PLAY PODCASTS
Beyond Today

Beyond Today

344 episodes — Page 5 of 7

Fortnite: more than a video game?

Fortnite tends to make headlines because of how many people play it and how much money it makes, but it’s much more interesting than that. In this episode we explore how Fortnite’s founders have created a new way of experiencing the world that is up against Netflix, Facebook, Google and Amazon in the battle over how you spend your free time.You might not be a gamer, but the creators of Fortnite have a vision of the technology that is so ambitious there’s a chance you’re going to feel completely lost without it in five years’ time. It all depends on something called the “Metaverse”, an alternate digital reality where people live, work and socialise. We speak to Matthew Ball about what that means. Matthew is a venture capitalist and former digital media executive. From 2016-2018 he was head of strategy for Amazon Studios. He writes for MediaREDEF and can be found online at @ballmatthew, or www.matthewball.vc. We also speak to 13 year old Charlie about what grownups get wrong about Fortnite. Producers: Duncan Barber, Harriet Noble, Lucy Hancock Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

May 29, 201921 min

Why is it so hard to go undercover?

E

Last week Panorama went undercover inside a hospital for vulnerable adults and revealed patients being mocked, taunted and intimidated by abusive staff. In shocking footage, reporter Olivia Davies filmed patients with autism and learning disabilities being deliberately provoked by staff and regularly physically restrained by them. The investigation comes eight years after her colleague Joe Plomin exposed the scandal of abuse at Winterbourne View, another specialist hospital. Then, the government promised to reform care for the most vulnerable. We spoke to them both about the challenges of going undercover and who we should blame when the system fails people.Producer: Lucy Hancock Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: John Shields

May 28, 201919 min

What does Europe think?

Theresa May says she’s resigning, making way for a new prime minister. But she’s leaving without Brexit being resolved. The new person in the job will have to continue to negotiate and with European Parliament elections taking place this weekend the leaders there will have their eye on the results. We speak to the BBC’s Europe Editor Katya Adler and Tanit Koch managing editor of n-tv in Berlin about the view from Europe and the new political forces likely to have influence there.Produced by Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

May 24, 201917 min

How did Jamie Oliver change food culture?

Jamie Oliver is one of the UK’s best-known chefs and restaurant owners. He’s had world wide success with his books, TV series, and campaigns, but this week it was announced that his restaurant company had gone into administration with the loss of 1,000 jobs. Since he came onto our screens 20 years ago with the Naked Chef series he’s had a huge impact on British food culture. To find out how we speak to the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s the Food Programme Sheila Dillon and two men whose careers he helped launch: Tim Siadatan, who runs Trullo and Padella in London, and Martin Gott, an award-winning cheese maker from Cumbria.

May 23, 201919 min

Why is revenge porn still spreading?

A woman who changed her name to escape revenge porn has once again become a victim after finding images of herself on a website containing folders full of explicit images of women “from every city in the UK”. Some of the folders give away full names and locations of the women, but most of them do not even know that the website exists. We hear about Mikala Monsoon who waived her right to anonymity as a victim of crime because she wants the crime taken more seriously. BBC Scotland news reporter Connor Gillies tells us how the police have responded and why revenge porn is so difficult to stop. Producer: Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

May 22, 201917 min

Huawei: what’s the problem with Chinese phones?

The Chinese company Huawei wants to be the biggest tech firm in the world. But this week the US tried to squash it by cutting Huawei off from Google’s Android operating system, meaning that users’ phones may no longer get security updates. It’s the latest move in an ongoing trade war between the US and China. So how much is this about phones, and how much is it about a battle for global supremacy? BBC Click’s Jen Copestake, Vincent Ni from the BBC Chinese Service and our Security Correspondent Gordon Corera tell us the answer. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 21, 201919 min

Why are female MPs terror targets?

