Paddy O'Connell

And if you think about some of the great events, the Romans arrived here on ships. The Armada was blown off course by the weather. D-Day was delayed. The biggest Armada ever assembled in history was delayed for 24 hours by weather. A weather forecast. But actually, what happened was, in the Victorian era, shipwrecks were making people absolutely horrified.

And if you think about some of the great events, the Romans arrived here on ships. The Armada was blown off course by the weather. D-Day was delayed. The biggest Armada ever assembled in history was delayed for 24 hours by weather. A weather forecast. But actually, what happened was, in the Victorian era, shipwrecks were making people absolutely horrified.

And there was one year, 1859, when one accident in particular horrified the nation. A vessel coming all the way from Australia to Liverpool, founded off the coast of Wales... 450 souls were lost, but crucially all women and children. The public was disgusted. And one man thought he could invent a forecast.

And there was one year, 1859, when one accident in particular horrified the nation. A vessel coming all the way from Australia to Liverpool, founded off the coast of Wales... 450 souls were lost, but crucially all women and children. The public was disgusted. And one man thought he could invent a forecast.

And so he put together a physical forecast by telegraph to warn sailors, Vice Admiral Fitzroy.

And so he put together a physical forecast by telegraph to warn sailors, Vice Admiral Fitzroy.

Well, so his physical forecast was shapes on the shore. It then went on to radio in the 1920s and was crucial. It saved thousands of lives over the years. Then, as you're rightly saying, recent technology has led people to say it's redundant. We've got GPS. And there was really a big backlash, I think, about it.

Well, so his physical forecast was shapes on the shore. It then went on to radio in the 1920s and was crucial. It saved thousands of lives over the years. Then, as you're rightly saying, recent technology has led people to say it's redundant. We've got GPS. And there was really a big backlash, I think, about it.

You're right to say it's been cultural and poetic joy for many people, but who uses it? Well, recently what's happened, of course, is that the Russians have started jamming GPS signals in the Baltic Sea, and mysterious agents have been dragging their anchors over the subsea cables, which is how our internet is delivered to island and archipelago nations listening to you around the world.

You're right to say it's been cultural and poetic joy for many people, but who uses it? Well, recently what's happened, of course, is that the Russians have started jamming GPS signals in the Baltic Sea, and mysterious agents have been dragging their anchors over the subsea cables, which is how our internet is delivered to island and archipelago nations listening to you around the world.

So actually, like the plot of The Matrix... It's all very well trusting the tech, but actually you need a human. And the weather forecast, the shipping forecast itself, is still drawn up by a human. So I say I understand the argument that I can rely on my device, but I'd rather have a human in the engine room.

So actually, like the plot of The Matrix... It's all very well trusting the tech, but actually you need a human. And the weather forecast, the shipping forecast itself, is still drawn up by a human. So I say I understand the argument that I can rely on my device, but I'd rather have a human in the engine room.

No, that's totally true. I mean, there's millions of fans of it around the world. In fact, recently a small experiment's been carried out here in delivering it, asking people, where do you listen? And people who are homesick tune into it when they're on holiday or travelling abroad. And then there are plenty of people who've left the UK to live all around the world and they like to hear it.

No, that's totally true. I mean, there's millions of fans of it around the world. In fact, recently a small experiment's been carried out here in delivering it, asking people, where do you listen? And people who are homesick tune into it when they're on holiday or travelling abroad. And then there are plenty of people who've left the UK to live all around the world and they like to hear it.

And people who don't live here but just want to know, who are these weird British people? What makes them tick? It appears to be the bongs, the pips and the ships. Who are they, these British? So, I mean, it's a line of 100 years of who we are. And we've changed a lot. But there's something that has not changed about the shipping forecast.

And people who don't live here but just want to know, who are these weird British people? What makes them tick? It appears to be the bongs, the pips and the ships. Who are they, these British? So, I mean, it's a line of 100 years of who we are. And we've changed a lot. But there's something that has not changed about the shipping forecast.

And I think that's why a lot of us do like it, even if we don't all understand it. And I was talking to Paddy O'Connell.

And I think that's why a lot of us do like it, even if we don't all understand it. And I was talking to Paddy O'Connell.