The Documentary Podcast Podcast
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can make sense of the world. Home of 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. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service.
From the impact of drought on crops, tourism and trade, to Africa's first film city, to the Romanian teenagers who built a DIY internet...we go beyond the headlines.
Each week we look at the stories shaping our world and hear voices connecting people from across the globe, asking how news stories are shaping their lives. We also follow spiritual journeys, examine the world through the lens of its media and focus on solutions to global problems.
Episodes to download
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The Great Egg Freeze
Sun 1 Apr 2018
Moral, social and medical: the complexities of egg freezing as a company benefit
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Digging up the past in Catalonia
Thu 29 Mar 2018
Why is troubled Catalonia now opening up civil war mass graves?
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Telling Tales: The Sultan's Son and the Rich Man's Daughter
Wed 28 Mar 2018
A story from Zanzibar in which a young wife has to save her life and its resonance today
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Skiing Mount Lebanon
Tue 27 Mar 2018
The Lebanese ski resort, where people go to escape politics and enjoy winter sports
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Sisters of the Troubles
Sun 25 Mar 2018
The untold story of the role of Catholic nuns during Northern Ireland’s troubles
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Norway - A Community in Recovery
Thu 22 Mar 2018
Linda Pressly travels to Arctic Norway to investigate child sexual abuse
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Telling Tales: The Tohono O’odham Nation
Wed 21 Mar 2018
Retelling of an ancient Native American story and its resonance with contemporary issues
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The Magic of Fireflies
Tue 20 Mar 2018
Fireflies used to light up the Karachi night sky but now they only exist in folklore
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India’s Infamous Hospital
Thu 15 Mar 2018
Assignment speaks to witnesses of a tragedy in India that became infamous in community
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From the Steppes to the Stage
Wed 14 Mar 2018
How baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbaataar rose from the Monglian steppe to operatic stardom
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Grandma, Guyana and Me
Tue 13 Mar 2018
How migration has impacted on three generations of women in one family
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Russia’s ‘Fake’ Election
Thu 8 Mar 2018
Gabriel Gatehouse goes on the campaign trail with Ksenia Sobchak
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Her Story Made History: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Wed 7 Mar 2018
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa
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Remembering Rivonia
Tue 6 Mar 2018
Exclusive access to newly available recordings from The Rivonia Trial
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The Swedish Ambassador's Guide to Britain
Sat 3 Mar 2018
A postman, hairdresser and a farmer teach a top Swedish diplomat what it is to be British
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Sierra Leone: Blood Mining
Thu 1 Mar 2018
Ed Butler investigates untold stories of one of west Africa’s dramatic abuses of power
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Her Story Made History: Shukria Barakzai
Wed 28 Feb 2018
Shukria Barakzai was one of a handful of female MPs in Afghanistan to speak up for women
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Japan: New Ways to Grow - Part Two
Tue 27 Feb 2018
The novel ideas for senior housing and social care emerging in Japan
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The Lost World of the Suffragettes
Sun 25 Feb 2018
The Suffragettes' stories of life, prison, force-feeding and secret collaborations
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Her Story Made History: Vigdis Finnbogadottir
Wed 21 Feb 2018
In 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the first female head of state of Iceland
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Japan: New Ways to Grow Old - Part One
Tue 20 Feb 2018
The innovations for living better in old age in the fastest-ageing society in the world
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China's Generation Gap: Part Two
Sun 18 Feb 2018
How attitudes towards family, marriage, divorce, dating differ between generations
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Cyril Ramaphosa: Son of Soweto
Sat 17 Feb 2018
Becky Milligan looks back at the extraordinary life of South Africa’s new president.
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Ukraine’s Stolen Billions and the Riddle of the Helipad
Thu 15 Feb 2018
How the circle of Ukraine's disgraced ex-president continues to profit from his people.
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Her Story Made History: Madeha al-Ajroush
Wed 14 Feb 2018
Madeha al-Ajroush battled for 30 years to get women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia
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Digital Migration
Tue 13 Feb 2018
How migration from offline to online is bringing people into modern China
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China's Generation Gap: Beijing
Sun 11 Feb 2018
How have political, social and economic changes affected relations between generations?
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Madness of War
Thu 8 Feb 2018
Sahar meets the medical staff trying to deal with Afghanistan’s mental health emergency
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Her Story Made History: Monica McWilliams
Wed 7 Feb 2018
Monica McWilliams was one of two women in the negotiations for the Good Friday Agreement
