Best BBC Radio 4 Podcasts (2024)

BBC Radio 4 Podcasts

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Uncanny

BBC Radio 4

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From ghostly phantoms to UFOs, Danny Robins investigates real-life stories of paranormal encounters. So, are you Team Believer or Team Sceptic? Written and presented by Danny Robins Editor and Sound Designer: Charlie Brandon-King Music: Evelyn Sykes Theme Music by Lanterns on the Lake Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard A Bafflegab and Uncanny Media production for BBC Radio 4
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Young Again

BBC Radio 4

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Kirsty Young asks fascinating people what advice they would give their younger self. Authors, artists, actors and film-makers are among those revisiting the moments that made them.
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Americast

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Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC. Each week we provide audiences with the best analysis from across the BBC, with on-the-ground observations and big picture insights about the stories which are defining America right now. The podcast is hosted by trusted BBC journalists including the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Justin Webb, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent, Marianna Spring, and BBC North Americ ...
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Arts & Ideas

BBC Radio 4

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Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives – looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Broadcast as Free Thinking, Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Matthew Sweet, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.
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Quizzes

BBC Radio 4

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Intelligent and challenging quiz games on BBC Radio 4. Featuring Round Britain Quiz, Counterpoint and Brain of Britain with Quizmasters including Paul Gambaccini, Kirsty Lang and Russell Davies.
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Screenshot

BBC Radio 4

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Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode guide us through the expanding universe of the moving image revealing fascinating links and hidden gems from cinema and TV to streaming and beyond.
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The History Podcast

BBC Radio 4

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Uncover new perspectives on unforgettable stories from our past. The History Podcast is the home of story-driven history series from BBC Radio 4. Each series will take you inside the most pivotal events in history, through the people who were there, to uncover new perspectives on the moments that still define us now.
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The Gift

BBC Radio 4

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Without us realising, an enormous DNA database has been created online. It holds the secrets of your true identity and promises to reveal untold family connections. But what happens when online ancestry tests reveal more than you had bargained for? Across two series, Jenny Kleeman meets the men and women whose lives changed forever after they opened a box that contained a DNA test. Exposing scandals, upending identities, solving mysteries and delivering life-changing news - Jenny investigate ...
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The Infinite Monkey Cage

BBC Radio 4

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Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Joined by a panel of scientists, experts and celebrity science enthusiasts they investigate life, the universe and everything in between on The Infinite Monkey Cage from the BBC. From the smallest building blocks of life to the furthest stars, the curious monkeys pull apart the latest science to reveal fascinating and often bizarre insights into the world around us and what lies beyond. Ca ...
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Dead Ringers: Ep 2. America Went There 28:31

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What really swung it for Donald Trump and how did Joe Biden really react to the result? Kemi Badenoch’s first decision as Tory leader, and Nigel Farage’s Trump victory podcast. This week's impressionists are Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Jess Robinson and Duncan Wisbey. The episode was written by: Tom Jamieson and Nev Fountain, Laurence H…
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Ukraine fires UK Storm Shadow missiles into Russia 38:04

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Ukraine has fired UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory for the first time, the BBC understands. The government has declined to comment on the reports, which first emerged on Russian Telegram channels. We speak to former senior military leaders in the UK and US about what advantage the missiles might bring Ukraine, and hear about…
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What will Trump do about Russia? 28:11

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As Donald Trump’s list of appointments becomes longer and more controversial, there’s one area that seems set for drastic change: defence. The announcements come alongside Joe Biden’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles to fire into Russia, just months before Trump becomes commander in chief. We speak to Robert Wilkie, the man in ch…
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Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, Celebrity Children's Books and the Art and Writing of Maud Sulter 41:59

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Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream speaks about Come Ahead, the band's first new album in eight years. We discuss how the publication of books for children by celebrities affects the wider industry and reading trends. And as an exhibition of work by Maud Sulter opens in Glasgow, the curators talk about the widespread influence of this artist, poet, p…
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Gillian Anderson on women's sexual fantasies, Nurse Bethany Hutchison, Trial of Dominique Pelicot, Filmmaker Elizabeth Sankey 57:24

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Yesterday, the closing arguments were made in the trial of Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men accused of raping Gisele Pelicot - a case that has not only shocked France but far beyond that country's borders. To understand what impact the trial has had on women in France Nuala speaks to Blandine Deverlanges, a feminist activist in the region where t…
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Hedgehogs 42:34

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Brian Cox and Robin Ince emerge from the hedge row waking up their guests from hibernation to discuss the fascinating lives of Britain’s favourite mammal, the hedgehog. They are joined by hedgehog experts Hugh Warwick and Sophie Lund Rasmussen (also know as Dr Hedgehog), and by broadcaster and poet Pam Ayres. Sophie Lund Rasmussen has crowd sourced…
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Money Box Live: Children's Finances 28:37

