Alice Levine investigates the growing number of young people in the UK getting involved in witchcraft. With a rise in witchy YouTubers, online courses for witchcraft and trending hashtags like #witchesofinstagram, you could say being a witch is very in right now. So why are some young people today drawn to witchcraft? How different is this new generation of witches to previous ones? Alice meets people who are practising witchcraft in 2017 to find out what part it plays in their lives, and how the Internet is helping them further their craft.
Three people tell their stories of living with mental health conditions and coping with delusions that vary from the surreal and peculiar, to the sinister and terrifying. Blogger Sophie Eliza began hearing voices at the start of her psychosis and gradually became convinced that a threatening group of people were out to get her. Katy's experience of psychosis started whilst being bullied in college and it was after eventually being sectioned that her most frightening delusions began. Unlike Katy and Sophie, Ed experienced a single episode of psychosis, centred on the delusional belief that he was a sinner. Understanding the true reality of mental illness and dysmorphic delusions is something that is very hard to comprehend if you haven’t experienced these conditions first hand. Through their moving and personal accounts, and through dramatic reconstruction and visual effects, Sophie, Katy and Ed share their experiences in this intimate, poignant and at times challenging documentary.
Anne-Marie goes on a personal journey in her Essex hometown, going back to her old Karate class and hanging out with her biggest fan (her Grandad), before her debut at V Festival. Starting pop life singing with Rudimental, and with her number one with Clean Bandit becoming one of the biggest selling singles of 2016, Anne-Marie is now a rising star in her own right. Ahead of playing her home turf of V Festival in Chelmsford, Anne-Marie goes back to a place that she holds dear - the Shotokan Karate class where she built up her skills to world championship gold standard, before the singing career took over her life. A West End star from a young age, Anne-Marie's biggest fan is still her Grandad, who taught her how to play keyboards and supported her as the roles came in. She joins him at home for a singalong, before heading to the festival she always dreamt of playing.
A heart-warming snapshot of Declan McKenna's life growing up in the town of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, and how his family have shaped his music and outlook on life. Ahead of an intimate local gig at the Wormley Community Centre (currently under threat of closure), Declan spends time with his family and his band, and shows how Cheshunt has influenced him. A piece of family folklore even provided the name for his debut album, "What Do You Think About The Car?", which has since reached Number 11 in the charts. Recipient of many emerging talent accolades in 2016 and 2017, including a spot in BBC Music's Sound of 2017 list, Declan has become a staple on the gig and festival circuit, and is on Radio 1's Brit List of UK artists to watch over the next year.
Find out where it all started for The Amazons with a guided tour around their Berkshire hometown ahead of the band's much anticipated debut performance at Reading Festival. The Amazons may have only been playing together for three years, but you'd never know. Hailing from Reading, Berkshire and tipped as one to watch on BBC Radio 1's Brit List, they've had one hell of a year with back to back tours and festival dates across the globe. This summer also saw the release of their debut self-titled album which served up addictive riffs and rock 'n' roll attitude in equal measure, predictably to widespread critical acclaim. But amidst the whirlwind success of this last year the band lived out a collective dream - they played Reading Festival. Having attended since they were teenagers, this summer, on their 10th time setting foot on the site they packed out the Festival Republic tent and rocked out to thousands of fans
Just how big is the UK’s passion for brows? B-Traits delves into the latest eyebrow trends to discover what has got us furiously plucking, waxing, tinting and microblading. B-Traits heads to Britain’s leading brow bars to reveal exactly what extremes we go through, to make our Brows On Fleek. She also takes a look at what happens when these treatments, don’t exactly go to plan. B-Traits takes a deeper look into where the obsession comes from, and the impact of social media on our infatuation with perfection.
There are over 2,000 professional footballers in the English game today - yet, apparently, not one is gay. Why? As the new football season kicks off amateur LGBT team The London Titans and their newest recruit Tom – who quit playing football after homophobic abuse – tackle this ugly issue disfiguring our beautiful game. They’ll do battle on the pitch against a 'lads' team as they reveal their own personal stories and explore why our 'banter' culture fuels ignorance towards homosexuality.
