber Rudd, who served during Theresa May's premiership.

Following the row over the China spying allegations, Ben discusses managing relations with China with Lord Sedwill, the former Cabinet Secretary and former National Security Adviser and Labour MP Matt Western who is the chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.

The 'Speaker's Conference' - which has been investigating abuse and intimidation towards politicians - published its final report this week. Ben discussed the findings of the report with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons.

And, in the week that the Prime Minister discussed his musical tastes on the Radio Three programme 'Private Passions', Ben spoke to two musical politicians about the power of music: Labour's Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, who was a professional cellist and the LIberal Democrat MP Anne Sabine, who plays the bassoon.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002lq8s)
Argentina's Milei wins big

Kate Adie introduces stories from Argentina, South Korea, Japan, Ireland and the Occupied West Bank.

For decades, Argentina's cycle of boom and bust seemed endless, but two years ago, a chainsaw-wielding, self-styled 'anarcho capitalist' called Javier Milei promised a way out of all that. Since elected as president he’s shown some signs of being able to shrink the state – but are voters happy? Ione Wells watched on at the recent mid-term elections.

The meeting between China’s President, Xi Jinping and US President, Donald Trump this week in South Korea was analysed intently for any signs of a breakthrough on the two countries trade stand-off. Our China correspondent Laura Bicker followed the encounter.

Earlier on his East Asia tour Donald Trump met with Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. The president lavished praise on Ms Takaichi whose politics many have compared to Margaret Thatcher. Shaimaa Khalil examines what Donald Trump called 'a beautiful friendship'.

Ireland has for a long time been known for its more stable, centrist politics – avoiding the polarisation seen in the US and parts of Europe. But last weekend’s presidential election suggests that is now changing. Chris Page followed the election from Dublin.

The annual olive harvest is a major cultural event for Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank – but farmers there have come under increased attack by Jewish settlers this year. Tom Bennett travelled to the village of Turmus Ayya.

Producer: Serena Tarling
Production coordinator: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SAT 12:00 News Summary (m002lq8v)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 12:04 Money Box (m002lq8x)
Funeral insurance cancelled and not-so-simple assessment?

Thousands of people who've paid millions of pounds into an insurance plan they thought would cover their funeral costs face getting nothing in return. The insurer has told them their policies are being cancelled. Some had paid into the plan through their credit union for decades expecting a cash payment to go to their families when they died. But the cover will now come to an end as the insurer says a clause in the contract allows it to pull the plug with 30 days’ notice and give its customers - a number of whom are in their 80s - nothing.

Now you might think receiving one tax demand a year is more than enough, but if you happen to be subjected to a so-called 'Simple Assessment' by HMRC you may well just have received a second one. HMRC have confirmed that they have started either issuing – or updating previously issued – Simple Assessments to include savings interest from 2024-25. But some tax advisors are concerned that people who paid their first bill covering earnings - back in the summer - could easily get confused and find themselves paying twice, once this new demand arrives.

And - with speculation mounting as to what will be in the Chancellor’s budget – now just four weeks away – listeners have contacted us with their views about what may, or may not happen to Cash ISAs. This follows speculation that Rachel Reeves may reduce the cap on the amount you can save tax free in a cash ISA from £20,000 to a much lower amount such as £10,000, with the caveat that savers would be incentivised to invest more into the stocks and shares of British companies.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporters: Sarah Rogers, Jo Krasner
Researchers: Eimear Devlin, Catherine Lund
Editor: Craig Henderson
Snr News Editor: Sarah Wadeson


SAT 12:30 The Naked Week (m002lfjm)
Series 3

1. Royal lodges, asylum hotels and witches.

This week we provide recourse for a randy royal, organise an on-air riot and, for Halloween, get confused over which witch is which.

From host Andrew Hunter Murray and The Skewer's Jon Holmes, Radio 4’s newest Friday night comedy The Naked Week returns with a blend of the silly and serious. From satirical stunts to studio set pieces via guest correspondents and investigative journalism, it's a bold, audacious take not only on the week’s news, but also the way it’s packaged and presented.

Host: Andrew Hunter Murray
Guests: Bella Hull, Lisa Webb

Investigations Team: Cat Neilan, Cormac Kehoe, Freya Shaw

Written by:
Jon Holmes
Katie Sayer
Gareth Ceredig
Jason Hazeley
James Kettle

Additional Material:
Karl Minns
Vivienne Hopley-Jones
Cooper Mawhinny Sweryt
Helen Brooks
Ali Panting
Kevin Smith
Joe Topping
Sophie Dickson

Live Sound: Jerry Peal
Post Production: Tony Churnside
Clip Assistant: David Riffkin
Production Assistant: Molly Punshon

Assistant Producer: Katie Sayer
Producer: Jon Holmes

Executive Producer: Phil Abrams.

An unusual production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 12:57 Weather (m002lq8z)
The latest weather forecast


SAT 13:00 News (m002lq91)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m002lfjv)
Kieran Mullan MP, James Murray MP, Al Pinkerton MP, Ella Whelan

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Oakwood Park Grammar School in Maidstone, Kent, with the shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan MP; the chief secretary to the Treasury, James Murray MP; Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson, Al Pinkerton MP; and the writer and broadcast Ella Whelan, a columnist at Spiked and the Telegraph.

Producer: Paul Martin
Lead broadcast engineer: Chris Hardman


SAT 14:05 Any Answers? (m002lq93)
Listeners respond to the issues raised in the preceding edition of Any Questions?

Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley


SAT 14:45 The Archers (m002lfjq)
At Lower Loxley, Chelsea’s wrestling with the right formula for her chocolate cauldron. Vince isn’t happy when people seem to be cutting corners by finding nine hats instead of the requisite ten. Chelsea asserts it’s not important – the point is to make happy memories for the kids so the parents will come back again. Vince persists with his argument, sending families back for the last hat. Freddie lets them know one hat’s gone missing, and agrees with Chelsea that it’s all just a bit of fun. He heads off to sort out disgruntled children. Vince reckons all this makes managing the abattoir seem like a walk in the park. It’s been mayhem. He’s impressed with the smart way Chelsea’s handled her side of it.

Esme’s been looking forward to the Lower Loxley Halloween event; it’s a break from poring over her dad’s finances. They linger in the nursery as Rosie falls prey to the missing witch hat issue. As Pip and Esme chat Freddie informs them Rosie’s donated her hat, so they’re back on track with the trail. Pip points out it wasn’t Rosie’s to give away, but Esme’s delighted for her hat to have such an important role in Lower Loxley’s proceedings. However Freddie has a foot in mouth moment when he gives away that Pip’s been complaining about a needy woman at Meadow Farm. There’s embarrassment all round as Esme reveals herself as the ‘needy woman’. Pip tries to explain, but Esme concedes she needs to face reality. She can’t keep Meadow Farm going like this forever.


SAT 15:00 Drama on 4 (m00127ch)
D for Dexter: Coming Home

Skye's been trying to get hold of her little brother Dex for ages and all she gets is his voice on Ed's answerphone message. Her mum Jak is ghosting her as well.

Two weeks is a long time when you're nine.

Skye's just turned eighteen and she's busy working twelve hour shifts in her job as a carer, saving up so she and Dex can have the best Christmas ever. Won't be hard. Bar's not set very high. She's always been the one to look out for Dexter, all his life. So where is he?

In the final chapter in this extraordinary story of ordinary life, things are changing for the King family. They still live in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, but Skye has moved out and got herself a job. Jak says she's not drinking but she's definitely up to something. Ed's impossible to get hold of. And Dexter is nowhere to be found.

A heart-breakingly brave, funny and beautiful story, the concluding episode of a series that was originally part of programming for the BBC Children in Need Appeal on Radio 4.

'D for Dexter' won Best Serial in the BBC Audio Drama Awards in 2016 and was runner-up in 2020. Sydney Wade received a Special Commendation for her performance as Skye in 2019. The same core cast has grown up with the story which has been recorded on location in Lincolnshire for the past eight years.

Created by Amanda Whittington and written by Sarah Daniels

Skye...Sydney Wade
Jak...Una McNulty
Dexter...Alfie McCann-Johnson
Dick...Michael Begley
Alice...Jane Thornton
Lindy...Jasmine Hyde
Aiden Hardy...Will Kirk
Aaliyah (Ali)...Saroja-Lily Ratnavel
Ugne...Tracy Wiles

Guitar by Tom Constantine

Director...Mary Ward-Lowery


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m002lq97)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Malala Yousafzai, Faulty breast implants, Petula Clark

Thrust onto the public stage at 15 years old after the Taliban’s brutal attack on her life, Malala Yousafzai became an international icon for resilience and bravery. Described as a reflection on a life of a woman finally taking charge of her destiny, her memoir Finding My Way has just been published. She joins Anita Rani in the Woman’s Hour studio.

There's a call to compensate women caught up in the scandal of faulty breast implants manufactured by a French company. The PIP scandal happened in 2012 when it emerged that the implants were filled with industrial silicone instead of medical grade silicone. The implants are far more likely to rupture than others. MPs on the Women’s and Equalities Committee have been hearing calls for compensation during their inquiry into the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. Jan Spivey from PIP Action Campaign and Professor Carl Heneghan from The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine join us to discuss this.

