Josephine McDermott
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josephinemcdermott.bsky.social
Josephine McDermott
@josephinemcdermott.bsky.social
Award-winning BBC World Service presenter and producer behind BBC Radio 4’s Fangirls and Teen Hysteria and Do You Speak English?
Jung Chang, whose lifetime’s writing has informed so much opinion about Mao’s cultural revolution outside of China, says “In China now the repression is the worst it’s been since Mao’s death in 1976.” Speaking at
@mcrlitfest.bsky.social
October 19, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Wow! Archive on 4: Do You Speak English? has been shortlisted for an award from the Association for International Broadcasters. Making the documentary led me to a trove of radio and TV programmes broadcast abroad to teach English that I and most people in the UK had never heard before. #BBCSounds
September 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Reposted by Josephine McDermott
50 years ago today, July 25, 1975:

The landmark musical A CHORUS LINE opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre. The show, conceived and directed by Michael Bennett, won nine Tony Awards and ran for a then-record 15 years. It became a tourist attraction and helped revitalize Times Square.
July 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
“I hope I get it. I hope I get it…” 🎶 It’s 50 years since the premiere of A Chorus Line. Baayork Lee who was in the original cast describes what it was like to make musical history.
Witness History - A Chorus Line - BBC Sounds
Broadway hit A Chorus Line premieres in 1975
www.bbc.co.uk
July 25, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The story of the passion and drive behind the creation of Voice of America and its reporting in the 1940s was an important one to tell so I’m thrilled my programme ‘The Start of Voice of America’ was a BBC Radio 4 pick of the week #VOA
July 20, 2025 at 8:15 PM
After long negotiations in 2015, solving Greece’s debt crisis came down to 17 hours of talks between EU leaders. Greece’s then finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos tells me what happened behind closed doors in the early hours #bbcworldservice #Greece
July 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
In 1942 Eugene Kern walked into the #VoiceofAmerica office looking for a job. He was put to work straight away producing a Finnish show unable to speak a word. Hear his account of the start of the dismantled broadcaster set up to counter Nazi propaganda
Witness History - The start of Voice of America - BBC Sounds
The broadcaster Voice of America was created in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda
www.bbc.co.uk
July 14, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Back to the Future is 40-years-old today! Did you know the DeLorean started out as a refrigerator? youtube.com/watch?v=dCVG...
Creating Back to the Future, 40 years on - Witness History podcast, BBC World Service
YouTube video by BBC World Service
youtube.com
July 3, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Nigeria has pardoned Ken Saro-Wiwa 30 years after his execution. The writer stood up against oil producers in the Niger Delta. In 2014 Witness History spoke to his friend and fellow campaigner Ledum Mitee #BBCWorldService

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Witness History - The Execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa - BBC Sounds
In 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists were executed by the Nigerian regime.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 14, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Archaeologist Khalil Hariri risked everything - and was even shot at - when he rescued 400 artefacts from the clutches of the Islamic State group 10 years ago in Palmyra. Today’s Witness History on the BBC World Service www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Witness History - Rescuing Palmyra’s treasures from the Islamic State group - BBC Sounds
In 2015 Khalil Hariri risked his life to save centuries-old archaeology in Syria
www.bbc.co.uk
May 9, 2025 at 8:34 AM
It’s 10 years since a history-making phone call. President Goodluck Jonathan phoned his election opponent to concede defeat. It was the first time it had happened in Africa’s biggest democracy, Nigeria. President Jonathan’s media aide recalls the moment
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Witness History - Goodluck Jonathan’s phone call that changed Nigeria - BBC Sounds
President Goodluck Jonathan's call to Muhammadu Buhari to concede election defeat in 2015
www.bbc.co.uk
March 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Josephine McDermott
There are so many bonkers aspects to the story of defector Thae Yong-Ho - NK’s Ealing embassy, trying to close a London barbers that made fun of KJU’s haircut - but there’s also the tragic & brave stories of those who now live in London’s “Little Pyongyang”, New Malden. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
March 10, 2025 at 9:21 AM
“It’s like falling in love, discovering a new continent and winning a great victory all at one” What a description of a scientific discovery! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... #MaxPerutz #Chemistry #Haemoglobin
Witness History - Discovering the structure of haemoglobin - BBC Sounds
Dr Max Perutz made one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century
www.bbc.co.uk
February 26, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Thank you @owainwynevans.bsky.social for choosing Mary Fisher’s interview about her ‘Whisper of AIDS’ speech for Witness History as a Pick of the Week @maryfisher.bsky.social

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Pick of the Week - Owain Wyn Evans - BBC Sounds
Turn up the volume to 11 with a selection of the best bits of radio from the last week.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 16, 2025 at 8:42 PM
In 1992 Mary Fisher didn’t expect to see her sons aged 4 and 2 grow up. She gave a speech to challenge the stigma of HIV and AIDS. It’s ranked one of the most important of the 20th century in the US. She reflected on it with me for Witness History

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Witness History - Mary Fisher's 'A Whisper of Aids' speech - BBC Sounds
Mary Fisher set out to fight the prejudice faced by those with HIV and Aids
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2025 at 6:05 PM
“One of my standout favourites of the week” from Claudia Hammond on Pick of the Week www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Archive on 4 - Do You Speak English? - BBC Sounds
How the BBC taught the world English through radio and television
www.bbc.co.uk
January 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by Josephine McDermott
This is such a lovely and fascinating programme by @josephinemcdermott.bsky.social about how the BBC used to teach English on the World Service. Worth it for the received pronunciation ABBA alone!

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Archive on 4 - Do You Speak English? - BBC Sounds
How the BBC taught the world English through radio and television
www.bbc.co.uk
January 14, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Delighted that Archive on 4: Do You Speak English? is a Radio Times @radiotimes.bsky.social Pick of the Week. So many World Service gems uncovered including China’s Follow Me. Radio 4, Saturday at 20:00
January 7, 2025 at 8:26 PM