Latest news about BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 celebrates Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday

BBC Radio 4 is marking the 80th birthday of Bob Dylan with a series of essays, an original audio drama and a documentary. From Monday 17th May Professor Sean Latham presents It Ain’t Me You’re Looking For: Bob Dylan at 80. Latham is Director of the Institute for Bob Dylan Studies at the University of Tulsa, and in this five part series, illustrated with music, he looks closely at the songs and draws on the Bob Dylan Archive, including material never broadcast before...

BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour programme extended

Woman’s Hour will become an hour-long show as it reaches its 75th anniversary later this year. The change comes after new presenters Emma Barnett and Anita Rani took the reins in January. Karen Dalziel, Editor of Woman’s Hour said: “Woman’s Hour may be nearly 75 years old but there’s still so much to talk about! It’s fantastic to have more time dedicated to the issues that really matter in women’s lives...

Jane Garvey returns with Life Changing interviews

Jane Garvey returns to Radio 4 this April with her new interview series: Life Changing. In this new programme, Jane meets people who have experienced extraordinary moments that have set their lives on an entirely different course. Each of the seven episodes in this first series will offer Radio 4 listeners a personal insight into some of the darkest and most uplifting moments in human life. Jane Garvey said: “You can talk to some of the most famous people in the world but everybody knows..."

History of the human body explored by BBC Radio 4

Independent radio production company Made in Manchester has made a ten part series for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds about the history of the human body. Written and presented by anatomist, anthropologist and broadcaster Professor Alice Roberts, Bodies also includes drama from voice actor Jonathan Kydd. Alice’s time travelling tour of anatomical knowledge traces the history from cave men to DNA. Executive producer and MIM Creative Director Ashley Byrne says: “This is a brilliant and most enlightening series authored expertly by Alice and peppered with great drama from Jonathan. The shows are equally informative and entertaining.” ...

Two new presenters for BBC Radio 4’s Open Book

Elizabeth Day and Johny Pitts are the new presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Open Book. Elizabeth’s first programme will be Sunday 17 January and Johny’s on 31 January. Elizabeth is an author, journalist and broadcaster and the presenter of the podcast How To Fail. Her other broadcast work includes co-presenting Sky Arts Book Club Live. As an author Elizabeth has written six books, both fiction and non-fiction, including The Party and How To Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned from Things Going Wrong. She is a judge for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021...

Anita Rani to host Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4

Anita Rani is to join BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour as presenter every Friday and Saturday. She joins alongside Emma Barnett, who became the show’s main host in early January. Anita is well known as one of the lead presenters on BBC One’s Countryfile, and has been a regular on Radio 2. Previously, Anita hosted weekend breakfast on BBC Asian Network and started her radio career at Sunrise Radio in Bradford when she was 14. Anita’s first programme will be Friday 15 January and she will present the Friday and Saturday editions of the programme...

Special guests line up for Just a Minute return

BBC Radio 4’s Just a Minute will have long-standing panellists Paul Merton and Gyles Brandreth, as well as Lucy Porter, Stephen Fry, Jo Brand and Nish Kumar in the host’s chair for a new series beginning in February. This series will see 10 guest presenters follow in the footsteps of Nicholas Parsons who died earlier this year. Each will take a turn to lead the comedy panel game and to uphold the tradition of attempting to talk for 60 seconds with no hesitation, repetition or deviation. Sioned Wiliam, Radio 4’s Commissioning Editor for Comedy says: “We’re delighted that this group of superbly talented guest hosts will be joining us to take part in the brilliant and much loved game that is Just a Minute...

UK radio stations set to cover US Election 2020

The biggest event of the year in US politics is set to be covered live by a number of radio stations in the UK this Tuesday. LBC, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and News Radio UK will all pause regular programmes for non-stop coverage from America. LBC’s special show starts at 10pm and will be in video as well as audio with Iain Dale and Shelagh Fogarty live from LBC’s new studios in Westminster. Tom Swarbrick will be live from the Election Hub at Global’s news centre in Leicester Square and Ben Kentish will swap Westminster for Washington, D.C. to provide the latest reaction and breaking news Stateside as the votes are declared...

BBC Radio 2 celebrates 50 years of pop performances

BBC Radio 2 is marking 50 years of pop music performances on the BBC with In Concert 50. From Fleetwood Mac and Bill Withers in the 70s to Craig David, Florence and the Machine and Sam Smith in the 21st Century, In Concert on the BBC in sound and vision has charted the history of popular music and this month of special archive shows and performances looks back across 50 years. From Sunday 1 November, all 50 performances are on BBC Sounds, with a special 10 artist Box Set available to watch on BBC iPlayer. BBC Four broadcasts Dido (Friday 30 October) and Seal (Friday 13 November) as TV-first In Concert exclusives. Dido performs at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios from 2019...

Naga Munchetty replaces Emma Barnett at BBC Radio 5 Live

Naga Munchetty is taking over from Emma Barnett in the new year as host of the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 5 Live. The well-known television presenter will be on-air Monday to Wednesday from 10am till 1pm after guest-presenting on the station over the summer. Naga has been a regular face on BBC Breakfast since 2009 and will continue on the programme alongside her work for 5 Live. Naga said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the 5 Live team. I have always wanted to work more in radio and after such an enjoyable experience presenting on the station recently, I jumped at this opportunity...