With Akhandadhi Das.
With Anna Hill. Producer Steve Peacock
With Allan Little and James Naughtie.
6.25, 7.25, 8.25 Sports News
7.45 Thought for the Day With Gabrielle Cox.
Anthony Gottlieb traces the history of philosophy and its relationship with the natural sciences when he joins Jeremy Paxman and guests. Producer Ariane Koek. Shortened repeated at 9.30pm
Martha Kearney hosts interviews and discussions from a woman's point of view.
Drama: The Weight of Waterby Anita Shreve. Part 6 of 10. Editor Ruth Gardiner. E-MAIL: womanshour@bbc.co.uk Drama repeated at 7.45pm
Historian Peter Jones concludes his series about the Roman Empire.
Nero, the Perverse Populist. An exploration of the life of an emperorwho murdered his mother, cheated in the Olympics and admired Caligula's abilityto waste money. The ruling aristocracy were not impressed by his outrageous behaviour, but the people of Rome thought he was hilarious. Producer John Byrne (R)
Evelyn Waugh 's biting satire of class, pre-war politics and the appalling nature of the newspaper industry is adapted infourparts byGiles Havergal. 2: Stones, TwentyPounds. William Boot , accidental war correspondent of the Daily Beast, encounters the bizarre corrupt world of Ishmaelia in the heart of Africa, the even more corrupt British press corps and a beautiful girl.
Director Dave Batchelor
With John Waite and Trixie Rawlinson.
With Nick Clarke.
Robert Robinson chairs the nationwide general knowledge contest, including Beat the Brains, in which listeners put their own questions to contestants. First Semi-Final.
Producer Richard Edis. Repeated Saturday llpm
Repeated from yesterday7pm
By Bernard Kops.
A couple of old anarchists are appalled to learn they have inherited a B & B. In their opinion property is still theft, particularly when it is set in smart Westcliffe on Sea!
Vincent Duggleby and guests are on hand to answer calls on a personal finance issue. LINES OPEN from 1.30pm
A week of new stories by well-known authors.
1: A Feast for Catherine by Michele Roberts , read by Sian Thomas. She plans a trip to Rome to meet her lover. But the best laid plans ... Producer Duncan Minshull
The Bat's Haircut. The Bechstein's bat is one of the rarest British mammals and the subject of a study by bat expert Dr Henry Schofield. In four programmes, Schofield, in the company of his long-suffering canine companion Rosie, prepares for a bat-hunt by radio-tagging a bat after first giving it a haircut. Part 1. Producer Cheryl Gabriel
Extended repeat from yesterday 12.30pm
Jenni Murray and guests take a global view of news, traditions and human stories. ProducerPhil pegum
With Clare English and Carolyn Quinn.
Joining Nigel Rees to exchange quotations and anecdotes this week are Stephanie Caiman ,
Humphrey Carpenter , Jonathan Cecil and John Julius Norwich. ReaderWilliam Franklyn. j ProducerCarol Smith. E-MAIL: quote.unquote@bbc.co.uk Repeated Sunday 12 noon
Is David up to it? Repeated tomorrow 2pm
Mark Lawson talks to Sir Richard Eyre who examines the state of British theatre in a new television series and book entitled Changing Stages.
Producer Tanya Hudson j
Peter Hennessy concludes a three-part series examining the challenges that have faced British prime ministers. The Messiah Complex. Several premiers have started out with a burning ambition to modernise Britain. What are the practical limits on their power and how far can they go without overreaching themselves? ProducerZareer Masani
The Basque region of Spain has more autonomy than almost any other part of Europe, yet two thirds of local people are dissatisfied. Until recently the French Basques could only dream of the rights enjoyed south of the border- now they are using stunts such as stealing archives to highlight their demands. Julian Pettiferreports. Rptdfrom Thursday liam j
In Llanarthne in rural Wales it has taken three years to turn the old, neglected estate of Middleton Hall into the National Botanic Garden ; of Wales, the first to be built in the UK for over 200 years. Kerry Ten Kate investigates. Producer Gwenan Thomas (R)
Shortened repeat from 9am
With Robin Lustig.
Linda Grant 's powerful Orange Prize-winning novel is read by Sara Kestelman and abridged in ten parts by Richard Hamilton. In 1946, Evelyn, a young hairdresser from Soho, departs for a new life in Palestine, where her identity is thrown into confusion when she falls in love. Part 1.
Producer Sarah Johnson
Shortened repeat from Saturday 9am
Nathaniel Philbrick 's gripping real-life tale of the whalingdisasterthat inspired Herman Melville to write MobyDickis read by Alun Armstrong and abridged in five parts by Keith Darvill. Part 1. Producer Sara Davies (R)
