BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Sunday 9 August 2026

Schedule

Skip to:

Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—09/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  Bookclub—Janice Hallett
  The award-winning writer speaks to a Bookclub audience about her debut novel, The Appeal.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—09/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:30
  News Summary—09/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
7. 05:43
  Bells on Sunday—St Martin’s Church in Eynsford, Kent
  Bells on Sunday comes from St Martin’s Church in Eynsford, Kent
8. 05:45
  In Touch—The War Veterans who may lose their homes; Commonwealth Games
  Blind war veterans fearing eviction, and reflections on the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Back to top
Morning
1. 06:00
  News Summary—09/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 06:05
  Heart and Soul—Faith and revolution in the Philippines
  How Catholicism helped overthrow a dictator and restored democracy to the Philippines.
3. 06:35
  On Your Farm—Return of the Native
  Reviving a long-lost county breed of Somerset.
4. 06:57
  Weather—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast
5. 07:00
  News and Papers—09/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 07:10
  Sunday—Prisoner of conscience, Sebastia, 'Mandy Burnham'
  Prisoner of conscience, Sebastia, 'Mandy Burnham'
7. 07:54
  Radio 4 Appeal—Peace Direct
  Founder Scilla Elworthy makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Peace Direct.
8. 07:57
  Weather—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast
9. 08:00
  News and Papers—09/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
10. 08:10
  Sunday Worship—"If you only knew your power...."
  Bishop Rosemarie Mallett marks the founding of the Mothers' Union 150 years ago.
11. 08:48
  Witness History—Gina Lollobrigida interviews Fidel Castro
  In 1974, the Italian film icon secured an exclusive interview with the Cuban leader.
12. 08:58
  Tweet of the Day—Isabella Tree on the Common Whitethroat
  Conservationist Isabella Tree on the success of the common whitethroat at Knepp in Sussex
13. 09:00
  Broadcasting House—PM 'needs to intervene' in PC Harper's killers' release
  The Police Federation calls for a U-turn as its petition reaches 829,000.
14. 10:00
  Desert Island Discs—Professor Dame Pamela Shaw
  Neurologist Professor Dame Pamela Shaw joins Lauren Laverne.
15. 11:00
  The Archers Omnibus—09/08/2026
  Bert comes a cropper, and one resident faces an emergency dash.
Back to top
Afternoon
1. 12:15
  Last Word: Doing Death Differently—Lay this body down
  3/5Matthew Bannister on changing attitudes to dying, death and how we memorialise our dead.
2. 12:30
  Just a Minute—Series 97, 3. The fourth rule of Just a Minute
  3/6Paul Merton, Zoe Lyons, Catherine Bohart and Paterson Joseph.
3. 12:57
  Weather—09/08/2026
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  The World This Weekend—Five years since Kabul fell
  Reflections on the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the five years of Taliban rule since.
5. 13:30
  Currently—Burnham's Pledge
  Andy Burnham has pledged to tackle rough sleeping before. Can it work this time?
6. 14:00
  Gardeners' Question Time—Postbag: The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow
  Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners’ Question Time team visit The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow.
7. 14:45
  Opening Lines—Libra - Episode One
  John Yorke explores Don DeLillo’s 1988 novel Libra.
8. 15:00
  Drama on 4—Libra, Episode 1
  1/2Adaptation of Don DeLillo’s fictionalised reimagining of the assassination of JFK.
9. 16:00
  Take Four Books—David Sedaris
  American author and humourist David Sedaris on his new collection of essays.
10. 16:30
  Brain of Britain—Heat 3, 2026
  General knowledge quiz. Spotlights on Apollo 13, Russian Far East and Catherine of Aragon.
11. 17:00
  Witness History—The world's first perfume archive
  In 1990, L'Osmothèque opened in Versailles, France, with a collection of 400 perfumes.
12. 17:10
  Behind the Crime—Pieter
  The story of a man who spent years in an Ecuadorian prison for drug trafficking.
13. 17:54
  Shipping Forecast—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
14. 17:57
  Weather—09/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecast
Back to top
Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—Israel rejects President Trump's peace plan for Gaza
  Israel rejects a peace plan for Gaza that President Trump announced last month
2. 18:15
  Pick of the Week—Nick Ahad
  Nick Ahad presents a weekly selection of the best bits of audio across the BBC.
3. 19:00
  The Archers—09/08/2026
  There’s controversy at the summer fete.
4. 19:15
  Illuminated—James Hutton and The Restless Earth
  Plunge into the abyss of deep geological time with Karine Polwart.
5. 19:45
  Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley—Get an Early Night
  How getting an early night could boost your brain, your heart and help you lose weight.
6. 20:00
  Feedback—BBC Proms, Quiz Pilots and Interview of the Year
  Andrea Catherwood discusses this year's BBC Proms with Radio 3 controller Sam Jackson.
7. 20:30
  Last Word—Part-time punk turned professional provocateur - columnist Rod Liddle
  Also, music manager Vicki Wickham, artist Simone Forti and director Justin Hardy.
8. 21:00
  Sliced Bread—Toast - Series 7, EasyCinema
  Stelios, the EasyJet founder, tells Sean why his low-cost movie theatres didn't take off.
9. 21:25
  Radio 4 Appeal—Peace Direct
  Founder Scilla Elworthy makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Peace Direct.
10. 21:30
  From Our Own Correspondent—China's alleged 'Fentanyl King' and the Mexican cartels
  The origin story of the man accused by US law enforcement of fuelling the fentanyl crisis.
11. 22:00
  Archive on 4—It Must Be Wonderful to Be Free
  Novelist Megan Nolan goes in search of one of Ireland’s first true beatniks, Brendan Behan
12. 23:00
  Great Lives—Lauren Cuthbertson on Margot Fonteyn
  The Royal Ballet's Lauren Cuthbertson on quintessential British ballerina Margot Fonteyn.
13. 23:30
  More Wow—5. Extraordinary People
  What is awe, and where do we find it?
14. 23:45
  Short Works—Parys, Anglesey by Fflur Dafydd
  Cara reconnects with an old friend on Anglesey. By Fflur Dafydd. Read by Lois Meleri Jones
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—10/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  Crossing Continents—Getting Gaza back online
  How amid the tents and the rubble Gaza is developing once again as an unlikely tech hub.
3. 00:45
  Bells on Sunday—St Martin’s Church in Eynsford, Kent
  Bells on Sunday comes from St Martin’s Church in Eynsford, Kent
4. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—10/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
5. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—10/08/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
6. 05:00
  News Summary—10/08/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  Last Word—Part-time punk turned professional provocateur - columnist Rod Liddle
  Also, music manager Vicki Wickham, artist Simone Forti and director Justin Hardy.
8. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—10/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
9. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—What goes around, comes around
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Richard Reddie.
10. 05:45
  Farming Today—10/08/2026 Financial planning, farming in drought, salad
  The finances of farming in and after a heatwave.
11. 05:57
  Weather—10/08/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers

Monday 10 August 2026