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Illuminated is Radio 4's home for powerful, original audio storytelling - and recently we've heard from listeners who were moved by a documentary called Functioning, about the effect of alcohol addiction on two women's lives. Andrea Catherwood talks to the programme's producer Jodie Taylor, and Radio 4 documentary commissioner Hugh Levinson, and hears a remarkable insight into how the programme came to be.

Feedback's listeners are pretty clued up when it comes to giving their thoughts to the BBC, but we came across one last week who seemed to know more than most - as it turned out, he did a PhD on charter renewal. Andrea talks to Dr Tom Chivers, academic at Goldsmiths, University of London, about what the BBC can do to reach its audience during a consultation that could result in radical change.

And following our discussion of news avoidance on last week's programme, we hear from a listener who has discovered his own method for avoiding news that feels excessive, or irrelevant.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

The main news this week has been about the US-Israel attacks on Iran - but how is BBC Radio handling its coverage? We'll hear from you on the situation.

And in light of that, is there a chance that more and more people might be switching the news off? BBC Radio 4 recently aired a series of programmes all about positive news items, which many listeners felt was a relief to hear. Presenter Andrea Catherwood talks to Nic Newman, a founding member of the BBC News website and currently a Senior research associate with the Reuters Institute for the study of journalism, to find out what's fuelling the trend towards news avoidance.

Following our piece last week about the end of regular episodes of Ukrainecast, we'll hear more of your thoughts on what you'll miss about the podcast.

We also hear from listeners concerned that the music quiz programme Counterpoint is no longer recorded in front of a live audience.

And there's information about how you can give your thoughts in the UK government's ongoing open consultation on the BBC's Charter Renewal, which closes at midnight on 10th March. The survey can be found on the government's website, under the heading Britain's Story: The Next Chapter.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

The war in Ukraine is still raging on, but is BBC Radio's coverage being faded out? Regular episodes of hugely popular Ukrainecast stopped before Christmas 2025, although the BBC has stated that they will produce pop-up episodes at particularly urgent moments in the conflict. But what do you think? We hear from listeners and Andrea Catherwood talks to Olga Tokariuk, journalist and Academy associate at Chatham about the impact that Ukrainecast made.

There's been some buzz around a recent episode of Any Questions? which broadcast from Dumbarton. The programme in front of a live audience was interrupted several time by protesters and one question from an audience member was changed before it was broadcast. We hear from you on how presenter Alex Forsyth handled it.

It's also the first VoxBox of the series - this time, couple Becky and Alex stepped into our booth to discuss the recent Radio 4 series The Fibre Factor, presented by food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. But did Hugh's nutrition-focused programme give them food for thought?

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

All year long we've been asking listeners to send in their nominations for Feedback's Interview of the Year, and finally the time has come to crown the winner.

In this special episode of Feedback, Andrea Catherwood will hear your nominations for the BBC Audio Interview of the Year - any conversation from across BBC radio or podcasts that inspired, surprised, or stopped you in your tracks.

We'll also reveal the interview that was judged the best by our listener judging panel - and talk to the winner.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

The Reith Lectures are one of the most anticipated broadcasts in the radio year, and the conversation around this year's iteration, presented by Dutch historian Rutger Bregman on the theme of 'Moral Revolution', has been making headlines. Bregman complained on social media that one of his lines was edited out of the broadcast of the first lecture - and it set your tongues wagging. Andrea Catherwood catches up with the lectures' commissioner Hugh Levinson to ask about the decisions behind this year's series.

And it's 70 years since From Our Own Correspondent - or FOOC = was first broadcast on the BBC, giving a space for long-form, single-voice reports from correspondents all over the world. Editor Richard Fenton-Smith and Today presenter Anna Foster joins us to hear your thoughts on the programme as it celebrates a big birthday.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for Radio 4

What can you say on the radio these days? For some listeners, instances of swear words and racialised language do not belong on Radio 4. Andrea Catherwood sits down with "king of the bleep" Roger Mahony, the Head of Editorial Standards for Radio 4, Radio 4 Extra and On Demand Speech, to discuss listeners' concerns and ask how the decision to give certain words the green light gets made.

And listeners were entranced by a recent Illuminated documentary presented by poet Paul Farley about hearing loss and hearing aids. We put your points to the documentary's producer Geoff Bird.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Mark Steel's In Town has just completed it's 14th series, and listeners from Shetland to Rutland and beyond have been tuning in. But what do they make of it? And what goes into putting each episode together? Mark joins presenter Andrea Catherwood on Feedback to answer your questions and unravel how the programme works.

Some listeners also had questions about Radio 4's Materials of State, which is being broadcast this week. The first programme in the series covered the story of the UK's national flag - listeners claimed calling it the Union Jack was wrong. Malcolm Farrow, President of The Flag Institute, weighs in to clear up any confusion.

And there's one final nomination for Feedback's Interview of the Year before nominations close. It comes from a listener who tuned in to Test Match Special Podcast to hear the BBC's Chief Cricket Reporter Stephan Shemilt interviewing veteran cricketer David Larter.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

There's been a raft of programming out on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live over the past week about fatherhood. Feedback's heard from listeners to one particular series on Radio 4 - Father Figuring, presented by comedian Darren Harriott. In the series, Darren attempts to untangle his feelings about his complicated relationship with his own dad, and work out what makes a good father today. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments to him.

BBC Radio Scotland has seen some big changes in the past week, as the current late night music programming is set to be changed. Veteran presenters Iain Anderson and Billy Sloan are among those seeing their shows wound down, in a move that has caused backlash among some listeners. Brian Ferguson, The Herald's Arts Correspondent, and Norman Paterson, whose music career was changed by an appearance on Iain Anderson's show, weigh in with their thoughts.

And from one music legend to another - a new series of Legend is out on BBC Sounds, and this run is all about Bruce Springsteen. Listeners Christopher and Victoria enter our Feedback VoxBox to discuss whether the series left them blinded by the light, or if compared to other BBC podcasts, they felt it was tougher than the rest...

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Following resignations of the BBC’s Director General and the CEO of BBC News in light of accusations of institutional bias in the organisation, Andrea Catherwood puts listener comments about the integrity of the BBC and its coverage of the scandal to the former Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer.

As the story on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to play out, the Senior Royal Correspondent Daniela Relph shares how she navigates a story of this sensitivity and magnitude. We pose listeners’ responses, including a query over naming conventions.

And there's a moving conversation on 6 Music that’s been nominated for Feedback interview of the year by listener Bruce Shortland. He suggests a beautiful conversation between Chris Hawkins and the rapper Rosca Onya.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

In last week's episode of Feedback, we spoke to BBC Radio 4 Comedy and Entertainment commissioner Julia McKenzie about Call Jonathan Pie in the 6.30pm comedy slot. In this week's entirely listener-led programme, we'll hear your comments and reaction to last week's interview.

And two listeners, Abi and Clare, discuss Radical with Amol Rajan in our Vox Box. The relatively new podcast has Amol sitting down with some of the leading lights in tech, politics and more, for big conversations designed to help you, as the programme descriptions suggests, to 'win the future'. But is it as radical as its title?

And some listeners are asking why the Today programme left the Chancellor of the Exchequer's live pre budget statement from Downing Street early.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4