BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Thursday 12 March 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—12/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—3. The Spies
  How spies sold the idea of threat from weapons of mass destruction.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—12/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—12/03/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—12/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—12/03/2026
  Sean Curran reports on Prime Minister's Questions - and the release of the Mandelson files
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—12/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Beeeeee like the Bee
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Sofia Rehman.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—12/03/2026 Energy price impact on tomatoes, muck spreading, sheep shearing visas
  Rising gas prices will put up the price of tomatoes.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—12/03/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  In Our Time—Archaea
  How a discovery in the 1970s changed the theory of the origin of complex life on earth.
3. 09:45
  Strong Message Here—I Understand the Anxiety (with Ria Lina and Coco Khan)
  How do we cope with increasingly scary news?
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Dunblane 30 years on, Catfishing, Forgetting birthdays
  Women who led the Snowdrop campaign to ban handguns in the UK after the Dunblane massacre.
5. 11:00
  The History Podcast—The Second Map, 1. Bonnie Laddie
  The other story of the Second World War.
6. 11:45
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—4. The Inspectors
  UN inspectors hunt for weapons of mass destruction and find… nothing.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—12/03/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  Evan Davis's Heat Pump Challenge—Episode 1: Heat Pumps in the home
  1/3Evan Davis explores how heat pumps work and why government wants us to install them.
3. 12:32
  Sliced Bread—Dough - The Office
  What will the office be like in future? Greg Foot investigates.
4. 12:57
  Weather—12/03/2026
  The latest weather forecast
5. 13:00
  World at One—Largest disruption to oil market "in history"
  The oil price goes up again as Iran attacks three more ships in the Gulf
6. 13:45
  Prime Ministers' Props—Series 3, Harold Macmillan as Supermac
  David Cannadine explores how an object or prop can come to define a political leader.
7. 14:00
  The Archers—11/03/2026
  Brian meddles in his children's lives.
8. 14:15
  Drama on 4—Good People, 5. The Landslide
  5/6Sonia's been avoiding Branwich. But she can't stay away forever.
9. 15:00
  Open Country—The Rock Houses of Staffordshire
  Martha Kearney visits the cave dwellings at Kinver Edge that were lived in until the 1960s
10. 15:27
  Radio 4 Appeal—Action Syria
  Actor Toby Jones makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Action Syria.
11. 15:30
  Feedback—Illuminated, Charter Renewal, News Avoidance
  Andrea Catherwood discusses BBC Charter Renewal with an expert.
12. 16:00
  The Briefing Room—Why does the war with Iran threaten the global economy?
  Oil and gas shipments from the Gulf have slowed dramatically - what are the repercussions?
13. 16:30
  BBC Inside Science—Is the Earth warming faster than we expected?
  New research on what three very hot years can tell us about climate change.
14. 17:00
  PM—Is Iran's new Supreme Leader seriously hurt?
  Mojtaba Khamenei's first statement was written, renewing speculation about his injuries.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—Iran's new supreme leader speaks — or does he?
  Iran broadcasts a statement on state TV purporting to be from its new supreme leader.
2. 18:30
  The Matt Forde Focus Group—Series 2, 1. The Politics of Boredom
  1/6Is boredom the secret driving force behind our politics?
3. 19:00
  The Archers—12/03/2026
  Chris is struggling a bit.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Review: David Hockney in Normandy, and Asako Yuzuki's new novel
  Butter author Asako Yuzuki's novel Hooked; The Tasters film, about Hitler's food tasters.
5. 20:00
  When It Hits the Fan—A Gulf in Communications
  David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at the role of influencers during the war in Iran.
6. 20:15
  The Media Show—The people shaping American media including Mehdi Hasan, Jeffrey Goldberg, Sarah Smith and Johnny Harris
  Ros Atkins in Washington DC to meet the people shaping American media.
7. 21:00
  Loose Ends—Mischa Barton, Squeeze, Emmanual Sonubi, Ava Glass, Samantha Crain
  Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.
8. 21:45
  Strong Message Here—I Understand the Anxiety (with Ria Lina and Coco Khan)
  How do we cope with increasingly scary news?
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—Israeli strikes on Tehran continue as Iran vows to block Strait of Hormuz
  New Supreme Leader of Iran says vital shipping lane should "definitely" be blocked
10. 22:45
  Nobody's Perfect by Lionel Shriver—The Activist
  4/5A specially commissioned story from American author Lionel Shriver.
11. 23:00
  Radical with Amol Rajan—Taking Back Control: Why ‘Agency’ Could Be The Next Big Idea In Politics (James Kanagasooriam)
  A top pollster explains how a sense of powerlessness amongst voters is shaping politics.
12. 23:30
  Today in Parliament—12/03/2026
  David Cornock reports as a minister warns of the unprecedented threats facing MPs.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—13/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—4. The Inspectors
  UN inspectors hunt for weapons of mass destruction and find… nothing.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—13/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—13/03/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—13/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—13/03/2026
  Alicia McCarthy reports on moves to prevent election candidates facing harassment.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—13/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Stitching Community
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Sofia Rehman.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—13/03/26 The foods of the future, farm incomes, chicken muck
  Regulating foods of the future, for instance lab-grown meat, insects and 3D printed foods.

Friday 13 March 2026