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Artwork for Illuminated

Illuminated

BBC Radio 4
Mental Health
Music
Admiral Duncan Bombing
Recovery
Ceefax
Alcohol Addiction
Ufos
Dementia
Shipping Forecast
Grief
Cyclone Tracy
Owambe
BBC Radio 4
Technology
Memory Loss
Family Dynamics
Climate Change
Family
Bel Canto
Opera

Illuminated is BBC Radio 4's home for creative and surprising one-off documentaries that shed light on hidden worlds.

Welcome to a place of audio beauty and joy, with emotion and human experience at its heart. The programmes you will find in this feed explore the reality of contemporary Britain and the world, venturing into its weirdest and most wonderful aspects.

This is a chance to meet voices ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes95Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Illuminated

Latest Episodes

On a hot summer’s day in 1991, a violent crime took place that shook Consett, a town in the North East of England. When threatened with the legal demolition of a property he owned, a former steelworker called Albert Dryden went on a murderous rampage... more

The young British poet Saili Katebe was born in landlocked Zambia, and grew up with an imagined beach in his mind. Palm trees would grow in the golden sands. The sun would shine all day, and naturally there’d be romance.

Moving to the UK as a teena... more

When Laura's sister could no longer care for her daughter, Laura had a few hours to decide. If she said yes, she would become a parent again overnight, no training, no paid leave, no warning. If she said no, the little girl would go into care.

She s... more

“Each one of us, we’re a constant radio station communicating and receiving. It’s just that we’re not taught how to read, how to interpret the energies and intuitions we pick up. The tarot card is a really important component in this… " Ben Okri

Tar... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Sam Turner
Worker for the Kinship charity, promotes kinship care awareness
Kinship
Episode: My Sister’s Daughter
Sarah Dillon
Counsellor and leading voice on children and trauma
Independent professional
Episode: My Sister’s Daughter
Lucy Underdown
Two-time Britain's Strongest Woman; police officer; world record deadlift
Metropolitan Police; Strong Woman athlete
Episode: Strong Women
Rebecca Roberts
Three-time World's Strongest Woman; tall and accomplished athlete
Strength sport community
Episode: Strong Women
Donna Moore
Four-time World's Strongest Woman; online coach
Strength athletics
Episode: Strong Women
Denise Ogden
Senior Business Operations Manager for imaging facilities
University Of Manchester
Episode: Me, Myself and the MRI
Victoria Donahue
MRI radiographer
The Christie (MRI department)
Episode: Me, Myself and the MRI
Andy Mycock
Presenter and central figure in Named Unashamed
Independent academic/author
Episode: Andy Mycock: Named, Unashamed
Jenny Coates
Andy's partner, involved in personal narrative
Private individual
Episode: Andy Mycock: Named, Unashamed

Host

Hugh Levinson
Host of Illuminated; Commissioner and host of episodes; frequently guides conversations and narrative arc.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 51 ratings
  • Thank you

    Lovely, thoughtful, stirring stories carefully crafted. Short and sweet. Chef’s kiss!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amadalliyickmickdick
    Canada2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests who bring practical expertise or lived experience tend to resonate strongly with audiences.
Listeners appreciate the intimate, human-centered approach and the blend of testimony with expert context.
The storytelling is warm and thoughtfully crafted, with careful attention to detail.
Production quality and editing are consistently praised, making stories feel immersive and respectful.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Little Box Which Contains the World
Q: Has that been effective in a sense? Has a journey become easier the more you've had to do it?
The guest shares that repeated journeys have helped them realize they can survive and return safely from these trips, suggesting a gradual easing of anxiety.
The Little Box Which Contains the World
Q: Could you maybe tell us a bit about like your history with anxiety and specifically agoraphobia, like when did it sort of start?
The guest describes starting to experience panic attacks during university, which escalated to severe anxiety that prevented normal activities.
Anger and Us
Q: Could you tell me a bit more about why some people implode?
Imploding is a kind of denial of anger; often someone will feel guilty for being angry or wanting to hide that anger.
Anger and Us
Q: How did you feel after the MMA?
I was glad that we'd done it, but I don't think I'd go back. It felt uncomfortable and I don't feel the urge to hit.
The Beauty of Everyday Things
Q: What is it about cafes, Helen? Why do we like these places?
Helen mentions she enjoys sitting and listening, but she finds it challenging to write in cafes due to being overwhelmed by the sensory input.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Illuminated

What is Illuminated about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A collection of intimate, character-driven documentaries that illuminate hidden or under-explored worlds through personal storytelling and expert context. Episodes span kinship care, women in strength sports, medical imaging experiences, identity and humor around surnames, ecological and agricultural ecosystems, historic religion and art, addiction and resilience, and archival or historical narratives. The shared throughlines are human-scale narratives, interdisciplinary perspectives, and a willingness to touch emotional, ethical, and social questions with nuance. The program often pairs first-person journeys with informed commentary from professionals, producing stories that feel both deeply personal and broadly insightful for audiences se... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Illuminated?

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How many listeners does Illuminated get?

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What are the audience demographics for Illuminated?

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How many subscribers and views does Illuminated have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Illuminated has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Illuminated?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Illuminated:

1. Radical with Amol Rajan
2. File on 4 Investigates
3. The Media Show
4. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
5. Sliced Bread

How many episodes of Illuminated are there?

Illuminated launched 2 years ago and published 95 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Illuminated?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Illuminated?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Illuminated from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Illuminated?

Recent guests on Illuminated include:

1. Sam Turner
2. Sarah Dillon
3. Lucy Underdown
4. Rebecca Roberts
5. Donna Moore
6. Denise Ogden
7. Victoria Donahue
8. Andy Mycock

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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