The Documentary Podcast Podcast
The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world.
The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world.
From Australia's relationship with China, to Turkey's sinkhole problem, to understanding the behaviour of dictators, we go beyond the headlines.
Each week, all year round, we bring you the stories shaping our world. From the personal voices behind the headlines to perspectives on faith and spirituality and how work and money impact our lives. Discover how people find solutions to global problems and look at the world through the lens of its media.
Powered by the BBC World Service’s global network, The Documentary Podcast is about the people living the story – helping you see the world with greater clarity.
Episodes to download
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West Africa's Ebola outbreak: 10 years on
Thursday
Ten years on from the Ebola outbreak which tore through West Africa
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The joy of walking
Wednesday
The surprising power of walking to improve wellbeing and strengthen communities.
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Nepal: In the shadow of a glacier
Tuesday
The 1000-year-old Himalayan community now facing an existential threat
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Can Route 66 towns survive on nostalgia?
Monday
As Route 66 celebrates its 100th birthday, Victoria Craig finds it it still pulls visitors
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Mapping India: The world's largest count
Last Sunday
India is undertaking the biggest population count of more than 1.4 billion people
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Women in South Africa: 'We just want to be safe'
Last Saturday
Women share their experiences of tackling violence
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Mountain spirits of Spiti
Last Friday
Dr Jane Orton uncovers the hidden Himalayas as it finds new ways to survive
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A women's revolt in Germany
Thu 24 Sep 2026
A national debate over sexualised violence online has erupted in Germany
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Bringing Kashmir’s lakes back to life
Wed 23 Sep 2026
In northern India, conservationists and communities are reviving threatened lakes
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Has Poland fallen out of love with Ukraine?
Tue 22 Sep 2026
Cases of Ukrainians receiving verbal and physical abuse in Poland have risen
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Where is Austin Tice? 1. 'We believe he’s alive'
Mon 21 Sep 2026
American journalist Austin Tice, vanished in Syria, but the US president says he is alive
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From Mao and Nixon to Xi and Trump: A history of China-US trade
Mon 21 Sep 2026
What can Xi and Trump learn from the past ahead of their latest summit
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The dictators' survival guide
Sun 20 Sep 2026
As ‘strong man’ politics is on the march, we try to understand the behaviour of dictators
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Can we live without our phones?
Sat 19 Sep 2026
Sharing experiences of tech addiction and “weirdness” on smartphones
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How to leave this Earth
Fri 18 Sep 2026
After a lifetime speaking for others, Dalia Mogahed explores her own faith and legacy now
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Clever ways to cut waste from nappies to games and desks
Wed 16 Sep 2026
From reusable nappies to plastic desks - clever ways to cut waste and recycle
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Stories from the New Silk Road: The ‘frenemy’
Wed 16 Sep 2026
Katy Watson explores Australia's relationship with China: partner, rival or 'frenemy'?
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Turkey on trial: Can courts control a nation?
Tue 15 Sep 2026
From jailed mayors to comedians, Emily Wither investigates Turkey's crackdown
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The cost of war: Inside Russia's economic unease
Mon 14 Sep 2026
Russian workers face fuel shortages and drone strikes on key sectors of the economy
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The Briefing Room: Are Gen Z movements reshaping politics?
Sun 13 Sep 2026
Following youth protests in India, Nepal and Serbia, what are Gen Z complaining about?
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The business of modern dating
Sat 12 Sep 2026
Are in-person dating events the future for dating apps?
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The Reunion: The 9/11 Attacks
Fri 11 Sep 2026
Kirsty Wark is joined by a group of people who experienced the 9/11 attacks in New York.
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The Woman Who Saved Me on 9/11
Fri 11 Sep 2026
How Paul Carris helped a colleague escape the North Tower on 9/11
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Turkey's growing sinkhole problem
Thu 10 Sep 2026
Sinkholes are rapidly increasing in central Turkey after years of groundwater extraction
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The pictures that help and heal
Wed 9 Sep 2026
We look at two solutions that harness the power of pictures to help disabled people
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Ukraine: Fighting Russia, fighting Russian
Tue 8 Sep 2026
The battle within Ukraine over use of Russian, which is increasingly restricted by law
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Who's afraid of the AI job-snatchers?
Mon 7 Sep 2026
How past tech innovations disrupted job markets and changed the world of work
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Getting the homeless homed
Sun 6 Sep 2026
Two projects creating safe places to stay for people without a home