Misha Glenny debuts as host of Radio 4’s In Our Time

Misha Glenny has made his debut as host of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time, replacing Melvyn Bragg after his 27-year stint. Glenny’s first programme was a discussion of John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty, recorded with Helen McCabe (University of Nottingham), Mark Philp (Warwick) and Piers Norris Turner (Ohio).

Radio 4 confirmed the episode was pre-recorded, after a chaotic trail on the Today programme in which Nick Robinson’s question about how the show had gone prompted a mumbled reply from Glenny. Beyond the change of presenter, the format remained familiar: a thoughtful 42 minutes that emphasised the view that Harriet Taylor Mill was a substantial co-author of Mill’s work and that kept discussion largely free of real-world names or places.

The programme touched on contemporary concerns about freedom and tyranny in the Putin and Trump ascendancies, and the conversation’s proximity to liberties taken by politicians appeared to make BBC management uneasy. Glenny came across as scrupulously polite and, at times, like a junior don, even chuckling, "that's a different issue!" Next week’s edition will focus on the Mariana Trench and tectonic plates.

The presenter succession comes amid wider upheaval at the BBC — the new director general and head of news are needed after the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness over the Panorama editing that triggered Trump’s litigation — and, the article says, it is certain In Our Time will be mentioned during negotiations over a new BBC charter.

Key Topics

Culture, Misha Glenny, Melvyn Bragg, John Stuart Mill, Tim Davie, Deborah Turness