BBC Radio Podcasts

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis present the week via topical stand-up and sketches. They're joined by Cally Beaton, Emmanuel Sonubi and Christy Coysh.Cally takes inspiration from primates, Emmanuel fights his news addiction and Christy delivers a ballad to a national icon.The show was written by the cast with additional material from Catherine Brinkwort…

For the first time less than half of people in England and Wales describe themselves as Christian, according to Census data. Scotland Editor James Cook is off the bench, subbing in for Adam, to unpack the headcount on ethnicity and religion. He is joined by the BBC’s Global Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty and think-tank director Sunder K…

The Tailenders preview the bilateral Men’s Test series between England and Pakistan, plus F1 grid walks, Jamie T gigs, the wisdom of Gary Barlow and Mattchin returns with a new edition of one of his classic quizzes.By BBC Radio 5 live

Wales and England prepare to face off at World Cup, with qualification at stake.By BBC Radio 4

Kelly Cates brings you two special interviews to preview the huge final group games on Wednesday. First up is Mauricio Pochettino to talk Lionel Messi and look ahead to Argentina’s crucial tie with Poland. Then ahead of the Australia’s decider with Denmark, BBC commentator Pien Meulensteen visits the Soceroos’ camp to catch up with her Dad, Rene, w…

Months of governmental chaos have seen contradictory policies on the environment come and go. Tom Heap asks where the Conservative Party now stands on the environment. Should we expect more onshore wind or a continuing ban, will farmers be paid to help wildlife? And what are the underlying trends in the Conservative Party? Are most activists and MP…

A writer discovers his digital double, the story behind a name and an erotic invitation - short documentaries about the intimate relationships between us. Presented by Josie Long.The DoubleWritten and read by Joe DunthorneA version of this story first appeared in the London Review of BooksIntimacyProduced by Kristina LoringA Name That Sounds Pretty…

29 NOV 22By BBC Radio 4

Today is day two of an international conference held here in the UK to prevent sexual violence in conflict and Emma Barnett will be talking to Lord Ahmad, who’s the Prime Minister’s special Envoy on this issue. It’s ten years since the conference began and Woman’s Hour will be looking at what progress has been made to date as well as hearing the te…

What does ‘bite your tongue’ mean?By BBC Radio

Listen to Neil and Catherine discussing how to use six different English tenses.By BBC Radio

Growing up in Canada, her father's delusions and paranoia gave Julia Shaw a front-row seat into an alternate reality Believing "they” were out to get him – including everyone from aliens to the Bin Laden family – he would later email her, warning that she too was targeted by those monitoring him. He believed that doctors too were part of the conspi…

Alison, Kerry, TikTok star NOHUN and audience voice stories about mortifying times at funerals. If you think of an embarrassing thing that happened to you, record it for us on whatsapp at 07519 494 891 or +44 7519 494 891 from outside the UKBy BBC Radio 5 live

Kelly Cates and guests look ahead to Wales vs England. She’s joined by Rio Ferdinand, Sam Vokes, John Murray, Alistair Bruce-Ball and Chris Sutton, and you’ll hear from Gareth Southgate, Rob Page and Gareth Bale. Also catch reaction to Portugal’s win over Uruguay and thrilling matches involving Ghana and Cameroon, and Statman Dave presents his play…

Thousands take to the streets in China to protest against Xi Jinping’s Covid lockdown restrictions. Adam is joined by John Simpson, the BBC’s world affairs editor and Kerry Allen, the BBC’s China media analyst to discuss what’s happening, what it’s like to be arrested as a journalist in China, and whether state media there is censoring images of ma…

We hear from Borys Todurov, a cardiac surgeon from Kyiv, whose team used head torches to operate on a 14-year-old boy after a Russian strike knocked out the hospital’s power supply.Olena, a mother of eight from Izium, tells us how an attack near her home killed her mother and left her teenage son unable to walk. He was taken to Moscow for treatment…

