Dough

BBC Radio 4
Dough

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Dough. Dough is the series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the years to come. In each episode, entrepreneur Sam White speaks to industry experts to find out how these products manage to make a profit and what game-changing - and pointless - innovations they have seen in their time. Tom Cheesewright, a technology expert and applied futurist, then offers his predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline. Episodes of Dough are released weekly on Thursdays wherever you get your podcasts. But if you’re in the UK, you can listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds first, a week earlier than anywhere else. Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in April when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Dough - Watches

    What is keeping the traditional watch industry ticking over? The entrepreneur, Sam White, hosts Dough - the BBC Radio 4 series which looks at the business behind profitable everyday products and where the smart money might take them next. In each episode, Sam, and the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, are joined by product manufacturers and industry experts whose inside knowledge gives a new appreciation for the everyday things that we often take for granted. Together they look back on a product’s earliest (sometimes ridiculous!) iterations, discuss how a product has evolved and the trends which have driven its profitability. In this episode on traditional watches, they hear from expert guests including: -Mike France - a co-founder of the British watchmaking company, Christoper Ward -Fflur Roberts - Head of Luxury Goods at the data analytics company, Euromonitor International -Laura McCreddie-Doak - a freelance watch journalist who has written for publications including Wired, GQ & The Times They trade opinions on traditional watches 'game-changing' innovations and their most pointless, or least effective, ones too, before Tom draws on his expertise as a futurist to imagine what the wristwatch might be like in the decades to come. Dough is produced by Jon Douglas and is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in the spring when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

    25 min

  2. 27 MAR

    Dough - Lawn Mowers

    Could the next generation of lawn mowers create any image you like on your lawn? The entrepreneur, Sam White, hosts Dough - the BBC Radio 4 series which looks at the business behind profitable everyday products and where the smart money might take them next. In each episode, Sam, and the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, are joined by product manufacturers and industry experts whose inside knowledge gives a new appreciation for the everyday things that we often take for granted. Together they look back on a product’s earliest (sometimes ridiculous!) iterations, discuss how a product has evolved and the trends which have driven its profitability. In this episode on lawn mowers, they hear from expert guests including: -Yvette Henshall-Bell - President of the European Business Unit at the lawn mower manufacturer, Husqvarna -Craig Hoare - Sales and Marketing Manager for the lawn mower manufacturers Hayter and its parent company Toro -Nick Darking - General Manager of the British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association They trade opinions on the lawn mower's 'game-changing' innovations and its most pointless, or least effective, ones too, before Tom draws on his expertise as a futurist to imagine what cutting the grass might be like in the decades to come. Dough is produced by Jon Douglas and is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in the spring when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

    25 min

  3. 20 MAR

    Dough - Bicycles

    How can the bicycle industry recover from sales that plummeted after the pandemic? The entrepreneur, Sam White, hosts Dough - the BBC Radio 4 series which looks at the business behind profitable everyday products and where the smart money might take them next. In each episode, Sam, and the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, are joined by product manufacturers and industry experts whose inside knowledge gives a new appreciation for the everyday things that we often take for granted. Together they look back on a product’s earliest (sometimes ridiculous!) iterations, discuss how a product has evolved and the trends which have driven its profitability. In this episode on bicycles Sam and Tom hear from expert guests including: - Nikki Hawyes - the chief executive officer of Whyte Bikes - Andy Smallwood - the chief executive officer at Pashley Cycles - Simon Irons - the Data and Insights Director at the Bicycle Association They explain how the boom in sales during the Covid-19 pandemic bottomed out, creating huge turmoil from which the industry is still trying to recover. They trade opinions on the bicycle's 'game-changing' innovations and come up with some classic suggestions for 'pointless' innovations too, before Tom draws on his expertise as a futurist to imagine what bicycles could be like in the decades to come. Dough is produced by Jon Douglas and is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in the spring when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

    25 min

  4. 13 MAR

    Dough - Washing Machines

    Could washing machines soon be cleaning our clothes without using any water? The entrepreneur, Sam White, hosts Dough - the BBC Radio 4 series which looks at the business behind profitable everyday products and where the smart money might take them next. In each episode, Sam, and the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, are joined by product manufacturers and industry experts whose inside knowledge gives a new appreciation for the everyday things that we often take for granted. Together they look back on a product’s earliest (sometimes ridiculous!) iterations, discuss how a product has evolved and the trends which have driven its profitability. In this episode on washing machines, they hear from expert guests including: - Teresa Arbuckle - Regional Managing Director for the UK and Ireland at the washing machine manufacturer, Beko Europe - John Elliott MBE - the founder and chairman of Ebac which make washing machines in County Durham - Paul Hide - chief executive of the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances They trade opinions on the washing machine's 'game-changing' innovations and its most pointless, or least effective, ones too, before Tom draws on his expertise as a futurist to imagine what doing the laundry might be like in the decades to come. Dough is produced by Jon Douglas and is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in the spring when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

