The Infinite Monkey Cage

The Mighty Spud - Sandy Knapp, Glenn Bryan and Susan Calman


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Robin Ince and Brian Cox get out the ketchup and peel back the layers of one of the most versatile and beloved foods - potatoes. From the science of starch to the surprising role potatoes have played in history, we’re digging deep to uncover the truth behind the mighty spud.

Chipping into the conversation are botanist Sandy Knapp, geneticist Glenn Bryan and potato passionate comedian Susan Calman.
Susan is astonished to learn that the potatoes lining our supermarket shelves all belong to a single species and once she discovered the rich diversity of wild potato species in South America, she’s already planning her next holiday to visit them! Plus we end the episode on a tuber-powered musical note as Helen Anahita-Wilson plays the monkey cage theme song on none other than a potato keyboard!

Producer: Melanie Brown

Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem

BBC Studios Audio Production

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The Infinite Monkey CageBy BBC Radio 4

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