An exciting mixture of free BBC events have been added to the Hay Festival 2025 programme, 22 May–1 June.
Taking place in the Exchange Marquee, set in the centre of the free-to-enter Hay Festival site, BBC events offer a dynamic blend of live show recordings and more from Radio 4, Radio 3, BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Wales.
Discover the full programme online now at hayfestival.org/hay-on-wye.
This year’s line-up sees many programmes making their Hay Festival debut. Fans of The Archers are in for a treat as Emma Freud brings her weekly podcast, The Archers Podcast, to Hay Festival for the first time. Join Emma for behind-the-scenes insights into the latest events in Ambridge, with members of the cast and the production team, along with some classic archive moments and the chance to ask questions. Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken present their brand-new BBC Radio 4 health podcast, What's Up Docs? in its first appearance at Hay Festival. They’ll be debating everyday health and wellbeing dilemmas, with the help of a guest expert. Phil Wang and Susie Dent will host Unspeakable, their hit comedy panel series adding new words to the English language. Meanwhile, true crime meets literature with Lucy Worsley and the team from hit Radio 4 series Lady Killers in conversation with historian Professor Rosalind Crone and a guest to discuss infamous murderesses from history.
Naomi Alderman dissects the minds of brilliant thinkers from the past in her landmark Radio 4 series Human Intelligence. James Crawford is joined by author Andrew Miller for Radio 4’s new book programme, Take Four Books. Newscast, one of the UK’s biggest podcasts, makes its Hay Festival debut, hosted by Adam Fleming. Radio 3's Unwind will feature broadcaster and presenter Dr. Sian Williams and cognitive neuroscientist Professor Catherine Loveday in conversation. Delving into the science behind music and the brain, Sian and Catherine share practical tips to keep listeners positive and productive, revealing the benefits of open-mindedness and getting out into nature.
The BBC Marquee will also be home to a range of live broadcasts. Emma Barnett brings a special edition of Today live from Hay Festival, offering festival-goers the chance to see the inner workings of the BBC’s flagship morning news programme. Saturday Live, hosted by Huw Stephens and Kiri Pritchard McLean, will have guests including author and Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones, presenter and author Stacey Dooley, and Murdle puzzle master GT Karber. Samira Ahmed will host Front Row live from the festival, and comedy writer Henry Normal presents a special edition of his show.
Other popular favourites will return to Hay Festival this year, including the BBC’s hit ghostly podcast Uncanny with host Danny Robbins, plus experts Evelyn Hollow and Ciaran O’Keeffe. Gabriel Gatehouse presents a special behind-the-scenes edition of the hit podcast The Coming Storm, and Dr Sian Williams speaks to people who have experienced life-changing events in Life Changing.
Free Thinking returns for a double bill, with Matthew Sweet joined by Joe Dunthorne, Kavita Puri, and Jenny Kleeman to discuss personal identity; the second event will see guests Tom Holland, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Adam Greenfield, and Sophie Scott-Brown joining Matthew to discuss the topic of political power. For the second year running Radio 4’s A Good Read comes to Hay Festival, where Harriett Gilbert is joined by two guests to choose their favourite books. Greg Foot returns with Radio 4’s hugely popular consumer science programme, Sliced Bread, which this time looks at dog food. Michael Buerk chairs the Moral Maze debate with Ash Sarker, Anne McElvoy, James Orr, and Mona Siddiqui, and Natalie Haynes brings her signature mix of comedy and the classics in Natalie Haynes Stands Up for The Classics. There will also be the chance to join author, poet and former Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, for an exploration of language in Word of Mouth. Tom Sutcliffe and his panel of experts come together to explore the afterlife of rubbish in Start the Week: he’s joined by journalist Alex Clapp, whose book Waste Wars exposes the catastrophic reality of the global garbage trade; archaeologist Chloe Duckworth, who brings stories of the mess left behind by our ancestors; and palaeobiologist Sarah Gabbott who looks deep into the future to investigate how today’s junk will appear in the fossil record in her book Discarded. Plus, there’s uplifting stories at Cafe Hope, poetry with Ian McMillan, Michael Rosen and Natalie Ann Holborow in The Adverb, and music, comedy and conversation from Clive Anderson and guests on Loose Ends.
On Bank Holiday Monday, the Marquee will be hosted by the iconic voices of Radio 4’s continuity announcers.
BBC Radio Wales will also present special programmes for book lovers, including Aberystwyth Book Club and Radio Wales Arts Show. Lucy Owen talks with famous names about the books they loved as a child in Books that Made Me. Plus, Jonathan Thomas discusses the Bible as literature with panellists Tom Holland, Dr Mark Clavier, and Dr Belle Tindall in All Things Considered.
Mohit Bakaya, Director of Speech & Controller, Radio 4 & Radio 4 Extra, said:
“Both the Radio 4 and Hay audiences are driven by an insatiable desire for interesting ideas and people, so we’re looking forward to bringing the BBC’s very best radio and podcast offerings to the festival again this year. Some of our best new programming will sit alongside returning favourites. From the brand-new health podcast What's Up Docs? with Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken, the new Archers podcast with Emma Freud and Naomi Alderman's brilliant Human Intelligence series, to special editions of the Today Programme, Loose Ends and Lucy Worsley’s hugely popular Ladykillers podcast there will be something for everyone. With our iconic Radio 4 continuity announcers acting as “marquee hosts”, this should be a terrific week with audiences being able to see their favourite programmes recorded live as well as discover new ones to enjoy.”
Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said:
“This year the BBC brings the best of Hay Festival to the world. With a fantastic line up of live recordings in our BBC Marquee, audiences can experience Hay Festival inspiration wherever they may be, free and open to all. Alongside Festival favourites from BBC Sounds, Radio 4, Radio 3 and Radio Wales, there are some exciting new shows to enjoy, mixing great British talent with major global names. Join us on site or from afar; everyone is welcome.”Hay Festival runs its 38th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with more than 600 events over 11 days, 22 May–1 June 2025.
Launching the best new fiction and non-fiction books, while sharing insights around the biggest global issues, the programme sees more than 600 artists, policymakers, pioneers and innovators take part from around the world.
