Friday 27th June 2008

05:20

Shipping Forecast

27 June 2008

The latest shipping forecast.

05:30

News Briefing

27 June 2008

The latest news from BBC Radio 4.

05:43

Prayer for the Day

27 June 2008

Daily prayer and reflection with Mike Ford.

05:45

Farming Today

27 June 2008

News and issues in rural Britain with Mark Holdstock.

06:00

Today

27 June 2008

With James Naughtie and John Humphrys. Sports Desk at 6.25am, 7.25am, 8.25am; Yesterday in Parliament at 6.45am; Weather at 6.05am, 6.57am, 7.57am; Thought for the Day at 7.48am.

09:00

Desert Island Discs

22 June 2008

Kirsty Young invites pioneering surgeon Ara Darzi to choose eight records to take to Radio 4's mythical desert island.

09:45

Book of the Week

Casanova

27 June 2008

Benedict Cumberbatch reads from Ian Kelly's fascinating biography of the world's most famous lover and libertine.

Hoping to try his luck at the court of Catherine the Great, Casanova accepts an invitation to a masked Venetian ball at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. His introduction to the Tsarina proves fruitless and he moves on to Poland, where a duel boosts his reputation. But Casanova is no longer a young man, and soon he begins to reflect on his own mortality.

10:00

Woman's Hour

27 June 2008

With Jane Garvey. Women in the lives of teenage boys - hindering their development into men? US human rights lawyer Professor Janet Benshoof and Celia Lashlie, Yvonne Roberts and Liz Carr are the Friday Panel.

Including at 10.45am Anthony Trollope's satirical novel about money, greed and dishonesty, updated by Jonathan Myerson.

11:00

The Perfect House

Charlie Luxton visits Venice to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andrea Palladio, known as the father of western architecture. The symmetry and grace of the Villa Emo, completed in 1565, explain the reputation Palladio acquired as the ultimate domestic architect.

11:30

Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery

The Four Suspects

New production of an adventure by Francis Durbridge, first broadcast in 1949.

Paul begins to bait a trap for the mysterious Madison.

12:00

You and Yours

27 June 2008

Consumer news and issues with Winifred Robinson and Liz Barclay.

12:57

Weather

27 June 2008

The latest weather forecast.

13:00

The World at One

27 June 2008

National and international news with Shaun Ley.

13:30

Feedback

27 June 2008

Roger Bolton airs listeners' views on BBC radio programmes and policy.

Followed by News.

14:00

The Archers

26 June 2008

The pressure takes its toll on Matt.

14:15

Afternoon Play

Look Sharp

By Cath Staincliffe.

A genealogist finds herself in danger when she uncovers a shocking family history.

15:00

Shared Earth

27 June 2008

Dylan Winter presents the topical magazine series celebrating the natural world and how to preserve it. He investigates a new scheme to put a financial price tag on London's trees.

15:30

Afternoon Reading

Classical Assassins

Warlock and Me

Short monologues by Jonathan Lennie, based on historical facts and conjecture, about deaths of great composers.

Philip Heseltine, known as the composer Philip Warlock, is dreading the prospect of facing Christmas alone.

Read by Carl Prekopp.

15:45

Cosmic Quest

Design or Accident: Why Me?

Heather Couper presents a narrative history of astronomy.

Given all that we now know about the formation of stars and planets and the evolution of life on Earth, it might seem as if the mystery is being taken out of the universe. However, every solution seems to throw up a deeper mystery. Within our understanding of physics, there are no known fundamental reasons for much of the astronomical phenomena that we observe.

Of course, we can only observe a universe that supports life. This is known as the anthropic principle and has far-reaching implications. Some argue that it makes the universe very special, as if we were meant to be, while others suggest that we inhabit one of the few bio-friendly corners in an almost infinite multiverse of possibilities.

Readers are Timothy West, Robin Sebastian, Julian Rhind-Tutt and John Palmer.

Followed by News.

16:00

Last Word

27 June 2008

John Wilson presents the obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. The programme reflects on people of distinction and interest from many walks of life, some famous and some less well known.

16:30

Film Programme

27 June 2008

Francine Stock talks to Tilda Swinton about Narnia, Oscar and her role as patron of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

16:56

1968: Day by Day

27 June 2008

John Tusa looks back at the events making the news 40 years ago. Labour loses the Nelson and Colne by-election.

17:00

PM

27 June 2008

Full coverage and analysis of the day's news with Ritula Shah. Including Weather at 5.57pm.

18:00

Six O'Clock News

27 June 2008

The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by Weather.

18:30

The Now Show

27 June 2008

Comedy sketches and satirical comments from Steve Punt, Hugh Dennis and the team including Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Laura Shavin and Jon Holmes.

19:00

The Archers

27 June 2008

Jazzer faces conflicting loyalties.

19:15

Front Row

27 June 2008

Kirsty Lang with arts news, interviews and reviews.

19:45

Woman's Hour Drama

The Way We Live Right Now

27 June 2008

Anthony Trollope's satirical novel about money, greed and dishonesty, updated by Jonathan Myerson.

20:00

Any Questions?

27 June 2008

Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical debate from Upminster, Essex.

Panellists include Conservative peer Chris Patten, former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, Liberal Democrat President Simon Hughes and columnist Anne McElvoy.

Followed by News.

20:50

A Point of View

27 June 2008

A weekly reflection on a topical issue from Professor Lisa Jardine.

21:00

Cosmic Quest

Chance and Purpose in a Violent Universe

Heather Couper presents an omnibus edition of her major new narrative history of astronomy.

Technological advances over the last 50 years have enabled us to discover much about distant galaxies, quasars and black holes. Yet within our understanding of physics, there are no known fundamental reasons for much of the astronomical phenomena that we observe. Every discovery seems to throw up further mysteries.

Read by Timothy West, Annette Badland, Robin Sebastian, Julian Rhind-Tutt and John Palmer.

21:58

Weather

27 June 2008

The latest weather forecast.

22:00

The World Tonight

27 June 2008

National and international news and analysis with Robin Lustig in London and Roger Hearing in Johannesburg. Including features on the Zimbabwean election and what the future holds for the supermarket.

22:45

Book at Bedtime

Breath

27 June 2008

Richard Roxburgh reads from Tim Winton's tale of adolescence on the edge, set on the Western fringe of Australia.

Pikelet and Loonie's friendship begins to fracture when Sando and Pikelet take on a new challenge and surf Old Smokey, a submerged reef that will test Pikelet to the limit.

23:00

A Good Read

24 June 2008

Sue MacGregor talks to former Cosmopolitan editor Marcelle d'Argy Smith and archaeologist Professor Barry Cunliffe about their favourite books.

23:30

Today in Parliament

27 June 2008

News, views and features on today's stories in Parliament with Mark D'Arcy.

00:00

News and Weather

27 June 2008

The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4, followed by weather.

00:30

Book of the Week

Casanova

27 June 2008

Benedict Cumberbatch reads from Ian Kelly's fascinating biography of the world's most famous lover and libertine.

Hoping to try his luck at the court of Catherine the Great, Casanova accepts an invitation to a masked Venetian ball at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. His introduction to the Tsarina proves fruitless and he moves on to Poland, where a duel boosts his reputation. But Casanova is no longer a young man, and soon he begins to reflect on his own mortality.

00:48

Shipping Forecast

27 June 2008

The latest shipping forecast.

01:00

As BBC World Service

27 June 2008

BBC Radio 4 joins the BBC World Service.