The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
Nearly 200 years ago, Britain attacked the heartland of the United States. The President and his wife had just enough time to pack their belongings and flee the White House before the British army entered and set fire to the building. From here, the British army turned its sights to Baltimore.
Peter Snow tells the story of this extraordinary confrontation between Britain and the United States, the outcome of which inspired America's national anthem. Using eyewitness accounts, Peter describes the colourful personalities on both sides of this astonishing battle - from Britain's fiery Admiral Cockburn, to the cautious but widely popular army commander Robert Ross and the beleaguered President James Madison whose nation was besieged by a greater military force.
In the final episode, the British attack on Baltimore has failed and they retreat to their ships. To celebrate victory, a young American poet Francis Scott Key writes a poem - The Star Spangled Banner.
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
'I found my teenage son watching porn, what should I do?' An iPM listener tells us why she's worried about her sons. We hear about a mysterious letter found under a hedge. And Your News is read by Sir Terry Wogan. Email iPM@bbc.co.uk.
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
Helen Mark explores the newly safeguarded 'Laurie Lee Wood' and meets the people who inhabit the 21st Century 'Cider with Rosie' Landscape. Earlier this year Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust had an unprecedented response to its appeal to save a plot of ancient woodland. It had once belonged to Slad Valley's beloved son, Laurie Lee. Having become too much for the author and playwright's remaining family to maintain, the trust launched an appeal to take it over. In this week's Open Country Helen Mark meets the people who saved this land and the community that still find inspiration in this valley today including Julie and Simon Cooper at 'The Cider Farm' where they now handcraft frames for old master paintings, artist Amanda Lawrence who draws inspiration from the natural landscape and captures her work in glass and writer Adam Horovitz who is capturing his own 'Cider with Rosie' experience on paper.
In the day and age of quad bikes and satellite navigation, how relevant are working dogs to rural life? Farming Today This Week takes a look at the role of dogs in the countryside, from sheepdogs on hill farms to gundogs on shoots. Charlotte Smith visits the International Sheepdog Trials in Warwickshire, and finds that they are very much still a part of rural life. It seems there are some jobs still best done by dogs.
Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Emma Campbell.
Morning news and current affairs. Including Yesterday in Parliament, Sports Desk, Thought for the Day and Weather.
Richard Coles and Anita Anand are joined by author, Philip Pullman, wildlife rescuer, Trevor Weeks and upcoming young actor, Sarah Gordy who was born with Downs syndrome, and her mother, Jane. Choreographer Richard Alston choses his Inheritance Tracks, there's a visit to Betty's Reading Room on Orkney, a school Bell soundscape and Geoff Baker talks about the bid to break the British record of guitars playing in unison on the beach at Lyme Regis. JP Devlin fields your calls and emails.
Steve Punt investigates the killing of two performing bears by a mob in the Forest of Dean in 1889, following unfounded rumours that the animals had killed a child.
For years, the people of Ruardean took the blame for the brutal slaying of the bears but always protested their innocence. Punt examines the evidence, asking if those convicted were victims of a miscarriage of justice.
Punt explores the documents, questions the locals and calls in the experts - aiming to establish the truth once and for all.
Sue Cameron of the Daily Telegraph looks behind the scenes as MPs return to Westminster after the summer recess.
At the top of the agenda, the Syria crisis and the fallout from the Government's historic defeat in the vote over whether Britain should prepare to go to war. The Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell and ex Labour MP turned diarist, Chris Mullin, discuss whether the landscape of our parliamentary democracy has changed.
As the Universal Credit scheme gets a mauling from the spending watchdog, we examine whether Whitehall was to blame and discuss the future of civil service reform with the former senior official, Sir Richard Mottram.
The Labour backbencher, Katy Clark, and Roger Seifert, an expert on industrial relations, discuss Labour's relations with trades unions.
And as tensions mount between the Prime Minister and his Leader of the Opposition in the wake of the Syria vote, we explore the history of that important, but often highly fractious relationship.
Kate Adie presents correspondents' stories from Syria, the US, Australia, South Africa and Italy.
Lyse Doucet hears how Syria's mosaic of cultures is being shattered; Humphrey Hawksley visits the big brains of America's Ivy League who have been thinking about how to put a country back together again; James Fletcher listens to the roar of Harley Davidsons and rides the Australian economic engine; Mark Lowen discovers the anti-apartheid pedigree of his grandfather; while Tom Carver is in Italy, celebrating his father's escape from a POW camp in 1943 and the brave family who helped him.
NHS fine U-turn, TSB rebirth, off-plan perils and pitfalls, premium rate call crackdown
A pensioner who was fined for having two free eye tests in less than two years will have his money refunded after the Health Ombudsman accused his former PCT, now part of NHS England, of maladministration. Others fined for the same thing could now get their money back. Benefit expert Will Hadwen gives his assessment.
Monday September 9th sees the rebirth of TSB - the High Street bank taken over by Lloyds in 1995. On that day nearly five million customers of Lloyds will become TSB customers as their local branch is rebranded following a European competition ruling which forced Lloyds to give up 631 branches. This week Lloyds boss Antonio Horta-Osorio promised a 'seamless transition'. But not all his customers have found it so.
Would you buy a flat that had not been built yet by looking at the plan? So-called off-plan purchases are growing as competition for property hots up, fuelled by Help to Buy and cheaper mortgages. But is it sensible to buy a flat you have never seen? And how do you know the right price to pay? We speak to Vanessa Ambler, Director of New Home Advisor and Richard Donnell from Hometrack.
New rules begin on Wednesday for websites that charge customers premium rates of £
a minute or more to call government or company helplines they could call free. But will they work? The regulator tells us why he's getting touch.
Rory Bremner's new weekly satirical comedy takes one big contemporary question each week and attempts to answer it.
Regular panellists Andy Zaltzman, Kate O'Sullivan and Nick Doody are joined this week by teacher, author and columnist Tom Bennett and Professor of Education Gordon Stobart.
Rory's mantra is that it's as important to make sense out of things as it is to make fun of them. He believes only then will people laugh at the truth. This deconstructed "quiz" has only one question each week, because that question is so big, there's no time for anything else: expect a mix of stand-up and sketch combined with investigative satire and incisive interviews with a diverse range of characters who really know what they're talking about.
Panelists: Zaltzman, Kate O'Sullivan and Nick Doody, Tom Bennett and Gordon Stobart.
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Colwyn Bay, North Wales with former Home Secretary David Blunkett MP, International Development Minister Alan Duncan MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP who leads Plaid Cymru at Westminster and Revel Guest who's Chair of the Hay Festival and has lived in Wales for much of her life.
Is the UK now a small island no-one pays any attention to? It's a comment which may or may not have been said by a spokesman for President Putin at the G20 summit this week. What are your views? Do you think our role on the world stage has been diminished after the Syria vote in parliament? Also on the programme; FA chairman, Greg Dyke, on his comments about England's chances in the World Cup. He says, "I don't think that anyone realistically thinks we are going to win the World Cup next year". Realistic or unhelpful...and do you applaud this level of honesty in public life? And what action would you take to improve some of Britain's declining seaside towns? Call 03700 100 444 to take part in Any Answers just after the 2 o'clock news.
The presenter is Julian Worricker. The producer is Katy Takatsuki.
Written in 1932 For Services Rendered is Somerset Maugham's incisive state-of-the-nation play - written fifteen years on from the end of WW1.
Set in late summer 1932 in Kent, the Ardsley family seem to be managing their lives very well but in reality each of them is fighting for survival. The Ardsley children are facing unpromising futures: Ethel is married to a former officer who is not quite the man she hoped he'd be; Eva is unmarried and approaching 40, martyring herself to the cause of their brother Sydney; Sydney has been blinded in the war; and Lois, at 27, is single and without a hope of marrying in the English backwater the family live in.
The family must go through a seismic shift in order to survive. The younger generation can no longer live their lives in the blueprint of the older generation, they must find a new way of living. England is changing, falling apart, and must begin again.
The first performance was on 1 November 1932 in the West End (with Ralph Richardson playing Leonard Ardsley). The anti-war message was not popular with audiences, and the play only ran for 78 performances.
The play is particularly extraordinary viewed in retrospect as the lessons of WW1 are written so clearly across the lives of the characters who, less than a decade later, would find themselves at war again.
For Services Rendered was written by Somerset Maugham. It is adapted and directed for radio by Lu Kemp.
Jamie Oliver cooks the perfect Singapore Noodles and talks about cooking on a budget. Can parents help children improve their reading or should it be left to the teachers? Plus can reading a novel really help to make you feel better? A look at the new research that shows that women who give up taking the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen are dying needlessly. Many give up because of the side effects which include hot flushes, sweating, tiredness and weight gain - what's been done to help them? Food writer Anya von Bremzen talks about her memoirs which look at the history of twentieth century Russia and the food that typified Soviet society. Digital champion, Woman's Hour powerlister and the youngest female member of the House of Lords, Martha Lane Fox on the importance of being connected. And Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato looks ahead to her performance at the Last Night of the Proms.
Presented by Jane Garvey.
Clive Anderson, Thomas Dolby, Peter Snow, Jeremy Hardy, Carole Radziwill, Emma Freud, The Be Good Tanyas, The Ramona Flowers
Clive's in the Oval Office with broadcaster and author Peter Snow, whose new book 'When Britain Burned the White House' tells of when Britain attacked the heartland of the United States, defeating them in battle. Peter explains the consequences on both sides, resulting in the decision by the U.S and Britain never to fight each other again.
Clive has a Lunch Date with author and Real Housewife Of New York City Carole Radziwill, whose new book 'The Widow's Guide To Sex and Dating' is the story of Claire, a young widow who's asked to finish writing her husband's biography of a heartthrob movie star. Claire's surprised when he doesn't live up to his reputation. But having found her first Mr Right, does she deserve a second?
Emma Freud's Blinded With Science by musician and producer Thomas Dolby, who's made an impressionistic documentary about a mysterious island lighthouse near the East Anglian coat. With global warming and beach erosion threatening its very foundations, it will soon be a pile of rubble left to fall into the North Sea.
'Thomas Dolby's The Invisible Lighthouse Tour' is a transmedia performance, with a soundtrack from various stages of his career. Let's hope he's not feeling too Hyperactive!
Newsquiz's Jeremy Hardy Speaks To The Nation...or at least to Clive, about his new comedy tour, which addresses death, CBeebies, Michael Gove, hip hop, gender, class, ego, Blue Peter, Leni Riefenstahl, misogyny, the American Civil War, capitalism and Lassie! It kicks off at Newbury's Corn Exchange on 13th September.
With music from Canadian female folk trio The Be Good Tanyas, who perform 'September Field'.
With more music from Bristol-based electro Indie outfit The Ramona Flowers, who perform 'Brighter' from their 'Dismantle' EP
Chris Bowlby profiles German Chancellor Angela Merkel - always underestimated, physicist and ruthless politician, the woman at the centre of the eurozone crisis. What has shaped a figure who grew up under East German communism, came to dominate united German politics and proclaims her love of football and opera? And as her friendship with David Cameron deepens, might she be key to Britain's EU future?
Paolo Sorrentino's film The Great Beauty starring long-time collaborator Toni Servillo was nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes. It opens with a tourist swooning at the beauty of Rome: will audiences too fall for it?
Mark Ravenhill's take on Candide for the RSC is time-hopping and visually rich and offers a view for our own times on optimism and its dangers - how successful a response is it to Voltaire's classic?
Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Lowland illuminates an era of Indian history through the eyes of a family torn apart when two brothers choose different paths - it's longlisted for the Booker Prize.
Victoriana: The Art of Revival is the Guildhall Art Gallery in London's take on the current trend of Victorian revivalism. It gathers recent works responding to the Victorian era by artists ranging from Paula Rego to Grayson Perry, and includes Paul St George's Crookes Tube enabling viewers to "see" another viewer from a different part of the gallery.
And Peaky Blinders on BBC2 stars Helen McCrory and Cillian Murphy in a stylised tale of a Birmingham gang just after the First World War, with strong echoes of westerns and gangster movies.
Watching Richard Nixon's first inauguration ceremony in January 1969, and hearing the prayer of the Reverend Billy Graham who stood by him at that ceremony, it seemed that here was an honest man of integrity. Yet much detail has emerged since that time demonstrating that the 37th President of the United States was less than upstanding in his dealings with his Democrat opponents and the American people.
But who was Nixon the man? What was he really like? Do all those allegations and solid facts alluding to his dirty tricks - the wire-tapping, the break-ins, the pay-offs, the "Commie" slurs, the Machiavellian manoeuvrings - add up to a thoroughly dishonest and dislikeable man?
Many of the Nixon insiders, some of whom were jailed and several of whom were sacked by their boss after the Watergate scandal, were not critical of Nixon - and others, such as Bob Haldeman, while not admitting to a love of Nixon, still claimed to respect him after the event.
Many observers and colleagues point to Nixon's awkwardness and aloofness, citing that he came across in this way because he was a diffident man who was not a natural politician. His speeches were often mawkishly sentimental and manipulative, simplistic in their appeal to an American down-home conservatism and a hatred of Communism. Yet he won two elections - the second a landslide despite the parlous state of a country being riven in two because of the Vietnam war.
In this programme, the man who got close to Nixon when in 1977 he taped nearly 29 hours of interviews with Nixon, Sir David Frost, searches through the BBC archives and the White House tapes to try to discover just what kind of man Richard Nixon was.
Robert Rigby's dramatisation of Alan Sillitoe's seething novel set in 1958 Nottingham - part of Radio 4's celebration of British New Wave film and cinema,.
'Angry young man' Arthur Seaton rages against the boredom of his factory machinist job and home life with 'dead from the neck up' parents.
Determined to avoid a similar slide into domestic drudgery, Arthur is a risk-taking womaniser, enduring each tedious week in the knowledge that the weekend's thrills are to come. But Arthur takes a risk too far, inflicting life-shattering consequences on those around him.
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.
David Baddiel presents the best of the series which combines new ideas and personal stories. In this fourth and last edition we hear from speakers who have gone against the grain.
Naomi Shragai is a Jewish woman who was expected to find a nice Jewish man to marry, but she then found herself on a very different path. Musa Okwonga tried to give up social media - at least for a while. And James Friel celebrates being single.
A host of interesting celebrities will be joining Nigel as he quizzes them on the sources of a range of quotations and asks them for the amusing sayings or citations that they have personally collected on a variety of subjects, including quotes they wish they'd said and the family sayings that they grew up with.
This week Nigel is joined by Actress and Singer - Janie Dee, former editor of Private Eye and current editor of The Oldie - Richard Ingrams, science writer and broadcaster Vivienne Parry and comedian and writer Robin Ince.
Reader ..... Peter Jefferson.
A special programme to mark the death and celebrate the life and work of Seamus Heaney. Heaney's poems have been regularly requested by the Poetry Please audience down the years so Roger McGough goes digging in the archive to present a selection of Heaney's poems read by the poet himself.
SUNDAY 08 SEPTEMBER 2013
SUN 00:00 Midnight News (b039lnzx)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
SUN 00:30 Opening Lines (b012qtb9)
Series 13
Writing in Chalk
A return of the series which gives first-time and emerging short story writers their radio debut.
A young girl, struggling with her reading and writing in school, looks to her mother for support in this touching story by Helen Barton
Read by Claire Skinner
Produced by Robert Howells
In 2009, Helen won the Orange Harper's Bazaar short story award and has written a novel and several short stories, as well as a series of literary quiz books.
SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lnzz)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp01)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service. BBC Radio 4 resumes at
5.20am.
SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp03)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp05)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (b039p0tv)
The bells of St Margaret's Church, Dunham Massey, Altrincham.
SUN 05:45 Profile (b039lmkb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
SUN 06:00 News Headlines (b039lp07)
The latest national and international news.
SUN 06:05 Something Understood (b039p0tx)
Faith in Numbers
When John McCarthy was held hostage in the Lebanon he found an entirely unexpected source of sanity - numbers.
Five years and four months, 1 943 days - numbers always defined his time in captivity. They also enabled John to create his own safe world and maintain stability. In this deeply personal edition of Something Understood, John recalls his own surprising faith in numbers and finds others for whom numbers both comfort and inspire.
He discusses his experience with Frank Close, Professor of Physics at Oxford University. What is it like turning to numbers to explain the mysteries of our universe? Scientists often work intensely for years towards new discoveries, and breakthroughs are rare. Frank describes what that process is like - revealing what keeps him going if the breakthrough doesn't come.
Are numbers our method of explaining everything, or is there always some mystery beyond? Fellow physicist and practicing Hindu, Jay Lakhani, offers us his own unique, scientific and spiritual perspective. Numbers are deeply rooted in the Hindu faith and have been since its inception. We discover the resonance of the number zero, rooted in the Nasadiya Sukta, The Hymn of Creation - describing our journey from nothingness to something, from zero to one and then beyond.
Finally, what about when faith in numbers and faith in God truly coincide? We hear from a 30 year old American Christian who used to be part of the Holy Rollers, a card-counting Christian Blackjack team who used mathematics to beat the casinos. Their success relied completely on trust, within their own community and in the numbers themselves.
Presenter: John McCarthy
Producer: Rose de Larrabeiti
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (b039p0tz)
Tessa Dunlop travels back to her native North Perthshire and meets Calum McDiarmid, who makes the most of the cool climate and late summer to grow bush fruit. Mains of Murthly farm near Aberfeldy is one of the last places in Britain to wake from winter, meaning Calum's plants benefit from a long, deep dormancy. By the time harvest arrives, his fruit bushes are well-rested and laden with gooseberries, redcurrants and blueberries.
Tessa helps out with the gooseberry pick and gets to practice her Romanian with the fruit pickers who spend their summer earning money in the fields. After weighing in a few trays of fruit, Tessa and Calum head out on to the hill to round up his flock of sheep - the traditionally Scottish side of his business.
While sorting fat lambs for market, Calum shares his passion for farming in the Perthshire Highlands, and explains why livestock and fruit go hand in hand.
Presented by Tessa Dunlop and produced by Anna Jones.
SUN 06:57 Weather (b039lp09)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 07:00 News and Papers (b039lp0c)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
SUN 07:10 Sunday (b039p0v1)
The Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nicholls talks to William about Syria and the need for a peaceful resolution. As Church of England Priests seek to exorcise London Arms Trade Fair we talk to Rev Keith Hebden. Karim Hendili of UNESCO talks about the action they take to limit the looting, trafficking and destruction of ancient religious and cultural sites in Syria and other war zones such as Mali and Iraq. It is widely understood that the number of second wives in Britain's Muslim community is on the rise. We hear from Khola Hassan from the Islamic Sharia Council and Tahmina Saleem from Inspire.
Matt wells reports from the USA on the reaction from faith groups to military action. Parochial church councils are being urged to find out whether their neighbours are personally liable for church repairs under an ancient law. Archbishop Barry Morgan talks to William ahead of the Women Bishops vote in the Church of Wales.
Producers: Carmel Lonergan , Annabel Deas
Series Producer: Amanda Hancox
Contributors:
Archbishop Vincent Nicholls
ArchBishop Barry Morgan
Keth Hebden
Khola Hassan
Tahmina Saleem
Karim Hendili.