What if all your dreams come true and you still find yourself a bit grumpy? That’s the brilliantly blunt question at the heart of Laura Smyth's stand-up tour, Born Aggy. Laura’s journey into comedy wasn’t exactly textbook. She left behind a career in teaching, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer that same year and - just two weeks after finishing treatment - was on stage in Live at the Apollo. She joins Nuala McGovern in the studio.

Choreographer and artist Amina Khayyam tells Anita about her new dance-theatre work, Bibi Rukiya’s Reckless Daughter, which opens soon in London after a national tour. It explores how patriarchy is enforced not only by men, but across generations of women, within family structures.

Singer, actor and performer, Petula Clark’s career has spanned over eight decades. She sang to wartime troops in the 40s, was a 1950s child star, became a European musical icon before conquering America with her No 1 hit Downtown. She starred in Hollywood movies alongside Fred Astaire and performed on stage in musicals including The Sound of Music, Sunset Boulevard and most recently Mary Poppins. Her autobiography - Is That You, Petula? is out now and she joins Nuala to look back at her long career.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Simon Richardson


SAT 17:00 PM (m002lq99)
Full coverage of the day's news


SAT 17:30 Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (m002lq9c)
Life after Labour: Zarah Sultana on Palestine, Farage and 'Your Party'

How a trip to the West Bank in her teens set the Coventry MP on a path into politics.

Zarah Sultana joins Nick in the studio a few weeks before the launch of her new party with Jeremy Corbyn.

In the interview, they discuss her positions on NATO, the state of Israel, seeking power, and why she likened her relationship with Corbyn to the Gallagher brothers.

Producer: Daniel Kraemer
Research: Chloe Desave
Editor: Giles Edwards


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002lq9f)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 17:57 Weather (m002lq9h)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002lq9k)
Pressure grows on Andrew to testify to US inquiry into Epstein

Pressure is growing on the former prince, Andrew, to agree to face questions in the US about his links to Jeffrey Epstein. Months of criticism over his close friendship with the late sex offender has culminated in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being stripped of his title. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing. But members of Congress in the US say if he wants to clear his name, he should give evidence to their inquiry.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m002lpkv)
Danny Robins, Garth Marenghi, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Donna Thompson, The New Eves

It's a particulary spooky edition of Loose Ends as we're joined by Danny Robins - host of Uncanny and writer of 2.22 a Ghost Story and cult horror author Garth Marenghi. But which of them is the real king of horror? Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem brings us her literary debut, A Complicated Woman and there's music from The New Eves with a song from their debut album 'The New Eve is Rising' and Donna Thompson performs 'Gardner Street'

Presenter: Clive Anderson
Producer: Jessica Treen


SAT 19:00 Profile (m002lq9m)
Andy Burnham

As Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party comes under increasing pressure and criticism, we profile a man who may well be waiting in the wings.

Andy Burnham, a Labour stalwart who started his political career in the Blair and Brown era, seems determined to have his say in the party’s future too. Last month, he caused a political storm when he was widely interpreted as openly challenging Sir Keir Starmer’s authority during the party conference, confirming that MPs had contacted him about returning to Westminster to run for the party leadership.

It’s not his first brush with the Labour leadership - he lost two contests in the 2010s before leaving Westminster to win the Greater Manchester mayoralty, a role which has further increased his profile and earned him the nickname ‘King of the North’, a nod to his popularity within the region.

Stephen Smith speaks to his friends, family and political peers to find out what shaped one of the most influential figures in today’s Labour party, and whether his criticism of the government could propel him to the top job, or keep him from it.

Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producers: Ben Crighton, Nathan Gower, Alex Loftus and Mhairi MacKenzie
Editor: Justine Lang
Sound Editor: Gareth Jones and Duncan Hannant
Production Coordinator: Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Archive:
Perisher: Million Pound Captains (BBC)
Boys from the Blackstuff (BBC)


SAT 19:15 This Cultural Life (m002lfdc)
Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright is a singer-songwriter and composer renowned for his distinctive voice and the theatricality of his performances. Born into a family of folk musicians, his mother was Kate McGarrigle and his father is the songwriter Loudon Wainwright III. Since his debut in 1998, his 11 studio albums have been characterised by their candid autobiographical themes, with songs about addiction, sexuality and fraught family dynamics. He has also worked as a classical composer, with his operas Prima Donna and Hadrian, and a choral piece called Dream Requiem. As a performer he has created musical tributes to Judy Garland, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, the songs of Kurt Weill, and most recently has staged symphonic versions of his much-loved Want albums.

Rufus Wainwright tells John Wilson about his earliest musical experiences, singing with his mother and aunties in Montreal, Canada where he spent his early years. He chooses The Wizard Of Oz as one of his formative creative influences and explains why the film’s star, Judy Garland, became such an important musical role model for him. Rufus reveals how hearing Verdi’s Requiem at the age of 13 led to a lifelong love of opera and an aspiration to write classical compositions. He also recalls the impact that seeing La Dolce Vita, director Federico Fellini’s masterpiece about wealth and decadence in 1960s Rome, had on him as a teenager. 

Producer: Edwina Pitman


SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m002lq9p)
Out of This World: 25 Years of the ISS

Out of This World unveils compelling personal tales of bravery, tragedy, ingenuity, political manoeuvring, and triumph, revealing the remarkable story of one of humanity’s greatest ever feats – the International Space Station.

Celebrating 25 unbroken years of humans living in space, engineer and former international director at the UK Space Agency, Alice Bunn charts the shifting geopolitics which led to the East and West putting aside their differences and creating the ultimate symbol of human ingenuity and collaboration – a space station orbiting our planet at 17500 mph, which has been home to over 300 people from 23 different nations.

Using mission audio, news archive and personal stories of those intimately involved in the station’s creation, Alice explores acts of epic survival, inventiveness, humour and selflessness that made the station a reality. She investigates the blueprint for the ISS – Apollo-Soyuz, a joint Soviet/US mission at the height of the Cold War - and why a near fatal disaster on a Russian space station spurred nations to commit to the ISS.

She reveals how a Moscow basement and Hollywood royalty sparked bonding between Russians and Americans and the bromance that fuelled the mission of the first crew to call the ISS home. Alice also discovers how quick thinking and plastic tape saved the station, allowing it to grow to the size of a football pitch and how one astronaut came within seconds of drowning in space.

And looking into the future, Alice questions what is next for the ISS amid such geopolitical turbulence and uncertainty.

This is a timely reminder of the extraordinary feats humanity can achieve when we unite and strive for a common goal.

Producer: Duncan Bulling
Presenter: Alice Bunn
A 2 Degrees West production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 21:00 The History Podcast (m002m34v)
The House at Number 48 (Omnibus 2)

The House at Number 48 omnibus, part 2. The concluding parts of one man's quest to unravel the mystery of what happened to his family's stolen fortune.

Series written and presented by Charlie Northcott
Series produced by Jim Frank and mixed by Tom Brignell with original music by Anna Papadimitriou
Editor: Matt Willis


SAT 22:00 News (m002lq9r)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:15 The Food Programme (m002lfhd)
Eels and Elvers

Dan Saladino looks at why eels numbers are plummeting and asks if the species can be saved. On the River Severn he meets the last of the glass eel fishermen and conservationists.

Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.


SAT 23:00 Mark Steel's in Town (m002ld62)
Series 14

4. Cambridge

Mark Steel visits Cambridge and creates a show for the local audience.

There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.

Written and performed by Mark Steel
Additional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl Cooper

A BBC Studios production for Radio 4


SAT 23:30 Punt & Dennis: Route Masters (m0023dqj)
Series 1: From Beer to Eternity

1 - From Beer to Jurassic Park

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are on a mission from Beer to Eternity, in this warm and witty new podcast that celebrates new and half remembered trivia as they try to find entertaining links between random places, people and things.

Could you make your way from The Starship Enterprise to the Air Fryer, armed only with A Level Economics and a Geography degree? Hugh Dennis is going to have to. While Steve Punt will have to pick his way across Africa, to find what links Machiavelli and Madagascar. Across the series, they’ll be joined by guests including Ken Cheng, Kiri Pritchard McLean, Isy Suttie and Marcus Brigstocke, on a scenic route which takes in Shampoo, The Gruffalo, Watford Gap Services and Yoghurt.

Written and hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
With Jessica Fostekew
Produced by Victoria Lloyd
Recorded at Maple St Creative
Mixed by Jonathan Last

A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4

SUNDAY 02 NOVEMBER 2025

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m002lq9t)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 00:15 Take Four Books (m002ldc4)
Chris Kraus

Presenter James Crawford welcomes American writer, filmmaker, and art critic Chris Kraus to Take Four Books to discuss her latest novel 'The Four Spent the Day Together'. This marks Kraus’ fifth semi-autobiographical novel, following the success of 'I Love Dick', which was adapted into a major television series.

The Four Spent the Day Together blends elements of childhood memoir, the experience of being the partner of a relapsing alcoholic, and an investigation into a real-life crime in a Minnesotan town.

Kraus also shares the three literary influences that inspired the novel: 'The Executioner’s Song' by Norman Mailer (1979), 'Main Street' by Sinclair Lewis (1920), and 'Hinterland' by Phil A. Neel (2018).

