BBC: Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker reinvents the Shipping Forecast as a bedtime soundtrack

Jarvis Cocker, frontman of Pulp, is about to lull listeners to sleep with a special episode of The Sleeping Forecast, a wordplay on the BBC’s iconic Shipping Forecast. The programme will air on BBC Radio 6 Music on 26 October and is already available on BBC Sounds.

A poetic twist on the legendary marine weather report

Earlier this year, for the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Shipping Forecast broadcast on the BBC (4 July 1925), Cocker recorded a tribute episode presented at the Crossed Wires Podcast Festival in Sheffield. He’s now returning with a brand-new version, this time not for sailors… but for sleepers.

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“Might be one of the best moments of my life.” To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC, Jarvis Cocker has recorded a special shipping forecast to be broadcast for an audience at the Crossed Wires Podcast Festival in Sheffield. Today (Friday) marks 100 years since the first broadcast of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC on 4 July 1925. The Crossed Wires festival will welcome ‘ships’ fans to a special 100th anniversary programme with Radio 4 announcers Lisa Costello and Viji Alles, hosted by Chris Mason. Shipping Forecast | Listen on BBC Sounds

♬ original sound – BBC Sounds

A soundtrack designed for falling asleep

Each week, The Sleeping Forecast blends a selection of calming, sleep-friendly tracks. In this episode, Jarvis Cocker curated the entire playlist himself: from Brian Eno to Arvo Pärt, Éliane Radigue, Kate Bush, plus readings from the legendary BBC Radio 4 maritime bulletin. Cocker explains:

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“I’ve often used the Shipping Forecast to help me drift off at night. This time, I’m offering my own musical selection for The Sleeping Forecast — pieces that I hope will take you to another dimension. The dimension of sleep. This show is meant to be a portal into a peaceful night. Sweet dreams.”

Une jolie vidéo teasing poétique

The Sleeping Forecast has been running since 2020. Inviting a well-known artist for a special episode is a clever way to shine new light on the series and refresh its visibility. To announce the event, BBC Radio 6 Music reused last year’s stop-motion style teaser with its retro British aesthetic — and added new footage of Jarvis Cocker describing his love for the Shipping Forecast, followed by the familiar BBC announcer asking whether we all need “a good night’s sleep.” A smart approach for promoting an audio programme when there’s little visual material to work with.

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The Shipping Forecast has many devoted fans

While France’s national broadcaster France Inter stopped airing its marine weather bulletin on 25 December 2016 (ahead of shutting down longwave), the Shipping Forecast is still broadcast daily on BBC Radio 4. It is believed to draw hundreds of thousands of listeners each day. For many, this forecast, with its evocative region names (Viking, Humber, Dogger…), has become a ritual, even a “national lullaby.” On YouTube, you’ll even find 5-hour compilations of the Shipping Forecast designed specifically to help people fall asleep.