Radio & TV Journalism

Stand-up fans rejoice - this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy over eleven hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny comperes: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills.

Included here is an A-Z of top-drawer comic talent, from Dan Antopolski to Andy Zaltzman, by way of Richard Ayoade, John Bishop, Alan Carr, Omid Djalili, Noel Fielding, Rhod Gilbert, Reginald D Hunter, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Dara O Briain, Lucy Porter, Gina Yashere and a host of other peerless performers.

It's all the fun of a comedy club, without the need to leave your armchair - just sit back and laugh along as these classic comic talents work their inimitable magic on stage.

In this no holds barred account of life in the seconds before, during and after going on air, Newsnight presenter and leading journalist Emily Maitlis gives us the insider info on what we don't get to see on-screen. Giving us the inside scoop on her interviews with everyone from Emma Thompson to Russell Brand, and Donald Trump to Prince Andrew this is a brilliant exposé of the moments that never make the news.

Alistair Cooke held a unique position as a commentator on American life and politics. This is a record of sixty years of Anglo-American misunderstanding and Cooke's efforts to put the record straight.

An enthusiast's guide to the shows that have made Radio 4 what it is, with an addictive mix of biography, anecdote and occasional useless fact. It also explores some of the wonderful corners of the network's history that are long forgotten by all but a few.

First broadcast in 1990 and 1991, here are all 14 episodes of the cult comedy sketch show written and performed by Tim Firth, Tim de Jongh, Michael Rutger and William Vandyck. Join the team as they whisk the audience away on a series of adventures, including a day trip to Margate, Territorial Army manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain, an excursion to Nevada for NASA astronaut training, a Euro link-up in France and a luxury tour of London. Along the way, they entertain us with a plethora of precision comedy sketches, interspersed with songs, jokes and banter. You'll get drawn in to the architects' improvisation game, Whose Pencil Line Is It Anyway?, discover an unusual way of plotting a novel, step inside the mind of a Shakespearean actor, and listen to some rather surprising Books at Bedtime... There's also a phone-in for people having problems with their phones, a car valeting service with a twist, and a James Bond theme as written by Richard Stilgoe - plus Cockney rhyming slang for dyslexics, the news for suspicious people, Crufts for ordinary dogs and scores of other comic skits. And in two fantastic festive specials, it's party time as the quirky quartet serve up some far from traditional Christmas fare - including dried fish, advocaat and an exploding rabbit...

In 1922, a tiny group of men and women came together to found the BBC, using what had been a weapon of war - Marconi's wireless - to remake culture for the good of humanity. Twenty years later, when George Orwell famously quit the Corporation, he decided he was done 'doing work that produces no result'. Yet the BBC is now one of Britain's most beloved institutions. From Daleks to Desert Island Discs, the BBC has blazed a trail for British entertainment. Yet it has also always been at the forefront of global change, both breaking and covering the most important stories of the century on Panorama and BBC News. This is a stirring and monumental history of the British cultural stalwart which created modern broadcasting one hundred years ago.

For nearly 75 years, one BBC programme has been a constant factor in chronicling the way sport is covered, in all its many facets.

First broadcast in 1948, Sports Report is the longest-running radio sporting programme in the world and one of the BBC's hardy perennials. Pat Murphy has been a reporter on the programme since 1981 and here he sifts comprehensively through the experiences of his contemporaries and those who made their mark on Sports Report in earlier decades.

Drawing on unique access from the BBC Archives Unit, he highlights memorable moments from Sports Report, details the challenges faced in getting live interviews on air from draughty, noisy dressing-room areas and celebrates the feat of just a small production team in the studio who, somehow, get the show up and running every Saturday, with the clock ticking implacably on.

Journalist and writer, Martha Gellhorn, was always involved in radical politics. She became a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War, after her marriage to Ernest Hemingway, and covered many other major conflicts up to the 1980's.

The broadcaster and writer gives a vivid picture of life in Iran.

John Humphrys shares his feelings about the use and misuse of the English language. It shows how we use words and reveals the way we see the world.

Frank Gardner had a love of all things Arabic and after studying Arab and Islamic studies at university, he became a banker then a journalist with the BBC. Ironic then that he was shot and left for dead in Riyadh by a passing group of Islamic extremists. His bravery in the face of his injuries and subsequent disabilities is outstanding.

