Read this: 21/10/2022 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello welcome to the programme this week true Crime on Radio 4.

It's loved by many I found the Boy in the woods completely gripping buttload by of I have to say that I found this program quite shocking and distasteful to say the least I'm going to be putting your comment on the Boy in the woods to it's presenter, Winifred Robinson and asking a commissioner where true Crime Stories fit on a public service network also the rules of live radio if you were listening to the Today programme last Saturday morning.

You may have choked on your toast can't say that you can't say that you will have to have your own studio to be honest.

I just laughed.

I thought it was wonderful.

I thought was from the house and we put two more listeners in our vauxbox this time Krishna and Lee review hip hop.

The ultimate prize exploring the extraordinary exploits of two Scottish rappers silibil and brains on the world service absolute Madness what does Madonna have more reaction from inside the box later but first sometimes it seems much of the world has fallen in love with true Crime podcasts from serial to Aston host the cryptoqueen sweet Bobby teacher's pet the podcast charts have been dominated by the genre in recent years and increasingly you can hear true Crime on Radio 4 the most recent series The Boy in the woods is proving a big hit for The Station the 10 part explores the 1994 murder of 6-year old rikki Neave but while the uncompromising in-depth the kind of Ricky's killing and it's aftermath.

Prayers for many listeners others felt it was too disturbing and to graphic I've been speaking to Radio 4 commissioning editor of factual programmes Dan Clarke presenter, Winifred Robinson about the series and also what makes a true crime Story Radio 4 crime Story Winifred talks quite candidly in the series about this particular murder had made such an impression on her when you're looking for missing children you can almost hear them calling out to you find me find me I think even though he died more than 20 years ago at some level rikki.

Neave has been calling out to me urgent me to share his history began by asking Winifred what it was about this story that made her want to tell it 28 years on from the original murder, but it's a story that is meant a lot to me for an awful.

Lot of my working.

Partly because the year before rikki Neave went missing I had been at the trial of two little boys who were convicted of killing James Bulger so that story was still with me when I heard that a child was missing and it was rikki Neave I suppose I connected those two children in my mind but what emerged about Ricky was that all of the people in the story when known to social services and the authorities and the social services and the authorities had tried to help them his mother knew she was hoping and she could ask for help but what helps she had not worked in the centre hasn't saved Ricky and so I always felt that if only I could get really close to this story.

I could make you understand more about how sad family history is trickle-down.

You know more about what we might be able to do to rescue children and difficult situations in the way that he was.

The key things about this whole story was the access that you had two police tapes.

I'd like to just play an excerpt from the series featuring Ricky's mother being interviewed by the police.

Have you got one child you've got one child node address from Aldwick in West Sussex in my opinion the Boy in the woods was excellent this was mainly because of Winifred Robinson professional journalism obvious passion to see Justice done qualities often lacking in the emerging true Crime genre.

Hello.

I am George cupboard from Ely and Cambridge programme called shopping and distressful to say the least it began with a graphic account of how this provides body was found and someone else to work.

Time to dwell on The Sensational I didn't feel it was educational and it's certainly was not entertaining.

How do you say my name is Richard goodrick? Why I found the series interesting I did almost stop listening after the first two episodes it fell voyeuristic and it's place nice of series piece of journalism despite this I did find myself listening to the rest of the series which was interesting and dealt with some serious issues rosemary Lee from North London I found this an outstanding series it was thought-provoking and profoundly moving.

What's truck be particularly was the beautifully compassionate open non-judgemental approach of the two women journalists on the day reason he was arrested Thursday the 19th of January 1995 the police began.

Happiest memories and I'm from Dorking in the woods completely gripping in many ways it wasn't an easy listen, but it felt like the subject matter was treated with respect despite her and nature of the subject matter and being left with wider societal questions it felt very satisfying to conclude.

It was incredible produce and sensitively presented Winifred weed has a lot of Praise for the series with Also of course had people who said that they find it difficult listen which I'm sure it all agree.

That was difficult to listen one of them did say that it was worse.

I wonder what would you say to that criticism and indeed tell us a little bit about your decision to put the voice of his mum and those police tapes at the heart of this with the tapes those types were given to us by Ruth Neave and her husband Gary Rogers and I thought really hard to get those types.

