With the Rev Dr Karen Smith.

With Mark Holdstock.

With John Humphrys and James Naughtie.
6.25,7.25,8.25 Sports News
6.45 Yesterday in Parliament
7.48 Thought for the Day With Huw Spanner.
8.32 Yesterday in Parliament

Melvyn Bragg and his guests return for a new series exploring the history of ideas as they discuss the events and inspirations that have influenced our age. Producer Alice Feinstein Shortened repeat9.30pm

Melvyn Bragg examines the history of British imperialism and its captives, both slaves and Britons, and examines whether slavery is an inevitable part of empire and how Britain finally shook it off. Show more

Presented from Manchester by Jenni Murray.
10.45 Flames Part 4 of this week's drama. Drama repeated at 7.45pm

The stories and the colour behind the world's headlines, with Kate Adie.

When pianist Paul Wittgenstein lost his right arm as a soldier in the First World War, his reaction was to commission some of the world's finest composers to write for the left hand only, and to perform their works on some of the world's greatest stages. An exploration of his life and carreer, written and presented by Pete Morgan. Producer Viv Beeby

With Liz Barclay and Winifred Robinson.

With Nick Clarke.

Helen Mark meets the people and wildlife of the British COUntryside.Extended at 6.10am

Repeated from yesterday at 7pm

By Julia Blackburn with Herman Makkink.
When her mother becomes ill, Anna has to face painful memories of their relationship. She starts writing to her old friend Tom and to her daughter Saskia, to explore her family's turbulent history and to try to break the spell of the past.
Director Mary Ward Lowery

Millions of people in Britain suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Barbara Myers and her guest, a leading gastroenterologist, will be trying to find out what causes it and what can be done to help. Phone in with your questions on [number removed] or email checkup@bbc.co.uk. Producer Pamela Rutherford

Prunella Scales appeals on behalf of a charity that supports people with learning difficulties who have experienced abuse, and also theirfamilies and carers.
DONATIONS: [address removed] Voice UK
Credrt-card donations: Freephone [number removed] Repeated from Sunday 7.55am

A week of short stories performed on stage at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature.
4: Talking to Strangers Written and performed by Erica Wagner. An overworked doctor in New York falls asleep and misses her stop on the subway. She wakes up in Brooklyn. For details see Monday

4: Mirrors to Far Reaches. The world's biggest mirrors have nothingto do with looking at people.
Giant mirrors in telescopes provide a window on the night skies, through which we can spy on the ancient history Of the Universe. For details see Monday

Repeated from Sunday at 4pm

We can't usually re-write the laws of physics, but scientists have created a new type of material that just might. It has a negative refractive index and it could be used to create a "perfect" lens.
Quentin Cooper discusses this theory with John Pendry from Imperial College London.
Producer Sarah Empey EMAIL: material.world@bbc.co.uk

With Eddie Mair and Carolyn Quinn.

The comedy sketch series continues.
This week Mel and Sue take on the film world. There's a clip from a new Gritish blockbuster, an epic song from a musical, as well as a special guest appearance by Simon Groom, plugging his new picture Action Slacks 5. Plus another murder on Leather Island, and the tragic death of a loved one in the continuing saga of Jane Austen's seminal work Sweet Fanny Adams - its authenticity still cruelly unrecognized by the literary world.
Starring Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins.

Jennifer colludes with the enemy. Repeated tomorrow at 2pm

Mark Lawson interviews the former director-general of the BBC, Lord Birt, as he publishes his autobiography John Birt : the Harder Path. Producer NicolaHolloway

4: Drive On by Sol B River.
A conversation in a taxi between the driver and her passenger leads to a bitter discovery about love.
For details see Monday Repeated from 10.45am

Julian Pettifer explores the lives and legacies of three influential environmental thinkers.
1: EF Schumacher. Always the maverick, Fritz Schumacher argued for a radical rethink of the modern world and hoped to create "economics as if people mattered.' When his manifesto Small Is Beautiful was published in 1973 it became an instant bestseller. But in the age of globalisation, has it finally been trounced by Big Is Best? Producer Jim Clarke

Risky Business. It's one of Britain's biggest and most successful industries but now it's in trouble. Peter Day asks whetherthe roof is falling in on Britain's insurance industry.
Editor Stephen Chilcott Repeated on Sunday at 9.30pm

The security tags on expensive goods such as clothes and CDs set off an alarm if people try to walk out of a shop without paying, even if the items are hidden in their bags. Until now, manufacture of the tags has been too expensive to include on a bag of crisps or a tin of beans but now there's a cheap way of printing metal directly onto the tags. Join Geoff Watts at the checkout in the first of a new series. Email: [email address removed]

With Claire Bolderson.

ByMarghanitaLaski. Part4. For details see Monday

Comedy series in which Keith, Dan and Francis continue their mission to make to make the world a safer, fairer, kinder place -whatever it takes. This week the team take up arms against a sea of troubles. Starring Dave Lamb , Nick Walker , Jim North and Richie Webb. Producer Gareth Edwards

France Part 4. Repeated from 9.45am