Part of BBC Radio 3's 'The Essay' strand, The Book That Changed Me features writers, academics and other eminent professionals discussing the literary works that have had the greatest impact on their lives. This fascinating selection contains some of the best episodes from the series, including legendary songwriter Steve Earle on Truman Capote's masterpiece In Cold Blood; academic Monica Siddiqui on Austen's Pride and Prejudice; and Tony Blair's onetime strategist Alastair Campbell on Flaubert's seminal Madame Bovary.

Renowned film director Richard Eyre reveals how Angus Calder's social history The People's War evokes memories of his childhood; neurobiologist Colin Blakemore explains why he loves Darwin's lesser-known work, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals; visual artist Tacita Dean describes how Marguerite Yourcenair's Fires helped her find her voice as a writer, feminist and filmmaker; and David Simon, creator of TV's The Wire, relates how James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men made him realise the importance of reportage. Absorbing and enlightening, this entertaining collection sheds new light on the intellectual lives of a host of famous names, and celebrates the transformative power of literature.

The author visited Afghanistan and for four months lived with the family of Sultan Khan, a bookseller who has supplied books to the people of Kabul, defying Communists and the Taliban. She paints a picture of family life where Sultan is the absolute authority.

The tag-team interview show where the celebrity guest becomes the interviewer

A complete collection of the talk show with a twist - the guest each week becomes the interviewer in the following episode. Focusing on the career and passions of a figure in the entertainment world whose work they admire, each interviewer gets to delve into the life of their hero as well as revealing hidden aspects of themselves.

Featuring great British comedians, award-winning actors, and iconic musicians and writers, Chain Reaction serves you double helpings of amazing individuals like Johnny Vegas, Barry Cryer, Lenny Henry, David Tennant, Eddie Izzard, Lee Mack, Ruby Wax, Stephen Merchant, Caitlin Moran, Frankie Boyle, Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves, Olivia Colman, Katherine Ryan, Ian Hislop, Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Joe Lycett, Sara Pascoe, Tim Vine, and many, many more.

David Baddiel attempts to unravel an array of life's conundrums, as suggested by the public on Twitter. In each episode he speaks to experts and the general public to make sense of common, yet little understood, subjects and impart his new-found knowledge on each topic in under 15 minutes. 

From the global economy to electricity, much loved comedian David Baddiel gets to the heart of issues that dominate random shower musings and dinner party debates. He attempts to understand areas including fracking, rugby, hacking, The Constitution, fashion and even the modern-day enigma, The Kardashians. Where do fossil fuels really come from? How do Bitcoins work? What does the International Monetary Fund actually do? Why is all my data stored in The Cloud? And when does a cry become a sob? Join Baddiel in his quest to understand these puzzling topics, and the world.

For more than three decades, millions of Britons have woken to the sound of John Humphrys’s voice. As presenter of Radio 4’s Today, the nation’s most popular news programme, he is famed for his tough interviewing, his deep misgivings about authority in its many forms, and his passionate commitment to a variety of causes. Here, John charts his journey from the poverty of his post-war childhood in Cardiff, leaving school at 15, to the summits of broadcasting.

John Simpson is one of the country's most respected journalists who has reported for the BBC on, and from, trouble spots all over the world. In his latest volume of memoirs he looks at his own childhood, and tells the strange and sometimes painful story of his family.

The author, a paraplegic since the age of 19, invites the reader to travel with him as he explores life for the disabled.

Allow yourself to be cast away in eight glorious decades of the most iconic show on radio, Desert Island Discs, with 80 of the most powerful and unforgettable interviews, revisiting every era of Desert Island Disc's storied history. Also featuring brand new material as castaways are interviewed about their experiences - did the conversation go how they expected? Would Sir Patrick Stewart still take his beloved billiards table (and a shed to keep it in, of course)? And does Hilary Devey stick by her endless supply of Cointreau?

Anna Blundy received a telephone call in November 1989 to say that her father, foreign correspondent David Blundy, had been shot whilst reporting the war in El Salvador. In 1997 Anna, also a journalist, went to El Salvador to try to discover the truth of his death. She recalls her experiences in this moving portrait of a country and a man. Contains some offensive language.

Award-winning broadcaster, bestselling author and zoologist Lucy Cooke has produced and presented numerous natural history shows on TV and radio, and has been tipped by The Times as 'the next David Attenborough'. In this BBC Radio 4 series, first broadcast under the title The Power Of..., she delves into the animal kingdom, exploring what gives certain species the evolutionary edge over their rivals.

Over the course of 8 episodes, she probes the science behind our seeming obsession with all things cute; unleashes her inner sloth to discover the surprising benefits of being slow; learns that honesty isn't always the best policy, whether you're a chimp, a squid or even a human being; and finds out why being small can give you step up on the evolutionary ladder.

