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Radio 4 has a new health and wellness offering, What's Up Docs? It's a weekly podcast helmed by twin brothers Dr Chris and Dr Xand Van Tulleken, covering everything from low testosterone to creaky knees. But has its chatty style been a hit with listeners? and how are they getting on with a podcast being transmitted as part of the Radio 4 schedule? Presenter Andrea Catherwood puts your thoughts to Rhian Roberts, Head Commissioner for Podcasts and Formats. In an unstable world, you might want to distance yourself from busy news schedules by taking a trip to somewhere else. That's what The Patch has been doing on BBC Radio 4 for the last few years, by generating a random UK postcode and then telling a unique or unheard story from the area. Two listeners from places featured on The Patch enter our VoxBox to give their views on the series. Andrea follows up with the programme's presenter and producer Polly Weston to hear her take on their discussion. And one listener was so moved by the 100th episode of Add to Playlist that she pulled over to the side of the road to send us a message - we'll hear it in full here. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4

The Feedback inbox has been full of comments on the band Bob Vylan's chanting against the Israel Defense Forces at Glastonbury, with some listeners wondering if the BBC gives stories about itself undue prominence. BBC Sounds Commissioning Editor Rhian Roberts returns to give listeners a wide-lens view of the podcast landscape. And The Today Podcast recently became yesterday's news, replaced by Radical with Amol Rajan. Andrea speaks to Senior News Editor Sam Bonham about the recent changes and asks if the informal tone of news podcasts is influencing the presentation style on linear programmes. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Assistant Producer: Liza Greig Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Feedback returns for a new series, just as the BBC has its hands full with covering an increasingly tense conflict between Israel and Iran. We hear your response to BBC Radio 4's reporting of events. Last month, Sarah Montague interviewed Sebastian Gorka - President Trump's deputy assistant and senior director for counter-terrorism - on World At One. It provoked a flood of emails in our inbox. Andrea talks to Sarah about handling fiery interviews, and interviewees. Dr Alban Webb, historian and lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Sussex, gives his view on the BBC's approach to these kinds of interviews - which seem to be increasingly common. And an episode of This Cultural Life, in which John Wilson spoke to pianist and campaigner James Rhodes, also moved a number of listeners to get in touch nominating it for Feedback's Interview of the Year. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest Sound Editor: John Kayes A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

The death of Pope Francis on the 21st April understandably led to a wave of media coverage, but did the BBC get it right? Andrea Catherwood puts your views to Aleem Maqbool, Religion Editor for BBC News, and hears about what it takes to prepare for such a solemn occasion. And what did listeners think of the episode of Witness History that came directly after the Pope's Requiem Mass on the Sunday morning? Listeners talk about Clive Myrie's Music on the Front Line which returned for another series as part of Radio 3's Music Matters this Spring. Clive interviews fellow journalists about the music they've turned to while reporting from some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. And you might have noticed a questionnaire - Our BBC, Our Future - in your email inbox recently, asking what you watch and listen to and your thoughts on the future of the Corporation. We hear your reactions, and Andrea talks to Professor Matt Walsh, Head of the Journalism School at the University of Cardiff, about the biggest public engagement exercise the BBC has carried out. Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

In last week's episode we announced that the BBC will be continuing to allow access to BBC Sounds for international listeners until adequate alternative provisions have been put in place. This week, we hear listeners' reaction to the BBC's statement. Elizabeth and Jack are grandmother and grandson, and are also Radio 4 listeners. When Elizabeth got in contact with Feedback to tell us that she regularly sends her grandson recommendations for listening material, Andrea was curious to know more - so she invited them into the studio to share their perspectives on what the BBC can provide for listeners from different generations. Although it seems like many BBC Audio programmes have fallen under the axe recently, In Our Time has show no signs of slowing down since its inaugural episode in 1998. Listeners Hamish and Nick try to explain its cult classic appeal in our Feedback VoxBox. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4

After the news that Radio 3 was to cancel its drama commissions, Radio 4 has come forward with an alternative - a new monthly slot for a long-form 90 minute drama. Andrea speaks to Nicola Baldwin from The Writers' Guild of Great Britain about the new entry in BBC Radio's drama programming. We also hear about this development from Alison Hindell, Radio 4's Commissioning Editor for Drama and Fiction. And continuing the theme of new additions to BBC Radio's schedules, Andrea talks to Tom McKinney, who has taken over from Petroc Trelawney on Radio 3's Breakfast programme. He's brought with him a whole aviary of bird calls to wake listeners up with the dawn chorus - but are they enjoying it? Finally, there's an update on the future of BBC Sounds for overseas listeners. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

It was announced months ago that the 5.30am News Briefing would be removed from Radio 4's early morning schedule due to budget constraints, but the changes didn't come into place until the beginning of last week. For some of those who include Radio 4 within their morning routines, the change has been a rude awakening. We hear your reactions to the replacement in this week's episode of Feedback. Since 2021, Add to Playlist has been taking listeners on a voyage of musical discovery through a never ending playlist, added to by the presenters and guests - and it might be the only place on Radio 4 where you can hear Tchaikovsky and Eminem in quick succession. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments about the most recent series to presenters Jeffrey Boakye, Anna Phoebe, and editor Tim Prosser. And we've had a number of different questions in the inbox this week that just need a simple answer from the BBC. We've got answers for you. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

