SATURDAY 11 MAY 2024

SAT 00:00 Midnight News (m001yxrb)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:30 The Miners' Strike: Return Journey (m001wqcj)
Grimethorpe

Still seen as one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in the UK, the year long miners' strike, that began in March 1984, dominated the news for 12 months. It’s been described as “a site of contested memories,” and it continues to evoke strong feelings in those who lived through the strike and had direct experience of it.

Chris Jackson, in his very first job as a young radio reporter in South Wales, found himself covering the dispute that scarred a generation and more. Now, 40 years after the start of the strike, he’s meeting people from different sides of the difficult and controversial industrial dispute, and together they return to a place that holds some very personal memories.

In this episode, Chris is in Grimethorpe, at the spot the miners gathered to return to work in March 1985, marching back to the pit behind their colliery band. He meets two people from different sides of the industrial dispute to talk about that day. Peter Haigh was a National Coal Board manager at Grimethorpe during the strike and Danny Gillespie was a striking Grimethorpe miner.

Presenter: Chris Jackson
Producer: Jo Dwyer
Executive Producer: Rosamund Jones
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001yxrd)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001yxrg)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SAT 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001yxrj)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 05:30 News Briefing (m001yxrm)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001yxrr)
May Altars

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Michael Kelly

Good morning!

I always loved the month of May as a child. Growing up in rural Northern Ireland, the inclement spring weather was finally giving way and hints of the coming summer were all around.

The gardens were in full bloom, and many wildflowers were appearing in the meadows. The village was pristine after the ‘spring clean’ and luscious hanging baskets adorned almost every house.

In the Christian tradition, May is also the month of Mary – the Mother of God. ‘May altars’ are not as common now as when I was a child, but I would remember as we gathered around ours to pray and sing:

Bring flow'rs of the fairest,
Bring flow'rs of the rarest,
From garden and woodland
And hillside and vale;
Our full hearts are swelling,
Our Glad voices telling
The praise of the loveliest
Rose of the vale.

May has also been described as that month of the year when everything seems possible. And, of course, it was also the month of my birthday and brought the promise of summer holidays ever closer.

Of course, as I grew, May also brought dreaded school and – eventually – university exams. If you’re like me, you’ll still have the occasional panicky dream about sitting in the examinations hall with the smell of freshly-cut grass wafting through the window and knowing absolutely nothing about the subject matter in hand.

It's a long time since I’ve sat in an examinations hall, and as I’ve grown older I’ve tried to take more time to smell the flowers.

So, today I pray for the time to be still and to appreciate the beauty of the world around us.

Amen.


SAT 05:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m001yxkb)
Cook from Scratch

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

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


SAT 06:00 News and Papers (m001z5vn)
The latest news headlines. Including the weather and a look at the papers.


SAT 06:07 Open Country (m001yxkz)
Mapping Britain's Holloways

Helen Mark is in Dorset to investigate the county's ancient sunken roads, known as holloways. They're deep, steep-sided tracks formed when soft rock erodes and are often overtopped by a canopy of trees. The erosion over centuries creates remarkable, often otherworldly spaces, that come with their own unique flora and fauna. On her trip to the Symondsbury estate near Bridport Helen hears about how the cave spider and goblin's gold moss can thrive in the cracks of these unlikely rockfaces. She is joined by Andy Jefferies and Rosie Cummings from Natural England who are behind a project to map Britain's extensive network of holloways. The holloways often come with their own folklore too. Local storyteller Martin Maudsley recounts the legend of the Dorset colpexie - mischievous sprites that can taunt the unwary traveller!

Producer: Robin Markwell
Presenter: Helen Mark


SAT 06:30 Farming Today (m001z5vq)
11/05/24 Farming Today This Week: Sandeels, funding for robotic pickers, crisis of confidence for farmers, European roadtrip.

Farmer confidence is at an all time low: that's according to a new survey published this week by the National Farmers' Union. It says the wet weather has had an impact, but farmers also point to worries about the future of their businesses.
The Government’s announcement that the seasonal worker visa scheme is being extended for five years has been welcomed by farming organisations. It comes as part of Defra's response to an independent review into labour shortages in the Food Supply Chain which was published last summer. The Government had said it would respond to it last year.
The RSPB says it is "vital" that a UK ban on fishing for sandeels in the North Sea remains in place. The ban, which stops sandeel trawlers fishing in English and Scottish sections of the North Sea, came into effect in April following a long campaign by conservationists concerned about declining seabird populations, particularly puffins and kittiwakes. Fishermen in Denmark are supporting a challenge by the European Union to the UK ban, claiming they have lost half of their fishing grounds because of the new restrictions.
Cornish journalist and farmer, Stuart Oates, has been taking a European road trip in his fairly ancient land rover, peering over as many hedges as possible. From mangoes in spain to rice in Portugal, he started at the heart of the global wine industry in France. In the UK wine production has become a thriving business, but in Bordeaux things aren't looking so good.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.


SAT 06:57 Weather (m001z5vs)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 07:00 Today (m001z5vv)
Including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


SAT 09:00 Saturday Live (m001z5vx)
Mary Beard, Teresa Moon and Dawn Donkin, Arthur Hughes, Michael and Hilary Whitehall

Mary Beard unearths some of the fascinating little-known stories that helped build the Roman Empire in her new series of Being Roman, and reveals how a cake is responsible for making her Britain’s best-known classicist.

From the senate and the people of Rome to the Sherlock Holmes of Tudor England – star of the new Shardlake series, Arthur Hughes joins us. Born with a rare condition affecting his right arm, Arthur was the first disabled actor to swap his kingdom for a horse and portray Richard III at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

How a story of star-crossed lovers helped bring together two friends thanks to a collection of lost letters written more than 80 years ago. Dawn Donkin and Theresa Moon are with us.

All that, plus the podcasting power-couple responsible for their son Jack...Michael and Hilary Whitehall share their Inheritance Tracks.

Presenters: Huw Stephens and Kiri Pritchard-McLean
Producer: Ben Mitchell


SAT 10:00 Your Place or Mine with Shaun Keaveny (m001z5vz)
Dr Chris van Tulleken: Nunavut, Canadian Arctic

Chris loves exploring the Arctic, swimming off icebergs and cheerily encountering polar bears. Shaun's spirit animal is more grizzly bear but he attempts to dig up his spirit of adventure. Resident geographer, historian and comedian Iszi Lawrence is wrapping up warm for this one.

Your Place Or Mine is the travel series that isn’t going anywhere. Join Shaun as his guests try to convince him that it’s worth getting up off the sofa and seeing the world, giving us a personal guide to their favourite place on the planet.

Producers: Beth O'Dea and Caitlin Hobbs

Your Place or Mine is a BBC Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.


SAT 10:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m001z5w1)
Series 44

Chester

Jay Rayner and his panel of chefs, cooks and writers are in Chester for the first of a new series of The Kitchen Cabinet.

Joining Jay are restaurateur Nisha Katona, chefs Sophie Wright and Rob Owen Brown, and food historian Dr Annie Gray.

The panel offer their best tips and tricks to solve a range of kitchen questions, whether it's recipes involving canned soup, or their top picnic snacks. They also discuss their favourite recipes involving haggis, and debate the most controversial of questions - starter or sweet?

Situated on the Cheshire Plain, Jay chats to Anne Faulkner of Chester cheesemonger The Cheese Shop about the history, types and uses of Cheshire cheese.

Senior Producer: Dominic Tyerman
Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 11:00 The Week in Westminster (m001z5w4)
Ben Riley-Smith of The Telegraph is joined by a range of guests to analyse the latest developments at Westminster.

To discuss Labour's prospects following the local election results, Ben speaks to former Labour leader, Lord Kinnock.

Labour candidate and economist Miatta Fahnbulleh, and Rupert Harrison, a Conservative candidate and former Chief of staff to George Osborne, discuss the economy in the run up to the general election.

As John Swinney becomes First Minister of Scotland, Ben brings the SNP's Ian Blackford together with Many Rhodes, editor of Holyrood Magazine, to discuss whether he can bring unity back to the party.

And finally, in a week that saw celebrities turn out for the Met Gala in New York, can our politicians take a leaf out of their book when it comes to making the right style decisions. Ben is joined by judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, Patrick Grant, and Katie Perrior, former director of communications in Downing Street for Theresa May.


SAT 11:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m001z5w6)
Protests in Georgia

Kate Adie presents stories from Georgia, Serbia, Colombia, Thailand and the Philippines

Georgians have been protesting for weeks about a draft law requiring organisations to declare foreign funding, which many see as a turning point in Tbilisi's relationship with Russia and the West. Rayhan Demytrie explores why the law has proved so divisive.

China’s President Xi Jinping has been on a tour of Europe this week, including a carefully timed visit to the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Guy De Launey witnessed a growing courtship and considers what Beijing's broader agenda might be.

The Darién Gap, an expanse of inhospitable jungle between Colombia and Panama, is now the site of the largest migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere. The 70 mile route is fraught with danger, but for many people fleeing poverty and persecution, the deadly Darién is the only passageway to the US. Peter Yeung joined families crossing the Darién on foot.

Chiang Mai in Thailand's north is popular with travellers who enjoy the famously laid-back atmosphere - but it recently recorded the worst air quality of any city in the world. William Kremer met people directly affected.

You may have heard of K-pop, and J-Pop – but have you heard of P-pop? Philippine pop, or Pinoy pop is hoping to get a share of K-pop's global success, but it’s determined to do so in its own, distinctly Filipino way. Hannah Gelbart has been to meet one of the most popular groups in Manila.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Bridget Harney
Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge


SAT 12:00 News Summary (m001z5w8)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


SAT 12:04 Money Box (m001z5wb)
Pensions Dashboard and Leasehold

The Pension Dashboard is intended to provide an online service to millions of people who have paid into a pension at work by showing all their pots and their value in one place. But the National Audit Office this week revealed a 'digital skills' shortage is behind delays, providers now have until October 2026 to connect to it. The costs of the dashboard are also up by almost a quarter to £279 million.

Some people hoping to sell their leasehold homes are being charged large amounts by their freeholder to fill out a simple form which helps the sale to go through smoothly. We hear from 'Harry' who was just days away from exchanging contracts on his two bed flat in London when his sale collapsed because his freeholder wouldn't sign an LPE1 form unless Harry paid more than £20,000. The forms contain information such as ground rent and service charges and rules on pets.

Also in the programme we answer listener questions about how to protect your money when banks merge, and applications open on the 12th of May for the next round of government funded childcare. Working parents in England with children aged nine months to under two years can apply for 15 hours of subsidised childcare starting from September. Parents have been encouraged by the Department for Education to act as soon as possible to secure their place.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner
Researcher: Sandra Hardial
Editor: Sarah Rogers

This episode was first broadcast on Saturday the 11th of May.


SAT 12:30 Dead Ringers (m001yxqp)
Series 24

Episode 3

A surprising guest appears at the Met Gala, and Rishi Sunak has an urgent message for Elon Musk.

With writing from Nev Fountain & Tom Jamieson, Laurence Howarth, Ed Amsden & Tom Coles, Rob Darke, Edward Tew, Sarah Campbell, Sophie Dixon, Joe Topping, Lizzy Mansfield and Angela Channell. With additional material by Christopher Donovan.

Exec: Pete Strauss
Sound Design: Rich Evans
Prod Co-Ordinator: Dan Marchini
Producer: Bill Dare


SAT 12:57 Weather (m001z5wd)
The latest weather forecast


SAT 13:00 News and Weather (m001z5wg)
The latest national and international news and weather reports from BBC Radio 4


SAT 13:10 Any Questions? (m001yxqw)
Alistair Carmichael MP, Kevin Hollinrake MP, Jonathan Reynolds MP, Sarah Swindley

Alex Forsyth presents political discussion from St Andrew's Parish Church in Sedbergh in Cumbria with the Home Affairs Spokesperson for the Lib Dems Alistair Carmichael MP, the Enterprise Minister Kevin Hollinrake MP, the Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP and the Chief Executive of the Lake District Foundation Sarah Swindley
Producer: Robin Markwell
Lead broadcast engineer: Jonathan Esp


SAT 14:00 Any Answers? (m001z5wj)
Call Any Answers? to have your say on the big issues in the news this week.


SAT 14:45 The Archers (m001yxqr)
Kate and Jakob bring Brian and Alice some shopping, but Brian isn’t pleased to see Jakob. Brian argues with Kate, accusing her of trying to tell him what’s good for Alice. Kate counters, furiously, that his spoiling Alice is why they are in this situation. She adds that Brian’s ill-judged words about Jennifer are what drove Alice to drink that day. Then Jakob points out Alice left while they were rowing. Wearily, Kate asks if she heard, and Jakob says it’s unlikely she didn’t. Kate says it’s time to stop treating Alice with kid gloves. All three leave to try and find her.

