File on 4 Investigates

BBC Radio 4

4.3 (192)
Documentary
Updated fortnightly

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

1 day ago

Fake Marriages - The real story

File on 4 Investigates how Immigration Enforcement officers are tackling sham marriages. Claire Jones follows Home Office officials as they apprehend people entering into, and organising fake marriages in order to circumvent the UK’s immigration laws. She discovers details of criminal gangs charging people up to £30,000 for a partner and 'marriage pack', a set of photos and documents designed to create a convincing back story of the fake relationship. After File on 4 Investigates asked the Home Office why more statistics are not available on suspected fake marriages, they have now committed to regularly publishing these numbers 'in due course'. Presenter: Claire Jones Producer: Ashley Kennedy Editor: Tara McDermott Production Co-ordinators: Tim Fernley & Tom Dunster Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford

37 min
16 Jun

Sins of the past: Should the Church of England pay for its links to slavery?

The Church of England is confronting difficult questions over a £100 million fund to address its historic links to slavery. Aleem Maqbool hears from clergy, historians and politicians as he explores the arguments over reparations, responsibility and whether the Church can make amends for sins of the past. Presenter: Aleem Maqbool Producers: Hayley Mortimer & Catherine Wyatt Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinators: Tom Dunster & Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

38 min
9 Jun

Tricked into pregnancy? The Liv Nervo story

Liv Nervo is one of the world’s most successful female DJs, who along with her twin sister, make up NERVO. She was starting a family with a man she believed was the love of her life - but at six months pregnant, she discovered he had been living a double life. She says she entered the relationship under false pretences and wouldn't have consented to sex had she known the truth about his other relationship. What happened to her reveals an intense debate about consent, the law and a lesser-known form of domestic abuse called reproductive coercion. G for guidance - this programme contains strong language. Presenter: Alys Harte Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Manager: Tom Dunster Editor: Tara McDermott

38 min
26 May

Hair Strand Tests in the Family Court

Hair Strand Tests can show if parents have been using drink or drugs. Such tests play can a central part in Family Court hearings every year as judges decide whether children should go into care or not. Some barristers have been raising the alarm over the way the tests are presented and interpreted in the Famly Court. And, for the first time, File on 4 Investigates talks to mothers who nearly lost their babies – thanks to hair strand tests. Presenter: Sanchia Berg Senior Producer: Anna Meisel Producer: Mary O'Reilly Technical Producer: Kelly Young Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott Image: Lead Senior Scientist Dr Ellie Menzies carrying out a hair strand test

37 min
19 May

Adding Up: How Councils meet the costs of Special Educational Needs

As the government plans major reform of the England's Special Educational Needs system, File on 4 Investigates goes back to the floor, spending time with councils as funding decisions are made and with families trying to navigate a system in flux. From home-schoolers in Whitley Bay to getting on board a school bus in Hackney, we'll hear about the challenges of delivering services to tens of thousands of children with SEN each year. As the number of young people who need extra support rises how will Councils balance their books? Over a hundred schools have closed in England in the last five years. Analysis by the BBC’s Data team has shown that pupils with special educational needs have been disproportionately affected by school closures. These pupils made up 29% of those whose school has closed, which is higher than the national average. We'll hear how the disruption of a school closing can affect those with additional needs, and their families. Presenter: Hayley Clarke Producer: Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott (Thanks also to the BBC News Data Journalism team)

37 min
12 May

Locked and Downloaded: The rise in 3D printed guns

Police have dealt with scores of cases involving home-made 3D printed guns in the UK in the last three years. Data obtained by File on 4 Investigates from the National Crime Agency shows that criminals and extremists have attempted to manufacture the weapons. We hear from police who successfully prosecuted a group who had manufactured printed firearms to sell on to criminal gangs. As Adrian Goldberg asks, how much of a threat are these printed weapons in the UK and what can be done to deter people from making them? Producer: Paul Grant Technical Producers: Cameron Ward & Nicky Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

38 min
5 May

Duped in Dubai

Finance professionals who paid thousands for training courses in Dubai seemingly endorsed by a government official say they were duped by the British businessman behind them. Participants in the 12-week “accelerator” programmes say they provided little in the way of useful training, while the millions in potential investment offers promised to graduates never materialised. File on 4 Investigates a trail of deception left by the British “finfluencer” behind the course. Presenter: Yemisi Adegoke Producer: Rob Byrne Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Tara McDermott

39 min
28 Apr

Searching for Soldier Dad

DNA detectives track down the British soldiers who fathered children in Kenya then disappeared, leaving the children and their mothers without support. With exclusive access to every stage of this cutting-edge process, we follow as a team of lawyers and a leading geneticist travel to Kenya. We witness the groundbreaking legal and scientific detective work used to find the missing military dads. Lawyers believe British soldiers stationed at the army base in Nanyuki, Kenya, may have fathered hundreds of children over decades — the oldest we meet is now 70 the youngest just three years old. What’s at stake is not only the reputation of the British armed forces and the UK’s post-colonial legacy. The mixed-heritage children have in some cases been ostracised by their communities and denied a chance of British citizenship since birth. Presenter: Ivana Davidovic Producer: Josephine Casserly A Long Form Audio production.

37 min

See All (502)

4.3

out of 5

192 Ratings

Generally good

31/03/2018

Ella0655

Some topics are dull but overall informative and interesting.
Proper investigative journalism

24/11/2025

RadioHead84!

Clever and incisive. Highly recommend for anyone interested in grown up public service journalism that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Inside Migrant Hotel

24/09/2025

lynettelilac

Sue Mitchell is an investigative journalist I really admire. She is fair & puts all points of view. I felt bad for the Iraq family - 9 years & no settlement. They sound a good family, I think they would be an asset for the UK. They should be given asylum status & allowed to stay. The taxi situation is truly shocking. What are the Home Office doing. Can’t even give figures on how much this is all costing the tax payer & no figures on babies born in hotels. They just don’t care. Shows they have no respect for the British Taxpayer. I have lost all faith. Thank you Sue for your bravery & for shining a light.
Awful background music playing in many episodes, while people are presenting

11/09/2025

Sghftp

There is absolutely no need to have music for paying while people are speaking and giving information. It makes so many episodes unbearable and I’m sure inaccessible for many people to. Please stop, the music adds nothing and really should not be done in podcasts - music should only be used as an interlude or while no one is speaking.