On Friday the former BNP poster boy and 23 year-old convicted paedophile Jack Renshaw was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for plotting to murder the Labour MP Rosie Cooper. Renshaw has been a hero to some racists, misogynists and anti-semites in the North West for a few years. We speak to Robbie Mullen, a former neo-nazi who risked his life to blow the whistle on Renshaw; Ruth Smeeth, the Labour MP who told Cooper about the plot, and the BBC’s Daniel De Simone, who covered the case, to understand why neo-Nazis are radicalising against women.Producer: Lucy Hancock Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 20, 201919 min

Reni Eddo-Lodge

Every week it seems there’s an incident involving race that goes viral online. Last week it was Danny Baker’s exit from 5 live and the consequent tide of backlash. But it could have been any week and any number of views. One person who has dedicated her entire career to unpicking the language and culture of systemic racism is Reni Eddo-Lodge, who wrote the award winning ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race’. She came into the Beyond Today studio to talk about race and public shaming. Producers: Jaja Muhammad, Lucy Hancock and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast: Editor: John Shields

May 17, 201919 min

How did Amar find his mum?

This is the story of an Iraqi boy with a face scarred in a military attack, who was brought for treatment in Britain in 1992. Amar Kanim began a new life in rural Devon after he was separated from his family in Basra. Then 30 years later an extraordinary chain of events that began with a chance meeting at Exeter station changed his life once again. The BBC’s Jon Kay, Andy Alcroft and Alex Littlewood told us his story.Producer: Duncan Barber. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.You can watch Amar’s story on the BBC News Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uplZhWFDf4.

May 16, 201921 min

What does the Hollywood college scandal tell us about class privilege?

This week the award-winning actress Felicity Huffman, who stars in Desperate Housewives pleaded guilty to fraudulently conspiring to win a college place for her daughter. The star is one of dozens of wealthy people, including Full House actress Lori Loughlan, who’ve been caught up in this scandal. We speak to Nada Tawfik and John Mervin from the BBC’s New York bureau about the case and Mitchell Stevens, associate professor of Education and Sociology at Stanford University about what it tells us about privilege, wealth, and elitism in the US. Producers: Seren Jones, Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor; John Shields

May 15, 201918 min

Could Eurovision change Israel and the Palestinians?

The Eurovision press pack and superfans are descending on Tel Aviv for the annual gala of glitter and Europop. But because it’s in Israel some of the focus will inevitably fall away from the songs and onto the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Steve Holden is a music reporter for BBC Newsbeat, and in Tel Aviv for the contest. He joins the BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen to assess what difference, if any, Eurovision makes to such a long-running conflict. And voting in the Listeners’ Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards closes tomorrow! Vote for Beyond Today here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote Producers: Harriet Noble and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 14, 201923 min

Is Uber stalling?

Uber made its stock market debut last week as boss Dara Khosrowshahi rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange to begin trading. But this story is about more than stocks and shares. It’s the story of a company that plans to dominate the global transport business, despite the fact that is has admitted it may never make a profit. We spoke to our technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones to find out how that works and also to Kim Gittleson from the Wall Street Journal podcast to find out who did make money last Friday.Producers: Duncan Barber and Philly Beaumont. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

May 13, 201920 min

Anna Sorokin: how do you fake your way into high society?

High-end hotels, $100 tips, a $7000 a night trip to Morocco… when German heiress Anna Delvey hit the New York party scene it seemed like she had, and could spend, it all. But the lavish social life Delvey, real name Anna Sorokin, created for herself was, along with her pretensions of European aristocracy, eventually exposed as a lie. As she’s sentenced to at least four years in jail for crimes including stealing more than $200,000, the BBC’s Vicky Baker helps us uncover some of the truth behind the lies of the fake heiress. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 10, 201917 min

What does one rape trial tell us about lad culture and consent?

Cricketer Alex Hepburn was jailed last month for raping a sleeping woman. The assault happened after Hepburn had set up a sexual conquest game on a WhatsApp group. The BBC’s Phil Mackie tells us about the trial, and we speak to lawyer Eleanor Law about the legal difficulties that arise when this kind of misogynistic behaviour goes to court. Plus self-confessed “reformed lad” Chris Hemmings explains why this culture exists and how best to tackle it. Producers: Duncan Barber and Seren Jones. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

May 9, 201921 min

When does a royal become a celebrity?

