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The Documentary Podcast

BBC World Service
Climate Change
Ukraine
Russia
Greenland
China
Iran
Faith
Trauma
Donald Trump
Music
India
Kenya
Christianity
Denmark
Israel
Mental Health
Human Rights
Russian Cultural Code
Statelessness
Somali Community

Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. The best of documentary storytelling from the BBC World Service. From conflict in the Middle East to the advance of AI, to the front line of the climate emergency, we go beyond the headlines. Each week we dive into the minds of the world’s most creative people, take personal j... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2000Founded21 years ago
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Society & CultureDocumentary

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Latest Episodes

It’s just over six weeks since the ship, MV Hondius, left Argentina for a cruise visiting remote islands in the South Atlantic. A month later, three passengers had died. The World Health Organisation identified the probable cause as hantavirus – a ro... more

Anna was just 25, and newly married living near Oxford when she suffered a massive stroke, caused by a tumour in her heart. It initially left her locked in – unable to let the world around her know that she was even conscious. Mike Wooldridge hears A... more

The Natural History Museum of London is getting ready to move 28 million of its precious specimens to a new state-of-the-art home. Imagine moving tens of millions of delicate animal and plant specimens, gathered from all across the world, over the ce... more

First, the story of Mike Flynn whose remarkable resilience and incredible fitness helped achieve his goal to play college football at the age of fifty-nine but at its heart, his is a story of redemption. Living with pain is sadly all too common. That... more

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Inquiry
The InquiryBBC World Service
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Lives Less OrdinaryBBC World Service
Global News Podcast
Global News PodcastBBC World Service
Witness History
Witness HistoryBBC World Service
Discovery
DiscoveryBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Paul Njie
BBC Africa journalist providing context on Cameroon
BBC Africa
Episode: A 93 year old president gets a deputy
Tatiana Kovtun
Correspondent for BBC Russian
BBC Russian
Episode: A 93 year old president gets a deputy
Panisa Aemocha
Representative for BBC Thai
BBC Thai
Episode: A 93 year old president gets a deputy
Wendy Kirorei
Cinematographer inspired by Attenborough
Kenya
Episode: Sir David Attenborough
Joao Paulo Krajewski
Cinematographer
Brazil
Episode: Sir David Attenborough
Brad Bestelink
Cinematographer
Botswana
Episode: Sir David Attenborough
Victoria Bromley
Cinematographer
UK
Episode: Sir David Attenborough
Paola Kaumbu
Conservationist
Kenya
Episode: Sir David Attenborough
Charu Mishra
Conservationist
India
Episode: Sir David Attenborough

Hosts

Most frequent BBC World Service documentary hosts
A core set of BBC World Service documentary hosts who anchor on-the-ground reporting, international analysis, and narrative storytelling across geopolitics, culture, and humanitarian topics.
Additional recurring hosts and contributors
Contributors and on-the-studio hosts who have appeared across episodes in varying capacities.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 7.4k ratings
  • Kentucky Radio

    Heartwarming interviews from the people who keep voting for McConnell and Trump, without an unkind word for the politicians who made their families sick.

    Isolation truly does enable exploitation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Terrilynr
    Canada3 months ago
  • Godawful voice acting

    The Greece NGO/trafficking trial doc has execrable voice acting overdubbing the Greeks. Hammed up screeching and caricature and nothing else.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    NickMcName82
    Ireland4 months ago
  • No Man’s Land

    What an imaginative question to ask and the research and time to research and find expertise on the content truly inspirational. Really enjoyed learning about theses unknown worlds.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    =====WWWW;
    Canada4 months ago
  • Ruined by loud advertisements

    Mostly good content albeit sometimes biased. The problem is that ads are so much louder than the actual broadcast. Really shouldn’t happen but very annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    bm4488
    Australia4 months ago
  • BBC?

    Would you seriously believe anything that the BBC informs you on???propaganda,disinformation and deception.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Downusa
    United Kingdom7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Feedback is mixed, with strong appreciation for insightful reporting and some criticisms of balance.
Some reviews note ad volume and perceived bias; others call out bias or propaganda concerns.
Listeners praise in-depth interviews and global perspectives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Meet the preppers
Q: How long could you sustain yourself with your own supplies?
One speaker mentions a five-year supply in their home, with additional storage at an off-grid location, illustrating the scale some preppers aim for while others stay focused on shorter, incremental readiness.
Meet the preppers
Q: What kind of emergencies do you prepare for the most?
The guests describe a spectrum from minor inconveniences like a flat tire to major disruptions such as power outages, pandemics, and potential nuclear threats, emphasizing practical, probable scenarios and long-term resilience.
Surviving my daughter's killing
Q: Tell me about the restorative justice process and what it was like for your family.
We chose to participate in a restorative circle to speak about Ann's life, understand the impact of her death, and collaboratively determine a path that could bring accountability and healing, not just punishment.
Bringing India's daughters back home
Q: So tell me about this film. What happens in it?
Geeta Pandey explains that Band Baaja Bitiya is an advertising film promoted by a steel company to convey strength and to mirror societal attitudes, showing a father who retrieves his daughter from an abusive marriage and publicly proclaims that there is no shame in protecting her. The film uses the wedding band as a powerful symbol of resistance to stigma.
The woman fighting IS in Somalia
Q: How did the imam describe ISIS and its use of religion?
The imam stated that ISIS does not represent Islam and that they seek power through violence, underscoring a religiously biased misappropriation of faith by the group and offering a counter-narrative within the community.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About The Documentary Podcast

What is The Documentary Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently covers global affairs through in-depth, documentary-style reporting and expert commentary. Recent samples span humanitarian crises (Al-Hol camp, displaced families, and rehabilitation debates), frontline war reporting (Ukraine mobilization, civilian impact), and cultural perspectives (diaspora life, graffiti as social commentary, and the interplay between art, faith, and identity). Noteworthy are on-the-ground voices from journalists and local insiders, plus guests who illuminate personal journeys within larger political or cultural narratives. The show often blends rigorous reporting with intimate storytelling, making complex global issues accessible to curious listeners while highlighting human resilience, ethica... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Documentary Podcast?

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How many listeners does The Documentary Podcast get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Documentary Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Documentary Podcast 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 The Documentary Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Documentary Podcast:

1. The Inquiry
2. Lives Less Ordinary
3. Global News Podcast
4. Witness History
5. Discovery

How many episodes of The Documentary Podcast are there?

The Documentary Podcast launched 21 years ago and published 2000 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 The Documentary Podcast?

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 The Documentary Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The Documentary Podcast?

Recent guests on The Documentary Podcast include:

1. Paul Njie
2. Tatiana Kovtun
3. Panisa Aemocha
4. Wendy Kirorei
5. Joao Paulo Krajewski
6. Brad Bestelink
7. Victoria Bromley
8. Paola Kaumbu

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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