The Documentary Podcast
News & Politics
About
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 China’s state-backed overseas spending, to on the road with Canada’s Sikh truckers, 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
- Mika Obanda: Mosaic art
Mika Obanda, a mosaic artist from Kenya, uses eggshells from local hotels to create vibrant art. Frenny Jowi documented his preparation for an exhibition and returned to see how he coped with hardship with community support.
- Searching for Soldier Dad: Ep 1. Love story
Presented by Ivana Davidovic, this episode follows Cathy's search for her father, prompted by questions at age 10. Her mum Maggie's secret and a later DNA collection in Kenya aim to uncover the truth about his identity.
- A 93 year old president gets a deputy
The episode discusses the recent creation of a vice-president position in Cameroon, a country led by 93-year-old Paul Biya, the world's oldest head of state. This development raises questions about the future leadership transition in Camer…
- Sir David Attenborough
This episode of The Documentary Podcast celebrates Sir David Attenborough's career, featuring conservationists and filmmakers discussing his global impact on nature appreciation. His TV programs and books have inspired many, including wild…
- Befriending the man who killed my family
Felin Gakwaya travels to Rwanda to meet survivors and perpetrators of the genocide living side by side 30 years later. The episode explores their personal journeys with forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation.
- Russia's 'nyet' to the internet
The Documentary Podcast investigates Russia's drive for a 'sovereign internet,' detailing the blocking of major platforms and VPNs. The episode examines the political, economic, and military consequences of the country's increasing digital…
- 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II: What’s next for Nasa's Artemis mission?
Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen reflects on his return to Earth after the mission and looks ahead to future Artemis endeavors. He recounts an incident where a hull breach alarm sounded before a critical maneuver and discusses what's nex…
- Artist Joan Eardley
The Documentary Podcast features a discussion with curator Kerry Gledhill about the artist Joan Eardley, whose prolific career in Scotland from 1940 to 1963 produced seascapes, landscapes, and portraits. An exhibition at the National Galle…
- Serbia: Under The Canopy
Following a fatal accident at a railway station in Serbia, mass protests erupted, accusing the government of corruption. The government denied these claims, labeling protesters as foreign agents. This episode explores the impact of the ant…
- For the love of dogs
This documentary investigates a sophisticated online scam operation in Mityana, Uganda, where individuals exploit the compassion of Western dog lovers. Using fabricated stories and emotional pleas, scammers solicit donations for non-existe…
- Mapping Epstein's global connections
Millions of documents released from Jeffrey Epstein's personal correspondence, photographs, and papers have unveiled his extensive network of connections to influential people globally. BBC journalists Abdirahim Saeed and Luiz Fernando Tol…
- My social life as a wheelchair user
Four wheelchair users discuss challenges they face while socializing, including accessibility barriers and public interactions. Maddie Haining
- A church without Walls
Jane Codrington founded 'We Are Church' in Johannesburg, a community for those excluded by traditional religious structures, including LGBTQ members. Despite facing accusations of blasphemy and hostility for her radical inclusivity, she re…
- Atomic crossroads: Poland's nuclear future
Poland is developing its first nuclear power plant, a significant shift from past nuclear hesitancy following Chernobyl. This project aims to enhance energy independence and align with EU climate goals, with public support reaching 75% in…
- In Our Time: The Mariana Trench
Misha Glenny and guests discuss the Mariana Trench, discovered in 1875. This deep oceanic trench, formed by tectonic plates, is deeper than Mount Everest is high and harbors surprising forms of life.
- Driving Against Net Zero
This episode of The Documentary Podcast explores the rising political significance of the petrol car in Germany, particularly in Zwickau, a populist stronghold. It examines the challenges to German car culture from electric vehicles and Ch…
- Neha Vyaso: Crafting consent in Bollywood
Neha Vyaso, a prominent intimacy co-ordinator in Bollywood, works with actors and directors to choreograph and film sex scenes with a focus on consent and conversation. She balances script demands, directorial vision, and actor comfort, ha…
- Introducing: The Climate Question: China's green energy revolution
The Documentary Podcast explores China's green energy revolution, featuring reports on rapid solar and wind power installation. If this trend continues, China's greenhouse gas emissions may have peaked, marking a significant milestone in t…
- Inside the Mugabe dynasty
This episode explores the Mugabe family
- Meet the preppers
This episode of The Documentary Podcast features preppers sharing their stockpiling experiences. Original source materials and transcripts from the investigation are available for public access.
- Faith and revolution in the Philippines
Senator Gregorio Honasan and Sister Mary John Mananzan share firsthand accounts of a foiled coup against Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the Philippines, detailing the public's intervention and the sustaining power of their faith.
- Under the influence of AI
This documentary explores how AI chatbots like ChatGPT can deeply influence users, using examples of individuals who developed strong connections to AI, leading to altered perceptions of reality and obsessive behaviors.
- Introducing Searching for Soldier Dad
The Documentary Podcast’s episode “Introducing Searching for Soldier Dad” follows DNA detectives, lawyers, and a geneticist as they investigate British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya and then disappeared, leaving families without…
- In Iceland's Defence
Iceland, despite its strategic location and lack of military, relies on NATO and a US agreement for defence. This episode questions the long-term viability of this strategy in a changing geopolitical landscape.
- The Last Dance Floor in Chernobyl
The episode tells the story of Serhiy and Iryna, a couple who fell in love and planned their wedding in Pripyat, a nuclear city near the Chernobyl power plant. Their wedding date coincided with the Chernobyl disaster.