Fallon offers Harrison a cuppa as he sorts out his toolbox. The miscarriage is happening. She declines his offer of painkillers or hot water bottle and definitely doesn’t want anyone to know about the pregnancy. He wants to talk about it, but she doesn’t. She promises they will talk but not right now. He wants to go for a walk to clear his head.
Alice turns up and Fallon invites her in. She forcefully tells Alice that she is shaken but still alive and she wants something from her – Alice has to get back to being a mum to Martha and a friend. She has to get back on her feet – if she does that she is forgiven. Harrison returns and erupts with fury, turning on Fallon for refusing to talk to him but having time to chat to her friend. He throws Alice out – shouting at her in the street that Fallon was pregnant and now she’s not: ‘Are you Sorry for that?’


SAT 15:00 Drama on 4 (m000p0g5)
Also Sprach Zarathustra

Witty biopic of a book by Simon Scardifield and Andrew Day exploring interpretations - and misinterpretations - of Nietzsche's world-changing ideas. Starring Zubin Varla, Clare Corbett, Carl Prekopp and Olivia Ross.

Directed by Emma Harding

CAST

Also Sprach Zarathustra.....Zubin Varla
Pride and Prejudice.....Clare Corbett
On the Road.....Carl Prekopp
Madame Bovary.....Olivia Ross

All other parts played by Roger Ringrose, Charlotte East, Luke Nunn, Emma Handy, Simon Scardifield and Ian Dunnett Jnr.


SAT 16:00 Woman's Hour (m001z5wl)
Weekend Woman's Hour: Foster caring, Liz Carr on assisted dying, Sabrina Ali on Dugsi Dayz, Rachel Chinouriri

The number of children in care is continuing to rise each year, and thousands of new foster carers are needed. The comedian and writer Kiri Pritchard-McLean has done just that. During lockdown, Kiri and her partner embarked on a journey to become foster carers in north Wales and she’s ‘evangelical’ about the role. It’s the subject of her new seven-month comedy tour, Peacock.

The debate on assisted dying is often framed around the issues of choice for the terminally ill, but what about the rights of the disabled? Actor and disability rights campaigner Liz Carr has major concerns about potential changes to the law that she believes could leave people with disabilities at risk. She joins Clare McDonnell to discuss her documentary “Better Off Dead” which explores the debate from the perspective of disabled people.

Four girls sitting in detention on a Saturday at their local Mosque are stuck in darkness after a power outage. To pass the time, they tell Somali folktales and bond in a modern day take on The Breakfast Club. That’s the scene for Dugsi Dayz, performing now at the Royal Court Theatre. The writer and actor Sabrina Ali told Hayley Hassell all about it.

What would happen if you could only speak the truth – and not even tell white lies? That’s the subject of a new book by Radhika Sanghani, called The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie. Radhika herself hasn’t lied for two years – she told Clare why she wanted to write the book and the things she’s learnt from telling only the truth.

Singer songwriter Rachel Chinouriri is one of the music industry’s rising stars, gaining plaudits from celebrity fans, including Adele, Sophie Turner and Florence Pugh, for her nostalgic Indie sounds. Rachel talks about her first album, What A Devastating Turn Of Events, which is an intimate exploration of her experiences and relationships.

Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Annette Wells
Editor: Deiniol Buxton


SAT 17:00 PM (m001z5wn)
Israel urges more Palestinians to leave Rafah

Israel urges Palestinians to leave the Gazan city of Rafah. With fighting intensifying, a UN agency warns this is breaking point.


SAT 17:30 Sliced Bread (m001yxkn)
LED Face Masks

Is an LED face mask the secret to brighter, clearer, more youthful skin?

Greg Foot is back with a new series of Sliced Bread to run a whole new batch of your suggested wonder products through the evidence mill. From car tyres to contact lenses, air fresheners to LED face masks, Greg will separate science fact from marketing fiction as he investigates whether each product is 'the best thing since sliced bread' or 'marketing BS'.

There's a slightly new sound to this new series: having recorded most of the previous episodes remotely, Greg is going to be joined in the studio by the listener and experts to investigate the wonder products together!

First to join Greg is Helen Leneghan from County Down. She’s seen LED Face Masks all over social media and wants to know if they actually work. Do they reduce your wrinkles? Will they give you a radiant glow? And can they help with some skin conditions like acne or rosacea?

As ever, if YOU have seen something promising to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know if it is SB or BS please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voicenote on Whatsapp to 07543 306807

PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Simon Hoban


SAT 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m001z5wq)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SAT 17:57 Weather (m001z5ws)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SAT 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m001z5wv)
Israel has told tens of thousands more to leave as it intensifies military operations.


SAT 18:15 Loose Ends (m001z5wx)
Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sacha Lord, Eddi Reader, Benji Waterhouse, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, Fairground Attraction

Stuart Maconie is joined by Sacha Lord who offers some Tales from the Dancefloor, Julie Hesmondhalgh talks about the impact of a single punch which is considered in a new play by James Graham at the Nottingham Playhouse.
Dr Benji Waterhouse, a frontline NHS psychiatrist, discusses his new book You Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here and there's music and chat from Fairground Attraction and Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand.


SAT 19:00 Profile (m001z5wz)
John Swinney

After over four decades in the SNP and nearly two in government, John Swinney is finally stepping up to the top job for the first time, becoming Scotland’s new First Minister.

He’s no stranger to big jobs - it’s actually his second stint as SNP leader - but leading his country and his party is looking tougher than ever, as the SNP finds itself facing formidable challenges.

Who is this stalwart of the SNP, and do his life and experiences equip him for the task ahead? Mark Coles talks to friends, colleagues, and those who’ve watched this political operator up close for years.

Presenter: Mark Coles
Producer: Nathan Gower
Assistant Producer: Diane Richardson and Marianna Brain
Editor: Tom Bigwood
Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

Music:

‘John Swinney (We Salute You)' by Nocturnal Vermin (Isaac Brutal, James ‘Slippyunderfoot‘ McCready, Arnold Bastard)


SAT 19:15 This Cultural Life (m001yxkg)
Anne Enright

Irish novelist Anne Enright is the author of seven novels, including The Gathering, winner of the Booker Prize in 2007. Her 2012 novel The Forgotten Waltz won the Andre Carnegie Medal for Fiction and her novel The Green Road won The Irish Novel of the Year in 2015, the same year that she was appointed as the inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction. Her latest novel The Wren, The Wren has been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024.

Anne tells John Wilson how her childhood home in the suburbs of Dublin, and holidays spent at the Pollock Holes in Kilkee inform her writing. She recalls her book-devouring household and first reading Ulysses while on a cycling holiday at the age of 14. The play Top Girls by Caryl Churchill was also a creative influence, particularly in the way Churchill wrote dialogue for women who were at the time, so underrepresented on stage. Anne also cites the influence of the writer Angela Carter, both as a writer of contemporary fiction and as her tutor and mentor at the University of East Anglia.

Producer: Edwina Pitman

Archive and readings used:

Extract from The Gathering, read by Anne Enright
Extract from The Wren, The Wren, read by Charlotte Pyke
Extract from Top Girls by Caryl Churchill, BBC, 1992


SAT 20:00 Archive on 4 (m001z5x1)
Gareth Gwynn Hasn't Fin-

From buildings such as the Sagrada Familia to The Beach Boys’ legendary Smile album, we can’t get enough of unfinished creative projects. Comedy writer Gareth Gwynn turns the BBC archive upside down in an effort to deliver a comprehensive field guide to all things left undone.

We've all been there, haven't we? Things we set out to do, jobs half-done, exciting plans started with such promise, but are now left languishing in perpetual stasis. Is it all failure and frustration or might unfinished projects in fact offer an antidote to our completist society? Through surveying lesser known but brilliantly intriguing unfinished artworks, albums, plays, films, buildings and books, as well as his own side-lined projects, Gareth finds [INSERT WHAT GARETH FINDS HERE].

Featuring contributions from serial unfinisher and comedian Angela Barnes, expert journalist of the mind Kristin Wong, writer and performer Jae Broderick, ‘Smile’ obsessive and comedian Jason Hazeley, art gallery owner Chris Kendall and audio producer/reboot specialist Barnaby Eaton-Jones. A three-act philosophical foray into the world of the unfini

Written and presented by Gareth Gwynn
Produced by James Bonney and Jess Gunasekara
Executive Producer: Steven Rajam
Sound: Mike Woolley
An Overcoat Media production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 21:00 Legend (m001t33v)
The Joni Mitchell Story

6. Both Sides Now

Legend is a new music biography series from BBC Radio 4 exploring the extraordinary life stories of pioneering artists who changed music forever.

In the final episode, we hear how Joni comes full circle. She reunites with the daughter she gave up for adoption, retires then returns to music, suffers from and then recovers from a near-fatal brain aneurysm, all those years after contracting and surviving polio. With the love and support of a community of musicians, Joni once again returns to the stage, celebrating all that she's created over 80 years.

“I’ve always been a creature of change” – Joni Mitchell

Through archive, fresh interviews, narration, immersive sound design and an original score, we trace the story of an extraordinary life and explore what makes Joni Mitchell a singular artist: the genius of her lyrics; her incredible talent as guitarist, painter and producer; and her restless drive for innovation.

We follow Joni from her ‘flatlander’ childhood on the Canadian prairies, through the folk clubs of Toronto and Detroit, to a redwood cottage in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, to a cave in Crete, to a deserted desert highway, to recording studios and stages around the world. From her earliest home recordings to masterpieces like Blue, Court and Spark, and Hejira, we explore some of the stories behind her best-loved songs and celebrate her remarkable return to live performance in the past year: “like seeing, in the wild, a rare bird long feared extinct”.

Our guide through the series is the California-born, Manchester-based musician, Jesca Hoop. We hear tributes from musicians who have played alongside Joni and from those who have been inspired and influenced by her music. We hear from friends, including Larry Klein and Graham Nash; and from music critics and biographers, including Ann Powers, David Yaffe, Lindsay Zoladz, Kate Mossman, Barney Hoskyns, Miles Grier and Jenn Pelly.

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

Producers: Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas
Production Coordinator: Andrew Lewis
Editor: Chris Ledgard
Story Editor: Emma Harding
Story Consultant: John Yorke
Sound Design and Original Music: Hannis Brown
Studio Engineers: Ilse Lademann and Michael Harrison


SAT 21:30 Influenced (m001y3v3)
Helen Lewis Has Left the Chat

Left the Chat: No 6. The Telegram War

The encrypted messaging app Telegram is haunted by a single question - if it really is as secure as it claims to be, why does Vladimir Putin allow it to be used in Russia?

And should Russian dissidents, independent journalists and Ukrainian soldiers use this Wild West of an app, where you can find everything from porn to drugs to faked propaganda videos?

Answering those questions takes Helen on a journey that begins with a young Russian entrepreneur throwing 5,000 rouble notes off a balcony, folded like paper aeroplanes, and finishes with him in exile in Dubai, rich beyond his wildest dreams. But what does Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, really believe?

Producer: Tom Pooley
Assistant Producer: Orla O'Brien
Sound Design: Louis Blatherwick
Editor: Craig Templeton Smith
Original Music: Coach Conrad

A Tempo & Talker production for BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:00 News (m001z5x3)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SAT 22:15 The Food Programme (m001yxpw)
Posh Nosh: Food's Class Dilemma

How much does what you choose to eat come from what social class you were born into, or identify with now? In this episode, Sheila Dillon takes on the often uncomfortable conversation about social class in the UK, British people's obsession with it, and what it's doing to our health via the way we choose to eat.

Sheila is joined at an east London pie and mash shop by the food historian Pen Vogler, whose book "Scoff: A History of Food and Class in Britain" charts the way these class markers were established and continue to be upheld. She explains how many foods have moved between classes, and why we pedestal imported foods, including fast foods from America.

After a 'posh' Afternoon Tea overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, Sheila heads to the studio to understand more about the impact of these class markers. How has the food industry used these links to sell more food? and what’s being done to break these connections between food and social class?

Joining her are five guests whose life experiences help illuminate the topic, they are the food campaigner Kathleen Kerridge, TikTok chef Nathan Smith (Grubworks Kitchen), Masterchef judge and food writer William Sitwell, Anna Taylor from The Food Foundation and Dr Maxine Woolhouse, a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University specialising in food, class and gender.

