Schedule
Early
00:00
Midnight News—21/10/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
00:30
Stalin's Apostles by Antonia Senior—2. A Devil's Pact
2/5A radical new look at how the Cambridge Five spies helped Stalin build his Red Empire.
00:48
Shipping Forecast—21/10/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
01:00
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—21/10/2026
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
05:00
News Summary—21/10/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
05:04
Yesterday in Parliament—21/10/2026
Sean Curran reports on accusations surrounding the National Security Adviser's wife.
05:34
Shipping Forecast—21/10/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
05:43
Prayer for the Day—Breath of Life
A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Angad Kaur.
05:45
Farming Today—21/10/26 Wildfires report, pear harvest, planting plans
The UK is unprepared for future wildfires and needs a national strategy says MPs' report.
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Morning
06:00
Today—21/10/2026
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
09:00
Life Changing—I left top-secret files on a train
A commute to work goes catastrophically wrong.
09:30
I'm Not A Monster Presents...—Where Is Austin Tice?, 7. The Escape
When was the last time Austin was seen alive?
10:00
Woman's Hour—Antisemitism in schools, Lolly Adefope, Shingles and dementia, Femtick
A look of at the government review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England.
11:00
Today—The Today Debate: Does British farming need rescuing?
Anna Foster chairs debate about the future of British farming.
11:45
Stalin's Apostles by Antonia Senior—3. Sheep's Clothing
3/5A radical new look at how the Cambridge Five spies helped Stalin build his Red Empire.
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Afternoon
12:00
News Summary—21/10/2026
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
12:04
You and Yours—Cosmetic Crackdown; Are You Owed Money?; Heating Switch-on
Do the government's plans to tackle "cosmetic cowboys" go far enough?
12:57
Weather—21/10/2026
The latest weather forecast
13:00
World at One—Government approves drilling in Jackdaw gas field
Jackdaw will start to supply gas from as early as the end of this month.
13:45
The History Podcast—How Houdini Made Magic, 3. Know your audience
3/11Houdini gets his break and hones his craft by tapping into the sentiment of his audiences
14:00
The Archers—20/10/2026
Harrison tries to maintain order.
14:15
Faith, Hope and Glory—Series 2: Eps 9-16, 15. Faith and Trevor
5/3By Winsome Pinnock. Century-spanning series charting the emergence of modern Britain.
15:00
Money Box—Money Box Live: Veterans' Finances
How can leaving the armed forces affect your finances?
15:30
The Artificial Human—Will AI really kill us all?
Headlines are full of apocalyptic predictions about AI, Aleks & Kevin ask if they're true.
16:00
When It Hits the Fan—Can F1's Christian Horner Regain Pole Position?
David Yelland and Lauren Beeching discuss Christian Horner's concerted comeback campaign.
16:15
The Media Show—Taking stock of the BBC cuts
Our panel of politicians and current and ex-BBC execs reflect on the cuts announced so far
17:00
PM—Green light for new North Sea gas drilling
Energy minister explains the Government's decision.
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Evening
18:00
Six O'Clock News—Jackdaw gas field gets the green light
Gas from the field is expected to start supplying homes and businesses within weeks
18:30
Stand-Up Specials—Glenn Moore's Almanac, International Space Station
3/8Glenn is desperate to go into space but is he made of the Right Stuff - or just Stuff?
19:00
The Archers—21/10/2026
Ben attempts to make a difference.
19:15
Front Row—Director Sofia Coppola on Making Marie Antoinette
Director Sofia Coppola on Making Marie Antoinette; novelist Hernan Diaz.
20:00
Here for the History—Where Did The Modern Toilet Come From?
The modern toilet is a technological marvel - where did it come from?
20:30
Top Comment—AI influencers are invading our feeds
New software has created a production line of 'reskinned' video content.
21:00
The Life Scientific—Tom Hart on Antarctic wildlife and the power of penguin poo
Ecologist Tom Hart on monitoring wildlife populations remotely to track key patterns.
21:30
Inside Health—How self-injecting culture is bringing new dangers
Experts warn poor at-home injecting techniques and new drugs mean new health risks.
22:00
The World Tonight—Cyber-security warning: fix websites or take them down
Organisations worldwide warned their websites need urgent fixes
22:45
Partita by Barbara Kingsolver—Prelude III & Sarabande
3/10As Livia clears her late mother's house, long-buried memories rise to the surface.
23:00
Kiri's Farm—3. The Raised Beds
Hopes, dreams and baling twine
23:15
Big Little Questions—Kory Asks...
3/6Digger obsessed Kory forces Amy and Chris down a hole trying to answer his question.
23:30
Today in Parliament—21/10/2026
Reaction to gas field drilling approval.
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Late
00:00
Midnight News—22/10/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
00:30
Stalin's Apostles by Antonia Senior—3. Sheep's Clothing
3/5A radical new look at how the Cambridge Five spies helped Stalin build his Red Empire.
00:48
Shipping Forecast—22/10/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
01:00
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—22/10/2026
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
05:00
News Summary—22/10/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
05:04
Yesterday in Parliament—22/10/2026
Alicia McCarthy reports on Prime Minister's Questions - and more.
05:34
Shipping Forecast—22/10/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
05:43
Prayer for the Day—Wellness
A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Angad Kaur.
05:45
Farming Today—22/10/26 Grazing and arable, apples and agroforestry, BBC Food & Farming Awards
Why arable farmers are inviting sheep onto their fields.
