The Documentary Podcast Podcast
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. Documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service.
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. The best of documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service.
From conflict in the Middle East to the advance of AI, to the front line of the climate emergency, we go beyond the headlines. Each week we dive into the minds of the world’s most creative people, take personal journeys into spirituality and connect people from across the globe to share how news stories are shaping their lives.
Episodes to download
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The Greyhound Diaries
Sat 3 Nov 2018
Stories from the travelling underbelly of America, collected on Greyhound buses
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West Africa’s Fish Famine
Fri 2 Nov 2018
An important fish that millions depend on is being turned into animal feed for export.
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The Dark Sides of American Democracy
Tue 30 Oct 2018
Could voting laws and partisan district maps swing November’s US midterm elections?
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Young, Cool and Kazakhstani
Sat 27 Oct 2018
How young, cool Kazakhstanis are forging a new identity for their country
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Serbia’s Femicide Crisis
Thu 25 Oct 2018
Violence against women is a persistent problem in Serbia. Nicola Kelly reports.
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What Happened Last Night in Sweden?
Wed 24 Oct 2018
Ruth Alexander looks at the rise in violent crime in Sweden
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Africa's Big Philanthropy: Home-Grown
Tue 23 Oct 2018
The impact of Africa's new wealth and social media on home-grown philanthropic causes
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Singing for Survival in Cucuta
Thu 18 Oct 2018
Down but not out in a Colombian border town, four Venezuelans pin their hopes on music.
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Africa's Big Philanthropy: Agriculture and Food Security
Tue 16 Oct 2018
Is money from foreign investors helping or hindering African farmers?
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Paralympics – Gaming the System?
Thu 11 Oct 2018
Do some athletes exaggerate or even fake a disability in order to win Paralympic medals?
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Africa's Big Philanthropy: Health
Tue 9 Oct 2018
The impact of philanthropy on healthcare and disease reduction in Africa
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After suicide
Sat 6 Oct 2018
When someone takes their own life, how does it affect those left behind?
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Don't Shoot, I'm Disabled
Thu 4 Oct 2018
Over a hundred people with disabilities have been killed by the police in the US in 2018
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A life alone
Tue 2 Oct 2018
An exploration of loneliness – seen through the eyes of one 94-year-old woman
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The Children of Belsen
Sun 30 Sep 2018
A survivor of the Holocaust reunites with her 15-year-old self via BBC archive recordings
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Macedonia: What’s in a Name?
Thu 27 Sep 2018
The name ‘Macedonia’ is disputed by two neighbouring nations. That may be about to change
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Model X
Tue 25 Sep 2018
Spartan conditions and demanding casting directors - the challenges of aspiring models
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Generation Identity
Thu 20 Sep 2018
Simon Cox investigates a new far right youth organisation in Europe, Generation Identity.
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The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: National International
Wed 19 Sep 2018
Tales of colourful figures from the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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The Changing Face of Procreation: Assisted Reproduction
Tue 18 Sep 2018
How humans make babies could be about to change, thanks to IVF and reproductive tech
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Iceland: What Happened Next?
Sun 16 Sep 2018
One small country and the legacy of a local crisis that went global
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Chile - Sexual Abuse, Secrets and Lies
Thu 13 Sep 2018
Dark secrets of Chile's Catholic Church - one of South America's devout congregations
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The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Lasting Fame
Wed 12 Sep 2018
How the late Victorian institution has remained relevant in the internet age
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The New World Of Reproduction
Tue 11 Sep 2018
Forty years after the first IVF baby, Krupa Padhy explores how human beings procreate
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Conflict Comedy
Tue 4 Sep 2018
How has comedy helped Northern Ireland cope with conflict and move on?
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Uganda's Prison Farms
Mon 3 Sep 2018
'He was using prisoners like oxen' - an ex-convict recalls life on a Ugandan prison farm.
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The Life and Times of Senator John McCain
Tue 28 Aug 2018
Anthony Zurcher looks back at the life and career of US Senator John McCain.
