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 people back it? Why did they get burnt?
The new series of Toast starts on Thursday 4 April, 2024 by looking at the roadside restaurant chain Little Chef.
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 learns about the tremendous success of a 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 a brand’s fortunes and reaching her own, often instructive, conclusions.
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 on Thursday 9 May, 2024. 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 a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.
Title | Duration | Published | Consumed |
---|---|---|---|
Toast - Mothercare's UK Stores | 00:25:15 | 2024-04-18 07:00 | |
Toast - Vine | 00:24:55 | 2024-04-11 07:00 | |
Toast - Little Chef | 00:24:48 | 2024-04-04 07:00 | |
Mushroom Coffee | 00:29:43 | 2024-03-28 07:00 | |
Dishwashers | 00:30:45 | 2024-03-21 07:00 | |
Tens machines and circulation boosters | 00:32:13 | 2024-03-14 07:00 | |
Milk Alternatives | 00:32:37 | 2024-03-07 07:00 | |
Fitness trackers | 00:27:27 | 2024-02-29 07:00 | |
Pots and Pans | 00:29:15 | 2024-02-22 07:00 | |
Dog dental chews | 00:29:52 | 2024-02-15 07:00 | |
Face Creams | 00:32:45 | 2024-02-08 07:00 | |
Sliced Bread is back! | 00:02:25 | 2024-02-05 11:33 | |
Toast - Jamie's Italian | 00:24:48 | 2024-01-11 07:30 | |
Toast - Commodore Computers | 00:24:49 | 2024-01-11 07:20 | |
Toast - Club 18-30 | 00:25:06 | 2024-01-11 07:10 | |
Toast - Sunny Delight | 00:25:03 | 2024-01-11 07:00 | |
Toast - Toys R Us | 00:25:26 | 2023-12-18 12:34 | |
Toast is back! | 00:01:16 | 2023-12-15 12:01 | |
Bedding | 00:30:15 | 2023-12-07 07:00 | |
Christmas Trees | 00:29:47 | 2023-11-30 07:00 | |
Sports Bras | 00:36:07 | 2023-11-27 13:50 | |
Vacuum cleaners | 00:36:19 | 2023-11-23 07:00 | |
Ice Baths | 00:33:11 | 2023-11-09 07:00 | |
Eco-friendly toilet paper | 00:27:45 | 2023-11-02 10:55 | |
Smart Thermostats | 00:28:19 | 2023-10-26 07:00 | |
Motion Sickness Remedies | 00:27:16 | 2023-10-19 07:00 | |
Weighted Blankets | 00:27:29 | 2023-10-12 12:32 | |
Induction Hobs | 00:24:59 | 2023-10-05 07:00 | |
Vapes | 00:33:00 | 2023-10-02 14:30 | |
Sliced Bread is back! | 00:02:03 | 2023-09-21 13:27 | |
All Consuming is back! | 00:01:11 | 2023-07-20 18:32 | |
Mosquito Repellents | 00:27:38 | 2023-07-13 14:00 | |
Barefoot Shoes | 00:32:05 | 2023-07-06 14:30 | |
Dog Poo Bags | 00:28:14 | 2023-06-29 14:00 | |
Cycle Helmets | 00:30:45 | 2023-06-22 18:10 | |
UV Sterilisers | 00:28:19 | 2023-06-15 14:00 | |
Outdoor Clothing | 00:29:05 | 2023-06-08 14:03 | |
Reusable Nappies | 00:28:55 | 2023-06-01 18:33 | |
Hay Fever Treatments | 00:33:31 | 2023-05-25 14:00 | |
Low and No Alcohol Beer | 00:25:45 | 2023-05-18 14:00 | |
Snoring Products | 00:26:17 | 2023-05-11 14:00 | |
Toast - Sinclair C5 | 00:25:14 | 2023-05-04 09:41 | |
Toast - Friends Reunited | 00:25:27 | 2023-04-27 09:20 | |
Toast - Blockbuster | 00:25:24 | 2023-04-20 09:15 | |
Toast - Olestra | 00:24:52 | 2023-04-13 09:10 | |
Toast - Google Glass | 00:25:36 | 2023-04-06 09:05 | |
Introducing Toast | 00:02:06 | 2023-04-03 09:00 | |
Sourdough | 00:25:13 | 2023-03-31 12:29 | |
Mascara | 00:26:15 | 2023-03-23 14:00 | |
