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...I'd convinced myself it must be another obscure R4 reference (a producer I didn't know) and missed the obvious!

I agree with most of the previous comments. I didn't really enjoy this while I was solving it, but as an avid R4 listener I appreciated it in retrospect.

My COD was 20/12 across, but I fear that the answer could be said to apply to many of the clues today, which I found very unsatisfactory (some particularly poor surfaces and/or dubious definitions - eg ponderous pronouncement, and bohemian) I think the worst clue was 26d!

I really hope Everyman is back to their usual satisfactory excellence next week!

Diabolical ! Gave up halfway through,

There is little pleasure in trying to solve clues that have been stretched and strained beyond credulity to achieve tenuous R4 connections.

Hi all. While I understand people’s various points, I was happy with the mix of a few write-ins and a number of challenges. I also had the advantage of being a regular Radio 4 listener and, in fact, found the crossword a welcome relief from the relentlessly dire international news.
I enjoyed the simplicity & misdirection of 2D, & 9A’s Spoonerism raised a smile.
Looking back over it, a fair number of Radio 4 refs didn’t require R4 knowledge as they simple used the programme names to supply letters, e.g. 10, 18, 21, 24 & 27.
So from me, it’s Thank you, Everyman and the Observer for this weekly gift.
Stay well, everyone.

Just listened to the Radio 5 programme on crosswords which referenced this morning's Everyman. Explains the Radio 4 theme. I feel more forgiving to the more forced clues now.

Yup … hike across to BBC Sounds and look at 1915 Sun ‘Gegs (9,4) … and all is explained …

It was quite funny to hear the Radio4 programme at 7.15pm having done half the Everyman ... had spotted the 'theme' and parsed some but not all of the clues. I figured out 26d but not happy with it, it felt like pulling out your own teeth. And I grumpily acknowledge the 'alongside' in 25 but don't like it.

Still stuck on 1a though - I can't see an anagram fodder that fits my crossers | R * L * E * | M * P * | I know what I want the last word to be to go with 'charts'. Have I a wrong crosser?

... And ... (of course!) as soon as I post I get it!

It was a nice idea to try to do the puzzle to tie in with the radio broadcast. Not sure it worked 100% for everybody, though.

I arrived here having listened to the BBC radio 4 programme on Cryptic Crosswords. I like to have a range of different crosswords to test me - but have never been able to get on the wavelength of The Guardian setters. A shame as it is my news source of choice.

So I thought I would try Everyman. Although radio is also my medium of choice I did not spot the theme. It took me ages to seek help on this puzzle which is how I ended up here.

Once you kind people had pointed out the Radio 4 link it was fairly plain sailing. Pleased to say that I didn’t need that help to get the longest answer - a perennial favourite programme of mine.

Many years ago I used to set crosswords for an in house journal at the organisation I worked for. 26d was such an awful clue that it almost looked like the setter had got into a cul de sac. That wasn’t the case - there is one letter which would have worked far better.

Anyway I look forward to trying next Sunday’s version. And trying out some of the previous ones in the meantime.