From lawyers said they could campaign to have the investigation into the murder of rikki Neave reopened so first and foremost.

They wanted us to share the way it was questioned when she was arrested, so she was a bereaved mother who was accused of murdering her own son when she was not the killer and the series is a serious invested into what went wrong and in the course of the investigation we uncovered the fact we uncovered it, so it's new a new fact that emerges which is that the police in the original investigate ignored scientific evidence to build their case against Ruth Neave and I think all of that answers any suggestion that all we were doing was be taureans that it was cheap journalism in some way.

It's serious investigative journalism.

I totally understand the people find it upsetting and that's why they warnings in there but

Big part of our job is always been to Shine a light and dark places and a big part of our job as always been to make a space where the voices of people seldom heard can be heard Winifred One criticism of the genre of these kind of true crimes.

Is it often the victims are forgotten about you don't hear much about them and the killer is this couldn't be further from the case in this particular series we learn a lot about Ricky I wonder Ricky's family opened up to you explain perhaps a little bit of the listeners about you went about getting their car within the case of roofing even Gary Rogers I have been trying to talk to Ruth Neave for a long time sending letters through her lawyers going back to you shortly after she came prison which is in the year 2009 for a long time.

She remembered me in terms of this project so much and I made our first approach to Ruth Neave

2015 that is a long time ago then obviously once there was somebody accused of the murder.

We had to back right off.

So you cannot then discuss because we was going to be anything that might be certain evidence but we have kept in touch with them over that time the other members of the family that we have been in contact with we had to find them an approach.

Talk to them about what we were doing and Ricky has three sisters one of his sister's Rochelle agreed to do an interview for us.

There are other people in this series who were children the time that he was murdered and some of them with vulnerable children themselves.

They are adults now and I have to say that we had to find them, but they really wanted to take part say felt and they said to us that they were telling their truth for Ricky and to honour his memory Daniel Clarke is a commissioner commissions podcasts and true Crime on radio.

Daniel possibly in the past we don't associate Radio 4 with true Crime but these true Crime podcast regular feature in the top 10 of the most popular podcast in the UK and the US is this a genre that suited to the BBC suited the Public Service Broadcasting what I would say is that we have an ironclad bar it which is there any story we do whether it's a crime Story or another story with might tell kind of like for this kind of depth has to illuminate something brought.

It has to tell us something bigger about Society and I think hearing when they talk about this series shows that happened in spades are in fact.

I just want something to win points which is as well as commissioning this big podcast with permission to discussion program to serve discuss some of the issues that came out of it which featured Lord laming featured a Louise Casey and I was struck actually by the fact that they didn't only think it was an important thing to explore but they said in terms that actually exploring these things in Diss

50 tail Something That Shine such a light on the failures of the police the failures of the social care system was something that was absolutely vital to a Public Service Broadcasting in every case we think very very hard about what the subgenus stick marry of a story as well as what the kind of storytelling courses are whether it's a Great Yarmouth so you didn't think that was retro the public service onto the back of a true crime series the actual series itself has to have a public service element that ride 100-percent and I can give you lots of examples of the sorts of true Crime Stories that we've done that would have that I mean if you take something like the northern Bank Job which we did last year which was a big investigation into IRA bank robbery but also meditation on the Politics of Northern Ireland or I have a series coming up in the new year which is exposing Britain's biggest environmental crime what we try and do is make sure that the journalism and the like that we're trying to shine on something is absolutely for.

As well as those stories and qualities of this kind of podcasting hasn't actually just stop talking about days.

I think we have to be sure that there is some sort of contemporary Residence and actually it's not always the case that 30 year-olds murders however terrible have something to say about today, but in a story about boy in the woods.

That was loud and clear so we're not going to see a series of Penny dreadfuls radio for in terms of the formula for the series these words of shorter than the normal documentary like that.

You would be used to make and I wondered did you feel that at the end of every program you needed to kind of find a cliffhanger and if so did that influence the way that you rotate the influence channel is in the toll a really interesting question.

I think this particular story has so many twists and Turns in it.

It's such an interesting and dramatic story.

So many revelations that 10-part format I thought fitted it perfectly to split into chapters in the way you would split a book.

I think obviously to be honest if it in series or in any book.

It's good.