SUN 07:55 Radio 4 Appeal (b039p0v3)
Kidscape
Anthony Horowitz presents the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the charity Kidscape.
Reg Charity:326864
To Give:
- Freephone 0800 404 8144
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal, mark the back of the envelope Kidscape.
Give Online www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/appeal.
SUN 07:57 Weather (b039lp0f)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 08:00 News and Papers (b039lp0h)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.
SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (b039p0v5)
Live from Brunswick Methodist Church in the heart of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. This historic church in north east England , with a fine tradition of music and preaching, has been a focal point for Methodist worship and social outreach throughout its life, and today continues to be a lively, active church serving the city centre. Theme: 'The God who Shapes and Transforms'. With the Rev Eden Fletcher and Deacon Liesl Warren. Organist: David Scott. Director of Music: Ernest Young. Producer: Stephen Shipley.
SUN 08:48 A Point of View (b039dbkn)
Real Change
Fear of change can lead us astray. It can keep us from mercy. It can be used by authorities as an excuse for sticking with the status quo. It's a barrier to happiness. AL Kennedy doesn't like change. But she thinks perhaps she should change her mind.
SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qhyz)
Robin
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the robin. The autumn song of the Robin is the soundtrack to shortening days, gathering mists and ripening fruit. Robins sing in spring but their autumn song is different. It may sound melancholy to us but for the Robin it has clear purpose - to defend the winter territories that male and female robins establish separately after they've moulted.
SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (b039p0v7)
Barry Cryer and Jeremy Hardy pay tribute to Sir Cliff Richard's greatest hits. The 2020 Olympics will be in Tokyo, sprinter Sir Menzies Campbell relives his games in the city back in 1964. An RAF veteran disputes the 'myth' that fighter pilots saved Britain from invasion in 1940. Police in Manchester have been treating attacks on Goths as 'hate' crimes, but has it helped people living 'alternative' lives? And we explore schoolgirl crushes on teachers. Reviewing the papers the Iraqi journalist Mina Al-Oraibi, the media journalist Steve Hewlett and the journalist's journalist John Stapleton. With Jane Garvey.
SUN 10:00 The Archers Omnibus (b039p0v9)
For detailed synopses see daily programmes.
SUN 11:15 The Reunion (b039p0vc)
Jersey Occupation
On the 1st July 1940, Jersey was occupied by German forces. Some called it "the Model Occupation" - a taster of what might actually happen across the country if Hitler was successful in his plans to invade Britain.
Churchill's government had decided the Channel islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, were of no strategic importance and would be very difficult to defend and so, just a couple of weeks before, all troops had been withdrawn from the islands. The islanders were instructed to surrender to the German army. Hitler's forces were in occupation from July 1940 until the war ended in May 1945.
These were hard years for both the occupiers and the occupied. Food was scarce and, although acts of resistance were limited, the justice was harsh when it was meted out. Those who lived on the island were faced with a complex crisis of conscience - how should they live with the enemy?
In this edition of The Reunion, Sue MacGregor reunites a group of Jersey people who endured that difficult time, finding out how they look back on it seventy years on: Bob Le Sueur, a young insurance clerk at the time, who helped Russian prisoners hide from their German Captors; Leo Harris, a teenager at the beginning of the war, who carried out acts of 'boys own' resistance; Michael Ginns, who found himself in an internment camp in Bavaria; Hazel Lakeman, who was also taken off the island and interned in terrible conditions; and John Floyd, one of the few Jersey residents who actually managed to escape from the island.
Producer: Kevin Dawson
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 12:00 Just a Minute (b039c5dr)
Series 67
Episode 4
Nicholas Parsons hosts the popular panel game. How hard can it be to talk for 60 seconds with no hesitation, repetition or deviation?
SUN 12:32 The Food Programme (b039p0vf)
The Future of Street Food
Can street food change the world? Richard Johnson looks at ideas being tried around the world, from food carts setting up in "food deserts" to night time food markets being set up to transform city life.
Producer: Dan Saladino.
SUN 12:57 Weather (b039lp0k)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (b039p32v)
The latest national and international news, including an in-depth look at events around the world. Email: wato@bbc.co.uk; twitter: #theworldthisweekend.
SUN 13:30 The Politics of Pandas (b019h2b8)
1/1
Mao gave them to Nixon, Edward Heath desperately wanted some, and now Alex Salmond has got his hands on two. Has there ever been a more political animal than the panda? In this special programme tied to the arrival of the two pandas at Edinburgh Zoo, Philip Dodd investigates how a lazy, bamboo munching bear with a marked reluctance to procreate became the political gift par excellence.
SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b039dbk2)
Postbag edition at Sparsholt College
Eric Robson chairs a postbag edition from the GQT potting shed at Sparsholt College with Chris Beardshaw, Anne Swithinbank, Pippa Greenwood and Rosie Yeomans answering listeners' questions sent in by post, email and Twitter.
Produced by Howard Shannon
A Somethin' Else Production for BBC Radio 4.
Q. What would be the best way to encourage a Eucalyptus Pauciflora Debeuzevillei to form multiple stem? Should the current, single stem be cut back and if so, when? How should cuttings be taken?
A. The younger the plant is, the easier it is to encourage it to produce multiple stems from the base. Pruning should be carried out in June, removing around half of the total height of the plant. Carry the pruning out in stages, especially if it is an older plant. Ensure that the plant has enough moisture. Eucalypti are best propagated by layering, or from seed.
Q. How can manhole covers in a lawn be disguised?
A. There are planters available designed to fit over manhole covers. A decent-sized planter will be heavy, but bases on wheels could be used to move them easily. Informal beds could be created around the manhole covers, with Sun Roses (or Rock Roses) such as Helianthemums, or other ground plants such as prostrate conifers, planted around. Alternatively a path could be created across the lawn that crosses the manhole covers.
Q. What can be done with the multi-purpose compost left over from growing potatoes either in potato bags or large pots?
A. This could be used for planting bulbs, sweet potatoes, salad crops or carrots. Anything from a different family to potatoes (e.g. - not tomatoes, aubergines, peppers or normal potatoes) can be grown. The fertiliser content will be very low after growing potatoes, so the fertility will still need to be improved. It would also be a useful mulch for borders.
Q. How can a wayward Gunnera be removed from a garden and the surrounding area?
A. Use machinery! Herbicides will work on the young shoots, late in spring. To prevent the plant from spreading, cut the flowers out and prevent the plant from setting seed.
Q. Could worms in a worm bin or compost bin overdose on caffeine and tannins from tea and coffee?
A. Use a small amount of lime to keep the acidity levels of a wormery low. Coffee grounds, citrus peel and onion skins should not be added. Even in a regular compost bin, large amounts of coffee grounds or tea leaves could upset the pH balance of the compost.
Q. What is the best method for preventing ants nesting in flowerpots, regardless of content?
A. Ants do not like water, or lime. Standing pots in a 'moat' of water may help - place a deep saucer of water under the pot, with the pot itself resting on pot feet or similar to prevent over-watering. There is also some evidence to suggest using a tea or essential oil of Black Peppermint or Pennyroyal will also dissuade the ants from coming near the plants.
Q. What is the panel's opinion on the theory of watering in a solution of shredded onions to a site on which basal white rot is endemic in order to kill off the rot?
A. The evidence for this technique for white rot is not that good, although there are similar theories for other soil-borne fungi. In allotments this problem tends to be endemic.
Q. How many alpines can be planted in a wooden box planter 0.5m (1.5ft) square and how should the soil be mixed? The current soil is reclaimed compost.
A. Firstly, remove some of the soil and perform a mustard and cress test to check it will grow plants. If it is not contaminated, remove half of the reclaimed soil and replace with John Innes No. 2 and some sharp sand or Cornish grit. The pH balance depends upon the alpine - Rhodohypoxis, for example, likes a slightly acidic soil. Ensure water can escape from the planter, using crocks or shingle at the bottom. Seven to eight plants is probably a good start, but these can be thinned out over time. Echeverias are recommended.
Q. A 30 year old, 2m (7ft) tall Fatsia Japonica is showing new growth after two consecutive years of pruning, but also looks limp and pale-leafed. Is this a result of the pruning or the recent hot spell?
A. Fatsia Japonica is a shade-dweller, so it will not do well in direct sunshine. Provide the plant with shade and organic matter and take a number of cuttings as an insurance policy!
Q. How often can seaweed meal be reapplied to the base of plants (as a slug repellent) before the seaweed meal itself becomes detrimental to the plant.
A. Seaweed meal will raise the local alkalinity of the soil. However, most soils are fairly stable and unless the plant is particularly sensitive to calcium, this is unlikely to be a problem. There are other products on the market such as ground and composted sheep wool pellets or pine needles, which will be more stable in the soil and act as a good repellent.
SUN 14:45 Witness (b039p32z)
The Chile Coup
In September 1973 General Pinochet launched a military coup against the socialist government of Salvador Allende in Chile. The playwright Ariel Dorfman was a young assistant to President Allende. Hear his story of regret and exile.
SUN 15:00 British New Wave (b039p331)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - Episode 2
Robert Rigby's dramatisation of Alan Sillitoe's seething novel set in 1958 Nottingham - part of Radio 4's celebration of British New Wave film and cinema.
In this second and final episode, 'angry young man' Arthur Seaton continues to rage against the boredom of his work and home life, but some of his past soon catches up with him and he has to face the consequences. The appearance of a new woman in his life also presents further challenges.
Sound Design: David Chilton
Spot Effects: Alison McKenzie
Production Manager: Sarah Tombling
Director: Carl Prekopp
Producer: Lucinda Mason Brown
A Goldhawk Essential production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 16:00 Open Book (b039rqq3)
Jhumpa Lahiri, mountain literature and revamping the classics pulp fiction style
Jhumpa Lahiri was awarded the Pulitzer prize for her first book, Interpreter of Maladies, which subsequently became a bestseller. Now 13 years later, her second novel is Booker nominated. A family saga of sorts, The Lowland explores an event in Indian history, the Naxalite movement, a peasant rebellion which was inspired by Communist China and began in the village of Naxalbari in 1967. Following the fortunes of two brothers Subhash and Udayan, the novel traces the legacy of a doomed young man's idealism on those he leaves in his wake. The story is set between Calcutta, where Jhumpa's family hail from and Rhode Island, where she was subsequently raised.
Mountains are an enduring lure for even the least adventurous of climbers - as the queues to reach the top of Mount Snowdon can attest. Conjuring up the magic of mountains continues to exert a powerful hold over the imaginations of writers, as revealed in the newly-announced shortlist for the Boardman Tasker Prize, now in its 30th year. Simon Bainbridge, Professor of Romantic Studies at Lancaster University, and journalist and mountaineering historian Audrey Salkeld discuss the literary opportunities for readers wanting an armchair experience of the world's high places.
From lofty mountains to desert islands, spooky attics and misty moors, the settings for some of our much loved literary classics. A number of them have now been given an intriguing face lift, with new covers worthy of any B movie posters from the 1950s. Publisher Ian Mills, the man behind this revamped look of our old favourites, explains why he went for the pulp fiction treatment.
Producer: Andrea Kidd.
SUN 16:30 Poetry Please (b039p335)
Story Poems 1
Roger McGough introduces some story poems including work by Roy Fisher, Emily Dickinson and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Readers: John Mackay, Niamh Cusack, Anton Lesser and Kenneth Cranham. Producer: Tim Dee.
SUN 17:00 Michael Ignatieff and the Red Cross Crisis (b039ctgt)
The International Committee of the Red Cross turns 150 this year. Few humanitarian organisations have such long experience of working in war zones, but is their role still relevant?
Today, war is taking on new dimensions; conflict is emerging in new quarters; and technology is transforming the nature of the battlefield. Can the ICRC keep up with the extraordinary speed of change? Can it continue to be of help to victims? And can it hope to persuade combatants to obey the traditional laws of war?
Harvard professor Michael Ignatieff has kept a watching brief on the work of the ICRC since 1997 when he visited its delegation in Afghanistan. Now he returns, this time to the headquarters in Geneva, to explore the challenges the organisation faces.
We hear reports from Medellin in Colombia where the ICRC has started working with victims of narco-violence; we hear the latest from Syria where the ICRC is attempting to support the Arab Red Crescent under desperate conditions; and we find out how the ICRC has negotiated with America over its proven abuses of international humanitarian law during the course of the War on Terror. How can the ICRC preserve confidentiality without becoming complicit in such abuses? We ask whether the principles of neutrality and impartiality come at too great a cost.
The question of technology is a looming problem for the International Committee Red Cross. Michael asks how the organisation can continue to promote the laws of war when drones are dissolving battle lines and cyber threats make the Internet a site of conflict.
'Michael Ignatieff and the Red Cross Crisis' poses tough questions about the future of humanitarian work and the future face of war.
Producer: Isabel Sutton
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4.
SUN 17:40 Profile (b039lmkb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (b039lp0m)
The latest shipping forecast.
SUN 17:57 Weather (b039lp0p)
The latest weather forecast.
SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp0r)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (b039p337)
Sarfraz Mansoor makes his selection of the best of the previous seven days of BBC Radio.
SUN 19:00 The Archers (b039p339)
Helen is excited about meeting Rob now he's back from his family weekend. Kirsty probes Helen for information about Rob's family party but Helen fields the questioning. Kirsty manages to persuade Helen to enter some of the jewellery she made into the Flower and Produce Show.
Kirsty mentions to Tom that she and Damian have split up. Tom suggests that if she doesn't have to dash off maybe she could pop in for a coffee.
Helen is disappointed when Rob calls to cancel. Teething problems at work means he's not sure when this week he'll be free.
Over coffee Kirsty asks if Tom if his cashflow problem is sorted but he brushes this aside, saying it's gone away. They playfully flirt with each other and are about to steal a kiss when interrupted by Helen and Henry.
Ray is not impressed with Lynda's sophisticated ideas for the Mexican evening. He assures her people are expecting sombreros and tortillas.
Lynda is surprised to hear that Ray has moved some regular guests to accommodate a travel journalist in the Royal Garden Suite. She is unhappy that she is expected to break the news to them. Ray is convinced she'll think of something to tell them.
SUN 19:15 Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test (b0386j1j)
Episode 2
Paul Sinha is proudly British. He also loves a quiz. So you would have thought that the UK Citizenship Test, which newcomers to this country must pass to become citizens, would have been right up his street. But the questions in the 2012 and 2013 Home Office guides seem either bizarrely easy - "Where is Welsh most widely spoken?" - or infuriatingly vague - "What happened in the First World War?".
So Paul has created his own test, to better reflect the things that aspiring migrants should understand before they can call themselves British. In this second episode he deals with the health of the nation - our diet, our drinking habits and our athletic prowess. And he tests the studio audience on their knowledge, with those that answer incorrectly being deported.
The series intertwines the sort of comedy Paul has become known for on The Now Show, The News Quiz, and Fighting Talk, as well as his own Radio 4 shows The Sinha Test and The Sinha Games, and the command of facts and figures he demonstrates on the ITV quiz show The Chase, with a dash of the patriotism that has seen him banned from the bar at the United Nations.
Written and performed by Paul Sinha.
Producer: Ed Morrish.
SUN 19:45 Tales from the East (b039p33c)
Moon and Henry
Poppy Miller reads Sarah Bower's story set on the windswept coast of Norfolk - after the tourists have gone. This is the second in a series of stories taking their inspiration from the coast of East Anglia.
Producer: Justine Willett
Read by: Poppy Miller
Written by: Sarah Bower, a novelist and short story writer, whose first novel, 'The Needle in the Blood', was Susan Hill's Book of the Year 2007.
SUN 20:00 More or Less (b039dbk8)
The Death Toll in Syria
As global leaders remain divided on whether to carry out a military strike against Syria in response to the apparent use of chemical weapons against its people, Tim Harford looks at the different claims made about how many people have been killed. The United States, the UK and France are sharing intelligence, but all quote different estimates of how many people they think died in the attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Tim speaks to Kelly Greenhill, a professor of political science at Tufts University in the US, and co-author of Sex, Drugs and Body Counts about why the numbers vary so widely. And he speaks to Megan Price from the Human Rights Data Analysis Group who has been trying to keep a tally of the deaths in Syria since the conflict began.
The cost of care has forced a million families to sell their homes in the past five years, according to the Daily Telegraph. It's quoting research commissioned by NFU Mutual and carried out by ICM. But Tim Harford spots some tell-tale signs that the survey respondents may not all have been telling the truth.
What can statistics tell us about the safety of Super Puma helicopters, used by the offshore oil and gas industry? Tim Harford looks at the numbers, following a fatal accident off Shetland in August - the fifth incident involving Super Pumas in the North Sea since 2009.
Apparently, it's a fact that if there's one thing that's worse for you than drinking, scoffing bacon sandwiches and smoking 80 unfiltered cigarettes a day, it's being left-handed. Left-handers die on average several years earlier than right-handers. Or do they? Tim gets to the bottom of a sinister statistic with Professor Chris McManus, author of Right Hand, Left Hand.
More than 300,000 attempts were made to access pornographic websites at the Houses of Parliament in the past year, official records suggest. But with 15 attempts made in one month and almost 115,000 in another, the figures themselves raised an eyebrow at More or Less HQ - they just don't make sense. Tim speaks to Fergus Reid from Parliament's ICT team.
And finally, was Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart right to calculate that Britons have spent 76 centuries hanging on the phone to get through to government departments in just one year? She checks her sums.
Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Ruth Alexander.
SUN 20:30 Last Word (b039dbk6)
Two broadcasters, a folk singer and a science journalist
Matthew Bannister on
Two much-loved broadcasters.
We review the influential career of Sir David Frost with two former Directors general of the BBC: Lord Birt and Greg Dyke.
And Pete Murray recalls his friendly on air rivalry with the TV and radio presenter David Jacobs.
We also remember the folk singer from Newcastle Lou Killen, who had a sex change operation late in life and became Louisa Jo Killen
And the journalist David Dickson who set up a website to bring scientific knowledge to the developing world.
SUN 21:00 Money Box (b039lmjy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:00 on Saturday]
SUN 21:26 Radio 4 Appeal (b039p0v3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 today]
SUN 21:30 In Business (b039d4cy)
Civilian Drones
For decades, unpersoned planes have been used by the military in places such as Afghanistan and Pakistan to watch the ground and deliver weapons controlled by remote pilots thousands of kilometres away. But now companies and experts are putting their minds to turning military drones into civilian vehicles that can do things cheaper and better than piloted planes. Peter Day investigates unmanned aerial vehicles and how they are already being used by farmers and the police. Also, could a drone be delivering your pizza in the not too distant future?
SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (b039p33f)
Preview of the week's political agenda at Westminster with MPs, experts and commentators. Discussion of the issues politicians are grappling with in the corridors of power.
SUN 22:45 What the Papers Say (b039p33h)
A look at how the newspapers are covering the biggest stories.