    25 min

  5. 6 MAR

    Dough - Game Consoles

    Game consoles have come a long way since the 1970s but could their days now be numbered? The entrepreneur, Sam White, returns with a new series of Dough - the BBC Radio 4 show which looks at the business behind profitable everyday products and where the smart money might take them next. In each episode, Sam, and the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, are joined by product manufacturers and industry experts whose inside knowledge gives a new appreciation for the everyday things that we often take for granted. Together they look back on a product’s earliest (sometimes ridiculous!) iterations, discuss how a product has evolved and the trends which have driven its profitability. In this episode on video game consoles, the pair hear from expert guests including: Seamus Blackley - the original creator of Microsoft's Xbox Keza MacDonald - video games editor at the Guardian James McWhirter - a senior analyst specialising in video games for the research firm, Omdia. They trade opinions on the game console's 'game-changing' innovations and its most pointless, or least effective, ones too, before Tom steps in, drawing on his expertise as a futurist, to imagine where consoles might end up in the decades to come. Dough is produced by Jon Douglas and is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in the spring when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

    25 min
  6. Hearing Aids

    27 FEB

    Hearing Aids

    Listener Angela is a musician, and long-time wearer of Hearing Aids – but as her parents and friends have started reaching an age where they might need them, she’s wondering what advice to give them - and whether paying more for a hearing aid, and potentially going private – would really help? There’s no question – Hearing Aids are Sliced Bread – but can the top end products really deliver on claims they can improve sound, reduce background noise, stream directly from phones or tables, and change what they listen to automatically? And are hearing aids available on the NHS capable of the same? The NHS England wait times described in this episode were accurate at the time of recording, and may have changed. A transcript of this episode is available here: https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/radio4/misc/sliced_bread_hearing_aids_transcript.pdf As always, all of our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807. PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: KATE HOLDSWORTH

    29 min
  7. Plant Food

    20 FEB

    Plant Food

    Edinburgh gardener Alan got in touch with Sliced Bread, to ask if he really needs to be spending money on buying and applying plant food or fish, blood and bone meal to his roses and woody perennials? He was keen to know what is in these commercial plant foods that come as a solid, liquid or granule, how often he is supposed to use them, whether they make as much of a difference as they claim, and if he can save money by making his own “mulch” out of fallen leaves? Greg Foot investigates with the help of Gardener’s Question Time’s expert and botanist, Pippa Greenwood – as well as Head of Fertilisers from the Agricultural Industries Confederation Jo Gilbertson. They “dig in” to the claims on the packets, and try to determine if pricey plant foods are the best thing since Sliced Bread? We are looking for more of YOUR suggestions of products to investigate. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807. PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: KATE HOLDSWORTH

    25 min

  8. 13 FEB

    Boiling Water Taps

    Do Boiling Water Taps save you money? They're often seen in offices but boiling water taps are increasingly popular for the home kitchen too. They hold hot water at a constant temperature in a tank under your sink and claim to save you money compared to boiling a regular kettle. But does the evidence back up the marketing hype? Listener Jenny got in touch with Sliced Bread because she's upgrading her kitchen and is thinking about investing in a boiling water tap. She's keen to know how the figures for daily use stack up - and if there IS a saving how long it would take before she gets her money back on the original outlay. And then there's maintenance too... Greg is joined in the studio by Jenny and energy expert Mark Thompson to crunch the numbers, along with Debbie Birkbeck from Stopcocks Women Plumbers. We are looking for more of YOUR suggestions of products to investigate. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807 PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCERS: SIMON HOBAN AND PHIL SANSOM

    30 min
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    Hosts & Guests

    Ratings & Reviews

    5
    out of 5
    6 Ratings

    About

    While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Dough. Dough is the series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the years to come. In each episode, entrepreneur Sam White speaks to industry experts to find out how these products manage to make a profit and what game-changing - and pointless - innovations they have seen in their time. Tom Cheesewright, a technology expert and applied futurist, then offers his predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline. Episodes of Dough are released weekly on Thursdays wherever you get your podcasts. But if you’re in the UK, you can listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds first, a week earlier than anywhere else. Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in April when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

    Information

    • Creator
      BBC Radio 4
    • Years Active
      2019 - 2025
    • Episodes
      149
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © (C) BBC 2025
    • Show Website
      Dough

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