Producer: Rachael O’Neill
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002lq9w)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002lq9y)
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 (m002lqb0)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002lqb2)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m002lqb4)
The church of St Mary Easebourne, West Sussex

Bells on Sunday comes from the church of St Mary Easebourne in West Sussex situated in the centre of the South Downs National Park. The church was heavily restored in the late 19th century but retains some original 12th century fabric including the North-West Tower. There are eight bells, the oldest of which dates from the early 16th century. The Tenor bell weighs eleven hundredweight and is tuned to the note of G. We hear them ringing Superlative Surprise Major.


SUN 05:45 In Touch (m002ld6b)
The RNIB's Braille Transcription Service

The RNIB's long term strategy involves making substantial financial savings. One of the services proposed for cuts was the transcription on request of braille books and other documents. Following a high level of complaints about this, a year's extension of the service has been agreed whilst a consultation exercise takes place.

However, concerns remain, including from visually impaired people who use the service to obtain braille music scores. We examine the issue in more detail with the help of Connor Scott-Gardner, James Risdon and Stefan Andrusyschyn.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Fern Lulham
Production Coordinator: Kim Agostino

Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image, wearing a dark green jumper. Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three individual 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 a white circle). The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to
the right. Both are behind Peter, one of a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue.’


SUN 06:00 News Summary (m002lqb7)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:05 Heart and Soul (w3ct6vph)
Mamdani New York

Zohran Mamdani catapulted on to New York’s political scene this summer when he captured the Democratic nomination to run for Mayor this fall. A young politician, Mamdani campaigned on issues that mattered to New Yorkers including lowering the cost of living, but unlike other candidates, was not shy about making his Muslim faith a central talking point on the campaign trail. We explore how a single decision galvanized voters of different faiths across America’s biggest city, and delve into the social issues that divided those casting ballots – including the war in Gaza, Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and the divisiveness of the phrase, “globalize the intifada,” which Mamdani refused on multiple occasions to denounce. What was it about Mamdani that led Muslim voters to feel like they had a voice who will represent them as Mayor of New York City? Do Jewish voters feel let down? Will religion be the driving force behind voter mobilization come November, or will the high cost of living be the motivating factor for many across the Big Apple? We sit down with voters of varying views to find out.

[Photo Description: Zohran Mamdani campaign rally for mayor of New York City, Credit: Andrew Lichtenstein]

Presenter: Victoria Craig


SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (m002lqb9)
BBC Food and Farming Awards Finalist: Grazing Management

Presenter Charlotte Smith and Natasha from The Archers actress Mali Harries are judging the Farming for the Future category in this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards. In this programme they visit the first of the three finalists, Grazing Management.

Alex and Emily Crawley offer conservation grazing and land management services to improve the biodiversity of wildflower meadows, traditional grasslands, peatlands and other habitats in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and beyond.

Produced by Chris Ledgard.


SUN 06:57 Weather (m002lqbc)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m002lqbf)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 07:10 Sunday (m002lqbh)
Traitors final; Muslim mayor for New York? Archbishop of Canterbury was my babysitter

If you're one of the millions who've been gripped by The Celebrity Traitors, you'll be counting down the hours to the final on Thursday. The Sunday programme explores the ethical questions about taking part with Anglican Priest Reverend Lisa Coupland who appeared in the third 'civilian' series of the game.
History could be made in New York City on Tuesday with the potential election of its first ever Muslim mayor. Zohran Mamdani's ascent to getting within touching distance of one of the most prominent positions in US politics has been astonishing. Not least in a city where a generation ago in the wake of 9/11, Islamophobia was an unwelcome fact of life. Mamdani has explicitly made his Muslim faith part of his political identity. We speak to former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf - who was the first Muslim to lead a Western democracy and Professor Najam Haider, from the Department of Religion at Columbia University.
With the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury set for the new year, there's already plenty of speculation over what sort of leader Dame Sarah Mullaly might be. One man who can offer a unique and personal insight is a descendant of none other than the Guinness family. If that wasn't seemingly random enough – Jack Guinness knows Dame Sarah Mullaly because she was - for a time in the early 80s - a babysitter for his family at a parish in London.
Presenter: Julie Etchingham
Producers: Katy Davis and Rosie Dawson
Editor: Tim Pemberton
Studio Managers: Phillip Halliwell and Nick Woodsford


SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Appeal (m002lpk9)
Anti-Slavery International

Journalist Lucy Watson makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Anti-Slavery International. The charity works with survivors of modern slavery and partner organisations to help people out of exploitation.

The Radio 4 Appeal features a new charity every week.
Each appeal then runs on Radio 4 from Sunday 0755 for 7 days.

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 ‘Anti-Slavery International’.
- Cheques should be made payable to ‘Anti-Slavery International’.
- You can donate online at bbc.co.uk/appeal/radio4
- Please ensure you are donating to the correct charity by checking the name of the charity on the donate page.

Registered Charity Number: 1049160. If you’d like to find out more about the charity’s work visit *https://www.antislavery.org/
*The BBC is not responsible for content on external websites

Producer: Katy Takatsuki


SUN 07:57 Weather (m002lqbk)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m002lqbm)
The news headlines, including a look at the newspapers.


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m002lqbp)
Sheela Na Gigs - Reclaiming Female Spirituality

Rev Kate Bottley is fascinated by the 12th century stone carvings found on churches and Cathedrals across the UK nicknamed ‘Sheela Na Gigs’. They are more than just a typical ‘gargoyle’ - these female figures with their legs parted, are thought to represent the divine feminine, fertility and were used to ward off evil spirits.

Kate turned 50 this year and she’s starting to think about what being an older Christian woman will look like for her. Kate wants to explore the journey of women who’ve come before her, from women becoming priests just over 30 years ago, to older women in the early church, to what these little known statues can tell us about how women have been viewed.

Kate visits two of the Sheelas closest to her in Nottinghamshire and meets women there to discuss female spirituality and the role of older women in Christianity. Kate visits Southwell Minster to see the Sheela there and meets Canon Theologian of Southwell Minster Alison Milbank and women in her theology group. Kate then travels to Austerfield Parish Church (in South Yorkshire) to see the Sheela there and to chat to Rev Becky Hancock about their shared experience of being female priests and their hopes for older women in the church. Producer: Miriam Williamson

Reading: Acts 9:36-42

Music:
Just as I am - Daily Service Singers (BBC Recording)
Upon your heart (Eleanor Daley) - St Martin's Voices (BBC Recording)
You're still God - Philippa Hanna (BBC Recording)
Trust - Philippa Hanna (BBC Recording)
Magnificat The St Martin's Service (Lucy Walker) - St Martin's Voices
Blessed assurance - Daily Service Singers (BBC Recording)


SUN 08:48 Witness History (w3ct743z)
Dancing in the Street: David Bowie and Mick Jagger

In July 1985, music legends Mick Jagger and David Bowie were asked to perform a duet with a twist at Live Aid, the biggest concert in pop history.

Utilising the latest satellite technology, Mick would perform on the US stage in Philadelphia, while David would perform on the UK stage at Wembley Stadium.

As the technical issues were being discussed, it soon became obvious that a half-second delay in the link between cities would prevent the live performance from happening, so a recording was planned instead.

A short list of songs was discussed before the duo finally settled on the Motown classic Dancing in the Street.

Live Aid press officer Bernard Doherty tells Des Shaw how the duet and video were recorded in just 18 hours and became a highlight of the benefit concert on 13 July 1985. A Zinc Media production.

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: Mick Jagger and David Bowie performing Dancing In The Street. Credit: Getty Images)


SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (m002lqbr)
Paul Farley on the Shelduck

Poet Paul Farley welcomes the return of the shelduck to our shores, back after their summer migration to the Wadden Sea. These vast mudflats off the coast of The Netherlands and Germany provide a refuge for shelducks as they go through their so-called 'catastrophic moult' where they simultaneously loose all their flight and tail feathers. Paul imagines this vast gathering of around 200,000 birds as sort of 'Shelduck Glastonbury' where they get completely flightless, and is always glad to see them home.

Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m002lqbt)
9 people with life threatening injuries after train stabbing near Cambridge

10 people have been stabbed, 9 with life threatening injuries after an attack on a UK train. Eyewitness accounts and the latest. Also Michael Palin on fellow Python Terry Jones.


SUN 10:00 Desert Island Discs (m002lpnf)
Lorraine Kelly, broadcaster

Lorraine Kelly is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a mainstay of daytime television for over 40 years. She has hosted her own show Lorraine since its launch in 2010 and she was awarded a lifetime achievement BAFTA in 2024.

Lorraine was born in Glasgow and later moved with her family to the new town of East Kilbride. She became a junior reporter at the East Kilbride News when she was in her teens and in 1983 joined the BBC as a researcher.

In 1984 she started at TV-am as a reporter covering Scottish news. During her time there she reported on some of the biggest stories in the UK including the Piper Alpha disaster and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie.

In January 1990 she became a co-presenter of Good Morning Britain on TV-am alongside Mike Morris. In 1996 Lorraine and Eamonn Holmes reported for GMTV on the Dunblane school shooting in which sixteen pupils and their teacher were killed. The tragedy left a lasting impact on Lorraine, who formed a lasting bond with several affected families. She returned to Dunblane in 2021 to mark the 25th anniversary with a commemorative documentary.

Lorraine lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Steve.