Protests against Beijing's strict Covid restrictions appear to have died down.By BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart travels across Cumbria and Northumbria from an ancient Quaker meeting house in Brigflatts, to a medieval tower on Newcastle city walls, in search of clues in Basil Bunting's life and work to help understand this neglected masterpiece of twentieth century modernist poetry .It's a landscape that the former MP for Penrith and the Borders …

28 NOV 22By BBC Radio 4

Ricki Lake is widely known for her American talk show in the '90s and early 2000s. She's an actor and a producer as well as an independent filmmaker. Emma talks to her about her role as Executive Producer, on a new documentary "The Business of Birth Control" which looks at the complex relationship between hormonal birth control and women's health a…

Do you know your ouch! from your ugh!? These words are called interjections.By BBC Radio

An hour of top brand new, upfront tunes from the likes of The Dowling Pool, Maddie Ashman, Bob Vylan, Goddammit Jeremiah, Sleephawk, Hana Lili, Dean Mccreadie, Afro Comb, Tokky Horror, pecq, The Cool Greenhouse, Paige Kennedy, Owen Duff, Emily Breeze, Enjoyable Listens, Agent Starling, George Barnett and Marlody, handpicked by Tom Robinson from the…

Kat Sadler’s Screen Time is a fun guide/cautionary tale of how young people today live their lives through their phones and social media. Kat (daily screen time 8hrs 49 mins) meets Abbie (daily screen time 1 hr 26 mins) and starts a relationship, but will their obsession with how the relationship comes across online lead to its downfall?Ensuring no…

Kelly Cates and guests reflect on Germany’s draw with Spain. She’s joined by Peter Schmeichel, Alan Shearer, Moritz Volz and commentator John Murray. The panel also hear from Jack Grealish and Joe Allen ahead of England vs Wales. And Juliette Ferrington presents reaction to two big shocks as Morocco beat Belgium and Costa Rica edge past Japan.TOPIC…

Some protesting against China's zero-Covid policy have called for President Xi to resign.By BBC Radio 4

Professor Angela Gallop is a forensic scientist who has helped solve some of the most notorious violent crimes in recent British history including the killings of Stephen Lawrence, Damilola Taylor and Rachel Nickell.After completing a degree in botany and a doctorate on the biochemistry of sea slugs, Angela joined the Home Office’s Forensic Science…

With reported rises in the number of people addicted to gambling, is it time for the government to restrict the advertising of the betting industry? Presenter Will Leitch in conversation with Steph Shilton, wife of the former footballer Peter who has publicly acknowledged his addiction; Tim Cairns from CARE - Christian Action Research & Education, …

James Tytko, Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs.This week: A new rapid way to tell heart failure from a chest infection - just with a sample of breath. How the perseverance rover is getting on looking for life on Mars. And the imperceptible sounds in music that make people want to…

Mark Chapman is joined by Alistair Bruce-Ball, Chris Sutton, Guillem Balague and Tim Vickery for reaction to Argentina’s 2-0 win over Mexico. We’ll also round-up the day’s other big stories with wins France, Poland and Australia. Some of the Euro Leagues team look ahead to the huge game between Spain v Germany in Group E on Sunday. And Alan Shearer…

Brian Cox and Robin Ince continue their LA science adventure as they visit Caltech in Pasadena to meet the scientists hunting for planets orbiting distant stars in solar systems far far from our own. They are joined in their quest by Python Legend Eric Idle and Exo-planet hunters Dr Jessie Christiansen from Caltech and Dr Tiffany Kataria from NASA'…

Author of London Fire Brigade report calls for national inquiry into workplace culture.By BBC Radio 4

To mark ten years since stalking became a specific crime in England and Wales, we speak to crime reporter and presenter Isla Traquair. In her day job Isla is used to confronting murderers and travelling to dangerous places but it was in a quiet village in Wiltshire where her stalking ordeal took place. In August this year Isla's neighbour, Jonathan…

Kate Adie presents stories from Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Colombia and Ireland.The Taliban announced a ban on women going to parks, swimming pools and gyms this month, following one on girls attending secondary schools. Yogita Limaye spoke to one young woman about what life is like in Kabul as these once cherished freedoms disappear.The story of Ga…

