The best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world.
From the Chinese export boom, to Malawi's food security, to the fading influence of Russia's oligarchs, we go beyond the headlines.
Each week, all year round, we bring you the stories shaping our world. From the personal voices behind the headlines to perspectives on faith and spirituality and how work and money impact our lives. Discover how people find solutions to global problems and look at the world through the lens of its media.
Powered by the BBC World Service’s global network, The Documentary Podcast is about the people living the story – helping you see the world with greater clarity.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
The US midterms and the cost of living
After the Democratic Party swept to victory in the US midterm elections, we bring people together to share their experiences of one of the major issues for voters - the c
Nov 7 24 min
Michelle's dream
#33 trending · Documentary
In 2005, Michelle Vanek, a 35-year-old mother of four, disappeared on Colorado's Mount of the Holy Cross, a rugged peak so steeped in symbolism that its snow-filled cross
Nov 6 26 min
River rebound
When cities industrialise the rivers they were built around are first polluted, then turned into sewers and finally built over. It’s a pattern that’s repeated itself for
Nov 5 26 min
Japan’s next meal?
What will the food of the future taste like? In Japan, we discover a fungus turning waste into a high-protein alternative to meat. Then we visit a bedroom where amateur s
Nov 4 23 min
Inheritance: Fiat
Gianni Agnelli is the head of the family that controls Fiat, and the vast business empire beyond the carmaker that helped shape modern Italy. Charming, charismatic and po
Nov 3 24 min
Can businesses trust AI?
Why does artificial intelligence sometimes make things up? From law firms to consultants, businesses are grappling with the risks of AI hallucinations. What's causing the
Nov 2 23 min
Unlikely: A love across the political divide
Catalina and Jorge were born on the same day - 14 June. They also share a surname and, at one point, attended neighbouring schools. But that is where the similarities end
Nov 1 49 min
Rebranding sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition where a person’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly while they sleep, possibly over 30 times an hour, leaving them exhausted on
Oct 31 23 min
The right thing: Uganda’s fearless nun
Rosemary Nyirumbe became a nun when she was just in her mid-teens – and she felt her true vocation lay in rehabilitating children who had been through some of the worst t
Oct 30 26 min
Good Bad Billionaire: Gautam Adani
Gautam Adani’s businesses span almost every part of life in India. From energy to food, ports to mining, and drinks to weapons, the Adani group has widespread influence o
Oct 29 45 min
Digging deep to help farmers
A new farming method is having a dramatic effect on maize crops in Malawi, and assistance is coming from a solar-powered tractor. In the last of her visits to Malawi, Myr
Oct 28 23 min
Duo-euthanasia – a family’s story
When Linda Pressly met them in 2024 in the Netherlands, Els and Jan had fewer than three days left on Earth. Els was living with dementia. Jan was in continual physical p
Oct 27 55 min
If China's exports are booming, why are consumers struggling?
China's booming export figures, driven in part by demand for AI-related products, suggest a high-tech economy that's thriving. Yet many consumers at home continue to face
Oct 26 20 min
Germany's rust belt revival
On location in Dortmund, in Germany's Ruhr region, historian and author Katja Hoyer reports on the dramatic transformation that has taken place in the city in the last 20
Oct 25 49 min
Living with dementia
A major new international study predicts that the number of people diagnosed with dementia will more than double by 2050. Researchers at the University of New South Wales
Oct 24 24 min
The right thing: Gaza's parish priest
As a young missionary priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli left his native Argentina to work in the Middle East. He went out of a passion for bringing Christ to the people wh
Oct 23 26 min
Navi Pillay
Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026. The 85-year-old South African jurist and former UN Human Rights chief initially thought the news
Oct 22 22 min
The silence of the oligarchs
Russia's super-rich once ruled the country, holding deep influence over the country's politicians in the years immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They th
Oct 22 27 min
The dolphin whisperer of the Amazon
Deep in the Amazon jungle, pink river dolphins are under threat from pollution, deforestation, illegal mining and climate change. As a powerful El Niño looms, raising fea
Oct 21 22 min
China and the UK: After the golden era
Journalist and author Paul Kenyon investigates rising suspicions over China’s presence in the UK. From shadow policing operations, to spies and the infiltration of univer
Oct 20 27 min
Chart trend
Position in the Documentary chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#21#41AugSepOctNov
#12
all-time peak
662
days in the top 50 since Jan 2025
Chart positions
Where The Documentary Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 7, 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.
