How long is an era? It’s a question that could well be (and perhaps has been – there have been over 1,000 episodes) answered on In Our Time by a trio of geologists, palaeontologists or classical historians. The 27 years Melvyn Bragg presented the show, one of the most iconic Radio 4 programmes ever to grace the airwaves, can surely be considered an era of its own. When Bragg announced he was standing down at the age of 86, it was unclear whether anyone else would be able to fill his shoes.
The new host, Misha Glenny (of McMafia fame), wondered that too. He and Bragg were interviewed by Justin Webb on the Today programme just before Christmas. Webb wanted to know: what’s behind the phenomenal success of In Our Time? According to Glenny, part of the secret is “Melvyn himself”. “The format is really quite straightforward; there aren’t too many bells and whistles to it. It’s three academics, talking about stuff that they know about,” he said. So is the host a mere conduit, allowing the academics to take the spotlight, or is he what makes In Our Time so captivating? Having listened to Glenny’s first three episodes – on John Stewart Mill’s On Liberty, the Mariana Trench and the Roman arena – it is not yet clear.
The format remains the same. Glenny gently guides us through the intellectual wilderness; we learn about female gladiators and plastic bags in the depths of the ocean. But he keeps himself out of the action. There is none of Bragg’s testiness and impatience when his guests veer off-topic or poorly pitch their material. The energy is different – not subdued, exactly, but cautious, like everyone is on their best behaviour. One gets the impression that, in the true spirit of BBC impartiality, Glenny is wary of revealing too much enthusiasm, lest anyone think him more interested in underwater waterfalls than the philosophy of free speech. He will find his footing, no doubt. He just needs his own shoes.
[Further reading: Melania has nothing to tell us]
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This article appears in the 04 Feb 2026 issue of the New Statesman, The Mandelson affair
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