BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Monday 19 October 2026

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—19/10/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  
  The Artificial Human—Can the UK go it alone on AI?
  
  Aleks and Kevin ask whether the UK can stay sovereign in the global AI race.
3. 00:45
  
  Bells on Sunday—The Church of All Saints and Saint Lawrence, Evesham in Worcestershire
  
  Bells on Sunday comes from the Church of All Saints and Saint Lawrence, Evesham
4. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—19/10/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
5. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—19/10/2026
  
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
6. 05:00
  
  News Summary—19/10/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  
  Yesterday in Parliament—19/10/2026
  
  News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament
8. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—19/10/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
9. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—19/10/2026
  
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Angad Kaur
10. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—19/10/2026
  
  The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.
11. 05:57
  
  Weather—19/10/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers
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Morning
1. 06:00
  
  Today—19/10/2026
  
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  
  Start the Week—From Napoleon’s marshals to Trump’s civil servants
  
  Who keeps institutions functioning when power, loyalty and trust break down?
3. 09:45
  
  Café Hope—19/10/2026
  
  Café Hope is our virtual Radio 4 coffee shop with Rachel Burden.
4. 10:00
  
  Woman's Hour—19/10/2026
  
  Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.
5. 11:00
  
  Another Country with James Rebanks—Woolsery
  
  James Rebanks explores the lives of rural workers in and around three English villages.
6. 11:45
  
  Stalin's Apostles by Antonia Senior—1. The Calling
  
  1/5 A radical new look at how the Cambridge Five spies helped Stalin build his Red Empire.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  
  News Summary—19/10/2026
  
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
2. 12:04
  
  You and Yours—19/10/2026
  
  News and discussion of consumer affairs
3. 12:57
  
  Weather—19/10/2026
  
  The latest weather forecast
4. 13:00
  
  World at One—19/10/2026
  
  News, analysis and comment from BBC Radio 4
5. 13:45
  
  The History Podcast—1. Find your motivation
  
  Houdini’s arrival in America as a poverty-stricken immigrant lights a fire beneath him.
6. 14:00
  
  The Archers—18/10/2026
  
  It’s Pip and Stella’s wedding day.
7. 14:15
  
  Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen?—Series 2, 3. Lucy Lassoes the Moon
  
  3/4 To Florence’s horror, someone has reprinted her first novel. Selina’s in EastEnders.
8. 14:45
  
  Ten Second Showdown—Florence Griffith Joyner
  
  Speed, style - and suspicion.
9. 15:00
  
  A Good Read—Raymond Antrobus and Guy Gunaratne
  
  Find reading inspiration when two guests share favourite books with Harriett Gilbert.
10. 15:30
  
  Curious Cases—Series 25, Yawn Chorus
  
  3/13 Hannah Fry and Dara O Briain try to stay awake long enough to explore contagious yawning.
11. 16:00
  
  Off air
  
  Programmes will resume at 16:30
12. 16:30
  
  Artworks—Art That Conquered the World, David
  
  James Fox asks how Michelangelo's David became so famous.
13. 17:00
  
  PM—19/10/2026
  
  Full coverage of the day's news
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Evening
1. 18:00
  
  Six O'Clock News—19/10/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 18:30
  
  Room 101 with Paul Merton—Series 4, Laura Smyth
  
  2/6 Paul asks comedian Laura Smyth about her pet peeves and worst nightmares.
3. 19:00
  
  The Archers—19/10/2026
  
  One resident finds themselves in a desperate situation.
4. 19:15
  
  Front Row—19/10/2026
  
  Live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music.
5. 20:00
  
  The Briefing Room—15/10/2026
  
  David Aaronovitch presents in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.
6. 20:30
  
  15/10/2026
  
  A weekly programme looking at the science that's changing our world.
7. 21:00
  
  Start the Week—From Napoleon’s marshals to Trump’s civil servants
  
  Who keeps institutions functioning when power, loyalty and trust break down?
8. 21:45
  
  Café Hope—19/10/2026
  
  Café Hope is our virtual Radio 4 coffee shop with Rachel Burden.
9. 22:00
  
  The World Tonight—19/10/2026
  
  In-depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspective
10. 22:45
  
  Partita by Barbara Kingsolver—Overture
  
  1/10 A novel of love, longing and music from Pulitzer Prize-winner Barbara Kingsolver.
11. 23:00
  
  Limelight—Cobalt, Episode 4
  
  4/5 News about Dad comes through, and Maita and Julian decide to drive to Nigeria.
12. 23:30
  
  Today in Parliament—19/10/2026
  
  News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament
Back to top
Late
1. 00:00
  
  Midnight News—20/10/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  
  Stalin's Apostles by Antonia Senior—1. The Calling
  
  1/5 A radical new look at how the Cambridge Five spies helped Stalin build his Red Empire.
3. 00:48
  
  Shipping Forecast—20/10/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
4. 01:00
  
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—20/10/2026
  
  BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.
5. 05:00
  
  News Summary—20/10/2026
  
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  
  Yesterday in Parliament—20/10/2026
  
  News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament
7. 05:34
  
  Shipping Forecast—20/10/2026
  
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping.
8. 05:43
  
  Prayer for the Day—20/10/2026
  
  A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Angad Kaur
9. 05:45
  
  Farming Today—20/10/2026
  
  The latest news about food, farming and the countryside.

Tuesday 20 October 2026