File on 4 Investigates

BBC Radio 4
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News-making original journalism documentary series, investigating stories at home and abroad.

  1. -19 H

    The Experiments

    Jack Butcher investigates allegations that children in West German welfare institutions were subjected to widespread medical abuse, including medical experiments. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, many children found themselves in West Germany's sprawling network of children's institutions. In recent years, Germany has been shocked by revelations that some were used as guinea pigs for powerful new drugs, including potent anti-psychotics, as doctors worked hand in hand with pharmaceutical companies to observe the effects of new medications on young children. The allegations were first brought to public attention by Sylvia Wagner, a pharmaceutical historian who grew up in a care home, and whose own brother was a victim of medical abuse. Pulling together Sylvia's research, speaking to victims and digging through the documentation, Jack Butcher and reporter Ilona Toller, who led a major investigation of the scandal for German national radio, lay bare the horrendous human cost and tell the story of the tenacious activists who have challenged the conscience of their nation. Producer and Presenter: Jack Butcher With reporting from Ilona Toller and Anouk Millet, and additional research by Leonie Mombaur. Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson Sound Design: Phoebe McIndoe Mix: Arlie Adlington A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

    37 min

  2. 14 AVR.

    Are white working class girls falling behind?

    White disadvantaged girls are being overlooked, school leaders are warning. Whilst white working-class boys remain one of the worst performing group in their GCSEs, white girls from low income homes aren’t much further behind them. File on 4 Investigates has worked with the BBC Data team to compare 2025's GCSE results in England with those of 2019. The team found that white working class girls in England have seen some of the biggest declines in attainment since 2019 - with just 38 percent of these students passing their English and Maths exams. All girls are down by 1.6 percentage points at GCSE but low-income white British girls are down by 6.4 percentage points. Cutting the link between 'background and success' and halving the 'disadvantage gap' is something the Department for Education has pledged to tackle. In this programme we examine what is behind the decline for this group of girls and meet school leaders who are working to reverse it. Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Ashley Kennedy Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

    37 min

  3. 31 MARS

    Sunshine and Secrets: The hidden side of IVF

    What happens when the sperm or egg donor you choose isn’t the one you get? Northern Cyprus is a sun-soaked haven for affordable IVF. But behind the glossy clinic websites, parents are discovering their chosen sperm or egg donors might not have been used. For File on 4 Investigates Anna Collinson follows parents searching for answers and children wondering where they have come from. File on 4 Investigates Sunshine & Secrets: The hidden side of IVF Producer: Jo Adnitt Executive Producer: Rob Brown Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott Details of organisations offering information and support with infertility are available on the Pregnancy related issues page at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

    37 min

  4. 24 MARS

    The battle for hearts and lungs: Transplants in trouble.

    The UK was once a world leader in heart and lung transplantation. Pioneering surgeons attracted patients from all over the world. But the NHS has not kept pace with medical and technological developments and today the UK lags far behind most similar countries. It carries out fewer transplants and a lack of resources mean it doesn’t routinely use modern technologies. Many of the health service’s leading surgeons have left to work overseas in recent years, frustrated, they say, at the lack of attention transplant services have received from NHS England. Through speaking to patients, surgeons and experts, File on Four Investigates looks at what the UK needs to do to update and transform this life-changing service. Reporter Michael Buchanan Producers: Adam Eley & Paul Grant Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

    38 min

  5. 10 MARS

    Fight on the Right: The MAGA Civil War

    President Donald Trump won multiple elections thanks to support from the Maga movement - but cracks have begun to emerge in the broad coalition of America's political right. The schism first emerged online as Maga supporters-turned-detractors began to criticise President Trump, saying he has failed to deliver on campaign promises they voted for. Maga congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene - once one of President Trump's most vocal supporters - quit Congress last year after becoming increasingly critical of the president over issues such as continued US involvement in foreign wars, the failure to tackle the cost of living in America - and failure to release all of the FBI's files on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. But two months prior to her quitting, it was the murder of conservative influencer, Charlie Kirk, which really sent a shockwave through the movement. A power vacuum at the top has been filled by some curious characters, as other activists have fought for control of the space Kirk once dominated. And when former Fox News host Tucker Carlson - perhaps the most influential thought leader in conservative America - invited Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes onto his podcast, a vicious debate kicked off which continues to this day. Some Maga influencers say they'll welcome anyone into the fold, but more mainstream Republicans continue to call for the rejection of these elements - and are concerned they could cost the party votes in November's midterm elections. Warning: This programme features and discusses some anti-Semitic and racist points of view. Presenter: Mike Wendling Producer: Lucy Proctor Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

    38 min

  6. 3 MARS

    Bogus self-employment - who pays the price?

    As the government’s flagship Employment Rights Act (2025) comes into force, File on 4 Investigates a loophole worrying experts: bogus self-employment. We discover hundreds of workers on government contracts are said to be wrongly classified as self-employed. This we are told is the tip of the iceberg as more employers increasingly choose to put workers on self-employed contracts rather than employing them as staff, without all the rights, bolstered under the new laws. Some are suggesting that recent changes to National Insurance have meant more business owners are keeping workers off payroll to keep running costs down. We will look at small businesses where it’s become increasingly difficult to employ staff in the traditional way and find that some workers in hospitality for example like the flexibility that job apps can give them when picking up casual freelance work. Presenter: Tom Wall Producer: Rob Byrne Technical producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

    37 min

  7. 24 FÉVR.

    No CCTV: When train attacks go unrecorded

    Sexual harassment and assault on the rail network is on the rise across England, Wales and Scotland but a lack of CCTV evidence is preventing justice for victims in some cases. Claire Jones examines how broken cameras and train companies not retaining CCTV footage for long enough has been hampering police investigations. She goes on patrol with British Transport Police on the London Underground, speaks to police and victims about how frustrating it can be when key evidence cannot be accessed and sees some of the newest surveillance technology, currently not available on trains, in action. Details of organisations offering help and support for anyone affected by sexual violence are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline Reporter: Claire Jones Producer: Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

    38 min

  8. 17 FÉVR.

    Can boxing look after its own?

    Boxing is on the rise with streaming giants now broadcasting major fights and heavy investment from Saudi Arabia reshaping the sport. But for boxers facing money or health problems out of the ring, help is not always easy to come by. As File on 4 Investigates discovers, some in boxing are now working towards a unified approach across the sport, which would help fighters throughout their careers, but can they make it work? Reporter: Kal Sajad Producer: Ashley Kennedy Additional research: Clive Hammond Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinators: Ellis Goodwin & Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott Details of organisations offering help and support for the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline

    37 min
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À propos

News-making original journalism documentary series, investigating stories at home and abroad.

Informations

  • Création
    BBC Radio 4
  • Années d’activité
    2005 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    494
  • Classification
    Contenu explicite
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Site web de l’émission
    File on 4 Investigates

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