So can we ever give these class markers up? Sheila's final visit is to a Community Garden in Hoxton, The Growing Kitchen, where everyone is welcome. Here she meets chairman Tony and member Carmel who share the secrets of their classless community of gardeners and cooks.

Presented by Sheila Dillon
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan


SAT 23:00 You Heard It Here First (m001z4j1)
Series 2

Six: 'How well do you remember Thundercats?'

Chris McCausland asks Donna Preston and Jon Long to take on Glenn Moore and Sara Pascoe. Sara Pascoe finds a child's description of a famous film scene impossible to decipher. The two teams must figure out what on earth is being advertised on TV, guess what famous objects or locations children are trying to describe, and work out the age of members of the audience from their voice alone.

Producer: Sasha Bobak
Assistant Producer: Becky Carewe-Jeffries
Executive Producer: Richard Morris
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini

A BBC Studios Production

An EcoAudio certified production


SAT 23:30 Round Britain Quiz (m001yy9x)
Programme 9, 2024

(9/12)
Earlier in the series when Stephen Maddock and Frankie Fanko of the Midlands played Stuart Maconie and Adele Geras of the North of England, the Midlands won emphatically. Can the North reverse the result today? Kirsty Lang provides the cryptic questions and the helpful hints too, if they need them.

The questions in today's quiz are:

Q1 Why would a breath-freshening confectionery item, the object of Adrian Mole's affections, and a Beethoven piano sonata, be likely to please the Prime Minister?

Q2 (from David Brain) Why might racing to the Isle of Man help you to get a pint that's been improved, a lascivious look that results in correspondence, or a visionary who writes quiz questions?

Q3 Music: Which entrapped family would particularly enjoy this sequence, and what might be their contribution?

Q4 (from Dr Anthony Edwards) If fifth place might make you think of a rifle, fourth place is a Victorian singer in search of something, third place gave us The Iron Heel and second place sounds like the voice of Radiohead, why would first place go to a sort of bookstand?

Q5 (from Charlie Wakely) Why could the progenitors of an unusually arch handbag and a poetic account of a seat of learning for women find common cause in a railway station bookshop?

Q6 (from Jill Butler) Music: How might these musicians add colour to the lives of Miss Sharp's school principal, a faithless naval officer and a man who set investigations in motion in the mid-19th century?

Q7 (from Keith Scholes) Why might a vainglorious poetic king of kings, the voice of Yoda, an obscenity trial, an Argentine midfielder and manager, and the leader of a musical occult meeting, lead you to the real and lyrical origins of some working men?

Q8 (from Peter Green) A Scot would know how a high-ranking mafioso and a high-ranking Ottoman leader might come together with a pseudonymous writer killed by a sniper in the First World War, to form the subject of a Peter Blake canvas. Do you?

Producer: Paul Bajoria

SUNDAY 12 MAY 2024

SUN 00:00 Midnight News (m001z5x5)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


SUN 00:15 Bookclub (m001yy9v)
Nicholas Shakespeare: Six Minutes in May

James Naughtie and readers quiz Nicholas Shakespeare about his book, Six Minutes In May: How Churchill Unexpectedly Became Prime Minister. It chronicles the dramatic political and military events of 1940 which led to the momentous Norway Debate and Chamberlain’s resignation.

Upcoming recordings at BBC Broadcasting House in London:

Wednesday 15 May at 1300: Lucy Caldwell on These Days

Thursday 6 June at 1245: Marlon James on A Brief History of Seven Killings


SUN 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001z5x7)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001z5x9)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


SUN 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001z5xc)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 05:30 News Briefing (m001z5xf)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 05:43 Bells on Sunday (m001z5xh)
The Parish church of St Andrew in Wissett, Suffolk

Bells on Sunday comes from the Parish church of St Andrew in Wissett, Suffolk


SUN 05:45 In Touch (m001yy79)
Sleep

What is non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder? It is a condition that impacts the natural body clock, thus affecting sleep, and can be triggered by a lack of or no light perception. Tina Snow got in touch after having suffered with this condition for most of her life and she struggled to get the treatment she needed. We have brought Tina together with a world expert in this condition to give information on how the condition works and how it can be treated effectively. We also hear from Tina's GP, who recently sought a individual prescription for melatonin (a natural hormone that regulates sleep) and we hear Kaukub Asia's experience, who also has issues with her circadian rhythm due to her visual impairment.

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


SUN 06:00 News Summary (m001z62v)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4


SUN 06:05 Beyond Belief (m001yy6v)
Spiritual Seekers

Eddy Elsey, an estate agent in London, was struggling with his mental health and looking for support. Like 37% of people, according to the last census in England and Wales, traditional religion wasn’t a place he turned to. But, as he tells Giles Fraser, he did find a spiritual connection through shamanism, which has helped him.

When people say they are "spiritual but not religious", what do they mean and what do they believe?

A group of people who make use of spiritual ideologies describe their practices, from sound healing to astrology. What are oracle cards and how do you carry out a shamanic divination?

Giles meets Celestial Tree, an astrologist, Jo Moore a yoga teacher and reiki practitioner and Linda Woodhead, Professor of Moral and Social Theology at Kings College, London, who has researched the growth of spiritualities. What draws people towards them?

Producer: Rebecca Maxted
Assistant Producer: Ruth Purser
Editor: Jonathan Hallewell


SUN 06:35 On Your Farm (m001z62x)
From Watercress to Wasabi

Jon Old’s family own around 16 hectares of watercress beds across the Hampshire and Dorset countryside, supplying major supermarket chains. However, since 2010, they’ve also been growing something else: wasabi. Known for its spicy flavour, wasabi is difficult to grow even in its native climate of Japan, but Jon and his team have been able to create a hospitable habitat in a specially adapted Victorian watercress bed.

Charlotte Smith heads to Manor Farm near Alresford to learn about the watercress side of the business and meets Tom Amery, who has worked with the Old family for over 25 years. Tom talks about the history of watercress, explaining how the growth of the railways in the Victorian era meant that watercress could be transported rapidly from Hampshire all over the country. Charlotte finds out how watercress is grown and learns about the important relationship between the farm and the area's natural springs.

Charlotte then visits the place where the wasabi is grown, to find out more about this enigmatic plant. Like watercress, it is fed on water from natural springs, but instead of the broad, flat, open beds that watercress is grown in, wasabi is cultivated in shady conditions on gravel rows, mimicking its natural habitat in the mountain streams of Japan. Wasabi is a slow and difficult crop to grow, taking around eighteen months to be ready to harvest. It’s also a challenging ingredient to cook with, with chefs needing to understand how to use it to make the most of its short-lived but intense heat and flavour. Charlotte hears about Jon’s passion for this temperamental plant and why, despite the challenges of growing it in the UK, he believes it’s worth it.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced by Jo Peacey


SUN 06:57 Weather (m001z62z)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 07:00 News and Papers (m001z631)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the papers.


SUN 07:10 Sunday (m001z633)
A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week


SUN 07:54 Radio 4 Appeal (m001z635)
Prisoners' Education Trust

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Prisoners' Education Trust.

To Give:
- UK Freephone 0800 404 8144
-You can donate online at bbc.co.uk/appeal/radio4
- Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. (That’s the whole address. Please do not write anything else on the front of the envelope). Mark the back of the envelope ‘Prisoners' Education Trust’.
- Cheques should be made payable to ‘Prisoners' Education Trust’.
Please note that Freephone and online donations for this charity close at 23.59 on the Saturday after the Appeal is first broadcast. However the Freepost option can be used at any time.

Registered charity number: 1084718


SUN 07:57 Weather (m001z637)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 08:00 News and Papers (m001z639)
The latest news headlines. Including a look at the Sunday papers


SUN 08:10 Sunday Worship (m001z63c)
I See You

Priest and poet Rev Laura Darrall, Curate of St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Rustington, leads a meditation for Mental Health Awareness Week. The service includes a number of her poems which reflect on her lived experience, including ‘I see you’ and ‘Free me’, alongside reflections by Rev Dr Isabelle Hamley, Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge.

Producer: Andrew Earis


SUN 08:48 A Point of View (m001yxqy)
Apple Days

Rebecca Stott is on a quest for a decent tasting apple. Along the way she discovers a revival of interest in wonderful heritage varieties: the rough textured russets like Ashmeads Kernel, the rich, aromatic Saltcote Pippin or the sharp tanginess of the Alfriston.

Rebecca asks why - given the UK has an impressive two and a half thousand varieties of apple - we can only buy four or five in the average supermarket.

Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Liam Morrey
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith


SUN 08:58 Tweet of the Day (m001z63f)
Anneka Rice on the Magpie Robin

Broadcaster Anneka Rice used to live in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated places on the planet. But in that vibrant, bustling, noisy cityscape lived the magpie robin whose song pierced through the human soundscape and enriched her time living here. In this episode of Tweet of the Day Anneka recalls how the magpie robin's song enriched her time living there.

A BBC Audio production from Bristol
Producer : Andrew Dawes
Studio engineer : Tim Allen


SUN 09:00 Broadcasting House (m001z63h)
The dark art of political defection

As the Tories seek to discredit Natalie Elphicke, another defector describes the abuse they received after leaving for Labour. Plus, Brian Blessed reflects on the Northern Lights.


SUN 10:00 Desert Island Discs (m001z63k)
Greg Davies, comedian

Greg Davies is a familiar face on television as the host of Taskmaster, the BAFTA-winning game show, and he has achieved sell out national arena tours as a stand-up. His on-screen breakthrough came in 2008 when he played the head of the sixth form, Mr Gilbert, in the highly successful teenage comedy series the Inbetweeners. He wrote and starred in the black comedy the Cleaner and co-wrote the sitcom Man Down in which he played a man in the grip of a midlife crisis.

Greg was born in St Asaph in north Wales and grew up in Shropshire. At school he gravitated towards what he calls the silly boys who created characters and devised comedy sketches in the playground. When he was 18 he discovered Eddie Murphy whose stand-up routines about his relatives spurred Greg to look to his own family as comedic source material.

Greg spent 13 years as an English and Drama teacher – a time he looks back on with mixed emotions and which he has mined for his stage act. When he was 33 he left teaching and started performing stand-up gigs and performed his first solo stand-up show at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010.

Greg lives in south London.

DISC ONE: Baggy Trousers - Madness
DISC TWO: Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
DISC THREE: 100% Endurance - Yard Act
DISC FOUR: Circlesquare - The Wonder Stuff
DISC FIVE: Cemetry Gates - The Smiths
DISC SIX: Consider Yourself - Jack Wild (The Artful Dodger) and The Orchestra, conducted by John Green. From Oliver! [An Original Soundtrack Recording]
DISC SEVEN: She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
DISC EIGHT: The Next Episode - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg

BOOK CHOICE: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
LUXURY ITEM: Sausages
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: 100% Endurance - Yard Act

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley


SUN 11:00 The Archers Omnibus (m001z63m)
Writer: Naylah Ahmed
Director: Kim Greengrass & Mel Ward
Editor: Jeremy Howe

Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood
Harrison Burns…. James Cartwright
Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman
Chris Carter…. Wilf Scolding
Alan Franks…. John Telfer
George Grundy…. Angus Stobie
Will Grundy…. Philip Malloy
Jakob Hakansson…. Paul Venables
Joy Horville…. Jackie Lye
Alistair Lloyd…. Michael Lumsden
Paul Mack…. Joshua Riley
Adam Macy…. Andrew Wincott
Kate Madikane…. Perdita Avery
Jazzer McCreary…. Ryan Kelly
Denise Metcalf…. Clare Perkins
Fallon Rogers…. Joanna Van Kampen
Mick…. Martin Barrass
Dr Ghanam…. Philip Arditti


SUN 12:15 Profile (m001z5wz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Saturday]


SUN 12:30 It's a Fair Cop (m001yysv)
Series 8

6. Domestic Violence

When should the police get involved in people's personal lives?

Ever worried about a friend's new partner even when they say everything is 'fine'? In this week's episode Alfie looks into helping someone who might be under 'coercive control'.

Details of support for domestic abuse are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

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

An EcoAudio Certified Production
A BBC Studios Audio Production


SUN 12:57 Weather (m001z63p)
The latest weather forecast


SUN 13:00 The World This Weekend (m001z63r)
England's prison problem

A former inmate and a former guard shed light on the state of England's crumbling prisons. But how can they be fixed?


SUN 13:30 Conflict on Campus (m001zk1s)
Examining how the Israel-Gaza war is affecting students here in the UK. Anwar Akhtar is a director at the Samosa Project, a media and arts charity working to create understanding across cultures. He heads to Leeds, and gets a close-up view of the tensions bubbling over at the university.