SUN 23:00 The Film Programme (b039d4c3)
About Time: Richard Curtis and Bill Nighy; Great Beauty: Paolo Sorrentino; Neil Brand; Toronto Film Festival
Richard Curtis, the writer-director of Love Actually, is back with About Time, a time travel rom-com about life, love and avoiding regrets. Francine Stock talks to Richard, along with Bill Nighy who plays a time-travelling father passing on his gift to his son.
As the autumn film festival season gets underway, Cameron Bailey, artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival, brings us the highlights among the world premieres and gives his tips for the awards season.
Director Paolo Sorrentino discusses the dangers of beauty and distraction, themes of his new film The Great Beauty, which portrays Rome through the eyes of an ageing writer, mourning his youth.
And composer Neil Brand gives us a preview of his new BBC Four series, Sound of Cinema, which explores film scores and found music as used in films by the great directors, from Alfred Hitchcock to Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
SUN 23:30 Something Understood (b039p0tx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
06:05 today]
MONDAY 09 SEPTEMBER 2013
MON 00:00 Midnight News (b039lp1r)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
MON 00:15 Thinking Allowed (b039cy07)
Erving Goffman - a special programme
Erving Goffman - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on the work and influence of this groundbreaking Canadian sociologist. He's joined by Professor Gregory Smith, Dr Rachel Hurdley and Dr Susie Scott. Revised repeat.
Producer: Jayne Egerton
MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (b039p0tv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
05:43 on Sunday]
MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lp1t)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp1w)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp1y)
The latest shipping forecast.
MON 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp20)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b039x1wj)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
MON 05:45 Farming Today (b039p84m)
This year's oilseed rape crop was a gamble. A cold, miserable spring meant some farmers decided to rip up their winter oilseed rape and start again while others gritted their teeth and stuck with it. To find out who came out best in the end Charlotte Smith speaks to Simon Kightley, oilseed and pulse crop expert at NIAB in Cambridge.
Charlotte also meets a generation of very young farmers who are 'growing' their own bread. A class of seven-year-olds at Garsington Primary School in Oxfordshire have harvested a plot of wheat in their playground. Charlotte joins in as they separate the wheat from the chaff.
And what impact does building an offshore windfarm have on the surrounding seabed? A five year study of Westermost Rough off the East Yorkshire coast aims to find out. It's the site of a 35 turbine windfarm, which will be built next year. It is also part of the lobster breeding ground for Britain's largest shellfish port in Bridlington. We join researchers as they head out to sea on a search for answers.
Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced in Bristol by Anna Jones.
MON 05:56 Weather (b039lp22)
The latest weather forecast for farmers.
MON 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qjrh)
Meadow Pipit
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the Meadow Pipit. The thin but penetrating calls of the meadow pipit can be heard on a remote mountainside or high above the city streets on an autumn day. Meadow pipits are often the main hosts for the parasitic Cuckoos and many a pipit pair ends up stuffing insects into a much larger cuckoo chick.
MON 06:00 Today (b039p84p)
Morning news and current affairs. Including Sports Desk; Weather; Thought for the Day.
MON 09:00 Fry's English Delight (b039pdsr)
Series 6
Words without End
Have you been 'trolled' on the Internet lately? Or perhaps 'bangalored' at work? Just a couple of the hundreds of new words absorbed by the English language every year. Like the ever expanding universe, our lexicon is getting bigger and bigger - truly words without end.
Since the publication of the Oxford English Dictionary in 1928, its number of words has more than doubled. It's doubtful there will be another printed edition. Online since the year 2000, it receives two million page views a month. Stephen Fry, a self-confessed dictionary addict, looks at how dictionaries have changed since Dr Johnson's day.
Stephen's guest is Michael Rundell, Editor in Chief of Macmillan Dictionaries - not an example of the 'cardiganed old duffer' lexicographer of yore but one who has the latest computer software at his fingertips. Card indexes have given way to corpora of billions of words, assessing the latest and most accurate word usage, and 'crowdsourcing' has democratised the compilation of twenty-first century dictionaries.
Stephen and Michael discuss the sources from which new words spring, including social media and global English. Actress and writer Nina Wadia provides a sketch using examples of today's Indian English, which in the future might join bungalow and pyjamas, their nineteenth century compatriots, in the O.E.D. Averil Coxhead from New Zealand contributes her research - how many words do we know and, perhaps more importantly, how many can we use? And for fellow Radio 4 wordaholics, Stephen offers a special vocabulary test
Producer: Merilyn Harris
A Testbed production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 09:30 Wow! How Did They Do That? (b039pdst)
Episode 5
Roger Law goes in search of the entrepreneurs who are behind some of the Britain's best designs and inventions.
Ross Lovegrove has earned the nickname 'Captain Organic' through his extraordinary designs based on organic shapes and forms. Roger Law visits his studio and finds him inspired by anything from an elephant skull to a honeycomb. As he explains, Lovegrove draws on the experiences of mankind over the ages. "Ten thousand years ago most of our ancestors lived in caves. They made things from organic material and I don't think we've moved far from that." From this starting point Lovegrove has developed the most extraordinarily beautiful objects which can be used in everyday life.
Hussein Chalayan has created his innovative work in the world of fashion. Roger Law talks to him about how he sees his role. "I am a designer," he says, "but I happen to have a narrative approach". Chalayan has become famous for his bold and daring productions, and he explains his thinking behind the events which showcase his work. Roger gets to discuss dresses that can reconfigure whilst being worn, including one which can disappear completely. "Startling stuff," concludes Roger, "especially if you happen to be wearing it at the time.".
MON 09:45 Book of the Week (b039pdsw)
Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry
Episode 1
Journalist Rose George sails from Felixstowe to Singapore on board the container ship Maersk Kendal to shine a light on the unexamined global shipping industry.
Abridged by Laurence Wareing.
Reader: Susie Riddell
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie.
MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (b039pdsy)
Parent Bloggers; Britain's Youngest Barrister; French Feminists
Parents who blog about their children and why they do it. The French feminists who are lobbying President Hollande to allow more women into the Pantheon - the burial place for its national heroes. The 18 year old who has become Britain's youngest barrister. Eleanor Catton on her new novel, The Luminaries, long listed for the Man Booker Prize.
Presented by Jane Garvey.
Producer: Lucinda Montefiore.
MON 10:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039pdt0)
Gutter Baby
Police detective serial set and recorded on location in Mumbai.
When a baby is rescued from a gutter, it falls on the only female police officer on hand, Alia Khan, to look after it. Stuck with a new partner and a boss who is determined to put her in her place, Alia has to fight to be noticed.
This fast-paced, six-part police thriller follows Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, as she attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.
Sound Recordist: Hitesh Chaurasia
Sound Design: Steve Bond
Editing Assistants: Andrew Lewis and Aditya Khanna.
Script Editor: Mike Walker
Assistant Producer: Toral Shah
Producer: Nadir Khan
Music: Sacha Putnam.
Writer: Ayeesha Menon
Director: John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 11:00 Lives in a Landscape (b039pdt2)
Series 14
St James' Gardens in Liverpool
In the shadow of Liverpool's Anglican cathedral sits St James' Gardens, an oasis of green space in the heart of the busy city.
The Gardens have been several things over the centuries. It was first a quarry from which the docks and much of the city of Liverpool was built. Once all the rock that could be removed had been excavated, a large hole was left and so in 1829 it was consecrated as a cemetery for the city.
Young and old, rich and poor, the city's dead ended up here. Between 1829 and 1936, nearly 58,000 bodies were buried in the cemetery. But by 1936 the cemetery was considered full and it became a garden. Over time the garden fell into a state of disrepair and became derelict: a haven for the homeless, drug dealers, prostitutes, drinkers and addicts. It was a no-go zone for most people of the city.
But ten years ago a plucky bunch of locals decided to take matters into their own hands. Robin Riley, a local sculptor, organised a group of friends and neighbours and over time cleaned the park up, restoring it to the beautiful setting that it is today.
Now it's a place people go to find peace and tranquillity, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Alan Dein visits St James' and meets Robin and the team that have reshaped the space, plus the band of dedicated dog-walkers who meet daily in the park. Among the walkers Alan meets Tommy, Frank and Aaron, a trio who met at the park and have since forged friendships.
Aaron shares his experiences of living near and using the park and tells Alan how visiting St James' has been therapeutic, not just for him in helping him in the tough times he's been through, but also for his mother who is suffering from leukaemia.
Alan also meets harmonica-playing Kevin: the last of the park's rough sleepers, Kevin inhabits one of the garden's abandoned catacombs.
Presenter: Alan Dein
Producer: Martin Poyntz-Roberts.
MON 11:30 Reception (b039pdt4)
Men in Love
A sitcom by Paul Bassett Davies about two men sitting behind a desk, starring Adrian Scarborough, Morwenna Banks and Amit Shah.
Danny discovers that Brian is infatuated with a girl in the office supplies shop across the street, but he's too shy to make contact with her. Danny, who considers himself to be very much a ladies' man, begins to give Brian tips. But when fearsome supervisor Clarissa finds out about the romance, she tells Danny to sabotage it or she'll sink his cherished ambition to get a job upstairs in the agency. She wants Brian for herself, even though he's terrified of her.
How can Danny save his dream of a career without betraying his friend?
Producer: Anna Madley
An Avalon Television production for BBC Radio.
MON 12:00 You and Yours (b039pdt6)
Housing, energy and Royal Mail
Today You and Yours is starting a set of special reports and live discussions about the future of housing. Today, to get the ball rolling, they're going to a place where designers and architects work out exactly how we'll live in years to come, and what our homes will consist of to make life easier and cheaper.
They'll also be looking at new Chinese fashion labels which are hitting the high street soon; how things could change for you from today if you're a Lloyds customer moving to TSB; and they go out with the canal walkers who are taking photos for Google. A harmless idea or an invasion for privacy in the most tranquil of places?
That's You and Yours with Julian Worricker from 12.
MON 12:57 Weather (b039lp24)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 13:00 World at One (b039pdt8)
National and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
MON 13:45 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039pdtb)
Anne McElvoy tells the stories of big challenges that have spurred leading British conservative thinkers into action, from the French Revolution to the Permissive Society.
Episode 6: At the dawn of the twentieth century, far more men now had the vote than in a few decades earlier. And now, in the Edwardian era, politics was becoming a more aggressive, antagonistic business.
In 1901, the radical politician David Lloyd George opposed the Boer War. But when he tried to say so in Birmingham, he only narrowly escaped a huge mob, which attacked the Town Hall to stop him speaking.
Conservative politicians were worried about keeping mass support. But in working-class support for the War, the Empire and the Union, they detected a popular form of conservatism to which they thought they could appeal.
So Anne goes to Tyneside to rediscover the 'conserving crowds' of the years before the First World War: mass working-class conservative protests against Home Rule for Ireland.
She hears about one such march - a torchlit procession of 15000 Tyneside workers, who gathered to demonstrate their support for the Scottish politician Andrew Bonar Law and his hardline opposition to Home Rule.
This was just one expression of the way that a stern Protestant conservatism had a powerful appeal among the workers of cities like Newcastle, Liverpool and Glasgow.
And Anne finds out how, while all this was going on, female conservatives were fighting back against the 'Votes for Women' movement with their Anti-Suffrage League.
With: Professor Krista Cowman, Dr Dan Jackson, Professor Jon Lawrence, Professor Martin Pugh
Producer: Phil Tinline.
MON 14:00 The Archers (b039p339)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Sunday]
MON 14:15 Drama (b00zdl22)
Trevor Preston - Small Acts of Kindness
In the late 1950s Charlie was a violent and uncontrollable entrant to art school. His teacher changed the course of his life. BAFTA award-winning writer Trevor Preston's semi-autobiographical play catches up with Charlie as his mentor's death shifts everything once more.
Directed by Toby Swift
********************************
BAFTA-winning screenwriter Trevor Preston's second play for radio tells the story of Charlie who suddenly re-discovers the passion and energy of his youth. In his late sixties and with his writing career all but dried up, Charlie starts to paint again. Invigorated, he spends his free time supporting his contemporaries who have found themselves alienated and impoverished by modern life. Soon it is not just his desire to paint that is revived.
A story close to Trevor's heart, 'Small Acts of Kindness' follows his radio debut, 'Flaw in the Motor, Dust in the Blood' which starred Rory Kinnear and was shortlisted for the Richard Imison Award for 'Best First Radio Play' and for a Mental Health in the Media Award.
MON 15:00 Quote... Unquote (b039pdtd)
The quotations quiz hosted by Nigel Rees.
As ever, a host of interesting celebrities will be joining Nigel as he quizzes them on the sources of a range of quotations and asks them for the amusing sayings or citations that they have personally collected on a variety of subjects. We discover who the most quotable people they have ever met are and we're treated to their favourite four line humorous poems.
This week Nigel is joined by Woman's Hour's Jenni Murray, News presenter Matt Barbet, Children's Playwright David Wood and Journalist and writer Katharine Whitehorn.
Reader ..... Peter Jefferson.
Produced by Carl Cooper.
MON 15:30 The Food Programme (b039p0vf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
12:32 on Sunday]
MON 16:00 A Mortal Work of Art (b039pdtg)
As tattoos become ever more visible on the bodies of the British public, Mary Anne Hobbs explores the meeting point between the world of fine art and the world of tattoos.
She talks to Spider Webb, the tattoo artist credited with creating the first conceptual art tattoo and the artist Sandra Ann Vita Minchin who is in the process of getting a 17th century Dutch masterpiece tattooed on her back. She visits art historian Dr Matt Lodder who is writing what will be the first art history text on tattooing. She meets Alex Binnie, proprietor of Into You Tattoo - one of the first tattoo parlours in the UK to openly fuse fine art and tattooing.
Writer Shelley Jackson caught public attention worldwide when she launched her Skin project in 2003. Skin was to be a short story which would exist as over two thousand words individually tattooed on volunteers. These participants would become the words in Shelley's story. Mary Anne talks to Shelley about the inspiration behind Skin and she meets one of Shelley's words - the novelist and short story connosseiur Nicholas Royle.
Mary Anne discusses how fine art is influencing and being influenced by tattooing with Sion Smith, editor of Skin Deep, the UK's best-selling Tattoo Magazine and Trent Aitken-Smith editor of Tattoo Master. She talks to one of the new generation of tatto artists, Amanda Wachob, who sees skin as the ultimate canvas.
A Mortal Work of Art explores a practice often portrayed as a marginal pursuit, but that is most definitely mainstream today, and asks why the art establishment has taken such a long time to embrace it.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2013.
MON 16:30 Beyond Belief (b039pdtj)
Near-Death Experiences
Beyond Belief debates the place of religion and faith in today's complex world. Ernie Rea is joined by a panel to discuss how religious beliefs and traditions affect our values and perspectives.
Near-Death Experiences often seem to include bright lights, the presence of benevolent spirits and a sense of peace - in other words a very positive experience. However, more unusually, there are others whose experience is very different, some cite overwhelming fear and visions of being chased by demons. Do these have a rational scientific explanation or are they indications of a life beyond this one?
Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the nature of Near-Death Experiences are Dr Penny Sartori of the University of Swansea, whose book 'The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences' is due to be published in 2014; the Very Reverend Professor Gordon McPhate, the Dean of Chester Cathedral who is also a trained Pathologist and a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Chris French, Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths College, the University of London.
Producer: Liz Leonard.
MON 17:00 PM (b039pdtl)
Coverage and analysis of the day's news.
MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp26)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
MON 18:30 Just a Minute (b039pdtn)
Series 67
Episode 5
Just how hard can it be to talk for 60 seconds with no hesitation, repetition & deviation? Gyles Brandreth, Patrick Kielty, Alun Cochrane and Tony Hawks find out!
MON 19:00 The Archers (b039pf5c)
David confirms what Lewis had heard about how the vet students Rob organised saved the calving at Brookfield. David plans to take Rob up on the offer of a tour of the mega dairy.
Over coffee, Lewis fills David in on all the problems Elizabeth is having with the planning department. As David leaves with Elizabeth's gift for Josh, Lewis jokes how brave they are letting a 16 year old hold a birthday party in their holiday cottage.
Kathy and Ian discuss how they are both having problems at work with difficult bosses.
At the golf club, Kathy tries to talk to Martyn but he's preoccupied with some guests he is entertaining in the restaurant. He expects the service to be first class and doesn't want to be disappointed. She eventually manages to pin him down and informs him that the chef has resigned, unhappy with the fall in service standards. He finishes at the end of the week. Martyn blames Kathy and insists she find a replacement quickly.
Matt is delighted with the progress made on the paper mill. He is blown away with everything Lilian has achieved and he's sorry he left her on her own. Lilian praises the work that Anthea has done. Although Anthea terrifies Matt, he suggests they keep her on. Lilian says it's good to have him back. Matt really believes it's good to be home.
MON 19:15 Front Row (b039pf5f)
Rush; Ian Hislop and Nick Newman; Thomas Pynchon's new novel
With Mark Lawson.
The 1970s Formula 1 rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt is the focus of a new film Rush, directed by Ron Howard with a script by Peter Morgan. Alyson Rudd reviews the film that includes Lauda's 1976 crash that nearly claimed the driver's life.
The Wipers Times is a 90-minute TV drama about the men behind a satirical newspaper created for soldiers on the Western Front in the First World War. Co-writers Ian Hislop and Nick Newman discuss their project which is based on a true story, and stars Michael Palin and Julian Rhind-Tutt.
Thomas Pynchon's new novel Bleeding Edge is a historical romance set in New York at a time between the early days of the internet and the events of September 11, 2001. Novelist and Pynchon expert Lawrence Norfolk reviews the eighth novel from this famously private author, who once told CNN "my belief is that recluse is a code word generated by journalists ... meaning, 'doesn't like to talk to reporters...'".
And Mark reports on a literary first: the new novel by the Scottish writer Angus Peter Campbell will be published simultaneously in Scots Gaelic and in English. Angus Peter has written two versions of the book, which is mostly set on the Isle of Mull, an English language edition entitled The Girl on the Ferryboat and a Gaelic-language edition called An Nighean Air an Aiseig.
Producer Dymphna Flynn.
MON 19:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039pdt0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
MON 20:00 What Syria Means for Britain (b03bgy8g)
A Radio 4 special following the rejection by MPs of a military strike against Syria. John Kampfner considers what the decision, taken in the shadow of the war in Iraq, says about Britain and its place in the world.
He talks to Tony Blair who argues that the Syria vote had less to do with faulty intelligence before the war in Iraq than with its bloody and expensive aftermath.
Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox suggests the vote by MPs is reminiscent of the dark days of Munich while the American former diplomat Richard Haass compares it to the disastrous foreign policy Britain pursued over Suez.
Is Britain a diminished power? Or a more mature, less hubristic one?
Producer: Mark Savage.
MON 20:30 Crossing Continents (b039d4bb)
Venezuela - Out of Stock
Despite its massive natural oil wealth, Venezuela is a country sliding into recession, and has one of the highest inflation rates in the world. With prices of some products rising as much as 50% or more annually, the crisis presents a simple human predicament - how to lay your hands on the ever-dwindling supply of price-capped essentials that government shops pledge to provide. The trouble is that many of these basic goods like milk and toilet rolls, are disappearing from the supermarkets within a few minutes of getting there.
