Sliced Bread Presents - Toast

In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt?

Some of the world's most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world's most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today?

Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He speaks to expert commentators and to people involved with doomed wonder products to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.

Along the way he discovers charming and surprising stories from people who took to these products but lived to regret it and, with the help of self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur Sam White, tries to work out where they went wrong.

This week, Sean and Sam examine the game and movie rental chain, Blockbuster.

Its first store opened in 1985 in Dallas, Texas. At its peak in 2004, it had around 9,000 stores globally, was earning nearly $5.9 billion in revenue and employed over 84,000 people worldwide.

How did it lose its way? Spoiler alert - it wasn't just down to the rise of streaming services like Netflix.

~Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available only in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up...toast. This week - Blockbuster.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up... Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.

Some of the world’s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world’s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today?

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands which had promised so much to consumers.

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this episode, which was first broadcast in January 2024, Sean learns why Club 18-30 fell out of favour.

Its package holidays for young people were a hit for decades so why couldn't it keep going?

Sean speaks to holidaymakers who remember their Club 18-30 experiences well.

A former manager explains how they hoped to keep the brand going and why that proved impossible.

Alongside them all, analysing the business' fortunes is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White.

Feel free to suggest topics which we could cover in future episodes

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Why did the package holiday brand Club 18-30 disappear?

Why did the package holiday brand for young people Club 18-30 disappear? Sean Farrington examines its fortunes with help from expert guests.

While Sliced Bread takes a break, we serve up... Dough.

In this episode, Sean learns why Club 18-30 fell out of favour.

~Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Why did the package holiday brand for young people, Club 18-30, disappear? Sean Farrington examines its fortunes with help from expert guests.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands which had promised so much to consumers.

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this episode, Sean examines the remarkable story behind the man who founded one of the world's best-selling computer manufacturers.

Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s so why couldn't the business adapt to survive in an age when computing became even more popular?

Expert commentators and employees reflect on why the company was so successful and what led to its demise.

Alongside them is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to analyse the missteps that changed the brand's fortunes.

If you have an idea for a topic with a toast moment then you can email the programme at toast@BBC.co.uk

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. Sean Farrington examines why the best-selling computer manufacturer, Commodore, didn't make it into the internet age.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up... toast.

Guests include David Pleasance - a former Commodore international executive and later joint managing director of its UK arm; Tim Danton - editor-in-chief of PC Pro magazine; Dan Wood - a Commodore computers enthusiast.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Dan-Air was one of Britain's biggest airlines and took millions of people on their first package holidays.

So, why did such a successful business end up 'toast'?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, and the entrepreneur, Sam White look into it.

They are joined by:

-Graham Simons - Dan-Air historian and author of the book 'The Spirit of Dan-Air

-Jackie Stacey & James Hoffmeister - former Dan-Air cabin crew

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Sean Farrington assesses the fortunes of the family-run airline Dan-Air. Why did it fail?

Dan-Air was one of Britain's biggest airlines and helped to make package holidays possible. So, why did it end up toast? Sean Farrington investigates.

[LISTEN NOW]

Dan-Air was one of Britain's biggest airlines and took millions of people on their first package holidays.

So, why did such a successful business end up 'toast'?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, and the entrepreneur, Sam White look into it.

They are joined by:

-Graham Simons - Dan-Air historian and author of the book 'The Spirit of Dan-Air

-Jackie Stacey & James Hoffmeister - former Dan-Air cabin crew

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Sean Farrington assesses the fortunes of the family-run airline Dan-Air. Why did it fail?

Dan-Air was one of Britain's biggest airlines and helped to make package holidays possible. So, why did it end up toast? Sean Farrington investigates.

[LISTEN NOW]

I'm back with a new series of Sliced Bread to investigate more of your suggested wonder products and I'm starting with one of the most-requested so far. Do more expensive moisturisers, serums and oils live up to the hype? Can they result in smoother, brighter, firmer, healthier skin or is it all just marketing BS?