Moneysaving guru Holly Smith, who has Asperger Syndrome, lifts the lid on her condition and how it helps her to help others find bargains and save cash. Every week Holly shares coupons, deals and moneysaving tips and tricks on social media, and reaches over 7 million people. This uber savvy supersaver even went viral a few years agp with a jaw-dropping stunt, which saw her do a £1164.39 shop paid for entirely by coupons. While Holly has built an amazing online community and is an inspiration to many, she has had a challenging life because of her Asperger Syndrome. A form of Autism, it has meant she’s suffered at the hands of bullies and struggles with social interaction. But it has also given her the passion and single-minded gift for moneysaving. Diagnosed aged 26, Holly’s Asperger’s brings many life challenges, but it fuels her love of money saving and making a difference to other people’s purses. Meeting her family, we’ll gain a candid insight into her Asperger’s and how it impacts on her life. Putting her moneysaving skills into action, Holly meets chronic credit card spender Amber, who is living beyond her means and heading toward deep financial water if her habits don’t change. Holly challenges Amber to give up her cards and live 'cash-only' for a week to see if she can stay within a £100 budget. How will she manage without her precious plastic? As Amber wrangles with moderating her online shopping and coffee buying habits, Holly shows her ways to make her money go further, for instance through ‘wombling’ - a clever way to save money at supermarkets by finding discount-code receipts in car parks or shopping trollies. As well as Amber’s money saving journey, Holly meets someone else with Asperger Syndrome for the first time. Rosie, who is at university and wants to become a teacher, is an inspiration to Holly who left school aged 15 with no qualifications. She discovers how attitudes and understanding of her condition is
Adele Roberts tracks the rise of Korean Pop - the lifestyle, the fashion and the fans - and meets BTS, the biggest band in the scene. Is K-Pop about to take the world by storm? Adele investigates the secrets behind the genre, delving in to the lifestyle, the fashion, and looking at the fans and the politics that make up the scene…before meeting the K-Pop band who are taking the world by storm. BTS are the first Korean group to break into the US Top 30 and the UK Top 50 charts. So how is a music genre from a country with a different language, different culture and one of the world's most heavily militarised borders, becoming so successful around the world?
As the dust settles on an incredible year, Dua Lipa speaks to Radio 1 from the set of her latest Live Lounge in LA, and reflects on the journey that took her from 14-year-old YouTube covers singer, to globe-straddling pop megastar.
Ellis doesn't identify as female or male - Ellis is non-binary. But what does that mean? In preparation for a fashion show, 24-year-old Ellis takes us on a personal journey into their world. Meeting Ellis's mum, uni mates and boyfriend, we learn why Ellis’s journey to being non-binary has not always been easy. For years they didn’t know what it meant to feel neither male or female - facing verbal and social media abuse for years. We follow Ellis as they prepare for a fashion show that embraces all identities - a world where Ellis can finally be Ellis. Their aim? Simply to show the world that being non-binary is nothing to be afraid of.
Plump lips and big booties - what effect has Kim Kardashian had on the way we look? Katie Thistleton finds out, and meets people who've taken drastic steps to get the Kim K Look. Katie meets Kiera Louise who followed in Kim’s footsteps and built a beauty business on social media. Reality TV star Stevie Coiley reveals how her love of lip fillers ended in a disaster that only a specialist could save. Katie works out with a fitness expert to find out how to get a bigger butt, and when that fails meets a cosmetic surgeon who specialises in bottom implants.
The stories of three young musicians - a Christian, a Muslim and a Sikh - all using Hip Hop and R&B to express their different faiths. Khaled Siddiq is a rapper and singer who hopes to spread the word of Islam over 808 beats. NoNameDisciple is a Christian rapper who is channeling a troubled past and love of God over trap beats. Jagga is a Sikh rapper determined to turn the heartbreak of bereavement into the inspiration behind his music - despite the inevitable hurdles. Follow these young trailblazers as they approach landmark events in their musical careers and attempt to overcome different stigmas from both their own community and the wider public. With so much prejudice, conflict and negativity often associated with religion, the positive steps these young people are taking are showcasing their faiths in a whole different light.
