You don't even need VPN, you can just straight download the mp3 file of each episode https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/downloads

Only the streaming options (iPlayer and Sounds) are geolocked

Very nice! I'd also want to run a script to remove the BBC Sounds ident at the start

The audio is so much better when it begins with "<Melvyn inhales> Hello, 400 years ago in the Sahel region of Africa..."

Those introductions are iconic! There is no delay and no doubt about what is about to happen. I have the full back catalogue downloaded but never considered that I'd need to start trimming.

Audacity? Are there automations possible?

If the timing is consistent, maybe ffmpeg can trim the first n seconds off all the files.

This seems like a treasure trove. Thanks for sharing this link!