The last couple of days has been huge for Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and their new baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. It’s a big moment for the royals as they work out the balance between raising their son in privacy and the celebrity status their baby gained the minute he was born.The BBC’s Royal Correspondent Jonny Dymond tells Beyond Today how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are redefining the royal brand.Thanks to Ricky Thompson, Harpers Bazaar, ABC, and Mediaeval Baebes.Producers: Philly Beaumont, Lucy Hancock and Jaja Muhammad. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast. Editor: John Shields.

May 8, 201919 min

Chernobyl: how do we split fact from fiction?

Thirty three years ago there was an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. We knew hardly anything about it at the time – only that radiation levels were rising in Western Europe. Of the emergency workers sent to tackle the blast, 28 died within months 19 have died since - 134 got acute radiation sickness. But now tourist groups visit the exclusion zone all the time - and scientists are studying there because the whole place has become a massive laboratory what happens in the aftermath of a nuclear disaster. BBC science correspondent Victoria Gill went there earlier this year and tells us how to assess the risks of radiation.

May 7, 201921 min

Why is Korean spy cam porn everyone’s problem?

South Korea is thought to be one of the more progressive countries in Asia, with its technological advancements and dominance in pop music. But the recent introduction of 5G has led to a rise in secret recordings in public areas, including women’s changing rooms and toilets. The BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker takes us through the rise of spy cams and how it’s fuelling the global porn industry.This is a re-upload of one of our most popular episodes, first published on 11 April.Producers: Seren Jones and Lucy Hancock Editor: Harriet Noble Mixed by Andrew Mills

May 6, 201919 min

Who would be a politician?

At a time of political turmoil the results of this week’s local elections show people turning away from Britain’s two main parties. Both Labour and the Conservatives have lost votes to the smaller parties and the independents amid anger over the Brexit deadlock. So who would stand for election in this toxic environment? Nearly 9000 people in England and Northern Ireland have been elected as local councillors this week. We met one of them. 27 year old Charlotte Leach has become the new councillor for Mobberley in Cheshire. She’s unusual because the average councillor in England is a 59 year old white man according to a recent BBC survey. We found out what makes her tick. Produced by Harriet Noble and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 3, 201916 min

Is Caster Semenya a victim?

Caster Semenya has achieved a lot. An Olympic and World champion, she’s won her last 29 races in a row. But yesterday the 28 year old South African lost her appeal against regulations restricting testosterone levels in female runners. Should she be punished for having a physical advantage? The South African sports journalist Mohammed Allie visited the village where she grew up and BBC Gender and Identity Correspondent Megha Mohan unpacks what Caster Semenya means for our understanding of gender. Producers: Harriet Noble and Duncan Barber Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

May 2, 201921 min

Does it matter if we can’t afford to live in cities?

We all know there’s a housing crisis. It’s something that’s happening in pretty much every desirable city all over the world, yet we rarely speak about the problem in global terms. We spoke to BBC Scotland correspondent James Cook, who has reported from LA, Edinburgh and Berlin. He tells us why we need to take a long hard look at the way our cities function and who they prioritise.

May 1, 201920 min

Can India become a better place for women?

The biggest democratic event in the history of the world is under way in India with hundreds of millions of people voting in the country’s general election. We’ll find out on the 23rd of May whether the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been re-elected. He’s a polarising figure, loved and loathed in equal measure, who plays on his machismo. Women have had the vote since India gained Independence but last year the country was rated the most dangerous place for women in a controversial survey. Now for the first time they are being treated as a real constituency. We speak to Poonam Joshni, a women’s rights activist, and to Divya Arya, the women’s affairs correspondent for the BBC in Delhi. Produced by: Jaja Muhammad, Seren Jones and Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

Apr 30, 201918 min

Are we being duped by the multi-level millionaires?

The multi-level marketing phenomenon is sweeping across social media as influencers post job adverts offering the chance of six figure incomes, cars and holidays in return for selling products online. More than 400,000 people in the UK are already signed up. We speak to BBC journalists Ellie Flynn and Jennifer Shaw about the darker side behind the enticing Instagram posts amid accusations of illegal pyramid selling, systematic targeting of vulnerable people by recruiters and even brainwashing. We also hear from Lindsay, who hoped selling makeup would help her cover the bills while she struggled to find full-time work. Producers: Duncan Barber and Lucy Hancock. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

Apr 29, 201919 min

What is justice in the age of Trump?

