BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Sunday 23 August 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 00:15
  Take Four Books—M. John Harrison
  On his latest novel - The End of Everything - and the three texts that helped to shape it.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—23/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:30
  News Summary—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
6. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
7. 05:43
  Bells on Sunday—The parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
  Bells on Sunday comes from the parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
8. 05:45
  In Touch—18/08/2026
  News, views and information for people who are blind or partially sighted.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  News Summary—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 06:05
  Heart and Soul—Searching for My Samurai Mother
  Rimi Tanaka finds out about her mother's samurai ancestry.
3. 06:35
  On Your Farm—A Dales Chorus
  A new three-movement choral work celebrates farming in the Yorkshire Dales.
4. 06:57
  Weather—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast.
5. 07:00
  News and Papers—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
6. 07:10
  Sunday—23/08/2026
  A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week.
7. 07:54
  Radio 4 Appeal—International Animal Rescue
  Actor Peter Egan makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of International Animal Rescue.
8. 07:57
  Weather—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast.
9. 08:00
  News and Papers—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
10. 08:10
  Sunday Worship—23/08/2026
  Radio 4's Sunday morning service.
11. 08:48
  Witness History—Roddy Doyle writes Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
  In 1993, the Irish writer Roddy Doyle won the prestigious Booker Prize for Fiction.
12. 08:58
  Tweet of the Day—23/08/2026
  Fascinating stories about birds inspired by their calls, songs and behaviour.
13. 09:00
  Broadcasting House—23/08/2026
  The Sunday morning news magazine programme. Presented by Paddy O'Connell.
14. 10:00
  The Reunion—Isle of Wight Festival
  Artists and organisers of the biggest pop festival of the 20th century are reunited.
15. 11:00
  The Archers Omnibus—23/08/2026
  Emotions run high for Lynda, and the Malik family have a bone to pick.
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Afternoon
1. 12:15
  Last Word: Doing Death Differently—Being remembered
  5/5Matthew Bannister on changing attitudes to dying, death and how we memorialise our dead.
2. 12:30
  Just a Minute—Series 97, 5. How to win at rock, paper, scissors
  5/6Who gets their first ever minute this week?
3. 12:57
  Weather—23/08/2026
  The latest weather forecast.
4. 13:00
  The World This Weekend—23/08/2026
  A look at the week's big stories and preview of the week to come.
5. 13:30
  Currently—The WhatsApp Underground
  Reactive feature from Radio 4, exploring what's really happening behind the headlines.
6. 14:00
  Gardeners' Question Time—21/08/2026
  Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts.
7. 14:45
  Opening Lines—Midnight Cowboy
  John Yorke looks at Midnight Cowboy by James Leo Herlihy.
8. 15:00
  Midnight Cowboy: Episode One
  Joe Buck, a naïve young Texan, leaves his dead-end job to be a hustler in 1960s New York.
9. 16:00
  Take Four Books—23/08/2026
  James Crawford discusses an author's new book and its connections to three other works.
10. 16:30
  Brain of Britain—Brain of Britain - Heat 5, 2026
  General knowledge quiz. Spotlights on WWE wrestling, St Luke's Gospel and guinea pigs.
11. 17:00
  Witness History—Norway's WWII railway sabotage plot
  In 1942, Norwegian resistance fighters set out to blow up a railway used by the Nazis
12. 17:10
  Behind the Crime—Conor
  A man whose gaming almost led to 100 years in a US prison.
13. 17:54
  Shipping Forecast—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
14. 17:57
  Weather—23/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—23/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 18:15
  Pick of the Week—23/08/2026
  A selection of highlights from the past week on BBC radio.
3. 19:00
  The Archers—23/08/2026
  Lily has a confession to make
4. 19:15
  Illuminated—Ringing the Bullring
  Arguably best in the world, will Birmingham win the 2026 12-Bell Striking Contest?
5. 19:45
  Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley—Snack Smartly
  How to snack smartly, to improve your mental health, reduce cravings and help weight loss.
6. 20:00
  Artworks—The Deadliest Book in England
  Susie Dent investigates a small book that shaped history and the language we speak.
7. 20:30
  Last Word—21/08/2026
  Radio 4's weekly obituary programme.
8. 21:00
  Sliced Bread—Toast - Series 7, Izal Medicated Toilet Paper
  How did Izal medicated toilet paper reach the end of the roll? Sean Farrington finds out.
9. 21:25
  Radio 4 Appeal—International Animal Rescue
  Actor Peter Egan makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of International Animal Rescue.
10. 21:30
  From Our Own Correspondent—22/08/2026
  Insight and analysis from BBC correspondents around the world.
11. 22:00
  Archive on 4—The Trickster: A Thistle up the Backside of Society
  Trickery - is it what we need to keep society moving forward?
12. 23:00
  Great Lives—Reginald D Hunter selects Eugene V Debs
  Five time socialist presidential candidate Eugene Victor Debs picked by Reginald D Hunter.
13. 23:30
  Hoax—2. The Wizard of Sussex
  A body is discovered and an eccentric solicitor takes a surprising chance.
14. 23:45
  Short Works—Song of The Ocean by Natasha Carthew
  A young Cornish lad named Jago dares to dream of a life beyond the small fishing village.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—24/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  Crossing Continents—Raiders of the lost art
  Insight, and analysis from BBC correspondents around the world.
3. 00:45
  Bells on Sunday—The parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
  Bells on Sunday comes from the parish church of St Andrew Ryton in Shropshire.
4. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—24/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
5. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—24/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
6. 05:00
  News Summary—24/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4.
7. 05:04
  Last Word—21/08/2026
  Radio 4's weekly obituary programme.
8. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—24/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
9. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—24/08/2026
  A spiritual comment and prayer with Rev Dr Mariama Ifode-Blease.
10. 05:45
  Farming Today—24/08/2026
  The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.
11. 05:57
  Weather—24/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers

Monday 24 August 2026