Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted Dying | 20250127 | 20250316 (R4) |  The politics of the human body is at the centre of intense debate in the UK and beyond. Thanks to science, technology and a fast-moving political landscape, humans are increasingly able to intervene in the natural processes of life – how we are conceived, how we are born and how and when we die. But what are the limits to this intervention, how should we decide and who should decide? Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In the final episode we delve deep into the complex and fascinating debate around assisted dying, which has moved to the front and centre of politics in Britain. We hear views from all sides, as well as powerful stories - a widow whose husband had an assisted death in Switzerland, a woman who recovered from anorexia who's joined the anti campaign, a retired high court judge who has a life-changing illness and a leading practitioner of assisted dying in Canada. Sonia teases out the complexity in ideas of choice, coercion and capacity as the UK debate intensifies, showing how decisions made now will impact future views on the value of life and how society handles death. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy
Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In the final episode we delve deep into the complex and fascinating debate around assisted dying, which has moved to the front and centre of politics in Britain. We hear views from all sides, as well as powerful stories - a widow whose husband had an assisted death in Switzerland, a woman who recovered from anorexia who's joined the anti campaign, a retired high court judge who has a life-changing illness and a leading practitioner of assisted dying in Canada. Sonia teases out the complexity in ideas of choice, coercion and capacity as the UK debate intensifies, showing how decisions made now will impact future views on the value of life and how society handles death. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines Credit: 'How to die: Simon's choice', Minnow Films, directed by Rowan Deacon, executive producer Colin Barr Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy.
Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In the final episode we delve deep into the complex and fascinating debate around assisted dying, which has moved to the front and centre of politics in Britain. We hear views from all sides, as well as powerful stories - a widow whose husband had an assisted death in Switzerland, a woman who recovered from anorexia who's joined the anti campaign, a retired high court judge who has a life-changing illness and a leading practitioner of assisted dying in Canada. Sonia teases out the complexity in ideas of choice, coercion and capacity as the UK debate intensifies, showing how decisions made now will impact future views on the value of life and how society handles death. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines Credit: 'How to die: Simon's choice', Minnow Films, directed by Rowan Deacon, executive producer Colin Barr Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. | |
| Assisted Dying | 20250127 | 20260305 (R4) 20260307 (R4) |  The politics of the human body is at the centre of intense debate in the UK and beyond. Thanks to science, technology and a fast-moving political landscape, humans are increasingly able to intervene in the natural processes of life – how we are conceived, how we are born and how and when we die. But what are the limits to this intervention, how should we decide and who should decide? Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In the final episode we delve deep into the complex and fascinating debate around assisted dying, which has moved to the front and centre of politics in Britain. We hear views from all sides, as well as powerful stories - a widow whose husband had an assisted death in Switzerland, a woman who recovered from anorexia who's joined the anti campaign, a retired high court judge who has a life-changing illness and a leading practitioner of assisted dying in Canada. Sonia teases out the complexity in ideas of choice, coercion and capacity as the UK debate intensifies, showing how decisions made now will impact future views on the value of life and how society handles death. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines Credit: 'How to die: Simon's choice', Minnow Films, directed by Rowan Deacon, executive producer Colin Barr Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. | |
| Pre-natal Screening | 20250120 | 20260226 (R4) 20260228 (R4) | The politics of the human body is at the centre of intense debate in the UK and beyond. Thanks to science, technology and a fast-moving political landscape, humans are increasingly able to intervene in the natural processes of life – how we are conceived, how we are born and how and when we die. But what are the limits to this intervention, how should we decide and who should decide? Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In this episode we explore the dilemmas facing women in pregnancy as advances in genetic screening and testing offer information about the foetuses they're carrying. We travel to Denmark where a national screening programme has led a to a big drop in the numbers of babies born with Down Syndrome. We talk to families with children with Down Syndrome, doctors and other experts about this controversial area of bio ethics and the societal consequences of individual choice. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. | |
