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All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Episode 01

    • September 9, 2007
    • BBC One

    A series of moral, ethical and religious debates on topical issues, hosted by Nicky Campbell. With contributions from panellists Amanda Platell, Dr Alice Roberts, Jonathan Bartley, Jeevan Deol and an invited Oxford audience.

  • S01E02 Episode 02

    • September 16, 2007
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell and Sonia Deol host a series of moral, ethical and religious debates on topical issues. This week, owning up, apologising and forgiveness are the subjects under discussion. With contributions from panellists Baroness Julia Neuberger and Peter Hitchens, and an invited Oxford audience.

  • S01E03 Episode 03

    • September 23, 2007
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell and Sonia Deol host a series of moral, ethical and religious debates on topical issues. Anne Widdecombe, Julie Bindell and an invited audience from Brighton discuss religious blessing of same-gender partnerships.

  • S01E04 Episode 04

    • October 7, 2007
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell and Sonia Deol host a series of moral, ethical and religious debates on topical issues. Joining them in Birmingham are panellists Clare Short, Rabbi Schochet, Dr Raj Pandit Sharma and Nihal.

  • S01E05 Episode 05

    • October 14, 2007
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell and Sonia Deol host a series of moral, ethical and religious debates on topical issues, live from Bradford as Muslims celebrate Eid. Journalist John Simpson explains why he thinks the world will be a more peaceful place in the future.

  • S01E06 Episode 06

    • October 21, 2007
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell and Sonia Deol host this edition of the series of topical moral, ethical and religious debates live from Wychwood School in Oxford, with talk show host James O'Brien, religious commentator Anne Atkins and soprano Katherine Jenkins.

  • S01E07 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E08 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E09 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E10 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E11 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E12 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E13 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E14 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E15 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E16 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E17 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E18 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E19 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E20 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E21 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E22 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E23 Unknown

    • BBC One

  • S01E24 Unknown

    • BBC One

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

  • S04E15 Is the Bible still relevant today?

    • May 8, 2011
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition of The Big Questions recorded at Bury Grammar School Boys. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, the programme debates just one topic: is the Bible still relevant? Contributing their views from the panel are: the Right Reverend Michael Nazir Ali, the former Bishop of Rochester; the scientist and atheist campaigner, Professor Richard Dawkins; Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner from the North Western Reform Synagogue; and the Bible scholar Dr Francesca Stavrakopoulou, who presented the BBC Two series, The Bible's Buried Secrets.

  • S04E17 Is Religion On Its Way Out?

    • BBC One

  • S04E18 Does Heaven Exist?

    • BBC One

Season 6

  • S06E01 Episode 1

    • January 6, 2013
    • BBC One

    Is the Pope right to condemn capitalism? Should children be created without fathers?

  • S06E02 Episode 2

    • January 13, 2013
    • BBC One

    Is it time for all religions to accept evolution as fact? Nicky Campbell hosts the debate.

  • S06E03 Episode 3

    • January 20, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow.

  • S06E04 Episode 4

    • January 27, 2013
    • BBC One

    With Nicky Campbell in Salford. Is torture ever justified? Is it immoral to cut welfare?

  • S06E05 Episode 5

    • February 3, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions from the Samworth Enterprise Academy, Leicester.

  • S06E06 Episode 6

    • February 10, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions from Michaelston Community College in Cardiff.

  • S06E07 Episode 7

    • February 17, 2013
    • BBC One

    Is it too late to renew the Catholic Church? And do we need ten new commandments?

  • S06E08 Episode 8

    • February 24, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions from King Edward VI School, Southampton.

  • S06E09 Episode 9

    • March 2, 2013
    • BBC One

    Should protesters be sued? Should you be willing to die for your faith?

  • S06E10 Episode 10

    • March 10, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell asks, should all UK citizens have the same family rights?

  • S06E11 Episode 11

    • March 17, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents from the Manor CE School in York.

  • S06E12 Episode 12

    • March 24, 2013
    • BBC One

    From Manor CoE School in York, Nicky Campbell asks: Should Britain become a secular state?

  • S06E13 Episode 13

    • April 7, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Wychwood School in Oxford.

  • S06E14 Episode 14

    • April 14, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from the Perse School in Cambridge.

  • S06E15 Episode 15

    • April 28, 2013
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live from King Edward VI Handsworth School in Birmingham.

  • S06E16 Episode 16

    • May 4, 2014
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents from Birmingham, and asks whether religions are fair to women.