DISC ONE: Starman - Davie Bowie
DISC TWO: Mama Said - Dusty Springfield
DISC THREE: Careful - Horse
DISC FOUR: Rock the Casbah - The Clash
DISC FIVE: Truth - Hue & Cry
DISC SIX: Warm Leatherette - Grace Jones
DISC SEVEN: Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet
DISC EIGHT: That’s When He Told Her - The Proclaimers

BOOK CHOICE: South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance by Sir Ernest Shackleton
LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered digital photo album
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Careful - Horse

Presenter: Lauren Laverne
Producer: Paula McGinley

There are more than 2000 programmes in our archive available for you to listen to. We have cast away other journalists and presenters including Sir Terry Wogan, Christiane Amanpour, Lindsey Hilsum and Clive Myrie. You can find their episodes on BBC Sounds or on our Desert Island Discs website.


SUN 11:00 The Archers Omnibus (m002lqbw)
Writer: Sarah Hehir
Director: Helen Aitken
Editor: Jeremy Howe

Josh Archer…. Angus Imrie
Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee
Pip Archer…. Daisy Badger
Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde
Vince Casey…. Tony Turner
Justin Elliott….. Simon Williams
Miranda Elliott…. Lucy Fleming
Amber Gordon…. Olivia Bernstone
Eddie Grundy…. Trevor Harrison
Emma Grundy…. Emerald O’Hanrahan
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Will Grundy…. Philip Molloy
Chelsea Horrobin…. Madeleine Leslay
Tracy Horrobin…. Susie Ridell
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Esme Mulligan…. Ellie Pawsey
Freddie Pargetter…. Toby Lawrence


SUN 12:15 Profile (m002lq9m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 Paul Sinha's Perfect Pub Quiz (m002ldhq)
Series 4

Yapping about Leicester

Paul Sinha tests a Leicester audience's knowledge about new words, the people of 2024, and a surprising connection between two modern pop stars. In return they ask him about shipyards, RoboCop, and politicians called James.

Written and performed by Paul Sinha
Additional material: Oliver Levy
Additional questions: The Audience

Original music: Tim Sutton

Recording engineer: Jerry Peal
Mixed by: Rich Evans
Producer: Ed Morrish

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 12:57 Weather (m002lqby)
The latest weather forecast


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m002lqc0)
Radio 4's look at the week's big stories from both home and around the world.


SUN 13:30 The Drug Trial That Went Wrong (m002j3xk)
In March 2006, the pharmaceutical world was shaken by the catastrophic events of the TGN1412 clinical trial that took place at Northwick Park Hospital in London. Initially intended as a potential new treatment for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and certain types of leukaemia, the antibody TGN1412 triggered severe and life-threatening reactions among six of its eight trial participants.

It was an event which changed the way first-in-human clinical studies were regulated in the UK and around the world.

Now, as the Labour government targets life sciences as one of eight key sectors for economic growth, new regulations for running clinical trials are being rolled out across the country for the first time in twenty years. But what is the right balance between regulation and innovation; and how can an industry at the forefront of medical advancements attract patients to be the first to receive new treatments while guaranteeing their safety?

In this documentary, Dr Margaret McCartney, talks to one doctor who was at Northwick Park Hospital, then and now, about what we learned from that fateful event, and goes to a trial centre only miles away which is one of the few in the UK licensed to carry out early stage clinical research. Have we learned enough to keep today’s volunteers safe as new medical treatments evolve at speed?

Producer: Sandra Kanthal


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m002lfj6)
Phyllis Court: White Fly, River Thames and Favourite Gardens

Might our otherwise polluted River Thames have a positive impact on my garden? Why has there been so much whitefly this year? Do the panel have a favourite garden they’ve visited?

Peter Gibbs and a panel of green-fingered gurus head to the Phyllis Court Club in Henley-on-Thames, where a lively audience of passionate gardeners awaits answers to their most pressing plant problems.

Joining Peter are pest and disease specialist Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Matthew Pottage, and the ever-enthusiastic plantswoman Christine Walkden.

Later, Johnny ‘Hot Stuff’ Mayard discusses how he grows chillies in his polytunnel that are used for his hot sauce.

Senior Producer: Dan Cocker
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Assistant Producer: William Norton
Assistant Producer: Suki Glockling

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 14:45 Opening Lines (m002lqc2)
Northanger Abbey - Episode One

Northanger Abbey was Jane Austen’s first book, although it wasn’t published until after her death. It tells the story of Catherine Morland, an impressionable young woman who is introduced to fashionable society when she’s taken by a wealthy neighbour to Bath. There, Catherine’s imagination catches fire when she’s initiated into the thrills of Gothic fiction by new friend, Isabella Thorpe – a pretty, charming but devious gold digger.

Another great reader of Gothic novels is ‘not quite handsome but very near it’ Henry Tilney, whom Catherine finds enchanting. When Henry invites Catherine to stay at Northanger Abbey, the home of his father, General Tilney, she imagines secret passages, haunted catacombs and an evil secret. Catherine does indeed find something wicked at the Abbey but not in the way she expects.

In this first of two episodes John Yorke explores the dual nature of the book - part satire on Gothic fiction and part celebration of the novel form.

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for 30 years and shares his experience as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised 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 R4.

Contributors: Emma Clery, Literary Critic and Cultural Historian, Professor of English Literature at the Uppsala University, Sweden, and author of Jane Austen: The Banker’s Sister.

Rebecca Romney, author of Jane Austen’s Bookshelf.

Reader: Esme Scarborough
Production Hub Coordinators: Nina Semple and Dawn Williams
Researcher: Henry Tydeman
Sound: Iain Hunter
Producer: Kate McAll
Executive Producer: Sara Davies

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 15:00 Drama on 4 (m002lqc4)
Northanger Abbey

by Jane Austen
dramatised by Clara Glynn

Austen's early novel is a coming-of-age narrative and a satire on the 1790s vogue for the sensationalist Gothic novel.
Broadcast to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen.

Part One
Seventeen year old Catherine Morland is invited to Bath by a rich neighbour. Entering the fashionable society of the city, Catherine finds high drama and peril in every encounter and in every event - often with comic results. And then she receives an extraordinary, and thrilling, invitation.

Catherine Morland ..... Madeleine Gray
Henry TIlney ..... Will Howard
Isabella Thorpe ..... Cecilia Appiah
Mrs Allen ..... Ella Smith
General Tilney ..... John Heffernan
Eleanor Tilney ..... Scarlett Courtney
Mrs Morland/Mrs Thorpe ..... Jasmine Hyde
John Thorpe ..... Josh Bryant-Jones
James Morland/Captain Tilney ..... Django Bevan

Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane

Sound by Keith Graham and Sam Dickinson
Production Coordinator - Bethany Woodhead


SUN 16:00 Bookclub (m002lqc6)
Hallie Rubenhold

Presented by James Naughtie, the writer and historian Hallie Rubenhold takes questions from a Bookclub audience on her prize-winning book The Five: The Untold Lives Of The Women Killed by Jack The Ripper. The book shines a light on Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Kate Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly who were all murdered in Whitechapel, London, in 1888. The Five won the Ballie-Gifford Prize for non-fiction in 2019.

This episode was recorded at The Queen's Reading Room Festival at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire.

Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan

This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.


SUN 16:30 Punt & Dennis: Route Masters (m0023pvr)
Series 1: From Beer to Eternity

2 - From Chaos Theory to Anne Boleyn

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are on a mission from Chaos Theory to Anne Boleyn with the assistance of Marcus Brigstocke, in a warm and witty podcast that celebrates new and half-remembered trivia as they try to find entertaining links between random places, people and things.

Could you make your way from The Starship Enterprise to the Air Fryer, armed only with A Level Economics and a Geography degree? Hugh Dennis is going to have to. While Steve Punt will have to pick his way across Africa, to find what links Machiavelli and Madagascar. Across the series, they’ll be joined by guests including Ken Cheng, Kiri Pritchard McLean, Isy Suttie and Marcus Brigstocke, on a scenic route which takes in Shampoo, The Gruffalo, Watford Gap Services and Yoghurt.

Written and hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
With Marcus Brigstocke
Produced by Victoria Lloyd
Recorded at Maple St Creative
Mixed by Jonathan Last

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 17:00 Witness History (w3ct744b)
Omar Sharif stars in Lawrence of Arabia

In 1962, Egyptian actor Omar Sharif made his Hollywood debut in Lawrence of Arabia, a sweeping epic that would become one of cinema’s most popular films.

Using archive recordings, Gill Kearsley tells the story of the movie legend’s transformation into the enigmatic Sherif Ali and brings to life the moment he stepped into the desert and onto the world stage.

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 the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.

We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.

You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: Sherif Ali, played by Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia. Credit: Columbia Pictures via Getty Images)


SUN 17:10 The Verb (m002lqc9)
Hollie McNish, Major General Tim Hodgetts, Julia Nemirovskaya, Robert Chandler

The poetry of war is the thread that runs through today's edition of The Verb, Radio 4's poetry performance and discussion programme led by Ian McMillan.

Hollie McNish talks about her new poetry collection, Virgin, which explores the damaging power of this word and asks for a broader understanding of its possibilities. Her readings on today's programme include her heartbreaking new poem "virgins, to the back" about the young soldiers of the First World War and their battle eve brothel visits.

