BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Tuesday 13 October 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—13/10/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Sideways—Appetite for Distraction, 1. Postman’s Prophecy?
  Matthew Syed asks what it means to be distracted in a media world vying for our attention.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—13/10/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—13/10/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—13/10/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—13/10/2026
  Alicia McCarthy reports as the prime minister briefs MPs on his visit to the UN.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—13/10/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Dressed for Success
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Jo Moir
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—13/10/26 Tech
  From robots to AI: what will technology mean for farming over the next 75 years?
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—13/10/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  The Life Scientific—Asel Sartbaeva on protecting vaccines with a pinch of sand
  Asel Sartbaeva on protecting vaccines with a bespoke coat of silica, found in beach sand.
3. 09:30
  Inside Health—Can full body MRI scans be good for our health?
  Full body scans, nutritious stockpiles and why strokes are rising in black communities.
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Auto-immune conditions, Author Laleh Khadivi, Women in football
  Women are more likely to be told autoimmune conditions 'psychological’, says a new study.
5. 11:00
  Screenshot—Graphic Novels
  Ellen and Mark investigate the relationship between graphic novels, comics and film.
6. 11:45
  Winnie-the-Pooh 100—Piglet Meets a Heffalump by AA Milne
  Read by Ambika Mod and celebrating a century of Pooh.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—13/10/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  You and Yours—Call You & Yours: "What's student accommodation like where you study?"
  Call You & Yours: "What's student accommodation like where you study?"
3. 12:57
  Weather—13/10/2026
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  World at One—Second wave of early prison releases under way in England and Wales
  We discuss the pressures with a probation officer and the Chief Inspector of Probation.
5. 13:45
  Farming Today—13/10/26 Tech
  From robots to AI: what will technology mean for farming over the next 75 years?
6. 14:00
  The Archers—12/10/2026
  Is reconciliation on the cards for Ruth?
7. 14:15
  Drama on 4—Maydays, Part 1: New Jerusalem
  1/3David Edgar’s powerful drama exploring idealism and revolutionary politics.
8. 15:00
  History's Heroes—History's Secret Heroes - Series 4, Sybil Kathigasu and the Price of Compassion
  8/11In Japanese-occupied Malaya, a midwife puts her life on the line to help the resistance.
9. 15:30
  Beyond Belief—New Atheism
  Giles and the panel explore "New Atheism".
10. 16:00
  Artworks—Roleplay, Caliban
  Actors who have all played the oft-maligned character from Shakespeare's The Tempest.
11. 16:30
  What's Up Docs?—What can you do about your spots?
  Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore what causes acne and how it can be treated.
12. 17:00
  PM—MI5 warns of AI-enhanced bioweapons
  Spy chief Sir Ken McCallum says his agency has "caught terrorists seeking to exploit AI".
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—MI5 chief warns of threats to UK from Russia, Iran and AI
  Sir Ken McCallum says AI could help terrorists create biological weapons
2. 18:30
  Stand-Up Specials—Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club S1, S1 E4: How men deal with pregnancy
  4/4Modern masculinity. How do men deal with pregnancy?
3. 19:00
  The Archers—13/10/2026
  Vince expresses concerns for a loved one.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Anne-Marie Duff, M John Harrison, Bayreuth 150th anniversary
  Samira talks to Anne-Marie Duff and M John Harrison, the 150th anniversary of Bayreuth.
5. 20:00
  File on 4 Investigates—Dangerous habit: The criminal networks flooding the UK with fake cigarettes
  The global criminal gangs supplying the UK with counterfeit cigarettes.
6. 20:40
  In Touch—Getting Active
  A group of sporty visually impaired people provide tips and advice on how to keep active.
7. 21:00
  Illuminated—Grandchildren of the ’56 Revolution
  Nathalie Olah speaks with young Hungarians living in the shadow of the 1956 uprising.
8. 21:30
  The Bottom Line—Germany: From Wunder to Woe
  What's going wrong with the largest economy in Europe?
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—Pope has surgery for lung cancer
  The Vatican says Pope Leo has successfully undergone surgery to remove a part of a lung
10. 22:45
  Who Are You in Winnie-the-Pooh?—Owl
  2/5Frank Cottrell-Boyce talks with children's writers Onjali Q Raúf and Chris Riddell.
11. 23:00
  The History Podcast—Half-Life, 8. A Fracture
  Joe follows the opening of a public memorial and engages with a private reckoning.
12. 23:30
  Today in Parliament—13/10/2026
  MPs question the government's early release scheme as hundreds of prisoners are freed.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—14/10/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Sideways—Appetite for Distraction, 2. Have We Always Been Distracted?
  Matthew Syed asks what it means to be distracted in a media world vying for our attention.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—14/10/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—14/10/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—14/10/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—14/10/2026
  Susan Hulme reports on the highs - and lows - of artificial intelligence.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—14/10/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Piggy bank collections
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Jo Moir, Head of Spring Harvest.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—14/10/26 Homegrown
  The future of food: what should Britain be growing in 75 years' time?

Wednesday 14 October 2026