List of BBC Radio 4 programmes

This is a list of current and former programmes broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

When it came into existence – on 30 September 1967 – Radio 4 inherited a great many continuing programme series which had been initiated prior to that date by its predecessor, the BBC Home Service (1939–1967), and in some cases even by stations which had preceded the Home Service. Such inherited programmes are included in the list.

The years indicated in brackets after programme titles refer to the dates, where known, of each programme's first, subsequent, and final broadcasts – and, in cases where Radio 4 programmes began their run on stations other than the Home Service, the names of those originating stations are also shown.

Note that many of Radio 4's past comedy and drama productions have been, and continue to be repeatedly rerun on Radio 4, as well as on the digital radio channel BBC Radio 4 Extra (previously BBC Radio 7).

News and current affairs edit

Drama edit

Arts edit

Quizzes edit

Comedy edit

Panel games edit

Sitcoms edit

Sketch shows edit

Individual comedy plays edit

  • The 15 Minute Musical (2004–)
  • Kenneth William's Playhouse (1975)
  • Trapped, series of comedy dramas about trapped people, by Mark and Daniel Maier

Stand-up, cabaret, and variety edit

Talks edit

Documentaries edit

  • Absent Friends, documentary about off-screen comedy characters by Alan Stafford
  • The Borscht Belt, documentary by David Prest
  • Cartoons, Lampoons, and Buffoons (1998)
  • Comedy Album Heroes, Greg Proops presents show about classic comedy albums[15]
  • Double Trouble, documentary about famous comedy double acts
  • Fred Housego's Unknowns, documentary about lesser-known comedians[16]
  • How Tickled Am I, profiles of comedians and comic actors by Mark Radcliffe
  • Palace of Laughter (2002–03), Geoffrey Wheeler visits old music halls
  • Radio Anarchists, profile of American 1960s pranksters Coyle and Sharpe
  • Radio Fun, series on comics presented by Bob Monkhouse
  • Should We Be Laughing?, documentary about disability in comedy
  • Six Characters in Search of an Answer, profiling well-known comedy characters
  • There'll Never be Another, documentary on comedy with Graeme Garden
  • Turns of the Century, comedy documentary

Science, technology and medicine edit

  • All in the Mind (2003–)
  • Another Five Numbers
  • Brief History of the End of Everything
  • Britain's X-Files
  • Case Notes
  • A Cell for All Seasons
  • Changing Places
  • Check Up
  • Climate Wars
  • The Columbia Astronauts
  • Connect
  • Costing the Earth
  • Dial a Scientist — (~1976) (see Brian J. Ford (scientist))[17]
  • Emotional Rollercoaster
  • Five Numbers
  • Frontiers
  • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
  • Home Planet
  • The Infinite Monkey Cage
  • The Life Scientific
  • Land Lines
  • Leading Edge
  • Life as an Adult
  • Life as a Teenager
  • Life in Middle Age
  • Lifeblood
  • Living with Pain
  • Living World
  • Material World
  • Medicine Now
  • Mind Changers
  • The Mozart Effect
  • Nature
  • Nature's Magic
  • The New X-Files
  • One Man's Medicine
  • Patient Progress: Strokes
  • Rainforests of the Deep
  • Red Planet
  • Reith Lectures
  • Science Now (1974–1975+ (?)) (see Brian J. Ford)[18]
  • Scientists in a Shoebox
  • Seeds of Trouble
  • Small Dog on Mars
  • Stars in Their Eyes
  • Swan Migration
  • Tales of Cats and Comets
  • Think About It
  • Tweet of the Day (2013-)
  • A Twist to Life
  • Unearthing Mysteries
  • Walk Out to Winter
  • What Remains to Be Discovered?
  • Whatever you think
  • Where are you taking us?
  • Wild Europe
  • Wild Underground
  • World on the Move
  • Wrestling with Words

Religion and ethics edit

History edit

  • A History of the World in 100 Objects (2010–)
  • The Norman Way (2004)
  • Apprentice
  • Back to Beeching
  • The Child Migrants
  • City of the Sharp Nosed Fish
  • Creme de la Crime, documentary about famous crimes with Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis
  • The Dark Origins of Britain
  • The Decade of Self-doubt
  • Document
  • Falkland Families
  • For What It's Worth
  • Great Lives
  • Heroes and Villains
  • A History of Human Folly
  • In Our Time (1998–)
  • Lend Me Your Ears
  • The Long View
  • Making History
  • Mapping the Town
  • Memory Like Shells Bursting
  • Reconciling Histories
  • The Reunion
  • The Roman Way
  • The Routes of English
  • The Secret Museum
  • Soldier, Sailor
  • Spies R US: the history of the CIA
  • The Telemark Heroes
  • This Sceptred Isle (1995–)
  • The Three Voyages of Captain Cook
  • Tiger Tales
  • Voices of the Powerless
  • What If..?
  • Why Did We Do That?

Factual edit

Conversations edit

Miscellaneous edit

References edit

  1. ^ Arnold, Sue (15 February 2004). "What a proper Charlie". The Observer. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Simon Brett, Mystery, And Drama". CBS News. 31 March 2001. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Inspiration". BBC Radio 4 website. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  4. ^ Arnold, Steve. "Man of Soup". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  5. ^ Lezard, Nicholas (1 September 2002). "Radio: Comedy turns on the potter's wheel; Night Class Radio 4". The Independent (UK). Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
  6. ^ Reynolds, Gillian (22 February 2010). "Radio's unlikely whirlwind affair with Lenny Henry, review". The Daily Telegraph (UK). Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  7. ^ Lezard, Nicholas (2 March 2008). "Gabby Logan Radio 5 Live Rudy's Rare Records, Radio 4". The Independent (UK). Archived from the original on 18 January 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  8. ^ Daoust, Phil (7 July 2003). "Radio Pick of the day". The Guardian (UK). Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Ms Sue Limb". Debretts. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  10. ^ "And Now In Colour". TV Cream. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Five Squeezy Pieces". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. ^ "The Jason Explanation". TV Cream. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  13. ^ Arnold, Steve. "The Jason Explanation". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Frank Muir Goes Into..." TV Cream. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  15. ^ "On the record". Chortle. 14 May 2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  16. ^ "Fred Housego's Unknowns". Radio Listings. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  17. ^ "Answers from Dial a Scientist" (ISBN 0563128925, pub. 1976)
  18. ^ "Brian J Ford's "Science Now" 'bibliography' – Accessed 12 Jun 2007". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
  19. ^ ""History of the BBC – 1970s" (BBC) – (pdf) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  20. ^ Jeremy Nicholas (lyricist) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007 Archived 27 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1973 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Accessed 12 Jun 2007
  22. ^ Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1974 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine – Accessed 12 Jun 2007

External links edit