Sliced Bread

Do you really need a VPN?

Listener Andrew has seen and heard lots of adverts for Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and wants to know if they'll beef up the security on his computer. Will they provide extra protection from malware or hackers?

To get the answers, presenter Greg Foot is joined in the studio by Professor Victoria Baines, fellow of the Chartered Institute for IT.

All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you hav...

Listener Amanda was Kefir curious, and got in touch with Sliced Bread to ask if the Kefir she was consuming for breakfast every day – was really having an impact on her health, cognitive function, and her gut?

She wasn’t the only person to get in touch about kefir either, with others saying they keep seeing the benefits of fermented foods crowed about on social media. Greg Foot talks to head of the Food Biosciences department at the...

Can taking testosterone help with low libido and energy?

It's all over social media and is often touted by celebs - both male and female - but is testosterone replacement therapy the answer to listener Clive's low energy levels?

Clive got in touch after sending off for a blood test with an online health firm which showed he might have low testosterone and could be a candidate for therapy. But to buy it privately isn't cheap and once...

Listener Jenny, who enjoys a 90% cocoa bar from time to time, got in touch to ask if some of the reports that dark chocolate can have a positive effect on things like circulation and mood - have any truth behind them? 

But Jenny also told Sliced Bread that since she read reports that heavy metals such as lead and cadmium could be in dark chocolate - she's been unable to enjoy her regular bar, until she knows it's safe to eat!

Each ep...

Is it ok to stay on weight loss injections?

They have been nothing short of a pharmaceutical phenomenon. But for people like listener Lynn who've had huge success on weight loss drugs like Mounjaro, the question now arises about the implications of using them long-term. Could there be a 'maintenance' dose that would potentially allow for use over many years, or even a lifetime? And as scientists study the data, are other benefits em...

What led to the collapse of the Christmas savings club Farepak?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates with the entrepreneur, Sam White, alongside him.

It's our Christmas special and we're turning the clock back to the mid 1960s…. and looking at a business which started from humble beginnings in a Peckham butcher's shop, and went on to change Christmas for tens of thousands of families all over the UK.

So, why di...

The fashion chain C&A continues to thrive elsewhere so why did it shut all its UK stores?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates how they ended up toast, in the company of resident business expert and entrepreneur, Sam White.

C&A used to be one of the biggest fashion retailers on the UK's high streets until a shock decision in 2000 led to the stores' sudden closure.

To help explain what happened, Sean and ...

Why did Skype fall out of favour in a world of global video calls?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates with the entrepreneur, Sam White, alongside him.

Sam never knows what's coming so, at the end of every episode of Toast, she gives her off-the-cuff and authentic professional opinions on why a brand disappeared based on what she has just heard and her own business knowhow.

In this episode, we learn how Skype w...

Dasani water, a bottled water from Coca-Cola, proved a big hit in the U.S.A so why did it last for less than 6 weeks in the UK?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates how it ended up toast, in the company of resident business expert and entrepreneur, Sam White.

In the early 2000s, Coca-Cola had entered the growing bottled water market and was hoping to turn its hit new brand in America into a global sensation.

But...

How did the company behind the revolutionary BlackBerry smartphone lose its grip on the handset market?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, investigates with special guest, Sir Stephen Fry, who has remained 'faithful' to the BlackBerry brand.

Alongside them is the entrepreneur, Sam White, who at the end of the show has to reach her own conclusions on why BlackBerry handsets disappeared, based only on what she has just hear...

The team has gone through 30 episodes over the past year, and carved out five potential present worthy products that may well be heading down a chimney to you this Christmas. (We wanted to give you plenty of time to include them in your letters to Santa.)

Greg Foot will share with you the key points from experts we’ve spoken to on Nail Polish & Gel Nails, Chopping Boards, Lip Balm, Smart Scales, and Sleep headbands. (The inform...

Are cough medicines any better than just taking honey and lemon?

When Listener Sally sent in a croaky voicenote to our Sliced Bread Whatsapp number (07543 306807 - put us in your contacts!) we knew we had to tackle this one.

Sally didn't think the medicine she used for her cough did very much, so she joined presenter Greg Foot and Jacky Smith, Professor in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, to get some answers.

Eac...

Are special shampoos and coatings any good at cleaning and protecting your car?

They're all over Instagram: washes, foams, and ceramic coatings in a rainbow of coloured bottles that promise to give your car that showroom shine. For listener James - a driving instructor - the question is whether they're worth the money, or if an ordinary bottle of washing up liquid will do the job. To find out Greg is joined in the Salford studio ...

Listener Julie has been reaching for the fake tan every spring to add a "bit of colour" to her legs, but after much trial and error with foams, lotions and gels, she got in touch with Sliced Bread to ask what is actually IN fake tan? How does it work - and is there a particular kind that might suit her best?

Greg Foot is joined by Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester Dr Jean Ayer, as well as C...

Can anything stop toenail fungus in its tracks?

It's one of the most-requested but least-talked-about topics, so listener Julia speaks for many as she joins us to ask about treatments for toenail fungus. She's keen to know if the laser-light devices shes's seen on social media really do work, as well as over-the-counter lacquers and prescription drugs.

To get the answers Greg and Julia are joined in the Salford studio by Dr Ivan Bri...

Greg Foot speaks to Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatological Surgeon Dr Emma Craythorne - who has plenty of skin in the game - to find some answers for listener Phil about about scars, how they occur, the different types, and what might help make them less obvious. 

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing sin...

Can creatine boost your body and mind?

Listener Simon has been taking the fitness supplement creatine and wants to know if the science backs up the claim that it can make you stronger and faster. He's also heard that it can help with cognitive function. To find out if creatine can boost body and mind, presenter Greg Foot is joined by Graeme Close, Professor of Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University and Fabienne Sandkuhler, p...

Can supersonic air travel make a comeback?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty year...

Could 'smart' clothing monitor our health?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty year...