The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

#128 The First Muslim and Gaelic BBC Broadcasts

December 1923 marked a significant milestone in early British broadcasting with the BBC’s first Gaelic and Muslim-themed transmissions. Joined by journalist Remona Aly, the discussion highlights the first Muslim broadcast by Lord Headley, also known as Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Farooq, who shared his personal experiences o...

#127 Gertrude Jennings' Five Birds in a Cage - The BBC's First Comedy Drama

#126 The BBC Goes Transatlantic… and Shortwave Radio

November 1923 marked a pivotal moment for the BBC as it attempted the first successful transatlantic voice transmissions. These experiments required precise coordination with American stations, navigating atmospheric conditions and time zone differences to bridge the ocean via medium and shortwave frequencies. While ea...

#125 The BBC's First Relay Station: Sheffield 6FL and Fred Lloyd

#124 Broadcasting House 1932: Palace of the Ether - with Dr Elizabeth Darling

#123 The Archers Live at 75 + What Would You Cut at the BBC?

The Archers celebrates its 75th anniversary with a nationwide live tour hosted by comedian Angela Barnes, highlighting the radio drama's enduring cultural impact and its unique ability to mirror real-world societal issues, such as coercive control and long-term grief. Beyond the show's history, the discussion examines ...

122 The Birth of Television and The End of Radio 4 Longwave

Early television history centers on the transition from experimental mechanical systems to the high-definition electronic service launched in 1936. Professor John Wyver, author of Magic Rays of Light, highlights that early development was defined by the BBC's initial skepticism and its contentious relationship with the...

#121 Asking Elvis with Mitch Benn

#120 The General Strike at 100, part 3: Reith's Jerusalem

#119 The General Strike at 100, part 2: The Archbishop and the PM

#118 The General Strike at 100, part 1: Reith, Churchill and the Birth of BBC News

#117 The BBC's First Homosexual: a new play - with Dr Stephen Hornby and Professor Marcus Collins

#116 The BBC's First Birthday - 14 November 1923

#115 Early BBC Music and Gramophone Records with Earl Okin

#114 BBC Armistice Broadcasts in the 1920s - with Professor Rachel Cowgill

#113 Radio Caroline and The Fleet's Lit Up

#112 The First Radio Hoax: Broadcasting the Barricades - A Centenary Re-enactment

#111 The Truth About The Truth About Phyllis Twigg: From the First Radio Drama to the Latest

#110 GK Chesterton, 75 Years of R2's God Slot + The Truth About Father Christmas

#109 Reith to Davie: 17 BBC Directors General - with Dr Tom Mills