Ed Butler explores how gossip and the black market have become a part of the answer for many ordinary citizens. He follows one consumer's quest for goods across the capital, and examines the rumours of smuggling and massive corruption, especially in the west near the border with Colombia.
And he hears how the Socialist legacy of the former President Hugo Chavez still casts a big shadow over the nation. Businesspeople complain that his policies have made it almost impossible to produce anything profitably, and have left a legacy of massive red tape. The housing sector has been hit particularly hard with years of under-investment. Ed meets one retired couple unable to reclaim a rented apartment in their own property, who now are forced to live in their own garage.
MON 21:00 Shared Planet (b039cbsx)
Agricultural Crops and Wildlife
Monty Don presents Shared Planet, the series that looks at the crunch point between human population and the natural world. In this week's programme we have a field report from England with Simon Potts, Professor of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services at Reading University. Simon Potts's research looks specifically at how effective bees and other pollinators are and their abundance in agricultural landscapes - a crucial link in food security. Monty Don explores some of the issues with Vandana Shiva in Delhi, a board member of the International Forum on Globalisation and an author of over 20 books about biodiversity, food and economies.
MON 21:30 Fry's English Delight (b039pdsr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
MON 21:58 Weather (b039lp28)
The latest weather forecast.
MON 22:00 The World Tonight (b039pfst)
Syria: Is Russia's offer on chemical weapons credible?
BBC executives grilled by MPs.
Kenya awaits war crimes trial.
With David Eades.
MON 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b039pfsw)
Jonathan Coe - Expo 58
Episode 1
London 1958: Unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk at the Central Office of Information and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task - to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58, the biggest World's Fair of the century and the first to be held since the Second World War.
As soon as he arrives at the site, Thomas feels that he has escaped a repressed, backward-looking country and fallen headlong into an era of modernity and optimism. He is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, the lovely Flemish hostess who meets him off his plane.
But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price. The Cold War is at its height, the mischievous Belgians have placed the American and Soviet pavilions right next to each other - and why is he being followed everywhere by two mysterious emissaries of the British Secret Service?
Expo 58 may represent a glittering future, both for Europe and for Thomas himself, but he will soon be forced to decide where his public and private loyalties really lie.
Written by Jonathan Coe
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Read by Tim McInnerny
Produced by Joanna Green
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
MON 23:00 Word of Mouth (b039ctgf)
The Rise of the Political Soundbite
Chris Ledgard and guests discuss the art and efficacy of the political soundbite.
MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (b039pfsy)
Sean Curran reports from Westminster.
TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2013
TUE 00:00 Midnight News (b039lp37)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
TUE 00:30 Book of the Week (b039pdsw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Monday]
TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lp39)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp3c)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp3f)
The latest shipping forecast.
TUE 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp3h)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b039x2bg)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
TUE 05:45 Farming Today (b039px7l)
Russia is on the verge of letting British beef past its borders, sixteen years after it was banned because of concerns about BSE. Anna Hill speaks to Secretary of State Owen Paterson about his forthcoming trade delegation to Moscow, and what he hopes it will achieve for British farmers.
Two years after a major government report into reducing waste in food production, are farmers playing their part in bringing down the amount of food which never reaches the shelves?
And we meet the Lincolnshire farmer who's broken the UK record for wheat yield, despite this year's weather.
Presented by Anna Hill. Produced by Emma Campbell.
TUE 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qk0c)
Green Sandpiper
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the Green Sandpiper; a bird with a wonderful yodelling call and the heart-stopping suddenness with which it leaps up from its feeding place and dashes off. The birds that visit the UK are often from Scandinavia, where they nest high up in a fir-tree. When the chicks hatch they tumble unharmed from the nest and are escorted to safe feeding places by their parents.
TUE 06:00 Today (b039px7n)
News and current affairs. Including Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather, Thought for the Day.
TUE 09:00 The Life Scientific (b039px7q)
Mike Benton
Life on earth has gone through a series of mass extinctions. Mike Benton talks about his fascination with ancient life on the planet and his work on the Bristol Dinosaur Project.
TUE 09:30 One to One (b039px7s)
Carolyn Quinn speaks to Stephanie Slater
As a Radio 4 presenter, covering a range of stories everyday, Carolyn Quinn interviews people while the story is live but rarely gets the chance to find out what happened next.
For these editions of One to One, Carolyn wanted to find out what happens to individuals who've found themselves in the media spotlight and have had to live with intense, unsolicited scrutiny. How do they cope once the media caravan has moved on and they have to try to get on with their lives?
In this first interview, she speaks to Stephanie Slater, who survived a violent kidnapping in 1992. Michael Sams, later also convicted of murdering Julie Dart, held Stephanie for eight days. Following her release, she and her family were besieged by the media who camped in the field opposite her parents' house for 18 months. In this interview Carolyn finds out what impact the experience and subsequent media attention had on Stephanie as she attempted to come to terms with her ordeal, and rebuild her life.
Producer: Karen Gregor.
TUE 09:45 Book of the Week (b039px7v)
Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry
Episode 2
Sailing from Felixstowe to Singapore on board the Kendal, journalist Rose George discovers how the invention of containers revolutionised transport, fuelled globalisation and effectively shrank our world.
Read by Susie Riddell.
Abridger: Laurence Wareing
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie.
TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (b039px7x)
Eartha Kitt: Her Life and Music
Eartha Kitt- her life and music. Plus, tackling the sexual abuse and exploitation of Asian girls in the UK; parents who blog about life with their teenage children - informative or intrusive?; and are commercial baby foods giving infants enough nutrition?
TUE 10:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rn3w)
What's Cooking?
The search for a missing husband leads Police Inspector Alia Khan to the door of the Tandoori restaurant where he was last seen.
Set and recorded on location in Mumbai, this fast-paced six-part police thriller continues throughout this week. It follows Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, as she attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.
Sound Recordist: Hitesh Chaurasia
Sound Design: Steve Bond
Editing Assistants: Andrew Lewis and Aditya Khanna.
Script Editor: Mike Walker
Assistant Producer: Toral Shah
Producer: Nadir Khan
Music: Sacha Putnam.
Writer: Ayeesha Menon
Director: John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
TUE 11:00 Shared Planet (b039q24c)
Rat Eradication - Is It Worth It?
Monty Don presents Shared Planet, the series that looks at the crunch point between Human population and the natural world. In this week's programme we have a field report from South Georgia where Tony Martin, Professor in Zoology at Dundee University and working with the South Georgia Heritage Trust, has embarked on a programme to remove 100% of rats on South Georgia. Human activity over the decades and centuries have inadvertently introduced Brown Rats to islands and mainlands and the rats have driven local extinctions of birds and caused havoc on many seabird populations, eating the chicks in the nest. Is the wildlife benefit worth the effort it takes to return such areas to a situation before Brown Rats were introduced?
TUE 11:30 The Secret History of Bossa Nova (b039q24f)
Singer Monica Vasconcelos tells the musical and political story of bossa nova, the first modern music of Brazil.
Forget its low key supper club reputation, bossa nova was tied to political revolution and driven by a sharp and very modern aesthetic. It was born in Rio in the late 1950s as a new music to mark the dawn of a new Brazil - an urban, modernising society leaving behind its colonial past, open to the future and looking out at the world.
Fusing gorgeous melodies with an harmonic language inspired by the French impressionist composers (bossa writers like Antonio Carlos Jobim and Marcus Valle studied Debussy and Ravel closely) and a cosmopolitan sensibility, bossa nova became the music of choice for a smart young, urban Brazilian middle class who were flooding into the cities as the Brazilian economy boomed.
The bossa sound went national then international. By the mid 1960s it became hugely influential in America and around the world. But just as bossa hit big globally and The Girl from Ipanema reached the top of the American charts, the scene was shaken to its core at home with the deposal of the left wing civilian government and the arrival of a military regime, backed by the United States. At first censorship was light but by 1968 the junta had drifted into open repression and many musicians were arrested or exiled. Bossa nova - its serenity and preoccupation with sun, the sea and love - suddenly seemed out of touch with these darker times.
Presenter Monica Vasconcelos is a bossa singer herself and travels to Rio to meet musicians that were part of the original bossa scene - Joyce and Marcus Valle, Eumir Deodato, music writer Ruy Castro.
Producer: Simon Hollis
A Brook Lapping production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 12:00 You and Yours (b039q24h)
Call You and Yours: The Property Market
We're told that the housing market is improving but is that your experience? We want to know if you're selling your home - has it been an easy process or has your house become a millstone? According to the National Housing Federation a quarter of parents have at least one grown-up child living with them at home. We'd like to hear from you if you're one of them. And get in touch if you're trying to buy. We want to know if the market really is moving outside of London and the South east.
TUE 12:57 Weather (b039lp3n)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 13:00 World at One (b039q24k)
Ed Miliband says he's "determined" to change his party's relationship with the unions. The Labour MP John McDonnell tells us he's dug himself into a hole, and that to get his way on that subject, he might have to compromise on policy. The Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna responds, and the leader of UNISON Dave Prentis warns that if there's squabbling between the unions and Labour, the electorate will not vote for them.
As use of tasers in England and Wales doubles in two years, we ask if police are too keen to use them.
Campaigner and Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof tells us why he's planning on going into space.
TUE 13:45 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039q24m)
Anne McElvoy tells the stories of big challenges that have spurred leading British conservative thinkers into action, from the French Revolution to the Permissive Society.
Episode 7: Anne traces how, after 1918, mass democracy and the spectre of red revolution split conservatism.
The moderates embraced the new situation. They countered the rising socialist movement by drawing on conservative values of family and property-ownership, aiming to appeal not least to the millions of new women voters.
A young Tory MP, Noel Skelton, invented the idea of the 'property-owning democracy' to encapsulate this new, inclusive, gentle approach.
In 1926, when the much-dreaded General Strike finally came, but ended peacefully, this seemed to bear out the moderates' ideas.
But there were those for whom all this was appalling. Militant conservatives disapproved of mass democracy, along with big business and much else in modern Britain.
And as mass unemployment and agricultural crisis spread in the 1930s, they banged the drum for a return to traditional social hierarchies, headed by a powerful King.
When a full-blown confrontation between politicians and monarchy threatened to break out in 1936, all this came to a head.
With: Professor Simon Ball, Professor Krista Cowman, Professor Jon Lawrence, Professor Martin Pugh
Producer: Phil Tinline.
TUE 14:00 The Archers (b039pf5c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Monday]
TUE 14:15 Drama (b039q24p)
Carnival
By Rachel De-lahay.
In his neighbourhood, with his boys, Michael is a king. He's hosting the MC competition at the annual summer carnival. It's the highlight of the social calendar. Everyone will be there to see it; including those Michael would rather distance himself from. Secrets, lies and torn loyalties are exposed in this gritty urban drama exploring prejudice and peer pressure in young black communities.
Directed by Helen Perry
Rachel De-lahay is an exciting new writer who won the 2010 Alfred Fagon Award and the 2012 Writers Guild Award for her Royal Court debut play, 'The Westbridge'. She has been named one of Screen International's 2013 UK Stars of Tomorrow. Rachel is currently under commission with The National Theatre Studio, Film Four, and Birmingham Rep and is part of the BBC Writersroom 10. Her second Royal Court play 'Routes' is on in September 2013. 'Carnival' is her first radio drama.
TUE 15:00 Making History (b039q24r)
Helen Castor is joined in the Making History studio by Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at the University of Oxford and, from Salford, by Dr Andrew Fearnley a historian of Modern America at the University of Manchester.
The programme begins with the little acknowledged role that China played in World War 2 and its war with Japan which began in 1937. We hear how a poor and divided country desperately fought off the Japanese and, in so doing, tied up troops which would otherwise have been turned on the Allies in the Pacific theatre of war. Helen asks why this history is so little known.
Fifty years after Martin Luther King made his iconic "I have a dream speech" speech in front of the Lincoln memorial in Washington, we find out about the black power movement that turned its back on King and the organisation that grew out of this. We may think of the Black Panthers as an American organisation, but a new photography and oral history project in Brixton reveals the story of the British Black Panthers.
Finally, Tom Holland heads off to the beautiful north Somerset coast at the village of Kilve to discover the past use of a decaying brick building. To his surprise, he hears that this might well have become home to the British oil shale industry if prospectors had been successful back in the 1920s.
Contact the programme: making.history@bbc.co.uk
Produced by Nick Patrick
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 15:30 Costing the Earth (b039q24t)
Waste Watchers
In 2011 a major report involving 400 experts from 35 countries issued stark warnings about the future food supply. The Foresight report stressed in order to feed a growing world population there was an urgent need to produce more food sustainable but also to deal with waste. It claimed globally 30% of food is never eaten. So did anyone listen?
The amount of food waste has often been raised but Kat Arney goes in search of the game changers , to find out who's making effective changes to stop good food being binned while people are still hungry. She explores the widening gleaning movement - volunteers primed to hoover up the crops left in the farmer's field - to those changing the food production chain.
She hears how recent weather events, the economy and food scandals have forced changes in supply and use of food. So will that change stick for good?
Presenter: Dr Kat Arney
Produced in Bristol by Anne-Marie Bullock.
TUE 16:00 Document (b039q24w)
Mike Thomson examines controversies surrounding the disclosure of the Hanslope files, British government papers detailing brutality against Kenyans during the Mau Mau crisis of the 1950s.
The Hanslope papers had been airlifted back to the UK as Kenyan Independence approached - but were never incorporated into the National Archives.
Mike Thomson looks at the story behind the disclosure of documents and examines the implications for the keeping of public records in the UK.
Producer: Laurence Grissell.
TUE 16:30 Great Lives (b039q24y)
Series 31
Peter Bowles on George Devine
Matthew Parris is joined by actor Peter Bowles who nominates George Devine, groundbreaking artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre. Devine battled against the theatrical establishment, repressive censorship, helped the careers of actors like Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft, and by discovering writers like John Osborne and other 'Angry Young Men' - he changed British theatre forever. Helping guide us through the post-war landscape of Devine's life, is Philip Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds.
Produced in Bristol by Melvin Rickarby
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2013.
TUE 17:00 PM (b039q250)
Coverage and analysis of the day's news.
TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp3r)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
TUE 18:30 John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme (b039q252)
Series 3
Episode 2
John Finnemore, the writer and star of Cabin Pressure, regular guest on The Now Show and popper-upper in things like Miranda, presents a third series series of his hit sketch show.
The first series was described as 'sparklingly clever' by The Daily Telegraph and 'one of the most consistently funny sketch shows for quite some time' by The Guardian. The second series won Best Radio Comedy at both the Chortle and Comedy.co.uk awards, and was nominated for a Sony award.
This time around, John promises to stop doing silly sketches about nonsense like Winnie the Pooh's honey addiction or how goldfish invented computer programming, and concentrate instead on the the big, serious issues.
This second episode of the series addresses making new friends; the problem with polymath bestselling authors; and a brief history of choice. And the show as a whole is... slightly off.
Written by and starring John Finnemore, with Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Simon Kane, Lawry Lewin and Carrie Quinlan.
Producer: Ed Morrish.
TUE 19:00 The Archers (b039q254)
Lynda is getting increasingly annoyed with Ray's work ethic. She confides in Ian that he only seems interested in schmoozing the guests, leaving all the work to her. Ray doesn't seem concerned that health club manager Marietta (wife of the departing golf club chef) has handed in her notice. But he's very keen that Lynda, with her experience of amateur dramatics, rustles up some costumes for the Mexican evening.
Ian thinks they will get through things if they stick together. Lynda insists that if Caroline calls they don't spoil her holiday by revealing what's going on.
Neil discovers that Darrell has been sleeping rough again. When he discusses this with Alan they are not sure what more they can do. Shula is very concerned for him. She and Alan agree that raising thousands of pounds for the organ doesn't sit very easily with them when Darrell is homeless and hungry. Unfortunately though, the church can't give handouts.
Darrell confesses to Neil that he's on the streets as a couple of guys at The Elms are hassling him. Neil suggests he speaks to Elona but Darrell's convinced she's not interested. Neil persuades him to take some money for food and asks him to think about what he has said. Darrell says he'll do that.
TUE 19:15 Front Row (b039q256)
Lee Evans, White House Down, Man Booker shortlist
With John Wilson.
Comedian Lee Evans returns to stage in Barking in Essex, the last play written by screenwriter Clive Exton (Entertaining Mr Sloane, 10 Rillington Place, Jeeves and Wooster) before his death in 2007. The play centres on a dysfunctional criminal family from Essex and co-stars Sheila Hancock and Keeley Hawes. Lee Evans discusses swearing, Samuel Beckett, and the plumber providing inspiration for his forthcoming tour.
Roland Emmerich, director of disaster movies Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, is about to release his latest, White House Down, in which a heavily-armed group of paramilitary invaders target the President of the United States. Kate Muir reviews.
The shortlist for the Man Booker Prize for fiction was announced today. Contenders for the £50,000 prize are Jim Crace, Colm Toibin, Eleanor Catton, Jhumpa Lahiri, NoViolet Bulawayo and Ruth Ozeki. Chair of judges Robert Macfarlane and judge Natalie Haynes discuss their selection. The winner is announced on 15 October.
Producer Jerome Weatherald.
TUE 19:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rn3w)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
TUE 20:00 China and America: Harmony and Hostility (b039q258)
This summer President Obama hosted the new Chinese Premier, Xi Jinping at an informal summit in Palm Springs. It was a clear sign of the importance placed on the relationship between the world's two greatest powers. Both leaders stressed the need for their countries to cooperate - on a whole range of issues. And yet both sides are also competing against each other, economically, politically and, increasingly, in the military sphere.
The US's "pivot to Asia," in which it is re-focusing (or "re-balancing, as Washington puts it) its military power towards the Pacific, has caused concern in China. Similarly, increased Chinese military spending and a more aggressive approach in various territorial and maritime disputes with its neighbours has worried Washington. There are other disagreements between the two major powers too - over economic policy, for example, or cyber spying. On North Korea, though, which has long been one of the most critical flashpoints in the world, both Beijing and Washington now seem to be largely in agreement.
So is the relationship between the world's two most powerful countries going to be one of competition or cooperation?
Mark Mardell, the BBC's North America Editor, travels to China and to the border with North Korea to see how the intertwining relationship between the American eagle and the Chinese dragon is likely to develop. How it does will define the world we and our children live in.
TUE 20:40 In Touch (b039q25b)
Breastfeeding Babies; Audio Tours
Breast-feeding can be tricky enough for sighted women, but for blind mothers it can prove very difficult to learn the technique.
Georgia Collins reports on what's available to help.
Maurizio Molinari takes an audio tour of the EU Parlamentarium in Brussels and finds out it's not quite as he expected.
TUE 21:00 Seven Ages of Science (b039q25d)
Age of War
Lisa Jardine explores how military demands mobilised science not in World War II, but in World War I.
The idea that Britain's scientific expertise and effort was mobilised from scratch on the eve of World War II is a myth. Long before 1939, Britain was ready to wage, and win, a scientific war.
