Aaron Robertson is a writer, an editor, and a translator of Italian literature. His translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon was short-listed for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award, and in 2021 he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, n+1, The Point, and Literary Hub, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Aaron Robertson

Aaron Shapiro

Aaron T Beck

Aaron Vallance

Aaron Young was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and read Politics and Communications at The University of Liverpool. He is a BAFTA-nominated director, producer and executive producer with over 20 years of experience across projects for the BBC, PBS, Channel 4, Channel 5, UKTV, UK Film Council and Arts Council England. A long-time collaborator of acclaimed historian, James Holland, he is the producer and director of the BAFTA-shortlisted BBC titles ‘Battle of Britain: The Real Story’ and, ‘Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams’, as well as ‘The Battle for Malta’, ‘Normandy ’44: The Battle Beyond D-Day’, the RTS-nominated ‘Imphal &amp; Kohima: Britain’s Greatest Battle.’, and the 3-part series, 'Normandy '44: D-Day and the Battle for France. His most recent credits include 'Hidden Histories of WWII', 'Lost Temples of Cambodia', the RTS-winning ‘Lost Home Movies of Nazi Germany’, and ‘Prue Leith: Journey with My Daughter’. Aaron was named in the inaugural list of BAFTA ‘Brits to Watch.’ He is the co-owner of award-winning film and television production company, Bright Button Productions, and lives with his wife and children in Poundbury, Dorset.

Aaron Young

Aatish Taseer

Abbe Prevost

Abbey Bryant is an NYC-based award-winning illustrator. With her BFA in Children's Book Illustration, her notable illustrated books include Nautilus award winner Hazel Mist, Hypnotist as well as an Enchanted Fairy House Kit with Scholastic's Klutz! 
 
As a queer illustrator, LGBTQ+ themes and stories hold a spot near to her heart. Most days she can be found around the city drawing New Yorkers or sketching trees at the park.

Abbey Bryant

Abbey Clancy is a model, television presenter and the host of chart-topping podcast The Therapy Crouch. She was the runner-up of Britain's Next Top Model in 2006, winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and went on to present Britain's Next Top Model. Later this year she will host Celebrity Homes on ITV.

Abbey Clancy

Abbie Greaves studied at Cambridge University before working in a literary agency for a number of years. She was inspired to write her first novel, The Silent Treatment, after reading a newspaper article about a boy in Japan who had never seen his parents speak to one another before. 
 
Abbie lives in Brighton with her boyfriend.

Abbie Greaves

Abbie Ross is a British author and psychotherapist. Her first book, Hippy Dinners, a funny and poignant memoir of her bohemian childhood in 1970s North Wales, has been optioned by Baby Cow, who are developing it into an 8-part television series. 
Before turning to writing, Abbie had a successful career as a producer at Aardman Animations, the acclaimed studios behind Wallace &amp; Gromit and the film Chicken Run. 
Today, she divides her time between her thriving psychotherapy practice in Bristol, and her writing, and finds that the two careers complement each other perfectly.

Abbie Ross

Abbie Spallen

Abbie Taylor lives in Dublin. She works as a doctor and has two daughters.

Abbie Taylor

Abby L Yates co-founded the Ghostbusters with Erin Gilbert. Ghosts from Our Past was her first book, now finally back in print.

Abby L Yates

Abby Lee

Abby Rawlinson is an integrative therapist with a private practice based in east London, UK. Her work mixes traditional psychotherapeutic theories with cutting-edge, evidence-based techniques into a style that feels relatable, down-to-earth, and compassionate. Abby regularly contributes to articles, including but not limited to Stylist, Elle, BBC, Harpers Bazaar, Sheerluxe, Women's Health, and Psychologies. She can be found on Instagram @therapywithabby or online at therapywithabby.co.uk

Abby Rawlinson

Abby Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, FIFA World Cup champion, six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award and one of Time’s Most Influential People. She is a founder of Treat Media, an award-winning media company that makes art for humans who want to stay human. Abby is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wolfpack and the New York Times bestseller Forward. Named one of the ‘50 Most Powerful People in Podcasting,’ she is co-host of the chart-topping podcast We Can Do Hard Things, which has received over a half billion plays. Abby is an executive producer of the Sundance award-winning film Come See Me in the Good Light, part owner of the NWSL’s Angel City Football Club and sits on multiple boards. Her most recent book, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life’s 20 Questions, created with Glennon Doyle, Amanda Doyle and Treat Media, is being hailed as ‘the guidebook for being alive.’

Abby Wambach

Abel &amp; Cole’s story starts in 1988 with Keith Abel flogging potatoes door-to-door. ‘Of course potatoes are organic,’ he thought, ‘they’re vegetables’. However, he quickly discovered how unnecessarily complicated our food system had become and, consequently, realised the huge benefits of going organic and never looked back. In fact, Abel &amp; Cole still get veg from the farm where Keith's first organic spuds came from. 
To this day, their priorities remain the same. Now, selling 100% organic produce, Abel &amp; Cole believe that organic farming (a holistic system that encourages biodiversity) is the very best way to go. It protects our countryside and the critters that inhabit it, insists on the very best animal welfare, supports your local community and, frankly, tastes heaps better. Abel &amp; Cole think so anyway.

Abel & Cole Limited

Abhijit Banerjee, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, is the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). In 2011, he was named one of Foreign Policy magazine’s top 100 global thinkers. Banerjee served on the U.N. Secretary-General’s High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Abhijit V. Banerjee

Abhishek Mukherjee, 30, is a Delhi-based journalist. He holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Delhi University, a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Raipur. He also likes dogs.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Abi Elphinstone grew up in Scotland where she spent most of her childhood running wild across the moors, hiding in tree houses and building dens in the woods. After being coaxed out of her tree house, she studied English at Bristol University and then worked as an English teacher in Africa, Berkshire and London. She is the bestselling and multi-award shortlisted author of RUMBLESTAR (first in The Unmapped Chronicles), SKY SONG &amp; THE DREAMSNATCHER TRILOGY, published by S&amp;S. When she's not writing, Abi volunteers for Beanstalk, speaks in schools and travels the world looking for her next story.

Abi Elphinstone

Abi Falase is a Black British writer and director, reimagining fundamental societal concepts in inventive new worlds. Abi has written and directed a number of plays, including The Village and Rush with the Almedia Theatre, as well as Rift for Immediate Theatre and was shortlisted for the BBC Scriptworks ‘A Thousand Stories’ scriptwriting competition in 2021.

Abi Falase

Abi Titmuss

Abie Longstaff is the eldest of six children and grew up in Australia, Hong Kong and France. She knows all about squabbling, chaos and bossing younger sisters around. So she logically began her career as a barrister. She started writing when her children were born. Her favourite childhood books were Hating Alison Ashley, A Little Princess, Maura's Angel and The Black Stallion and she sneakily reads them again sometimes. Abie lives in Hove with her family.

Abie Longstaff

Abigail Ahern

Abigail is a Brighton-based writer, illustrator and creative producer. Original storytelling has always been at the heart of Abigail's career and she has spent a decade leading social media campaigns for some of the biggest TV &amp; entertainment clients in the world. Abigail also used to perform stand-up comedy and won several tiny trophies for her onstage humour; which involved life-size illustrations, ridiculous songs and rambling stories about her family.

Abigail Balfe

Abigail Docherty

Abigail Foster is a Chartered Accountant and founder of Elent Finance, a financial education company designed to demystify the world of finance and empower you to achieve financial wellbeing. 
 
Abigail has worked with leading financial institutions across the UK, including HMRC, the Bank of England and Downing Street, and global companies such as Google and Goldman Sachs. She hosts a weekly money segment on LBC radio and has also appeared as a finance expert on ITV, Channel 5 and Sky News.

Abigail Foster

Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.

Abigail Owen

Abigail Ulman was born and raised in Melbourne. She has a BA in Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne/VCA and was a recent Wallace Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University. This is her first book.

Abigail Ulman

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BBC Radio Comedy

Four further series of the award-winning satirical panel show 
 
For over 45 years, The News Quiz has been taking a scalpel to the headlines, dissecting them with its inimitable blend of satire, silliness and sharp-witted commentary. These 32 episodes, first broadcast between April 2018 and May 2019, find the team tackling stories big and small from that news-packed year. 
 
Miles Jupp is in the chair for three of the four series, while in Series 97 he shares presenting duties with guest hosts Simon Evans, Susan Calman, Fred MacAulay, Bridget Christie, Jo Brand and Lucy Porter. Jostling for a by-line are panellists including Rory Bremner, Phill Jupitus, Paul Sinha, Neil Delamere, Felicity Ward, Ayesha Hazarika, Phil Wang, Jayde Adams, Katie Perrior, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Geoff Norcott, Kemah Bob and Andy Zaltzman. 
 
Topics under the magnifying glass include the treatment of the Windrush Generation, the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, Greta Thunberg, Vladimir Putin, a Royal Wedding, a Royal baby and Theresa May's resignation. In addition, there's a special 'Best of 2018' show and a tribute to Jeremy Hardy, who died in 2019. 
 
Production credits 
Chaired by Miles Jupp, Simon Evans, Susan Calman, Fred MacAulay, Bridget Christie, Jo Brand and Lucy Porter 
Chair's script written by Ed Amsden, Madeleine Brettingham, Catherine Brinkworth, Liam Byrne, Sarah Campbell, Lucy Clarke, Tom Coles, Max Davis, Nick Doody, Clint Edwards, Dan Evans, Jessica Fostekew, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Jon Hunter, James Kettle, Jenny Laville, Laura Major, Robin Morgan, Sarah Morgan, Benjamin Partridge, Mike Shephard, Ian Smith, Katie Storey and Danielle Ward 
With additional material by Simon Alcock, Gemma Arrowsmith, Dan Beckett, Adele Cliff, Lee Dilley, Charlie Dinkin, Will Duggan, Edward Easton, Alice Etches, Jules Garnett, Sara Gibbs, Alex Hardy, Cameron Loxdale, Tom Mayhew, Jane McCutcheon, Eleanor Morton, Dan Page, Heidi Regan, Vivienne Riddoch, Nathan Roberts, Phoebe Roy, Kat Sadler, Esyllt Sears, Michael Stranney and Edward Tew 
Produced by Joe Nunnery, Sam Michell, Richard Morris and Victoria Lloyd 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 96 featuring: Angela Barnes, Fern Brady, Desiree Burch, Susan Calman, Michael Deacon, Neil Delamere, Simon Evans, Daniel Finkelstein, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Helen Lewis, Zoe Lyons, Vicki Pepperdine, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Hugo Rifkind, Suzi Ruffell, Mark Steel, Holly Walsh, Felicity Ward, Francis Wheen, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 97 featuring: Jayde Adams, Angela Barnes, Katy Brand, Rory Bremner, Jen Brister, Susan Calman, Daliso Chaponda, Neil Delamere, Simon Evans, Deborah Frances-White, Andy Hamilton, Ayesha Hazarika, London Hughes, Rhys James, Phill Jupitus, Helen Lewis, Lloyd Langford, Andrew Maxwell, Katie Perrior, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, Mark Steel, Eleanor Tiernan, Sindhu Vee, Phil Wang, Danielle Ward, Felicity Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 98 featuring: Jen Brister, Desiree Burch, Susan Calman, Neil Delamere, Simon Evans, Andy Hamilton, Ayesha Hazarika, Nish Kumar, Helen Lewis, Zoe Lyons, Andrew Maxwell, Katie Perrior, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Hugo Rifkind, Tim Shipman, Paul Sinha, Eleanor Tiernan, Phil Wang, Danielle Ward, Francis Wheen 
 
Series 99 featuring: Angela Barnes, Kemah Bob, Frankie Boyle, Jen Brister, Desiree Burch, Alun Cochrane, Neil Delamere, Simon Evans, Kerry Godliman, Andy Hamilton, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Ayesha Hazarika, Helen Lewis, Zoe Lyons, Fred MacAulay, Andrew Maxwell, Geoff Norcott, Rachel Parris, Katie Perrior, Lucy Porter, Hugo Rifkind, John Robins, Mark Steel, Ellie Taylor, Danielle Ward, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 13 April-1 June 2018 (Series 96), 31 August-19 October 2018 (Series 97), 28 December 2018-15 February 2019 (Series 98), 12 April-31 May 2019 (Series 99) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The News Quiz: 2018 – 2019

Series 96, 97, 98 and 99 of the topical BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show

Andrew Martin

Andrew Martin reflects on Britain's customs, attitudes and social and supernatural phenomena in these six BBC Radio series 
 
Drawn from Radio 3's The Essay strand and presented by journalist and award-winning author Andrew Martin, this beguiling collection brings together his witty, Alan Bennett-esque observations on England's disappearing pastimes, rituals and beliefs. 
 
