BBC Radio 4 Extra Schedule Sunday 4 January 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  
  Metropolis
  
  Freddy is caught up in a nightmarish sci-fi world with echoes of life today.
2. 01:00
  
  The Barchester Chronicles—Anthony Trollope's The Warden
  
  Mr Harding finds his peaceful life disrupted when family drama erupts.
3. 02:30
  
  The White Road by Edmund de Waal (Omnibus)
  
  Edmund de Waal's pilgrimage to the creators of porcelain. Read by Julian Rhind-Tutt.
4. 03:45
  
  Ladies of Letters—Series 1, 6. Adventures
  
  6/6 Will Vera accept an exciting, life changing, offer?
5. 04:00
  
  The Marx Brothers' Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel—Series 2, Episode 2
  
  2/6 The shady lawyer turns farmer for a wealthy uncle.
6. 04:30
  
  The Navy Lark—Series 12, The Put-a-Horse-Out-to-Graze Fund
  
  CPO Pertwee starts fundraising for a cause - his own!
7. 05:00
  
  Down by the River—1. Source
  
  1/3 From the source to the estuary, Laura Barton explores how rivers have shaped us.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  
  Desert Island Discs Revisited—Soap Stars, Patricia Greene
  
  Archers actress Patricia Greene is castaway by Kirsty Young.
2. 06:45
  
  David Attenborough's Life Stories—Series 2, Rats
  
  David Attenborough hates rats, but in a personal way explains why they should be respected
3. 07:00
  
  Poetry Extra—Between the Ears - Capturing Light
  
  Daljit Nagra selects a new year highlight about light from the BBC's poetry archive.
4. 07:30
  
  Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition by Ray Connolly
  
  What would have happened to The Beatles if George Martin had turned them down?
5. 08:15
  
  Beardyman and the Mimics
  
  Beatboxer "Beardyman" aka Darren Foreman goes in search of nature's best sound-mimics.
6. 08:40
  
  Inheritance Tracks—Clare Balding
  
  Presenter and author Clare Balding, chooses tracks by Neil Diamond and Billy Joel.
7. 08:50
  
  Ladies of Letters—Ladies of Letters (Omnibus)
  
  Irene and Vera begin corresponding. Stars Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge.
8. 10:00
  
  Stilgoe's Around—City of London
  
  Richard Stilgoe ponders money-making in Britain's financial heartland.
9. 10:30
  
  Take It From Here—From 03/03/1955
  
  Ron Glum is emigrating. How far will he get?
10. 11:00
  
  Desert Island Discs Revisited—Soap Stars, Patricia Greene
  
  Archers actress Patricia Greene is castaway by Kirsty Young.
11. 11:45
  
  David Attenborough's Life Stories—Series 2, Rats
  
  David Attenborough hates rats, but in a personal way explains why they should be respected
Back to top
Afternoon
1. 12:00
  
  Poetry Extra—Between the Ears - Capturing Light
  
  Daljit Nagra selects a new year highlight about light from the BBC's poetry archive.
2. 12:30
  
  Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition by Ray Connolly
  
  What would have happened to The Beatles if George Martin had turned them down?
3. 13:15
  
  Beardyman and the Mimics
  
  Beatboxer "Beardyman" aka Darren Foreman goes in search of nature's best sound-mimics.
4. 13:40
  
  Inheritance Tracks—Clare Balding
  
  Presenter and author Clare Balding, chooses tracks by Neil Diamond and Billy Joel.
5. 13:50
  
  Ladies of Letters—Ladies of Letters (Omnibus)
  
  Irene and Vera begin corresponding. Stars Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge.
6. 15:00
  
  Stilgoe's Around—City of London
  
  Richard Stilgoe ponders money-making in Britain's financial heartland.
7. 15:30
  
  Take It From Here—From 03/03/1955
  
  Ron Glum is emigrating. How far will he get?
8. 16:00
  
  Terry Pratchett—Small Gods, 1. Voices
  
  1/4 Set in a complex state of beliefs, the Great God Om appears before a novice monk.
9. 16:30
  
