Frequently Asked Questions

How can I watch BBC Four?

BBC Four is available for free to anyone who has access to digital TV - no subscription is required.

We broadcast from 7pm every evening on Freesat channel 107, Freeview channel 9, Sky Digital channel 116, Tiscali channel 20 and Virgin Media channel 107, as well as directly from the BBC Four website: just click the Watch Live tab above. Many BBC Four programmes are also available after transmission on BBC iPlayer.

You can compare the options and find more information on the Digital TV pages.

If you are experiencing any reception problems, please refer to the Help Receiving BBC TV and Radio pages for advice.

How can I get help with watching clips and live broadcasts on the BBC Four website?

The BBC Four website uses the Embedded Media Player (EMP), which allows you to watch streaming video clips on demand and simulcast television programmes during BBC Four's broadcasting hours (7pm until approximately 4am).

The 'Watch Live' feature is available only to UK residents, and you are required to have a TV licence to use this service. If you are in the UK but are being told that you are not, please see this advice.

You can find an overview of the most common questions about the EMP on the BBC News website. More detailed technical questions are answered on the BBC iPlayer Help pages. If neither of those resources provide an answer to your question, please contact us.

What programmes does BBC Four show?

We show a wide variety of programmes, including drama, documentaries, music, international film, comedy and current affairs. BBC Four aims to offer an intelligent alternative to programmes on the mainstream TV channels.

For more details of what's on BBC Four please browse further around this website, or sign up to our weekly newsletter for forthcoming highlights.

How can I find out what's on BBC Four this week?

Tonight's programmes are shown at the top of the BBC Four homepage. The rest of the week's programmes can be found in the daily Schedule.

You can also see the whole week's programmes at a glance or in a detailed view.

Who runs the channel?

Richard Klein became the channel Controller on 15 December 2008. Richard joined the BBC in 1996 as a series producer, advancing to the Commissioning Editor for Documentaries in March 2005. Since December 2007, Richard was the BBC's Head of Independent Commissioning, Knowledge.

How can I ask a question about a BBC Four programme?

Although we'd love to be able to answer all the questions we receive about BBC Four programmes, it takes time to research queries and this costs the BBC money. For this reason we would ask you to try to find the answer to your question before sending us an email, as the greater the number of queries we receive the less money we can spend on programmes.

If your question is not covered in one of the FAQ topics to the left, the best place to start is with the programme's webpage, which you can find in the Programmes index or via the TV Programme Finder search box. Older BBC Four programmes may additionally have pages that have been archived on the BBC Four site: use the search box at the top of this page or the old BBC Four A-Z to find these programme pages. There may also be information about the programme elsewhere on the web - especially if it was made by an independent company.

Alternatively, you may like to tap into the expertise of other BBC viewers on the Points of View message board, or other web forums.

For other enquiries, please visit /help.

How can I comment on a BBC Four programme?

Please use our Have Your Say page. Each week we publish a selection of your comments.

If you would like to discuss BBC Four programmes with other viewers, visit the Points of View message board.

All complaints about the BBC, our programmes and services should be sent via the BBC Complaints website.

For other comments, follow the links on the /help site. Please note that in most cases you will not receive a personal reply, but all emails are read.

Can I get a DVD/video of a BBC Four programme?

Unfortunately, BBC Four programmes are rarely available on video or DVD. Please check with local or online retailers to see if the programme has been or will be commercially released.

In rare instances, certain people such as academics or contributors to a programme may be able to obtain a copy. Further information is available on the BBC Archive help page and the BBC Help site's Copies of Programmes FAQ.

What was the music in a BBC Four programme?

Unfortunately, we are unable to supply details about the music in programmes. Please see How can I ask a question about BBC Four for suggestions of other ways to find this information.

Are BBC Four programmes ever repeated?

Many BBC Four programmes are available to watch or download on BBC iPlayer following transmission.

Most new BBC Four programmes are shown again, often some months after their original broadcast. Since our schedules are only confirmed 10 days prior to transmission we cannot provide advance details, but to see if a programme is on again this week please see our day by day Schedule. You can also see the whole week's programmes at a glance or in a detailed view.

Archive programmes (even those originally made by the BBC) are repeated less frequently than new commissions due to the costs incurred by copyright clearance.

For advance details of what's coming to BBC Four, please sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Are BBC Four programmes repeated on BBC One or BBC Two?

Some BBC Four programmes are repeated at a later date on BBC One or BBC Two. At present, BBC Two often shows BBC Four programmes after Newsnight.

Upcoming broadcasts on the terrestrial channels can be found in the BBC One and BBC Two schedules.

How can I pitch an idea for a BBC Four programme?

Please visit the BBC's commissioning website.

Where can I ask questions or send comments about general BBC issues?

Answers to questions about various aspects of the BBC - television, radio, online, mobile - have been collected on the /help website.

If your question is not answered there, please visit the Contact Us page on the About the BBC website.

How can I contact BBC Four directly?

If your point isn't covered in the BBC Four FAQ, please follow the links on the /help site.

What programmes are coming soon on BBC Four?

Details of new programmes coming soon to the BBC can be found on the coming soon homepage.