You've been inspired by Open University programmes on the BBC.
This unique partnership combines the greatest academic minds with world-class productions, developing online learning journeys that enable you to take your interests further and bringing learning right into your home.
We've got lots of great FREE learning materials to complement the programmes made by The Open University and the BBC:
- FREE posters, booklets, resources and apps
- Specially produced animations and educational games
Start your journey with this taster of what’s coming up.
Coming up on Television
Look out for programmes still to come later in the year in TV, Radio and Events
Old School With The Hairy Bikers
Teenagers and pensioners are the most marginalised age groups in society, can the Hairy Bikers transform their lives with a radical project?
The Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers and Si King, have a big new challenge ahead of them. At a struggling school in Oxford, they are taking two groups in society often marginalised, at odds and with a range of different challenges – pensioners and teenage pupils – and pairing them up for a term to see if 12 unlikely couples spending time together as equals can transform their difficult lives. Read more about Old School With The Hairy Bikers.
Shakespeare season
The OU is marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare with a series of films on TV, and some specially commissioned online animations.
Shakespeare Live: event
This live event, in association with the RSC, will be hosted on BBC2 by David Tennant during the weekend of Shakespeare’s birthday, 23 April, and will feature a cast of renowned Shakespearean actors.
Shakespeare Speaks: animations
A 20-part audio and animated series in conjunction with BBC Learning English that explores words and phrases used by Shakespeare in his plays that are still in common use today.
Shakespeare Lives: essays / films
Shakespeare Lives is a series of five essays and films written for the BBC Shakespeare season by significant cultural figures exploring how Shakespeare has shaped and expressed how nations see themselves.
What to listen to on Radio
- All in the Mind with Claudia Hammond explores the limits and potential of the human mind.
- Thinking Allowed is BBC Radio 4’s weekly focus on the social sciences with Laurie Taylor.
- More or Less, hosted by Tim Harford demystifies the numbers and statistics used in politics, news and everyday life.
- The Bottom Line, hosted by Evan Davis, is BBC Radio 4's weekly business conversation.
Go to TV, Radio and Events for more information about our Radio programmes.
Recent series
The following series have now finished, but you can still explore the subject in more depth, and access the free learning materials.

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