Podcast Summary

Podcast: In Our Time – Special Conversation
Episode: Melvyn Bragg meets Misha Glenny
Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Justin Webb
Guests: Melvyn Bragg (outgoing host), Misha Glenny (incoming host)

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode marks a special handover for BBC Radio 4’s long-running intellectual show “In Our Time” as Melvyn Bragg, its iconic host, discusses the show’s legacy and philosophy with his successor, Misha Glenny. Moderated by Justin Webb, the conversation explores what made the program so enduringly popular, the principles behind its format, the continued public appetite for knowledge, and how Misha intends to follow Melvyn’s celebrated tenure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Secret of “In Our Time’s” Success

• Curiosity as Driving Force
  • Melvyn Bragg asserts that curiosity is the fundamental driver:

    “I think one of the most striking characteristics that we have is curiosity.” (02:00; Melvyn Bragg)

• Patchy Education, A Thirst for Knowledge
  • Many listeners (and Melvyn himself) come with “patchy” backgrounds, particularly in areas like science, making shows revelatory.
• Format & Principles
  • The program was constructed to jump from topic to topic—“from ancient China to a billion, billion light years away”—to keep content diverse and engaging.
  • Only teaching academics are invited, ensuring clarity and accessibility:

    “They finish in this studio, and they go back to their universities or colleges and they teach. And that is almost 100% kept.” (03:30; Melvyn Bragg)

• Lack of Promotional Content and Biases
  • Strictly educational, never promotional or prescriptive about listeners’ viewpoints.

2. The Art of Hosting

• Melvyn’s Role
  • Misha Glenny credits Melvyn’s skill in providing an arc and making esoteric topics clear and memorable:

    “You create in every episode…a really comprehensible arc, a story whereby you come into a subject that you know nothing about, and 45 minutes later...you understand the basics of it.” (04:10; Misha Glenny)

  • Memorable example: Misha recounts dropping everything to listen to the plate tectonics episode, which transformed his understanding that “without plate tectonics, there is no life.” (05:13; Misha Glenny)
• Contributions of Academics
  • Notably, science academics tend to be more concise and collegial than arts academics. (06:12; Melvyn Bragg)
• On Managing the Discussion
  • Melvyn’s tact in moving guests along and the show’s respect for time-sharing:

    “You always find the right moment to come in and say, absolutely fascinating, but let’s move on.” (06:13; Misha Glenny)

  • “It’s more than a conversation—an investigation between three people…a shared investigation.” (07:00; Melvyn Bragg)

3. The Show’s Ethos

• No Editorializing or Relevance Imposed
  • The program avoids instructing listeners on how to interpret content (“We have no plugging and we have no plugging. And I think that's a big thing.” [07:00; Melvyn Bragg]).
  • Justin Webb notes this sets “In Our Time” apart from current trends in museums or academia, which often frame material in the context of “decolonizing” or other interpretive frameworks. (07:35; Justin Webb)
• Focus on the Subject and Teaching
  • The core is conveying what experts know, clearly and succinctly, without overlaying agendas.

4. Looking Ahead: Misha Glenny’s Vision

• Honoring the Legacy
  • Misha emphasizes his intention to continue Melvyn’s approach:

    “I don't want to…smash up the china… I want to do what Melvin has been doing very well.” (08:21; Misha Glenny)

• Bringing in New Elements
  • Misha may include more on European literature and South American history, reflecting his background.
  • Yet, he’s keen not to neglect other fields, expressing a particular fondness for science topics—admitting he got “unclassified” in O level physics and sees this as an ongoing redemptive journey! (09:34; Misha Glenny)

5. Personal Reflections and Backgrounds

• Serendipity in Broadcasting
  • Misha recounts his time as the BBC’s Central Europe correspondent, covering pivotal moments such as the fall of communism:

    “I knew Havel, I knew Vamoinsa. …But after that came the wars in Yugoslavia…organized crime played an absolutely critical role…” (10:30–11:30; Misha Glenny)

• The Joy of Discovery
  • Both host and successor express how each episode offers something new to learn—even for them.

6. Audience and Impact

• Young Listeners’ Appeal
  • Unusually among BBC content, the show is “one of the top for the under 35s.”
• Disciplined Conversation
  • Melvyn credits the “delight” of compact, sharply curated discussion for this success, as well as the vast, accessible archive (13:18; Melvyn Bragg).
• Intellectual Ferment Among Youth
  • Misha reflects on his recent work in Vienna, where “fellows in their 20s…their scholarship is phenomenal…there is still an intellectual ferment, even though we know that our brains are being turned to mush by social media…” (13:59; Misha Glenny)

7. Relevance and Knowledge

• Never Knowingly Relevant… But Always Resonant
  • The show’s ethos is “never knowingly relevant,” yet listeners inevitably relate episodes to current events or personal experiences:

    “It's never knowingly relevant, but it often is relevant.” (15:32; Misha Glenny)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Curiosity:

  “I think that we are a curious species. They want to know what's around the corner, what's on the moon, why is this happening?”
  (15:14; Melvyn Bragg)

• On Intellectual Culture:

  “On this program that we’ve been doing…there’s none of [incompetence] allowed because the other people…just shake their heads. You can’t say that, that doesn’t work. You can’t do that.”
  (14:52; Melvyn Bragg)

• On Legacy:

  “It’s been a great privilege to present In Our Time for so many years, and I’m delighted that Misha will be taking on the role… I wish Misha, the program and you, our listeners around the world, every success.”
  (16:16; Melvyn Bragg)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:00–04:00]: Melvyn Bragg on curiosity, teaching academics, and the show’s construction
• [04:01–05:38]: Misha Glenny on the show’s narrative arc and a personal epiphany from the plate tectonics episode
• [06:09–07:00]: On collegiality and the skill of hosting
• [07:35–08:17]: The absence of editorializing/contextualizing for listeners
• [08:17–09:47]: Misha on stepping into Melvyn’s shoes and future directions
• [10:20–12:04]: Misha’s experiences as a correspondent and learning in unfamiliar fields
• [12:31–13:18]: The eclectic approach, audience suggestions, and the value of the program’s archive
• [13:59–14:51]: The vitality of young scholarship amid social media influence
• [15:32–16:10]: Subtle relevance, knowledge, and Melvyn’s sign-off

Conclusion

This transition episode is both retrospective and forward-looking: it celebrates Melvyn Bragg’s unique style—the curiosity-driven, gently guided, rigorously academic, and always accessible conversation that made “In Our Time” essential listening. Misha Glenny recognizes the high bar, pledges continuity, and hints at new dimensions, especially from his scholarly breadth. Above all, the episode affirms the audience’s enduring eagerness to learn, discover, and think—regardless of age or background.

Listen to Melvyn’s final and Misha’s inaugural episode of In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds [from Jan 15, 2026].