On our Friday episodes we like to do something a bit different and speak to one person about their take on something we’re interested in. Today it’s Preet Bharara, who used to be one of the top public lawyers in the US. He had a reputation as a crusading prosecutor - taking down the mafia and big fraudsters - and there are hit TV shows based on his work. Following the publication of the Mueller report on Russia’s role in the 2016 election, he spoke to us about how the law, truth and justice are changing under the Trump administration. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Apr 26, 201922 min

What does Sri Lanka tell us about the future of Islamic State?

On Easter Sunday six suicide bombings struck churches and hotels across Sri Lanka – killing more than 350 people and injuring hundreds. Since then Islamic State has claimed responsibility, while people in Sri Lanka have been kept in the dark after a social media black-out. We talk to Rajini Vaidyanathan, who has been reporting from Sri Lanka for the BBC, and Mina Al-Lami from BBC monitoring, who has been looking at what supporters of IS have been saying onlineProducer: Philly Beaumont Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Apr 25, 201918 min

Can we save the planet and still keep our stuff?

The online fast fashion retailer Boohoo has revealed a 48% rise in their revenues, a sign that our appetite for cheap stuff is as big as ever. Meanwhile climate change activists Extinction Rebellion are preparing to march through the heart of London’s City protesting against what they call a ‘toxic financial system’ that’s built on greed. So just how much does consumer culture impact the environment and what can we do about it? We speak to podcaster and comedian Stevie Martin and BBC correspondent Justin Rowlatt. You can see Stevie’s show ‘Hot Content’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Underbelly, Bristo Square.

Apr 24, 201922 min

Lyra McKee: what did she want us to know?

Lyra Mckee was killed at a riot in Londonderry last week. She was 29 and an acclaimed journalist who wrote about the Troubles and campaigned for LGBT rights. Since then the dissident republican group the New IRA have claimed responsibility for her death and apologised to her family. Her funeral on Wednesday is expected to be attended by thousands of people. We speak to three people connected to Lyra: Leona O’Neill was there the night she was killed, Aoife Moore grew up on the estate in Derry where she died, and Professor Siobhan O’Neill from Ulster University worked with Lyra researching trauma. They tell us what Lyra McKee would want us to know about Northern Ireland.Produced by: Philly Beaumont Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

Apr 23, 201921 min

Why would your mattress spy on you?

We all have our own conspiracy theories about who is listening to us through the internet. We probably have considered the idea that Facebook and Google control our lives – but these aren’t necessarily conspiracies. How might we have given the internet giants permission to spy on us? What connects a political scandal like Cambridge Analytica to Alexa and Google Maps? Matthew meets Shoshana Zuboff, who has been investigating this for years, to hear her theory that ties everything together. She calls it surveillance capitalism and she came to the studio to tell us why we should all be more aware of it.

Apr 18, 201921 min

Should you get sacked for posting what you believe?

Australian Rugby has sacked one of its biggest stars. Israel Folau has won 73 caps and was expected to play at this year’s World Cup in Japan. He’s now in trouble – although he’s appealing – after posting on social media that “hell awaits” gay people. Folau is a committed Christian who describes himself as “living for Jesus Christ”. Should he have been sacked for his religious beliefs? We talk to Jack Murley who hosts the LGBT Sports Podcast and also Harriet Bradshaw, a BBC journalist who has made a film about young people trying to live a gay and Christian life. Producer: Philly Beaumont, Duncan Barber Mixed by: Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields.

Apr 17, 201921 min

What should we think about Julian Assange?