Yorkshire sees him musing on the county of his birth and upbringing, as he considers his 'Tyke' identity and the ancient rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire; chews over questions of class in 'God's Own County'; ponders its past and future; and recalls the coastal jaunts of his youth. In Hanging On, Martin celebrates five aspects of British life that are still with us - just, as he raises a toast to the boating pond; the ventriloquist's doll; the telephone; the milkman and sex shops. 
 
The Lost Hours memorialises the staging posts of the day that are gradually fading away, such as elevenses and the cocktail hour; while England Ejects explores the inclinations and habits that no longer seem so vital nowadays, including modesty, gentility and Sunday church-going. The Further Realm sees Martin contemplating whether he believes in ghosts; reflecting on mediaeval and modern sightings and telling tales of the undead from resonant times of the year. Finally, in The Sound and the Fury, he discusses the noises that annoy us, from piped music to public transport announcements, asking 'how do we cope with jarring sounds in our world today, and could we live without the daily cacophony?' 
 
Quirky and engaging, these delightfully entertaining essays will give you a whole new perspective on the modern world - and the world beyond. 
 
Production credits 
Produced by Duncan Minshull (Yorkshire, Hanging On, England Ejects, The Further Realm, The Sound and the Fury) and Karen Holden (The Lost Hours) 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on the following dates: 23-27 January 2012 (The Sound and the Fury), 27-31 January 2014 (England Ejects), 26-30 October 2015 (The Further Realm), 17-21 April 2017 (Hanging On), 21-25 January 2019 (Yorkshire), 25-29 October 2021 (The Lost Hours) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

On the World Around Us

25 Explorations of Britain, Past and Present

Melvyn Bragg

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of the Islamic world through its religion, thinkers, poetry, empire and rulers 
 
'An ever-growing library of wisdom' The Economist 
 
Since 1998, In Our Time has been the go-to radio programme for knowledge seekers and inquiring minds. Tackling big topics with a light touch, it has introduced weekly audiences of over 2 million to subjects ranging from Romulus and Remus to the Renaissance. 
 
This special themed collection provides a focussed, wide-ranging introduction to 25 of the ideas and events that shaped the Islamic world, highlighting the numerous connections between Islamdom and the West throughout history. We learn the origins of Sharia law, and how prophets became important to Islam, Judaism and Christianity alike; discover how the Translation Movement introduced the Arabic world to Greek philosophy, medicine, engineering and maths; and find out how settlers and invaders from both East and West transformed and refashioned the civilisations they touched, from the Arab Conquest, Muslim Spain and the Volga Vikings to the Third Crusade and the Siege of Vienna. 
 
Here, too, are key scholars and writers, among them al-Kindi, the first significant thinker to reconcile philosophy and Islam; Averroes, who worked to integrate Islamic theology with the rationality of Aristotle; Maimonides, a titan of Jewish intellectual history who was much influenced by the Islamic world; and Rumi, the Persian poet and Sufi mystic whose work transcends borders of time, faith, language and geography. 
 
Hosted by Melvyn Bragg with a panel of experts including Mona Siddiqui, Jim Al-Khalili, Tariq Ali and Amira Bennison, these enlightening, accessible discussions will illuminate, inspire and surprise. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson, Victoria Brignell 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Religion 
Islamic Law and its Origins 5 May 2011 
Sunni and Shia Islam 25 June 2009 
Prophecy 13 June 2013 
 
Part II: History of Ideas 
Maths in the Early Islamic World 16 February 2017 
The Translation Movement 2 October 2008 
Al-Kindi 28 June 2012 
al-Biruni 10 June 2010 
Avicenna 8 November 2007 
Al-Ghazali 19 March 2015 
Averroes 5 October 2006 
Maimonides 17 February 2011 
Ibn Khaldun 4 February 2010 
 
Part III: Literature 
Antarah ibn Shaddad 28 February 2019 
Rumi's Poetry 11 February 2016 
 
Part IV: Empire 
The Sassanid Empire 13 December 2007 
The Arab Conquests 26 June 2008 
Muslim Spain 21 November 2002 
The Battle of Tours 16 January 2014 
The Volga Vikings 11 November 2010 
The Almoravid Empire 3 May 2018 
Third Crusade 29 November 2001 
The Siege of Vienna 14 May 2009 
 
Part V: Rulers 
The Abbasid Caliphs 2 February 2006 
The Mamluks 26 September 2013 
The Safavid Dynasty 12 January 2012 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Journeys Through the History of the Islamic World

A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss 25 scientific pioneers who have shaped the development of science over 500 years 
 
'Exemplifies what Radio 4 is all about, and what makes it world class' The Guardian 
 
One of the bedrocks of Radio 4, In Our Time has entertained and fascinated millions of listeners since it was first broadcast in 1998. Each week, Melvyn Bragg and a panel of leading academics discuss the big ideas that form the intellectual agenda of our age, traversing an eclectic spectrum of topics from the alphabet to Absolute Zero. 
 
This specially curated collection introduces us to 25 of the best minds who have shaped the fields of science over the past five centuries. Beginning with an introductory episode, 'The Scientist', it encompasses pioneers such as mathematicians Blaise Pascal, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Ada Lovelace and Emmy Noether; astronomers Johannes Kepler and William and Caroline Herschel; chemists Rosalind Franklin and Dorothy Hodgkin; and physicists Ernest Rutherford and Paul Dirac. Among the other famous names featured are Michael Faraday, Louis Pasteur, Thomas Edison, Alan Turing and the Curies, as well as the great naturalist Charles Darwin, who is the subject of a 4-part special devoted to his life and work. 
 
Science students, In Our Time fans and lovers of learning will relish these captivating, wide-ranging discussions, giving us unparalleled insight into the remarkable individuals whose ideas and inventions have transformed our world. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Victoria Brignell, Thomas Morris, John Goudie and Simon Tillotson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
The Scientist 24 October 2002 
Johannes Kepler 29 December 2016 
Pascal 19 September 2013 
Robert Boyle 12 June 2014 
Emilie du Châtelet 4 February 2021 
Lamarck and Natural Selection 26 December 2003 
William and Caroline Herschel 11 November 2021 
Pierre-Simon Laplace 8 April 2021 
John Dalton 27 October 2016 
Humboldt 28 September 2006 
Carl Friedrich Gauss 30 November 2017 
George and Robert Stephenson 12 April 2018 
Michael Faraday 24 December 2015 
Ada Lovelace 6 March 2008 
Maxwell 2 October 2003 
Darwin: On the Origins of Charles Darwin 5 January 2009 
Darwin: The Voyage of the Beagle 6 January 2009 
Darwin: On the Origin of Species 7 January 2009 
Darwin: Life After Origins 8 January 2009 
Louis Pasteur 18 May 2017 
Pitt-Rivers 28 February 2013 
Thomas Edison 9 December 2010 
Rutherford 19 February 2004 
Emmy Noether 24 January 2019 
The Curies 26 March 2015 
Alan Turing 15 October 2020 
Rosalind Franklin 22 February 2018 
Paul Dirac 5 March 2020 
Dorothy Hodgkin 3 October 2019 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Pioneers in the History of Science

Naomi Alderman

Kevin Fong

Tracey Logan

Simon Schaffer

In these ten absorbing series, award-winning authors Naomi Alderman and Philip Ball and guest presenters Tracey Logan, Kevin Fong, Simon Schaffer and Lindsey Fitzharris take a look at the many amazing events and characters from science's long history. In this collection, which runs close to 23 hours in total, they throw light on the revolutionary visionaries who defined how we see the world, from pioneers and prophets to inventors, experimenters and creators. 
 
Among the topics explored are feuding dinosaur hunters, jumping genes, the engine that nearly ran out of steam, the day the Earth stopped standing still, how laughing gas was discovered, the first female professional scientist in Britain, and how an eel sparked our interest in electricity. So, if you want to know more about a medieval bishop's Big Bang theory, how Florence Nightingale saved lives with statistics, the medieval equivalent of GPS, the woman who tamed lightning, Cyrano de Bergerac's designs for a spaceship, and what happened when Einstein decided to fix the fridge, our presenters are here to fill you in. Helping them discover the fact behind the fiction are a host of scientists and experts, including Professor Edith Hall, Hannah Fry, Tim Spector, Marcus du Sautoy, Richard Wiseman, Natalie Haynes and Tracy Chevalier. 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
The Bone Wars 10 June 2015 
The engine that ran out of steam 17 June 2015 
DNA's Third Man 24 June 2015 
How Perkin brought purple to the people 1 July 2015 
Seeing is Believing - The Leviathan of Parsonstown 8 July 2015 
Submarine for a Stuart King 6 January 2016 
How an eel sparked our interest in electricity 13 January 2016 
The meteorite and the hidden hoax 20 January 2016 
The duchess who gatecrashed science 27 January 2016 
Einstein's Fridge 3 February 2016 
Florence Nightingale: Statistician 18 May 2016 
Chaucer's Astrolabe - The Medieval GPS 25 May 2016 
Paul Ehrlich's 'Magic Bullet' and the Cure for Syphilis 1 June 2016 
Maxwell's Demon 8 June 2016 
Blood Banks 15 June 2016 
The Day The Earth Stopped Standing Still 30 November 2016 
How Much Testosterone Makes You a Man 7 December 2016 
The man who predicted deforestation and climate change 200 years ago 14 December 2016 
The Woman Who Tamed Lightning 21 December 2016 
Mesmerism 28 December 2016 
Jumping Genes 4 January 2017 
The Birth of Photography 11 January 2017 
Pavlov and his Dogs 7 June 2017 
The Medieval Bishop's Big Bang Theory 14 June 2017 
The Man Who Found Physics in Shells, Seeds and Bees 28 June 2017 
Caroline Herschel and the Comets 5 July 2017 
A wolf, a goat and some cabbages 22 November 2017 
The Wondrous Transformation of Caterpillars 29 November 2017 
Lise Meitner: Humanitarian physicist 
who unlocked the science of the atom bomb 6 December 2017 
How Humphry Davy discovered laughing gas 13 December 2017 
Michael Faraday and his 'instructess' in chemistry 20 December 2017 
17th-Century Space Flight: The Real Cyrano de Bergerac 13 June 2018 
Urea and the Wohler Myth 20 June 2018 
Descartes' Daughter 27 June 2018 
Hypatia: The Murdered Mathematician 4 July 2018 
Mary Anning and Fossil Hunting 11 July 2018 
Eddington's Eclipse and Einstein's Celebrity 12 December 2018 
Lucretius, Sheep and Atoms 19 December 2018 
Kepler's Snowflakes 26 December 2018 
Lady Mary Montagu's Smallpox Experiment 2 January 2019 
Ibn al-Haytham and How We See 9 January 2019 
Galileo's lost letter 13 August 2019 
Madame Lavoisier's Translation of Oxygen 20 August 2019 
Ignaz Semmelweiss: The Hand Washer 27 August 2019 
Ramon Llull: the medieval prophet of computer science 3 September 2019 
Alexis Carrel and the immortal chicken heart 10 September 2019 
Mary Somerville, pioneer of popular science writing 11 December 2019 
Sophia Jex-Blake, first woman doctor in Scotland 18 December 2019 
Isaac Newton and the story of the apple 25 December 2019 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Science Stories

The complete BBC Radio 4 popular science series

David Miles

Caradoc Peters

Melanie Giles

Nicki Howarth-Pollard

Menna Elfyn

Ilka Tampke

David Greig

Ron Hutton

Miles Russell

Mandy Haggith

Sarah Moss

Guy de la Bédoyère

From warrior queens to King Arthur, this epic collection explores the tribes, rulers and civilisations of Britain's Iron Age 
 
In the first millennium BC, the Iron Age arrived in Britain, bringing with it huge technological and social changes. New civilisations arose, the landscape was transformed, and societies developed new cultures and lifestyles. 
 