- Patti LuPone: Taking the stage at Carnegie Hall
This episode features a solo concert by award-winning performer Patti LuPone at Carnegie Hall, exploring her approach to concert performances, storytelling through song, and the rituals involved in her craft.
- Counting the soldiers dying for Russia
This episode of The Documentary Podcast, presented by Faranak Amidi, focuses on Olga Ivshina's investigation into Russian soldier casualties in Ukraine using open-source intelligence, as official figures have not been updated since 2022. I…
- Experiences of miscarriage
This episode of The Documentary Podcast features two couples sharing their personal experiences with miscarriage, detailing the emotional toll and impact on their relationships. It also touches on legal support and policies for grieving pa…
- Jamaica: Shaken, not broken
Nick Davis reports on the destruction of churches in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa. He observes volunteers in Black River and Lacovia working to recover from the damage and explores the role of faith in community resilience.
- Back to books: Sweden’s digital backlash
Sweden, a former leader in digital education, is returning to physical textbooks and libraries. This shift, driven by declining test scores and concerns about screen time's impact on concentration and information processing, aims to re-eva…
- Surviving my daughter's killing
Kate, Ann's mother, shares her deeply emotional experience of choosing restorative justice after her daughter's killing. She describes facing Ann's killer and influencing his sentence, ultimately revealing an extraordinary decision in a le…
- Pakistan: Hospitals putting children at risk of HIV
An investigation into HIV outbreaks in Pakistan reveals children testing positive for the virus. Evidence suggests potential cross-contamination from reused medical vials and syringes in a Taunsa hospital, though authorities deny the hospi…
- Helping prisoners become better parents
The Documentary Podcast explores a Scottish prison initiative where inmates learn parenting skills and engage in physical play with their children. Based on the Australian 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' model, the program aims to foster stro…
- British Queen Elizabeth II's century of fashion
A new exhibition showcases Queen Elizabeth II's fashion across 10 decades, highlighting her use of Commonwealth colors for soft power. Source materials from the documentary are available for a limited time.
- Bringing India's daughters back home
This episode discusses domestic violence in India, highlighting a film initiative to address slow societal change. It also touches upon a viral video incident involving Kenyan women and a "pickup coach," and references other global stories…
- Hopes for a 'fragile' Middle East ceasefire
This episode discusses the fragile Middle East ceasefire, featuring perspectives from Iranians in the UK affected by explosions in Iran, and divided Israelis. It covers intensified air strikes in Lebanon amidst ongoing peace talks.
- Your questions answered about Artemis II and space travel
This episode of The Documentary Podcast features former NASA astronauts Steve Swanson and Nicole Stott answering listener questions about the Artemis II mission, which marked the first human journey to the Moon in over 50 years and saw ast…
- Freddie’s second verse
Freddie, who was once poised for music stardom, left the industry due to its pressures and embraced Buddhism. He now works as a nail technician, finding spiritual growth and discussing his path with his partner, Carl, highlighting the cont…
- The battle for Hungary
Viktor Orban faces a significant election challenge from Peter Magyar, a former ally who has gained considerable momentum. The episode explores the campaign messages of Fidesz and Tisza, the dynamics of the election machine, and the potent…
- The Extractor
Hilik Magnus, a prominent Israeli search and rescue specialist, discusses his 30-year career recovering bodies worldwide, including during the 2004 tsunami and 2008 Mumbai attacks. He speaks about his motivations and experiences working wi…
- Albania: Land, money and the sea
Albania is working to rebrand itself as a luxury tourism destination, leveraging its natural beauty to attract investors. However, the country faces challenges including its communist past, land disputes, and corruption that could hinder d…
- Chef Rodolfo Guzman: Chilean summer menu
Chef Rodolfo Guzman's summer menu for his Santiago restaurant Borago includes pink tomato ice cream with edible flowers and celebrates native Chilean ingredients like wild mountain coconuts.
- Growing up black in a white family – the truth behind my birth
Andrew Lovell, known as 'Shovell' from M People, grew up as a mixed-race child in a white family. Despite his fame and success, he questioned his origins and sought to uncover the truth about his birth parents and why he was given up.
- The woman fighting IS in Somalia
This episode features Sahnun Ahmed embedded with the Puntland Defence Force in Somalia as they fight IS militants. It also includes insights from Iranian Jews in Israel who maintain connections to their heritage amidst geopolitical challen…
- Surviving a shark attack
In this episode of The Documentary Podcast, Australian shark attack survivors like Brett Connellan, Justine Barwick, and Dave Pearson recount the terrifying moments of their encounters with sharks, discussing their experiences with life, d…
- God, grief and the chatbot
Megan Garcia is pursuing legal action against a chatbot company after her son, who had a deep emotional attachment to the AI, died. She found comfort in prayer and devotion, exploring personal spirituality through the Virgin Mary.
- The Saltmakers
The Agariya families in Gujarat's Little Rann of Kutch have harvested salt for centuries in extreme heat, producing 75% of India's salt. Their traditional livelihood is now threatened by unpredictable weather and low earnings, but innovati…
- Inheritance Samsung: 1. My kingdom for a horse
This episode of The Documentary Podcast delves into the 2017 crisis facing Samsung's heir and the company's uncertain future, examining 80 years of business, family power struggles, and billion-dollar deals that shape global empires.
- India’s Shadow Children
Stephanie, adopted into a French family, returns to India to find her birth mother. Her journey challenges her understanding of her origins as she learns she was born to a young, unmarried mother.
- Kubra Khademi: Art of strength and survival
The Documentary Podcast features Afghan artist Kubra Khademi, who creates bold art in exile that confronts patriarchy and reclaims the female body. Her work, inspired by personal history and cultural influences, blends performance, paintin…