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More than half a million young people are yet to claim their Child Trust Fund which could be worth up to £2,200 according to the government, but how do you know if your child has one or even how to get it? Plus with the Chancellor's budget on the way, we know parents are topping up Junior ISAs and giving away monetary gifts ahead of any changes she…
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Ukraine fires long-range US-supplied missiles inside Russia 37:22

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A thousand days into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has used long-range US-supplied missile to strike targets inside Russia. A senior Republican senator tells us it shouldn't have taken so long to get permission. Also tonight: As the Prime Minister vows to plough on with his plans to charge inheritance tax on agricultural assets - how much d…
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Kathryn Tickell, Liverpool's carbon neutral gigs, drag queen romance film Layla 42:35

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Kathryn Tickell talks about her new album Return to Kielderside, which reinterprets and updates the tunes and themes of her debut album, On Kielderside, which she released 40 years ago at the age of sixteen. Nihal is joined by Amrou Al-Kadhi, whose directorial debut feature film Layla tells the story of a British-Palestinian drag queen navigating l…
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The Labour Market: Women who have babies outside the NHS 42:44

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A series of scandals involving babies and mothers being harmed in hospital have shaken some people’s confidence in NHS maternity care. As a result, many women are looking for alternatives when they give birth. Some are seeking help from outside of the NHS; including paying independent midwives, and even ‘freebirthing’, where they receive no medical…
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Lucy Manning, Women farmers, Zainab Johnson, Robyn Malcolm 57:37

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In Lucy Manning’s words, it started with a phone call... A call from a withheld number late at night in October 2022 where the unknown male caller appeared to be masturbating as he made lewd comments about her. And so began what she describes as a two-year ordeal to get police to arrest and charge the man responsible for making those calls. Lucy jo…
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Michelle Yeoh, Breastfeeding and depression, Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer 57:31

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Oscar-winning Michelle Yeoh’s career has spanned four decades. Starting out as a martial arts actor, she became a key figure in the Hong Kong action scene. But it was her role in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies that catapulted her into Hollywood. She's since starred in many hits including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the multi-Oscar winni…
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Can supervised toothbrushing fix the children's dental crisis? 28:05

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In the UK, around a third of British children have tooth decay. Just among the under-fives, it's a quarter - a figure that rises significantly in the most deprived areas. Tooth decay can cause speech development issues, embarrassment for children and in 2023, 15 million school days were missed due to tooth pain or treatment. There’s a financial cos…
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Farmers to descend on London for protest over inheritance tax 37:40

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Thousands of farmers are expected to rally in central London tomorrow for two separate events protesting changes to inheritance tax. The farmers say scrapping agricultural property relief will sound the death knell for the family farm, forcing farm owners to sell up to pay inheritance tax bills. The government has vowed not to unwind the plans, whi…
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Malala Yousafzai, The art of writing recipes, Rebecca Hall 42:19

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Malala Yousafzai talks to Front Row about her new film Bread & Roses, which documents the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, alongside the director Sahra Mani. We hear from actress Rebecca Hall about haunting new BBC drama The Listeners. And what are the ingredients for writing about food? Is it an exact science or …
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Americanswers… on 5 Live! Biden's last effort to help Ukraine? 28:29

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Over the weekend, President Biden authorised Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the US to strike Russia. Is this his last-ditch effort to help before Trump takes over? Also, Trump’s cabinet picks continue to draw criticism. The Americast team discuss how the president-elect is making his decisions, and whether he’s actually interested i…
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A Good Read: Naomi Alderman and Abi Dare 27:37

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The Power author Naomi Alderman, and Nigerian writer Abi Dare discuss favourite books. Naomi chooses Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher, a series of hilarious letters written by a beleaguered academic. Abi champions A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini's tale of two women in Taliban governed Afghanistan and Harriett recommends James Ba…
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Musicals 42:36

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In the year that Jacques Demy’s beloved Umbrellas of Cherbourg turns 60, Mark Kermode and Ellen E Jones reflect on their favourite aspects of the screen musical. According to some, we’re currently in the midst of a movie musicals revival, with Jon M Chu’s Wicked hot on the heels of Emila Perez and Joker: Folie à Deux, but will any of them match wha…
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Rise and fall of the political fixer 42:01

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Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (on BBC iPlayer) adapted from the final book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy, and directed by the BAFTA award winner Peter Kosminsky, traces the final four years of Thomas Cromwell’s life. After the execution of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s fixer and royal secretary, Cromwell, continues his climb to power and wealth, bec…
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38. Fanny Davies - Uncommon Thief 28:12

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In this new series Lucy Worsley switches her attention from Lady Killers to Lady Swindlers - con women, thieves and hustlers. This is where true crime meets history - with a twist. Lucy and her team of all female detectives travel back in time to revisit the audacious and surprising crimes of women trying to make it in a world made for men. In this…
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Stuart Mitchell's Cost of Living (Omnibus) 28:28