In this comprehensive collection, we take an in-depth look at Iron Age Britain and its inhabitants. The Essay: Unearthing Britannia's Tribes takes us on a 15-part 'woad trip' from the western reaches of Cornwall to the wilds of Scotland and Wales, as archaeologists, historians and writers reveal the peoples of ancient Albion and those who encountered them. We meet Queen Cartimandua, King Arthur, Boudicca, Pytheas and Lindow Man; hear the stories of the Cantiaci, the Demetae, the Durotriges and the Druids; and probe their myths, ideas and characters. Reaching journey's end, we learn how tribal Britain succumbed and was integrated into the Roman world. With the arrival of Caesar's armies, nothing would be the same again... 
 
Bookending this fascinating series are three episodes from In Our Time, unpacking the context behind this pivotal period of history. In the first programme, Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the transition from Bronze to Iron and the dawning of the European Iron Age; while the second and third examine the legacy of both the prehistoric Celts and their ultimate conquerors, the Romans, analysing their lasting impact on Britain today. 
 
Production credits 
In Our Time presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris 
 
The Essay: Unearthing Britannia's Tribes presented by David Miles, Caradoc Peters, Melanie Giles, Nicki Howarth-Pollard, Menna Elfyn, Ilka Tampke, David Greig, Ron Hutton, Mandy Haggith, Miles Russell, Sarah Moss and Guy de la Bédoyère 
Produced by Ellie Bury and Mark Burman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (In Our Time) and BBC Radio 3 (The Essay) on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Context 
In Our Time: The Iron Age 24 March 2011 
With Barry Cunliffe, Sue Hamilton and Timothy Champion 
 
Part II: Unearthing Britannia's Tribes 
The Cantiaci 17 January 2022 
Cornwall 18 January 2022 
The Parisi 19 January 2022 
Queen Cartimandua & the Brigantes 20 January 2022 
The Demetae 21 January 2022 
Boudicca-Warrior Queen 24 January 2022 
The Maeatae 25 January 2022 
In Search of The Druids 26 January 2022 
Pytheas and the Iron Sea 27 January 2022 
Arthur Begins 28 January 2022 
Lindow Man 14 February 2022 
The Roman Orbit 15 February 2022 
The Atrebates 16 February 2022 
The Durotriges 17 February 2022 
Maidens, Matriarchs and Crones 18 February 2022 
 
Part III: Iron Age Culture 
In Our Time: The Celts 21 February 2002 
With Barry Cunliffe, Alistair Moffat and Miranda Aldhouse Green 
 
Part IV: Roman Invasion and Occupation 
In Our Time: Roman Britain 1 May 2003 
With Greg Woolf, Mary Beard and Catharine Edwards 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Unearthing Britannia's Tribes

A BBC history of Iron Age Britain

John Sergeant

Greg Dyke

Gyles Brandreth

Jennie Bond

Roy Hattersley

Adam Hart-Davis

Antony Worrall-Thompson

Esther Rantzen

Janet Street-Porter

Lorraine Kelly

Edwina Currie

Alan Carr

Sue Perkins

Lucy Porter

Robin Ince

The comedy panel game where all the questions are about the guest host 
 
Welcome to The Personality Test, the panel show in which a brand new host takes the chair for every episode to present a quiz entirely themed around themselves. Each gets to run the show by their own rules, devising topics and queries based on their life, whims, fancies and past glories. Among the showbiz celebrities in the hot seat are Gyles Brandreth, Jennie Bond, Antony Worrall Thompson, Esther Rantzen, Janet Street-Porter and Edwina Currie, while the rounds include Love It Or Hate It, True or False, That Special Day and Life's a Pitch. 
 
Is John Sergeant a fan of Julia Roberts? Would Greg Dyke give Radio 4 just a minute, or leave it on a desert island? And does Claire Rayner have a penchant for jelly babies? Having spent a week swotting up on their host, the contestants must tackle these questions and more, as they do their best to amuse, entertain, charm, flatter - and occasionally, flirt outrageously - in a bid to chalk up the points and win the game. Battling it out are regular panellists and comedy heavyweights Alan Carr, Sue Perkins, Robert Ince, Lucy Porter, Will Smith and Carrie Quinlan. 
 
Intriguing and challenging, riotous and revealing, this unique panel show shines a fascinating spotlight on the interests and enthusiasms of your favourite personalities - and keeps you laughing along the way. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Richard Turner, Simon Littlefield and Kieron Quirke 
Devised and produced by Aled Evans 
 
Series 1 presented by: John Sergeant, Greg Dyke, Gyles Brandreth and Jennie Bond 
With Sue Perkins, Alan Carr, Lucy Porter, Will Smith, Robin Ince and Natalie Haynes 
 
Series 2 presented by: Roy Hattersley, Rick Wakeman, Adam Hart-Davis, Antony Worrall Thompson, Claire Rayner and Esther Rantzen 
With Sue Perkins, Lucy Porter, Robin Ince, Mark Dolan and Will Smith 
 
Series 3 presented by: Janet Street-Porter, Lorraine Kelly, Andrew Neill, Edwina Currie, Toyah Willcox and Eve Pollard 
With Sue Perkins, Will Smith, Nick Doody, Lucy Porter, Robin Ince, Carrie Quinlan and Dan Tetsell 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 July-2 August 2006 (Series 1), 7 December 2006-11 January 2007 (Series 2), 5 July-9 August 2007 (Series 3) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Personality Test

The complete BBC Radio 4 comedy quiz series

Brian Cox

Four more series of the multi-award-winning science/comedy show 
 
Celebrating the wonders of the universe since 2009, The Infinite Monkey Cage combines wit and wisdom to explore scientific concepts in an entertaining, accessible way. In these four series, physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are back to 'put a smile on the face of science' (The Independent). They're joined by a wealth of boffins, brainiacs and celebrity science enthusiasts, all keen to share their hard facts, soft theories and bold comic deviations. 
 
Beginning with the end of the universe, they tackle topics including black holes, the human brain, Neanderthals and the science of cooking - and attempt to answer profound philosophical questions such as 'What is life, and how did it start?', 'Is time an illusion?' and ''What is reality?' There's also an astronaut's guide to isolation, featuring Helen Sharman, Chris Hadfield, Nicole Stott and Apollo 9's Rusty Schweickart; a look back at 60 years of chimpanzee research with Jane Goodall; and a history of rock (not in the Rolling Stones sense, but actual rolling stones). 
 
Plus, the duo play Animal Top Trumps to find out whether we should prefer beautiful bats to much-maligned flies; travel deep below the ocean waves to see what lies beneath; discover how trees communicate using the Wood Wide Web; and learn why two brains are definitely better than one... 
 
Among their special guests are Eric Idle, Steve Martin, Matt Lucas, Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey, Mark Gatiss, Steve Jones, Ross Noble, Sara Pascoe, Prof Alice Roberts, Carlo Rovelli, Harold McGee, Dr Janna Levin, Dave Gorman, Brendan Hunt and Katy Brand. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince 
Producer: Alexandra Feachem 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Infinite Monkey Cage: Series 22-25

Three series of the Sony Award-winning BBC Radio comedy show 
 
A fast-paced mix of stand-up, songs and sketches, The Now Show takes an off-the-wall look at world events, blending satire and silliness to poke fun at politics and lampoon the news. 
 
In these 18 episodes from 2014 and 2015, Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Jon Culshaw. Joining them are a raft of comedians including Nathan Caton, Elis James, Sara Pascoe, Aditi Mittal, Alex Edelman and Alexei Sayle, as they dissect the headlines with their scalpel of wit. 
 
Everything is fair game and a potential target for the team, and topics under the spotlight include the Scottish independence referendum; the UN climate summit; 3-parent babies; fox hunting and whether or not Pluto is a planet. David Quantick ponders the Proms; Nish Kumar wonders if Monopoly is to blame for economic inequality; and Jon Holmes explain how the British Army is waging war through social media. 
 
Plus, the team pose the traditional Audience Questions, including 'What have you observed that demands explanation?', 'What gadget or invention do you most regret buying?' and 'What irritates you so much you'd be prepared to go to prison?' 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis and Jon Culshaw 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Liam Beirne, Rose Biggin, Sarah Campbell, Chris Coltrane, Tom Crowley, Max Davis, Alice Gregg, Gareth Gwynn, Gaby Hutchinson-Crouch, Jon Hunter, Nadia Kamil, Jane Lamacraft, Sarah Morgan, Carrie Quinlan, Andy Woolton 
 
Produced by Alexandra Smith and Joe Nunnery 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 44 featuring: Mitch Benn, Nathan Caton, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Jon Holmes, Elis James, Nish Kumar, Terry Mynott, Sara Pascoe, Grace Petrie, David Quantick, Laura Shavin, Iain Stirling, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 45 featuring: Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Pippa Evans, Rich Hall, John Finnemore, Jon Holmes, Tez Ilyas, Adam Kay, Nish Kumar, Aditi Mittal, Laura Shavin, Vikki Stone 
 
Series 46 featuring: Mitch Benn, Peter Bradshaw, Rory Cellan-Jones, Alex Edelman, Harry the Piano, Jon Holmes, Faisal Islam, Alice Lowe, Elis James, Emma John, Sarah Kendall, Tom Peck, David Quantick, Alexei Sayle, Laura Shavin, Gemma Whelan, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 September-17 October 2014 (Series 44), 9 January-13 February 2015 (Series 45), 3 July-7 August 2015 (Series 46) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 44 – 46

The BBC Radio 4 topical comedy

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis present three more series of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy show 
 
A long-time favourite of Friday night comedy fans, The Now Show presents the headlines through sketches, songs and stand-up, providing a wry, satirical perspective on UK and world events. 
 
In these 19 episodes from 2015 and 2016, hosts Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are joined by some of the brightest and best comedy writers and performers - including Mitch Benn, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Mae Martin, Adam Kay and Nish Kumar - for an entertaining romp through the worlds of politics, popular culture and current affairs. 
 