  • S06E17 Episode 17

    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Leith Academy in Edinburgh. The three debates are: Should governments pledge a percentage to foreign aid? Should you mind your neighbour's business? Do humans need the idea of heaven?

Season 9

Season 10

  • S10E01 Episode 1

    • January 8, 2017
    • BBC One

  • S10E02 Episode 2

    • January 15, 2017
    • BBC One

    A special edition of The Big Questions recorded at London's Brunel University, with the audience and invited contributors debating just one issue: is digital media good for democracy?

  • S10E03 Episode 3

    • January 22, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents the Big Questions live from Bradford's Appleton Academy.

  • S10E04 Episode 4

    • January 29, 2017
    • BBC One

    Is Scotland still owed a say over Brexit? Should the state give everyone a basic income? And should today's generation make amends for slavery?

  • S10E05 Episode 5

    • February 5, 2017
    • BBC One

    Will more children be raised in poverty? Should we have the right to decide our own gender? And, can Britain be proud of its aid to asylum seekers?

  • S10E06 Episode 6

    • February 12, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Leicester Grammar School. Should the UK trade with Israel now settlements are recognised? Has the time come to raise taxes to cover social care? Is monogamy bad for marriage?

  • S10E07 Episode 7

    • February 19, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Leith Academy, Edinburgh. He asks whether Russian cyber warfare is undermining the west, whether more police should be armed, and whether God can see our sins.

  • S10E08 Episode 8

    • February 26, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Heatlands Academy, Birmingham.

  • S10E09 Episode 9

    • March 5, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Northumbria Students' Union, Newcastle. Should pornography be on the school curriculum? And is your image public property?

  • S10E10 Episode 10

    • March 12, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from the University of Kent in Canterbury. He asks, Do the brightest do better at grammar schools? And is using drones ethical?

  • S10E11 Episode 11

    • March 19, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from Michaelston Activity Centre in Cardiff.

  • S10E12 Episode 12

    • March 26, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from St Edward's School, Oxford.

  • S10E13 Episode 13

    • April 2, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from Patcham High School, Brighton.

  • S10E14 Episode 14

    • April 9, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from Netherhall School, Cambridge.

  • S10E15 Episode 15

    • April 30, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents live debate from Manor CE Academy, York.

  • S10E16 Episode 16

    • May 7, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition from Manor CE Academy in York, debating the effectiveness of humanitarian interventions across the globe. Taking part in the discussion are human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell; Dorcas Erskine of Action Aid; Mukesh Kapila, professor of global health and humanitarian affairs at Manchester University; Yasmine Ahmed, director of Rights Watch UK; Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society; Kirsty McNeil of Save the Children; Neil Thorns of Cafod; Dr Olivia Rutazibwa of Portsmouth University; Alan Mendoza, director of the Henry Jackson Society; Dr Philip Cunliffe of Kent University

  • S10E17 Episode 17

    • May 14, 2017
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition from Oasis Academy Media City, Salford.

  • S10E18 Episode 18

    • May 21, 2017
    • BBC One

    Will globalisation make the world a better place? Taking part in the debate are Dr Linda Yueh from the London Business School, professor Guy Standing from the Basic Income Earth Network, writer and commentator Douglas Murray, Sam Bowman from the Adam Smith Institute, writer and researcher Maya Goodfellow, Katy Wright, head of global external affairs at OXFAM, writer and commentator David Goodhart, Rose Bridger from the Green Economics Institute, and Tom Bridger deputy editor of Spiked

  • S10E19 Episode 19

    • May 28, 2017
    • BBC One

    Is the private sector helping the NHS? Can white people be the victims of racism? And does morality come from religion or evolution?

  • S10E20 Episode 20

    • June 11, 2017
    • BBC One

    Taking part in the debate are: Dr Silvia Camporesi, director of bioethics at Kings College, London. Dr David King, director of Human Genetics Alert. Professor Jonathan Montgomery, from the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies. Professor Jackie Leach Scully, director of policy, ethics and life sciences, Newcastle University. Dr Trevor Stammers, Centre for Bioethics and Emerging Technologies. Environmentalist and writer Tony Juniper. Dr Ruth Stirton, healthcare law and ethics, Sussex Univeristy. Professor Keith Fox, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Movement for Reform Judaism. Dr Virginia Bolton, clinical embryologist. David Wood from the Transhumanist Party UK

Season 11

  • S11E01 Episode 1

    • January 7, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from the University of East London.

