BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Thursday 30 July 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—30/07/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Confessions of a Performative Male by Darren McGarvey—Privilege
  3/5Darren McGarvey checks his privilege and takes on the elite commentariat over masculinity.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—30/07/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—30/07/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—30/07/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Sideways—Brainless
  Meet the highly intelligent, bright yellow blob that doesn’t have a brain.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—30/07/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—The Gift of Football
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with the Reverend Doctor Stephen Wigley.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—30/07/26 Drought, food inflation, bluetongue
  Drought declared across much of England - what will that mean for farmers?
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—30/07/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics—Series 12, Alexandria: The Science
  Natalie's joined by Islam Issa and Adam Rutherford to reveal stellar scientific inventions
3. 09:30
  Artworks—Art That Conquered the World, Girl with a Pearl Earring
  James Fox asks how Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring became so famous.
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Rethinking pubs and clubs as community venues, Actor Vicky Krieps, Egyptian warrior princesses
  Business rates cuts and their impact on the community.
5. 11:00
  Three Ages of Child—Episode 1: The Early Years
  1/3A journey through the landscape that shapes the health of our children.
6. 11:45
  Confessions of a Performative Male by Darren McGarvey—Accountability
  4/5Author Darren McGarvey wrestles with unsettling questions raised by the Me Too movement.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—30/07/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  Scam Secrets—How To Spot A Deepfake
  Unmasking scammers' fake faces with Jim Browning.
3. 12:32
  Sliced Bread—Sliced Bread - Series 17, Air Conditioning
  What's the best way to keep your home cool?
4. 12:57
  Weather—30/07/2026
  The latest weather forecast
5. 13:00
  World at One—30/07/2026
  News, analysis and comment from BBC Radio 4
6. 13:45
  Buried—Dead Rabbit, 9. The Trial
  9/11Dan and Lucy meet the man accused of leaving the dead animals outside the village shop.
7. 14:00
  The Archers—29/07/2026
  Chris takes it a step too far.
8. 14:15
  Drama on 4—Yeartides, Lughnasadh
  By Ben Lewis. Soulful and witty drama infused with song.
9. 15:00
  This Natural Life—Patrick Barkham
  The nature writer takes Martha Kearney butterfly-spotting in Foxley Wood, Norfolk.
10. 15:27
  Radio 4 Appeal—Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
  Dame Ellen MacArthur makes the Radio 4 Appeal for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
11. 15:30
  Feedback—Radio 4's Pilot Quizzes, and Radio 1 Schedule Changes
  Andrea Catherwood hears your views on Radio 4's new quiz pilots.
12. 16:00
  The Briefing Room—Part 2: How's the government doing on immigration?
  Government policy on legal migration, overseas workers and indefinite leave to remain.
13. 16:30
  BBC Inside Science—Are we alone in the universe?
  What if the Goldilocks zone is for idiots?
14. 17:00
  PM—Uefa countries vote for World Cup boycott
  Uefa votes to boycott World Cups if Fifa proceeds with plan to sell competition stakes.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—Uefa says it will boycott the World Cup if Fifa's plans go ahead
  Fifa plans to sell off some event rights to private investors
2. 18:30
  Icklewick FM—Series 1, 1. The Giant
  1/6Welcome to Icklewick FM. Brand new comedy from The Delightful Sausage
3. 19:00
  The Archers—30/07/2026
  Tempers flare for the Carter family.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Review show: Childhood in War, Children of Wolves and kids in Luton
  Lawrence Osborne's new cat-and-mouse thriller and a debut British film.
5. 20:00
  At Your Own Peril—Cassandra
  Lucy Easthope explores the history of risk.
6. 20:15
  The Media Show—Reporting the wildfires, Interviewing Elon Musk, CEO of Reach Piers North
  How an AFP photographer captured the viral image of the wildfires in France.
7. 21:00
  Loose Ends—Chris Chibnall, Ayoade Bamgboye, Wendi Peters, The Anchoress, Later Youth
  Kiri Pritchard-McLean and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.
8. 21:45
  The Cows Are Mad—4. Bad News
  A grieving mother makes a list of culprits who she blames for her son’s death.
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—Football associations unite against Fifa’s World Cup plans
  North and Central America football associations join Uefa in rejecting Fifa’s proposal
10. 22:45
  Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy—Episode 9
  9/10Rowan discovers the truth about her husband, Hank.
11. 23:00
  Radical—Gen Z and God: Is the Church Answering Young People's Prayers? (Lamorna Ash)
  Lamorna Ash asks whether faith offers an answer to the difficulties facing young adults.
12. 23:30
  A Good Read—Ria Lina and Otegha Uwagba
  A comedian and a writer chat favourite books with Harriett Gilbert.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—31/07/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Confessions of a Performative Male by Darren McGarvey—Accountability
  4/5Author Darren McGarvey wrestles with unsettling questions raised by the Me Too movement.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—31/07/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—31/07/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—31/07/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  The Briefing Room—Part 2: How's the government doing on immigration?
  Government policy on legal migration, overseas workers and indefinite leave to remain.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—31/07/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Ignatius of Loyola
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with the Reverend Doctor Stephen Wigley.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—31/07/26 Calls for a food system change, the reality of farming in drought, pressure on rivers
  As drought spreads across the UK we hear calls for our water and food systems to change.

Friday 31 July 2026