Topics tackled include the Paris terror attacks, the Panama Papers, the EU referendum and its aftermath, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and puppets. Plus, on its 100th anniversary, Jake Yapp makes a plea for us to keep British Summer Time 365 days a year; Ellie Taylor explains why Millennials are so anxious; Jon Holmes denounces our increasingly selfie-obsessed society and Andy Zaltzman makes an argument for sport to save us all. And as Christmas approaches, the team take a trip to a cat café, and celebrate the season with a Political Panto... 
 
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Liam Beirne, Rose Biggin, Catherine Bohart, Sarah Campbell, Rebecca Channon, Max Davis, Sophie Duker, Gareth Gwynn, Jon Hunter, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Marc Jones, Dan Kiss, Jane Lamacraft, Jenny Laville, Laura Major, Robin Morgan, Sarah Morgan, Michael Odewale, Carrie Quinlan, Clare Wetton, Tom Whalley, Andy Wolton 
 
Produced by Alexandra Smith, Joe Nunnery and Adnan Ahmed 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 47 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Mitch Benn, Georgie Bingham, Pippa Evans, John Finnemore, Sofie Hagen, Dr Phil Hammond, Harry the Piano, Jon Holmes, Tez Ilyas, Luke Kempner, Sarah Kendall, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Robert Peston, Grace Petrie, David Quantick, Jess Ransom, Jasper Rees, John Robins, Emily Taylor, Dr Gabrielle Walker, Holly Walsh, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 48 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Luke Harding, Isabel Hardman, Harry The Piano, Dr Nick Hawes, Jon Holmes, Alice Jones, Zoe Lyons, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Lucy Porter, Jessica Ransom, Suzi Ruffell, Christoph Scheuermann, Felicity Spector, Vikki Stone, Ellie Taylor, Mike Wilmot, Jake Yapp, Andy Zaltzman 
 
Series 49 featuring: James Acaster, Gemma Arrowsmith, Dane Baptiste, Matt Burgess, Pippa Evans, Tez Ilyas, Greg Jenner, Adam Kay, Luke Kempner, Sarah Kendall, Nish Kumar, Dr Tomila Lankina, Mae Martin, Freya Parker, Rachel Parris, Lucy Porter, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Jess Ransom, Suzi Ruffell, Vikki Stone, Ellie Taylor, Xenia Wickett, Andy Zaltzman 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 13 November-18 December 2015 (Series 47), 4 March-8 April 2016 (Series 48), 4 November-16 December 2016 (Series 49) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 47 – 49

Three sparkling series of the award-winning comedy show 
 
The Now Show is back with a bang, bringing you a bumper helping of topical skits, sketches, stand-up and songs. In these 18 episodes, Steve Punt co-presents with Hugh Dennis and, on one occasion, Gareth Gwynn. Joining them to take a satirical sideswipe at the news are comedians including Felicity Ward, Glenn Moore, Michael Spicer, Ria Lina, Josh Pugh, Athena Kugblenu, Geoff Norcott, Stevie Martin and Sarah Keyworth. 
 
Aurie Styla riffs about the smug benefits of owning an electric car; Daliso Chaponda muses on the future of the Metaverse; Priya Hall wonders why we're experiencing shortages of pretty much everything; and Jess Fostekew talks us through all the things she's doing to distract herself from the news. 
 
Supplying the music are Jess Robinson, who gives us a sneak preview of Adele's 23rd album, '95'; Ignacio Lopez, with a Bowie-inspired song about billionaires in space; Beardyman, with a jazzy ode to staying calm; and Stiff & Kitsch, with a tuneful list of all the things we can worry about again now the pandemic is over (kind of). 
 
Plus, we hear the funniest answers to Audience Questions including 'Have you ever been given a nickname you didn't want?', 'What strange things are on your bucket list?', 'What's the most humiliating thing that has ever happened to you?' and 'Have you ever hidden something? Who from, and why?' 
 
NB: Contains humour and language that some listeners may find offensive 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis (Series 59, Episode 3 presented by Steve Punt and Gareth Gwynn) 
Written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis with the cast 
Additional material by Simon Alcock, Becca Bain, Davina Bentley, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Steve Blair, Catherine Brinkworth, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, Natasha Dhanraj, Aidan Fitzmaurice, Alex Garrick-Wright, Jade Gebbie, Gareth Gwynn, Jack Harris, Rajiv Karia, Harry Kampf, Jenny Laville, Cameron Loxdale, Laura Major, Eleri Morgan, Robin Morgan, Hannah Platt, Rhiannon Shaw, Mike Shepherd, Katie Storey 
 
Produced by Pete Strauss and Rajiv Karia 
Production Co-ordinators: Sarah Sharpe 
Music composed by Alex Silverman (Series 59, Episode 1 and Series 60, Episode 6) 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 59 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Karen Bartke, Beardyman, Daliso Chaponda, Huge Davies, Gareth Gwynn, Jason Forbes, Priya Hall, Janine Harouni, Kieran Hodgson, Natasha Hodgson, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Athena Kugblenu, Ria Lina, Ignacio Lopez, Jamie MacDonald, Glen Moore, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Nimisha Odedra, Josh Pugh, Jess Robinson, Emma Sidi, Michael Spicer, Stiff & Kitsch, Aurie Styla, Tim Sutton, Felicity Ward 
 
Series 60 featuring: Gemma Arrowsmith, Angela Barnes, Ken Cheng, Huge Davies, David Eagle, Jazz Emu, Jason Forbes, Jess Fostekew, Chiara Goldsmith, Archie Henderson, Kieran Hodgson, Matty Hutson, Sharlin Jahan, Rhys James, Luke Kempner, Sooz Kempner, Sarah Keyworth, Ola Labib, Stevie Martin, Geoff Norcott, Katie Norris, Freya Parker, Chloe Petts, Jess Robinson, Ian Smith, Laura Smyth, Stiff & Kitsch, Tim Sutton, Chris Thorburn, Inel Tomlinson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 29 October-3 December 2021 (Series 59), 11 March-15 April 2022 (Series 60), 28 October-2 December 2022 (Series 61) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Now Show: Series 59-61

Five complete series of the ever-popular panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
December 2022 marks 55 years of Just a Minute, Radio 4's longest-running and most beloved panel game. To commemorate this milestone, this special collection comprises five classic series of the hit show from 2010 and 2011, featuring a wealth of favourite panellists attempting to prove they have the gift of the gab. 
 
Ready to pounce on hesitation, repetition or deviation is chairman Nicholas Parsons, while among the players are longtime regular Paul Merton; current JAM host Sue Perkins and Sheila Hancock (who first appeared in the second ever episode). Making their debuts on the show are celebrities Rick Wakeman, Kevin Eldon, Sir Terry Wogan and Fi Glover. 
 
Other famous names showing off their verbal dexterity include Julian Clary (who reveals, among other things, what he thinks of New Year's Eve Parties); John Sergeant (explaining why it takes Two to Tango); Alun Cochrane (riffing on What Makes Me Furious); Stephen Fry (speaking on The Right Way to Greet Someone) and Josie Lawrence (who shares her ability to Leave on a High). 
 
Listen as they take these topics, and many more, in their comic stride - can they achieve the coveted goal of speaking for sixty seconds without being challenged? (It sounds like a breeze, but it's harder than you think...) 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 56 featuring: Paul Merton, Julian Clary, David Mitchell, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Charles Collingwood, Chris Neill, Justin Moorhouse, Tony Hawks, Dave Gorman, Jenny Eclair, Pam Ayres, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck 
 
Series 57 featuring: Paul Merton, Jenny Eclair, Gyles Brandreth, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck, John Sergeant, Tony Hawks, Ross Noble, Sheila Hancock, Shappi Khorsandi, John Bishop, Fred Macaulay, Stephen K Amos 
 
Series 58 featuring: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Alun Cochrane, Sue Perkins, Kevin Eldon, Julian Clary, Sheila Hancock, Ian McMillan, Gyles Brandreth 
 
Series 59 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Shappi Khorsandi, Rick Wakeman, Sheila Hancock, Sue Perkins, Marcus Brigstocke, Ross Noble, Tony Hawks, Liza Tarbuck, Sir Terry Wogan, Julian Clary, Graham Norton 
 
Series 60 featuring: Paul Merton, Stephen Fry, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Sue Perkins, Graham Norton, Tony Hawks, Fi Glover 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4 January-22 March 2010 (Series 56), 2 August-13 September 2010 (Series 57), 8 November-13 December 2010 (Series 58), 7 February-28 March 2011 (Series 59), 16 May-20 June 2011 (Series 60) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 56 – 60

The BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game

Five collected series of the award-winning panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Just a Minute is the grandaddy of panel games, entertaining Radio 4 listeners since 1967 with wit, whimsy and wonderful wordplay. To mark the show's 55th anniversary in December 2022, here are five fantastic series from 2011, 2012 and 2013, all chaired by the legendary Nicholas Parsons. Among them is Series 62, which commemorated JAM's 45th birthday with an episode tackling the same subjects given out in the very first series, and featured two special editions from Mumbai. 
 
Among the panellists keen to show their mettle are first-timers Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Hannibal Buress and Tim Vine, relative newcomers Richard Herring, Paul Sinha, Jason Manford and Stephen Mangan, and veterans Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth and Sue Perkins (proving that she's as skilled at playing the game as she is at hosting it). 
 
Under the watchful eye of the chairman, they attempt to talk for 60 uninterrupted seconds on topics including My Tartan Underwear, The Search for Intelligent Life, The Importance of Eyebrows, How to Annoy the Audience and My Mate Dan - but can they make it to a minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation? As the Minute Waltz fades away, let the hilarity commence... 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani and Claire Jones 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 61 featuring: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shelia Hancock, Graham Norton, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Phill Jupitus, Rick Wakeman, Gyles Brandreth, Jason Byrne, Shappi Khorsandi, Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres 
 
Series 62 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Ross Noble, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Charles Collingwood, Liza Tarbuck, Josie Lawrence, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Marcus Brigstocke, Anuvab Pal, Cyrus Broacha 
 
Series 63 featuring: Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Greg Proops, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Richard Herring, Paul Sinha 
 
Series 64 featuring: Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck, Graham Norton, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres, Charles Collingwood, Gyles Brandreth, Janey Godley, Hannibal Buress, Tim Vine, Jason Byrne, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Alun Cochrane, Kevin Eldon 
 
Series 65 featuring: Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Jason Manford, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Stephen Mangan, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Richard Herring 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August-19 September 2011 (Series 61), 6 February-19 March 2012 (Series 62), 14 May-18 June 2012 (Series 63), 6 August-24 September 2012 (Series 64), 11 February-1 April 2013 (Series 65) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 61 – 65

Five series of the perennially popular panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Loved by Radio 4 listeners since 1967, Just a Minute is the deliciously devious word game that asks players to speak for sixty seconds on any given subject without hesitation, deviation or repetition. Putting them through their linguistic paces - and keeping order over the proceedings - is chairman Nicholas Parsons. 
 
Included here are five series from 2013-14, collected together to celebrate the show's 55th birthday and featuring its 900th episode and a Christmas special. The polished performers are a mix of old hands such as Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Sue Perkins, Sheila Hancock and Jenny Eclair, and new kids on the block like Roy Walker, Henry Blofeld, Patrick Kielty, Joe Lycett, Rebecca Front, Holly Walsh, Vanessa Feltz, Kerry Godliman, Jonathan Ross and Frank Skinner. 
 