  The Heart of Hark'un—1. Sword and Sorcery
  
  1/6 A menacing assignment awaits a student sorcerer.
10. 17:00
  
  Desert Island Discs Revisited—Soap Stars, Patricia Greene
  
  Archers actress Patricia Greene is castaway by Kirsty Young.
11. 17:45
  
  David Attenborough's Life Stories—Series 2, Rats
  
  David Attenborough hates rats, but in a personal way explains why they should be respected
Back to top
Evening
1. 18:00
  
  Poetry Extra—Between the Ears - Capturing Light
  
  Daljit Nagra selects a new year highlight about light from the BBC's poetry archive.
2. 18:30
  
  Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition by Ray Connolly
  
  What would have happened to The Beatles if George Martin had turned them down?
3. 19:15
  
  Beardyman and the Mimics
  
  Beatboxer "Beardyman" aka Darren Foreman goes in search of nature's best sound-mimics.
4. 19:40
  
  Inheritance Tracks—Clare Balding
  
  Presenter and author Clare Balding, chooses tracks by Neil Diamond and Billy Joel.
5. 19:50
  
  Ladies of Letters—Ladies of Letters (Omnibus)
  
  Irene and Vera begin corresponding. Stars Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge.
6. 21:00
  
  Stilgoe's Around—City of London
  
  Richard Stilgoe ponders money-making in Britain's financial heartland.
7. 21:30
  
  Take It From Here—From 03/03/1955
  
  Ron Glum is emigrating. How far will he get?
8. 22:00
  
  Sarah Kendall: Australian Trilogy—Series 1, A Day in October
  
  1/3 Storyteller Sarah Kendall performs her award-winning live solo show.
9. 22:30
  
  Listen Against—Series 2, Episode 1
  
  1/4 An Archers convention, a live pitbull on the Today programme and a Popmaster crisis.
10. 22:55
  
  The Comedy Club Interviews—Jimmy Carr 3/4
  
  Paul Garner chats again to Jimmy Carr.
11. 23:00
  
  Life: An Idiot's Guide—Series 2, Crime and Punishment
  
  4/6 Comedian Stephen K Amos and guests compile an idiot's guide to crime and punishment.
12. 23:30
  
  Hearing with Hegley—Series 2, Episode 2
  
  2/8 Poems from the Luton Laureate including tales of the Tate, a jumble sale and an armadillo.
13. 23:45
  
  Bunk Bed—Series 9, Episode 2
  
  2/8 Harry Shearer describes his extraordinary life as a Hollywood child star.
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Late
1. 00:00
  
  Terry Pratchett—Small Gods, 1. Voices
  
  1/4 Set in a complex state of beliefs, the Great God Om appears before a novice monk.
2. 00:30
  
  The Heart of Hark'un—1. Sword and Sorcery
  
  1/6 A menacing assignment awaits a student sorcerer.
3. 01:00
  
  Desert Island Discs Revisited—Soap Stars, Patricia Greene
  
  Archers actress Patricia Greene is castaway by Kirsty Young.
4. 01:45
  
  David Attenborough's Life Stories—Series 2, Rats
  
  David Attenborough hates rats, but in a personal way explains why they should be respected
5. 02:00
  
  Poetry Extra—Between the Ears - Capturing Light
  
  Daljit Nagra selects a new year highlight about light from the BBC's poetry archive.
6. 02:30
  
  Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition by Ray Connolly
  
  What would have happened to The Beatles if George Martin had turned them down?
7. 03:15
  
  Beardyman and the Mimics
  
  Beatboxer "Beardyman" aka Darren Foreman goes in search of nature's best sound-mimics.
8. 03:40
  
  Inheritance Tracks—Clare Balding
  
  Presenter and author Clare Balding, chooses tracks by Neil Diamond and Billy Joel.
9. 03:50
  
  Ladies of Letters—Ladies of Letters (Omnibus)
  
  Irene and Vera begin corresponding. Stars Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge.
10. 05:00
  
  Stilgoe's Around—City of London
  
  Richard Stilgoe ponders money-making in Britain's financial heartland.
11. 05:30
  
  Take It From Here—From 03/03/1955
  
  Ron Glum is emigrating. How far will he get?

Monday 5 January 2026