Schedule
Early
00:00
Midnight News—04/08/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
00:30
Tony Hawks Is Giving Nothing Away—1. Giving
Tony Hawks starts to investigate the thorny issue of inheritance.
00:48
Shipping Forecast—04/08/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
01:00
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—04/08/2026
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
05:00
News Summary—04/08/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
05:04
Currently—Britain's Robot Army
Former army officer Will Robson investigates how today’s technology shapes modern warfare.
05:34
Shipping Forecast—04/08/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
05:43
Prayer for the Day—I spent every evening in the Wimbledon tennis queue
A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rev Carolyn Skinner.
05:45
Farming Today—04/08/26 Wheat harvest, waste whey, sheep farmers at risk from disease
This year's harvest puts many farmers in the red.
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Morning
06:00
Today—04/08/2026
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
09:00
The History Podcast—Invisible Hands: The American Century, 2. The Prophet
2/7The story of the man who started the cold war. With a telegram.
09:30
Inside Health—Where are we at with long Covid?
Millions of people still have long Covid, yet a cure still isn't quite within reach.
10:00
Woman's Hour—Listener Week: Elderly care, Women boat builders, Midlife Jobs, Influencer Viv the Carer
As we continue Listener Week, dealing with an elderly parent as a pensioner yourself
11:00
Screenshot—Aliens
Ellen and Mark on film and TV’s enduring fascination with UFOs and extraterrestrial life.
11:45
Tony Hawks Is Giving Nothing Away—2. Receiving
Tony Hawks hears about the impact of receiving an inheritance.
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Afternoon
12:00
News Summary—04/08/2026
The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
12:04
You and Yours—Call You & Yours: How do you focus on reading?
Call You & Yours: How do you focus on reading?
12:57
Weather—04/08/2026
The latest weather forecast
13:00
World at One—EU emergency talks after Ceuta influx
How the border surge created an EU political storm.
13:45
The Bare Necessities—2. A Food Reservoir
2/5Dan Richards looks to the past to gather knowledge and skills for an uncertain future.
14:00
The Archers—03/08/2026
Neil finds himself run ragged.
14:15
Drama on 4—Sunbird
Holiday romance on Ibiza - with a twist: Lizzie unexpectedly finds both new and old love.
15:00
Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley—Lady on Trial, Georgina Weldon - Wrongly Committed
8/11Lucy Worsley meets a Victorian opera singer who fought the Lunacy Laws – and won.
15:30
Heart and Soul—Faith and revolution in the Philippines
How Catholicism helped overthrow a dictator and restored democracy to the Philippines.
16:00
Artworks—The Writing Life of Sylvia Plath, 3. Beyond Depression: What We Get Wrong About Sylvia Plath
3/3A major three-part series on Sylvia Plath, presented by Mariella Frostrup.
16:30
What's Up Docs?—How hydrated should you really be?
Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore hydration.
17:00
PM—Early release of prisoners adds pressure on policing
We hear what the plan means for public safety and speak to the victims minister.
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Evening
18:00
Six O'Clock News—The government defends its changes to the prisoner early release scheme
The Justice Secretary has apologised to the families affected by the scheme
18:30
Meet David Sedaris—Series 9, 6. Sweet Land of Liberty
6/6This week we hear the essay Sweet Land of Liberty and a recent diary extract.
19:00
The Archers—04/08/2026
Bert comes a cropper.
19:15
Front Row—John Hannah on his new comedy crime drama set in Benidorm
John Hannah on Benidorm is Murder and a look at Hull's newly refurbished Maritime Museum.
20:00
File on 4 Investigates—A Romanian Ransom
Uncovering a secret Cold War trade of animals in exchange for Jewish lives.
20:40
In Touch—The War Veterans who may lose their homes; Commonwealth Games
Blind war veterans fearing eviction, and reflections on the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
21:00
Crossing Continents—Getting Gaza back online
How amid the tents and the rubble Gaza is developing once again as an unlikely tech hub.
21:30
Scam Secrets—How To Spot A Deepfake
Unmasking scammers' fake faces with Jim Browning.
22:00
The World Tonight—Migrants rescued as boat catches fire in Channel
The boat was attempting to cross to the UK when its engine caught fire
22:45
The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith—Episode Two
2/10The family meet Mr Burchell, and arrive at their new home.
23:00
Wild Inside—The Great Grey Owl
Ben Garrod and Jess French delve beneath the deep feathery plumage of the grey grey owl.
23:30
Artworks—Hollywood and The Adland Five, 2. The British are Coming!
2/4Christopher Nolan and Christopher Frayling continue their new story of British cinema.
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Late
00:00
Midnight News—05/08/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
00:30
Tony Hawks Is Giving Nothing Away—2. Receiving
Tony Hawks hears about the impact of receiving an inheritance.
00:48
Shipping Forecast—05/08/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
01:00
Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—05/08/2026
BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
05:00
News Summary—05/08/2026
National and international news from BBC Radio 4
05:04
BBC Inside Science—Are we alone in the universe?
What if the Goldilocks zone is for idiots?
05:34
Shipping Forecast—05/08/2026
The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
05:43
Prayer for the Day—Often it’s the everyday things that prepare us for the hard thing
A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rev Carolyn Skinner.
05:45
Farming Today—05/08/26 Scottish first minister on farming resilience; the cost of drought; harvest in Cumbria
Scotland's first minister on farming policy and how to deal with wildfires in future.
