ABC Radio National steps into 2026 with new programs, additional episodes of the acclaimed Global Roaming and regular appointments for arts and science enthusiasts.
Global Roaming next year welcomes author and journalist Latika M Bourke and foreign affairs journalist Kylie Morris who will join Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald to present episodes every weekday.
Latika said:
“The world order is changing before our eyes and understanding Australia’s place in this turmoil has never been more important.
Radio National’s expansion of its already unmissable Global Roaming program is much-needed for our times and as The Nightly’s Writer-at-Large based in London, I’m excited and honoured to contribute to helping make sense of our rapidly shifting global order.”
Radio National increases its commitment to arts programming with a new and live, weekday Radio National Arts Hour airing from 10–11am. The show will be anchored by an arts presenter from Monday to Thursday, presenting interviews and news focused on visual and performing arts and will be followed by daily specialist arts program covering books, design, food, and film including:
The Screen Show with Jason di Rosso
Every Bite with Jonathan Green
The Book Show with Claire Nichols
The Bookshelf hosted by Kate Evans and Cassie McCullagh.
And now a new architecture and design program, Anthony Burke’s By Design, presented by the much-loved host of ABC TV’s Grand Designs Australia, Grand Transformations, Restoration Australia and Culture By Design.
Following the decisions of presenters Daniel Browning and Michael Cathcart to step away from their roles, ABC Radio National will retire The Art Show and The Stage Show and Arts in 30.
ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Books countdown will return. The 2025 Top 100 Books of the 21st Century received incredible engagement from readers and authors alike with the countdown celebrated over a two-day live broadcast in October. Next year’s theme will build on the success of year one with a similar level of debate!
For the scientifically inclined, Radio National’s programming will feature, from 1.30-2pm each weekday, All In The Mind, What the Duck, Science Friction and The Science Show. On Saturdays, The Science Show continues as a full-hour program, with Robyn Williams welcoming a co-presenter for the first time in the show’s five decade history. Robyn will be joined by Belinda Smith, an award-winning science journalist and presenter of Lab Notes.
In January 2026, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, Australia’s voice of science Dr Karl will co-present a new six-part series, The Challenger Legacy, alongside Walkley-nominated science reporter Fiona Pepper.
Dr Karl said:
“The Challenger disaster was a tragedy, but it also reshaped how we think about engineering and risk. This series takes a deep look at the science behind the fateful mission and asks what NASA – and all of us – have learned from the disaster.”
There are some slight schedule changes in the new year:
ABC Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara shifts to a 6am start. News coverage still begins at 5.30am with a mix of ABC News Daily and highlights from The Radio National Hour. The Radio National Hour with Fran Kelly continues at 6pm each weeknight.
On weekends, The Music Show will move from the morning to afternoons.
The full Radio National schedule for 2026 can be found here.
Main image – The ABC RN 2026 Global Roaming Team from L-R – Latika M Bourke, Hamish Macdonald, Geraldine Doogue and Kylie Morris.
Related stories:
50 years of Robyn Williams and the Science Show on ABC Radio National
Another magical ABC countdown sees Boy Swallows Universe No1 of the inaugural RN Top 100 Books