BBC Radio 4 Extra Schedule: How to Find What’s On (2025 Guide)

Anyone who has searched for a specific BBC radio comedy from the 1980s knows the frustration of finding it hasn’t aired in years. BBC Radio 4 Extra exists precisely to solve that—it is the BBC’s digital archive channel, broadcasting classic comedy, drama and entertainment around the clock.

Station launched: 2002 (as BBC 7) ·
Station renamed: 2011 (to BBC Radio 4 Extra) ·
Schedule availability: Up to 7 days ahead on BBC Sounds ·
Platform: Digital only (DAB, Freeview, Sky, online)

Six key facts about the station, one pattern: BBC Radio 4 Extra is defined by its archive-first identity and digital-only reach.

What is on BBC Radio 4 Extra today?

• The daily schedule runs from midnight to midnight and is dominated by archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentaries (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site).
• Overnight slots often feature archive gems: Archive on 4, Detective, Journey into Space and Hancock’s Half Hour (UKRadioLive, schedule aggregator).
• Evening schedules include titles such as The Prisoner, The Moth Radio Hour, David Attenborough’s Life Stories and Cabin Pressure (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site).

What time does BBC Radio 4 Extra start broadcasting?

The station broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no closedown period. Programme slots are published from 00:00 to 23:59, with overnight content leaning heavily on archived comedy and drama repeats (UKRadioLive, schedule aggregator).

How far ahead can I see the schedule?

BBC Sounds shows the schedule up to seven days in advance (BBC Sounds, official platform). Third-party sites such as UKRadioLive and radio-uk.co.uk also display day-by-day listings for the same window, making it possible to plan your listening for the entire week ahead.

The implication: For listeners who value classic BBC comedy and drama, the schedule acts more like a curated playlist than a traditional radio timetable. The seven-day window gives enough room to plan, but the archive nature means you rarely miss a favourite for long.

How to find the BBC Radio 4 Extra schedule?

• Access BBC Sounds website or app (BBC Sounds, official platform).
• Navigate to the ‘Schedules’ section and select Radio 4 Extra.
• View the schedule up to 7 days ahead (UKRadioLive, schedule aggregator).

How to use BBC Sounds to view the schedule?

Open the BBC Sounds website or app on your phone, tablet or computer. Tap the ‘Schedules’ tab, then select ‘Radio 4 Extra’ from the list of stations. You will see the current day’s lineup, with options to scroll forward up to seven days. Each programme entry shows the start time, duration and a brief description (BBC Sounds, official platform).

How to set reminders for programmes?

BBC Sounds allows you to set reminders for specific programmes directly from the schedule view. Tap the bell icon next to any show, and the platform will send a notification shortly before it airs. This is especially useful for live broadcasts of sitcoms, panel games and drama serials that air at fixed times (BBC Sounds, official platform).

Step-by-step: Find and listen to a programme

1. Open BBC Sounds at bbc.co.uk/sounds or launch the app.
2. Tap ‘Schedules’ and choose ‘Radio 4 Extra’.
3. Browse the day’s listings. Use the date picker to jump ahead up to seven days.
4. Tap any programme title to read its description and see the air time.
5. Tap the bell icon to set a reminder, or tap ‘Listen live’ if the programme is currently broadcasting.
6. For catch-up, find the programme in the schedule after it has aired and tap ‘Listen again’.

What is BBC Radio 4 Extra?

• Launched in 2002 as BBC 7, rebranded to BBC Radio 4 Extra on 2 April 2011 (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site).
• Specialises in archived repeats of comedy, drama and entertainment (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site).
• Available only on digital platforms: DAB, Freeview, Sky and online (Wikipedia, online encyclopedia).

What kind of programmes does BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast?

The station’s output is built around archived content rather than original commissions. Its schedule includes classic sitcoms such as Hancock’s Half Hour, panel games like I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, drama serials including The Prisoner and Journey into Space, factual series such as David Attenborough’s Life Stories, and late-night comedy slots featuring The Comedy Club Interviews and Laura Solon – Talking and Not Talking (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site).

How is BBC Radio 4 Extra different from BBC Radio 4?

BBC Radio 4 broadcasts a mix of news, current affairs, drama and factual programming on FM, LW and DAB. BBC Radio 4 Extra is digital-only and focuses almost entirely on archive repeats of comedy, drama and light entertainment (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site). Where Radio 4 commissions new episodes daily, Radio 4 Extra curates the best of what has already aired—often from decades past.

What listeners say about BBC Radio 4 Extra

The BBC Sounds schedule shows programmes up to a week ahead, making it straightforward to find what is airing tonight or later in the week.

BBC Sounds help page (BBC Sounds, official platform)

BBC Radio 4 Extra is a station showcasing comedy, drama and entertainment, including quizzes, sitcoms, panel games, satire, stand-up, life stories, classics from the archive, science fiction and fantasy.

radio-uk.co.uk (radio-uk.co.uk, UK radio listings site)

The takeaway: Both sources confirm the same picture—a station built around curated repeats, with a schedule designed to help listeners discover and revisit landmark BBC programmes.

For listeners wanting a quick overview of what’s airing, we recommend checking todays full Radio 4 Extra schedule for a complete timetable and highlights.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• BBC Racing Results Today – Latest UK & Ireland Horse Racing – another BBC-branded schedule-oriented guide
• What Channel is Big Brother On? UK & Ireland Guide 2025 – a companion guide to finding broadcast channels and schedules

Editor’s note: This guide was researched using BBC Sounds, radio-uk.co.uk, UKRadioLive and Wikipedia as primary sources. All schedule claims were verified against live listings at the time of writing. For the most current schedule, always check BBC Sounds directly.