Toothpaste | 00:25:57 | 2023-03-16 14:00 | |
Herbal Sleep Aids | 00:27:25 | 2023-03-09 14:00 | |
Mattresses | 00:26:59 | 2023-03-02 14:00 | |
Conditioners and Heat Protection Products | 00:27:07 | 2023-02-23 14:00 | |
Bottled Water | 00:26:41 | 2023-02-16 14:00 | |
Painkillers | 00:26:24 | 2023-02-09 14:00 | |
Eco Laundry Products | 00:28:16 | 2023-02-02 13:30 | |
Petrol | 00:27:05 | 2023-01-26 14:00 | |
Energy Drinks | 00:26:40 | 2023-01-19 14:00 | |
Shampoo | 00:25:49 | 2023-01-12 14:00 | |
Cold Defence Nasal Sprays | 00:23:11 | 2023-01-05 14:00 | |
Introducing Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley (Series 4) | 00:01:52 | 2022-12-31 09:00 | |
Batteries | 00:26:33 | 2022-12-15 14:45 | |
Perfume | 00:29:14 | 2022-12-08 13:29 | |
Razors | 00:29:23 | 2022-12-01 14:00 | |
Collagen Supplements | 00:29:21 | 2022-11-24 14:17 | |
Wake Up Lights & SAD Lamps | 00:32:52 | 2022-11-17 13:30 | |
Portable Heaters | 00:28:48 | 2022-11-10 13:57 | |
Natural Deodorants | 00:27:15 | 2022-11-03 13:30 | |
Bonus Episode: Sliced Bread Meets All Consuming | 00:05:50 | 2022-08-25 13:28 | |
Compression leggings, Bath salts, Water softeners and filters | 00:27:51 | 2022-08-18 13:32 | |
Dog food, Diet fizzy drinks, Mouthwash | 00:25:58 | 2022-08-11 13:32 | |
Paint | 00:27:22 | 2022-08-04 13:30 | |
Massage Guns | 00:24:58 | 2022-07-28 13:30 | |
Fat Burning Pills | 00:25:54 | 2022-07-21 13:30 | |
Sunglasses | 00:24:41 | 2022-07-14 13:30 | |
Manuka Honey | 00:23:15 | 2022-06-30 14:18 | |
Air Fryers | 00:30:14 | 2022-06-23 13:51 | |
Air Purifiers | 00:24:43 | 2022-06-16 13:30 | |
Carbon Negative and Carbon Offsetting | 00:25:25 | 2022-06-09 13:40 | |
Meal Replacement Drinks | 00:24:51 | 2022-06-02 14:00 | |
Meal Replacement Drinks | 00:24:51 | 2022-06-02 14:00 | |
Electric Toothbrushes (& Water Flossers) | 00:24:53 | 2022-05-26 15:04 | |
Blue Light Filtering Glasses | 00:24:04 | 2022-05-19 13:57 | |
Personalised Vitamin Plans | 00:24:34 | 2022-05-12 18:08 | |
Running Shoes | 00:24:31 | 2022-05-05 13:55 | |
Air Source Heat Pumps | 00:25:01 | 2022-04-28 14:00 | |
Wagyu Beef | 00:25:15 | 2022-04-22 13:40 | |
Sustainable Jeans | 00:25:21 | 2022-04-14 14:44 | |
Electric Cars | 00:29:41 | 2022-04-07 15:06 | |
Sliced Bread is back! | 00:02:27 | 2022-04-06 11:48 | |
Noise Cancelling Headphones | 00:20:48 | 2020-05-06 10:30 | |
Teeth Whitening | 00:22:53 | 2020-04-29 10:30 | |
Sunscreen | 00:23:47 | 2020-04-22 10:31 | |
CBD Products (Cannabidiol) | 00:21:54 | 2020-04-15 10:31 | |
Caffeine Shampoo | 00:29:27 | 2020-04-08 10:31 | |
We’re back! | 00:00:58 | 2020-04-03 16:28 | |
Goop Lab Special | 01:07:15 | 2020-01-24 22:45 | |
Sports pain: Taping | 00:22:38 | 2019-02-27 22:02 | |
Sports pain: Gels and sprays | 00:34:21 | 2019-02-27 22:00 | |
Health drinks: Turmeric | 00:20:00 | 2019-02-20 22:14 | |
Health drinks: Kombucha | 00:26:48 | 2019-02-20 22:10 | |
Winter bugs: Vitamin C and zinc | 00:24:36 | 2019-02-13 21:02 | |
Winter bugs: Hand sanitisers | 00:32:22 | 2019-02-13 21:00 | |
Skincare: Activated charcoal | 00:20:11 | 2019-02-06 22:15 | |
Skincare: Collagen | 00:24:50 | 2019-02-06 22:14 | |
Welcome to The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread? | 00:02:24 | 2019-02-05 17:32 |