Major General Tim Hodgetts was Surgeon General To the UK Armed Forces. He discusses his poetry collection, Frontlines and Lifelines, which features the poetry he wrote as an Army doctor to help him process the things he faced as he dealt with the human casualties of combat in theatres of war across the world.

Julia Nemirovskaya has been collecting poetry speaking out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine since February 2022. Her "Kopilka" (coin bank in Russian) archive has led to three collections including Disbelief: 100 Russian Anti-War Poems, and Dislocation: An Anthology of Poetic Response to Russia’s War in Ukraine. She's joined by the distinguished critic and translator of Russian literature, Robert Chandler to discuss why the war has proved to be a major moment for Russian poetry.

Presenter: Ian McMillan
Producer: Ekene Akalawu


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m002lqcc)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 17:57 Weather (m002lqcf)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002lqch)
A 32-year-old man is questioned over train stabbings

Police investigating a stabbing attack on a train last night say they are now treating a 32-year-old man as their only suspect. A second man, aged 35, has been released.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m002lqck)
Minah Shannon

This week, Minah's becoming a faithful for Radio 4; good timing too, as it's all getting very spooky on there. Between phantom faucets, a haunted castle, and the horror of your likeness being owned in perpetuity, we're all hiding under the covers. We also hear on Woman's Hour why it’s OK to be ‘aggy’ as well as the mystery surrounding a briefcase under a bed. Plus, the World Service's Heart and Soul brings us the story from a North Korean defector who made what he calls a ‘bargain’ with God.

Presenter: Minah Shannon
Producer: Anthony McKee
Production Coordinators: Caoilfhinn McFadden and Caroline Peddle

A BBC Audio Northern Ireland production for BBC Radio 4.


SUN 19:00 The Archers (m002lpf7)
Chris and Carly recognise each other from the past. Both now single and with their own children, they sit down for a drink together to catch up. Carly’s surprised to find out that Alice is Chris’s ex and Martha’s mum. They laugh over shared memories involving drunken behaviour, and Carly invites Chris to the Grey Gables fireworks event. Chris demurs; he plans to have Bonfire Night at home in the garden with Martha. When Jolene comments they seem to be getting on well, Carly admits she used to think Chris was the cutest boy she’d ever seen. And he’s improving with age. Jolene recommends seizing the day; Chris is a catch.

Tom’s trying to get reluctant Henry to watch a film. Helen wonders why Henry’s grumpy. Henry admits he wanted to go to Scotland but it’s been booked in term time so he can’t. He gets why, but he was looking forward to it. Helen offers, not for the first time, to stay in Ambridge. They can all do things together. But Henry doesn’t want his mum to miss out. He and Jack will be fine. Exasperated with Tom’s bonding efforts, Henry wonders flippantly whether Helen can take him out on her date with Dane. Remarkably Helen takes Henry at his word, and she and Tom return later the worse for wear, having sampled some good brandy with Dane. Henry plays parent, fending off over-effusive hugs and advising glasses of water and an early night. As the pair giggle and follow his orders, Henry laughs too in spite of himself.


SUN 19:15 Illuminated (m002ln46)
The Piano Boat

The Piano Boat, the floating concert hall where world-renowned concert pianist Masayuki Tayama played, sits empty. His wife, Rhiana, is left with a boat with no captain and a Steinway she was never allowed to play. We join her as she processes her grief and considers the future of The Piano Boat without Masa.

Rhiana and Masa commissioned the boat in 2019 and planned to run concert cruises, on board the boat, along the inland waterways. It was a dream project for both of them – a life designed for two.

But, in 2021 Masa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and although the chemotherapy turned his fingers numb, he relearned his technique and kept playing. In August 2023, a week after what would be their final round of cruises, Masa was hospitalized for the last time. He died two weeks later.

Will Greenwood, who has seen the boat from creation to present day, journeys with Rhiana on the waterways and as she rebuilds her dreams while coping with her grief. She shares her honest audio diaries, the highs and lows. She is surprised by sorrow and joy as she starts to fill the boat with music once more. Beginning with playing Masa’s piano – something she had never done before.

Craig Terry, Director of Steinway & Sons UK, tells us about the piano and meeting Rhiana and Masa for the first time. Concert Pianist and one of Masa’s former colleagues, Graham Caskey, and music academic, Kris Worsley, talk on the intimacy of The Piano Boat, and show us how the pieces we hear don’t need words to tell a story.

Presented by Will Greenwood
Produced by Will Greenwood and Anna Scott-Brown
An Overtone production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 19:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m0018p32)
Take a Break

In this episode, Michael reveals why adding regular breaks to your day can benefit your body, your mind and even your productivity. What’s more, if you allow your mind to wander freely during your breaks - no social media! - the benefits are even greater. Michael speaks to cognitive neuroscientist Professor Moshe Bar from Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv to find out exactly what goes on in our brains when we allow our minds to wander, and why it could be a good thing for mood, problem solving and creativity.


SUN 20:00 Feedback (m002lff0)
Call Jonathan Pie, and Life Changing

A series of Call Jonathan Pie is being repeated on BBC Radio 4, and it's been scheduled for the primetime 6.30pm comedy slot on Thursdays, albeit with edits to the version available on BBC Sounds. However, some listeners have contacted Feedback to complain that the content of some episodes wasn't appropriate for tea-time listening. Andrea Catherwood sits down with Radio 4 Commissioning Editor for Comedy and Entertainment Julia McKenzie, to discuss the comments and asks why it was broadcast in this slot.

And there's another nomination for the annual interview round up, Feedback's Interview of the Year. This time listener Laura puts forward a recent episode of Life Changing, in which Dr Sian Williams talked to an ex British Army medic with an compelling story about complex PTSD, and whose life was changed when he met Charlie - his medical assistance dog.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: Mark Rickards

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 20:30 Last Word (m002lfjc)
Prunella Scales CBE, Gillian Tindall, Roger Smith, Anthony Grey

Matthew Bannister on

The actor Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil in the TV comedy Fawlty Towers. Her son Samuel West reflects on her long career and happy marriage to fellow actor Timothy West.

Gillian Tindall, the writer who pioneered the technique of exploring history through the portal of a particular house or area.

Roger Smith, who co-founded and ran the Great Outdoors Challenge, encouraging thousands to walk across Scotland.

Anthony Grey, the novelist and journalist who was held in solitary confinement for over two years by Red Guards during China’s Cultural Revolution.

Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley

ARCHIVE USED:
Great Canal Journeys Series 1 Episode 1, Channel 4, 10/03/2014; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 05/06/1992; Suppose I Lose It, BBC Radio 4, 16/05/2016; A Question of Attribution, BBC Two, 20/10/1991; Fawlty Towers: Series 1: The Hotel Inspectors, BBC Two, 10/10/1975; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: The Psychiatrist, BBC Two, 26/02/1979; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: Basil the Rat, BBC Two, 25/10/1979; Fawlty Towers: Series 1: The Builders, BBC Two, 26/09/1975; Fawlty Towers: Series 2: Communication Problems, BBC Two, 19/02/1979; BBC News, BBC Radio 4, 26/11/1968; Anthony Grey To Be Released: Mother Waits, BBC News, 03/10/1963; Anthony Grey Released: Mother Hears News, News, 04/10/1963; Radio Newsreel, BBC World Service, 12/10/1969; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 01/11/1969; Anthony Grey: One Man’s Freedom, One Pair of Eyes, BBC Two, 26/06/1971; Return to Peking, BBC Two, 12/12/1988; Voices from a French Village, BBC Radio 4, 29/05/1996; Robert Elms, BBC Radio London, 05/09/2016; Bricks and Mortals, BBC Radio 4, 18/05/2005; The Adventure Show, BBC Two Scotland, 03/08/2008; Scotland Outdoors - A Coast to Coast Backpack Challenge, Beekeeping in Kinross and the Capercaillie of Speyside, BBC Radio Scotland, 24/05/2025;


SUN 21:00 Money Box (m002lq8x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 on Saturday]


SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Appeal (m002lpk9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 today]


SUN 21:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m002lq8s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:30 on Saturday]


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m002lqcm)
A horrific knife attack, Budget speculation and: are manifestos sacrosanct?

Ben Wright is joined by the former Conservative Home Office minister Kit Malthouse; Labour MP David Pinto-Duschinsky; and former top civil servant, Jill Rutter - from the Institute for Government. They discuss the recent knife attack on a train in Cambridgeshire and the latest speculation about the Budget. The programme includes interviews with Tory MP Nick Timothy about his report on the workings of the Home Office, and with the academic and former Labour adviser Patrick Diamond on the sanctity of manifesto pledges. Rowena Mason - Whitehall editor at The Guardian - brings expert insight and analysis on all the stories of the day.


SUN 23:00 In Our Time (b08wmk5j)
Bird Migration

After 27 years, Melvyn Bragg has decided to step down from the In Our Time presenter’s chair. With over a thousand episodes to choose from, he has selected just six that capture the huge range and depth of the subjects he and his experts have tackled. In this fourth of his choices, we hear Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss bird migration.

