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DISMALAND: BANKSY'S DYSTOPIAN THEME PARK (320kbs-m4a/23mb/10mins)
BBC World Service broadcast: 9th December 2025
In 2015, Banksy turned a derelict swimming pool in Weston-super-Mare, England, into a dystopian theme park which drew huge crowds and Hollywood stars.
Working under cover of darkness, the street artist created Dismaland - a 'bemusement park' offering a satirical twist on mainstream resorts.
The temporary exhibition featured a fire-ravaged castle, a riot police van sinking into a lake, and Cinderella’s upturned pumpkin carriage.
Open for just five weeks, Dismaland sold thousands of tickets daily and injected an estimated £20 million into the local economy.
Kurtis Young speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about his summer job as a steward at Dismaland.
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For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
(Photo: A mermaid sculpture in front of the fairy castle. Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
THE BANKSY STORY PRESENTS: WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN (320kbs-m4a/221mb/1hr35mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 2nd to 11th April 2025
Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist).
This series is dedicated to the memory of Duncan Crowe.
Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak
Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael
Production Support: George Crowe
Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium
Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren
Series Mixing: Neil Churchill
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams
Commissioner: Dan Clarke
With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel Lewis.
An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4.
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 0. INTRODUCTION (320kbs-m4a/6mb/2mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 2nd April 2025
What happens when Banksy uses your wall as a canvas? James Peak investigates two pieces that appeared in Margate and Lowestoft, two years apart.
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 1. A TALE OF TWO BANKSYS (320kbs-m4a/46mb/20mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 7th April 2025
James visits Sam in Margate and Gert in Lowestoft. They have both been visited by Britain's favourite quality vandal. Banksy left freshly painted artworks on their properties overnight, like some kind of spray-can Santa Claus. But does this make the homeowners the lottery winners you might expect?
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 2. BESIDE THE SEASIDE (320kbs-m4a/40mb/17mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 8th April 2025
Gert in Lowestoft must deal with crowds, chancers and the Council after Banksy left a painting of a massive seagull on her end-of-terrace. And in Margate, Sam and Julian must react quickly if they are to stop Valentine's Day Mascara being spirited away by light-fingered opportunists and the Council's refuse department.
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 3. OFF THE WALL (320kbs-m4a/38mb/17mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 9th April 2025
Both Banksys come off the wall so they can be preserved for posterity and perhaps sold on. But what do the legions of local people and art-fans think about this? Also, Steph and James go on the hunt for Banksy's missing frying-pan.
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 4. SHARE AND SHARES ALIKE (320kbs-m4a/43mb/17mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 10th April 2025
Rod tries to drum up support for a Banksy auction, and in Margate a scheme is hatched to fractionalise Valentine's Day Mascara. What could possibly go wrong? Also, Steph and James' hunt for Banksy's missing frying-pan leads to Pete 'the Street' Brown, the artist Banksy commissioned to capture the aftermath.
WHEN BANKSY COMES TO TOWN - 5. DEAL AND NO DEAL (320kbs-m4a/48mb/21mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 11th April 2025
Rod has some strong words for the man himself. Also, there's a mega-deal on the table. Will the Banksy sell for big bucks now it's off the wall and on the market? And will we finally find out what happened to Banksy's missing frying pan?
THE BANKSY STORY - 12. NEW BANKSY PIECE: FINSBURY PARK TREE (320kbs-m4a/37mb/16mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 18th March 2024
The Finsbury Park Tree is a new Banksy artwork which appeared overnight in March 2024 on the Hornsey Road in North London. James Peak investigates this exciting new Banksy street piece, a giant tree made of paint and... ummm, a tree! Is this the first unnickable Banksy? Only time will tell...
With thanks to Rob Shiret, Neil Churchill, Dan Clarke, Roger Mahony, Anna Mears, Philip Abrams, Jo Carr, Jonathan Glover, Steph Warren & Eddie, Avery Stone, Joe at LDN Graffiti and Patrick Nguyen
Assistant Produced by Ruby Churchill
Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak
An Essential Radio Production for BBC Radio 4
THE BANKSY STORY - 11. BONUS EPISODE: THE LOST BANKSY INTERVIEW (320kbs-m4a/69mb/30mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 21st November 2023
James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him.
In this bonus episode, James is on the trail of a revealing early Banksy interview from 2003 when the artist was starting to cut through.
Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak
Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe.
Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium
Series Mixing: Neil Churchill
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams
With special thanks to Steph Warren, Eddie, Duncan Crowe, Nigel Wrench, Keith Wickham, Helen Toland, Anna Mears, Rob Shiret, Tracey Williams, Neil Churchill, Roger Mahony, Mohit Bakaya and Dan Clarke.
An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4
THE BANKSY STORY (320kbs-m4a/465mb/3hrs20mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman, Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him.
James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride.
Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak
Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe.
Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium
Series Mixing: Neil Churchill
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams
With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Keith Wickham, Harriet Carmichael, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren
An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4
THE BANKSY STORY - 0. WELCOME TO THE BANKSY STORY (320kbs-m4a/6mb/2mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 10th July 2023
THE BANKSY STORY - 1. THE MILD, MILD WEST (320kbs-m4a/51mb/22mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, how did the city of Bristol, in the south west of England, help to shape Banksy and his art? And will James and Duncan find the person they're looking for?
THE BANKSY STORY - 2. LOVE & DEATH & BMX (320kbs-m4a/42mb/18mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, James finds someone from Banksy's secret team, but will they talk?
THE BANKSY STORY - 3. SANTA'S GHETTO (320kbs-m4a/43mb/18mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, an incident at the Christmas Santa's Ghetto exhibition helps Steph prove herself to Banksy.
THE BANKSY STORY - 4. REVERSE HEISTS (320kbs-m4a/47mb/20mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, Banksy's hilarious reverse heists at the world's best museums and galleries gain him some serious notoriety.
THE BANKSY STORY - 5. CRUDE OILS (320kbs-m4a/39mb/17mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, Banksy's new show, Crude Oils, stars 200 live rats scuttling about the gallery floor. It certainly brings in the crowds.
THE BANKSY STORY - 6. LA STORY (320kbs-m4a/48mb/20mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode - a new show in LA, Barely Legal, brings in huge celebrity names and, back in the UK, Steph's life at Pictures on Walls gets trickier.
THE BANKSY STORY - 7. A NIGHTMARE ON OXFORD ST (320kbs-m4a/44mb/19mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, a nightmare exhibition on Oxford Street sees Steph in big trouble with the big man.
THE BANKSY STORY - 8. BRUSHED UNDER THE CARPET (320kbs-m4a/41mb/17mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, Banksy returns to Bristol Museum in triumph, while Steph is accused of forgery.
THE BANKSY STORY - 9. RESTORATION (320kbs-m4a/49mb/21mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In this episode, help arrives for Steph from an unlikely source - a person we've heard quite a lot from already. And we head off to Weston-super-Mare for a very special Banksy show.
THE BANKSY STORY - 10. WHO IS HE? (320kbs-m4a/56mb/24mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 17th July 2023
In the last episode of this series, Banksy springs a surprise retrospective show in Glasgow, and we hear why Steph told her story.
THE BANKSY STORY - 11. BONUS EPISODE: THE LOST BANKSY INTERVIEW (320kbs-m4a/69mb/30mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 21st November 2023
In this bonus episode, James is on the trail of a revealing early Banksy interview from 2003 when the artist was starting to cut through.
Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak
Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe.
Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium
Series Mixing: Neil Churchill
Executive Producer: Philip Abrams
With special thanks to Steph Warren, Eddie, Duncan Crowe, Nigel Wrench, Keith Wickham, Helen Toland, Anna Mears, Rob Shiret, Tracey Williams, Neil Churchill, Roger Mahony, Mohit Bakaya and Dan Clarke.
THE BANKSY STORY - 12. NEW BANKSY PIECE: FINSBURY PARK TREE (320kbs-m4a/37mb/16mins)
BBC Sounds podcast: 18th March 2024
The Finsbury Park Tree is a new Banksy artwork which appeared overnight in March 2024 on the Hornsey Road in North London. James Peak investigates this exciting new Banksy street piece, a giant tree made of paint and... ummm, a tree! Is this the first unnickable Banksy? Only time will tell...
With thanks to Rob Shiret, Neil Churchill, Dan Clarke, Roger Mahony, Anna Mears, Philip Abrams, Jo Carr, Jonathan Glover, Steph Warren & Eddie, Avery Stone, Joe at LDN Graffiti and Patrick Nguyen
Assistant Produced by Ruby Churchill
Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak
An Essential Radio Production for BBC Radio 4