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In this second omnibus episode, comedian Stuart Mitchell examines his own cost of living crisis with a move into the high flying world of banking - and just when he thinks he has it all, the world crashes around him. Stuart gives up everything he has worked so hard for in an attempt to be true to his self and is left wondering if his journey was re…
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Introducing Aldrich Kemp and The Rose of Pamir 2:55

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Family; friends and foe - a richer mix than ever for Clara Page, Aldrich Kemp and the Themis Gang as they embark on a global race against time. CAST: Clara Page - Phoebe FoxAldrich Kemp – Ferdinand KingsleyMrs Boone – Nicola WalkerNakesha Kemp – Karla CromeSebastian Harcourt - Kyle SollerAunt Lily – Susan JamesonForsaken McTeague & The Underwood Si…
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Weekend Woman’s Hour: Forgotten Children, Devil Wears Prada, Giovanna Fletcher, Preterm birth, Headteacher Evelyn Forde 53:03

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A new Woman's Hour series, Forgotten Children, explores the impact on families when one or both parents are sent to prison. Reporter Jo Morris hears from Kerry Wright, who was just 17 and living in Spain with her parents when British police arrived at their door and arrested both of them, from Nan (not her real name), whose daughter received a pris…
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North Korea and Russia's flourishing friendship 28:54

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Kate Adie presents stories from China, Ukraine, Australia, Panama and Lithuania. Reports of North Korean troops being deployed to join the Russian offensive in Ukraine has compounded fears in Kyiv about its ability to win the war. And it’s proving a headache for Beijing too, which is an ally to both Russia and North Korea. Laura Bicker travelled to…
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6. The Shock Factor 28:35

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If there’s one type of discharge you really want to avoid, it’s lightning, but what happens when it hits you? We hear from lightning survivor Kerry Evans, and discover that the best place to shelter – if you ever find yourself in a similarly charged storm – is in a car, or low to the ground. And why this is never a good time to take a selfie. Dr Da…
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Fishing for Change 42:41

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Five seafood species make up 80% of what is consumed in the UK – while at the same time the vast majority of what is caught in UK waters gets exported. But is that trend beginning to shift? In this episode, Sheila Dillon hears how initiatives like the "Plymouth Fishfinger" are hoping to make more use of fish that has often been seen as ‘by-catch’, …
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Carer's Allowance and Child Trust Funds 24:40

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It was a big week for carers as the Government announced an independent review into Carer's Allowance overpayments after families were told to pay back thousands of pounds, often pushing them into debt. The review will look at what happened, but in the meantime the Department for Work and Pensions has told Money Box it will continue to collect almo…
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Did 20 million votes really go missing in the US election? 8:59

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Just hours after Donald Trump claimed victory in the US presidential election, rumours started swirling that something was afoot. A graph went viral on social media that appeared to show there were 20 million more votes cast in 2020 than in the 2024 election. Where had these supposedly “missing” votes gone? Conspiracy theorists on both sides of the…
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Mother blames TikTok for teenage daughter's suicide 38:02

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A French mother who's suing TikTok for exposing her daughter to harmful content tells us she blames the social media giant for causing the teenager to take her own life. As Australia moves to ban under-16s from social media, we ask if other countries will follow. Also tonight: After Donald Trump's nomination of the vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy …
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Cosy comfort reading or Nietzsche? 56:54

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A cosy cottage with warming fireplaces, comfort food, crime dramas on tv: Matthew Sweet and guests discuss art, literature and drama that are comfortable to engage with and how difficulty, a dedication to campaigning or the reading of Nietzsche might disrupt this. Does a theatre critic tell audiences they are in for a thought provoking show? And wh…
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The Trump-whisperers 34:04

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The involvement of Donald Trump’s close-knit family defined his first term in the White House. Eight years later, his circle of advisers appears to have expanded, welcoming a cadre of media personalities and influencers. Who’s in Trump’s orbit now? Which of his family members are raising their profiles, and who is taking a step out of the spotlight…
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The Mosquito 44:32

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A new satire from award winning writer Anita Sullivan, set at a fictional COP conference, with a talking Mosquito. Developed with leading climate scientists. Peter is a hapless politician representing the UK at COP in Paris. Hoping to retire soon – he didn’t really want this assignment, but now he’s caught like a rabbit in the headlights between th…
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Forgotten Children, Women in the Green Industry, La Clique 57:26

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This week Woman’s Hour has featured the Forgotten Children series about the impact on children when a parent is sent to prison. So what do the Government intend to do about the problem? Anita Rani speaks to Labour MP Jake Richards and Conservative MP Richard Holden about the possibility of cross party action on this issue. A video has been going vi…
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Edo Japan (Radio Edit) 28:11

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In this episode, Greg Jenner is joined in 17th-Century Japan by Dr Satona Suzuki and comedian Ahir Shah to learn all about the Edo period and the Tokugawa shogunate. When he came to power in 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu became the first shogun to rule over all Japan. He made Edo – later renamed Tokyo – his power base, and over the 250 years of Tokugawa ru…
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