If one chapter takes you want to the next chapter so wouldn't say it wasn't a consideration, but it wasn't the thing that drove the form of it not in my mind Winifred listening to this it is this must have been a huge undertaking for you emotionally personally I wonder would you do this again and then you must have to feel very driven by the subject matter the amount of time and energy that you did today.

Yes, I would do it again absolutely I would do it again.

I said I would do it again for the right story it did take it out a minute took it out of everyone Ricky's been the last person I have thought about when I've gone to sleep the first person.

I thought about when I've woken up for months and months and months though the sound designer Tom brignall.

He found it really tough to listen again.

Cancel those types you know to mix the sound but do I think what we did at the end was worth it.

I absolutely totally do and I absolutely totally would do it again for the right case true Crime is something that so if you look at people that listen the demographics are young and they are female to get a young audience is something that both Radio 4 on the BBC overall is look so can we expect to see a lot more troops? I think what we can expect to see our more really serious landmark investigations that that's not going to say this actually the thing that really excites me is when we can take the strength of the true Crime genre.

You know the experiential nature of it the fact that we hear from the protagonist the structuring of stories in a way that are based around untangler mystery or solving a puzzle and when we can apply those two stories that really want to tell and so yeah absolutely we can expect more.

Storytelling journalistic projects some of those will invest criminal case if someone has been investigated other thing so we can absolutely expect more of a thanks to Winifred Robinson and Dante and the whole series of The Boy in the woods is available as a box set on BBC signs now of course true Crime is a relatively new addition to the BBC but as The Corporation gears up for the 100th anniversary of its first ever broadcast on November 14th here on feedback.

We are pulling together your thoughts on its future directions.

We had towards charger renewal in less than 4 years time.

Hello, my name is Lucy I'm 19 years old and from North Wales I would definitely say that although I'm on the younger end of the demographic for BBC I think that's really it has something that everybody and that makes it just so special to me have a drag race UK on the BBC and being such a central part 2 BBC and the BBC Three particularly has been massively beneficial to me and a great deal of people who generally or seen as queer individuals through Television or radio.

Hi, my name is keyboard and I'm a teacher from Essex to this day Radio 4 remains my still small voice of calm and podcast such as the coming storm intrigue and gangster remind me that journalism as a craft is far from dead and there was still storytellers out there with integrity and passion for uncovering the truth.

I hope the quality and variety continue for another 8 years.

Hello, this is Peter from Cheshire I'd like to comment on Radio 4 commissioning strategy with an ageing population and with many listeners over 80 the station is perhaps struggling to cater for an order stretching across 3 or even 4 Generations I believe that younger people discover Radio 4 naturally when the time is right so looking to the next 100 years.

I'm on the view that the retain its focus on serving the more mature end of the demographic indeed Armagh senior citizens.

Perhaps currently underserved by Radio 4.

And if you want to be part of the discussion about the future shape of the BBC please do get in touch with us you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk you can comment on Twitter use the hashtag BBC R4 feedback.

You can leave a phone message on 0300 333 4445 and don't forget the new way of getting in touch you can also send a WhatsApp message to that same number and leave us a voice note all those details and a postal address on the website no to the joys of live radio every presenter has a literary of tales of the Unexpected while on earth.

I've been soaked by an air and water sprinklers.

I want to an anarchist group as an Antichrist group when the word has been hyphenated on autocue have converted into helpless giggles when reading a story about pickpocketing monkeys and once I was caught on mic.

David Beckham as an England team press conference ouch however, if you broadcast moment will stick in the collective memory as long as Justin Webb and my heart sink moments on last Saturday's Today programme when this happened - the bleeps at the end of a live interview with Miriam margolyes.

Hi, my name is by Nicholson and I live on the edge of the New Forest in the village of sandleheath.

I remember listening to the interview with Miriam margolyes, and I must have made a little surprise given her invitation of Skinner to be interviewed live however, she went on and gave a marvellous account of her experiences with Robbie Coltrane yes, the fullness of him as a person as a tenner.

That's what I treasure and remember.

Thank you so much for coming.

My name is Chris Yardley from Minworth in Norfolk I was able to hear the full contacts to Miriam's interview.

Proceeding it by Jeremy Hunt you can't say that you will have to have you out of the studio.

What she said at the end of the interview.