What’s it like when your mum or dad go to jail? Adele Roberts meets Aobh and Fern who feel they were treated like criminals, when they'd done nothing wrong. Every year hundreds of thousands of young people experience a parent going to prison. Adele goes to meet two of them to find out what it’s like to have a parent behind bars. Aobh is 16 and her dad has been in jail for two years. When she first found out, she was scared to leave the house and felt anxious the whole time. Eventually she got help and is now looking forward to her dad coming out of prison. Fern, 24, is pregnant with her third child, and is finding it hard to cope without the support of her mum. Plus the amount of online abuse her mum got when she was convicted of her crime still upsets her. For Aobh and Fern, the worst bit is being treated like criminals when they have done nothing wrong. They are in effect serving a 'silent sentence'.
When your social media past comes back to haunt you, the impact can be life changing. Alice Levine meets people affected, and explores the growing trend of 'Search and Shame'. The stream of celebrities being called out for making offensive comments on their social media profiles is on the rise: Stormzy, Jack Maynard, Zoella - the list is growing. But public figures aren’t the only ones at risk of being caught out online. According to new research by YouGov, one in five employers have rejected a prospective job candidate because of something they have seen in their online activity. Radio 1’s Alice Levine investigates the growing phenomenon of online shaming. She meets digital journalist Amelia Tait, who invented the term 'Search and Shame' to describe this trend, and has been documenting it over the past two years. Alice also has a frank and deeply personal chat with Josh Rivers, who was recently fired from his job as editor of Gay Times when offensive tweets from his past were unearthed. Graduate recruitment expert Dan Hawes reveals the specific things employers find off-putting on social media, conducting an in-depth social screening of two young people. We’ll also hear from 23-year-old Amber, who lost her job almost immediately after bosses saw a video of her on Instagram.
Spitting holy bars. The journey of Enrique - gang member to pastor, at 21 years old. From the streets to God, via drill - the music genre increasingly linked to London knife crime. Looking at how young Christians are using rap and drill music to lure gang members away from streets and towards God. We join Enrique on his extraordinary journey from south London gangster rapper, to Pastor at only 21 years old. Having nearly lost his life in a stabbing in Brixton 4 years ago, he turned to God and the church of SPAC Nation to save him. He is now inspiring other young people to put down their knives and follow his lead. As part of Enrique’s story we meet other artists whose music is reaching out to young people and inspiring change. Artists like Hope Dealers, who spit holy bars over the hardest of beats, drill music. These movements, however, do not come without controversy; wearing balaclavas in church, accusations of being a cult and the large sums of money involved, have prompted some to question their holy intentions.
Steph’s life fell apart after she was held hostage at knifepoint in a bank. Years later, Steph agreed to a meeting with her attacker, Ian, which would change both of their lives. When she was 19, Steph was attacked by a man dressed all in black, threatening her with a meat cleaver. She suffered paranoia, panic attacks and flashbacks fearing the appearance of the ‘Bogeyman’ everywhere. Through the process of Restorative Justice, Steph eventually agreed to meet her attacker, Ian. This film reveals what happened when they met. Actors play them on screen, but the voices you hear belong to the real Ian and Steph.
Will Russia's attitude to LGBT rights stop football-mad Joe White going to the World Cup? He’s torn between supporting England and the risk of being targeted for his sexuality. Joe has a World Cup ticket and he never usually misses the chance to cheer on his country, home and away. But he knows that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Russia face many legal and social challenges not experienced by straight people. As Joe battles between his love for men and his love for football, he speaks to other young gay football fans and those who have experienced life in modern Russia, before deciding if his passion for sport outweighs the possibility of violence.
The story of Jessica and her 6 alternate identities, which include a Hollywood actor; a doctor; a hairdresser; a 14-year-old schoolboy and a six year old. Jessica lives with multiple personalities as part of her Dissociative Identity Disorder. All six live in her body and five of them are male. Each identity has its own distinctive trait ranging from the use of prescription glasses to being left-handed; neither of which are native to Jessica. Her "alters" exist within a complex system, where they are all known to each other - two of them are brothers, and two of them are partners who have a son. Through the use of interviews and dramatisation, the true reality of this controversial and often misunderstood condition is finally visualised.
