#bbcradio4 — Public Fediverse posts

(yet another look at UK education)

Comps
Archive on 4

Financial Times columnist turned teacher Lucy Kellaway takes a personal journey through the education revolution launched fifty years ago to replace grammars and secondary moderns with comprehensives. The ambition was noble: the same opportunities for every child. But the story of Comps suggests that when lofty ideals collide with reality, things don’t always turn out as planned.

Lucy visits two very different models of comp trying to reconcile the history and their local demands and priorities, and speaks to three of the most influential politicians responsible for shaping today's state secondary school system - Lords Baker, Blunkett and Gove. She also discovers the deep roots of the tensions and challenges facing today's comps in a journey through a rich archive that charts the evolution of the comprehensive system in the last fifty years.
Producer: Jonathan Brunert

Show less

57 minutes

On air

Today
20:00
BBC Radio 4
More episodes

#BBCRadio4 #BBCArchiveOn4

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00316l1

Loose Ends

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Fry, Emma Southon, Olivia McVeigh, Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin, Clare Sands

Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.

The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.

Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.

Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.

And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.

Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.

Presenter: Stuart Maconie
Producer: Anthony McKee
Technical Producer: Davy Neill
Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Show less
Download
Choose your file
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Thu 13 Aug 2026
21:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCLooseEnds #Fleadh
#StuartMaconie #EmmaSouthon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00300dc

Loose Ends

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Fry, Emma Southon, Olivia McVeigh, Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin, Clare Sands

Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.

The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.

Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.

Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.

And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.

Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.

Presenter: Stuart Maconie
Producer: Anthony McKee
Technical Producer: Davy Neill
Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Show less
Download
Choose your file
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Thu 13 Aug 2026
21:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCLooseEnds #Fleadh
#StuartMaconie #EmmaSouthon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00300dc

Loose Ends

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Fry, Emma Southon, Olivia McVeigh, Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin, Clare Sands

Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.

The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.

Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.

Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.

And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.

Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.

Presenter: Stuart Maconie
Producer: Anthony McKee
Technical Producer: Davy Neill
Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Show less
Download
Choose your file
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Thu 13 Aug 2026
21:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCLooseEnds #Fleadh
#StuartMaconie #EmmaSouthon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00300dc

Loose Ends

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Fry, Emma Southon, Olivia McVeigh, Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin, Clare Sands

Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.

The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.

Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.

Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.

And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.

Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.

Presenter: Stuart Maconie
Producer: Anthony McKee
Technical Producer: Davy Neill
Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Show less
Download
Choose your file
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Thu 13 Aug 2026
21:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCLooseEnds #Fleadh
#StuartMaconie #EmmaSouthon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00300dc

Loose Ends

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Fry, Emma Southon, Olivia McVeigh, Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin, Clare Sands

Loose Ends

Stuart Maconie finds himself "i lár an aonaigh" - at the heart of craic, ceol, and much more at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (All-Ireland Fleadh), as Belfast hosts the festival celebrating Irish music and culture for the very first time.

The Fleadh comes second nature to frontman and lead singer of Hothouse Flowers Liam Ó Maonlaí, who was brought up in a household full of traditional Irish music and song. As the band prepares for their "Greatest Hits" tour later this year, Liam reflects on the poignant story behind their hit single "Don't Go", and the time he was left behind by the band's tour bus.

Olivia McVeigh mightn't be in a band, but alongside her fellow podcasters of The Girls Groupchat she's taking the show onstage, alongside Irish girl group legends B*witched and even to ABBA Voyage. She tells Stuart about how her diagnosis of alopecia changed her entire career trajectory, into a world of advocacy and empowering others with the condition.

Emma Southon may have had a very different career as historian if she hadn't hated history so much at school. She talks about her new book Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire, which sets out to give readers a full picture of the reality of enslaved people in Ancient Rome.

And Michael Fry muses on how a period of pure boredom pushed him towards comedy, and why he thinks the medium of radio is ripe for laughs, ahead of his third series of Lunchtime with Michael Fry on BBC Radio Ulster.