  • S11E02 Episode 2

    • January 14, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Appelton Academy, Bradford.

  • S11E03 Episode 3

    • January 21, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Netherhall School, Cambridge.

  • S11E04 Episode 4

    • January 28, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Northumbria Students' Union, Newcastle.

  • S11E05 Episode 5

    • February 4, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents debate from Oasis Academy Lord's Hill, Southampton. The panel discuss if women are holding themselves back and if evidence is a problem for religion.

  • S11E06 Episode 6

    • February 11, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from St Edward's School, Oxford.

  • S11E07 Episode 7

    • February 18, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Leicester Grammar School, Leicester.

  • S11E08 Episode 8

    • February 25, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Bath Spa University, Bath.

  • S11E09 Episode 9

    • March 4, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Edinburgh College Granton Campus.

  • S11E10 Episode 10

    • March 11, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Lliswerry High School, Newport.

  • S11E11 Episode 11

    • March 25, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from Hutchesons' Grammar School, Glasgow. He asks: Are today's jobs bad for the soul?; Should it be illegal to smack your child?; and Would Jesus be labelled an extremist today?

  • S11E12 Episode 12

    • April 8, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Manor CE Academy, York.

  • S11E13 Episode 13

    • April 15, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell asks just one very big question - is the NHS still fit for purpose? Taking part in this special edition are: Lord Kerslake, former chair, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Niall Dickson, chief executive, NHS Confederation, Adam Kay, author, This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, professor Nadey Hakim, transplant surgeon and president's envoy, Imperial College London, professor Neena Modi, neonatal consultant, Imperial College London, Alex Hitchcock, Reform, GPs doctor Bob Gill and doctor Una Coales, professor Celia Kitzinger, Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre, Rabbi doctor Jonathan Romain, Dignity in Dying and Andrew Grey, author, Dignity at the End of Life: What's Beneath the Assisted Dying Debate?

  • S11E14 Episode 14

    • April 29, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Oasis Academy MediaCityUK in Salford. Does carrying an offensive weapon deserve a prison sentence? Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sport?

  • S11E15 Episode 15

    • May 6, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition from Oasis Academy MediaCityUK in Salford, asking 'is there a crisis in masculinity?'. Taking part in this edition are Martin Daubney, founder of the Men and Boys Coalition, Nazir Afzal, former chief prosecutor, Prof Eric Anderson, author of Inclusive Masculinity, Jordan Stephens, writer and performer, Fraser Myers, journalist, Spiked online, Simon Evans, comedian, Mike Buchanan, leader of Justice for Men and Boys, Amrou Al-Kadhi, writer, performer and film-maker, and Kit Garrett, from the Institute of Gender Studies at Chester University.

  • S11E16 Episode 16

    • May 13, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Heartlands Academy, Birmingham.

  • S11E17 Episode 17

    • May 27, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition from Heartlands Academy in Birmingham which looks at robots and artificial intelligence.

  • S11E18 Episode 18

    • June 3, 2018
    • BBC One

    The 250th edition of The Big Questions comes live from Brunel University London in Uxbridge. Nicky Campbell asks: Is it ethical to take part in the World Cup? Should you be able to self-declare your gender? And, can the British High Street be saved?

  • S11E19 Episode 19

    • June 10, 2018
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents a special edition from Brunel University London in Uxbridge. He asks just one very big question: Is the liberal world order in crisis? Taking part are: Prof Mary Kaldor, global governance, LSE; Dr Alan Mendoza, Henry Jackson Society; Sophie Jarvis, Institute of Economic Affairs; Dr David Wearing, international relations, Royal Holloway London; Dr Linda Yueh, economist, Oxford University; John Gibbons, environmental journalist; Theo Clarke, Coalition for Global Prosperity; and writer Maya Goodfellow.

Season 12

  • S12E01 Episode 1

    • January 6, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate from James Allen's Girls' School, London. Nicky asks the panel: Should drugs be treated like alcohol? And, is London now only for the rich?

  • S12E02 Episode 2

    • January 13, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Heartlands Academy, Birmingham. He asks: Is it right to design babies?; and Should museums give back other nations' treasures?

  • S12E03 Episode 3

    • January 20, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Appleton Academy, Bradford. He asks: should gambling be made socially unacceptable? And, do some communities ignore human rights law?

  • S12E04 Episode 4

    • January 27, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Oasis Academy MediaCity in Salford. Are private schools immoral? And should Britain be afraid of its far right?

