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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Her Story Made History: Shukria Barakzai
Wed 28 Feb 2018
Shukria Barakzai was one of a handful of female MPs in Afghanistan to speak up for women
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Japan: New Ways to Grow - Part Two
Tue 27 Feb 2018
The novel ideas for senior housing and social care emerging in Japan
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The Lost World of the Suffragettes
Sun 25 Feb 2018
The Suffragettes' stories of life, prison, force-feeding and secret collaborations
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Her Story Made History: Vigdis Finnbogadottir
Wed 21 Feb 2018
In 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the first female head of state of Iceland
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Japan: New Ways to Grow Old - Part One
Tue 20 Feb 2018
The innovations for living better in old age in the fastest-ageing society in the world
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China's Generation Gap: Part Two
Sun 18 Feb 2018
How attitudes towards family, marriage, divorce, dating differ between generations
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Cyril Ramaphosa: Son of Soweto
Sat 17 Feb 2018
Becky Milligan looks back at the extraordinary life of South Africa’s new president.
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Ukraine’s Stolen Billions and the Riddle of the Helipad
Thu 15 Feb 2018
How the circle of Ukraine's disgraced ex-president continues to profit from his people.
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Her Story Made History: Madeha al-Ajroush
Wed 14 Feb 2018
Madeha al-Ajroush battled for 30 years to get women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia
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Digital Migration
Tue 13 Feb 2018
How migration from offline to online is bringing people into modern China
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China's Generation Gap: Beijing
Sun 11 Feb 2018
How have political, social and economic changes affected relations between generations?
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Madness of War
Thu 8 Feb 2018
Sahar meets the medical staff trying to deal with Afghanistan’s mental health emergency
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Her Story Made History: Monica McWilliams
Wed 7 Feb 2018
Monica McWilliams was one of two women in the negotiations for the Good Friday Agreement
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Three Pillars of Trump: Healthcare Reform
Tue 6 Feb 2018
Healthcare reform was top of President Trumps legislative priority. What has changed?
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Escape from Croatia’s Asylums
Thu 1 Feb 2018
Thousands of people with mental illness live in asylums in Croatia. But not in Osijek
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Moving Pictures: The Temptation of Saint Anthony by Joos van Craesbeeck
Wed 31 Jan 2018
The dark, demonic landscape of a 17th Century masterpiece The Temptation of St Anthony
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Three Pillars of Trump: The State Department
Tue 30 Jan 2018
The State Department ends Trump’s first year less resourced and less empowered
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The End Zone
Sun 28 Jan 2018
Fears of brain damage is leading to Americans stopping playing football
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Oprah – Global Icon
Sat 27 Jan 2018
The rise of talk show host, philanthropist, media proprietor and actress Oprah Winfrey
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Paralympic Sport – Fair Play?
Thu 25 Jan 2018
The ethos of the Paralympic movement is fair and equal competition.
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Moving Pictures: Men of the Docks
Wed 24 Jan 2018
George Bellow’s masterpiece Men of the Docks reveals life in the Brooklyn docks in 1912
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Three Pillars of Trump:US Defence
Tue 23 Jan 2018
What has President Trump’s first year has meant for US Defence?
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Trump: A Year in Tweets
Sun 21 Jan 2018
What can President Trump's tweets tell us about his presidency and the US?
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Pandemic: The Story of the 1918 Flu
Sun 21 Jan 2018
How the flu pandemic of 100 years ago affected every corner of the world
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Moving Pictures: Ann West's Patchwork
Wed 17 Jan 2018
Discover life in Regency England through the extraordinary detail of Ann West's Coverlet
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The End of Innocence in Venezuela
Tue 16 Jan 2018
How criminal gangs in Venezuela use children as young as 10 and teenagers in their wars
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Celebrating Life at 117
Sat 13 Jan 2018
Priscilla Ng’ethe joins a family celebration for her 117 year old great grandmother
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Ukraine's Frontline Bakery
Thu 11 Jan 2018
Lucy Ash meets the staff and customers of a bakery which is in war-torn east Ukraine.