TUE 21:30 The Life Scientific (b039px7q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
TUE 21:58 Weather (b039lp3t)
The latest weather forecast.
TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (b039q25g)
Ed Miliband tells the unions to show courage and back change
Syrian opposition gives its reaction to Russia's proposal on chemical weapons
Russia's new gay laws spark a wave of violence against the gay community
And the rise of "journalese" - the words invented and used only by hacks.
In-depth reporting and analysis from a global perspective with Ritula Shah.
TUE 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b039rnyy)
Jonathan Coe - Expo 58
Episode 2
London 1958: Unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk at the Central Office of Information and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task - to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58, the biggest World's Fair of the century and the first to be held since the Second World War.
As soon as he arrives at the site, Thomas feels that he has escaped a repressed, backward-looking country and fallen headlong into an era of modernity and optimism. He is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, the lovely Flemish hostess who meets him off his plane.
But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price. The Cold War is at its height, the mischievous Belgians have placed the American and Soviet pavilions right next to each other - and why is he being followed everywhere by two mysterious emissaries of the British Secret Service?
Expo 58 may represent a glittering future, both for Europe and for Thomas himself, but he will soon be forced to decide where his public and private loyalties really lie.
Written by Jonathan Coe
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Read by Tim McInnerny
Produced by Joanna Green
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
TUE 23:00 Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed (b039q25j)
Series 2
Jury
Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed has his day in court, but the judge seems unimpressed by his testimony.
Series two of the critically acclaimed sitcom written and performed by Nick Mohammed.
As ever, he is assisted by longsuffering constables Anna Crilly and Colin Hoult
With Margaret Cabourn-Smith and Will Andrews.
Producers: Tilusha Ghelani and Victoria Lloyd.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2013.
TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (b039q25l)
Susan Hulme reports on plans to ease the strain on hospitals this winter. George Osborne and Ed Balls lock horns on the economy. And how a Victorian philosopher crept into a debate on lapdancing.
Editor: Peter Mulligan.
WEDNESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2013
WED 00:00 Midnight News (b039lp4n)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
WED 00:30 Book of the Week (b039px7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Tuesday]
WED 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lp4q)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp4s)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
WED 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp4v)
The latest shipping forecast.
WED 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp4x)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b039x2c7)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
WED 05:45 Farming Today (b039q5dj)
The government has released its strategy for tackling resistance to antibiotics in humans and in animals saying 'there are few public health issues of greater importance'. The five-year plan aims to fight the increasing number of drug-resistant infections and farmers and vets are being told to play their part. They're being advised to use fewer antibiotics and take a more preventative approach instead. Also on Farming Today, tonight sees the start of Harvest - a new series on BBC2.
The three programmes will reveal an early harvest report for the UK, which could give an indication of which crops are likely to be the winners and losers in 2013.
Presented by Anna Hill. Produced by Anna Varle.
WED 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qk0y)
Wood Sandpiper
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the Wood Sandpiper. Wood Sandpipers are elegant waders and just a handful of pairs breed in the UK, in wooded marshes and remote bogs of Northern Scotland. There's a chance to see them when they break their migration journey south at inland pools and marshes here. Listen out for their cheerful call that has been described as sounding like an old penny-whistle.
WED 06:00 Today (b039q5dl)
Morning news and current affairs. Including Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather and Thought for the Day.
WED 09:00 Midweek (b039q5dn)
Ray Mears, Robert Henrey, Maria Vasquez, Q Brothers
Libby Purves meets Maria Vasquez who fled Pinochet's Chile with her family; former child actor Robert Henrey; survival expert Ray Mears and hip hop artists the Q Brothers.
Maria Vasquez came to Britain from Chile as a child with her parents - refugees fleeing General Pinochet's dictatorship. Her father, a supporter of Salvador Allende's government, had been tortured and imprisoned following the 1973 coup. The family settled first in Sheffield and then Rotherham. Maria is the chair of Chile 40 Years On, a London-based group set up to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the coup. The Royal Court Theatre is marking the event with a series of readings by a range of Chilean writers.
Robert Henrey was a child actor who was picked out by director Carol Reed to star in his 1948 film The Fallen Idol. Performing alongside Sir Ralph Richardson, Robert played Phillipe, a young boy caught up in an adult world. His memoir, Through Grown Up Eyes, tells of his life from actor to Roman Catholic deacon. Through Grown Up Eyes is published by Polperro Heritage Press.
Ray Mears is a woodsman, photographer and survival expert who has travelled the world studying and teaching the art of survival. He has appeared in TV series including World of Survival, Bushcraft Survival and Ray Mear's Goes Walkabout. He also founded Woodlore, The School of Wilderness Bushcraft which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. His autobiography, My Outdoor Life is published by Hodder.
The Q Brothers, Gregory and Jeffery Qaiyum, are writers, rappers and directors. Known as GQ and JQ respectively, the brothers are behind a hip hop adaptation of Othello - Othello: The Remix. Their production transposes the original story of betrayal, jealousy and suspicion to the competitive world of the music industry. Othello: The Remix is at London's Unicorn Theatre.
Producer: Paula McGinley.
WED 09:45 Book of the Week (b039q5dq)
Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry
Episode 3
The freighter Kendal sails into dangerous waters as journalist Rose George comes face to face with the scourge of modern shipping - piracy.
Read by Susie Riddell.
Abridger: Laurence Wareing
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie.
WED 10:00 Woman's Hour (b039q5ds)
Goldfrapp; Pope Joan; Delhi rape trial
Alison Goldfrapp talks about the inspiration behind her new album Tales of Us.
Four men have been convicted of raping and murdering the 23-year-old physiotherapy student on board a bus in New Delhi last December. We examine how attitudes towards women in India have changed with the BBC Hindi's correspondent Rupa Jha.
Louise Brealey, better known as Molly in the BBC TV Series Sherlock, talks about her playwriting debut - a new version of a near mythic tale, Pope Joan.
In the last of our series on parent blogging, Hayley Goleniowska and Jennie Henley explain why they use blogs to campaign on issues that directly affect their lives.
Afghan politician and women's rights activist Fawzia Koofi tried to have the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, which was passed by presidential decree, ratified by parliament. She says this was necessary to give it a lasting legitimacy. Her efforts have backfired and now there are fears that the law may even be repealed. Heather Barr, Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch explains why.
WED 10:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rmyj)
Body of Christ
The body of a young girl is washed up on a beach. A tattoo on her ankle leads police inspector Alia Khan on the trail of a child prostitution ring.
Set and recorded on location in Mumbai, this fast-paced six-part police thriller continues throughout this week. It follows Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, as she attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.
Sound Recordist: Hitesh Chaurasia
Sound Design: Steve Bond
Editing Assistants: Andrew Lewis and Aditya Khanna.
Script Editor: Mike Walker
Assistant Producer: Toral Shah
Producer: Nadir Khan
Music: Sacha Putnam.
Writer: Ayeesha Menon
Director: John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 11:00 Our Libraries: The Next Chapter (b039q5dv)
Episode 2
As public libraries shut down or cut their opening hours, Michael Rosen continues a two part investigation into the library story from the ancient world to the modern and beyond.
In the second episode, Michael visits the biggest public lending library in Britain, the brand new Library of Birmingham. In this cultural centre for the 21st century, the emphasis is as much on access to information technology and cultural events as on the old-fashioned book. What will it do for the city, and how might the new super library affect smaller community libraries in the area?
Matthew Nicholls from Reading University takes us on a tour of the libraries of imperial Rome, with their papyrus scrolls and busts of great men. And from Bexar County, Texas, we hear how any busts of great men will be virtual busts, pictures on the screens of visitors to what has been hailed as America's first "bookless library." Is this the future?
Producer: Chris Ledgard.
WED 11:30 Paul Temple (b039q5dx)
Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair
Presenting Mr Gregory
The tenth and final part of a new production of a vintage serial from 1946.
From 1938 to 1968, Francis Durbridge's incomparably suave amateur detective Paul Temple and his glamorous wife Steve solved case after baffling case in one of BBC radio's most popular series. Sadly, only half of Temple's adventures survive in the archives.
In 2006 BBC Radio 4 brought one of the lost serials back to life with Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson as Paul and Steve. Using the original scripts and incidental music, and recorded using vintage microphones and sound effects, the production of Paul Temple and the Sullivan Mystery aimed to sound as much as possible like the 1947 original might have done if its recording had survived. The serial proved so popular that it was soon followed by three more revivals, Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery, Paul Temple and Steve, and A Case for Paul Temple.
Now, from 1946, it's the turn of Paul Temple and the Gregory Affair, in which Paul and Steve go on the trail of the mysterious and murderous Mr Gregory.
Episode 10: Presenting Mr Gregory
Paul sends out invitations to a very special party at the Madrid club.
Producer Patrick Rayner
Francis Durbridge, the creator of Paul Temple, was born in Hull in 1912 and died in 1998. He was one of the most successful novelists, playwrights and scriptwriters of his day.
WED 12:00 You and Yours (b039q5dz)
Wind Turbines, New Homes and Paperless Billing
The wind turbines that pay out more the less power that's generated.
Campaign to stop companies charging more for paper bills.
What are the factors that shape what a new housing estate looks like.
As the Commonwealth Games ticket application deadline looms how are sales going and what are the hot tickets.
The government say we need to five million new homes in the next 20 years; where should we build them?
A new study into the use of E-cigarettes finds they are more effective at helping smokers cut down than nicotine patches.
WED 12:57 Weather (b039lp4z)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 13:00 World at One (b039q5f1)
National and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
WED 13:45 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039q5f3)
Anne McElvoy tells the stories of big challenges that have spurred leading British conservative thinkers into action, from the French Revolution to the Permissive Society.
Episode 8: Anne explores how conservatives of left and right responded to the advent of the welfare state and the 'affluent society' after the Second World War. As old patterns of paternalism and hierarchy began to broke down, conservatism had to reinvent itself once again.
With: Dominic Sandbrook, Professor Simon Ball, Professor Jon Lawrence, Dr Eliza Filby
Producer: Phil Tinline.
WED 14:00 The Archers (b039q254)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Tuesday]
WED 14:15 Drama (b00zlfhh)
Don't Buy a Winter Coat
When Megan first tells Anton that she's afraid something's wrong, he brushes her fears away. Later, when they're sitting in the waiting room at the Oncology Department, he still refuses to believe that Megan is ill. Even when the diagnosis of cervical cancer is given, he struggles to accept it. He hopes against hope for a miracle. But in this story there is no miracle, and Meic Povey's play traces the journey of a man faced with losing the woman he loves. It's a searingly honest account, based on his own experience, of facing up to the reality of a partner's terminal illness.
A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll
Further Information
Macmillan Cancer Support provides quality assured, up-to-date cancer information, written by specialists for patients, relatives and carers. They also offer advice on how to deal with the practical and emotional effects that a cancer diagnosis may have. If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan on 0808 808 0000 or log onto www.macmillan.org.uk
Cancer Research UK carries out research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer. It also runs a patient information website, www.CancerHelpUK.org.uk which provides easy to understand information to the public. Anyone affected or concerned about cancer can also call their team of specialist nurses on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday between
9am and
5pm, or log onto the main website at www.cancerresearchuk.org
Marie Curie Nurses provide free care to terminally ill patients in their own homes. The charity's nine hospices also provide expert care and a better quality of life, for patients with cancer and other illnesses. To get help from the Marie Curie Nursing Service speak to your GP, district nurse or discharge nurse. For more information on the Marie Curie Nursing Service visit www.mariecurie.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. They can be contacted on 0844 477 9400 Mon to Fri
9:30 -
5pm, or in Northern Ireland, call 02890 792 419, or log onto www.cruse.org.uk.
WED 15:00 Money Box Live (b039q5f5)
Part-Time Working
Got a question about working part time? To ask about employment rights, paying tax or claiming benefits while holding down a part time job call 03700 100 444 from
1pm to
3.30pm on Wednesday or e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now.
Whether you're a student, a parent or an older employee wanting to combine claiming a pension with part time work, you may have questions about contracts, pay or holidays.
Are you able to request fewer or more hours at work?
What happens if you want to become self-employed?
How can you be sure you're paying the right amount of tax and national insurance?
Can you claim benefits while working part-time?
Whatever your question our team will be waiting to help. Paul Lewis will be joined by:
Sarah Veale, Head of Equality and Employment Rights, TUC
Will Hadwen, Benefits Adviser, Working Families
Jane Moore, Technical Manager, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Call 03700 100 444 between
1pm and
3.30pm on Wednesday or email moneybox@bbc.co.uk now. Standard geographic charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher.
Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producer: Diane Richardson.
WED 15:30 Seven Ages of Science (b039q25d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
WED 16:00 Thinking Allowed (b039q5f7)
Bohemian Soho
Bohemian Soho - Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Sophie Parkin, about her book on the Colony Room Club, a private members bar whose doors opened in 1948 and shut in 2008. The only criterion for membership was that you weren't dull. For 60 years it played host to an assortment of offbeat and colourful characters from the fashionable to the criminal: the artist, Francis Bacon, rubbed shoulders with the gangster Kray twins. Eccentrics and misfits congregated and drank in a smoky, shabby room with sticky carpets. But what place does the Colony Room have within a wider history of Bohemian life? Professor of Cultural Studies, Elizabeth Wilson, joins the discussion.
Also, Melissa Tyler discusses her study of sales workers in Soho sex shops.
Producer: Jayne Egerton.
WED 16:30 The Media Show (b039q5f9)
TV Writers; BBC Governance
In a week where the future of the BBC Trust has been called into question, we ask what alternative structures of governance might look like? BBC Trustee Richard Ayre joins Steve Hewlett to defend the Trust's performance, and a panel including former BBC and OFCOM executive Tim Suter, and former trustee and Newsnight editor Professor Richard Tait, discuss what a new governing body might look like and whether it would do a better job. And, a new report says earnings for top TV writers have risen by more than 30 per cent in the last 5 years. We ask what impact this has on commissioning budgets, and find out how a reliance on one or two star writers is making it harder to export programmes to the US.
Producer: Katy Takatsuki.
WED 17:00 PM (b039q5fc)
Coverage and analysis of the day's news.
WED 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp51)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
WED 18:30 My Teenage Diary (b039q5ff)
Series 5
Rachel Johnson
Another brave celebrity revisits their formative years by opening up their intimate teenage diaries.
Comedian Rufus Hound is joined by journalist Rachel Johnson. Rachel's diaries focus on her gap year in Israel, when she worked on a kibbutz with her brother and was wined and dined by an Israeli shepherd.
They also include her trip to the Andes with a boyfriend who suffered from vertigo.
Producer: Harriet Jaine
A Talkback production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 19:00 The Archers (b039q5fh)
Jolene's enthused when Fallon suggests a 1950s themed wedding with romantic swing music. Kenton's even more excited, but assumes they mean a rock and roll theme. Fallon takes him to one side, saying it's not quite what they had in mind. Later Jolene's delighted when Kenton apologises for going all rock and roll, saying he'd love a swing band.
Lilian tells Jolene about Matt's antics in Russia. He got involved in a complicated property deal and ended up losing a lot of money. She thinks at first Matt enjoyed his revenge on her but in the end, when he realised how dangerous it was, he tried to protect her. Now they're even stronger.
Helen's delighted when Rob surprises her by waiting near Bridge Farm. He suggests looking around the mega dairy with him to spend more time together. Although Helen's impressed by what Rob's achieved, she's uneasy about the set up. But later she tells him he doesn't have to keep justifying what he does. They might never agree on some things but it's great to see him at work. It's obvious the staff respect him. As they kiss she tells him he's a wonderful guy.
WED 19:15 Front Row (b039q5fk)
Mercury Music Prize, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Dennis Kelly
With Mark Lawson, including news of the shortlist for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for album of the year, announced today.
Travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, who died in 2011, walked from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople in the early 1930s. This resulted in two best-selling books, A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water. Colin Thubron and biographer Artemis Cooper discuss how they pieced together Leigh Fermor's unfinished manuscript and diaries to produce the final part of the trilogy, The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos.
And Dennis Kelly, who wrote the book for the hit musical Matilda and created the cult Channel 4 series Utopia, on his debut play for the Royal Court Theatre in London. The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas is about a man who tries to make his fortune by telling lies.
Producer Tim Prosser.
WED 19:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rmyj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
WED 20:00 Unreliable Evidence (b039q5fm)
Cross-Examination in the Dock
In the first of a news series, Clive Anderson asks if overly aggressive cross-examination of witnesses in court turns trial by jury into trial by ordeal.
Senior circuit court judge Sally Cahill and barristers experienced in prosecuting and defending, discuss whether new rules dictating the way lawyers cross-examine defendants, victims and other witness in court could compromise the right to a full and rigorous defence and lead to injustices.
In a recent high profile child prostitution trial, one young girl was cross-examined for 12 days by seven different defence barristers and the parents of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler were said to be mentally scarred by the trauma of the cross examination they had to go through in the trial of their daughter's killer.
Barrister Hugh Davies stresses the need for more protection for vulnerable witnesses while fellow advocate John Cooper strongly defends the right of a defence lawyer to vigorously cross-examine witnesses and challenge their evidence.
Barristers are currently being trained to work within new rules governing cross-examination which prevent them using complicated vocabulary and tricks of advocacy to bamboozle the immature or unconfident. Prosecutors and police chiefs have also published new guidelines on how to prepare cases involving child sexual abuse - focusing on the credibility of the allegations, not on the victim's strength or weaknesses as a witness.
How are these new rules and proposed changes playing out in the courtroom? Is justice being compromised/ And how exactly is it determined who is "vulnerable" in the first place?
Producer: Brian King
An Above the Title production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 20:45 Four Thought (b039q5fp)
Series 4
Emily Bell
We might think the web is something different, another world somewhere out there - or indeed in our devices - but as Emily Bell argues, the web is actually mapped onto our physical world: the real and the virtual are the same thing.
Emily spent almost twenty years working at the Observer and then the Guardian, setting up Media Guardian website in 2000. Three years ago she and her family moved to New York and Emily became the Director of the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School.
Living her life over two continents has caused her to consider the affect of cyberspace on actual space. Are we, as so many promised in the 90s, witnessing the death of distance?
Four Thought is a series of talks which combine new ideas and personal stories.
Recorded during the Edinburgh festival, speakers explain their thinking on the trends and ideas in culture and society in front of a live audience.
WED 21:00 Costing the Earth (b039q24t)
[Repeat of broadcast at
15:30 on Tuesday]
WED 21:30 Midweek (b039q5dn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
WED 21:58 Weather (b039lp53)
The latest weather forecast.
WED 22:00 The World Tonight (b039q5fr)
Unemployment falls below two and a half million. Assad forces fighting to retake ancient Christian town in Syria. BBC to review way it's governed. Presented by Ritula Shah.
WED 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b039rnzm)
Jonathan Coe - Expo 58
Episode 3
London 1958: Unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk at the Central Office of Information and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task - to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58, the biggest World's Fair of the century and the first to be held since the Second World War.
As soon as he arrives at the site, Thomas feels that he has escaped a repressed, backward-looking country and fallen headlong into an era of modernity and optimism. He is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, the lovely Flemish hostess who meets him off his plane.