Plus, musicians Dónal O'Connor, Neil Martin and Clare Sands give us just a "blaiseadh beag" - a very small taste of the great music coming out of the Fleadh.

Presenter: Stuart Maconie
Producer: Anthony McKee
Technical Producer: Davy Neill
Production Co-ordinators: Sylvie Conway and Caoilfhinn McFadden

Show less
Download
Choose your file
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Thu 13 Aug 2026
21:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCLooseEnds #Fleadh
#StuartMaconie #EmmaSouthon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00300dc

https://www.europesays.com/people/214180/ Burnham and Macron discuss small boats and bringing UK closer to Europe #AndyBurnham #BBCRadio4's #Burnham #DowningStreet #EmmanuelMacron #europe #French #macron #No10 #The"megaDinghies" #UK #Ukraine

Judging from the words of various Radio 4 announcers and newsreaders today, the following are all on loan from France to the UK:

• the Bayeux tapestry
• the Bayeau tapestry
• the Bayou tapestry

For me, this grates horribly. I find it painful and a bit embarrassing. Especially since discovering that the BBC Pronunciation Unit apparently still exists—it suggests they don't even know that the #pronunciation might need checking.

#BBCRadio4 #words #French #BayeuxTapestry

Judging from the words of various Radio 4 announcers and newsreaders today, the following are all on loan from France to the UK:

• the Bayeux tapestry
• the Bayeau tapestry
• the Bayou tapestry

For me, this grates horribly. I find it painful and a bit embarrassing. Especially since discovering that the BBC Pronunciation Unit apparently still exists—it suggests they don't even know that the #pronunciation might need checking.

#BBCRadio4 #words #French #BayeuxTapestry

Judging from the words of various Radio 4 announcers and newsreaders today, the following are all on loan from France to the UK:

• the Bayeux tapestry
• the Bayeau tapestry
• the Bayou tapestry

For me, this grates horribly. I find it painful and a bit embarrassing. Especially since discovering that the BBC Pronunciation Unit apparently still exists—it suggests they don't even know that the #pronunciation might need checking.

#BBCRadio4 #words #French #BayeuxTapestry

Judging from the words of various Radio 4 announcers and newsreaders today, the following are all on loan from France to the UK:

• the Bayeux tapestry
• the Bayeau tapestry
• the Bayou tapestry

For me, this grates horribly. I find it painful and a bit embarrassing. Especially since discovering that the BBC Pronunciation Unit apparently still exists—it suggests they don't even know that the #pronunciation might need checking.

#BBCRadio4 #words #French #BayeuxTapestry

Chef celebrates inclusion in top food critic’s book https://www.diningandcooking.com/chefs/5596/ #BBCRadio4's #BBCSounds #Chef #cool" #DumplingKing #JayRayner #JayRayner's #McIntyre #McIntyre's #Rayner #RobMcIntyre #TheKitchenCabinet

Chef celebrates inclusion in top food critic’s book https://www.diningandcooking.com/chefs/5596/ #BBCRadio4's #BBCSounds #Chef #cool" #DumplingKing #JayRayner #JayRayner's #McIntyre #McIntyre's #Rayner #RobMcIntyre #TheKitchenCabinet

Chef celebrates inclusion in top food critic’s book https://www.diningandcooking.com/chefs/5596/ #BBCRadio4's #BBCSounds #Chef #cool" #DumplingKing #JayRayner #JayRayner's #McIntyre #McIntyre's #Rayner #RobMcIntyre #TheKitchenCabinet

Andy Burnham praises UK-EU ties in meeting with Emmanuel Macron

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has praised the UK-EU relationship as he holds talks with French President Emmanuel Macron…
#Europe #EU #andyburnham #BBCRadio4's #Burnham #DowningStreet #EuropeanUnion #French #macron
https://www.europesays.com/europe/129690/

The Madness of George III
Drama on 4

When a leader loses the plot, how should those around him respond? Elliot Levey, Emma Fielding and Reece Shearsmith star in Alan Bennett’s sparkling tragi-comedy about George III's mental incapacitation and the Regency crisis of 1788-9.