Their topic includes why some birds migrate and others do not, how they select their destinations and how they navigate the great distances, often over oceans. For millennia, humans set their calendars to birds' annual arrivals, and speculated about what happened when they departed, perhaps moving deep under water, or turning into fish or shellfish, or hibernating while clinging to trees upside down. Ideas about migration developed in C19th when, in Germany, a stork was noticed with an African spear in its neck, indicating where it had been over the winter and how far it had flown. Today there are many ideas about how birds use their senses of sight and smell, and magnetic fields, to find their way, and about why and how birds choose their destinations and many questions. Why do some scatter and some flock together, how much is instinctive and how much is learned, and how far do the benefits the migrating birds gain outweigh the risks they face?

With

Barbara Helm
Reader at the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine at the University of Glasgow

Tim Guilford
Professor of Animal Behaviour and Tutorial Fellow of Zoology at Merton College, Oxford

and

Richard Holland
Senior Lecturer in Animal Cognition at Bangor University

Producer: Simon Tillotson
In Our Time is a BBC Studios 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 (m002lfj9)
Salt River by Alys Conran

Original Short Fiction by Alys Conran.

Little Angharad is caught between opposing tides - her depressed mother and Anti Mari - to escape she wanders the muddy edges of the Menai Strait, collecting sea snails.

Reader: Lisa Jên Brown
Production Co-ordinator: Eleri McAuliffe
Sound: Nigel Lewis
Producer: John Norton

A BBC Audio Wales Production

MONDAY 03 NOVEMBER 2025

MON 00:00 Midnight News (m002lqcp)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


MON 00:15 Soul Music (m002bgm0)
Bésame Mucho

The Mexican pianist and composer Consuelo Velázquez was only 16 years old when she wrote Bésame Mucho, and she was yet to have her first kiss.

Composer and conductor Odaline de la Martinez remembers hearing the song on the radio as a child in Cuba. She translates the Spanish lyrics - "Kiss me, kiss me passionately, as if tonight was the last time... Kiss me, because I'm afraid to lose you, afterwards". It's an achingly romantic bolero that has been translated into more than 20 languages and recorded by hundreds of artists, including João Gilberto, Frank Sinatra, Cesaria Evora, Diana Krall, Josephine Baker, Trio Los Panchos and The Beatles. Music writer Richard Williams talks about the eternal appeal of the melody and how it creates its emotional impact.

German singer and composer Roland Kunz tells the tragic story behind the melody which inspired Consuelo to write the song: a piece by the Catalan composer Enrique Granados, who died the year Velázquez was born. At the height of WWI, Granados and his wife were on their way home to Spain from New York, when their passenger ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. The story goes that Enrique was picked up by a lifeboat but saw his wife struggling in the water and dived in to save her. They perished, along with 50 other passengers.

We hear stories of three very different couples who loved to dance to the song. Peter and Dorothy Tozer met at a dance school in Acton in 1962 when they were 17 and 16 years old. When the song played during the lesson on the night they met, the dance instructor suggested that - as it was Valentine's Day - everyone should give a kiss to whoever they were dancing with at that moment. The two complete strangers shared a kiss, and have been together ever since.

When Stephen Miller met his Mexican wife Maria, love wasn't on either of their minds. Stephen was in his fifties and had lost his first wife to cancer. Maria had been a single mum for many years. He didn't speak much Spanish, and she didn't speak much English, but they fell in love and had many wonderful adventures together. One day Stephen was backing the car out of the driveway when he hit the wall. He had begun to lose his sight. As the couple were still adjusting to their new reality, Stephen realised that Maria's memory was beginning to slip. He talks about navigating blindness and dementia, and how they would drop everything to dance together to Bésame Mucho, the lyrics of which grew ever more poignant over time.

And Denis Ledoux remembers his wife Martha, who died at 56. They loved to dance to the Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora's version of the song, practicing their dance steps in the living room. After Martha's death, he would listen to the song all the time, sometimes every day. The song became a way to hold onto her and the life they has shared. Denis reflects on how the song's lyric "kiss me, as if tonight was the last time" made him think of all the last times with Martha that he didn't know were last times.

Produced by Mair Bosworth
Mixed by Ilse Lademann
Soul Music is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m002lqb4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m002lqcr)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m002lqct)
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 (m002lqcw)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


MON 05:04 Yesterday in Parliament (m002lqcy)
Alicia McCarthy looks ahead to a new Hillsborough law, peers debate Ukraine, and we remember the Flying Nightingales - nurses who risked their own lives to save countless servicemen during the Second World War.


MON 05:34 Shipping Forecast (m002lqd0)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m002lqd2)
And I will try and fix you

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Daniel Sibthorpe

Good morning

I enjoy watching the ‘Repair Shop’ on TV. The concept is simple: a person arrives at the barn with an object of great sentimental value that needs repair. An expert in furniture or fabric lovingly restores it. The show ends with a grand reveal and frequently tears, as owners are reunited with their beautifully restored, often functional, treasure.

Although I appreciate the skill of the craftspeople as they disassemble, clean, and restore each item, it’s the story behind the object that is always the key. The value is not in the object itself, but in what it represents to the owners.

I wonder if we can put ourselves in this scenario: we are God's workmanship, but often our passage through this life causes damage, frayed edges, loss of functionality, and sometimes complete malfunction.

In this context, Jesus said his mission was to seek and restore what was lost. He looks beyond our current state, finds us, and sees the person he always meant us to be, just as the craftspeople see the treasure beneath the damage.

In the repair shop, the goal is not to gloss over the bumps and scrapes of the object's life but rather to bring back functionality and maybe undo years of neglect.
The concept common to both is that your value always exceeds your damage.

So today I pray that, however we feel about our current condition, we are reminded again that we have a loving father whose desire will always be to restore us to our original condition.

Amen


MON 05:45 Farming Today (m002lqd4)
A cross party group of MPs are warning that UK food production could drop by almost a third, by 2050. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture also says that by 2050 - assuming all Government targets were met in full - almost a quarter of current UK farmland could be used for other purposes including renewable energy, housing, and nature restoration. The group is publishing a report today calling for the most productive farmland to be protected and for output to increase 30%, with 50% less environmental impact by 2050.

The Ulster Farmers Union says it has no confidence in Northern Ireland's Department for Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs. The UFU says DAERA's handling of a range of issues, from TB in cattle to a Nutrients Action Programme aimed at improving water quality with better management of manure and fertilisers , has led to 'deep dissatisfaction' among its members.

And we take a closer look at seeds on the programme this week.

Presenter: Charlotte Smith
Producer: Sarah Swadling


MON 05:57 Weather (m002lqd6)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers


MON 06:00 Today (m002lpdj)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (m002lpdl)
Storytelling: Jeanette Winterson, Rory Stewart and Soweto Kinch

In her latest novel, One Aladdin Two Lamps, the writer Jeanette Winterson takes inspiration from the legendary story of Shahrazad in One Thousand and One Nights. But she calls on the reader to look again at stories we think we know, unpick how fiction works, and have the courage to challenge and change the narrative.

The saxophonist and presenter Soweto Kinch will perform his new album, Soundtrack to the Apocalypse, with the London Symphony Orchestra (at the Barbican, London, on Friday 14th November), combining British jazz, hip-hop and orchestral music. This is the finale of his acclaimed trilogy of politically charged, genre-defying works that tell different stories of the past, present and future.

The former MP Rory Stewart spent nearly a decade in Britain’s most rural constituency, Penrith and Borders, and wrote a column for a local newspaper. In Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders he’s collected together these fragmentary moments from rural life and local politics to capture a wide-ranging portrait of life and stories from the Cumbrian countryside.

Producer: Katy Hickman
Assistant Producer: Natalia Fernandez


MON 09:45 Café Hope (m002lpdn)
Carpark concerts

Co-founder of The Multi-Story Orchestra, Kate Whitley, tells Rachel Burden how the charity works with young people and musicians to create collaborations in places like carparks.

Café Hope is our virtual Radio 4 coffee shop, where guests pop in for a brew and a chat to tell us what they’re doing to make things better in big and small ways. Think of us as sitting in your local café, cooking up plans, hearing the gossip, and celebrating the people making the world a better place.

We’re all about trying to make change. It might be a transformational project that helps an entire community, or it might be about trying to make one life a little bit easier. And the key here is in the trying. This is real life. Not everything works, and there are struggles along the way. But it’s always worth a go.

You can contact us on cafehope@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Rachel Burden
Series Producer: Uma Doraiswamy
Sound Design: Nicky Edwards
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Editor: Clare Fordham


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m002lpdq)
Fertility treatment, Bella Culley, Traitors' fashion

World Health Organisation figures say one in six people are affected by infertility. Fertility Matters at Work, who provide training for fertility support in the workplace, have published a cost analysis. They have explored the economic impact of not providing time off for fertility treatment - not only on those people directly involved in seeking help, but on businesses and the economy more widely. To discuss further, Nuala McGovern is joined by Alice Macdonald, MP for Norwich North, who will be asking MPs if they agree that a legal right should be given to people to take paid time off work to attend medical appointments for fertility treatment, and Natalie Silverman, co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work.

Bella Culley was freed by the Tbilisi City Court today. The 19-year-old, who is eight months pregnant, is from Billingham in Teesside. She was arrested at Tbilisi airport after police found drugs in her luggage and had been held in Georgia on drug trafficking charges since May. Before news of her release, Nuala spoke to Rayhan Demytrie, BBC News Caucasus correspondent, outside the court.

