Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service.
From the impact of drought on crops, tourism and trade, to Africa's first film city, to the Romanian teenagers who built a DIY internet...we go beyond the headlines.
Each week we look at the stories shaping our world and hear voices connecting people from across the globe, asking how news stories are shaping their lives. We also follow spiritual journeys, examine the world through the lens of its media and focus on solutions to global problems.
Chart trend
Position in the Documentary chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#22#42JunJulAugSep
#12
all-time peak
603
days in the top 50 since Jan 2025
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Ukraine: Fighting Russia, fighting Russian
Russian is the first language of millions of Ukrainians, including many of the country’s frontline troops. But it is also the language of their enemy. Its public use is i
Sep 8 28 min
Who's afraid of the AI job-snatchers?
#21 trending · Documentary
There is a general fear that artificial intelligence could make huge swathes of workers redundant, but are those fears unjustified? Rob Young asks what history can tell u
Sep 7 17 min
Getting the homeless homed
We visit two projects exploring practical responses to homelessness and housing insecurity. Presenter Myra Anubi travels to Edinburgh to see the work of Social Bite, a ch
Sep 6 23 min
Ukraine's 'hell jumpers'
The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate from frontline areas in Ukraine, known as the “kill zone”. More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, th
Sep 5 29 min
Nepal floods: 'It was like a tsunami'
Survivors of the floods in Nepal share their experiences of escape from the torrent of water that swept through valleys in the Himalayas, killing at least 1.300 people. “
Sep 5 23 min
Fred Hammond
Fred Hammond is one of the biggest names in Gospel music, with 15 Grammy awards, and a career that spans over 40 years, from playing bass in The Winans to more recently h
Sep 4 26 min
A23a: Biography of an iceberg
Forty years ago, an iceberg broke away from the Antarctic ice shelf. But this was no ordinary iceberg. A colossal chunk of ice which covered an area twice the size of Lon
Sep 3 28 min
Fighting the silent killer
Presenter Becky Green lost one of her twins to sepsis in 2018. It is a condition that, according to the World Health Organization, is implicated in one in five deaths wor
Sep 2 26 min
Big surveillance, Flock and ICE
AI cameras, drones, licence plate readers, sound detection, Flock - the United States is monitored through a growing, high-tech, and increasingly interconnected surveilla
Sep 1 26 min
Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams?
The Made in Turkey label found in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt. Turkey is battling huge inflation a
Aug 31 17 min
The price of peace
Colombia is reeling from the False Positive scandal. Incentivised by the government, soldiers abducted and killed over 7,000 innocent civilians, falsely presenting them a
Aug 30 49 min
Hong Kong's bookstore raids
The spoken languages in Hong Kong and Taiwan differ, with Cantonese being spoken in Hong Kong and Mandarin preferred in Taiwan, but the two territories use traditional Ch
Aug 29 26 min
We will always love you, Dolly
Flags are at half-mast across the United States following the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80. Born in poverty in a log cabin in rural Tennessee, she went on to se
Aug 29 22 min
Kirk Franklin: Gospel music and my own faith journey
rk Franklin is one of the biggest names in Gospel music, with 20 Grammy awards, and a career that spans over 30 years. From classics like ‘Why we sing’ to the mainstream
Aug 28 26 min
Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary- Love Stories
Throughout August, the Lives Less Ordinary podcast is sharing extraordinary love stories from around the world. To listen to the season, search ‘Lives Less Ordinary’ wher
Aug 27 42 min
Peanuts for the people
In the 30 years since its invention the ready-to-use therapeutic food Plumpy'nut has saved the lives of millions of children and protected countless others from the effec
Aug 26 23 min
Brazil’s gambling addiction
The figures are startling - 2.1 million Brazilians have a clinical addiction to betting and 7.5 million are problem gamblers. Women now comprise 40% of all gamblers, havi
Aug 25 26 min
Lucy Sparrow: Nostalgic supermarket made of felt
Lucy Sparrow stitches life into everyday objects, creating vibrant felt worlds that look just like the real thing. Following the success of her hand-stitched felt fish an
Aug 24 26 min
China: The rise of a science superpower
Roland Pease explores how decades of strategic investment and diligent educational reform have brought China to the brink of global scientific dominance. As the world’s o
Aug 23 49 min
Secret phone calls from a Saudi jail
In a sprawling prison in the Asir province of Southwestern Saudi Arabia, hundreds of young Ethiopian men are currently sitting on death row, not knowing when their name m
Aug 22 26 min
Chart positions
Where The Documentary Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 8, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
This was super encouraging to listen to. In the volatile politics and destruction of international order we are living through, we all need realistic, optimism, and stories that inspire. Our brains are Velcro a negative and Teflon positive. We need to meditate on beautiful things to thrive and bless those around us. This episode on people power is a keeper.
Marknph · Apr 2026
Kavita Puri’s new show on the bengal famine is outstanding….binge worthy and deeply moving. The music is beautiful yet evocative of this terrible tragedy deliberately and callously created by the colonial British chiefly Churchill.
avm1406 · Feb 2024
Loved this podcast, parts one and two. Admired the decision to feature the creative female POC behind dance music revolutions across two decades. Learned so much. Well done!
Nicolettesurlaplage · Apr 2021
It was nice to listen to people sharing their lasting COVID symptoms even after recovering which I, myself, had been having difficulty in accepting. There are certain instances when my friends and family do not believe that my sense of smell has really been compromised, which has made me sort of question my own judgements. I felt more relieved to know that I am not the only one going through the same.
ravenarchangel25 · Apr 2021
Generally The Documentary is a terrific podcast and I give it five stars but for this one which gets one. What is most annoying is the glottal or vocal fry of the journalist who did the “billion dollar scam” episode. The baby talk along with the vocal fry strikes immense dissonance with the nature of the podcast and, moreover, a serious organization like the BBC. It grates on the ears and the mind. PLEASE, can we ask these journalists to speak in their normal voice and without this contrived affectation that originated in Hollywood? It’s nauseating, interferes with the content and had me turning off the episode. Thank you.
Comendadordehoje · Apr 2023
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Documentary Podcast, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
