The Open University

Listen to new OU / BBC radio series Rare Earth

19 January 2024

Tune into BBC Radio 4 weekly from today (19 January) to listen to the new OU / BBC radio series, Rare Earth, with environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski. The radio series digs into some of the biggest environmental issues facing our planet today, with fascinating insights from experts. You can listen on […]

Image shows presenter Greg Wallace standing next to a production line of yorkshire puddings

New series of ‘Inside the Factory’ co-produced by The Open University

24 December 2023

In an exciting new venture, The Open University (OU) has teamed up with the BBC to co-produce the eighth series of the much-loved “Inside the Factory.” The first episode of the new series airs on BBC Two at 9pm on Wednesday 27 December and will be exploring the production of the Christmas dinner staple, Yorkshire […]

Watch this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: The Truth About AI

22 December 2023

Join Professor Mike Wooldridge for this year’s Royal Institution (RI) Christmas Lectures, as he tackles arguably the most important and rapidly-evolving field of science in the world today – artificial intelligence. Beginning on Tuesday 26 December, the first of three new Open University / BBC co-produced programmes The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures – The Truth […]

Behind the scenes OU/BBC co-production with performance artist Kae Tempest

27 November 2023

English literature academic Professor Nicola J Watson has worked behind the scenes on an Open University/BBC co-production about the acclaimed rapper, poet, playwright and recording artist Kae Tempest. She brought her knowledge of the history of performance poetry to the programme, “Being Kae Tempest”, which will be aired on BBC Two at 9pm on Wednesday […]

OU/BBC win at Grierson awards

24 November 2023

Two Open University/BBC co-productions have been honoured at the prestigious Grierson awards, which recognise innovative and exciting documentary films. Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland won two awards – Best documentary and Best history documentary and Inside Our Autistic Minds, won Best Science Documentary. Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast and Partnerships at The […]

Stacey Dooley goes behind the scenes at an undertakers in new OU/BBC documentary

8 November 2023

Stacey Dooley: Inside the Undertakers, takes a fascinating and surprisingly uplifting look behind the doors of a funeral director to discover more about the usually hidden side of death. In this one-off OU/BBC co-production, which airs on 9 November at 9pm on BBC ONE and iPlayer, presenter Stacey Dooley immerses herself in the day-to-day work […]

Drugs Map of Britain returns for a gritty new series

8 November 2023

A new series of the hard-hitting OU/BBC co-production Drugs Map of Britain delves into the world of drug users and dealers, laying bare the evolving makeup of Britain’s youth drug culture. Airing on the 8th of November at 10.30pm on BBC Three, the documentary series focuses on how certain drugs are widespread in cities across […]

Explore Scotland’s Sacred Islands and inhabitants’ faiths and beliefs with Ben Fogle

17 October 2023

A new four-part OU/BBC production of Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle airs tonight at 8pm on BBC Scotland and will be available on BBC iPlayer thereafter. This is the second series of the programme that sees adventurer Ben Fogle travel across some of Scotland’s most beautiful islands to explore how faith and belief took […]

‘Thrilling’ BBC documentary airs about the history of the Union

2 October 2023

The turbulent history of how Great Britain evolved is dissected in an intriguing Open University/BBC co-production – Union with historian David Olusoga – which reaches the small screen tonight (Monday 2 October). The four-part series airs on BBC Two at 9pm and charts the history of the Union from the 1600s – a century defined […]

New OU / BBC programme explores how we can make our cars and heating greener

21 July 2023

Tuesday 25th July sees the first of two brand new programmes from The Open University (OU) and BBC titled What They Really Mean For You, beginning on BBC One at 20:00, presented by BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt. The first episode, Electric Cars: What They Really Mean For You, investigates people’s frustrations with electric cars […]

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