BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Monday 18 May 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—18/05/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  
  Crossing Continents—Return to Khartoum: War, loss and hope
  
  Mohanad Hashim returns home to a fabled city wrecked by war.
3. 00:45
  
  Bells on Sunday—The church of Saints Patrick and Andrew in Elveden Suffolk
  
  Bells on Sunday comes from the church of Saints Patrick and Andrew in Elveden Suffolk.
4. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—18/05/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
5. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—18/05/2026
  
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
6. 05:00
  
  News Summary—18/05/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  
  Last Word—Ruth Slenczynska, Dame Bridget Ogilvie, Tony Worthington, Russell Tyner KC
  
  Kirsty Lang on a virtuoso pianist, leading scientist, peace-seeking MP and legal pioneer.
8. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—18/05/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
9. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—How not to make an argument
  
  Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection, with Rabbi Monique Mayer.
10. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—18/05/26: Grow more British flowers, new hands at the wheel of Red Tractor, hare coursing crackdown
  
  A call for more British flower growers to set up in business to meet blooming demand.
11. 05:57
  
  Weather—18/05/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers
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Morning
1. 06:00
  
  Today—18/05/2026
  
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  
  Start the Week—Farming, food production and rural life
  
  Adam Rutherford talks to Minette Batters, Dave Goulson and Melissa Harrison about farming.
3. 09:45
  
  Café Hope—Community connections
  
  How one charity is welcoming refugees and pairing them with local buddies in the community
4. 10:00
  
  Woman's Hour—Harshita Brella, England Rugby, Olivia Chaney, Lauren Elkin
  
  Harshita Brella's family are appealing for action to bring her alleged killer to justice.
5. 11:00
  
  Behind the Crime—Sobanan
  
  Sobanan talks about his relationship with drugs and imprisonment.
6. 11:45
  
  Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe by Katja Hoyer—1930: Democracy to Dictatorship
  
  6/10 The story of the residents of Weimar during the rise and reign of Hitler.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  
  News Summary—18/05/2026
  
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  
  You and Yours—EV Repairs, Conveyancing Delays, Bluetooth Backlash
  
  EV sales are up, but there's a shortage of people qualified to repair them.
3. 12:57
  
  Weather—18/05/2026
  
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  
  World at One—The World Health Organisation declares the Ebola outbreak an international emergency
  
  Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is declared an international emergency
5. 13:45
  
  Understand—Rinsed, 6. The Lion's Cage
  
  6/13 The view from inside the Environment Agency.
6. 14:00
  
  The Archers—17/05/2026
  
  Leonard goes on a mission.
7. 14:15
  
  Conversations from a Long Marriage—Series 7, 3. Love and Affection
  
  3/6 Starring Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam. Ray misunderstands Joanna's hug.
8. 14:45
  
  One to One—Dharshini David meets cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting
  
  The culture of 'anti-ageing' and the ethics of the beauty industry
9. 15:00
  
  Great Lives—Ade Edmondson on singer Sandy Denny
  
  Ade Edmondson - star of The Young Ones and much more - chooses the singer Sandy Denny.
10. 15:30
  
  The History Podcast—Sixty Years of Hurt, 1. England v The World
  
  1/6 David starts at the most famous moment in English football – the 1966 World Cup win.
11. 16:00
  
  Currently—Who’s Winning Muslim Voters?
  
  Why is the Labour party losing so many Muslim voters?
12. 16:30
  
  The Kitchen Cabinet—Series 52, Postbag
  
  6/7 Jay Rayner and panel are in the studio for a postbag special.
13. 17:00
  
  PM—18/05/2026
  
  Full coverage of the day's news
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Evening
1. 18:00
  
  Six O'Clock News—Two women tell BBC Panorama they were raped while filming Married at First Sight UK
  
  Channel 4 said it had commissioned an external review
2. 18:30
  
  The Unbelievable Truth—Series 33, 4. Advertising, The Beatles, Theatre and Underwear
  
  4/6 Henning Wehn, Holly Walsh, Miles Jupp and Lucy Porter try to find the hidden truths.
3. 19:00
  
  The Archers—18/05/2026
  
  Brad has an unexpected guest.
4. 19:15
  
  Front Row—White Lotus and Bridget Jones star Leo Woodall on his new film
  
  Leo Woodall stars in the film Tuner, about a young piano prodigy who turns to crime.
5. 20:00
  
  The Briefing Room—Ten years of The Briefing Room
  
  The Briefing Room looks back over the ten years since the programme started in May 2016.
6. 20:30
  
  BBC Inside Science—The science behind hantavirus
  
  What do we know about the disease following its outbreak on a cruise ship this month?
7. 21:00
  
  Start the Week—Farming, food production and rural life
  
  Adam Rutherford talks to Minette Batters, Dave Goulson and Melissa Harrison about farming.
8. 21:45
  
  Café Hope—Community connections
  
  How one charity is welcoming refugees and pairing them with local buddies in the community
9. 22:00
  
  The World Tonight—Elon Musk loses lawsuit against Open AI
  
  A jury has thrown out a legal case brought by Elon Musk against Open AI and Sam Altman
10. 22:45
  
  Hunger and Thirst by Claire Fuller—The Letter Box
  
  6/10 Claire Fuller's contemporary gothic thriller continues as Ursula faces up to her actions.
11. 23:00
  
  Limelight—Bitter Pill, 1. Fight or Flight
  
  1/5 A pharmaceutical company in Belfast promises a miracle drug to cure PTSD.
12. 23:30
  
  Today in Parliament—18/05/2026
  
  News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—19/05/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  
  Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe by Katja Hoyer—1930: Democracy to Dictatorship
  
  6/10 The story of the residents of Weimar during the rise and reign of Hitler.
3. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—19/05/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—19/05/2026
  
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  
  News Summary—19/05/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  
  Yesterday in Parliament—19/05/2026
  
  Susan Hulme reports as Justice Secretary David Lammy unveils his youth justice reforms.
7. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—19/05/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—Slugs
  
  Radio 4's daily prayer and reflection, with Rabbi Monique Mayer.
9. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—19/05/26 Pollution from moorland burning, Duchy of Cornwall regen tenancies, tulips.
  
  Moorland management - to burn or not to burn?

Tuesday 19 May 2026