BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Thursday 23 April 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—23/04/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Self-Help from the Middle Ages by Peter Jones—Anger
  3/5Historian Peter Jones explores the deadly sin of Ira, or as we know it today - anger.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—23/04/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—23/04/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—23/04/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—23/04/2026
  Sean Curran reports on Prime Minister's Questions - and more.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—23/04/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Hamlet’s philosophy
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Elizabeth Rawlinson-Mills.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—23/04/26 Fertiliser, fossil fuels, recycling farm plastics.
  New report warns UK is too reliant on global supply chains for its fertiliser.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—23/04/2026
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  In Our Time—Indian Indentured Labour
  How slavery's abolition led to Indian workers being recruited to work in British colonies.
3. 09:45
  Strong Message Here—The Process Was Followed (with Tim Shipman)
  Are we obsessed with process? And can language can tell us the true severity of a crisis?
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Melanie C, Toddler 'skinfluencers', Bryony Gordon
  The Spice Girl and DJ on her latest album, Sweat.
5. 11:00
  This Cultural Life—Robert Icke
  Theatre director and writer Robert Icke reveals his formative creative influences.
6. 11:45
  Self-Help from the Middle Ages by Peter Jones—Gluttony
  4/5Peter Jones explores the deadly sin of gluttony in Self-Help from the Middle Ages.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  News Summary—23/04/2026
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  Scam Secrets—The Booking.com Scam
  How can you steer clear of this hard-to-spot scam?
3. 12:32
  Sliced Bread—Hair Removal Devices
  Can intense pulsed light devices really "zap" away your unwanted hair?
4. 12:57
  Weather—23/04/2026
  The latest weather forecast
5. 13:00
  World at One—Outrage at Israeli killing of Lebanese journalist
  Lebanese president condemns "Israel's deliberate and consistent targeting of journalists".
6. 13:45
  Last Word: Doing Death Differently—The power of things
  4/5Matthew Bannister on changing attitudes to dying, death and how we memorialise our dead.
7. 14:00
  The Archers—22/04/2026
  The countryside is coming to life at the Rewilding.
8. 14:15
  Drama on 4—King's Pawn, A Ditty Box
  2/3Comedy drama series set in a Cardiff pawn shop. With Lisa Palfrey and Julian Lewis Jones.
9. 15:00
  Open Country—Welsh Incident in Criccieth
  Jon Gower is in Criccieth to explore the inspiration behind Robert Graves’s 1929 poem.
10. 15:27
  Radio 4 Appeal—Magic Bus UK
  Trustee of Magic Bus UK Ruby Parmar makes the Radio Four Appeal on behalf of the charity.
11. 15:30
  Feedback—Visualisation, Long Wave, Elis and John Podcast
  Andrea Catherwood hears your thoughts on video podcasting.
12. 16:00
  The Briefing Room—What's the conflict in Iran doing to the world economy?
  How has the US-Israel war with Iran affected the global economy?
13. 16:30
  BBC Inside Science—Can we prevent the next pandemic?
  Creating and manufacturing a novel vaccine capable of combatting bird flu.
14. 17:00
  PM—King's visit could 'absolutely' help repair US-UK relations
  President Trump speaks to the BBC about Iran, Keir Starmer and the King.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—Private medical data donated to UK Biobank is touted for sale on a Chinese website
  The information was donated by half a million British volunteers
2. 18:30
  Stand-Up Specials—Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club S2, S2 E1: A Gambling Man
  1/4Why are men so addicted to gambling?
3. 19:00
  The Archers—23/04/2026
  Miranda moves into Home Farm.
4. 19:15
  Front Row—Reviewing Richard Gadd’s follow up to his hit Baby Reindeer
  Plus Anne Hathaway as a pop star seeking a comeback in thriller Mother Mary.
5. 20:00
  The Bottom Line—The Decisions That Made Me, Richard Farleigh (Dragon’s Den, entrepreneur)
  Richard Farleigh on becoming a successful investor and his humble stumbles along the way.
6. 20:15
  The Media Show—The future of teleshopping, Hungary's media post Orban defeat, Danny Robins from Uncanny, Mandelson vetting row scoop
  Future of teleshopping, Hungary's media post Orban defeat, Danny Robins from Uncanny.
7. 21:00
  Loose Ends—Alfie Boe, Paul Black, Hannah Lavery, Clive Anderson, Amanda Dwyer, Alice Faye
  Clive Anderson and guests with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.
8. 21:45
  Strong Message Here—The Process Was Followed (with Tim Shipman)
  Are we obsessed with process? And can language can tell us the true severity of a crisis?
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—Assisted dying bill expected to fall
  Ahead of the final debate on the bill, we ask what's next for assisted dying campaigners
10. 22:45
  Few and Far Between by Jan Carson—Episode 9
  9/10The Connollys deal with the damage caused during last night’s storm.
11. 23:00
  Radical with Amol Rajan—Taking Responsibility: Are We Thinking About Success and Ambition All Wrong? (Emma Grede)
  Emma Grede argues that success is all about focus, trade-offs and taking control.
12. 23:30
  Today in Parliament—23/04/2026
  Sean Curran reports from Westminster as a top civil servant discusses Mandelson vetting.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—24/04/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Self-Help from the Middle Ages by Peter Jones—Gluttony
  4/5Peter Jones explores the deadly sin of gluttony in Self-Help from the Middle Ages.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—24/04/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—24/04/2026
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—24/04/2026
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  Yesterday in Parliament—24/04/2026
  Susan Hulme reports on a top civil servant's evidence on the vetting of Peter Mandelson.
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—24/04/2026
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—Climb the tree
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Elizabeth Rawlinson-Mills.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—24/04/26: Cover crop scheme proposal, sourcing thatching materials, gene-edited Barley
  Calls for government funding to grow green manures on land left fallow due to war in Iran.

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