BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Monday 23 March 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—23/03/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  
  Great Lives—Harriet Harman on Maria Callas
  
  Harriet Harman nominates opera star Maria Callas.
3. 00:45
  
  Bells on Sunday—The church of Saints Peter and Paul Lavenham, Suffolk
  
  Bells on Sunday comes from the church of Saints Peter and Paul Lavenham, Suffolk.
4. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—23/03/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
5. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—23/03/2026
  
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
6. 05:00
  
  News Summary—23/03/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  
  Yesterday in Parliament—23/03/2026
  
  Peers continue their debate on the assisted dying bill.
8. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—23/03/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
9. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—Mirror Image: Narcissus and Echo
  
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day Fleur Dorrell.
10. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—23/03/26 Potato oversupply, history of change in farming, new crop tech research centre
  
  Have potatoes had their chips?
11. 05:57
  
  Weather—23/03/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers
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Morning
1. 06:00
  
  Today—23/03/2026
  
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  
  Start the Week—Growing Up
  
  Naomi Alderman with Booker prize-winner David Szalay, Penny Woolcock and Laura Tisdall.
3. 09:45
  
  Like and Subscribe: How YouTube Changed the World—What happens when YouTube gets political?
  
  As YouTube spreads, so does information - the good and bad. We explore the consequences.
4. 10:00
  
  Woman's Hour—Dame Jenni Murray remembered, Elizabeth Moss and Kate Mara, Jane McDonald
  
  We remember Dame Jenni Murray, our presenter here on Woman's Hour for 33 years.
5. 11:00
  
  Understand—How Reading Made Us, 3. How Reading Made Our Politics
  
  3/3 Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?
6. 11:45
  
  A History of Mystery by Cal Flyn—The Cult of Mystery
  
  1/5 Cal Flyn explores the power of mystery, beginning with the gods of the ancient world.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  
  News Summary—23/03/2026
  
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  
  You and Yours—LPG Price Rises, Travel Uncertainty, Upsizing Issues
  
  'We feel forgotten': Off-grid home struggling with rising cost of liquid petroleum gas.
3. 12:57
  
  Weather—23/03/2026
  
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  
  World at One—23/03/2026
  
  News, analysis and comment from BBC Radio 4
5. 13:45
  
  What Do Our Politicians Need to Know Now?—Too much, too fast, too loud?
  
  1/5 Politics is faster than ever before. Isabel Hardman asks how politicians can keep up.
6. 14:00
  
  The Archers—22/03/2026
  
  Josh drops a bombshell.
7. 14:15
  
  Prepper—Series 2, Making a Prepper
  
  3/4 Two remarkable women prepare for the end of the world and make a weekly podcast about it.
8. 14:45
  
  Opening Lines—Flight - Episode One
  
  John Yorke on a fascinating insight into Black American history: Flight, by Walter White.
9. 15:00
  
  A Good Read—Maryam Moshiri and Doug Naylor
  
  The newsreader and the Red Dwarf creator discuss their chosen books with Harriett Gilbert.
10. 15:30
  
  You're Dead to Me—Medieval Irish Folklore (Live)
  
  Join Greg and his guests at the Hay Festival to learn about medieval Irish folklore.
11. 16:00
  
  Profile—Benjamin Netanyahu
  
  Israel’s longest serving prime minister.
12. 16:30
  
  The Kitchen Cabinet—Series 51, Bolton
  
  5/6 Jay Rayner hosts a culinary panel show packed full of tasty titbits.
13. 17:00
  
  PM—Trump says US and Iran 'want to make a deal'
  
  President Trump cancels his ultimatum and says the US and Iran have been in 'strong talks'
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Evening
1. 18:00
  
  Six O'Clock News—President Trump says talks are taking place to end the war with Iran
  
  Tehran denies direct negotiations with the US
2. 18:30
  
  Unspeakable—Series 3, 2. Bursting with Lethargy
  
  2/6 Bad mediums, unpopular winners, and when you've gotta go but you can't be bothered.
3. 19:00
  
  The Archers—23/03/2026
  
  George is up in court again.
4. 19:15
  
  Front Row—Saturday Night Live arrives in the UK
  
  The UK now has its own SNL, 50 years after the US original. But is it funny?
5. 20:00
  
  How Did We Get Here?—Israel and the Palestinians, 7: From the Six Day War to the Lebanon War
  
  7/10 Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict.
6. 20:30
  
  BBC Inside Science—Is quantum computing having its moment?
  
  The UK government announces a £2billion investment in quantum computing.
7. 21:00
  
  Start the Week—Growing Up
  
  Naomi Alderman with Booker prize-winner David Szalay, Penny Woolcock and Laura Tisdall.
8. 21:45
  
  Like and Subscribe: How YouTube Changed the World—What happens when YouTube gets political?
  
  As YouTube spreads, so does information - the good and bad. We explore the consequences.
9. 22:00
  
  The World Tonight—Donald Trump says the US and Iran have held talks on the "complete and total resolution of hostilities" in the Middle East
  
  But Iran's parliamentary speaker denies talks have taken place, calling it "fake news"
10. 22:45
  
  The Woman Who Saw Atoms by Pippa Goldschmidt—Observation
  
  1/5 On the eve of the Anschluss, a Jewish scientist captures an image of a proton.
11. 23:00
  
  Limelight—An Eye for a Killing, 2. The Lost Girl
  
  2/5 Mary Paterson is 18 when she meets William Burke. By the end of the day she will be dead.
12. 23:30
  
  Today in Parliament—23/03/2026
  
  The prime minister tells MPs there may not be a 'quick and early end' to the Iran war.
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Late
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—24/03/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  
  A History of Mystery by Cal Flyn—The Cult of Mystery
  
  1/5 Cal Flyn explores the power of mystery, beginning with the gods of the ancient world.
3. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—24/03/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—24/03/2026
  
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  
  News Summary—24/03/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  
  Yesterday in Parliament—24/03/2026
  
  Alicia McCarthy reports as the Prime Minister faces questions from MPs on the Middle East.
7. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—24/03/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—Losing my Shoe
  
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day Fleur Dorrell.
9. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—24/03/26 Middle East conflict and supply chains, processing shellfish, medieval farming.
  
  Will continuing conflict in the Middle East now lead to price hikes in the supermarket?

Tuesday 24 March 2026