BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Wednesday 18 March 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—18/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—7. Terror
  Did the invasion turbo-charge extremism in Iraq and the UK?
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—18/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—18/03/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—18/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—18/03/2026
  Susan Hulme reports as Ukraine's President Zelensky makes a speech to Parliament.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—18/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—When in Rome
  A reflection and prayer to start the day with Father Martin Magill.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—18/03/27 England's new land use framework
  The government launches its new land use framework for England.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—18/03/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  Sideways—85. The Hands of Forgiveness
  An act of forgiveness sets off a chain of events that alters the life of one woman.
3. 09:30
  Everything Is Fake—Everything Is Fake and Nobody Cares, 2. Kayfabe Country
  Could wrestling really be the birthplace of modern fakery? Jamie Bartlett investigates.
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Meningitis, FA's Director of Women's Football, Abortion amendments
  What parents need to know about the 'unprecedented' Kent meningitis outbreak.
5. 11:00
  Today—The Today Debate: Is Donald Trump leading us to all-out war?
  Anna Foster and an expert panel consider whether the war in the Middle East could escalate
6. 11:45
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—8. The Retreat
  The failures in post-war Iraq have far reaching and unexpected consequences.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—18/03/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  You and Yours—Customer Water Panels, Consumer Spending, Fraud Minister
  Consumers will now have the chance to put questions to water company bosses.
3. 12:57
  Weather—18/03/2026
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  World at One—Five new meningitis cases in Kent outbreak
  Targeted vaccination scheme continues for students at the University of Kent.
5. 13:45
  The Race to Control the World—3. Europe's AI Challenge
  3/5Can Europe end its reliance on US and Chinese tech companies before it's too late?
6. 14:00
  The Archers—17/03/2026
  Ruairi helps George out.
7. 14:15
  Drama on 4—The Prompt
  When AI's guard rails fail, even its creators admit that we should be very, very afraid.
8. 15:00
  The Law Show—When is it legal to go to war?
  Under international law, when can a country use force against another?
9. 15:30
  Money, Influence and the NHS—Nice shoes, now about those drugs!
  1/3Dr Margaret McCartney’s quest to reveal conflicts of interest.
10. 16:00
  When It Hits the Fan—Can You Spin ChatGPT?
  David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at the secretive world of influencing the chatbots.
11. 16:15
  The Media Show—Lisa Nandy on saving local news and the future of the BBC, reporting from inside Iran & behind the scenes at the Oscars
  Lisa Nandy interview, reporting from inside Iran and behind the scenes at the Oscars
12. 17:00
  PM—World’s largest gas field hit
  Major escalation in the Gulf as Iran says it will retaliate following the strike.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—The price of oil surges again
  Iran has threatened to attack key energy sites belonging to its Gulf neighbours
2. 18:30
  Stand-Up Specials—Live from the UK, S2 E4: Shut Up About Car Insurance!
  Jo Caufield, Ayo Adenekan, Sarah Levine and Priya Hall join Angela Banes.
3. 19:00
  The Archers—18/03/2026
  Brian learns something new.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Sylvia Plath's final year, and Hue and Cry perform Labour of Love
  Author Helen Bain on fictionalising Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath's year in Devon.
5. 20:00
  Moral Maze—Economic shocks: is there a duty to accept sacrifice?
  Live debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories.
6. 21:00
  The Life Scientific—Jens Juul Holst on the gut hormone discovery behind weight-loss drugs
  Physiologist Jens Juul Holst on how gut hormone GLP-1 paved the way for weight loss drugs.
7. 21:30
  Inside Health—What's driving the outbreak of meningitis among students?
  James Gallagher examines the outbreak of bacterial meningitis in Kent.
8. 22:00
  The World Tonight—European leaders urge Israel to call off Lebanon ground offensive
  Israeli orders more evacuations and bombs bridges across Litani River in southern Lebanon
9. 22:45
  Banshee—The Changeling by Jane Casey
  Inspired by stories of babies who were stolen and replaced with a fairy child.
10. 23:00
  Stand-Up Specials—Slim's Guide to Life, 5. Forties
  Moving into his 40s, Slim has acquired a lot of titles, and they're weighing him down.
11. 23:15
  Stand-Up Specials—Aurie Styla: Tech Talk, Series 2 Ep 4: Say Hello to My Little Friend
  Virtual assistants: how much assistance is too much? And can they hear us?
12. 23:30
  Today in Parliament—18/03/2026
  PMQs and other top stories.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—19/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On—8. The Retreat
  The failures in post-war Iraq have far reaching and unexpected consequences.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—19/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—19/03/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—19/03/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—19/03/2026
  News, views and features on yesterday's stories in Parliament
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—19/03/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Sleeping and Dreaming
  A reflection and prayer to start the day with Father Martin Magill
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—19/03/26 Land Use Framework, oat drink production
  What difference will England's Land Use Framework make?

Thursday 19 March 2026