One football fan, one sticker book, six missing players. Can Radio 1's Chris Stark complete his 2006 World Cup album, by tracking down the missing legends to get that elusive photo? Chris soon discovers that getting close to international superstars isn’t easy. The adventure takes him across continents to find a World Cup winner, two Trinidad and Tobago stars, an England legend and the most controversial player of that tournament. Along the way, Chris relives an eventful World Cup famous for WAGs, Ronaldo’s wink, and Zidane’s headbutt, and he comes face to face with the only player who has made him cry. Twice.
Meet the kids running their own businesses, bringing in loads of cash, and making you very jealous. Matt Edmondson meets a YouTube star, a business guru and a nine-year-old CEO. Recent studies suggest that a third of British kids under 16 say they would like to run a company when they grow up. But there are some children who don’t want to wait that long. Matt discovers how the kids were inspired to choose their careers, how much money they make and what the future holds for their businesses.
Explore the misunderstood community of people who like to dress up as animals. Is it a fetish? Or a way of making friends? Follow Luisa as she goes to her first Furry convention. How will her oldest friend take it, as she reveals her hidden hobby for the first time? Many people assume it's about dark stuff and fetishes - but Luisa explains it’s more about being creative, breaking down barriers and making friends. Luisa then gets ready to set off to one of the UK’s biggest Furry conventions, Confuzzled 2018, all by herself. How will she cope, when she openly admits she has anxiety issues and is not always confident speaking to strangers? Will she make friends? Will she be accepted into the Furry community and has she finally found her people?
How hard is it to live a zero waste lifestyle? BBC Radio 1Xtra's Ace challenges himself to a week waste free, in a world where attitudes have shifted in the wake of Blue Planet 2. Individuals, businesses and even the Government have been forced to react and make positive changes towards the environment, and now Ace is getting involved too by attempting to go an entire week waste free. To get him prepared for the challenge he meets zero waste vlogger Kate Arnell and visits a huge waste processing plant. He also gets some advice from a zero waste chef, Doug McMaster, visits a massive second hand clothes warehouse, and heads to a hip hop garden for a bit of composting. Will he succeed? And more importantly will he embrace what he's learnt and adopt these lifestyle changes for a greener planet? Ace debriefs in his local barbershop.
Many dream of being a pro footballer, but how hard is it to turn that dream in to reality? BBC Radio 1's Dev follows Nathan and Olivia at crucial moments in their young career. Nathan is 18 and has been at Middlesbrough’s famous academy for ten years. He’s made it all the way through the incredibly competitive system, and has now reached the end of his professional scholarship. The money and glamour of the footballer’s life is so close now, but he still has one final meeting with his manager, when he’ll find out if he’s done enough to earn a full professional contract. All those years of hard work and sacrifices have been building up to this... Olivia is 15 and captain of Birmingham City Ladies under-16s. She has always imagined playing for England one day and now that ambition is almost within reach. Dev joins her as she nervously waits for the big news from the selectors, at the same time as making a huge decision about her future: will she throw herself into football full time or prioritise her academic studies? Going for a career in football would be a massive risk and there’s no guarantee she will make it. We also meet Zach - a close friend of Nathan's at Middlesbrough and one of the country's most promising young goalkeepers - and Shameek, a former Tottenham Hostspur academy player who was released aged 18.
What might your DNA be worth? Dev wants to find out what he could be paid for his genome, by getting behind the acronyms and the jargon to understand more about his genetics. In 2003, the first full human genome was decoded. It cost $3 billion and took 13 years. But technology has developed in leaps and bounds since then and now you can have your genome sequenced in days for the price of an iPhone. But should you? What might that information reveal about you and your relatives? Could it show your likelihood to develop cancer? Can it even show you how long you'll live for? And if you do decide to be sequenced, where and how should you store that information? When there seems to be a data breach every week, how can you protect your decoded genome from being hacked, particularly when the data has real value?
Dev finds out what his DNA says about his fitness - and if he could run like Usain Bolt. Sprinter Asha Philip puts him through his paces before they compare their genomes. This has all become possible because the cost of genome sequencing has plummeted. Today, for just £100, you can find out about specific genes in your DNA that help you improve your fitness or tell you if you should avoid certain foods. Welcome to the world of personalised genomics. By looking at certain genes which research has shown are connected to specific traits, the genetic tests offered by the personal genome testing market give a snapshot of information from your DNA. So, it may show if you are likely to be intolerant to milk, or can't metabolise fat or sugar well. They also look at the types of muscle fibre associated with different athletic traits - like sprinting or long distance running - to suggest what your body may be more suited to. But your DNA is only part of the story. Your environment - what you eat and drink, and how and where you live through your whole life - impacts on how your genes work, and how your body functions.