Topics include 'Fur Coat and No Knickers', 'Murder Most Foul', 'Unanswerable Questions', 'Random Acts of Kindness', 'My Five a Day' and 'Books I Shouldn't Have Read': as well as one that will test the contestants' memory as well as their linguistic skills - 'Previously on Just a Minute'... 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Katie Tyrell, Tilusha Ghelani and Claire Jones 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 66 featuring: Paul Merton, Pam Ayres, Kevin Eldon, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Fred MacAulay, Roy Walker, Richard Herring, Russell Kane, Kevin Eldon 
 
Series 67 featuring: Tony Hawks, Alun Cochrane, Patrick Kielty, Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton, Greg Proops, Joe Lycett, Sue Perkins, Russell Kane, Henry Blofeld, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Liza Tarbuck, Stephen Mangan, Pam Ayres 
 
Just a Christmas Minute featuring: Pam Ayres, Stephen Mangan, Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton 
 
Series 68 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Fi Glover, Paul Merton, Alun Cochrane, Rebecca Front, Russell Kane, Sheila Hancock, Richard Herring, Josie Lawrence, Fi Glover, Miles Jupp, Holly Walsh 
 
Series 69 featuring: Paul Merton, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Vanessa Feltz, Gyles Brandreth, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Kielty, Paul Sinha, Kevin Eldon, Joe Lycett, Sheila Hancock 
 
Series 70 featuring: Paul Merton, Alun Cochrane, Jonathan Ross, Liza Tarbuck, Gyles Brandreth, Sue Perkins, Frank Skinner, Josie Long, Stephen Mangan, Tony Hawks, Kerry Godliman, Holly Walsh, Russell Kane, Jonathan Ross, Sheila Hancock 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 May - 24 June 2013 (Series 66), 12 August - 23 September 2013 (Series 67), 23 December 2013 (Just a Christmas Minute), 10 February - 31 March 2014 (Series 68), 19 May - 23 June 2014 (Series 69), 11 August - 29 September 2014 (Series 70) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 66 – 70

Five fantastic series of the much-loved panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
First broadcast in 1967, Just a Minute is Radio 4's longest-running panel game, and a national institution. These five series from 2015-2016, brought together in one collection to commemorate the show's 55th anniversary, feature some of the most magical moments in JAM's history - among them David Tennant's spectacular performance, speaking for an uninterrupted minute in his very first show. 
 
Other debutants include Lucy Beaumont, Susan Calman, Tom Allen, Andy Hamilton, Josh Widdicombe, Rufus Hound, Nish Kumar, Esther Rantzen, John Finnemore and Alexei Sayle - but will any of them match the Tenth Doctor for verbal dexterity? Meanwhile, notching up their 100th appearance are Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth and Graham Norton. 
 
Whether novices or veterans, all the panellists are faced with the same challenge: to talk for 60 seconds without hesitation, deviation and repetition on any given subject - from 'Crows' Feet' to 'Hypnotising Chickens', 'Genghis Khan' to 'Kermit the Frog' and 'Wellington Boots' to 'Beef Wellington'. Join host Nicholas Parsons and the distinguished panellists, as they use their intellect, imagination and gift of the gab to beat the clock and win the points. 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani and Victoria Lloyd 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 71 featuring: Julian Clary, Stephen Fry, Paul Merton, David Tennant, Tony Hawks, Josie Lawrence, Alun Cochrane, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Jenny Eclair, Shappi Khorsandi, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton, Robin Ince 
 
Series 72 featuring: Paul Merton, Tim Rice, Liza Tarbuck, Graham Norton, Alun Cochrane, Susan Calman, Gyles Brandreth, Sheila Hancock, Mike McShane, Pam Ayres, Lucy Beaumont, Marcus Brigstocke 
 
Series 73 featuring: Janey Godley, Gyles Brandreth, Joe Lycett, Paul Merton, Andy Hamilton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks, Josh Widdicombe, Jenny Eclair, Sheila Hancock, Julian Clary, Susan Calman, Josie Lawrence, Tom Allen 
 
Series 74 featuring: Paul Merton, Rufus Hound, Graham Norton, Pam Ayres, Gyles Brandreth, Tim Rice, Esther Rantzen, Stephen Fry, Jenny Eclair, Josie Lawrence, Nish Kumar 
 
Series 75 featuring: Paul Merton, John Finnemore, Gyles Brandreth, Sheila Hancock, Josie Lawrence, Alexei Sayle, Graham Norton, Josh Widdicombe, Holly Walsh, Marcus Brigstocke 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 9 February - 30 March 2015 (Series 71), 18 May - 6 July 2015 (Series 72), 24 August - 16 November 2015 (Series 73), 22 February - 28 March 2016 (Series 74), 16 May - 20 June 2016 (Series 75) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 71 – 75

Five sensational series of the classic panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons 
 
Born the same year as Radio 4 itself, Just a Minute is one of the BBC's longest-running and most popular panel games. In these five series from 2016-2018, collected together to mark the 55th birthday of the show, Nicholas Parsons presides over more hilarious linguistic shenanigans. Highlights include a festive edition, Just a Minute Does Panto!, which sees the players journeying through Panto-land in search of the missing Golden Whistle. Also featured is Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes, which was specially compiled to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary in 2017 and featured panellists from across the decades. 
 
Among other sparkling moments in this ferociously funny collection are Paul Merton's 400th appearance, and Katherine Ryan's amazing achievement of talking for a full minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition on her very first turn. Endeavouring to follow in her footsteps are fellow first-timers Pippa Evans, Zoe Lyons, Will Self, Al Murray, Fern Britton, James Acaster and Mark Watson, as well as a multitude of JAM stalwarts including Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Sheila Hancock and Graham Norton. 
 
The topics range from 'Schrödinger's Cat', 'Hair of the Dog' and 'The Early Bird' to 'Sailing Close to the Wind', 'Playing Second Fiddle' and 'Giving Up the Ghost'. So join the plucky panellists as they prepare to do verbal battle on the show where every second counts! 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Matt Stronge and Victoria Lloyd 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
 
Series 76 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Katherine Ryan, Julian Clary, Tony Hawks, Zoe Lyons, Janey Godley, Nish Kumar, Marcus Brigstocke, Fred MacAulay, Pippa Evans, Ross Noble, Sheila Hancock, Will Self 
 
Just a Minute Does Panto! featuring: Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Tom Allen, Rufus Hound, Pippa Evans, Julian Clary 
 
Series 77 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Zoe Lyons, Graham Norton, Sheila Hancock, Tom Allen, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Marcus Brigstocke, Al Murray 
 
Series 78 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry, Pam Ayres, Zoe Lyons, Julian Clary, Ross Noble, Fern Britton, Gyles Brandreth 
 
Series 79 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Andy Hamilton, Sue Perkins, Tony Hawks, Phill Jupitus, Sheila Hancock, Jenny Eclair, Josie Lawrence, Fred Macaulay, James Acaster, Paul Sinha, Janey Godley, Mark Watson, Rufus Hound, Zoe Lyons 
 
Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes featuring Paul Merton, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Tony Hawks, Sheila Hancock, Gyles Brandreth, Graham Norton, Jenny Eclair, Sue Perkins, Andree Melly, Linda Smith, Ross Noble, Wendy Richard, Liza Tarbuck, Aimi Macdonald, Stephen Fry, Chris Neill, Fred MacAulay, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Moore, Janey Godley, Richard Murdoch, Lance Percival, Maureen Lipman, Susan Calman, Peter Cook, Betty Marsden, Ian McMillan, David Mitchell, Annabel Giles, Sandi Toksvig, Barbara Castle 
 
Series 80 featuring: Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi, Jo Caulfield, Julian Clary, Paul Merton, Stephen Fry, Jan Ravens, Gyles Brandreth 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August - 26 September 2016 (Series 76), 25 December 2016 (Just a Minute Does Panto!), 20 February - 27 March 2017 (Series 77), 15 May - 19 June 2017 (Series 78), 7 August - 25 September 2017 (Series 79), 25 December 2017 (Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes), 19 February - 26 March 2018 (Series 80) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 76 – 80

Five sparkling series of the evergreen BBC Radio 4 panel show 
 
Just a Minute has been entertaining generations of listeners since its first series in 1967. This collection of five series from 2018-2019, commemorating the programme's 55th anniversary, contains the last ever episodes chaired by broadcasting legend Nicholas Parsons, as well as several shows in which Gyles Brandreth sits in for him as temporary host. 
 
Between them, they keep the scores and the peace, as players including newbies Sara Pascoe, Angela Barnes, Cariad Lloyd, Phil Wang, Ed Byrne and Kiri Pritchard-McLean join regulars such as Paul Merton, Pam Ayres, Josie Lawrence and Julian Clary to pit their wits against each other. One of them will achieve the rare feat of speaking for a full minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation - but who? 
 
Among the subjects stretching the panellists' linguistic elastic to breaking point are 'Fishnet Stockings', 'The Wild West', 'The Theory of Evolution', 'George V', 'Bad Apples' and 'Pasta'. So sit back and marvel at their wonderful way with words, as they show off their ingenuity, invention and improvisational skills in a bid to trounce the competition and secure the game. 
 
Cast and credits 
Devised by Ian Messiter 
Produced by Matt Stronge and Richard Morris 
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons 
Temporary chairman: Gyles Brandreth (Episodes 4 and 5, Series 81 and Episodes 3 and 4, Series 85) 
 
Series 81 featuring: Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Fern Britton, Graham Norton, Marcus Brigstocke, Rebecca Front, Gyles Brandreth, Josie Lawrence, Sara Pascoe, Tony Hawks 
 
Series 82 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Hawks, Zoe Lyons, Pam Ayres, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Janey Godley, Fred MacAulay, Mark Watson, Jo Caulfield, Sheila Hancock, Jan Ravens, Rufus Hound 
 
Series 83 featuring: Tony Hawks, Josie Lawrence, Gyles Brandreth, Angela Barnes, Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Josh Widdicombe, Julian Clary, Lee Mack, Zoe Lyons, Jenny Eclair, Fern Britton 
 
Series 84 featuring: Gyles Brandreth, Kerry Godliman, Jenny Eclair, Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Lucy Porter, Tony Hawks, Cariad Lloyd, Zoe Lyons 
 
Series 85 featuring: Graham Norton, Zoe Lyons, Jenny Eclair, Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Phil Wang, Sheila Hancock, Fred MacAulay, Lucy Porter, Ed Byrne, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Mark Watson, Stephen Fry, Jan Ravens, Pam Ayres 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 May - 18 June 2018 (Series 81), 6 August - 24 September 2018 (Series 82), 4 February - 25 March 2019 (Series 83), 13 May - 17 June 2019 (Series 84), 5 August - 23 September 2019 (Series 85) 
 
© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Just a Minute: Series 81 – 85

Mark Thomas

Free-thinking funnyman Mark Thomas creates a People's Manifesto, aided by his live studio audience 
 
'Funny, knowing and tongue-in-cheek... sardonic, furious-paced wit' The Guardian 
 
Comedian, activist and 'libertarian anarchist' Mark Thomas believes that, as a nation, we are drifting - economically, politically and socially. Where, he asks, are the big ideas, theories and visions that will help our country in its hour of need? Tired of the status quo, he sets out to change the world by compiling a People's Manifesto, gathering policy suggestions from his studio audience and getting them to vote for the best. 
 