When Wikileaks released classified documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010, it and its founder Julian Assange became world famous. Many people see him as a hero, calling out the powerful and confronting them with their crimes. But the US government has accused him of stealing state secrets and hacking into its computers, and over the years rape allegations – which he denies - and Wikileaks’ actions around the 2016 US election have painted Assange as an increasingly complex figure. BBC producer Katie Silver joins us to trace the story of Julian Assange, and to try and work out what we should think about him. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields Vote for Beyond Today at the British Podcast Awards! https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote

Apr 16, 201922 min

Why would you stab someone? Part 2

On 4th March we heard from former gang member Jay about why he’d never leave the house without carrying a knife.Jay has since been asked to make a Radio 4 documentary investigating the solutions to knife crime.For the programme he met a trauma surgeon, a police commander and a local mayor. He also had a long conversation with a man called Callum, who is from Glasgow. Glasgow used to be the murder capital of Europe, but now that’s changed and the city’s seen as a model for how to stop violence. Callum got caught up in a lot of violence and was stabbed nine times in one attack. This episode is the conversation the two of them had for Jay’s documentary, in which Jay asked Callum about how he moved away from violence.You can find Jay’s documentary “My Name Is... Jay” on BBC Sounds. It was produced by Gaetan Portal.Producers: Heidi Pett and Duncan Barber Editor: John Shields Mixed by Weidong Lin

Apr 15, 201922 min

Are Extinction Rebellion the new Suffragettes?

E

The climate protest group Extinction Rebellion has been causing quite a stir. Its members recently stripped almost naked in the House of Commons. They have also shut bridges, poured buckets of fake blood on the ground outside Downing Street and blockaded the BBC. For this episode we invited Extinction Rebellion’s Clare Farrell into the Beyond Today studio to find out why they think breaking the law is key to saving the planet.We also spoke to Phil Jones, who edits the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2. Phil told us about the climate change phone-in that angered the nation and a mix-up that ended with Extinction Rebellion members being hauled from the Radio 2 studio by police.Produced and mixed by Duncan Barber Additional mixing by Weidong Lin Editor: Lucy Hancock

Apr 12, 201921 min

Why is Korean spy cam porn everyone’s problem?

South Korea is thought to be one of the more progressive countries in Asia, with its technological advancements and dominance in pop music. But the recent introduction of 5G has led to a rise in secret recordings in public areas, including women’s changing rooms and toilets. The BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker takes us through the rise of spy cams and how it’s fuelling the global porn industry.Producers: Seren Jones and Lucy Hancock Editor: Harriet Noble Mixed by Andrew Mills

Apr 11, 201919 min

Would we have Brexit without the Tories?

E

If it feels like politicians have been talking about Brexit forever, it’s because in a way they have. From Thatcher campaigning to stay in Europe in 1975, to her ideological successors pinning their careers to getting us out in 2016, the Conservative Party has been at odds over Europe for decades. We speak to the Today programme presenter Nick Robinson, who for years as the BBC’s political editor watched the fray.Producers: Heidi Pett and Alva White Mixed by Andy Mills Editor: Harriet Noble

Apr 10, 201920 min

How did a teenager become the UK’s biggest cyber criminal?

E

This is the story of Zain Qaiser. A student who made hundreds of thousands of pounds blackmailing porn users with cyber attacks from his parents’ house in East London. He spent almost £5,000 on a Rolex watch, £2,000 on a stay in a Chelsea hotel and £70,000 in a shopping centre casino. Today he was jailed for more than six years.But for every Zain there’s a Fabian. Fabian Wosar destroys the kind of ransomware that Zain Qaiser used to extort money. Fabian is so successful that cyber gangs leave threatening messages for him in their code to try and scare him off. The BBC’s Dominic Casciani and Joe Tidy take us into the murky world of cyber criminals and the hero hackers trying to stop them. Producer: Duncan Barber Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Harriet Noble

Apr 9, 201920 min

Did the financial crisis change banking?

There’s a story you won’t hear much about today — because it’s a story that didn’t really happen. The former chief executive of Barclays John Varley and three other former senior bankers were on trial accused of fraud, the first time criminal charges were brought against the head of a global bank for activities during the financial crisis. And this morning the jury was discharged. The BBC’s business editor Simon Jack has been covering the crisis and its aftermath since the beginning. He spoke to us about whether lessons have been learnt in the past decade.Producers: Lucy Hancock and Seren Jones Mixed by Weidong Lin Editor: Harriet Noble

Apr 8, 201918 min

Marc Maron: how did podcasts become mainstream?

