The Infinite Monkey Cage returns to Radio 4 for 20th series with a Tim Peake and Helen Sharman special
British astronauts Tim Peake and Helen Sharman will appear in a special episode of award-winning comedy science series The Infinite Monkey Cage when it returns to Radio 4 and BBC Sounds for its landmark 20th run on 16 September.
A decade since the programme first launched, Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince will be reunited once more for five new episodes of witty, irreverent discussion about the world of science. As usual, the hosts will be joined by a wide range of guests on each programme, from revered academics and popular comedians, to science pioneers like Tim and Helen.
Tim, the European Space Agency’s first British astronaut, and Helen, who was the first ever Briton to journey into space in 1991, will appear in a special episode on 14 October, which is aptly set to explore the UK’s history, and future, in space.
Ahead of his debut on the Monkey Cage panel, Tim says: “I’ve been a huge Infinite Monkey Cage fan since its inception and have particularly enjoyed the many fascinating space travel debates on the show over the last 10 years. It’s a thrill to finally be joining the inimitable duo that is Brian Cox and Robin Ince to talk about what the future holds for British space exploration – and I’m of course looking forward to sharing a few laughs with them and the other guests too!”
The other topics covered in the new series are dinosaur discovery, animal intelligence, the science behind dreaming, and the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table.
Other guests on the new series include chemist Andrea Sella, palaeontologist Susannah Maidment, and comics Rufus Hound, Bridget Christie and Katy Brand.
Robin Ince says: “I thought we’d be able to cover everything in the known universe in one series but, much to my surprise, there’s a lot more stuff in the known universe than I know about.”
Professor Brian Cox says: “This comment by Robin Ince – who, I remind you, is a graduate – demonstrates the continuing need for in-depth science programming on the BBC. The Universe can be considered an infinite cage, and the fact that Robin was surprised that an infinite cage should contain more than enough material for 20 series is a damning indictment of our education system.“
The Infinite Monkey Cage has become one of Radio 4’s flagship science programmes over the last ten years, establishing a dedicated audience, both on-air and on-demand. It has also won multiple awards, including the Rose d’Or for Radio Talk Show.
In July, the programme was temporarily renamed ‘The Infinite Moonkey Cage’ for a one-off episode to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings.
