RADIO CHOICE

DARREN FOREMAN, who goes by the stage name of Beardyman, is a musician and vocalist who can mimic the sounds of the animal kingdom, as well as the noises of technology. His beatboxing act has wowed the crowds at Glastonbury. BEARDYMAN AND THE MIMICS (RADIO 4, EXTRA, 1.30PM, 8.30PM) takes a look at some of the great mimics in the natural world, including the clever lyrebird — its repertoire includes kookaburras, chain saws, car alarms and camera shutters.

STRANGE stories surround the death of Tchaikovsky. Officially, he died from cholera after drinking contaminated water, but the story persists that he was coerced into committing suicide to avoid a scandal. FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT (RADIO 2, 8PM) celebrates

the Russian composer’s life and music — and explores the mysterious circumstances of his death.

POPPY seeds are small and light and can sink deep into the earth; they survive there for years, bursting into life when the ground is dug over and the seeds are brought to the surface. This is why the trench warfare during World War I filled the landscape with bright red poppies. In the last of her week-long series on THE MEANING OF FLOWERS (RADIO 3, 10.45PM), Fiona Stafford explains how the poppy (pictured) became a symbol of remembrance.