Their blue-sky proposals range from the serious (limit and regulate payday loan companies; force all politicians to use public transport, the NHS, and send their kids to state schools) to the hilarious (mandating that all restaurants should only serve starters; colour-coding society so you can see at a glance who's single and looking). 
 
Other ideas up for the vote include legalising recreational drugs for senior citizens ('Deals on Wheels'); introducing a maximum wage; and reinstating 'Saint Monday' - the ancient tradition of taking Mondays off. Also on the agenda are crushing the cars of anyone illegally parked in a disabled space; declaring any war that lasts more than five years a draw; having a 'none of the above' option on voting cards; and enforcing rustle-free zones in cinemas (policed by 'cinema ninjas'.) 
 
Inspired, Mark decides to pursue one of his favourite propositions - that he should invade Jersey - and heads to Glasgow to consider a kick-starter to buy Scotland out of the Union... But which of the Great British Public's policies will make the final cut? Listen and find out... 
 
Also included is a bonus accompanying PDF of the full People's Manifesto, as voted for by the audience of Mark Thomas: The Manifesto. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Mark Thomas 
Produced by Ed Morrish (Series 1 and 2) and Colin Anderson (Series 3-5) 
Researcher: Susan McNicholas (Series 5) 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 June-2 July 2009 (Series 1), 4 February-25 February 2010 (Series 2), 6 January-27 January 2011 (Series 3), 8 February-29 February 2012 (Series 4), 4 April-9 May 2013 (Series 5) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The People’s Manifesto

The complete BBC Radio 4 comedy series

Martin Young

The buzzworthy 'famous people' quiz about noteworthy and notorious figures from fact and fiction 
 
Who Goes There? is the classic stardom panel quiz chaired by Martin Young. Proving that it's not what you know but who you know, each breezy episode features two celebrity teams battling to answer questions on famous figures from history, fiction, sport, and the gossip pages. Martin Young challenges the teams with hilarious and unusual archive clips, tests them on bizarre stage names and aliases, and reads out surprising CVs to have the panel guess the famous name at the top. 
 
Enjoying scandalous quotations, unconventional career highlights, and even a 'fleeting fame' round (in which panellists are challenged to remember when a certain person was all everyone talked about), Who Goes There? welcomes in anyone from Julius Caesar to Juliet Capulet to Julia Roberts. If you've made a name for yourself, you could be a question! 
 
A lively, fun show featuring sparkling and sharp-witted guest panellists, including Claire Rayner, Joan Bakewell, Francis Wheen, Carmen Callil, Gyles Brandreth, Annabel Giles, Sheridan Morley, Jonathan Meades, David Aaronovitch, Lynne Truss, and many, many more. Perfect for testing exactly which names to drop... 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
27 November 2005 - 8 January 2006 (Series 1) 
9 June - 24 July 1998 (Series 2) 
5 January - 9 February 2000 (Series 3) 
25 October - 29 November 2000 (Series 4) 
20 February - 27 March 2002 (Series 5) 
9 October - 13 November 2002 (Series 6) 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Martin Young 
Written and compiled by Nick Hildred and Hugh Rycroft 
Produced by Aled Evans and Elizabeth Freestone 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Who Goes There?

Selected episodes from the classic BBC Radio 4 quiz show

Various

Individuals who have experienced some of society's biggest issues tell their stories - and search for answers 
 
 From climate change, fake news and vaccine hesitancy to mental health, addiction and domestic violence, there are no shortage of societal problems facing the UK right now. But while we are aware these challenges exist, without personal experience it is hard for us to understand what it is like to struggle with them, and harder still to envision potential solutions. 
 
 These compelling documentaries, first broadcast on radio under the title 'My Name Is...', introduce us to a range of individuals who have confronted various hardships, telling their stories and following them as they ask difficult questions and endeavour to drive positive change. Among those we meet are Rachel, who has been sectioned multiple times and seeks to challenge the status quo around psychiatric treatment; Katie, a onetime problem gambler investigating how online gambling firms target the vulnerable; Abi, who almost died at the hands of her violent boyfriend and now helps others stay safe; and Fozia, a doctor horrified by the Covid conspiracy theories that leave patients afraid to come to hospital even when they're seriously ill. 
 
 We also hear from others whose stories are less harrowing, but equally absorbing. There's Noga, a 17-year-old youth strike organiser doing everything she can to save the planet; Hamza, a basketball and martial arts coach who believes broadening access to sport can improve opportunities for disadvantaged kids; Lucy, who's looking for love and wondering whether to ditch the dating apps; and 11-year-old Roman, who adores Minecraft and wants to know if his parents' limits on his screen time are fair. 
 
 Offering unique insight into the lives of a host of extraordinary people, these fascinating first-person accounts highlight the complexity of the issues affecting Britons today, and provide diverse perspectives on how we can set about tackling them. 
 
 Production credits 
 Presented by Noga Levy-Rapoport, Rachel Waddingham, Katie, Josh Walker, 'Courtney', Peter Trimingham, Beth Miles, Abi Blake, Imogen Rhodes, Fozia Hayat, Natasha Saunders, Lucy, Roman, Niellah Arboine, Jordan Lee, Anna, Elvis MacGonagall, Hamza Malik, Joshua Styles, Anna, Christina Adane, Natalie, Haroon Mota, Sam, Kate Deeming, Bex Wilson, Laura Brothwell, Claire Randall, Chris Fox 
 
 Produced by Sue Mitchell, Ben Crighton, Lydia Thomas, Miles Warde, Richard McIlroy, Ben Carter, Eliza Lomas, Kevin Core, Mugabi Turya, Seren Jones, Lucy Proctor, Giles Edwards, Beth Hemmings 
 
 Production Coordinators: Anne Smith, Gemma Ashman, Dave James, Sarah Goodman, Helen Surtees, Siobhan Maguire 
 
 Editors: Philip Sellars, Emma Rippon, Gill Farrington 
 
 First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
 My Name is Noga 1 April 2019 
My Name is Rachel 8 April 2019 
My Name is Katie 22 April 2019 
My Name is Josh 6 May 2019 
My Name is Courtney 27 May 2019 
My Name is Peter 6 January 2020 
My Name is Beth 27 January 2020 
My Name is Abi 3 February 2020 
My Name is Immie 10 February 2020 
My Name is Fozia 27 July 2020 
My Name is Natasha 3 August 2020 
My Name is Lucy 17 August 2020 
My Name is Roman 24 August 2020 
My Name is Niellah 31 August 2020 
My Name is Jordan 1 February 2021 
My Name is Anna 8 February 2021 
My Name is Elvis 15 February 2021 
My Name is Hamza 1 March 2021 
My Name is Josh 8 March 2021 
My Name is Anna 16 August 2021 
My Name is Christina 30 August 2021 
My Name is Natalie 6 September 2021 
My Name is Haroon 28 February 2022 
My Name is Sam 7 March 2022 
My Name is Kate 14 March 2022 
My Name is Bex 21 March 2022 
My Name is Laura 25 July 2022 
My Name is Claire 08 August 2022 
My Name is Chris 29 August 2022 
 
 
 © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Hardship Britain: Personal Stories of Social Issues Today

A BBC Radio 4 collection

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss 25 major leaders, thinkers and writers of the classical world 
 
'The best thing on Radio 4, possibly the best thing on the radio full stop' 
The Spectator 
 
In Our Time is one of BBC Radio's most successful and best-loved programmes, with a weekly listenership of over two million. Since 1998, it has 'transformed the landscape for serious ideas at peak listening time' (The Times), introducing its audience to an astonishing array of intriguing topics, from the epic of Gilgamesh to the gin craze. 
 
This special thematic collection focusses on some of the most important rulers, philosophers and writers of ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Across 25 episodes, presenter Melvyn Bragg and a panel of top-class academics engage in lively and eloquent conversation as they explore the lives, reputations and impact of these pivotal figures. Their subjects include emperors, statesmen, military leaders, authors, poets, playwrights, fabulists and theorists - among them Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, Socrates, Pythagoras, Ovid, Aesop and Sappho. 
 
Whether you're a long-standing In Our Time fan or a new listener, a student of ancient history or simply keen to expand your knowledge; this thoughtfully curated compilation of illuminating, accessible discussions is sure to enlighten and entertain. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson, Victoria Brignell, Natalia Fernandez and Luke Mulhall 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Leaders of Ancient Rome 
 
Julius Caesar 2 October 2014 
With Christopher Pelling, Catherine Steel and Maria Wyke 
 
Cleopatra 2 December 2010 
With Catharine Edwards, Maria Wyke and Susan Walker 
 
Cicero 25 January 2018 
With Melissa Lane, Catherine Steel and Valentina Arena 
 
Agrippina the Younger 31 March 2016 
With Catharine Edwards, Alice König and Matthew Nicholls 
 
Nero 25 April 2019 
With Maria Wyke, Matthew Nicholls and Shushma Malik 
 
Constantine the Great 5 October 2017 
With Christopher Kelly, Lucy Grig and Greg Woolf 
 
Marcus Aurelius 25 February 2021 
With Simon Goldhill, Angie Hobbs and Catharine Edwards 
 
Pliny the Younger 12 December 2013 
With Catharine Edwards, Roy Gibson and Alice König 
 
Queen Zenobia 30 May 2013 
With Edith Hall, Kate Cooper and Richard Stoneman 
 
Part II: Leaders of Ancient Greece 
 
Pericles 17 September 2020 
With Edith Hall, Paul Cartledge and Peter Liddel 
 
Alexander the Great 1 October 2015 
With Paul Cartledge, Diana Spencer and Rachel Mairs 
 
Part III: Thinkers of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece 
 
Galen 10 October 2013 
With Vivian Nutton, Helen King and Caroline Petit 
 
Thucydides 29 January 2015 
With Paul Cartledge, Katherine Harloe and Neville Morley 
 
Xenophon 26 May 2011 
With Paul Cartledge, Edith Hall and Simon Goldhill 
 
Heraclites 8 December 2011 
With Angie Hobbs, Peter Adamson and James Warren 
 
Socrates 27 September 2007 
With Angie Hobbs, David Sedley and Paul Millett 
 
Archimedes 25 January 2007 
With Jackie Stedall, Serafina Cuomo and George Phillips 
 
Pythagoras 10 December 2009 
With Serafina Cuomo, John O'Connor and Ian Stewart 
 
Part IV: Writers of Ancient Rome 
 
Seneca the Younger 23 February 2017 
With Catharine Edwards, Mary Beard and Alessandro Schiesaro 
 
Josephus 21 May 2015 
With Tessa Rajak, Philip Alexander and Martin Goodman 
 
Ovid 29 April 2021 
With Maria Wyke, Gail Trimble and Dunstan Lowe 
 
Horace 15 November 2018 
With Emily Gowers, William Fitzgerald and Ellen O'Gorman 
 
Part V: Writers of Ancient Greece 
 
Aesop 20 November 2014 
With Pavlos Avlamis, Simon Goldhill and Lucy Grig 
 
Herodotus 23 September 2021 
With Tom Harrison, Esther Eidinow and Paul Cartledge 
 
Sappho 9 April 2015 
With Edith Hall, Margaret Reynolds and Dirk Obbink 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Key Figures in Ancient History

In Our Time: 25 Landmarks in Military History

Melvyn Bragg and guests chart 500 years of Western philosophy through its most influential ideas and theorists 
 
'Listen to this and you'll never regret it' The Independent 
 
First aired in 1998, In Our Time has become one of Radio 4's most beloved and enduring shows, regularly attracting an audience of over 2 million. Each week, Melvyn Bragg and his panel of guest experts take part in an erudite, stimulating discussion on subjects ranging from the Peasants' Revolt to plate tectonics, taking the listener on a fascinating tour through a wonderland of ideas. 
 