  • S12E05 Episode 5

    • February 3, 2019
    • BBC One

    Rachel Burden presents topical debate live from The Attenborough Centre at the University of Sussex in Brighton. Has social media ruined childhood? Is feminism in crisis?

  • S12E06 Episode 6

    • February 10, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Lliswerry High School in Newport. Should surrogacy become a commercial business? And is religion good for mental health?

  • S12E07 Episode 7

    • February 17, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Hutcheson Grammar School in Glasgow. He asks the audience if they are defined by their country or their faith.

  • S12E08 Episode 8

    • February 24, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents topical debate live from Leicester Grammar School. Nicky asks: have some of us been here before? And is environmentalism the new religion?

  • S12E09 Episode 9

    • March 3, 2019
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell presents The Big Questions live from Oasis Academy, Salford. He asks if faiths need to adapt to survive. And has Britain become a less tolerant society?

  • S12E10 Episode 10

    • March 10, 2019
    • BBC One

    The Big Questions comes live from Heartlands Academy in Birmingham. Nicky Campbell asks just one Big Question: Is Islam more divided than united?

Season 13

  • S13E01 Episode 1

    • February 2, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from James Allen's Girls' School in Dulwich, London. Is Britain failing white, working class boys? Plus is the justice system unfair to rape victims?

  • S13E02 Episode 2

    • February 9, 2020
    • BBC One

    This week, The Big Questions comes live from Oasis Academy MediaCityUK in Salford. Nicky Campbell will be asking: Will capitalism save the planet? And, is what you do more important than what you believe?

  • S13E03 Episode 3

    • February 16, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts The Big Questions live from Leicester Grammar School. This week he asks his guests and audience: Should Britain be ashamed of its deportation policies? And, will defining Islamophobia undermine free speech?

  • S13E04 Episode 4

    • February 23, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Northumbria University’s Students' Union in Newcastle where he asks: Is racism a legacy of the Empire? And is wokeness a new religion?

  • S13E05 Episode 5

    • March 1, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts The Big Questions live from The Deanery CE Academy in Swindon where he asks: Homelessness: how do we fix it? And, do women still need to fight for rights?

  • S13E06 Episode 6

    • March 8, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Oasis Academy MediaCityUK in Salford where he asks: Should we put redemption for prisoners before retribution? And, do we place too much faith in technology?

  • S13E07 Episode 7

    • March 15, 2020
    • BBC One

    The Big Questions comes live from Patcham High School in Brighton. Nicky Campbell asks, does the new law on domestic abuse go far enough? And could mindfulness be doing more harm than good?

  • S13E08 Episode 8

    • March 22, 2020
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Cardiff where he asks: Should fat-shaming be against the law? And, are there deal breakers in religion? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the premature final episode of season 13.

Season 14

  • S14E01 Episode 1

    • January 17, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from London, where he asks: is lockdown punishing too many for the greater good? And, have young people been disproportionally neglected during this crisis?

  • S14E02 Episode 2

    • January 24, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from North West England, where he asks: does social media reveal who we really are? And, will COVID revive faith?

  • S14E03 Episode 3

    • January 31, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from South West England, where he asks: will COVID help us save the planet? And, if Jesus wasn't the son of God, would we take more notice of him?

  • S14E04 Episode 4

    • February 7, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from Scotland, where he asks: is feeling British over? And, do we have a right to happiness?

  • S14E05 Episode 5

    • February 14, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from the West Midlands, where he asks: is Britain losing the fight against racism? And, would belief in reincarnation make the world a better place?

  • S14E06 Episode 6

    • February 21, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from the East Midlands, where he asks: do Britain's poor need a new deal? And, should actors expect to play any identity?

  • S14E07 Episode 7

    • February 28, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from Wales, where he asks: do we need to change our relationship with alcohol? and Has religion let us down during lockdown?

  • S14E08 Episode 8

    • March 7, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a remote audience from Cambridgeshire, where he asks: will women ever achieve equality? And, is Shamima Begum Britain's moral responsibility?

  • S14E09 Episode 9

    • March 14, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a virtual audience from North East England, where he asks: is science undermining religion? And, do our genes define us?

  • S14E10 Episode 10

    • March 21, 2021
    • BBC One

    Nicky Campbell hosts a live debate from Manchester with a virtual audience from Sussex, where he asks: is more protection for women the answer to male violence? And, has religion had its day?