Adapted and directed for radio by Emma Harding

The King.....Elliot Levey
The Queen.....Emma Fielding
The Prince of Wales....Joseph Arkley
Willis.....Reece Shearsmith
Pitt.....Matthew Needham
Fitzroy/Sheridan.....Damien Molony
Fox.....Enyi Okoronkwo
Thurlow.....Sam Dale
Baker.....Neil McGregor
Dundas.....Billy Hartman
Warren.....Simon Armstrong
Lady Pembroke.....Clare Corbett
Papendiek.....Sam Swann
Fortnum.....Matthew Bulgo
Nicholson.....Yasmin Mwanza

Production Co-ordinator.....Lindsay Rees
Sound Design.....Rhys Morris

A BBC Audio Wales production for BBC Radio 4

Show less

1 hour, 27 minutes

On air

Today
15:00
BBC Radio 4

#BBCRadio4 #BBCRadioDramaOn4 #AlanBennett

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002vm7d

Freemason gives speech about "Service".

0726ish

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme #Freemasons

(a bit of pro-FreeMason propaganda just before noon -- guilds, mystery plays, freemasons)

Arts & Mysteries
A History of Mystery by Cal Flyn
Episode 2 of 5

Cal Flyn explores the profound power of mystery and the provocation of the unknown.

Today the award-winning writer uncovers the links between the unknown and the medieval guilds that developed to protect artisanal secrets.

Written and read by Cal Flyn
Produced by Eilidh McCreadie
A BBC Audio Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Show less

30 days left to listen

14 minutes

Today
11:45
BBC Radio 4

(... she wants to be a brother ...)

#BBCRadio4 #BookOfTheWeek #BBCBookOfTheWeek #BBCRadio4BookOfTheWeek
#BBCR4BookOfTheWeek
#R4BookOfTheWeek
#Freemasons #Freemasonry #CalFlyn #BBCCalFlyn #FreemasonBrotherCalFlyn

#BBCLicenceFee

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002sn3v

No, you shits. Putting on Charlie Kirk fanboys that say "the left" has given up on politics and that they "are violent" is not acceptable.

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme
#OfcomComeFuckOff #Ofcom

No, you shits. Putting on Charlie Kirk fanboys that say "the left" has given up on politics and that they "are violent" is not acceptable.

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme
#OfcomComeFuckOff #Ofcom

No, you shits. Putting on Charlie Kirk fanboys that say "the left" has given up on politics and that they "are violent" is not acceptable.

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme
#OfcomComeFuckOff #Ofcom

No, you shits. Putting on Charlie Kirk fanboys that say "the left" has given up on politics and that they "are violent" is not acceptable.

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme
#OfcomComeFuckOff #Ofcom

No, you shits. Putting on Charlie Kirk fanboys that say "the left" has given up on politics and that they "are violent" is not acceptable.

#BBCRadio4 #BBCTodayProgramme
#OfcomComeFuckOff #Ofcom

The completely brilliant and lovely lovely lovely Alice Roberts on Desert Island Discs:
https://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download/proto/https/vpid/p0hls17r.mp3
#AliceRoberts #DiD #DesertIslandDiscs #DiggingForBritain #Archaeology #Osteology #Anatomy #Humanism #BBC #BBCRadio4 #BBCRadio4Extra #medicine #rollerblades #education #biology

David Grusch & his lawyer Chuck McCollough are on the World Tonight Show on Radio 4 (UK)
https://bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_fourfm… #UKDisclosure #Brits4Disclosure #ufoX #uapX #Ufotwitter #MUFOG #uaphearing #Whistleblower #BBCRadio4