The Documentary Podcast

BBC
BBC
  • 4.3 (1.6K)
  • Documentary
  • Updated Daily

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 journeys into spirituality and connect people from across the globe to share how news stories are shaping their lives.

  1. 6h ago

    Belarus's university in exile

    In Belarus, new legislation from the government of President Alexander Lukashenko targets anyone who might be regarded as an opponent with charges of being ‘extremist’. Dozens of independent media outlets including the BBC have recently been designated as ‘extremist organisation’ in the country, as the government cracks down on dissent. But the Belarus government isn’t only targeting media outlets. It’s taking aim at a wide variety of groups and organisations, including a well-respected Belarus university, the European Humanities University, which since 2005 has been based in the apparent safety of Lithuania. But recently, students, staff and their families have begun to be visited by Belarus's security service, the KGB. BBC Russian's Alina Isachenka has been investigating. The custom of men being married to more than one person at the same time, known as polygamy, is practiced in many parts of the world, particularly across the African continent. It's traditionally rooted in cultural, social, and economic values across various tribes in different regions, such as the Zulu in South Africa, a country where polygamous marriage is legally recognised. Now, a new hit Zulu language TV series, The Polygamist, has got people discussing the topic. BBC Africa reporter Khanisile Nkobho has been following the issue.  This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

  2. 18h ago

    Older women and the challenge of IVF

    Over the past five decades, it is estimated that around 13 million babies have been conceived thanks to IVF. The fertility treatment has helped families around the world have children. But new research suggests that older women face a significantly lower chance of conceiving, even when donor eggs are used from a younger woman. This challenges the idea that donor eggs can “reset” an individual’s reproductive clock. We bring together three women to share their experiences of the physical challenges and heartbreak of unsuccessful IVF treatment. Dee remembers a sense of isolation and Lana experienced not just sadness, but guilt for other people in her life. We also hear from doctors on evolving attitudes to IVF treatment and the options available to fertility patients in their countries.

  3. 1d ago

    Harry Haft's unspeakable fight

    Harry Haft was forced to fight in more than 70 death matches inside Nazi concentration camps - not against soldiers but against other prisoners. After the war, Harry carried that violence into America’s boxing rings, facing some of the era’s top fighters. Through the eyes of his son Alan, this documentary reveals the deeper cost of survival - a legacy shaped by trauma, rage, and the loss of faith that followed him long after the fighting ended.

  4. 2d ago

    Follow the money: The beef with US beef

    Why have US beef prices risen around 13% over the past year? Who is making money from the burgers and steaks Americans eat? Presenter Sam Fenwick speaks to a cattle rancher in South Dakota, an agricultural economist in Wisconsin, a meat packer in North Carolina and a restaurant owner in Nebraska to find out what is happening in this quintessentially American corner of the food market. We unpack the US beef supply chain to discover why prices are rising, who is making money from it and who is getting squeezed.

    Follow the money: The beef with US beef

  5. 3d ago

    Moscow’s enemy number one

    “Perfidious Albion” - how Britain replaced the US as Russia’s top nemesis and the villain at the heart of its war narrative. Since the re-election of Donald Trump, Russian propagandists have softened their tone on the US, while intensifying their rhetoric against the UK. They have unleashed a wave of elaborate insults, accusations and threats against Britain, amounting at times to a full-blown character assassination. The insults may sound theatrical, and London denies the accusations, but beneath them lies a more troubling signal - one UK military chiefs take seriously. We ask, what does this shift reveal about Russia’s strategic intentions in a time of conflict.

  6. 4d ago

    Euthanasia in Spain: Whose life is it anyway?

    In March this year, 25-year-old Noelia Castillo died by lethal injection. Her father had fought in the courts for nearly 2 years to stop her euthanasia, but failed in the attempt. And the debate about who has the right to challenge an adult’s decision to have euthanasia hasn’t gone away. In May, the Supreme Court ruled that those with, ‘a particularly close connection’ to the person wanting to die may have the right to contest an application for euthanasia. Of the 565 people who died by euthanasia in 2025 in Spain, 73 chose to donate their organs. Noelia Castillo wasn’t an organ donor, but there are claims she was pressured to become one. And now the lawyers who have represented her parents are advocating a ban on organ donation in euthanasia cases. Why does this matter? Spain’s health service supports one of the world’s most successful organ donation programmes. Last year more than 2,500 Spanish people became organ donors after death. And although the number of those who had euthanasia was tiny, the beneficiaries are very real… People like Carme, who was transplanted with a new face. Esperanza Escribano and Linda Pressly explore some of the fall-out from the death of Noelia Castillo.

  7. 5d ago

    The Chinese fentanyl king

    The BBC investigates Zhang Zhidong, also known as “Brother Wang”, a Chinese national described by US law enforcement as one of the most significant drug traffickers in the world. He is now awaiting trial in the US and has pleaded not guilty. He is accused of building a criminal empire connecting China's chemical factories to the Mexican cartels flooding the US with fentanyl. The BBC investigates his rise and fall, speaking to his former friend, and to cartel members who knew him as “number one” and the "king of fentanyl”.

  8. 6d ago

    Jordanian director Zain Duraie

    Jordanian director Zain Duraie talks about her debut film Sink, an intense family drama about a mother coping with her son's mental health issues. Zain reveals the severe difficulties she faced to get the film financed, why she sought out the advice of other directors and how the film Titanic changed her life. And she offers her own tips for would-be film-makers. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world’s most creative people. If you’ve been affected by issues raised in this programme, you may want to speak to a health professional or an organisation that offers support.

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4.3
out of 5
1,625 Ratings

About

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 journeys into spirituality and connect people from across the globe to share how news stories are shaping their lives.

Information

  • Channel
    BBC
  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2026
  • Episodes
    2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    The Documentary Podcast
  • Provider
    BBC Studios Distribution Limited

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