Listener Aristide wants to know whether one of the most expensive products on the market - 'Creme de la Mer' (£80 for 15ml) - has any more evidence to back it up than the cheap moisturiser he uses from the High Street. And listener Fiona is keen to hear about the effectiveness of retinol, one of the most popular ingredients used in creams and serums today.

In this episode I'll get the answers with the help of our expert, consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth.

Once again this series I'm looking for more of your suggestions for wonder products to investigate. If you've seen an ad, trend or fad rproduct promsing to make you happier, healthier or greener and want to know if there's any evidence behind it, then email us: sliced.bread@BBC.co.uk or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807

Presenter: Greg Foot

Producer: Simon Hoban

Greg Foot kicks off a new series of Sliced Bread by investigating whether more expensive face creams really are worth the money - or just marketing BS.

You can contact us at toast@BBC.co.uk

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea which ended up toast, examining the reasons behind the failure and discovering what can we learn from its story today.

Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition, speaking to expert commentators to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.

Sean is assisted by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, as together they try to work out what went wrong.

This week, Sean and Sam look into a hugely successful website from a time when most people in the UK were slowly getting used to the internet.

Friends Reunited provided a unique way for users to reconnect with old school friends.

It made a fortune for its founders but was closed for good in 2016. Could it still have been successful today?

~Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available only in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.

The producers are Jay Unger and Jon Douglas.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up... toast. Today - Friends Reunited

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up... Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.

Sean Farrington investigates wonder products and businesses which promised so much to consumers.... but ultimately ended up toast.

Sean is joined by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to conclude what went wrong. Together they look at why a product or business failed, and what we can learn from their stories today.

In this episode, Sean talks about wearable tech and Google Glass.

These futuristic looking spectacles, with a heads-up display which showed text messages and street directions and allowed users to record video footage of what was happening around them, were named in Time Magazine as one of the best inventions of 2012.

There was plenty of hype. Google even demonstrated them by live-streaming a sky dive using Google Glass.

But by 2015, just two years after their release, Google announced that Google Glass Explorer, the consumer version of the glasses, was going to be shelved, and the version used by businesses has since been ditched too.

Sean and Sam speak to the BBC's former technology correspondent, Rory Cellan Jones, and the 'godfather' of wearable technology, Professor Sandy Pentland from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), to discover how Google Glass went from being the best thing since sliced bread, to toast.

Presenter: Sean Farrington

Producer: Jay Unger

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up...Toast. This week - Google Glass

Sean Farrington examines their rise and fall and discovers how they spawned a famous retail chain which is still trading.

The stamps were the centrepiece of an early form of loyalty scheme and were collected by tens of millions of people across the UK.

They were given out by shops with every purchase and could be exchanged for a wide range of household goods and luxury items from handbags to vacuum cleaners and even cars.

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, speaks to expert guests including:

Sir John Timpson - chairman of the retail services provider, Timpson, who dedicated a chapter of his book on 'High Street Heroes' to the Green Shield Stamp founder, Richard Tompkins.

Professor Leigh Sparks - Professor of Retail Studies at the University of Stirling.

Alongside them, analysing the stamps' fortunes is the entrepreneur, Sam White.

Toast is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

This episode was produced by Jon Douglas.

Green Shield Stamps could be traded in for 'free' gifts so why did consumers abandon them? Sean Farrington and expert guests examine the rise and fall of the popular loyalty scheme

Social media appears to be filled with countless people sitting blissfully in small inflatable ‘ice baths'. Fans of such ‘cold water therapy' claim that taking a chilly plunge will boost your energy levels, reduce your stress, help you sleep better, and supercharge your recovery after a workout. Listener Laura wants to know if the science backs that up.

In this episode, I dip my toe - and the rest of me - into an ice bath to find out. I'm guided by Professor Mike Tipton at the University of Portsmouth, one of the leading academics in the study of cold water and its effects on the body.

Presenter: Greg Foot

Producer: Simon Hoban

Are ice baths the best thing since sliced bread? They claim to boost energy levels and help with recovery after exercise. Presenter Greg Foot takes a chilly dip to find out more.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands which had promised so much to consumers.

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this episode, which was first broadcast in February 2024, Sean and the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, examine the fortunes of Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant chain. It was a big hit when it launched so why couldn't it maintain that success?