She also investigates the animal communities that thrive on co-operation and peaceful behaviour, and considers why it works for them; looks at the power of celibacy and meets nature's ultimate self-cloning sisters; discovers how some species make a success out of going solo; and asks why it can pay to stir once the sun goes down - and whether future survival for many diurnal animals may depend on a nightlife.

1982 was a historic year, a year in which the battle for a small group of islands in the South Atlantic dominated the news.

From the initial broadcasts of the growing Argentine threat and Mrs Thatcher's speech to the Commons informing them that a Task Force will sail, to the battles for Goose Green and Port Stanley, the Argentine surrender and the controversial sinking of the Belgrano - all these historic moments, together with all the other important events of the Falklands War, are recorded here, in live BBC Radio News coverage.

Released to mark the 40th anniversary of the conflict, this collection of recordings from the BBC Radio News team brings to life the events of the Falklands War and includes speeches and statements from journalists and survivors, as well as key political figures such as Margaret Thatcher and former President of Argentina Leopoldo Galtieri.

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A collection of criticisms, articles and essays written after the author returned to live in England in 1988.

A stimulating evaluation of forty years of Indian independence.

A revealing account of our times from the author who spent a decade as Editor of the Sunday Times, always in the midst of controversy.

Everybody leaves a trace. The ghosts of Button House may have been dead a long time - some of them a very long time - but they have all left their mark on the world (even if, in Robin's case, that mark is just a handprint on the wall of a cave).

Gathered together in this volume is a treasure trove of unearthed cuttings, original records and rare artefacts that explore the unseen lives of those who died at Button House: from Thomas's love letters to Pat's 'Summer Camp Rap', and from Julian's campaign promises to Lady Button's Rules of Etiquette. There are even documents dictated to the one person who can see and hear the ghosts: Alison Cooper.

Written by the show's creators this eclectic archive is a unique chance to discover more about the beloved ghosts of Button House.

Justin Webb's childhood was far from ordinary.

Between his mother's un-diagnosed psychological problems, and his step-father's untreated ones, life at home was dysfunctional at best. But with gun-wielding school masters and sub-standard living conditions, Quaker boarding school wasn't much better.

And the backdrop to this coming of age story? Britain in the 1970s. Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and Free. Strikes, inflation and IRA bombings. A time in which attitudes towards mental illness, parenting and masculinity were worlds apart from the attitudes we have today. A society that believed itself to be close to the edge of breakdown.

Candid, unsparing and darkly funny, Justin Webb's memoir is a portrait of personal and national dysfunction. So was it the brutal experiences of his upbringing, or an innate ambition and drive that somehow survived them, that shaped the urbane and successful radio presenter we know and love now?

After an early career as a journalist, John Sergeant joined the BBC in 1970, and for 30 years covered many important news stories as a special correspondent and political correspondent. In 2000 he became ITN's Political Editor. In this book he wittily describes his experiences reporting on the country's leading politicians.

The author, failed soldier turned journalist, reported on most major conflicts from Northern Ireland in 1969, through Biafra, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Middle East to the Falkland's War of 1982. Here the self-confessed coward describes his experiences.

Individuals who have experienced some of society's biggest issues tell their stories - and search for answers.

From climate change, fake news and vaccine hesitancy to mental health, addiction and domestic violence, there are no shortage of societal problems facing the UK right now. But while we are aware these challenges exist, without personal experience it is hard for us to understand what it is like to struggle with them, and harder still to envision potential solutions.

These compelling documentaries, first broadcast on radio under the title 'My Name Is...', introduce us to a range of individuals who have confronted various hardships, telling their stories and following them as they ask difficult questions and endeavour to drive positive change. Among those we meet are Rachel, who has been sectioned multiple times and seeks to challenge the status quo around psychiatric treatment;

Katie, a onetime problem gambler investigating how online gambling firms target the vulnerable; 

Abi, who almost died at the hands of her violent boyfriend and now helps others stay safe;

and Fozia, a doctor horrified by the Covid conspiracy theories that leave patients afraid to come to hospital even when they're seriously ill.

We also hear from others whose stories are less harrowing, but equally absorbing.

There's Noga, a 17-year-old youth strike organiser doing everything she can to save the planet; Hamza, a basketball and martial arts coach who believes broadening access to sport can improve opportunities for disadvantaged kids;

Lucy, who's looking for love and wondering whether to ditch the dating apps;

and 11-year-old Roman, who adores Minecraft and wants to know if his parents' limits on his screen time are fair.

