In a major new ten-part series, starting Monday 29 August on BBC Radio 4, Melvyn Bragg will tell a story close to his heart – that of the North of England, from the end of Roman rule to the present day.
Travelling around and reporting from the North – including Northumbria, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Liverpool and Manchester – he focuses on the pivotal historical moments and cultural contributions from the region, which have helped shape Britain’s place in the world today.

Opening the first programme Melvyn Bragg says: “This is the story of the North, one that has the history of most countries. The area has twice the economy of Scotland, if it were a country in its own right it would be the eighth biggest economy in Europe, and it’s been the scene of the greatest revolution in the world – the industrial revolution; the retreat of one empire – the Roman military, and the advance of another – the Roman church. Invasions from the East by the Vikings, and from the South by their cousins the Normans, the former enriching the English language, the latter marching up from London to destroy much of the North and leaving centuries of bloody rebellion and justified resentment.

“It’s here in the North that the original culture of England was founded after the Romans, the dissent and non-conformism bred great inventions, and that a particular sense of humour was developed… I think it’s a wonderful part of the world and like most people who’ve been born and brought up in the North I feel this is as much a country as any more neatly geographically defined place on the planet… And it’s not a bad time to look at the roots of northerness in this referendum year when there’s been much talk of a North-South divide, there’s no doubt that being northern matters greatly to people in 2016.”

Across the series, made up of ten 30-minute episodes, Melvyn will explore the roots of northern distinctiveness, foregrounding the unique cultural achievements to have come out this region. From the iconic artwork and scholarship of 7th century Northumbria, the transformation in our thinking about ‘Nature’ achieved by Wordsworth, to that global game-changer the Industrial Revolution, on which so much practically and culturally depends and beyond. He finds power of all kinds in the region long before there was any conception of a ‘northern powerhouse’ – and discovers that despite distance from political power, it has continued to innovate and inspire in the 20th and 21st centuries.

As he traces the ebb and flow of northern power and examines how this relatively small geographical area has had a profound effect on every part of the globe, Melvyn hears from a cast of northern voices including Dame Judi Dench, David Hockney, Lee Hall, Jimmy McGovern, Ian McMillan, Geoffrey Boycott, Maxine Peake, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Chris Bonnington and Joan Bakewell.

The series concludes by asking what being and sounding northern means now – in a year which has seen what might be a decisive shift in our politics, and in our sense of national identity. In the wake of the EU Referendum, new questions are being raised about the need for devolution in the North of England – the need for the North to have a stronger voice in our public life and politics. Melvyn examines how parts of the North were perceived following the Brexit vote.

Gwyneth Williams, Controller, BBC Radio 4, says: “Radio 4 recognises and celebrates the rich and diverse cultural history of the UK. In this spirit I am thrilled to broadcast this significant and timely series on the North from Melvyn Bragg, one of our most brilliant and distinguished broadcasters. Driven by Melvyn’s personal passion these programmes explore identity and meaning as well as history, culture and ideas drawing on an extraordinary cast of characters to make up a living and unforgettable picture of the North.”

The Matter of the North will broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 9am (Monday-Friday) from Monday 29th August – Friday 9th September

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