Expert commentators - and Jamie Oliver himself - reflect on what made his restaurants so special and what led to their demise.

Tracey MacLeod, formerly of The Independent, was one of the first restaurant critics through the door; Emma Lake, Assistant Editor at The Caterer magazine wrote extensively about Jamie's Italian; Peter Harden, the co-founder of Harden's Restaurant Guide, has trawled through reviews of Jamie's Italian to see what changed from the customers' perspective.

Jamie Oliver's perspective comes through an interview he did with Kirsty Young for the Radio 4 series 'Young Again'.

If you have an idea for a topic with a toast moment then you can email the programme at toast@BBC.co.uk

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. Sean Farrington examines what went wrong at Jamie Oliver's UK restaurant chain, Jamie's Italian.

While Sliced Bread takes a break, we serve up... Dough.

In this episode, Sean and the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, examine the fortunes of Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant chain. It was a big hit when it launched so why couldn't it maintain that success?

~Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Kodak made photography mainstream so why did it falter in a digital age?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, discovers how Kodak rose to become a massive global enterprise best known for its cameras and film.

Alongside him is the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, ready to offer her opinions on the business's fortunes.

Kodak is still trading profitably but is now a much smaller business than it once was.

Sean and Sam hear from expert guests including:

Kamal Munir - Professor of Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School which is part of the University of Cambridge

Don Strickland - Kodak's former Vice President of Digital Imaging

Paul O'Sullivan - who runs a film processing business in London

Andrew Long - who worked in Kodak's consumer products division in the UK.

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Kodak made photography mainstream - so why did it falter in a digital age?

Kodak made photography mainstream - so why did it falter in a digital age? Sean Farrington examines the business's fortunes with help from expert guests.

[LISTEN NOW]

Sean Farrington discovers what happened to the brand which brought us Jubilee Pancakes, Olympic Breakfasts and free lollies for the kids.

At its peak, Little Chef had over 400 restaurants on most of our major highways and a turnover well in excess of £100m.

So, how did such a successful business ultimately end up toast?

Sean speaks to Fiona Alper who was married to the Little Chef co-founder, Sam Alper; the entrepreneur, Lawrence Wosskow, who once owned Little Chef and Becky Parr-Phillips who started as a waitress but rose through the ranks to become Little Chef's head of operations.

Alongside them all to analyse Little Chef's fortunes is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White.

This episode was first broadcast in April 2024

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Why did we lose the roadside restaurant chain Little Chef?

Why did we lose the roadside restaurant chain Little Chef? Sean Farrington examines its rise and fall with help from expert guests.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up... toast.

While Sliced Bread takes a break, we serve up... Dough.

But what does 'alcohol-free' really mean? And are these drinks always better for your health?

Various listeners got in touch with us about this one, so we enlisted the help of two experts to answer their questions.

Laura Willoughby knows a lot about no/low alcohol beer as co-founder of Club Soda which says it exists 'to help people drink more mindfully and live well ?.

Kerry Torrens is a registered nutritionist who has been working in the food and drink sector for two decades.

Once again this series we're testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so f you've seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there's any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@BBC.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.

PRESENTER: Greg Foot

PRODUCER: Jon Douglas

Are no or low-alcohol beers better for you than a regular pint?

Are no and low-alcohol beers the best thing since sliced bread - or marketing BS?

Sean Farrington discovers what happened to the baby goods retailer which once dominated the high street.

Alongside him, analysing Mothercare's fortunes, is the entrepreneur, Sam White.

The pair hear from Tim Curtis who once ran Mothercare's website, catalogue and home delivery service; Amena Khan, a loyal Mothercare customer and Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics.

They chart the highs and the lows and learn how Mothercare continues to trade today, albeit in a different form.

Produced by Jon Douglas and Shanaye Mainoo-Magnone. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Why did Mothercare have to close all of their UK stores? Sean Farrington looks into it with help from expert guests and the entrepreneur, Sam White.

In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt?

Some of the world's most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world's most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today?

Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He speaks to expert commentators and to people involved with doomed wonder products to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.

