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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BBC OS Conversations: Syrians after the fall of Assad
Sat 14 Dec 2024
After 50 years of dictatorship, Syrians have their voices back
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Heart and Soul: Black Madonnas
Fri 13 Dec 2024
Searching for the origins of images of black representations of the Virgin Mary
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Srebrenica’s forgotten refugees
Thu 12 Dec 2024
In Bosnia's Tuzla region, survivors of the war are still living in refugee camps
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Introducing World of Secrets S6: The bad guru
Wed 11 Dec 2024
The search for inner peace through yoga leads Miranda into a dark, hidden world
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Assignment: Mining the Pacific – future proofing or fool’s gold?
Tue 10 Dec 2024
The Cook Islands and the plan to harvest the bottom of the sea
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Bonus: The Food Chain is 10!
Mon 9 Dec 2024
Celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite moments
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Morse code: Ready to transmit
Sun 8 Dec 2024
At the world Morse Code championships in Tunisia, competitors battle to be the fastest
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The Fifth Floor: Javier Milei's first year in power
Sat 7 Dec 2024
Argentina's president promised to cut spending with his infamous chainsaw. Did it work?
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BBC OS Conversations: The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
Sat 7 Dec 2024
Residents in Israel and Lebanon share their experiences, hopes and fears
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Heart and Soul: Should I change my name?
Fri 6 Dec 2024
Robert Beckford explores the significance of slave names and their impact on individuals
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Over the fence: From Turkey into the EU
Fri 6 Dec 2024
How more people are reaching the EU from Turkey, and the efforts to police this movement
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The Global Jigsaw: The rebels who retook Aleppo
Wed 4 Dec 2024
A shock offensive turned Syria’s forgotten conflict into hot war
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Assignment: France - trouble on the vine
Tue 3 Dec 2024
How climate, finances and changing habits has brought French wine-makers to the brink
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Blood on the shelves
Mon 2 Dec 2024
How tomato paste made with forced labour in China is likely to be in supermarkets
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In the Studio: The rebuilding of Notre Dame
Sun 1 Dec 2024
Agnès Poirier follows the craftspeople reconstructing France's famous gothic cathedral
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The Fifth Floor: Russia's runaway soldiers
Sat 30 Nov 2024
Russian soldiers are fleeing in record numbers. How should the West treat them?
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BBC OS Conversations: Life in Ukraine after 1000 days of war
Sat 30 Nov 2024
Ukrainians share their experiences of the war
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Heart and Soul: At the end of the wall
Fri 29 Nov 2024
At the end of America’s border wall, James Naughtie meets the people helping migrants
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The Cultural Frontline: James Baldwin centenary
Thu 28 Nov 2024
How the works of US writer and activist James Baldwin still resonate 100 years on
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Bonus: The Conflict
Wed 27 Nov 2024
We take a look at what history can teach us about the conflict in the Middle East
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Assignment: Afghanistan - our whole life is a secret
Tue 26 Nov 2024
One young woman's story from Taliban controlled Afghanistan
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In the Studio: Brian Eno
Mon 25 Nov 2024
Legendary musician, composer and producer Brian Eno on technique and inspiration in nature
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Me and my digital twin
Sun 24 Nov 2024
Ghislaine Boddington explores how to create an AI version of herself
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The Fifth Floor: How to apologise to a king
Sat 23 Nov 2024
What to do and what to wear when apologising to the Ashanti King of Ghana
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BBC OS Conversations: Smog in Delhi and Lahore
Sat 23 Nov 2024
The difficulties of living and breathing when the air outside is toxic
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Heart and Soul: An African missionary in France
Fri 22 Nov 2024
France used to send missionaries to Africa, now it’s the other way round
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Amapiano: The sound of South Africa
Thu 21 Nov 2024
South African DJ Legendary Crisp charts the rise of the Amapiano music genre
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In the Studio: David Chipperfield
Wed 20 Nov 2024
How renowned architect David Chipperfield is improving lives in Galicia's coastal towns
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Life at 50°C: Syria's water wars
Tue 19 Nov 2024
Why the people of once-fertile north-east Syria have almost no drinking water
