The Documentary Podcast

Mick Fleming, once trapped in addiction and crime who became ordained and now supports others in recovery. He recounts childhood trauma, a moment of blinding light that halted violence, meeting a homeless man who sparked his faith, visions that guided him to recovery groups, and his work running street ministry and addiction support.

Peter Magyar, former Fidesz insider turned leader of the new TISZA party, challenges Viktor Orbán for 2026. The conversation follows his viral moments, the movement’s grassroots country tour and surprising European election breakthrough. It explores why diverse voters are rallying, the campaign’s outreach tactics and the practical hurdles of unseating a long-standing regime.

Aminu Nyako, CEO of a solar-powered dairy in Nigeria, and Joshua Liza, a Maasai pastoralist and natural resource economist, share practical perspectives. They discuss pastoral mobility, rangeland restoration, digital tools like real-time pasture maps, solar-powered milk collection, mobile tech for traders, and carbon finance for landscape stewardship.

A reporter travels to Plateau State to explore cycles of violence tied to land, ethnicity and politics. Tensions over indigene versus settler rights and shrinking grazing land spark clashes. Local peacebuilders and a joint farming project offer surprising cooperation. The limits of community-led reconciliation without state support are examined.

Nilima Sheikh, painter known for theatrical suspended scrolls; Candy Stobbs, exhibition manager who oversees packing and conservation; Tarini Malik, Royal Academy curator who shaped the show; Naman Ahuja, art historian situating Mukherjee in Indian modernism. They discuss the scale and mystic presence of hemp sculptures. Curation choices, transport and installation challenges, and artistic lineages are explored.

Kathleen Burke, Emeritus Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at UCL, on the Reagan Doctrine and Reagan's background. Douglas Brinkley, presidential historian at Rice, on Nixon and postwar strategies. Jay Sexton, historian of 19th-century US policy, on the Monroe Doctrine. They trace five major US foreign policy shifts from Monroe to post-9/11, contrasting interventions, containment, and changing presidential styles.

Raghurandra Rao, India reporter on prolonged local shutdowns like Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur. Roncliffe Odit, BBC Swahili correspondent on Uganda’s election blackout and economic fallout. Hadi Nili, BBC Persian correspondent on Iran’s technical total blackouts and coping measures like Starlink. They discuss how states order shutdowns, methods used, and the wider social and economic impacts.

Kasper, an organizer of fishing and hunting tours, shares authentic Arctic outdoor experiences. Minik, an ATV seller from Sisimiut, reflects on local life, climate change and new opportunities. Naya, a Greenlandic singer-songwriter from Nuuk, talks cultural identity and hopes for the future. They discuss international attention on Greenland, shifting seasons, tourism, and vivid everyday landscapes.

In this inspiring discussion, guests include Donna G Hawkins, a devoted pastor from Paducah, LaRita Horton Addison, an itinerant bishop, James Lee Hudson, who reflects on evolving views of women in the pulpit, and Reverend Vanessa Skillion, a trailblazer from Louisville. They share gripping stories of overcoming societal resistance to female preachers in traditional Black churches. Tales of long journeys to minister, the formation of the 'Daughters of Thunder' support group, and the transformative impact of women’s leadership highlight their resilience and faith in uplifting rural communities.

Andrew Harding, a long-serving BBC foreign correspondent who reported from Russia during the tumultuous 1990s, shares gripping insights on the 1999 apartment bombings. He reflects on how these tragic events fueled Vladimir Putin's rise to power and the unfolding chaos in Russia. Harding discusses the early assumptions about Chechen militants, the brutal Chechen wars, and the chilling discovery of an unexploded fifth bomb that led to suspicions around the FSB's involvement. His firsthand experience adds depth to the unsettling mysteries of that era.