The case of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing US health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, is one of the most closely followed legal cases of recent years. The 26-year old-was arrested in December and accused of shooting Mr Thompson, a father of two, outside a Manhattan hotel. He faces the charges of murder and stalking, charges which Mangione denies. While the case continues, something else has been happening. Mangione has attracted an intense, mostly female online following: people sharing pictures of him, writing letters, posting fan edits and memes, and debating his appearance and behaviour in forensic detail. So why does a man accused of violence become the object of fascination and even desire to some women? And what does that say about the digital age we’re living in? Nuala talks to Professor David Wilson, criminologist and former prison governor, and Faye Curran, journalist at The New Statesman, who has immersed herself in Mangione’s online fandom.

Anyone watching Celebrity Traitors at the moment, or indeed the previous Traitors series, has probably noted Claudia Winkleman’s iconic looks that seem to sum up both chilly Scottish castle chic and punk power dressing with a smidge of sinister gothic Victorian melodrama thrown into the mix. Claudia's stylist, Sinead McKeefry, has a huge following online by people keen to pick up tips. The power of social media is such that when items are worn by Claudia and flagged online, it can have quite an impact, as small-business owner Lauren Aston found when one of her designs appeared on the show. She joins Nuala to explain what has happened, as does Alison Lynch, head of content at Good Housekeeping Magazine, who has not only written about the Claudia fashion phenomenon, but has even dressed as Claudia in the Traitors herself for a week.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Andrea Kidd


MON 11:00 The Tax Conundrum (m002lpds)
Episode 3: The Politics

What’s blocking us from solving the tax conundrum? Is it risk averse Chancellors who don’t understand how their cynical wheezes and compromises end up messing up the system and holding back growth? Does the fault lie with backbench MPs - like the anti-fuel duty campaigner Robert Halfon, once dubbed the most expensive MP in Britain - who block sensible reform? Does the fault lie with the media, who trumpet the cases of losers from tax reform but ignore the much larger number of winners? Or does it, in the end, come down to all of us - the public? Do we simply not want our illusions to be challenged - and will vote out of power any politician who attempts it? Do we, in the end, get the tax system we deserve?

In the third and final episode of this Radio 4 series Ben Chu gets deep into the political economy of taxation in Britain, speaking to former Chancellor Philip Hammond and the former top civil servant at the Treasury, Nick Macpherson about the political reality of tax decision-making behind the door of 11 Downing Street. Ben also joins a focus group run by More in Common to try to get a sense of how ordinary people really feel about tax and its trade offs and to ask whether - as the former Bank of England Governor Mervyn King argues - voters would respect leaders who genuinely levelled with them on tax. He also speaks to one politician - in Wales - who says he’s determined to try something new on tax and who thinks he has the courage and arguments to pull it off.

Presenter: Ben Chu
Producer: Caroline Bayley
Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples
Sound engineer: Rod Farquahar
Editor: Richard Vadon

Penn & Teller: Fool Us - Knife - Season 2 Episode 4 (2015)


MON 11:45 Intimate Histories by Hallie Rubenhold (m002lpdv)
1. Peopled History

The historian and bestselling author of The Five and Story of a Murder, Hallie Rubenhold examines what the subject of ‘history’ is and makes the case for keeping it personal.

Her previous books have also included The Covent Garden Ladies which told the stories of the legion of ordinary women whose lives in the sex trade history has chosen to ignore.

History, she argues, is so much more than the brave deeds of ‘Great Men’ as Thomas Carlyle would have us believe. It is instead made up of the ordinary and the often unchronicled lives of people who lived in the houses we live in, who travelled the same streets, maybe planted the same fields and gardens.

Over five essays, Hallie makes a powerful case for the intimacy of history. Careful research can reveal the crucial hinterland to domestic objects which may be hundreds, even thousands, of years old, but this also means that the objects belonging to us or inherited from our parents and grandparents have stories to tell and a role in revealing the social history of our own and recent times.

Hallie Rubenhold was born and grew up in California, her father is English and her mother was American. She studied history in the US and at Leeds University and has lived in the UK for most of her life. Her accent reflects a rich and complex heritage, as nuanced as her work which seeks to give voice to a whole range of hidden narratives often from the marginalized or female side of history.

Written and read by Hallie Rubenhold
Produced by Jill Waters
The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4


MON 12:00 News Summary (m002lpdx)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 12:04 You and Yours (m002lpdz)
Oxbridge Learning, Energy Debt, Paved Gardens

More than 5000 students are unable to complete courses after an online education company called Oxbridge Learning went into administration earlier this month. Materials are still available for students to use, but they cannot sit exams or receive qualifications. It offered over 250 courses, including GCSEs and A-Levels, as well as vocational diplomas in subjects like counselling and accounting.

The energy regulator Ofgem has announced that it is going to do more to help the most vulnerable people in debt to energy companies. New figures show that energy debt and arrears in England, Wales and Scotland rose by about 20% last year, taking the total to around £4.4 billion. To combat this, Ofgem is introducing a £5 surcharge to customer's gas and electricity bills, which will go towards helping about 200,000 people in debt.

If you live near a solar farm or wind turbines, you're paying twice as much for the electricity it generates than what owners of them are getting paid by energy firms, according to Energy Local UK. They say that community-led small renewable projects can tackle this and help people to cut their bills by about 30%. There are now more than 30 across Great Britain, we head to Dorset to visit one.

Should a refund automatically go to your chosen payment method? Many customers are unhappy with fashion brand Karen Millen’s refund process, which chooses a voucher as the default option. It has caused many people to accidentally choose this, leaving them with a voucher that cannot be changed at a later date.

PRODUCER: CHARLIE FILMER-COURT
PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON


MON 12:57 Weather (m002lpf1)
The latest weather forecast


MON 13:00 World at One (m002lpf3)
Train attack suspect charged over two incidents

Suspect Anthony Williams, 32, faces ten counts of attempted murder over the LNER attack as well as charges over a separate attack on the DLR on the same day. Plus, Nigel Farage rewrites Reform's economic prospectus, claiming the economy is on the verge of collapse, and Sir Nicholas Hytner on his new film, The Choral.


MON 13:45 Forgiveness: Stories from the Front Line (m002lpf5)
1. Magen

Magen Inon has inherited his parents' belief that peace in Israel and the Palestinian territories cannot be brought about by revenge and violence. He has been sorely tested in this belief since his parents, who had many friends and work colleagues in the Palestinian and Bedouin communities, were brutally murdered in their home on October 23rd 2023.

What does it mean to forgive when you must tell your children that they will never see their beloved grandparents again? Magen explains what he and his brothers and sisters went through as a family to wrench something like forgiveness from the appalling tragedy that engulfed them .

Presented by Marina Cantacuzino
Produced by Susan Marling
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4


MON 14:00 The Archers (m002lpf7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 Disordered (m001t9l6)
Series 1

Episode 2 - Light, Dark, Light

A comedy drama, written by Magnus Mackintosh, and starring Jamie Sives as Hector, an optimistic but struggling 42-year-old single father, with long-term mental health issues, who lives in Edinburgh with his unusually bright 10-year-old son William. He is aided by kindly friend and neighbour Susan and hindered by acerbic ex-partner Amanda.

In episode two, Light, Dark, Light, Hector is frustrated in his attempts to restore his benefits by his terminally unsympathetic benefits advisor and winds up dealing with loan sharks and even somebody helpful before finally the lights go out on him and William. Hector then gets his hands on some cash from an unlikely source, and, as ever, neighbour Susan and William are on hand with plenty good advice.

The writer, Magnus Mackintosh, has personally struggled with mental health issues over 27 years. He openly discusses his own mental health issues on social media in the hope he can help others and raise awareness.

Cast
Hector- Jamie Sives
Susan- Rosalind Sydney
Amanda- Gail Watson
William- Raffi Phillips
Thresher/Bert- Steven McNicoll
Advisor/Check out Person- Jenny Ryan
Gabriel- Moray Hunter
Dodgy- Gordon Kennedy

Studio Engineer and Editor- Lee McPhail
Production Manager- Tayler Norris
Title Music- Just Breathe by Police Dog Hogan
Produced and Directed by Moray Hunter and Gordon Kennedy

Recorded at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland, East Lothian

An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4.


MON 14:45 Scenes from a Childhood by Jon Fosse (m001vm5j)
Episode Two: Scenes from a Childhood (Part Two)

A selection of connected short stories by the celebrated Norwegian author Jon Fosse, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature - “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”. Minimalist and compelling, these pared-back vignettes take us from infancy to awkward adolescence, skirting the line between fiction and autobiography. Episodes one to three draw stories from the titular story sequence 'Scenes from a Childhood'; episodes four and five are taken from the story 'Little Sister'.