But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price. The Cold War is at its height, the mischievous Belgians have placed the American and Soviet pavilions right next to each other - and why is he being followed everywhere by two mysterious emissaries of the British Secret Service?
Expo 58 may represent a glittering future, both for Europe and for Thomas himself, but he will soon be forced to decide where his public and private loyalties really lie.
Written by Jonathan Coe
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Read by Tim McInnerny
Produced by Joanna Green
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 23:00 The Music Teacher (b039q5ft)
Series 3
Episode 2
Richie Webb returns as multi-instrumentalist music teacher Nigel Penny.
Belinda's decision to allow the Arts Centre to be a wedding venue means Nigel is charged with providing the music. But his efforts to soundtrack the happiest day of Ebony's life are somewhat hampered by a tone deaf bridesmaid, a pupil with a phobia of sharps and flats and the need to have his piano re-tuned every five minutes.
Directed by Nick Walker
Audio production by Matt Katz
Written and produced by Richie Webb
A Top Dog production for BBC Radio 4.
WED 23:15 Helen Keen's It Is Rocket Science (b00zf34s)
Series 1
Episode 2
Helen Keen's off-beat but true account of the history of space flight.
With Peter Serafinowicz and Susy Kane.
* How Wernher Von Braun went from SS officer to American space supremo to Disney children's presenter
* America's home-grown rocket genius Jack Parsons and his unhealthy interest in Satanism
* The surprising story of Fix the French Space Cat
Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill.
Producer: Gareth Edwards
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2011.
WED 23:30 Today in Parliament (b039q5h5)
The Prime Minister and the Labour leader clash over the state of the UK economy following a fall in the number of people out of work.
Ed Miliband accuses ministers of complacency. He says unemployment is rising in half of Britain and people's living standards are falling.
David Cameron insists that the coalition is delivering growth and the country is ''turning the corner''.
Nigel Evans resigns as a deputy speaker of the House of Commons.
The influential public accounts committee looks at the cost and delivery of the universal credit.
And the SNP attacks cuts in housing benefit.
Curran and team report on today's events in Parliament.
THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2013
THU 00:00 Midnight News (b039lp5y)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
THU 00:30 Book of the Week (b039q5dq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Wednesday]
THU 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lp60)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp62)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
THU 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp64)
The latest shipping forecast.
THU 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp66)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b039x2f3)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
THU 05:45 Farming Today (b039q5nb)
A new research project aims to make docking pigs' tails a thing of the past. The controversial practice is carried out to prevent tail biting. Scientists from 7 European institutes, including Newcastle University, are investigating how to stop pigs developing the habit, so that tail docking becomes obsolete.
Farming Today continues its look at the progress of the harvest. And we find out about the partnership between Lenk Simmental, in Switzerland, and Dartmoor - which is building better farm tourism businesses.
Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Sarah Swadling.
THU 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qk3x)
Mistle Thrush: Part One
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the Mistle Thrush. Loud rattling calls, like someone scraping a comb across wood, tell you that Mistle Thrushes are about. From midsummer to early autumn, bands of Mistle Thrushes roam the countryside, where they feed on open pastures, among stubble or on moorland. These birds are very fond of the white sticky berries of mistletoe and spread the seeds into cracks of tree bark when they wipe their bills or defecate.
THU 06:00 Today (b039q5nd)
News and current affairs. Including Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather, Thought for the Day.
THU 09:00 Whistleblowers: Saints or Stirrers? (b039rqpd)
Who was the first whistleblower? Was it Daniel Ellsberg, who, in 1971, leaked the" Pentagon Papers" revealing the truth about US involvement in Vietnam? Or Mark Felt, the "Deep Throat" at the FBI whose secret information helped to bring down a US President? In fact, it was a man called Laocoon, who, three thousand years ago, tried to tip off the authorities in ancient Troy that the Greeks and their "gift horse" was a trick. He was later murdered for his pains. But then, as John Waite reports, when it comes to speaking out, one man's whistleblower can be another man's traitor, as the current examples of Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning seem to demonstrate. So why do people blow the whistle on governments, institutions and fellow workers? And are they always acting from high moral principle, or do some seek celebrity, or simply enjoy "stirring"? John's been investigating the ethical dilemmas in speaking out, and meeting those who've done so. To ask them why they felt compelled to break ranks with their colleagues, and what happened to them as a result.
High profile whistleblowers are in the news constantly these days and as a special commission investigates their plight. Amongst those giving evidence is Eileen Chubb, who believes that more needs to be done to protect whistleblowers. She was working as a care assistant and grew increasingly concerned about neglect at the 65 bedroom home. Eventually she told her manager that residents were left in their own urine, physically attacked and robbed by staff. When nothing appeared to change she, along with six other colleagues, went to the registration and inspection unit. At that point they believe their jobs became untenable and they eventually resigned, taking their cases to an industrial tribunal. Eileen does not consider herself heroic: 'I was doing what I thought was right. At the time I didn't even know what a whistleblower was. I got pushed over a line when I saw the shouting and the pushing. We told management and social services and no one made it stop," she says, adding that she felt she had a duty to act.
But there's concern that the actions of whilstleblowers like Edward Snowden could actually put lives at risk. Mr Snowden was a technical contractor for the US National Security Agency (NSA), who also once worked for the CIA. In June he leaked to the Guardian and Washington Post newspapers documents and details relating to NSA programmes that gather data on telephone calls and emails. He fled his home in Hawaii, where he worked at a small NSA installation, to Hong Kong, and subsequently to Russia. He faces espionage charges in the US and polls there show Americans more or less evenly split over whether he did right or wrong. On Capitol Hill the former intelligence contractor has been labelled a coward and traitor - a view challenged by those like film director Oliver Stone, who call him as a hero because: ' he did this not for profit, not to give, exchange, give secrets away that could hurt our country supposedly. He is doing it out of conscience." For his part Edward Snowden disputes both points of view: "I'm neither traitor nor hero. I'm an American,"
Producer: Susan Mitchell.
THU 09:45 Book of the Week (b039rqpg)
Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry
Episode 4
En route to Singapore on board the Kendal, Rose George learns that freight shipping affects the delicate balance of the marine environment in unexpected ways.
Read by Susie Riddell.
Abridger: Laurence Wareing
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie.
THU 10:00 Woman's Hour (b039rqpj)
Going grey; Jo Swinson; miscarriage
Is dyeing your hair a feminist issue? We discuss with fashion commentator Caryn Franklin and fashion historian Caroline Cox. We speak to Women and Equalities Minister, Jo Swinson ahead of the Liberal Democrats' autumn conference about policy and issues affecting female voters. Hope for women suffering recurrent miscarriage. Siobhan Quenby, Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Warwick tells us about their new research. Myria Vassiliadou, EU Anti-trafficking coordinator talks about moves to try and curb human trafficking and modern slavery. Poet Jean Sprackland on her latest collection, Sleeping Keys.
THU 10:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rqpl)
Mad Women
Police Inspector Alia Khan investigates a psychiatric hospital where women are admitted but never seem to come out.
Set and recorded on location in Mumbai, this fast-paced six-part police thriller continues throughout this week. It follows Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, as she attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.
Sound Recordist: Hitesh Chaurasia
Sound Design: Steve Bond
Editing Assistants: Andrew Lewis and Aditya Khanna.
Script Editor: Mike Walker
Assistant Producer: Toral Shah
Producer: Nadir Khan
Music: Sacha Putnam.
Writer: Ayeesha Menon
Director: John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
THU 11:00 Crossing Continents (b039rqpn)
Matchmaking in Modern China
According to a recent study by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 24 million Chinese men will be unable to find wives by 2020 because of the country's gender imbalance. Before the mass migration from the villages to the cities, young men could rely on their parents to find them a wife. Now many of those single women live in the cities, working in factories. They only see their parents during the spring festival so the chances of finding a wife are limited. It's a particular challenge for men with low income, who don't own their own apartment or who don't have a good job. In some parts of rural China there are several communities with so many single men they've been labelled 'bachelor villages'
The trend has led to a growth in internet dating while at the high end, rich men join 'single entrepreneur' clubs that run competitions to find them that someone special.
Lucy Ash reports from China on the ways in which both parents and the single men are attempting to make the perfect catch.
Producer: Julie Ball.
THU 11:30 The Show to End All Wars (b039rqpq)
Simon Russell Beale takes a 50th anniversary look at Oh! What a Lovely War, the iconic production from Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, asking whether it tells us more about the 1960s than about 1914.
Opening on 19th March 1963, almost fifty years after the outbreak of the First World War, that war to end all wars, it fuelled an early-1960s anti-war sentiment at a time of heightened cold war tension.
An instant hit with audiences, it was not well received by critics - the Guardian noting it was as unfair as any powerful cartoon.
The show could be said to be the offspring of two parents. The young Conservative politician Alan Clark had just written a book called The Donkeys, popularising the thesis that the ordinary troops, the lions of the First World War, had been let down by the incompetence of their generals, the donkeys. Clark claimed he had been plagiarised by Littlewood. The other parent was radio producer Charles Chilton, responsible for a 1961 BBC drama/documentary called The Long Long Trail which recounted a similar tale but used popular songs of the period. This programme has an exclusive interview with Charles Chilton, who died last year at the age of 96 and whose own father was killed at Arras. Chilton tells how he was hired and then fired by Littlewood.
We get an illuminating insider's view of how Joan Littlewood worked from Murray Melvin, an actor in the original production and now archivist of the Theatre Royal, Stratford East which is planning a revival of the show. Historians Derek Paget and Dan Todman consider whether it can have the same impact for today's audiences.
Producer: Merilyn Harris
A Testbed production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 12:00 You and Yours (b039rqps)
Ski resorts, dating apps, downsizing
While some chain stores across the UK are closing down, we hear from one high street store that is experiencing massive growth. How many kilometres does it take to make a ski resort? Why some pistes might not add up and we continue our look at the future of housing with a discussion about downsizing vs development.
Producer Helen Brown
Presenter Winifred Robinson.
THU 12:57 Weather (b039lp68)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 13:00 World at One (b039rqpv)
National and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
THU 13:45 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039rqpx)
Anne McElvoy explores how the 'permissive society' provoked a new populist conservatism.
In the 1960s and 1970s, a series of apparently different issues emerged, from Mary Whitehouse's opposition to 'dirty' television, launched in Birmingham, through objections to immigration, education reform and changes in the Church of England, to anxiety about rising inflation.
Anne traces how these coalesced into a conservative moral critique of modern society as shaped by a 'liberal elite'. This was not a conservatism that defended Britain's rulers - it was one that attacked them.
With: Dominic Sandbrook, Professor Jon Lawrence, Dr Eliza Filby
Producer: Phil Tinline.
THU 14:00 The Archers (b039q5fh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Wednesday]
THU 14:15 Brief Lives (b039rqpz)
Series 6
Episode 1
Brief Lives by Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly
A new 6 part series for Frank Twist and his team of Manchester paralegal advisors. A local councillor is caught selling drugs. Open and shut case? It would seem so on the surface. And a new rep is brought on board. A streetwise kid called Ronnie.
Director/Producer Gary Brown.
THU 15:00 Open Country (b039rqq1)
Celebrating the Plum
Once strewn with apple, pear and plum orchards the Vale of Evesham has been famous for its fruit since the middle ages. Helen Mark visits the Vale to see the work being done to continue the area's heritage of fruit production.
In Pershore she spends the day at the annual plum festival, a celebration of the close association the town has had with the fruit for hundreds of years. Here, she meets comedian and conservationist, Alistair McGowan, and hears about his memories of growing up in the area and lifelong fondness for plums.
After the boom years of fruit production in the Vale at the end of the nineteenth century, the 1950s saw a decline in the industry and, since then, almost 80% of the orchards have closed in the area. Helen meets Edward Crowther, whose family has run fruit businesses near Evesham for many generations, and hears about the changes in the Vale during the last century. She joins John Porter at Hipton Hill orchard and learns about the work his conservation group is doing to arrest the decline in the number of traditional orchards in the area and restore them to their former glory.
Produced by Beatrice Fenton.
THU 15:27 Radio 4 Appeal (b039p0v3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
07:55 on Sunday]
THU 15:30 Open Book (b039rqq3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:00 on Sunday]
THU 16:00 The Film Programme (b039rqq5)
Rush; Borrowed Time; Toronto Film Festival
Francine Stock explores the hits and misses from this year's Toronto International Film Festival with Tim Robey of the Daily Telegraph and Claire Binns, director of Programming and Acquisitions at the Picturehouse Group. They discuss their tips for the critical hits in the months ahead including 12 Years a Slave, August: Osage County and Under The Skin.
Frost/Nixon director Ron Howard and writer Peter Morgan are back together, this time for Rush, the story of Formula One rivals Niki Lauda and James Hunt. They explain why they were so intrigued by the men's relationship. Rush is a British independent film and its producer Andrew Eaton looks at how the world of film funding is changing.
Plus actor Phil Davis on Borrowed Time, a micro budget film about a pensioner's friendship with a teenage burglar. He describes how working with Mike Leigh on films such as Vera Drake has proved so inspirational for his technique.
THU 16:30 BBC Inside Science (b039rqq7)
Stem cell news; Science practicals; Phantom head; Sewage power
As Spanish researchers unveil new stem cell research, Dr Adam Rutherford talks to Professor of Regenerative Medicine Fiona Watt. They look back at the history of stem cell research and what the future holds for regenerative medicine.
Last week's discussion on science practicals generated huge amounts of feedback. Some listeners consider school practicals the secret to their success, others remember nothing more than breaking test tubes and blowing things up. Professor Robin Millar researches the best ways to teach science practicals; we ask him to respond to some of the points you raised.
We unveil the mystery of the phantom head. Not an 18-rated horror film, but a dentists' training tool. This week's Show Us Your Instrument comes from Newcastle University's School of Dental Sciences.
And, where there's muck, there's brass. In Newcastle, they're looking to sewage as a renewable alternative energy supply. It's flushed down the drains, but Northumbrian Water have taken a 'waste not want not' approach to our biological effluent. They are going to great efforts to recover energy from sewage and pump it back into the National Grid.
THU 17:00 PM (b039rqq9)
Coverage and analysis of the day's news.
THU 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp6b)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
THU 18:30 Fags, Mags and Bags (b01n1qxy)
Series 5
General Whitesnake Demeanour
More shop based shenanigans and over the counter philosophy, courtesy of Ramesh Mahju and his trusty sidekick Dave.
The arrival of new priest Father Neil Green (Andrew O'Neill) receives mixed views from the Lenzidens, with his prog rock-esque approach to Christianity. His flowing cape, Stetson and general Whitesnake demeanour catches the attention of The Bishop (Michael Redmond) and he sets out to see how the locals are taking to him.
The staff of 'Fags, Mags and Bags' are on a tireless quest to bring nice-price custard creams and cans of coke with Arabic writing on them to an ungrateful nation. Ramesh Mahju has lovingly built the business up over the course of 30 years, and is ably assisted by his sidekick Dave. But then there are Ramesh's sons Sanjay and Alok - both surly and not particularly keen on the old school approach to shopkeeping, but natural successors to the business so Ramesh is keen to pass them all his worldly wisdom whether they like it or not.
Written by and starring Donald Mcleary and Sanjeev Kohli.
Cast:
Ramesh:...................................... Sanjeev Kohli
Dave:........................................... Donald Mcleary
Sanjay:.........................................Omar Raza
Alok:.............................................Susheel Kumar
Father Neil Green:........................Andrew O'Neill
The Bishop:..................................Michael Redmond
Alan:.............................................Tom Urie
Phil:..............................................Stewart Cairns
Keith Futures:...............................Gavin Mitchell
Produced by Gus Beattie
A Comedy Unit production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 19:00 The Archers (b039rqqc)
Tom and Tony are surprised when determined Pat says she's secretly entering Helen's necklace in the Flower and Produce Show. Tony's angry when his farm account shows that Tom has transferred some money in and out of it without asking. Defiant Tom can't see the problem. He just had a temporary cashflow problem. Tony accuses Tom of covering up for Rob's bad advice, which Tom denies. Pat tries to calm them. They should agree to differ.
Shula's shocked when she bumps into Darrell and sees his battered face. Darrell says he was attacked outside the Elms last night. He hesitantly accepts Shula's invitation for something to eat. When he says he's not going back to The Elms, Shula offers to have a word with a member of staff.
Kathy's irritated when Martyn tells her he'll also be shortlisting and interviewing candidates for the chef's position at the golf club. She's even more annoyed when he forces her to cancel her leave to do the interviews.
When tearful Kathy asks Pat whether it's because she's bad at her job, Pat assures her no. Martyn is a pathetic workplace bully. Kathy's a far better person than him.
THU 19:15 Front Row (b039rqqf)
Francis Bacon meets Henry Moore; Manic Street Preachers; Jason Byrne; In a World
With John Wilson.
As a new exhibition bringing together works by Henry Moore and Francis Bacon opens at the Ashmolean in Oxford, art critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston reviews the show and discusses artistic pairings.
Manic Street Preachers' 11th studio album is out next week. Bassist and lyricist Nicky Wire reveals how Rewind the Film is a new departure for the band, as they acknowledge the passing of the years and reflect on the longevity of their musical career.
Viv Groskup reviews In a World, a quirky rom-com set in the cut-throat world of movie trailers, where a handful of voice-over artists compete to say those immortal lines - In a world.... Lake Bell wrote, directed and stars in the film, which won the Best Screenplay award at Sundance.
The comedian Jason Byrne discusses his BBC One show Father Figure, a new sitcom involving an Irish grandmother, slapstick and a studio audience, and is adapted from Byrne's series on Radio 2.
Producer Ella-mai Robey.
THU 19:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rqpl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
THU 20:00 The Report (b039rqqh)
Banking Interns: Sleepless in the City
The death of banking intern Moritz Erhardt this summer has led to soul searching in The City. Although the exact cause of his death has not yet been confirmed, reports that he worked three all-nighters in a row has shed light on a fiercely competitive world of 120-hour weeks that leads many to illness, addiction and depression.
What led the young would-be banker, and others like him, to work such long hours? Phil Kemp speaks to current and former bankers about the face-time culture that forces them to stay at their desk regardless of their workload and the tactics they use to help stay awake, including the use of illegal prescription drugs.
Doctors describe the toll that pushing the body to these limits eventually takes, and interns tell Phil about the big decision they will have to make between huge pay-packets and a life outside of the Square Mile.
Producer: Lucy Proctor.
THU 20:30 In Business (b039rqqk)
The Internet of Things
Six billion people worldwide already have mobile phones. Now the experts are talking about the coming Internet of Things: 50 billion interconnected objects, from cows to coffee machines. Peter Day asks what it means and how it may happen.
Producer: Laura Gray.
THU 21:00 BBC Inside Science (b039rqq7)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 today]
THU 21:30 Whistleblowers: Saints or Stirrers? (b039rqpd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:00 today]
THU 21:58 Weather (b039lp6d)
The latest weather forecast.