There are a few moments when the podcast phenomenon really took off - and one of them is in 2009 when a comedian began interviewing people he knew in his garage. “WTF with Marc Maron” has grown to be a podcast juggernaut - each month it’s downloaded 6 million times and it’s just celebrated its 1000th episode. Some of the most famous people in the world have talked to Marc - rockstars, A-List actors, and a former president of the United States. Marc Maron sat down with Beyond Today to talk about how podcasts made the jump from the underground to the mainstream, and what it’s like when Barack Obama comes to visit. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Apr 5, 201926 min

What’s Chelsea doing about racism?

Chelsea has come under the spotlight this season after Manchester City's Raheem Sterling was alleged to have been racially abused by some supporters during a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge last December. The incident led to four fans being suspended by the club. This was followed just a few days later by alleged anti-Semitic chanting by Chelsea fans at a match in Hungary. The Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck responded by greeting supporters at the turnstiles before a Premier League win at Brighton on 16 December and writing an open letter condemning the actions of "a few mindless individuals". We went to speak to him at Stamford Bridge to hear about how the club is using education to clamp down on discrimination. Producer: Duncan Barber. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

Apr 4, 201920 min

How dangerous are far right hipsters?

Last week a story surfaced that seemed, on the face of it, a little bit odd. A far right youtuber in Austria, Martin Sellner, had his house raided by the authorities after revealing he’d received a $1500 donation to his movement Generation Identity. The money was from the suspect in the Christchurch shooting in New Zealand. This story takes us from the world of YouTubers back to the Crusades and tells us how extreme ideas spread around the world.

Apr 3, 201919 min

Would celebrities make better politicians?

Donald Trump, Imran Khan, George Weah… all over the world voters have shown their dissatisfaction with politicians by voting in anti-establishment candidates, sometimes former celebrities. The next in line might be Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who plays a president on Ukrainian TV and won the first round of the country’s presidential elections in real life. Could electing popular celebrities overcome our distrust of unpopular politicians? Olga Robinson from BBC Monitoring and Senior Elections and Political Analyst Peter Barnes weigh in. Producers: Harriet Noble and Seren Jones Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Editor: John Shields

Apr 2, 201921 min

True Crime: how ethical is it?

It’s a big moment for true crime fans with another documentary out this week. ‘The Case Against Adnan Syed’ is being released in four parts by HBO and Sky. He’s the man who arguably started our addiction for true crime. 340 million people downloaded the original telling of this story on the Serial podcast. Now, his case is being seen on TV. It’s just one of many true crime documentaries being pumped out this year, along with The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann and The Ted Bundy Tapes. Kelly-Leigh Cooper writes for the BBC news website and is a big true crime fan. She visited some of the communities burdened by notorious murders.Credit to Cassidy Rainforest Gard for use of audio.Producers: Philly Beaumont, Seren Jones Mixed by: Nicolaus Raufast Editor: John Shields

Apr 1, 201919 min

Has Brexit already changed me?

Since the EU referendum in 2016 the lives of two people have been completely taken over by Brexit. Femi Oluwole had been studying law and had just begun a career in European human rights. Owen Reed was 16 and still at school in 2016. But both these men became political activists and have been campaigning ever since. We spoke to them both about the last two years and discovered that despite being in opposite camps they share some views.Mixed by Nicolas Raufast Producers: Philly Beaumont and Georgia Coan Editor: John Shields

Mar 29, 201918 min

Can Grindr be kinder?

It’s the most widely used LGBTQ app in the world with 27 million global users, but many of the people who use Grindr have a complicated relationship with it. We speak to comedian Jack Rooke and author of ‘Grindr Survivor’ Andrew Londyn about whether Grindr can shake off its reputation and what the future could look like for a gay dating app. With special thanks to George Hicks, Josh Cockcroft, Simon Haupt and Isobel Power Smith for the music. You can hear Jack Rooke's programme 'Telling Tales' available on BBC Sounds from April 9th.This episode contains strong language and sexually explicit content.Mixed by Nico Raufast Producer: Lucy Hancock Editor: John Shields

Mar 28, 201918 min

Is climate change the only thing making natural disasters worse?

