The Documentary Podcast

British-Pakistani pharmacist turned comedian Lubna Kerr hears from doctors, sufferers, and experts as she explores Pakistan’s growing diabetes crisis. With type 2 diabetes rates now the highest in the world, the disease is affecting millions - shaping lives, straining healthcare, and raising questions about prevention. Many sufferers remain undiagnosed, missing crucial early intervention. But for those who do receive a diagnosis, the ability to monitor blood sugar levels regularly is crucial. Lubna hears about patients who struggle to access glucose monitoring kits, essential for adjusting diet and medication. While urban hospitals offer testing, high costs and limited availability mean that many people, especially in rural areas, are left without the tools they need to manage their condition effectively. Lubna explores attitudes toward diabetes and diet - and how myths and stigma prevent people from seeking diagnosis or treatment.

3 Jul 26min

An inspiration, a politician, a pioneer on and off court - these just some of the words used to describe Arthur Ashe, who became the first African-American to win the men's Wimbledon singles title against Jimmy Connors in 1975. It was one of the most iconic sporting moments of the 20th Century at a time of huge political and racial unrest. Ashe’s life spans America’s Civil Rights struggle, the ending of South Africa’s system of apartheid and his creation of an awareness of the disease that would eventually kill him - Aids.BBC Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller tells his story, hearing from amongst others, former players John McEnroe, Serena Williams, Stan Smith, his agent Donald Dell and his brother Johnnie Ashe.

2 Jul 49min

In 2021, a huge container ship, the X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka, releasing hazardous materials, toxic chemicals and more than 1000 tonnes of microplastic pellets into the sea. The UN called it an environmental catastrophe. Today, Sri Lanka is still counting the cost. Leana Hosea visits Sri Lanka to investigate the legacy of the disaster, and find out why, four years on, there’s still a battle for compensation.This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

1 Jul 26min

Why are Poland's young voters turning to the right? With his veto powers, Poland’s president-elect Karol Nawrocki could halt the pro-EU government of Donald Tusk. Poland is a NATO member and backs Ukraine in the war with Russia. Scaling up security is an issue almost all Poles agree on, yet there are some signs of shifting attitudes - on foreign policy and immigration. We examine the gender gap among voters and the recent election discourse to understand how conflicting priorities and enduring conservative values are shaping the eastern flank of the West.

29 Jun 29min

Poland’s president-elect, Karol Nawrocki, is a right-wing historian, an amateur boxer and a fan of Donald Trump. What will his presidency mean for the region? Kateryna Khinkulova, editor of the newly launched BBC News Polska, explains. Plus, India’s ‘tailor on wheels’ with Anil Kumar reporting for BBC Telugu and the science of smiling with Alassane Dia from BBC Afrique. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Alice Gioia, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. This is an EcoAudio certified production. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

28 Jun 18min

Following the recent bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites by the United States, we talk to Iranians living in the US about their thoughts as they watch events in the Middle East from afar. They describe feeling conflicted about the attacks carried out by their adopted homeland. They worry about friends and relatives who could be in danger back in Iran. But perhaps unsurprisingly for an exiled community, they have strong views on the Iranian regime. Shaheen grew up in the US but feels very connected to his Iranian heritage. Fellow American-Iranian Manna thinks about the future of her people, “I feel not just guilt as an Iranian, but shame as an American, because I'm afraid that we just made their standard of living and what they are going to have after this ceasefire so much worse.*

28 Jun 23min

DJ Fatboy Slim’s Praise You is a song you might have heard in a Hollywood movie or danced to in a club - to this day, it is still his biggest hit. But there is something you won’t know: the singer behind the lyrics or the true meaning of the words. Civil rights activist Camille Yarbrough first released Take Yo’ Praise 50 years ago. It was written as a love letter to African-American men, inspired by a moment of spiritual awakening and family secret. After its release, radio stations refused to play it and she felt she was labelled a “troublemaker”. When Fatboy Slim picked up an old copy of Camille’s song, he turned it into a hit. But there is an irony - it is now played by radio stations around the world, but the true meaning of the music has been lost. Reporter Emily Webb goes to meet Camille in her New York apartment.

27 Jun 26min

One of the first executive orders that President Donald Trump signed in his second term of office stated that being transgender is incompatible with the ‘rigorous standards necessary for military service’. It set the stage for a ban on trans people serving in the military, regardless of ability, rank or service history. Official figures say there are 4,240 transgender service members in the US armed forces, however research commissioned by the US Defense Department in 2016 estimated there could be up to around 10,000. Over the past four months the BBC has been following the stories of two trans service people as the executive order took effect. Both have served 17 years in the military, and are now facing the threat of a dishonourable discharge.Archive sources: NBC News, FOX News, CBS News, CNN, Chicks on the Right, Newsmax, 9 News, WKYC, ABC News, US Army's School of Advanced Military Studies

25 Jun 26min