Just go voice to a lot of people think of a government ministers and politicians at the moment.

I think Miriam should stand for p.m.

And I wouldn't hesitate to vote for to be honest.

I just laughed.

I thought it was wonderful.

I thought was from the heart via WhatsApp roofing in Harrogate North Yorkshire I loved miss Margolis is comments this morning it made me laugh so much kudos to the presenters for coping with it the joys of live radio.

Hello there, I would keep those comments coming on anything you hear on BBC Radio and BBC signs now for this week's vauxbox review we put another tool is in a room together to give us their thoughts on a program on podcast friends, Krishna and Lee the Living Salford but originally from Northern Ireland have been casting an ear over a real series on the world service hip-hop lies and the ultimate prize it tells the story of silibil and brains aka Billy Boyd and Gavin Bain to Rapper's who were not what they claim to be I'm mobeen Azhar bringing you unbelievable personal stories from people whose lives have taken some unexpected twists and Turns this program is a story of two Scottish guys from Dundee who pretended to be American and made it in the music industry, but the truth always comes out in the end.

Play my take a settee may come and break your leg still you able wrecked dislocate your legs.

You can give chase instead should be like in here little bit of a Scottish town now and then you can relax and cauliflower cauliflower cheese now, so I told Bil the plan we go for a week back to London break away and perform as he's crazy American do is we will make her way.

We'll make it happen to me.

It's like having a Saturday it's not like that.

Eminem you actually respond that is the story and I was like he was so tired by the stories like me tell you a story about the jump head first into the London Party scene.

We go in and belly dancers way over getting right up to the Don and she had to be involved and things like that was just like the story is not many people like that had a pint of Guinness with Madonna that's crazy though.

About who they are there in five some partners that they were speak in an American accent.

I would do everything in the accent, so don't try to as well as information locked her girlfriends voices.

We will speak with be the accent and I feel like they kind of have convinced themselves that they are these characters and they've almost lost for the original identity yeah, but the family it got tough because I got a cold one time in my mum and see my dad was ill and it broke me out of character and I was like really struggling to speak to my mum and my dad help.

I'm like I'm going to lose this character poses character.

Everyone has different coping mechanisms, but you're sad that his too kind of push the people that he's movie closest with the way.

And not be there for them when you know they need him first person that address which is my mum my family and friends for his family his him at that time like switch off the car charger for that time and be there for the surrounded by drugs and alcohol on a really messed up industry and they knew that had a drive and nothing's gonna stop me I want to achieve when your hand at this in a platter of money and fame in party in you get caught up never went down.

I think you got more than Billy think it's annoying you don't get their side of the story.

It's very one-sided and make sure you can I want to be like that.

Maybe he didn't want to tell his eyes my stop the music.

I just said I can do this anymore and I'm not bringing cloud.

I've never been to America that I felt the most was affected with the music was that silence and there is weird and it was like.

Like I was actually in that room.

If it was me telling this story, I would have maybe maybe started the story at the end and then going back to kind of movie gone back to start and started with the vehicle and that's the first thing here and it really grabs your attention, but it is kind of brilliant holiday get away with it for so long that makes for such a great story like his story is just a normal.

Kushner and Lee if you'd like to have a go at reviewing anything you've heard on BBC Radio or signs with a family member of friends.

We would love to hear from you remember not there to adjudicator steer the conversation.

It's just your own take on what you've heard now.

You may have heard about the recently rediscovered Desert Island Discs find in an attic more than 90 of them missing for years and now available on the programs website and so next week in a special edition of vauxbox actor baby Jones of Harry Potter and detectorists theme among many other roles and his brother Rupert will be listening back to one of the rescued episodes featuring their dad the actor Freddie Jones I cast away this week is the actor Freddie Jones remember that he was going to meet Roy family.

Garrick Club and they were going to discuss what is going to choose an how he was going to choose it and they remember send it saying to him.

You should ask for The Stranglers I almost sleep on the chair in friend's house after Nathan Sunday lunch and lord of wine and he put on and bronze and what it was and all that one's came up the third movie.

I don't remember him playing music.

I don't know I'm in it was either half or it was on and if it was on it was on at 10 and he would be shouting along with it with a battle.

More from the Jones family next week children.

Thank you for listening and for giving us your feedback.