SUN 14:00 Gardeners' Question Time (m001yxqc)
University of Reading

What suggestions do the panel have to attract new gardeners to our community allotment? Should I replace my drought damaged slow growing conifers? What evergreen hardy plants for some winter interest can I have in my tropical themed garden?

Peter Gibbs and his team of scholastic horticultural experts are at the University of Reading for this week's episode of Gardeners' Question Time.

Joining Peter answer the audience's gardening conundrums are passionate plantsman Matthew Biggs, garden designer Juliet Sargeant, and self proclaimed botany geek James Wong.

Peter Gibbs speaks with Professor Sarah Dance about Reading University’s study into meteorology and their on-going research into predicting weather forecasts weeks in advance.

Producer: Dominic Tyerman

Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 14:45 Opening Lines (m001z63t)
The Man Who Fell to Earth

The Man Who Fell to Earth by American writer Walter Tevis was published in 1963. Unlike most sci-fi of its time, it’s not about space, far-off galaxies or a distant future, but set only a decade or so from the time of writing.

When an inhabitant of the planet Anthea comes to Earth in search of the resources to save his world, he uses his knowledge of advanced technology to amass the fortune he needs to save his people from extinction. As Thomas Jerome Newton’s secret project takes shape at a site in rural Kentucky, this extra-terrestrial visitor becomes an all-too-human and troubled figure.

John looks at how deeply the story is lodged in Walter Tevis’ own experience and that of post-war America. He also asks what it is about Tevis’ writing that has made this book, along with his others including The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Queen’s Gambit, so appealing to the film and television industry.

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatized in BBC Radio 4’s Sunday/Saturday Drama series. From EastEnders to The Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless, he has been obsessed with telling big popular stories. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe and has brought together his experience in his bestselling book Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama. As founder of the hugely successful BBC Writers Academy, John has trained a generation of screenwriters.

Contributor:
Professor Farah Mendlesohn is the author of several books about science fiction and fantasy literature, including Rhetorics of Fantasy (2008), Children’s Fantasy Literature (co-authored, 2016) and The Pleasant Profession of Robert A Heinlein (2019). She has been nominated six times for the Hugo Award for Best Related Work, which she won in 2005 with The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (edited with Edward James)

Walter Tevis audio from an interview with Don Swaim, Ohio University, 1984

Readings by Riley Neldam from The Man Who Fell to Earth (Gollancz 1963)

Producers: Tolly Robinson and Sara Davies
Executive Producer: Caroline Raphael
Sound: Sean Kerwin
Researcher: Nina Semple
Production Manager: Sarah Wright

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 15:00 Drama on 4 (m001z63w)
The Man Who Fell to Earth

The classic novel that spawned the acclaimed film starring David Bowie, from the writer of The Queen's Gambit and The Hustler.

An alien arrives in Kentucky with five years to save the handful of survivors of his dying planet, and to save humanity from itself. Calling himself Thomas Newton, his plan is to use his race’s advanced technology to make millions, and then build a spaceship to bring the last of his people to live on Earth.

But Newton begins to doubt his purpose, and finds himself unable to cope with the emotional weight of being human. He finds solace with two fellow outsiders - cheery functioning alcoholic Betty-Jo, who falls quietly in love with him, and widowed scientist Nathan Bryce, who tracks him down after recognising his tech as impossible.

Little do they realise that the Government are watching…

Cast:
Thomas Newton: Harry Treadaway
Nathan Bryce: Christopher Eccleston
Betty-Jo: Laura Aikman
Farnsworth: Stuart Milligan
CIA Director Bowen: Glen McCready
Canutti: Ako Mitchell
Brinnarde: Andre Refig
Doctor Martinez: Fiona Sheehan
Sarah Miller: Alix Dunmore

Written by Stephen Keyworth
Adapted from the novel by Walter Tevis, courtesy of Studiocanal
Sound Design by Jon Nicholls
Original score by Gazelle Twin
Directed by Simon Barnard

A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 16:00 Open Book (m001z63y)
Hari Kunzru

Hari Kunzru speaks to Shahidha Bari about his new novel, Blue Ruin, about money's influence on art.

Plus the writing of historical crime fiction writer CJ Sansom. Following his sad passing two fellow writers guide us through his work and life: his friend William Shaw, who writes as GW Shaw, and also Stephanie Merritt, pen name SJ Parris.

And an audio postcard from Istanbul. Writer Andrew Finkel has lived there for over thirty years and describes how novelists have variously tried to unlock the city’s mysteries.

Presenter: Shahidha Bari
Producer: Emma Wallace

Book List – Sunday 12 May

Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru
White Tears by Hari Kunzru
Red Pill by Hari Kunzru
The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru
Dissolution by C. J. Sansom
Heartstone by C.J. Sansom
Revelation by C.J. Sansom
The Shardlake Series by C. J. Sansom
Dominion by C. J. Sansom
Tombland by C. J. Sansom
Sovereign by C. J. Sansom
Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom
The Wild Swimmers by William Shaw
Alchemy by S. J. Parris
The Adventure of the Second Wife by Andrew Finkel
Istanbul: The Imperial City by John Freely
Candide by Voltaire
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Fog by Tevik Fikret
Sailing to Byzantium by WB Yeats
Stamboul Train by Graham Greene
The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye: Five Fairy Stories by A.S. Byatt
The Maltese Falcon by Samuel Dashiell Hammett


SUN 16:30 Round Britain Quiz (m001z640)
Programme 10, 2024

(10/12)
Wales and Northern Ireland face off in the cryptic quiz for the last time this season. A win for either team could put them in a very strong position to take this year's series title. Kirsty Lang asks the questions, with Cariad Lloyd and Myfanwy Alexander playing for Wales, opposite Freya McClements and Paddy Duffy for Northern Ireland.

The questions today are:

Q1 (from Daniel Kitto) Where in the world do the day's end, Augustine's mother, an Ace detective and La Serenissima share a common route?

Q2 Why might bringing together a politician who gets a lot of letters, an overseer of Apprentices, and an Irish footballer and pundit (now retired) create a happy family?

Q3 Music: Where are we?

Q4 Why could a Wicked composer, a unit of frequency and the main constituent of granite find their end with a mining company founded on a Spanish river?

Q5 (from Adrian Perry) What's the masterful connection between a fictional Los Angeles detective, the first racing driver to compete in 300 Grand Prix races, and the pop group best known for introducing friends? And what kind of beard might suit them best?

Q6 (from Simon Meara) Music: Listen to these pieces and explain why none of them is the cause.

Q7 (from Anne Mitchell) Explain how, from a bad beginning, you might: keep the doctor away; cause fever, nausea, vomiting and death; use an incorrect word to humorous effect; succeed a 'dead butcher'; or be awarded the George Cross?

Q8 (from Karl Sabbagh) What might hold together charged particles in a magnetosphere, a group of iron oxides, and a huntsman of legend?

Producer: Paul Bajoria


SUN 17:00 Witness History (w3ct3bxx)
From a goddess to a graduate

In 2000, when Chanira Bajrycharya was just five years old, she was chosen to be a Kumari - a child goddess in Nepal. For the next 10 years, she remained inside her Kumari house, receiving worshippers and giving blessings. She tells Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty about being a living deity, and how her life changed after losing her status as a goddess aged 15. Chanira now works for a mortgage broker in Kathmandu.


SUN 17:10 The Invention Of... (m001yys6)
China

Imperial Collapse

"You could do a whole programme on why you shouldn't build a capital in Beijing. It's a Mongolian camel camp." Paul French

Beijing means capital of the north, and was first used by the Ming to distinguish it from Nanjng, capital of the south. Home to the Forbidden City where the emperors lived, the centre had a tortuous relationship with many other parts of China. By the end of the Qing dynasty this relationship had totally broken down, but what was going to replace the old system? Step forward Dr Sun Yat-sen, professional republican revolutionary.

Contributors include Jonathan Fenby, former editor of the South China Post and author of the Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power; Professor Julia Lovell, whose books include The Great Wall and Maoism: A Global History; and also Frances Wood, author of No Dogs and Not Many Chinese, and Paul French, Midnight in Peking.

This is episode three of The Invention of China and episode 57 of How to Invent a Country on BBC Sounds.
The presenter is Misha Glenny, the producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde.


SUN 17:54 Shipping Forecast (m001z643)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


SUN 17:57 Weather (m001z645)
The latest weather reports and forecast


SUN 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m001z647)
Lord Cameron says restricting UK arms sales to Israel could embolden Hamas.


SUN 18:15 Pick of the Week (m001z649)
Pat Nevin

From a wall of human sound at the Bernabéu to a wall of birdsong in Glen Affric; Mark Kermode wrestles with his conscience, and we find out if Donald Trump actually has one. There's protest and patriotism, poignancy and Polanski - not forgetting the return of the Brooklyn Cowgirl, who is back in the saddle after being forgotten for 50 years: this is Pat Nevin's special 'Pick of the Week' audio travelogue.

Presenter: Pat Nevin
Producer: James Leesley


SUN 19:00 The Archers (m001z64c)
Chelsea, Freddie and Paul prepare the food for today’s cricket match against Farndale. They’re short on players, so Paul and Chelsea have been roped in and Tracy’s trying to convince George to take part. They wonder if team captain Harrison will turn up after Fallon’s miscarriage last week and later Tracy confirms that Harrison’s not coming. George agrees to think about playing when Tracy points out that Tilly Button will be there. George is fed up with everyone wanting to talk to him about his ‘heroic’ river rescue but Tracy counters that’s because everyone, including her, is proud of George. But Tracy thinks Alice should be locked up for drunk driving and causing the accident. Paul agrees - because of Alice, six people could have drowned in the Am, including his mum, Denise. She’s still sick from her part in the River Am rescue.

At the last minute everyone’s delighted when George turns up at the cricket ground, calling him a hero, but George is having none of it. Paul comments that Denise and Alistair feel the same as George and won’t hear a word of praise. George has a storming game but in the end Ambridge lose the match. In The Bull afterwards Tracy praises the team, and they raise their glasses! But George is subdued and when he learns about Fallon’s miscarriage, he feels sick and heads to the toilet. Chelsea wonders what’s wrong and asks if it’s because of what happened to Fallon. When George worries their baby died because of him, Chelsea puts him straight saying it absolutely wasn’t his fault.


SUN 19:15 'Am I Home?' - Life in a Dementia Village (m001z64f)
We lie to people with dementia.

In fact, it's one of the only illnesses where lying is acceptable and extends into the entire care process. Since dementia gravely impacts a person's cognitive abilities, those diagnosed won't share the same reality as their carers. To bridge this reality gap and appease disoriented patients, carers distort the truth. Entire care home facilities seek to transform a patient's surroundings into fictional settings.

In the heart of Warwick, England, lies an extraordinary experiment in dementia care - a care home transformed to look like a village. In “Am I Home? Life In A Dementia Village”, journalist Lara Bullens takes listeners on a profound journey into a community designed to redefine the boundaries of familiarity for those navigating the fog of dementia.

At Woodside Care Village, dementia residents live a somewhat normal life. They are free to roam outside their households, visit the local shop and even get their hair done at Cutters Hair and Beauty salon. Here, the comforts of familiarity and the quiet despair of warped realities coexist, offering a window into the daily dance carers make to navigate the complexities of dementia care.

But beneath the surface of these carefully curated environments, lies a complex web of ethical considerations. Listeners will hear how Lara grapples with the implicates of creating alternative realities for those whose grip on the real world is tenuous. Is it possible to build a world that comforts without deceiving, that cares in complete honesty?

Weaving a narrative that is as personal as it is universal, Lara draws from the haunting memory of her mother's struggle with early onset fronto-temporal dementia. Her own struggles with lying bring to light the ethical labyrinth of dementia care, where therapeutic fibs become a poignant tool in bridging the chasm between the world as we know it and the world as it is perceived by someone with dementia.

Through the intimate lens of Woodside Care Village, listeners are invited to reconsider what it means to provide care in the shadow of dementia - a condition that, in its cruellest irony, often leaves individuals feeling profoundly alone in a crowd of familiar faces.

Written and Presented by Lara Bullens
Produced by Lara Bullens and Olivia Humphreys
Executive Producer: Steven Rajam
An Overcoat Media production for BBC Radio 4


SUN 19:45 Why Do We Do That? (m001fvb0)
Why Can't We All Be Morning People?