A Point of View has officially left the airwaves after a long run on BBC Radio 4, with Howard Jacobsen writing and presenting the final episode. Feedback announced the exclusive news on last week's programme, but it was before listeners had time to react. This week, Andrea Catherwood presents your opinions on the end of the Sunday morning single voice opinion slot. We're still getting listener questions about the changes to BBC Sounds overseas, and so this week Andrea talks to cricketer and journalist Simon Hughes about the worldwide coverage of Test Match Special. Finally, it's been five years since the first COVID lockdowns were announced, in the spring of 2020. Factual series Lockdown's Legacy looked back on the impact the society-wide restrictions had on a range of people - from children, to teachers, to medics. Some listeners found it impactful, but others had a different point of view. Commissioner Hugh Levinson returns to respond to your comments and critiques. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Andrea Catherwood shares exclusive news of the end of a long-running Radio 4 programme. Frequent contributors and the programme's commissioning editor give their thoughts on the well-known brand as it nears its final episode. BBC Sounds is soon to become unavailable outside of the UK. Listeners from all over the world have been in touch to voice their disappointment about the changes, and we've heard in particular from people in the Republic of Ireland who tune into BBC Radio content from north of the border. Will the geo-blocking cause unintended political ramifications? Andrea discusses the issue with Shane Harrison, former BBC correspondent in Dublin. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

As the news spreads about access to BBC Sounds being blocked outside the UK, we hear more of your comments on the issue. Andrea Catherwood speaks to Radio Cymru reporter Alun Thomas about what these changes will mean for Welsh speakers living abroad. A recent episode of Radio 4's Inside Health about hearing loss intrigued listeners - and then baffled those experiencing hearing loss themselves by including a section that was particularly difficult to hear. After listeners criticised a recent Archers storyline about Linda Snell fasting for Ramadan, we hear from the people who found it enlightening and uplifting. And what did Martha Kearney do after Today? Well, she's been talking to more public figures - but this time, it's all about their personal connections to nature. Two listeners, Christine and Kate, review her series This Natural Life for our VoxBox. Martha joins Andrea to respond to their thoughts. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for Radio 4

Ramadan has featured prominently in The Archers in recent weeks with stalwart Lynda Snell joining the Malik family in fasting, and some listeners found the storyline unconvincing, even a bit preachy. Andrea speaks with Dr Cara Courage, co-founder of The Academic Archers. Radio 4’s Today programme interview with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick provoked a flurry of comments on the presenter’s line of questioning. We hear your views. After Newscast, Americast and Ukrainecast, now there’s Scotcast! Andrea meets presenter Martin Geissler to find out how it’s covering Scottish news. And listeners are responding in droves to the announcement BBC Sounds will soon no longer be available outside the UK. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for Radio 4

Women listeners are quick to pick up on the total absence of girls from How Boarding Schools Shaped Britain, a documentary series presented by Nicky Campbell. Executive Producer Clare Fordham explains why it focused exclusively on boys and gives an apology for not acknowledging the omission in the programme. BBC Sounds will soon only be available in the UK. The announcement has prompted many shocked overseas listeners to express how much they value this connection to home. Andrea Catherwood talks through the changes with James Cridland, Editor of Podnews. And listeners continue to react to coverage of global events, this week critiquing the language used by news presenters to describe the unforgettable meeting in the Oval Office. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for Radio 4