26 NOV 22By BBC Radio 4

Somalia is experiencing its worst drought for 40 years and there are warnings that millions of people need food assistance urgently. The UN body tasked with classifying levels of food security has projected a famine, although no official declaration has yet been made. We ask what data is used to formally categorise famine and explore some of the di…

Kelly Cates is joined by John Murray, Rob Green, Micah Richards and Rob Green to react to England's goalless draw with USA. Did England play it too safe and should Gareth have brought on Phil Foden? Micah certainly thinks so. Hear from Gareth Southgate, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire and Kieran Trippier. Plus we get the thoughts of USA captain Tyler Ada…

Your World Cup football calls with Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton with reaction to England v USA and Wales v Iran from earlier today. Phone 08085 909693 free from mobiles and landlines. Text 85058 at your standard message rate.By BBC Radio 5 live

The largest nursing strike in NHS history is set to go ahead in December. Adam is joined by the BBC's Hugh Pym and Newscaster (and former NHS nurse) Ruth Harrison to discuss why staff are walking out.The World Cup is in full swing and Piers Morgan joins Adam from Qatar to talk about the fall out around his interview with Cristiano Ronaldo. And Hist…

Olena Zelenska says Ukrainians will endure the winter despite the cold and power cuts caused by Russian shelling. Ukraine’s first lady told the BBC’s Lyse Doucet that Ukraine is facing many challenges, but that a blackout is not the worst thing that can happen to them.Also, one of the country’s richest businessmen, Vsevolod Kozhemyako, talks about …

The first interracial kiss on American TV, a decidedly internationalist cast of characters: Star Trek has always been a deeply political programme but what are those politics? How did they arise in the Cold War America in which the show was initially developed? And where does the vision of an international (or even intergalactic) Federation develop…

Thrilling new action-adventure drama, based on the video game Splinter Cell. Adapted from the novel by James Swallow and dramatised by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and Paul Cornell.By BBC Radio 4

25 NOV 22By BBC Radio 4

Alice meets all sorts of creatures as she swims around in a pool of her tears.By BBC Radio

The comedian Katherine Ryan has been in the news this week after she spoke out on a recent documentary with Louis Theroux about confronting an alleged sexual predator while making a tv show. She says this ‘star’ has sexually assaulted women she knows and despite it being an ‘open secret’ in the industry no one has managed to nail him down because h…

by Becky PrestwichThis drama looks at the very rarely seen or heard detail of the life of a newly elected young, female MP, with fascinating detail of what it’s really like at Westminster. Meg’s party is in opposition but it’s on the way up, and so is she. But it's an uphill battle. She begins her working life in Westminster: the seat of democracy …

When you think of Jimi Hendrix, you think of the guitar. Since the 1960s he’s consistently topped polls of the greatest guitarist of all time. But there are so many other remarkable layers to this man and musician. On what would have been his 80th birthday, fans from music, literature and academia weigh up all of the other things that should be cel…

Kelly Cates and guests look ahead to England vs USA and Wales vs Iran. Hear from Gareth Southgate, Rob Page, Chris Sutton and Robert Earnshaw. Bradley Wright-Phillips has his say on USA’s key players. Catch South American football expert Tim Vickery’s thoughts on Brazil’s first win of the tournament. José Fonte has his say on Portugal edging out Gh…

As net UK migration hits its highest ever yearly figure at 504,000, Labour MP Diane Abbott is in the studio to talk about her party’s attitude to more people coming to the country.Also, Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservative party, joins Adam and Chris, after a court blocked a bid for a second independence referendum. And Europe editor K…

‘We will now open a new chapter in our national story, striking free trade deals around the world’ said Boris Johnson in December 2020 after the UK struck a deal with the European Union for relations after Brexit. The government say these new deals will help level up the UK, cut red tape, provide better investment opportunities and open new digital…

New figures show half a million more people coming to the UK than leaving in the year to June.By BBC Radio 4