Are you at one with midnight, or up before sunrise? In this episode, Ella Al-Shamahi investigates when we naturally feel tired and awake, known as our chronotype. Our chronotype depends on our lifestyle, our environment, where we live, and is also influenced by our genes. In this episode, Ella Al-Shamahi uncovers fascinating research which suggests our chronotype can be traced back over 100,000 years ago, to when our early modern human ancestors interbred with Neanderthals. She speaks to geneticist Tony Capra how DNA from our Neanderthal ancestors may be influencing our present-day sleeping habits and shares her revelations with professional early riser and BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast presenter Arielle Free.


SUN 20:00 Word of Mouth (m001yxl3)
Football Club Names

Dominic Fifield explains how football clubs got their names, uncovering a fascinating social history behind the Wanderers, Wednesdays and Villas.

Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Heaven


SUN 20:30 Last Word (m001yxqh)
Anne Dagg, Ross Anderson, Cecil Murray, Kris Hallenga

Matthew Bannister on Anne Dagg, the Canadian biologist known as The Woman Who Loves Giraffes for her lifelong study of the animals.

Professor Ross Anderson, the computer scientist who was a leading expert on data protection and online security.

Reverend Cecil Murray, the pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles who played a pivotal role during the riots of 1992.

Kris Hellenga, who was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 23 and set up the charity Coppafeel to encourage other young women to check their breasts.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used:
Archive of Anne Dagg, The Woman who loves Giraffes, Pursuing Giraffe Adventures Inc, 2018; Newsnight, BBC Two, 01/07/1992; Newsnight, BBC Two, 11/02/2010; Ross Anderson Interviewed by Elisabetta Mori, Archives of IT, YouTube Upload, 20/03/2024; Digitalize in Stockholm ’22, DigitalFuturesHub, YouTube Upload, 28/10/22; USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, YouTube Upload 22/02/2021; BBC Radio Cornwall, 12/10/2021;


SUN 21:00 Money Box (m001z5wb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 12:04 on Saturday]


SUN 21:25 Radio 4 Appeal (m001z635)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:54 today]


SUN 21:30 From Our Own Correspondent (m001z5w6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:30 on Saturday]


SUN 22:00 Westminster Hour (m001z64h)
Leila Nathoo's guests are the Conservative MP Sir Conor Burns; Labour Party Chair and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, Anneliese Dodds; and political strategist and communications expert, Jo Tanner. They discuss Natalie Elphicke's defection from the Tories, Labour's plans for workers' rights, and the government's attempts to tackle rough sleeping. Jessica Elgot - deputy political editor of The Guardian - brings expert insight and analysis. The programme also includes a report by Sam Francis on the mental health challenges facing MPs - including working in an antiquated building.


SUN 23:00 In Our Time (m001yxk8)
Sir Thomas Wyatt

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss 'the greatest poet of his age', Thomas Wyatt (1503 -1542), who brought the poetry of the Italian Renaissance into the English Tudor world, especially the sonnet, so preparing the way for Shakespeare and Donne. As an ambassador to Henry VIII and, allegedly, too close to Anne Boleyn, he experienced great privilege under intense scrutiny. Some of Wyatt's poems, such as They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek, are astonishingly fresh and conversational and yet he wrote them under the tightest constraints, when a syllable out of place could have condemned him to the Tower.

With

Brian Cummings
50th Anniversary Professor of English at the University of York

Susan Brigden
Retired Fellow at Lincoln College, University of Oxford

And

Laura Ashe
Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford

Producer: Simon Tillotson
In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

Reading list:

Thomas Betteridge and Suzannah Lipscomb (eds.), Henry VIII and the Court: Art, Politics and Performance (Routledge, 2016)

Susan Brigden, Thomas Wyatt: The Heart’s Forest (Faber, 2012)

Nicola Shulman, Graven with Diamonds: The Many Lives of Thomas Wyatt: Courtier, Poet, Assassin, Spy (Short Books, 2011)

Chris Stamatakis, Sir Thomas Wyatt and the Rhetoric of Rewriting (Oxford University Press, 2012)

Patricia Thomson (ed.), Thomas Wyatt: The Critical Heritage (Routledge, 1995)

Greg Walker, Writing Under Tyranny: English Literature and the Henrician Reformation (Oxford University Press, 2005)

Thomas Wyatt (ed. R. A. Rebholz), The Complete Poems (Penguin, 1978)


SUN 23:45 Short Works (m001yxqf)
Lord of the Fruit Flies

A man on the run heads north with precious cargo in this new short work, inspired by the life of American scientist Hermann Muller.

Written by Pippa Goldschmidt
Read by Tyler Collins
Producer: Eilidh McCreadie

American Nobel Prize-winner Hermann Muller founded the field of radiation genetics and was an early voice warning about the dangers of radiation and nuclear weapons testing. Pippa Goldschmidt is an Honorary Fellow at the Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) unit in the University of Edinburgh, where she has been involved in interdisciplinary projects ranging from the exploration of outer space through upland hill farming to the uncanny. She splits her time between Germany and Scotland.

A BBC Audio Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4

MONDAY 13 MAY 2024

MON 00:00 Midnight News (m001z64k)
The latest news and weather forecast from BBC Radio 4.


MON 00:15 Crossing Continents (m001yy7c)
Italy’s Mafia Whistleblower

Last year in Italy the biggest anti-mafia trial in 30 years reached a climax. On the stand were the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta: they are estimated to run 80 percent of Europe’s cocaine and to make more money in a year than McDonalds and Deutsche Bank put together.

With access to mafioso-turned-collaborator Emanuele Mancuso, journalist Francisco Garcia looks at why Emanuele went against his powerful family. What has this trial meant for the 'Ndrangheta? And has it changed life for Calabrians today?

Producer: Ant Adeane
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Studio Manager: Neil Churchill
Editor: Penny Murphy


MON 00:45 Bells on Sunday (m001z5xh)
[Repeat of broadcast at 05:43 on Sunday]


MON 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001z64m)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001z64p)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


MON 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001z64r)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


MON 05:30 News Briefing (m001z64t)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


MON 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001z64w)
This is the best day of my life

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Michael Kelly

Good morning!

The beginning of another week brings fresh promise – but also, maybe, fresh anxiety. Life can sometimes seem so frenetic, and we can feel the temptation to be in a rush around everything.

As a younger man, I was always in a hurry. Patience, I suspect, is a virtue that is cultivated by age and experience. When I was a teenager, I always wanted life to go faster and faster – I was so eager to be an adult.

As a forty-something somewhat grown-up, now I feel like I would like life to slow down. Though I love and admire the passionate and intense impatience of younger people – admirably often aimed at making the world a better place.

Maybe sometimes, as we grow we become cynical and too self-reliant.

In the Bible, Jesus often told his followers that he wished they were more like little children. At first glance, this is curious – but I think what he was talking about was the capacity to be child-like rather than childish.

To be humble, vulnerable, dependent and seeking…

“This is the best day of my life,” one of my nephews frequently exclaims…it could be something as simple as a restaurant serving his favourite flavour of ice cream or an unexpected treat at school where the headmistress has organised a bouncy castle or a picnic to mark an important day.

Aged eight, he’s already had so many ‘best days of his life’ that we’ve all lost count – but I’ll never tire ever of the wide-eyes which greet every new adventure.

So today, I pray to have an open heart and an open mind and to be ready to view the world with those same wide-eyes of a child and embrace the opportunity ahead of me.

Amen.


MON 05:45 Farming Today (m001z64y)
When Britain left the European Union, the Government said food and drink exporters had a 'golden opportunity' to put British food at the 'top of the global menu'. But the reality is that UK food is still lagging behind its European counterparts, both in terms of sales and reputation.

Tourism brings £14.5 billion into the rural economy every year - according to the Country Land and Business Association. But while visitors bring much needed cash they also create problems - from the pressure on housing and roads to the challenges of finding enough staff to look after them.

And we visit a new processing plant specifically for Welsh milk, which is due to open this month. Pembrokeshire Creamery aims to end the journey Welsh milk currently has to take: transported to England for processing and then brought back. It'll be the only large scale liquid milk dairy in Wales, since Wrexham-based Tomlinson's went bust in 2019.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons


MON 05:57 Weather (m001z650)
Weather reports and forecasts for farmers


MON 06:00 Today (m001z65n)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


MON 09:00 Start the Week (m001z65q)
Bees – culture and survival

As a new exhibition opens in Liverpool exploring the survival of bees Start the Week takes stock of the life and times of this extraordinary insect. The artist Wolfgang Buttress uses a fusion of art, science and technology to create a sensory experience of the sights and sounds of bees. Bees: A Story of Survival is on at the World Museum, Liverpool until May 2025.

They’ve been around for over 120 million years and Lars Chittka, Professor of Sensory and Behavioural Ecology at Queen Mary University of London, says the thousands of different bee species have evolved a huge diversity of lifestyles and are some of the most intelligent animals on Earth. They not only use a symbolic language, can count, use tools and learn by observation, but are now believed to have an emotional hinterland.

For millennia, bees have held a special significance in human culture. Claire Preston, Professor of Renaissance Literature at QMUL, traces the symbolism of bees through historical and literary records, from ancient political analogies to today’s discussions about hive minds.

While there are increasing fears about the future of bees as they battle exposure to pesticides, diseases and habitat destruction, Alison Benjamin is one of a growing number of people trying to raise awareness. She is the co-founder of Urban Bees and wants to shift the focus away from farmed hives of honey bees which are growing in popularity in cities, to the protection and survival of wild and solitary bees.

Producer: Katy Hickman


MON 09:45 Café Hope (m001z65s)
Lost and hound

Rachel Burden hears from Graham Burton, who runs Drone SAR, a free search and rescue service that operates across Britain to help people find their lost dogs.

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

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

Presenter: Rachel Burden
Producer: Uma Doraiswamy
Sound Design: Nicky Edwards
Researcher: Katie Morgan
Editor: Clare Fordham


MON 10:00 Woman's Hour (m001z65v)
Royal Navy Exclusive, Sarah Atherton MP, Tamsin Greig, singer-songwriter Lauren Mayberry

A female officer in the military says she was raped by a senior officer who was responsible in the Royal Navy for behaviours and values, including sexual consent. Speaking exclusively to Woman’s Hour, the female officer, who we are calling Joanna, reported the incident and her allegations to the military police who brought charges against the officer. However, the Services Prosecution Authority later said that they wouldn’t be taking the case forward to a military court. The female officer, who feels she has been forced to leave the military, says that her career has been left in ruins, whilst his continues. The Royal Navy has said “sexual assault and other sexual offences are not tolerated in the Royal Navy and anything which falls short of the highest of standards is totally unacceptable" and that since the alleged incident they "have made significant changes to how incidents are reported and investigated." Nuala hears from Joanna and the reaction from the Conservative MP and member of the Defence Select Committee, Sarah Atherton.

Known for her dramatic and comedic roles on TV, stage and film the Olivier award-winning actor Tamsin Greig is currently performing in The Deep Blue Sea - Terence Rattigan’s 1950’s study of obsession and the destructive power of love - at the Theatre Royal Bath. She joins Nuala to explain the appeal of her latest role and why in 1952 legendary actor Peggy Ashcroft said she felt she had no clothes on when playing this part.

The singer-songwriter Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES is taking part in a new BBC Radio 6 Music initiative Change The Tune. It is an on air, digital and social media initiative to raise awareness of the impact that online abuse has on the lives of artists. She joins Nuala to discuss her experience and to talk about embarking on a solo career.

Presented by Nuala McGovern
Producer: Louise Corley
Studio Engineer: Bob Nettles


MON 11:00 The Invention Of... (m001z65x)
China

The life and times of Chairman Mao

Misha Glenny and Miles Warde travel east to tell the story of China - what it is and where it came from.

"Twentieth century China is the most extraordinary place, and Mao is at the heart of nearly all of it."

With the help of Tania Branigan, Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution; plus Chris Buckley, Chief China correspondent of the New York Times, Frances Wood, Paul French, Ian Johnson, the author of Sparks, and Jonathan Fenby, former editor of the South China Morning Post.

The producer for BBC studios is Miles Warde.


MON 11:45 The Immune Mind by Monty Lyman (m001z65z)
Episode 1

Delving into the recent discovery of the intimate relationship between the brain and the body’s immune system, Dr Monty Lyman reveals the extraordinary implications for our physical and mental health.

Up until the last ten years, we have misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. The brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities – treated in separate hospitals – but science now shows that they are intimately linked.

Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health. Biological science and cognitive science are inseparable. This has opened up a new frontier in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behaviour via the vagus nerve? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders?

A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Monty Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease, and the way we see ourselves.