Along the way he discovers charming and surprising stories from people who took to these products but lived to regret it and, with the help of self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur Sam White, tries to work out where they went wrong.

This week, Sean and Sam look into a fat substitute called Olestra which promised to make savoury snacks healthier.

With none of the fat and far fewer calories, Olestra sounded like a dieter's dream..... but it didn't turn out that way.

~Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available only in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up toast. This week, Olestra

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up... Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.

Some of the world’s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world’s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn from their stories today?

Our Price Records was one of Britain's biggest music retailers offering cut-price albums at over 300 local high street stores. So, why did the chain disappear even before the internet transformed the music industry?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, and the entrepreneur, Sam White, examine the retailer's fortunes.

How did it manage to become so successful? And why did it end up 'toast'?

The pair are joined by expert guests including:

-Neil Boote - former commercial director at Virgin Our Price

-Phil Cokell - former marketing director at Chrysalis Records

-Alison Warner who worked at Our Price Records in the 1980s

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Why did Our Price Records disappear from UK high streets? Sean Farrington looks into it.

Our Price Records offered cut-price music in hundreds of local high street stores, so why did they disappear even before the internet transformed our music industry?

[LISTEN NOW]

Our Price Records was one of Britain's biggest music retailers offering cut-price albums at over 300 local high street stores. So, why did the chain disappear even before the internet transformed the music industry?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, and the entrepreneur, Sam White, examine the retailer's fortunes.

How did it manage to become so successful? And why did it end up 'toast'?

The pair are joined by expert guests including:

-Neil Boote - former commercial director at Virgin Our Price

-Phil Cokell - former marketing director at Chrysalis Records

-Alison Warner who worked at Our Price Records in the 1980s

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Why did Our Price Records disappear from UK high streets? Sean Farrington looks into it.

Our Price Records offered cut-price music in hundreds of local high street stores, so why did they disappear even before the internet transformed our music industry?

[LISTEN NOW]

The mobile phone retailer, Phones 4u, was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington and the entrepreneur, Sam White discover how Phones 4u ended up toast with help from expert guests including:

John Caudwell - Phones 4u founder

Nikki Barrow & Chris Papageorgiou - former Phones 4u staff members

Ian White - editor of Mobile News magazine

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Phones 4u was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops?

The mobile phone retailer Phones 4u was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops? Sean Farrington and Sam White find out with help from expert guests.

[LISTEN NOW]

The mobile phone retailer, Phones 4u, was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington and the entrepreneur, Sam White discover how Phones 4u ended up toast with help from expert guests including:

John Caudwell - Phones 4u founder

Nikki Barrow & Chris Papageorgiou - former Phones 4u staff members

Ian White - editor of Mobile News magazine

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Phones 4u was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops?

The mobile phone retailer Phones 4u was hugely profitable, so why did it have to close all of its 700+ shops? Sean Farrington and Sam White find out with help from expert guests.

[LISTEN NOW]

Why did we lose Reader's Digest magazine when it is still going in America?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, discovers what happened to the brand which started over a hundred years ago and became the most widely read magazine in the world.

Alongside him is the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, ready to offer her opinions on the business's fortunes.

How did a magazine which pinched articles from other publications become so successful? And why did it end up toast in the UK?

Sean speaks to:

- Sir Alexander McCall Smith, the best-selling author of The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency who also wrote for The Reader's Digest

- Richard Junger, Professor of Communication at Western Michigan State University

- Tom Browne, a former editor of Reader's Digest UK

- Gary Hopkins, a former owner of the business's UK division

- Jason Buhrmester, Chief Content Officer for Magazines & Books at Trusted Media Brands which owns the Reader's Digest brand, still publishes it in America and licenses it for publicaiton in other parts of the world.

Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Why did we lose Reader's Digest magazine when it is still going in America? Sean Farrington examines its rise and fall with help from expert guests.

[LISTEN NOW]

Safeway was once one of our biggest supermarket chains, so why did it drop down the list of top performers before disappearing altogether?

The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, looks into it and speaks to the former Safeway director, Teresa Whickham, a former Safeway supplier, Judy Garner, and the News Editor, Ronan Hegarty, from The Grocer magazine.

