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List of BBC Radio 4 programmes#Factual

{{Short description|Programming broadcast on the British talk radio station}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

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

Drama

Arts

Quizzes

Comedy

=Panel games=

  • Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive (2005–08), satirical quiz
  • Does the Team Think? (1957–67 Light Programme; 1968, 1970–73 Radio 2; 1970–71, 1974–76 Radio 4; 2007–09 Radio 2), parody of Any Questions?
  • Foul Play, writers are asked to solve a murder mystery written by host Simon Brett{{cite web|title=Simon Brett, Mystery, And Drama|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/simon-brett-mystery-and-drama/|work=CBS News|access-date=4 March 2013|date=31 March 2001}}
  • Heresy (2003–), the presenter and a panel of guests commit "heresy" by challenging people's most deeply held opinions on a subject
  • I Guess That's Why They Call It The News (2009), satirical news-based quiz
  • I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–), nonsensical word and musical games played by comedians
  • Inspiration, quiz about inventions presented by Chris Stuart{{cite web|title=Inspiration|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/inspiration.shtml|work=BBC Radio 4 website|access-date=4 March 2013|archive-date=16 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616154855/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/inspiration.shtml|url-status=live}}
  • It's Your Round (2011), game in which each contestant suggests a game to play for one round
  • Just a Minute (1967–), parlour game involving speaking without hesitation, deviation, or repetition
  • King Stupid, earlier version of panel game The 99p Challenge
  • Many a Slip (1964–79), contestants must spot mistakes in texts and music
  • The Motion Show
  • My Music (1967–93), musical games
  • My Word! (1956–90), word games played by comedy writers and journalists
  • The News Quiz (1977–), satirical quiz on week's news
  • The 99p Challenge (1998–2004), silly games and tasks
  • The Personality Test (2006–07), a guest host asks questions about his or herself
  • Petticoat Line (1965–1976), all female discussion
  • Puzzle Panel (1998–2005), puzzles
  • Quote... Unquote (1976–), quiz about quotations
  • So Wrong It's Right (2010–12), Charlie Brooker asks his guests to invent or nominate really awful things
  • The Unbelievable Truth (2007–), game in which contestants deliver a mostly untrue speech and panelists must identify true statements
  • We've Been Here Before, historically oriented panel show with Clive Anderson
  • Whispers (2003–05), quiz about celebrity rumours and gossip
  • Who Goes There, biographical quiz
  • Whose Line is it Anyway? (1988), improvisational comedy game
  • The Write Stuff (1998–2014), questions about literature and writing parodies of a specific author
  • Wing it (2024– ), an improv panel show

=Sitcoms=

=Sketch shows=

=Individual comedy plays=

  • 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=

=Talks=

=Documentaries=

  • 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{{cite web|title=On the record|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2003/05/14/2852/on_the_record|work=Chortle|access-date=5 March 2013|date=2003-05-14|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035255/http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2003/05/14/2852/on_the_record|url-status=live}}
  • Double Trouble, documentary about famous comedy double acts
  • Fred Housego's Unknowns, documentary about lesser-known comedians{{cite web|title=Fred Housego's Unknowns|url=http://www.radiolistings.co.uk/programmes/f/fr/fred_housego_s_unknowns.html|work=Radio Listings|access-date=4 March 2013|archive-date=19 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419222320/http://www.radiolistings.co.uk/programmes/f/fr/fred_housego_s_unknowns.html|url-status=live}}
  • 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

  • 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))"Answers from Dial a Scientist" ({{ISBN|0563128925}}, pub. 1976)
  • 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){{Cite web |url=http://www.brianjford.com/wscinow.htm |title=Brian J Ford's "Science Now" 'bibliography' – Accessed 12 Jun 2007 |access-date=17 May 2007 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213538/http://www.brianjford.com/wscinow.htm |url-status=live }}
  • 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

History

  • 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 and Documentaries

Conversations

  • Chain Reaction, light-hearted interviews with each guest becoming the following week's host
  • Genius, members of the public present ideas to make the world better
  • In Conversation With, interviews, mainly with comedians
  • Loose Ends (1986–)
  • Midweek
  • Never the Same Again (1986–95)
  • Off The Page
  • Ramblings (1999{{Cite web |last=Balding |first=Clare |title=Clare Balding |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/Fq44G5NHfmqJZFPbnp8fG0/clare-balding |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723183911/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/Fq44G5NHfmqJZFPbnp8fG0/clare-balding |archive-date=23 July 2024 |access-date=25 January 2025 |website=BBC}}-) a walking chat show presented by Clare Balding.
  • Room 101, in which celebrities pick their most-hated things
  • Start the Week
  • Stop The Week (1974–1992){{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/pdfs/1970s.pdf |title="History of the BBC – 1970s" (BBC) – (pdf) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007 |access-date=23 December 2019 |archive-date=24 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424053311/http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/pdfs/1970s.pdf |url-status=live }}[http://www.jeremynicholas.com/lyricist.htm Jeremy Nicholas (lyricist) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827030146/http://www.jeremynicholas.com/lyricist.htm |date=27 August 2007 }}
  • That Reminds Me, reminiscences from celebrities
  • Where Are You Taking Us? (1973?)[http://www.brianjford.com/wbib73.htm Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1973] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213921/http://www.brianjford.com/wbib73.htm |date=27 September 2007 }} – Accessed 12 Jun 2007-1974?[http://www.brianjford.com/wbib74.htm Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1974] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213711/http://www.brianjford.com/wbib74.htm |date=27 September 2007 }} – Accessed 12 Jun 2007 (also see Brian J. Ford (presenter))

Miscellaneous

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/programmes BBC Radio 4 site – A-Z of all Radio 4 programmes]

{{BBC Radio 4}}

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Radio 4 programmes

BBC Radio 4 programmes