| Surrogacy | 20250113 | 20260221 (R4) | The politics of the human body is at the centre of intense debate in the UK and beyond. Thanks to science, technology and a fast-moving political landscape, humans are increasingly able to intervene in the natural processes of life – how we are conceived, how we are born and how and when we die. But what are the limits to this intervention, how should we decide and who should decide? Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories, often involving a fascinating clash of competing rights and interests. The first episode focuses on surrogacy, where a woman gestates and gives birth to a baby for a couple or and individual. The UK surrogacy debate is at a crossroads - the practice is legal but limited, with reforms on the table to create new routes and attract more surrogates to come forward. Should they be implemented or should we follow countries like Italy, Spain and Germany and ban surrogacy entirely? Sonia hears emotional testimony from those who have become new parents through surrogacy – a single man parenting a young daughter, a gay male couple who now run a leading surrogacy agency and an Irish senator whose experience of infertility led her to surrogacy in India and a campaign to reform the law in Ireland. Sonia hears too from a former surrogate who defends her right to use her body to help others become parents. We also hear powerful stories from opponents, including a French woman born through surrogacy who is now estranged from her parents and claims long term psychological damage. And radical feminists explain why they see surrogacy as exploitative and misogynistic and why their campaign has brought strange new alliances across ideological divides. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound Design: Hal Haines Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the start and end of human life. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. | |
| 01 | Surrogacy | 20250113 | 20250302 (R4) 20260219 (R4) | Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories, often involving a fascinating clash of competing rights and interests. The first episode focuses on surrogacy, where a woman gestates and gives birth to a baby for a couple or and individual. The UK surrogacy debate is at a crossroads - the practice is legal but limited, with reforms on the table to create new routes and attract more surrogates to come forward. Should they be implemented or should we follow countries like Italy, Spain and Germany and ban surrogacy entirely? Sonia hears emotional testimony from those who have become new parents through surrogacy – a single man parenting a young daughter, a gay male couple who now run a leading surrogacy agency and an Irish senator whose experience of infertility led her to surrogacy in India and a campaign to reform the law in Ireland. Sonia hears too from a former surrogate who defends her right to use her body to help others become parents. We also hear powerful stories from opponents, including a French woman born through surrogacy who is now estranged from her parents and claims long term psychological damage. And radical feminists explain why they see surrogacy as exploitative and misogynistic and why their campaign has brought strange new alliances across ideological divides. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the start and end of human life The politics of the human body is at the centre of intense debate in the UK and beyond. Thanks to science, technology and a fast-moving political landscape, humans are increasingly able to intervene in the natural processes of life – how we are conceived, how we are born and how and when we die. But what are the limits to this intervention, how should we decide and who should decide? Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound Design: Hal Haines Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. |
| 02 | Pre-natal Screening | 20250120 | 20250309 (R4) | Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In this episode we explore the dilemmas facing women in pregnancy as advances in genetic screening and testing offer information about the foetuses they're carrying. We travel to Denmark where a national screening programme has led a to a big drop in the numbers of babies born with Down Syndrome. We talk to families with children with Down Syndrome, doctors and other experts about this controversial area of bio ethics and the societal consequences of individual choice. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life.
Broadcaster and columnist Sonia Sodha gets behind divides and polarisation to discover nuance, complexity and compelling stories around the beginning and the end of human life. In this episode we explore the dilemmas facing women in pregnancy as advances in genetic screening and testing offer information about the foetuses they're carrying. We travel to Denmark where a national screening programme has led a to a big drop in the numbers of babies born with Down Syndrome. We talk to families with children with Down Syndrome, doctors and other experts about this controversial area of bio ethics and the societal consequences of individual choice. Producer: Leala Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical questions around the beginning and the end of life. Sonia Sodha explores thorny ethical debates around the political issues of human life. Who gets conceived, who gets to live, who gets to die and who decides? Sonia Sodha investigates the new politics of bodily autonomy. |