In the future, could the beauty industry edit your DNA to improve your looks? Dev delves into his genome to find out how he could tweak his genes as easily as taking a selfie. Constantly seeing others' pictures – and sharing what we look like – feeds into our search for perfection. The beauty industry in the UK is worth £9 billion. Male cosmetic surgery surged last year – up more than 40% – and the numbers for women were up too as people try to achieve their ideal look. Is gene editing the next step? The gene editing technology CRISPR is allowing researchers to accurately and successfully target specific genes in genomes, and remove or replace them. Focusing on the possibilities of eradicating life-limiting diseases like Cystic Fibrosis, trials will begin in human genomes this year. But just as cosmetic surgery started out as a medical treatment, how long will it be before gene editing is used cosmetically, to change how we look? What if, as well as tweaking how we look on the surface, gene editing means we end up making more fundamental changes to our bodies?
Ever wondered if there’s more to life? Meet three young people who are ditching the 9-5 and taking the road less travelled to follow their dreams. No rent, no office, no distractions and no pressure. First up there’s Zeki Basan, a survival expert who describes the remote glens of the Scottish Highlands as both his playground and his office. Then there’s Brother John who is dedicating his life to God at a beautiful Benedictine monastery in Somerset. And finally, there’s illustrator Jess Wheeler, who lives off-grid on the banks of an estuary in Suffolk. They’re just three members of a growing counter-culture movement in the UK that’s seeing more and more people adopt alternative lifestyles. So what happens when you flip the script on life? Find out with Zeki, Jess and John as they describe how it feels to take another path.
Following the journeys of three women coping with the death of their babies, as they try to find ways to deal with their bereavements, from vlogging to social media. Megan E lost her baby Milo at 36 weeks and now is attempting to process her feelings and connect with others through the videos she posts on her Youtube channel. Megan G, since experiencing stillbirth in 2016 has tried numerous rounds of IVF without success and is now turning to alternative medicines, alongside traditional methods to help increase her chances of conceiving. Finally, we tell the story of Ashleigh who is pregnant with her 'rainbow baby', the name given to babies conceived after a stillbirth. From vlogging and sharing their experiences on social media to trying herbal remedies to try and conceive again; each method is different but the desire to heal is the unifying factor. With the UK having one of the highest still birth rates in Europe the government is currently trying to execute a plan to reduce the numbers by 20% by 2020. Shockingly a 2016 survey revealed that Britain is ranked 33rd out of 35 in the developed world for its stillbirth rates, which are twice those of the best performing countries. These alarming stats have led to calls for better advice to parents on foetal movement, and stricter protocols to ensure that women who report changes get the right care. They are also the basis for this documentary, telling the stories of bereaved parents who have had to deal with the most heart breaking experiences imaginable.
Why has country music seen extraordinary success in the UK charts this year? Scott Mills explores how the genre has changed and grown on both sides of the pond. BBC Radio 1 has been playing country music for the first time, as it has broken into the charts and collaborated with pop like never before. With artists, Florida Georgia Line, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton amongst the influx of country records being played. And it’s not just American artists releasing country songs, the UK scene has blossomed too, but can UK country singers draw a crowd? Scott follows 21 year old country singer Catherine McGrath from her village pub roots in Northern Ireland, to headlining her first gig in London, and all the way to Nashville to perform with one of the biggest names in country pop, Hunter Hayes. Over in Nashville, Scott Borchetta, the man who discovered Taylor Swift and Liz Rose, the woman who wrote all of her early country songs, offer their take on how the genre has changed since the days of Dolly Parton, and how country music’s young fan-base has grown since Taylor’s arrival 10 years ago. Phil Christie, Head of Warner Music, gives his perspective on discovering a subculture of young country fans in the UK and John Marks, Head of Country for Spotify, tells us the influence of steaming, play-listing, and algorithms - revealing country music is no longer what you might expect. Along the way Scott speaks to some of the biggest artists on today’s scene about how to write a bonafide global country hit, including Thomas Rhett, Dan & Shay, Devin Dawson, The Shires, Ward Thomas, Clare Bowen and The Wandering Hearts.