Episode One
Dr Monty Lyman looks at the historical development of our understanding of the way in which both the nervous system and the immune system operate. He examines the recent ‘eureka moment’ when it was discovered that these two systems are linked.

Read by Gunnar Cauthery
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Producer: David Blount

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


MON 12:00 News Summary (m001z662)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


MON 12:04 You and Yours (m001z664)
Dementia Care Costs, Donating Old Clothes, Private Electric Car Buyers

For Dementia Action Week we will be talking with Alzheimer’s Society who has published new research that reveals the soaring cost of dementia in the UK has now reached a staggering £42 billion per year.
It revealed that people living with dementia and their families are shouldering 63% of all dementia costs and that as the disease progresses, total costs increase significantly, rising from £29,000 per year for mild dementia to £81,000 for severe dementia.
Paul is a full time carer for his wife Sandra, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in June 2021. Since then Paul has had to give up work and turn to benefits to cover their living expenses and care costs. However, the amount of support they get barely cover this and the worry has meant they have had to turn to family and draw on his pension early to survive.
We will hear from Paul, and Alzheimer’s Society who are calling on the Government to take action and make dementia care a priority.

What do you do with your old clothes when they are no longer fit to wear? Dump it in the bin? Take it to the recycling centre? Maybe you upcycle it and make other things?
Well more than 700,000 tons of textiles go into the household waste each year, and we will be hearing about one scheme trying to combat that, and also sharing some advice on what you can do with your old textiles.

And, think of buying an electric car?
Even though there are reports of sales of EVs going up, that growth is in the companies buying for their fleets, the number of private buyers has fallen by more than a fifth. So what’s putting people off?
We’ll be speaking to one potential EV buyer about what’s stopping them making the move to electric, and also to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to ask what needs to happen to see those figures turn around.

You can contact You & Yours by emailing youandyours@bbc.co.uk or using the hashtag #youandyours

Presenter: Winifred Robinson
Producer: Dave James


MON 12:57 Weather (m001z666)
The latest weather forecast


MON 13:00 World at One (m001z668)
Rishi Sunak warns of 'dangerous' years ahead

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard discusses the prime minister's speech. Plus the latest from Israel, where a memorial day has been filled with controversy.


MON 13:45 The History Podcast (m001z66b)
Shadow War: China and the West

Shadow War - 1. The Escape

Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about the competition to shape the world order. He speaks to politicians, spies, dissidents and those who’ve been caught up in the growing tension between China and the West.

Presenter: Gordon Corera
Series Producer: John Murphy
Producer: Olivia Lace-Evans
Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore (Naked Productions)
Programme Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Series Editor: Penny Murphy


MON 14:00 The Archers (m001z64c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Sunday]


MON 14:15 The Train at Platform 4 (m0013j9z)
Bag

Episode Three of Punt and Dennis's new sitcom, set in the claustrophobic carriages of a cross-country rail service.

Sam and the rest of the crew struggle to contain an anarchic party of seditious school children. But Dev sees a golden business opportunity in profiting from the kids' snack money. Meanwhile a bag falls from the luggage rack, injuring a passenger, who turns out to work for the rail regulator. Sam struggles to appease him, in order to avoid a damning report.

Our heroes are the long-suffering train crew who manage to scrape through every shift like a dysfunctional family – Train Manager, Sam (Rosie Cavaliero; Inside No. 9) First Class Steward, Gilbert (Kenneth Collard; Cuckoo), Catering Manager, Dev (Ali Shahalom; Muzlamic) and Trolley Operator Tasha (Amy Geldhill; Life). The passengers are made up of a rolling roster of guest stars, which includes the odd cameo from Punt and Dennis themselves.

Sam…. Rosie Cavaliero
Gilbert…. Kenneth Collard
Dev….. Ali Shahalom
Tasha….. Amy Gledhill
Mr Bagnall.... Steve Brody
Teacher.... Katy Wix
Passenger.... Hugh Dennis

Written by....Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
Producer… James Robinson
A BBC Studios Production


MON 14:45 Felicity Ward - Appisodes (m000qkp2)
Series 2

Procrastination

The series in which stand-up Felicity Ward uses phone apps to help her cope with modern life. Keen to be more productive, Felicity heads to the App Store and buys “If You Don’t Task, You Don’t Get” (voiced by Sindhu Vee). Will Felicity conquer her procrastination or will the app conquer her?

Written and performed by Felicity Ward.
Script Editor: Gareth Gwynn
Production Co-Ordinator: Caroline Barlow
Producer: Adnan Ahmed

A BBC Studios Production.

This programme was first broadcast in December 2020.


MON 15:00 Great Lives (m001z66f)
Lady Rachel MacRobert, chosen by Hayaatun Sillem

Lady Rachel MacRobert was born Rachel Workman in Massachusetts in 1884. She was sent to study in the UK where she developed a passion for geology, and attended the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Geological Society despite women not being allowed. She became Lady Rachel MacRobert through marriage to Alexander MacRobert in 1911. He was thirty years her senior and a successful businessman. When he was knighted Lady MacRobert refused to attend the ceremony saying "I will bow to no man." They had three sons who all died whilst flying, two of whom in active service. In response Lady MacRobert paid for a plane, 'MacRobert's Reply' to be commissioned in their memory. She ran her husband's businesses in India after his death and bred cattle on the family estate in Aberdeenshire.

Choosing Lady Rachel MacRobert is the Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr Hayaatun Sillem. When Hayaatun discovered that the MacRobert Award for engineering was named after a woman she began looking into her life and discovered an independent visionary who was once described as "charmingly volcanic." But it's her response to the loss of her three sons which Hayaatun admires most, praising its defiance and also how it seized agency from a situation that could have easily made her a victim. Gordon Masterton from Edinburgh University and Trustee of The MacRobert Trust joins the discussion and says after a recent speech to launch an AI version of Lady MacRobert young women came up to him and said "Who would have thought she was such a badass."

Presenter: Matthew Parris
Produced by Toby Field for BBC Studios Audio


MON 15:30 History's Secret Heroes (p0hm0qrt)
17. Charles Drew and the Blood Bank

Charles Drew, an American doctor, led the creation and use of blood banks, saving countless lives both in war and in peacetime. But while he worked around the clock to save lives, he would be dragged into a battle on a different front: the battle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States.

Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.

A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Producer: Suniti Somaiya
Assistant Producer: Lorna Reader
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts


MON 16:00 Conflict on Campus (m001zk1s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 13:30 on Sunday]


MON 16:30 The Kitchen Cabinet (m001z5w1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:30 on Saturday]


MON 17:00 PM (m001z66j)
PM sets out election dividing lines

Rishi Sunak says only he can guide the UK through a 'dangerous' future. Plus, a judge rules parts of the government's Illegal Migration Act shouldn't apply in Northern Ireland.


MON 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m001z66l)
The judge in Belfast ruled asylum seekers in Northern Ireland cannot be sent to Rwanda


MON 18:30 I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (m001z66n)
Series 81

Episode 1

Radio 4's multi award-winning ‘antidote to panel games’ promises yet more quality, desk-based entertainment for all the family. The series begins at the New Theatre in Oxford where Rachel Parris and the Reverend Richard Coles are pitched against Tony Hawks and Alexander Armstrong, with Jack Dee in the role of reluctant chairman.

Regular listeners will know to expect inspired nonsense, pointless revelry and Colin Sell at the piano.

Producer - Jon Naismith.

A Random production for BBC Radio 4


MON 19:00 The Archers (m001z66r)
Pip and Kirsty check up on Rex’s boat while he’s away and notice a bit of damage, maybe caused by debris from the crash. Pip’s going to fix it to make up for not being able to look after Rex’s pigs next week. Kirsty offers to give Pip a hand and they chat about Roy, who seems to be spending a massive amount of time video calling Lexi, even though he insists they’re just good friends.

At The Tearoom, Chelsea notices that Fallon looks under the weather. Fallon admits she didn’t sleep well. Kirsty turns up and takes Fallon to one side to let her know she’s there for Fallon after the accident and miscarriage, but Fallon says all she wants to do right now is work and sleep. Kirsty advises her not to overdo it; Fallon’s been through a lot physically and emotionally. When Kirsty brings up Wren, Fallon says that her experience is different, because Kirsty really wanted a baby, but Fallon didn’t. However, Harrison’s heartbroken and now everyone knows about the miscarriage which is the last thing Fallon wanted. She can barely look Harrison in the face. Kirsty suggests catching up later, but Fallon’s keen to get on. Chelsea’s understanding – she knows what it’s like when everyone knows your business.

Alice can’t face going to work at The Stables - she thinks everyone hates her and doesn’t blame them. She got so drunk she doesn’t even remember driving. Worried Adam suggests that Alice stays at Honeysuckle Cottage but stipulates that it’s Xander’s home and Alice mustn’t drink there.


MON 19:15 Front Row (m001z66t)
Damian Barr on Maggie & Me, Italian neorealist film, A.I. and Fake Art

A memoir about growing up gay in Scotland under the shadow of Thatcherism, Maggie & Me was published to wide acclaim in 2013. Damian Barr joins to discuss how he as adapted it with James Ley for a new National Theatre of Scotland touring production.

As Roberto Rossellini's classic 1945 film Rome, Open City (Roma città aperta) is re-released by the BFI, writer Thea Lenarduzzi and film historian Ian Christie reassess its role in launching Italian neorealism and compare it with There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani), a new film by Paula Cortellesi that borrows many of neorealism's visual and thematic hallmarks.

With news last week that fake artworks by Renoir and Monet were being sold online, Samira is joined by art specialist and A.I. expert Dr. Carina Popovici and writer and art crime expert Riah Pyror to discuss the problem and how A.I. is being used to solve it.


MON 20:00 The Briefing Room (m001yxl5)
Why is the water industry in so much trouble?

David Aaronovitch and guests explore the troubled state of the water industry in the UK. How do companies solve the sewage problem, fix the leaks and reduce the debt mountain?

Guests:

Kate Bayliss, research associate in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London
David Hall, visiting professor in the Public Services International Research Unit at the University of Greenwich
Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy at the University of Oxford
Julie Bygraves, public policy analyst and expert on utility finance

Production team: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound engineers: Neil Churchill and Graham Puddifoot


MON 20:30 BBC Inside Science (m001yxl7)
Is treated sewage worse for the environment than raw?

There has been increasing public outrage at raw sewage discharges into our rivers and seas, but new research at Lake Windermere suggests that treated sewage is as much to blame. Wastewater experts Simon Evans and Ali Morse get into the nitty gritty of sewage treatment and why it might be causing so many problems.

Last week, the Sumatran orangutan Rakus made headlines when he was spotted by researchers treating a wound with a medicinal plant. A first for a wild animal. But he’s not the only animal to show self-medicating behaviour. Biologist and author of Wild Health, Cindy Engel, talks healing in the wild and what we can learn from the animals that do it.

And it’s that time of year again: the Eurovision Song Contest. In fact, this year marks the 50th Anniversary since ABBA won the 1974 contest with the iconic track Waterloo. Psychology and behavioural researcher Harry Witchel tells us what gives songs at Eurovision a winning edge and tries to predict a winner based on his criteria.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Hannah Robins, Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston
Researcher: Caitlin Kennedy
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth


MON 21:00 Start the Week (m001z65q)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]


MON 21:45 Café Hope (m001z65s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:45 today]


MON 22:00 The World Tonight (m001z66w)
Is Georgia slipping into Russia's grip?

As huge protests continute in Georgia against a bill similar to one that was used to stifle dissent in Russia - is the country slipping back into Moscow's orbit?

Also on the programme:

Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen has finished his first day of testimony at a New York court We find out how the courtroom drama played out.

And The Beach Boys on how competition with The Beatles pushed them to be a better band.


MON 22:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m001z66y)
Deep Calm - with Michael Mosley

Deep Calm - Episode 1: Using Your Breath

Sit back, leave behind the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new podcast series, designed to help you let go and unwind, each episode focuses on a scientifically proven technique for activating the body’s built-in relaxation response, and takes a deep dive to explore what’s happening inside as we find stillness and calm.

By deliberately slowing your breath you can help bring peace and calm to your body and mind. We discover a sweet spot (it’s around six breaths per minute but varies from individual to individual) where bodily rhythms align to enhance this relaxation response, and encounter the wandering Vagus Nerve with its central, critical role in all of this.

Guest: Mara Mather, professor at the University of Southern California.

Series Producer, sound design and mix engineer: Richard Ward
Researcher: William Hornbrook
Production Manager: Maria Simons
Editor: Zoë Heron
Specially composed music by Richard Atkinson (Mcasso)
A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.


