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The Documentary Podcast

The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world.

World Service,2815 episodes

Episodes

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Turkey's growing sinkhole problem
Sinkholes are rapidly increasing in central Turkey after years of groundwater extraction
10 Sep 2026,26 mins
The pictures that help and heal
We look at two solutions that harness the power of pictures to help disabled people
09 Sep 2026,23 mins
Ukraine: Fighting Russia, fighting Russian
The battle within Ukraine over use of Russian, which is increasingly restricted by law
08 Sep 2026,28 mins
Who's afraid of the AI job-snatchers?
How past tech innovations disrupted job markets and changed the world of work
07 Sep 2026,17 mins
Getting the homeless homed
Two projects creating safe places to stay for people without a home
06 Sep 2026,23 mins
Ukraine's 'hell jumpers'
The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate people from the frontline in Ukraine
05 Sep 2026,29 mins
Nepal floods: 'It was like a tsunami'
Survivors share their experiences of escaping the flash floods
05 Sep 2026,23 mins
Fred Hammond
Gospel music legend Fred Hammond talks to Swarzy about his faith journey
04 Sep 2026,26 mins
A23a: Biography of an iceberg
Glaciologist Catherine Walker explores the birth, life and death of megaberg A23a
03 Sep 2026,28 mins
Fighting the silent killer
What can be done to prevent, detect and treat the silent killer, sepsis?
02 Sep 2026,26 mins
Big surveillance, Flock and ICE
The Texas surveillance network authorities want to keep quiet
01 Sep 2026,26 mins
Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams?
The Turkish textile industry is at risk after hundreds of apparel factories have closed
31 Aug 2026,17 mins
The price of peace
Can Colombia find ways to heal after its army murdered 7000 innocent civilians?
30 Aug 2026,49 mins
Hong Kong's bookstore raids
Why a crackdown on Hong Kong booksellers could impact Taiwan
29 Aug 2026,26 mins
We will always love you, Dolly
Musicians celebrate the life and legacy of the cultural icon Dolly Parton
29 Aug 2026,22 mins
Kirk Franklin: Gospel music and my own faith journey
Gospel music legend Kirk Franklin talks to presenter Swarzy Shire about his faith journey
28 Aug 2026,26 mins
Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary- Love Stories
Extraordinary love stories from Lives Less Ordinary
27 Aug 2026,42 mins
Peanuts for the people
How a peanut paste saved the lives of millions of children
26 Aug 2026,23 mins
Brazil’s gambling addiction
Millions of Brazilians have become problem gamblers after an explosion in online betting
25 Aug 2026,26 mins
Lucy Sparrow: Nostalgic supermarket made of felt
Lucy Sparrow stitches life into everyday objects to create '80s nostalgia made of felt
24 Aug 2026,26 mins
China: The rise of a science superpower
The future of science is Chinese.
23 Aug 2026,49 mins
Secret phone calls from a Saudi jail
How the BBC's Tigrinya language service became a voice for Ethiopian men on death row
22 Aug 2026,26 mins
Flying with kids: Cabin chaos
How do you deal with a disruptive child on a flight?
22 Aug 2026,23 mins
What in the World: Will AI make your degree pointless?
We speak to three students who tell us how they think AI could change their careers.
21 Aug 2026,16 mins
The Vatican's AI battle
Silicon Valley says it's ‘creating God’ with AI. The Catholic Church is watching closely
21 Aug 2026,26 mins
LA: Rising from the ashes
Jonathan Glancey meets architects leading LA’s recovery from 2025’s catastrophic fires.
20 Aug 2026,26 mins
The Kansas City cycling revolution
Kansas City was named America's worst city for cyclists in 2008. Has it improved?
19 Aug 2026,31 mins
Raiders of the lost art
How Manhattan's Antiquities Trafficking Unit works to track and return stolen art
18 Aug 2026,33 mins
Behind the scenes of Bookish
Antonia Quirke goes behind the scenes of Bookish.
17 Aug 2026,26 mins
The sound of soft power
Does the world still need international radio as a tool of soft power?
16 Aug 2026,49 mins