BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Monday 22 December 2025

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—22/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  Crossing Continents—Stolen brides of Kazakhstan: the fightback
  What if a stranger decided to marry you? Would you agree?
3. 00:45
  Bells on Sunday—The church of St John the Baptist in Mathon, Herefordshire
  Bells on Sunday comes from the church of St John the Baptist in Mathon, Herefordshire.
4. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—22/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
5. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—22/12/2025
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
6. 05:00
  News Summary—22/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  Last Word—Rob Reiner, Joanna Trollope, Stanley Baxter, Sophie Kinsella
  Matthew Bannister on a film-maker, a comedian and two authors.
8. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—22/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
9. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—22/12/2025
  Spiritual reflection with Fiona Stewart, a writer who runs a Christian arts charity.
10. 05:45
  Farming Today—22/12/25 Government animal welfare reforms, reaction to the Farm Profitability Review
  Trail hunting and caged hens are to go in a new government animal welfare strategy.
11. 05:57
  Weather—22/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for farmers
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Today—22/12/2025
  News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
2. 09:00
  Start the Week—Poetry - reading, writing, editing and translating
  Nick Makoha, Miles Leeson and Karen Leeder.
3. 09:45
  Wild Bond—The Henchmen
  4/5Emily Knight celebrates 60 years of Bond henchmen, with some help from the animal kingdom.
4. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—Christmas hosting, Epstein files, Women in retail, FGM
  The psychology of hosting at Christmas, with Philippa Perry.
5. 11:00
  Housing Britain—No Place Like Home
  3/3Vicky Spratt explores how the UK's housing crisis unfolded and asks if we can fix it.
6. 11:45
  Around the Table by Diana Henry—1. Crazy water, pickled lemons
  1/5An evocative collection of essays spanning the career of one of food writing's finest.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  Archive on 4—A Child's Christmas
  Cerys Matthews steps into a world of Christmas tales written through the eyes of a child.
2. 13:00
  World at One—US pursues Venezuela-linked oil tanker
  The US Coast Guard attempts to intercept an oil tanker.
3. 13:45
  Who Are You in Winnie-the-Pooh?—Piglet
  1/5Frank Cottrell-Boyce talks with Michael Morpurgo and Francesca Simon
4. 14:00
  The Archers—21/12/2025
  Fallon is left shaken.
5. 14:15
  Fags, Mags and Bags—Habda-Geddon
  Finale of the Scots-Asian corner shop comedy. Written by Sanjeev Kohli and Donald Mcleary.
6. 14:45
  Faith, Hope and Glory—Series 1, 4. Gloria and Clement
  4/8By Roy Williams. Century spanning series charting the emergence of modern Britain.
7. 15:00
  Great Lives—Alex Wheatle, the Bard of Brixton
  Ashley John Baptiste chooses Alex Wheatle, author of the Crongton novels.
8. 15:30
  Curious Cases—Series 24, Mining for Gold (GOLD!)
  12/13Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain go prospecting for answers about how much gold we've mined.
9. 16:00
  Currently—Left Out: the political radicalisation of young women - and the silence surrounding it
  A look at the leftwards move of young women and why media and politicians are ignoring it
10. 16:30
  The Kitchen Cabinet—Series 50, Christmas Special
  6/6Jay Rayner and the panel are in London answering questions from an audience of home cooks.
11. 17:00
  PM—Singer Chris Rea dies aged 74
  Chris Rea, known for hits including Driving Home for Christmas, has died.
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—The singer and musician Chris Rea dies at the age of 74
  His hits include the festive classic, Driving Home for Christmas
2. 18:30
  The Unbelievable Truth—Series 32, 1. Pigeons, Smoking, Football and Night
  1/6Comedians try to smuggle truths past opponents in David Mitchell's comedy panel game.
3. 19:00
  The Archers—22/12/2025
  Suspicions are raised for Harrison.
4. 19:15
  This Cultural Life—Maggie O'Farrell
  Author Maggie O'Farrell reveals the influences that have shaped her writing.
5. 20:00
  The Briefing Room—Should we worry about America’s security strategy?
  What does the new US National Security Strategy mean for Europe and the rest of the world?
6. 20:30
  BBC Inside Science—How did President Trump transform science in 2025?
  President Trump continues to shake up science. We look at the impact it’s already having.
7. 21:00
  Start the Week—Poetry - reading, writing, editing and translating
  Nick Makoha, Miles Leeson and Karen Leeder.
8. 21:45
  Wild Bond—The Henchmen
  4/5Emily Knight celebrates 60 years of Bond henchmen, with some help from the animal kingdom.
9. 22:00
  The World Tonight—Is Labour's relationship with farmers broken?
  The government says it will ban trail hunting in England and Wales.
10. 22:45
  Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson—Mrs Winterson's Mince Pies
  1/5Jeanette Winterson begins a week of festive stories with two family recipes.
11. 23:00
  Archive on 4—A Ghost Story for Christmas
  Katherine Rundell unearths the Christmas ghost story.
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—23/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:30
  Around the Table by Diana Henry—1. Crazy water, pickled lemons
  1/5An evocative collection of essays spanning the career of one of food writing's finest.
3. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—23/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
4. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—23/12/2025
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
5. 05:00
  News Summary—23/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
6. 05:04
  From Our Own Correspondent—Ukraine's defiant stand in Pokrovsk
  Ukraine's soldiers resist Russia's relentless advance in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region
7. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—23/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
8. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—23/12/2025
  Spiritual reflection with Fiona Stewart, a writer who runs a Christian arts charity.
9. 05:45
  Farming Today—Trail hunting ban, Christmas trees, Combating rural loneliness at Christmas
  Could this year's Boxing Day hunt meets be the last, with a ban on trail hunting proposed?

Tuesday 23 December 2025