BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Tuesday 20 January 2026

Schedule

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On air
Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—20/01/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  The Trust Shift—Local Trust
  Rachel Botsman on the intriguing history of trust.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—20/01/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—20/01/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—20/01/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—20/01/2026
  Alicia McCarthy reports as MPs question the foreign secretary over the future of Greenland
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—20/01/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—True Unity
  A reflection and prayer to start the day with Andrew Roycroft.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—20/01/26 Water sector reforms and farming, forage shortage, glyphosate
  Government plans to overhaul the water system, what will it mean for agriculture?
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—20/01/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  Intrigue—Ransom Man, 1. Naked
  A woman's deepest secrets are stolen by a hacker called ransom_man.
3. 09:30
  Inside Health—Where does air pollution go inside our body?
  James inhales a lungful of fumes to see if he can see air pollution moving inside him
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Trump one year on, Family estrangement, Testing on pregnant women, Caroline Mitchell
  How have the policies of President Trump's administration impacted women globally?
5. 11:00
  Screenshot—Survival
  Ellen and Mark explore how the challenges of nature have proved rich territory on screen.
6. 11:45
  The Trust Shift—In Institutions We Trust?
  Rachel Botsman on the intriguing history of trust.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—20/01/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  You and Yours—20/01/2026
  News and discussion of consumer affairs
3. 12:57
  Weather—20/01/2026
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  World at One—President Trump: Chagos Islands deal an act of 'great stupidity'
  Deal is one reason why the US needs Greenland, says Trump. What next for UK-US relations?
5. 13:45
  Understand—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines, 2. The Truman Doctrine
  2/6What impact did WWII have on US policy towards the rest of the world?
6. 14:00
  The Archers—19/01/2026
  There's worry at Meadow Farm.
7. 14:15
  Drama on 4—The Golden Key
  Chris Dolan’s play explores the early days of the Home Rule movement in Scotland.
8. 15:00
  Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley—Series 4, 56. Elvira Barney - Accidental Killer
  Lucy Worsley meets a 1930s socialite accused of shooting her boyfriend.
9. 15:30
  Heart and Soul—Twin spirits: A lost bond that lives in dreams
  How a twin brother lost at birth became one woman’s spiritual guide.
10. 16:00
  Artworks—A People's History of Punk, Teenage Kicks
  1/3Chris Packham celebrates 50 years of punk attitude with the people who were there.
11. 16:30
  What's Up Docs?—How much exercise should you do?
  Drs Chris and Xand explore how much or how little exercise is enough for most of us?
12. 17:00
  PM—US allies push back against Trump
  World leaders brand President Trump a 'bully' as they look to a 'new independent Europe'.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—The President of France warns of "a shift towards a world without rules"
  President Macron says Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland are unacceptable
2. 18:30
  You Heard It Here First—Series 3, 2. 'They've Gone, Chris'
  2/6Bizarre adverts baffle this week’s panelists.
3. 19:00
  The Archers—20/01/2026
  Chelsea offers her support.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Comedian John Bishop on his life story inspiring a Hollywood movie
  Comedian John Bishop on his life story inspiring a Hollywood movie, Is This Thing On?
5. 20:00
  File on 4 Investigates—Thin on Information? Hair loss drug Finasteride
  Is the popular hair loss drug Finasteride being safely promoted?
6. 20:40
  In Touch—NHS Online Hospital, Braille Amplifiers
  The new NHS Online Hospital: what will it offer patients?
7. 21:00
  Crossing Continents—Greece: Rescuers on Trial
  The aid workers put on trial for people-smuggling after saving migrants from drowning
8. 21:30
  The Bottom Line—Boom And Bust: Is AI The New Dotcom Bubble?
  Lessons learned from a dotcom entrepreneur on the boom and bust of his company, boo.com.
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—European leaders criticise President Trump over Greenland
  The US leader said there was "no going back" on his plan to acquire Greenland.
10. 22:45
  The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa—Episode 2
  2/10The writer witnesses a raid on a safe-house by the Memory Police.
11. 23:00
  On air
  Listen live
  Dark Breath
  The story of a scientific surprise and what happened next.
  Listen live
12. 23:30
  Today in Parliament—20/01/2026
  Alicia McCarthy reports as MPs digest Donald Trump's policy shift on the Chagos Islands.
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—21/01/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  The Trust Shift—In Institutions We Trust?
  Rachel Botsman on the intriguing history of trust.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—21/01/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—21/01/2026
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—21/01/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—21/01/2026
  MPs debate the Chagos deal after President Trump calls it 'an act of great stupidity'.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—21/01/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—The Mystique of Concorde
  A reflection and prayer to start the day with Andrew Roycroft.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—21/01/26 Minette Batters at Efra Committee, animal protein, organic feed
  Civil servants are told they should spend time in a lambing shed to understand farmers.

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