Archivists step behind the mic for Witness History

A special week of Witness History programmes on the BBC World Service will draw entirely on the BBC’s vast archive, with a rare twist: three of the five episodes will be presented by the BBC archivists who discovered the interviews on which they are based.

The week of programmes, beginning on Monday 8 June, coincides with International Archives Week 2026. Each episode is built from BBC archive recordings, some of which have not been heard for decades, and all recount history through the voices of the people who witnessed it first-hand.

Witness History is broadcast every weekday on the BBC World Service and is just nine minutes long, focusing on a single moment. During this special week, archivists will step out from behind the scenes to guide listeners through stories uncovered deep within the archive. None of the three archivist presenters has previously presented a BBC programme.

Claire Coss, the BBC’s Head of Library and Curatorial Services, says the collaboration is about opening up that collection. “With more than 15 million items, the BBC Archive is one of the world’s largest broadcast collections. This collaboration with Witness History is an exciting opportunity to open up more of our audio heritage and bring these remarkable interviews to new audiences,” she says.

The first archivist-presented episode airs on Tuesday 9 June. Joe Schultz tells the story of Mstislav Rostropovich, one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. The story focuses on the moment in 1978 when Rostropovich and his wife, the opera singer Galina Vishnevskaya, were stripped of their Soviet citizenship. The decision followed Rostropovich’s outspoken opposition to Soviet cultural policies and his support for dissident writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whom he allowed to live in his home. The programme is produced by Ben Henderson.

Joe was previously manager of the BBC Sheet Music Library. He studied Russian/Soviet music at university and this led to his interest in musicians and their relationship with the state.

On Wednesday 10 June, Jonathan Charlton presents the story of a remarkable artistic gathering during the summer of 1937, when figures including Pablo Picasso, Lee Miller, Man Ray and poet Paul Éluard were spending time together in the south of France. Told through a 1985 BBC interview with artist Eileen Agar, the programme explores her memories of what she later described as a surrealist summer. The episode is produced by Jane Wilkinson.

Jonathan Charlton has worked in the BBC Sound Archive for 24 years. He recalls spotting items in the collection as fascinating as the 1988 World Maggot Racing Championships to reports of Capt David “Potato” Jones’ exploits during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. He first latched onto the story behind Surrealist Summer from a line of cataloguing that says, “Picasso once sliced a flying hornet in half”, and now it will be a programme on the BBC World Service.

The final archivist-led edition is on Thursday 11 June. Tariq Hussain presents a story about one of the world’s most famous plays, Chekhov’s Three Sisters. The episode is built around a 1938 BBC interview with Paul Shishkoff, who talks about befriending playwright Anton Chekhov as a child during the summer of 1897. Shishkoff recalls fishing trips, long walks and family life – memories which later inspired Chekhov’s celebrated play. It’s produced by Jacqueline Paine.

Tariq Hussain has worked for BBC Archives for 30 years. He was recently reading a favourite story by the American writer Raymond Carver called Errand, which is about the death of Anton Chekhov. It set him to wondering and then wandering in the archive.

The week is bookended by stories of two world leaders. On Monday 8 June, Jen Dale marks Nelson Mandela’s release from prison after 27 years. Drawing on BBC interviews, it reflects on the significance of Mandela’s freedom on 11 February 1990.

The week concludes on Friday 12 June when the focus is on King Hussein of Jordan, whose life was marked by repeated assassination attempts. Using a 1978 BBC interview, Jane Wilkinson explores how he survived attacks linked to regional tensions and his pro-Western stance.

The special week highlights the role of BBC archivists not only as custodians of history, but as storytellers – bringing hidden voices back to audiences around the world.