Two weeks ago Cyclone Idai tore through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, some of the poorest countries in Africa, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and hundreds dead. Cholera has become a major concern among survivors. But it’s not just a catastrophic natural event, there are human causes behind the misery. BBC reporter Nomsa Maseko and Africa Editor Fegal Keane tell us a story of climate change, global corruption and devastation - but also progress and hope. Producers: Duncan Barber and Jaja Muhammad. Editor: John Shields. Mixed by Nicolas Raufast.

Mar 27, 201916 min

Did one Russian mastermind this political chaos?

Trump, Brexit, the far left, the far right, Russia is often accused of interfering with Western democracy. But one Tupac-loving PR guy went beyond politics and masterminded the disruption of an entire global political system. The BBC’s Gabriel Gatehouse introduces us to Vladislav Surkov, the most powerful man you’ve never heard of. This episode contains strong language.

Mar 26, 201923 min

Dr. Evil: why is consent not enough?

He calls himself a body modification artist, but Brendan McCarthy AKA ‘Dr. Evil’ has just been sentenced to 40 months in prison for grievous bodily harm. He was jailed over tongue splitting, and nipple and ear removal procedures despite having the consent of his clients. We speak to one of his customers Wayne Fitzpatrick and BBC Stories’ Ruth Evans, who had been following the case for two years, about the limits of consent when it comes to our bodies.Producers: Lucy Hancock and Georgia Coan Editor: John Shields Mixed by Nico Raufast

Mar 25, 201916 min

What should you do when there’s a terrorist attack?

Three years ago thirty two people died in three suicide bombings in Brussels. How authorities and civilians responded on that day can help us understand what we should do if we are caught up in a terror attack. Larissa Kennelly from the BBC’s Brussels bureau has been learning those lessons, while BBC producer Piers Scholfield and Benoit Remacker from the Belgian Crisis Centre take us through what happened that day.Producer: Maria Byrne Mixed by Nicolas Raufast and Maria Byrne Editor: John Shields

Mar 22, 201923 min

Should we say nice things about Bradford?

Bradford has a tricky relationship with the national media. Big stories that have come out of the city include a bitter election battle over Bradford West, grooming gangs, and Islamic extremism. We joined a BBC project searching for unreported and more positive news from underserved communities across the UK. The first stop was Bradford. Producers: Seren Jones and Jaja Muhammad Mixed: Andy MillsEditor: John Shields

Mar 21, 201917 min

Why is the Pope worried about robots?

This is an episode about what happened when global tech gurus were invited inside one of the world’s oldest and most conservative institutions. The Catholic church is thinking about the big ethical questions - perhaps in a way many of our governments are not - that are swirling around around tech. So they gathered some of the big players in robotics and AI in Rome, at the Vatican. BBC Click’s Jen Copestake was there to see what happened.Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan BarberMixed by: Andy MillsEditor: John Shields

Mar 20, 201918 min

Should egg freezing be free?

Almost half of young women in the UK are considering freezing their eggs, according to a recent survey. It involves harvesting eggs from a woman’s ovaries and keeping them in storage so she might be able to still have a baby even if her fertility declines. But it costs thousands of pounds and currently the success rates are low. Many women either can’t afford it, or don’t want to spend so much on something that might not work. Should the state or employers shoulder the cost? And should we all talk more openly about fertility? The BBC’s Global Health Correspondent Smitha Mundasad and Ali, Molly and Monty join us. Producer: Harriet Noble Mixed by Andy Mills Editor: John Shields

Mar 19, 201922 min

Christchurch: how do you find the terrorists among the trolls?

After the mass shooting at two mosques in New Zealand in which 50 people were killed there has been widespread shock that it happened in a country that regards itself as inclusive and welcoming. The attack was livestreamed on Facebook, and social media companies were criticised for waiting too long to take the footage down. But the attacker also posted on extreme free speech message boards – where a racist subculture is thriving. We speak to Mike Wendling, Editor of BBC Trending, who has been tracking this subculture, and to Dominic Casciani, who covers terrorism for the BBC, to find out how the security services are dealing with this new challenge.Producer: Philly BeaumontEditor: John ShieldsMixed by Andy Mills

Mar 18, 201921 min