The Documentary Podcast Podcast
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. Documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service.
Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. The best of documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service.
From conflict in the Middle East to the advance of AI, to the front line of the climate emergency, we go beyond the headlines.
Each week we dive into the minds of the world’s most creative people, take personal journeys into spirituality and connect people from across the globe to share how news stories are shaping their lives.
Episodes to download
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Hantavirus nearly killed me
Today
“I died for 11 minutes” – what’s it like to be infected with hantavirus?
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Speaking from the Heart
Yesterday
The story of Anna, a Christian who at the age of 25 became “locked in” after a stroke
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An animal exodus
Thursday
The UK Natural History Museum is moving millions of precious specimens to a new home
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Introducing: Not By The Playbook - Why it is never too late
Wednesday
The story of Mike Flynn, Meg Robson Austin, rower Arshay Cooper and boxer George Foreman
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Return to Khartoum: War, loss and hope
Tuesday
Mohanad Hashim returns home to a fabled city wrecked by war
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Mika Obanda: Mosaic art
Monday
Mika Obanda creates vibrant mosaics using egg shells in his Kenyan studio
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Searching for Soldier Dad: Ep 1. Love story
Last Sunday
DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya
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A 93 year old president gets a deputy
Last Saturday
President of Cameroon Paul Biya has ruled the African nation for 8 terms: nearly 44 years
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Sir David Attenborough
Last Saturday
Wildlife film-makers and conservationists discuss the impact of Sir David's work
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Befriending the man who killed my family
Last Friday
In Rwanda, survivors face the return of men who killed their families
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Russia's 'nyet' to the internet
Thu 7 May 2026
What’s driving the push to isolate Russia from the global internet?
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13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II: What’s next for Nasa's Artemis mission?
Wed 6 May 2026
Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen reflects on his journey to the far side of the Moon
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Serbia: Under The Canopy
Tue 5 May 2026
A disaster at a Serbian station sparked mass protests. What is its political legacy?
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Artist Joan Eardley
Mon 4 May 2026
Scottish artist Joan Eardley produced monumental seascapes, landscapes, and portraits
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Mapping Epstein's global connections
Sat 2 May 2026
How World Service journalists mapped Jeffrey Epstein's web of influence around the world
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My social life as a wheelchair user
Sat 2 May 2026
Wheelchair users discuss the barriers they face in social situations
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A church without walls
Fri 1 May 2026
In Johannesburg, Pastor Jane creates a church for those sidelined by traditional faith
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Atomic crossroads: Poland's nuclear future
Thu 30 Apr 2026
Poland aims to open its first nuclear power station. Is Chernobyl a distant memory?
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Introducing: In Our Time: The Mariana Trench
Wed 29 Apr 2026
Misha Glenny and guests discuss the exploration of the world's deepest ocean trench
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Neha Vyaso: Crafting consent in Bollywood
Mon 27 Apr 2026
Bollywood’s leading intimacy co-ordinator, Neha Vyaso, workshops consent on and off set
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Introducing: The Climate Question: China's green energy revolution
Sun 26 Apr 2026
Has China managed to stop its greenhouse gas emissions from growing thanks to renewables?
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Inside the Mugabe dynasty
Sat 25 Apr 2026
Why the late Robert Mugabe's wife and children have attracted criticism in Zimbabwe
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Faith and revolution in the Philippines
Fri 24 Apr 2026
How Catholicism helped overthrow a dictator and restored democracy to the Philippines
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Under the influence of AI
Thu 23 Apr 2026
What happens when conversations with AI start to feel more real than the world around you?
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Introducing Searching for Soldier Dad
Wed 22 Apr 2026
DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya
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In Iceland's defence
Tue 21 Apr 2026
Iceland is one of the few nations without a military. Is this a sustainable strategy?
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The last dance floor in Chernobyl
Mon 20 Apr 2026
A young couple fall in love against the backdrop of disaster






