MON 23:00 Limelight (p09h4wvx)
The System - Series 1

The System - Level 6: Judgement Day Question Mark.

By Ben Lewis.

A witty and propulsive six-part thriller about a group of young radicals and the hunt for their leader. Starring Siena Kelly, Jack Rowan and Iain de Caestecker.

Level 6: Judgement Day Question Mark

The Past: Alex’s story comes into focus.
The Present: Maya goes in search of Jake, hoping together they can stop the System before things get totally out of control. But can they? And who’s really in charge?

Cast:
Alex … Iain de Caestecker
Maya … Siena Kelly
Coyote…Divian Ladwa
Beau…Matthew Needham
DI Cohen / Jess …Chloe Pirrie
Jake …Jack Rowan

Original music and sound design by Danny Krass
Featuring tracks from Equiknoxx music collective

A BBC Scotland Production directed by Kirsty Williams
With thanks to Dr Joel Busher at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, University of Coventry.


MON 23:30 Today in Parliament (m001z671)
Susan Hulme reports from Westminster as MPs approve plans to suspend those arrested on suspicion of sexual or violent crimes.

TUESDAY 14 MAY 2024

TUE 00:00 Midnight News (m001z673)
National and international news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 00:30 The Immune Mind by Monty Lyman (m001z65z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:45 on Monday]


TUE 00:48 Shipping Forecast (m001z675)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


TUE 01:00 Selection of BBC World Service Programmes (m001z677)
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.


TUE 05:20 Shipping Forecast (m001z679)
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping


TUE 05:30 News Briefing (m001z67f)
The latest news from BBC Radio 4


TUE 05:43 Prayer for the Day (m001z67k)
Sir Thomas More and Utopia

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Michael Kelly

Good morning!

Sir Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England who resigned in 1532, gave to the English language the word ‘utopia’ to describe any imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

Of course, history and literature has also given up plenty of dystopian visions – some of them played out on our television and radio news bulletins with depressing frequency.

More, who was canonised a saint in 1935 by Pope Pius XI, described in his book Utopia the fictional island community where everything was perfect, everyone acted correctly and everyone lived happily ever after.

Of course, we all know – and events demonstrate – that such a perfect world is impossible to create.

Any society or organisation or political party or trade union or Church or faith tradition will inevitably be hamstrung by the faults of the members of that entity.

A cynic then might say: why bother? If everything is destined to be flawed, imperfect and all of our efforts fallible, why try?

But that would be to make the perfect the enemy of the good.

King Solomon is credited with giving to the Hebrew Scriptures the Book of Proverbs. He was on to something when he wrote that it is better to light a candle than curse the dark.

We can all of us make the world a better place with one small act of kindness or other-centredness at a time. A gentle smile to someone who really needs it, a few words of encouragement and concern…we won’t all be agents of epic change…but small changes lead to bigger changes.

So, today I pray for the wisdom to be that light in the world rather than submitting and feeling overwhelmed by the darkness.

Amen.


TUE 05:45 Farming Today (m001z67p)
14/05/24 - Farm to Fork Summit, Welsh holiday homes and a conservation dog

The Government says it wants more home grown fruit and veg - after releasing figures that show only 17% of fruit and 55% of vegetables eaten in the UK, are produced here. It's releasing more funding to help fruit and veg farmers invest in new equipment. The announcement come as the Prime Minister hosts his second Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street.

New rules in Wales mean holiday-let owners now have to rent their accommodation out for at least 182 days a year in order to qualify for business rates. It's designed to help develop a fairer housing market for locals, but farmers who have diversified with self catering accommodation in old farm buildings say it's bad news.

And we meet the conservation sniffer dog helping to track down rats and ferrets that are threatening seabirds on Rathlin Island off the North East coast of Northern Ireland.

Presented by Anna Hill
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons


TUE 06:00 Today (m001z6hg)
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.


TUE 09:00 Being Roman with Mary Beard (m001z6bc)
8. Death on the Nile

Julia Balbilla is an accomplished poet and close friend of the wife of one of Rome’s mightiest emperors. Hadrian loves to travel and takes Julia and an entourage of thousands on the ultimate elite tourist trip- a leisurely Nile cruise to the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colossus of Memnon, a statue that will sing for anyone blessed by the gods. Julia inscribes her poems on the giant foot of the statue, praising the power of Hadrian and the beauty of his wife, Sabina.

It’s a charming scene, darkened only by the fact that Hadrian’s male lover, Antinous has only just drowned in the Nile. Was he murdered by jealous rivals, killed in a lover’s tiff or did he drunkenly slip from the deck? Hadrian is publicly bereft, founding a new city in the name of Antinous, but seems happy to continue his luxury cruise. Mary Beard hops aboard Ancient Rome's most intriguing cruise with historian T. Corey Brennan and archaeologist Elizabeth Fentress.

Producer: Alasdair Cross

Expert Contributors: Corey Brennan, Rutgers University and Lisa Fentress

Cast: Julia Balbilla played by Juliana Lisk

Special thanks to Andrea Bruciati, Villa Adriana


TUE 09:30 All in the Mind (m001z6bf)
Dishonesty researcher accused of fraud; hypocrisy; suicide prevention; awe

First today, a story of alleged academic fraud. The allegations against Professor Francesca Gino might seem unremarkable at first sight. After all, we’ve covered allegations of fraud in psychology on All in the Mind before and the field has been doing all sorts to try to fix the problems. But what is unusual about this eminent Harvard researcher is that her research topic is dishonesty. Yes, a dishonesty researcher accused of the doing the very thing she studies. Cathleen O’Grady reports on a tale of data sleuths and multi-million dollar law suits.

Of course there’s no reason why a dishonesty researcher should be any more honest than anyone else. But somehow we feel as though you should have extra high standards if this is the topic you study, otherwise you could be accused of hypocrisy. Which got us wondering what it is about hypocrisy that interests, and sometimes infuriates, us so much? Professor Catherine Loveday, from the University of Westminster, is in the studio with Claudia to take a look at the evidence.

And we hear from Professor Rory O’Connor, at the University of Glasgow, about a generation of men whose suicide risk appears to have followed them through life. We talk about what that generation can tell us, as well as about the latest suicide statistics for England, and about what you can do to help someone in your life who you think might be having suicidal thoughts. And if you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

And finally, were you lucky ones enough to see the Northern Lights this weekend? Claudia and Catherine Loveday unpack the psychology of awe.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Lorna Stewart
Content Editor: Holly Squire
Production Coordinator: Siobhan Maguire


TUE 10:00 Woman's Hour (m001z6hj)
Birth trauma, Sleepwalking, Lolita Chakrabarti

How many women have decided not to have more children after a traumatic birth? The UK’s first inquiry into traumatic childbirth has found that too often poor care is normalised, with devastating effects on women’s mental and physical health. Nuala McGovern talks to one Woman’s Hour listener who decided she couldn’t face having another child after a traumatic birth, and to the author of the report, Dr Kim Thomas, about its recommendations.

Journalist Decca Aitkenhead regularly sleepwalks. She talks to Nuala about her night-time escapades which include finding herself locked out in the middle of the night, eating food she’d find disgusting when awake and incredible strength that has seen her smash furniture to pieces. She’s joined by neurologist and sleep expert Prof Guy Leschziner who explains what’s going on in our brains when we sleepwalk, and how women are affected.

New analysis from the TUC, the Trades Union Congress, says that more than 1.5 million women have dropped out of the workforce because of long-term sickness. The figure marks a 48% increase compared with five years ago. Nicola Smith, Head of Economics at the TUC, tells Nuala McGovern what may be stopping women from returning to work.

Award-winning playwright and actor Lolita Chakrabarti discusses her new Radio 3 play, Calmer. All about motherhood and chaos, it follows three generations of ultra-successful women in one family - but their lives are not as ‘good’ as they appear on paper.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Olivia Skinner


TUE 11:00 Screenshot (m001yxqt)
Films That Changed the World

Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode explore whether films and TV can change the world.

First up, Ellen talks to the award-winning independent filmmaker Eliza Hittman, whose critically acclaimed 2020 drama, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, charts the odyssey of 17 year-old Autumn, played by newcomer Sidney Flanigan from her home town in rural Pennsylvania, to her nearest accessible abortion clinic in New York City. Ellen also meets Caren Spruch, National Director for Arts and Entertainment Engagement at US-based organisation Planned Parenthood. They discuss her activism towards shaping TV and film storylines around abortion.

Mark ponders how two film makers have addressed homelessness in their work - rising star Lorna Tucker who's deeply personal documentary Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son has recently brought homelessness back into the spotlight, and film legend Ken Loach who shares how his 1966 BBC TV play Cathy Come Home came to be and alerted the public and politicians alike to the country’s growing housing crisis.

Producer: Mae-Li Evans
A Prospect Street production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 11:45 The Immune Mind by Monty Lyman (m001z6hl)
Episode 2

Delving into the recent discovery of the intimate relationship between the brain and the body’s immune system, Dr Monty Lyman reveals the extraordinary implications for our physical and mental health.

Up until the last ten years, we have misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. The brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities – treated in separate hospitals – but science now shows that they are intimately linked.

Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health. Biological science and cognitive science are inseparable. This has opened up a new frontier in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behaviour via the vagus nerve? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders?

A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Monty Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease, and the way we see ourselves.

Episode Two
Dr Monty Lyman looks at the relationship between the brain and the body in more detail. He takes the complex science of neuroimmunology and turns it into an exciting wargame, complete with rogue states, terrorist cells, and undercover agents. We also learn of the important link between the gut microbiome and the brain.

Read by Gunnar Cauthery
Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Producer: David Blount

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 12:00 News Summary (m001z6hn)
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.


TUE 12:04 You and Yours (m001z6hq)
Call You and Yours - Money and Your Mental Health

For BBC Mental Health and Wellbeing month we're talking about money and mental health.

When listeners get in touch with us about consumer or financial matters, they often tell us that the issue is having a detrimental impact on their mental health. We all know there's a link between money and mental health, both positive and negative. But in recent years the cost of living crisis has put extra pressure on that relationship.

So in this week's phone-in we're asking: How does money affect your mental health?

Do you worry about your finances, debts or rising costs? Whether money is just a constant niggle or a pressing problem, we want to hear from you.
We also want to hear from you if you have a positive relationship with money. What helps you feel in control and good about your finances and spending?

Call us on 03700 100 444. Lines are open at 11 am on Tuesday February 13th.

You can also email us now at youandyours@bbc.co.uk. Don't forget to include a phone number so we can call you back.

PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON
PRODUCER: CATHERINE EARLAM


TUE 12:57 Weather (m001z6hs)
The latest weather forecast


TUE 13:00 World at One (m001z6hv)
International graduate students not abusing visa rules

A new report finds no evidence that foreign students are abusing UK graduate visas. We look at the impact on the government's immigration policy.


TUE 13:45 The History Podcast (m001z6hx)
Shadow War: China and the West

Shadow War - 2. The Canary in the Coalmine

Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about the competition to shape the world order. He speaks to politicians, spies, dissidents and those who’ve been caught up in the growing tension between China and the West.

Presenter: Gordon Corera
Series Producer: John Murphy
Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore (Naked Productions)
Programme Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Series Editor: Penny Murphy


TUE 14:00 The Archers (m001z66r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 on Monday]


TUE 14:15 Drama on 4 (m000cz1d)
Seven Pomegranate Seeds

Summer, and a young girl is stolen under the ground…

Up in the world, her mother searches for her lost child, her grief so powerful that the ground hardens into winter.

Colin Teevan’s The Seven Pomegranate Seeds draws on Greek mythology to weave a new contemporary story, revealing the darkest of moments, but also offering hope for the future and the possibility of a new, warming spring.

Starring Niamh Cusack (currently in the Nation Theatre’s My Brilliant Friend), Ruth Bradley (Humans) and Leah McNamara (Dublin Murders).

This is Colin Teevan’s brand-new radio adaptation of his original stage play. Originally based on seven of Euripedes’ female characters - Persephone, Hypsipyle, Medea, Alcestis, Phaedra, Creusa and Demeter - in this new radio adaptation, the myths are drawn into one new powerful story.

Colin Teevan is a celebrated playwright, translator and writer for screen. He created, wrote and was co-executive producer of ‘Rebellion’ and ‘Resistance’ (RTÉ and now Netflix) – serial dramas about the birth of modern Ireland, and ‘Charlie’, three films about Charles Haughey starring Aiden Gillen. He has premiered works at the National Theatres of Ireland, Scotland, and the National Theatre in London, and written many original dramas for BBC Radio.

