BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Saturday 22 August 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—22/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 00:30
  The Fire in the Mountain: Sicily, Etna and her People by Helena Attlee—Episode Five - Sicilian Emeralds
  5/5Life in the shadow of Mount Etna, Sicily’s most dangerous and alluring landmark.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—22/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—22/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:30
  News Summary—22/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
6. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—22/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
7. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—How hot is too hot?
  A spiritual comment and prayer with the Rev Mariama Ifode-Blease.
8. 05:45
  Living on the Edge—Portrush
  Lisa Abernethy shows Richard King around the RNLI station in Portrush.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  News and Papers—22/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 06:07
  Open Country—Ancient Technology Centre
  Martha Kearney tries her hand at ancient skills like forging a knife and flint knapping.
3. 06:30
  Farming Today—22/08/26 Solar power - a panel discussion exploring the issues around solar development in the countryside.
  Solar energy - we need it to combat climate change, but how much and where should it go?
4. 06:57
  Weather—22/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast.
5. 07:00
  Today—22/08/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
6. 09:00
  Artworks—What Happened to Counter-Culture?, 5. Interzone
  Stewart Lee explores the story and ideas of counter-culture and its importance today.
7. 09:30
  What's Up Docs?—Is crying good for you?
  Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore crying.
8. 10:00
  You're Dead to Me—Henry Cyril Paget: the dancing marquess of Anglesey
  Join Greg and his guests in 19th-century Wales to learn about Henry Cyril Paget.
9. 10:30
  Soul Music—Sweet Caroline
  Piecing together how a song released in 1969 became a sport anthem.
10. 11:00
  Radical—Influence After Empire: Is Britain Still a Great Power? (Professor Brendan Simms)
  Has Great Britain underestimated its own power and influence in the world?
11. 11:30
  From Our Own Correspondent—Russia blames West for deepening crisis
  Authorities are frustrated by the absence of victory as drone strikes bring the war home.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—22/08/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  Sliced Bread—Toast - Series 7, Izal Medicated Toilet Paper
  How did Izal medicated toilet paper reach the end of the roll? Sean Farrington finds out.
3. 12:30
  The People Have Spoken—Fed Up with War!
  Ian Smith tasks Ashley Storrie, Harriet Kemsley & an Edinburgh audience to solve the news.
4. 12:57
  Weather—22/08/2026
  The latest weather forecast.
5. 13:00
  News—22/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
6. 13:10
  Any Questions?—Isabel Hardman, James Frith MP, Nigel Huddleston MP, Zoe Williams
  Alex Forsyth presents political debate from The Medway Centre in Bakewell, Derbyshire.
7. 14:05
  Any Answers?—22/08/2026
  Listeners respond to the issues raised in the preceding edition of Any Questions?
8. 14:45
  The Archers—21/08/2026
  There’s a surprising development for Lily.
9. 15:00
  Fork in the Road—The Night of the Lunar Eclipse
  A past death resurfaces forcing a reckoning in Matthew Broughton's psychological thriller.
10. 16:00
  Woman's Hour—Weekend Woman's Hour: French drugging case, Soprano Angel Blue, History of bandanas
  A senior French civil servant stands accused of drugging hundreds of women.
11. 17:00
  PM—22/08/2026
  Full coverage of the day's news.
12. 17:30
  Sliced Bread—Sliced Bread - Series 16, Experimental Peptides
  Is it OK to take experimental peptides like the Wolverine Stack?
13. 17:54
  Shipping Forecast—22/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
14. 17:57
  Weather—22/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—Seven people, including two police officers, die in a crash near Middlesborough
  Seven people were killed after a car collided with a marked police vehicle on the A66
2. 18:15
  Loose Ends—Rosie Jones, One Man Musical, Damien Warren-Smith, Kirsty Mann, Legendary, Clive Anderson
  Join Clive Anderson for a party at the heart of the Edinburgh Festivals.
3. 19:00
  Last Word: Doing Death Differently—Being remembered
  5/5Matthew Bannister on changing attitudes to dying, death and how we memorialise our dead.
4. 19:15
  This Cultural Life—Sebastian Faulks
  Author Sebastian Faulks on his influences and formative cultural experiences.
5. 20:00
  Archive on 4—The Age of Uncertainty
  A tale of crisis, legitimacy and transformation for the BBC and Britain in the 1970s.
6. 21:00
  Moral Maze—Is empathy ever a weakness?
  Live debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories.
7. 22:00
  News—22/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
8. 22:15
  The Food Programme—Fork and Knife
  Jimi Famurewa explores how history has shaped the many different ways in which we eat.
9. 23:00
  Olga Koch: OK Computer—Series 2, 4. Family
  4/4Olga considers the meaning of family.
10. 23:30
  Brain of Britain—Heat 4, 2026
  General knowledge quiz. Spotlights on the Cold War, Baz Luhrmann and gemstones.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 00:15
  Take Four Books—M. John Harrison
  On his latest novel - The End of Everything - and the three texts that helped to shape it.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—23/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:30
  News Summary—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
6. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
7. 05:43
  Bells on Sunday—The parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
  Bells on Sunday comes from the parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
8. 05:45
  In Touch—PIP Review Update, Braille Wine Labels
  The Timms Review of Personal Independence Payments want to hear YOUR views on proposals.

Sunday 23 August 2026