Offering unique insight into the lives of a host of extraordinary people, these fascinating first-person accounts highlight the complexity of the issues affecting Britons today, and provide diverse perspectives on how we can set about tackling them.

It is ninety years since the BBC made its first broadcast and the British love affair with radio began. This is a journey through that fascinating history and a celebration of the many wonderful voices that were part of it: The Goons and Kenneth Horne, comedy greats of the 1950s; John Peel, Alan Freeman and other heroes of the pirate stations; all the way up to some of the much-loved voices of today.

Maureen Lipman has the knack of making the everyday supremely entertaining, and this collection of pieces sparkles with her inimitable prose and pithy opinions. Also includes a selection of brilliant monologues which capture Maureen's voice in wonderfully diverse ways.

TV journalist and reporter gives his personal account of working during the war in Bosnia and what lessons he has learnt from it.

An investigation into the senseless murder of a Kansas farm family in 1959, which raises many questions about the crime, and the two men who were convicted and eventually hanged six years later.

Three dramatic true stories, this is investigative journalism at its very best.

In these three gripping series, prominent journalists investigate fascinating human stories, shining a light on history and politics and deepening our understanding of the word we live in.

Murder in the Lucky Holiday Hotel tells a shocking tale of sex, death and power, as Carrie Gracie delves into the mysterious murder that led to the toppling of charismatic Chinese politician, Bo Xilai, and the rise of his greatest rival, President Xi Jinping. The story of the killing of British businessman and fixer Neil Heywood in Chongqing in 2011 is one the authorities do not want told. Gracie was warned off making this programme, her phones were tapped and her emails hacked. But she would not be silenced. Here, she uncovers a tragedy 'with no heroes but only villains and victims', and takes us into the dark heart of Chinese politics.

In Tunnel 29, Helena Merriman recounts the incredible story of Joachim Rudolph, who, in the early 1960s, joined a group digging a tunnel under the Berlin Wall, and helped smuggle out 29 people. It's a story of the young people who risked everything, the spy who betrayed them, and the terrible price paid by those who were caught - and of the love that developed between the refugees who found freedom. Based on interviews with the tunnellers, thousands of documents from Stasi archives, and recordings from the tunnel, it is an astonishing tale of one of the most daring escape attempts of the 20th Century.

Mayday investigates the extraordinary case of James Le Mesurier, an ex-British army officer found dead in an Istanbul street in 2019. The co-founder of the White Helmets - a civil defence force who pull survivors from bombed-out buildings in Syria - he was a hero to many, awarded an OBE for his efforts. But he also attracted deep suspicion, and accusations of being a spy, faking rescue videos - and involvement in appalling atrocities... Talking to Le Mesurier's widow, friends and colleagues, Chloe Hadjimatheou attempts to discover who he really was and how he died, and unravel a tangle of truth and lies. Also featured is a special extended version of The Canister on the Bed, exploring the events of the Douma massacre. In addition, bonus programme Mayday: The Evidence Gatherers reveals how a Western-funded NGO, responsible for extracting over a million documents from Syria allegedly containing evidence of torture and genocide, is now fighting a disinformation war.

NB: Contains strong language and scenes which some listeners might find upsetting

Murder in the Lucky Holiday Hotel
Presented by Carrie Gracie
Produced by Maria Byrne and Neal Razzell
Sound mix by James Beard
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 13-17 March 2017

Tunnel 29
Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman
Translation and additional research: Sabine Schereck
Editor: Richard Knight
Joachim Rudolph's original interviews voiced by Mark Edel Hunt
Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 October-1 November 2019

Mayday
Produced, written and presented by Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor: Emma Rippon
Researcher: Tom Wright
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound design and mix: Neil Churchill
Additional mixing Graham Pudifoot
Editing assistance: Robbie Wojciechowski
Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles and Abdul Kader Habak
Turkish researcher: Nevin Sungur
Narrative Consultant: John Yorke
Original music: Nick Mundy and Bu Kolthoum
End track: Zamilou by Bu Kolthoum
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 9-20 November 2020

Mayday: The Evidence Gatherers
Produced, written and presented by Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor: Emma Rippon
Researchers: Orla O'Brien and Lara Al Gibaly
Executive producer Maggie Latham
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound design and mix: Neil Churchill
Commissioner for Radio 4: Richard Knight
Prof Paul McKeigue and Ivan played by Mark Fleischman
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7 April 2021

Jeremy Vine is one of the most successful broadcasters of recent years and in 2012 clocks up a quarter of a century at the BBC. Here, he takes a look back over his career from the very first day when he arrived at Broadcasting House.