In 1943, the Central Department of BBC World Service started broadcasting English language teaching programmes. This department was the forerunner of BBC Learning English. Over time, the department's name changed to, amongst other things, English by Radio (or ExR), English by Radio and Television and BBC English before becoming BBC Learning English.

This week, to celebrate the last 70 years of the department and to look forward to the next 70 years, we will be publishing a number of special programmes and materials. We have photo galleries and interviews with you, our audience, bi-lingual celebrities talking about what English means to them, English at Work returning for a 5 part special, The Teacher investigating the future of English language teaching and much more. There will also be our regular content; most with a special 70th birthday twist.

We hope that you like it.

However long you have studied English with us, we thank you and we look forward to you being part of our English language learning community long into the future.

Bi-lingual celebrities talking about learning English

俄罗斯芭蕾明星Anastasia Volochkova分享英语学习心得 Watch the video

巴西歌手兼词曲作者Monica Vasconcelos分享英语学习心得 Watch the video

前中国职业足球运动员高雷雷分享学习英语心得 Watch the video

土耳其著名作家Ece Temelkuran分享学习英语心得 Watch the video