THU 22:00 The World Tonight (b039rqqm)
Can Russia and the US agree a plan for Syrian chemical weapons?
Birmingham campus bans the burkha;
NASA says Voyager has left the solar system.
With Ritula Shah.
THU 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b039rqqp)
Jonathan Coe - Expo 58
Episode 4
London 1958: Unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk at the Central Office of Information and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task - to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58, the biggest World's Fair of the century and the first to be held since the Second World War.
As soon as he arrives at the site, Thomas feels that he has escaped a repressed, backward-looking country and fallen headlong into an era of modernity and optimism. He is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, the lovely Flemish hostess who meets him off his plane.
But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price. The Cold War is at its height, the mischievous Belgians have placed the American and Soviet pavilions right next to each other - and why is he being followed everywhere by two mysterious emissaries of the British Secret Service?
Expo 58 may represent a glittering future, both for Europe and for Thomas himself, but he will soon be forced to decide where his public and private loyalties really lie.
Written by Jonathan Coe
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Read by Tim McInnerny
Produced by Joanna Green
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
THU 23:00 Colin Hoult's Carnival of Monsters (b036vtc2)
Series 1
Episode 2
Enter the Carnival of Monsters, a bizarre and hilarious world of sketches, stories and characters, presented by the sinister Ringmaster.
Master character comedian Colin Hoult's debut comedy series.
Meet such monstrous yet strangely familiar oddities as: Thwor - the mighty (but Leeds-based) god of Thwunder; Len Parker - Nottingham-born martial arts and transformers enthusiast; Anna Mann - outrageous star of such forgotten silver screen hits such as 'Rogue Baker', 'Who's For Turkish Delight' and 'A Bowl For My Bottom'; and many more.
Writers Guild Award-winner Colin Hoult is best known for his highly acclaimed starring roles in 'Being Human', 'Life's Too Short', and 'Russell Howard's Good News', as well as his many hit shows at the Edinburgh Festival. He has also appeared and written for a number of Radio 4 series including 'The Headset Set' and 'Colin and Fergus' Digi-Radio'.
Producer: Sam Bryant.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2013.
THU 23:30 Today in Parliament (b039rqv2)
Rachel Byrne reports from Westminster.
FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2013
FRI 00:00 Midnight News (b039lp77)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4. Followed by Weather.
FRI 00:30 Book of the Week (b039rqpg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
09:45 on Thursday]
FRI 00:48 Shipping Forecast (b039lp79)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (b039lp7c)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
FRI 05:20 Shipping Forecast (b039lp7f)
The latest shipping forecast.
FRI 05:30 News Briefing (b039lp7h)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 05:43 Prayer for the Day (b039x2g9)
A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day, with The Revd Canon John McLuckie, Vice-Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.
FRI 05:45 Farming Today (b039rwc3)
The Government is to end the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, which allows people from Bulgaria and Romania to work in UK agriculture for six months. The 21,000 people on it account for a third of Britain's seasonal agricultural labour force. Charlotte Smith discusses the impact of losing the scheme on UK horticulture with James Hallett, chief executive of the British Growers Association. He fears it will lead to labour shortages and may, in turn, push up the price of fruit and veg.
One fruit you can still get for free is the wild blackberry and they are growing in abundance on roadsides across Britain. But are they safe to eat? Researchers at Bangor University have been X-raying urban blackberries and comparing them with both rurally grown and shop-bought ones. They found tiny levels of heavy metals such as lead, titanium and palladium but concluded they pose no threat to human health and pedestrians can tuck in with gusto. Anna Jones - a self-confessed berry snob - puts the science to the test by tasting some growing in Bristol City Centre.
And it's cobnut season in Kent - a fresh, green nut resembling a hazelnut. Charlotte explores a 'platt' and finds out why cobnuts were kept in Medieval castles, and eaten with port by the Victorians.
Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced in Bristol by Anna Jones.
FRI 05:58 Tweet of the Day (b038qk4j)
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Tweet of the Day is a series of fascinating stories about our British birds inspired by their calls and songs.
Brett Westwood presents the Great Spotted woodpecker. In spring Great Spotted Woodpeckers drum loudly with their bills against tree bark to advertise their territories. Unlike many of our woodland birds, which are declining, Great Spotted Woodpeckers have increased rapidly over the last few decades - up to 250% since the 1970's.
FRI 06:00 Today (b039rwc5)
Morning news and current affairs. Including Sports Desk, Yesterday in Parliament, Weather and Thought for the Day.
FRI 09:00 The Reunion (b039p0vc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
11:15 on Sunday]
FRI 09:45 Book of the Week (b039rwc7)
Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry
Episode 5
As Kendal approaches her destination of Singapore, Rose George learns of a daring rescue in the ship's history and is inspired to shine a light on the welfare of the workers behind the shipping industry.
Read by Susie Riddell.
Abridger: Laurence Wareing
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie.
FRI 10:00 Woman's Hour (b039rwc9)
Katie Melua; Sarah McIntyre; female Bishops in Wales; mirrors, Going Grey
Katie Melua talks about her new album and what it was like being born in Georgia and then raised in Belfast and Surrey.
In Detroit in Michigan, more than eleven thousand rape cases are being investigated after being ignored for more than twenty years. We hear from Kym Worthy, the woman leading the inquiry after thousands of rape kits containing forensic evidence were found in a disused annexe.
Award winning children's illustrator Sarah McIntyre tells us about her new book, "Oliver and the Seawigs".
And what do you see when you look in the mirror?
FRI 10:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rwcc)
Five-Star Death
A dead glamour model in a five-star hotel leads Police inspector Alia Khan on the trail of Bollywood's leading heart-throb.
Set and recorded on location in Mumbai, this is a fast paced six-part police thriller. It follows Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, as she attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.
Sound Recordist: Hitesh Chaurasia
Sound Design: Steve Bond
Editing Assistants: Andrew Lewis and Aditya Khanna.
Script Editor: Mike Walker
Assistant Producer: Toral Shah
Producer: Nadir Khan
Music: Sacha Putnam.
Writer: Ayeesha Menon
Director: John Dryden
A Goldhawk production for BBC Radio 4
FRI 11:00 Journey of a Lifetime (b039rwcf)
Mum Says 'You're a Long Time Dead'
Will Millard is the winner of this year's BBC/Royal Geographical Society award for a dream journey project. Will's goal is to descend the Mano and Moro Rivers, which divide Sierra Leone and Liberia, with only a tiny inflatable packraft in which to do it. With the Sierra Leone portion of the forest already part of the Gola Rainforest National Park, the river boundary will, it's hoped, shortly become the heart of the Trans-Boundary Peace Park, straddling both countries. Local villagers, however, are divided about the merits of this significant conservation project.
Having survived the near termination of his project by local bureaucracy, Will treks through the rainforest on foot to the river's edge, inflates 'Shostakovich' (thus is his raft called) and sets out downriver. Meeting his faithful guide Sakpa once more he hears from the local chief how his villagers would prefer good medical help and a half-decent road as much as a ecologically-sound conservation project like the Peace Park.
More pressing problems for Will are the sequences of boulder-strewn rapids that dot the river, a torrential rainstorm that threatens his camp and blistered hands from the African sun that make paddling the raft hard-going. He's been warned too about a massive set of falls... But he finds the only way to negotiate it is by paddling right across the face of them - as he strikes out across the white water, he remembers his mother's old saying: "you're a long time dead"....
Producer: Simon Elmes.
FRI 11:30 Start/Stop (b039rwch)
Series 1
Weekend Away
Three couples sail off into the sunset. And sink.
Jack Docherty’s sitcom about love, marriage and despair.
Starring Jack Docherty, Charlie Higson, Katherine Parkinson, John Thomson, Fiona Allen and Kerry Godliman.
With their marriages in various states of disrepair - the promise of a weekend away tests everyone's patience.
Barney ...... Jack Docherty
Cathy ...... Kerry Godliman
Fiona ...... Fiona Allen
David ...... Charlie Higson
Evan ...... John Thomson
Alice ...... Katherine Parkinson
Producer Steven Canny
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2013.
FRI 12:00 You and Yours (b039rwck)
Fake solicitors; Paul Pester, chief exec of TSB
The house buyers scammed out of the entire cost of their home by bogus solicitors.
The boss of TSB explains why there'll be no giveaways to entice new customers.
Plus, the woman who hasn't had an electricity bill for twenty years. How did it happen and how much does she owe?
Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Joel Moors.
FRI 12:57 Weather (b039lp7k)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 13:00 World at One (b039rwcm)
National and international news. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.uk or on twitter: #wato.
FRI 13:45 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039rwcp)
Anne McElvoy tells the stories of big challenges that have spurred leading British conservative thinkers into action, from the French Revolution to the Permissive Society.
Episode 10: In this final episode, Anne visits the chapel in Grantham where Mrs Thatcher's father preached, to explore how his story encapsulates how conservatism has changed across the last two centuries.
In the pew where his daughter Margaret sat listening to his sermons, Anne hears how Alderman Roberts, a Wesleyan Methodist, was a Victorian liberal who came, in the twentieth century, to see himself as a conservative.
She explores how his story captures something of the changing role of religion and class in conservatism, and the ways that, over the last century, conservatism has absorbed key elements of Victorian liberalism.
And how, in the process, it has transformed itself from an ideology that was focused on the land, paternalist benevolence, traditional social hierarchies and the Church of England, into something rather different.
With: Dr Eliza Filby, Dominic Sandbrook, Professor Jon Lawrence
Producer: Phil Tinline.
FRI 14:00 The Archers (b039rqqc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Thursday]
FRI 14:15 Brief Lives (b039rwcr)
Series 6
Episode 2
Brief Lives by Lizi Patch.
Frank is called in to represent Jon, who is accused of historic sexual abuse. This has ramifications as Jon is a teacher and his wife has just had a baby. Meanwhile Sarah goes on a first date with a younger man. But Frank doesn't know.
Series Created by Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly
Director/Producer Gary Brown.
FRI 15:00 Gardeners' Question Time (b039rwct)
Summer Garden Party 2013, Ness Botanic Gardens
Eric Robson is joined by Matt Biggs, Matthew Wilson, Pippa Greenwood and Toby Buckland to answer questions at the gardening event of the year, the GQT Summer Garden Party 2013 at Ness Botanic Gardens.
Produced by Howard Shannon
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.
Q: What is the secret of successfully growing a Buddleja?
A: Buddleja seeds spread on the breeze very easily. They like freely drained soil with a sunny, open aspect. If you've got heavy soil you can rake it up into a mound to create a slightly raised area of around 4 inches/10cm. This will help a Buddleja to become established. Once established, you'll struggle to get rid of it! If you bought the plant in a container with a well-established root system it could well be pot-bound, so make sure that you buy as small a plant as you possibly can and really spread the roots out well when planting out.
Q: We've fallen in love with the white border. I've recently dug a border 40ft (12.2m) by 6ft (1.8m). What are the must-have white plants to plant in it?
A: Actually, plants that aren't white are essential because you really need some contrast in there or you'll end up with a monochromatic wash. For this you could choose plants with contrasting foliage including silver foliage, but also you should look for contrasting flowers, for example pale blue Geraniums. For white plants, you could go for white Penstemon. For early season you could use Orlaya, Anthriscus which have a look similar to cow-parsley.
Q: Why do Harebells only grow in the wild?
A: It is likely that, like a lot of wildflowers, they prefer specific and quite mean conditions with a scarce amount of food and care, which is the sort of thing you'll find in a rough bit of meadowland but less so in well kept gardens. If you wanted to grow them, as with many plants that thrive in the wild, it's best to really carefully look at the conditions they thrive in because you'll need to recreate this as best you can.
Q: I have a yearning for a cold frame to sit alongside my unheated greenhouse. If I had one, can the panel advise me how best to use the two in tandem to protect my plants in tubs, etc during the winter?
A: Often cold frames you can purchase aren't actually big enough if you want to get good use from them. Ideally you could get someone to make one for you that has the front about 60cm (2ft) tall going up at a good slope at around 120cm (4ft) at the back. That will allow you to put pots in there of a reasonable size to over winter. The other thing you can do by customizing your own is to increase the light levels inside by painting it white, this will really help. A cold frame is very handy for moving plants into when the greenhouse is packed and using as a mid-way for plants from the house back out into the garden. It is also much more flexible than a greenhouse for hardening off plants, because you can simply take the top off the cold frame and replace when needed.
Q: Can I plant fruit bushes on ground cleared of Monkshood? I understand that the roots are poisonous.
A: The entire Monkshood plant is highly toxic, so there is the possibility that some of the chemicals could be taken up if you had fruit plants growing in that soil, although it is very unlikely. To be completely safe, you should avoid it.
Q: What plants can we use on a steep, northwest-facing bank which borders our natural brook? We want to reduce erosion from rain and flooding, the bank floods occasionally. We're at the base of Wenlock Edge, the soil is clay on limestone and it's a frost pocket. Help!
A: In those conditions a Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides) would do well, with acid yellow flowers in the spring. They will tend to spread and won't mind a bit of flooding. If you plant them in ground that is too good, they're quite hard to get rid of but in these tough conditions they should be ideal. The best idea is to fill the area with plants that want to be there. If you try plants and they fail, move onto something different until you find the ones that thrive. You could try Bergenia abendglut which will spread and is full of pink flowers in with bronze/red leaves in Autumn. You should also plant ferns which will do well on that bank, including Dryopteris wallichiana, Dryopteris erythrosora, Polystichum setiferum Herrenhausen and Brunnera silver leaf form like 'Jack Frost'. You should plant in quantity.
FRI 15:45 Paul Henry - Jogging With Mozart (b039rwcw)
The poet Paul Henry's comic tale 'Jogging with Mozart' is read by Mark Meadows. Matlock is a forty-three old musician whose girlfriend Karen has chucked him out, making him homeless. A friend takes pity and smuggles him into the empty flat of his dead Aunty at the 'Lavender Fountain Sheltered Housing Scheme for the Elderly'. He's not supposed to be there, so he tries to keep a low profile, avoiding the all-seeing eye of the warden, Eunice. As he tries to piece his life back together, he seeks comfort in jogging and rediscovers his passion for the piano, but fate deals him another cruel blow.
Producer: Sarah Langan.
FRI 16:00 Last Word (b039rwcy)
An inventor, an autogyro pilot, a photographer, a science fiction writer and a circus performer
Matthew Bannister on
Ray Dolby - the American engineer who invented the Dolby noise reduction systems which revolutionised our listening experience at home and in the cinema.
Wing Commander Kenneth Wallis the RAF bomber pilot who built and flew the autogyro in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.
Frederick Pohl, the science fiction writer who also promoted the careers of many of his contemporaries. Brian Aldiss pays tribute.
And Lydia Gridneff who travelled the world as part of a circus family. Her son tells of touring Europe in a bus full of chimpanzees.
FRI 16:30 More or Less (b039rwd0)
How long can you wait to have a baby?
How long can you wait until you try to have a baby? Psychologist Jean Twenge argues that women in their late thirties shouldn't be as anxious about their prospects as is commonly assumed. She's been amazed to discover that key fertility statistics come from studies based on people who lived several hundred years ago - before electricity was even invented. Tim Harford and Hannah Barnes find fertility experts agree that the modern woman's prospects are better than is often thought.
The economy's turning a corner, the Chancellor George Osborne says. Is that the case? Tim Harford takes a closer look at the numbers.
Almost a quarter of men in some Asian countries admit rape, it's been reported. The headlines have been sparked by a UN report, which looks at violence against women in parts of Asia. Are the numbers of rapists really this high? Tim Harford and Ruth Alexander look into the detail of the study.
Russia is rumoured to have dismissed Britain as a 'small island' who no one listens to. But, Tim Harford discovers, we're actually rather large, as islands go.
"Africa has a drinking problem". So says Time Magazine. More or Less discovers a more mixed picture. As fact-checking website Africa Check has noted, a closer look at the figures shows wide variations between countries and that a large proportion of African people are teetotal. However, Tim Harford finds that the figures also suggest that those who do drink are drinking a lot.
Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Ruth Alexander.
FRI 17:00 PM (b039rwd2)
Coverage and analysis of the day's news. Including Weather at
5.57pm.
FRI 18:00 Six O'Clock News (b039lp7m)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
FRI 18:30 Bremner's One Question Quiz (b039rymr)
Who Runs Britain?
Rory Bremner's new weekly satirical comedy takes one big contemporary question each week and attempts to answer it. Regular panellists Andy Zaltzman, Kate O'Sullivan and Nick Doody are joined this week by the chief political commentator for The Telegraph Peter Oborne and columnist for The Guardian, Deborah Orr.
Together, they ask "Who runs Britain?"
Rory's mantra is that it's as important to make sense out of things as it is to make fun of them. He believes only then will people laugh at the truth. This deconstructed "quiz" has only one question each week, because that question is so big there's no time for anything else. Expect a mix of stand-up and sketch combined with investigative satire and incisive interviews, with a diverse range of characters who really know what they're talking about.
Producers: Simon Jacobs and Frank Stirling
A Unique production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 19:00 The Archers (b039rwd4)
Ruth teases David about his 'new mate' Rob and isn't impressed by the new dairy being named Berrow Farm. Ruth's excited about entering her roses for the flower and produce show.
They try to relax while Josh has his birthday party in Rickyard Cottage. When the party suddenly goes quiet, Ruth and David are tempted to see what's going on. Eventually David can't contain himself. But when he checks, he finds Josh kissing a girl on the sofa. They decide it's best to leave them to it.
Ian and Lynda try to keep Grey Gables afloat under Ray's management. They gossip about their difficult guest, the travel journalist Suzy Shen, whom Ray seems eager to please.
Ray enthuses about his forthcoming Mexican evening to dubious Lynda and Ian. Lynda hopefully mentions the limited take-up so far. Perhaps they should cancel. But Ray has managed to attract a large group of retired people. He must have forgotten to tell her. Lynda's even more taken aback when Ray says he's managed to book a mariachi band for the night.
When Oliver rings to check up on things, Lynda doesn't want to worry him and tells him everything's fine. They should enjoy the rest of their holiday.
FRI 19:15 Front Row (b039rwd6)
Mark Rylance; prisons on television; actors on songs
With Kirsty Lang.
Mark Rylance is currently taking a break from acting, and is concentrating on directing a new production of Much Ado About Nothing, which stars Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. He discusses his approach to the play, and reflects on the success of his role in Jez Butterworth's play Jerusalem, for which he won numerous awards as hard-living Johnny 'Rooster' Byron.
Prisons and the lives of prisoners have provided an enduring fascination for film and TV producers and viewers alike, with series such as Porridge and Prisoner Cell Block H, and more recently Bad Girls and Prisoners' Wives. This summer has seen two new prison dramas - Wentworth Prison, Channel 5's re-imagining of Prisoner Cell Block H, and Orange Is the New Black, the Netflix series which has proved a great success for the streaming network. To examine why prisons offer such a draw, Front Row brought together Dick Clement, co-creator and writer of Porridge, Pete McTighe, scriptwriter for Wentworth Prison, and Maureen Chadwick co-creator and writer of the ITV series Bad Girls.
