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Podcast · 508 episodes

The Documentary Podcast, page 7

by BBC World Service · English

The best documentaries 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. From Australia's relationship with China, to Turkey's sinkhole problem, to understanding the behaviour of dictators, we go beyond the headlines. Each week, all year round, we bring you the stories shaping our world. From the personal voices behind the headlines to perspectives on faith and spirituality and how work and money impact our lives. Discover how people find solutions to global problems and look at the world through the lens of its media. Powered by the BBC World Service’s global network, The Documentary Podcast is about the people living the story – helping you see the world with greater clarity.

All episodes, page 7

Manosphere messiahs: MexicoThe episode investigates Mexico’s “manosphere” influencers, focusing on El Tamatch (Luis Castilleja), a Latin American masculinity influencer who tours and tells followers “Welcome to War Mode” and…28 May 2026 · 30 min · 16 chapters
São Paulo's carnival competitionBBC World Service documentary following São Paulo samba schools’ year-long preparation for Carnival’s Grupo Especial parade, focusing on float construction, rehearsals, judging, and the outcome for…27 May 2026 · 33 min · 20 chapters
Sierra Leone: The diamond that saved a thousand livesThe episode follows BBC Assignment’s 2017 “peace diamond” find in Koyadu, Sierra Leone: a 700+ carat diamond unearthed in an open pit that sold at auction in New York for $6.5 million.26 May 2026 · 31 min · 23 chapters
Sydney fireworks, the returnThis BBC World Service episode takes listeners inside Sydney New Year’s Eve 2025, focusing on how the fireworks, lighting, and projections are designed and coordinated.25 May 2026 · 26 min · 10 chapters
The Sarkozy affairThe BBC World Service documentary “The Sarkozy Affair” investigates allegations that Nicolas Sarkozy and his entourage secretly arranged with Libya’s Gaddafi regime to finance Sarkozy’s 2007…24 May 2026 · 57 min · 27 chapters
AI farewells for Russia’s dead soldiersRussian social media “digital resurrection” AI videos—family members pay to generate personalized clips of soldiers, often framed as heroes, sometimes dead and sometimes still fighting, to cope with…23 May 2026 · 26 min · 14 chapters
Life in a volcano danger zoneWhy people live near and work around active volcanoes, balancing attraction with real danger; includes recent fatal incidents and lessons from volcano guides/photographers.23 May 2026 · 24 min · 11 chapters
Fighting for the children of ChernobylThe BBC World Service documentary “Heart and Soul” episode “Fighting for the children of Chernobyl” follows Irish humanitarian Aidy Roach’s response to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the…22 May 2026 · 27 min · 18 chapters
When Shiraz callsTwo Iranian sisters, Gita in London and Leila in Shiraz, record calls during the US-Israel war on Iran, showing how airstrikes, internet blackouts, economic collapse, and repression reshape daily…21 May 2026 · 28 min · 16 chapters
Introducing: Focus on Africa - Electric vehicles: fixing Africa's fuel crisis?This BBC World Service “Focus on Africa” episode links Africa’s rising fuel/energy costs to two alternatives: electric mobility and sustainable fashion.20 May 2026 · 24 min · 6 chapters
Victim or Accomplice? The Story of Jeffrey Epstein’s Pilot GirlfriendBBC World Service documentary about Nadia Martzinko (redacted as “Nadia Martinko”), described by US prosecutors as a potential co-conspirator in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network, and the…19 May 2026 · 45 min · 22 chapters
Thomas Keneally: What’s next for the Schindler’s List author?BBC In the Studio profiles Thomas Keneally in Sydney as he approaches what may be his last book, while reflecting on aging, writing habits, and a major new essay about Mungo Man, the 40,000-year-old…18 May 2026 · 27 min · 8 chapters
Introducing: CrowdScience - What keeps the universe in balance?Why stars burn and whether the universe “recycles” elements to keep balance—specifically, where hydrogen comes from and whether helium can be converted back into hydrogen.17 May 2026 · 32 min · 9 chapters
How Belarus silenced its free pressBelarus suppresses independent media by labeling BBC Russian as “extremist,” criminalizing engagement with its content, and driving journalists into exile or jail.16 May 2026 · 26 min · 19 chapters
Hantavirus nearly killed meSurvivors of hantavirus discuss how they were infected, their near-death illnesses, and recovery, alongside experts explaining transmission, symptoms, treatment, and outbreak risk after a cruise ship…16 May 2026 · 23 min · 13 chapters
Speaking from the HeartBBC World Service documentary “Speaking from the Heart” (Heart and Soul) about Anna’s Christian faith during a 1994 stroke that left her “locked in,” her recovery using assistive technology, and her…15 May 2026 · 26 min · 14 chapters
An animal exodusThe Natural History Museum’s hidden storage collections are being moved from an aging London facility to a new state-of-the-art store and research center near Reading, in a process described as an…14 May 2026 · 26 min · 12 chapters
Introducing: Not By The Playbook - Why it is never too late“Not By The Playbook” episode about “never too late” to reinvent yourself—using sport and personal setbacks as examples of resilience, redemption, and recovery.13 May 2026 · 59 min · 25 chapters
Return to Khartoum: War, loss and hopeReturn to Khartoum one year after government forces recaptured the city in 2025, examining how the 2023 RSF–army war devastated civilians, infrastructure, and Sudan’s cultural heritage, and how…12 May 2026 · 29 min · 10 chapters
Mika Obanda: Mosaic artKenyan artist Mika Obanda’s mosaic and mixed-media work, “Trying to Blossom,” made largely from collected eggshells, and how his life in Mukuru slum and a devastating studio fire shaped his themes…11 May 2026 · 27 min · 15 chapters
Searching for Soldier Dad: Ep 1. Love storyEpisode 1 (“Love Story”) of BBC World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad follows DNA detectives’ quest to identify British soldiers who fathered children in Nanyuki, Kenya, then disappeared,…10 May 2026 · 35 min · 12 chapters
A 93 year old president gets a deputyThe episode is a BBC World Service “Fifth Floor” segment covering three stories.9 May 2026 · 26 min · 9 chapters
Sir David AttenboroughBBC Conversations marks Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, covering how his wildlife storytelling shaped generations and conservation efforts, plus guests’ experiences working in wildlife…9 May 2026 · 23 min · 9 chapters
Befriending the man who killed my familyA BBC World Service documentary in Rwanda exploring what forgiveness and reconciliation mean when 1994 genocide perpetrators are released and return to live near survivors.8 May 2026 · 27 min · 9 chapters