Summary
Edward Stourton tells the story of the BBC in the ”phoney war” of 1939-1940 and the period’s strange echoes of Covid-19 today. When war was declared in September 1939, everyone in Britain expected a catastrophic bombing campaign. Theatres and cinemas were closed and children were evacuated to the countryside. What followed instead was a hiatus when tensions remained high but the bombs did not fall. How does the experience of the Home Front at the start of the Second World War echo the Covid-19 crisis and what did it mean for the evolution of the BBC? The corporation’s initial response became known as the "Bore War". The BBC was berated for broadcasting dreary music and endless, highly repetitive news bulletins. It then changed tack to find a more popular voice, in tune with the needs of its audience. How did it become a trusted source of news in the face of wartime censorship? What did it do to cheer up the nation and enliven public service messages about health and education?
Contributors: Peter Busch, Senior Lecturer, King's College, London Martin Gorsky, Professor of the History of Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Sian Nicholas, Reader in History, Aberystwyth University Lucy Noakes, Professor of History, University of Essex Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History, University of Westminster
Producer: Sheila Cook Researcher: Diane Richardson Editor: Hugh Levinson
With thanks to BBC History https://www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/100-voices/ww2
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box. |
| 0:05.0 | The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from. |
| 0:09.0 | And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.0 | The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.5 | The IRA inmates who found a way. |
| 0:14.5 | I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path |
| 0:19.5 | through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history. |
| 0:25.0 | The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them. |
| 0:28.5 | Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:35.0 | BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, Music Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:39.0 | So you are social distancing and self isolating. |
| 0:42.0 | What could be better to pass the time |
| 0:43.7 | than a hastily compiled timely lockdown listen comedy corona cast as Jake Yap |
| 0:48.6 | John Holmes and the Shah and Nat Tapley drop in on comedians who simply have nothing better to do than talk to us over their Shonky internet connections. |
| 0:57.5 | But in my kitchen I have to be quite close to my daughter. |
| 1:01.0 | Here is Miranda's guide. It's in a grey colour. I want to say slate. Can I say |
| 1:07.5 | slate? No. I'll say it all again, don't worry. Now wash your hands. A warm, we're all in it together cast hooking everyone up not in a tinderway |
| 1:15.0 | social distancing across the nation subscribe on BBC sounds |
| 1:20.3 | hi i'm reanna Dylan. Welcome to Seriously. Today we're bringing you another seriously interesting story told a little sideways. |
| 1:31.0 | Everyone's at it. Even the Queen in her recent coronavirus broadcast reached for those finest |
| 1:37.2 | our memories of how we got through the worst World War II could throw at us. |
| 1:41.7 | It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made in 1940, helped by my sister. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.