Collected in this special thematic anthology are 25 episodes showcasing notable individuals from Renaissance times to the present day who have transformed the way we think about the world. Included are philosophers such as Descartes, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein and Karl Marx, authors Albert Camus, Iris Murdoch, Mary Wollstonecraft and Simone de Beauvoir, psychoanalyst Carl Jung and many other celebrated thinkers. Also featured are programmes on key philosophical themes, traditions and theories, among them existentialism, empiricism and feminism. 
 
Both an essential resource for philosophy students and a treasure trove for knowledge-seekers, this wonderfully curated collection of thought-provoking programmes will captivate longtime fans of the flagship BBC show, and surprise and delight those who are coming to it for the first time. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Natalia Fernandez, Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson and Victoria Brignell 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Modern Philosophical Traditions 
 
The Continental-Analytic Split 10 November 2011 
 
Part II: Rationalism and Empiricism 
 
Consciousness 25 November 1999 
Empiricism 10 June 2004 
Cogito Ergo Sum 28 April 2011 
Spinoza 3 May 2007 
Bishop Berkeley 20 March 2014 
David Hume 6 October 2011 
 
Part III: Existentialism 
 
Existentialism 28 June 2001 
Schopenhauer 29 October 2009 
Kierkegaard 20 March 2008 
Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality 12 January 2017 
Camus 3 January 2008 
 
Part IV: Logic, Language and Science 
 
Ordinary Language Philosophy 7 November 2013 
Jung 2 December 2004 
Bertrand Russell 6 December 2012 
Wittgenstein 4 December 2003 
Bergson and Time 9 May 2019 
Popper 8 February 2007 
 
Part V: Moral Philosophy 
 
Virtue 28 February 2002 
Kant's Categorical Imperative 21 September 2017 
Mill 18 May 2006 
Simone Weil 15 November 2012 
Iris Murdoch 21 October 2021 
 
Part VI: Political Philosophy 
 
The Social Contract 7 February 2008 
Machiavelli and the Italian City States 9 December 2004 
Hobbes 1 December 2005 
Rousseau on Education 10 October 2019 
Marx 14 July 2005 
Hannah Arendt 2 February 2017 
 
Part VII: Feminist Philosophy 
 
Feminism 7 January 1999 
Mary Astell 5 November 2020 
Mary Wollstonecraft 31 December 2009 
Simone de Beauvoir 22 October 2015 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Thinkers Who Shaped Modern Philosophy

Paul Sinha

Five fantastic shows from The Chase's 'Sinnerman', award-winning comic and broadcaster Paul Sinha 
 
'One of our most thoughtful and enjoyable comedians' The Times 
 
Paul Sinha loves a quiz. Not only is he the sixth-ranked quizzer in the UK, he's also a regular on Radio 4's long-running Round Britain Quiz and a resident Chaser on ITV's The Chase. In these collected BBC shows, Paul offers us his unique perspective as a quizmaster, stand-up star, ex-GP and second-generation migrant, as he takes a comedic look at British culture, history, nationalism and sport. 
 
Paul Sinha's Quiz Culture sees him travelling to the European Quizzing Championships in Derby, to meet the Continent's superstars, pit his skills against them, and find out why trivia has become such a serious business. In Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test, he examines the test that newcomers to Britain must pass to become citizens, and finds the questions deeply disappointing. Deciding he can do better, he rewrites it to reflect his own ideas of Britishness, focussing on the history syllabus, the arts, health and social cohesion. 
 
The Sinha Carta finds Paul scrutinising England's most important legal document, Magna Carta, explaining what's in it, why it's brilliant, and how it came to be. He also suggests some new, up-to-date additions, for a Magna Carta fit for a modern Britain. In The Sinha Test, Paul draws on his experience as a proudly English son of Indian immigrants to conduct a comic analysis of cricket, national identity and divided loyalties. Finally, in The Sinha Games, he weighs up the pros and cons of hosting the Olympics. Using archive material, interviews, jokes and heavy sarcasm, he examines the past, present and future of the Games, as well as talking to the gold medallist who most influenced him as a young man - his former teacher, Olympic pentathlete Andy Archibald. 
 
Production credits 
Written and performed by Paul Sinha 
 
Paul Sinha's Quiz Culture 
Produced by Monise Durrani 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 March 2011 
 
Paul Sinha's Citizenship Test 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4 Extra on the following dates: 
 
1 History Syllabus 5 August 2013 
2 Health of the Nation 12 August 2013 
3 British Culture 19 August 2013 
4 British Greatness 26 August 2013 
 
The Sinha Carta 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 February 2015 
 
The Sinha Test 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 2011 
 
The Sinha Games 
Produced by Ed Morrish 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 July 2012 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Paul Sinha: A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Quiz Culture, Citizenship Test and more

Phil Hammond

Tony Gardner

All three series of Phil Hammond and Tony Gardner's award-winning comedy show exploding the myths of medicine 
 
'Very funny indeed' Daily Telegraph 
 
Broadcaster Dr Phil Hammond and actor Tony Gardner are best known for their respective roles in Trust Me, I'm a Doctor and Fresh Meat. But in the 1990s, then junior doctors, they made their names as the comedy double-act Struck Off and Die. A huge hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show transferred to radio in 1993, winning both a Writer's Guild and a Sony Award. Mixing dark, irreverent jokes, sardonic sketches and improvised interviews, it demystified the mysterious workings of the medical profession - and 30 years on, it remains as hilarious and relevant as when it was first broadcast. 
 
Series 1 sees the two doctors bringing their scalpel-sharp wit to bear on public and private health care, exposing the plight of the NHS; debunking the widespread myth that 'doctor knows best' and giving us their insiders' view of topics including surgeons, GPs, nurses, and birth and death. 
 
In Series 2, they take a four-part satirical look at Shakespeare's 'Ages of Man', examining the important role doctors play in every stage of our lives. Together, they give us the lowdown on childhood, reveal everything we need to know about sex, consider marriage and the menopause and tell the unexpurgated truth about old age. 
 
And in Series 3, Struck Off and Die's Family Health Companion, Drs Hammond and Gardner tackle issues such as stress, embarrassing sexual problems, the doctor-patient relationship, medical politics and medical training. Plus, there's a speculative probe into the medicine of the future - including doctorless surgeries, do-it-yourself operations and the virtual-reality hospital... 
 
Also included are excerpts from Radio 4's Edinburgh 90, featuring the Struck Off and Die duo entertaining the 1990 Fringe Festival audience with their anarchic insights. 
 
Production credits 
Written by and starring Phil Hammond and Tony Gardner 
With Felicity Montagu, Julian Dutton, Joanna Brookes, Tom Berrington, Philippa Fordham and David Wolstencroft 
Produced by Jon Magnusson and Helen Williams 
Edinburgh 90 produced by Sarah Smith 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 July 1991 (Edinburgh 90), 13 August - 3 September 1993 (Series 1), 19 August - 9 September 1994 (Series 2), 29 March - 3 May 2000 (Series 3) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Struck Off and Die: The Complete Series 1-3

A Classic BBC Radio 4 Sketch Comedy

Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to the world's leading thinkers about morality today 
 
In this fascinating series Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks explores what morality means, speaking with globally renowned thinkers, as well as voices from the next generation. 
 
From Steven Pinker and Robert Putnam to Melinda Gates and Jordan Peterson, the guests discuss the free market and the financial crash, selfies and social media, individuals and tribalism, artificial intelligence, role models, and rediscovering politics of the common good. 
 
With each topic, Rabbi Sacks also talks with teenagers from Manchester, London and Hertfordshire about how they engage with moral questions, and what they see as the greatest moral struggles that Generation Z will face. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 
 
Producer: Dan Tierney 
Series Editor: Christine Morgan 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-7 September 2018 
 
Episode 1: Responsibility 
How can we pursue our own interests without feeling vulnerable and isolated? With Jordan Peterson, Noreena Hertz, and Michael Sandel. 
 
Episode 2: Jordan Peterson 
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to Jordan Peterson, professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, and discusses how moral codes are formed. 
 
Episode 3: Noreena Hertz 
Noreena Hertz, economist, author and broadcaster, gives her verdict on the current state of capitalism and explores the failure of markets to deliver moral outcomes. 
 
Episode 4: The Selfie Generation 
How does a culture of selfies impact the way we live our lives? With Jean Twenge, Professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and David Brooks, political and social commentator and author. 
 
Episode 5: Jean Twenge 
Rabbi Sacks meets with Jean Twenge to explore why children with higher internet usage seem to have the lowest outcomes for happiness, resilience and tolerance. 
 
Episode 6: David Brooks 
David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, shares with Rabbi Sacks his thoughts on how individualism has gone too far. 
 
Episode 7: Is Society a Myth? 
What happens when we move from "we're all in this together" to "I'm free to be myself"? With Jonathan Haidt, Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University, and Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. 
 
Episode 8: Jonathan Haidt 
Rabbi Sacks talks to Jonathan Haidt, who is concerned about the destructive forms of tribalism in society today. 
 
Episode 9: Robert Putnam 
Why have social bonds collapsed in America, and what does that mean for the rest of the world? Rabbi Sacks and Robert Putnam discuss the importance of social capital. 
 
Episode 10: Artificial Intelligence 
How can humans continue to choose our fate in a world of AI? With Mustafa Suleyman, Co-founder and Head of Applied AI at DeepMind, and Nick Bostrom, Philosophy Professor at the University of Oxford. 
 
Episode 11: Mustafa Suleyman 
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to Mustafa Suleyman at one of the world's leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence, and explores the biggest moral questions around AI. 
 
Episode 12: Nick Bostrom 
In a further examination of the moral challenges of AI, Rabbi Sacks talks again with Nick Bostrom, who was one of the first to warn of the dangers of 'superintelligence'. 
 
Episode 13: Moral Heroes 
Who are the role models of the next generation, and do they provide hope for a better, more ethical and more responsible world? With Steven Pinker, Melinda Gates, Michael Sandel, and Jordan Peterson. 
 
Episode 14: Steven Pinker and Melinda Gates 
Rabbi Sacks meets with Steven Pinker to hear his reasons for hope for a better world, and with Melinda Gates to explore the motivations for her philanthropy. 
 
Episode 15: Michael Sandel 
In the final episode, Rabbi Sacks and the world-renowned political philosopher Michael Sandel discuss how we can return to a politics of the common good. 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Morality in the 21st Century

A BBC Radio 4 Philosophy and Ethics Series

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman's guides to leading a better life in an age of confusion 
 
Journalist and author Oliver Burkeman is well-known for his long-running Guardian column, 'How to Change Your Life', and has written three bestselling books on happiness, productivity and time management. In this radio collection, he looks at four central ills of modernity - busyness, anger, the insistence on positivity and the decline of nuance. Talking to a range of experts, he discovers how these problems became so widespread, and how we can go about tackling them. 
 
In Addicted to Busy (first broadcast as Oliver Burkeman is Busy), Oliver explores why we all feel so busy nowadays, asking whether we've talked ourselves into feeling overwhelmed, and if our problem might not be lack of time, but lack of bandwidth. Could the solution lie not in working harder, but in indulging in a little idleness? 
 