As actor Dominic West makes a speaking appearance on Rizzle Kicks' new album, David Quantick considers the other thespians who have lent their voices to pop records, from Brian Blessed to Vincent Price and Stephen Fry.
Producer Stephen Hughes.
FRI 19:45 Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai (b039rwcc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
10:45 today]
FRI 20:00 Any Questions? (b039rwd8)
Norman Lamb, John Redwood, Billy Hayes, Maria Eagle
Jonathan Dimbleby presents political debate and discussion from Southend in Essex with Care Minister Norman Lamb MP, John Redwood MP, Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle MP and Billy Hayes the General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union.
The panel discuss the privatisation of Royal Mail, Labour's relationship with the unions, Michael Gove's comments about those who use food banks, HS2, and Nick Clegg's leadership of the Liberal Democrats.
FRI 20:50 A Point of View (b039rwdb)
Great Pretenders
AL Kennedy reflects on the stuggle to establish truth in what she regards as an age of lies. Lies, she says, are proliferating on TV, in politics, in business and throughout public and private life. Extracting truths in moral and effective ways, she argues, is an ever greater challenge.
Producer: Sheila Cook.
FRI 21:00 British Conservatism: The Grand Tour (b039rwdd)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour - Omnibus
Week 2 Omnibus
Anne McElvoy tells the stories of big challenges that have spurred British conservatism to reinvent itself.
In this omnibus edition of the final five episodes, Anne traces the story of British conservatism from a riot in Birmingham in 1901 to the rise of Mrs Thatcher.
She traces the impact of Irish Home Rule, mass democracy, the spectre of socialist revolution, the welfare state and finally the permissive society.
She visits the old Swan Hunter shipyard in Tyneside and the chapel where the young Mrs Thatcher sat listening to her father preach his sermons.
And in the process she traces how conservatism has transformed itself from an ideology that was focused on the land, paternalist benevolence, traditional social hierarchies and the Church of England, into something rather different.
With: Professor Jon Lawrence, Dr Dan Jackson, Professor Krista Cowman, Professor Martin Pugh, Professor Simon Ball, Dr Eliza Filby, Dominic Sandbrook
Producer: Phil Tinline.
FRI 21:58 Weather (b039lp7p)
The latest weather forecast.
FRI 22:00 The World Tonight (b039rwdg)
In-depth reporting and analysis from a global perspective.
FRI 22:45 Book at Bedtime (b039rwdj)
Jonathan Coe - Expo 58
Episode 5
London 1958: Unassuming civil servant Thomas Foley is plucked from his desk at the Central Office of Information and sent on a six-month trip to Brussels. His task - to keep an eye on The Britannia, a brand new pub which will form the heart of the British presence at Expo 58, the biggest World's Fair of the century and the first to be held since the Second World War.
As soon as he arrives at the site, Thomas feels that he has escaped a repressed, backward-looking country and fallen headlong into an era of modernity and optimism. He is equally bewitched by the surreal, gigantic Atomium, which stands at the heart of this brave new world, and by Anneke, the lovely Flemish hostess who meets him off his plane.
But Thomas's new-found sense of freedom comes at a price. The Cold War is at its height, the mischievous Belgians have placed the American and Soviet pavilions right next to each other - and why is he being followed everywhere by two mysterious emissaries of the British Secret Service?
Expo 58 may represent a glittering future, both for Europe and for Thomas himself, but he will soon be forced to decide where his public and private loyalties really lie.
Written by Jonathan Coe
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Read by Tim McInnerny
Produced by Joanna Green
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 23:00 Great Lives (b039q24y)
[Repeat of broadcast at
16:30 on Tuesday]
FRI 23:30 Today in Parliament (b039rwdl)
Mark D'Arcy reports from Westminster, as MPs head off for the party conference season.
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
A Mortal Work of Art
16:00 MON (b039pdtg)
A Point of View
08:48 SUN (b039dbkn)
A Point of View
20:50 FRI (b039rwdb)
Any Answers?
14:00 SAT (b039lmk0)
Any Questions?
13:10 SAT (b039dbkl)
Any Questions?
20:00 FRI (b039rwd8)
Archive on 4
20:00 SAT (b01p9f64)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
10:45 MON (b039pdt0)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
19:45 MON (b039pdt0)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
10:45 TUE (b039rn3w)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
19:45 TUE (b039rn3w)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
10:45 WED (b039rmyj)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
19:45 WED (b039rmyj)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
10:45 THU (b039rqpl)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
19:45 THU (b039rqpl)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
10:45 FRI (b039rwcc)
Ayeesha Menon - Undercover Mumbai
19:45 FRI (b039rwcc)
BBC Inside Science
16:30 THU (b039rqq7)
BBC Inside Science
21:00 THU (b039rqq7)
Bells on Sunday
05:43 SUN (b039p0tv)
Bells on Sunday
00:45 MON (b039p0tv)
Beyond Belief
16:30 MON (b039pdtj)
Book at Bedtime
22:45 MON (b039pfsw)
Book at Bedtime
22:45 TUE (b039rnyy)
Book at Bedtime
22:45 WED (b039rnzm)
Book at Bedtime
22:45 THU (b039rqqp)
Book at Bedtime
22:45 FRI (b039rwdj)
Book of the Week
00:30 SAT (b039j4z3)
Book of the Week
09:45 MON (b039pdsw)
Book of the Week
00:30 TUE (b039pdsw)
Book of the Week
09:45 TUE (b039px7v)
Book of the Week
00:30 WED (b039px7v)
Book of the Week
09:45 WED (b039q5dq)
Book of the Week
00:30 THU (b039q5dq)
Book of the Week
09:45 THU (b039rqpg)
Book of the Week
00:30 FRI (b039rqpg)
Book of the Week
09:45 FRI (b039rwc7)
Bremner's One Question Quiz
12:30 SAT (b039dbkd)
Bremner's One Question Quiz
18:30 FRI (b039rymr)
Brief Lives
14:15 THU (b039rqpz)
Brief Lives
14:15 FRI (b039rwcr)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
13:45 MON (b039pdtb)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
13:45 TUE (b039q24m)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
13:45 WED (b039q5f3)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
13:45 THU (b039rqpx)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
13:45 FRI (b039rwcp)
British Conservatism: The Grand Tour
21:00 FRI (b039rwdd)
British New Wave
21:00 SAT (b039bg5f)
British New Wave
15:00 SUN (b039p331)
Broadcasting House
09:00 SUN (b039p0v7)
China and America: Harmony and Hostility
20:00 TUE (b039q258)
Colin Hoult's Carnival of Monsters
23:00 THU (b036vtc2)
Costing the Earth
15:30 TUE (b039q24t)
Costing the Earth
21:00 WED (b039q24t)
Crossing Continents
20:30 MON (b039d4bb)
Crossing Continents
11:00 THU (b039rqpn)
Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed
23:00 TUE (b039q25j)
Document
16:00 TUE (b039q24w)
Drama
14:15 MON (b00zdl22)
Drama
14:15 TUE (b039q24p)
Drama
14:15 WED (b00zlfhh)
Fags, Mags and Bags
18:30 THU (b01n1qxy)
Farming Today
06:30 SAT (b039lmjk)
Farming Today
05:45 MON (b039p84m)
Farming Today
05:45 TUE (b039px7l)
Farming Today
05:45 WED (b039q5dj)
Farming Today
05:45 THU (b039q5nb)
Farming Today
05:45 FRI (b039rwc3)
Four Thought
22:15 SAT (b039d14s)
Four Thought
20:45 WED (b039q5fp)
From Our Own Correspondent
11:30 SAT (b039lmjw)
Front Row
19:15 MON (b039pf5f)
Front Row
19:15 TUE (b039q256)
Front Row
19:15 WED (b039q5fk)
Front Row
19:15 THU (b039rqqf)
Front Row
19:15 FRI (b039rwd6)
Fry's English Delight
09:00 MON (b039pdsr)
Fry's English Delight
21:30 MON (b039pdsr)
Gardeners' Question Time
14:00 SUN (b039dbk2)
Gardeners' Question Time
15:00 FRI (b039rwct)
Great Lives
16:30 TUE (b039q24y)
Great Lives
23:00 FRI (b039q24y)
Helen Keen's It Is Rocket Science
23:15 WED (b00zf34s)
In Business
21:30 SUN (b039d4cy)
In Business
20:30 THU (b039rqqk)
In Touch
20:40 TUE (b039q25b)
John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme
18:30 TUE (b039q252)
Journey of a Lifetime
11:00 FRI (b039rwcf)
Just a Minute
12:00 SUN (b039c5dr)
Just a Minute
18:30 MON (b039pdtn)
Last Word
20:30 SUN (b039dbk6)
Last Word
16:00 FRI (b039rwcy)
Lives in a Landscape
11:00 MON (b039pdt2)
Loose Ends
18:15 SAT (b039lmk8)
Making History
15:00 TUE (b039q24r)
Michael Ignatieff and the Red Cross Crisis
17:00 SUN (b039ctgt)
Midnight News
00:00 SAT (b039d95k)
Midnight News
00:00 SUN (b039lnzx)
Midnight News
00:00 MON (b039lp1r)
Midnight News
00:00 TUE (b039lp37)
Midnight News
00:00 WED (b039lp4n)
Midnight News
00:00 THU (b039lp5y)
Midnight News
00:00 FRI (b039lp77)
Midweek
09:00 WED (b039q5dn)
Midweek
21:30 WED (b039q5dn)
Money Box Live
15:00 WED (b039q5f5)
Money Box
12:00 SAT (b039lmjy)
Money Box
21:00 SUN (b039lmjy)
More or Less
20:00 SUN (b039dbk8)
More or Less
16:30 FRI (b039rwd0)
My Teenage Diary
18:30 WED (b039q5ff)
News Briefing
05:30 SAT (b039d95t)
News Briefing
05:30 SUN (b039lp05)
News Briefing
05:30 MON (b039lp20)
News Briefing
05:30 TUE (b039lp3h)
News Briefing
05:30 WED (b039lp4x)
News Briefing
05:30 THU (b039lp66)
News Briefing
05:30 FRI (b039lp7h)
News Headlines
06:00 SUN (b039lp07)
News and Papers
06:00 SAT (b039d95w)
News and Papers
07:00 SUN (b039lp0c)
News and Papers
08:00 SUN (b039lp0h)
News and Weather
22:00 SAT (b039d96d)
News
13:00 SAT (b039d964)
On Your Farm
06:35 SUN (b039p0tz)
One to One
09:30 TUE (b039px7s)
Open Book
16:00 SUN (b039rqq3)
Open Book
15:30 THU (b039rqq3)
Open Country
06:07 SAT (b039d4bq)
Open Country
15:00 THU (b039rqq1)
Opening Lines
00:30 SUN (b012qtb9)
Our Libraries: The Next Chapter
11:00 WED (b039q5dv)
PM
17:00 SAT (b039lmk6)
PM
17:00 MON (b039pdtl)
PM
17:00 TUE (b039q250)
PM
17:00 WED (b039q5fc)
PM
17:00 THU (b039rqq9)
PM
17:00 FRI (b039rwd2)
Paul Henry - Jogging With Mozart
15:45 FRI (b039rwcw)
Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test
19:15 SUN (b0386j1j)
Paul Temple
11:30 WED (b039q5dx)
Pick of the Week
18:15 SUN (b039p337)
Poetry Please
23:30 SAT (b039bg5k)
Poetry Please
16:30 SUN (b039p335)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 SAT (b039dbs0)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 MON (b039x1wj)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 TUE (b039x2bg)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 WED (b039x2c7)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 THU (b039x2f3)
Prayer for the Day
05:43 FRI (b039x2g9)
Profile
19:00 SAT (b039lmkb)
Profile
05:45 SUN (b039lmkb)
Profile
17:40 SUN (b039lmkb)
Punt PI
10:30 SAT (b039lmjr)
Quote... Unquote
23:00 SAT (b039c5dh)
Quote... Unquote
15:00 MON (b039pdtd)
Radio 4 Appeal
07:55 SUN (b039p0v3)
Radio 4 Appeal
21:26 SUN (b039p0v3)
Radio 4 Appeal
15:27 THU (b039p0v3)
Reception
11:30 MON (b039pdt4)
Saturday Drama
14:30 SAT (b039lmk2)
Saturday Live
09:00 SAT (b039lmjp)
Saturday Review
19:15 SAT (b039lmkd)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 SAT (b039d95p)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 SUN (b039lp01)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 MON (b039lp1w)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 TUE (b039lp3c)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 WED (b039lp4s)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 THU (b039lp62)
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes
01:00 FRI (b039lp7c)
Seven Ages of Science
21:00 TUE (b039q25d)
Seven Ages of Science
15:30 WED (b039q25d)
Shared Planet
21:00 MON (b039cbsx)
Shared Planet
11:00 TUE (b039q24c)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 SAT (b039d95m)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 SAT (b039d95r)
Shipping Forecast
17:54 SAT (b039d966)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 SUN (b039lnzz)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 SUN (b039lp03)
Shipping Forecast
17:54 SUN (b039lp0m)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 MON (b039lp1t)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 MON (b039lp1y)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 TUE (b039lp39)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 TUE (b039lp3f)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 WED (b039lp4q)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 WED (b039lp4v)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 THU (b039lp60)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 THU (b039lp64)
Shipping Forecast
00:48 FRI (b039lp79)
Shipping Forecast
05:20 FRI (b039lp7f)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 SAT (b039d96b)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 SUN (b039lp0r)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 MON (b039lp26)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 TUE (b039lp3r)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 WED (b039lp51)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 THU (b039lp6b)
Six O'Clock News
18:00 FRI (b039lp7m)
Something Understood
06:05 SUN (b039p0tx)
Something Understood
23:30 SUN (b039p0tx)
Start/Stop
11:30 FRI (b039rwch)
Sunday Worship
08:10 SUN (b039p0v5)
Sunday
07:10 SUN (b039p0v1)
Tales from the East
19:45 SUN (b039p33c)
The Archers Omnibus
10:00 SUN (b039p0v9)
The Archers
19:00 SUN (b039p339)
The Archers
14:00 MON (b039p339)
The Archers
19:00 MON (b039pf5c)
The Archers
14:00 TUE (b039pf5c)
The Archers
19:00 TUE (b039q254)
The Archers
14:00 WED (b039q254)
The Archers
19:00 WED (b039q5fh)
The Archers
14:00 THU (b039q5fh)
The Archers
19:00 THU (b039rqqc)
The Archers
14:00 FRI (b039rqqc)
The Archers
19:00 FRI (b039rwd4)
The Film Programme
23:00 SUN (b039d4c3)
The Film Programme
16:00 THU (b039rqq5)
The Food Programme
12:32 SUN (b039p0vf)
The Food Programme
15:30 MON (b039p0vf)
The Life Scientific
09:00 TUE (b039px7q)
The Life Scientific
21:30 TUE (b039px7q)
The Media Show
16:30 WED (b039q5f9)
The Music Teacher
23:00 WED (b039q5ft)
The Politics of Pandas
13:30 SUN (b019h2b8)
The Report
20:00 THU (b039rqqh)
The Reunion
11:15 SUN (b039p0vc)
The Reunion
09:00 FRI (b039p0vc)
The Secret History of Bossa Nova
11:30 TUE (b039q24f)
The Show to End All Wars
11:30 THU (b039rqpq)
The Week in Westminster
11:00 SAT (b039lmjt)
The World This Weekend
13:00 SUN (b039p32v)
The World Tonight
22:00 MON (b039pfst)
The World Tonight
22:00 TUE (b039q25g)
The World Tonight
22:00 WED (b039q5fr)
The World Tonight
22:00 THU (b039rqqm)
The World Tonight
22:00 FRI (b039rwdg)
Thinking Allowed
00:15 MON (b039cy07)
Thinking Allowed
16:00 WED (b039q5f7)
Today in Parliament
23:30 MON (b039pfsy)
Today in Parliament
23:30 TUE (b039q25l)
Today in Parliament
23:30 WED (b039q5h5)
Today in Parliament
23:30 THU (b039rqv2)
Today in Parliament
23:30 FRI (b039rwdl)
Today
07:00 SAT (b039lmjm)
Today
06:00 MON (b039p84p)
Today
06:00 TUE (b039px7n)
Today
06:00 WED (b039q5dl)
Today
06:00 THU (b039q5nd)
Today
06:00 FRI (b039rwc5)
Tweet of the Day
08:58 SUN (b038qhyz)
Tweet of the Day
05:58 MON (b038qjrh)
Tweet of the Day
05:58 TUE (b038qk0c)
Tweet of the Day
05:58 WED (b038qk0y)
Tweet of the Day
05:58 THU (b038qk3x)
Tweet of the Day
05:58 FRI (b038qk4j)
Unreliable Evidence
20:00 WED (b039q5fm)
Weather
06:04 SAT (b039d95y)
Weather
06:57 SAT (b039d960)
Weather
12:57 SAT (b039d962)
Weather
17:57 SAT (b039d968)
Weather
06:57 SUN (b039lp09)
Weather
07:57 SUN (b039lp0f)
Weather
12:57 SUN (b039lp0k)
Weather
17:57 SUN (b039lp0p)
Weather
05:56 MON (b039lp22)
Weather
12:57 MON (b039lp24)
Weather
21:58 MON (b039lp28)
Weather
12:57 TUE (b039lp3n)
Weather
21:58 TUE (b039lp3t)
Weather
12:57 WED (b039lp4z)
Weather
21:58 WED (b039lp53)
Weather
12:57 THU (b039lp68)
Weather
21:58 THU (b039lp6d)
Weather
12:57 FRI (b039lp7k)
Weather
21:58 FRI (b039lp7p)
Westminster Hour
22:00 SUN (b039p33f)
What Syria Means for Britain
20:00 MON (b03bgy8g)
What the Papers Say
22:45 SUN (b039p33h)
Whistleblowers: Saints or Stirrers?
09:00 THU (b039rqpd)
Whistleblowers: Saints or Stirrers?
21:30 THU (b039rqpd)
Witness
14:45 SUN (b039p32z)
Woman's Hour
16:00 SAT (b039lmk4)
Woman's Hour
10:00 MON (b039pdsy)
Woman's Hour
10:00 TUE (b039px7x)
Woman's Hour
10:00 WED (b039q5ds)
Woman's Hour
10:00 THU (b039rqpj)
Woman's Hour
10:00 FRI (b039rwc9)
Word of Mouth
23:00 MON (b039ctgf)
World at One
13:00 MON (b039pdt8)
World at One
13:00 TUE (b039q24k)
World at One
13:00 WED (b039q5f1)
World at One
13:00 THU (b039rqpv)
World at One
13:00 FRI (b039rwcm)
Wow! How Did They Do That?
09:30 MON (b039pdst)
You and Yours
12:00 MON (b039pdt6)
You and Yours
12:00 TUE (b039q24h)
You and Yours
12:00 WED (b039q5dz)
You and Yours
12:00 THU (b039rqps)
You and Yours
12:00 FRI (b039rwck)
iPM
05:45 SAT (b039dbs2)
iPM
17:30 SAT (b039dbs2)