'the Beckett of the twenty-first century' - Le Monde

‘Fosse has been compared to Ibsen and to Beckett, and it is easy to see his work as Ibsen stripped down to its emotional essentials. But it is much more. For one thing, it has a fierce poetic simplicity.’ - New York Times

Translated from the Norwegian by Damion Searls
Read by John Mackay
Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery and Mair Bosworth
Mixed by Ilse Lademann


MON 15:00 A Good Read (m002lpf9)
Nicola Sturgeon and Alistair McGowan

Two books featuring teenage killers feature this time. Nicola Sturgeon MSP votes for Elif Shafak's Honour as her good read. It details the reasons behind the so-called honour killing carried out by a young Turkish Kurd living in London in the 1970s. Nicola says it provides valuable cultural insight into the reasons behind a particular form of violence against women.
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet is set in the feudal system of the Highlands in the late 1800s where crofters were at the mercy of the local Laird and his staff. Roddy's father is barely eking out a living from a small patch of land near Applecross. When his family's livelihood is threatened by a local man exerting his power over them, Roddy commits a brutal triple murder. Harriett enjoys it because it traces the events leading up to the event and Roddy's subsequent trial posing the question of whether he is legally insane or criminally violent.
Something gentler is Alistair McGowan's choice. Fair Stood The Wind For France is HE Bates' wartime novel of an RAF airman crash landing in occupied France. As he recovers from his injuries he falls for the daughter of a farming family who take him in. Alistair believes Bates to be one of the finest English writers of last century but being best known for The Darling Buds of May says he's often overlooked.

Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Maggie Ayre

Photo credit: Charlotte Hadden


MON 15:30 Curious Cases (m002lpfc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:00 on Saturday]


MON 16:00 The Drug Trial That Went Wrong (m002j3xk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 13:30 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 Legend (m002lpfh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:30 on Saturday]


MON 17:00 PM (m002lpfk)
More details emerge about train stabbing suspect

Police confirm they are investigating Huntington suspect Anthony Williams for three other incidents, including the stabbing of a 14 year old on Friday. Plus: as Reform UK seeks to refine its economic offering, we speak to the party's policy chief Zia Yusuf.


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m002lpfm)
Police investigate whether train stabbings suspect is linked to three other incidents

Police are investigating whether the man charged with stabbing people on a train on Saturday is linked to three other knife incidents. Anthony Williams has appeared in court.


MON 18:30 Paul Sinha's Perfect Pub Quiz (m002lpfp)
Series 4

Desert Island Quiz

Paul Sinha tests his audience in Sunderland on their knowledge of light bulbs, desert islands, and twin cities, and in return gets tested on his knowledge of city mottos, Vikings and what you cannot do with a giraffe in certain places in America.

Written and performed by Paul Sinha
Additional material: Oliver Levy
Additional questions: The Audience

Original music: Tim Sutton

Recording engineers: Sean Kerwin & Hamish Campbell
Mixed by Rich Evans
Producer: Ed Morrish

A Lead Mojo production for BBC Radio 4


MON 19:00 The Archers (m002ln3d)
Over-bright Henry teases Helen and Tom mercilessly about their fragile state. As they gingerly drink their coffee, Helen wonders what they were thinking – though they do agree it was a good night. They turn their attention to arranging cover for when they’re on the big family holiday. With Will and others busy, Tom acknowledges ruefully that it’s causing a lot of upheaval. Helen wonders again whether the boys could possibly come on the trip but they soon discount it as not an option. Helen can’t lie to their schools. Henry confirms later that he really doesn’t want to go. It will give them all a bit of space; he and Jack will have a good time being spoiled by Pat and Tony. He also suggests George might be an option for covering the work at Bridge Farm.

There’s an awkward encounter between George and Susan at the church shop. Susan sighs as George quietly buys his goods and leaves. To Susan’s surprise he returns minutes later on the pretext of having forgotten something. He wonders whether the shop still needs volunteers; he’d like to be considered. He’s going mad at home and thinks villagers seeing him out and about might help him be accepted again. It works for Susan and she promises to run it past the committee. Later she reports to Neil that they have a majority in favour. Neil cautions Susan to be careful; is she sure this isn’t George manipulating her again? Susan thinks George is being brave. She isn’t asking for Neil’s permission – this is happening.


MON 19:15 Front Row (m002lpfr)
Zadie Smith and Brenda Blethyn live in studio

Zadie Smith talks about the art of the essay, as she publishes a non-fiction collection, Dead and Alive.

Brenda Blethyn discusses her new film Dragonfly, for which she's just been nominated for Best Joint Performance at the British Independent Film Awards along with her co-star Andrea Riseborough.

In the last of Front Row's interviews with the authors shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Samira talks to Andrew Miller about his novel The Land in Winter, set in the Big Freeze of I962-3.

Film scholar Ian Christie discusses the work of the experimental British documentary filmmaker Peter Watkins, who has died at the age of 90.

Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Harry Graham


MON 20:00 The Briefing Room (m002lff2)
How should we handle historic public inquiries?

When a disaster or serious event happens, such as the Grenfell Tower fire, the Manchester Arena terrorist attack or the Covid pandemic, you can be pretty sure that a public inquiry will follow. They’re popular with the public as a means of investigating serious state failure. And for Governments they can be a good way of kicking a difficult issue into the long grass, as usually by the time the inquiry is finished a different set of politicians will have to deal with the report.

There are currently 25 public inquiries in progress in the UK today - the most ever, with six announced so far this year. They range from one into Scottish child abuse, which is the longest current inquiry, to another into a police restraint death which has just lost its chair and the lawyers working for the inquiry, to Covid 19 - the largest currently underway. And which by the end of June this year had cost 177 million pounds. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how these public inquiries work, what they achieve and who, if anyone, benefits from them?

Guests:

Judith Moritz: BBC Special Correspondent
Deborah Coles, Executive Director, INQUEST
Emma Norris, Director of Policy and Politics at IPPR think tank,
Professor Lucy Easthope, emergency planner and responder and visiting Professor at the Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath.

Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Cordelia Hemming.
Sound engineer: Duncan Hannant
Editor: Richard Vadon.


MON 20:30 BBC Inside Science (m002lff4)
Is climate change to blame for Hurricane Melissa?

What’s been called the storm of the century - Hurricane Melissa – has barrelled through Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas over the past two days. Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, explains whether Melissa was caused – or made worse - by human-made climate change.

As the H5N1 bird flu season picks up across British farms, virologist Ian Brown from the Pirbright Institute assesses its threat and turns our attention to a largely ignored strain of bird flu – H9N2 – which a recent study suggests is becoming adapted to human cells.

The interstellar comet 3I/Atlas has inspired some bizarre theories about alien life coming into our solar system. BBC science journalist Roland Pease, who has been watching these cosmic events and the pseudoscientific myths that follow in their wake for decades, gives us his take.

And mathematician Katie Steckles brings us her favourite finds from the world of science.

If you want to test your climate change knowledge, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University to take the quiz.

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Ella Hubber, Jonathan Blackwell, Tim Dodd
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 21:00 Start the Week (m002lpdl)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:45 Café Hope (m002lpdn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 today]


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m002lpft)
Tanzanian president sworn in despite protests

The Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in despite protests over a disputed election, and reports that hundreds of people have been killed in a crackdown by the security forces. We hear from a former MP and diplomat who has been in the country for weeks on holiday.

Also on the programme: the author Salman Rushdie speaks to us ahead of the publication of his first work of fiction since being stabbed three years ago. And, could a change in credit-rating to include rental payments help young people get on the housing ladder?


MON 22:45 O Now by Niall Williams (m002lpfw)
Episode One

A new original fiction serial specially commissioned by BBC Radio 4 from the acclaimed Irish author Niall Williams. As read by Dermot Crowley.

Four nights a week, Bat Considine calls on his neighbour Mossie Crowe; a beloved widower known to all in the townland of Faha by his grand-father name of Ganga. They sit by the fire and, as Bat reads the newspaper aloud, wait to see which of them will die first. One evening, the two old men make a pact in the hope of one day being able to tell the other the mind of God.

Author
Niall Williams is a best-selling and award-winning author. His novels are often set in the fictional townland of Faha in County Clare, Ireland. These include ‘A History of the Rain’ which was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize 2015, ‘This Is Happiness’ which was nominated for The Irish Book Awards 2020 and ‘The Time of The Child’ which won the Kerry Gold Irish Novel of the Year 2025. He also recently adapted his novel ‘Four Letters of Love’ into a 2025 film starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter.

Reader: Dermot Crowley
Writer: Niall Williams
Producer: Michael Shannon

A BBC Audio Northern Ireland production for BBC Radio 4.


MON 23:00 Limelight (m0025dw1)
Aldrich Kemp and The Rose of Pamir

5. At the Roof of the World

The race across the world for the mysterious and elusive Rose of Pamir reaches the Pamir Mountains and facilitates a family reunion.

Chapter Five: At The Roof of The World

Mountain-top scuffles as loyalties are tested and all is finally revealed.

Clara Page - Phoebe Fox
Aldrich Kemp – Ferdinand Kingsley
Mrs Boone – Nicola Walker
Sebastian Harcourt – Kyle Soller
Nakesha Kemp – Karla Crome
Aunt Lily – Susan Jameson
The Underwood Sisters – Jana Carpenter
Lionel – Steven Mackintosh
Selina – Catherine Kanter
Hazlitt – Ben Crowe
Sabine Seah – Bec Boey

Written and directed by Julian Simpson
Music composed by Tim Elsenburg.

Sound Design: David Thomas
Producer: Sarah Tombling
Production Assistant: Ethan Elsenburg
Executive Producer: Karen Rose

New episodes available on Fridays. Listen first on BBC Sounds

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m002lpfy)
Mandy Baker reports as the Home Secretary condemns the train attack as the 'worst of humanity' - and the Prime Minister vows that a new bill will stop cover-ups by the state.