The Power of Negative Thinking sees Oliver examining the virtues of negativity. Asking why 'thinking yourself happy' can so often have the opposite effect, he probes the ways in which negative visualisation can achieve positive results; considers the phenomenon of hedonic adaptation; ponders whether workplace fun is ever a good idea; and wonders whether confronting our own mortality could make us happier. And in a special one-off episode, The Impostor's Survival Guide, he inquires why so many of us spend our working lives feeling like a fraud. Where do these feelings come from, and what can be done about them? 
 
In Why Are We So Angry?, Oliver attempts to understand why we are frequently so full of fury. Explaining how anger gave humans an evolutionary edge, he divulges how companies today profit from our outrage; investigates how anger can be essential for social change; learns how to manage rage in a healthy way; and asks if the future will become ever more angry, or if there's a point where our anger will finally break. 
 
Finally, in The Death of Nuance, he looks at how nuance is vanishing from public discourse. He discovers that our brains are wired for snap decisions, and that language can limit our capacity for nuanced thought - depending on how we choose to use it. He also considers how to open minds through moderation; explores how society has become polarised across political divides and reveals how to restore nuance and evolve our thinking in a changing world. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Oliver Burkeman 
Produced by Peter McManus 
 
Addicted to Busy: Why Life Has Got So Hectic first broadcast as Oliver Burkeman is Busy, BBC Radio 4, 12-16 September 2016 
With Maria Popova, Tony Crabbe, Jonathan Gershuny, Brigid Schulte, Stephanie Brown, Dan Ariely, David Drever and his team, Eldar Shafir, Mark Cropley, Andrew Smart, Tom Hodgkinson 
 
The Power of Negative Thinking first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21-25 November 2016 
With Gabriele Oettingen, Russ Harris, Jim Trodden, Derrick Jensen, Peter Congdon, Carol Barraclough, Kelsang Zamling, Kiera Lawlor, Ian Bogost, Marcus Coates, Josefine Speyer, Rebecca Green 
 
Why Are We So Angry? first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October-14 November 2018 
With Ryan Martin, Aaron Sell, Maya Tamir, Mark Vernon, Charlie Beckett, Molly Crockett, Tobias Rose-Stockwell, Martin Boyce, Brett Ford, Martha C. Nussbaum 
 
The Death of Nuance first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 December 2020-1 January 2021 
With Kevin Dutton, Susan Neiman, Tim Lomas, Naomi Baron, Damon Linker, Daniel Ravner, Robert B. Talisse, Poppy Noor, Richard Holloway 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Oliver Burkeman: Epidemics of Modern Life

Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo uncovers the forgotten events concealed by famous moments in history 
 
History is complicated, and to make sense of it, we construct a narrative, editing and shaping the past to form a coherent story. But in doing so, there is much we leave out, leading to gaps in our collective memory. In this series, broadcaster and former politician Michael Portillo revisits some of history's best-known moments to fill in some of these gaps, rediscovering forgotten events that augment our understanding and shift our perspective. 
 
Reappraising milestones such as the Spanish Armada, the French Revolution, the First World War and the Great Depression, he probes our selective amnesia, asking what we have mythologised, and what we've ignored. Was Alfred the Great really a bold English hero, or an Anglo-Saxon spin doctor? Why is Georgian England remembered for its elegant architecture and regency refinement when this period of history was full of riots and political strife? And could the Bengal famine of 1943, a horrific event in British India that cost at least 1.5 million lives, have been avoided? 
 
Talking to leading historians and experts, Portillo peels back the layers of history to uncover the uncomfortable truths and murky, ambiguous stories behind iconic events such as the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688, the struggle for Indian independence and the Boston Tea Party. He also reveals a Suffragette plot to assassinate Herbert Asquith; shows how a disastrous attempt at overseas colonisation led to the 1707 Act of Union merging England and Scotland; and takes a look at the real losers of the Battle of Trafalgar - the Spanish. 
 
Not revisionist, but restorative, this fascinating series challenges the orthodox view of history without glossing over its complexities, presenting a surprising, thought-provoking re-evaluation of our past and reminding us that the events we choose to remember are not always those that are the most significant. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Michael Portillo 
Produced by Julia Adamson, Tom Alban, Marya Burgess, Joanne Cayford, James Cook, James Crawford, Neil George, Laurence Grissell, Julia Johnson, Roger Mahony, Neil McCarthy, Paula McGinley and Philip Sellars 
Consultant: Chris Williams of the Open University 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Series 1 
The Battle of Mers-el-Kebir 16 May 2005 
The Spanish Armada 23 May 2005 
The French Revolution 6 June 2005 
 
Series 2 
Jack the Ripper 27 November 2006 
The First World War 4 December 2006 
The 1945 Labour Government 11 December 2006 
 
Series 3 
On Suffragettes 24 December 2007 
The Darien Scheme 31 December 2007 
The Bengal Famine 7 January 2008 
The Battle of Trafalgar 14 January 2008 
 
Series 4 
The League of Nations 15 December 2008 
Alfred the Great 22 December 2008 
 
Series 5 
Chamberlain and 'Peace for our Time' 1938 14 December 2009 
The Hanseatic League 21 December 2009 
The Glorious Revolution 28 December 2009 
 
Series 6 
King Harold 15 November 2010 
The Violent Side of Indian Independence 29 November 2010 
The Great Depression in the USA 6 December 2010 
 
Series 7 
The Real Boston Tea Party, 1773 13 November 2011 
Police Strike 20 November 2011 
The English Armada 4 December 2011 
 
Series 8 
The Georgian Façade 11 June 2012 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Things We Forgot to Remember

A BBC Radio 4 history series

Andrea Catherwood

Ian Hislop

Allan Little

Jeremy Bowen

A BBC Radio 4 season exploring the history and future of the United Kingdom 
 
In this remarkable collection exploring the state of the United Kingdom and the future of its union, five presenters examine the identities, history and struggles of the nations, and ask what keeps them together as a united country. 
 
In the first episode, Jonathan Freedland and a team of historians and BBC correspondents take The Long View of the Union of the United Kingdom, at the constitutional, economic and cultural bonds between the nations, particularly after Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, and at three moments in the UK's history when its future was under similar scrutiny. 
 
In A Sea Between Us, Andrea Catherwood looks back at the Ireland she left, when the the IRA was still active, the prospect of a united Ireland seemed remote, and unionist parties enjoyed a comfortable majority at the polls. Now, she meets voices from Belfast's unionist community, looks at the Northern Ireland Protocol's potential damage to Northern Ireland's place in the UK, and talks to those from a traditionally pro-union background, who now say they're agnostic about their country's place in the UK. 
 
The Ghost Kingdoms of England sees Ian Hislop telling the stories of the four great Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms - East Anglia, Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex - celebrating their golden ages and trying to understand their journey from groupings of North Sea peoples to powerful kingdoms, and eventually a single entity. He talks to such varied experts as curator of Medieval coinage Gareth Williams, head of archeology at Durham University Sarah Semple, writer Bernard Cornwell, and art historian Janina Ramirez, as he uncovers how the regional identities have left their mark, and how the nations stabilised into becoming 'England'. 
 
In Two Kingdoms, Allan Little presents the epic story of how and why Scotland entered into union with England, why that Union endured for so long, and the historic changes that have brought Scotland closer to independence than it's been since 1707. This is a story about the emergence of a powerful partnership forged in Empire, industry and war, and Allan asks what happens when their values diverge and then clash, with profound consequences for millions of people on both sides of the border. 
 
The final episodes, Being Welsh, see Jeremy Bowen examine what it means to be Welsh, taking in Welsh politics, language, history and culture from the starting point of a Cardiff Stadium rugby match. With contributions from Jac Larner, Martin Johnes, and Siân James, as well as Rhys Jones, Rebecca Thomas, and Uzo Iwobi, Being Welsh investigates the distinct identities across the country, the construction of modern Wales, and the complicated relationship between Wales and England. 
 
'Sensitive but to the point... clear and fair' Guardian 
 
Presented by Jonathan Freedland, Andrea Catherwood, Ian Hislop, Allan Little and Jeremy Bowen 
Produced by Mohini Patel, Conor Garrett, Tom Alban, Jonathan Brunert, Caitlin Smith and Glyn Tansley 
 
The Long View 
Produced by Mohini Patel 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2021 
 
A Sea Between Us 
Produced by Conor Garrett 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2021 
 
The Ghost Kingdoms of England 
Produced by Tom Alban 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2021 
 
Two Kingdoms 
Produced by Jonathan Brunert and Caitlin Smith 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2021 
 
Being Welsh 
Produced by Glyn Tansley 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January and February 2022 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

This Union

A BBC Radio 4 series exploring the history and future of the U.K.

Christopher Harding

Alex Bellos

Rana Mitter

David Peace

SF Said

Natasha Pulley

Matthew Sweet

Richard Lloyd Parry

Roy Jenkins

Philip Dodd

A captivating anthology of programmes, painting a multi-faceted portrait of a unique country 
 
Japan is a land of complexity, contrast and contradictions. The world's third-largest economy, it is a powerhouse of innovation and a pioneer in technology, fashion and pop culture. But it also has a rich, ancient heritage and a deep reverence for custom, ritual and tradition. This illuminating 2-part radio collection traverses the different aspects of this fascinating country, from its famous historical figures to its diverse cultural landscape. 
 
Part 1: History opens with Japan in Five Lives, in which cultural historian Christopher Harding portrays the lives of five colourful characters from the country's past to answer the question 'Who are the Japanese'? In Killing Time in Imperial Japan, he explores early 20th Century Tokyo, a bustling, cosmopolitan capital where the meaning of 'time' was hotly contested. Dark Blossoms sees him examining the doubts and misgivings accompanying Japan's rapid embrace of modernity, while in Japanese Tsunami, broadcasters Richard Lloyd Parry and Matthew Sweet discuss the devastating natural disaster that rocked the country in 2011. In Land of the Rising Sums, Alex Bellos visits Kyoto to ask why Asian cultures seem so much better at maths; in Japan and Religion, Roy Jenkins discusses the place of religious traditions in modern Japan; and in Supernatural Japan, Christopher Harding looks at how the Japanese have used ghosts and ghost stories to make sense of their world. 
 
Part 2: Culture celebrates Japan's art, literature and film. In Japan Now 2020, Philip Dodd talks to writers Hiromi Ito and Yukiko Motoya and photographer Tomoko Sawada about women's roles in Japanese culture today. Meanwhile, in Images of Japan, illustrator Fumio Obata and manga translator Jocelyne Allen discuss Japanese comic book imagery, and we join novelists Kyoko Nakajima and Yuya Sato in conversation with Christopher Harding. Landmark: Seven Samurai and Landmark: Rashomon see Matthew Sweet and Rana Mitter investigating the stories behind Akira Kurosawa's two most influential films, in the company of guests including film scholar Ian Christie and authors SF Said, David Peace and Natasha Pulley. The Tale of Genji takes us into the shimmering world of mediaeval Japan, as Rana Mitter explores Murasaki Shikibu's masterpiece, widely considered to be the world's first novel. Finally, in Godzilla and Hayao Miyazaki, Christopher Harding considers cinematic depictions of Japanese fear, as exemplified by the legendary monster king and the 2013 animated film The Wind Rises. 
 
Contents 
Japan in Five Lives 
Killing Time in Imperial Japan 
Dark Blossoms 
Japanese Tsunami 
Land of the Rising Sums 
Japan and Religion 
Supernatural Japan 
Japan Now 2020 
Images of Japan 
Landmark: Seven Samurai 
Landmark: Rashomon 
The Tale of Genji 
Godzilla and The Wind Rises 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

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