Cumbrian broadcasting legend, Melvyn Bragg, has recorded his 1000th episode of the iconic programme ‘In Our Time’.

In Our Time is a live BBC radio discussion series and podcast exploring a wide variety of historical, scientific and philosophical topics.

It is one of BBC Radio 4's most successful discussion programmes and has been present by Melvyn since the first episode in 1998.

Melvyn was born in Carlisle in 1939 and grew up in Wigton, attending Nelson Thomlinson School before going up to Oxford.

“I've always been interested in finding stuff out. I was a swot at school, and I continue to be a swot, so sitting reading is my one of my ideas of bliss,” said Melvyn, who was made a member of the House of Lords in 1998.

“I think we've got a country which is full of people whose education was, they think, limited.

“Not because of the system or anything, but because you can't learn everything at school and I think what begins to attract them (to the show) is the variety.

“They didn't know these temples in the Far East existed. They didn't know these philosophers in darkest Germany existed. Nor did I. I didn't know these writers.

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And so, it's just putting together, and you hate to use the word because it's rather grand, but it's a sort of audio encyclopaedia.

That's what they come for, to know, to know about this stuff. and the academics are so good, and so well prepared and chosen by the team that works on this program, that it's nothing but a pleasure which is a great thing to say about a job you do.”

The programme is one of the most popular programmes on BBC Radio 4 and has had contributions from some of the foremost academics including A.C Grayling, Simon Schaffer and Carolin Crawford.