At birth, Anick's doctors didn't know if he was a boy or a girl. At 18 he found out he was intersex. Now, he meets other intersex people as he prepares for his final surgery. What would you do if you’d been undergoing surgery since you were a kid, but didn’t know why? When Anick was born, the doctors couldn't work out if he was a boy or a girl. Since then he's undergone dozens of surgeries to make his penis look and work like other males' but never told anyone outside of his family. He requested a copy of his own medical records aged 18 and discovered he was intersex. After that, everything changed. Intersex itself is an umbrella term used to describe people born with biological sex characteristics that don’t fit typical male or female categories. So whilst we’re told that people are either born male or female, there are actually many intersex variations that people can be born with too. These can affect chromosome patterns and hormones as well as internal and external genitalia and this occurs naturally in about 1.7% of the population. Everyone's intersex story is different. As Anick prepares for what should be his final surgery, he meets Martin from London, Irene from Russia and Pidgeon Pagonis from the USA. Will hearing their experiences make Anick think differently about his own? And how does it feel to have a nurse show you how to use a prosthetic penis in front of your mum? As Anick prepares to make history by organising the first intersex march at Pride in London he becomes more determined that the first challenge is simply telling people about the intersex community. In an era where conversation around gender, sex and sexuality has never been louder, meet a community whose stories are rarely told.
Three deaf YouTubers take on the challenge to perform at the UK's biggest deaf club night. Deaf rapper SignKid is their guide as they prepare for their big moment on stage. Jazzy, Benny and Jessica find that hearing people make some seriously wrong assumptions about them: that they can't be deaf because they don't "look deaf"; that deaf people can't drive; and, one of the most annoying, that deaf people can't possibly appreciate music. That's completely wrong! And, with the help of deaf rapper SignKid, they're going to prove it. SignKid has set them a challenge: to learn one of his tracks and perform it on stage at the UK's biggest deaf club night: Deaf Rave. Will they manage it? Jessica, Benny and Jazzy take us into their lives. Jazzy and Benny have both grown up Deaf, and use British Sign Language (BSL) to communicate. They've give us a crash course in how BSL works - spoiler: it's not just English but with actions! Jessica’s genetic disabilities caused her to become deaf as a teenager, and sometimes she feels a bit stuck between the hearing world and the deaf world. It's daunting for all of them to get up on stage, but together they're breaking down barriers and proving that they can do anything.
Meet the young activists uniting to help girls who can't afford period products, and to remove the stigma of menstruation. From Amika George, the school girl from London who took on the Government from her bedroom, to the Celtic fans lobbying football clubs to provide free period products and the Manchester collective distributing hundreds of care packs every month. They are all part of a creative, grassroots movement making a real impact and in the process, challenging the stigma of menstruation.
Would you eat insects to save the planet? Adele Roberts takes on a 7 day bug eating challenge to see if the UK's grubby new food trend will catch on. Forget clean eating – the new food trend on the UK’s plates is grubby. Packed with protein and easy to farm sustainably, eating insects is starting to become more popular in the UK, with supermarkets selling edible insects for the first time. But can Adele Roberts put her morals where her mouth are and eat bugs every day for a week? Along the way she meets Cambridge University zoologist Charlotte Payne, who explains the environmental problems with the way we farm meat and how insects might solve these problems. Inspired by the environmental benefits, can Adele get over her squeamishness and start cooking? With grasshoppers and scrambled eggs, cricket and mealworm pasta, and cricket powder truffles on the menu, can they ever taste good? Seb Holmes a Thai street food chef who runs an award-winning non-insect-based restaurant and has helped develop insect products for the high street, steps in to help. Adele travels to Holland to meet the world's largest producer of buffalo worms for human consumption, visiting a futuristic factory with over 8 billion insects and meeting the people pioneering products made from insect ingredients for the mass market. Finally, can she convince her girlfriend Kate and Radio 1's Scott Mills to join her on her quest?
