The familiar intellectual landscape of BBC Radio 4's In Our Time returned on Thursday morning, but with a distinctly new voice at the helm. For the first time in 27 years, the presenter's chair was not occupied by the programme's creator, Melvyn Bragg, but by the journalist and broadcaster Misha Glenny.
A Bold Philosophical Start
Glenny chose to begin his tenure not with a gentle introduction, but with a deep dive into John Stuart Mill's 1859 philosophical treatise, On Liberty. The subject matter proved immediately resonant, given Glenny's own reporting background on authoritarian regimes in Eastern Europe and the contemporary political climate marked by the ascendancies of figures like Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
The discussion, featuring academics Helen McCabe, Mark Philp, and Piers Norris Turner, was a thoughtful 42-minute exploration. It notably highlighted the growing scholarly belief in the substantial co-authorship of Mill's wife, Harriet Taylor Mill. However, the conversation largely steered clear of direct contemporary parallels, referencing only a notional "despot" or "government" without naming names—a cautious approach perhaps influenced by the BBC's ongoing $10bn lawsuit from former US President Donald Trump.
Navigating the Bragg Trench
The transition was handled with palpable care. Beyond the change in presenter, the format remained reassuringly familiar—a wise move for such a beloved broadcasting institution. Glenny's presenting style differed from his predecessor's; where Bragg could oscillate between testy professor and eager student, Glenny adopted the tone of a scrupulously polite junior don, showing humility in taking over from a celebrated emeritus.
His debut was slightly marred by a confusing early-morning trail on the Today programme, where interviewer Nick Robinson seemed to mistakenly believe the episode had already aired live. The BBC confirmed the show was pre-recorded.
A Critical Moment for the BBC
Glenny's succession arrives at a precarious time for the BBC itself. The corporation is navigating significant instability, needing a new Director General and head of news following the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness over the edited Panorama interview that triggered Trump's litigation. Furthermore, negotiations for a new BBC charter are underway.
In this context, In Our Time stands as a key cultural asset. Glenny's intellectually rigorous start certainly avoids any accusation of "dumbing down," a major risk during funding renewals. However, critics may note he has yet to access the full range of inquisitorial registers—approval, disapproval, and challenge—that Bragg mastered. Next week's planned episode on the Mariana Trench and tectonic plates may offer a metaphor too apt for the BBC's current state, as the supportive layers beneath the corporation face their own pressures.
In Our Time with Misha Glenny airs on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday mornings and is available on BBC Sounds.