Radio 3 is cutting its long-running drama slot, and it's something that has elicited reactions from listeners, playwrights, and actors alike. Andrea Catherwood starts the new series of Feedback by discussing the changes with station controller Sam Jackson. She also speaks to the co-chair of the Writing Guild of Great Britain, Nicola Baldwin, about what made Radio 3 drama special. Recent episodes of Desert Island Discs have been creating big reactions from listeners too - lawyer Nemone Lethbridge's choice of song 'I Wanna Go Back to Dixie' by American satirist Tom Lehrer was defended by the BBC, but was it a step too far for some listeners? And as news teams across BBC Radio react to seismic world events, one listener gives his view on how the coverage has sounded to him. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Andrea Catherwood presents the programme that hears your views on BBC audio. This week, the first ever Feedback Forum brings together groups of keen listeners who enjoy all kinds of speech content. Radio 4 loyalists, together with younger listeners who don't own radios, and who get all their content "on-demand", share what they like and dislike from BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. There's a lot of enthusiasm for some of the network's long running favourites. In Our Time has been devoured by young and old listeners, who admire the 85 year old presenter, Melvyn Bragg, for his "sassiness" and authority. The Archers, with it's new timeslots, and podcast, generates strong emotions, with the sentencing of George Grundy gripping the group. The arrival of Emma Barnett on the Today programme brings praise for a more informal and youthful approach, but also some irritation with what one person says is too much ongoing enthusiasm for her new job. Marianna Spring's library of content on conspiracies leads some in the group to consider their own listening, and there is a lively debate about whether a diet of pure "on-demand" content means algorithms pulling listeners into echo chambers. 2024 was a year of high audiences across all radio with Radio 4 attracting approaching 10 million listeners a week. But persuading the next generation to tune in is crucial to its long term future, so the production team ask some of the keen podcasters to try out some radio content. Find out if minds are changed in this special edition of Feedback. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Marie Helly Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Andrea Catherwood announces the results of Feedback's Interview of The Year. "It’s been a long process, beginning right back in January," says Andrea. "We've been asking you all year to tell us about exceptional interviews anywhere on BBC Radio or podcasts that have really stopped you in your tracks, made you think again about something or showed off the exceptional skill of an interviewer." From listener suggestions and comments, the Feedback team compiled a short list of ten interviews, which was then handed to a jury made up of Feedback listeners to decide on the winners. They were asked to base their scores on insight, impact and interviewer skill. In this programme, we'll hear extracts from all ten shortlisted interviews, speak to the top three finalists, and at the end of the programme, Andrea will reveal the listeners choice of the overall winner of The Feedback Interview of the Year. Producers: Rebecca Guthrie and David Prest Judging panel co-ordinator: Mike Hally A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Comedy on BBC Radio 4 generates a lot of discussion in the Feedback inbox, and this year's been no different, especially after the introduction of a new raft of comedy commissions over the last twelve months. Andrea Catherwood talks to to Julia McKenzie, Commissioning Editor for Comedy and Entertainment, and Jon Holmes, comedian and creator of one of those new commissions, The Naked Week - and they respond to listener comments and critiques. And as Christmas approaches, we go behind the scenes in King's College Chapel as preparations take place for Radio 4's annual Christmas Eve broadcast of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Andrea Catherwood presents the programme that hears your views on BBC audio. A new series of The Reith Lectures is underway, presented by forensic psychologist Dr Gwen Adshead. She poses four questions about violence and the prison system - and so two listeners who work in prison services and have lived experience of being in prison visited our VoxBox to give their thoughts on the broadcasts. Paula Harriott, Chief Executive of the charity Unlock, and Marc Conway, CEO of Fair Justice, give their assessment on how Gwen answered her own questions. And following last week's episode of Feedback many listeners jumped to the defence of a recent Archers storyline featuring a holiday lets scam. But why did some say that it was getting them in the Christmas spirit? We also heard from more listeners on the end of Short Cuts, the programme that highlights short and experimental audio documentaries by makers from around the world. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

A raft of scam-themed programming went out across BBC channels last week, with the aim of raising awareness about the hoaxes often found hidden in plain sight. Long running drama The Archers fulfilled the brief wholeheartedly as visitors to Ambridge found themselves hoodwinked into buying fake holiday lets online, with unpleasant consequences. But did listeners think it was believable? Short Cuts, Radio 4's experimental programme showcasing short documentaries is being taken off the airwaves after the end of the current series. There's been an outcry from the audio production community as it is how many programme makers get their Radio 4 debut. Andrea talks to Talia Augustidis, one of the audio makers behind a petition pushing back on the changes, and Charlotte Petts, a listener and freelance audio producer. The Naked Week, the new Friday evening comedy, has been launched, and presenter Andrew Hunter Murray joked about Feedback listeners getting in touch about the programme's debut. That's exactly what they did, and here's what they said. Finally, veteran broadcaster Mishal Husain announced that she will be leaving the Today Programme this month. Listeners contacted us to wish Mishal well, after almost 25 years at the BBC. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

This year there's been no shortage of material for the latest series of Dead Ringers. Andrea Catherwood is joined by cast member Jan Ravens and Richard Morris, Creative Director of Comedy and Entertainment for BBC Studios, and asks if it's still possible to make light of serious matters. In a previous episode of Feedback we heard from John McAndrew, Director of Programmes for BBC News, who defended the recent cuts to BBC News including the axing of HARDtalk and Radio 4's 5.30am News Briefing, among others. Following that interview, listeners have had more to say about the decision. We hear their responses on what will be missed, and whether or not the changes are justified. And as submissions for Feedback's Interview of the Year close, we hear one more pick - from listener Calum, who had high praise for an episode of Desert Island Discs in which Lauren Laverne interviewed Shirine Khoury-Haq, the first woman CEO of the Co-Op. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 3 has unveiled a new online-only stream - Unwind. It's dedicated to calming classical music and broadcasts 24/7 on BBC Sounds. For some listeners it's unlocked the mystery of a good night's sleep, but for others the playlists are more mindless than mindful. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments to Radio 3 Controller Sam Jackson. In a week where farmers shot to the top of the news agenda following changes to their inheritance tax exemptions in the 2024 Budget, Andrea talks to Dimitri Houtart - who was until recently the Executive Editor of Rural Affairs, and Rural Affairs Champion at the BBC. Has Radio 4's reporting managed to cut through the sound of tractors roaring down Whitehall? And how do you push for fair coverage of rural communities inside the BBC? And with only a few weeks to go before Feedback unveils the Interview of the Year 2024, one listener nominates John Wilson's conversation with writer Hanif Kureishi, for This Cultural Life. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Executive Producer: David Prest A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4