Alongside them all to analyse Safeway's fortunes is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White.

This episode was produced by Viant Siddique.

Toast examines the brands that reached dizzy heights only to end up - toast.

It is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Why did Safeway's UK supermarkets disappear? Sean Farrington investigates.

Why did Safeway's UK supermarkets disappear? Sean Farrington examines what happened to one of our biggest supermarket chains, with help from expert guests.

You can contact us at toast@BBC.co.uk

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea which ended up toast, examining the reasons behind the failure and discovering what can we learn from its story today.

Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition, speaking to expert commentators to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.

Sean is assisted by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, as together they try to work out what went wrong.

This week, Sean and Sam look into the Sinclair C5 - an electric vehicle from the 1980s which promised to revolutionize personal transport.

They get a first-hand account of what happened from the former Managing Director of Sinclair Vehicles Ltd, Barrie Wills, and hear how the Isle of Cumbrae became a hotbed for the Sinclair C5....until the little vehicles started breaking down all over the island.

They also speak to Grant Sinclair - nephew of the C5's inventor, Sir Clive Sinclair - and hear how he has devised a new and very different take on the C5 which he plans to launch soon.

Presenter: Sean Farrington

Producer: Jon Douglas

~Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available only in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up... toast. Today - the Sinclair C5.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up... Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands which had promised so much to consumers.

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this episode, which was first broadcast in January 2024, Sean learns why sales of Sunny Delight faltered in the UK after an extraordinarily successful launch.

Sean speaks to some of the people who worked on the brand, hearing how it became a hit before a series of unfortunate coincidences undermined its popularity.

The self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, is alongside him, analysing the missteps that changed Sunny Delight's fortunes.

Sunny D', as it is known today, is still sold in some UK supermarkets. It has different owners and ingredients but it has never matched the incredible sales figures which it achieved in its early days.

CORRECTION: Beta-carotene is not a B vitamin as briefly referenced in this programme. It's turned into vitamin A in the body.

Feel free to suggest topics which we could cover in future episodes

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Why did sales of the best-selling soft drink Sunny Delight suddenly bomb in the 1990s?

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. Sean Farrington examines why sales of the once best-selling soft drink, Sunny Delight, suddenly bombed.

While Sliced Bread takes a break, we serve up... Dough.

In this episode, Sean learns why sales of Sunny Delight faltered in the UK after an extraordinarily successful launch.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this Christmas special, Sean learns why the major toy retailer, Toys R Us, had to close all of its UK stores in 2018.

Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition.

He learns about the tremendous success of the brand before hearing how it faltered, with help from expert commentators and people who were directly involved.

How do they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently?

The self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, is alongside him, analysing the missteps that changed the brand's fortunes.

Together, they hear how Toys R Us is making a comeback in the UK.

From big tech to high street retail and, of course, food, Toast tackles the business ideas that, one way or another, ended up cooked.

~Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

~Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Big ideas which promised consumers so much but ended up... toast.

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up - Toast. Sean Farrington examines why Toys R Us had to close all of its UK stores in 2018 and hears how it is making a comeback.

Why did Toys R Us have to close all of its UK superstores in 2018?

In this Christmas special, Sean examines the charming story behind one of our best-known toy brands before hearing how it faltered.

Expert commentators and employees reflect on why the business had been so successful and what went wrong.

Alongside them is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to analyse the missteps that changed the brand's fortunes.

Feel free to suggest topics which we could cover in future episodes.

Why did the major toy retailer Toys R Us have to close all of its UK stores in 2018?

Sean Farrington discovers what happened to the app which pioneered short, shareable videos on social media.

Sean speaks to one of Vine's founders, Rus Yusupov, the Vine content creator, Eric Dunn, and the BBC's Technology Editor, Zoe Kleinman.

Alongside them all analysing Vine's fortunes is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White.

Produced by Viant Siddique. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

Why did the video sharing platform Vine end up... toast?

Why did the video sharing platform Vine end up... toast? Sean Farrington examines its rise and fall with help from expert guests.