List of BBC Radio 4 programmes

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
  • Counterpoint (1986–)
  • Brain of Britain
  • Masterteam, general knowledge quiz (2001–2006)
  • Round Britain Quiz
  • Wildbrain, natural history quiz (1997–2002)
  • X Marks the Spot (1998–2006)

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, hosted by Simon Brett[2]
  • 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[3]
  • 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 comedians 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 quiz
  • 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 (2006–), 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–), questions about literature and writing parodies of a specific author

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
  • Boothby Graffoe In No Particular Order
  • The Cabaret Upstairs, introduced by Clive Anderson
  • Four at the Store, stand-up
  • Four in a Field, stand-up from Glastonbury Festival and Latitude Festival
  • The Frankie Howerd (Variety) Show
  • Henry Normal's Encyclopedia Poetica, spoof guide to poetry with readings from comic poets
  • Ken Dodd's Palace of Laughter, from his touring show
  • The Ken Dodd Show
  • King Cutler, Phyllis King and Ivor Cutler performing songs, poems, and stories
  • Mark Steel's in Town, performed in venues around (and outside) the UK
  • Ross Noble Goes Global (2002–04)
  • Ross Noble On...
  • A Set and a Song, comedy and music
  • Sounding Off with McGough, performances by poet Roger McGough
  • Stand Up 2
  • Stand Up America
  • Stand Up Great Britain
  • Stand Ups and Strumpets

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[15]
  • Double Trouble, documentary about famous comedy double acts
  • Fred Housego's Unknowns, documentary about lesser-known comedians[16]
  • 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))[17]
  • 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)[18]
  • 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
  • The Archive Hour
  • Between Ourselves
  • Breakaway (1979–98)
  • Cartoon Clichés
  • Chetham's School of Music
  • Community Caring
  • Cutting a Dash
  • A Dance through Time
  • Darcus and Dickens
  • Deep Blue
  • Desert Island Discs (1942–), long-running show in which a guest picks their favourite records
  • A Different World
  • Down Your Way
  • Excess Baggage
  • Feedback: Radio series
  • File on 4, documentary reports
  • The Food Programme
  • Four Corners
  • Four Thought
  • Herbs: Pure and Simple
  • Home This Afternoon (1964–70)
  • The House I Grew Up In
  • Gardeners' Question Time (1947–), long-running horticultural advice from a panel of experts
  • Go 4 It
  • Going Places
  • Great Lives
  • Home Truths (1998–2006)
  • In Living Memory
  • In Our Time (2002–)
  • In Touch
  • An Indian in Bloomsbury
  • Is It On?
  • It's My Story: Physician, Heal Thyself
  • Last Word
  • The Learning Curve
  • Let's Pretend
  • The Message
  • Nothing to Do But Drink
  • On the Ropes
  • On Your Farm
  • Open Country
  • Painted Fabrics
  • Poisoned Angel: the Story of Alma Rosé
  • Public Records, Private Lives
  • Questions, Questions
  • Ramblings
  • Reel Histories
  • Subterranean Stories
  • Thinking Allowed
  • This Sceptred Isle (1995–1996, 1999, 2001, 2005–2006)
  • Traveller's Tree
  • Travels with my Anti-Semitism (1999), David Cohen
  • Veg Talk
  • Weekend Woman's Hour
  • Winnie the Pooh Lost and Found
  • Woman's Hour (1946 Light Programme; 1973–), magazine program aimed at women
  • Word of Mouth
  • A World in Your Ear
  • You and Yours (1970–)

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
  • Room 101, in which celebrities pick their most-hated things
  • Start the Week
  • Stop The Week (1974–1992)[19][20]
  • That Reminds Me, reminiscences from celebrities
  • Where Are You Taking Us? (1973?)[21]-1974?[22] (also see Brian J. Ford (presenter))

Miscellaneous

References
  1. Arnold, Sue (15 February 2004). "What a proper Charlie". The Observer.
  2. "Simon Brett, Mystery, And Drama". CBS News. 31 March 2001. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  3. "Inspiration". BBC Radio 4 website. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  4. Arnold, Steve. "Man of Soup". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  5. Lezard, Nicholas (1 September 2002). "Radio: Comedy turns on the potter's wheel ; Night Class Radio 4". The Independent (UK). Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
  6. Reynolds, Gillian (22 February 2010). "Radio's unlikely whirlwind affair with Lenny Henry, review". The Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  7. Lezard, Nicholas (2 March 2008). "Gabby Logan Radio 5 Live Rudy's Rare Records, Radio 4". The Independent (UK).
  8. Daoust, Phil (7 July 2003). "Radio Pick of the day". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  9. "Ms Sue Limb". Debretts. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  10. "And Now In Colour". TV Cream. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. "Five Squeezy Pieces". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. "The Jason Explanation". TV Cream. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  13. Arnold, Steve. "The Jason Explanation". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  14. "Frank Muir Goes Into..." TV Cream. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  15. "On the record". Chortle. 14 May 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  16. "Fred Housego's Unknowns". Radio Listings. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  17. "Answers from Dial a Scientist" (ISBN 0563128925, pub. 1976)
  18. Brian J Ford's "Science Now" 'bibliography' – Accessed 12 Jun 2007
  19. "History of the BBC – 1970s" (BBC) – (pdf) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007
  20. Jeremy Nicholas (lyricist) – Accessed 12 Jun 2007 Archived 27 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  21. Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1973 – Accessed 12 Jun 2007
  22. Brian J Ford's 'bibliography' for 1974 – Accessed 12 Jun 2007
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