The Seven Pomegranate Seeds is performed by the cast:
Niamh Cusack
Ruth Bradley
Leah McNamara

Written by Colin Teevan
Produced and Directed by Allegra McIlroy

A BBC Northern Ireland production


TUE 15:00 Short Cuts (m001z6hz)
Body Movements

In water, on wheels or explained over the phone - Josie Long presents short documentaries about moving our bodies.

Field Notes
Featuring Hannah Kezema
Produced by Jess Shane and Kristine White

Instructions for Returning to My Body
Gamelan music courtesy of Nusantara
Produced by Kia Miakka Natisse

The Pink Flamingo
Featuring Peter Prijdekker
Sound Recording by Edd Kentish
Produced by Hunter Charlton and Vicki Carter

Curated by Axel Kacoutié and Eleanor McDowall
Series Producer: Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 15:30 Beyond Belief (m001z6j1)
Monsters and Gods

Bunny Love-Schock is an interfaith minister and practising witch. She has a devotional practice to the figure of Lilith, a character who has appeared in myth and religious storytelling for centuries. She’s been a demoness, a monster linked to owls, screeching and with wings. In the middle ages you might have been afraid of her harming your unborn or young children.

Now, Bunny tells us how she’s seen as a Goddess figure, in all her ambivalence.

Giles Fraser explores the monsters that have snarled at us from religious writings. What is their relationship to the divine? What are they trying to tell us and how do we see them now?

He’s joined by Professor Esther Hamori, author of ‘God’s Monsters’ who reminds us of the fearsome nature of angels, Dr Bihani Sarkar who has stories from classic Hindu literature and Natalie Lawrence, whose fascination with folklore and ancient myth inspired her book 'Enchanted Creatures'.

Producer: Rebecca Maxted
Assistant Producer: Ruth Purser
Editor: Jonathan Hallewell


TUE 16:00 Michael Sheen Gets Into Character (m001z6j3)
Inner Truth

Michael Sheen explores the art of acting.

One night in March 1906 an actor gave a not-very-good performance.

Nothing particularly unusual about that – it happens, according to your taste, all the time.

But this actor was Constantin Stanislavski. He had already played a decisive role in forging a new kind of theatre company, the Moscow Art Theatre – a tightly disciplined, dedicated ensemble with high production values. The MAT also established its own approach to acting – away from the declamatory, melodramatic style of the day and towards something more emotional, more naturalistic, something possessing, as Stanislavski might have put it, inner truth.

But on that night in March 1906 his own inner truth, he felt, was lacking.

The crisis this triggered in Stanislavski – the Stockmann crisis, as it’s sometimes called (Stanislavski was performing the role of Dr Thomas Stockmann in Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People) – prompted him to retreat and revise his firmly-held ideas on acting – as he did throughout his life – and to begin formulating what became known as the System: a codified way for actors to create believable, authentic, naturalistic characters night after night.

Stanislavski’s ideas have been passed like a baton down the generations since, with subsequent acting teachers adapting and modifying his ideas in different ways. They’re still part of the bedrock of acting training today.

Michael Sheen explores Stanislavski’s ideas, with writer Isaac Butler; actor and teacher Tom McClane; actors Adrian Lester and Simon McBurney; and legendary acting teacher Patsy Rodenburg.

Isaac Butler’s history of Stanislavski and the Method is called 'The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act'.


TUE 16:30 When It Hits the Fan (m001z6j6)
Apple’s ad backlash, 'I’m not your mum' and Zahawi’s exit strategy

This week, two of the world’s biggest tech companies have found themselves in PR crises of their own making. Why did Apple's new iPad Pro 'crush' advert misfire so badly? Meanwhile at Baidu - China’s biggest search engine - its PR boss has lost her job after videos of her promoting a toxic work culture went viral.

David Yelland and Simon Lewis go to the heart of a secret and little understood reputational war and look at the real battle between the west coast of America and China’s Silicon Valley.

And - bowing out gracefully. How Nadhim Zahawi’s exit strategy from politics ticked all the PR boxes.

Producer: Eve Streeter
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: William Miller
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 17:00 PM (m001z6j8)
Protests in Georgia against a new 'Russia law'

Protests continue over Georgia's new 'Russia law'. Plus a union leader tells us what they would like a Labour government to do on worker's rights.


TUE 18:00 Six O'Clock News (m001z6jb)
The island could become the first place in the British Isles to allow euthanasia


TUE 18:30 Thanks a Lot, Milton Jones! (m001z6jd)
Series 6

5. Oil of Ulez

Star of Mock The Week Milton Jones throws soup, paint and caution to the winds as he boldly steps into traffic. Management.

Complete with his unmissable jokes and a fully-working cast.

“The best one-line merchant in British comedy...” - Chortle

"King of the surreal one-liners" - The Times

“Milton Jones is one of Britain’s best gagsmiths with a flair for creating daft yet perfect one-liners” – The Guardian

Written by Milton Jones, James Cary and Dan Evans

Starring Milton Jones, Tom Goodman-Hill, Josie Lawrence and Tom Crowley

With music by Guy Jackson

Produced and directed by David Tyler

A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 19:00 The Archers (m001z69w)
Paul fills Alistair in on how poorly Denise is doing. When Paul mentions that Denise’s main aim is to get well enough to sit downstairs to watch TV with John, Alistair blurts out that it sounds ‘cosy’. Paul attempts to chase up the paperwork up for the callout that Alistair and Denise supposedly attended on the night of the crash. When Paul’s insistent, Jakob notices Alistair’s unease and makes an excuse to call Paul away. But Later, Jakob tells Alistair that he needs to sort it all out – he’s finding the whole situation infuriating.

Jakob catches up with Adam, commenting that Brian and Kate are still barely speaking to each other. Jakob wishes he’d handled it differently when he discovered Alice’s drinking. Adam’s supportive; Jakob did what he thought was best at the time. Adam’s not sure whether Alice wants to stop drinking, although she’s agreed not to drink at Honeysuckle. But when Adam pops home, he can tell Alice has had a drink. When Adam suggests that Alice rings her detox buddy Lisa, she reluctantly agrees. But later Alice tells Lisa that she’s only ringing because Adam told her to. She doesn’t want to get back on track, because it’s too late for her. She was so drunk that she smashed into a car full of friends that plunged into the Am, and she doesn’t remember any of it. She tells Lisa she no longer wants her to be her buddy. Afterwards when Adam asks how it went Alice says she’s an alcoholic and no-one can change that – she’s done.


TUE 19:15 Front Row (m001z6jg)
Withnail and I on stage, Women & Art at Tate Britain, Alan Murrin

Bruce Robinson has written a stage adaptation of his cult 1987 film Withnail And I - a tragicomedy that evokes the end of an era as the 60s give way to 70s and dreams collide with reality in the lives of the two main characters. The play has just opened at the Birmingham Rep, directed by Sean Foley. Both of them talk about the challenges of adapting and staging a much loved classic and the degree to which it needed to remain true to the original.

Now You See Us - an exhibition spanning 400 years of women in art - opens at Tate Britain this week. Art critic Charlotte Mullins and art historian and biographer Frances Spalding give their verdict on how the collection represents the pioneers from Angelica Kauffman to Laura Knight.


TUE 20:00 File on 4 (m001z69f)
Teams and Regimes: Sportswashing in Football

Manchester City are dominating English football, with a trophy cabinet full of silverware. The club’s success has been bankrolled by money from Abu Dhabi. Now Newcastle United have followed in their wake, with backing from a Saudi consortium transforming a sleeping giant of English football into perhaps the world’s richest club. But with the money comes accusations that the clubs are being used to launder the reputations of repressive regimes accused of human rights abuses, and that the cash from the two oil rich states is being used to exert political influence locally and nationally in the UK.

Reporter: Adrian Goldberg
Producer: Fergus Hewison
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Production coordinator: Tim Fernley
Editor: Carl Johnston


TUE 20:40 In Touch (m001z6jk)
Travelling Abroad

Hayley Kennedy, Amar Latif and Dawn Hopper are all experienced visually impaired travellers and we have brought them together to discuss the positives and pitfalls of travelling around the world when visually impaired. We discuss booking airport assistance, getting your guide dog on an airplane, allocations of special assistance seats on airplanes and why it can be important to have a positive attitude.

Hayley Kennedy is considered to be the only disabled person, let alone visually impaired person, to have travelled to every country recognised under the United Nations. Amar Latif founded the assisted holiday company for visually impaired people 'Traveleyes', who are celebrating their 20th year and Dawn Hopper has family in both Switzerland and Spain, and travels regularly with her new guide dog, Micky.

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


TUE 21:00 Crossing Continents (m001z6jm)
Return of the Benin Bronzes

In 1897 British colonial forces attacked and looted the ancient Kingdom of Benin in what is now southern Nigeria. Thousands of precious objects were taken including stunning sculptures made of bronze, brass, ivory and terracotta. Some were decorative, some were sacred. Known collectively as the Benin Bronzes, they were famed for their craftsmanship and beauty. The majority ended up in museums around the world. But ever since Nigerians have been demanding their return. The Bronzes became symbols of the wider global campaign for restitution by former colonial powers. Now finally, some have been handed back. For Crossing Continents, Peter Macjob travels to Nigeria to track the return of the Bronzes, and find out what it means for Nigeria to have these lost treasures come home.

Producer: Alex Last
Studio mix: Neil Churchill
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy


TUE 21:30 The Bottom Line (m001z6jp)
The Decisions That Made Me a Leader

The Decisions That Made Me a Leader: How Ice Saved My Life

Evan Davis sits down with Richard Walker the Executive Chairman of Iceland foods a company founded by his father. Richard started at Iceland Foods in 2012 from the bottom up working as a shelf stacker at the start.

A qualified chartered surveyor he is an entrepreneur in his own right having set-up a property business, Bywater Properties, of which he is still chairman.

A fan of physical challenges he’s climbed Everest and was running his first London Marathon this year when he collapsed less than two miles from the finish line and says ice saved his life.

Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got him to where he is today.

A Long Form Audio Production for BBC Radio 4.


TUE 22:00 The World Tonight (m001z6jr)
Blinken reassures Ukraine as Russian forces push further into Kharkiv region

As US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was telling an audience in Kyiv that American weapons are on their way to the country, hundreds of miles to the east Russian troops advanced further into the Kharkiv region. They've now reached the small city of Vovchansk.

In New York, Donald Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen took to the stand in the Trump hush money trial for a second day, clashing with the former President's lawyers.

And in Rome, the manager of the Italian capital's opera house settled on a unique way to get young people interested in the artform, inviting them for a sleepover in the grand building where they witnessed rehearsals, took part in a treasure hunt, and met the opera houses's ghost.


TUE 22:45 Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (m001z6jt)
Deep Calm - with Michael Mosley

Deep Calm - Episode 2: Relaxing Your Body

Sit back, leave behind the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new podcast series, designed to help you let go and unwind, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven technique for activating the body’s built-in relaxation response, and takes a deep dive to explore what’s happening inside as we find stillness and calm.

Deliberately tensing and then relaxing groups of muscles all through the body is a potent technique for engaging your body’s relaxation response. We also encounter the magnificently-named Golgi tendon organ afferent nerve cells, and the interconnected nodes of the brain.

Guest: Ian Robertson, professor at Trinity College Dublin.

Series Producer, sound design and mix engineer: Richard Ward
Researcher: William Hornbrook
Editor: Zoë Heron
Specially composed music by Richard Atkinson (Mcasso)
A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.


TUE 23:00 Uncanny (m001z6jw)
Series 4

S4. Case 3: The Platte County Poltergeist

Lisa and her young family build their dream home in rural Missouri. Before they’ve even unpacked, strange events begin. Lights switch themselves on each night, footsteps echo around empty rooms, objects move by themselves.

As events escalate, is Lisa imagining things or is someone living there alongside them? And how can a brand-new house be haunted?

Written and presented by Danny Robins
Experts: Ciaran O’Keeffe and Jim Harold
Editing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King
Music: Evelyn Sykes
Theme music by Lanterns on the Lake
Script editor: Dale Shaw
Development producer: Sarah Patten
Production manager: Tam Reynolds
Commissioning executive: Paula McDonnell
Commissioning editor: Rhian Roberts
Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard

A Bafflegab and Uncanny Media production for BBC Radio 4


TUE 23:30 Today in Parliament (m001z6jy)
Alicia McCarthy reports on a controversial court ruling barring Northern Ireland from the Rwanda migration scheme. And, how the UK is participating in a 'financial war'.